Christine Heywood, character in Two Paradises fantasy/fiction realm

from *The Essential Paradise*, series sourcebook

#### **Christine Heywood** is a Paradisian schoolgirl, best known as a former girlfriend of Charlie Richardson in the *Janine, of Paradise* arc set in the Two Paradises fantasy/fiction realm, as devised by author Jonnie Comet.

Though she has known of her existence and import, Janine Hewlett first encounters her in *Janine’s Jealousy* when the two share a Ecological Science class at North Eden High School in 2001. Christine makes the fateful error of arousing Janine’s ire when she mentions to Rebecca Marden, her near-constant companion and faithful disciple since childhood, that she believes Charlie is no longer seeing anyone and that she deems it time to move to reclaim him as her boyfriend. When Janine overhears this, she questions Christine directly; and the conflict comes out into the open.

## Personal information

* Full name: Christine Alice Louise Heywood
* Nicknames: No-one would dare nickname her to her face.
* Birthdate: 8 Oct 1986 (Libra)
* Birthplace: Mercy Hospital, Hurricane Hole.
* Nationality: Paradisian citizen, belonger
* Residence: Somerset Township, Eden I.
* Height: 162 cm [5 ft 4 in]
* Weight: 52kg [115 lb]
* Figure: pleasantly proportioned, neither slack nor overfilled anywhere
* Hair: very light brown/blonde
* Eyes: hazel
* Complexion: fair; well-tanned
* Ethnic background: English (rumoured to have some *American* relatives)
* Religion: Anglican
* School: North Eden Regional High School, Eden I.; O-levels: 2002
* Sport: Christine would not demean herself to suffer perspiration.
* Story arcs: *Janine, of Paradise*, 2001-2002

## Personality

Christine is an indifferent student, known for delicate, rounded handwriting but not for conveying much matter. She eschews team sports and exercises only in private, preferring even to not run lest it spoil her makeup with sweat or her hair with too much motion. Her real expertise is in social situations, specifically those centred round herself.

Indubitably pretty, having soft features, lush, lovely hair, sparkling eyes and a silken speaking voice, Christine is a natural choice to be North Eden High School’s most sought- after sex symbol. Unfortunately all her native appeal is balanced with far too much pride; for Christine thinks at least as well of herself as anyone else does. Adept at attracting boys, drawing them into her favour, and then professing to have ‘changed her mind’ to prefer whoever else may next strike her fancy. She is said to collect boys the way some girls collect shoes: to keep in fashion, to walk on them till they annoy her, and to toss them aside, not to be considered again unless times change or she does.

She is known amongst her (female) friends for dispensing what appears to be excellent advice about boys, even about matters well beyond her actual experience. Some have said that she means to live vicariously through others’ relationships, especially since she seems more sympathetic than empathetic: she advises friends to do what she herself would do, not what is best for them.

## History with Charlie Richardson

Christine and Charlie dated in 2000, perhaps only coincidentally timing it so that they did not begin before school recessed for high season and that they had called off dating by the start of the following year. Their breakup came in two stages. The first difference came after what Charlie believed was a rational discussion about the possibility of their relationship including sexual relations. At first Christine was noncommittal; then she let on that she would consider it ‘soon’. Encouraged, Charlie allowed her a few weeks to contemplate her options (and to see a clinic about birth-control pills).

Christine used the time only to make new associations, so that when they next dated, as agreed, in late September 2000, she had entirely dropt the matter and meant to proceed as though they had never discussed it. Charlie was annoyed more that Christine had so cavalierly dismissed the question rather than at any particular answer she might have given. When Christine asked for more time to consider it, he decided they were through and accepted a date with Stacy Shaffer, who had asked him out once before and whom he had dated from November 1999 till just before the end of the school term, after which he had begun dating Christine.

By November 2000 Christine had begun seeing David Graham, endeavouring to put Charlie out of her mind. Thus preoccupied, she makes a point to ignore all news of Charlie whom she believed was interested only in deflowering her, and completely overlooked the subtle signs that he had begun dating Janine in January 2001. Having little to do with anyone from Devon or Derby over the school-recess season, she begins her 5th form that September with no idea that Charlie has been seeing anyone at all since she gave him the brush-off.

The specifics of how Janine contends with such an inconstant and egotistical rival are detailed in *Janine’s Jealousy*.

## Psychology

Christine’s indecision and inconstancy apparently stems from an elevated ego, by which she believes herself too privileged and too desirable to submit herself to the rule book of ordinary mortals. Having no hobbies but the drama of her own social relationships, and no friends but for those who continue to admire and follow her, she is excessively attentive to her physical appearance, manners, speech patterns and awareness of fads and fashion, to the point of obliterating all else from her consciousness. As a result her marks in school drop dramatically after second form.

### Personality traits

Christine is fond of descending into a childish whining and pleading, imagining it makes her seem irresistible. She will attempt this act on any available male, sometimes even just as practice, including teachers, on whom it sometimes works quite well in granting her behavioural liberties, immunity from discipline, or excuse from having to complete assignments. The act has the strongest effect on weak-minded boys, typically preoccupied with her beauty, which she may often mention, effecting a winsome innocence as though she is unaware that they might consider her pretty.

For intelligent girls like Janine, beholding the childish act is almost unbearable; but Christine either is unaware of how inane she appears to others or intends to show off her effective wiliness to them.

Christine is fond of excessive physical contact, especially in situations in which no further contact can be effected. She will often arrest a boy in the school corridor, pet his chest or fondle his arm as though admiring his physique, and fawn over him with syrupy language and a lilting tone before blowing him a kiss and flouncing off. The boy is left dazzled and flattered, perhaps unaware that she will perform the same act with another boy in another corridor after the next class period.

Apparently she does the same in private, as though to encourage the boy to completely misinterpret her interest and so allowing herself to assume the leadership role in the relationship, playfully scolding him for wanting ‘too much too soon’ and assuring him that ‘when the time is right, you’ll know’.

In fact none of her romantic associations have ever gone more than about four months without interruption.

### Sexuality

Christine is most definitely a virgin. Whilst this is hardly a negative factor in itself, it is ironic given that she appears to desire all of the trappings of an intense romantic relationship without having to assume any of the risks or responsibilities, even those regarding the durability of the relationship or the feelings of the boy in question.

## History

The character is said to be loosely based on a teenaged student of the author’s who had been a friend of his daughter. The muse exhibited most of the traits Christine does, including the stubborn sense of self-importance, the childish whining, and the excessive attention to appearance, especially to her hair. She also had the habit of presuming she was entitled to flirt with every male she met, a tendency of hers from which only the author and a few others were spared. When the muse wedged herself into the author’s daughter’s relationship with a boy, the author decided to commit her to posterity in a new character, with brave, loyal, fair-minded Janine taking the role of his daughter in similar situations.

## Appearances in the stories

Unlike her disciple Ursula Zannegger, whom she uses as a henchman in *Janine’s Jealousy*, Christine does not appear substantively in *Janine, of Paradise* beyond the one episode.

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Doc. 6.22.21. Original content ©Jonnie Comet Productions. All rights reserved