Just as I tuck myself into bed later that night, my phone finally rings and a picture of Harry sticking his tongue out flashes on the screen. I prolong answering it just so I can look at the picture a little longer, but finally cave and answer.
“Finallly.” I answer, butterflies in my stomach as I wait to hear his voice.
It’s been like three hours, what is wrong with me?
“What do you mean finally, I made really good time on the road, I just got home.”
“I know but it still feels like forever, loser.” I add the loser so I don’t sound completely pathetic.
“Oh Miss Jones I think you’re a little obsessed with me.” He chuckles.
“I wish it was only a little.” I respond quickly.
“You don’t do things half-heartedly though, so you kind of couldn’t help it, you just dove right in.” He laughs to himself, at me.
“True.”
“Excited for your first class?” He asks, trying to sound excited for me.
“Nope. I honestly can’t remember why I’m here.” I’m such a buzzkill tonight, I just feel off. There’s a horrible feeling in my stomach, and without sounding pathetic, it honestly feels like something is missing from me and I know that it’s Harry.
“I’m sure you’ll remember once you go to some classes.” He is so good at being the supportive boyfriend.
“Yeah but I think this was really stupid timing, like for us. We’re still in the honeymoon period so to speak and when things start to get hard we’re not going to be together together and I’m scared.”
“Lola, stop thinking like that.” He says sternly and I huff, rolling over onto my back and staring at the ceiling.
“It’s impossible not to. I already miss you so much, I want to cry.”
“Please don’t cry.” He says quietly.
“I won’t but do you see how shitty this is? I just want to come to London and sleep next to you.”
“Do you want me to come back?” He offers.
“No, don’t be ridiculous.” I’m so pathetic.
“I thought you’d be accustomed to missing me by now.”
“Not really. When we were friends it wasn’t nearly this bad. I missed my friend Harry, not my boyfriend Harry.”
“And what’s the difference?” He asks, I swear I can almost hear him smiling, if that was even possible.
“Well I think the main differences are I’m in love with boyfriend Harry and boyfriend Harry and I have sex.”
“Ah yes, two very important differences.” He chuckles again.
“It’s only till next weekend, and it’ll get easier.” I tell myself more than anything.
“Yeah, you’ll be fine babe. If it makes you feel better I miss you too, and I was very tempted to turn back like every 500 metres on the way home.”
“I wish you had.”
“I wish I didn’t have work stuff tomorrow.”
“I wish you were here.”
“I wish you weren’t away at uni.”
“I wish I didn’t have to wish for this stuff and that it was just true.” I frown, letting out a deep sigh.
“I know babe. Are you tired?”
“Not really. Are you?”
“Nope.”
“Stay up and talk to me?”
“Of course.”
…
Harry: Have a good first day, love xxx
Me: Thanks bb I’ll call you after my lecture xxx
My first lecture was relatively boring. The lecturer spent the first half an hour talking about the basic layout of the subject and assessment, and I was basically asleep from that. I’m exhausted, due to lack of sleep. I had fallen asleep while on the phone to Harry, but when I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of Alice clambering into the room, I couldn’t get back to sleep, instead I just stared at my phone, which was still connected to the phone call to Harry because he must’ve fallen asleep on the phone too, and I could just hear the sound of him snoring. I eventually made myself hang up, because the sound of him snoring just made me wish I was in the same bed with him more, and was not conducive to a good night’s sleep.
When I get back to my room after my lecture, Alice is sitting at her desk flicking through a law textbook. I do not miss those days at all.
“Hey, how was your lecture?” She smiles at me.
“It was fine.” I say, dumping my books onto my desk and pulling my hair out of a pony tail.
“Do you have anything else today?”
“Nope.”
“Oh that’s lucky. I have three lectures in a row.” She frowns, pushing her hair out of her face. “I’ve heard the lecturer for first year Criminal law is really hot, so I’m kind of excited for that.” She giggles, and I stare at her, my eyes widening as I realise who she reminds me of.
Fleur.
The cheek bones, the thin lips, the annoying as fuck giggle.
“Hm well I wouldn’t get too attached, sleeping with professors is against campus rules.” I glare at her but she’s not looking at me. God, out of all the people on campus that I could’ve been put in a dorm with, I get put with my boyfriend’s ex-fiancé’s look-a-like. Ugh. No wonder I dislike her so much, I knew it had to be more than just the fact that she loves one direction.
…
Harry: 2 days till I see you, make sure you have some fun, okay?
Me: I willll. How’s London?
Harry: good, I’m having lunch with Gemma today.
Me: I wanna come : ( I miss her and you way too much.
Harry: soon, she’ll be at Niall’s.
