Page 7 of Love, Academically
“Go on, Mads, have one more,” Lila wheedled. It had been too long since Maddy had been out with them, and she was enjoying having her best girls around her.
“I need a wee, then I have to fight my way through the crowd to get outside and wait for my Uber. Sorry girls, I just want to go home.” Maddy turned to Lila, her brown eyes pleading, and ever so slightly tiredly sunken. Lila’s heart went out to her, because she was obviously exhausted and desperate for bed.
“Go on, Mads, go have a wee and go home,” Lila said, offering her a comforting smile.
“I’m so sorry to leave you, I’ve had such a good night though, thank you for getting me out of the house.” Maddy hugged Lila. “Don’t let that little prick Rhys wind you up. You’re good at yourjob. And you,” she said, pointing at Jasmeet, “keep me up to date with all the gossip at school please.”
Jasmeet had been Maddy’s mentor teacher when she’d been fresh out of teacher training and heading into her first primary school classroom, and they still worked in the same school. Maddy had firmly cemented her place in Lila’s heart when she had turned up to Jasmeet’s fancy dress twenty-seventh birthday party as a five-year-old, complete with a finger painting for her favourite teacher.
“Of course, my little grasshopper,” Jasmeet said. “Text us when you get home so we know you’re safe please.”
“Yep, will do. Love you girls.”
Maddy blew kisses to them both as she forced her way through the crowd to the toilet in the corner of the bar.
“Don’t give her a hard time, Jas,” Lila said, leaning over the table to her friend.
“I’m not, I just want to make sure her life isn’t all baby, baby, baby,” Jasmeet said, making sure her hair sat just right over her shoulder, and adjusting the top of her dress so her boobs were on show to their fullest effect. “Ooh, shots are here.”
The harried waiter slid the tray onto the table and they grabbed their shots quickly. Jasmeet downed hers in one, but Lila was more cautious.
“What actually is it?” Lila sniffed, and reared back. That was one strong drink.
“It’s a Kamikaze. Vodka, triple sec and lime juice.” Jasmeet laughed.
Lila’s face pinched and her throat burned as it went down. How did people drink this stuff? She would not be having another one of those, thank you very much.
Jasmeet gazed around the busy bar, her eyes snagging on what would probably turn out to be her prey for the night. “Ooh, look at that one.”
Lila followed Jasmeet’s gaze to the most beautiful man she had ever seen. Tall, well built, angular jaw with a hint of stubble, black hair closely cropped. How did he get his black skin so smooth and soft? He was heading towards them, his sparkling eyes fixed on a flushing Jasmeet.
“Close your mouth, Jas,” Lila whispered as he got closer.
Jasmeet snapped her mouth shut and averted her gaze back to Lila. “Is he still coming over? Is he still looking?”
Lila flicked her eyes to him, and nodded.
Jasmeet took a sip of her drink. “Okay, act natural.”
The only one acting unnatural was her friend, but Lila nodded with a smile anyway.
“Hey.” Even his voice was smooth. Lila watched Jasmeet melt under his attentive, molten eyes.
“Do you mind if my friend and I join you? Perch on the end of your table?”
“Sure,” Jasmeet breathed, and Lila pressed her lips together to stop the smile from escaping. “I’m Jasmeet.” She offered her hand like she was Lady Jasmeet of ‘Let’s Hook Up Tonight-Ville’.
“Dan,” he said, squeezing her fingers lightly and flashing a smile at Lila. Oh, was he… she recognized him vaguely from the Engineering Department.
“Dan, I’ve got the drinks. Oh,” his friend appeared, “it’s you.”
Lila’s heart sank, because who else would it be other than the one person she did not want to think about tonight? That’s right, ten points! Rhys Aubrey.
Why was he here? She was trying to get away from him and his mess, and here he was, looking at her like he was surprised she even existed outside of the History Department.
Dan slid onto the stool next to Jasmeet. “You two know each other?”
“Yes.” Lila pasted a smile on her face. “Jasmeet, this is Rhys Aubrey, one of my lecturers.”
