Rooms with a view

The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here. 

And then it all comes rushing back. I had been lying on my bed reading A Room with a View as a short break from my dissertation planning. I had been thinking I wouldn’t be disappointed with a view of anything in Florence right at that moment when the phone in the corridor rang. As I assumed I was the only one in, I pulled myself up and slowly walked towards the phone expecting it to be someone’s boyfriend as it usually was. But no. It was my friend Fiona calling to ask me out. It started as it always did.

‘But pleaaaseee’ she begged in her own inimitable way.

‘No’

‘But please’

‘Were you like this as a child? Did you spend a lot of your school holidays with distant aunties?

‘I did as it happens…I never thought of it like that. Thank you for ruining my childhood.’

‘Welcome.’

‘But pretty please with the juices of Leonardo di Caprio sprinkled on top.’

‘Yuck. You’ve got the wrong time in my cycle to mention Leo. I’m feeling a bit more Bruce Willis at the moment.’

‘Fine. With the sweat of Bruce sprinkled on top.’

‘No Fi, I’m behind in planning my dissertation. I’m putting the phone down.’

‘But its Saturday night and we’re young and hot and your planning will keep till later.’

‘No.’

‘Pretty please.’ I knew Fi would keep going as she always did, and I suppose it was Saturday night. ‘Well maybe. Can I be Skye this evening?’

‘Mmm not sure about that. You’re too well put together to be an activist.’

Fiona and I had been close friends since meeting in our college JCR at the start of fresher’s week and we had a silly ritual of creating personas when we headed out for a night on the tiles. Fiona was usually Skye and liked to tell her victims that she was an environmentalist who spent summers cleaning up the beaches whereas I liked to say my name was Arabella and I was a distant relative or some lowly member of the royal family. Fiona endearingly said it was because I had a rather inbred looking demeanor, and I said she fit the part with all that hair including under her pits.

‘It’s still a no. Putting phone down now.’

Fiona, not taking no for an answer, turned up at my door 10 minutes later with a bottle of Liebfraumilch in hand/ glitter dress ready and I was told I had twenty minutes to get my sparkle ready. We started at the Union bar and ending up at the Union after a disastrous number of conversations with very boring chaps at the local bars including the Slug and Lettuce. We were so tipsy and both wanted a dance.  I do remember slightly entering the cavernous nightclub under the Union, ‘The Purple Turtle’ which was had produced enough liquid for a turtle to swim quite happily and was full of lots of large guys in their black DJs swaying to the horrendous music but mostly swaying due to the large amount of drink they had consumed.

And now with my head pounding and light streaming through the open window and hitting my face, I took a look under the duvet covers to find with horror I was just wearing my pants.

A tall very handsome chap walked towards me with his T-shirt and boxers on and a huge smile and planted a kiss on my lips.

‘Good morning beautiful’

‘Oh, good morning.’ Can’t remember name. I was also conscious that my breath probably stank of red wine, and I could feel the crusty remnants of red wine on my lips. 

By the wall next to the bed, I noticed lots of sticky notes all over the walls with my phone number on. I wasn’t sure whether to be worried that I’d met a serial killer or to be hugely flattered.

‘Goodness there are a lot of notes.’

‘I know, I think I may have taken it a bit too far. I wanted to get your number before you left and then you passed out.’

‘Wow so attractive. Listen I’ll get dressed and be out of here in a second’ pulling the duvet up and closer to my body as I suddenly felt hugely self-conscious and wished that I’d actually not drunk so much. 

‘Would you like a tea or coffee?'

‘Please don’t worry, I can grab one on the way back. I’m sure the Nose Bag will be open.'

‘Oh, I love that place’

‘Me too. So cosy and nice for a glass of elderflower wine.’

‘Are you sure I can’t get you anything?’

‘Absolutely. I’ll just get…’

‘Let me give you a bit of privacy and I’ll Walk with you.’

‘Thank you.’ Handsome man went out the front door and I perused the floor for my remaining clothes and some sort of document with his name. Also, where was my bra? I made it into the bathroom. Found it. I then caught a glimpse of my face.  Oh great, I bought my fat stick of waterproof mascara from a liar as I grabbed a bit of toilet tissue, dampened it and wiped the black rings from under my eyes. My teeth were fine, but I pulled a bit of lip gloss from me bag and applied to try and cover the red wine crust that had appeared on my lips. How attractive. 

I heard the front door go and handsome say ‘looks like the scouts are on the lookout for beautiful ladies. I don’t know what they expect when they throw us these wonderful dinners and ply us with wine.’

