seven

The sunrise was hidden behind grey clouds. It had been daylight for a few hours before Dylan stirred. He opened his eyes and blinked. He wondered where he was until he felt the warmth of the woman in his arms and realised. He lay still, but quickly decided he should leave. He slid his arm from underneath her and she stirred.

Toni sighed. "Good morning." She rolled over to face him.

Dylan looked into her eyes. Even this early, her green eyes shone vibrantly. Her make-up was smudged and her hair was a mess, but there was no denying it, she was beautiful.

"Morning," said Dylan quietly.

"How d'you feel?"

"Well I'm not hungover, which is good."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know. Do you want the truth, or shall I just be polite?"

She sighed heavily. "Tell me the truth, there's no point in hiding it."

"I feel guilty," he said. "Really, really guilty."

The first time they made love Dylan had gotten lost in his lust; wasting no time and sparing no energy. The second time he was gentler. He had explored Toni's body and been lavish in his worship of her. Dylan hadn't given a second thought to Claire. He blamed that on the drink.

Toni smiled weakly. "If it makes you feel any better, I really enjoyed last night. You made me feel wonderful. I've never felt like that before."

"I enjoyed it too. That's probably why I feel so guilty."

He wanted to say more to her but couldn't. He wanted to tell her that he had enjoyed the whole night, not just the sex. She had made him feel special. She had been interested in everything he had to say, laughed at his awful jokes, and she was witty and charming herself.

Dylan held Toni in his arms for a little longer but he knew he had to leave. "There's a try-out for the hall footy team later. I need to shower and get ready for it."

"Okay, but I will see you later, won't I?"

"Come and watch the game," he said. "But I can't promise anything."

"I know you can't," she said. "They're showing videos in the TV room later. Will you be there? We could watch them together."

"It depends what they are."

"Alright. I'll save you a seat anyway. Just in case."

"Thanks."

Despite their earlier intimacy, Dylan was still embarrassed as he got out of the bed and got dressed. He made Toni promise to turn her back and not watch, but he still caught her as she sneaked a glance at his naked bum. When he was dressed, Dylan kissed Toni on the cheek then left. He went back to his own room where he undressed. He could smell cigarette smoke from the bar on his clothes, so he tossed them in the laundry basket. He took a long shower, got dressed. He then went into the kitchen, where he found Dave and Frank munching on some toast. Dylan filled the kettle, and put some bread into the toaster. The others stopped talking and watched him.

"So where did you spend last night then?" Frank asked.

"Nowhere," grunted Dylan.

"It's just that Mark knocked on your door earlier, and got no answer. Dave says that he saw you upstairs with Toni drinking coffee. So..."

Dylan nodded. "I feel guilty enough, so just leave it."

"Hey, man," said Dave. "What you get up to behind your girlfriend's back is your business."

"You need talk," Dylan replied. "Two one night stands in two nights. Have you slept in your own bed yet?"

"No. But I don't already have a girlfriend, do I? Besides, who said last night was just a one night stand."

"What?" Frank smirked. "Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously. Kerry's really sweet. I like her. I even surprised myself."

Dylan poured his tea, and spread some butter on his toast. Frank also poured some tea, and then reloaded the toaster.

"What did Mark want me for?" Dylan asked between mouthfuls.

"It was something to do with the footy. He said that if you were playing you needed to go and tell Jez."

"Jez already knows I'm playing. But I'll go and tell him anyway. Are either of you playing?"

"I am," said Dave. "Kerry's coming to watch."

"What about you, Frank?"

"No way, can you imagine what the field will be like after last night's rain?"

"Have it your way. But I reckon it'll be a laugh," said Dylan.

The canteen was open for Sunday lunch and did a brisk trade as the residents looked for a taste of home cooking. They didn't find it. After lunch, twenty boys met in the Davies Bryan TV room to prepare for a game of football. Jez was organising the game, so it was he, rather than Phil, who addressed the group.

