Right, Chapter 25. Sorry it's taken over a week to do. But it's here. So, enjoy!
Chapter 25 First Day Terrors
Two Weeks Later – Fresher's Week – Steven's POV
"So you are coming down then?" I asked over the phone. I was speaking to Em. It had been two weeks since we'd last seen each other, when she'd left 13 Bannerman Road the day I left for uni. Even then, she was quite apprehensive around me. I'm sure it's something to do with the nightmare she'd had when the Nightmare Man.
"I don't know" Em said, sounding slightly like she was in hurry.
"Oh, but Em" I pleaded. "There's someone I want you to meet. Well, two actually."
"Oh, ok I'll come" Em said, after a short pause. "I'll ring you when I get in."
"Right, see you later then" I said, before hanging up and smiling. Em and Lisa were about to meet. I just hope there's no fighting between them. Especially with alcohol that's going to be flowing tonight.
Luke's POV
"So, any of your mates coming up for the weekend?" Sanjay asked me as we sat in our kitchen.
"No" I said. "Clyde, Rani and Lily have got loads of work to do. Plus they're not old enough."
"So, just Steven's girlfriend then?" Sanjay enquired.
"Yeah" I said "But she's my mate as well."
"So, should be a good night then?"
"Steven said we'll probably have our own party in the halls after the main one."
"Not a bad idea" Sanjay winked. "Plus that way, you're not getting into too much trouble."
Steven's POV
"So?" Lisa asked as I entered the kitchen.
"She's coming" I said. "I can't wait."
"Are you getting your guitar out then?" Lisa asked.
"Course" I said.
"You better not start a playoff..." Lisa said, trailing off at the end.
"Why?" I asked.
"Nothing" Lisa said. I gave her the old puppy dog eyes. "Oi you" She snapped. I grinned before bolting out of the room. "Get back here you!"
Luke's POV
"You two are alright, aren't you?" Mum asked. Me and Steven had called home to check in. As if mum wasn't already getting at least a daily report from K9.
"Mum, we're fine" Steven said, shaking his head. Mum gave us her 'I'm not buying that' look. "Seriously, we're eating alright and getting to bed early. Well, apart from tonight."
"Ok" Mum said, looking down. "At least you're alright."
"Mum, nothing's happened" I said. "I haven't had another nightmare or dream since we got here. Everything's fine."
"Just as long as you're both happy" Mum smiled. It was the first time we'd web-called mum since we'd got here. All we'd done before now was ring, text or email her. "So, how is everything?"
"Fine" Steven said, before grinning. "My flatmates are all alright. Well, one more than others."
"Steven Smith" Mum scolded. "Don't forget you've got a girlfriend."
"Yeah, I know mum" Steven grinned. "It's not like that. Me and Lisa are just friends. Well, old friends."
I watched as the penny dropped for mum. ""No, you mean Lisa King is your flatmate."
"Well, she's in the room opposite me" Steven said. "In fact, Em's coming down for the party tonight."
"Oh" Mum said. "So, it's not an Oxford-exclusive party then."
"No" I said. "It's a anyone-who's-at-Uni-or-has-friends-at-Oxford-Uni party. That's why I asked Clyde, Rani and Lily if they could come up."
"Even though they aren't old enough" Mum chuckled. "And neither are you?"
"Mum" Steven said. "It's just at the Union. They're ok with Luke drinking in there. Besides, we're all planning on coming back here before it gets too late and have our own little party."
"Right" Mum said. "Now then, have fun."
"We will" I said, closing the connection before turning to Steven. "What time's Em arriving?"
"Em said she was getting the train at 2" He said, looking at his watch. "So, she should be here by half 4." He smiled. "Time to get everything sorted. I'll see you later."
Oxford
"Hello Sweetie" I said, as Emily appeared from the platform. She didn't look like she was pleased to see me.
"Hey" She replied. "You didn't bring the car did you?"
"How else do you think I got here?" I replied cheekily.
"Of course" She replied, as someone else joined her. "Oh, Steven. This is..."
"Luke Knight" I gasped.
"Steven Smith" Luke smiled. "So, I guess you're flatmates with my girlfriend and I'm with yours."
"You two already know each other?" Em asked.
"Don't you remember?" I asked. Em shocked her head. "Me and Luke were best mates when I lived in South Croydon. And now, you're dating Lisa." I smiled. "Well, the car's this way."
Lavinia Hall Dorm – Later
I pushed the door open to my room corridor, carrying Em's overnight bag before putting it down outside my room. "Right" I said, before knocking on Lisa's door as Em and Luke entered the corridor. "Lisa!" I called.
