Grace

Chapter 26

Master Clarke reached into the cupboard that was over his desk and pulled out a key on a chain. He passed it to me. "This is the spare key for Ben's room. Against my better judgment," he looked to his wife, "I've decided to trust you both to at times co-habit the room as it's for an entire week and you seem trustworthy thus far pranks aside. Also, asking you both to move things around for a week is too much hassle to bother with. Though, Ben, she will need wardrobe space for her uniform."

"Yes, Sir."

He looked at us some more, slid his jaw to the right and then seemed to resign himself to it. He sighed and said, "No going in there before you know Grace is up in the morning, Ben, and only after knocking. Separate rooms from half nine in the evening unless you ask my permission if you have a group task for homework."

"Yes, Sir," we both said.

"And if I hear anything at all of you two doing something you shouldn't be or anything that you wouldn't want your parents to find out about you'll be doing chores for at least a month even if I hear about it a year from now. I'm trusting you to behave yourselves and set an example."

"Yes, Master Clarke," we both said.

He studied us for another few long moments before nodding once more. "Bring enough clothes over for a week," he said to me. "And if you have any problems with the guys no matter how small, come straight to me. Dismissed."

"Yes, Sir," we both said again and walked out.

When we were in the lounge Ben said, "I feel like we just chose death instead of cake."

"Should have gone C of E."

He chuckled. "I'll go clear some wardrobe space. Come up when you're ready."

I went over to the sister side of the house and answered questions on the way.

"Looking forward to it?" Jessica asked.

I shrugged. "It's going to be like when we were over here at the beginning of the week. I was sharing the corridor with the guys then."

"But you weren't the only girl."

"I'm sure they'll be perfectly gentlemanly, Jessica," I said. "At least I won't have to sleep on the floor half the time this time. I'm not kidding, I kept hitting my head on Ben's massive shoes."

We got to the sister door and for the first time in a while I paused by it. There was a hand written, rather scrawled, note stuck to the glass reading masks must be worn beyond this point. I wondered if I could get away with not wearing one, but a nurse passed by the door and gave me a firm look. I sighed and passed masks around.

"Well don't we feel like we're in a horror film that's about to go wrong?" I asked looking into the camera. Then I smiled but they didn't see it because of the mask.

Dave started humming eerie music and we all laughed. I went up the stairs like a normal human being but stopped again at the top. There was another sign gloves must be worn beyond this point. I sighed, but pulled enough gloves out for all of us. Dave and I snapped them on loudly, grinning behind our masks.

"Now I really feel like I'm in a horror film."

"Yeah, but who's the bad guy?" Dave asked.

I laughed and headed over to my room. I grabbed enough uniform for a week and folded it into the suitcase I'd brought with me, stuffed enough changes of other clothes into a tub I hadn't yet filled with bits and pieces I managed to accidentally collect, put my folders and laptop in there as well, and stacked it on top of the case. I got another empty tub and took it to the bathroom to put all those things in and I had enough room in there for a pillow and pyjamas.