Elle's Bachelorette Challenge - Day 4

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Elle’s Bachelorette Challenge - Day 4

Elle expressed the desire to have a li ttle time alone to calm down, so whi le the fourat the side house waited for her to be ready to continue, they decided to play a li ttlegame.

“Come on, Rhys! We’re on a streak, don’ t drop it now!”

“HA! You’ re going down, Azula!”

“In your dreams, maybe!”

“Oh, nice try!”

“Uh…am I ever going to get the kicky bag?” Dom asked.

“You’ re playing with Fitzhughs, honey,” Marina said, amused. “That answer should beobvious.” Catching a blob of yellow moving on her screen, she continued. “Okay, she’ sgoing up to the tea set.”

“YAY!” The other three quickly scampered over to the couch and got situated.

“Okay, you guys, before they start I just want to make one thing clear. There wi ll beno commentary, especially from you, Rhys, from today on. We don’ t want to make Ellemore nervous than she already is and she’ s going to start to get into the morepersonal territory soon. So shut up. Am I clear?”

Non-committal noises wafted from the direction of the couch.

“I said AM I CLEAR?”

“Okay, you’ re clear,” Rhys grumbled. “Fun-ki ller.”

Marina rolled her eyes and gave her attention to the bachelorette house.

***

The last thing Elle really wanted to do just then was sit down and have tea with threeguys as if nothing was wrong, but because she had to do it, that was what she did. Shecould wallow later, in the privacy of her own room, if she had to. She had anobligation to the men who were sti ll left to see the whole thing through.

Stuart, Akor, and Liam were the lucky three to make it to the table that day. Ellecouldn’ t help being pleased that Stuart had finally made it there, and surprised thatHam had not. “Hey guys,” she said.

Akor picked up his cup and was surprised to find nothing in it. “We didn’ t give youenough time to finish, did we?”

“Oh, no, it’ s done,” Elle said hurriedly, putting her own cup down and reaching for thepot. “I forgot to finish pouring. My mind was a mi llion mi les away. I’ ll do it rightnow, I’m so sorry.”

“It is perfectly all right,” Stuart said, with a calm smi le, and the other two agreed.

“So, what’ s today’ s question?” Liam asked, as she got to work pouring the tea. “Andplease, nothing too crazy like yesterday’ s.” He shuddered at the memory.

Elle, amused, gave him a quick grin as she fi lled his cup. “You’ re impossible toplease.”

“And proud of it,” he countered.

“Okay, how’s this: If you could visit any place in the world, where would you go andwhy?” He gave her a blank stare. “Oh come on.”

“No, no, that’ s fine,” he said quickly. “I just need a minute to think about it.”

“Fine. I’ ll start, and we’ ll go counter-clockwise. Um, I’ ve always wanted to go toVeronavi lle. The stories I’ ve heard about it are wonderful and I always thought it’dbe neat. Stuart?”

Stuart laughed at the question. “I can choose only the one place?” Realizing what hehad said, he added quickly, “I apologize, that came out far ruder than I had intended.”

“Oh no, you’ re fine,” Elle said. “But yeah, if you had to narrow it down to just one,where?”

“Well, i t is difficult for me to choose, but I think I have to say the Indiansubcontinent.”

“That’ s cheating,” Akor said, grinning.

“I do not see how as we did not specify the exact definition of a ‘ place’ in thiscontext. And there are so many awe-inspiring sights to be seen there, from theelegant palaces of the Majarajas, to the beauty of the Taj-Mahal, to the naturalwonders that are the Ganges, the Himalayas, and the Thar desert. I think one wouldnever tire of exploring the country.”

“Sounds fair to me. Liam?”

Liam’s brow furrowed a li ttle. “To be honest, my world was The Hellmouth for such along time that I don’ t have enough knowledge of anywhere else to have an opinion,” hesaid. “So I would have to say that I’d really just want to go anywhere else.”

“You’ ve done that by coming here,” Elle pointed out.

“Okay, well, I want to travel anywhere I can, then. Except to somewhere that’ s as badoff as The Hellmouth was. I don’ t want to go back and I don’ t want to go anywheresimi lar, either.”

Elle’ s first instinct was to defend her home, but she bit it back. Tea time was not forarguments, and she didn’ t want to get so caught up with Liam’s answer that Akornever had a chance to give his. She merely nodded. “Okay. What about you, Akor?”

