Duplicitous (F.C)

Pinkie Promise

        This past month at Oxford has been the first sense of feeling at home since my father passed a year ago. During the last six months before coming here, my mother's addiction had made it almost insufferable to live back home. It killed me to know my relationship with my mother was tarnished because she couldn't see a flaw in her actions. At times it made me feel like a shitty person to know that I was here and she was there, but it's what I needed to do. For so long I was drowning in denial and grief, but I'm beginning to feel like I can breathe again.

        Oliver is slowly starting to become the reason for that. He knew what it was like to have a different home life than most people here in Oxford... or at least the company I've surrounded myself with. He'd become my little pocket shrink, except I pay him in tea and biscuits instead of paying him in actual currency. Our Wednesday tea night in my dorm has become my favorite thing. No one knew that Oliver and I associated with one another, it had more to do with Oliver's wishes than mine. It seemed as if he was more paranoid to be seen with me than I was to be seen with him.

        Farleigh's opinion of Oliver didn't seem fair with the version of Oliver that I've met. I had hoped that Oliver would've been cruel or awkwardly outspoken with his Scouse accent, and maybe he had been, but his charm just outshined the flaws that seemed to rile Farleigh up every time he mentioned his tutoring sessions. I wondered why the two never seemed to talk well of each other, but I guess it's just a case of being indifferent to one another.

        My studies have been going pretty well, despite the endless nights of not remembering anything happening after quarter past nine. I finally felt like I was getting to live a life that I dreamed about since I entered middle school. I had friends, good grades, and a boy that I cared about, and maybe what I'm about to say is foolish, but I think he feels the same about me. Neither of us had brought up the conversation about becoming official, but we knew we had feelings for one another.

        It's funny how your daily habits change once you find someone you care for. Before I met Felix, I would waste away in my dorm, worried I would make a fool of myself in front of my peers. Now I'm wasting my free time between classes with Farleigh and Felix in the library. "So, what's the story behind him?" I look up from my textbook to see Felix looking over at Oliver. "I can't be the only one who notices his weird prolonging glances." Felix piques Farleigh's interest when he realizes that Felix's attention is on Oliver. "That's the boy who I tutor with, Oliver Quick."

        I'm surprised a degrading pass didn't follow with his distasteful tone. "What impresses you about a scholarship boy from Prescot? The others will eat him alive." That is if Farleigh didn't get to him first. "You lot welcomed Calliope to the group with open arms." Not wanting to be part of the conversation, my attention falls back onto my psychology book. "You know what go ahead and invite him to our table, I'm sure he'd love to be your friend."

         Farleigh has a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Or better yet, your secret admirer." He reaches past the coffee table between us and places a sloppy kiss on Felix's cheek. "You're being foolish, Farleigh." I say looking up from my textbook. "I'm always right, Calliope." He taunts as he sits back down, continuing to draw figures in his expensive textbook. "Well, I'm going to prove you wrong." Felix gets up from his seat and walks over to Michael and Oliver having an intense discussion. "Don't give me that look, Calliope." 

        Nothing nice wanted to escape my mouth so I continued to read my textbook. "You don't just get to climb the social ladder overnight with no credentials." I was a complete outsider when Felix introduced me to his friends, and while they've warmed up to me now, I wonder what made Farleigh give me the green light.  "What were my credentials?" I look up from my textbook briefly. "This has been the most settled I've seen Felix in a while. While charming, that boy of yours carries skeletons like no other." Before I can pry, Felix walks over with Oliver following behind him.