Chapter 5
Year of Kenko
“You’re going to be seventeen in two weeks,” Janol’s mother said one day at breakfast.
Janol was still suffering from the relatively new experience of a hangover from the night before and only managed to whisper “I know” in reply.
“Your father and I have arranged for a party to celebrate.”
Janol had been expecting this; it was traditional when reaching the age of seventeen and adulthood when boys and girls took on adult responsibilities. The problem was that although he didn’t mind responsibilities; Janol just didn’t want the ones he was expected to have.
“There will be lots of pretty girls there. You’re a good-looking young man now, a good catch. You will inherit the farm being the oldest child and only son. Your father is going to go over the books with you soon because we’re not getting any younger and if something were …” His mum paused for a second. “Anyway, if you smarten yourself up you’ll be the most handsome man around. Is there anyone you want to invite?”
There was somebody he wanted to invite but he assumed she would be going anyway. “Not really, just everyone I know.” There he’d ensured Onnil would go without mentioning her by name.
“Well of course dear.”
With his father having forgotten or ignoring their previous argument, Janol thought it best to go along with it. “Where is the party?” he asked trying to ignore his thumping head.
“The Garts have the largest barn hereabouts. They’ve agreed to let you have your party there.”
Why was his mother speaking as if he had made the decision?
Greta and Prayoir were excited of course; they were going to an adult party. Not that Janol saw it as an adult party; a lot of the people around his age, although seventeen or older did not behave as adults. He hadn’t had many friends until Onnil had arrived. Lots of acquaintances, but not friends. He often just preferred his own company.
At least Onnil would be going.
“You’re going to be seventeen in two weeks,” Janol’s mother said one day at breakfast.
Janol was still suffering from the relatively new experience of a hangover from the night before and only managed to whisper “I know” in reply.
“Your father and I have arranged for a party to celebrate.”
Janol had been expecting this; it was traditional when reaching the age of seventeen and adulthood when boys and girls took on adult responsibilities. The problem was that although he didn’t mind responsibilities; Janol just didn’t want the ones he was expected to have.
“There will be lots of pretty girls there. You’re a good-looking young man now, a good catch. You will inherit the farm being the oldest child and only son. Your father is going to go over the books with you soon because we’re not getting any younger and if something were …” His mum paused for a second. “Anyway, if you smarten yourself up you’ll be the most handsome man around. Is there anyone you want to invite?”
There was somebody he wanted to invite but he assumed she would be going anyway. “Not really, just everyone I know.” There he’d ensured Onnil would go without mentioning her by name.
“Well of course dear.”
With his father having forgotten or ignoring their previous argument, Janol thought it best to go along with it. “Where is the party?” he asked trying to ignore his thumping head.
“The Garts have the largest barn hereabouts. They’ve agreed to let you have your party there.”
Why was his mother speaking as if he had made the decision?
Greta and Prayoir were excited of course; they were going to an adult party. Not that Janol saw it as an adult party; a lot of the people around his age, although seventeen or older did not behave as adults. He hadn’t had many friends until Onnil had arrived. Lots of acquaintances, but not friends. He often just preferred his own company.
At least Onnil would be going.
The evening of the party soon arrived and all the women of the household spent most of the day getting ready. The one exception was Onnil who only spent an hour. Nevertheless, she did end up looking very elegant having borrowed a dress from somewhere, Janol never did find out where.
Janol’s father had arranged for one of their neighbours to pick them up in what was a slightly smarter and less utilitarian tractor than the one they owned.
The Garts owned one of the more affluent farms in the region and having four daughters, were keen to match them up with any eligible boys. Janol had listened into some of the boring matchmaking conversations his mother had had with their neighbour and Mrs. Gart seemed obsessed with matching her daughters up with the sons of wealthy landowners, Janol included.
It was just getting dark when they set off into the crisp night air. Janol sat quietly, both looking forward to and dreading the evening. Greta and Prayoir sat laughing and chatting throughout the journey, occasionally teasing him with the names of some of the girls who would be attending. It was a relief when they eventually arrived at the Gart’s farm.
