Getting Under Nathan

2: "I've never had a one night stand before."

Taking out my hand from under the covers, he laid it to rest on the mattress in the space between us.

"Never take this ring off," he said quietly, twisting it around my finger.

"I won't," I replied just as quietly. "It's my little piece of you to take with me wherever I go."

"We'll be fine, Bella. People who are meant to be together always find a way to work through the harder patches."

I leant to his mouth, trying to transfer all of my feelings into that kiss. I must have done well because despite our earlier session, that kiss still wasn't enough as we progressed into round two.

Back in the present day, my heart burned for Nathan. It wasn't even like we were doing long distance; we were both in the same city. But when you're used to seeing the same person every single day, it hits pretty hard when you realise just how little you'll be seeing them from now on.

"Here you go," Shaun said, handing me my drink. "Now let's find our way out of this crowd."

I did begin to relax when I had some more alcohol in my system but I think everyone agreed that the Welcome Party left a lot to be desired. The main dance floor was so packed that we could barely move and the heat was stifling. At one point, I had to step outside the room to cool down and get some fresh air.

"You alright there?"

I looked up to my right to see a tall guy standing there looking down at me with a slight smile on his face.

I forced a smile back, knowing I needed to be friendly if I wanted to make friends here. "Yeah. Just needed some fresh air."

"Don't blame ya. It's like a sauna in there. I'm Mike by the way."

I shook his hand. "Izzy."

"So is that short for Isobel or Isabella?"

"Isobel."

"So, what are you studying, Isobel?"

"Spanish," I replied. "What about you?"       

"Maths. I have the utmost respect for people who learn languages. I could never do it."

I smiled politely. Maybe making friends would be easier than I first thought. 

"Well, I'm not that great at sums, so I guess we're even."

He grinned. "How are your new flatmates?"

"They're nice I think. I don't know. We've not known each other long. Obviously." 

Urgh. Stupid thing to say.

He just smiled at me though. "Yeah. I know what you mean. You don't start truly getting to know people until a few weeks, or even months, in."

"Yeah you're right."

I spotted Phil just across the courtyard talking to a girl I didn't recognise. Just as I was about to point him out, my new friend put his hand on my arm.

"Wanna head back inside?"

I accepted since it was a given that I'd lost everyone now apart from Phil. I didn't want to end up completely alone.

However, once back inside the club, something changed with Mike. At first I didn't mind his hand on my waist because it meant that I wouldn't lose him as we wound our way through the crowds of people. But it seemed that Mike had an ulterior motive. Once we'd found a space to dance, both of his hands found their way to my waist as he pulled me closer against his body. I awkwardly removed his hands, feeling guilty that I'd seemingly led him on. As I went to lean up to his ear to tell him I had a boyfriend, Mike twisted his face to plant his lips on mine. I leant back, horrified, and put my hands on his chest to push him away. He gave me a strange look, almost questioning.

"I have a boyfriend!" I shouted over the music.

But he still tried to pull me closer. I'd lost my patience by this point. I hadn't led him on at all. I was just being as friendly as anyone would be and he was the one who'd stepped over the line. Maybe it was normal for people to do that in clubs, but it wasn't normal for me, and it wasn't normal for a university welcome party where everyone was talking to everyone.

Turning on my heel, I blindly walked back through the crowds, hoping to bump into one of my flatmates in the same place I'd left them. Mike, however, was a persistent bastard.

"Why are you running away?" he asked me, pulling me back.

Once again, I pushed him away from me, and since we were in a more crowded place, other people became aware of what was going on. Another guy stepped in the middle of us and squared up to Mike. That was almost gentlemanly of him. I jumped when I felt a hand on my shoulder but breathed a sigh of relief when I saw it was Shaun with my other flatmates.

"You alright, Izzy?" Jack asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, just some weird guy who wouldn't take no for an answer."

"Well we're heading back anyway," Shaun said. "There's no point hanging around here."

"Yeah, we're just gonna drink at the flat," Hayley said.

As we caught a taxi back, Hayley chatted to me about my experience. "Boys can be such dicks," she said. "And I find it hard to believe that you led him on."

"Exactly," I murmured. "I was just being friendly. That was the whole point of this welcome party."

"Just some prick trying to get laid on his first night here," Jack said from the front of the taxi.

"He just wouldn't take no for an answer."

Having witnessed our conversation in the taxi, Phil later insisted he wasn't one of those guys, but that was mainly because he'd invited back the girl he'd met and didn't want us judging him for it.

"I've never had a one-night stand before," he said.

"Relax," Gemma said. "There's a difference between a consensual one-night stand and hassling a girl who isn't interested."

"So when's she getting here?" Jack asked with a grin. "Do we get to meet her and assess whether she's worthy for a first-night-lay?"

"I'd rather you didn't..." Phil said.

And maybe Jack's suggestion had scared Phil a bit, because when the girl arrived, he met her outside the block and then took her straight into his room.

Shortly afterwards I excused myself to go to bed. But as I got under the covers, I could hear Phil next door. The girl's laughter carried through the thin walls, later followed by her moans and the thump of the headboard banging against the wall. I sighed to myself and buried my head under the pillow trying to block out the noise of my new flatmate having sex. Was this what university was going to be like? I hoped not.

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