Maggie nodded as she contemplated the larger hell that would be having to live at home with her parents again, although Leon didn’t seem to share her aversion to families. Perhaps his was reasonable and easy to live alongside.
But then a more relevant thought started to take shape in her head. Maybe she could live with Leon? She liked him well enough. In fact, there was very little to dislike about him. He was generally cheerful, didn’t seem to smell, closed his mouth when he chewed and didn’t do any of the other things that she considered to be dealbreakers. He was a boy, of course, which was a mark against him. It wasn’t that there was anything between them – Maggie would never think of him in those terms – but she knew the fact that they really were ‘just good friends’ would make no difference to her sceptical and mistrusting mother. It might be better if there were a gang of them living together, a couple of each sex. That would feel less odd. Still, beggars couldn’t be choosers.
The thoughts were all racing so hard around her head that she didn’t realise that Leon had spoken to her until she saw that he was staring at her expectantly.
‘Sorry, what?’ she said.
‘I said, what about you? Where are you going to live?’
‘I haven’t got anywhere either,’ she confessed. ‘I just, well, I’m not sure what happened actually, but somehow I haven’t sorted it. I thought I might ask them whether we can stay in halls in the second year. There may be some places somewhere.’
As she said this, it crossed her mind that it might be the perfect solution. It would certainly be the easiest.
But Leon was shaking his head. ‘Third years only, apparently,’ he said, ‘I already asked,’ and Maggie’s little bubble burst.
She sighed. How had she let this happen? It was so unlike her, but maybe in the back of her head she had been hoping for this solution all along, but just hadn’t wanted to be the one who brought it up in case Leon got the wrong idea.
‘And of course, Angie’s not fixed anything up either. She’s not even looking for a place. She says she’s just going to crash on people’s floors and sofa-surf her way through the year.’
Maggie tutted. ‘That’s so like her. She’s so impractical.’ As she said this, she tried to cast from her mind the thought that, in this matter at least, she and Angie appeared to be exactly the same.
‘Actually,’ said Leon, ‘if she can make it work, I’d say it was a pretty good idea. She won’t have to pay any rent, for a start.’
Maggie rolled her eyes. ‘She’s such a freeloader. Does she have no shame?!’
The solution to their collective problems was obvious now, but Maggie hesitated, unwilling to take the plunge. The conversation stalled for a moment as they each seemed to be considering their next moves.
Leon bit his lip for a moment and then he said, ‘Shoot me down if it’s a crap idea, but what if we looked for somewhere together – the two of us? Or even the three of us. There are bound to be some houses left, especially smaller ones. Might be fun?’ he added doubtfully.
‘Maybe,’ Maggie replied, keen not to reveal her hand, but also aware that she was all out of options. If Leon did go back to Leeds, then she really would be up the creek without a paddle. ‘I’m not sure about Angie, though. Me and her . . . well, it’s a bit hit and miss.’
‘Oh, she’s all right,’ said Leon. ‘I mean, I know she’s scatty as hell and has some odd ideas about the concept of personal possessions, but fundamentally she’s a nice person. And I don’t think the sofa-surfing thing is her plan by choice. She was with another group, but they had a massive row about something or other and it all fell apart. I think she might be up for a house-share. Shall I ask her?’
Maggie thought about it for a second or two but really, what choice did she have? If she wanted to live with Leon, then it looked like Angie would have to come too.
‘Okay,’ she heard herself say. ‘Thanks.’
10
There was something exciting about going back to York to start the second year of university. Of course, it had been exciting the previous year too, but back then the buzz that Maggie felt had been accompanied by a certain apprehension about setting out on this totally new path. This time, most of that path was clearly in view. Maggie knew what university life entailed, she could find her way around the campus and York itself without difficulty, and felt positively grown up when compared to the anxious-looking huddles of first years. It was hard to believe that just a year ago that had been her – but surely, she hadn’t looked quite so nervous.