“I would really like to go to Italy,” Akor said thoughtfully. “It’ s a completely differentclimate from Strangetown, first of all, with all that water surrounding it. Venice,especially. It would be nice to take a ride on a gondola.”

“Ooh, that does sound nice.”

He nodded, smi ling. “Plus, I’ ve always been interested in mechanics and I’d like tohave a look at some of Leonardo da Vinci ’ s inventions.”

“I thought he was famous for artwork,” Liam said.

“He was, but he was also a well-known thinker and inventor. He did all sorts ofthings.”

“Would you like some more tea, Liam?” Elle asked, when she saw that his cup wasempty.

“Nah, I was about to head to the restroom anyway.”

“I should like to do the same once I am finished with this cup,” Stuart added.

“Okay, cool. I guess we’ re about done anyway. I’m going to go around and talk toeveryone for a bit again, and then we can have dinner, unless you guys want dinnerfirst.”

“Whatever you’d like, Elle,” Akor said.

“Okay. Well…that’ s the plan, then. Do what you need to and I’ ll see you in a bit.”

Liam promptly headed off and a short whi le later, Stuart also excused himself, givingElle a minute alone with Akor. He glanced down at his cup. “Do you want to clean up,or…”

“No, I’m okay. Take your time. No point in wasting a perfectly good cup of tea.Besides, I sti ll have to finish mine too.”

“Okay. It’ s very good today, by the way.”

“Aww, thank you. I’m glad you like it.”

“I do. Normally I don’ t drink a lot of tea, but this might change my mind.”

Flattered, Elle could do little more than sip her tea and make short, delighted noisesin response.

She decided, afterward, to talk with Ham first since he hadn’ t made it to tea, andknew she had done the right thing when his eyes lit up. It gratified her that heseemed always eager to spend some time with her. “What can I do for you, MissEllie?”

“Well, I wanted to ask about your interests,” she said. Not the smoothest approach,but she figured that as she had limited time with each of the men, getting right to thepoint was best. “What are your hobbies? What do you like to do with your time?”

An earnest grin spread across his face. “I have been exposed to a great manyactivities at home, but I must confess that I love reading best of all of them. Mymother i s a great reader herself. I come by my love of books through her.”

“Really? So do I! Well, I don’ t know your mother obviously, but I love books.”

“I supposed as much,” he said, looking delighted. “You seemed to be someone whowould.”

“Ah, good to know. What genres have you read?”

“Oh, all different genres, I imagine. My father, Sir Henry, has an enormous libraryat our estate and I could get lost in it easi ly. I have not read all of them and maynever accomplish it, but I suppose attempting it may qualify as my life’ s work.”

Elle laughed. “Give me some of your favorites.”

“I do enjoy a good satire. Have you read Jonathan Swift?”

“Gulliver’ s Travels, right? That was bri lliant.”

“Indeed it was. Ah, I have also read numerous works by Voltaire--”

Elle made a face. “I read Candide. It was disgusting.”

“You ought to look at the rest, though. He was a gifted writer with many bri lliantideas about the political issues facing his world.”

“Okay, anyone else?”

“Lord Byron?”

“Haven’ t read him, but I’ ve heard he’ s good.”

“All right, what about Shakespeare? You must have picked up a volume or two of his.”

“A Midsummer Night’ s Dream i s my favorite.”

“It is quite delightful. I also enjoyed Julius Caesar and King Lear.” He ti lted his heada bit. “What about you? Which authors do you enjoy?”

“Um…” Elle thought for a minute about someone she had read that Ham might haveheard of. “Jane Austen?”

Ham’s expression turned to a form of amusement. “My sister loves her work,however, I feel her books are too feminine for my tastes.”

“Oh, come on,” Elle protested, “have you even read them?”

“I confess I have not, though I had planned to try reading Emma.”

“That one’ s good, but you’ ve got to make sure to try Pride and Prejudice as well. AndSense and Sensibi li ty, if you make it that far. They’ re not just for women. They say alot about society and relationships between people in general.”

“Well, since you give them such a high recommendation, I shall have to.”

“If you do that, I’ ll read Byron.”

She and Ham shook on it, and then she went to find Akor to spend a few minuteschatting with him. “Well, I told you I love fishing,” he said, when she asked him abouthis interests, “and that my brother and I go often. I’m also a sports guy.”

“Okay, what’ s your favorite sport to play?”

“Football, or baseball.”

“Really? I would have pegged you more as a soccer guy.”