Janol entered into the barn followed by his parents and sisters. There was a loud cheer and everyone started singing ‘Birthday Boy’. Janol felt suitably embarrassed. As soon as the song finished, his mother dragged him away and was soon introducing him to plenty of people he already knew. Some of the daughters were very pretty, Janol had to reluctantly concede and very pleasant company.
“Here, drink this,” Onnil appeared with two beers, she almost downed hers in one go and handed Janol the other.
“Trying to get Janol drunk?” his mother asked, almost accusingly.
“Nope, trying to relax him. I’ve never seen him so nervous.”
His mother glared at Onnil. Onnil could obviously sense the tension because she put her arm around his mother. “Now I know you consider me unsuitable marriage material and I can assure you that you are correct. I am totally unsuitable and you have no idea how unsuitable,” she started dragging his mother away. “For a start I am far too old. I’m foreign and I would never settle down on …”
“Hello Janol,” a girl’s voice said. “Remember me?”
“Koreenil?” Janol asked.
“No, I’m her sister, Jiness.”
“I always did have difficulty telling the two of you apart.” That was the wrong thing to say even though it was true.
“Well, we are twins and we do like to pretend to be each other. Enjoying your party?”
“Sort of,” Janol replied, wondering if it really was Koreenil and the twins were pretending to be each other.
“In what way?”
“Well, I can get drunk officially, now I’m seventeen. However, I’m on show so I don’t feel I can relax and enjoy it.”
“Yes, well it will be my party in a couple of ten-weeks time. Will you come? If you do, you can relax then.”
“Yes, and I’ll come to your sister’s as well.”
“We’re having a joint one.”
“One of the downsides of being a twin, I suppose,” Janol said and then immediately regretted saying it. He seemed to be saying all the wrong things.
“Yes, but there are advantages …”
“Janol how are you?” another girl interrupted his conversation.
Janol turned to face her.
“Enjoying your party?” the newcomer asked.
“In a way.” Was he going to have the same conversation all night?
“The dancing is going to start.” Jiness said enthusiastically grabbing his arm before the competition could.
“Here, have another beer,” Onnil said, thrusting another tankard into Janol’s hand and taking the empty one away. Janol was aware of the strange looks Onnil was getting from his growing entourage; he just wished she would stay with him.
Onnil said something in that strange language of hers and clashed the two tankards together. “Girls, don’t tire him out too much. I’m off to have some fun.” She winked at him and then added, “I’ll catch up with you later.”
“Will I get a dance with you?” Janol shouted as she turned to walk away.
“You know I don’t dance unless I really have to,” she replied turning back round.
“So what do you do at these events?” Janol persevered.
“Win the drinking and the arm wrestling competitions,” she shouted, walking back to the bar. “There are always some stupid men who think they can beat me.”
Janol never got a chance for a further reply as he was manhandled to the dance-floor.
“Your friend Onnil is unusual,” Jiness said.
“I know.”
“Is it true you met her asleep in a cave?”
“Yes.”
“What was she doing there?”
“She was trapped.”
“How romantic.”
“What?”
“She was waiting for you to rescue her.”
“I don’t think so. One thing I can tell you is that she’s probably never needed rescuing.”
“How did she get in there if there was no other way in?” Jiness asked.
“She said there was a landslide but I couldn’t see one.” Janol replied, the mystery of Onnil’s incarceration coming back into his mind.
“Well, I think it was very gallant of you …” Jiness said interrupting his train of thoughts.
“Can I butt in?” It was Koreenil, Jiness’ twin.
Janol was also quite pleased with the interruption as the conversation had been getting quite weird. Gallant! Janol remembered being shit scared.
Janol turned round to see Jiness’ twin standing looking slightly annoyed. Janol was relieved that Koreenil and Jiness were wearing different outfits. As long as he could remember that Jiness was in blue, he would have no difficulty telling them apart.
