Part Eight

"Finally," I sigh in relief as Microbiology comes to an end at last and Kyle and I leave the lecture hall together.

Usually I like Microbiology, but today the lecture seemed to last an eternity, although that could have something to do with the major tiredness… and hangover… I'm suffering from today. I have to suppress a groan as the events of last night flit through my mind yet again. I still can't believe I spent five hours tied to Cocky Guy himself (bastard doesn't deserve to be called by his first name) and actually lived to tell the tale.

He really is the most annoying, most up-himself bloke I have ever met, yet… oh God, I can't believe I'm actually admitting this, but he is also the most gorgeous, most sexy bloke I have ever met. More than once in the last twenty-four hours I have found myself wondering what it would be like to… no, wait, I'm not gonna go there. Sure he might be gorgeous and sexy, with the most perfect set of abs I've ever laid eyes on, but as they say, looks aren't everything.

Max Evans is definitely not the kind of guy you can hold serious conversations with, or spend quality time with, like you would a normal boyfriend; no, he's too smug and arrogant for that. From what I've seen, he's so busy looking good and flirting with any and every girl he meets, that he doesn't have time to actually sit down and be serious about anything else.

And I don't want to be wasting time on someone like that… no matter how hot he is.

"Tired, Liz?" grins Kyle, glancing at me as we walk across campus to grab some lunch from the refectory in the Union. "I wonder why that could be? Good night last night?"

I shoot him a look.

"Yeah, the best," I deadpan.

I told him all about my upcoming fancy-dress social yesterday at the beginning of our Genetics lecture and he proceeded to spend the entire hour trying not to crack up into his lecture notes.

"First, we all got to lie on the floor while the guys licked whipped cream off our clothes and then we each got tied to one of them, had to swap clothes and then spend the rest of the night tied together."

"Ooh, kinky," Kyle wiggles his eyebrows suggestively, "So, who was the lucky guy you got to spend all night up close and personal with?"

I stare straight ahead, as I roll my eyes and scoff, "Max Evans."

Out of the corner of my eye I see him frown in thought, before his eyes widen, "As in, AU President, Max Evans?" I nod reluctantly. "Wow, well, aren't you the lucky one?"

"What?!"

Lucky? I don't think so. Unfortunate, more like.

"From what I've heard, most girls round here would give their right arm to spend an evening tied to Max Evans. The guy's a legend, you know. There's a reason he got voted AU President over all the other candidates, or so I've heard."

I look at him strangely.

"So, I live on a corridor with ten girls and only three other guys," he defends, "I hear stuff."

"Right," I nod slowly. "Okay."

"So I take it you're not on the Max Evans bandwagon?"

I snort, "No way, the guy's an arrogant bastard."

"Right, okay," he says, sounding slightly confused as we enter the refectory and head for the food counter.


"Hey, guys," says Alex, knocking lightly on the door. "You two up for some pre-ball drinks in the kitchen?"

"Hey Alex," I greet, as I concentrate on winding a strand of hair around my curling iron. "Yeah, I'll be there in a minute."

"Wow, Alex, don't you look handsome!" exclaims Maria from behind me.

I turn to look at him standing in the doorway. "Ooh, go Alex!" I compliment. "Dressed to impress – I like it."

"Really?" he looks down at his formal tux. "Thanks." He looks up at us again, "And may I say that you two ladies are looking very lovely tonight."

"Thanks," we reply simultaneously, catching each other's eye and then sharing a grin.

Maria is adorned by a long black evening gown that hugs her body in just the right places, while my dress of choice a silky red ball gown with a pinched waist and a flowing skirt. I'm in the process of curling my hair, while Maria has chosen to pin her shoulder-length blonde waves up into an elegant twist.

"So, Alex –" starts Maria, but she's cut off by the sound of loud male chants coming from the kitchen area.

"D-I-O, D-I-O, D-I-O!"

I roll my eyes and shake my head. It seems that James and Michael are being their typical selves and have got started on the drinking games already. In case you're not up on the uni drinking game lingo, D-I-O is an abbreviation for Down (your drink) In One. I honestly don't know how those two manage to drink so much and still stay sober enough to go to lectures. Oh wait, that's right… they don't.

"Oi, Alex, get your arse in here and start drinking," shouts Michael from the kitchen. "You're getting behind."

Alex raises his eyebrows, as he leaves the room, "I guess that's my cue to leave. See you in a minute, guys."

"Okay, I'm done," I announce a couple of minutes later, as I unplug the curler and run my fingers through my hair. "You ready yet, Maria?"

"Sure, in a minute," she says distractedly, rummaging through her make up bag for something.

