I'm Normally Perfect (re-upload)

Chapter Twenty

The first day of Michaelmas, Alex and I were up round the same time, it was rather cosy sitting down to breakfast with her. As she spread plum jam on a crumpet she asked, 'Are you nervous over your first day back?'

'Not particularly. I have to meet with Professor Burrows first thing, though. Joy illimited.'

The corners of her mouth curled, 'Try not to get too very excited, you'll break a sweat.'

I sighed, 'I'll try.'

She dabbed the corners of her mouth, 'Are you coming over for tea this afternoon?'

I hadn't thought about it. 'If that'd be all right.'

'I'll wave to you if I have a meeting. You'll be in your usual spot in the library?'

'Of course.'

She parked in her college's car park and before we went our separate ways she wished me a good first day back and we exchanged cheek kisses. When I arrived at my advisor's office he did his usual thing of not looking at me as I knocked on the open door.

Studying the papers on his desk he said, 'Please enter and have a seat, Miss Perfect.' I did so and after several moments he swivelled to face me. An expression of shock passed across his face (it was more of a blink of surprise) before he said coldly, 'You've matured.'

'That's what they tell me.'

He paused before saying, 'Quite,' as though maturing was a suspicious thing for a teenager to do. He regarded me silently in his hard way, but I didn't look away, as I would have done a year before. Eventually, he folded his hands in his lap, 'And your break was restful, I trust?' One eyebrow raised at the end of the question as though he hoped it hadn't been.

'Yes, thank you. Yours?' I couldn't imagine he went on holiday.

'It was satisfactory, thank you.' He stared at me again, it was becoming funny to me the way he did that and I hoped I wouldn't start laughing, as I was certain he wouldn't find it amusing in the least. 'Are you quite settled at Alexandra's?'

'Yes, thank you. We're getting on quite well.' I smiled and the muscles in his jaw flexed.

'Yes, she's rather surpassed herself, this time, I'll say.'

I stopped smiling, 'In what way exactly?'

He grinned, pleased to inform me of something, sending his wrinkles in all directions. 'Oh, didn't you know? A few rules were bent on your behalf, thanks to your friend. I say, "bent", but the correct phrase would perhaps be "disregarded entirely".'

I shook my head a little and kept my tone unworried, 'I'm sorry, but I don't know what you're talking about.'

'Undergraduate students are supposed to have accommodation within six miles of Carfax Tower.' His eyebrows raised, 'Are you aware of the distance between Professor Pristin's house and Carfax?' I shook my head; I knew it was more than six miles, though. 'Seven point five miles!'

'Wow.' The English and Americans reckoned distances a bit differently. A mile and a half didn't seem that far to me.

'"Wow" is a bit of an understatement, don't you think, Miss Perfect?' I didn't know what to say that wouldn't further tick him off so I waited for him to continue. 'She went to the Vice-Chancellor to have it approved!'

I couldn't see what the problem was, she didn't break the rule, she merely had it overridden. Something occurred to me, 'But aren't students the responsibility of their separate colleges? So, where I live would be more the concern of...oh...you.' Now it made sense—she had to go to Vice-Chancellor Davies when Professor Burrows wouldn't give permission, no wonder he was so miffed. I couldn't stop myself smiling at the realisation.