07

« Oh, it’s going to be that kind of list, » I said as she jotted it down on the piece of paper with an over-sized exclamation mark next to it.

« Best start suggesting things, then, » she shot back with an amused smile, tapping the pen rhythmically on the table top.

Sighing to myself, although admittedly feeling slightly more positive at the thought of having something to work towards during my year out here, I glanced over towards the ajar balcony doors as I considered any personal goals or things I wanted to do.

« Venice, » I told her. « I want to see Venice. »

« Oh, me too ! » she gasped with excitement, scribbling it down. « Okay, my turn…um… »

« I thought this was supposed to be my list ? » I asked in amusement.

« Hey, you were the one who admitted to having no imagination ! I’m just helping out. »

Smiling, I gestured for her to continue. She took a sip of her tea before nodding.

« Well, we’re in Italy… We’ll have to go wine-tasting. »

« Make pasta, » I then said. « Like you said, when in Italy… »

« Christmas market. I’ve always wanted to go to a Christmas market ! »

For the next hour or so, we bounced ideas off one another. It perhaps wasn’t the most unique bucket list in the world, nor the most exciting, but that’s what made it so special. It was all about us and Italy, and the things we wanted to accomplish while out here that we may not have been able to do back in England.

Half an hour ago, as I was sobbing into Nathan’s t-shirt, I realised that this year abroad would be a challenge. A hard challenge that would push me to my limits and really test me. Now my ever-positive flatmate had turned it into a different sort of challenge : a quest. She’d given me something to work towards—something to achieve that didn’t just involve sitting around and waiting for the days to pass. While it might not take my mind off Nathan completely, it was something else to focus on and a greater purpose for being here.

« I’ve got exciting news, » Jasmine said as she burst through the flat door one Saturday afternoon in late October.

« Excite me, » I replied, raising my eyebrows in apprehension, wary that Jasmine’s idea of excitement could differ greatly from my own.

« I’ve met more British people ! » She grinned, clasping her hands together. « At last, our army of two can become an army of six. »

« You met four more people ? » I asked in mild surprise, shortly before realising that this shouldn’t come as a surprise at all. Jasmine’s confidence knew no limits and it wouldn’t have shocked me if she’d heard the familiar language and marched right over to introduce herself.

She began to unfasten her coat, her fingers moving deftly over the buttons before she shrugged it off then draped it over the arm of the sofa.

« Well, three technically, » she said. « But they know this other English girl, apparently, so… »

« Did they seem nice ? »

« Yeah, I guess so, » she replied, with a shrug. « They seemed keen to meet up and stuff. »

One thing Jasmine and I had noticed during our Erasmus placement was the way in which all the different nationalities seemed to stick together. To a certain extent it was understandable—you were in a foreign country and would naturally gravitate towards people you could easily communicate with and relate to. The irony wasn’t lost on me, though. While Jasmine wasn’t here to learn Italian, most people would be and yet we went out of our way to avoid it.

« They’re going for drinks tonight, » Jasmine then said. « D’you fancy it ? »

« Sure, » I said, even though the thought of meeting four new people, alongside my super-confident friend, made me a little nervous. « Sounds good. »

Jasmine beamed. Even though I’d always surrounded myself with friends, I wasn’t the type who went out actively searching for new people to hang around with ; having a small circle of close friends was much more appealing than having a large group of distant friends. Jasmine, on the other hand, thrived off social interaction. She’d already made me feel comfortable around her and I had no doubt that she’d have that same effect on other people, too. There was just something about her that made you feel special and I really wished I could elicit the same impression that she always did, her presence remaining with you in the room even hours after she’d left.

« Great, » she said, her voice laced with enthusiasm. « Just wasn’t sure if you’d have Skype plans, that’s all. »

« Nah, Nathan and I Skyped earlier while you were out. »

« Made any progress on the bucket list ? »

A few seconds passed before I realised what she was truly asking. Her face was serious but her eyes were twinkling with interest. Smiling, I shook my head.

« No, » I admitted, disappointing her. « He was actually telling me about his Christmas party. »

« Christmas party ? »

Glancing briefly over her shoulder to check she wasn’t about to sit on anything, she took a seat on the sofa, immediately sinking into the cushions and crossing one leg over the other.

« Yeah, for work, » I said. « It’s in early December. It’s like a bar crawl type thing. »

She frowned slightly. « A bar crawl ? That doesn’t sound like a professional Christmas party. »

I shrugged. « I think it’s just his team, not the whole company. »

« How do you feel about it ? »

« I think it’s great. He spends every day in a professional environment ; it’ll be nice for him to hang out with work colleagues in a more relaxed place. »

« I used to have a friend who would freak out every time her boyfriend went on a night out, » Jasmine said, shaking her head as she recalled the memories. « You’re a breath of fresh air. »

« I trust him, » I said with a shrug of one shoulder. « And, even though I’m the one living in a foreign country, I still worry that he gets lonely, especially since his family don’t live in England so… I don’t know… it’ll be the first time he’ll have ever gone on a night out without me but I’m not gonna stop him. I want him to go out and have fun. »

She smiled. « You’re a good girlfriend. »

I laughed. « I don’t think that’s being a good girlfriend. I think it’s being a reasonable girlfriend. »

« Well, you’d be surprised how many girls don’t like their boyfriends going on nights out. That’s why you’re a breath of fresh air. »

Maybe it was the nature of our relationship and how we got together, but I had no reason not to trust Nathan. Over the years, we’d had our ups and downs, with both of us getting into questionable situations—but one thing had remained the same : our loyalty towards one another. I wasn’t going to disregard all of that on the basis that Nathan could potentially bump into a girl who might hit on him. It probably happened every day for all I knew…

« So, where are we meeting these people ? » I asked Jasmine, keen to take my mind off thoughts of Nathan with other women.

« Dunno, » she said, her fingers sliding frantically over her phone screen as she tapped away at a message. « Apparently it’s tucked away in a street just off the square, and they do glasses of prosecco for fifty cents and half litres for two euros. I think it could become a regular of ours. »

True to our plans, Jasmine and I left our flat at just gone eight, meandering down the high-walled streets, through the archways and past the socialising groups of Italian citizens who stood in circles with their drinks and cigarettes.

We paused once to draw out money from a bancomat and once more when Jasmine caught sight of a pair of shoes in a shop window that she claimed would change her life. After checking the opening times so she could return another day, we continued on our way, heading down a narrow street that was much quieter than the rest.

« That’s them, » Jasmine said, grasping my wrist and pulling me to a halt. She jerked her head in the direction of a nearby bar where two guys and one girl sat around a table, a jug of prosecco already present in the centre.

« I thought you said there were four of them ? »

She shrugged. « That’s what they told me. Come on, let’s go. »

Blindly following her into the unknown, I allowed myself a quick assessment of the group before they’d noticed us, to save the embarrassment of getting caught doing it later on. Jasmine hadn’t mentioned if they’d known each other, but the petite blonde girl was giggling away with an equally petite dark-haired boy, while their companion sat in silence.

« Hey ! » Jasmine said, her voice high and cheerful.

She strutted over with a confidence that would intimidate even the boldest of people while I trailed behind, waiting to be introduced. Meeting people for the first time was always awkward ; do you hug, shake hands or do nothing ? I settled on nothing, simply smiling as Jasmine introduced me to Abbie, Ant and Sean.

« How’s the prosecco ? » Jasmine asked as we sat down.

« For two euros ? Can’t go wrong, » Ant replied.

« Ant’s a stingy bastard, » Abbie said to me, her Glaswegian accent thick. « I’ve only known him a month and he’s already tried to hustle me three times. »