Chapter 5

As it turns out I needn't have worried. Gemma shares her flat with a guy named Robert, and he was one of the people who is going out. I've met him a few times in the past and he is one of those guys that it just so likeable and funny that not even my self imposed social exile allowed me to be quiet in his presence.

Rob, as he preferred to be called, has a real power for drawing people out and making them have fun. So as he is was driving us to where he intended to park, he was quickly able to draw me into a conversation and in seconds I had forgotten about the potentially explosive situation between the two girls behind me.

I was doubly baffled then when we reached the shopping centre and out conversation naturally halted as Rob manoeuvred the car into a free space. A skill all in itself as it seems that all laws of the roads go out of the window once in a multi story garage.

So naturally in lieu of conversation with Rob I tried to discreetly check on Jodie and Gemma, this of course meant they noticed me trying to peer backwards instantly. Usually this would cause me a little embarrassment at being caught but I was so amazed at the sight of Jodie and Gemma hunched together and gossiping, as if they'd been best friends forever, that I simply gaped.

Evidently they both found this funny as they had exchanged a glance and a few whispers before both looking at me with equally confused expressions, as if they couldn't understand why I'd be surprised about them talking.

I simply turned back around around shaking my head.

"Women, who understands them?" I muttered under my breath.

Evidently I had not whispered it quiet enough as I could feel a pair of angry gazes in the back of my head, while Rob laughed at me.

""Why do you think I bat for the other team boyo?" He asked laughingly. "At least I can understand men!"

Did I mention that Rob is both gay and Welsh? Neither thing bothered me though I knew that such things bothered some. Admittedly the former had made me a little uncomfortable for a while, but I got over it. Honestly I don't care if he's Welsh or gay, I was always in awe of the things he could get away with saying and not sounding like a complete idiot. I mean, 'boyo', seriously?

It seemed being the butt of jokes and not understanding was to be the theme of the day from that point on.

We spent the day just wandering about the city centre, chatting and window shopping most of the time, very rarely buying anything, instead just being out and about simply for the sake of it.

I spent most of the time chatting to Rob and his friend Christian, while Jodie gossiped with the veritable horde of young women. It seems she was an instant hit and had been accepted by the girls as one of them.

Hours passed and I was very surprised to find that I had loads of fun out with these people. Rob and Christian were both really nice guys, Rob a lot more outgoing than Christian but the pair of them together built up this amazing back and forth that left me in stitches. All of the girls, most of whom I couldn't even remember the name of, were really nice too. It turned out that the group as a whole shared several lectures at University, as they were all doing something health related. They all meshed really well, and unlike high school where there are big groups but smaller pairs and triples of close friends, it seemed that everyone here was close friends.