“My turn, sister,” Koreenil said grabbing Janol away from her sibling.
Just then the music stopped and the band started to play a different tune. “Come on Janol, tell me all about how you rescued Onnil.” Koreenil said grabbing both his hands ready for the dance to start. “Was she hiding from bandits, who were, you know, going to ravish her?” She almost whispered the word ravish.
Had they planned this? Janol wondered of the twins. “Err no, there was nobody about. Apart from Tusfern and me,” he replied.
“Oh.” For some reason Koreenil seemed quite disappointed. “So where does she come from?”
“I think you’ll have to ask her that. Come on she’s over there let’s go and speak to her.” Janol was desperately trying to get away from the slightly disturbing twins. He dragged Koreenil off the dance floor towards the bar where Onnil was talking to a group of men.
“… has to finish their drink.”
“Hello Onnil,” Janol said. “What are you doing?”
“I’m teaching my new best friend Jeth here how to play the ancient and honourable drinking game ‘Cardinal Puff’. I’ve had to translate it into Comspeak. My other favourite, Fuzzy Duck doesn’t translate very well.”
“Can I play?” Janol asked.
“No, you’ve got dances to dance, people to meet and women to woo. I’ll teach you drinking games some other day. Jeth we need to get some more players, ones who aren’t suffering from birthdays.”
Janol felt himself being dragged back to the dance floor by Koreenil. “Will she be okay?” Koreenil asked.
“Oh yes,” Janol said looking back over his shoulder to where Onnil was animatedly explaining the rules of something to a group of young men. “There’s no chance of anyone ravishing her tonight.”
“Will anybody be ravished tonight?” Koreenil asked with a glint in her eye
Janol didn’t know what to say. He found Koreenil attractive but he didn’t want her father appearing at the farm, gun in hand either wanting to kill him or force a marriage. “I can’t speak for anybody else but I won’t be ravishing anybody tonight.” Koreenil seemed slightly disappointed. Janol wasn’t sure whether to be worried or pleased.
After three more dances with three different girls, Janol managed to use the excuse of getting some more beer to find Onnil. She was sitting at a table, looking remarkably fresh. Her six all-male companions though, were looking extremely drunk.
“I drink the health of Cardinal Huff.”
“No, it’s Puff, finish your drink,” Onnil said. There was a cheer as the guilty man finished his large shot of whisky.
“Riggard, your go.”
Riggard held up three fingers, stared at them for a short while and then said, “I drink the health of Cardinal Puff for the third and final time tonight.” He banged his tankard on the table three times and slapped his thigh three times, stood up, turned round three times and then sat down in his seat.
“Good you’ve remembered to slap your own thigh this time you naughty boy,” Onnil said as Riggard took three sips of his drink.
There was a further cheer from around the table.
“I declare Riggard the new Cardinal,” Onnil said. “We must all drink to his health. I drink the health …”
Janol felt himself once again being dragged away by another girl.
It was over an hour later before Janol spoke to Onnil again. She had a young woman beside her. “Janol this is Hifa, she wanted me to introduce you to her. She’s been wanting to meet the birthday boy all evening, but has never got the chance. You’ve been very popular. How are you feeling? You look slightly the worse for wear.”
“I’ve felt shlightly better.” Janol said. He was aware that he was slurring his words. “I don’t think I can dance much more. I’m feeling a bit shick. I was wanting a dance with you.” Onnil was infuriatingly, totally and utterly sober, despite having seemed to have spent the whole evening playing drinking games with an increasing number of progressively drunken men.
“I’d better take you outside for some fresh air,” Onnil said. “Come on Hifa you take his other arm.”
Hifa, that was an unusual name, Janol thought. Not a very feminine one. Why were some names more feminine than others? Onnil, that was quite a soft name, no sudden changes, that was it. Hifa had two quite different syllables quite close together it was difficult to say. Not a very girly name “Hifa, Hifa” he started saying to himself drunkenly. He was aware of someone speaking back to him.
