***
Harriet met Olamide at half seven in the Porters’ Lodge. The fun afternoon of shopping with Caroline had resulted in her becoming the proud owner of a cat outfit comprised of tight black leather trousers, a black corset style top and a little satin collar. Not to mention a set of cat ears and a long tail. Friday night couldn’t come soon enough.
The Union was a collection of Victorian buildings set back from the road in the centre of town. A little passageway off the pavement led to a garden with buildings on either side.
“Any idea where we’re meant to go?” she asked Olamide when they arrived at the garden.
The other girl shook her head. “We’d better ask someone.”
Harriet glanced around, wondering who to ask. Most people looked as lost as she felt. Then she saw a figure lounging against a pillar. He radiated confidence and looked utterly at home there. She could tell he would be able to explain where to go for the debate, but her nerves tingled at the prospect of approaching him. He gave off an air of being untouchable.
She walked over anyway and her nerves turned to shock. The lounging boy had looked attractive from a distance, but close to, his beauty took her breath away. His obviously expensive suit emphasised his height and couldn’t quite hide the contours of his sleek, toned body. Despite his delicate, almost feminine face, and the white-blond hair that fell to his neck, Harriet got the distinct impression that he was significantly tougher than he looked.
The extraordinary boy gave her a curious glance, and although she’d made an effort to dress up, Harriet felt frumpy and unattractive next to him. She wondered if anyone ever managed to have a conversation with him without feeling the same way.
“Hi, I’m here for the debate,” she said. She tried to sound confident but she was suddenly acutely conscious of her northern accent. “Do you know where I have to go?”
For a few painful seconds, he didn’t react, just studied her intently as though passing judgement. Finally, he smiled, and without speaking, pointed in the direction of the building on the right.
“Oh, thanks, bye then.” Harriet wanted to run but made herself walk away at a steady pace. She didn’t glance back until she reached Olamide, by which time the boy had disappeared from sight.
“Well I’ve found out where to go,” she said, gesturing towards the building that the boy had pointed out. “Did you see who I asked though? He was possibly the most gorgeous guy I’ve ever seen. But so strange at the same time.”
“I didn’t really see,” Ola replied. “Come on, or we’ll be late.”
The building at one side of the Union’s garden contained a fantastically decorated library, a cheap bar and various function rooms. The building on the other side housed the Union’s main feature, a large debating chamber modelled (albeit on a slightly smaller scale) on the previous design of Parliament. The crowds were nearly as bad as at the club the night before, and Harriet doubted they’d be able to get a seat. Then she heard someone shout her name, and noticed Josh sitting on the balcony.
“Quickly you two, come up here. There are a few people from college, and we should just about be able to squeeze you in.”
The three most important figures (the President, Librarian and Treasurer) sat at the front of the room on three throne-like chairs, dressed in white tie. Harriet wondered what sort of odd society had a librarian as its second-in-command.
The speakers were a mixture of politicians and other public figures, and students who either knew a lot about politics and current affairs or had managed to convince the committee that they did. To Harriet’s excitement, the President announced Tom as one of the speakers. She guessed he must be planning to make a late entrance to his own party.
Harriet listened in awe to Tom’s speech. His smooth, dramatic delivery reminded her of when he’d read her the poem. She suspected he could read out the instruction manual for a fridge and make it sound exciting, but his words caught her attention just as much as his voice. She’d vehemently disagreed with some of the speakers, but everything Tom said seemed to chime with her own views on the current government. She longed to be able to discuss the issues with him one on one. She wondered what his thoughts would be on other current affairs. She had a funny feeling that they’d agree on most things and hoped she’d get a chance to test that theory.
Neither of the two speakers who followed Tom seemed a fraction as impressive to Harriet. By the end, she was definitely ready for some fresh air and a drink.
“Apparently, there’s free wine upstairs,” said Josh.
Their little group followed the general flow of people, finding themselves in a large book-filled room with several trestle tables covered with glasses.
