Smile

Chapter 4: Student Life

It was only just gone lunchtime so the pub was fairly quiet. I was drinking cider, something that I couldn't drink fast so prevented me from accidentally crossing the line from tipsy to drunk. We'd packed the equipment away in the van in decent time, missing the rush of students going back to classes. I was glad to get off campus.

From the round table that Brian and I were sat at, daylight came in through the window near us. It was odd to be day-drinking but equally meant that nerves of anything happening in shadowy corners were happily distinguished. I saw Roger re-emerge from the gents and catch the attention of a gaggle of girls ordering drinks. They looked at him with excited but secretive smiles. Roger didn't seem to notice which I liked. He came back to us, sitting on the chair opposite me.

'Have fun in there?' I asked.

'Always do.' Roger answered.

'Remind me, which halls are you in, Lia?' Brian asked, leaning forward in his seat to more comfortably house his knees under the table.

His height gave way to such mannerisms like this.

'That oldest building, the one that no-one willingly pays to live in.'

'Ah yes.' Brian nodded.

'Why do you ask?' I commented, taking a sweet drink of cider.

Brian leant back and his knees rose up, jolting the table. Roger's drink spilled onto his fingers and I snorted.

'No reason. Just wondered.' He shook off.

Roger was looking for something to wipe his fingers on and I strategically moved my jacket from his reach and onto the floor by my bag.

'Go get a serviette, you pillock.' I told Roger who didn't like the idea of getting up again but pushed his chair back and went away.

He went to the bar and somehow got chatting with one of the girls in the group who looked mightily privileged. I rolled my eyes, seeing what was taking him so long.

'Roger tells me that you have your eye on someone from uni.' Brian said out of nowhere.

His timing was impeccable as always.

'Of course, he did.' I said, through strained casualness.

Brian looked expectantly at me, wanting me to continue and give details – a name perhaps of this imaginary guy. My mind opened up to the realm of possibility, images appearing of who or what type of guy I could convincingly say had caught my eye. Or I could cut short this myth but Roger was returning to the table.

I crossed my arms and rested my elbows on the table. 'You wouldn't know him.' I assured Brian who didn't look put off at all. 'He's just in a few of my classes. That's it.'

Roger's face lit up, his whole person becoming more animated at hearing this and sat down further forward in his chair than before. It was obvious he was relishing in the fact that he knew I was vastly underplaying what I 'felt' for this mystery guy.

'What's his name?' Roger asked,

'His name is none-of-your-business.'

'That must get confusing.' Brian grinned and I laughed, looking away in amused disappointment at his joke.

'Enough of me, who were you talking to at the bar?' I nodded the change in conversation to Roger whose grin melted into a casual, smug smile.

'Someone who knows you from writing.'

'What?' I exclaimed.

The idea was ludicrous. I turned around in my seat to see but the girls must have disappeared to the beer garden. Apparently, there was something in the air that meant random girls who I'd never looked twice at before suddenly noticed me.