I came back into the bedroom and found myself looking at the floor. Handsome man came over to me, taking both my hands and lifting them to his mouth he kissed them and said, ‘fair maiden, would you do me the honour of joining me for dinner here this week?’

‘oh, um, yes.’

We walked out of his room, down the staircase and into the courtyard where handsome man guided me across the yard to the gates at the back of college. 

We chatted about plans for the day and handsome said ‘I’ll call you later.’

‘Well, you have my number.’

As I walked away, I felt his eyes on me. Should I turn round? Is that too cheesy? I’m going to walk off with purpose.

As I got back to my room at college I slumped on my bed and drifted off to sleep for a bit.

Later that morning, there was a knock on my door and a head popped its way round.

‘Hello sweetie’ Fiona instantly started laughing.

‘Hello you’

‘Cup of tea miss Fiona?’

‘Ooh yes please. Did you sleep with him?’

‘Who?’

‘The tall handsome rugby player’

‘No, I didn’t. I don’t think so at least. No, it was all very PG. What about you?’

‘Oh I met someone called Eddie but then just headed back to college with Charlie and Jo when I saw you’d pulled.’

‘Oh sorry love’

‘No don’t be sorry. Do you think you’ll see him again?’

‘Oh I don’t know.’ Who knows anymore? It was my last year of my degree and felt completely swamped with work and dissertation. 

‘Up for a run tomorrow? Usual route?’

‘Absolutely. Come and grab me at 5.’

‘Will do. Love you sweetie’

‘Love you.’

The next day Fiona and I set out on our usual route. Fiona was training to be a teacher but was having a crisis about it all. ‘I just don’t know if I want to spend my days wiping their bums.’

Fiona had gone into her placement to find there was an outbreak of lice and some of the children weren’t even potty trained.

‘Miss Christopher, can you wipe my bum? Miss Christopher, Jimmy keeps flicking his willy wee on me in the toilet.’

‘That sounds feral.’

‘Indeed.’

As we set off on our run the fields, heading out of the city and up to the Hinksey area, the fields were full of rape seed oil, and we felt we could breathe.

‘Are you going to be in Bude over the summer?’

Oh probably, probably back to some temporary job waitressing and have a think about what I want to do.’

‘Are you still thinking something in media? You’d be fabulous reading the news.’

‘Oh, I don’t know.’

‘You should go travelling.’

‘Sounds great but where? ‘

‘Australia?’

‘Too far. No if I was going to travel, I’d head to Italy definitely.’

‘It’s all that Forster. You are Lucy Honeychurch.’

‘Well maybe. I do dream of walking in Tuscan fields, only to be scooped up and had by some awkward but delicious English gentleman. And then when we’re engaged and we get out of bed after so much shagging, we open the windows to look out on St Mark’s square.’

‘so, you haven’t thought about it much then?’

‘Ha. I will!’

‘You could even go with mr muscle.’

‘Ha. That’s jumping ahead. He’s in love you can tell.’

‘Don’t be so silly.’

‘You mark my words. It’s all in the look.’

Fiona and I carried on running and saw two men running in the distance.

‘Goodness that looks like mr muscle.’ Declared Fi.

‘Oh god it is. Shall we turn round and go back? I don’t want him to see me like this. All hot and sweaty.’

‘I’m sure he’ll love it. Come on let’s carry on.’

Handsome was with his friend. ‘This is Adrian. Ade.’

‘Hi Ade’

‘This is Rebecca’

‘Hi.’

‘And this is Fiona. Fiona this is ….’

‘Luke. Pleased to meet you again. I think you were in the purple turtle the other night as well?’

‘Indeed. We love the purple turtle.’ I shot fi one of my looks as if to say, please be cool. 

I was also relieved he said his name. 

Fi then said, well Ade shall we leave these two lovebirds to it? I’ll run with you if you like.

Ades cheeks flushed before we said, ‘I’d be delighted.’

‘Shall we carry on…running?’ I said to Luke.

‘Of course, but before we do, do you mind if I just.’ And he kissed me on the lips. I wasn’t sure if the sweat between my thighs was just from the run.

We headed back to my room and Luke sat down on my sofa chair in the corner of the room looking out at a busy street bustling with students.

He gestured for me to sit on his lap and as we started kissing my lips and working his way to behind my ear and neck, I wanted to scream ‘let’s do it’ but then remembered I was a virgin. Completely inexperienced in this area but also not willing to contemplate sex at this point. 

