Chapter 10
Shannon's P.O.V:
I couldn't believe how fast my first week had gone. Classes had practically flown by and I loved all of them, though my favourite was definitely Ms. Martin's painting class.
I'd spent most of my time with Natalie, though I'd made a couple of other friends, I wasn't as close to them as I was to Natalie.
She reminded me of the friends I'd left in Ireland and although I missed them - a lot - having Natalie around was like having a piece of home with me and I really needed that.
I talked to my friends most days by Facebook and E-mail and I called home every couple of days to check in.
What was keeping me going was the fact that I'd be able to see everyone when I went home at Christmas - I had it marked on my calendar and everything.
Today, to celebrate the fact that it was Friday and the end of our first week, Natalie was taking me out to dinner later tonight to meet the friends I hadn't been able to meet that day after class.
Unsurprisingly, I was nervous.
I chewed my bottom lip as I opened the front door to the apartment, thinking about what I was going to wear - a very big decision.
I had to make a good first impression after all.
As I was brainstorming, I was practically flattened against the doorframe as my charming roommate - note the sarcasm - pushed past me and out the door...in silence I might add.
Nick and I still hadn't talked since our fight on Monday, but there was no way in hell that I was going to apologise first.
Obviously I'd made a mistake but I hadn't known any better and I had apologised, he was the one that had blown everything entirely out of proportion.
Every now and again, I'd feel his gaze on me and when I'd turn around he'd open his mouth as if he was about to say something, he'd then shake his head and go back to whatever he was doing. It was infuriating.
I was still muttering about how typical boys are when I jumped into the shower.
Natalie had told me to dress casually but nice. I decided on skinny jeans, a plain white top with a big black belt around my waist with my much-loved leather jacket over it because it was still chilly outside, especially when it got dark. I did smoky eyes, threw on some chap stick and I was ready to go.
I grabbed my stuff and headed out the door, locking it behind me.
I was nervous as I walked across the campus towards the main gates where I'd agreed to meet Natalie. We were going to walk together to the restaurant where her friends were going to meet us.
As we walked, Nat babbled happily about how nice the restaurant was and how the food was "Delish!" Though to be honest, I wasn't really listening - I was too busy freaking out.
Natalie had been very vague on details but I'd gathered that there was a girl named Emma and two guys - Robbie and Lee.
I could feel my palms beginning to sweat; I'd never been good at meeting new people.
Now don't get me wrong, I wasn't shy at all around my friends but it took me some time to get over the awkwardness of first meeting someone.
I heard Natalie saying; "We're here."
But it sounded sort of far away and was drowned out by the rush of my thumping heartbeat in my ears. She threw a sympathetic smile over her shoulder at me, knowing how nervous I was.
Sadly, it didn't work.
She marched through the doors of the little pizzeria.
I'd previously informed her of how bad I was at meeting new people and had instructed her to make sure that there weren't any awkward silences in the conversation.
She'd just snorted at me but I think she'd gotten the point...hopefully. I grimaced; I couldn't be sure with Natalie.
I blew my fringe out of my eyes before standing up straighter and following Natalie through the doors.
We walked over to a table for five. The others were already there, waiting for us.
Three pairs of eyes turned to stare at me as we got closer.
Emma had fiery red hair, a smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose and big brown eyes. She smiled warmly at me across the table as we sat down.
Natalie quickly introduced us.
Robbie had blonde hair and brown eyes. He seemed like a quiet-type but was really nice. Lee was pretty much the opposite of Robbie, he kept fidgeting as if he couldn't keep still, and he had black hair and grey eyes and was pretty hot. I couldn't tell any of their heights when they were sitting though.
I inwardly rolled my eyes at myself, trust me to be thinking about their looks. It was the personalities behind their faces that mattered- but their faces were pretty nice too! And I wasn't going to complain about that.
I came back to the present to the sound of laughing.
"She does that sometimes...no, all the time actually" Natalie giggled.
I blushed when I realized they were discussing me. "Sorry...I'm Shannon" I smiled weakly.
"We guessed" Lee winked at me.
I just blushed some more before taking off my jacket and hanging it over the back of my chair.
Emma leaned in from her seat beside me. "Don't mind them, they're all crazy" she whispered to me.
I laughed. Robbie threw his napkin at her from across the table; "What are you whispering about over there? I hope you're not giving her the wrong impression of us."
"Oh, because you're giving her the best impression right now!" she retorted.
"Hello! I'm right here" I blurted out.
The others all grinned at me. There was a chorus of "I love your accent". I just rolled my eyes; I was fast becoming sick of that sentence.
We were all silent for a couple of minutes as we studied the menu and chose what we wanted.
After ordering, - I got a pepperoni pizza with extra cheese! - The others asked me questions about myself and I did likewise.
I found out that the four of them had known each other for years - which just made me feel like more of a fifth wheel - and they found out that I was absolutely awful at Irish, though I'd been learning the language for most of my life.
Inevitably, they asked me about my roommate. I sighed inwardly; I couldn't even go a couple of hours without having to think about him. "Oh, we don't really get along, he's an ass."
It might have been my imagination but Lee seemed to perk up at that.
Natalie just rolled her eyes at me. "Shan doesn't like to talk about him...ever! I don't even know the guy's name...I think I'm going to have to break into their apartment just to get a fleeting glimpse of the guy"
She narrowed her eyes at me, "I wonder what it is about him that makes you so secretive. Are you hiding something?"
I just laughed and reassured her that I wasn't hiding anything and B&E would not be necessary.
She seemed placated...for now.
I also learned that Robbie and Emma were together and had been for years.
That made me smile because from the little I'd seen they were perfect for each other, and they were also lucky enough to be roommates.
