Part Twelve
"Okay, are you sure you have everything?" asks Jake as we pull up outside the train station.
"Yep, I'm all sorted," I smile, indicating the large duffel bag at my feet. "Thanks for the lift."
"No problem," he replies, coming to a stop in the pick-up bay and shifting into neutral. "And you'll be back Sunday night, right?"
I nod, "Yeah, I should be, providing the trains are running smoothly."
Sunday is not usually a great day for train travel because they're always carrying out maintenance and repairs on Sundays, which means that many of the trains end up running late or getting cancelled.
"Okay, great," he smiles. "Well, just give me a call when you get in and I'll come pick you up."
I turn to face him, "Thanks, Jake, I appreciate it."
"Hey," he shrugs, his smile lighting up his whole face. "It's no trouble; really."
I reach for the door handle, but hesitate before opening the door. Suddenly, his hand closes around my wrist and pulls me back around to face him. He studies me for a moment, before he leans across the gear stick and presses a gentle kiss to my lips. My eyes slide closed in response.
"Have fun," he says softly, pulling away and letting my wrist slip from his grasp.
"I will," I tell him, as my eyes flutter open again. I sigh, "Okay, I'd better go – don't want to miss the train."
"Sure."
I grab my bag, open the door and climb out of his blue Ford Fiesta. Giving him a small smile and a wave as I close the door behind me, I turn and head toward the station. As I enter through the sliding doors, I think see a somewhat familiar dark head of hair in front of me, disappearing around the corner. As I walk through the station to my platform, I keep my eyes peeled for another glimpse to confirm my suspicions, but there's no sign of him. I shrug, rolling my eyes at myself. It probably wasn't him anyway.
As I settle into my seat on the train a few minutes later and dig out this week's copy of Heat magazine, I find my mind wandering back to Jake again. It's only been a week since we saw each other in the hall bar and agreed to start over, but we're really hitting it off. Saturday night, he took me to see his friend's band perform in town, which was really fun, and we ended up just staying in the bar long after the set had finished, just talking and learning more about each other.
A smile tugs at my lips as I recall how he walked me back to the halls, holding my hand the whole way. There was a slightly awkward moment when we stopped outside our building, Jake turning to face me, his attractive features perfectly illuminated in the soft light of the street lamp across the path. I hesitated then, knowing what was coming, but unsure of what to say or do. In the end, I could do nothing but watch as his lips descended toward mine, capturing my lips in a soft, sweet kiss.
I let my eyes drift close, my hands sliding up to rest on his broad shoulders as his lips caressed mine, his tongue darting out, seeking entrance to my mouth. I parted my lips, granting him entrance as I lost myself in the warm feelings his touch was invoking in me. A few long moments later, he pulled away, gazing down at me, a soft smile playing on his lips and it was then that I realised something I hadn't let myself acknowledge before; I really do like him.
Since then, we've had lunch together in the Union twice and he took me to see a film at the cinema last night. I have to admit that even though only a few days ago I wasn't planning on ever seeing him again, I've really enjoyed his company over the last few days. I have a feeling he was hoping we could spend some time together this weekend, I'd already arranged to go home to see my parents this weekend – I bought the train ticket a couple of weeks ago – so I had to tell him that I was unavailable. He's been really sweet about it, though, offering to take me down to the station and pick me up when I get back on Sunday.
I sigh, gazing out of the window, my magazine temporarily forgotten as the train begins to move and leaves the station. It'll be weird to go home, back to my old life for a couple of days after spending the last few weeks in a completely new environment. Although, having said that, I can't wait to catch up with some of my friends who have also arranged to come home from uni this weekend for a meet up.
Two hours, one magazine and a packet of Galaxy Minstrels from the food car later, the train finally pulls into my station. I can't help grinning at the thought of seeing my family again – it's been six weeks since my parents drove me down to university, helped me unpack and then said a tearful reply, leaving me to fend for myself for the first time in my life, and now I can't wait to see them again.
Picking up my bag, I exit the train and make my way off the platform and through the sliding doors of the station to the car park where my dad is standing by the car, waiting for me. A grin breaks out on my face as I quicken my step and head towards him. When I reach the car, he opens his arms and pulls me into a tight hug.
"Hi, Dad."
"Welcome home, pumpkin," he tells me with a smile, releasing me from his arms and taking my bag from my hand so he can place it on the back seat of the car. "I hear you've had quite the eventful few weeks at university. How does it feel to be back home again?"
