‘I’ll ring you, okay?’
He nodded, and then I turned and walked away, without looking back. It wasn’t until I was almost home that I realised I’d told him all about me, but he hadn’t told me anything at all about where he’d been for the last eighteen years.
6
THEN
The Strokes: ‘Last Nite’
‘D’ya want another beer?’
‘Yeah, thanks.’
Erin watched as the girl she’d only met a few minutes ago – Erica, maybe? – threaded her way to the bar where teenagers stood three-deep waiting to buy pints of watered-down lager at £1 a pop. It was Fresher’s Week at Nottingham University and a group from the student accommodation they’d been housed in had come to the union for a few drinks with the aim of either making new friends (Erin’s case) or getting off with someone (almost everyone else’s). Erin knew she’d already been marked out as different because she had a boyfriend – at least one she wasn’t planning to cheat on. Leaving Adam to come here had been such a wrench she’d almost changed her mind about coming to university altogether, but despite the fact she felt as though she had a limb missing, she was glad she was here now. This felt like the start of a new era. Adam had promised to come and visit the following week when he’d finished touring, and she was sure he’d be true to his word, so at least she had that to look forward to. Besides, being unavailable definitely made life easier. The girls liked you more because you were no competition, and it was easy to talk to boys without the worry of impressing anyone.
Erin sat for a moment, nursing the dregs of her pint and studying the room. It was huge, the union bar, built for practicality rather than style. Foam burst from rips in the fake leather seating, unidentifiable stains marked plastic tables, the bar was sticky, the carpet rough around the edges and the music thumpingly loud – and she loved it.
She was startled by a movement at her side.
‘Hello,’ said a voice and she turned to find a handsome man sliding into the seat next to her, placing a full pint on the table. His sandy hair was slightly long, and he had a classically handsome face, like a Disney prince, all strong jaw and big blue eyes. His style was the opposite of Adam’s carefully curated scruffiness and dark good looks.
‘Hi,’ she replied.
He held out his hand and when she shook it his palm felt warm and soft. ‘I’m Greg.’
‘Erin.’
‘I know.’ She must have looked at him quizzically because he smiled sheepishly and said ‘I’m two doors down from you and I saw you moving in.’
‘Ah gotcha. Well, it’s lovely to meet you.’
‘You too. Can I get you another beer?’ he asked, indicating her empty glass.
‘Someone’s getting me one now – I think,’ she said, peering at the bar where she could see Erica was finally at the front of the queue. She appeared to be simultaneously ordering drinks and snogging the face off the boy next to her. Erin admired her skills.
An awkward silence descended, then Erin said, ‘So what do you do?’
‘Ah, classic student talk, eh?’ Greg replied, smiling to let her know he was only teasing. ‘Sports Science, although God only knows what I’m going to do with that. Probably end up working behind a desk somewhere. How about you?’
‘Psychology.’
‘Oh that sounds cool. So does that mean you know what I’m thinking right now?’
Erin laughed. ‘I’m a psychologist not a psychic.’
‘Well that’s a relief.’ He grinned and she couldn’t help noticing how straight and white his teeth were. What was she doing?
Luckily Erica’s return saved her. Her new friend was balancing three pint glasses in her hands and beer spilt all over the table as she plonked them down unceremoniously. ‘Bloody carnage up there,’ she said, beer slopping over the side of her glass and splashing onto Greg’s jacket.
‘Oh God I’m so sorry.’ She swiped ineffectually at his arm.
‘Don’t worry,’ Greg said smoothly, and held his hand out to her. ‘I’m Greg.’ Erica shook it and then turned to the boy behind her. ‘This is Mark.’
‘Mike.’
‘Ha sorry, this is Mike.’ She slid onto the stool next to Greg and Mike sat beside her and put his hand straight onto her thigh. Erin’s mind flashed to Adam, and she felt a sharp stab of regret that he wasn’t here with her. She thought about the last time she’d seen him, more than a week ago when they’d said goodbye on the bench on the Common. She’d been sobbing uncontrollably, and he’d held her in his arms and she’d never wanted to let go. Stop it; she mustn’t think about that now.
She turned back to Greg and plastered a smile on her face, determined not to let the fact she was missing Adam ruin her chances of making some new friends.
