Robert Wentworths’ charm and attractions were not only confined in the limits of his physical being, but in his mental accomplishments and quiet understanding of the world. His position in society and influence on those around him were of greater worth than any of his own persons’ boastings. The effect of education and good breeding had produced a man that had much to his advantage, unfortunately for Robert; the disposition of his mind never prepared him for any form of stimulation that might resemble love and affection. His standing in society was well known to many of his circle of friends, but was more keenly known by two sisters in his acquaintances. The Varthan sisters of Annadale were long admirers of the young man, their friendship with him began in the first year of their university degrees. The two sisters, identical in all but their mental stability and constancy, were both to meet Robert in the ways that would suit them best. Susan, the younger by exactly three minutes, loved gardens. When she had stumbled upon the quaint garden inside the main building, she thought that it would suit her best to be there for as much of her time as possible. However, the inconsistency that resided in her mind meant that she was never in the garden, though had never remembered it enough to miss it. Robert Wentworth spent many hours in that garden, savouring the protection that it afforded him and the cool of the stone walls that surrounded the wild vegetation. When Robert sat next to Susan during a class on Shelley she immediately introduced herself to him, after a few moments of light conversation she exclaimed that they were the best of friends and demanded to know where he was most regularly so that they might increase in their friendship and, for her sake, love. Unfortunately, her failings meant that she remembered him just enough to miss him, and enough to ensure that they had lunch together once a week.

            Sally, the older of the Varthan sisters’ was much more sensible. Having had heard about a beautiful, amiable and well placed young man from her sister, she immediately determined to seek him out and make him fall in love with her. Her mind was not so romantic as to believe that a woman with a degree and no partner is a true heroine. Rather that a woman with a degree, and without a partner would become a burden to all her friends who would immediately feel the obligation of the civilities of friendship. Her plan was simple, she was to sit stupidly in the garden, everyday, until he approached and questioned her politely on her novel or, not so very dissimilar, her thoughts. Her plan failed to account for one aspect of the nature of men, their blindness. Sally had found her frustration growing stronger daily as she sat and sighed and fell into demur fits of private ecstasy, all the while Robert sat absently nearby, too engrossed in his own life to notice the one that she lived by proxy. The day came when she artfully took advantage of the last vestiges of chivalry in any man, by throwing her book to the ground and then folding her hands in her lap, patiently waiting for Robert to give her his attention. He did, smiled and returned to his thoughts. A smile was encouragement enough for Sally, who had already placed all hope in the heart of this one man, and severed ties with any other. He was indeed a very well formed young man.

It was a windy spring day, two years since this unassuming narrative of Carmen's life had begun. Mark Spencer, the love sick rake sure to produce many amusing adventures for the beloved heroine had since died of a smashed ego. His death was long and painful, lasting the entirity of his life. George, the determined hero and love of this tale had also died. German measles is indeed a frightful illness, nevertheless Carmen maintained a cautious friendship with the country.

Our dearest heroine was once again in a cafe, entertaining a cheerful dependence on the drug, awaiting the arrival of the first man able to excite a kind of sentiment within her. A John Maxwell, who thus far lived an ordinary life that had passed him by in a series of insignifcant events leading to a very insignifcant existence. Carmen was just another insignifcant occurence in the course of his life, situating herself somewhere between his birth and his death. Carmen, however, had lived an extraordinary life, having lost a useful rake and an almost lover, happily placed in a circle of family and friends to protect her, therefore she entertained all the hope of enjoying a very signifcant life. Unfortunately, this meant that Maxwell has found his insignficant self, placed in between two signifcant events in the life of a very signifcant young woman.

Fortunately, insignifcant people have the joy of never realising their purpose, or lack there of, until upon their death bed.

Carmen took a seat at the back of the lecture theatre near the exit sign. At first it had been a seat practically assigned to her because she was always running late- but after a while she bought a watch and took the seat out of habit. She was not the sort of person who looked for her friends in her lectures, so she took out her things and stared at the front wall, patiently waiting for the lecturer.

Mark Spencer slowly made his way through the building. In all honesty he had no idea where he was going. He walked to what looked like an administration desk where a bubbly girl with no hair pointed to the next lecture theatre- he walked in and sat down in the front row.

Impatiently, Carmen looked at her watch. The lecturer was late by ten minutes. Everyone in the room was talking and the acoustics of the room amplified every conversation. A phone went off somewhere and girl wearing a very short skirt sccuried out of the lecture theatre. Five minutes, Carmen promised herself that she would only wait another five minutes before she'd give up and go to Azzuri's.

