It was after three when we eventually left the library and we walked silently back to the dorms. I castigated myself for my obvious, translucent thoughts, I had imagined I'd kept my growing interest in Daniel well hidden, but it was apparent by his earlier comment he had seen right through me.

My mind lurched through the events of the weekend and my embarrassment grew as I dissected every moment we'd spent in each other's company, I was starting to get that nauseous, sinking feeling in my stomach and pictured him laughing with his friends, or even worse his girlfriend, at me throwing myself at him.

I breathed deeply trying to prevent myself from being sick right there on the pavement, I knew I had to hold it in until I was back in my own room, the embarrassment of vomiting in-front of him would be too much for me to bear. Noticing the green hue which surely coloured my face he broke the silence between us.

"What's wrong? You look like you're about to pass out? Are you going to be ok? Do you need to sit down?" the concern in his voice increased with each question.

"I'm fine, I've just got a bit of a headache" I lied.

"Oh, we're nearly back at the dorms you could probably do with a lie down, I'll leave you in peace, think I've outstayed my welcome anyway", his tone was a little curt.

Despite myself I smiled "You do know you live here don't you?" I teased, "So you can't outstay your welcome".

"You sure about that?" he continued "Did I say something wrong before? You've been quiet since I said about you visiting again; you know I was only having a laugh?"

"I think I do need a lie down and no, you haven't said anything wrong" trying my best to sound plausible.

At the top of the stairs I asked if it was ok for me to check in on James as he'd been in a real mess the night before. Daniel agreed as long as I promised to rest for a while afterwards. I knocked gingerly on James' door, half expecting him to be lying in bed swearing off alcohol for the rest of his life, but no he was sat up watching the TV and looking decidedly better than I knew I looked. My current appearance had not been missed by James.

"Dear God you look like shit, you'd better sit down before you fall down" he advised, "Daniel go and get her a glass of water, what's wrong?"

"Nothing I just have a bit of a headache that's all" I lied again. Daniel brought the water back and a couple of painkillers, James fused about me for a few minutes until Daniel reminded me of the promise I'd made to lie down after I'd checked James was ok. I said my goodbyes and James eyed my suspiciously.

If truth be known I think I'd given myself a headache, so my little lie turned out to be true, all my inner turmoil and the copious amounts of alcohol I'd consumed had been just too much for my poor brain to handle, so I was glad of the lie down and time out from everything. I slipped my shoes off and snuggled into the duvet, it was now a quarter to four and I knew an hour in bed would make me feel a whole lot better.

My sleep was disturbed by the fragrant aroma of fast food. It took me a minute or two to wake up but when I finally opened my eyes Daniel was putting a tray down on the desk, hearing me move he turned the lamp on.

"You feeling any better?" he asked,

"Yes thanks, loads, what time is it?"

"It's just gone nine, as you haven't eaten in hours I knew you'd be hungry so I got us some fish and chips and I made you a cup of tea", he held the cup out to me and waited for a reply. Sitting up and taking it from him,

"Thanks, I can't believe its nine o'clock", he handed me the plate and we watched TV whilst we chatted and ate dinner. At first I hadn't realised but the dorm was unusually quiet, "Where is everyone?" I asked.

"Oh they left about an hour ago for the students union" he explained. "I told Katie I'd keep my eye on you and if you were feeling up to it I'd walk you over". I thought about this for a while.

"Katie just left me? So if I hadn't woken up she'd of just left me?" the more I thought about it the more annoyed I got.

"Yeah that's my fault, I told her you weren't feeling well, she wanted to wake you a couple of hours ago but I wouldn't let her you looked so ill before, I told her I thought it was better to let you sleep, I don't usually go over there until around nine anyway so it was no big deal" he explained.

"Thanks for dinner it was delicious and you were right I was starving, but I feel bad now for keeping you". Shaking his head he cut me off,

"No, no, so how you feeling? Do you feel up to going out?"

"Yeah, I feel fine, I only had a bit of a headache that's all" I went to say more but he again cut me off.

"Listen I'm more than happy if we just stay in, we can watch a film and just hang out, if that'd be better, for you I mean" he went on "I've picked out a film should I put it on?" I smiled to myself which Daniel caught and gave me a questioning look, "What?" still smiling I replied.

"Sure that'd be nice, so what we watching?"

