I'm Normally Perfect (re-upload)

Chapter Fourteen

During the drive back to Oxford there were intervals of heavy rain, but blessedly, it was no longer pissing down and we made good time. Clem followed as I took my bags to my room and watched as I unpacked. Alex appeared at the door,

'Where would you like these?' she held up the paintings of The Sun and The Moon, which were now in simple silver frames.

'Alex!' At my exclamation, Clem retreated under my bed. 'I can't believe you brought those!'

She lowered the paintings, 'They're mine. It's not as if I've nicked them. I thought they'd look nice in here. Don't you want them?'

'Well, yeah, of course. Won't that mess up your theme, though?'

She shook her head, 'I only wanted to do a set of paintings on a theme; I never planned to keep them together.'

We hung one each side of the bed and Clem hid while we banged the nails in and debated whether or not they were hung levelly. They looked as if they'd been made for my room—the blue of The Moon was a spot on match for the walls, and The Sun contrasted beautifully. The last week of the break I revised my story, incorporating Alex's suggestions and the night before term began I typed it up, excited and anxious about entering it in a competition. I opted to leave The Anatomy of Melancholy at her house, as I thought it would be safer there, and she cleared off some shelf space in the study near my desk for that and any other books I wanted to leave. I decided to put some Rilke and Chekhov with the Robert Burton—I liked the idea that I had something of a permanent place in her house. She drove me back to the college and helped me carry in my bags, then hugged me and said she had meetings most of the next day, but would see me Thursday for chess. I fell into bed simultaneously happy about the month we'd spent together and dreading having to return to America in nine short weeks.

As I dragged to my first meeting of Trinity with Professor Burrows I came upon Robert.

'Hello, Cate. How was your break?'

'Pretty good. Essex is beautiful, very relaxing. Yours?'

'Fine. Went punting on the Cherwell. Have you tried it?'

'No. Sounds too strenuous for me.'

'It's great. Especially now the weather's fair. Maybe I could take you some time?'

'Eh. Maybe. Maybe not.'

His mood deflated, 'I can see your relaxing holiday did nothing to improve your attitude.'

Why did this have to happen on my first day back? 'Being away for a month didn't change my mind about you. I'm not interested.'

'Not interested in what?'

'Anything. Being your friend or your girlfriend or whatever.'

'You don't even want to be friends?'

'No. You don't seem capable of just being friends.'

'How do you know what I'm capable of?' He held open a door for me.

'I have met you, you know. I don't like the person I am when we're together. Sorry.' I turned and made my way up the stairs to Professor Burrows' office, dreading having to see him.

He didn't look at me as I sat in the chair near his desk and brought out my notebook.

'I trust you had a restful break.'

'Yes, professor.'

He swivelled toward me, 'The Place, what is it called again?'

'Tillington.'