If only Tom had been there, it would have been perfect, but presumably, he’d had to go and start his party.
The little college group huddled together. Harriet found it amazing the extent to which she considered people she’d only known for two days to be good friends, whilst the people from other colleges felt like strangers who she shouldn’t approach without a reason.
Several glasses of free wine later, the drinks party came to an end. Their contingent decided to go to a pub in the town.
“I’ve heard the King’s Arms is good,” said a boy that Harriet vaguely remembered from the club night. “Apparently, quite a few people are going there.”
The old pub stood on the corner of a crossroads. During the short walk there, Harriet realised how much all the wine had gone to her head. Walking in a straight line took all her powers of concentration, and her conversation with Olamide sounded far too loud. She resolved to drink only water for the rest of the evening.
On arrival, the little group fought their way to the front to reach the bar, but somehow, she lost her friends in the crush. She looked around trying to see them, and a hand touched her shoulder.
“What are you having?” drawled a voice by her ear.
Harriet turned to see the tall blond guy who’d shown her where to go earlier in the evening. He was just as stunning as she remembered and his beauty seemed even stranger in a normal pub than in the slightly surreal Union. Between her drunkenness and her surprise, it took her a few moments to muster a sensible answer.
“Thanks. Just a tonic, please. A bit boring I know, but after all that free wine I probably shouldn’t have anything more.”
“Gin and tonic it is. Double or single?” He smirked at her.
Normally the combination of the smirking and the pushing alcohol on her would have disgusted Harriet, but to her annoyance, she felt a hint of amusement, perhaps even attraction. She grinned back.
“Tonic. Slimline. Believe me, I’m not the sort to give into peer pressure, even coming from someone like you.”
With a smile, he ordered one double G+T, and mercifully, one plain tonic water. He passed her the latter with a flourish and gestured towards a relatively quiet corner of the heaving bar. Harriet finally managed to spot her group. Olamide and Josh raised their eyebrows but gestured for her to go.
“So, what exactly is, ‘someone like me?’” he asked, once they’d wedged themselves into a quiet part of the back bar. His voice sounded extremely posh, even by the standard of some of the people she’d met over the last few days.
“As if you don’t know. The sort who firmly believes no girl will say no. To a drink or to anything else.”
“Oh indeed. I’m a walking stereotype. Entitled. Arrogant. Think I’m God’s gift to women.”
“Your self-knowledge is outstanding,” she said sarcastically.
“Well, I find it easier to mock my faults than do anything about them,” he said with a grin.
Revulsion and desire fought in her mind. She took a sip of her drink to try to keep calm. “Well, before you give me a full breakdown of your personality, maybe it’d make sense to tell me your name,” she said.
“George,” he replied. “I’m at Christ Church. I do this and that.”
“Harriet. Lilith Colleg
e. I’m doing History.”
“I’m so glad to have met you Harriet. I love the Union, but it can get tedious at times. Finding beautiful women certainly livens it up.”
Before she could reply, Olamide and Josh came over.
“We need to get back now,” said Ola. “Are you going to come?” She stared at George, open-mouthed.
“I’m supposed to go to some choir drinks,” Josh added. “But neither of us wanted to leave you by yourself.”
“She isn’t by herself though, is she?” George said, looking them in the eye. “You know she’ll be fine with me.”
To Harriet’s surprise, both Josh and Olamide nodded.
“Yes, of course she will be,” Josh said, but he frowned at his words as though his brain and his mouth weren’t quite connected.
“Harriet, you’d like to stay, wouldn’t you? Let me get you another drink.” George looked at her, his wonderful green eyes staring into hers, his delicately sculpted lips smiling.
The idea of staying with George tempted her, but it probably wasn’t the most sensible choice. “I’d love to, but I really should get back. Hopefully I’ll see you around here again soon.”
George frowned, confirming Harriet’s earlier suspicion that the vast majority of the time he got whatever he wanted. Before she could change her mind, she grabbed Olamide and Josh and strode out of the door.