‘He’s got to earn it’ as Fiona had always said. Fiona and I were proud virgins and not willing to just fling it away. Fiona used to say when we were out jogging ‘I mean I’m not asking much but they’ve got to be loaded, gorgeous and I need to know that they won’t stray.’ Fiona had had a very tricky time with Steve, the captain of the football team. They had been seeing each other for a year and Steve was desperate to do it. Over the summer, he had stayed in Oxford and met an Italian student who was enthusiastic and game. Fiona instantly dumped him. Good luck to him. ‘ He had a small Willy anyway’ she had said to which we had laughed and then laughed again when we realised a couple of pensioners had overheard us and were fiercely staring in our direction. 

After kissing/ stroking/ taming the sex gods for at least an hour, I stopped and said, I feel quite hungry to which he replied, ‘I’m a mean cook.’

‘Really? Does that mean you shout hurty words at the veg?’

‘Ha ha! Funny as well as beautiful’

‘Oh, dear which charm school did you go to?’

‘I couldn’t possibly say.’

Luke rustled up an amazingly tasty pasta bake with my very limited ingredients.

‘Yum this is delicious.’

‘Why thank you.’

‘So does this mean I get to stay over?’

‘No absolutely not, I’ve got assignments to finish. Chop chop.’

‘When will I next see you?’

‘I don’t know. I guess you’ll have to call me and find out.’

With that he kissed me farewell and I watched him walk away, I was completely fixated by his pert bottom and strong physique. Thank you to the god of looks. Truly amazing.

I went back to my room and started on my Shakespeare essay, 'who or what makes happen the things that happen in Macbeth?'

Oh sigh….no multiple-choice answer…as I delved into my assignment, I tried not to think about the past few days. I’d dated a few people off and on over my years at college but now didn’t feel the time for any distractions. I was on course for a 2:1 and needed at least.

The next day, I had a knock at the door and Fiona appeared. 

'Hey, my love, how are you?'

'Oh, fine thanks, how are you?'

'Did you, do it?'

'No. Did you?'

'What with spotty Ade. No way'

'Aah, he seems sweet.'

'He was but so dull!  He just wanted to talk about chess club. I just said I wasn’t a fan of porn.'

'What?'

'He said they’re called pawns.' I think my humour is lost on these juveniles.'

'I think it is.'

'So, when are you next seeing lover boy?'

'Oh, I don’t know. I’m cool, I’ll just see.'

'You are not cool. You’re very serious. Your sister is the cool one.'

'Hey!  Oh, I don’t know. I need to get my head down.'

'Me too. I’ve got so much marking to do. So dull.'

'Ok run at 5?'

'Perfecto.'

The weeks passed and there was only a week to go until the Easter break. I was starting to feel completely overwhelmed with work and what life would hold next. I’d seen Luke a lot which was lovely and felt like a great escape from studying. Tonight, I’d agreed to come out with some of his friends, but I just wasn’t in the mood and had been feeling guilty about neglecting my studies. I looked at the time which close to the time I’d agreed to meet him. 

The phone downstairs rang and one of my housemates hollered up ‘Rebs, it’s for you sweetie.’ ‘Aah thanks Theresa’. 

‘Hello it’s Luke.'

'Hey, how are you?'

'I was just checking you’d be coming tonight?'

'Well, I don’t know. I’m not feeling my best.'

'Oh please. I’ve told the boys you’d be there.'

'Wouldn’t you have a better time without me?'

'No absolutely not.'

'Ok I’ll come along for one and see how I go.'

'Brilliant, you won’t regret it.'

'And I didn’t. I had the best time. Luke’s friends were at the same college as him and were fascinating. All scientists or medical students but all had a very naughty sense of humour which I found refreshing.'

As the weeks past he introduced me to so many of his friends from all walks of life. 

I felt such a change in myself. I wanted to be as interesting as he was. We both graduated that summer and stayed in Oxford to do a TEFL qualification to teach abroad. We had become so inseparable that we had talked about teaching in Spain or Italy together. 

And then one lunchtime as we were finishing our course, Luke announced that one of his mates, Dave was going to cycle the west coast of Africa.

and just like that …I felt the ground from under me move. Where have all the months of being inseparable/ finding enjoyment in the simple pleasures gone?

After crying to Fiona for what felt like a lifetime, she convinced me that now was the time to go and do what I wanted.

So, with little thought, I called a school in Sicily to ask if they'd have me and then I packed a suitcase, got on a flight and here I am…

The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here.