Living in Pope

I'm in my room at Pope. I can hear the guys downstairs getting ready to go and some of the doors upstairs are squeaking open and closed. Rachael just came and knocked on my door and asked if I'd like to come out to the bar with them. They're going to a pub and then to a club, she said and the girl next to her (who I didn't recognise) nodded.

'I don't drink,' I said, sort of hoping that would get me out of it.

'You don't have to drink. You can just come out with us,' Rachael said.

I thought about it. 'What time will you be back?'

Rachael looked at her friend. 'I dunno. But you can always come back after the bar. You don't have to go to the club.'

Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea, getting to know these guys a bit better. 'Let me just put on my shoes.'

Rachael's eyes widened. 'We're not going yet. The bus comes at ten past nine. We just thought we'd come knock on your door in case you wanted to get ready or something.'
She glanced down at my faded green jumper and plain brown pants. I looked at her grungy black jacket with fur trim, and up at their made up faces and carefully tousled hair. I constantly have to brush my hair or it'll go poofy and frizzy and gross.

'You have plenty of time,' Rachael said as she walked away with her friend.

I don't think any amount of time will turn me into night club material, I thought as I sat in my room.

Plus I have a lecture at 9am tomorrow, and I'm already tired.

Just before I heard Nick ask Rachael. 'Is Sophie coming?'

'Yeah but she's not sure.'

'What about Katerina?' he asked. I didn't know they knew her. I'd feel less alone if she came. She seems like more my kind of person.

'I'm not sure,' Rachael said.

'I'll go check.'

I have 40 minutes, but twenty seeing as I'll have to get ready. It's really not my thing.

About half hour ago, I came back into my room after being in the library. I went up to the kitchen and was disappointed that no one else was in there. I ate quickly then came back to my room. I wasn't quite ready for bed but I didn't feel like watching a movie or Skyping my family. I realised I was craving company. Where was everyone? I heard people downstairs. I grabbed my key and headed down the hall. I could hear male voices, none I recognised. I wouldn't mind so much if there was another girl there. I felt so empty heading down the stairs with nothing in my hands. I had no alibi if someone saw me. I could see guys through the window. I turned right and opened the door to stand on the front porch. It felt good to breathe in the fresh, chilly air. I could see people talking and moving about the kitchen from the window of the house opposite. I went inside. A guy saw me through the door window. I could see a girl leaning against the door frame. She looked back at me and smiled. I smiled a little at them and stepped through the door.

'Hi, how's it going?' said the guy. There were two more there. 'You live upstairs, yeah?' said the first guy.

'That's right.'

'So what part of Australia are you from?' he asked. We chatted for a while. Then Nick and a few more came in. Nick was squeezing a suspicious beige ball with a dark pink dot.

'Dad has a big one of them,' said one of the guys. 'He keeps it behind the computer, 'cause Mum gave it to him.'

The girl leaning against the door frame, whose name was Marcie, smiled vaguely. She didn't seem to care that a guy was squeezing a rubber boob just near her. They all started to talk about which pub they'd go to. It felt too crowded in that narrow hallway, so I smiled and snuck out. I said a small goodbye but no one heard I don't think.

It's probably ten minutes till they're leaving now. I feel too tired. Katerina's going, I heard Nick say, but I don't think I'll enjoy myself. I have a class tomorrow and I can't be stuffed dressing up.
They're playing hip hop music downstairs, and singing along. The boys' voices sound funny when they try for falsetto.

It gets dark here at about 5pm. I don't know why they have to wait till 9 to go out. It feels about three hours later than it actually is. Can't they go out at 5 or 6 and get back home by ten for a good night's sleep? Are they really going out drinking when at least a few of them will have classes tomorrow? I know how these guys drink. They won't be able to think straight tomorrow. Or maybe their bodies are used to lots of alcohol and can get over the effects more quickly, I dunno.

I just told Rachael's friend. I opened my door and she was in the doorway of Rachael's room.

'Uh, I'm still too tired from the flight and everything,' I said.

'That's alright,' she said. 'Next week we'll drag you.'

'Drag me?'

'Not really,' she said.

'No I know, I wasn't sure if you said drag or drive.'

'Drug! Not drug.'

'No, drive.' I did the steering wheel with my hands. 'Broom broom.'

