Read Fix You for Free Online

liked that. The way the Larsens
were lavishing that word on her was making her change her mind about it. For
the first time, it felt good to be interesting, to be different.
    After spending ten minutes wondering how to
thank him, she decided to go down to the computer suite in the basement of the
halls of residence and send him an email.
     
    From: [email protected]
    To: [email protected]
    Subject: Big Brother
     
    Dear Richard,
     
    Wow, thank you so much for your
impressive gift. I’ve never owned a first edition of anything before, so I’m
very excited to start this new collection. I probably have some way to go
before I can have anything approaching Thomas Carlyle’s “university of books”
but a girl has to start somewhere, right?
     
    I’m slightly concerned, however, that
you sent me a book which basically tells me that Big Brother is watching me.
Should I be worried?
     
    Hanna
    PS: I have been assigned room 101 as
my bedroom.
     
     
    She clicked on the “send” icon, and sat
back, deciding to Ask Jeeves exactly how much a first edition of 1984 was worth.
    Within moments she wished she hadn’t. There
was no way she could keep that thing in her bedroom. It was worth more than the
rest of her possessions added together. And then some.
    Just as she started to consider returning
the gift, her email alert pinged.
     
     
    From: [email protected]
    To: [email protected]
    Subject: Watching You?
     
    Hanna,
     
    You are most welcome. And as to your
question, it very much depends on what you’ve been doing.
     
    Richard
    PS: Does room 101 contain your worst
fear?
     
    She smiled as she read his words, feeling inordinately happy that he
had replied so quickly. She glanced at her watch. It was 4:00 p.m. in the UK,
which meant it was around 11:00 a.m. in New York. She assumed he was either in
the library or at home at his desk, working on his laptop. After chewing on a
fingernail for a while, she decided to respond.
     
     
    From: [email protected]
    To: [email protected]
    Subject: My Worst Nightmare
     
    Richard,
     
    Since you’ve read Harry Potter, I
suspect you already know what my worst nightmare is. But since I cannot say the
name, I’ll tell you instead that I’m sharing a bedroom with a six-foot tall,
chain smoking, French-speaking Amazonian. I have no doubt that anybody with a
name beginning with V would be scared shitless by her. I know I am.
     
    Hanna
     
     
     
    From: [email protected]
    To: [email protected]
    Subject: Embarrassing …
     
    Hanna,
     
    I’m trying to keep some street-cred
and not let on I’ve been reading children’s books during my summer vacation.
Can we keep this between you and me?
     
    When does the next book come out,
anyway? Can I borrow it from you?
     
    Richard
     
     
    From: [email protected]
    To: [email protected]
    Subject: Embarrassed … you?
     
    Richard,
     
    It’s always a shame when a rich
Manhattan boy like yourself can’t afford to buy a book. I’ll ponder on that
while I’m eating the refectory’s latest dinner offering. I believe we’re in for
a treat tonight—Tuna Casserole with a side of over-boiled spinach. I’ll think
of you while I’m masticating.
     
    Hanna
    PS: There’s these strange things
called libraries …
     
     
    From: [email protected]
    To: [email protected]
    Subject: I’d rather read yours
     
    Seriously.
     
    Richard x
     
    Hanna smiled at the kiss on the last email as she logged off. All in
all, today was turning out to be a good day…a really, really good day.
     
     
    THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY, Hanna found
herself in the backstage area of the University’s concert hall, pushing her way
through the packed corridors. They were teaming with rock bands, comedians, and
variety acts, all vying for dressing space.
    As the headliners, Fatal Limits had been
given their own room, set apart from the rest of the performers. Hanna pushed
her way inside and she could see that