Chapter 2

The first day of term was almost surreal. Much time was spent walking around trying to figure out the location of the various lecture theatres, workshops, and tutorial rooms that we'd be using. I soon learned the information was readily obtainable to anybody that took the time to obtain a map and follow the posted signs. The majority of overexcited youngsters were simply too hyped up for their brains to function properly and took to blathering in panic. That was just the boys.

The girls, what few there were on the course, spent most of their efforts gossiping with their friends and eying up the abundance of males on display, separating geek from hunk with a well-practiced ease.

With my undeniably older aspect, I experienced a certain degree of invisibility. Several people asked me for directions, erroneously assuming I was a member of staff. Their expression, when I announced that I was a first year student like them, ranged from incredulity to one of outright bemusement.

The first lecture was a basic introduction to systems engineering and told me nothing that I didn't already know. A couple of times, I was tempted to correct the lecturer as to his assertions, which whilst technically correct, would not stand up in the real world of compromise and design down to minimum cost. I bit down on my tongue, not wanting to make a scene or gain a reputation as something of a smart-arse. Others asked such banal questions that I wondered if they were in the correct lecture theatre or had even the slightest clue as to what they'd let themselves in for.

I bought a sandwich from Subway during the lunch break and then braced myself for the lecture that I feared the most: mathematics.

The lecturer, a Geordie with a slight stutter, gabbled incessantly and soon filled the huge whiteboard with a prolific array of hieroglyphics. I was totally lost within about five minutes, and within ten minutes came to the conclusion that the rest of the class was in a similar state. Only a young lad with thick glasses and severe acne seemed to have the slightest idea about what was being discussed. He asked questions that the lecturer neatly sidestepped but promised to answer more fully in due course, perhaps year three.

Only after I emerged from the hour long discourse on Laplace transforms and advanced integral calculus did I realise I was sweating profusely and had developed a blinding headache. Several students were mumbling inconsolably; two were already actively discussing the possibility of switching courses.

"Try Media Studies," I nearly suggested, but in the end held my tongue.

Toby was sitting expectantly on the bonnet of the car when I returned to it.

"How did it go?" he enquired.

"Don't ask," I muttered disconsolately, shaking my head. "You?"

"I had a meeting with one of the tutors just before lunch and then spent the afternoon in the library, drinking coffee and looking for inspiration for my project."

As I unlocked the car doors, I considered the alarming disparity between the demands of the various courses and wondered if I'd bitten off more than I could possibly chew. The two mile drive to our residence took nearly an hour and I idly contemplated using the underground instead. Even ignoring the ten pound daily congestion charge for entering central London by car, I estimated that the tube fare alone would work out cheaper than the fuel used bumbling through slow-moving traffic.

Toby reheated a pre-packaged meal in the microwave whilst I tipped minced beef, tomatoes and herbs into a pan and started preparing Spaghetti Bolognese. Toby had finished eating, washed up and disappeared to his room by the time I started boiling water for the spaghetti. I sat down at the table and devoured the food in an instant, wishing I'd bought something for dessert as I was still hungry.

I'd just finishing clearing up and made some tea when the kitchen door opened and a beautiful young woman walked in. I stared open-mouthed at the voluptuous nymph, wondering if I'd been mysteriously teleported to another house.

"Hi, you must be the new guy. I'm Jenny."

"Hi. Peter," I replied quietly, wiping my hand on a tea towel and then offering it to her.

She grinned and took gentle hold, squeezing rather than shaking it. "I'm Toby's girlfriend," she announced.

"A pleasure," I sighed, trying and failing to break her hypnotic gaze.

She was dressed in jeans that were ripped at the knees, and a close fitting top that could not disguise the ample breasts they struggled to contain. The twin globes wobbled deliciously as she moved around, affording me the impression that she was braless. Her attractive features were framed by long dark hair that draped down her back in a most alluring fashion. Her full lips suggested a sensuous nature and her eyes were dark lustrous pools that you could descend into forever.

Jenny giggled and skipped over to the fridge to collect two cans of beer from a shelf within the door. Smiling, she retreated out of the kitchen, anxious to deliver the drinks upstairs.

