The Keeper's Snake // Sebastian Sallow

Feldcroft

Fiona woke up early the next morning. She was too excited to go to Feldcroft to fall back asleep. She looked at her clock. It was 6 in the morning. She put on a robe and headed into the common room, where she could watch the sunrise. To her surprise Constance was awake, sitting on a couch, wrapped in a blanket, with a cup of tea in her hands.

"Constance, good morning. What are you doing awake?" Fiona asked she sat down next to her room mate. Constance let us a contented sigh and smiled, while continuing to look out the window.

"Ah Fiona, I couldn't sleep and reckoned I might as well watch the sunrise. Do you want a cup of tea? I made a pot." Constance conjured a mug and went to pour Fiona a cup. As she reached towards the coffee table, the blanket that was wrapped around her fell down a bit, and her neck became exposed. It was then that Fiona noticed what she thought was bruising on Constance's neck. She grew concerned.

"Constance, your neck! What happened to you?" Fiona was genuinely asking. Constance blushed and then chuckled.

"Oh Fiona, wise up will you?" Constance had a sly grin. Fiona was still concerned as Constance continued to give her a suggestive look. Slowly but surely Fiona worked out another reason for the apparent bruising on her friend's neck. It was then her turn to blush as her eyes grew big.

"Constance!" Fiona whispered yelled, "that is from snogging?"

Constance simply nodded and giggled.

"And... it felt good?" Fiona had never kissed a lad before and was incredibly inexperienced in all things physical intimacy.

"Fiona, if I'm being honest, I'm surprised Sallow hasn't given you a love bite yet."

"What!" Fiona coughed up her tea. "Sebastian and I are just friends. Just the thought of it makes me want to hurl!" Fiona knew she was being a bit dramatic, but Sebastian was just her friend right?

"So you are telling me after all the time you have spent with him, you have never thought about kissing him once? You have never felt a warmth growing in your abdomen and... other places?" Constance either had first hand experience or had been throughly educated in the female body.

Fiona thought back to the night before. To Sebastian so gently undressing her. To the tingling feeling she was developing in the hot bath. She was too embarrassed to admit it, so she lied.

"I don't know what you are on about Constance."

"I'm going to let you borrow a book my older sister gave to me. But you have to promise to tell no one and return it once you are done. Ok?" Fiona nodded in agreement. What kind of book could she possibly lend Fiona? Why was she being so secretive?

"So who gave you the 'love bites?'" Fiona knew the answer. She wanted to see if Constance would finally tell her about her secret relationship with Sean.

"If you must know, I am courting someone, but it's a secret. I have yet to tell my parents. I was planning on doing just that during Christmas holidays."

"Well I for one cannot wait until the day that you can proudly walk around on the arm of your secret boyfriend." Fiona really was happy for Sean and Constance.

"Thank you Fiona. And what are you getting up to this weekend?" Constance had finished her tea and went to pour another cup.

"I'm actually headed to Feldcroft with Sebastian and Ominis to meet Sebastian's sister Anne." Constance immediately coughed up her tea and turned to Fiona.

"You're going to meet Anne Sallow!" Constance started smiling, "she was such a dear friend before she took ill. Oh Fiona you must bring her a letter from me. Please?"