Part 8 (1/2)

Jack decided we needed a drink after such a hectic day so we all went to a local bar near the campus. By this time we had also met up with Lanie, Chaz and Drew. But from the looks of things something had happened since I had last seen them, as Drew and Lanie were looking very cosy, holding hands. I wonder why RJ hadn't mentioned anything, being one of the town's biggest gossips I would have thought she would have jumped at the chance. But then my questions were answered as soon as I saw her face drop.... She didn't know.

”Did I miss something?” She asked them in a harsh tone. Now I was missing something. What was her problem? She looked furious. She stood facing Drew like a cat ready to fight, I was half expecting her back to arch and for her to start spitting! She turned her back to Lanie and completely ignored her, acting as though she wasn't even there but instead of taking offense at these actions Lanie just rolled her eyes and turned to join us.

”Here we go again, come on I'm not waiting for them two to wrestle it out!” Jack laughed and grabbed Lanie by the shoulders giving her some comfort as we all crossed the street. Lanie smiled but looked awkward, as if she had known what was coming.

I turned just before we went down a small alleyway next to an old fas.h.i.+oned shop of sorts that had candles and cracked pots in the window.

”Aren't we going to wait for them?” I asked as curiosity finally got the better of me. But they didn't hear me and I followed just as RJ and Drew were still in what looked like a heated debate. The last thing I saw was RJ's twisted red face that clashed with her bright pink hair, shaking with emotion. Drew's sad face mirrored hers only in an opposite reaction. They were like yin and yang giving rise to each other in turn.

'w.i.l.l.y's One Eyed Joe' was no Club Afterlife that was for sure, in other words it was a complete dive! We all walked through the decrepit doors to find the inside very much like the outside....dilapidated. It was in desperate need of a makeover...h.e.l.l it needed re-building! The walls looked as though they were melting, with a mixture of paint and paper that was trying desperately to get to the floor. There was a strong smell of disinfectant coming from the floor, which was covered in stains. The tiles had also seen better days, with patches of broken and new that didn't match the originals. In fact nothing matched. Chairs, tables and even cus.h.i.+ons for the chairs, were all odd and scruffy. Some of this I was used to seeing though. In quite a few places in England, old pubs didn't really have a lot of furniture that matched; most of them were antiques, which added to the charm. This however did not have the same affect.

We sat at one of the big booths in the corner and it creaked in pain as all four bodies sat down. I noticed I was the only one who didn't look completely at ease. The rest looked very relaxed and used to this place, seeming oblivious to the state that surrounded them.

”Joe... hey Joe!” Jack shouted towards the bar, which had also seen better days. A big fat man with a jolly looking face turned in surprise and I could understand why, as he wasn't the only one. I also was surprised that we had come in here. Don't get me wrong I wasn't a sn.o.b by any means but this place looked as if it had seen a few bottle fights in its time and I don't think all the stains on the floor were from alcohol. He probably kept a bucket of sawdust in the back just in case.

There were only two other people in the whole place and they were sat at the bar. Must be regulars I thought. I could spot them a mile away. The way they looked as though they owned the seats and how comfortable they looked in them. Twisting their gla.s.ses, waiting for the time to order another. Of course they wouldn't have a new gla.s.s, just a top up in their ”Own gla.s.s”. I remember my regulars, one guy used to bring in his own tankard that I wouldn't be allowed to wash, even after his seventh pint. I smiled at the memory.

”Oh hi guys.” The guy looked more like a Father Christmas look alike than a jolly owner of this place. He came over and met Jack halfway.

”Hey Joe...umm... how's business?” Was that a joke? But Jolly Joe smiled and replied shaking his hand.

”Not too bad, could be better though. The bikers rally is pa.s.sing through next week, which always brings business in.” Jack nodded his head looking like he didn't quite know what else to say.

”Say how's your ma?” The conversation turned a different course about family and other stuff I didn't quite catch as now Chaz had started talking to Lanie about RJ.

”I just don't understand what her problem is? I mean I know her and Drew are tight but come on, he does have a life!” Lanie tried to say this in a low whisper but the last part was too emotional to contain in a low tone and came out as a shout. Jack turned and so did Joe. She lowered her head and her cheeks blushed with shame or a hint of anger. I couldn't tell.

”Speak of the devil dresser!” Chaz nodded in the direction of the door to see RJ strolling through ahead of Drew and we all held our breaths, even I, who didn't really have the slightest clue what was going on. I hadn't said a single thing since the alleyway.

Drew's face said it all and we all relaxed as his smile revealed clear waters. The storm had pa.s.sed. RJ came bouncing along like nothing had happened.

”Budge up,” she said with a wink aimed at Chaz. I think it was the first time I had ever seen a guy blush. She looked down at the table with a frown and looked back up towards where Joe and Jack were still deep in conversation.

”Yo Joe, could we get a round in, I'm spitting feathers here!” I had to hand it to her, she sure had a way with words! Joe waved in acknowledgement and walked back behind the bar. Jack resumed his place next to me and was joined by Drew, who had to grab a chair as the booth couldn't take any more abuse.

Drew looked sternly at RJ and coughed loudly. She didn't respond to the hint so he tried again, only this time she received a kick under the table.

”Ouch! ...oh I mean umm....congrats!” She said towards Lanie and she smiled trying to seem genuine. Lanie bought it.

”Umm...thanks.” And that was it. As if nothing had ever happened.

The conversation flowed about college. The nerves of the first day, the frat parties they were going to. To be honest I didn't really understand the word FRAT but I would have to ask Libby when I got home, I wasn't going to bring it up here, that would have drawn too much attention. And I would probably make any idiot of myself in the process.

