Page 11 of It Was Always You

She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. ‘Really? Why?’

He shrugged. ‘You look like you listen to classical music.’

‘Oh, heck. I’m not sure if I should feel offended.’ She laughed. ‘And they do say never judge a book by its cover.’

He grinned. ‘They certainly do. And I promise I didn’t mean it in a bad way. So, what else do you like?’

‘I know I’m a bit late to the party, but I recently discovered Jeff Buckley. I found a second-hand copy of his CD Grace in a shop in Sheffield, and I’ve played it loads since.’

‘Yeah, he was a talented guy. Such a shame he died so young. I think he’d have been huge.’

‘I think so too. Listening to “Hallelujah” makes me cry for what could’ve been for him.’ She cleared her throat as if her emotions were bubbling to the surface.

He leaned forward, filled with enthusiasm that this beautiful girl seemed to be the whole package, stunning, intelligent, and a brilliant taste in music. He couldn’t believe his luck. ‘He had an amazing voice, didn’t he?’

‘Oh yes, his vocal range was astounding.’ A glass collector came and removed some empties left by the table’s previous occupants.

‘Evening, Armstrong,’ the bearded man said with a nod before turning and smiling at Eve.

Adam nodded. ‘Sherman,’ he replied with his own nod.

Once he had gone, Eve turned to Adam. ‘What were you going to ask me? When we both started talking at the same time, I mean.’

He gazed into her eyes. They were the most vivid blue he had ever seen. He was taken aback for a moment. She scrunched her eyebrows but smiled. Clearly, she was wondering why he was staring.

Ugh, I really need to get a bloody handle on myself.

He cleared his throat and shook his head. ‘Sorry, sorry… Oh God, I keep staring, don’t I? I was just going to ask if you’d made any more friends since the other day. You’d only met Lil and me at that point.’

‘Oh, right. Yes, yes, I’ve made a few more friends now… Do you mind if I ask you something?’

Adam swallowed a mouthful of his beer, and his eyes watered as some tried to descend his windpipe.

He coughed a little and with a croaky voice he said, ‘Not at all, fire away.’

Eve tilted her head again and narrowed her eyes. ‘You and Lily… is there a… you know, a history there at all?’

Adam almost choked again. The question was unexpected.

He cleared his throat and laughed. ‘Me and Lily? Oh, lots of history. In fact, there’s nothing but bloody history. We go way back. Been best friends forever. Inseparable since primary school.’ He leaned back in his chair to consider it further. He rubbed the back of his neck. ‘We’ve just… never seen each other that way. Why do you ask?’

Eve shook her head. ‘Oh, no reason really. It’s just, she’s so pretty and highly intelligent. I suppose I’m just surprised that you and she never⁠—’

‘No. We were needled about it by others at school for a while, but it never bothered either of us. We just never had the attraction thing.’ A vivid memory of tennis courts, summer heat, pounding heartbeats and glistening skin flashed through his mind, but he chose not to grasp onto it and instead let it flitter out of his subconscious. He smiled and cleared his throat. ‘We’re just best friends.’

She nodded, seeming to accept the explanation he had given. It was the truth, after all… for the most part. So, he’d told it how it was, hadn’t he?

They had another couple of drinks while they talked about family, home life and films. They left the pub, stepping into the chilled autumnal evening air.

As they walked back to campus, they passed revellers whose night was just beginning. He tentatively reached out and took her hand in his. He knitted his fingers with hers and wondered if she’d pull away. When she didn’t, his smile widened. He looked over to her and discovered that she was smiling too and they continued their walk in silence until they reached her dorm room.

She was the first to speak as they arrived at her door. ‘I hope you didn’t think I was being nosy.’

He scrunched his face and looked upwards, trying to decipher what she meant. ‘Nosy? About what?’

‘You and Lily.’

‘Oh, that? No, it’s totally fine. We’re just friends. She’s very important to me and she’s usually the first one I tell about… well… you know…’ He gestured between them. ‘This kind of stuff… but if that’s weird⁠—’