The Fear Of Faith [2]

21. Bethan

'Bethan!' Penny's chirpy voice called out from across campus. I had just left my final class and was heading for the subway when I spotted her jogging over to me.

'Hey,' I said. 'I was just about to head home.'

'I was just reminding you about the party this weekend,' she said.

'No fucking way,' I said, quickly.

'Oh, come on,' she pouted.

'No, Penny.' I shook my head. 'I'm not going.'

'You said that last time and you still turned up so let's just see what happens,' she said.

'Yeah,' I said. 'Remember what happened? I got arrested!'

'That was different,' she chuckled.

'I was lucky,' I told her. 'Cal and I only just made up so I'm not fucking things up again.'

'Okay, fair,' she sighed.

'You want to grab a coffee before I leave?' I asked her.

'Oh, sorry, I can't,' she said. 'I have to get to my geochem tutorial.'

'Okay, well, have fun,' I said and we quickly hugged before parting ways.

I headed off campus and glanced at my watch, seeing that it would still be a little while before Cal returned home from work so I decided to take a slow walk. I headed straight down Amsterdam Avenue and smiled to myself as I breathed in the winter air and took in my surroundings. There was just so much brilliance to New York City and I still had yet to introduce Cal to so much of it.

'Bethan!' A high-pitched voice cried from across the street and I looked over to see Chelsea and Yasmine waving. I hesitated for a moment as I slowly waved at them and upon seeing their eager smiles, I sighed before forcing a smile and crossing the street.

'Come on,' Chelsea said, immediately linking my arm. 'We're just about to head for coffee and macaroons. You're coming with.'

'Fine,' I chuckled, knowing I wouldn't win an argument with her and had nothing else to do anyway.

We all headed across the street together, arriving a block away at the coffee place the three of us would always meet at back in high school on a Saturday morning to discuss Friday's antics. It was usually the place where we would all laugh about Brodie's latest attempt at asking me out.

'Coconut vanilla latte for me, please,' I told the waiter as he immediately approached our table. The girls made their order and we all turned to each other as the waiter paced away.

'So, how are your studies coming along?' Yasmine asked, flipping her hair gently back over her shoulders. Yasmine was the girl every guy dreamed of asking out in high school, bar Brodie. She was a little bitchy but she never took things too far and always stood up for what was right. Growing up with very strict parents, she was a respectable girl. Her hair was always so sleek and shiny and her skin almost looked airbrushed. There was never a day in high school that I'd witnessed Yasmine with a pimple. Being half Argentinian and half Congolese, she was a real beauty.

'I'm really enjoying it,' I said. 'What about you guys?'

'I honestly just cannot deal with being around college guys,' Chelsea chuckled. 'I just want all of them.'

Chelsea was a sassy and outspoken blonde who had always been as wild as I had. During high school, she'd always stayed out all night, partied every weekend and ensured she got any guy she had her eye on. At the time, we were practically sisters due to how rebellious and carefree we both were. She had quite the reputation as a bit of a slut but it was something she never seemed to mind; it was scary how similar she was to my friend Millie back in the The Falls.