Akor lifted a shoulder, smi ling. “Close, I suppose. It doesn’ t matter that much, I justlike being active and playing with other people.”

“Exercise is good,” Elle agreed. “I’m more of a yoga person myself, but it’ s importantto be in shape, where I’m from, so we all work on it one way or another. Anythingelse you especially like?”

At this he smi led, a li ttle shyly. “Cars. Classic cars, especially. Tinkering is aspecial hobby of mine and fixing up old cars is what I do, mostly.”

“Oh, cool. Does it take a long time to fix up a car?”

“It depends on how many parts are missing and what shape the car’ s in when I get toit. Some parts are harder to find than others, some cars are more rare than others,etc. It can also be pretty expensive to find replacement parts.” He grinned. “It’ salmost cheaper to buy a new car, really, but for me that takes the fun out of it. I’drather have something I put a li ttle personal investment into.”

“I could see that,” Elle agreed. “It’ s more special that way.”

“Yeah, it is. What about you? You said you do yoga but I somehow doubt that’ s yourfavorite thing in the world.”

Elle chuckled a li ttle, shifting her feet. “Yeah, I’m not a very active person at allreally. Mostly I like reading, unless my sister decides I’m not having enough fun anddrags me off to do something with her.”

“That’ s not a bad thing. What’ s your favorite book?”

“I couldn’ t possibly pick. I love so many of them.”

“Okay…how about the book you read most recently, then?”

She flushed. “Twi light.”

He laughed incredulously. “The vampire book? Seriously?”

“Hey, sometimes you need a li ttle light, fluffy vampire love book. Don’ t knock it ti lyou try it.”

“I very much enjoy studying the mechanics of things, discovering how they work,”Stuart said, right away, when it was his turn. “We have already talked a li ttle aboutthe train set I have at home. I could have watched it running on the tracks for hourswhen I was small, and it was great fun to add cars, wind the tracks differently, andsee what would happen. I had just as much fun taking them apart to see what wasinside when I was older.”

“I bet you followed your dad around all the time asking him questions about what madethings go,” Elle said, unable to help smi ling at his enthusiasm.

“My grandfather as well. The three of us and my brother Bertie worked on the trainstogether. It was our special hobby--that was part of the reason I liked it as well. Andit instigated my general interest in the inner workings of machines. I am thinkingabout making a career of it--becoming an engineer.”

“I could definitely see that.” Elle regarded him thoughtfully. Stuart’ s comment aboutloving the trains because it was something he could do with his fami ly sparked athought in her head, and on impulse she went with it. “Is there anything else you liketo do just because it’ s something you can do with your fami ly?”

He smi led. “My father is a proficient violin player and he encouraged my brother andme to take up an instrument as well. It is something I am good at, but I enjoy it morefor the sake of having something in common with Father than for its own merit.”

“There’ s nothing wrong with that,” Elle said, thinking of her sister’ s affinity forparties and her mother’ s dedication to the businesses. “I’ ve been involved in plenty ofthings I don’ t care much about because my fami ly does.”

“Surely you must have an activity that is just for you, though.”

“I like reading,” she said, for the third time that day, “and I guess just learning aboutthings in general. There are loads of things I’d like to at least try, but haven’ t had thechance to yet.”

“Give me an example.”

She lifted a shoulder. “Something daring I’ ve read about in a book, like parasai lingmaybe. I don’ t know.”

“If you are interested in parasai ling, you might like a ride in a hot air balloon.” Hesmi led, as if relishing a memory. “That is one of the main attractions at Simmouth,where my fami ly often travels on holiday.”

“I could very well like something like that,” Elle agreed, “but that’ s not the point. Idon’ t know and I’m not in a position right now to find out.”

“Ah, I see,” Stuart said, understanding. “Well, one thing I might suggest is to travelsomewhere on holiday at your earliest convenience. With your avid curiosity, I ampositive you would enjoy it very much and learn many new things.”

“I hope I can. It all depends, really.”

“Is that because of your mother’ s business enterprise?”

“Partially. Also because that’ s just the way it is.” She caught herself. “Oh goodness, Iam so sorry. I didn’ t mean to go on like that--”

Stuart caught her arm. “Miss Ellie, please do not worry yourself. These are thingsthat I greatly desire to know and I am honored you would talk so freely about themwith me.”

“But this time was for me to get to know you and I turned it around to talking aboutme--”

“And I am not allowed to get to know you, I suppose,” he interrupted, laughing.

