“Hi, I’m here for the debate,” she said, forcing herself to sound confident but suddenly feeling acutely conscious of her northern accent. “Do you know where I have to go?”
For a few painful seconds he didn’t react, but just studied her intently as though passing judgement. Finally he smiled, and without speaking, pointed in the direction of the building on the right.
“Oh, thanks, bye then.” Harriet wanted to run but made herself walk away slowly and nonchalantly. She didn’t glance back until she reached Olamide, by which time there was no sign of the boy.
“Well I’ve found out where to go,” she said, gesturing towards the building that the boy had pointed out. “Did you see who I asked though? He was possibly the most gorgeous guy I’ve ever seen. But so strange at the same time.”
“I didn’t really see,” Ola replied. “Come on or we’ll be late.”
At one side of the Union’s garden was a building containing a fantastically decorated library, a cheap bar and various function rooms. Opposite this however was its main feature, a large debating chamber modelled (albeit on a slightly smaller scale) on the previous design of Parliament. It was hugely full and Harriet doubted they’d be able to get a seat, until she heard someone shout her name, and noticed Josh sat on the balcony.
“Quickly you two, come up here. There are a few people from college and we should just about be able to squeeze you in.”
The three most important figures (the President, Librarian and Treasurer) sat at the front of the room on three throne-like chairs, dressed in white tie. Harriet wondered what sort of odd society had a librarian as its second-in-command.
The speakers were a mixture of politicians and other public figures, and students who either knew a lot about politics and current affairs or had managed to convince the committee that they did. Harriet enjoyed listening to them, but by the end was definitely ready for some fresh air and a drink.
“Apparently there’s free wine upstairs,” said Josh.
Their little group followed the general flow of people, finding themselves in a large book filled room with several trestle tables covered with glasses.
The little college group huddled together. Harriet found it amazing the extent to which she considered people she’d only known for two days to be good friends whilst the people from other colleges felt like strangers who shouldn’t be approached without a reason.
Several glasses of free wine later, the drinks party came to an end. Their contingent decided that the best plan was to go to a pub in the town.
“I’ve heard the King’s Arms is good,” said a boy that Harriet vaguely remembered from the club night. “Apparently quite a few people are going there.”
During the short walk to the pub, Harriet began to realise how much all the wine had gone to her head. Walking in a straight line was difficult and her conversation with Olamide far too loud. The pub stood on the corner of a crossroads, and was very old. Inside, it was predictably crowded, but they fought their way to the front to reach the bar. Somehow, she lost her friends in the crush. As she was looking around trying to see them, she felt a hand on her shoulder.
“What are you having?” drawled a voice by her ear.
Harriet turned to see the tall blond guy who’d shown her where to go earlier in the evening. He was just as stunning as she remembered and his beauty seemed even stranger in a normal pub than in the slightly surreal Union. Between her drunkenness and her surprise, it took her a few moments to muster a sensible answer.
“Oh thanks. Just a tonic please. A bit boring I know, but after all that free wine...”
“Gin and tonic it is. Double or single?” He smirked at her.
Normally the combination of the smirking and the pushing alcohol on her would have disgusted Harriet, but to her annoyance, she felt amusement and a strong hint of attraction. She grinned back.
“Tonic. Slimline. Believe me, I’m not the sort to give into peer pressure, even coming from someone like you.”
He was being served by now, and with a smile ordered one double G+T and mercifully, one plain tonic water. He passed her the latter with a flourish and gestured towards a relatively quiet corner of the heaving bar. Harriet finally managed to spot her group. Olamide and Josh raised their eyebrows but gestured for her to go.
“So, what exactly is, ‘someone like me?’” he asked, once they’d wedged themselves into a quiet part of the back bar. His voice was extremely posh, even by the standard of some of the people she’d met over the last few days.
“As if you don’t know. The sort who firmly believes no girl will say no. To a drink or to anything else.”
