Cantrell: The Early Years, Part Two

Britechester-U, A Cantrell: The Early Years, Part Two Update.

 

Erik had nonstop concerts this last week prior to attending Uni. Photoshoots along with interviews for the popular teen magazines and others hat covered the music industry. Ticking off things from his to-do list, he nearly panicked as the week had run away from him. Needless to say, his sleep was grossly interrupted, as a result. Come Thursday morning, Erik rose early and headed down to Taygeta Studios to record fifteen additional songs, knowing that they were now doing four terms, over the three he original thought by consensus. That done, he slept like a baby. Rising late, come Friday morning, he faced the disgruntled looks from his siblings.

 

He shrugged and said, “Guess I overworked myself yesterday. Sorry. I take it you’re just waiting on me. Well, what are we waiting for, let’s go.”
“We’re waiting for Dad now,” Joey said. "Dad was all set to take us on his way to work, but you were busy snoring away."
“I don’t snore,” Erik said.
“Nah, never, Dad went to work, hoping to get off early.” Joey said. “If you need to go back for an additional nap, we promise to shake you out of bed.”
“Vigorously,” Aaron added.

 

“I knew I could count on the both of you,” Erik said, giving his brothers the same feckless smile he often reserved for Aaron, alone. 

“Hey,” Joey complained, “I said we’d wake you up. Sheesh, somebody got up on the wrong side of the bed.”

 

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

 

In the late morning, Joseph piloted his four teens to Britechester, dropping them off on the University Campus, pointing out Wyvern Hall, before he parked the Hovercraft and returned to his office, in the main building. Baggage on a gravity dolly, the four headed into the ground floor of the dorm. The foyer had rows of Alumni who had resided in this building going back a few hundred years. One at a time, they took the turbo-lift, realizing the dolly plus their luggage made it too tight a fit for the four of them. Even two at a time wasn’t doable.

 

“You go first,” Joey said, looking at Erik.

“No, you go first,” Erik said to Aaron.”

“Oh, for Surak’s sake you three,” Brianna said. “If it comes down to it, I’ll go first. Never have I seen such childish behavior . . .”

“All right, all right, I’ll go first,” Erik said, stepping into the lift. "Can't have you going in unescorted to a possible den of guys, after all." When the lift car returned Aaron followed, then Joey, and finally Brianna.

 

Erik found himself surrounded by students the moment he set foot off the turbo-lift. “Morning,” he nodded. “If you would kindly point me to the unoccupied rooms, if you please.”

He then texted his siblings so they could just enter and pick a cot. “First order of business, claim your bunk and lock the computer in the room. Guys, I found an empty room with three beds. Turn right out of the turbo, make another right, passed the beverage/snack bar to the last door on the left. Bree, take a right, walk straight ahead to the first door. Two cots, enough for you and Kayleigh, whenever she gets here.”

 

Getting settled in quickly, the four took a look at their upcoming schedules. They had five days before their classes began. Saturday for them was also Pascha; Midnight services. So much for having the entire weekend to get ahead of the game. Some of them also had presentation boards. At this moment in time, Brianna wished she only had three classes like the others. Straightening her shoulders, she dug in.

All but Joey had a term paper, so Aaron got started right away. Writing wasn’t his strong suit, so he needed time to wrestle it into a passing paper. Brianna also set out to tackle hers. Erik did the same and after doing a photoshoot, and a concert that got dropped on him suddenly by Orion Entertainment, Limited, this due to his third album, recently released. The Concert Management Company snagged Erik even before he received his Tile. This company did a marvelous job of promoting the singer. Erik couldn’t complain. 

Hyped up, as usual after a concert, and after a brief reading of the information, Erik began typing away. Glancing over his shoulder at him, Aaron decided Erik was cool-headed for the most part, focused, for which Aaron admired his younger brother. If he ran into a snag in the composition phase, Erik would simply take out his soccer ball and juggle it for a bit to calm his nerves. 

In reality, Erik was merely keeping himself focused. Kayleigh to his knowledge had yet to arrive. Unfortunately, he worried her father had abruptly changed his mind, again, and she wouldn’t be coming at all. This gripped him in the stomach. The way this man flip-flopped he could readily masquerade as a politician. Kayleigh’s text had sounded so excited. He pulled it out to re-read it:

 

 

Of course, it’s all right, I look forward to it.  Back to his paper, he startled when a knock came at their door. Jumping up, Erik opened it. Heretofore students came and went, even into this room, which was clearly occupied. “Kay-Kay, you’re here!” he said, smiling broadly. “What a nice Love Day surprise.”

“I would have been here sooner, but I went to the wrong dormitory! This is Wyvern Hall, right?”

“Yes,” Erik said.

 

“I just don’t understand how I got lost. Another student gave me this map,” she said, unfolding it.

“Here , let me see it,” Erik said. Kayleigh handed the page to him.”

 

Erik perused it and then did his best to not laugh, “Honey, you’ve been pranked. This is the map for Foxbury, not Britechester. See, here and here, you can tell it was modified. And poorly, too.”

“Oh, so that’s why they laughed so hard after I took it and thanked them for it. Oh, sheesh, I’m not starting off too well, am I?”

 

“Let me show you around,” Taking her by the arm, he gave her a quick tour of the dormitory. They walked straight to the foyer passed the elevator, turned left at the corner, after a quick peek at the TV room, left at the study room, at last coming to the door of Brianna’s chosen room.

 "Game slash study room," Erik said, as they both peeked through the arch.

“Oh, this is lovely and so cozy. Oh, I like the kitchen?”

“More like a snack and drink area. We aren’t allowed to actually cook in here,” Erik said.

Oh, but it’s nice,” Kayleigh said. “We won’t have to go out for something during those long nightly study sessions.”

“Good point. I usually forget to eat when I’m that focused.”

"And that door goes to . . ."

"That door goes to the room my brothers and I share. Just in case you need me for anything. Door on the left, coming up is the Co-ed bathroom."

Walking further down the hall, Erik gently knocked on the closed door and Brianna sang out, “Come.”

 

“Kayleigh, hello, you finally got here. I hope this room is to your liking. I think the older students have taken all of the other beds. I did my best to save a bunk for you.”

“This is great, I love it. Is the one across from the door with the window available? If not, the other one will suit me just fine. I’ve never had my own bed.”

“You get your first choice.”

“I’m a triplet and share the bottom, double bunk with Hayleigh,” she said taking a seat on the bunk of her choice. “Regina who was born first, gets the single top bunk all to herself. Housing was generally cramped even for the family of a Captain. So, just having my own bed is great. Nobody’s arms, legs or feet to land in my face.”

“Oh, my. Feet?”

 

“When I’m not cliffhanging, that is. Hayleigh is a restless sleeper and is often all over the bed. So, I really don’t mind at all which bed, so long as it’s mine alone.”

 

In a few minutes Kayleigh had her clothing stowed, in the narrow dresser next to her bed, carefully refolding each item, and her computer locked for her use, exclusively. “I know there’s Prom tomorrow night, and I have never been,” she said. “But Daddy is expecting me to attend Midnight Services.”

“We’re all going, too. No worries. In that our fathers think alike.” Brianna smiled.

“I like you, Brianna,” Kayleigh said. “I do hope we can become fast friends.”

“Me, too.”

 

Thanks for reading. All for now.