"Ok folks. Today we're just gonna have a friendly game, to see who will best represent us in the inter-hall league. We've booked the field behind the biology building for the next few hours; I'll lead you down there in a bit. I recommend that those of you not already changed do so here, and quickly. There are no fucking changing rooms down there."

A few people changed into football tops and shorts. When everyone was ready, Jez led them out of the hall and to the field. It was still raining, but a light drizzle rather than the downpour of the previous night. Contrary to Frank's reservations, the pitch looked playable. Jez split the boys into two team of ten each. He and Phil placed themselves on opposite teams to make a full complement of players. Dylan, Mark and Rich were on one team. Dave, Andy and James were on the other.

The game kicked off and began at a frenetic pace. But the pitch cut up and soon resembled a Turkish mud bath, slowing the game down. Everyone tried hard, but the ball wouldn't roll through the mud.

After half an hour, the girls from the top floor arrived to watch. Dave spotted them, and waved to Kerry. As he did so, Dylan ran past him with the ball. Unfortunately, Dave was keeping goal at the time.

"Oops," said Kerry. "I think that was my fault."

"I sure he won't mind," said Stacey.

"Don't be mean," said Kerry.

"I wasn't."

"You're really sweet on him, aren't you?" asked Toni.

"I like him, yes."

"Good for you," said Julie.

"What about you Toni? Your boy just scored," said Kerry.

"He fucking well scored last night as well," said Stacey. "The noises coming from your room last night certainly got Jez going."

"You didn't?" Kerry said.

Stacey smiled.

"He's not my boy," said Toni. "He's someone else's. The good ones always are."

"He's looking over. You should wave or something," said Julie.

"No. He'll think I'm being silly."

Mark congratulated Dylan on the goal. "Hey Dylan, the top floor girls are here."

"I can see them."

"I wonder why Toni hasn't waved or something?"

"She probably doesn't want to put me off, after all Kerry put Dave off."

"You do like her don't you? Please don't tell me you just took what was on offer."

"I like her, yes. Not that it matters, I'm spoken for."

"So what happened last night? Did you develop temporary memory loss?"

Dave's team restarted the game but Dylan quickly won possession. He looked up for someone to pass to but no one was in open space. He saw Mark making a run down the right. Dylan sidestepped James' sliding tackle then hoisted the ball towards the space in front of Mark. He weighted it perfectly and gave Mark a clear run at the goal. Mark feinted to the left, and then went right and slotted the ball neatly past Dave.

After the next restart, the game descended into a farce. The mud made play almost impossible. Both sides scored goals but Dylan lost count of how many. Several times, Dylan and Mark linked up to score. It was as if Mark knew where Dylan wanted to put the ball.

After the match finished, Jez took Dylan and Mark aside. "You two work really well together. Are you gonna try for the university team? I hear they're looking this year."

"Nah." said Dylan, "I don't know if I fancy that."

"Why not?" asked Mark. "I'm going for it, and think you'd make it. You laid on a few chances for me, and for a few others."

"But I'll never make the team, I not that good. If I was then I'd be playing for the Swans and looking for a big move."

"You can give it a go," Jez said. "You've got nothing to lose."

"I don't know."

"Come and try out with me next week. What harm can it do?" Mark said.

"Maybe. We'll see."

Mark continued to badger Dylan about joining the football club on the walk back to the hall. He reasoned that even if they didn't make the first team, they might make the second, and that by waiting out in the second team for a year they would stand a better chance of making the first time in the future. By the time they got back, Dylan was sick of hearing about it. He agreed to sign up to the team just to shut Mark up.

The committee had rented some of the latest video releases for the residents to watch on the large screen in the TV room. They set the first showing for six-thirty, giving those who wanted it, the chance to grab a quick evening meal in the canteen. Toni, Kerry and Julie were some of the first to arrive. The chairs had been arranged in rows. The girls sat at the front. Toni saved a seat for Dylan, as she told him she would do. Kerry reserved a seat for Dave.

