Some kind of celebration
When Albert got out of the building he found his friends waiting for him. He wasn't in a really good mood after the meeting with Marla, but he tried to sound more cheerful than he was.
-So, how was the exam?- asked Myriam.
-Not bad.- he replied.
-Not bad?- came back Robert.- If you get less than eighty percent in it, I'll consider you a complete loss of time, and I'll demand you to be expelled from the university. You've studied more for this exam than for all the others together.
-Well, yes, I want to impress the professor. I'd like to work with him eventually.
-I see that Robert is not the only one who sets himself high goals.- said Dalia.- Even if, in his case, it involves winning a Nobel Prize already.
-I don't wake up in the morning for less!- Robert said, and they all laughed.
Albert, however, still had this strange feeling nested inside his heart, he would need to be extra cautious. Knowing what happened to his father, he didn't want to risk anything unless it was really necessary.
-Hey, Albert wake up!- Robert shouted to him.
-Hmmm? What?- he replied realizing that he hadn't been listening.
-We're saying to meet in two hours and go for dinner. - Myriam told him.
-Yeah, sure. See you then.
The boys headed to their dorm building and it was clear that Albert wasn't paying any kind of attention to his friend.
-... and then the professor poured this chemical into a flask and it started producing smoke so we had to open all the windows and the snow started to get in.- Robert was telling him about his practical exam.
-Yeah, cool.- his friend replied absentmindedly.
-You're not listening... What did I just say?
-Sorry, it's just... I met Marla after the exam. She tried to talk to me but I didn't want to, then she kind of threatened me, well you know how she is, she always gets what she wants. And she is dangerous, more dangerous than anyone could ever think.
-Well, you're doing what your grandmother told you, don't you?- Albert had told him everything a couple of weeks back during one of their study breaks.- What's the worst thing she can do if she can't reach you in your dreams?
-She could kill me, for once.
-Don't be so dramatic! You're tired, that's it, sleep some, and then you'll be feeling brand new for the party.
But he couldn't sleep, he couldn't focus on anything that weren't Marla's menace, and he knew that if he went to sleep like that something terrible would happen in his sleep, so he only lay down and listened to some music while trying to relax. It was good that his roommate hadn't stayed there because he knew that he would be called paranoid at least, and he just wasn't in the mood. After a while, he felt better, after having realized that he had already finished with his obligations and that he would have a whole week off. When Robert came back he had already showered himself and was looking, at least, much less miserable.
-Did you sleep then?- asked Robert.
-I didn't but, I'm better.
-Cool, let's go come downstairs, the guys have beers.
Some of the other students were celebrating the end of exams in the common room. He saw Luke and Richard from his class, as well as some other boys from the rugby team. George, one of the boys from his team was in some kind of drinking competition against a senior guy, and he was clearly losing.
-Here, have a beer!- Luke said while throwing a can at him.
Robert and Albert stayed at the improvised party for a while before going for dinner. The beer had certainly lifted Albert's spirits, and they both became extremely talkative. Fortunately, they were not the only ones, as the girls had been drinking some too. The canteen was as noisy as it had never been, everyone was shouting and laughing. After that, it all became mixed up and Albert wasn't sure what happened when or if it did happen. During the night he got invited at several rounds of drinks, and he invited some people as well. He had probably not drunk that much in all his life, and apparently, he was not too resistant to alcohol, although Robert was much worse to be true to facts. In the end, they both ended going back crawling to their room.
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