The Rumour Mill - Completed

25. OCD

Libby's POV

I did meet Tom that night in the library and every night after. With our presentation now finally complete I had my evenings back and I no longer had to spend time with Butler. The presentation had gone well, and considering the amount of work we put into it, so it should.

Hopefully today should be a good day, I thought to myself, after class Professor Adams is posting the grades on the notice board and finally Elliot is coming to stay. The two weeks since I'd come back from Scotland, had been long and hard. I found myself waiting by my computer for him to Skype me, and even though we spent longer and longer each night talking it was never enough. I found myself keeping up the pretence that I was doing great until he was gone then I'd be wiping away tears and moping around for the rest of the night. 'When is this ever going to get easier?' I found myself asking internally time and time again.

After my night of drunken debauchery things had thawed a little between Tom and I, I mean it was never going to be a love in or anything but at least I'd gotten over the need to hurl abuse at him every time I saw him, now it seemed more like I tolerated him.

As the lecture was drawing to a close I hung back knowing there would be a crush around the A4 sheet the professor was posting on the wall outside his office. For goodness sake! the lecturing staff here need to get with the times, what's wrong with posting the results online. I guess that takes away all the drama, well fun for the professors as they sneakily watch us finding out our fate.

By the time I'd packed my stuff away and texted Elliot I was just about the last one there. I slowly ambled towards the professor's room hoping the crowds would have by now subsided. I knew we'd done a good job so I wasn't nervous as I rounded the corner to his office. As predicted there were only a few people left milling around, most of which were unhappy with their mark and so were waiting to speak to the professor.

"At last!" I heard Tom's familiar voice call from just further down the hallway. "Well come on let's see how we got on, shall we?" He was eagerly shuffling from one foot to another.

"You didn't need to wait for me." I told him as we made our way to the list.

He shrugged his shoulders in response, "It just didn't seem right, that's all." I quickly scanned the paper I couldn't find our names anywhere.

"I can't see us." I frowned confused, but Tom was already beaming.

"That's because you are not looking in the right place." Then taking hold of my chin he lifted my face to look at the piece of paper above, it bore the title 'Top Mark' and underneath was

Tom Butler and Olivia McKenzie -92%

By the time I'd taken this information in Tom was already doing a victory dance up and down the corridor. I was laughing so hard I didn't notice him staring at me.

"What?" I asked suddenly very self conscious.

"Nothing" he said amused, "So you got time for a coffee, partner?" He asked hopefully, I looked at my watch Elliot wouldn't be here for another hour.

"Sure, Elliot's not due for a while yet" I replied nodding my acceptance. Although he smiled back at me I could see his jubilant buoyancy deflate at the mention of my boyfriends immanent arrival.

As I waited at the table for him to bring our drinks over I texted my mum and dad gloating over my high score. my mum text back straight away, gushing over how proud she was of me. I was still smiling when Tom put the tray on the table.

"My mum said congratulations!" I offered as a way of explanation. "What did your parents say?" I asked eagerly, hoping for more praise.

"Oh I haven't told them yet." He replied nonchalantly as he reached for his coffee.