Back at the university
The next days of his Christmas holidays passed by in a blur, Albert tried to find as much time as possible to study, and made time to meet with some of his old high-school friends. He celebrated New Year's Eve with them, but all of them had exams the following week so they didn't stay up until late. On January the third, Albert headed back to the university, the farewells were less emotional this time and his train ride was uneventful. He arrived at the university the following day to find that Robert had taken profit that he had not been there to bury his bed under a pile of notes, notebooks and books. His friend was studying frantically at his desk and didn't even realize that he was no longer alone.
-Hmmm- Albert made a sound to get Robert's attention, but not even like that did he react.- Robert!
The boy turned around confused, as if he did not longer know where he was. He put his glasses back on, and recognized his roommate.
-Oh, hi Albert! I thought you wouldn't be back until the third...
-Robert. It's the third already.- Albert said condescendingly.
-It is? Oh my, I hadn't even noticed.- he replied absentmindedly.
-How long have you been studying?
-Hmmm let me see... I came back on the thirty of December, I had dinner with some people from my class on the thirty-first, and I started studying on the first.
-Ha! Nice way to start the year. So, how long has it been since you've eaten or slept?- he realized that if his friend didn't know what day it was he shouldn't know the time either.
-I'm not sure, I sleep, sometimes, like 20 minutes or so. And I eat, eventually...
-You need to eat real food, now. Get a shower and we'll go eat something at the canteen.
In the meantime he put some order in Robert's mess, not only because it made his head hurt, but because he wanted to be able to sleep on his bed. He was surprised at the amounts of notes that his roommate had. It looked as if he had gone to university for ages instead of for only 3 months. Robert found him finishing to pile his notes.
-Sorry for that.- he said while rubbing his hair dry.- I did get a bit over-excited studying, and I needed to find some notes to check something, and one thing let to another and I ended up using your bed as a second desk.
-Man, why didn't you use my desk instead?- Albert pointed out.
-Mmmm, I hadn't thought about this possibility...
-I still can't believe you're supposed to be the genius...
They walked to the canteen through the snowdrifts. Albert was glad that he had gotten so much thick winter clothing for Christmas, the temperature had decreased at least 10 degrees in two weeks. As cold as it might be, it was nice too, the trees with bare branches that were now covered with snow, the buildings with white icing on top, and seeing all the people wrapped up on winter clothes that made them look like woolen balls, it was a different winter to what he was used too. Inside the canteen there wasn't lots of people. Most of the students had yet to return from the Christmas break, and the ones that had arrived and had decided to go for lunch, were either alone elbow deep on their books, or in pairs talking quietly.
-Hasn't Dalia returned yet?- asked Albert.
-Oh, she has, I think. Well she was supposed to come back yesterday, I guess I'll see her around soon, we have an exam on Monday.
Albert looked exasperated.
-How can you not know if the girl you like has come back already or not?
-Well, I've been studying...- he left his sentence half-said.-Not tuna again!- he complained.
-I see you haven't changed a bit.- smiled Albert.
nice story, and i can relate -wally
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