Chapter 8

Adam was drinking his morning coffee in the kitchen when Kim arrived to accompany him to their tutorial with Dr Banks. The English department was the third of three buildings surrounding the main square in the centre of the campus. It was on the western side, opposite the Student’s Union building to the east. The library was to the north of the square. The south side of the square was open, and because of its position high on Westmouth Hill, it offered a magnificent view of the town and Westmouth Bay beyond. Dr Banks’ room was on the fourth floor. By the time they had climbed the stairs, Adam was out of breath and his legs were aching.

“Why don’t they have a lift?” he asked.

“The stairs keep you fit,” Kim replied. “I’ll bet our little movie bitch expects there to be a lift. She’s probably got someone to carry her up the stairs if there isn’t one.”

“Give it a rest will you, Kim. This Chloë bashing is getting tired. Besides, she’s a nice girl deep down.”

“And how would you know?”

Adam was going to answer but they entered the corridor where Dr Banks’ office was and found Chloë waiting by the door. “Hi, Adam.” She grinned and kissed his cheek. Then she held out her hand. “You must be Kim. Adam told me about you. I hope we can be friends.”

“Told you...? When?”

Adam ran his hand through his hair. “I bumped into Chloë in the library last night. She came round the flat for coffee and ended up buying us all supper.”

“You never said.” Kim didn’t look pleased.

“I never got a chance.” Adam tried not to look embarrassed.

Kim fixed a smile and shook Chloë’s outstretched hand. “Pleasure.”

Chloë’s grin faded. Adam guessed that false pleasantries were one of the two responses she’d been getting all term. He couldn’t decide which he’d hate more if he were in Chloë’s shoes—the falseness or the over the top fawning. Dr Banks’ interrupted his thoughts by opening her door.

“Come on in. Take a seat and let’s get started.”

There were three small chairs lined up in front of the large wooden desk piled high with books. Dr Banks sat in the high backed black leather chair behind the desk. Chloë sat in the chair on the right, Kim chose the one to the left, leaving Adam to take the middle seat.

“So how are you all settling in?”Dr Banks asked. “How’s the workload so far?”

After the introductions, the bulk of the tutorial was taken up by a discussion of Nineteen Eighty-Four that Kim started with a question about Big Brother. Adam and Dr Banks did most of the talking. Chloë hardly said a word for the whole hour. They had two lectures straight after the tutorial but were free for the rest of the day.

“Are we on for lunch?” Kim asked Adam as they rose from their regular seats at the back of the hall after the second lecture.

“Sure. Mind if I ask Chloë?”

“Yes, I mind. I don’t want everyone in the canteen thinking I’m some sort of groupie.”

“We’ll eat back at my place then,” said Adam. He rushed down the steps to Chloë’s spot on the front row. “Chloë! Kim and I are having lunch at my place. There’s a plate of beans on toast with your name on it if you’d like.”

“Really?” Chloë beamed—her movie-star smile on full show. “Do you have the baked beans with the little sausages in the tin?”

“No. But we could pop in the shop in The Union on the way back to mine, so I could get some.”

“And do I get a fried egg on top too?”

“You’re pushing your luck now, Missy. But I think I can stretch to a fried egg.”

“Excellent. Give me a sec to pack up and I’ll be with you.”

By the time Chloë was ready to go, Kim had reached the foot of the stairs. “Ready?” Adam asked.

“I’m going to have to give it a miss, Adam. I forgot that I’d agreed to meet my flatmates in the canteen.”