A month or so passed. During that time, various couples made varying advances in their relationships.

Mackay:

Jenny knocked on Mackay's door.

"May I come in?"

"I've been thinking, we can have little get togethers, just the two of us, in the evenings." she said.

"Carmen and Turquoise are going to be doing the same. Although they already meet for maths tutoring."

"But we won't be doing anything more than we already have been, Ok?"

Mackay replied: "Ok."

After half an hour, they separated, to their own bedrooms, to do their homework, and, in Mackay's case, to, err, have some time by himself.

Carmen:

Carmen had said: "That's enough maths for one evening."

They sat on her bed, side by side, swinging their legs.

"I wouldn't mind another kiss..." said Carmen.

Daisy:

On Friday night, Daisy visited Seff's house.

"Dad is out tonight, but he'll be back over the weekend." said Seff.

They were both nervous, sitting on Seff's bed.

"Ah, I would like to say that I really believe that we have a spiritual and emotional connection." said Seff, "We are bonded together, I think we will go together for a long time."

"Yes. It's such a lovely thing between us. It makes the horror of last year fade away, my love." said Daisy.

"Ah, you're not worried about getting pregnant?"

"I don't think I will, not at this time. But if I do, it's still part of our commitment to each other, isn't it?"

"Of a course."

They kissed, and as the sky outside faded to black, they took off their clothes and got into bed with each other.

A few hours later, they were dressed again.

"Sorry, I would like to sleep over, but my parents think that I am studying at the library."

"That's all right, my dear. Dad's home for the next two nights, but I'm sure we can get together again very soon." said Seff.

"See you, my love."

They kissed and she left the house.

Daisy, after retiring for the night in her own bedroom:

Such a beautiful relationship to be in. Although I will have to tell my parents at some stage. And eventually we will, of course, work out some arrangement for living together. And one day have children. Hmm, how many I wonder?

Seff:

Fantastic, just fantastic. That makes doing it by oneself look like nothing at all! Her body is incredible!

Hyacinth:

On Saturday night, Hyacinth visited Seff's house.

"Dad is out tonight, but he'll be back for Sunday.

I'm feeling nervous about all of this, but by the looks of it Seff isn't. Which is a good thing, isn't it?

"So, you want to go all the way tonight, Seff?" said Hyacinth.

"Oh, yes please."

"Well, I suppose. I don't see why not. We have already agreed to be in a committed relationship, correct?"

"Of a course. I feel we go together very well, we can be friends and partners in life. We enjoy each other's company. We can be together so that we never need to feel lonely again. We're in a lifelong relationship."

"Hmm, so nice. Ok, let's do it!"

"You're not worried about getting pregnant?"

"Nyah, I've already made preparations for this.

Outside, the sky faded to black, but no one inside minded the darkness.

Later, after Hyacinth had gone home and was sitting in her room.

He really enjoyed himself, didn't he! And I'm starting to do so also. So this is what it's like to start a life time partnership.

She went to bed and dreamed about their future together.

Seff:

What he was thinking was pretty much exactly the same as what he had been thinking the previous night.

Rose:

And, lastly, on Sunday night, Rose visited Seff's house.

"Dad has just left, he'll be out tonight."

Seff was Ok, but Rose was definitely feeling nervous. But she was also feeling extremely excited.

"Yes, Seff. I'm ready. We have an emotional bond between ourselves. We're in a permanent relationship with each other."

"That's right, we are connected, in a shared relationship." said Seff.

"Oh, you're not worried about getting pregnant?" he said.

"It's all right. I'm blessed with amazingly stable periods, they are always exactly 28 days long and start on the same day of the week. Right now is ideal."

The sky outside faded to black, again.

Late that night, Rose lay in her own bed. Her dreams were oddly similar to Hyacinth's and Daisy's.

Narrator:

And Seff?

Let us a do a survey of Seff's soul, shall we?

To Daisy: "We have a spiritual and emotional connection - we shall be together for a long time."

To Hyacinth: "We are friends and partners in life - we're in a lifelong relationship."

To Rose: "We are connected, in a shared relationship."

To himself: "Wow! Wow! All the way with three girls in three nights! I must arrange some more nights with all of them!"

Looks like the sky outside is not the only thing fading to black.

Hyacinth: Making friends

Two weeks later, and half a dozen more visits to Seff, and Hyacinth could not resist any longer.

"Hey, Turquoise, I'm now in a relationship! With that friend I'm always talking to you about. We're actually sleeping together!"

