To any outside observer we were the most random assortment of human beings wedged into a pub booth. Sure we were all roughly the same age but we did not look like we belonged together, in truth we didn’t.
The eight of us, all 18 and 19 , 5 boys, 2 girls and 1 non binary had just finished our second year aerospace engineering at the University of Sheffield. We had our last exam earlier in the day and tomorrow we would all be heading back to home, wherever that was for each of us. My parents lived in Manchester so I didn’t have a long journey back tomorrow.
I looked like your typical engineering student. Tall, slight of frame, thick rimmed glasses, wearing a Star Wars t shirt under an open flannel shirt and cheap jeans. I even had an uncool name. Leslie. It’s like my parents knew I’d be a nerd. The rest of classmates while all incredibly smart, many of whom I considered even smarter than myself, looked far less like the stereotypical nerd you’d find in your typical college movie. There was Lynn and Harry, though those weren’t their actual names. They were both from Chinese parents but born in the uk and fast became a couple once we started. Lynn was effervescently bubbly and cute as a button, she wore a nose ring and short hair that changed color more often than I changed my bed sheets. On this night it was bright pink. Harry was much quieter than her but had a wicked dry sense of humour. He also was a gym rat, you’d be forgiven for thinking he was a bouncer as opposed to a budding engineer.
Lynn was sat in Harry’s lap, as we tried to fit the 8 of us on 2 benches designed for 3 people each. They were across and furthest to the end from me. Next to them in the middle and taking up most of the space was Big Mick. His name was Michael but everyone knew him by his nickname. He was a very chubby, heavy framed lad from east end of London. He was as loud as he was big, and had an infectious laugh. As often was the case on the few occasions we went out together he was wearing a claret west ham kit.
I was wedged in against the wall. Next to me were Ash, Macej and Aarav. Ash shortened from Ashley, they were gender neutral, and wore unflattering clothes over their unflattering shape. They were a lovely person but not the most attractive. Macej was Polish, he was the only one of our group who wasn’t raised here, only coming to the Uk to study. He was taller than me, kept his hair shaved short and had a very angular nose. Aarav was a third generation British Indian, very short and a little scrawny. He had become quick friends with Macej sharing a love of FPS games. Aarav was probably my closest friend of the bunch. He was the first I befriended. I had gravitated towards him in class as we both looked like the most awkward and unpopular students in our whole cohort. That seemed like the safest option having endured heavy bullying at my 6th form.
After we got through the first semester and the difficult course started weeding out those who were serious on doing well from who were going to have to drag themselves through. Aarav and I started slowly amalgamating with the rest of our mish mash group. The 8 of us were easily the best in the year and would often have joint study sessions in the library.
I say 8 of us I haven’t mentioned who was sat directly opposite me. That was Olivia or Livvy as she went by. A geordie girl who could possibly be the most out of place among us. She would have been more suited on a red carpet somewhere.
You know how there are plenty of beautiful girls. But then there are a small handful that are almost painfully so. Livvy definitely fell into the latter category. The first time I saw her in class I had to double take. My eyes not believing such a creature could walk among us mortals.
You might think I am exaggerating. So let me paint a picture. She had shiny brown hair, straight out of an old Pantene advert. She had it tied up a lot of time in class but out on the town tonight it cascaded down in loose curls. She had a warm skin tone, big brown eyes and a smile that lit up a room. Her face was picture perfect with pouty lips and perfect bone structure. She also had a killer body. That was evident even under her causal clothes but tonight she was wearing a little black party dress with thin spaghetti straps. The square cut of her dress wasn’t showing cleavage but rather the rounded tops of her perfect breasts. They weren’t too small nor were they massive. They seemed to fit her frame perfectly. The tight fitted dress showed her cinched waist and flared hips with an ass so perfectly round you couldn’t draw a better one with a compass. At 5’7 she also had a nice pair of legs which she was showing off tonight under sheer tights.
I had a huge crush on her, naturally, but knew I stood no chance. She was seeing some guy named Darryn anyway. Yes Darryn spelt with a y. That wasn’t reason enough to hate him but at this point why not. I hated him because he looked, dressed and acted like a prick. Livvy was way too good for him.
I was following the group conversation while constantly stealing glances at Livvy. They were talking about the exam today and arguing over one of the more fiendish questions and how they reached their solutions. The rest of the paper had been fairly easy. Well for us at least, none of us were worried about not passing. Livvy wasn’t contributing. She had her head down in her phone texting furiously as she had done most of the night, barely touching her drink. When she did speak finally she stopped the conversation dead as she threw her phone down. And loudly shouted.
“Oh you can fuck right off!” In her strong Newcastle accent. Followed by her taking a big swig of her drink. Everyone had turned to her now. With Big mick next to her making shifting glances suppressing a laugh.
“What’s wrong Liv?” Ash asked.
“Darryn won’t..” she laughed and rested her head in her hands. “He won’t…. I I can’t say. I need to be WAY drunker for this.”
“This rounds on me lads” big Mick said turning to get to the bar. Harry and Lynn got up to let him out then shuffled down to Livvy.
