Editing The Quiz (section)

== Chapter 2 ==
When my story resumes, we were all twenty-two years old. None of us had pursued careers related to drama, and I suppose that’s why the quiz passed out of our minds.

All of us, except Violet, were staying close to home now.

Janet had dropped out of college in her first year. We had all begged her to keep studying there and press on. But she wouldn’t listen, and now worked as a waitress at the local pizza parlor.

As for myself, I was working as a cashier. No, it wasn’t prestigious for a person who had studied business with the hope of opening her own store, but I didn’t have the money to keep going to college, so I had to earn what I could so that I could return to school. Meanwhile, I was sharing an apartment with Avery, who was working as assistant music director at the community center. So here my story will pick up…

This story would be incomplete without Victor Ryan. Victor…yes, when I first met him, I instinctively knew I had seen him before, even though he had just moved here. I don’t know if that was why I never was very comfortable around him, despite the fact that he was a pleasant young man. But I know that if I don’t introduce Victor, then I can’t tell this story.

As soon as Violet finished college, she went on a ten-day vacation to the beach. When she returned, we met her at the bus stop.

“It’s so good to see you all,” she gushed, embracing us. Then, with a wry smile, she added, “I wouldn’t get this sort of greeting from Gina, at any rate.”

“Really?” I asked. “Gina’s been a lot nicer these days, you know.”

“Oh?” replied Violet. “She certainly hasn’t spoken to me for the past two months.”

“Well, I mean,” Janet offered, “she’s been smiling a lot more. And then too, she saw me yesterday and offered to buy me some coffee.”

Violet looked skeptical. “Some ulterior motive?”

“No, no, you’d never guess!” I laughed.

“What?”

Avery spoke for the first time, wrinkling her nose. “Gina’s in love.”

Violet’s mouth fell open. “Who would want to marry Gina? Ugh!”

“Well, you know that old weirdo she’s working for, Mr. Ryan? Well, a couple months ago, his nephew moved in. He was supposed to be working in his father’s company, but he didn’t want to, so his parents sent him to take care of his uncle while he’s trying to find a job or something.We met him about a week ago, and I think Gina totally loves him.”

“How old is he?” asked Violet.

“Twenty-three, I think,” said Janet.

“How could she like a guy four years younger than her? Wait, does he like her too?”

Avery replied sharply, “Like her? He’s almost as weird as his uncle. Wanders about all day aimlessly. Lazy man with no ambitions at all. I feel sorry for Gina if she ever marries him.”

“Avery doesn’t really like Victor,” I whispered to Violet. “They had a quarrel the first day they met.”

She giggled.

“Let’s meet this guy,” said Violet. “What’s his name?”

“Victor,” said Janet.

“Let’s drop by at the Ryans’ and speak to Gina herself,” laughed Violet. “She’s got some explaining to do.”

Mr. Arnold Ryan was about sixty, and lived in a great house in the richest part of the town. He was known for being a little strange, and spending most of his time and money buying chemicals and poisons with which he experimented on countless guinea pigs, and trying to publish his results in the medical papers. Gina worked as his secretary, but besides that he had no maids or servants, preferring to live alone.

Mr. Ryan himself showed us in, brushing back his white hair and mumbling about some guinea pigs escaping. He said he’d send Gina over as soon as he could, but until then could we just stay in the living room? Without waiting for a response, he left.

We stood in the parlor, waiting. Then the door opened, and Violet stepped forward to speak. She stopped.

Victor Ryan entered the room. Even now, I close my eyes and see again that handsome face, framed by rich dark hair—that dashing young man with sparkling dark eyes. Dressed in a trim little sports jacket, he bounced toward us with that eager, energetic grin of his.

He immediately offered Violet his hand, but she didn’t take it. I saw her face—it was frozen with awe. Concerned, I touched her shoulder.

She glanced at me, and her face resumed its normal state. With a laugh, she turned back to Victor. “Oh—I’m Gina’s sister, Violet. We came to say hi to Gina, since I’m back from vacation today. You’re Victor, right?”

He smiled. “Of course, yes. I met some of you last week, didn't I? Let me see, this is Quincey, that’s Janet, and that’s—Avery. Yes, I suppose you’re all friends?”

Violet laughed. “We’ve been best friends through high school.”

He sat down and began to chat with us. Avery refused to say much, and I watched her with some concern. I felt Avery was jealous of Victor and irritated at the attention he always got, as well as disgusted with his aimless life. And to be honest, I wasn’t overly fond of him myself. For one thing, Janet was growing too fond of him for her own good, getting flustered and excited when he even spoke to her. And for another, I always had the irrational feeling that we had met long ago, which annoyed and distracted me to no end.

Right then, he was on a couch, laughing and sharing stories with Violet. At his other side sat Janet, watching him closely but too timid to say anything unless spoken to. Avery and I were on a couch opposite, viewing them silently.

I’m not sure at what point during their boisterous conversation that Victor and Violet began holding hands. I only remember noticing it at some time, and glancing at Avery in surprise. She nodded back to me grimly.

Suddenly the door opened, and Gina entered the room, balancing two beakers of liquid in her hands. She turned toward us. I was startled. Was I imagining things, or did she stiffen slightly at the sight of Victor holding Violet’s hand? Either way, she only said:

“Victor, I don’t know what your uncle plans to prove by adding all this stuff to his prussic acid potion.”

“I never know myself,” responded Victor with a laugh. “Anyway, I’ve been enjoying the company of your sister and her friends–most of them.” He shot an amused glance at Avery.

“That’s nice,” said Gina without greeting Violet.

“I guess you’re going to have a lot of time together?” Victor asked.

“No,” said Gina coldly. “I’m actually leaving town all July and most of August. Your uncle says he’s sending me on a trip to Malta in two weeks, to share some of the results of his newest experiment.” She grimaced.

“Sounds like the sort of thing he would do,” he laughed.

“It’s all right. Some of my friends are in Malta too.”

“So I’m not your friend, Gina?” he asked with amusement.

She smiled, and spoke in a more tender voice. “You’re more than that, Victor.”

“Oh really?” he replied lightly.

She frowned a little suddenly, and glanced sharply from Victor to Violet. Then she shook her head and left the room.

When we went home, the conversation was only about Victor. Violet talked about him nonstop, praising his looks, his manners, his speech, everything. “And,” she added, “to think that Gina likes him! He’s not fit for her at all.” She sounded so vehement that we all stopped to look at her. “Anyhow, I’m glad she’ll be away next month. He needs to be free from her influence…I don’t want her around him.”