”So Kaz, was it anything like college in England?” They all stopped mid-sentence to stare at me now after RJ's bombsh.e.l.l. I played with the edge of my sleeves nervously as all eyes were on me.

”Yeah kind of but on a much smaller scale.”

”You've already been to college?” Drew asked and looked at me over his gla.s.ses, giving me an unnerving grin.

”Yeah, well, only the first year.” Why didn't I just lie, why did I have to disclose that bit of information to RJ in the first place! What was wrong with me? Here I was trying to start afresh and now I was digging up my past. What was I going to do next, show them my scars! ”Look everyone here's why I left” Yeah that would have gone down like a lead balloon!

”So how come you left and didn't finish?” Drew was homing in now and Jack had also joined in.

”Or better still how come redo the year?” They all leaned in now, ready for the kill. Think. Think quickly!

”A death,” was all that came out. I needed to stall while I got the story straight. Ok. Ok, who could I say died without going to h.e.l.l and making me feel guilty for the rest of my life! They were all looking at me now like I was crazy and I was no stranger to those looks.

I s.h.i.+fted in my seat as they all waited for me to elaborate.

”What I meant to say is that there was a death in the family and well I kind of don't want to talk about it.” I said this last part trying not to sound rude but still wanting to get the message across.

”Who?” of course that question came from RJ, who else would be so blatantly nosy.

”G.o.d sis, get a clue, she doesn't want to talk about it durr!” Saved by the lovely Jack.

”Ok ok...sorry,” this last statement aimed at me.

”No problem, anyway it was no way as cool as this place, did you see the size of that gym?” I knew this would get the conversation rolling again as I had overheard Lanie saying the same thing to Jack on the way here...It worked.

Chapter 10 New Friend.

Introduction to Historical Thinking was my next cla.s.s. I grabbed my map out of my bag and found a quiet corner to read it. All my cla.s.ses had names of buildings and room numbers next to them to make it easier. But easier it was not. The place was as large as a town. It would take me half an hour to walk from one cla.s.s to the next. Luckily I had a few free periods between cla.s.ses so made it on time but there was nothing free about them.

The first few days had been hectic but to be honest I had loved every minute of it. For the first time I had found that I didn't have chance to think of anything else but cla.s.s. History, Spanish and English Lit had been whirling around my head for three days, leaving no room for anything else. The only time that didn't belong to my own mind was in my dreams.

My dreams still held that one face, as though burned into the very core of me. It was as if something else controlled me, planting images and fantasies that seemed so real I would wake to find myself asking if he was still there. I would find myself going to bed early just to dream of him and then wake in a blissful state of euphoria, though this made it all that much harder going to work. I would fixate on the staircase using every ounce of self-control I had to not going running up there and make a fool of myself. I hadn't seen him since that first night he had arrived, but in my dreams he had not faded. If anything he was getting clearer.

The dreams varied slightly but the concept remained the same. He would always come to me in my bedroom. I would wake (in my dream) to find him there at a distance watching me. I was never scared but I was always wary. After all there was a strange man that I knew hardly anything about sat at my window seat or standing by my desk staring at me.

He was always so perfect. Like a living statue you would have found at the Trevi Fountain in Rome. I would find myself staring back trying to make out every detail but the moonlight was never enough. I would start to pull my body up to get a better look but that was when he would move or more like glide, transporting somehow, as I could never make out the image of him getting to my side.

I would freeze, locked in his penetrating gaze. He would smile preventing my heart and lungs from working together. I held my breath waiting for the next part I knew was coming. He would raise his hand and touch my cheek with the back of his fingers. His hand was always so soft, like velvet or flower petals but I didn't understand how, when I could finally focus on them, they looked too strong to be so gentle. He traced the line of my blushed cheek all the way to my chin, lifting it slightly when he got there, leaving a warm trail on my skin. He tilted my head closer to his face and I could feel his breath. It was cool like the fresh air when it snows and smelled like nothing I had ever encountered before. It was hypnotic and I felt my head spin with every breath I would take.

His face would be very close now and I still couldn't move, not that I wanted to. He would trace his finger across my lips and I would feel every touch with tiny little electric pulses, as though my lips were having an emotional attack mirroring my own mind. I just hoped they didn't quiver like I could feel them doing. That smile again. He knew they were and what it was doing to me. He enjoyed it.

I would try to speak but his velvet voice would intervene saying only ”Ssshh, be still,” which would blow more mind numbing venom my way infecting my brain's functions making me do nothing but obey.

I knew soon the dream would be ending but hoping that this was one of those nights it would last a little bit longer. Every so often he would stay a bit longer but it would always end the same way. It was when I was starting to focus that this would normally happen.

I waited for the best part to come and he knew it too. His hand would find its way to the back of my neck and it would send sparks down my spine. My body would arch upwards slightly in response. His big strong hand would hold all the back of my head and entwine his fingers through my hair. I was glad I was unable to speak as every fibre in my body wanted to let out a moan. He would then lean his face to mine as though we were one and his lips would gently touch mine, but he did not kiss me, he just held them there slightly making contact. He would then whisper...

”Sleep my Electus.” (Means ”Chosen” in Latin) And once more I would obey........

That would be the end. I would wake suddenly to find it was morning and I was most definitely alone. That still wouldn't detract from the happiness I felt though. It was as if I had taken happy pills and most of the time it would last all day.

”Hey, heads up!” Pink hair flashed in my peripheral vision along with something hurtling its way towards my head. I turned in time to catch a soda I wouldn't be able to open in a while.