Between The Covers

chapter 2

"Breakdance Soc, Hackey Sack Soc… Pole Dancing Soc?" I murmur incredulously as I scan the Fresher's Fair booklet, searching for the location of the Dance Society stall.

"Pole dancing, huh?" murmurs a smooth, masculine tone from over my shoulder. "I'd pay to see you doing that."

I jump, clutching the booklet to my chest, as I whirl round to face the intruder.

"Shit, don't do that!" I exclaim, freezing as my eyes meet his.

It's Cocky Guy.

My heart suddenly begins to pound in my chest as I take in his appearance. His hands are shoved in his jeans pockets, jeans that fit just right I might add, and he's wearing a short-sleeved, green-and-white-striped uni rugby shirt, collar turned up slightly for the full effect. His dark hair is mussed and a little too long, curling at the nape of his neck, and his golden eyes twinkle with amusement, as he looks me up and down, a smirk tugging at his full lips.

"Sorry," he shrugs, looking anything but, "couldn't help it."

I don't say anything, not really knowing what to say, but just watch him curiously as I wonder why exactly he's here.

A moment later, the smirk becomes a grin as he extracts his hand from his pocket and holds it out to me, "Finn."

I glance down at his hand and raise an eyebrow. I don't make a move to shake it. Why should I? Just a couple of days ago, this guy was trying to get me into bed and now he wants to act all civil and polite? I don't think so.

"Okay…" he clears his throat and returns the hand to his pocket. There's another silence, this one more awkward and I let my eyes travel around the crowded hall, in the hopes of spotting the Dance Soc stall.

"You a Fresher?" he asks then, the annoying smirk returning.

"What?" I turn my attention back to him for a second. "Oh, yeah, I am," I reply distractedly, wishing that he would just stop talking and let me get on with signing up for societies.

"Finn!" a female voice shouts from a few stalls away, saving me from any further questioning.

A tall, slim girl with straightened blonde hair and way too much fake tan approaches us and grabs his arm.

"Come on," she tells him, her tone scolding, "You're supposed to be helping, not flirting with random Freshers." Her gaze flits to me as she speaks and I shift uncomfortably.

He turns away from me to speak the girl and I hastily make a quick exit, losing myself in the mass of people crammed into the hall before he notices that I've gone.

After another ten minutes of searching, I finally find the Dance Society stall. I smile politely as a couple of the committee members enthusiastically tell me all about the wide range of dance classes the society offers, the cheerleading squad they put together each year for the rugby matches, the annual RAG Fashion Show that is put on in March and the amazing drinking socials they organise every few weeks. They really needn't have bothered hyping up the society so much though; I was going to join anyway.

I roll my eyes as I leave the stall and make my way down to the lower hall where I'm supposed to be meeting the others by the Cocktail and Beer Society tables. On the way, I walk through a room housing all the public speaking and communications societies and on a whim, I sign up for the Debating Soc. I've never been a big fan of public speaking, but from what I've heard, it's a good skill to possess, so why not start with a good debate or two?