Stargirl of the Edge

Ch 55 - Nervous Breakdown

The Olympics have started and Olivia quickly becomes spellbound by them. She almost forgets about her visit to Manchester to meet her tutor Alan (inspired by Alan Turing) and her mum's artist lecturer friend Georgina.

Alan walked out through the left hand doors that led into the Museum and just after he had gone, Georgina rushed into the cafe via the front entrance and walked over to Olivia, out of breath.

“Sorry I’m late! Hi, I’m Georgina!”

Olivia stood up and held out her hand.

Georgina was quite tall and thin with spiky hair that was died blonde at the sides. She wore brash colours of blue, cream and red.  Her skin was pale white and her eyes sparkled like small pale blue jewels.

Although they had never met before, she seemed to know a lot about Olivia. Of course, Liz had told her everything and had previously taken her the sample of drawings and paintings from Olivia’s portfolio.

After a chat over tea and a second hot chocolate for Olivia, they walked the short distance to the campus of the other university, Manchester Metropolitan University, and into the Art building. 

Georgina showed her round waving both her hands enthusiastically. They walked past all the studios and facilities for students at the Art School. This was where Olivia would work, if she decided to come here.

There were a few other members of staff. She introduced Olivia to one of the lecturers,s a tall slim guy with straight hair and a beard. He seemed quite pleasant and enthusiastic. 

Georgina took Olivia back to her office and made her a cup of tea. She sat down and then reached into her drawer and gave her a letter.

“What’s this?” said Olivia.

“It’s a letter!” said Georgina. She looked at Olivia with her keen, sharp eyes. She had a tendency to place her hand on her face, partially covering it. She too seemed quite a ‘live wire’, and ‘highly strung’ and all the other expressions to describe people like them.

“It’s just to say that if you ever want to come and study here, you are most welcome to apply. You don’t have to get an A in Art but I’m sure you will. Your work is fabulous, Olivia, amazing! In fact, I’ve never seen anything quite like it. It’s so varied, but it has this quality to it, it’s kind of… luminous, it shines! We would really like you to study here.”

Olivia looked at the letter and then put her hand to her head as if the offer was making things even more difficult.

“This is great, I’m really grateful for the offer. But… I’m thinking I might study Science.”

Georgina was horrified.

“What? Oh yes, I remember now, Liz told me. Livvy you can’t do that! No, you must study Art! You’re too good not to!”

Olivia said she would have to think about it. Georgina said that at the end of the day, it was her decision.

They stood up and Georgina smiled at Olivia with that intense smile, those pale, sparkling blue eyes of hers were really unusual. As Georgina had to cycle home to walk her dog, she left Olivia to make her own way back to the bus stop at the far side of the university.

On the long and meandering bus journey home, she had plenty to think about. But she was no closer to deciding what she was going to do, if she achieved the grades. She could put things on hold and take a year off and after that, if her dad still hadn’t been released, maybe she would decide not to go to university at all.

Liz was waiting in the jeep near the bus stop and took her straight back home. As soon stepped inside the door, she hopped onto the couch, pulled over the blanket and Jessie joined her. She watched the Olympic Games for the rest of the evening, replaying on her computer the highlights she had missed.