~ four minutes and forty seconds later ~

Already the lecture thatre was slowlt emptying. The less devoted back rowers had been awoken from their sleep by the loud conversations and with a slight glance to the clock picked up their bags and left. Carmen looked at her watch, her book was already closed, she was just about to put it away when the screen at the front of the lecture theatre lit up. Instinctively Carmen looked down at the lecturn- no one was there. The blank blue screen suddenly burst into an array of colour as still picture after still picture of phosporescent microscopic samples flashed on the screen. Carmen recognised it as the process of fertilisation- only now all the different components of the sex cells were brightly coloured. When the slide show was done all the lights in the theatre switched off. Silence reigned.

Mark Spencer slipped the remote control into the breast pocket of his jacket. While everyone was still blinded by the sudden darkness he moved unseen to the front of the room. One touch of the control panel behind the desk and the lights came back on, another tap brought the first slide onto the screen.
"Now that I have your attention- let's begin..."

Carmen stumbled out of the lecture theatre dazed. She couldn't believe that the weird guy from the coffee shop was going to be her lecturer. When the lecture had finished she had grabbed all her things and left out of the back exit- she hoped he hadn't seen her.

He had seen her at the back- the students up the back were always the ones that you had to watch out for. He was glad hat he hadn't lost his composure this time. As the last student left, Mark switched off the lights and exited the room deep in thought.
   As soon as he had a chance, after meeting his new collegues, Mark pu;lled his laptop out of his side bag and logged online. On the university website he easily accessed the tutorial timetables and with his all-purpose password opened up the page that took him to the lists of students in each tutorial...he didn't know her name. Frustrated he closed the window and shut down the computer.

Carmen and George sat opposite each other at the small tables in Azzuri. Carmen had her head in a Biochemistry textbook while George read '100% Fact Free' the university magazine. Though Carmen was concentrating on her work a small part in the back of her mind was focusing on the part of her shin that brushed against George's leg under the table.
"So, tell me what's stopping you from devoting yourself fully to that book," George asked suddenly.
"Sorry?" Carmen asked innocently though in her head she began to grow afraid of George being able to read her mind.
"You keep looking up."
"Oh..." Carmen searched. "Um... did I tell you that weird coffee guy is my lecturer?"
George seemed shocked and more concerned thatn necessary about the whole thing.
"If he tries anything you'll have to report him- maybe you should report him now. You know, don't give him the chance to try anthing. Is he your tutor? Promise me you'll never sit near the front."
"George, calm down."
"This isn't good, Carmen."
Carmen moved her legs and tucked them underneath her chair and opened the textbook again.
"Oh, now yo're angry at me?" George put down the magazine.
Carmen's stony expression answered him.
"I'm concerned."
Carmen turned the page of the textbook even though she hadn't finished.
"Carmen..."
"You know what you are? You're assuming that I can't assess this for myself."
"Don't take it the wrong way."
"Don't be patronising," Carmen shut to book, grabbed her bag and left.
George watched her as she stormed out of the coffee shop and stumbled a little in her haste. He liked feeling her shin next to his leg.

Carmen stared back at Mark for a few moments, not because she was at all intrigued by the strangers looks, but that he had the nerve to look at her so intensely. Perhaps she had been a little rude in her comment as she took the seat that was unoccupied and therefore free to be taken, but he was surpassing all rudeness in such an intrusion of her personal, emotional space. Another motive was that she hoped that he would look away. He did not. Sighing loudly she flipped open her novel and proceeded to read. After a few moments Carmen's gaze travelled back to Mark and he still had his eyes fixed on her. Growling slightly under her breath she returned her eyes to the page. Her second attempt to distract herself failed.
'Can I help you?'
Mark stared. Carmen packed her book away, took her coffee cup and walked out of the coffee shop. She had walked two blocks before she realised that she had taken the glass cafe cup with her, then she was too embarassed to take the cup back so she sat on a bench near a coffee cart and gave them the cup when she had finished drinking. She kept walking despite the confused expressions of the retailer.

Carmen made her way across the large green park that enclosed her university from the rest of the world. Carmen was in her final year and was contemplating doing honours, she had already been at university for five years, was a sixth one just little too much? She hadn't decided yet. Just as she was about to enter university grounds someone sitting on the benches beside the steps caught her notice. George had been sitting there eating lunch. She greeted him warmly and began to relate to him what had happened in  the coffee shop with the strange staring man. George laughed at it and told her that she was too suspicious of everyone, she knew. Carmen had met George on the first day of university when she was sitting on the grass. She had fallen asleep with her faveourite book on her stomach when he walked past. The book was his faveourite too and far be it from him to not awaken a stranger to discuss a book that he loved. George was in the year above Carmen at the same university and doing his honours degree- of course he was convincing Carmen to remain to do hers too.
George and Carmen parted at the maths building with a hug and Carmen made her way into the building Five minutes after Carmen had entered the building Mark Spencer walked up the steps of the same building.