It was about 11:30 when I got back to the dorm after what had probably been the happiest evening of my life. Just another four months, I told myself. I walked into my room to find Mike and Bill waiting for me. They looked...well, suspicious.
"Hi." I said as I walked in and took off my jacket.
"How was your evening?" Bill said, rather too casually, I thought.
"Fine...I was working." I said.
"No you weren't." Mike said with a smile.
Oh dear! Had they gone to the pub as they did sometimes?
"We were there mate." Bill said. "Michael told us you'd taken the evening off."
Bloody hell! Why did they have to do this today of all days? Just like my luck. What do I do now? But wait. They don't actually know anything. I just have to play it cool.
"So where were you mate?"
I had no idea what to say. It was clear that they were going to keep digging. It would be best to come up with a plausible lie. Then Mike came to my rescue, bless him.
"Maybe Molly was right. Maybe you do have girlfriend that you're hiding from all of us."
Right. That's it. I need a fictitious girlfriend.
...
It was the afternoon of the next day.
My friends know about us...you're Mary now and you're 22 years old. JW
Why Mary? Couldn't you come up with a name with a little more personality? SH
A name would hardly be enough. I needed some history to go with it. I couldn't make up everything in the time I had. JW
So this Mary is a real person. SH
Yes. Neighbour's daughter. Mum was telling me about her the other day. JW
A childhood friend? How romantic. SH
That's what Molly thought. She's so happy for me...JW
Should I be worried? SH
Ha! The last time I saw her, Mary was 17 yrs old, had mousy hair, thick glasses and nothing to say for herself. JW
So you didn't like her. SH
No. My preference runs into dark curly hair, pale skin, fine cheek bones, grey-blue eyes, a baritone voice and a brilliant mind. JW
John, you didn't say anything about my body. SH
You have a beautiful body, love. I'm trying not to think about it just now. JW
Why? SH
Because I tend to get aroused when I do. Which right now, would be a bit of a problem. JW
Why? Where are you? SH
In the cafeteria with my friends. JW
I put my phone in my pocket and attempted to take an interest in the conversation going on around me. Molly was talking about her plans for the future. She had finally decided to take up pathology as her specialty. Mike figured that he would prefer general medicine.
"I don't think I have the stomach to be a surgeon, mate." He said.
Now Mike and Molly were among the lucky few who had parents who were both willing and able to pay for their education. So they could casually discuss their plans for post-graduate study. Bill and I were less fortunate. This was one of the biggest reasons we'd both considered enlisting.
If we joined the army, our financial troubles would be over and we would get all the education and training that we wanted. Bill was talking about 'our' plans to enlist...I hadn't told him that I'd changed my mind...I didn't know when I was going to tell him and what reason I would offer. This was one of the many things in my life that I was trying not to think about just then.
Molly said she wanted more coffee and she went up to the counter just as Sherlock walked in. What was he doing here? He looked at me briefly before going to get himself a cup of tea. Molly was standing right next to him. He greeted her with a brief smile and looked away...She stood there looking at him with a wistful expression on her face.
Then she tried to get him to talk. He spoke to her politely enough while he waited for his tea. He kept glancing at me...but the glances were fleeting. Nothing that anybody else would notice. I knew that Molly had a crush on Sherlock and I was usually quite tolerant of the way she looked at him and spoke of him.
But it got to me that day. I was jealous. I was away in the corner, able to do nothing other than stare at my partner, while Molly was over there, standing within touching distance of him and flirting with him...Why had Sherlock come here?
Finally, he took his tea and left...with a last glance at me. Molly came back to the table and proceeded to gush about Dr Holmes...how good looking he was, how nice he'd just been to her and...I tried to listen politely, but I was angry. I knew I was being unreasonable, but it seems that I have a jealous streak that is well beyond reason.
I couldn't sit there anymore. So I excused myself and I made my way to Sherlock's office, almost without thinking. I knocked and I went in. Dr. Stevens was in there with him. I hadn't expected that. I stood there feeling a bit lost for words. It's a good thing that Sherlock is an excellent actor.
"Ah Watson. You're here about your project, I presume." he said.
"Yes sir."
"I'm sorry, but something has come up. Maybe you could come by in an hour?"
"Yes sir. Of course. Thank you." I said and left.
I was feeling rather agitated so I went for a walk. About ten minutes later, my phone buzzed in my pocket.
What happened? You looked upset. SH
Nothing. I was just being silly. JW
You are never silly. Tell me. SH
I was just irritated by the way Molly was throwing herself at you. JW
You were jealous...of Molly...really John. SH
You were jealous of Mary. JW
Touché. SH
Where are you now? SH
Taking a walk. JW
Trying to work off your agitation, is it? SH
Is Dr Stevens still with you? JW
Yes. SH
So how are you texting? JW
I'm texting under the table while looking at him and nodding and pretending to be interested. SH
I love you. I'm sorry I was so stupid. JW
You were not stupid. You were jealous and I quite like that I can make you feel like that. SH
You would. You're a prat. JW
And yet you love me...I'm sorry I put you in that situation. I just wanted to see you. SH
It's okay. The next four months are really going to drag, aren't they?
I'm afraid so. SH
...
Another couple of months went by...we didn't see each other the whole time, except in class. I could feel my frustration building. I needed to be with him again, to touch him, to feel him around me, to reassure myself that he was mine...But none of that was possible just yet, so I put all my energy and my frustration into my work.
We'd got into this habit of talking every night just after I finished at the pub. The only times he wouldn't call were when he was out on a case. So when he didn't call that night, I assumed he was busy. I was surprised that he hadn't texted, but I didn't think too much about it.
I was starting to get a bit concerned when he hadn't texted in the morning either.
Sherlock are you alright? JW
No reply. That was strange. We had his lecture first thing that day. So I went to class and then Dr Stevens walked in. What the hell? I was worried now. Something was very wrong.
Dr Stevens took his place at the lectern and then he said, "I know you were expecting Dr Holmes. But he can't be here because he was in an accident last night and he was rather seriously injured. So I will be taking over his subject for the rest of the term."
His words were like a physical blow. I had this pain in my chest...I could hardly breathe. Sherlock was seriously injured? He must have been on a case. Had he been shot? How was he? I was sick with worry. And I had to sit there and act normal.
I wanted to run out of there and go to him...but I couldn't. Why hadn't anyone told me? But then why would anyone tell me? I'm just his student. I'd never hated our situation as much as I did at that moment...