"Oh, ah, congratulations. Err, who is he?"

"Don't tell anyone, since he wants to keep it a secret for the time being, but it's Seff."

"Oh, right. Seff, as in Daisy's ex? That's... A bit fast."

"Yeah, I know, but we're in a committed relationship, which I'm sure is going to last, so why not? It's so nice to have a stable friend, who is also my lover, to share my life with."

Here Hyacinth hesitated, and then said. "I, err, know I don't have any right for this, but, I'm wondering if you would also like to be my friend..."

"Well now, yeah you certainly didn't earn much right to be one, but, sure. I'll be your friend."

"Thanks, ah, yes I was very mean to you."

Hyacinth squirmed in her seat.

"Sorry about that. But at least you now have your own friendship group. And, err; you're an item with Carmen? You look so much happier since joining those people."

Turquoise smiled slightly. "Yes, Carmen is now officially my girlfriend. We came out to our group and their parents, and nobody was particularly surprised. I suppose it must have been obvious right from the very beginning."

"That's good. How did you parents react to this?"

"Huh? Oh, you don't know, I suppose. My mother's been dead for a decade, I can barely remember her."

"How sad. What about your father?"

As soon as she had said this, she realised that something was not right. Turquoise leant back in her chair and appeared to shrink into herself. Her face looked as if she had just spotted a cockroach walking over her shoe.

"Err, sorry?" said Hyacinth.

Turquoise half-turned away and made hand motions as if trying to wave something away.

"Turquoise? You're reverting back to your behaviour from before. That is, before I... upset you. Before you started living with them. So, you must have been living with your father?"

Turquoise stared at the floor and said nothing. But she did twitch at the mention of her father.

Hyacinth was trying very hard to understand what was going on. She was thinking that if she wanted to be friends with Turquoise, then it was important to put herself in Turquoise's position and emphasise with her view point. Which was something that Hyacinth was not very good at doing.

"Wait, you did say that your decision to, to, to do you know what, wasn't just caused by my horrible behaviour. So, err, your - father?"

Turquoise's self-control snapped. She stood up, grabbed her stuff and shoved it into her bag, and said.

"No wonder you have never had any friends! You have all the tact and sensitivity of an out of control bulldozer! Until you mentioned my father I was feeling quite happy today!"

She hoisted her bag over her shoulder, turned, and ran away.

Hyacinth was left at the table, face white, not moving.

Oh. Have I lost her friendship after all? But why?

She had to get out her hanky.

Turquoise:

That night, Turquoise had a private conversation with Carmen, and then they both consulted with Mackay and Jenny.

"I really lost it, didn't I? And Hyacinth didn't mean any harm. It's not as bad as when she attacked me, but it's sort of a role reversal, now I'm making her feel bad."

"There, there," said Carmen, "You're all right. It's not your fault."

"Yes, I'm sure she will be Ok too, if you give her some explanation." said Jenny, "If you want to, that is. Do you?"

Big sigh. "Perhaps. I'll sleep on it and decide tomorrow."

For the time being, she had forgotten all about the revelation about Seff.

The next morning, Hyacinth avoided Turquoise, and avoided looking in her direction, as they attended their first classes. She did not look very happy. But, as they all moved to the basement floor for some gymnastics, Turquoise made a point of approaching Hyacinth.

"Err, sorry for yesterday. How about we meet for lunch?"

"Oh, yes?"

"Ok. Any, since the teacher is calling for us to pair up, we might as well do so for these exercises."

"Oh, ah, thanks."

Daskalov, the teacher, also had sports credentials. This session he was taking them through the joys of climbing ropes. They were in the middle of the basement floor, and above them was a void that extended the full height of the eight-story school building. To one side was a steel beam sticking out into the void by a metre or two, four metres above their head. It had a climbing rope hanging from it, dangling down to a thick pad, suitable for cushioning someone's fall if need be.

"Ok, kids, let's see who are the weaklings and who aren't."

He grabbed the rope with his bare hands, and hauled himself up the full four metres, then back down again.

"Easy, for those who are fit. I'm not too sure about you lot, so everyone must wear climbing gloves to prevent friction burns if you slip."

Turquoise went up, with Hyacinth standing aside. She managed, with some struggling, to get to the top and back down.

"Ok, your turn." Turquoise said.

Hyacinth was a complete flop. She barely managed two metres, then she fell back to the pad. Turquoise extended helping hands and helped her to her feet.

"Didn't hurt anything?"

"No."

Hyacinth was, for a moment, supported by Turquoise. They looked at each other.

