Forbidden (Catfish and the Bottlemen AU)

Part 12

"Fuck off!" She chides. "Upstanding? I'll remind you of that the next time we're down the Union bar and you can't even stand up straight!"

You giggle into the phone, feeling a tiny pang of envy when you hear glasses chinking down the line, the loud murmur of conversation, the muted sounds of music. You've always suffered from the fear of missing out. "Where are you anyway?"

"Just the Union." She sighs dramatically. "Same old, same old, same piss-weak drinks and sticky floors, same shitty music. You're really missing out you know!"

"Just the Union? Thought you were going into town?"

Your interest takes a nosedive. During all your time at university you've probably spent more time in the Union bar than lecture halls. It serves it's purpose usually, the drinks are cheap and it's always lively, you can guarantee finding someone you know in there to while away the hours with, but today it doesn't hold much temptation. Not when you're a short walk away from Johnny's office with an insatiable appetite that just seems harder and harder to quench these days.

"Well we were going into town," Lizzie tells you. "But then Benji suggested we had a quick drink in here first as it's so much cheaper. You know what a tight-arse he is..."

There's a yelping sound from Lizzie before you can hear Benji muttering out a defensive remark, something snide about not all being so lucky as to be able to live off mummy and daddy's weekly allowance. You grin to yourself as you hear Lizzie fire back a scathing comment, picturing the two of them jostling each other and sniping. It's all done good-naturedly, your two friends liking nothing better than a bit of piss-taking banter. You're normally joining in with them, giving as good as you get whilst pretending to be offended, needling Benji about his fluffy hair or teasing Lizzie about her latest infatuation until you're all crying with laughter.

"Anyway..." Lizzie continues when you hear things settle down. "We were all set to walk into town, try out that new place that's just opened up with that amazing looking pub garden, but then one of Benji's lecturers walks in and they get chatting. Before you know it he's offered to buy Benji another pint, and he's not going to turn down a free drink now is he?"

This catches your attention. "Who's that then... the lecturer?"

Lizzie laughs loudly. "Oh, I know what you're thinking! It's not sexy Professor tight-trousers! I bet if it was though you'd be straight down here wouldn't you?"

"Maybe," you giggle back, your interest waning again. "Look... I've really gotta go now. I'm actually just over at the History building now. I'd love to come and have a few drinks but I've got this bloody exam coming up in a few weeks and I'm not prepared at all and one of the other professors has offered to help me with revision..."

But Lizzie's not listening to you, talking over you drunkenly, her words slurring as she mumbles down the line. "He is quite cute though, in a sweet kinda, dilfy kinda way. Like he's sexy but he doesn't even know it. And he's got a gorgeous smile..."

Her voice has gone dreamy now and you start to wonder who on earth's she's talking about, all the classes that you and Benji share scrolling through your mind. "Oh my god it's not Professor Stevens is it? The one that wears those godawful polyester suits? Bloody hell Lizzie, how many have you had?"

"No, no... not him. Eww Y/N, what on earth made you think of him? No, he's younger, much younger than him. I don't know him actually, don't think you've got him for any of your modules. He's got curly brown hair, bit of a wacky dress sense... you should see the shirt he's got on... this cute little cap..."

And just like that you're pushing off from the wall, taking the quick pace that you'd adopted earlier, your plans suddenly changed, eager to get to your new destination.