He was suddenly outside in the cold. The cold air that sobered him up slightly.
“Hello,” he said to the quite attractive woman beside him. “Who are you?”
“I’m Hifa. I think you’ve had too much to drink.”
“Girl’s names often end in an ‘A’,” Janol said. “Yours does. Have you ever thought about that?”
“I can’t say I have,” she replied.
“I don’t feel very well. How did I get out here?” Janol asked.
“I brought you out with your friend, Onnil. She’s like a big sister to you.”
“A big Shishter!”
“Yes, she’s looking out for you.”
“You’re not my sishter. Are my shishters here?”
“No, I live in Gritol. I’m not related to … You need to sober up or else you won’t enjoy the rest of your party. Your father is going to make a speech soon.”
“I don’t want a speech. I don’t want a farm. I don’t want to settle down. I want to see the rest of the Sphere. Look,” he pointed up to the distant lights in the sky where far off continents were in daylight. “Shee there, there must be people there, people like us. Do you ever think about that?”
“Sometimes I do.”
“Do you never want to go and shee?”
“Sometimes at night …”
“Janol … Janol …” Janol was suddenly aware of his mother shouting his name. “Where are you? Your father is going to say a few words.”
“I don’t want a few words I want sit down on the ground. It’s looking very shoft. My head hurts.” Janol stared at the glistening ground, despite the slight frost, it looked very inviting.
“Hello dear.” Janol heard his mother say. “Are you okay?”
“I think someone spiked his drink,” Hifa explained. “It happens quite a lot at these birthdays. It’s sort of traditional.”
Janol’s father had arranged for one of their neighbours to pick them up in what was a slightly smarter and less utilitarian tractor than the one they owned.
The Garts owned one of the more affluent farms in the region and having four daughters, were keen to match them up with any eligible boys. Janol had listened into some of the boring matchmaking conversations his mother had had with their neighbour and Mrs. Gart seemed obsessed with matching her daughters up with the sons of wealthy landowners, Janol included.
It was just getting dark when they set off into the crisp night air. Janol sat quietly, both looking forward to and dreading the evening. Greta and Prayoir sat laughing and chatting throughout the journey, occasionally teasing him with the names of some of the girls who would be attending. It was a relief when they eventually arrived at the Gart’s farm.
Janol entered into the barn followed by his parents and sisters. There was a loud cheer and everyone started singing ‘Birthday Boy’. Janol felt suitably embarrassed. As soon as the song finished, his mother dragged him away and was soon introducing him to plenty of people he already knew. Some of the daughters were very pretty, Janol had to reluctantly concede and very pleasant company.
“Here, drink this,” Onnil appeared with two beers, she almost downed hers in one go and handed Janol the other.
“Trying to get Janol drunk?” his mother asked, almost accusingly.
“Nope, trying to relax him. I’ve never seen him so nervous.”
His mother glared at Onnil. Onnil could obviously sense the tension because she put her arm around his mother. “Now I know you consider me unsuitable marriage material and I can assure you that you are correct. I am totally unsuitable and you have no idea how unsuitable,” she started dragging his mother away. “For a start I am far too old. I’m foreign and I would never settle down on …”
“Hello Janol,” a girl’s voice said. “Remember me?”
“Koreenil?” Janol asked.
“No, I’m her sister, Jiness.”
“I always did have difficulty telling the two of you apart.” That was the wrong thing to say even though it was true.
“Well, we are twins and we do like to pretend to be each other. Enjoying your party?”
“Sort of,” Janol replied, wondering if it really was Koreenil and the twins were pretending to be each other.
“In what way?”
“Well, I can get drunk officially, now I’m seventeen. However, I’m on show so I don’t feel I can relax and enjoy it.”
“Yes, well it will be my party in a couple of ten-weeks time. Will you come? If you do, you can relax then.”
“Yes, and I’ll come to your sister’s as well.”
