Therefore, although she made the break with the tunnels all be it difficult to do, she also made the break with the friends she had known at high school for the last five years of her life. Her father found it hard to show his appreciation for whatever had changed his daughter’s outlook on life, knowing that whatever it had been she now set about studying for her future with an enthusiasm he had never known her display before.

“Your mother would be proud of you.” He commented one day when he had watched her writing for a whole two hours without a break. “Here you must be thirsty.” He handed her a cup of freshly brewed tea, “And hungry too no doubt. Are you ready to eat now?”

“I just want to get this finished first daddy. You go ahead if you can’t wait for me.”

He nodded, leaving her tea on the mug mat on the table at the side of where she sat, he was hungry and had not realised until that moment just how so. Watching her work had been engrossing because it had been so unusual to see her knuckle down so. For a long time Charles had been uncomfortable with the company his daughter had been keeping, many of her young girl friends were seen canoodling with young men some older than he would have thought their parents would have found acceptable and he had been holding his breath in the hope that Catherine’s upbringing would dissuade her from doing likewise.

So, he was proud of her and he knew that her mother would be proud of her too.

Meal prepared some half hour later he prepared a plate for his daughter and took it on a tray to where she remained, still pouring over her exercise books, “Here honey, if the mountain won’t come to Mohammed…” Catherine looked up and laughed, “Daddy you are spoiling me.”

“You deserve to be spoiled, you’re my only daughter. If I can’t spoil you who can? Besides like I said earlier it’s a pleasure to see you working so hard and don’t think I’m prying or complaining but what do your friends think of this latest turn of events. I mean you haven’t spent much time out after school in weeks they must miss you.”

“Oh they don’t miss me, daddy. Besides, I’m not happy with the things that they do. I prefer your company to theirs.”

“Mm I’m not sure if I should be flattered or not.” Charles laughed as did his daughter, “Would you care to elaborate?”

“Well as it happens I don’t really deserve your praise since the sole objective for getting this assignment done tonight is so that I can go out tomorrow. I haven’t seen Mel on a Saturday for weeks and she has asked me to go shopping with her. We aim to take in a movie and meet up with the gang at Billy’s Bar for the evening. I’ll get a cab home, so you needn’t worry about that.”

Charles felt alarm bells ring, but said nothing. He knew he couldn’t protect his daughter all his life, knew he could trust his daughter, but if he could also be certain that she would spend her life home with him then all the better it would be but it would be unhealthy for her if she did not socialise. His main worry was the pressure to do wrong when her upbringing had been so good for her so far.

“I don’t have to tell you to take care, do I honey? There are some nasty characters about.”

“I know daddy, but a good crowd from school hang out at Billy’s, I’ve never known anything go wrong there. You could hang out there yourself keep an eye on everything if you wished?” Catherine told him casually. Charles knew she had said it to put him at ease, he also knew she would be really put out if he agreed, so he told her, “Well have a good time Cathy, and if you can’t get a cab call me huh? You know I’ll drop everything to come collect you.”

“I know daddy, thank you.” She smiled before moving aside her books and taking up the tray of food began to eat discovering she really was quite hungry and her father was a good cook, something regretfully so far she hadn’t inherited from either him or her mother.

“Tell you what, why don’t you invite your friends back here?” Charles asked hopefully. Catherine’s wry grimace provided the answer and he chuckled, “Okay, okay I get the picture, Billy’s it is then?”

Laughing Catherine nodded, “That’s right daddy, Billy’s it is.”

There were quite a crowd at Billy’s by the time Catherine and Mel turned up a few minutes after seven that evening and raucous laughter welcomed their entrance as everyone seemed to be assembled around a newcomer that from the rear looked familiar to Catherine. “Let’s go see who it is shall we?” Mel told her barging through the crowd to the front just as the newcomer turned and seeing Catherine, he and she gasped at once. “Devin!”

“Catherine!” Devin’s face lit up, “Man am I pleased to see you or what?” He took her arm intent on escorting her to a table when Mel caught her other arm, “Aren’t you going to introduce us Cathy?” Mel smiled up at Devin sweetly, eyes only for him. Inside Cathy gloated as she realised all eyes were upon her and more especially from the female populace in Billy’s bar.

