Summer was over. It was kind of depressing actually because it meant I had to get back to real life and a university that would only serve to remind me of Harry. And it meant less time with Laura.

The last week before school started back had been full of impromptu dates and make out sessions that made my knees weak. It had been hard to force myself out of bed this morning and I was feeling the effects of too many late nights.

If I could buy a coffee somewhere I'd be on track and could probably stay awake through all three lectures scheduled for today. If not... well, let's just hope it didn't come to that.

At least dad let me use his car, if he hadn't I would have been forced to take the bus and that would have meant getting up even earlier.

It was early enough that there was little traffic on the roads and I was grateful, I was running a little late but was making up for it now as I sped down the road.

I pulled into the student parking area and was suddenly hit by a memory of Harry on his first day of Uni.

We sat in the car, watching as people streamed into the building. I kept throwing him anxious glances but he didn't seem to notice.

That was unusual. Harry had always been very in tune with peoples feelings and for him to not notice was weird.

"Are you okay?" I asked, touching his arm gently. He made a visible effort to concentrate on me.

"Sorry, I'm just nervous," he reassured me. I wasn't sure if he was truthful but he flashed me a grin that calmed my nerves. "It's all so strange and new, I'm just not used to it," he chuckled softly, "I bet by next week you'll be fed up hearing about this place."

I smiled, and nodded with him. It was good to see him back to his old self, making sure everyone else was okay before worrying about himself.

We sat in silence after that, until all the smartly dressed new students, and shabbily dressed old students had disappeared into the tall, imposing building.

"You should probably go in," I said, worried that he would miss something important.

He shook his head, "no, not yet." The words were unusual and made me think... was he waiting for someone?

He had paid attention to many of the people as they passed but I had assumed he was seeing if he knew anyone, maybe I'd been wrong. Perhaps he'd been watching for someone.

He smiled at me again but this time it was a little off. Not as bright or happy as before, an edge of uncertainty in his normally cheerful eyes.

"What is it?" I asked, but he just shook his head and turned away again, leaning his head against the window.

"He will be here, he said he would," I heard him mutter, but he hadn't meant me to hear so I pretended I hadn't.

We waited for a further twenty minutes but no one turned up. Finally Harry gave up but he didn't go into the university. He reversed the car and we drove home in silence.

I felt sick and full of guilt. I'd never asked who he was or why Harry had ran straight up to his room when we arrived home and refused to emerge until the next morning. I sat in the car, my head in my hands and cried quietly into them.

A light tapping on my window made me jump and I stared at the blurry form through a veil of tears. It gestured to me but I couldn't see it properly so I wiped my eyes and peered out the window again.

A man stood outside with a worried frown. He had short blonde hair and his brown eyes were full of laughter and light. He looked slightly older than most of the other students who were heading inside the building.

He gestured to me again and this time I understood.

I rolled down my window and he stuck his head into the gap.

"Are you okay?" His voice was more soothing than I'd expected and held a warmth that instantly made me feel better. "Nervous?"

"Not really," I admitted, my throat sounding slightly hoarse. "Just lost in memories."

"Bad ones?" I shook my head and he looked confused, "why were you crying then?"

I cleared my throat, "I'd rather not talk about it right now." I said it softly so I wouldn't offend him and he nodded straight away.

"Of course, don't feel you have to, I am a complete stranger after all," he grinned at me and I couldn't help but smile back. His cheerfulness was infectious. He reached a hand into the car, "I'm Thomas, nice to meet you."

"Lilly," I said and shook his hand.

He pulled his phone out of a pocket reminding me that mine was still sitting on my kitchen table. Great, just what I needed.

"It's half seven," he told me regretfully, "I have to head to a lecture now."

"So do I," I quickly rolled up the window, climbed out the car and locked it, "we'll walk together."

We chatted and I learned that he had returned to school after realizing he didn't want a career as a doctor, despite being fairly successful and earning a huge sum of money.

"My friend noticed I wasn't really happy in my job and I quite like children so I took up volunteering in a care home, just to test the waters you know? It was great fun and so," he gestured around, "here I am."

"You want to be a teacher?" I asked and he grinned at me.

"Yep." I laughed softly.

"That's weird, so do I."

"Really?" He asked, a huge grin on his face, "that's great! We'll be on the same course then, maybe even in the same lectures."

"It would be good to know someone," I admitted and he flashed his huge, smile at me.

"Yes, yes it would."

"Where's you first lecture then?" I asked, hoping he was in the same place as me.

"First floor, lecture room 7B with Mr Reagan."

"I'm there too!" I squealed and he chuckled at my excitement.

"Let's get going then, don't want to be late to your first ever lecture."

***

"Would you like to go out with me sometime?" Thomas asked as we sat in the back of the lecture theatre. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat hating that I'd given him the wrong impression.

"I'm sorry, I can't."

"Why not?" He asked, looking perplexed.

"I, uh, I have a girlfriend." He stared at me for a second then, to my utter shock, began to laugh.

"Oh Christ, I didn't mean it like that. I have a girlfriend too!"

"Oh," I felt a little stupid then, "I didn't know."

"Yeah," he grinned at me, "and she's pretty great too."

"Mine too," I agreed and he winked at me before turning his attention back to the lecturer. I smiled to myself, happy that Thomas was not one of those homophobic idiots, and tuned back into what Mr Reagan was saying.

***

I drove home happy and I couldn't wait to finally phone Laura and tell her all about my first day.

I stopped outside of the house, alarmed to see my mother standing outside it with a wild look in her eyes.

"What is it?" I demanded, leaping out the car and running to her side, "what's wrong?"

She looked into my eyes, her hands clawing painfully into my arms.

"It's Laura," she said and I felt my heart begin to hammer. My mother tended to work herself into a state of frenzy whenever something worried her, blowing it totally out of proportion, but I couldn't help the wave of dread that swept through me.

"What is? What happened?"

"I called and called but you never answered, I would've sent Donald to get you but he's at work, there was nothing I could do, I was just waiting and waiting and waiting-" I shook her and peered into her eyes.

"Calm down mum!" Once her breathing returned to normal I continued, "Now, tell me what happened?"

"She's in hospital, she was hit by a car."