So Much to Learn Read online

  Chapter 8

  The next morning I was awakened brutally early by a loud thump on my door. I opened my eyes and blearily looked at the clock, it read 6:15. For a moment I was all at sea as to what the noise was, but then I heard my doorknob turning and sat up to see Matt stagger into the room.

  I should have known.

  "Sorry," he grunted. "Had a bit of trouble finding the handle."

  So, by the sounds of it, he had attempted to walk through my door. You couldn’t fault the decision making of the truly hung over.

  He lurched the short space to my bed and then collapsed down upon it, burying his face into my quilt. I tried not to think of the alcohol and whatever else fumes he was blowing into my bedspread and instead gave him a little poke to see whether he was in the 'I'm still slightly drunk and therefore the pain is slight' hangover stage or the 'I want to die' hangover stage.

  "Help," he croaked. "I'm in pain, help me."

  Well, that answered that question.

  I sighed, clambering over his body and going out into the kitchen. I returned a moment later with a huge glass of water and a couple of painkillers.

  "Good night then?" I asked as I watched him down the water and drugs in a couple of large gulps.

  "I have no idea," he groaned. "The pain has wiped out any memory I've ever had."

  "Oh, poor baby." I ruffled his hair, eliciting another groan in the process.

  I collapsed down on the bed beside him and gave him a shove so he’d roll over and I’d have space to lie down. My bed is a double so there should have been enough room, but, unfortunately, he just kept on rolling and I had to grab him before he rolled completely off the other side of the bed. Exclaiming in frustration I anchored him with my foot and then used my hands to roll him flat on his back, a safe distance from the edge.

  "You're a good girl," Matt croaked, obviously compos mentis enough to know he had been about to roll off the bed, but not aware enough to stop himself.

  I smiled slightly then snuggled back under the covers and murmured, "And you're a good boy, now shush, I need my beauty sleep."

  After our night out it was easy enough to fall back asleep, but unfortunately it wasn't too long before my slumber was, once again, disturbed. I gradually awoke as the sound of smothered laughter entered my consciousness.

  Flicking open my eyes, I saw three people squashed into my doorway. My heart made a huge thump and then seemed to stop and I only just managed to hold down the scream which had risen in my throat. Sitting up and dragging the covers up to my neck I glared at the group.

  "What the hell do you think you're doing?" I screeched, sounding uncannily like my old English teacher.

  Simone, Sam and Jack grinned back at me, quite unabashed at being caught watching Matt and me sleeping.

  "Calm down," Simone laughed, leaning against my door frame and looking ridiculously perky for, I checked the clock, 9 on a Sunday morning. "I was just going to ask if I could borrow a jumper and then I saw you two looking so cute. My brothers rarely consent to even being in the same room as me, it's so sweet how you and Matt get along."

  I glanced down at Matt who was still oblivious to the world, occasional snorts and snores emitting from his wide open mouth. He looked dishevelled and dirty and I could smell his boozer’s breath from where I was sitting.

  Cute? Sweet? I think not.

  "Whatever floats your boat." After a moment I looked over at Samsa and Jack with raised eyebrows. "And what's your excuse then?" I asked. "I can't see you enjoying the cuteness or the sweetness."

  They both shrugged, looking a little sheepish. Clearly Simone had called them over and the allure of the sports crazy, macho Matt looking all warm and fuzzy had been a sight too good to miss.

  At that moment Matt gave an especially loud grunt and woke himself up. Lifting his head up slightly he blearily opened his eyes and started, as I had done, at the sight of our audience.

  "Christ!" He exclaimed loudly before clapping a hand to his head and moaning, "Ow."

  I rolled my eyes and slid out of bed, aware that I was only wearing my pjs, but, considering the company, not really caring. Pushing past Sam and Jack, I went to the wardrobe out in the main room, pulling a jumper out for Simone. I threw it at her then went to the sink and filled another big glass of water for Matt. I returned to my room and placed the water on the bedside table before rounding on the others, my hands on my hips.

  "I think the show's over, was there something else you wanted?"

  "Nope, just the jumper." Simone smiled sweetly and then tugged on Sam's arm. "Come on, let's get going." She looked over at me. "We're going for a run then we're going to be studying for the rest of the day so I'll call you tonight."

  Her and Sam together all day? My, my, my. Looks like I'd been right about them all along. I sent Simone a significant look then waved her away.

  "Sure, talk to you later," I said, before switching my attention to Jack.

  He had moved past me and was sitting on the edge of the bed with the water trying to get Matt to drink it.

  "Don't want to," Matt was grumbling, sounding like a three year old.

  Jack seemed to have no sympathy and, taking hold of Matt's arm and hauling him into a semi upright position, he thrust the glass into his hand.