Elle finally cracked a smi le. “Good point. Okay.”

They were interrupted by a soft throat-clearing behind them, and Elle turned to seeHam waiting nearby. “Forgive me,” he said shyly, “but Mr. Whedon asked me toinform you that he would be here shortly so that you would not have to go looking forhim.”

“Thanks, Ham,” Elle said. “That’ s nice of you, to pass it on for him.”

“You are most welcome. Ah, might I interest you in a game of red hands whi le you arewaiting?”

“Sure, I’d be happy to.”

Elle had begun to expect the unexpected where Liam was concerned. Time spent withhim usually never went the way she imagined it, and if she were honest, she kind ofliked it that way. All the same, that didn’ t prepare her for the curveballs he sent herduring this conversation. “My hobbies?” he asked, with a sardonic laugh. “Oh, I’ ve gotseveral. They include taking care of babies, being angry with my sister forreproducing with her dead twin’ s widower, kissing my teen girlfriend, and trying notto get ki lled by my dead father’ s angry ghost.”

She blinked. “That’ s quite a list,” she said, out of lack of anything more witty to say.

“Isn’ t it just. Really, there wasn’ t much else TO do. Almost everything else a personcould think of was i llegal in some way.”

Fortunately, that last part gave her an out. “Okay, then, what would you have wantedto do if things had been different?”

Liam stopped his tirade in its tracks and thought about it. “Well, I missed school,” hesaid. “I couldn’ t go after I was ten. I was going to do something about that.”

“Why didn’ t you?”

“I’m not really sure. That part of my memory’ s fuzzy for some reason. Then Isomehow ended up here instead, not that I’m complaining.” He allowed her a briefsmi le.

“My great-grandmother Narissa was the one who fixed the school system for us,” Ellesaid. “Dad told us she had a breakdown when she couldn’ t go to college and workedhard after that to make sure kids could get a full education.”

Something in what she said seemed to strike a chord with Liam. “Good for her,” hefinally said. “No one should have to go through that.”

“No, they shouldn’ t.” She smi led, hoping to steer the conversation to lighter topics.“Anything else you really wanted to do?”

His expression became even more thoughtful. “I want to have a fami ly,” he said. “Iwasn’ t sure I’d get to. My sisters were the ones who carried on the fami ly line, and Iwould have had to wait unti l I moved out, and I wasn’ t able to, back then. But now thatI’m out, it’ s definitely possible.”

And it might even be with me, Elle thought, allowing her train of thought to take itthat far for the first time since her first day in the house. Could she see herself withhim? Yes, she could. Was that idea appealing? Yes, it certainly was. But from there,her mind drifted to the other three men, and she found that she could also see herselfwith them as well, and that each of those possibi li ties were equally appealing if notmore so.

She quickly excused herself before her brain could take her to a place she wasn’ tready to go and went downstairs to have something to eat, where she was joined byHam, who was just ready to sit down himself. “If I may ask,” he said, hesitantly.“how did tea go today?”

“It was fine,” she said mi ldly, “but…it wasn’ t the same without you.”

He looked pleased to hear this. “I was exceedingly sorry to miss it. What did you askeveryone?”

Elle wasn’ t sure about the fairness of letting him in on the proceedings after the fact,but she really was sad that he had had to miss it, touched that he had obviously wantedto be there, and sympathetic to the fact that he had been the only one in the houseunable to go. “I asked where they would go if they could visit any place in the world,and why.”

“Oh, and where would you go?”

She smi led. “I said Veronavi lle. It sounds like a fun and intriguing place to visit.What about you?”

“I should very much like to visit India. The exotic world is absolutely enthralling, andI have always wished to encounter an elephant.”

“I might have to rethink the Veronavi lle thing then. India must be pretty awesome ifit got two votes. Stuart chose India too.”

“Indeed there are many extraordinary sights to see there, or so I am told. Manybooks have been written about that country as well. When I was smaller I could spendhours poring over the maps and pictures in my father’ s books. Besides, much of ourtrade comes from India.”

“Well, I’m definitely not against going there someday. It does sound like a culturalhotspot--oh, Stuart! You don’ t have to do that!”

Stuart smi led as he took her plate out of her reach. “Please allow me. I am headedtoward the sink anyway and am perfectly happy to take this for you.”

“Oh, okay then, thank you.”

Shortly after this, Akor accosted her, smi ling. “Hey Elle, want to hear a joke?”