“Sure, Devin this is Mel my friend, Mel this is Devin my…” before she had a chance to say Devin cut in with “Her boyfriend.”

“You’re boyfriend!” The chorus went up around the bar and Mel was obviously dismayed and offended because Cathy had never mentioned having a boyfriend and that he was too gorgeous by far to belong to Cathy.

“Sure am.” Devin told them and just to prove it he took Catherine into his arms and kissed her there and then in front of everyone, before Catherine could stop him. Not that she wanted to, all day she had taken a ribbing from Melanie about studying too hard, not having any fun and more importantly not having a boyfriend, well now this was one in the eye for her.

“Why you dark horse!” Mel exclaimed, “First chance you get Chandler you spill the goss okay, and I don’t mean maybe!”

Pursing her lips Catherine held back a giggle and making her way over to the table Devin had intended they sit out she told him, “Hey thanks for that Devin, I think you have suitably elevated me to stardom. Did you see their faces! The girls really think you are my boyfriend and they are so envious. That’s certainly one in the eye for them.”

“I thought I was your boyfriend, and besides why do you care what they think?”

“They rib me about having no one. And no, for the record you aren’t my boyfriend.”

Devin fell silent. Catherine could see he was brooding. “Look Devin you know the way it was, we wanted different things. And it was dangerous, why do you think I’ve stopped coming below?”

“I knew why you’d stopped coming below, but it didn’t make it any easier. Have you never heard that absence makes the heart grow fonder?”

“Of course, and I’ve also heard the saying out of sight out of mind. I hoped that you might forget what was between us and move on. I’m not ready for a full commitment Devin and I don’t want to sleep with you, with anyone come to that.”

“I respect that. Father gave me a good talking to. Vincent gave me a good talking to. Lisa did as well. I won’t pressure you Catherine honest, only please can we date just like we agreed upon?”

“And what about the kisses? Devin you almost devastated me back there, I felt myself sliding straight back to square one, I don’t know if I’m strong enough to refuse anything you may want and that frightens me, because it would be my emotions that would take me on that particular journey and not logic. In the cold light of day I’d regret it big time.”

“Don’t worry Catherine, I made a pact with myself. If you promise to be my girlfriend, I will respect your wishes and keep my needs to myself. I just want to be with you, you’re good for me.”

At that Catherine laughed, “I bet there are a few people holding a guillotine over your head too, huh?”

“Absolutely, if I don’t behave off will come my head. See this scar? Vincent has threatened to run another round my throat if I should hurt you.” Devin laughed remembering that particular conversation, “Talking of who Vincent sends his regards.”

“How did you know you would see me tonight?”

“I didn’t, that was not for certain. I’ve hung around Billy’s for weeks, wasn’t sure if anyone knew you. Had to read between a lot of lines, finally found out by accident that you would be coming here tonight. Can’t tell you how elated I was to hear that, but believe me I was over the moon.”

Across the table, they held hands something that did not go unnoticed by Catherine’s peers and Mel was as jealous as hell and with the main question “Where on earth did she meet him?” being circulated among the group of teenagers and considered Catherine’s best mate, Mel was furious that she did not know the answer.

“I think we are being observed.” Catherine whispered to Devin, “Shall we go somewhere else?”

“Where?” With a wry grimace, Devin reminded her, “My pockets are empty, and I am not about to start letting my girlfriend pay for me to go anywhere. Besides here’s okay if you can take the stares. Once they get used to seeing us together it’ll be ancient history.”

“That’s as maybe, but there is some place we could go.” At Devin’s raised eyebrow Catherine explained, “We could go to Peter’s. Daddy would prefer if I spent my time there and its close to your home. Come to that I’m certain Peter wouldn’t mind you staying over some nights.” She laughed out loud when his eyes lit up and playfully she slapped his hand, “Trust you to think of that! You should know the answer, I mean we could both stay in separate rooms. Besides…” Catherine winked knowingly, “Just think of all the pizza’s we could order.”

Devin burst into laughter, “Who told you?” He asked.

“Told me, told me what?” Catherine enjoyed the game of tag they were having.

“Mm, now does she know or does she not, me wonders.” Devin pondered openly.

Catherine said nothing, just kept smiling at him deviously.

