This is a work of fiction. The author retains all rights. Reproductions are not allowed without the authors consent.
There are no explicit sexual acts contained in this work, it is a story of love and the strong bonds shared between two guys.
This is the first story I have submitted. I would love to hear from you so email me on exuinoxneo@hotmail.com and be honest with what you think (but not brutally!). You can even email me if you have any questions - which overseas readers may wish to do as I am Australian and you may not understand the meaning of certain slang words. Enjoy.
THREE
The best thing about the academic life is that you're always meeting new people. The process of getting to know someone and learning new things about them is an experience in itself. Many of my friends were occupied with jobs and I didn't have any friends who were studying at uni. I was hoping to make some new friends while at uni but after last week I discovered that many of the students either had their own group of friends, so they weren't keen on meeting other people or they were only prepared to associate at uni. The smarter you were the better because people were only interested in knowing you if you had something to offer them in return. I've met several people who I could relate to and were easy to get along with, I only have to see if those acquaintances will turn into good friends.
I don't want to go through university without any friends, being alone in a sea of people is frightening to me, I like to surround myself with good company but if I had to go through uni without any friends then so be it, I can survive. At least I think I can.
Tutorials commenced this week and most tutes began in the second week because it allowed the lectures to be one week ahead. Finding my way to the correct room didn't prove too hard. I've always had a good sense of navigation, just a glance at a map and I could find any location with ease. There were already a few people lining the walls of the hallway waiting for the tutor to arrive. I didn't recognise any of them and it seemed none of them knew each other either. It wasn't long before the tutor appeared and we all entered the room with quiet anticipation. I found an empty table by the door and seated myself while more students began to arrive.
When I saw Edric come through the doorway I immediately felt a great sense of relief that I knew someone in the tute. There was something else as well underneath that relief; I felt happy at seeing him. Almost like old friends who never get tired of each other's companionship.
He spotted me, smiled and headed my way.
"Hi March, do you mind if I sit here?" He asked in his melodic voice.
"Hey, not at all Edric" I said, "Go for it."
"Isn't this a coincidence? Being in the same tute." Edric remarked.
Something rang at the back of my head, nagging at me like a word trying to be recalled yet was just at the tip of the tongue. Ignoring it I said, "You sound like my aunt, she's always going on about coincidences."
"She sounds like an insightful person," Edric said.
"That's just the half of it," I said with affection for my aunt.
The tutor cleared her throat to gain everyone's attention before introducing herself. She spent half the time explaining the structure of the tutorials and the other half consolidating the information we learnt from the lecture. When it was over everyone seemed eager to leave as quickly as they could, I didn't feel as rushed so I took my time packing up.
Edric turned to me and smiled, it was contagious and I found myself smiling back.
He said, "That was fun."
"It was wasn't it?"
"Do you have anything on next?" Edric asked me.
I had to take a moment to mentally recall my timetable. "No, actually, I have a four hour break before the next lecture."
"Yeah? Same," Edric said. "Do you want to grab a coffee or have a beer at the uni bar?"
"Mate, I've been looking for an excuse to check out the uni bar, I'll definitely take you up on that," I said.
"Great," Edric said, "It's settled then."
I found myself liking the guy, he was really easy to talk to and he seemed like a genuinely nice person. A lot of people make preconceived notions about someone else before they knew anything about them, judging them, pigeon holing them for the simple reason that it's easier to classify a person and have them figured out. With Edric, I never felt like I was under any scrutiny, not even once did I feel like he had me summed up or weighed me for my usefulness.
"Have you been here before?" I asked as the uni bar came into view.
"No," Edric replied, "This is my first time. Have you?"
"Nope," I said, "But it doesn't look too shabby."
The uni bar was quite modern considering the university was a very old institution. The place was well lit and inviting. It had the usual comforts any modern day bar had to offer; there were pool tables, a jukebox, and a large screen television.
We made our way to the bar where the bartender stood polishing wine glasses.
"What can I get you guys?" the bartender asked.
"A Corona please," Edric said without hesitation. It was the same beer I usually drink.
The bartender turned to me.
"I'll have the same thanks," I said. I reached in my back pocket to pull out my wallet.
"I've got it mate," Edric said, "Don't worry about it."
"Dude," I said incredulously, "Corona's aren't cheap, I can't let you pay for both."
"It's not a problem," Edric said smoothly, "I asked you here so let me buy you a drink, it's the least I could do for keeping me company."
I was about to argue but I didn't want to offend him. Finally I said, "Okay, thanks, but you have to let me buy you the next drink."
"Sure, it's up to you," He said handing me a beer before paying.
There weren't many people at this time of day, considering that it wasn't lunch yet, but many more people would soon be streaming in as the time neared. We chose a spot between the outside area and a pool table.
"What do you say about a game of eight ball?" I asked.
"I'm a bit rusty so -,"
I cut him off, "Come on it'll be fun, besides, we have three and a half hours to kill."
Edric grinned at me lopsidedly and for some unexplainable reason I knew the grin meant he'd planned to say yes all along. I don't know how I knew, I just did.
