noble - f. catton

II

𖠁𐂃𖠁

Hannah wakes up the next morning with a killer hangover and lost memories of the night before. Worse still is her regret when she checks the clock and realizes that her morning tutorial starts in 8 minutes. She dresses quickly into sweatpants and a tube top, throws her unwashed hair into a ponytail, and hightails it to the bike park where her lavender and daisy-painted bike waits.

She arrives five minutes late. The professor glares at her but continues with the lesson. Hurrying to her usual seat, she realizes that Felix isn't there.

He's probably as hungover as I am, if not more, she thinks. He always drinks more than I do at parties.

Her thoughts are confirmed when he stumbles through the door, half past the hour, looking slightly disheveled.

Hannah looks up from her writing. "Finally decided to show up, did you?"

"My tire had a flat, didn't even think I was going to make it here," Felix whispers, sitting down next to her.

"How did you?"

"Some kind soul lent me his bike and agreed to wheel mine back to campus."

"Didn't they have class themselves?"

"Suppose not, but I'm grateful."

Felix pulls Hannah's binder towards him to read her notes. She playfully pushes his hand away. "Not even going to ask first?"

"Shall I get on my knees and beg?"

She quirks a brow at him. "Might be entertaining."

He chuckles quietly. "Would it?"

"Yes, Felix, you may borrow my notes."

"You're my angel."

"I do try."

𖠁𐂃𖠁

"Hello?"

"Hannah, darling!"

"How are you, Mother?"

"Just fine. Lovely, really. Barbados is beautiful this time of year. Very hot."

"I'm sure."

"I heard Sweden is pretty this time of year."

"Are we going for break?"

"Oh, I don't think so."

"Alright."

"Okay, darling, I still have some business associate calls on my calendar and I'm afraid this has set me back."

"But you called me-"

"Don't worry your pretty little head about it. Bye, Hannah."

"Oh, Goodbye Mother. I love you."

"Remind me to call you later."

𖠁𐂃𖠁

"Alright, alright, my round," Hannah declares. "What's it going to be?"

Farleigh, ever the alcoholic, pipes up for everyone else. "Tequila!"

"Let's do body shots!" squeals India. "And we'll spin Hannah's water bottle to see who goes first."

Hannah stands, detaching herself from Felix's arm which had remained secure around her shoulders. "Er- right."

As she crosses to the bar, she notices an odd boy staring daggers at her. He's sitting across from Micahel Gavey who heads over to the bathroom. Hannah hasn't the faintest clue who he is. The boy steps up to the bar as well and orders a pint. Hannah smiles at him, which he returns awkwardly.