"See you later," she sang as she disappeared, leaving me slightly flustered.

Whilst there was no particular reason why Toby would not have had a girl in tow, her casual appearance and departure gave me the impression she treated the place like her own. She was utterly gorgeous and I envied Toby his good fortune. I took the tea up to my room and placed a call through to Vanessa.

"Is everything okay?" she asked. "I was expecting you to call earlier."

"I've only just finished dinner."

"How was your first day?"

"Mixed," I admitted. "The maths lecture was much worse than I'd thought it would be."

We talked for about an hour before finally hanging up. I could tell from her voice that she was not happy with the situation, but rather was being brave for my benefit. I switched on the laptop and Vanessa's name popped up on Messenger almost immediately. We exchanged messages throughout the evening until I finally felt inclined to turn in for the night. I wished her goodnight and switched off the computer.

I was just drifting off to sleep when a low female moan carried through the dividing wall. A regular creak overlaid the soft sighs of passion and, despite my best efforts, I was unable to tune out the sounds of the strident lovemaking taking place in the adjacent room. The cacophony continued into the early hours and I had to admit a certain degree of respect for the stamina and endurance of both concerned. Falling asleep through sheer exhaustion, I never heard the culmination of their activities.

Awaking groggy eyed, I made my way into the bathroom to wash and urinate. The room was filled with steam. Before I could retreat, Jenny appeared from behind the shower curtain and walked naked across the room to retrieve her towel from a wall hook, completely unconcerned that I observed her. She grinned and slipped out of the room, leaving me blushing from head to foot, and with a prominent bulge in my pyjamas. The image of her large breasts remained imprinted on my retina for several minutes.

After recovering my composure, I quickly performed my ablutions and made a mental note to check carefully before barging into the bathroom in future. Unaccustomed to sharing a house with strangers, I was determined to avoid a repeat of what had happened.

Jenny was seated at the table eating breakfast when I entered the kitchen.

"I'm sorry about that," she stated. "I hope I didn't embarrass you."

"No problem," I replied. "I'm fairly broad-minded."

"We didn't keep you awake last night did we?"

"Just for a short time."

"Sorry. Toby likes me to be fairly vocal. It appeals to his male ego."

I chuckled at her down-to-earth manner, making a refreshing change from the fawning attitudes of the office juniors at work discussing their amorous activities beside the coffee machine, or those of the slightly older generation who poured scorn on the antics of their partners and work colleagues.

I helped myself to a bowl of cereal just as Toby appeared. He seemed happy to show off his girlfriend. Jenny raised her eyes upwards as she perceived his adulation as little more than boastfulness on his part.

Both were appreciative of a lift into the city, although Jenny alighted early as she attended a different college to Toby. I had no idea what course she was studying.

The first lecture of the day was entitled "Electronic Circuit Theory". Promising much, it quickly descended into another maths-fest. I'd always regarded myself as fairly numerate. In my many years designing sophisticated control systems, I'd never required anything more than a basic four-function calculator. Whenever more detailed analysis was required, sophisticated modelling software performed all the necessary calculations, even taking into account the imperfections of the real world.

The course took the idealistic view that people still took out their notepads and painstakingly performed masses of complex computations longhand, rather than spending the majority of their time engaged in production meetings, or attempting to extract price concessions from reluctant suppliers.

My mind began to wander and the picture of Jenny parading naked before me dominated my thoughts. Whilst having never contemplated infidelity, I sometimes fantasized about how things might have progressed had I chosen a different path in life. Not since my army days had I followed a carefree lifestyle and actively pursued any amorous opportunities that came my way.

The lecture finished and I realised in horror that I'd not taken a single note during the latter half of the presentation. Supremely grateful that transcripts were available online, I made a promise to pay better attention in the future.

Jenny was preparing dinner for herself and Toby when I returned. The smell of frying bacon and sausages assailed my nostrils, exacerbating my hunger even further. The joy of cooking had started to dissipate after just a single day, but I forced myself to prepare a basic casserole and place it in the oven to simmer slowly for a couple of hours.