The Rumour Mill - Completed

8. Nemesis

Libby's POV

Two days had passed since I'd arrived and my heckles were still up every time I thought of my uninvited visitor that first day.

In the last twenty three and a half months I had managed to avoid any direct verbal interaction with Thomas Butler. Rather disappointingly it had taken less than four hours for him to find me, annoy me, break my voluntary vow of silence where he was concerned and reset my avoidance counter back to zero.

As I prepared to go from calm to nuclear my dad quickly stepped in and explained Tom had recognised him from his frequent visits back home and seeing him struggle with the take away and the bags of groceries, which my mum had ordered him to buy, he had very generously offered to lend him a hand.

"Well I've got them now" I said rudely as I snatched the carrier bags from his hands. "You can go, we don't need your help anymore" I spat, barely containing my urge to beat him over the head with the tin of hot chocolate I'd spied amongst the shopping.

"Thanks ever so much for all your help Tom" Annabel purred, then turning to me not even trying to hide the victorious smug smile filling her face she continued. "We've got plenty of take away please say you'll join us."

"Yes Tom I insist" my dad enthused, "It's good to know Lib's got a friend so close by.

"He's not my friend" I sniped furiously.

"Come on now Lib, the lad made a mistake give him a break." My dad replied calmly, a knowing smile stretched across his face.

"A mistake! What would you know?" I pouted indignantly.

"Tom told me what happened on the way up" I opened my mouth to retaliate but my dad continued. "He messed up, he knows he messed up but it's time to move on...you know a fresh start." He urged.

The bags were beginning to feel heavy and the thin plastic handles were starting to turn my fingers blue. But despite the painful distraction I held my glare at my dad.

"You're your mother's daughter all right." He teased.

"I'll take that as I compliment." I deadpanned, adamant the standoff wouldn't be resolved by me backing down.

"Thanks for the offer but I've made other plans." Tom began awkwardly, "A gang of us are going the pub across the road, and I just thought I'd ask if you wanted to come." He shrugged his shoulders admitting defeat; I guess my disgusted scowl was all the answer he needed.

"Oh well, see you round Libby, it was nice meeting you again." He offered his hand to my dad, shaking it quickly before rushing out of my room.

"Nice lad, I like him." My dad added as soon as Tom was out of earshot, I couldn't bring myself to answer, so I shook my head in both disgust and disappointment.

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Over the remainder of the weekend I'd pretty much kept myself to myself, I'd rung my mum like I'd promised and I'd spoken to Elliot a couple of time. Oh boy did I miss him; it was going to be a long two weeks. I'd said hello to my neighbours on either side, both seemed like really nice girls. Sam, the girl to my left had popped in yesterday for a coffee; we'd spent an hour or so getting to know each other, easily chatting about ourselves and our families.

She was the youngest of six children, and the only daughter to parents Chris and Andy. Despite have such a large family there was only seven years between her and her eldest brother Michael. As she described each of her brothers lovingly her shoulder length white blond curls bounced enthusiastically. I could tell straight away we were going to be great friends, I already felt closer to her after half a conversation than I did to any of the girls at my old school. If it hadn't been for Elliot I'm not sure how I'd have coped, I sighed as I again thought of how much I missed my boyfriend.

Unlike Elliot and I, Sam and her long term boyfriend had decided to call it a day before they each set off for college. So Sam was footloose, fancy free and on the lookout for a couple of months of casual liaisons. As we giggled together at her shocking behaviour her sky blue eyes twinkled mischievously, giving her already pretty face a glow of beauty. Yeah she wasn't going to have any trouble finding willing males to help her with her mission.

Melissa, my neighbour to the right was more of a bottle of wine girl. On the four occasions I'd spoken to her on three of them she had a glass of rose in her hand and on the forth she knocked and asked if I'd go the shop with her for a couple of bottles as she was frightened of getting lost. We decided to call for Sam and the three of us were back in Melissa's room, drinking her wine before we knew it.

Like Sam, Melissa was friendly and easy to talk to, I did wonder if she'd be as sociable when she was sober, but what the hell, if the last two days were anything to go by sober Melissa wouldn't be visiting very often.

Melissa, another very pretty blonde, oozed confidence as she spoke. I watched her enviously as she enthralled us with story after story of the high jinks she'd gotten up to in school. I couldn't help thinking how much my mum would disapprove of her, in fact both of them.

As I closed my door Monday morning the three of us walked over to the huge, red stone building which would house all our lectures. All new students had been instructed to meet in the gigantic reception where a mass of boards had been erected each full of see through plastic folders secured to them with several drawing pins. Each folder had a label the first read in large black letters Aaronson-Atkinson; I peeked inside at the named timetables within. Sighing with relief, knowing I wasn't going to spend the next two weeks wandering the ornate halls looking like a lost idiot I smiled to myself and made my way towards the folder which contained my timetable.

After a couple of minutes I located my timetable, on the back was a very helpful map of the campus and a breakdown of where my classes where.

My first class wasn't until ten so I met up with Sam and Melissa, Sam had a class at nine but Melissa didn't have classes at all on Mondays. Oh boy, her membership to alcoholics anonymous was going to come sooner than I'd thought, with three days to get pissed and an early finish on Fridays she'll barely have time to get one binge session of wine out of her system before another weekends onslaught begins.

Waving Sam off and wishing her good luck, Melissa and I made our way to the now packed out coffee shop. After fighting our way through the ever growing crowds we finally got served, looking around, the place was wall to wall bodies. With no other option we took our drinks outside and headed towards a cluster of half occupied benches.

"Hello again beautiful." The familiar cocky voice sung in my ear as his hand snaked round my waist pulling me back towards him.

"Get your hands off me Tom, and please don't talk to me or touch me again...EVER!" I elbowed him in the ribs sharply and quickly squirmed out of his grasp.

"I love a challenge beautiful." We whispered before kissing my cheek, and then he was gone. I wiped at my cheek childishly trying to erase the warmth radiating through the right side of my face.

"W.H.O. W.A.S T.H.A.T!" Melissa asked, clearly overwhelmed by Tom's obvious good looks, well it was either that or his ass as he walked away, Melissa watched, mouth slightly agape as Tom disappeared.

"That was Thomas Butler otherwise known as my nemesis." I clarified. "I HATE HIM!" I spoke slowly and clearly to make sure there was no confusion.

"Well that's fantastic" she gushed, "Can I have him?" She pleaded, holding her hands tightly in front of her in an attempt to emphasise just how much she wanted him.

"Sure, but I warn you he's a slut."

"Good, that's just the way I like them." A wicked grin filled her whole face as she chinked our paper cups together to seal the deal.

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