It Was You

Chapter Two

"So he didn't recognise you at all?" Brea asked as we sat in her cramped dorm room. She'd strewn clothes all over the floor trying to find something decent to wear and impress her crush. All she had decided on was a summery flower pattern dress or a pair of denim shorts and a black t-shirt. I convinced her to wear the dress.

"Nope." I folded my arms in a huff.

"Isn't that a good thing though?" Brea dabbed on some bright red lipstick. "You didn't make the best first impression on the guy. Maybe you can now? He was cute."

"Pfft, as if I want to even converse with him. Sure he's attractive but in an arrogant, annoying way." I flicked my braid over my shoulder. "I'm not wasting my time being friendly with someone who doesn't know what a gentleman is."

"Alrighty but he is your brother's friend, you're going to run into him eventually. You and Chris are insperable." She laughed. It was true, Chris and I had always been thick as thieves- well into high school and university. "Here," She handed me a box wrapped in fluro purple paper. "Happy birthday bestie."

"Thank you Brea." I hugged my friend and began unwrapping my present eagerly.

I opened the box and inside I found a gorgeous sterling silver cuff bracelet with words engraved on the bottom;

Mia. HAPPY 18TH. Love Brea xo.

"It's beautiful Brea!" I hugged her again after putting on the accessory. "I love it."

"I thought you would."

                                       ***

Later on in the day between lectures, Chris took me to shop at the bookstore. Not mentioning what happened at breakfast until we had arrived at James' house just off campus, on our way home.

"I need to pick up the song titles Nate came up with for us." He'd said.

"Oh so Nate lives here too?" I tried to hide my discontent.

"He's not a bad guy. I don't see why you left so abruptly this morning like he'd offended you in some way." Chris knocked on the screen door.

"I don't want to talk about it." I knew if I did, Chris would probably bring it up with Nate who'd clearly forgotten all about it and then I'd feel stupid for holding such a grudge.

"Hey guys, come in." James opened the door and gestured for us to enter his two bedroom flat.

It smelt like lynx deodorant and there were various game consoles, some working and some not, sitting around the loungeroom.

They had a stack of DVDs and Blu-Rays next to the widescreen TV- disorganized and messy.

James led them into the kitchen that was surprisingly tidy with only a few dishes on the edge of the sink.

"Would you guys like anything to drink?" James offered. "We've got water, cans of coke and lemonade or there's milk."

"I'd love some water." I said and sat down at the bare dining table.

"I'll have a coke, thanks." Chris was handed a coke can and I was given a glass of icy cold water.

"Careful, it's actually poison." Nate walked in from outside, a smirk again on his stubbled face.

"Haha very funny." I skulled down the water, forgetting how cold it was, and ended up with a brain freeze.

"Looks painful." Nate remarked. "Here's the list Chris." He handed my brother a piece of folded up paper.

"Thanks man." Chris put the paper in his pocket.

"Oh, I've got to show you this new game I got!" James led Chris to his room and left me alone with Nate who was still enjoying the fact that I'd given myself a brain freeze.

"They're going to be in there for half an hour at least. James and his video games, seriously." Nate poured himself a glass of water.

"You don't play them?" I asked.

"Nah, they don't interest me. I'd rather read. It's more relaxing I find." He sat down beside me at the table.

Normally talking about books would make me ramble on but suddenly my brain was like mush. I couldn't think straight. Nothing would come out of my mouth.

"Chris tells me you pair are bookworms yourselves."

"Uh yeah I suppose." I cleared my throat. "Chris reads mainly biographies and non-fiction but I read anything and everything."

"Yeah, me too." He replied with a half smile. The dimples showing in his cheeks. "Do you like Shakespeare?" He asked.

I felt warm, embarrassed. "I do."

"I bought this collection a few weeks ago. This stubborn girl tried to say she'd seen it first." He winked at me. "Women."

"You do recognise me then!"

He laughed at me, "Of course I do. I don't forget the feisty ones." He was just so calm about it that it pissed me off.

I rolled my eyes at him and got up from the table, "I'm going to let Chris know I've got to go home. There's a bunch of homework I need to complete."

"Ok." He shrugged. As I turned around he said, "Cya later, blondie!"

I heaved a sigh, "It's Mia."

"I like blondie." He had another chuckle to himself like he thought he was the funniest person in the world.