“Oh indeed. I’m a walking stereotype. Entitled. Arrogant. Think I’m God’s gift to women.”
“Your self-knowledge is outstanding,” she said sarcastically.
“Well, I find it easier to mock my faults than do anything about them,” he said with a grin.
Harriet felt once more that uncomfortable combination of revulsion and desire. “Well, before you give me a full breakdown of your personality,” she said, taking a sip of her drink to try and keep calm, “maybe it’d make sense to tell me your name.”
“George,” he replied. “I’m at Christ Church. I do this and that.”
“Harriet. Lilith College. I’m doing History.”
“I’m so glad to have met you Harriet. I love the Union but it can get tedious at times. Finding beautiful women certainly livens it up.”
Harriet wasn’t sure how to respond to that, but before she could say anything, Olamide and Josh came over.
“We need to get back now,” said Ola. “Are you going to come?” She was looking at George with a mixture of awe and disapproval.
“I’m supposed to go to some choir drinks,” Josh added. “But neither of us wanted to leave you by yourself.”
“She isn’t by herself though is she?” George said quietly but firmly. “You know she’ll be fine with me.”
To Harriet’s surprise, both Josh and Olamide nodded.
“Yes, of course she will be,” Josh said, looking a little puzzled, as though his brain and his mouth weren’t quite connected.
“Harriet, you’d like to stay wouldn’t you? Let me get you another drink.” George looked at her, his wonderful green eyes staring into hers, his delicately sculpted lips smiling.
Harriet was torn. It was hard to resist staying with George, but it probably wasn’t the most sensible choice.
“I’d love to,” she finally managed to reply, “but I really should get back. Hopefully I’ll see you around here again soon.”
George frowned, looking almost puzzled, confirming her earlier suspicion that the vast majority of the time he got whatever he wanted. Before she could change her mind, she grabbed Olamide and Josh and strode purposefully out of the door.
***
Harriet spent Friday morning beginning to take a look at the work she’d been set. In all the excitement of freshers’ week, she’d almost forgotten that, officially at least, she was there to study. Whilst she was incredibly nervous about her first essay, it was surprisingly soothing to sit down quietly with an interesting book and have some time to herself after non-stop meetings with new people.
For the first term, they’d each had to select a period of British history to learn about. Harriet had chosen the sixteenth and seventeenth century option – Henry VIII and his wives and reformations; Elizabeth I showing just what sort of power a female ruler was capable of; the British Civil War and Charles I being beheaded, and finally, the glamour and debauchery of Charles II’s court.
The first essay of term was about the reasons for Henry VIII’s break with Rome. She managed to get quite a lot of reading done, and felt proud of herself by the time she knocked on Josh’s door to go to hall.
Caroline and Ben were already there. She called Ola to suggest she joined them, liking the feeling of having begun to have a little group of friends. They eat the fish and chips that were on offer hurriedly, ta
lking about their outfits for the coming bop and arranging to meet in Josh’s room first for drinks.
Harriet was desperate to ask Caroline about Tom’s party, but didn’t want to in front of the guys. When Josh and Ben went to get puddings, she took her chance.
“It was fun. Not hugely eventful.”
Harriet took this to mean that Caroline and Ben still hadn’t got together. “Did you manage to speak to Tom?”
“Briefly. There were a lot of people there and it was rather loud, so it was hard to have an in-depth conversation. I’m surprised the porters didn’t break it up to be honest. You know there’s that rule about no more than ten people in a room at once and not playing loud music after eleven.”
“But did you at least find out...” began Harriet.
“...whether he’s got a girlfriend?” Caroline finished. “Well, I tried to ask subtly, and it seems that he hasn’t. I’d better warn you though, Katie was totally flirting with him and he wasn’t exactly pushing her away. I’m fairly sure nothing happened, but if I were you I’d move fast tonight before she gets her claws into him.”
