My Love for Her

2: Strange Behaviour

I was so relieved. Olivia and Kim got along absolutely famously. Once Kim got over her weirdness, the two of them wouldn't shut up talking. Once they got talking about childcare (which they were both studying, in different universities), the conversation just flowed. In fact, the two of them looked so happy, that I spent the entire time taking candid photographs for one of my classes. I usually adored taking photographs of Kim when she talked about things she loved. She got this light in her eyes, her passion really showed.

She didn't have that look today.

"Alice, you've got to stop with the pictures," Kim complained. "They're hurting my eyes."

I was so confused. In the past five years that I'd been taking pictures, she'd never once complained about the light hurting her eyes. She absolutely loved the camera.

"Okay, then." I put the camera away, and thought desperately about a way to change the subject. "Oh, tell me about the guy you met!"

Kim sat up straight and went a bit red.

"Oh, I know him!" I exclaimed. "Tell me who he is, right now!"

"Okay, okay... Well, so, I'm, em, on the train and I, uh," she stammered.

"Oh, my God, Kim. Spit it the fuck out," I laughed.

"Okay, fine.. I ran into Kyle on the train, and -"

"Wait, my ex-boyfriend, Kyle?"

"Yes, your ex-boyfriend, and I..." She paused, took a deep breath, and then rushed out her next words. "Iendeduphavingsexwithhiminthetrainbathroom."

"Wait, what?" I asked. "You had sex in a train bathroom? Come on, Kim, that can't be hygienic."

"You're not pissed at me?" she asked.

"Well, if you get some kind of disease from those bathrooms I might tell you you deserved it, but I mean I don't exactly care who you have sex with, nor who Kyle has sex with. I mean, it's not like I'm not having sex. He deserves someone, we're still kind of friends."

Almost as if he knew we were talking about him, my phone buzzed. Kyle was ringing me.

"Hey, Alice, so I don't know if you've seen Kim yet..."

"Hi, Kyle." I smirked at Kim. "Yeah, I've seen her. You won't believe the story she's told me!"

"Alice!" Kim exclaimed. "Don't embarrass me,  I met somebody else," she hissed.

"Oh, I'm never going to live this down, am I?" Kyle groaned.

"Nope, no way. Shouldn't fuck your ex's best friend," I teased.

"Well, I mean not that the whole thing wasn't great, but it's not like we're going to do it again. Would you, maybe, tell her that for me?"

"You're screwing with me, right? I'm not doing that! You tell her." I handed the phone to Kim, despite Kyle's protests.

"What was that -" Olivia asked. I shushed her, wanting to hear Kim's conversation.

"Oh, God, Kyle, shut up. I don't actually want to have sex with you again. I happened to meet someone last night that I bonded with emotionally; you know, after you wasted 7 minutes of my life. Bye!" Kim hung up, and handed the phone back to me.

"So, the other guy?" I asked. "I mean, I knew you were easy, but..."

"Shut up," Kim laughed. "After me and Kyle were finished, I met this guy, in the actual train station, and he was just... Amazing."

"Who was he?"

"He actually goes to college with you, here. He's studying journalism. He said he wants to report real news, not the shit that the media spews nowadays. He was just gorgeous, too, and so sweet, you know?"

I smiled. Kim never really got these feelings for guys. It was nice.

"So, what's his name?" I asked her.

"N-" Kim stopped short. "I have to go." She stood up and left without another word, ignoring my voice calling after her.

I walked over to my bed and sat on it.

"Alice, honey, what was that about?"

I shook my head. "I have absolutely no idea."

__________________________

Kim's behaviour was weird, but I had a lot of assignments to do and, (hello!) a girlfriend to worry about, so I stuck it in the back of my mind to worry about later. I mean, Kim was going back to college soon, right?

Wrong.

"Wait, what do you mean you're not going back? Kim!"

"Oh, Alice, come on! It's childcare. I'm not spending the next 2 and a half years learning how to change nappies and whatever other shit they're gonna teach me. Like I wanna be wiping snotty noses forever? No way."

'That's what you've always wanted to do!' I thought. I wanted to scream at her.

Instead, I took a deep breath. "Kim, honey, you've always wanted to spend your life looking after kids. Surely you can stick out another couple of years to follow your dreams?"

She sighed. "Don't you think there's more to life than college, career, have kids, retire, die, and have every generation repeat the cycle? I mean..." She sat up off my bed and looked at me intently, an excited gleam in her eye. "Imagine... Imagine we didn't have to do that. Didn't have to eat, never needed to waste time sleeping, could... could have sex without worrying about pregnancy or anything! I mean, just imagine being young forever, never having any worries about the future or life and death... Wouldn't that be amazing?"

I looked at her from my spot at the end of the bed. "Kim, you've been acting really weird since you came back. Is there something you want to tell me?"

She sighed. "I wish I could, Alice. I really do. I can't tell you yet, it's not the right time. But, I'll tell you what I can do: introduce you to Nicholas."

"Nicholas?"

"The guy I met on the train. Remember, we talked about him last week. We've gone out a couple of times. He's kind of amazing, actually." Her face took on a content glow. "He's so nice to me, and even though we've gone out for drinks a lot he's never taken advantage of me being drunk like most men would... He's just such a unique person. I want to introduce you two. I mean, he does study here so maybe you already know him, but you know what I mean."

I grinned. "You're so getting laid, aren't you?"

Kim threw the pillow beside her at my head, hitting me smack in the face. "If you must know, we haven't even kissed since the train station. But I really like him! Please, meet him?"

I hugged the pillow she threw to my chest. "Okay."

"I'm meeting him for a drink tonight, at the on campus bar. You and Olivia should meet us there."

"We will. What time?"

"10 o'clock? We go out late." She smiled dreamily.

"10 it is. Olivia probably won't come though, she has an early class tomorrow."

"Well, you have to be there!"

Kim left shortly after that, to get ready. When Olivia came back, I told her about our plan. She agreed to come out for one drink, just so I wouldn't be alone with a potential couple - nobody needs that awkwardness. The two of us looked for nice outfits, then started to get changed.

I looked over at my gorgeous girlfriend, lifting her shirt over her head. I couldn't believe how lucky I was. Her wavy, honey coloured hair fell down her back, and all I could do was imagine the feeling of looking into her eyes, which always reminded me of the sky. She was so beautiful.

She caught me staring at her, and grinned at me. She was in her underwear now, and I hadn't even started changing. I crossed the room and kissed her. Every time I kissed her, I felt simultaneously at peace, and desperate - desperate for her, every piece of her, and I never wanted to stop kissing her. Every past relationship paled in comparison to this.

"We have to go soon," she murmured in my ear, but continued to kiss me as if our lives depended on it.

"Who cares if we're late?" I whispered back, steering her towards the bed.