I look around, taking in the familiar surroundings.
"It's strange," I admit. "One the one hand, it feels like I never left, but on the other, it's like everything is so different."
He chuckles, shaking his head as he walks round to the driver's side and opens his door, nodding for me to get in.
I spend the twenty-minute drive back home filling him in on everything that has been happening to me… well, okay, not everything… there are just some things you don't tell your parents about your life at university, but I tell him about all the other stuff, like the dance soc, cheerleading, my friends and my lectures. When we pull up at home, Mum is standing in the doorway, eagerly awaiting my arrival. The second I step out of the car, she pulls me into a tight hug and then links her arm with mine, leading me inside, leaving Dad to bring in my things.
She sits me on the couch, telling me to make myself at home (huh? I've only been gone six weeks and I'd lived here for twelve years before starting university, it's not like I'm a stranger to this house) while she makes us a cup of tea. I switch on the TV and begin flicking through the many channels. This is one good thing about home compared to my room in halls – digital TV! Mum comes back in a couple of minutes later with two cups of tea and a tin of chocolate digestive biscuits and we spend the next couple of hours catching up. I rehash the conversation I had with Dad in the car and Mum fills me in on all the happenings here at home.
Two hours later, when we're sitting down to a dinner of Thai Curry followed by a delicious Raspberry Roulade – my favourite – I decide that I could get used to this; being spoiled every time I come home for the weekend. Although, it still seems kind of surreal, almost as if I'm a guest in the home. I notice, as the evening continues on, that my parents are even treating me different… more like an independent adult than their teenage daughter. After dinner, Mum offers me a glass of white wine – something that both she and Dad were hesitant about before I turned eighteen, but are happy to offer me as much as I'd like now, just a few months later – and the three of us sit down in the living room to watch TV and have what I would call a 'conversation between adults' (as opposed to a conversation between parents and child).
The annoying sound of my mobile phone ringing wakes me up at nine o'clock the next morning and as I stretch and then yawn before reaching out to answer it, I realise how much I've missed sleeping in my own bed in my childhood bedroom. I flip open the phone and mumble a sleepy 'hello'. It's Jess, my best friend from school, calling to arrange our long-awaited, catch-up shopping trip today. We arrange to meet at the mall at eleven for a day of shopping and hanging out.
Jess is taking a gap year before starting uni at Oxford next year. She's spent the last few months working full-time as a secretary to earn some money, and then in February she's heading off on a six-month round-the-world trip with her boyfriend, Tom. I'm so jealous that I almost wish I'd put off uni for a year too. I think it would have been cool to spend a few months travelling the world or teaching English as a foreign language in somewhere like Thailand or China, like several of my friends are doing this year.
After I hang up with Jess, I drag myself out of bed and head for the bathroom to take a shower, before getting dressed, grabbing some breakfast and then borrowing Mum's car and driving to the mall. Jess is already there and waiting by the time I arrive at the fountain in the middle of the shopping centre. She breaks out into a grin when she sees me, her long, dark blonde hair flying behind her as she launches herself into my arms for a welcome home hug.
We walk arm-in-arm around the shops, not really paying attention to where we're going, but instead just chatting eagerly as we catch up with the happenings in each other's lives. I find myself smiling as she describes the latest in the Jess-and-Tom relationship drama – apparently they can't seem to agree on a suitable trip itinerary – and I realise how much I've missed spending time with her. Of course, my new friends back at uni are great and I can see us being friends for a long time to come, but at the same time, Jess has been my best friend since we were seated next to each other in English class in Year Seven.
It's weird actually, how quickly the time has passed since then. It only seems like yesterday that we were eleven years old and nervous about starting secondary school with all those older kids. I remember being so scared of all the tall, grown-up seventeen- and eighteen-year-old sixth-formers who walked around like they owned the place, yet now here I am, in my first term at uni, having left sixth form behind months ago.
After an hour of shopping and gossiping, Jess and I head down to Costa Coffee for a drink and a bite to eat, where she promptly begins to grill me on my love life the second we sit down. Despite my initial decision not to go into the details about how Jake and I met, she manages to get the whole embarrassing story out of me – she seems to have this knack of knowing when you're not telling her everything and then making you tell her all the sordid details. I don't know how she does it.
