Page 33 of You Float My Boat

Brooks:

I told Violet in certain terms that no way was she to go around snogging my friends.

One down. Only seven more to go.

Just as the class before ours had, we rushed to the doors the second the big hand hit the hour.

I was likely outside before Gordon had finished telling Rivers what he could do better. The cold air hit mejust as I spotted Violet, and I wasn’t sure which jolted me more.

I don’t know why, but I waited for a second before I ran over to her. I watched as she scoured through the hordes of undergrads coming and going, knowing she was searching for me. A rush of adrenaline spiked my blood; the same one I’d had yesterday when I’d met her at St Anne’s, along with the same giddy kick of excitement powering against my ribcage.

I had an exceptional memory, but even for the brief couple of seconds I stood there watching her, I couldn’t recall a time my chest had felt like it might pop.

When she finally spotted me ten metres away a smile spread across her face matching the one I knew I was wearing. Just like when I’d met her last week in the pub, her hair was tumbling over her shoulders, only today it had my fists clenching before I reached out to run my fingers through it. Then I remembered I could and these rules might actually be the best idea I’ve ever had. I could find out for myself if it was as soft as it looked, with that indescribable violet shade – reminiscent of twilight, right before the skies turn navy and the stars begin their night-time twinkling.

Had she always been this pretty? No, pretty was too pedestrian. Beautiful. Violet Brooks was beautiful.

Unfortunately my thoughts about Violet were rudely interrupted by the unmistakable sound of my name being called, followed by the wheezing of someone who probably shouldn’t be running.

‘Charlie …’

I picked up my pace.

‘Charlie …’

Throwing Violet what I hoped was an apologetic expression right before I reached her, I turned to find Gordon gesticulating wildly while also trying to stop his backpack from falling to the ground. Only the force of the books inside seemed to be propelling him forward at a faster pace than his legs were carrying him.

‘Charlie, we didn’t come to a decision about Mondays,’ he puffed out.

I rocked back on my heels, ‘Hmm. Didn’t we? I thought you were going to hold the session and I’d come along when I could. You know I’m good for the work. I just have to schedule it around other commitments.’

‘We need to agree a time you can make it,’ Gordon replied, his eyes darting to Violet who wasn’t bothering to hide her amusement, and back at me. ‘I spoke to the others and they said two p.m. works.’

I side-eyed Violet, who was still watching Gordon, ‘Um … two p.m. … Monday. Monnndaaaay. Um, I feel like something happens at two p.m. on Mondays …’ Gordon in turn was hanging onto my every word, while I was trying to stop what was about to happen from happening … but I couldn’t. ‘Oh, sorry mate, how rude of me, let me introduce my girlfriend, Violet.’

I shouldn’t have done it.

I knew I shouldn’t have done it as soon as her eyes widened. I should have kept my big mouth shut. There was no need for me to introduce her at all. But we clearly hadn’t set any parameters for how widely this lie should be spread.

On the flip side … no harm in giving this fake relationship a real test drive.

It was impressive how quickly she recovered herself.

‘Hello,’ she waved with a smile.

‘Hello,’ Gordon replied, though it was more of an impatient snap, before he looked back up at me. ‘Well?’

I sighed so deeply it almost rattled my bones.

---