“We’re having a joint one.”
“One of the downsides of being a twin, I suppose,” Janol said and then immediately regretted saying it. He seemed to be saying all the wrong things.
“Yes, but there are advantages …”
“Janol how are you?” another girl interrupted his conversation.
Janol turned to face her.
“Enjoying your party?” the newcomer asked.
“In a way.” Was he going to have the same conversation all night?
“The dancing is going to start.” Jiness said enthusiastically grabbing his arm before the competition could.
“Here, have another beer,” Onnil said, thrusting another tankard into Janol’s hand and taking the empty one away. Janol was aware of the strange looks Onnil was getting from his growing entourage; he just wished she would stay with him.
Onnil said something in that strange language of hers and clashed the two tankards together. “Girls, don’t tire him out too much. I’m off to have some fun.” She winked at him and then added, “I’ll catch up with you later.”
“Will I get a dance with you?” Janol shouted as she turned to walk away.
“You know I don’t dance unless I really have to,” she replied turning back round.
“So what do you do at these events?” Janol persevered.
“Win the drinking and the arm wrestling competitions,” she shouted, walking back to the bar. “There are always some stupid men who think they can beat me.”
Janol never got a chance for a further reply as he was manhandled to the dance-floor.
“Your friend Onnil is unusual,” Jiness said.
“I know.”
“Is it true you met her asleep in a cave?”
“Yes.”
“What was she doing there?”
“She was trapped.”
“How romantic.”
“What?”
“She was waiting for you to rescue her.”
“I don’t think so. One thing I can tell you is that she’s probably never needed rescuing.”
“How did she get in there if there was no other way in?” Jiness asked.
“She said there was a landslide but I couldn’t see one.” Janol replied, the mystery of Onnil’s incarceration coming back into his mind.
“Well, I think it was very gallant of you …” Jiness said interrupting his train of thoughts.
“Can I butt in?” It was Koreenil, Jiness’ twin.
Janol was also quite pleased with the interruption as the conversation had been getting quite weird. Gallant! Janol remembered being shit scared.
Janol turned round to see Jiness’ twin standing looking slightly annoyed. Janol was relieved that Koreenil and Jiness were wearing different outfits. As long as he could remember that Jiness was in blue, he would have no difficulty telling them apart.
“My turn, sister,” Koreenil said grabbing Janol away from her sibling.
Just then the music stopped and the band started to play a different tune. “Come on Janol, tell me all about how you rescued Onnil.” Koreenil said grabbing both his hands ready for the dance to start. “Was she hiding from bandits, who were, you know, going to ravish her?” She almost whispered the word ravish.
Had they planned this? Janol wondered of the twins. “Err no, there was nobody about. Apart from Tusfern and me,” he replied.
“Oh.” For some reason Koreenil seemed quite disappointed. “So where does she come from?”
“I think you’ll have to ask her that. Come on she’s over there let’s go and speak to her.” Janol was desperately trying to get away from the slightly disturbing twins. He dragged Koreenil off the dance floor towards the bar where Onnil was talking to a group of men.
“… has to finish their drink.”
“Hello Onnil,” Janol said. “What are you doing?”
“I’m teaching my new best friend Jeth here how to play the ancient and honourable drinking game ‘Cardinal Puff’. I’ve had to translate it into Comspeak. My other favourite, Fuzzy Duck doesn’t translate very well.”
“Can I play?” Janol asked.
“No, you’ve got dances to dance, people to meet and women to woo. I’ll teach you drinking games some other day. Jeth we need to get some more players, ones who aren’t suffering from birthdays.”
Janol felt himself being dragged back to the dance floor by Koreenil. “Will she be okay?” Koreenil asked.
“Oh yes,” Janol said looking back over his shoulder to where Onnil was animatedly explaining the rules of something to a group of young men. “There’s no chance of anyone ravishing her tonight.”
