Page 30 of You Float My Boat

‘Laura will be here in five minutes, but she’s always late. David went to check on his timetable. It’s fine, it gives me a minute to talk to you.’

My eyes glanced up and down the hallway before focusing back on Gordon. ‘Talk to me? About what?’

He took a step towards me, just veering outside of my personal boundary but enough to make me realize he meant business.

He pushed his glasses up again, ‘About our class, Charlie. I’ve been thinking, we should probably meet three times a week. I have outside study sessions, but none with a group like this where we’re all responsible for everyone’s grade. So, I’m willing to focus on this group, because while I don’t have any doubt you’ll work as hard as me, I do worry about the others so we may need to carry them.’

I stopped concentrating on who might be approaching from either end of the corridors and looked at him. This was one of those times when I’d tuned him out without realizing. ‘Sorry what?’

‘I checked everyone’s grades from last term and Laura didn’t come away with an overall first, so she’ll need some help …’ he continued like I was following every word, but I was still wondering if I’d heard correctly that he wanted to meet three times a week.

‘We should set up Monday, Wednesday, and Friday revision sessions.’

Yep. I definitely heard correctly.

‘Gordy …’ I stopped. He hated being called Gordy. He’d told me manymanytimes. But honestly it suited him way better than Gordon. No one likes a Gordon … anyway. ‘Gordon, mate, I think it’s a good idea, I really do. But I can’t commit to three days a week with Boat Race training on top.’

Gordon’s eyes widened for a nanosecond before his nostrils flared from a deep breath, but he was not to be deterred. It was one of the reasons people found him so insufferable. I’d decided it was an effective strategy to get you what you wanted. ‘What about Mondays? Can you commit to Mondays?’

‘It would depend on the time.’ I dropped a hand on his shoulder, my eyes once more quickly flicking around us, before shooting back to Gordon again. ‘You should hold the session, I’ll come when I can.’

His mouth opened to say something when Laura Foster, a student from Oriel College, appeared at the top of the stairs.

‘Hey guys,’ she smiled, dropping her bag next to mine with a much louder thud. ‘Where is everyone?’

‘Miraculously, you’re one of the first to arrive,’ replied Gordon with absolutely no hesitation or embarrassment.

‘Must have been the seventeen thousand alerts you sent me not to be late.’ Her grin widened, and even though Gordon harrumphed, it was impossible for him to argue when Laura was looking at him with genuine amusement, her freckles crinkling along her nose as it scrunched.

I was too distracted to find it amusing. According to my watch and the way the corridor was beginning to fill with students waiting for their next class, we had five minutes to go. Curls of anxiety twisted around my veins, and I was almost tempted to go and hide in the loo.

‘I have to say, Charlie, this was a great idea of yours. It’ll save on so much time with everyone faffing about during class.’

Once again I dragged my nervously darting eyes to the person in front of me: Laura. ‘Huh?’

‘I was just saying I think this is a good idea.’

‘Oh, thank you.’ I managed a smile. ‘Yeah, I thought it would be a good time saver too. Need to get ahead of the timetable.’

‘Laura,’ Gordon interrupted, ‘I suggested to Charlie that we meet three times a week to go through the coursework. We all know how Professor Rivers likes to leave it up to our interpretation, so I suggest we spend the time getting it right.’

I didn’t get a chance to hear Laura’s response, and hopefully second my view that meeting three times a week would not be happening, because that was the moment my mouth dried up and a high-pitched ringing sounded in my ear.

In the next second, Evie appeared at the top of the stairs, walking normally. Not floating up on a cloud of brimstone or flying in on a broomstick like I’d expected her to.

I stood frozen on the spot.

I was still pretending to listen to what Laura and Gordon were talking about, watching their mouths form words I couldn’t hear because I was too busy not looking at Evie, or counting every step she made towards our little group.

Gordon and Laura halted their conversation as Evie stopped in front of them.

‘Hello.’ Laura smiled at her, showing her the same amount of kindness she showed everyone, whetherthey deserved it or not. Evie didn’t. ‘Are you here for Professor Rivers’ class on Physics and Philosophy?’

‘Yes,’ she replied, her stare moving to Laura from where it had been boring a hole right through me. ‘I’m Evie.’

‘It’s great to meet you! I don’t think I’ve seen you in any of our classes before? Which college are you?’

‘I’m in Pembroke.’ Evie smiled back, her pale blue eyes shining in a way that made her seem more human than devil spawn, but I knew better. ‘This is my first class here actually. I’ve read Philosophy, and Professor Rivers suggested I take Philosophy and Physics as an extra class this term.’

---