Finally he decided, “Lisa told you didn’t she? Had to be Lisa no one else would know. Unless it was Vincent, but I can’t see him letting the cat out of the bag, huh, I made a funny!” Devin burst into laughter causing more of a stir among those looking in their direction. Mel started across to them intent on getting to the bottom of it, she was fed up answering ‘I don’t know’ when questioned about Catherine Chandler’s gorgeous boyfriend.

“Don’t look now.” Devin covered one side of his face with his hand in a bid to hide. Catherine groaned as she saw the approach of her friend, but greeted her warmly nonetheless. “Sorry Mel, we came here together to spend some time and here I am ignoring you. Mind you I didn’t for one moment expect to find Devin waiting here for me.”

Mel mumbled something inconsequential and without waiting to be asked joined them at the table blatantly sitting alongside Devin, though wishing afterward that she had chosen to sit opposite so that she might look at his face.

“So, how long have you two known one another then?” She asked forgetting that question had been broached already.

“Weeks.” Spoke Catherine, “Months” replied Devin, Catherine recovered quickly, “Why, has it been that long? My how time flies when you are having fun.”

“Excuse me Devin, but I want to speak with Cathy in private.” Mel hissed rising with two intentions in mind. One to take Catherine by the arm frogmarch her to the ladies and get all the gossip from her that she could, and then two return to the table with her friend and sit alongside her so that she would have the perfect chance to gaze into Devin’s eyes. Unfortunately Devin had other plans, “Actually, can it wait? Catherine and I were just leaving. “

“I guess so.” Mel’s eyes were like daggers, she wanted to know everything, glean everything there was to know about this gorgeous hunk and where Cathy had found him and with that in mind reiterated, “but before you go, just tell me where did the two of you meet?”

“At Peter’s,” they chorused together, It was a lie but close enough after all it had been just below Peter’s house, and in actuality had Mel looked further in the passage that day it might have been her that had fallen into Devin’s lap so to speak. Devin thanked his lucky stars at that moment that it hadn’t been that way. He didn’t like Mel she was devious and cunning and a man-eater no doubt and she pretended to be Catherine’s friend when really she was nothing but. Devin could feel the jealousy oozing out of Mel from every fine line and her eyes said it all, if looks could kill Catherine would be dead and it didn’t surprise Devin to find out later that Mel came from a broken family lived with her mother who brought in a border line income. Nothing wrong with that of course except Devin was sure that Mel was jealous of everything Catherine had. Fortunately, Catherine was oblivious to her friend’s true feelings and Devin was not about to enlighten her, not at this stage in their relationship, not until she trusted him more.
However, there would come a time when he wished he had told her there and then, because Mel’s jealousy against Catherine ran deeper than even Devin surmised.

Brushing her hair until it shone, Catherine surveyed her reflection in Peter’s bathroom mirror and made a wish. She wished that Devin would fall in love with her and that in so doing he might not explore the world but would rather stay in Manhattan and the two of them would become closer, she would give herself to him and they would live happily ever after.

The next moment she shied away from that thought, her indecisive teenage mind changing like the wind on a gusty day. No matter what her peers had told her the thought of sleeping with anyone terrified her. To have to stand naked before another person and to have them look and look and touch made her feel sick.

Still over the past few months since she and Devin had been spending time together at Peter’s house they had grown closer and she did wonder whether he loved her the way that she loved him. There were times when they sat side by side on the sofa watching some scary movie or another when his arm would creep around her shoulders and he’d hug her close. But then in the same movement he would laugh at how silly she was to be scared remarking, “Catherine, its not real for God’s sake. The cameramen are there anyway, how the hell would we be seeing these things otherwise?” There was no arguing with that kind of logic and Catherine had always been grateful for Vincent’s input of something like, “The thing is Devin, statistics will prove that the people that direct and produce such material are interested in such things themselves. Therefore should we watch what the wicked mind has served us for entertainment we should not overlook the fact that these people might possibly have wicked hearts to go with it. It might seem that it is an innocent story but in all fairness whomsoever wrote it did so with the will to frighten, and that Catherine is frighten proves my point.”

Catherine would hide behind her hand at such times as this laughing at the way Vincent would put something over in such detail and depth and Devin’s usual retort of ‘oh shut up fur ball, do’ in his poshest voice.