“Will anybody be ravished tonight?” Koreenil asked with a glint in her eye
Janol didn’t know what to say. He found Koreenil attractive but he didn’t want her father appearing at the farm, gun in hand either wanting to kill him or force a marriage. “I can’t speak for anybody else but I won’t be ravishing anybody tonight.” Koreenil seemed slightly disappointed. Janol wasn’t sure whether to be worried or pleased.
After three more dances with three different girls, Janol managed to use the excuse of getting some more beer to find Onnil. She was sitting at a table, looking remarkably fresh. Her six all-male companions though, were looking extremely drunk.
“I drink the health of Cardinal Huff.”
“No, it’s Puff, finish your drink,” Onnil said. There was a cheer as the guilty man finished his large shot of whisky.
“Riggard, your go.”
Riggard held up three fingers, stared at them for a short while and then said, “I drink the health of Cardinal Puff for the third and final time tonight.” He banged his tankard on the table three times and slapped his thigh three times, stood up, turned round three times and then sat down in his seat.
“Good you’ve remembered to slap your own thigh this time you naughty boy,” Onnil said as Riggard took three sips of his drink.
There was a further cheer from around the table.
“I declare Riggard the new Cardinal,” Onnil said. “We must all drink to his health. I drink the health …”
Janol felt himself once again being dragged away by another girl.
It was over an hour later before Janol spoke to Onnil again. She had a young woman beside her. “Janol this is Hifa, she wanted me to introduce you to her. She’s been wanting to meet the birthday boy all evening, but has never got the chance. You’ve been very popular. How are you feeling? You look slightly the worse for wear.”
“I’ve felt shlightly better.” Janol said. He was aware that he was slurring his words. “I don’t think I can dance much more. I’m feeling a bit shick. I was wanting a dance with you.” Onnil was infuriatingly, totally and utterly sober, despite having seemed to have spent the whole evening playing drinking games with an increasing number of progressively drunken men.
“I’d better take you outside for some fresh air,” Onnil said. “Come on Hifa you take his other arm.”
Hifa, that was an unusual name, Janol thought. Not a very feminine one. Why were some names more feminine than others? Onnil, that was quite a soft name, no sudden changes, that was it. Hifa had two quite different syllables quite close together it was difficult to say. Not a very girly name “Hifa, Hifa” he started saying to himself drunkenly. He was aware of someone speaking back to him.
He was suddenly outside in the cold. The cold air that sobered him up slightly.
“Hello,” he said to the quite attractive woman beside him. “Who are you?”
“I’m Hifa. I think you’ve had too much to drink.”
“Girl’s names often end in an ‘A’,” Janol said. “Yours does. Have you ever thought about that?”
“I can’t say I have,” she replied.
“I don’t feel very well. How did I get out here?” Janol asked.
“I brought you out with your friend, Onnil. She’s like a big sister to you.”
“A big Shishter!”
“Yes, she’s looking out for you.”
“You’re not my sishter. Are my shishters here?”
“No, I live in Gritol. I’m not related to … You need to sober up or else you won’t enjoy the rest of your party. Your father is going to make a speech soon.”
“I don’t want a speech. I don’t want a farm. I don’t want to settle down. I want to see the rest of the Sphere. Look,” he pointed up to the distant lights in the sky where far off continents were in daylight. “Shee there, there must be people there, people like us. Do you ever think about that?”
“Sometimes I do.”
“Do you never want to go and shee?”
“Sometimes at night …”
“Janol … Janol …” Janol was suddenly aware of his mother shouting his name. “Where are you? Your father is going to say a few words.”
“I don’t want a few words I want sit down on the ground. It’s looking very shoft. My head hurts.” Janol stared at the glistening ground, despite the slight frost, it looked very inviting.
“Hello dear.” Janol heard his mother say. “Are you okay?”
“I think someone spiked his drink,” Hifa explained. “It happens quite a lot at these birthdays. It’s sort of traditional.”
Janol woke up the following afternoon. The last thing he remembered was throwing up outside the Gart’s barn and his mother shouting his name in a very angry manner.