“Oh sure, I love jokes.”

“Okay. What animal can jump higher than the Empire State Bui lding?”

Liam, sitting behind her, arched an eyebrow in confusion. “How tall is the EmpireState Bui lding anyway?”

“Many, many stories, but I can’ t remember offhand. Give up?”

“I think I do,” she said, “unless it’ s a kangaroo?”

He shook his head. “Any animal, because the Empire State Bui lding can’ t jump.”

It took her a second to get it, and then she laughed. “Nice one. It’ s all in the wording.I like it.”

As much fun as she was having with the guys, all the socializing that evening on top ofthe emotional sendoff for Abe had worn her out, and shortly after that she excusedherself to go to bed.

Please let tomorrow go well, she si lently wished once more. I don’ t think I could takeone more day of all this awkwardness.

***

The next morning, she was back to her old habit of getting up before the sun did.“Morning, Marina,” she greeted her earpiece.

“You are a freak of nature, you know that?” the woman on the other end grumbled. “Itis not natural to be able to get up this early and like it.”

“I’m…very sorry.”

“Yeah, whatever. You ready for your instructions?”

“Flirting again, I assume?”

“Yep. And try to move on from compliments this time around. I know you’ re new tothe whole thing but these guys are your friends and you like them, right? So youshouldn’ t have to think very hard for something to say.”

“I guess so.”

“Just try. You’ ll get better at it.”

“I do already feel better about the whole thing. Practicing does help. It sti ll doesn’ treally feel like my thing though.”

“Well, after all this is over you’ ll only be flirting with one of them, hopefully,”

“If I get that far. What else?”

“Oh, elimination at noon as usual, tea after, and one-on-one time after that.”

“Anything i n particular I should do with the one-on-ones?”

“…let me get back to you about that.”

“Sure. I’m going to go downstairs.”

Thinking that no one else was up yet, Elle went downstairs to the baby grand andbegan softly pressing the keys, enchanted by the sound yet having no real knowledge ofhow to play. She became so absorbed in this that the arrival of the guys completelypassed her by, and she was startled to find them all standing around in their pajamas,listening to her.

After a moment, she said, “Okay. If you were wearing pajamas during one-on-onetime yesterday and I told you that was okay, forget everything I said and go putclothes on before we start today. If you were wearing clothes, please do so again.That is all.”

The guys laughed and went upstairs to put their clothes on, leaving her attempting notto blush.

***

Marina had deliberately avoided telling Elle about the kissing dates, knowing that ifshe had been informed about them a whole day in advance, it would affect herperformance during the flirting just when she was beginning to get comfortable.Furthermore, with that much advance notice she would probably adamantly refuse, andMarina did not want her to have enough time to freak out and run away. So she heldoff giving that information and hoped it wouldn’ t backfire horribly.

Whi le she was setting up the downstairs computer for the day, a knock on the doorsounded. “Rhys, can you get that?”

“Cleaning dishes here!” he yelled from the kitchen. “Soapy hands not good for door-opening!”

“Fine, Azula? Dom? Could one of you get it?”

“Oh, are more of those friends you mentioned coming today?” Azula asked, as she andDom got up to get the door.

“They’ re already here, I imagine. One of them’s a friend of yours, as well. And Dom,you get to Meet Someone New since I don’ t think you’ ve met either of them before.”

“Sounds good to me,” he said eagerly.

However, they had barely taken a couple of steps before the door opened to admit DeFireflower, whose impatience to see everyone had won out even though she had onlybeen waiting about fifteen seconds. She beamed. “Azula! Dominic! Hi !”

“Uh, do I know you?” Azula asked, lifting an eyebrow.

“No, but I know you! Or of you, I guess.”

A masculine chuckle sounded behind De. “And that didn’ t sound creepy at all,” SpencerFitzhugh commented as he walked in.

“Shut up, you,” De said good-naturedly.

Azula’ s eyes lit up. “Grampa Spencer!”

“Hey, kid,” Spencer greeted her, giving her a warm hug.

Marina, meanwhi le, moved to greet De. “Do you have to scar my Sims for life?”

“Yes, it’ s fun,” De said cheerfully. “How are you? Has Elle driven you all crazy yet?”

“Actually, she’ s doing pretty good. I’m not sure how long that’ s going to last givenshe’ s got to start with the kissing tonight, but so far, not bad. How are you? Howwas the trip?”

