Poor Effort

The latch on the door to Russ’ building had been broken for days. I pushed it open and walked through the hallway and to his room. Music was blaring loudly from behind the door and I banged loudly.

‘Yeah? Come in!’

I pushed the door open and he craned his head around to see who it was. When he saw me a large smile broke out across his face and he said, ‘Hel-lo.’

I smiled back. ‘Hey there.’ I hadn’t seen him since we had slept together the week before.

‘How’s it going?’

‘Great. Things are good.’

‘Really? Glad to hear it.’

I paused for a second, taking in the sight in front of me. He was wearing jeans and no t-shirt and all his curtains were closed. ‘… Why aren’t you wearing a shirt?’

‘Because it’s well hot in here.’

‘Why don’t you open a window.’

‘It is open.’

‘Open the curtains maybe?’

‘I can’t.’ He said. ‘Seeing the sunlight just makes me want to be outside.’

I went to the window and peered outside. ‘It is quite bright out there.’

‘I literally have to wear my sunnies when the window is open.’

‘Yeah, but it would be cooler if the curtains were open.’

‘I know. I was just about to take off the rest of my clothes, I’m so hot.’

‘Really? Well, I’m sorry that I missed that!’

He laughed. ‘I bet you are.’

‘Speaking of which, did I leave my shirt here? I got home the other day and realised I had less clothes on than when I had left last.’

‘Yeah, it’s just here,’ he said, getting up and rummaging through a pile of clothes which were stacked on a chair in his room.

‘Ta.’

‘So what are you up to today?’ He asked, sitting back down in his chair.

‘Not much. Just came back from a revision session where I felt like an absolute dickhead because I didn’t know anything anyone was talking about. Just smiled and nodded like one of those thingys in a car.’

‘Bobble head?’

‘Yeah, that.’

‘I know how you feel.’

I glanced around his room at his notes he had blu-tacked to the wall. ‘Do you? Really? Because it kind of seems like you’re a closet boffin here.’ I gawked at the amount of literature posted to his walls. ‘Do you actually look at these, and, like, learn from them?’ I said, looking at what may as well have been gibberish to me.

‘Yeah.’ He said, glancing around as well.

‘Shocking … why don’t you just keep them in a binder like a normal human being?’

‘Because I’m not normal.’

‘This is true.’ I looked around some more before looking back at him. ‘Are you going out tonight?’

‘Can’t.’ He said, rubbing his stomach.

‘What?! You always go out.’

‘I literally can’t, I have so much work. This term I’m not going out at all.’

‘Lies.’

He paused. ‘Actually I’m going out for a bit tonight.’

‘Good, then meet us at the club later.’

‘No. I can’t do that.’

‘Yes you can.’

‘Okay, maybe I will.’

I laughed. ‘Wow, really had to twist your arm just there.’

‘I know, it’s so bad. I really shouldn’t go.’

‘Yeah I feel like I really shouldn’t go either, but it might be the last night out until after exams.’

‘What about the party this Saturday?’

‘Ok, well the second to last night out. So you’re going on Saturday?’

‘Absolutely, check out my fancy dress.’ He jumped up and rummaged through the same pile he had pulled my shirt from before his hand emerged, and he triumphantly held up his outfit for the party.

‘You are absolutely ridiculous.’

‘What?’ He said, smiling.

‘I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who loves fancy dress as much as you do.’

‘Everyone loves fancy dress. What are you wearing?’

‘A dress, and it’s not that kind of fancy.’

‘Aw! Boring.’

‘At least I’ll look good.’

‘You always look good.’

My cheeks burned slightly, which was strange since I’m rarely embarrassed. ‘Thanks.’ I looked around his room trying to think of anything to change the subject. ‘What’s that?’ I said pointing at a box on his shelf.

‘It’s a DVD, ever seen one before?’

I rolled my eyes. ‘Yes. I’ve seen a DVD before – which is that one?’ He went into some long in-depth description which I immediately lost interest in and finally got him to stop talking about the movie by agreeing to borrow it.

‘It’s brilliant, you’ll love it.’

‘Cheers for that.’

‘So what else is new?’

‘Talked to Dale.’

He raised his eyebrows. ‘Really? Was it good?’

‘Not at all, nnnno.’ I said, shaking my head slowly as I elongated my words.

He laughed a bit. ‘No?’ He sounded vaguely happy about it. ‘What happened?’

‘Well I yelled and cried and told him everything I’ve basically told you over the last couple months and then it was over … we’re over.’

‘Oh really?’ He said, still without any sympathy or remorse in his voice.

‘Really. So … that’s good! I feel better. Much better.’

‘Great!’ He said. ‘It’s good that you’re moving on.’

I felt like mentioning that I pretty much already had moved on by sleeping with him, but decided to drop it. ‘It is … so, I should let you get back to studying.’

‘Yeah, I’ve got loads to do before tonight.’

‘I’ll see you out then?’

He laughed, ‘Most likely, yes.’

‘Brilliant … thanks for the DVD.’ I said, holding it up.

‘Yeah, watch that. It’s well good.’

‘I will. See you later.’

‘Laters,’ he said holding his hand up in a feigned attempt at a wave.

I had a night out with my drinking society that night and was wearing a new dress which was malfunctioning in the chest area. I immediately regretted not buying adhesive tape to keep it in place. It got extremely rowdy and after an obscene amount of pennies falling to the bottom of my wine glass I was drunk and exhausted.

After dinner we made our way to a pub for more drinks. While I waited I texted Russ to see where he was. I looked up and the bar and the bartender smiled at me. ‘What can I get you?’

I paused. ‘Actually, I’ll be right back.’ I walked away from the bar and went upstairs into the ladies. I looked in the mirror and adjusted the top of my dress, which was still being a nuisance. I leaned in closer to the mirror and looked at my eyes. I looked tired. I didn’t particularly feel like drinking any more, and although I had been chatting to the fittest boy at our dinner, he wouldn’t shut up about his gap yah and how spiritual, cultural and political it was.

I decided I’d had enough of a lash and made my way back downstairs and out the back exit. I knew if I went back to the table two things would happen: the group would refuse to let me leave and I would inevitably drink more. I texted two of the girls on the way home to say I’d left then switched my mobile to silent to avoid having to deal with texts and calls from people who would most likely just boo and hiss at me. I made it back to my room and stripped down to my knickers before collapsing into bed.

I woke up the next morning and reached for my phone. Three missed calls, one voicemail, and four texts. Mostly from Briony, but one of the texts was from Russ. I had asked if he ended up going to the club and he wrote back, Yeahhhhh! Come! x I sighed and put the phone back on my bedside table. For a moment I regretted not going, but I was over that shortly and got up, grabbing a shirt off the floor to put on before putting the kettle on. I sat at my desk and listened to it boil as I rummaged through notes I needed for revising that morning.

Sipping my tea, I picked my phone back up and started typing a text.

How was the club? I was exhausted and needed to go home before I passed out in the pub. Worst banter award xx

I got back to working and a couple of hours later my phone buzzed.

Wasnt that good but i was smashed. Poor effort on your part!x

I smiled a bit at his poor texting grammar which I always take the piss out of him for. ‘My fingers are too big for this tiny fucking mobile!’ He always whinges whenever we tease him.

‘Then get a new one!’

‘But this one is well cheap.’

We’ve pretty much had that conversation about ten times now.

I sat and thought about what would have happened had I gone to the club, but quickly got bored with that game. I didn’t go, so there’s no way of ever knowing what would’ve been that night. It was a bit of a poor effort though. However, I needed to be making less efforts at pulling and more efforts at studying.

There’s always Saturday … I thought.