I'm Normally Perfect (re-upload)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Our evening had done a great deal to lift my spirits, but bits of dread re-materialised in my stomach whenever I thought about having to spend an evening with Robert at some party where there would be loads of alcohol and loud music. I'd almost prefer to take my chances walking around town until dawn. The factor that tilted the scales in Robert's favour was the temperature: it was three degrees Celsius, in Fahrenheit that works out to be really bloody cold.

After my last tutorial on Friday I popped by Alex's office to wish her a good evening and to assure her for the twelfth time that I would ring if I were uncomfortable at the party.

'Stop mollycoddling me, okay? If it's too nuts I'll go for a walk. I'm not going to have a breakdown or something.' Though the more she talked about it, the more I'd thought I'd have a breakdown or something.

She still looked anxious, 'All right. I feel a bit guilty booting you out of the house.'

'You're not booting me out. You should have some time alone with your...guy.' A lump formed in my throat. I said more to comfort myself than to reassure her, 'He's going to be gone for months. When is he coming back, anyway?'

'End of April if all goes well.'

'And where did you say we was going?' I was pretty sure she hadn't said.

'The Middle East. He's a sociologist specialising in long-term conflict.'

'What exactly does that mean?'

She sighed, thinking, 'He reviews historical and socio-political reasons why certain groups of people don't get on, specialising in long-term conflicts, then tries to find solutions to those problems. He advises presidents and prime ministers in how to assist those people who need it. Last time he returned it was from Northern Ireland.'

I nodded, 'Oh, that's a...good job to have. He probably speaks loads of languages, huh?' People like that made me tired, they were just so good and useful. Why couldn't he be a drug dealer or something?

'A few. He's one of the most intelligent people I know, but he doesn't feel the need to show off about it, which is quite attractive. Modesty is an underrated attribute, don't you think?'

'Yeah.' I really didn't like hearing her talk about him; neither did my stomach.

She pulled on her coat, 'So you're going to stay at Blackwell's until seven?'

'I have some shopping to do.' I picked up my bag and followed to her office door.

After locking the door she turned to me, 'For Christmas? I don't want you going mad over me.'

'I have other people to shop for, too, you know.' Not really, I'd already picked up a new cigarette case for my mother (at least I knew she'd use it) and little things for my siblings and father. I was still stuck for an idea for a gift for Noni, and I wanted to get her something great. Alex had only been charging me half of what I had paid the school for rent and I'd been trying to save a bit with the plan to get Alex and Noni something fantastic for Christmas.

I walked Alex to her car and after shutting her door for her, bundled my coat around me against the wind and made my way to the shops. I came upon a clothing shop Alex sometimes frequented. As soon as I was through the door I knew it was quite out of my range, but the clothes were beautiful and very classy. I could see her in everything in the shop. The sales assistant was eyeing me funnily, as though she thought I might nick something, but I looked around as if I weren't intimidated. Eventually she made her way over to me. She was one of those impossibly tall, thin and blonde sorts of people with hyphenated last names who appeared in Town and Country and had lethally high cheekbones. With an expression of having just smelled something rotten she asked so nasally I almost didn't understand her, 'May I help?'