Harriet felt cold. She wasn’t sure she could compete with the super-glamorous rich girl. Caroline must have read her face, because she instantly put her arm around her.
“Don’t panic. You’re more than a match for anyone. Don’t you think Ola?”
“Absolutely,” the quieter girl said. “And we’ll all be there to give you support.”
Harriet was pleased Olamide was going. She hadn’t been sure it would be her scene. “So, me and Caroline haven’t shut up about our crushes. Have you got your eye on anyone?”
Olamide looked down at her plate. “Maybe. But I don’t think he’ll be coming to the party. I’d probably have better luck catching him in the library.”
“Oh, who?” asked Caroline, a determined look on her face, but Olamide wouldn’t reply.
Back at her room, Harriet squeezed herself into the corset and leather trousers. It was quite an uncomfortable outfit and she hoped it was going to be worth it. She added lots of eyeliner and mascara, and carefully drew little whiskers on her cheek. Her hair was straight and sleek, gleaming like the cat she was supposed to be.
She was the first person to arrive at Josh’s room, and he couldn’t stop staring at her. He was supposed to be a bee, in black trousers with a stripy black and yellow T-shirt. Soon after, Ben and Caroline turned up, both wearing identical ‘bunny girl’ outfits, the basque, stockings and fluffy tail looking hot on Caroline’s curvaceous body and hilarious on Ben’s muscular one.
“What?” he said, grinning at her amazed expression. “Pretty much all the guys from the boat club are going in girls’ outfits. God knows why, but it’s fun. Don’t you think my little ears are sexy?”
“You look fab,” Caroline whispered to her. “You know who’s not going to know what hit him.”
Ola reached the room last, wearing a delicate pale blue dress covered in a butterfly pattern. “Sorry I’m late, I was doing some last minute reading and lost track of time.”
“Oh, butterflies. I’ve got some sparkly wings in my room that you can borrow,” Caroline said excitedly.
“Brilliant. I wasn’t sure what to wear and I’m feeling underdressed next to you guys. Well apart from Josh who just seems to be wearing normal clothes.”
“I’m a bee,” Josh replied, pretending to sulk.
Someone had bought a pack of lager. They took a can each whilst Josh put on some music. Harriet could hardly believe how relaxed everyone seemed with each other after only a few days. So much had happened that she felt she’d been friends with the group for months.
Finally, at about ten o’clock, there was a general consensus that they should head over. All the tables had been cleared out of the bar, and the area by the door had been taken over by a large sound system. The space was full of people in a bizarre selection of clothing. Some had clearly spent a small fortune hiring an entire fancy dress shop outfit. Others had made hardly any effort at all. Most of the women were wearing sexy and revealing outfits, and strangely, as Ben had said, several of the more sporty men were in animal-themed drag. There was no sign of Tom
She saw Katie sat with a group of her equally glamorous friends and wondered whether to try to be friendly and speak to her. Katie looked amazing. She was dressed as a leopard, in a full body leopard print catsuit and a weirdly realistic mask.
“It was her costume for some dance show she was in over the summer apparently,” said Josh, noticing her staring. “She was telling me about it earlier. Borrowed it from the theatre for the night. It’s a bit over the top if you ask me.”
Harriet nodded glumly. She’d been proud of her outfit, but it now seemed makeshift and dull. She had to get to Tom first.
At that moment, he walked in by himself. He was dressed all in black, trousers merging into a tight black shirt. His usually floppy, loosely curling hair had been ruthlessly gelled back. He was wearing pointed ears somewhat similar to her cat ones, and wings similar to the butterfly ones that Caroline had lent Olamide, but huge, black and ragged. She wasn’t entirely sure what he’d come as, but he looked fantastic.
He glanced in her direction immediately, clearly studying her outfit, but didn’t come over. Several people were staring at him. It was extremely difficult to stand out at a party of this kind, but somehow he’d managed it. Out of the corner of her eye, Harriet saw Katie jump to her feet and decided she had to move first. She walked determinedly over to Tom, who was standing at the bar.
