Track 3 #3
He shrugged. ‘I helped out during my last summer at the high school I used to attend. They were doing a summer school, and I was working with some of the younger kids. I was helping some of the kids with learning difficulties and some of the kids who are… how do I put it? A little disaffected. They responded well to how I taught them, and I just loved it. The feeling of pride was immense; like I really made a difference. It pretty much cemented in my mind what I wanted to do. Does that sound corny?’
She shook her head vigorously. ‘No, no, not at all. Wow, when you put it like that it sounds really fulfilling. I’m full of admiration for anyone who chooses teaching. I’m sure it’s very hard work.’
‘I’m sure it will be, too, but rewarding all the same.’
The pair talked easily as they walked around the impressive Victorian campus, with its arched fenestrations and chiselled stonework.
The multitude of windows, set into the aged buildings, glistened as the early-autumn sun bounced from their surfaces.
The imposing domed foyer of the old college appeared almost cathedral-like in its majesty, giving an appearance of old-world grandeur to the place where so many learned scholars had studied in years past.
Every so often, Adam pointed out the features he and Lily had noticed when they’d done the same tour a couple of years earlier, the ornate balustrades, the carvings above the entrances, the slate placards with faded inscriptions.
The afternoon flew by and in no time at all they arrived back at the block where Eve was staying. She had been allocated a room in halls until she found a place to share.
She smiled warmly at him and blushed. ‘Well, thank you, Adam, for a lovely afternoon. It feels good to actually have a couple of friends now.’
He gazed into her vivid blue irises and was lost momentarily.
He wondered if she was single but thought perhaps it was too soon to ask.
Then he wondered how long he should leave it before it was appropriate to ask her out for dinner or drinks.
Because, if he was truthful with himself, she had already captured his heart like almost no one before her.
And he knew that was crazy because who really believed in love at first sight?
But if it did exist then perhaps this was it.
Because he couldn’t recall ever feeling this drawn to someone.
Not someone who seemed to like him too at least.
Too soon, Adam. You’ll scare the poor girl off!
Realising he was staring for the millionth time that day, he shook his head to dislodge the errant thoughts that insisted on plaguing him.
‘Sorry… Yeah, it has been lovely. It was really good to spend some time getting to know you.’ Oh, sod it.
I can’t risk losing out to some other bloke.
He took a deep breath to muster up a little courage.
‘I… I don’t suppose you fancy going out with me sometime?
’ The pink glow that was a bit of a trademark on her cheeks, made an appearance again and Adam’s heart flipped and fluttered but then he realised he hadn’t asked about a significant other.
‘Unless your boyfriend would object?’ Subtle as a brick, Armstrong.
‘No boyfriend,’ she replied before averting her gaze, and he found her shyness very sweet. ‘So, you’re asking me out on a date?’
He nodded. ‘Yeah, I hope that’s okay. Feel free to tell me to get lost obviously. You have only just met me.’ He felt heat rise in his own cheeks, too.
She nibbled her lower lip and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. ‘That… that’d be… I’d like that, yes… Thank you,’ she stuttered.
Adam wanted to thrust a triumphant fist into the air, à la Judd Nelson’s character at the end of the classic eighties film The Breakfast Club, but reined himself in.
‘Great, great. That’s really great. How about Friday?
’ He thought about the student union but that wasn’t nice enough, then he considered the Voodoo Rooms, but Lily was due to work, and he didn’t want her taking the piss all night.
‘We could go into town to this great place I know called the Jekyll and Hyde bar. It’s really good.
I actually work there a few hours a week but it’s fun.
They sometimes have live music, and the drinks aren’t too expensive, not that it would matter.
I’m not saying I’m broke… I just… well—’
She shrugged. ‘Adam, we’re students. We’re all broke.’
‘Yeah, I suppose that’s true. So, Friday? Half seven? I’ll pick you up here?’
She smiled. ‘Lovely. I’ll look forward to it.’
‘Me too, me too. But of course, I’ll see you before then.’
‘I’m sure you will.’ She held out her hand and he shook it. ‘Thanks again for the tour. Bye for now, Adam.’
‘Bye, Eve,’ he whispered. As he backed away, he stumbled and nearly fell over the edging stones that surrounded the borders outside her building.
She covered her mouth as she laughed, and his cheeks burned with embarrassment, although he was somewhat relieved that Lily hadn’t witnessed it because then he would never live it down.
He waved, turned, and jogged away, trying his best to remain upright.
Lily lay on her back in bed, wide awake. Checking her watch, she sighed when she realised it was already seven o’clock in the morning, and she’d been awake almost all night.
Ditching Adam and Eve yesterday had been a pretty cowardly thing to do.
She could admit that, as she lay there alone.
But seeing the way Adam had gawped at Eve like it was love at first sight had made her chest hurt and she couldn’t bear the thought of hanging around like some third wheel.
It was annoying because she had immediately liked Eve and saw a potential female friend in her – something she hadn’t really ever had.
And she had only introduced them to make a joke out of their names, not thinking for a second that he’d react that way.
The thought had never even entered her head.
But she regretted it the minute she saw the expression on his face.