He staggered downstairs. His parents, sisters and Onnil were all there along with a girl he vaguely remembered from the previous evening.
“You were a disgrace,” his father shouted.
Janol was not in the mood for an argument or any loud noise so he turned and went back upstairs. He was aware of Onnil following him.
“Do you remember Hifa?” Onnil said.
Janol turned to see Onnil and the girl standing behind him.
“She looked after you when you were being very ill. Did you take any drinks off any strangers because apparently you were drinking whisky – beer cocktails.”
What was a cocktail? Janol thought to himself.
“Your father’s not pleased with you,” Onnil continued.
“He never is,” Janol replied. “Anyway, what were you doing all night?”
“I won the arm-wrestling and then managed to get a few men totally and utterly plastered. Great fun, but not you, you’re my friend. I gave you a couple of beers to calm you down. Anyway, I’m going downstairs to explain to your dad that it wasn’t entirely your fault and that I certainly wasn’t going to chaperone you all night You’re old enough to make your own mistakes.”
Onnil walked out of the room.
“Sorry,” Janol said lying on his bed.
“It’s fine,” Hifa replied.
“Won’t people object to you being alone with me?”
“It’s not as if you’re able to do anything much,” she replied. “Anyway, I can look after myself. Onnil has spent the morning demonstrating where to hit a man if I’m ever attacked.”
Why would she ever do that? Janol thought, knowing exactly where Hifa meant and automatically clenching the lower part of his body.
“Do you need anything?” Hifa asked.
“A large glass of water would be nice.”
“I’ll go and get you one.”
He staggered downstairs. His parents, sisters and Onnil were all there along with a girl he vaguely remembered from the previous evening.
“You were a disgrace,” his father shouted.
Janol was not in the mood for an argument or any loud noise so he turned and went back upstairs. He was aware of Onnil following him.
“Do you remember Hifa?” Onnil said.
Janol turned to see Onnil and the girl standing behind him.
“She looked after you when you were being very ill. Did you take any drinks off any strangers because apparently you were drinking whisky – beer cocktails.”
What was a cocktail? Janol thought to himself.
“Your father’s not pleased with you,” Onnil continued.
“He never is,” Janol replied. “Anyway, what were you doing all night?”
“I won the arm-wrestling and then managed to get a few men totally and utterly plastered. Great fun, but not you, you’re my friend. I gave you a couple of beers to calm you down. Anyway, I’m going downstairs to explain to your dad that it wasn’t entirely your fault and that I certainly wasn’t going to chaperone you all night You’re old enough to make your own mistakes.”
Onnil walked out of the room.
“Sorry,” Janol said lying on his bed.
“It’s fine,” Hifa replied.
“Won’t people object to you being alone with me?”
“It’s not as if you’re able to do anything much,” she replied. “Anyway, I can look after myself. Onnil has spent the morning demonstrating where to hit a man if I’m ever attacked.”
Why would she ever do that? Janol thought, knowing exactly where Hifa meant and automatically clenching the lower part of his body.
“Do you need anything?” Hifa asked.
“A large glass of water would be nice.”
“I’ll go and get you one.”
Hifa spent the rest of the day with Janol’s family. His father insisted that he escort her home the following day. He was a disgrace and it was the least he could do. For once Janol had to agree with his father, he had been a bit of a disgrace.
Janol liked Hifa and continued to see her over the following weeks, she didn’t seem quite as-in-your-face as a lot of the other girls. The relationship, however, soon petered out. Janol did not want to settle down with her and although he liked her, he did not love her and she was too nice to string along.
Anyway, he preferred Onnil’s company.
Janol liked Hifa and continued to see her over the following weeks, she didn’t seem quite as-in-your-face as a lot of the other girls. The relationship, however, soon petered out. Janol did not want to settle down with her and although he liked her, he did not love her and she was too nice to string along.
Anyway, he preferred Onnil’s company.
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