"What?" Lisa shouted as she unlocked her door and opened it. "Oh."
"Yes, oh" I said. "Why didn't you tell me your boyfriend was coming?"
"I nearly did" she replied. "In the kitchen earlier."
"Oi, oi" Mark said as he came bouncing down the corridor. "What are you two up to?"
"Oh, Mark" I said, moving back from Lisa's door to where Em was stood. "This is my girlfriend Emily Williams."
"Oh" Mark said. "Nice to meet you. Steven's said so much about you."
"Oh, and this is my boyfriend Luke Knight" Lisa said as Luke came to stand where I had just been.
"Hey" Mark said. "I'm guessing they're here for the party."
"Party?" Em asked.
"Yeah, party!" Lisa chuckled. "Last Party before start of term. That's why Steven rang you."
"Is it?" Em asked, looking like she wanted to tell me something.
"Partly" I answered. "I wanted you to meet Lisa as well."
"Hey, me and you can have a girly day out tomorrow" Lisa said. "Get to know each other."
"Yeah" I said. "While me, Luke here and..." I trailed off. With two Luke's, how was I going to work out which one I'm speaking to.
"And?" Luke pushed, trying to get an answer.
I sighed. "And my brother have a guy-to-guy-to-guy chat."
"Brother?" Luke chuckled. "You don't have a brother?"
I looked at Lisa and then at Em. "You didn't tell him?"
"I thought I'd leave it up to you" Lisa said.
"Don't look at me" Em said. "I didn't know you two knew each other."
"Wait" Mark said. "This Luke doesn't know about Lukey Boy."
I laughed. "Oh, that's a long story." I turned to Mark. "Is Nikki joining us tonight?"
Mark chuckled. "No" He said. "She and the other nursing students are going for a night on the town." He looked between us. "Anyway, I'm off to get the stuff for when we get back. See ya later!" he walked past us and out the door.
"So, care to explain?" Luke asked.
I went to open my mouth when the door opened again. "Steven, I think your little bro's on his way up."
"Cheers" I called as Mark held the door open for Luke and Sanjay. "Hey bro, Sanjay."
"Steven" Luke said. "Mum's just been on again."
"God, what did she want this time?" I asked, before noticing the look on Big Luke (Ok, he's Big Luke, and Luke's...Luke). "Luke Knight, this is my brother Luke. Luke, this is Luke Knight. Lisa's boyfriend and my best mate from Croydon."
"Pleased to meet you" Luke said, before noticing something. "Why've you got a guitar bag?"
"I play" Big Luke replied, before turning to me. "I hear you play too Ste."
"Sure he does" Em said. "You're looking at the best lead guitarist of a teen band in London."
"Really?" Big Luke said. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah" I said. "Otherwise how else would my band have won Teen Battle of the Band London competition for the last three years."
"No way" Big Luke gasped. "I didn't recognise you."
"Well, it has been 7 years since me and mum sold the house" I said. "I'm 19 in a week's time. It's 9 years since I left South Croydon Primary."
"God, is it really that long?" Big Luke said, startled.
"Yeah" I said. "So much has changed."
"Bet it has" Big Luke said. "We can talk about it tomorrow."
"Right" I said. "Let's go party!"
Later – Steven's POV
"So, he's an genetically engineered teenager genius created by aliens" Big Luke slurred as we slumped into my room after leaving the main party.
"Yeah" I slurred as I crashed onto the floor. "But he's still my brother."
"And I love him" Em slurred as she fell over me onto the bed. "He's so cute."
I raised my head off the floor. "What, more cuter that me?" I asked, pulling the old puppy-dog eyes out.
"You're both as cute as each other" Em chuckled.
"Oh, and that's why I love you" I said, pulling myself up Em to lie next to her. I lent in for a kiss and felt Em tense in my arms. I was going to ask, but the crashing sound of Luke and Sanjay falling in stopped me. "I thought you were gonna watch him and keep him in moderation?" I snapped at Sanjay.
"Like I could stop the others" Sanjay slurred as he tried to pull himself up. "They were pilling him with drinks left, right and centre."
"So, why didn't you stop them?" I snapped as I watched Luke. He wasn't moving but I could see his face. "What am I going to tell mum?"
Luke stirred. "I'm alright" He slurred. "I'm just a bit..."
"Plastered" I said. "Luke, you're underage. And what's mum going to say?"
"Does she really need to know?" Lisa asked as she too fell down on the floor.
"Erm, yes!" I said, sitting up slightly with Em's help. "Either I do or K9 does."
