I Need You Here Tonight

"Recombinant DNA is piece of DNA that combines two different strands. It is sometimes called Chimeric, after the mythical chimera. It is the product of genetic recombination." Bret smiled.

It had been a week since my meeting with Jake and it's not like I'd been counting down. My phone buzzed and I grinned. We'd been texting since after our meet-up. I hadn't told anyone much.

Well, except Shay and Oli. I told Shay because she simply would not let it be, insisting on hearing everything. Her eyes had become dreamy at the mention of details and she had declared that Jake and I were long lost lovers. Our reunion was fated.

"Dude, you can clone me anytime." Jack grinned. He was reclining on the couch.

Jack lived in the dorms down the street. He was a regular visitor here. He was here when I got downstairs for my regular study session with Bret and had stuck around. Alex, Tay and Vic had arrived shortly after.

Jack, despite being dirty-minded and insisting on turning everything into a sexual innuendo was studying Arts and Sciences.

"I think one of you is enough," Vic laughed. "I mean, seriously, why torture the world with two Jacks."

Bret was still flicking through our new text book for the year ahead. Our tutor, Sue had arrived this morning with them. She had insisted we look at them prior to starting lectures to get an idea of what we would be studying this year.

Vic had started out on the same course as me, but this year he would be taking Neuroscience instead. He had said in the beginning that he was more interested in that side of Biomedical science. He lived in the same dorm as Jack.

"I happen to think I'm awesome." Jack laughed when Bret threw a pillow at him.

"Glad someone does." Alex grinned, smugly. Jack stuffed the pillow into his best friend's face, laughing evilly.

I was sat across the way, flicking through the book. This was some complex stuff. Genetics, Cell Biology and pharmacology.

"Hey Kota, I know what I was meaning to ask you," Tay leaned forward, garnering my attention. "How'd your date go?"

I closed the book and laid it down on the side. My phone buzzed again and I was reminded of my 'not a date'.

"It wasn't a date," I replied, shyly.

"You went on a date?" Jack flew forward. Tay glowered at him, but it wasn't hateful, instead she rolled her eyes.

She grabbed the pillow and pressed it to his face, ignoring him.

"So sorry, please continue without Jack and his big mouth." She laughed.

Jack recovered quickly and leaned forward again, listening. Suddenly all the attention was on me. It made me nervous, like I was on a podium in front of a thousand people.

"Like I say, it wasn't a date. We went school together and we saw each other last Saturday and he asked me to hang out, no big deal." I shrugged, like none of it mattered.

All the while, Tay was grinning. Jack was smiling too, possibly turning everything into a sexual innuendo.

"It probably was a date though," Vic interjected. "If he didn't think you were important then he wouldn't have bothered asking. He would have left it at Saturday."

I glanced at Bret. He wasn't smiling, instead he seemed to be listening to what everyone was saying. I smiled at him and he smiled back.

"It seems this new fella has some competition," Jack stood then, throwing an arm around Bret's shoulders. "In the form of our very own Bret Von Dehl."

Bret visibly tensed, but played it off. I did like Bret, but I didn't feel any romantic feelings for him and I wasn't the type of person to just sleep around. Shay seemed convinced he liked me and maybe her theories weren't without merit.

"There is no competition," Alex frowned. The way he set his face made him look angry.
"Because I will be marrying Jack."

"Fucking finally." Jack let go of Bret and hugged Alex.

I glanced at Tay and she was laughing loudly. Vic was rolling his eyes and pretended to ignore them both. It was difficult to do when Jack landed on Vic's lap.

"Hey big boy, fancy a threesome with me and the hubby." He giggled. Vic looked offended and shoved him onto the floor.

It had officially descended into chaos with pillows being thrown and screaming. I dodged a pillow and laughed when Jack tried to throw an entire glass of water at Alex.

Oli chose the moment to walk in and narrowly avoided a pillow to the face. He looked surprised by the sudden attack. Jack was on his feet again, hugging Oli.

"Oliver! You've arrived just in time for the orgy." Jack grinned.

"Whatever, you weirdo. I'm here to see Kota." Oli rolled his eyes.

Jack pouted and let go. He sloped over to Alex and hugged him. Oli stepped over the mess of pillows and text books.

Oli nodded at Bret and Vic, who seemed to be the only normal ones. Vic was, at the moment preoccupied with his phone. He stood suddenly and stretched.

"I gotta shoot, guys," He smiled. "Meeting Kells in about ten minutes."

Kellin was Vic's boyfriend of seven months and he attended the Metropolitan University. I had only met Kellin a couple of times. He was quite shy and was happy to sit and listen.

Tay stood, giving Vic a hug. He smiled and returned her affections. Alex high-fived him and Jack hugged him, only to be reminded of the impending 'orgy'.

Vic brushed Jack off and left, patting Oli on the shoulder and nodding at Bret, who grabbed his book from off the floor. It was too close to an opened can of Pepsi.

Bret hugged me and disappeared down the hall. Oli motioned for me to follow. It was time for our Monday night movie marathon.

"What shall we watch tonight?" He asked, as we walked into my room.

"You choose last time. I get to chose this time." I switched on my tv.