"It's settled then," I said, popping a dollar into the coin slot to eject the balls.
Edric raised an eyebrow at me making me laugh, which in turn caused him to smile. I was beginning to understand that Edric spoke with his face - no, he spoke with his whole body, and slowly I was decoding that language. Yet it felt like I was doing more than just decoding his body language, it felt like I already knew what they meant, and was only just remembering.
I gathered the balls into the triangle and set them up. Then I picked up my Corona and said cheers to Edric, he clinked his beer with mine and we both took several swigs.
"So do you want to break?" I asked.
"No, you go for it," he said.
"Right."
Choosing an appropriate cue for myself I took the break. The balls scattered across the pool table as they inevitably followed the laws of physics. Only one ball was pocketed, the rest slowed down to a stop.
"Looks like I have smalls," Edric observed.
"You are correct indeed," I said emphatically.
Edric gave me a blank look. I feigned innocence. He smiled and shook his head. My next shot succeeded but the one after failed.
"So what urged you to study Psychology?" I asked Edric as he took his shot.
"Honestly March, I'm not exactly sure why," he replied as he pocketed a ball, "But I guess I wanted to be able to understand myself more."
"Really?" Then jokingly I said, "I just wanted to be able to tell people how screwed up they were."
"We all have our reasons whether we know it or not," Edric said. The next ball he was aiming to pocket missed. "But I can tell you're going to enjoy getting inside people's heads!"
"Isn't that why anyone really studies psyche?" I said, pocketing a ball.
"Some people may truly want to help others," he said in mock seriousness.
Pocketing another ball I asked, "You think so?"
"What do you think?" he threw back at me.
We looked at each other and said at the same time, "Nah."
We both laughed.
I was beginning to think I was on a roll when I pocketed another ball. Then I missed my next attempt.
Edric took his shot and as he pocketed a ball I noticed he was concentrating harder on the game. His movements were more deliberate and certain. I quietly observed him while he played and pocketed another ball. His style and technique expressed a grace not unlike the way he would normally carry himself. Pocketing another three balls like he'd been playing pool all his life I was almost starting to feel like I should concede defeat until I noticed that his last ball was stuck behind the eight ball and one of mine.
"Whoa," I said with my jaw agape after watching him play, "You're really good, I thought you said you were rusty?"
"I am," he said. "I haven't played for a few years now."
"You could've fooled me," I said admiringly. "If you can make this shot I'll worship you as the god of pool!"
"Hmm," Edric contemplated, and then joked, "I suppose having someone worship me would have its benefits."
He did better than pocket a difficult ball, he beat me altogether, utterly defeating me like a professional would a novice. I stood in stunned silence.
"Are you alright there?" Edric asked, peering at me.
"What . . . happened?"
"I won."
"Mate," I said in awe. "You play like a pro, how did you get so good?"
"Well," he explained, "I used to play a lot and I've been in a few comps."
"I bet if you'd taken the break you could've beaten me while I still had all seven balls on the table," I remarked.
"Hey, you know what that would mean then," Edric said with a cheeky grin.
"Oh shit, I'd have to walk around the pool table with my pants and undies around my knees!" I proclaimed in shock. "I'm not gonna to give you the chance for that to happen then!"
"Damn," he said disappointedly. "So do you still want to worship me then?"
"Hell no," I said laughing, "Like I'm gonna get on my hands and knees for someone who wants to see me waddle my naked rear end around a pool table!"
Edric gave me a strange look and raised an eyebrow. I realised what I'd said and winced.
"Uh, that didn't come out right did it?" I said slightly embarrassed.
Edric shook his head and laughed, when my cheeks reddened it made him laugh even harder. I smiled and began to laugh as well, after all, what point is there to life if you couldn't laugh at yourself.
After the hysterics, I finished my beer and bought us two more. We sat and chatted for the remaining three hours before our next lecture. We talked about politics, religion and almost any other topic we could think of. I discovered we shared in many of the same beliefs and had much in common. I was aware that Edric did not speak of his family much and I never broached the subject. Regardless, I still shared with him the details of my own family; how I lived with an older sister, a mother who worked long hours and how I was visited by a wacky and zany aunt quite often. I only quickly mentioned to Edric that my father left my family when I was young, but he seemed to understand that it was an uncomfortable topic for me and changed the subject to my relief.
It was easy to talk with Edric. He made me feel more relaxed than I ever could be with anyone else. Bit by bit I learnt more about him as we talked and shared past experiences. He listened to the things I said with genuine interest and I hoped that I was doing the same when I listened to him talk. Not once did an uncomfortable silence ever come between us.
Time flew by surprisingly fast and I was reluctant to leave for the next lecture. I could see that Edric was feeling the same as well. We walked to the lecture room together while still talking. I felt jubilant that I'd finally found a good friend to study at uni with. A feeling inside told me that Edric would become a very close friend, closer perhaps than the friends I already had. Either way, I was glad I met him; I couldn't have hoped to meet a better person.