too much to care and lay face-down on his bed trying to catch up on his sleep.
Bruce had managed some sleep the night before, and couldn’t resist tickling the sole of James’ foot as he came back from the shower with a towel around his waist.
‘Leave off,’ James moaned.
‘That was such a buzz,’ Bruce enthused. ‘When I threw that guy over my back! Did you see how he looked when he was trying to hold on? It was like—’
Bruce made a face, but James didn’t bother pulling his head off his pillow to look. ‘You know, sometimes I wonder if you’re entirely right in the head?’ James said. ‘A fight in the dojo is one thing, but you seriously messed that bloke up.’
‘Why are you being such a misery?’ Bruce asked, as he rolled deodorant under his arms.
James finally turned to look at his friend. ‘Bruce, do all the girls on campus think I’m an arsehole because I cheated on Kerry?’
‘They talk about you,’ Bruce grinned. ‘Sometimes they slag you off, sometimes they say you’re cute. What matters is that they talk about you.’
James was baffled. ‘What are you on about?’
‘Haven’t you ever noticed that girls only talk about guys they fancy?’ Bruce explained. ‘They might be bitching or slagging you off, but they only talk about guys they like.’
‘I’d never thought of that,’ James nodded.
‘It’s guys like me who have to worry,’ Bruce said, as he pulled on a pair of jeans. ‘I’m skinny, I’m ordinary-looking and I don’t get sixth-form girls jumping on me in bathtubs. So don’t go moaning to me about do the girls on campus like me because you’ve probably had more girlfriends already than I’m gonna get in my whole life.’
‘You just need more confidence,’ James said, taking pity on his friend. ‘And you’ve got Kerry now. I mean, I don’t get on with her these days, but she’s still hot.’
‘I’m still a bit amazed that she’s my girlfriend,’ Bruce admitted.
‘Anyway,’ James said. ‘I’m thinking about me and Kerry, and my cheating on her was like a wedge between us. I could never really look her in the eye, because there were all these lies in the background. I don’t want it to be like that with Dana.’
Bruce’s eyebrows shot up. ‘You can’t tell her that you boffed Lois! She’ll kill you.’
James shrugged. ‘I think I have to.’
‘But what if she dumps you?’
‘Well hopefully she won’t,’ James shrugged. ‘I mean, Dana’s different to Kerry. I think she’ll be OK if I explain exactly how it happened. She might even appreciate me being honest.’
Bruce laughed. ‘If you’re lucky, she won’t dump you, but I wouldn’t bank on her appreciating it.’
There was a gentle knock, followed by Michael’s head coming around the door. ‘Hey,’ he said, ‘mind if I come in for a second?’
James and Bruce weren’t supposed to associate with Michael, but as the mission had gone on they’d become slightly more relaxed. And as they all lived at the Zoo it wasn’t unnatural that a casual friendship should exist between them.
‘Have you spoken to Gabrielle lately?’ James asked, as he rolled on to his back.
‘Just this morning, she’s doing great,’ Michael said, wafting his hand in front of his nose as he looked at James. ‘So is not washing some kind of new fashion statement for you white boys?’
James tutted. ‘I’ll take a shower in a minute.’
‘And who are you calling white boys?’ Bruce demanded. ‘You’re spending too much time with your Jamaican friends.’
‘At least I didn’t call you honkies. But you’re right, I’m gonna have to watch myself when I get back to campus. I said that Gabrielle was my bitch in front of Maureen and Chloe the other day.’
‘So is this a social visit or what?’ Bruce asked.
‘Chloe’s heard all about your little shoot-out this morning, but she’s not happy ’cos you haven’t briefed her yet and I think I let it slip that you’d both been back for over an hour.’
‘What’s her problem?’ James moaned. ‘We’ve got phones, she could have rung us.’
‘She didn’t want to call until she was certain it was safe for you to talk.’
‘Oh well,’ James said as he sat up. ‘Bruce can call her while I’m in the shower.’
‘Great, let me get yelled at,’ Bruce said.
‘It’s good news about Simeon Bentine,’ Michael said. ‘Have you heard the latest?’
James shook his head. ‘Not since last night.’
‘They’ve analysed the pattern of calls and it seems that Sasha and Simeon are talking to each other at least once a