"Oh" Luke groaned. "Mr Smith's going know when I get back to the room. Steven, help!"
"Ok, who is Mr Smith?" Big Luke asked.
"A alien supercomputer in our attic" I slurred, falling back down onto the bed.
"Ok" Big Luke said. "Now that's showing off."
"Oh" I said, trying to push myself back into a sitting position on the bed and failing spectacularly. "Em can back us up on that."
"I can" Em said, also trying to get herself off her back. "Mr Smith is a computer built into the chimney breast wall."
"Oh, so he's a sexy thing" Lisa chuckled.
"He's a crystal" I said, chuckling at Lisa's joke. "Granted, he did once try to destroy the planet but still."
"Wait, back up" Big Luke said. "He tried to destroy the planet."
"Remember the Moon" I said. They all nodded. "That was Mr Smith. Oh, and Lukey Boy here." I slid onto the floor, ending up next to Luke. "It was that Ashley Stafford problem."
"Well, I remember that, just" Em slurred. "I remember how depressed you were."
"How?" I said. "I spent the whole time hidden away in Danielle's room."
"She told me" Em slurred as she too slid onto the floor. "She had changed by then. She didn't flirt with you."
"Ok, who's Danielle?" Lisa asked.
I looked at my watch. "Ok, it's ten past 11. So, it's ten past 6 in Washington." I said, pulling myself up onto my chair and switched the laptop on. "Lisa, Big Lukey, I'll introduce you to Danielle Jackson."
"And Maria" Luke grinned as he too pulled himself into a standing position before he stumbled into Steven. "We have to introduce them to Maria."
"Luke" I said. "Do you really think Maria will want to see you in this condition?"
"Whoa, brotherly love or what?" Big Luke slurred. "So, are we meeting this Danielle or what?"
"Yeah" I slurred. "And then, Lukey Knight, we're having a jamming session."
The Next Morning – Steven's POV
I woke that morning with a banging headache. "Urgh, my head" I groaned as I pulled myself off the bed.
"Urgh, did you have to make so much noise?" Em groaned as she pulled herself off the camp-bed I'd bought for when I had guests. "I think I'm at hangover central."
"Ditto" I moaned. "Though I'd dread to think how bad Luke is this morning."
"He'll be fine" Em said, before a piecing sound came from my mobile.
I picked it up and looked at the caller ID. "Oh hell, it's mum." I said, before answering. "Hello."
"Steven Jonathon Smith!" Mum's screaming down the phone gave me a big head. "I thought I told you to watch Luke."
"I did mum" I said.
"You did huh" mum screamed. "Then why has K9 just sent Mr Smith a report saying that you and that Sanjay mate of Luke's had to carry him into his room last night."
"Erm, that wasn't my fault" I said. "Sanjay was watching him at the party."
"And?" Mum said. "Was he drinking?"
"Yes" I said. "I bought him one drink at the start of the night. And then his and Sanjay's mates just kept piling him with them. He was half-cut when we got back here. Then again, we all were."
"So Alan Jackson told me" Mum said. "Seriously Steven, did you have to use such language?"
"That wasn't me" I said. "At least I don't think it was."
"And didn't you say something about a party back at the dorms?" Mum said. "How much did Luke have then?"
"I've forgotten" I said. "I can't really remember anything after midnight."
"So, you don't remember taking Luke back to his dorm?" Mum asked.
I thought for a bit before I felt the headache getting worse. "A little bit" I said, before moving into defensive mode. "Anyway, how come I'm getting the third degree? Why aren't you asking Luke?"
"Because Luke's still out cold" Mum said, before I heard something in the background. "Clyde, leave it!"
"Is that Luke?" I heard Clyde getting quite angry. "Give me." He replaced mum's voice. "Luke, what the hell were you playing at last night?"
"Clyde, zip it!" I shouted, making my head throb even more. "This is Steven. And what did Luke do?" I asked.
"Sorry Ste" Clyde said. "He sent me a text about midnight saying that I fancy Rani!"
"What, and there's no truth in that" I chuckled. "Clyde, Luke's mates were piling him with pint after pint last night. We came back at 11, and he was way out of it then. Plus we had a bit of a party back here and he was well plastered by midnight. Hell, we all were."
"Right" I could tell Clyde was rolling his eyes. "So, he's well out of it."
"According to K9" I heard mum saying in the background. "Clyde, you can ask Luke about yourself later. If you don't mind, I'd like to finish talking to my son."
"Sorry Sarah Jane" Clyde said "Bye Ste."
