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Chapter 9: It's Simple and It Goes Like This

Nick's time at university comes to an end

Nick graduates tomorrow.

He can't quite get his head around it; three years of university are about to come to a glorious, bittersweet end. As of noon tomorrow, he'll no longer be a student at the University of Leeds, but a graduate.

The last two years have flown by in the most incredible, insane blur. It feels like only yesterday he was opening his computer with shaky fingers to see if he'd received his acceptance email from UCAS, and now it's all coming to an end. Three years of partying, studying, late nights, early mornings, over-indulging in caffeine, laughing until his ribs hurt, sobbing until he physically had no more tears left to cry; all over.

He couldn't have written a more wonderful university experience for himself if he'd tried, and he's so grateful for it. He found friends that he knows he'll have for life, people like Pete and Manrika and the rest of his flat that he can't picture being without anymore.

The idea that they won't all be in the same house anymore is quite honestly gut-wrenching, but he always knew it would have to end someday. It just feels like way too soon, like his third year ending snuck up on him in a way he never expected it to. What he wouldn't give for just one more night with just his housemates, drinking Lambrini from the bottle and laughing at the same stupid stories they've laughed at countless times in Truth or Dare, watching Shrek and eating shitty Chinese takeaway and mercilessly teasing Manrika and Harry for becoming the new him and Charlie.

And now they're all leaving. Nick's the only one of the six remaining up in Leeds, while the rest of them move to pastures new, either back home or to a new job.

Claire's heading back home to work for her parents' jewellery business. Holly's got a publishing job in Liverpool and Ben's found a marketing job in Birmingham. Even Pete was moving to Preston to settle down with his girlfriend, which makes sense for them, but it's still making Nick sad just thinking about it.
Harry's found a grad scheme to join up in Manchester, working for some big finance company like they all knew he would. Manrika is following him up there, because they all knew she would, and even though she's only working in Waterstones for now as she figures out whether she wants to do a Masters or not, Nick couldn't be prouder of her.

Those two moving away is definitely one of the things that has hit Nick the hardest about uni coming to an end. Losing Manrika, the best friend he's probably ever had outside of Charlie, and not having her at arm's length is going to be hard, and he spends a lot of time in her bed crying about it with her in the final days leading up to their actual graduation ceremony.

"What am I supposed to do without you?" he'd wept, because for whatever reason, he's more emotional than he's ever been in his life.

He's been crying on and off like a bloody tap for the past few days, fresh tears pouring down his face every time he remembers something else that's now coming to an end.

"I don't know," Manrika had replied, running her perfect nails under his chin. It makes a shiver run up his spine and he bats her away, tucking her duvet up under his chin. "I'd be lost if I was losing me too."
"You're mean," Nick grunts, then he sighs. "You think I'm being dramatic, don't you?"
"Meh, a little bit," Manrika says, then she kisses his cheek. "Look, darling, I don't want this to be over anymore than you do. I've loved uni so much."
Fresh tears threaten to spill over. "Then how are you not crying about this?"
Manrika giggles and shuffles forward to wipe Nick's tears with the corner of the duvet. "Jesus Christ. Because I know that you're not dying or anything, that's why."

Nick sighs and lets her fawn over him for a little while, until Harry lets himself in and the three snuggle up in bed watching stupid YouTube videos until they fall asleep with Nick in the centre of the bed, tucked between his two friends like he's their toddler having a bad dream.