The Eternal Fall

Chapter One

Faye’s phone buzzed loudly on the desk, and she quickly grabbed it, glancing around to see if anyone had noticed. Most people were looking down at their own laps, or doodling aimlessly in a notebook.

I just woke up. How’s the lecture?

She stifled a laugh. Nikki hadn’t shut up about the fact that she didn’t have morning lectures all weekend, and had obviously decided to continue the torture.

As exciting as I thought it would be.

The first lecture of the year was always mind-numbingly boring. Especially when it was at 10 am. Faye took a sip of her coffee, hoping to stay awake for the next half hour until the lecture ended and she could go grab something to eat.

And the hangover?

Nikki really was a bitch. Truth be told, going out on a Sunday night when you had an early start the next day probably wasn’t the best of ideas, but it had been Freshers’ Week… The idea of cheap alcohol was just too tempting to resist.

Threatening a full frontal assault. Yours?

Non-existent. Faye could practically hear Nikki smirk. But guess what I just saw!

What? Faye was officially not paying attention anymore, leaning back in her seat staring at her lap. The lecturer droned on about whatever maths thing they were going to be doing that semester, and nobody really paid attention because the notes were already online.

Ran into the CUTEST dude. Lives opposite, dark hair, blue eyes, basically he looks like a guy in book.

The laugh was harder to stop this time. Nikki thought every guy she met was the cutest, regardless of what they actually looked like.

Ooooh, what happened?

Oh nothing, I ran into him as he was about to go for a run (!) and told him I’d see him around.

Faye smiled at her phone, placing it back on the desk in front of her. This was the extent of most ‘relationships’ Nikki had; she never actually got around to meeting up with them after the first date.

The lecture dragged on, but it eventually ended and Faye headed back to her flat for much needed food. Nikki was sitting at the kitchen table when she got in, busy on her phone.

“Hey,” she greeted, dropping her bag on a chair and heading straight for the fridge.

“Are we doing anything tonight?” Nikki asked, not even lifting her head from her phone.

There was a pause while Faye grabbed a drink. “Not that I know of, why?”

“Dorian asked me if we were heading to the union tonight, apparently him and his sister are going.” Nikki finally looked up when Faye tried to laugh and ended up coughing.

“His name is Dorian?!” Her eyes were watering, but she couldn’t believe someone had named their child after a book character.

Nikki rolled her eyes. “I think it’s nice. He says it’s been in the family for generations.”

Faye managed to control her coughing after a minute, but she was still struggling with not laughing at the name Dorian. “Do you want to go out with them?” She took another sip of her drink, grateful when it actually went down her throat and not into her lungs.

Nikki shrugged, but she wouldn’t meet Faye’s eyes. “I suppose, if you want to go out again.” Her eyes flashed wickedly as she glanced back at Faye. “How is the hangover?”

“Sore, you bugger.” Faye turned to start looking for a pot. “Were you drunk when you unpacked everything? Nothing’s sorted.”

Nikki got up to help her look, finding it easily beneath the sink. “I told you, don’t make me unpack the kitchen.” She smirked as she hopped up onto the counter. “What are you making me anyway?”

Faye sighed, but she grinned. “I’ll make pasta for me, how’s dog shit for you?”

“Delicious, are you gonna do it now, or do you need to wait until after you’ve eaten?”

Faye scowled at her, pushing her slightly. “Get off my counter, or you won’t get anything. Do you even want food, you have to leave in ten.” She ran her eyes over Nikki quickly. “And you aren’t dressed yet.”

Nikki was out of the room before her sentence was finished, calling a quick thanks over her shoulder. Showing up in pyjamas to your first lecture was probably not the best way to make a good first impression.

Faye just laughed as she quickly made her a sandwich, holding it in a plastic bag and a thermos of tea next to the door as Nikki came rushing out of her room. Both were grabbed with a hasty thanks, and a promise to make dinner before they headed out.

Faye had to hold back a shiver. Nikki might have been many things, but a cook she was not. Any dinner made by her was bound to be charred, if not burnt. Besides, Faye liked making things, and didn’t mind being the one who cooked if it meant Nikki helped her get ready when they were going out.

By the time she had finished lunch, Faye was thoroughly mystified about the layout of the kitchen. Not all of the cutlery was in the cutlery drawer, and there were pots scattered about in different cupboards. She spent the afternoon fixing it, already looking forward to going out again and meeting Dorian. Would his name ever not make her laugh? And the mystery sister. Faye hoped she was nice, some girls took bitchiness to a whole new level.