‘I haven’t fallen out with anyone. I just... I wanted to say hello, that’s all.’
She looked at him, puzzled, and then she came and sat across the table from him. She opened the bottle and drank some of the milk, wiping her mouth before saying, ‘Okay, I have to say I’m intrigued. So you’re Will Shaw and I’m Lorna Pallister, we’re both in the same college and the same year. I’m studying art. You’re studying God knows what.’
‘Politics.’
She frowned, but he could tell it was because she was curious rather than annoyed. He supposed she had a right to be curious, because it was true, he probably had been aloof for the last couple of years. It hadn’t been intentional and they didn’t think of themselves as being an elite or anything, but that was probably how it had looked.
He said, ‘So what are you doing today?’
The frown was still fixed in place but as if speaking to a young child she said, ‘Well, it’s a beautiful sunny day, so I’m driving out to Harland Point where I’m going to take some photographs and maybe do some sketching.’
He didn’t mind the way she was talking, because beneath the way she looked and the gentle teasing she seemed like a nice person, warm, funny maybe.
‘When are you going?’
‘As soon as we’ve finished this little catch-up, which I have a feeling could be quite soon.’
‘Could I come?’
‘Excuse me?’
‘Could I come to Harland Point? With you. I’ve never been.’
She stared at him, another incredulous laugh.
‘This is turning into one seriously weird morning.’ Then, like it hardly mattered either way, she said, ‘Yeah, you can come. Wrap up warm.’ She got up and put the milk back in the fridge.
Will was happy. He hadn’t been happy at all in the days since the accident. The closest he’d come had probably been throwing up into the river, the sense of momentary relief that had come with it, the sense too of being lost out there in the darkness with the water moving swiftly below him.
Now he was happy, excited even, just to be escaping with someone he hadn’t previously known, to a place he didn’t know. The only shadow was the fear of being seen by one of the others. It hardly mattered - they all had other friends - but he still didn’t like the idea of being seen because he didn’t want them to have any reason to doubt him.
They walked down into the car park and she pointed at a big black Mercedes, old, from the 1950s maybe. He’d seen it there plenty of times but had always imagined it belonging to one of the lecturers.
‘This is your car?’
‘No, but I found the keys lying around in the bar so I’ve been using it.’ She opened the boot and took the sketch pads and camera case he’d been carrying for her. She looked at him then, misreading his expression. ‘I’m joking.’
‘I know.’
‘Oh.’ She opened his door and walked around and got in behind the wheel. ‘My dad wanted me to have something sensible and small but I saw this and fell in love with it. He gave in, of course. It didn’t cost him much more anyway.’ She started it up and pulled out, the car kicking into life as they drove off. ‘On the other hand, I can hardly afford to drive it, which also makes him happy.’
Will was looking out at the people they were passing on their way off the campus, studying the faces for anyone familiar. He focussed back in on what she’d said then. ‘I can give you some money for petrol if you like.’
She laughed.
‘I meant I couldn’t afford to drive it to London and back once a week. I think Harland Point might be within my reach.’ He wasn’t sure if he’d offended her but clearly she was thinking along the same lines because she added, ‘Thanks though. I appreciate the offer.’
‘That’s okay. You get on well with your parents?’
‘Yeah, they’re cool.’ That was it, end of subject. He was envious, that someone could sum up her entire relationship with her parents in just three words. ‘I’m sorry, was I meant to ask you how you got on with yours?’
‘No. I don’t do that. I don’t like people who ask questions just so that they can answer it about themselves.’
‘Nor do I,’ said Lorna, not sounding serious and then she laughed again. She laughed a lot for someone who looked that scary. ‘So how do you get on with your parents?’
He looked out at the winter sunshine blurring the edges on everything, the sky blue and cloudless. He didn’t want to think about his parents, or his whole family with its limitations and suffocating attitude to everything, the way they made everything difficult. This day was too beautiful and he needed its beauty.