Page 126 of Oar Than Friends

My heart skipped a little, scratch that, it skipped a lot. Every night since we’d broken up, I’d lie awake and my mind would race thinking about the last things Oz had said to me, about putting my life on hold. Then I’d wonder what he was doing, how he felt, whether he was okay and living his life again, or maybe – as I did during the darkest stretches of the night – if he’d forgotten about me.

But hearing he’d been miserable? That made me feel a little better.

‘Oz’s life isn’t a piece of cake, you know? But since he met you, he’s been different. More relaxed, happier.’

I peered up at Olly, ‘Really?’

‘Yeah,’ he nodded, ‘and I get it, I do. I’ve seen how it’s been for you the past few weeks, but if you want Oz in your life you need to learn how to tune it out. And speaking from experience, having Oz in your life is so much better than not having him, and he’s loyal to his fucking core.’ He drew in a breath, but held in whatever he was going to say next. ‘He’s my best friend, Kate. I don’t like seeing him like this. He can’t help his life, he can’t help his shitty father, don’t make it more of a problem.’

‘What am I supposed to do?’

‘You asked for time, and you wanted people to stopshowing an interest in your dating life.’ He shrugged. ‘He’s given you what you want.’

‘What does that mean?’

‘Dunno.’ He lifted one shoulder dismissively, like it was my problem to figure out. ‘Anyway, I’ve said what I came to say. You have the race coming, maybe concentrate on winning that. I’ve got a lot of money on Cambridge crossing the finish line first.’

As he opened the door, I realized the flowers were still on the floor.

‘Hey,’ I cried out, ‘you can’t leave them there. I won’t be able to lift them.’

He marched over and picked them back up, placing them on my desk, and we stood back waiting to see if it was going to fall.

I didn’t wait for him to close the door behind him before I ripped open the envelope.

Yankee Doodle,

We might not be together right now, but you’ll always be my Valentine.

I’ll see you at the finish line. I love you.

Oz xxx

The finish line. It seemed so far away in more ways than one.

My mom had said I needed to figure out what I wanted, but I already knew what I wanted.

I wanted Oz.

I wanted to win the Boat Race.

And, as I looked at the textbooks I’d tossed on the floor to make room for the giant display of flowers, I wanted to do something for me; something I loved. Something that wasn’t medicine. Something that gave me my life back, and Oz in the process.

What Ineededwas to figure out how to get all three, and I had a month to do it.

25. Arthur

(I’m no Michael J. Fox but it’s time to goBack to the Future)

‘Another excellent piece of work, Mr Osbourne-Cloud. Well done, very well done. Your interpretations of Prometheus and Pandora are very interesting, I applaud you for your originality.’

I took the essay Professor McRothy was holding out to me and dropped my head, ‘Thank you, sir. I appreciate that.’

Annoyingly, because he clearly sensed that I really didn’t want to stand here talking, he held onto the end of the essay when I tried to take it. This is why you should never be last in the queue to get out.

‘Tell me where the visualization of Hope as a young lady came from.’

I wasnotabout to tell him, under any circumstances; instead I shrugged and said, ‘Just came to me, sir.’

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