Beginnings

The six new students stood on the verge: on the verge of their new home, on the verge of their new lives. Before them lay three years of study, of meeting new friends and trying new things, but more than that; before them lay the whole future, wide open, a blank sheet waiting for them to inscribe themselves upon it in whatever way they chose.

For Esther and Joanna Peterson, the adventure was, at least for this first year, to be a shared one. They hadn’t chosen Kingsfield University deliberately to be together; in fact, they had expected – possibly even hoped – to be making their first strides into the big wide world separately rather than together. It wasn’t that they weren’t close, just that they resented always being seen as ‘the twins’. They had very different tastes and interests and had worked hard for the past few years to establish their own identities. But Kingsfield offered Joanna the best politics course and Esther the best fashion design course, and it seemed stupid for either to choose an inferior course in a place that had less to offer, simply because her sister was going to be there. They hadn’t really anticipated staying in the same halls of residence, but somehow the administration had seen it fit to place them together.

Although, Esther thought, maybe it would be nice to have someone here she knew. Like the others in the halls, she felt dwarfed by the possibilities of life at university, so very small, and so very exposed.

Ivory Towers felt the same shiver of nervousness and excitement that she’d had come over her periodically ever since she filled in her application forms all those months ago. She was both excited to be starting her new life – her own life, an independent one, and sad to be leaving her father behind. Since her mother died when she was a small girl, he’d brought her up alone and she knew she’d been much more sheltered than others her age. Not that it hadn’t had its advantages – he’d spoiled her with anything she wanted in terms of toys and later clothes and books. She’d learned to ride horses and play the piano, flute and guitar – and now she had the opportunity to study music full-time as she’d always desired. She knew her being here was breaking his heart, but that the only thing that would have hurt him more would have been if she hadn’t come to university, hadn’t taken the opportunities to learn and grow and become her own woman.

Serena Abe was the fourth girl in the household. She’d been living in the country since she was sixteen when she’d moved in with her sister, who had recently graduated. Their parents were still at home in Korea with their younger sister and brother, and Serena had always talked about returning there one day, but the longer she spent away from home, the less likely that seemed.

They were joined by two boys: Dale Glimmerstone and Micah Lazarus.

Micah was excited to finally leave home, and leave the glare of the Riverview spotlight. He loved his hometown and his family, but his father was the leader of the council there and his family had been high-profile in that community for generations after the role they played in the town’s rebuilding. The name Lazarus was famous not only in Riverview but in the communities around it, and Micah had never really enjoyed the spotlight – the pressure to behave, to be a good politician’s kid and avoid any bad publicity for his father. Kingsfield was one of a few universities offering funded studentships for Riverview residents, and his brother Luke was now in his third year here and loving it, so it seemed a natural choice for Micah, too. Already their little sister Meg was talking about coming here when she was eighteen, and had already made plans to visit her brothers during her college half-term. Their other brother, Noah, was much quieter and a lot happier staying at home, helping their mother tend their growing farmstead.

Dale was from another large family, and like Esther and Joanna, he was a twin as well – except his brother Chip had taken a completely different path in life. It felt good to be stepping out as his own man, yet at the same time, he really missed his brother, and seeing other twins here sent a pang through him that he really was on his own.

–

Justine Keaton sat at her drafting table, waiting for inspiration. She was beginning her new job the next day as an interior designer, her first role since she graduated as a mature student in fine art. Since her husband Marty retired from the Sunset Valley football team through injury, they’d both wanted a new start – seeing the stadium there and hearing the chants of the crowds on a Saturday night had been too much for him, and he’d been becoming rather depressed. When the opportunity came up for her to study in Kingsfield, Marty urged her to take it – and here they were.

Marty secured himself new work in the town; a training post at the local fire station. He was able to put his athleticism to good use without over-exerting himself, and it offered him the chance to do something good, something worthwhile. His mother had warned him that he couldn’t always look to play the hero, but Marty couldn’t help it – he loved putting a smile on people’s faces, and if this was an extreme way to do that, then so be it – at least it was a vital role within the community. At least he would be needed again.

Three years later, and he was loving his work more than anything – except Justine and, if he was being truly honest, football. The townsfolk were always so grateful for him and his colleagues, and the job gave him the opportunity to keep his fitness up. The endorphin rush of climbing a ladder, sticking a hose through a window and dousing a fire was greater than sex – was almost on a par with scoring a goal.

–

The students had each made a beeline for a different bedroom, and begun the job of unpacking. The others were all tired and went to bed early – it was a Sunday, no clubs were open and they wanted to be fresh to enjoy everything that freshers’ week had to offer them from tomorrow.

Ivory, to her own surprise, was the last one up. She’d gotten into the late night film and wanted to see it through – and she wanted the luxury of choosing her own bedtime for the first time in her life.

It would be strange sleeping in this bed for the first time, knowing it would be her home for a whole year, but she was ready for the challenges the morning would bring.

–

Justine’s first client was a man named Billy Capsian, who lived in a small one bedroom place on the edge of the artists’ district.

She was incredibly nervous, but Mr Caspian told her she could have free reign within his living area – he’d not long bought the place and he wanted it to feel more ‘him’.

Justine wasn’t expecting Mr Caspian to be as full of praise as he was though, and he promised he would call her whenever he needed any more work doing. She wondered if all her clients would be as easy to please as Mr Caspian had been.

As she left Mr Caspian’s place, she passed by the chemists and remembered she needed some paracetamol. Whilst in there, her eyes alighted on the tampons and she picked up a packet, thinking her period must be due… and she mentally did some calculations. It was overdue. Four weeks overdue, in fact. She’d been so busy with work she hadn’t even realised. Instinctively, she placed a protective hand over her stomach, and instead of taking the tampons, she reached for the pregnancy test…

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