Heronstairs.

Fifteen

The breakfast bell rang out through the institute alerting its occupants that the day had started. As usual Charlotte was the first person in the dining room but instead of Will and Jem the second person to appear was Jessamine. She stalked into the room with a swish of her skirts and a bitter scowl shot in Charlotte's direction.
"Good morning Jessie." Charlotte said in an attempt to start a conversation, Jessamine sat at the table with a dramatic sigh. She glared at the empty seat opposite and drawled, "where's that uncivilized creature and it's sidekick." Charlotte wasn't sure she could take this  petty rivalry between Will and Jessie much longer but she pasted a smile on her face before speaking,
"I'm not sure but I'm sure Will and Jem will be here shortly." The boys didn't get many quite mornings or lie ins so she decided to leave them be at least until everybody else appeared. One by one the others did arrive, first Sophie with trays of food then Henry with his waistcoat on back to front and finally Thomas with a stack of plates. But still no Will or Jem. Henry, having fixed his waistcoat, frowned slightly at the two empty seats and turned to his a wife a perplexed look on his face, "should someone be sitting there." Charlotte sighed and smiled tiredly at him,
"yes dear, Will and Jem. I'll go and find them." Jessamine wrinkled her nose and put on a whiny tone, "oh must you Charlotte it's so pleasant without them." Charlotte rolled her eyes and quickly left the dining room. Several flights of stairs later Charlotte found herself outside Will's room, she knocked on the door and waited for a response that didn't come. Cautiously she pushed the door open and glanced around. The room was empty and it was clear the bed hadn't been slept in so she turned and shut the door and shut the door again. Charlotte sighed wearily and headed into the direction of Jem's room. When she reached Jem's room she reached up to knock but stopped when she realised the for was already pushed ajar. She knew it was wrong to spy but she couldn't help but feel curious so she peered through the gap and felt her eyed widen. The two boys lay sprawled side by side in Jem's bed, Will had no shirt on and and his legs entwined with Jem's so that Jem was pulled up against him. Jem's arms looped Will's neck and there faces were inches apart so that every time one of them breathed it stirred the others hair. Charlotte blushed furiously and pulled away from the door, she leaned against the wall trying to process what she had seen. She had always known Will and Jem were close, she had even known they loved each over but not in that way. She took a deep breath and rapped loudly on the wood calling, "Jem! You need to wake up now sweetheart." She deliberately left out Will's name because she didn't want the boys to know she'd been spying. She could hear hurried murmuring and the rustling of bed sheets and the door opened to reveal Jem. His hair was a mess, his eyes wide and cheeks flushed but he still managed to smile at Charlotte and say,
"sorry Charlotte I just haven't been sleeping well recently and I guess it all caught up with me." One look into Jem's eyes and Charlotte knew there was no way she could tell anyone their secret, his eyes were filled with love and contentment but also fear and vulnerability. He looked more like a child than he ever had before. She reached out to flattened his hair a little and with a comforting smile she added,
" are you and Will going to eat any breakfast?" Jem jumped slightly and flushed a deep red, he barely managed a nod before he stumbled back to his room.