Duplicitous (F.C)

Christmas Party

Oliver's point of view

        Throughout the night I watch as Felix's longtime friends become acquainted with his new friend. Felix and Calliope progressively grow closer the more shots that they take. I couldn't help but envy the 5'5 American girl. She fit in with the elite so effortlessly and fell into Felix like they were made for each other. My jealousy tuned out any of the the ignorant gossip that Michael was spewing from his mouth. It was gossip that he'd never be a part of in his Oxford career.

        When Felix looked at her, it was all he could see. If it wasn't for her my plan would've worked, and that would be me at Felix's side. Today is another day, and I had hoped to get a chance to speak with someone outside of Michael, even if it was a passive conversation with Farleigh. As I get dressed for the morning, I look out my window to see the hundreds of students in the courtyard. Calliope is walking with Felix while he holds both of their bags. Her clothes are the same as the night before, but the jumper she has on is new. The jumper barely clings onto the girl, which means that it probably came from Felix's closet.

        As I walk out to the courtyard, no one notices my presence. Well, no one besides Michael. The lad was like a bad case of head lice. Once you contracted them, it's a pain in the arse to rid of them. He also didn't help my reputation at the university. All he did was hyper-fixate on maths and gossip about every Tom, Dick, and Harry he had set his eyes on. "So, I was thinking during lunch maybe you and I could check out the library?"

       Michael adjusts his backpack to ease his nervousness. "Erm... sounds like a plan." Although I've expressed my distaste for Michael, I needed to have some sort of social interaction until I had made my way in.  I couldn't be the scholarship kid with second-hand clothes and not have any acquaintances. "Did you see the video of Emily Clarke last night?" I shake my head. "Well, apparently..."

        My mind goes completely blank when I see Calliope walking between Farleigh and Felix. She holds a red, white, and green invitation in her hand, Felix's hand occupying the other one. The trio laugh amongst themselves as if they've been friends for decades. "Mate, are you okay?" Michael walks in front of me, blocking my view. "Would you rather be somewhere else?" He motions over to the trio. "I just don't get what's so special about them."

        I think more to myself than trying to engage in the conversation with Michael. "Money... lots of it." He scoffs at the affluent trio. "Her right of passage was complete when she bought the whole table a round; brownie points for sleeping with him on the first night." He wanted someone easy, someone that he could mold into who his parents wanted him to be with. Could I be so naive to think that I could be the same? "Sounds like what the Americans would call... "easy"." Michael laughs at my comment.

~~~~~~

        After my second class, I head to the library to meet with Michael. A small smile falls onto my face when I hear Felix's laugh through the corridors. It quickly fades when I notice why he's laughing. The trio had no intent on studying from the looks of it. Farleigh sitting across from the unconfirmed couple. His belongings sprawled out on the empty chair as he told a story from their childhood in an attempt to embarrass Felix.

        Calliope hangs onto every word as she rests her legs on Felix's lap. She has a psychology book in her lap, that is only turned to the table of context. Felix buries his face into his notepad to hide the fact that he's almost as red as a cherry tomato. "His dad, my uncle had to wrestle this 8-foot snake through the garden." Calliope chuckles at the newfound information. "I don't quite remember it that way." Felix tries to vouch for himself. "Name another reason why you're deathly afraid of snakes." Farleigh crosses his arms awaiting his answer.