Lynn asked her “what’s going on? Are you ok?”
“Yeah I’m fine” Livvy said “although I’m dumping Darryn” my stomach fluttered a little before settling once I remembered I wasn’t in this girls league, so what difference did it make.
“Oh no what happened?” Lynn asked her in a tone that betrayed her.
“Oh my god you hated him didn’t you?”
“Hate is a strong word.” Was Lynn’s defense.
“He was a bit of prick.” I said surprising even myself. The beer clearly lubricating my tongue.
“I’m sorry?” Lynn asked incredulously. I wanted to shrink feeling the pressure of her wrathful gaze. I turned to my friends for support.
“No one else thought that?” The table was silent. Finally Aarav rescued me.
“He wasn’t exactly perfect.”
“Oh come on, nobody is perfect.” Livvy said.
Once again my slightly inebriated state didn’t filter my thoughts as I uttered, “Well you are.”
“Excuse me?” She asked, staring at me once again.
I didn’t hesitate this time, “You’re super smart, drop dead gorgeous, like seriously how the fuck are you even real? And you’re super nice to everyone and funny.”
The table was silent as they watched me go on my rant. Livvy was stunned to silence as well. It may have been warm inside the bar but the bead of sweat running down my back had nothing to do with it. I decided to break the awkward silence by following up with. “You deserve way better.” then breaking eye contact with her looking down and taking another swig of my beer.
Lynn followed on from my comment telling Livvy “He’s not wrong you know.”
Big Mick returned with the drinks placing them down and sat at the end of the bench this time. “So, we know what Darryn did yet?” He asked loudly to everyone.
“NO they don’t. And I’m not saying.” Livvy said.
“She hasn’t said anything, but Leslie just professed his love to Lizzy.” Said Harry in his typical dry fashion.
If I was feeling warm before, now it felt like I was on fire. Mick was looking at me with intrigue and the others also followed suit. I dared not look across at Lizzy. As the silence grew I defensively uttered. “I.. I.. I.. think what I said is that she deserved better not that ..”
“I’m fucking with you dude.” Harry interrupted, saving me from further embarrassment
“Right so we still don’t know what the prick did?” Big Mick asked.
“Seriously? You too?” Livvy asked, confusing Mick as he was at the bar when we had used that exact word to describe Darryn about a minute earlier.
“Come on how bad can it be?” Ash asked. Switching the conversation back to Livvy and the reasons for her falling with Darryn.
Livvy was starting to flush with embarrassment, and she was taking more frequent sips to settle her nerves. She picked up her phone, scrolled through her messages, finding the one she was looking for and showed it to Lynn next to her.
Lynn scrolled and read for a while before saying “Oh my! Wow!” As she handed the phone back to Livvy who put the phone back down and her face in her hands.
“Oh you got to tell us now darling.” Mick said.
“No this is… personal. If she doesn’t want to share with the rest of us that’s her choice.” Lynn said jumping to her defense.
“Of course you’d say that. Seeming as you know.” Ash said.
“Yeah.” Aarav said jokingly, joining in. Harry and Macej remained silent but were nodding in agreement. Seemingly curious too.
“He won’t….. oh god this is stupid.” Livvy took a deep breath, downed the rest of her drink and finally said. “He won’t cum on my face.”
We were all silent and a little confused. Macej, Aarav, Mick and myself exchanging confused looks, unsure if we heard right That certainly was not what we were expecting.
“I’m sorry. Did you say he WON’T cum on your face?” Mick asked what I’m sure we were all thinking.
“I think a little more context would help them.” Lynn said.
“Oh right. So yeah. Our relationship is getting more….. physical and 1 he’s being a dick about wearing a condom.”
“See, prick”. I interjected she stared daggers at me but continued.
“He says, since I’m in the pill he shouldn’t have to wear one. But it’s never 100% safe and truth be told it’s less about that and more about STDs, I know he’s slept around a lot in the past.”
We all nodded along in agreement.
“Anyway he keeps…” she paused a bit but continued on with her explanation “wanting to finish inside me. I’ve told him no and so asked him to give me a facial instead but he’s refusing.”
“What an idiot.” I said.
“Not wrong there mate.” Mick agreed.
“You don’t think I’m overreacting maybe?” She asked the table but was looking more towards me.
“Hell no. 1; He should grow the fuck up and wear a condom. And 2 ; your girlfriend is kind enough to let you give her a facial as alternative. That’s hardly a sacrifice. It’s more like hitting the fucking Jackpot.”
“You like giving facials then?” She asked me.
I let out a scoff. “Livvy seriously, come on, you think I’ve ever had the luxury of being in that situation?” Highlighting the fact I was an obvious virgin.
“Well I don’t know if you had a girlfriend back home. But is the idea of giving a facial a turn on for you?” She rebutted.
“Well, yeah. I think all guys find that hot. right?” I turned to the guys around me.
Aarav, Mick and Macej all reacted with agreement by shrugging their shoulders or nodding.
Macej added, “My girlfriend in Poland. She does not like them.”