"Err, thanks." said Hyacinth.

At lunch, under a tree away from anyone else.

"When I first started living with my friends, it was such a relief to tell them all of my secrets. So, I suppose, I might as well start telling others too."

"The fact is, before that, when I was living at home, with, with my father, ah."

Turquoise took a breath.

"Well, he is now in prison, because, because of what he did to me."

"Huh?"

"You can't work it out?" said Turquoise. She was watching Hyacinth's face; she appeared to be completely puzzled by all of this.

"Err, no."

"Ok, well, you know..."

Turquoise closed her eyes and managed to blurt out the word - 'incest'.

"Oh."

"Oh."

"So, so, that is why you were like that."

"And, and, I, I, bullied you."

"I feel so bad. Sorry. Sorry."

Hyacinth held Turquoise's hands.

"No wonder you reacted the way you did. I surprised that you can manage to be friends with me, I'm so worthless..." said Hyacinth.

"It's all right. I'm sure we can get over this."

They let go of their hands, and continued to eat lunch. Each feeling disturbed and embarrassed, but thinking that maybe things had come to a satisfactory conclusion.

By the end of the lunch break, they had made plans for the next tutoring session. And, for the time being, they both decided not to worry about Hyacinth's relationship with Seff. There would surely be opportunities later on for such discussions.

Jenny:

About the same time, Daisy had a heart to heart with Jenny.

"Jenny, I know this will be a surprise, but I and Seff never really did separate. We had a long discussion about the incident at the bowling club, and in the end I had to agree with him, his actions were the best he could do in the situation."

"Oh, Ok, congratulations."

"And now we're actually sleeping together! Err, I know it might seem a bit on the hasty side, but, I mean, we're compatible, we're committed to each other, we have a spiritual connection, so, err, why not?"

I wasn't expecting this... Say, isn't Daisy just a tiny bit defensive here?

"Oh, so, but you haven't told anyone else?"

"No, we would still like to keep a secret for the time being."

But why?

Daisy told Jenny all about her plans and wishes for the future.

"I'm hoping we can start living together next year some time. Perhaps find a small flat somewhere, although I'm not sure if the allowances that we each get from our parents will cover the costs... Maybe we can get part time work?"

Afterwards, as Jenny reflected about this during the boring parts of yet another lecture, she wondered about the difference between the two of them.

I was completely freaked out by the horror of last year. It took me ages to warm to Mackay, and even now just kissing him is about the most I can do. Well, apart from sleeping in a bed next to his. But that's due to the actions of an Angel of Death, it certainly does not count as the normal part of a relationship. Whereas, Daisy managed to continue her school life without noticeable difference, and she has now even started a physical relationship. People sure can be different.

She decided to keep quiet about the relationship, as requested by Daisy.

Nyah, I won't even tell the Mackay and the others.

Even if I still think something is just a bit off.

Carmen:

And also around the same time, Rose told Carmen. Carmen's reaction was just a little negative -

"What! You are sleeping with Seff? The coward who ran away when his first girlfriend was threatened? And why so fast?"

Rose backed off.

"Say, Carmen, you're acting like your old, abrasive, self. I mean, there's no need to get so nasty about it. I'm only telling you because I think of you as a friend. And, Seff is important to me. We have achieved a good relationship; we are going to be together for a long time. So why can't we start the physical stuff?"

"Ah, because, well..."

Carmen was feeling extremely annoyed.

Bloody hell, Rose is being so damned nice about my outburst. It's forcing me to consider the possibility of acting nice in return.

"Well, then, Ok, sorry. I was just caught by surprise."

"Thank you. I realise that everybody is different. I take it that you are still in early days with respect to your relationship with Turquoise, correct?"

"Yes."

"I don't see any problems with that, everybody's different. It just so happens that Seff and I are very compatible and have managed to start a very good relationship in a short period of time. But I'll be happy to hear about whatever progress you make in your relationship. And, by the way, Turquoise is acting so much better now a days, compared to before, don't you agree?"

"Yes, oh, yes, she is much better."

"Must be your good influence on her. Plus, I suppose, the other two?"

"Well, yes, plus various other factors."

By unspoken mutual consent, their conversation drifted along to other, less contentious, subjects.

Carmen didn't tell the others, as requested.

Handel:

Finally, at the end of a school day, Mackay, Handel and Seff had a conversation. Of course, Seff hadn't told them anything at all about his progress, while the Mackay had been a little reticent about his. But this time:

"Say, I've seen you talking a few times with that girl with the reddish hair..." said Mackay to Handel.