After lunch, we do a bit more shopping and I head into the store I worked in over the summer to say hi to everyone, before Jess and I decide to walk over to the cinema and see if there are any good films playing. Funnily enough, when we get there we bump into a group of guys we knew in sixth form and end up all going to watch the same movie.
It's after six pm by the time I arrive back home, after arranging to meet up with Jess and the people from school again at the pub later tonight, and as I enter the house, I'm welcomed by the delicious smell of pizza in the oven. I grin, pizza and salad is a Saturday evening family tradition. It's good to be home, even if it's only for a couple of days.
Twenty-four hours later, I find myself back on the train again, this time heading back to uni. After last night's fun night of drinking in the pub, I made sure I had a lazy day today: a lie in, followed by Mum's delicious, yet very greasy, Sunday morning fry-up, then a lounging on the sofa watching the [i]Hollyoaks[/i] omnibus and finally driving to my grandmother's house a few miles away to say hi and spend the afternoon with her before going to catch the train.
I arrive at the station near the university to find Jake already there and waiting for me, a cute smile on his face as he leans against his car, his arms folded casually over his chest – I called ahead to let him know when I would be arriving. The smile widens into a grin when he finally spots me and I smile in response, giving him a small wave with my free hand. When I reach him, he enfolds me into a hug and presses a soft kiss to my lips.
"Good weekend?" he asks, releasing me, taking the large bag from my hand and placing it in the boot of the car.
"Yeah," I nod with a smile. "It was really good, thanks. What about you?" I ask as he walks around to the other side of the car and we both get in.
"Not bad," he shrugs, putting the key in the ignition. He glances at me, a twinkle in his eye, "Although, it would have been a lot more fun with you here."
I blush, looking down at my hands and he chuckles, starting the engine and pulling out of the parking space. As we drive back to the halls, I fill him in on the happenings at home and he tells me about his football training this morning. When we arrive back at our hall building, he insists on carrying my bag and walking me up to my room… where we find Maria and Michael lying together on her bed… fully-clothed, luckily… but still devouring each other's mouths like they can't get enough of each other nonetheless.
I clear my throat from the doorway, hearing Jake give a small chuckle behind me as Maria's head jerks up suddenly. She pushes Michael away, eliciting an annoyed 'hey!' from him, as she sits up and attempts to smooth her hair down.
"Liz, hey!" she exclaims, her face pink and flushed. "You're back."
"Yep," I nod, trying to hide a smirk as I make my way further into the room, Jake following with my bag. Something tells me she wasn't expecting me back quite yet.
"Well, I'm glad you are," she adds, ignoring Michael's irritated huff from beside her. "We were gonna watch a DVD or two in here later, but since you're already here, we can start in a few."
"Sounds good, Maria," I smile, before turning to Jake who has now placed the bag down on my bed. "Hey, you wanna stay and watch with us?"
"Sure," he grins. "I'd love to."
"Great," says Maria, standing up from the bed and moving toward the door. "I'll go start rounding people up."
"Hey, what about me?" complains Mike, now propped up on his elbow on Maria's bed.
She frowns, looking puzzled, "What about you?"
"Well, in case it's escaped your memory, I thought we were busy here?"
Maria stares at him incredulously, "Michael, I think the moment has passed now, don't you?"
She looks towards Jake and I pointedly and Jake snorts softly beside me, trying not to laugh. Michael rolls his eyes and gets up off the bed.
"Fine, I'm outta here. Just let me know when the movie's starting, okay?"
He heads back to his room and Maria sighs exasperatedly before going to gather the troops, leaving Jake and I alone in the room. I reach for my bag and start to unpack it so that there's enough room for everyone to sit in there, while Jake makes himself at home on my bed and watches me as I pull my clothes out of the bag and return them to the wardrobe. However, on my fourth trip between the wardrobe and the bag, he reaches out and takes hold of my wrist.
"What?" I look down in surprise, but he just grins and then tugs me towards him, capturing my lips with his in a brief, yet tender kiss.
"Nothing," he murmured, pulling away a few moments later. "Just couldn't resist."
I raise and eyebrow and flash him a grin, "Hey, I'm not complaining."
We share a smile and then I straighten up to finish organising my things. I'm almost done when the others start filing into the room a few minutes later. As Maria starts the first DVD, I settle next to Jake on my bed, making room for Isabel to perch on the end. As I get comfortable, I feel Jake's arm come around my shoulders and I let myself relax back against him with a smile. I sigh contentedly; life is looking pretty good right now.
TBC…