De grinned. “Spencer and I got crazy drunk at the hotel we stayed at last night whi le Iexplained exactly how things happened with Rhys. Did you know he’ s a girl-drink kindof guy?”

“That…doesn’ t surprise me, no…”

“Dominic, come over here and meet Grampa Spencer,” Azula called over, and Domhurried over, excited to be introduced. “Grampa Spencer, this is my boyfriend,Dominic Doran.”

“It’ s very nice to meet you, sir,” Dom said politely.

Spencer had already heard many good things about Dominic from both Azula andMarina, and was pleased to have the chance to finally meet him. “It’ s nice to meet youas well, Dom. You can just call me Spencer.”

“Sure, if that’ s what you prefer.”

“You’ re going to have to tell me all about how that conversation went down later, andremind me to ki ll you for having it when I wasn’ t there to point and laugh,” Marinawent on, “but speaking of Rhys, he’ s here--”

De’ s eyes went wide. “He i s? I didn’ t think you were bringing him--”

“I wasn’ t going to, but you know him, he’ s got a mind of his own, and he’ s in thekitchen right now and doesn’ t know you were coming and he’ s going to flip when hesees you--”

“I’m going to what now? Who’s here?”

Rhys stopped dead in his tracks when he saw De, and Marina quickly moved out of theway, not enjoying the thought of a premature Death By Fauxhawk. Fortunately, neitherRhys nor De was paying her any further attention. Rhys stood where he was in totalshock whi le a slow grin came to De’ s face.

“Imissedyousomuch!” In an instant, De pounced on him and gave him the mostthorough reunion kiss he had ever had in his life.

“Whoa.” Rhys stumbled back, throwing his arms out for balance, when she finally lethim up for air.

De took this reaction the wrong way. “Oh my God, you’ re mad.”

“What? No!” He stared at her, unable to figure out why she would think such a thing.“Why would I be mad at you?”

“Because I knew! I knew what was going to happen to you and I didn’ t warn you and Istayed away so I wouldn’ t have to watch--”

“Oh, the Apocalypse. Right. Yeah, okay, I admit I was pissed off when I realized youhad to have known, but it’ s been a long time, De. Much too long since I last saw you.Right now I could care less.”

She blinked. “Really?”

“Well, we’ ll probably fight about it later,” he conceded, reaching up to brush a strandof hair out of her face, “but I’d like to at least make out first.”

De laughed. “Pervert. You haven’ t changed.”

“You didn’ t want me to, admit it.”

“I did want you to be happier, though. Are you?”

He thought about it. “I might be. Want to help me out with that?”

“Always.”

Now assured that everything was going to be okay, Marina couldn’ t help smi ling asshe watched them. It was true she had been against that pairing in the verybeginning, but as long as they were happy, she was happy too. Later, she wouldprobably have to mediate an argument or five, but for now things were good.

She turned away and caught the eye of Azula, who was standing by idly whi le Spencerand Dom got to know each other. Smi ling, she indicated the computer with her head.“Let’ s leave them to it,” she mouthed, and Azula nodded in reply.

***

After giving it some thought, Elle decided that she would begin each flirting sessionby saying something she liked about each of the bachelors as a person and try to steerthat into a somewhat casual dialogue. Ham was first, and i t was easy to decide whatshe wanted to say to him. “I really love that you’ re always so happy to see me,” shesaid. “You’ re a real joy to be around.”

“Do you really think so?” he asked delightedly.

Impulsively, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “I wouldn’ t say it if I didn’ tmean it.”

“I thank you then. That is very kind of you to say.” He took her hand. “I do not believeI have thanked you yet for allowing me to stay here. It means a great deal to me that Iwas able to stay even though we hardly talked on our first day here.”

“Awwww, Ham.” Elle felt indescribably touched by this sentiment. “I’m just happyyou wanted to stay. You’ re really sweet, and I’m glad I had the chance to get to knowyou. I would have been an idiot to send you home then.”

“I feel the same way about you,” he said happi ly. “Erm, not that you are an idiot,because I would obviously never think that--”

She laughed, taking his other hand. “I knew what you meant, Ham. It’ s okay.”

He looked relieved. “Oh, good.”

Akor proved a li ttle harder than Ham, but there were plenty of things she liked abouthim as well, so she merely took a moment to decide on the right one. “You’ re a reallyfun guy, Akor,” she said. “I love that you’ re interested in a lot of things and that youget along so easi ly with other people.”

