Start Again

Chapter Five

Audrey

"Sahrah," the lecturer started, "what would you say are the essential literary devices to look for when studying the modernist period?" He was facing the board as he wrote a list of themes for each text in chalk.

The class went silent. I looked over at Sarah. Her head was flat on the desk. Ridiculous. She's bothered to come all the way here for her education and all she can do is sleep. What was so important that she had to go to bed so late a couple of weeks into the semester? Some faces looked at me. Did I say that out loud?

"Sahrah?"

No one prodded Sarah. She was still sleeping.

"Stop looking behind you, Sahrah and answer me."

Looking behind? What does he mean? Sarah is asleep. The one looking behind them is... I turned around to the front, the lecturer was looking at me. A sigh escaped my mouth.

"I'm sorry, am I boring you?"

"No, sir, it's just that Sarah is the one sleeping over there. I'm Audrey."

"That still doesn't answer my question."

He would hate it if I got his name wrong, but he would never apologise for messing up mine.

"If I was looking at a modernist text I would look for metaphor, allegory, analogy, irony, and also consider tone."

"Thank you for finally answering."

Sarcastic ass... I thought to myself. I had this lecturer for two classes and I've been here for two weeks now and he still can't get my name right. There are only two westerners in his class. How difficult can it be?

*

"Hey Adam and Audrey," Tom said as he sat down across from us. "How were your holidays?"

"Oh, pretty good," Adam replied. "We went to Magnetic Island for a week which was really fun, wasn't Audrey."

"Yeah, definitely. What about you, Tom? What did you get up to?"

"A whole lot of nothing," Tom replied. "I was so bored. Wish I had another half to hang out with. Or even a friend..."

"If you're ever bored, you can always hang out with either of us, or both of us," Adam said.

"Hey guys!" Tiffany said, sitting down next to me. "Long time no see. How've you been?"

"Pretty good," I replied. "You?"

"Hi everyone," Dr Whiting said when he entered the room. "Good to see some familiar faces... Audrey, Tiffany, Adam... For those of you who don't know me, I'm..."

Adam took his hand off the desk and snuck it under, finding his way to my leg and placing it there. He gave me a gentle squeeze. I turned to look at him. He was smiling at me. I gave him a smile back.

Love birds, Tiffany wrote on a piece of paper that she passed towards me. I poked my tongue at her. She winked.

Those were the times. I had lots of friends then. I had a boyfriend who loved me. My lecturers enjoyed having me in their classes.

*

"Class dismissed," our lecturer said.

Everyone rose from their seats and hurried out. I slowly packed up my things and got to my feet. On the way out I gave Sarah's shoulder a little shake.