Katie watched as she fought her way through the noisy groups of students, and grinned as Becky made it to their table.
Becky ran her hands through her long dark hair and screwed it into a fresh ponytail. ‘I’m ready for this. The essay’s done, emailed in, and I want to get drunk now. Is this mine?’ She held up the glass of Coke.
‘It is. It’s Coke, with maybe a drop or two of vodka in it.’ Katie patted her backpack. ‘If there isn’t enough, help yourself. I brought a big bottle.’
Becky tasted it, briefly closed her eyes in appreciation and smiled. ‘Perfect. So what are we doing?’
‘Do you want to go into the city centre or stay in this area so we don’t have to fork out for taxis?’
‘Stay here, I think. It won’t be a late night, I’m knackered. Don’t let me do that again, leave something till the last minute.’
Katie laughed. ‘I’ve been nagging you for at least two weeks to get it done. Forget it now, it’s over. Susie and Clare said they might look in later, after Macbeth finishes.’ She took out a small hairbrush and quickly ran it through her drying blonde-streaked hair. She blessed the day she’d cut it short, so much easier to handle when there was rain as torrential as it had been for at least a week. And she felt it emphasised her elfin features instead of hiding them; the other girls had been so supportive of her decision to chop most of it off.
Susanna Roebuck and Clare Vincent shared accommodation with Katie and Becky, and all four had hit it off from day one, respecting each other’s privacy, yet enjoying the friendship created by living in such close proximity. Number forty-three Crookesvale Gardens was happy student accommodation, as far as the four girls were concerned. Even their parents felt relief that their daughters had hit on what they would have wanted for them.
There was a flurry of activity as yet more people pushed their way into the pub. ‘Looks as though the Drama Studio is out. We’d best watch out for Susie and Clare, they’ll never see us tucked away in this corner.’
Katie and Becky sipped at their drinks and waited for their friends to put in an appearance. It was half an hour before they saw Clare, who stood in the doorway, searching.
‘I’ll go and get her.’ Becky stood and pushed through the throng of people, reaching Clare who hadn’t moved from the doorway. ‘Clare, follow me!’
A hand was lifted in acknowledgement, and the pretty girl with curly blonde hair, blue eyes and a slight frown on her face followed Becky through the crowd. Clare sat on the stool they had been hiding under the table awaiting their arrival, and turned towards the bar. ‘Susie not here then?’
‘No, we thought you were coming together.’
‘We were. Macbeth finished, but I needed a wee, so I went to the loo and said I would see her outside, then we’d walk down here together. When I got outside she was nowhere to be seen. I hung around for ages thinking she might have decided to go to the ladies and I’d missed her, but she didn’t appear. I tried ringing her phone but we had to turn them off in the theatre, so I’m guessing she’s not put it back on yet because it’s going straight to voicemail.’
‘Was she okay? Not feeling ill or anything?’ They were all aware of Susie’s type-one diabetes issues, and her checking of her blood sugar levels; Katie sounded anxious as she asked the question.
‘She was fine. She didn’t say she felt off, and she always does if she needs some medication boost or a quick Mars bar. In fact she had a Mars in her coat pocket just in case, because we had a laugh about not sitting on our coats in the theatre. It’s strange…’
‘Let me go and get you a Coke, and I suggest you add something from inside Katie’s bag,’ Becky said and stood to go to the bar. Her five feet eight height gave her a decided advantage as she elbowed her way through to the front.
She kept checking back at the table all the time she was waiting to be served; she didn’t want to have to come and queue again for one drink. She ordered three Cokes eventually, and carried them carefully back.
It wasn’t easy pouring vodka out of a litre bottle under the table but they managed amidst giggles. For a minute or so it took their minds off the missing Susie. All three of them, without it ever having been a formal discussion, watched out for health signs in Susie, and they felt concern.
‘When I’ve finished this,’ Clare said, ‘I’m going home. It’s where she’ll be, but I don’t want her to be there and needing medical help.’
‘We’ll all go. I’m knackered anyway,’ Becky said.
‘You’ve finished your essay?’
‘I have. Don’t sound so surprised. It’s a masterpiece.’
All three laughed. They guessed masterpiece was a hyperbole on Becky’s part, but fully understood the relief evident in her voice that her ‘masterpiece’ was off her mind, and with her tutor.
They finished their drinks, and fought their way out of the pub, turning right and heading up the hill towards the house they called home, instead of the places they had lived in for all of their lives up to that point.
Home was a Victorian house that had been converted into four student flats. Each of them had a large bedroom with an en suite, and on the ground floor was a communal kitchen and a lounge. Clare unlocked the door and called her friend’s name as soon as they entered the impressive hallway. Susie didn’t respond, so Clare ran upstairs.
She knocked on Susie’s door, and turned the handle, but it was locked. Clare knocked louder, but there was nothing, no answering call, no movement. The worry for Susie’s safety turned to fear.
For what seemed like