"Yeah, that's right. Her name is Harmony. But it's purely platonic friendship, friendship only!"

"But what if she gets keen on you?" said Seff, "I mean, it could happen!"

Handel looked momentarily annoyed. "Nyah, not happening. One of the first things I told her is that I wasn't interested in anyone."

Sigh from Seff. "I just don't understand that part, I really don't."

Handel frowned.

Frankly, I don't understand your obsession with sex and all of that. It's such a waste of time.

But he kept his thoughts to himself.

"Hey, lighten up you two! Everybody is different, and as long as this Harmony girl is happy with being only friends, then why not?" said Mackay.

"Actually, she is happy. In fact, she's quite keen on being a platonic friend with a boy. She hasn't said all that much, but I get the impression she has tried becoming friends with boys in the past, and it's always gone badly." said Handel.

Then Mackay gave them a carefully curated summary of the discussion he had had with the three girls.

The two other boys looked at him with varying degrees of surprise and wonder and amazement.

"Oh, my, you really are owned by those three, aren't you?" said Handel.

"Actually, why should Mackay have to destroy his collection of pictures? I mean, if she never finds out that he didn't, then what's the harm?" said Seff.

"Well, you see, I feel I have built up, with much effort, a connection with all three girls. We are beginning to feel comfortable in each other's presence. We almost came to bloodshed in the process, but now that we this level of trust, I feel I would be betraying them to go back on my word for something like that. So, well, that's the way it is." said Mackay.

"Well, anyway, as the judge of our little competition, I think I can state that Mackay is well and truly into a committed relationship with his girlfriend." said Handel, "He's gotten to a score of, say, twenty?"

Seff couldn't resist it anymore. "Actually, I have now got a girlfriend, and the other day we went to the swimming pool..."

He gave them a summary of his date with Hyacinth to the pool, but without mentioning her name.

"Oh, wow, just as well I wasn't there when our maths teacher went past in her orange bikini. Otherwise there would have been two very embarrassed boys sitting in a line!" said Mackay.

"And if I had been there, I would have also been embarrassed. But for a totally different reason. In fact, I would have probably moved away from you two, as subtly as possible." said Handel.

"Traitor!" said Seff, "But, that's not all. Unlike slowpoke Mackay, I have been making great progress. In fact, we have made it all the way! I've gotten a full 100 points!"

"You have? All the way? That's so amazing. But, who is she?" said Mackay.

"Sorry, but I can't tell you, she wants to keep it a secret for the time being. Something about it being too soon after I split up with Daisy."

"I mean, is this for real? You have really slept with a girl?" said Mackay.

"Yes! I really have! And I tell you, it is fantastic! You should really hurry up with you girlfriend and find out for yourself! And Handel just doesn't know what he is missing out on!"

At this point, Seff remembered that he had another date with one of his girls. He made his excuses, waved the two boys goodbye, and hurried off.

In the silence left behind by Seff's departure, Mackay and Handel looked at each other.

"That - felt awkward." said Mackay eventually.

"Yes, you were almost apologising for not getting your girl into bed by now." said Handel, "And I was just about ready to start defending out loud my not having any girlfriend at all."

"Yes, indeed. Why were we doing that?" said Mackay, "Especially considering that, well, to me it feels kind of, well, disrespectful, to think about pushing Jenny to do that. Disrespectful and, I dunno, destructive? We're still in the process of building up a mutual relationship and, and, it's, err, still fragile? It's not yet strong enough, we don't yet know each other enough, to think about doing anything more on the physical side. Am I making sense here?"

"I think so. It makes perfect sense to me that you need to have built up a really strong relationship before you can add all of that sex stuff to it."

At this point Mackay remembered that Jenny's assault from last year was not common knowledge.

"Err, not to mention the fact that Jenny is still suffering from various things from her past, so I am always conscious of the need to move slowly. Like building a tower of blocks, one carefully laid block at a time, and taking extreme care not to cause the whole thing to topple by being too hasty."

"Hmm, hmm, yes, that's a good way of putting it." said Handel, "In fact, thinking things over, I think that you have definitely changed. Back then, when you were spouting your grandiose plans about your future conquests of girls, I couldn't help comparing your dreams with your then existence of being a boy who didn't actually know any girls at all, yet alone talk to them. But now have you have a real live girlfriend. Things have changed. You have changed. Of course, it also appears that things have gotten a lot more complicated."

