Getting Over Matt

36 - "To being stuck together forever."

Chapter 36 - "To being stuck together forever."

"So, how did it go?" Nathan asked me as soon as I emerged from the exam hall.  

I sighed. The last thing I wanted to think about after finishing my final exam was the paper I'd just sat.

"Fine, I think," I said with a grimace. "There were a couple of dodgy ones, but no major issues." 

He slipped his hand into mine as we walked down the corridor, heading out of the school building for what would be the penultimate time.  

"So, do you reckon you're going to London or Kent?" he then asked, referring to my two potential universities.  

"I don't know... I don't wanna think about it." 

"Well, do you think you've definitely got the grades for London?" he persisted. 

I sighed. "Nathan, I don't know. Please can we change the subject?" 

He sighed and squeezed my hand. "So, freedom, huh? No more school ever again. Feels weird, doesn't it?" 

"Yeah, I guess. I can't wait for uni. Although I'm also terrified. What if I don't make any friends?" 

"Of course you'll make friends," Nathan said with confidence. "Everyone makes friends at university. That's what it's about." 

"Well, technically, it's about getting a degree..." 

We stepped out into the warm, southern sunshine and I immediately felt better about everything. The sun always had this effect on me; that's why I'd always joked about never going to university in the north.  

"That's the kind of pedantic comment I'd make," Nathan said in amusement. "Clearly I'm rubbing off on you."

"Clearly we're spending too much time together," I shot back.  

He laughed. "But seriously, you will make friends. You'll automatically make friends with your flatmates. Everyone is in the same position as you. It'll be so easy that it'll be effortless. This kind of stuff happens naturally at university." 

"I hope so," I said, hopping into the passenger seat of Nathan's car.  

As we drove back to his house, we chatted about various topics, but as soon as we were in his room, he brought up the exams again.  

"If you had to give a percentage, what would you say the chances are of you going to London?" he asked.  

I sighed in irritation, annoyed at his refusal to drop the issue. "Nathan, I really wouldn't want to say." 

There was an underlying tension here, too, regarding a potential long distance scenario. I didn't want to say anything about it because I didn't know what would happen to the relationship. What if Nathan was so keen on me going to London because it was nearer? Maybe if I went to Kent then it'd put a strain on our relationship with us being farther apart. Kent wasn't exactly miles away but it wasn't as easy to get to as London.  

He sat down next to me on the bed. "I've applied for two jobs," he told me.  

Where was this going? "Okay...?" I pressed. "How does that impact on my university?" 

"One is in London and the other is in Kent, in Canterbury," he revealed.  

My mouth dropped open. "Nathan! Why didn't you tell me that?" 

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I thought I'd keep it to myself for now, but they've both offered me a job and, well, if you thought you could guess which university you're going to, then I can choose now."