Still whatever the argument, the logic or the facts Catherine felt cosseted that she had two young men taking care of her welfare, one delicious looking guy with his arm around her the other unique looking with the sincere blue eyes that some strange reason gave Catherine the most sleepless nights. When she stole a look at Vincent, the tilt of his head, the firm jaw line, the strange catlike features did something to her deep inside that she found rather disconcerting to say the least. So she refused to analyse those feelings believing that they were just plain nosiness, wondering how he had become like that and who could have dumped him out in the snow that cold January night when the lady Anna Pater had first found him and brought him to live in the tunnels.

Naturally, everyone had to have wondered such in depth thoughts about Vincent in some stage of their lives, it would be a rare person that could look at Vincent and forget, but sometimes Catherine wondered if she were the only one to have other thoughts about him. Like the time Lisa had kissed him. At the time, she had marvelled that Lisa had found the courage to do it, but as time went by Catherine wondered what those unique lips might feel like pressed against her own.
However, she resolutely forced such thoughts away when they prompted her for attention because she did not know the answer and was never likely to find out. What concerned her at this time in her life was what she was going to do about Devin’s kisses, because though they had remained reasonably chaste around one another it had only been thanks to have a third party near by, and Catherine found herself wishing for and praying against the day when they might find themselves alone. How would she cope and would she still be able to say no, when his hands started to wander as they most certainly would, because even when Devin put his arm around her during a scary movie his fingers stretched out that little further than she deemed he needed just so he could trace the soft contours of her breast. Such actions would send shivers coursing through her and just when she thought no one had noticed she would look up and find Vincent staring at her. He never failed to notice such things, yet there were times, other times, when she would look up to find his eyes glued to the television set, so how did he always know when something had unnerved her, be it a scary movie or Devin’s hands upon more of her than she deemed necessary? It was creepy.

This was a question Vincent had asked himself on more than one occasion he couldn’t explain it but he could sense Catherine strongly. He knew when she was feeling anxious or apprehensive about a situation almost as if he shared her feelings. And when Catherine was coming below to meet Devin there had been many times that he’d had to restrain himself from telling his brother that Catherine was on her way down. It was a constant cause of anxiety for him that he knew these things and he didn’t dare highlight that they existed it would only emphasise his differences among the other inhabitants of his community.

Now plaiting her hair into a French style Catherine watched her eyes in the mirror and wondered where Devin would be at that moment. They had arranged to meet that afternoon at Peter’s but a note had been left for her to say that he could not make the appointment. That she accepted but the strange thing was it was usually Vincent that came to deliver such a message personally and he too had been unavailable. Catherine wondered if there might be trouble in the tunnels but without the key that was with Peter and he was out, Catherine had no way of opening up cobwebby way to find out what the problem, if any, was.

Therefore, somewhat at a loose end Catherine prepared for an evening spent with friends. She’d not seen Mel except at college since that night she had introduced Devin to her and she was indecisive about meeting with her that night remembering that Mel had wanted all the gossip when they had a private time to chat. Well what was there to tell? She and Devin had a platonic relationship really due to her fears. Fears that abounded more and more when she wondered if in holding him at bay he would soon tire of her and move on elsewhere. In fact, at the back of her mind she wondered if she might find him at ‘Billy’s Bar’ that evening chatting up some other chick, making a move in a direction that would bring him ultimate satisfaction, since Catherine was such a cold fish when it came to affection.

Well that was one of her main reasons for going, she had to know, though if she could do anything else she would, but here at Peter’s all by herself, her father out of town on business Catherine found herself alone and at a loose end and going out seemed to be her only option. So, beautifying herself though there was really no need for the mascara, eye shadow, lipstick and blusher as Catherine was already beautiful, she donned her newest jeans and sweater and feeling smart enough to join her friends she set off in her car for Billy’s.

It was still early by her friends’ standards when she arrived, but that had been Catherine’s intention, she aimed to sit in a discreet corner with a strawberry shake and wait for the bar to fill up. It was safe at Billy’s she knew most of the crowd and she didn’t feel as though being there on her own would turn any heads. People came and went at Billy’s with many students choosing to study over a cup of coffee and a round of peanut buttered toast since the college was so near by.

