Free The Art of Keeping Faith by Anna Bloom Page A

though,” I tell him and myself.
    He gestures for me to sit. I would rather not.
    “So how are your modules going this year?”
    “Fine,” I reply with an audible sigh as I sit on one of the low chairs. They are the same style as the ones we had in Halls of Residence. They look comfy and inviting but they are really designed to give you severe backache and stop you from lounging about procrastinating.
    “Crusades okay?”
    ”Mm.”
    “A few of the course texts are hard going.”
    “A few of them? How about all of them!” I try not to grimace, but fail.
    He jumps up with a start, which makes me jump.
    “Come on, Delilah, let’s go to the library together and have a look at the texts. I will treat you to a coffee on the way.”
    You have got to be kidding me.
    His face is so enthusiastic I don’t want to be rude and hurt his feelings.
    “That’s a very kind offer but I need to get home, my kitten is probably scratching the house to bits.
    “I am sure he will be okay for a little longer. Anyway, don’t you live with Meredith? I am sure she will be on her way home by now, the bell rang a good ten minutes ago.” He chuckles at his own humour and I try not to pull a face in response.
    I am not going to win this. I may as well just give in with good grace. “Okay, then. Let’s go.” I huff and sling my bag over my shoulder.
    Well it is an attempt at good grace.
    Okay, I hate to admit this. In fact it pains me to say it, but my little one-to-one session was incredibly helpful. Professor Johnson pulled out all of the books I needed before sitting next to me. He leafed through them at great speed turning to the relevant chapters and the correct paragraphs.
    This is clearly where I have been going wrong.
    “You make this look so easy.” I gasp as I take a sip of the scorching hot cappuccino he bought me at the cafe.
    “Well, I’ve had years of practice! The trick is to only focus on the information you need and not get side-tracked.”
    “Well, I always start at the beginning.” Surely you’re meant to start a book at the beginning?
    He looks at me over his varifocals. “Delilah, never try to read a whole history book unless you are researching your specialist subject, otherwise you will fry your brain.”
    I think it is fair to say we don’t need to worry about me finding a specialist subject.
    “Is that what you were trying to do last year?” he asks.
    “Uh, yeah.”
    “Well. No wonder you found it so hard! Even historians just scan for the small bit of information that they need! Ha! Imagine reading a whole book just for one sentence!”
    Yes, yes. Imagine doing that …
    Afterwards, as we walk down the library stairs we have one of those awkward ‘adult’ conversations. The one where they try and talk like you are an adult yourself, while at the same time borderline patronising you.
    “Do you have faith in yourself, Lilah?” he questions me in a low voice, which makes me realise he is being serious and as a result I slip down two steps.
    Faith? Of course I bloody don’t. Has he even met me?
    “Uh, well, uh, I don’t know,” is my intellectual reply.
    He grabs me by the elbow to steady me on the last couple of steps. “Well I do, I believe you are a bright spark.”
    I stop on the bottom stair. He must be taking the piss surely. The only bright spark I have is when I am lighting a cigarette.
    He smiles at me and gives me a shrug.
    “Uh, thanks,” I say. Finally we are through the exit.
    “You’re welcome,” he grins, nodding back.
    “Oh, Delilah,” he calls as I walk away, “Stay off the vodka, it’s better for the old grey matter.”
    I smile in response but it may be more of a grimace.
    23rd October
    Midnight
    “What have you been doing?”
    “Oh you know, yesterday I had a hot date in the library. Today I amazed my fellow students and lecturer with my insightful and highly intelligent observations on a primary source. Then I came home and created a gourmet feast before playing