“Thanks, Elle,” he said, pleased. “I try my hardest.”

“A lot of the time it doesn’ t look like you even need to try. That’ s something I’ venever been able to do, socialize with people and make it look effortless. I have ahealthy amount of respect for people who can.”

Akor put a hand on her shoulder. “I really don’ t think you’ re doing as badly as youthink you are,” he said. “Even on the first day. Yeah, lunch went kind of badly, butafter that…”

“Oh yeah, remember the poker game? I asked if I could play and you just startedteasing me like we were already friends and it was normal.”

“And you could give as good as you got, if I remember right.”

“Maybe I picked up part of that Fitzhugh Smartaleck Gene after all.”

“Maybe you did.”

Elle regarded him thoughtfully, realizing with sudden sadness that they seemed tohave lost some of that easiness in their relationship since then. “Thank you,” she saidsuddenly. “That made me feel accepted. It was nice.”

“You’ re welcome,” he said, squeezing her hand a li ttle. “It was a very good game.”

Flirting was certainly coming easier to Elle with practice, but there were certainpeople it seemed less of a chore to do it with even then, and Stuart was one of them.When it was his turn, she couldn’ t help a li ttle excitement. “Hi , Stuart.”

“Good morning, Miss Ellie,” he said, with a nod and a smi le. “I am completely dressedas you requested.”

“I appreciate that,” she replied, brow furrowing. What she had prepared beforehandsuddenly flew out of her head. “You know…you really can just call me ‘Ellie.’ ”

Stuart frowned. “Does it make you uncomfortable when I do not?”

“Not…exactly,” she said slowly. “But it does make me feel a bit like there’ s a wall offormality between us, and I don’ t know about you, but I want it gone.”

“I did not intend to give you that impression, and I am very sorry if I have,” he saidearnestly. “I am merely trying to show you the same respect I would to any otherwoman of my acquaintance.”

Elle did not like the word ‘ acquaintance.’ “But we are friends, though, aren’ t we?”

“Of course we are,” he said immediately.

“Then I don’ t see the issue.”

“Where I am from,” he said, “such titles are used between friends, generally unlessthey are related or the friendship is of an intimate nature. So yes, we are friends,but I am not courting you exclusively and we have not made a serious commitment toeach other. That is why I am sti ll using formalities with you.”

It was a perfectly good explanation, but it didn’ t satisfy her. Whi le it was not arejection, it wasn’ t an admission of his feelings either. She reached for his handsabsently, wondering how she could at least get a clue without promising anything. Shehad committed to a full week and there was sti ll almost half of it to go.

Finally, she asked, “Do you want to?”

“Want to what?”

“Court me.” She had been hoping he would get her meaning without actually having tosay the words, and couldn’ t do it without blushing, but she managed to maintain eyecontact.

A smi le came to his face. “I would like that very much, yes.”

Tentatively, she reached up a hand to his cheek. “Then call me ‘Ellie.’ ”

“All right,” he agreed, laying a hand on her arm.

The name debate had taken so much of Stuart’ s allotted time that afterward, he had tovacate the room and allow Liam in for his turn. But even though she hadn’ t gottenaround to the conversation topic she’d planned, she sti ll felt like she had made animportant inroad with him, and that was a good feeling.

She was sti ll reveling in her victory when Liam arrived. “Hey, Elle.”

“Oh, hey,” she said, getting up from the couch. “I hope you didn’ t mind having to wait.”

“I knew I was going to get my turn eventually,” he said, smi ling. “What have you gotfor me?”

She regarded him thoughtfully. “You know, I never really know what to expect withyou.”

“That’ s a good thing, I hope,” he said, arching an eyebrow.

“Yeah, it is,” she said quickly. “I like that conversations with you don’ t go quite theway I think they might. It spices things up, makes all this a li ttle less formulaic.”

“Variety is good,” he agreed. “However, what you’ re too nice to say is thatsometimes I throw you for a loop and you have no idea what to say in response, whichI think kind of upsets you, even though I don’ t mean to.”

“Like just now?” she teased.

“…yeah, I probably just unintentionally did it again, sorry.”

“You’ re fine, Liam,” she said, smi ling a li ttle. “You wouldn’ t be you if you didn’ t do it.And I am getting used to it. If anything upsets me at all, i t’ s that you seem so angrysometimes. Not at me, just in general.”

