Armitage

Chapter 3 - A Good Night Gone Bad

Later that evening, Madeline was in her dorm room getting ready to go out. She brushed her hair in front of the bathroom mirror and applied some makeup, but only a small amount, as she never liked to wear too much. As she was checking her purse to make sure that she had everything her intercom phone buzzed. Instantly she knew it was Ben and Abby, as Ben always rang the intercom for longer than was necessary. Smiling to herself she closed her purse and picked the intercom receiver off its wall mount.

‘Hi Ben,’ she said.

‘You ready?’

‘Yep, I’ll be right down.’

‘Cool.’ Madeline pressed the intercom button to allow Ben and Abby to step into the lobby and then replaced the receiver. She turned off her light and stepped out into the hall, where she could hear music coming from Jennifer’s room. She was probably entertaining someone, Madeline thought to herself. Making sure her door was locked, as she did every time she went out, Madeline made her way downstairs to where Ben and Abby were waiting.

‘I’m impressed,’ said Madeline jokingly. ‘You guys are early.’

‘Yeah, managed to get her ladyship out of the door sooner than expected,’ laughed Ben, wincing when Abby punched him playfully in the arm.

‘What can I say?’ shrugged Abby. ‘I just have my own time frame.’

‘Time frame?’ remarked Ben. ‘You have your own time zone.’ Madeline stifled a laugh as Abby shook her fist at her boyfriend.

‘You want more of this?’ she asked, half smiling.

‘No ma’am,’ said Ben, flashing her a broad grin.

‘Alright then, let’s go.’ Ben held the door open for Abby and Madeline and let it close behind him.

*          *          *

There was a small bar at Jack’s that served alcohol in the evenings and this attracted more customers than during the day, so when Madeline, Ben and Abby arrived they were not surprised to find the place rather busy. There was room to move but it was somewhat of a squeeze getting up to the bar, with Ben leading the way and Madeline and Abby following behind.

‘I don’t like our chances of getting a table,’ said Abby, looking around the crowded café.

‘No, here we go,’ said Ben, as he craned his neck to peer over the crowd. ‘Hey, Mike!’ He shouted towards a timid looking young man in glasses who was sitting by himself in the corner. He smiled and waved them over when he saw Ben. ‘No problem ladies, one table, follow me.’ Ben weaved his way through the throng while holding Abby’s hand behind him. Abby herself reached back and took hold of Madeline’s sleeve and the three of them made their way over to the table that Mike was sitting at. As Madeline passed several people she was surprised to hear someone call her name.

‘Why Miss Jameson, good evening,’ said a familiar voice. Madeline turned around to see Professor Mason smiling at her from one of the tables near the counter.

‘Oh hello Professor,’ she said. ‘I didn’t expect to see you here.’

‘Oh I’ve always been a devotee of the lively arts,’ said Professor Mason brightly. ‘And Jack makes a splendid cappuccino.’

‘You know Jack?’

‘Of course, after all he was a professor up at the university for a good few years. I can’t tell you how pleased I was to find out he wasn’t going very far when he retired.’ Madeline smiled and looked over her shoulder to see Ben and Abby settling themselves at Mike’s table, Ben was saving Madeline a seat while talking to Mike.