Lee's roommate, I was told was a second year named Mark. I briefly wondered if it was Nick's friend Mark, but I didn't have time to dwell on it before the conversation moved on.
I haven't laughed so much in a long time.
I got on really well with all three of them and I found out that at least one of them was in all my classes.
Such a simple thing as having friends made me feel so much better about the year ahead. After all only the first week had passed, and there was still a lot to come.
As we were leaving, a lot fuller than when we'd arrived; we all exchanged phone numbers and agreed to meet up tomorrow. I really needed to start job hunting. I mean my food definitely wouldn't pay for itself and nor would my art supplies.
I was mentally drooling over all the lovely images of food my brain could come up with - which was ridiculous since I'd just eaten...a lot - as we were saying goodbye.
I shook my head to get rid of the tempting images so that I could focus on the conversation.
I said goodbye to Emma, Robbie and Lee - Nat was walking with me - and I got a hug from each of them (plus a kiss on the cheek from Lee) and then we left.
We walked in silence for a couple of minutes, but I could tell Nat was about to burst with excitement so I sighed and gestured to her in a 'go ahead' sign that she could begin bombarding me. And bombard me she did, with questions, answers for a lot of her questions and her general thoughts on how the night had gone.
Her questions came almost too fast to understand, linking together until it was one long sentence.
"So what did you think?
Did you like them?
Aren't Robbie and Emma cute together?
Did you like the restaurant?
Didn't I tell you the food was delish?
What did you think of Lee?
Was it just me or did he seem to like you a lot?'
Do you think you'll come out with us again?
Aren't we all amazingly crazy?
Don't you agree that the crazier or weirder you are the more interesting you are?
Am I getting side-tracked?" She had to stop to take a breath
"Whoa, slow down" I paused, "Let me see if I can answer all your questions."
I took a minute to try and remember all her questions, let alone come up with answers. I could feel her getting impatient.
"I loved it,
I liked them,
Yes they're cute,
Yes I did,
Yes you did,
He seems nice,
Yes it was just you
Yes, definitely if you want me to
Yes you are. Emphasis on the crazy
Yes, way more interesting
And yes you most definitely are" I grinned at her, "Did I get everything?"
She just looked confused. "Umm I think so? To be honest I forgot half of the questions I asked you...you have a good memory"
I laughed, "I have a friend back home who's like that. I learned pretty quickly to memorise exactly what she asked and said."
We both laughed.
"But seriously, I think Lee likes you" she said seriously.
"Doubt it."
"Believe me."
"Prove it."
"Well when the two of you went to the bathroom, the three of us were talking and we agreed that we think he likes you and that the two of you would be really cute together."
I just stared at the triumphant grin on her face, they barely knew me but they were already trying to set me up with someone? Typical meddling friend behaviour if you ask me. I loved it. The fact that they were showing an interest proved that they cared.
"Wow you guys work fast don't you?" was all I could think to say
"Soo...what do you think.....would you?"
It was almost a semi-serious comment until Nat waggled her eyebrows at me suggestively. We both broke into fits of laughter. It was typical Natalie to turn the conversation like that.
When I could breathe again, I answered her question; "I don't know. He's really nice and he's cute but I think it's a bit soon. I don't really know him, I mean I've only met the guy once, but I like what I've seen so far so maybe, in the future, you know?"
She nodded to show she understood. "Okay, but I still think you'd be great together."
"Fair enough."
We walked in silence for a minute or two until we got to a fork in the path. We stopped to say our goodbyes, I was going left to my apartment and she was going right to hers.
We hugged goodbye and she promised to call early in the morning so we could make plans to meet up and go job hunting.
We quickly went our separate ways as it was getting colder by the minute. I checked my watch; it said it was 11 o'clock.
When had it gotten so late? We'd gone out for an early dinner. We must have spent more time talking than I'd thought.
Well you know what they say, I thought; time flies when you're having fun. A small smile grew on my face as flashes of the night went through my mind.
I was the happiest I'd been all week...well that wasn't saying much considering the week I'd had...or at least parts of it had been pretty crappy; all the parts involving a certain irritating, handsome, gorgeous, hot....wow side-track much, I thought.
Bottom line was that he was annoying and put me in a bad mood.
I quickened my pace only just realising how dark and silent it was around me without Natalie chattering away in my ear. I shivered half from the cold and half from the memories of every horror movie I'd ever watched that were suddenly going through my brain.
I normally loved the dark, when I was tucked up in my bed trying to sleep, but not at 11 o'clock at night when I was walking home by myself. Especially when every rustle of a leaf, a branch, the flapping of wings or the movement of some small animal in the undergrowth, caused me to tense making me think that something was going to jump out at me.
I hurried down the path and soon arrived at lucky apartment number 13. I smiled to myself as I opened the door, most people would think that it was a bad omen being in room number 13, especially considering all the fights I'd already had with my roommate, but I'd always been a positive person and at the moment nothing could put me in a bad mood.
Or so I thought. My smile quickly fell as I saw Nick turning around on the couch to face me.
I shut the door behind me and stood there awkwardly, not quite sure what to do. This was the first time we'd been in the same room as eachother for longer than ten seconds all week.
Should I go to my room?
Should I wait to see if he would talk to me?
Or should I try to start a conversation myself?
All these thoughts rushed through my head as we watched each other from across the room.
He gave me a quick appraisal before meeting my eyes; "We need to talk."
His smooth voice washed over me, causing an instant reaction in my body. Ignoring my traitorous body, I sighed.
What had I done now?
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Ok this is Chapter 10...obviously
I am now officially into double digits!
Anyway hope you like it
Sorry i wont be uploading for like 3 weeks...
But i hope the two chapters i just uploaded will - maybe? - keep you going?
Please vote and comment and fan if you like it? thanks
Kaz xoxo