So, over the rim of her coffee cup Catherine sipped slowly and kept her eyes fixed firmly on the door. What she hoped to find she did not dare analyse but if Devin should enter she did not know what she might do. Would she stay and watch, would she announce her presence, would she wait and see what he got up to in her absence? In fact, why the need to judge him this way at all? What possible reason was there that she might distrust the fact that he had other business to attend to especially in light of the fact that Vincent had been missing as well.

As the bar filled up Catherine acknowledged a few faces but none came over to chat. She hadn’t exactly been Miss Sociable these last few months so she couldn’t blame them for that, but Catherine wondered what magic it was that kept people close together and pulled them apart when time came between them. As she wondered a strange thing occurred she heard a light tapping on the window by her elbow and looking up saw the unmistakeable hooded figure of Vincent beyond. Startled and anxious Catherine rose to her feet and hurried from the bar to meet him, knowing that she would have to walk into the alley at the side of the bar before she might find him, for Vincent always kept to the shadows.

Fortunately he was watching for her and caught her arm at the same moment as speaking her name so as not to startle her, then as she stared up at him wide eyed he told her, “Catherine, you shouldn’t be here tonight.”

“Why?” It was the only thing to say.

“Come quickly follow me, we haven’t long.”

“No, Vincent. What’s wrong, why shouldn’t I be here?” She held back refusing to go with him.

“Just come away and I will explain.” He begged her, but Catherine was adament, “Has someone planted a bomb?”

“A bomb?” Vincent asked bewildered, “I don’t think so why?”

“Because there is no other reason why I should leave here unless my health is at risk, unless…oh Vincent are you taking me below? Is something wrong with Devin?”

“In a manner of speaking yes.” He had her full attention now, “Then why didn’t you say, oh Vincent what’s the matter with him? He’s been injured in a rock fall hasn’t he? Oh Vincent, how is he? He’s not…he’s not…” Tears filled her eyes as the horrible thought that Devin might have been killed hit her and at that same moment, another galloped close behind - a thought that flourished with amazing ferocity and gave Catherine the answer that she had sought so long. If Devin had died and she had never trusted him enough to give herself to him, he would have left the world without knowing just how much she loved him. So, Vincent’s reply when it came left her weak with relief and promise.

“No, nothing has happened, Devin is well, its something else you should know.” ‘Or not know’, he thought under his breath because he wasn’t about to let her see or know what he knew because that would break her heart. In fact, that he had come to rescue her at all posed great problems for he could think of nothing substantial that would give a good enough reason for coming above, dragging her from Billy’s and making suggestions that it had something to do with Devin. But he could not let her find out the truth, not like that, he cared about her too much to see her suffer so. Better to take her from the sight, better to allow Devin to pull the wool over her eyes a little longer. Maybe he, Vincent could let her down slowly, could say something that might signal to her that Devin was being untrue so that when she did actually find out the hurt would not be quite so painful.

“Is everyone else alright?”

“Yes we are all well.” Vincent was still tugging at her arm. Devin he knew was making his way to Billy’s on foot at street level, he had left a little before Vincent, he would arrive at any moment. It was whom he would arrive with that Vincent didn’t want Catherine to see.

“How did you know where to find me?” Catherine was suspicious, “Have you been following me?” Suddenly she remembered all those times she had found Vincent’s eyes upon her and frantic she pulled away from his grasp with a screech of “Vincent, let me go!” Unwilling to cause a commotion Vincent released her arm and she stumbled away from him eyes flashing with nervousness and accusation, “You’d better be gone when I come outside later.” She called back to him as she made her way back to the bar, “Just leave me alone Vincent go find someone else to pester!”

Vincent recoiled her words slapped him cut him somewhere deep but he stood his ground, “I won’t harm you Catherine.” He called after her, “And I’ll be here when you need me.” Catherine heard him but wished she hadn’t. He was weird creepy, and he’d scared her stiff. She wished Devin were with her, suddenly feeling awfully alone and when she saw a cab parked at the curb she made an instance decision, she jumped into the back seat and gave directions for her father’s house. She would collect her car from the college grounds another day. Right now, all she wanted was to be somewhere she knew was safe and where Vincent didn’t have access.

To be continued in part seven.

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