I browsed through Netflix and was suddenly reminded of what Bret had told me, regarding Hannah Snowden.

"Hey Oli, do you like Hannah?" I asked, whilst flicking through movies.

I tilted my head to see him watching me. He sighed and leaned forward. I had visual confirmation and he hadn't denied it.

"Yeah, but I can't muster up the courage to talk to her. I'm such an awkward twat, ya know." He ran his hands through his brown hair.

I turned to face him, balancing on the balls of my feet. He lifted his head a bit to meet my gaze. He was clearly waiting for advice, but I was terrible at this sort of thing.

"Maybe, just strike up conversation." I groaned at the sound of my advice. It sounded obvious and stupid.

"What can I talk to her about though?" He leaned back, thinking.

"Well, she likes art. Find out what sort of art she likes." I suggested.

"Yeah, that sounds like a plan," He mused. "If Shay were here, she'd tell me to stick my tongue down her throat so your advice seems better."

I couldn't help but laugh at that. Shay's usual piece of advice was to stick your tongue down the person's throat.

"You know Shay likes Ash Purdy, right?" Oli enquired, and I was speechless for a moment.

"I thought they just made out." I replied.

"Yeah, they did. She realy likes him though." Oli toyed with his sleeves.

I had thought for a while now that Shay liked Ash. She would speak about him a lot, but she'd also complain when he made out with other girls. I assumed she had a crush on him because he was three years older, but it never occured to me that it had ran deeper.

"Does Ashley like her back?" I mumbled.

Oli was close friends with Austin. Ashley and Austin often went out drinking together so it would stand to reason that Oli might now something. Oli pulled a face though. He and Ashley didn't really get on very well.

They hadn't gotten on since Oli and Andy fell out. Ashley had obviously sided with Andy. It made me wonder how Jake felt about it all. I checked my phone and smiled at the text from him. I would reply later, before bed.

"Ashley likes anything with tits." Oli shrugged.

"So, it that a no?" I giggled. He launched a pillow at me.

"It's difficult to say since I do my best to avoid spending time with Ash." He chuckled.

I turned my attention back to Netflix and sighed. I wasn't big into romance films so I flicked through the horror films.

"How about Fragile?" I hovered over the icon.

"Sure, as long as it doesn't give you nightmares." Oli grinned, patting the bed.

***********
Needless to say, Fragile gave me nightmares. After Oli had gone I locked the door and left the lamp on to sleep. I texted Jake, letting him know I had watched something scary. He hadn't replied, but I didn't let it bother me.

I woke up the following morning, clicking out the lamp and rolling over in bed. My phone buzzed and I sat up, grabbing it. He had finally texted back.

Would a hug make it better ;).

I frowned at the winky face and wasn't really sure how to respond to the text. It made me smile in the end. Was this flirting? I had never flirted, or been flirted with.

Yeah, I love hugs :).

Satisfied that was the best answer, I got up and grabbed my shower things. It was only nine and there wasn't a lot of movement in the dorms. Jenna passed me, waving as she did. She often went out jogging.

I got to the girls shower room and slipped inside. I chose a cubicle and locked myself in, slinging my towel over the wall. I turned on the shower and shrieked when the water ran cold to begin with.

I had my shower in peace. It was strange being in here with no one else. I was almost afraid I'd hear the creaking of metal like in the movie. This made me shower quicker. I hurriedly dried off and put my PJs back on.

The dorms were still quiet as I walked back. I unlocked my door and slinked back inside. I picked up my phone and smiled. There was a reply. My eyes widened when I read it.

Hugs are cute, kinda childish. How about kissing :p.

How could I respond to that? I got dressed and wracked my brain. Nope, I was struggling and my mind was short circuiting like crazy. I decided to be blunt about this despite the fact I hadn't yet kissed anyone.

You want to kiss me?!

He probably didn't mean he wanted to kiss me. Maybe he was asking just in general whether I rated kissing. Not wanting to seem like a total noob I decided to play it cool-ish.

My phone buzzed and I nearly dropped it on the floor. My palms were slick and my hands were shaking like mad. The response would be bad, I knew it. He couldn't possibly want to kiss me.

I wouldn't say no ;) You offering?

Was I offering? I didn't just go around kissing guys. Not just through lack of training, shall we say, but because I always believed these sorts of things were for committed relationships. How should I respond? Should I tell him to bog off? Or should I be 'flirty' back?

My brand of flirting was awkward and weird. It was probably because I wasn't used to it. My eyes darted round the room, trying to think of what to say back.

Quit fooling around.

That seemed appropriate. It would cool him down straight away and he'd probably admit to joking, but it seemed better than my awkward flirting. Plus I kind of guessed he was messing with me.

I'd like to fool around with you ;)

Well, that plan failed. He was seriously messing with me. Why was it making my tummy feel so...um...flippy?

Haha very funny. We still meeting up next Sunday?

Would he be like this when we met up? A part of me wondered, or would he pretend that he had never texted those things?

Yeah, might need to be a bit later. Have to nip by and see Dad :)

We were back on track. I texted back in agreement and decided to spend the rest of my finishing the essay I had been neglecting and flicking through my new text books.

Notes