“I love the outfit. What exactly are you meant to be though?”
“A bat. The idea amused me,” he replied, in a friendlier tone than he’d managed at the club. Before Harriet could continue the conversation however, he gave her a brief smile and walked away. Harriet felt as if he’d kicked her.
Immediately, Caroline appeared next to her. “Don’t give up. One more try. Ask him to dance.”
Something by The Killers was just starting, and people who had been dancing half-heartedly by themselves were grabbing hold of their friends’ hands and spinning them around. Harriet felt she should probably have taken the hint by now, but agreed to try again.
Tom had just been served when she reached him. Harriet took a deep breath and forced herself to ask him to dance.
Tom hesitated, his face suggesting he was debating issues of international importance. Finally, he shrugged and downed his drink.
“Very well. We can dance if that’s what you’d like to do.”
Harriet had been bracing herself for failure and could barely believe his words. He didn’t sound overly enthusiastic, but this was certainly an improvement. She took his hands and jumped at their icy coldness.
“Sorry. I have terrible circulation,” he said, in an oddly sarcastic tone.
Then they were dancing. He was spinning her round and round, and on each spin she seemed to end up closer to him. Out of the corner of her eye, she briefly noticed Katie staring at them with hatred in her face and whispering something to her friend Lizzie. She saw Caroline and Olamide glancing over at them and grinning at each other as they danced nearby. But it was difficult to focus on any of this, to be truly aware of anything but Tom.
When the song ended, she realised she was almost pressed against him. She looked up at him and he stared back at her. The combination of excitement and vigorous dancing had left her heart beating fast and her breathing ragged. Tom seemed unaffected, standing very still, barely seeming to breathe at all. Nonetheless, there was pure lust in his deep blue eyes and she was sure he was going to kiss her. She put one hand on his arm. For a second he continued to look at her, as all around them people resumed their dancing for the next song.
Suddenly he pulled away. “I’m sorry, this is a bad idea. I can’t take this sort of risk,” he said calmly, before walking away off the dance floor and into the backroom of the bar.
Harriet was barely able to comprehend what had happened and stood frozen to the spot.
&
nbsp; “What a bastard,” said Josh, appearing beside her and putting one hand on her shoulder. “Come and dance with us.”
***
The next morning was matriculation, the ceremony to make new students official members of the university. All the freshers had to be up early and dressed in their sub fusc, which for Harriet meant a black skirt and stockings, a white shirt (tied at the neck with a black ribbon) and her gown again. She was feeling somewhat the worse for wear from the bop, but everybody else seemed to be in the same position. The new intake lined up to have their photograph taken as a group. Next, it was time to walk through town to the Sheldonian Theatre for the ceremony. Harriet laughed at the fact that so many tourists wanted to take pictures of her and her friends, but posed nonetheless, relishing the attention.
The ceremony itself was over in a few minutes. University officials dressed in even stranger outfits than the students read some lines in Latin. After that was over, they were free to go.
Harriet hugged her new friends and they walked to the Turf pub together. She was finally a real Oxford student.
Chapter Four
After the excitement of freshers’ week, things began to settle down. Harriet was having a fantastic time and barely had the chance to feel homesick but she hadn’t made any progress with Tom. Indeed, after the way he’d acted at the first bop, she’d barely seen him around (by all accounts he had a lot of out of college friends).
Caroline and Ben hadn’t had much more luck. “We’ve hit this horrific friend zone situation,” Caroline had moaned to her and Olamide when they’d gone for girly cocktails at the Grand Cafe one night. “It’s ridiculous. He clearly likes me; I obviously like him. I just don’t know what to do.”
“Talk to him,” said Ola. “Sit him down and tell him what you’ve just told us.”
“Or just jump him,” Harriet suggested. “Make him dance with you and then lean in and kiss him. I’d never have the balls to do that but if anyone does it’s you.”
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