This is the first in a 2 part sequel of sorts to my first story - 'The Final Goodbye'. It's fine as a standalone but if you want to know more about the protagonist I would read that too. I have a few more stories following the protagonist to come.
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I woke up early for a Sunday, Sarah was spooned to me tightly sleeping peacefully content. I marvelled at the pale skin of her exposed shoulder I cast my mind back over the 10 days since we had met, wondering how all of our seemingly innocent interactions had led to my bed.
Our first meeting was one of those innocuous interactions in which your brain doesn't even stop to consider the potential importance. Wednesday nights were what my pub friends jokingly called young regulars night. There were maybe 6-7 of us, all roughly the same age and friends simply because we all frequented the same pub. We all went 2-3 times a week, but Wednesdays were the nights you'd find all of us together sitting at a table in the beer garden catching up on our weeks. We barely spoke outside of regular pub night and rarely did anything together away from the pub, though we were all active in the pub social calendar. Some did quiz nights, I was the pub cricket captain, and others just came along to everything without really getting involved.
I had been running late from work and when I got to the pub our group was all together and it was clear I missed a round or 2. Amidst the jeers over my lateness and demands that I buy the next round as a consequence, I had completely missed the newcomer to our group. When I finally settled down with a drink and tried to catch up on the conversation I noticed a pretty brunette girl whispering into Mandy's ear. It was apparently about me because as the brunette looked up she caught my eye and blushed. Mandy ever the no-nonsense social butterfly of our group introduced us.
"Mike this is Sarah, she's just moved back to the neighbourhood."
I was sitting just too far away to reach over and shake her hand so I simply nodded before allowing the table conversation to resume. As I got into the rhythm of the night I was barely aware of Sarah's presence except noting that she seemed to be rather quiet. I later learned this had more to do with being the new girl and not knowing where she fit into the dynamics of the group, yet whenever I looked in her direction she seemed to be studying me. Slowly the night wound down and people began to leave, living the closest to the pub, I quite frequently was the last of the group to leave. I quite enjoyed the time alone for a quiet contemplative drink. It was down to Mandy, her boyfriend Adam and Sarah.
As Adam announced it was time for him to leave, I noticed Sarah and Mandy having a hushed conversation with Sarah subtly shaking her head. About 10 seconds later Mandy stood and wished me a good night and suddenly I was alone with Sarah. Caught off guard by being left alone with a stranger I was suddenly nervous. At a loss for what to do, I offered her another drink which she accepted quietly. Upon my return from the bar I found her rolling a cigarette, I hadn't noticed her smoking through the evening. Thankfully my cigarettes and lighter were still on the table and not forgetting my manners I offered her a light. We sat in silence for about a minute before she decided to break the ice.
"So Mike, what brought you to Oxford?" She asked before continuing, "You're clearly English but there's something about your accent I can't quite place."
"I'm actually from Oxford, sort of," I began. "I was born here, and my dad's family is from here, but my dad has spent the last 22 years working for the Botswana government so I grew up there. That's probably what you can't place."
She showed a great deal of interest in my background, asking me all sorts of questions about Botswana and what it was like. I had to explain for the most part it was like growing up anywhere. Finally, I diverted the conversation back to her.
"Enough about me, what about you? I've never seen you before and there aren't a lot of people who come here that aren't local".
"I've just moved back, my mum lives down the road. I've moved back in with her while I sort out the next steps in my life. Mandy and I went to school together and she invited me out since I don't know that many people around here anymore."
"So where were you before?" I asked trying to get more information.
"I went to University in Manchester, I stayed on there for 2 years after I graduated, but it didn't end well so I came home," she stated in a tone of voice that made it clear that she didn't want to talk more about it.
Caught off guard by the sudden awkwardness I checked the time and realised it was getting late.
"Sarah, I've got to go it's getting late and I've got an early start tomorrow. Do you need me to walk you home?"
"It's okay it's only down the road. It was nice meeting you, Mike."
"And you, maybe I'll see you again next week."
"Maybe," she replied coyly.
I struggled to get to sleep that night curious about the woman who seemed to go out of her way to get to know me. I was still gun-shy after my farewell with Helen 7 months earlier.
The next morning I was working my way through a complicated report my boss wanted me to break down in a presentation when my phone buzzed with a text from Mandy.
Mandy: What did you and Sarah talk about last night?
Me: Nothing much, we just spoke about our backgrounds a bit.
Mandy: I don't believe you, she's been texting me all morning with questions about you.
Me: I'm serious, why would she want to know more about me? Beyond growing up in Botswana we didn't talk about much.
Mandy: You're an idiot.
Me: What did you tell her?
Mandy: That you're an idiot, and if she wants to know more about you then she can find out from you.
I decided not to reply, and get back to work. Over lunch, I briefly thought about what Mandy had said, of course, I could think of reasons why Sarah would ask her about me, they just didn't seem plausible based on our conversation the night before. So I pushed it out of my head and focused on work for the rest of the week. By Saturday I had completely forgotten about it when I went for my usual boys' Saturday at the pub. Most Saturdays if there was sports on we'd congregate to watch whatever it was while discussing whatever important issue came up - or to describe it more accurately we'd be talking bollocks.
By the time Wednesday came around again I had completely forgotten about Sarah. I wasn't as late as the week before but still the last to arrive, after collecting my pint and locating our table the only available seat was next to Sarah. After a few brief greetings conversation at the table continued like I had been there the whole time. As I got settled I noticed that Sarah had shifted a seat to be slightly closer to me. I also noticed that she was a bit more involved in the conversation this week. Her apparent shyness from the week before hadn't disappeared entirely but she was certainly more forthcoming.
Interestingly after positioning herself to sit closer to me, she didn't pay me any particular attention beyond when the conversation required her to. Once again the night dwindled as people said their goodbyes and once again Sarah and I were the last 2 remaining, this time there was no private conference between her and Mandy. In a repeat of last week, I offered her one more drink from the bar. On my return instead of sitting next to her, she frowned slightly but didn't comment, and went to roll a cigarette.
While she busied herself with that basic task I took the time to appreciate her appearance in a way I hadn't the week before. Her brunette hair was shoulder length and seemed to frequently fall across her face which required her to brush it behind her ear frequently. Her eyes were bright and engaging in an intriguing shade of hazel, she had a cute little button nose and lips somewhere between full and cupid's bow. Definitely attractive and someone I'd ordinarily pursue.
Our conversation was more open than the week before and we discovered each other's interests and hobbies. She wasn't sporty but didn't mind watching it as part of a group. She was more creative and arty enjoying sketching and painting in her free time. Our music tastes were pretty different except for a joint secret love for cheesy pop music. She then set a trap for me.
"So Mike, do you dance?" She asked innocently.
"Rarely, only when under the influence of peer pressure and alcohol," I answered wondering where she was leading us.