Me: Yay! Have a good day. Talk tonight xx
I’d been relatively ignoring Alice, and our schedules were pretty conflicting so we were rarely in the room at the same time, which made it easier. I will eventually have to engage in conversation with her but I’m just not in the mood to be nice yet.
My lectures have so far been ridiculously boring, and I have already read all the course materials for two of my subjects because I’m too scared to make friends here.
…
The second I leave my lecture Friday morning I call Harry, knowing he’ll be getting ready to leave London to come pick me up. I could train back, but he offered and it means I’ll get to see him sooner so I took him up on his offer. I’ll have to bring my car back with me on Sunday night when I drive back.
“Hey.” He answers, the mere sound of his voice making me smile.
“Hello!” I grin, walking down across campus back to my dorm.
“Hey beautiful, you’re chirpy today.” He chuckles.
“Because I get to see you!”
“Aw, I’m excited too.”
“I can’t wait, I’m literally shaking. When are you leaving?”
“uh---“ He stammers. “Soon, really soon.”
“Good! Speed if you have to, I just want to see you!”
He laughs, “Okay Lol, I will be there as soon as possible!”
“Good, what’s the weather like in London by the way, I still have some of my stuff at yours so I’m thinking I will find an outfit for Niall’s party tomorrow night there, or I might drag you shopping with me tomorrow and find something new.”
“Yeah, sounds good. What do you want to do tonight?”
“What do you think?” I raise my eyebrows, before realizing he can’t see me.
“I like the way you think Miss Jones. Anyway, I will see you very very soon. I love you.”
“I love you too, drive safe please.”
“Bye babe.” He hangs up and I shove my phone into my bag as I turn the corner to the hallway my dorm is on. I look up from my bag to see someone standing outside my door, my first instinct is that it’s Harry, or a friend of Alice’s but as I approach I see the familiar scruffy blonde wearing light wash jeans and a dark flannel.
“Niall!’ I yell excitedly, running down the hall to engulf him in a hug.
“Lol!” He laughs, squeezing me tightly.
“What are you doing here?!”
“I’ve come to pick you up and take you back to London.” He says, dangling his keys in his hand as I unlock my dorm room.
“But Harry is coming?” I question.
“Yeah he isn’t actually, I offered and he said fine.”
“He’s such a liar! I was literally just talking to him and he said he was about to leave!” I laugh, gathering up my things for the weekend as Niall looks around the small dorm room, laughing at the cut out.
“So….where’s your roommate?” He asks, staring at her stuff.
“I don’t know where she is, I never know where Alice is, why?”
“Oh…no reason.” He smiles innocently.
“What is it?” I push his chest and he laughs.
“I heard she was hot so I came to suss it out.”
“Niall!” I scold, pushing him again and he laughs. “You could have any girl in the world, why do you act like a desperate, horny teenger? And besides, who told you she was hot?”
“Harry obviously.” He shrugs.
“He thinks she’s hot?” I don’t know if it’s anger or jealousy I feel but that boy is in trouble.
“Yeah, isn’t she?”
“Well, yeah but…” The fact that he made a point of telling his friends my roommate was hot is so fucking infuriating when she’s the spitting image of his ex-fiancé. Of course he finds her attractive, he was ready to marry her doppelgänger.
“What’s wrong?” Niall looks at me, anger is clearly written on my face. The door opens and Niall turns around to see Alice walking through.
He turns back to me, his lips forming an O shape and he mouths ‘Fleur!’ God I’m glad I’m not the only one who sees it.
Alice is stunned, stepping in front of her cut out as if to hide it, but Niall obviously would’ve seen it the second he walked in the room.
“Hi-i-i-i.” She stutters, holding her hand out.
Niall chuckles, “Hi, you must be Alice. I’ve heard heaps about you.” He pulls her into a hug and I can basically see the moment where her knees go weak. He does tend to have that affect on people.
I pick up my bag from the bed and head towards the door, beckoning Niall to follow me once he’s done dealing with the blonde girl fawning over him.
“You are the best roommate ever Lola!” Alice heaves, her face is bright red. Settle down, it’s just Niall.
“Yeah, whatever. I’ll be back Sunday. Let’s go Niall.” I huff, pulling the door open and walking out into the hall, Niall following after me after a few seconds.
“She seems nice.” He grins and I glare at him. “She looks so much like Fleur though, hey?” He laughs.
“Ya think? I hate her.”
“Oh come on, at least she’s not French, then it really would be funny.”
“It’s not funny at all.” I kick a stone in the gravel as we walk towards Niall’s car.
My phone beeps in my bag and I fish it out, god I’m in a rotten mood now.
Harry: I assume Niall’s there now, can’t wait to see you xxx
Me: I think I’ll just stay at Gab’s tonight, I’ll see you tomorrow x