He handed the phone back to mum. "Steven, make sure Luke doesn't get that drunk again. I'll speak to you and Luke later. Bye."
"Bye Mum" I called as mum hung up. "Great, we need to go and make sure Luke's ok."
"Great" Em moaned as we got up and left the room.
Meanwhile – Luke's Room
I woke that morning with something I've never experienced before. A headache. And not just a normal one. But a banging one. I know what's wrong. I've got a hangover. I know that from the fact Steven almost always used to have one after his band's concerts. God, how much did I have last night?
"Master Luke is awake" the sound or K9's voice made my headache worse. "Mistress is aware."
"Mum knows" I groaned. A banging on the door made the headache worse. "Hold on!" I said, getting to my feet.
"Luke, open up" I heard Steven shouting.
"Master Steven is anger Master Luke" K9 chripped.
"K9, you're the one that's going to get it" Steven shouted, as I opened the door to him and Em. "Luke, mum knows about last night. K9, have you been talking to Mr Smith?"
K9 bowed his head. "Affirmative Master Steven" He chripped. "Mistress requested daily reports on your well-beings to be sent to Mr Smith. I was simply carrying out orders."
"Yeah" Steven moaned as he held his head. "But you just got me the biggest telling-off from mum. Oh, and Luke, Clyde's mad at you."
"Why?" I asked before remembering. "Oh god. That text."
"Yes" Steven said. "That text. Though I know you hit the nail on the head."
"Ay?" I asked.
"It means you've worked it out" Steven answered. "Clyde does fancy Rani. Only he won't face up to his feelings. I think they're the only two that hasn't realised it."
"I know" I said. "Didn't Lily tell you about what I did at my leaving party?"
"Yes" Steven and Emily nodded.
"Shows how far you've come along" Steven smiled. "Three years ago, you wouldn't have noticed something like that."
"Yeah" I said.
"Yeah" Emily said. "You were naive then. But anyway, even if K9 hadn't told Sarah Jane, she was going to find out anyway."
"How?" I asked.
"Alan contacted her" Steven said. "Who was it that used that language?"
"I think it was Lisa's Luke" I said.
"Least it wasn't you" Steven said. "And we're not going out tonight. We've got the welcome lecture tomorrow morning."
The Next Day – No One's POV
"God, why do we have to go to this?" Steven moaned as he, Luke, Lisa, Sanjay and Mark made their way towards the main lecture hall.
"Because we have to" Lisa said. "Why Nikki gets to miss this one, I don't know."
"Because she's doing nursing" Mark said. "There's a different one for those students this afternoon."
The security guard on the door stopped the five. "Steven and Luke Smith" he said.
"Yes" Steven and Luke said simultaneously.
"Can you come with me please?" He said, before leading the pair towards a room off the main reception area.
"What do you think this is about?" Luke asked, fear sounding in his voice.
"It's probably..." Steven started. "No, they wouldn't."
"They wouldn't what?" Luke asked, his voice rising.
"I think we're going to be standing at the front" Steven said. "Since we are the great nephews of the great Lavinia Smith, they're going to use us as the beacons of how they want everyone to do."
"But we haven't even started yet" Luke said. "And everyone here has grades like ours."
"Yeah" Steven said. "But think about it. You got full marks on all your exams. And I got near-perfect ones on mine. We're always going to be used as the measuring stick."
"Suppose" Luke said. "But aren't you scared?"
"Yeah" Steven said. "I'm terrified. But we just have to get through it."
Suddenly, Angela ffobes-Hamilton appeared from one of the room on the corridor. "Right, thank you Mr Scott" she said to the security guard. "That'll be all" She dismissed him before turning to the boys. "Now I'm sorry about this. But we always use your Great Aunt as an example of our great tradition. And with you two..."
"We understand" Steven said.
"Good" Angela said. "Right then, let's get this all done."
Later – Steven's POV
"I can't believe your Great Aunt went here" Lisa said as we sat in the Student Union cafe. "I mean I know Lavinia was a big name in scientific circles but I didn't know she'd attended here."
"Oh yes" I said. "In fact, just before she died she expressed that her dying wish to me was for me to attend here. And she specified in her will that some of her money was to go into a trust fund that I could only access once I was studying at University."
"Mum never said that" Luke said.
"Of course not" I said. "It's only accessible for me from tomorrow. Anyway, should we be having coffees?"
"Sanjay's getting them" Lisa said.
"Oh, we'll be here ages" I joked. "I'll go give him a hand."
The Oxford adventure contiunes.
Chapter 26 will be here ASAP
Please review and tell me what you think.
Thanks. Kuyoyo