The College by the Sea Aka 'Freshers'
twenty

Copyright© 2011 by Marc Nobbs

Dylan looked at his watch and reminded himself that it had only been twenty-four hours since he had first heard that John was in town. Drained both emotionally and physically, he didn't feel like going out, even though that was what they always did on a Saturday.

He suggested a night in instead, "I picked up a copy of 'Four Weddings' on video while we were in Swansea, it's just come out. Why don't all three of us go and get some tinnies from the co-op and settle down to watch it in my room."

"That's not a bad idea," said Jo, "but I want to show Nat the tops I brought first."

"Okay," Dylan said, "I'll be upstairs, come and get me when you're ready."

The girls promised to do just that, and Dylan left them to fuss over Jo's shopping. He ambled back across the walkway that linked Rendell to DB, not in any real hurry. He looked in on the TV room as he passed, not expecting to find anyone. It only ever seemed to have any occupants on Sundays for the video screenings, and for the nightly soap opera ritual. He considered for a moment that they could spend the night here instead of his room because the TV was bigger, but dismissed the idea, not really wanting all and sundry to be able to join them. He continued on his way back to his room. As he got to the stairs that led up to the Ground floor, a voice called to him. He turned to face it, and saw someone coming towards him from the queue for the telephone, which was at the end of a narrow corridor opposite the TV room. It took him longer than it should have to realise who it was.

"Toni," he said, trying to hide the surprise in his voice, "Blonde. I nearly didn't recognise you."

"D'you like it?" Toni asked, but not waiting for an answer, "Stacey keeps on that blonde's have more fun, so I thought I'd try it."

"It's different," Dylan said, trying to be diplomatic.

"I forgot," said Toni, "you're a brunette man."

They both laughed nervously. Desperate to avoid an uncomfortable silence, Toni quickly continued, "I heard about what you did last night. You're a real hero."

"I don't know about that. What exactly did you hear?"

"That you chased off some thug that was trying to kidnap Joanne. I know I never got on with the girl, but she didn't deserve to be dragged away kicking and screaming."

"Why am I not surprised the story's mutated already? She wasn't being dragged away, she just didn't think she had any choice but to go with him. As for my chasing him off, I just said what had to be said, and gave Jo the choice."

"Whatever," said Toni, "you stood up to him when no-one else was going to, and that means that you did a really brave thing. By all accounts he's the sort that would have no qualms about kicking five bells out of you."

"Thanks," said Dylan.

This time the uncomfortable silence couldn't be avoided, and after what seemed like an eternity Dylan said, "Well, I better be..."

Toni interrupted him, "Dylan, there's something I really have to tell you."

"What?" he asked, the words sounding more aggressive than he had intended them to.

Toni ignored the tone of his voice. "It's about the Ball, the way I was with you. I wanted to apologise," she said.

"It's me who should apologise," Dylan said.

"No. No, it's not. I went over the top because I was still upset with you." She paused then continued, "I've had time to think things through over Christmas, and I realise that if you didn't love me the way I loved you, then it probably is for the best if we're not together."

"Toni," Dylan said, but Toni was like a steam train, she had taken a while to get going and wasn't about to be stopped until she had reached her destination.

"Dylan, I loved you. I know I did. A part of me still does even though you hurt me. You gave me something that I'd never had before, and you showed me that people can find me sexy. When I was at school, I was the butt of all the jokes, the girl that the boys asked out when they'd lost a bet. But look at me now. I was fighting them off at the ball, and when Stacey came up to me at Christmas, we went to a club and bumped into some of the boys from school. I had to pick their chins up of the floor; it was fantastic. Aber was like a whole new start for me. I'd lost some of the weight while I was still at school, and got the lenses just before my exams, but you get a reputation that's hard to change. Coming here I had the chance to show people the new me, people who weren't going to be influenced by past reputations, but if you hadn't showed the interest in me that you did, if I hadn't had to chase you at the start, and be sexy for you to try to keep you, then I think I might have reverted to the way I was at school. You set me free, let loose the sexy me."

"You did that Toni, not me," said Dylan.

"Stop being so damn modest will you," she replied, "I'm trying to say that I want things to be okay between us. I want things to be like they were before we went to Alton Towers, you know, real friends."

"I don't know if it can be that way again, it's not as simple as just wanting it. Too much has happened."

"I know. I mean, if you said the word I'd come running back to you in a flash. But at the same time, I'm not going to sit around waiting on you like I did before. I like the new me Dylan, and the new me wants to enjoy herself while she's young and sexy enough to do so."

"Just be careful Toni, I don't trust Stacey to look after you."

"I can look after myself, and I don't intend doing anything I don't want to. I just want to have some fun, that's all. But remember, I'm here if you want me."

