Okiedokie, it's time for another flashback (they're my favorite chapters)!
Chapter 7
"Now I know that happiness goes on"
The restaurant couldn't have fit another person if they tried. Meg and Christine looked around in awe at the seen before them. The crowd around the bar was five people deep. Tables everywhere just filled with people and the lobby was filled with several more groups waiting to be seated. The two guys, who had witnessed this scene almost every week for the last year, were unimpressed by the amass of people and deftly squeezed their way to the hostess's table. Meg shouted over the crowd, "Is there a fire code limit for this place? Cause I feel like they've definitely gone way over it." Owen and Andrew chuckled, remembering the first time that they had entered the local college student watering hole.
When they finally reached the hostess, Owen smiled charmingly. "Well hello there Sarah! How was your summer?"
"Well, I spent an awful lot of time here, so why don't you take a guess." Sarah smirked. Spotting Andrew standing behind his friend she shouted to him, "Andrew, looking solemn as ever. Happy to be back at school I take it."
"I'd be happier with a beer in hand." He replied snarkily.
"Have some I.D. yet?"
Andrew gave her a smile more charming than Owen's, "Couldn't you just help a friend out?"
"Not in that way I can't. I can get you guys a seat though. Two?"
"Four," Owen gestured gallantly back towards Meg and Christine.
"Wow, Owen you work fast." Sarah smirked.
"Listen, we're just being friendly and introducing some new students to the school."
"Right," Sarah nodded to appease him. "Come on, your table is this way."
She led them out of the crowded interior to tables that were situated outside of the restaurant. Stepping out into the night air after spending five minutes inside that building was a relief. There was a pleasant breeze and the noise level was significantly lower. Sarah stopped at a table in the back corner of the outside property. "Here you are, table for four."
"It's perfect," Owen smiled and took a seat.
"You're such a sweetheart." Andrew said to Sarah in a tone mocking Owen's.
Sarah laughed, "I'll see you guys later. Enjoy!" With that she was gone and the other three people took a seat.
"She seems nice." Christine spoke up, her wonderment wearing off.
"Sarah is fantastic. Always gets us the perfect seat." Owen smiled.
"But never any beer, which has been detrimental to our friendship," Andrew said sarcastically.
"I'm sure you've found other sources by now," was Meg's response.
"Possibly, but they're not as attractive," Andrew winked.
Christine, who was tired of being left out of the conversation spoke up, "So any advice on anything for a couple of freshmen?"
This started a conversation that primarily dominated by Christine and Owen. They went from talking about the school, to college parties, to popular music. Meg, generally uninterested in most of the subject matter, focused on eating and occasionally sharing a snide comment with Andrew. The evening went on in this manner for awhile, until Owen suddenly addressed Meg, "So Christine is a English major. I'm a communications and computer science double major. What are you planning to major in?
Meg choked a little on her water, not expecting at this point for a question to be directed towards her. After she finished her coughing fit, she answered, "Right now my plan is to major in History and double major with Political Science or Economics or something. Ultimately, I want to go to law school."
Owen smiled slyly and nudged Andrew, "Did you hear that Andrew? History and then eventually law."
"Thanks, Owen, I do have ears." Andrew snidely responded and then addressed a somewhat befuddled Meg. "I have a similar plan in mind." Owen satisfied that he had started a conversation between Meg and Andrew refocused his attention on Christine. Andrew then said in a lower voice, "Owen likes to think that these sorts of commonalities will lead to something more, which is all that he wants for me."
"That's very motherly of him."
Andrew laughed at Meg's response. "All the same, I suggest we find a topic and pretend we're totally interested in it or he won't stop. So…" Andrew rubbed chin as though in deep thought, "What period of history is your favorite?"
"That's actually a difficult question. I guess I would say the time period surrounding the Protestant Reformation."
"Really?" Andrew's face gave away his surprise.
"What?"
"I just had you pegged as an American history kind of girl." Andrew paused, "But of all the periods of history to pick, the Reformation? Really? I mean when there's the French Revolution or World War I?"
"Are you seriously asking why I prefer the Reformation, which was a period in history that drastically changed the way the people viewed life, broke the churches control of Europe, and ushered in the Renaissance better than two wars full of pointlessly large amounts of death and caused no real sustainable change?"
"If you're just looking at the death and battle aspects then you're missing the whole point of them. The French Revolution was a fight for freedom and the Great War…"
Meg rolled her eyes, "Was a great battle for the acquisition of power in Europe. I know all that, but ultimately they didn't change anything. I mean the French ended up worse off."
"There were important changes. Take for example the progress that women made during World War I!"
"But how long did that really last. When the men came back, they were forced to return to their roles from before the war."
"Perhaps technically they had to return physically, but the gender dynamics were completely different. Women held more power within the household after the war."
"Yeah, that was true during the immediate aftermath of the war, but it faded by the next generation."
Owen looked over at one moment to view his handiwork satisfactorily. Andrew noticed this and gave Owen a look of disdain. Owen smirked, but compliantly turned his attention back to Christine.
Noticing this exchange, Meg commented, "You two have an interesting relationship."
"He is the optimism to my cynicism."
"Well, they say opposites attract."
Andrew laughed, "I don't buy that in the least. I think our friendship has survived primarily because of our mutual enjoyment of mocking each other."
Meg laughed, "The best friendships are."
They both looked over at Owen who was busy finding a time when Christine might be able to hang out together again. Andrew laughed to himself and muttered to Meg. "He doesn't take long." Then smirking he said, "Looks like we'll be spending a decent amount of time together."
"Great," Meg replied sarcastically
"Hey, we passed the time fairly quickly, so count your blessings because it could have been much more painful."
"You're a fairly cocky person aren't?" Meg smirked.
"What? Was my conversation and company really that bad?" He feigned offense.
"The worst debater I've ever met." She responded snarkily.
"Ouch, I don't think anyone has ever said that about me."
"Well, it's about time someone told you the truth" She laughed at his pretended pain.
Andrew smiled. "You know what? You are an annoying snarky person." Meg just looked at him, unsure of exactly how to respond to this comment. Then he laughed, "I think we're going to get along just fine…which is good because if I have to suffer through watching Owen make a fool of himself I should at least have someone decent to share the pain with me."
Meg chuckled and looked over at Owen and Christine. The two of them were sitting staring stupidly into each other's eyes. When she looked away, she noticed Andrew was simply watching them , shaking his head in disgust. Then he whispered to he. "Luckily, I've figured out a foolproof method to end these sorts of things."
"Foolproof?" she questioned.
"Well, it's good for a few minutes at least."
"Well, what is this master plan you have developed sir?"
"Watch," was all he said to her. Then raising his arm, he gave a little wave with his hand. Their waitress had apparently not been too far off because within a few seconds she appeared. "Check please," Andrew spoke a little louder than normal. Christine and Owen looked over at him and then at eh waitress. Andre glanced quickly at Meg and gave her a little smirk as if to say, "What did I tell you?"
A/N: Hope you enjoyed this snippet from the past! Review if you have a few minutes to spare!
