Trophy Life by Elli Lewis Read Free Book Online Page B

staying for a day or so.
    The decision to go to different universities had been a difficult one. Having started dating at 16, they had been virtually inseparable for almost two years. But when Will had been accepted at Cambridge, a place to which Amy hadn’t even applied, there was no way she could let him turn it down. It would be hard, but they could do it. They planned to meet up at home every other weekend and with their free mobile phone minutes they could talk on a daily basis.
    'Tanya here is going to show us to your room,' her mum said officiously. Big events always made her mother nervous, which made her even more organised, more abrupt. 
    'You’re in N block, second floor, not a bad place although a bit dated,' Tanya started telling Amy as they walked into the 1970’s brick building, Amy carrying a box of her beloved DVD’s. 'You’re probably going to want to personalise it a bit,' she continued confidingly. 'But you get all your food in the canteen, which is good. A lot of the halls don’t have that. Plus, the common rooms are a great place to meet up. Every half of a floor has its own common room.'
    Just then, Amy’s box met an obstacle and there was a sharp clatter as some of the contents escaped. Unable to see beyond the cardboard, she stopped for a moment, placed it on the ground and looked around the floor, searching for lost items, not the easiest thing whilst people milled about her. Engrossed in her monologue, Tanya had continued her journey down the hall without her charge, her voice slowly melding into the background.
    'Think you’re looking for this.' The first thing she saw was a Friends DVD being thrust at her. Her DVD.
    "Thanks." Taking it, she looked up at the source of the voice to see warm brown eyes and a crooked smile amidst a smattering of dark stubble. 'Good choice by the way.' His smile grew wider as he gestured to the box. Amy could feel her own mouth curving upwards, involuntarily, helplessly.
    'Thanks,' she said falteringly.
    There was a pause. An expectation she thought she could see reflected in his eyes. He was expecting her to speak. And all she could think was that she couldn’t think of anything else to say. Why couldn’t she think of anything? She couldn’t formulate a single cogent thought, couldn't move her eyes from his, could barely breathe.
    Think.
    Think of something funny. Or clever. Or just words that make sequential sense. But nothing. Fantastic.
    'Amy?' Her mother’s voice, sharp and questioning, broke the static silence that had enveloped her. 'Tanya’s found your room.'
    'Mate, we’re next door to the toilets.' This next interruption came from tall, loping figure with reddish blond hair, his accent Manchunian. Amy watched as DVD guy turned to his friend. When his eyes returned to her, she realised she was staring.
    She had to stop gawping at him.
    'Amy?' The word had a final jolt of an effect.
    'Coming mum.' Smiling sheepishly, she giving a slight wave of the hand holding the DVD before releasing into the air the only word she seemed capable of uttering in his presence.
    'Thanks.'
    She turned quickly, lowering her head and focusing every ounce of energy in her being on not falling over. Moving in the direction of her mother's voice, she went to see her new home.
    Her mum, Tanya and Will were in the doorway, surveying the room, like visitors at a museum behind a red rope. Taking the role of a docent describing historical significance, Tanya started pointing out the features before them. Coming to stand next to the impromptu tour, Amy had an overwhelming impression of brown and yellow. The single bed, small wardrobe, the desk, all brown against the yellow walls. But she didn’t care. This room was all hers: This is where she would study, sit with as-yet-unknown friends and watch TV in the evenings. Her little base.
    Once Tanya had finished telling them about Freshers’ Week and where they could find her if they needed anything, she was gone and it didn’t