‘…but now I can’t say anything because I'm not supposed to know. Honestly as much as I love her she can be a royal pain in the ass.’

‘What is it with you girls?’ Drake said to Lauralie in a disapproving tone.

‘Oh come on’ Lauralie winked cheekily at him. ‘You’ve got your interests too. It’s not easy being a girl, it’s more political than you realise.’

‘Mmmhmm’ Drake replied.

It was getting late now. The warm summer’s breeze had cooled and the sky was now darkening as the sun dipped just below the horizon. The town was winding down, and as they entered the culdasack they saw more cars parked in the driveways. Most people were at home, resting after a hard day’s work or study, now they ate with their families. Simple quiet folk when they were at home, but out, like everyone else, life for them was hectic.

‘Here’s your house’ Drake pointed.

Lauralie heisted, staring up at the modern white building, with its neat edges and tidy garden, it looked so tranquil.

‘Thanks’ she said quietly to Drake.

‘We couldn’t possibly leave you to walk alone in the dark.’

‘I'm not afraid of the dark’ she said smiling lightly. She glimpsed the brothers behind him; they waited now at the end of the drive.

Lucas stood with his arms crossed looking sour; Reuben at ease was tapping his foot. Reuben waved at her when she looked at him, and she waved back.

‘Goodnight then’ she said giving Drake a quick hug. ‘And you’ll get home safely yourself won’t you? And you guys’ she called to the brothers, ‘see you in college tomorrow.’

‘Ok bye’ Lucas replied casually dismissive while Reuben waved jovially.

She nodded to them, turning and walking slowly towards the house. Drake returned to the others when she was inside.

‘Get home safely she says’ Drake laughed. ‘If only she knew. I wonder what she thinks is going to happen to us?’

Reuben slapped him on the shoulder. ‘We had better be getting back anyway, exams are coming up after all, don’t want to be late to college because someone overslept.’

‘Don’t give me that’ Drake huffed walking with him, ‘you spend more time out of college than the rest of us.’

‘Not just me. Lucas too.’

‘Don’t drag me into this.’

‘That wasn’t much of a defence’ Drake said looking sceptically at Lucas. ‘Don’t pretend that you're not as bad as each other.’

But Lucas wasn’t listening, his thoughts were far away.

She’s starting to get nosey; it’s only a matter of time before she finds out.

Reuben smirked at Drake. ‘You know you shouldn’t be so lovey with her, your girlfriend may start getting jealous.’

‘I'm not lovey!’ Drake protested. ‘I'm just being friendly.’

‘That’s how it starts out’ Reuben teased. ‘For you friendly and flirting are the same thing.’

Drake punched him hard in the shoulder and the two began to wrestle. Lucas ignored them as he continued his casual pace, watching Drake and his brother messing around as they teased each other.

*

It was lunchtime the next day in college, and Jacob had met up with his friends.

‘Hey are you alright?’ his friend Josh had asked him.

‘Yeah I'm fine’ Jacob answered.

‘Sure, you look a little pale’ his friend persisted.

Jacob gave him a cold hard stare.

‘Whatever’ Josh shrugged, ‘not my problem.’

‘Why do you have to always poke your nose into other people’s business?’ Alex said from across the table, jabbing an accusing finger in Josh’s direction. ‘Don’t you know when to leave it alone?’

‘Hey!’ Josh argued. ‘I said it’s not my problem.’

The canteen now was brimming with people getting their lunch and talking loudly. As each person speaking contributed, it sounded as one continuous indistinguishable noise over the clatter of knives and forks. People cued at vending machines, some sat in large groups at the tables, a few on their own trying to revise.

‘Have you just come in then?’ Alex asked Jacob between slurps from his carton of orange juice.

‘Sort of, I've only had one lecture…only half an hour though. Just a revision class. Listen, you wanna go outside?’

‘Hold on I've nearly finished!’ Josh shovelled the last few forkfuls of chips into the hole in his face. ‘Ok, I'm done.’

They passed a small group of giggling girls on the way out, sitting around a table by the wall, some sitting on the table itself to see the others better.

*

‘So what did he say?’

‘Well he insisted on meeting me after class.’ Lauralie answered her friend hesitantly, ‘but I don’t think I’ll be there.’

‘But why not?!’ Christina demanded. ‘He’s totally hot.’

‘But he’s still with someone’ Lauralie replied flatly.

‘And? If you play your cards right he might pick you instead of her. Hell if you don’t want him…’

‘You can have him’ Lauralie said over the laughter of her others friends beside her who carried on in their own discussion. ‘He’s not my type.’

‘I don’t know what your problem is’ Christina replied sulkily. ‘Everyone has a type, but not you. You don’t like anyone.’

‘Hey it’s not like that’ Lauralie argued. ‘I like some people.’

‘Really? Who do you like now? And they have to be in this college, they can’t be famous.’

‘Well…I can’t really say’ Lauralie blushed.

‘Oh yeah?’ Christina leaned towards her. ‘Name me a single guy you stuck with for more than two months.’

‘Ray…’

‘Ray?’

‘Yeah.’

‘How long ago was that?’ Christina asked.

‘Uuuhhh.’

Christina grabbed her round the shoulders with an arm and shook her.

‘Ooohhhh’ she teased. ‘You're terrible, you’ll never change you know that?’