Affinity (RDJ)

Chapter 7 - Friends

Monday rolls around as quickly as the last. After a weekend of hospital visits and reading, you feel re-energised. You're still not sleeping, but you feel more awake than you have done in a long time.

Rex hasn't mentioned the hospital again and you don't want to push it, but you hope he'll come round in due time.

The morning passes as it usually does: classes, homework and lunch in the cafeteria. You've still been trying to eat a little more and manage a chicken mayo baguette today.

You're just finishing up and closing the textbook you've been reading when you hear a voice coming from behind you.

'Hey, is this seat taken?'

You turn around to reply, only to see your brother standing in front of you grinning, holding a lunch tray full of food.

'What in the damn hell are you doing here?' you hiss, puzzled by the presence of your brother in your college cafeteria.

'Man's gotta eat, Remy,' he teases as he takes the seat opposite you. You raise your eyebrows, waiting for an explanation. 'That job interview I had the other day? Yeah that was for a student union rep. Here. At your college.' He grins, enjoying your horrified face. 'And I got the job. Just in case you didn't notice.'

He takes a huge bite of his sandwich, still grinning a cheesy grin as your mouth drops open slightly. 'You're bullshitting me.' He shakes his head, his mouth too full to speak.

He swallows. 'Nope, not bullshitting. I start next week. Can you believe it? Me, a college rep.' You stare at him for a second and then burst out laughing, causing him to frown. 'What's so funny?'

'Rex, you didn't go to college. Isn't that the standard entry ticket into being a student rep?'

He shrugs. 'Maybe, but I'm here now, aren't I? I can do this.'

You shake your head, still smiling in wonder at your brother's confidence. 'Well, congrats Rex. I'm glad you've found something,' you say honestly, still in disbelief that he's sitting here with you. 'What are you doing here anyway if you don't start til next week?'

'I thought I'd surprise you and come visit. Plus I wanted to see this place, make sure it was good enough for my baby sister.'

You roll your eyes. 'Baby?'

'Hey - if it's good enough for my baby sister it's good enough for me,' he jokes, one eyebrow raised and a smirk on his face.

You chuckle at him, shaking your head. 'Well you'll have to find your own way around, I have a class to get to,' you tell him, packing up your bag and slinging it over your shoulder.

'Class? What class? It's lunchtime!' he exclaims.

You look up at the clock on the wall. Shit, you're late. 'Gotta run!' you call to him as you dash off to class.

You make it to the door of room 201 seven minutes late. You dread going in and the inevitable staring that is bound to take place as you slink to your seat. Sighing, you open the door as quietly as you can. Robert has already started and he glances at you as you sneak in. You flash him an apologetic smile and slide into the seat closest to the door so as to not make any more of a scene. You take out your notebook and pen, ready to take notes, although you spend the first few minutes admiring his freshly cut hair and grown-out stubble.

Mondays are normally pop quiz days but it doesn't seem that way today. You tune in to what he's saying, and start to feel anxious when you hear him talking about a group project.

'...and this group will consist of three people. I'll assign them to you at the end of class. Now, can anyone tell me the steps involved in making a hypothesis?'