'Nah, I can't drive.'

'I can,' Rachael called from inside her room.

'I can't,' her friend repeated.

I noticed photos of a dancing group on the wall behind her. I was going to ask if Rachael does
dancing but I had to look behind me for my key so that I could step out of my room without locking myself out, and by the time I checked, Rachael's door had closed.
The music downstairs sounds like a siren.

'Woh?’ I heard Nick say (the English don’t generally pronounce the letter ‘t’ in words, like how ‘later’ becomes ‘lai-ah’). He’s talking to the girls. Nick is one of the top people on The Pulling Chart.
They also have a Pope Bucket List.

I wanted a cuppa just now so I went upstairs. The hallway smelt of perfume. I could hear loud music through the kitchen door. I considered turning around but I was too curious about what they were wearing now, so I went through. Inside were three girls. Rachael, her friend, and Marcie, who I met yesterday. Rachael had changed into leggings. Even though they were black, I could see the outline of her undies through the thin material. She had a shimmery blue top that went from above her hips to above the bust, with only spaghetti straps. She and her friend both wore heels which were a good few inches high. Her friend wore tight, high waisted jeans and an equally small top. Only Marcie, who was sitting on the freezer, was wearing warm clothes. A knitted cardigan, long pants, and fluffy slippers. I never got a chance to ask, but it was a pretty safe bet that she was staying in tonight. I’m glad I’m not the only one.

They left soon after, and I looked out the window because I heard more people talking loudly. I was happy to see a girl in flats, but then she was wearing a short-ish dress and no tights. They are either used to the weather or willing to freeze for the sake of fashion. On my way to my room, I looked out the small window at the kids boarding the bus. There was a long line of people; clubbing must be popular. All the boys I could see were wearing just t-shirts, jeans and casual sneakers. That made me angry that the girls would get so dressed up when the boys do nothing. How could there be such a huge disparity between them? It would look stupid to see the two standards of dress side by side. I could have almost gone out in what I was wearing if I were a guy, if I’d just changed my shoes and taken off the jumper. Still, no one’s forcing anyone to dress the way they do. I wonder where those codes of dress come from. Is it from the media or just passed down to us through previous generations? I have no clue.

I’m tired and I’m glad I didn’t go. That hip hop music gives me the shits. It sounds like a car alarm with a chainsaw with a balloon you’ve let the air out of. They call that music.

I don’t want to diss the people too much. I really like Rachael. She’s been as nice as Laura has to me. Much nicer than I’d expected. Given her reputation, I’d thought she’d be too interested in boys and her friends to give a new girl any time.

It’ll be interesting getting to know a few of them better. They’re not the sort of people I’d usually hang out with, but I don’t mind trying something new. Everything else is new, so why not this?

I’d like to meet someone who’ll come to the jazz club with me. It’s just in Bath. They have live music there on Friday and weekend nights. The meals are expensive but you could just buy a drink. That’s more my style. Maybe finish the night in a small café playing a board game or doing a puzzle. Just a few of us. It’s too hard to talk to everyone in big groups. They always diverge anyway. I’d rather a few friends and one group, one conversation going.

I’ll meet more people tomorrow. There must be at least a few people like me. Though I’d be happy to make friends with any type of person. Most of my friends at home are not loud. The people I’ve met here are big bold personalities. It’s messing with me, coz at home when I’m with softly spoken people, I naturally pipe up and become the outgoing person. But here there are too many bold people to compete with, so I’ve become the quiet one who drinks tea all the time and never says anything other than polite small talk. I feel so young and inexperienced next to them. Like I’m the kid they’re supposed to babysit. The kid is independent and, as long as they check up on her occasionally, they can do their own thing.

My being forced into the quiet role is probably a good thing. It’s unfamiliar, but I do talk too much a lot of the time. I should listen more. But I also don’t want to be the bland, polite girl in the corner. I guess I’ll know more this coming week, when I meet people in my classes.

I’d be friends with anyone who is kind to me, or gives me the time of day. I can be friends with bold people. I’m not intimidated. I like people with colourful personalities, a bit of zest. I don’t like people who are loud all the time, though. That can get annoying.  

I can still hear people howling and carrying on, but I’m sleepy. Time for bed.