Free A Year in Fife Park by Quinn Wilde Page A

it a bad idea.’
    ‘What about Craig?’
    ‘Meh,’ she said.
    ‘But you’re sure you won’t regret it?’
    ‘Blah, blah, blah.’
    She made a ‘chatty’ hand motion.
    ‘Whatever. I’ll get my coat.’

    We sauntered into the Vic like we had a point to prove. Darcy was dead right about the reaction, I wouldn’t have credited it. Mouths dropped open. Pints hovered between face and table. Lance’s fag went out in the ashtray. Eventually the silence started to seem kind of rude. Mart stepped up to insulate the awkward.
    ‘Fucking hell, Darcy,’ he said. ‘How in the hell are you?’
    ‘You know,’ she said. ‘Getting on.’
    ‘Alright Craig,’ I said.
    ‘Quinn.’
    ‘Frank not out?’
    ‘Medics,’ Craig said. ‘Frank’s doing all the first year socials again.’
    ‘And the second year ones,’ Lance said.
    ‘What have you been up to?’ I asked.
    ‘Beers,’ Lance said. He raised his pint, grinning.
    ‘Look,’ I started.
    ‘This is not cool, Quinn,’ Craig said. ‘Not cool at all.’
    I looked round. Darcy was at the bar.
    ‘Yeah,’ I said. ‘It’s nothing, don’t get riled.’
    ‘What are you fucking doing with her?’ he asked.
    ‘She’s alright,’ I said. ‘Just some drinks.’
    ‘She’s a waste of fucking space.’
    ‘Too harsh, mate.’
    ‘Easy,’ said Lance. ‘She’s right there.’
    ‘You’re being a dick,’ Craig said.
    ‘We’re all of her friends right here.’
    ‘Whose fucking fault is that?’
    ‘I don’t fucking know. Not all hers.’
    ‘What about her other friends? Julia?’
    ‘Who fucking knows what happened there?’
    Those two had switched poles right at the end of the year, and gone from inseparable to repulsed by each other, over fuck only knows what personal bullshit.
    ‘Mate, she’s just not worth it,’ Craig said.
    ‘It’s not an effort,’ I said. ‘I’m going to help her with the drinks.’

    Darcy was counting small change out of a huge purse at the bar.
    ‘Is it weird?’
    ‘How would I know?’ I said.
    ‘Does it seem weird?’
    ‘Fuck, yes.’
    ‘Should we leave? Should I just go?’
    ‘No, I think people are adjusting.’
    ‘It’s like they don’t even know me.’
    ‘They’re on edge,’ I said. ‘They don’t know what to say.’
    ‘Is Ella out?’
    ‘Yeah,’ I said. ‘At the far table, with the DRH lot.’
    ‘Let’s go over,’ she said.
    ‘I don’t know.’
    ‘Fucking, shut up. I’m not going to embarrass you. But you have to introduce me.’
    ‘Introduce you?’
    ‘Yes, and do it properly.’
    ‘Alright,’ I said. ‘I hope you’re in the mood for a proper conversation.’
    She didn’t get that, but it didn’t take long.
    ‘Hey Quinn,’ Ella said.
    ‘Ella,’ I said. ‘This is Darcy. She’s a friend of mine. She wanted to meet you.’
    ‘Oh, nice. Hi Darcy. Why do you want to meet me?’ Ella said.
    ‘She wants to meet all my friends,’ I said. ‘Because she is completely wasted.’
    ‘Quinn!’ Darcy said.
    ‘It’s OK,’ I said. ‘It’s OK. We’re all wasted here.’
    ‘Well, I’m alright,’ Ella said.
    ‘Fuck. Of course you are. Why wouldn’t you be?’
    ‘Quinn,’ Darcy said, pulling me to one side.
    ‘Darcy, this is a terrible idea. I think she’s fucking sober.’
    ‘You are a fucking moron, Quinn,’ Darcy said. ‘I’ll fix this, you just keep your mouth shut.’
    ‘Yeah, OK.’
    ‘Ella,’ Darcy said, with a flourish. ‘Aren’t you in our Philosophy class – The Good Life ?’
    ‘Yeah,’ Ella said. ‘I just put in the essay today.’
    ‘Us too,’ Darcy said. ‘This fool helped me after my PC ate the file. It’s fucking handy having a geek around. ’
    ‘Hey,’ I said.
    ‘Oh, shut up,’ Darcy said. She turned back to Ella. ‘He so is.’
    ‘And it is a thankless fucking task,’ I muttered.
    ‘What did you write about?’’ Ella asked.
    ‘Eudaimonia,’ Darcy said. ‘It’s a looooad of bollocks.’
    ‘Change,’ I said. ‘Question