"Bingo! I think you have nailed it. But, wait a minute, where does that leave Seff. He also has a girlfriend and has gone all the way! But has he changed?" said Handel.

"Err, I don't know what to say about that."

Mackay:

They started walking, parting at the school gates. And as Mackay walked home, he wondered about telling Seff's news to the others.

He did say it was a secret, but on the other hand, he didn't say that I couldn't tell my close friends... But if I do tell them, it's no longer a secret, is it? But Seff has told us, so it's already no longer a secret, isn't it?

By the time he had gotten home, he had convinced himself that he was allowed to tell the three girls. Which, by coincidence, was exactly what he wanted to do, anyway. But he would wait a few days, maybe on Friday night? He did not want to interfere with their scheduled homework hours.

Turquoise and Hyacinth:

Before that Friday night, Hyacinth had another tutoring date with Turquoise.

"I'm still really sorry at the way I bullied you." said Hyacinth.

Sigh. "Please, there's no need to apologise again. I know it was a bad situation for both of us."

"Yeah, well, the thing is I was pretty miserable, what with my lack of friends, and the occasional bullying I've been subject to."

"You've been bullied also? I've never noticed." said Turquoise.

"Certain boys keep on trying to get a reaction out of me. And, of course, we know that I tend to fly off into a rage and lash back. But they can always avoid my attacks and then they laugh at me. Fortunately, it doesn't happen too often. The worse time was at the end of term last year. That time I really fought back, in fact I was afraid that they might report me to the police and charge me with some sort of assault."

"Really? You must have really gone off the handle."

"Yes. I was so annoyed, not to mention frightened, that I bit his hand hard and stomped my foot down on his shin and the top of his foot. I then ran off."

"How did all of that happen?"

"Well, I was walking along one of the balcony corridors, when some boy, must have been in a senior year, snuck up behind me and put his hand over my mouth and tried to drag me into an empty classroom. He never did say anything and I never saw his face... Turquoise? Why are you acting like that?"

Turquoise looked as if she had just seen her own Angel of Death approaching. Her eyes were wide open, as was her mouth, she was shaking her hands around, and she was sputtering.

"Hyacinth! Hyacinth! That's, that's exactly what happened to Jenny and Daisy! You, you must report this to Janet!"

Hyacinth ignored everything but the last part.

"Janet? The police officer who told me off? No! No! I don't want to be told off again for hurting someone! Please don't tell the police!"

Turquoise gulped some air down and tried to control her rising panic and horror. She held her breath and counted to ten.

"Hyacinth. Please, understand this. I'm not trying to get you into trouble. It's just that both Jenny and Daisy were raped last year. And what you described is how it started."

Hyacinth stopped moving.

"Raped? Oh. That means that, if I hadn't fought back, ah, I'd rather not think about it... Is that why Jenny was so withdrawn?"

"Sorry, I shouldn't have told you that, but, but, yes. You must tell the police that. I'm sure you won't be charged with anything. Please!"

Janet:

Turquoise rang Janet. Naturally, by now all four teenagers had the phone numbers of all six parents in their phone's address books. Five minutes later, a very nervous Hyacinth, and a very agitated Turquoise, were across the road and walking into the police station.

They were met by a very polite and courteous Janet, with Parker standing in the background.

"Hello Hyacinth. I realise this is very awkward for you, but I hope you realise that we must obtain the full details of this incident, to further help us in finding the culprit. Who, I might add, attacked my daughter, as well as Daisy."

An hour later, Jiro drove his car up and gave a lift to Hyacinth and Turquoise.

"Hey Jiro, treat the girls to some cake or something at the local shopping centre, then drop off Hyacinth before going home, will you." had been his orders.

Janet had smiled and waved to the girls as they left. As soon as the door closed, her smiled vanished.

"Parker! Get the team together, we're having a meeting!"

Parker was getting used to evaluating Janet's tone of voice. He might be her boss, but when she spoke like this, he did exactly what he was told.

One thing led to another, and the next day Janet and Parker made a presentation to the school board and the senior teaching and administration staff.

"So, in conclusion, we will need to take special precautions for this forthcoming end of term school fete. We will organise the police force response, while you will need to contact your security providers and install more cameras. You will also need to make plans to control the public access, perhaps closing all but the ground floor and the basement floor after a certain point in time." said Parker, as he wrapped up the meeting.

"Oh, and also, please do not speak of this outside of this group. It may be beneficial to us if the culprit does not know of our plans. Although, I suppose, he will probably work things out anyway." said Janet.

The school officials had no choice but to agree to all of this.