  "Don't be such a pussy, drink the water," he commanded and, with no further protests, Matt did.

  I smiled, I couldn't help it. It was such a perfect portrayal of their friendship. Matt was always the one doing the idiotic things and Jack was the one who swooped in afterwards and smoothed things over.

  Jack looked up and, seeing me looking at him, got to his feet. "I'm going to be out all day," he said quietly, so as not to disturb Matt who had flopped back down into my pillows. "But I'll be back for tea if you want me to cook." I nodded that I understood and, for a moment, it looked like he was going to say something more, but then seemed to think better of it. "See you later then," he murmured and then he left the room.

  I watched through the open door as he gathered together his stuff then exited the flat. I wondered what he was going to be spending the day doing and what he had originally wanted to say. I was what my father called a ‘nosey parker’ and usually if one of the boys were going out they’d submit to giving me a run-down of their day's movements to satisfy my endless curiosity so why had Jack been so reticent? And I hated when people changed their mind about saying something, it leaves me forever wondering what I'd missed out on hearing.

  I shook my head and determined not to think about it. If Jack was doing something that he wanted me to know about then he would have told me and as for the thing he didn't say, well you could waste your life wondering what people were thinking and mostly it just wasn't worth the effort.

  Proud of my mature approach I bounced down on the bed and poked Matt. "Just you and me, brother," I said in an unnecessarily loud voice making him groan and pull my pillow over his head.

  Great, so actually it looked like I was on my own. I wandered out into the main room and flopped down on the couch. I flipped the TV on, but turned it off again almost immediately. Nothing really much on the box on a Sunday morning.

  I twiddled my thumbs for a couple of minutes, growing increasingly bored. Being so used to having so many people around constantly, I found the silence a little oppressive. Fantastic, I whine when I'm being watched by all my friends and always around the flat, but now it turns out I've become institutionalised! I was just smirking over life's little quandaries when my phone rang.

  Seeing a way free of my boredom I virtually raced over to my bag and snatched my mobile out, disregarding the caller ID.

  "Hello," I said cheerily. There was a long silence on the other end of the line and I strained my ear to hear anything. "Um, hello," I said again, a touch of impatience creeping into my voice.

  "Hey, Talia, it's me." He spoke so quietly I barely recognised his voice, but it was definitely him.

  "Brad?" My voice was almost a squeal, what the hell w
as he doing phoning me?

  "Yeah, how've you been, baby?"

  Un-bel-eiv-able.

  My face flamed red, my heart rate picked up its pace, and I was generally so flabbergasted that he’d had the cheek to call me that I sat down heavily on one of the kitchen chairs.

  "Did Simone pass on my message?" He asked after it became clear that I wasn’t going to be engaging in any of the usual pleasantries with him.

  "Yes," I replied shortly. There was another long silence and I sighed loudly. "Why have you called? What do you want?"

  His voice, when he next spoke, sounded incredibly frustrated. "I want things to go back to how they were."

  I snorted and, before I could stop myself, asked, "What, when I was obliviously having a good time while you rooted anything that moved behind my back? Oh yeah, those were great times, we should go back to those, really."

  "Don't be sarcastic, I meant when things were good and everybody got along. I can barely go two steps on campus now without running into one of your brother's bully boys." His voice whined with indignation and then he obviously checked himself as his tone became more coaxing as he added, "I mean, I'm sorry. And, hey, we could even get back together if you like, as long as your brother's goons back off."

  Completely forgetting about Matt sleeping in my room I shot to my feet and full out yelled, "I dumped you, dickhead, not the other way round! And I'm sorry if you feel you're being given a hard time, but, hey, you fooled around in the bed now you have to lie in it."

  I slammed the phone down and stared at the wall, breathing heavily. How could I ever have dated him? Did I have absolutely no self respect?

  I vaguely heard my door opening and Matt's footsteps across the kitchen. Then I felt his arms come around my shoulder and I leant back against him for a moment and breathed through my anger.

  It wasn't long before I felt better and turned to face my brother. He was looking very wan and ill, his hair lank and greasy and his clothes rumpled and smelly. I knew I wouldn't be looking that much better, but that I'd be red rather than grey.

  “Have you and your mates been giving Brad a hard time when you see him?” I asked, not putting it past Brad to be lying about that too.”

  “Yes,” Matt croaked, with no hint of apology and in a way that suggested there was no point in me protesting...so I didn’t.

  "C’mon,” my brother easily brushed the topic of Brad aside and ambled towards the couch. “Let's lock the door and spend the day watching crappy movies, whaddya think?"

  "I think it's the best idea you've ever had," I replied honestly.