Dave arrived five minutes into the first film and sat down next to Kerry. Toni kept one eye on the door, but when the rest of the boys from the ground floor arrived Dylan was not with them. Frank sat down in the chair behind Toni, so she turned and asked him where Dylan was.

"He's in the queue for the phone."

"How big a queue?"

"Three or four people," Frank said. "I should think he'll be a good while yet."

Toni was satisfied and settled down to watch the film. She had seen it at the cinema, but had enjoyed it and was content to see it again. She looked around the room. Kerry and Dave had leaned in closer to each other. She had her head on his shoulder and he had slipped his arm around her. Both had smiles on their faces.

As the film ploughed on, Toni sat alone next to the empty chair that should have contained Dylan. She glanced over at Dave and Kerry, and sighed. There was no conversation in the room; everyone was watching the movie. Some people left and their seats were taken by others, but a core group remained seated. Toni was one of them.

"Excuse me," said someone Toni didn't recognise. "Is this seat taken?"

"Yes. I'm sorry. He won't be long."

After the first film finished, Phil turned on the lights and addressed the students. "I'll put the next film on in ten, so if you want to go grab a drink or a snack, or go piss or whatever, then go now, but I'd leave something on your seat so no one nicks it."

Toni left for the bathroom, and passed the phone booth on the way. She glanced at the queue. One person was waiting for the occupant of the booth to finish. Dylan was nowhere in sight.

He must have gone back to his room instead of interrupting the first film, she thought. She wanted to go and call on him, but wasn't sure which room was his. Never mind, someone will tell him the film has finished. He'll turn up.

Toni returned to her seat, and settled to watch the second of the evening's films. This one she hadn't seen before and it held her attention. She still hoped that Dylan would walk through the door and join her, but he didn't. She wanted to sit in his arms the same way that Kerry was sitting in Dave's arms. They were almost in the same seat now.

The second film came and went, and there was still no sign of Dylan. The third film finished just after midnight and he still hadn't turned up.

The students trouped back up the stairs to the hall. Dave went to Kerry's room for the second night in a row. Toni went to her room alone. She undressed and lay in bed fighting back the tears. All kind of thoughts filled her head. Why Dylan had not shown? Was it her? Had she come on too strong? Or had he only slept with her because he was drunk? She felt foolish and used.

She couldn't get to sleep, and kept telling herself that she must be wrong. Dylan had to have slept with her because he liked her. He had to. One way or another, she had to know.

Dylan woke early on Monday morning. He, Frank and Dave had agreed to try the breakfast bar in the canteen. After showering, Dylan knocked on Frank's door. When he got no answer, he reasoned that Frank must be in the shower. He tried Dave's door instead. Again there was no answer, but Dylan noticed that the door wasn't shut properly. He pushed it open and peered inside.

The room was a mess. Clothes littered the floor and the desk was covered with books and files. The bed was covered with all manner of unmentionables. Dylan shook his head and wondered how Dave could have messed up his room so badly in so few days.

"Hey!" The voice came from the stairwell. "What you doing in there?"

"Looking for you," said Dylan as he turned around.

"Oh, sorry, didn't recognise you from behind. Are we still on for breakfast?"

"Yeah. I'm ready and waiting. What about you?"

"I could use a shower first."

"Okay, I'll wait in the kitchen."

Dave retrieved a towel from is room then went into the shower room. Dylan had a cup of coffee while he waited. By the time that Dave was ready, Frank had joined Dylan. The threesome then went to the canteen together. A full English breakfast was on offer, supplemented by cereals, yoghurts and croissants. Dylan, Dave and Frank paid for their meals, and sat at a table next to one of the large windows.

"Life can't get much better than this," said Dylan, looking out of the window.

"I agree," said Frank. "Bacon, eggs, sausage, and view over Cardigan Bay. This is awesome."

They ate in silence and admired the view.

Dylan eventually broke the silence. "Are you and Kerry an item then, Dave?"