I nod, and leave the room, heading for the kitchen to join the others. As soon as I arrive in the doorway, a hand – James' – grabs my arm, pulls me down onto the empty seat between he and Alex and then shoves a bottle of WKD Blue into my hand.

"Here you go, Liz," he says. "Drink up."

A couple of minutes later, Isabel enters the kitchen, looking absolutely gorgeous in a deep blue strapless dress, a wrap draped around her shoulders. Her hair is pulled up in a sophisticated mass of curls, with the odd loose tendril framing her flawless features.

"Wow!" whistles Michael as he notices Isabel come through the doorway.

"Go, Isabel," murmurs James appreciatively, while Alex just stares at her, open-mouthed.

I feel a spike of jealousy in my chest as I take in her appearance. Isabel Stevenson is just one of those girls who makes beauty look like a piece of cake. Suddenly I feel very plain and ordinary next to her.

"Thank, guys," she smiles, almost shyly.

See, that's the great thing about Isabel, though; I'm sure she knows how attractive she is, but no matter how much attention she gets from the opposite sex, she doesn't seem to like drawing attention to herself.

"Hey, Liz, you look great!" she exclaims as she moves further into the kitchen. There are no more free seats (for some reason, the university only provides 4 chairs in the kitchen for 12 people), so she perches on Alex's lap.

I hide a smile when I see his eyes widen in response and he shifts uncomfortably beneath her.

"Oh, sorry, you don't mind, do you, Alex?" wonders Isabel, turning hear head to face him.

"N-no, not at all," he manages, his expression a mixture of surprise and awe.

"Great," she smiles. She reaches for a drink, "So, what's going on, guys?"

We continue to chat and drink until Maria finally appears and we can get going to the Fresher's Ball. As we walk across campus to the Union and Great Hall buildings, I can't help but wonder what the evening will hold. I've heard mixed reviews about the first-year ball – some say it's the best night ever, while others have told me it's a load of crap. Personally, I don't think it sounds too bad – after all, the musical guest is Jools Holland and there's a cheap bar and lots of activities to do. It may not be as big as some of the other balls I've heard about that take place during the year, but it sounds like it could be fun.


"So, I said to her, 'I'm sorry, darling, but I really do have to be off; after all, they won't be able to row without me, now will they?'"

"Hmm," I paste a fake smile onto my face as I pretend to be interested in this guy's story. He seems to be the most full-of-himself guy I've ever met. I wonder, not for the first time, how I ended up having to talk to him. I only came up to the bar to buy another drink and now I've been standing here for almost ten minutes while this rich-boy talks himself up to me. It's sickening. "Look, I'm sorry, but my friends are waiting…"

I point in their direction, only to find that they've disappeared amongst the crowd. Great.

"But, I haven't told you about the time I went sailing with Prince William yet," the idiot says then, apparently unable to take a hint.

"Well, I'm sure it's fascinating, but I really have to go now…"

He ignores me and continues to talk, but luckily I get a break when the bartender says something to him and he turns away for a moment. I grab my drink and make a quick dash for the crowd of people in the middle of the room. It takes a few minutes, but I finally find Isabel, Alex, Michael and Maria standing on the other side of the dance area, by the wall.

"Hey, guys," I greet as I approach them. I frown, "Where's James?"

"Over there," nods Michael, indicating to a spot near the edge of the crowd.

I look in the direction he's pointing in and my eyes widen when I see James. He's dancing with a girl… except they're not just dancing, her hands are somewhere inside his tux jacket and his are resting dangerously close to her arse, while his mouth is eagerly attacking hers. I make a face; I so don't need to see that.

"I see," I say as I turn away from the disturbing sight. "So, does this mean you'll be sleeping on Alex's floor tonight then, Mike?"

"Not if I can help it," he mutters in annoyance, as his gaze fixes on someone in the crowd and he excuses himself to head over to them.

As we watch him start chatting to a tall, skinny brunette on the dance floor, the rest of us are left to wonder whether he meant that he was hoping James would end up back at his dance partner's place or that Michael would be sleeping elsewhere and that sleeping in Alex's room wouldn't be an issue anyway. As I watch Michael slip his arm around the brunette, whisper something in her ear and lead her off the dance floor, presumably to somewhere more private, I decide he's going for the latter.

"God, men!" exclaims Maria as she too observes Michael's actions. "Do they ever think about anything else besides sex?"

I shake my head in response, "Welcome to student life, Maria."

"Yeah, well," she rants, but I don't hear her as my attention is caught by a particularly good-looking dark-haired guy, who just happens to be looking right at me with a grin. I smile in return and quickly excuse myself from my friends and head in his direction. Maybe this night won't be so bad after all.

TBC…