I'm Normally Perfect (re-upload)

Chapter Seven

I had a lie-in on Sunday and once up, placed the Vendela in the windowsill, ate my apple then went to the kitchen for tea, which I carried back to my rooms and made an excellent pair with my biscuits. I worked on a short story about Clementine and wrote a letter to Noni, in which I spoke only briefly about Alex, as I was wary of coming off potty over her. Appearing too enthusiastic about anything seemed immature to me. I read until it was dark, had the beans and spotted dick for dinner and made an early evening of it, snuggling down in bed and engaging in my new favourite game: Pretending I'm at Alex's.

Next morning I was at my table by the time she opened her curtains. We waved hello and got to our separate schedules. At afternoon tea I returned her spoon and container the pudding had been in, 'Thanks for the two days worth of food. It spared me having to face my peers in the dining hall.'

'Anything that makes your day brighter.' As she added milk, 'How is Babs?'

'Do you like her?'

'She's amusing in a "If I saw this in a film I would die laughing" sort of way.'

'She thinks I'm getting snooty because I'm friends with a professor.'

'Are you?'

'Of course, you know, it just wouldn't do to be seen fraternising with the riff-raff.' I shrugged, 'She thought I was...' I trailed off, unsure how to say it.

'What?'

'When you came upon us that morning she was saying that she thought I was awfully dressed up for just lunch. She thought I had a date with a boy or something. Nosy people make me nuts.'

'Well, she's American so she'll be shipped back at the end of the year, if that's any consolation.'

'Maybe I'll remind her of that the next time she starts in on how much she dislikes it here.'

That Thursday we met as planned and had another go at chess, with me once again being roundly trounced. I concentrated harder, though, and the game took much longer, leaving us no time to chat, but that was fine, as seeing her was enough. It was only when our game was finished that I realised I was very nearly late for my appointed meeting, she helped me into my greatcoat, 'I shall see you at eleven on Saturday.'

Once out in the lane between our colleges I looked up to find her watching from her window, she smiled and I waved and ran all the way to my meeting. I arrived quite out of sorts.

Professor Burrows closed a book with some force as I plonked down in a chair, gasping for breath. 'Dear girl, do try and calm yourself.'

I panted, 'Sorry, Professor Burrows,' and removing my coat while still sitting—not the most graceful of manoeuvres—waited for him to begin grilling me.

Rifling papers around on his desk as though searching for something, he commented in a distracted tone, 'It is not like you to be tardy, what had you so distracted?'

I swallowed and tried to regain my composure, 'I had a...thing.'

He turned and regarded me over his half-moon reading glasses, 'With Professor Pristin?'

I know my shock showed, 'Uh, yes. How did you...?'

'She mentioned something about it.' He returned his attention to the papers.

I was quite flattered that she found me interesting enough to make me the subject of conversation amongst her professor friends. What could have provoked that?

He swivelled his chair to face me, sat back and folded his hands in his lap. 'She is quite proud of her friendship with you. Since your arrival here, even before so, you have been quite the topic of conversation amongst the dons, the young intellectual from America, with the ever-so-fortuitous British passport.' He removed his glasses and commented smugly, 'I don't mind telling you that I am somewhat befuddled by all of the fuss, but I am not susceptible to the ephemeral whims of the more easily impressed. However, it has been of some interest that you have not made friends with your peers; we do not like to see that, you know. Unhealthy. So, Professor Pristin views it as quite the accomplishment to have got you all to herself. Especially when you seem to think yourself above giving anyone else the time of day.' He replaced his spectacles on the end of his nose, 'Now, if you don't mind, I must get back to these wretched thesis papers.'