He shrugged. “I have a lot of pent-up emotion. I’ ll admit it. I guess you’ re getting thebrunt of it now that I don’ t have the real target anymore.”

“Let it out,” she said urgently. “It doesn’ t help anything to just hang on to it. Trustme, I know. I don’ t want you to do something stupid and maybe ruin your life justbecause you’ re sti ll angry about things that happened when you were younger.”

“We’re talking bitterness on a deep-seated, lifelong level here, Elle.”

“It doesn’ t matter. I like you a lot, Liam. I don’ t want to see you hurt yourself byhanging onto it forever.”

A smi le tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Well, since you’ re so clearly invested inmy wellbeing, I can’ t really ignore that request, can I?”

“No, you can’ t,” she agreed firmly.

He nodded. “I have to admit, i t’ s nice to have someone care this much. Not sureanyone has before.”

“I’m sure your fami ly did,” Elle said.

“If they did, i t was hard to tell. It doesn’ t matter anymore, anyway.”

But it does, she thought, but didn’ t say it. Flirting time was not for arguments, either.

The talk with Liam left her in a somber mood, which showed when she sat down tohave lunch with the other guys after. Lost in thought, she didn’ t volunteer anyconversation, and for a whi le neither did they.

“How is your turkey, Miss Ellie?” Ham asked after a whi le.

Elle blinked. “Oh, it’ s fine…” She bit her lip. “Ham, I’d really like it if you just calledme ‘Ellie.’ I just asked Stuart to do that and it would be great if you would, too.”

The request took him by surprise, but seeing the look on her face, he nodded withoutprotesting. “Certainly, if that is what you would like.”

“Thanks. ‘ preciate i t.”

“Are you quite well?” he asked, concerned.

“Oh, fine, just thinking about a few things, that’ s all.”

Akor smi led a li ttle. “That’ s right, it’ s almost noon, isn’ t it? About time to go to theliving room.”

Noon already? She hadn’ t been paying attention to the clock, focusing instead ongetting through all the flirting dates. It was almost time to send someone home andshe had barely even thought about it. “Yeah,” she said, not wanting to let the guysknow this. “We’ ll go in there when we’ re done eating. No rush.”

She went to wash her plate and then walked into the living room to find that all themen had gathered there to wait for her. “See, clearly I’m going to stay because I amso very pretty,” Liam was joking as she walked in. “Take note of my fine, chiseledjaw. Don’ t you agree, Elle?” He tossed her a wink, and she laughed. Strangely, i t madeher feel better.

“Pay him no mind,” said Stuart, smi ling at her. “Mr. Whedon is obviously delusional.Have you made your decision?”

“Yes, I have,” she said. “Believe me, it wasn’ t easy. I really like all of you and countyou as my friends, and it’ s not fun to say goodbye to anyone. But…I’ ve been finding itharder to relax around one of you than the others. It’ s a shame because we weregetting along so well, but some things happened, and now you’ re afraid to offend me. Idon’ t want you to feel like you need to tiptoe around me, and I don’ t think you want todo that either.

“So…I’m sorry, Akor. I’m really very sorry.”

Akor got up, nodding. He seemed hurt, but she could also see that he had beenexpecting this. “You’ re absolutely right,” he said. “There’ s a balance betweenrespecting each other’ s differences and trying to avoid clashing because of them, andwe never found it, did we?”

“Maybe not,” she said sadly. “I’ ll miss you, though. I meant what I said. I really dothink you’ re a great guy.”

He gave her a hug. “And I really do think you’ re a great girl, too. Keep in touch, okay?”

“I definitely wi ll. Come on, I’ ll call you a cab.”

***

And that ends Day 4. I apologize for the delay in posting, but I hope you enjoyed it andI hope to have Day 5 ready for you in a few days.

Thanks once again to Cait for the gorgeous cover, and to all the writers of the guysI’ ve borrowed for their loan and continued help in writing them. I really couldn’ t do itwithout you and you’ re all so lovely and helpful, i t makes me happy ^_^

Turn the page for the scores -->

“It has just occurred to me that this pool cue would probably be a very effectiveweapon.”

Scores

Stuart - 100/44 = 144 (friends, mutual crush)

Liam - 96/37 = 133 (friends, mutual crush)

Ham - 88/34 = 122 (friends, mutual crush)

Akor - 80/31 = 111 (friends, mutual crush)

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Yes, these are the real scores. <3 Ti l next time, Happy Simming! ^_^