She leaned forward and kissed Dylan on the cheek, then smiled at him. The same smile had first lured Dylan into her bed; sweet, innocent, and just a little bit sexy.

"I'll bear that in mind," he said.

"You do that." She turned and went back to her place in the telephone queue. Dylan watched her until she got there, and as she leaned back against the wall and smiled at him again, he turned and went up the stairs to wait for Nat and Jo.


With exams waiting to be sat the following day, Sunday saw most students in Aber with their noses buried in books. The weekend's events, while not easily forgotten, were pushed to the back of everyone's mind to be replaced by more pressing matters. That didn't stop the rumour mill though. It carried on its steady spin of the story, ensuring that by the time normal lectures had resumed even Dylan's tutor referred to him as 'the knight in shining armour' when he turned up for his regular Monday morning tutorial. The new semester brought with it a revised timetable, and a host of new modules. On the first Tuesday morning in February, Dylan rose for his first nine o'clock lecture of the semester to a glorious day outside. Bright sunshine and a northerly breeze, which while not particularly strong was bitingly cold, had replaced the dreary mix of low cloud and constant drizzle that had been the norm in Aber for the past two weeks. Not for the first time Dylan thought that the weather in this part of the world had an uncanny knack of reflecting the general mood of the town. Exams were over, and the next lot seemed like an eternity away, with Rag Week, two balls and a holiday between now and then. While he and Dave were at breakfast in the canteen, Dylan commented on the whereabouts of the third DB physics student.

"I was surprised," Dave said in response, "Jules knew I was with Kerry, and she normally knocks for me when I am. I tell you Dil, I nearly missed breakfast."

"It's so unusual for her," Dylan said, "She's the most organised of the three of us. She hasn't ever missed a lecture has she?"

"If she doesn't turn up I might actually have to make some notes, which won't do my concentration any good," said Dave, "I'll bloody kill her."


Julie did indeed miss the lecture, although she was waiting for the boys in the lab when they arrived for their first four-hour session of the term.

"What happened to you," Dylan asked, "You've never missed a lecture before."

"You need to ask," said Dave, "look at her, she's suffering from a serious hangover if you ask me. You look rough girl."

"Thanks Dave," Julie said, "Charming as ever."


The explanation had to wait because all the students were called to the mini lecture area at the far end of the lab for a quick summary of the goals for the semester. They were working in pairs, and this kept Julie away from Dylan and Dave for the rest of two-hour morning session She always worked with the only other girl on the course. When the three DBer's sat down for lunch in the Union, they did so away from their fellow physicists so that Julie could tell them her story.

"You were right Dave, I was hungover, but it's not my fault, I swear," she said.

Dave and Dylan smirked at each other, but said nothing.

"It's not. It's bloody Stacey's fault."

"Explain," said Dylan.

Julie proceeded to tell her two friends about her exploits with Stacey and Toni since their return to Aber, "She's been wanting to go out every night since we got back. She went out most nights last term, but now she's insisting that Toni goes with her. And that means I'm having to go as well."

"Why?" asked Dylan.

"Stacey goes out with one aim, to kop off, which she manages most nights. Toni doesn't want to have to come home alone, so she drags me along. It's hardly fun for me though."

"Go on," said Dave.

Julie looked sheepishly at Dylan before she continued, "Toni's been kopping off as well, leaving me the one that has to come back on my own. Not all the time admittedly, last night for instance, she stayed with me, which meant we ended up drinking too much and is the reason for my hangover."

"These guys she's going off with," Dylan began to ask but Julie answered before he could finish.

"No," she said, "They're not carbon copies of you. She's not trying to replace you or anything. It's just as if she's got the sex bug and wants it wherever she can get it from. A bit like Stacey really."

They tucked into their food for a while before Julie voiced more of her concerns, "It's as she came back from the Christmas break a different person. I always loved her hair, I thought it suited her, but now she looks like all the other bottle blondes around. Stacey is influencing her far too much. I'm worried about her."

"There's not a lot you can do about it," Dave said, "Toni won't hear a bad word said against Stacey."

"I know," Julie said, "There's nothing I can do." She put far too much stress on the word 'I' for Dylan's liking.

"What?" he said when he realised that the other two were looking at him.


At the end of the final lecture of the next day, just before lunchtime, the head of the Physics department made a surprise appearance to announce that the exam grading had been finalised, and that copies of the results were in the students pigeon holes in the lab. Dylan, Dave and Julie rushed upstairs to retrieve theirs as soon as they were dismissed from the lecture hall. They each tore open the small brown envelopes and poured over the contents. A wide grin spread across Dave's face, indicating to the others that he confidence he had displayed during the exam period was justified.

 
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