Page 37 of When The Night Falls

‘But I thought the whole reason you went out last night was to find her a rebound?’

‘Yeah, but she’s changed her mind. Told me a one-night stand isn’t going to help her get over Colin, so she’d rather wait till she makes a new genuine connection with someone.’

Jason looked impressed. ‘Good for her.’

‘Yeah, I thought so too. Anyway, I’m sorry for making you wait.’

He scoffed and waved his hand at me. ‘No worries.’ Folding his arms, he tilted his head and smirked. ‘Well?’

‘What?’

‘Did you stick to your rules, then?’

I sighed as I undid the sash of my coat. ‘Yeah.’

He shook his head in comical despair. ‘Poor man. Was he gutted?’

Upset at the reminder, I pouted. ‘Quite.’

He clucked his tongue. ‘Again, poor man. I’m so glad I’ve never fancied you that way. You’re as unattainable as they come.’

I snorted. ‘Don’t be silly. Besides, I’m not sure you would have liked him much, so you shouldn’t feel bad for him. He was very forthright, and opinionated.’

Jason was far too liberal and easy-going in his nature to genuinely appreciate a stubborn, cocky man like William. If there existed a person who could make Jason lose his temper, I was confident that William would be that person.

‘Sounds like your type,’ Jason said teasingly.

I chuckled. ‘Definitely was.’

Jason’s eyes widened then. ‘What are you wearing!’ He laughed.

Glancing down at myself, I sensed my embarrassment reveal itself in my face. ‘He tore my knickers apart. Gave me a pair of boxers to compensate, as well as a T-shirt.’

‘He did what?’ He continued to laugh, but he sounded more shocked now.

‘Yeah, he was something else.’

‘Jesus Christ, what a brute. Were they expensive?’

‘No. Besides, it was honestly quite arousing.’

Disbelieving, Jason shook his head. ‘What else did he do? Who is this guy?’

‘I don’t want to talk about it.’

His ensuing smile was sympathetic. ‘You never do.’

I nodded. ‘Just easier to leave it in the past that way.’

‘You know best.’ He gestured to the mountain of boxes standing outside my bedroom door. ‘Anyway, shall we crack on with it, then?’

‘Yeah.’

§ § §

The following Monday, I walked into Bentham House alongside Olivia, where we had planned to meet Aaron in the social hub before our lecture on Advanced Contract Law. It was the only module I had in common with her now that we had completed the compulsory ones of the first and second year. While she was ambivalent about the module, I found it nothing short of riveting, and the same applied to Aaron, which wasn’t all that surprising when considering that Aaron and I had selected all the same ones. While Olivia preferred areas of public law, Aaron and I favoured private law.

As we entered the social hub, I scanned the people present until I spotted Aaron next to a girl named Cassie. I had nothing against her, but I had a feeling she disliked me, and I suspected it was because she had developed feelings for my regular bed partner. Aaron denied it, but I was quite sure I was right.

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