"Well I thought we'd go for Se7en as we didn't get to watch it yesterday" he said smugly.

As the trailers played we talked about the weekend, what time train I was getting back in the morning and when I was going to come back again, feeling a sense of déjà vu "What makes you think Katie will invite me again?" I asked.

"Well even if she doesn't I know other's that will" his comment hung in the air between us, sensing my unease he added "You seemed to have gotten on really well with Sarah and I know James and Mark will be asking when you're coming down again".

"Hmmm Mark" I thought out loud.

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"You're the third person to mention Mark to me".

"Well then clearly you know he likes you, I have to admit I didn't think he'd be your type though".

"Why, what did you think was my type?" I enquired.

"Isn't it obvious" I waiting for him to describe himself and prayed my face wouldn't turn scarlet, "Ugly gingers, the size of buildings with little intelligence and about as much charm as the chair".

"Arrggh you know me so well, I didn't realise I was that blatant" I joked.

The film was about to start so we settled down, as the opening titles flickered across the screen I handed him a pillow to lean against and holding his look I said sincerely

"Thanks for taking care of me not only tonight but for most of the weekend, it really was very kind of you, as I am certain you had better and definitely more interesting things to do"

"You're welcome, besides I couldn't leave you to fend for yourself all weekend now could I". He smiled briefly then returned his attention to the film.

As if by perfect timing, I could hear a couple of the others returning just as the film finished, we'd hardly spoken through the movie as once Daniel had gotten over the shock that I had never seen the film before he told me I had to concentrate or I would lose track of what was happening and the ending wouldn't have as much of an impact. To be honest I think if I'd only seen the last fifteen minutes I'd of still understood Brad Pitt's wife's head was in the box.

"So what did you think?" he asked excitedly.

"Yeah it was great, the ending was a bit gruesome".

"I can get another if you want?" he moved towards the door just as Mark popped his head around it.

"So, how you feeling now? You look much better, you watching a film, mind if I join you?" and he sat in the space left by Daniel.

"Actually", Daniel interrupted before I could answer any of Mark's questions, "The films just finished, it's getting late and she's got an early start in the morning".

"Oh" Mark said disappointedly, "Maybe next time, Katie said you were coming back in a couple of weeks, so if I don't see you before I'll see you then", and with that he left.

"What was that about?" I asked Daniel, bewildered by his sudden concern for my beauty sleep.

"I was going to ask you the same thing, thought you said you didn't know if you were coming back" he said innocently.

"I haven't spoken to Katie about visiting again and that's not what I meant, I was talking about you with Mark."

"Listen, Mark's a mate and if you're not interested in him I don't want him thinking he stands a chance, I was looking out for him, that's all. Anyway, so you're leaving at about eight in the morning aren't you? So if I don't see you have a good journey home, bye", he rushed the words then with the same sense of urgency closed the door behind him.

I sat for a couple of minutes confused about the previous conversation, as I tried to make sense of it I heard a faint knock at the door.

"Come in its open" I said, hoping it was Daniel but sadly I was to be disappointed. Katie come in smiling happily to herself.

"So, how you feeling?"

"Fine" I said coolly.

"It's been so great having you here this weekend, and I knew everyone would love you, it was a bit crappy you being ill tonight but apart from that it's been great", her words were interspersed with embraces and her enthusiasm thawed my mood.

"I've had a great time thanks for inviting me, it's been good to see you and get out of Runcorn for a couple of days, everyone here's made me feel very welcome, I've really enjoyed myself" I said honestly.

"We break for Christmas in two weeks; do you think your dad will let you borrow his car for a couple of days?" She asked.

"I think so; he never uses it anyway, why?" I enquired.

"Well, I was going to ask if you wanted to stay for a few days and then give me a lift home with all my stuff, my mum said she would drive up but I'd prefer it if it was you, so what do you think?" she asked tentatively.

"I think that's a fantastic idea, I'll just have to double check with my dad but I can't see it being a problem", we beamed at each other. I was truly delighted by the thought of coming back in a couple of weeks, I could see Katie's mind racing.

"Next time, you'll definitely have to come to the 'SU' and we'll have a party this time, but you'll have to do the cooking or at least tell the rest of us what to do", she laughed, "With you having the car we could go ice-skating and do loads of Christmassy things, oh I'm so excited already" she gushed speedily over the words.

We planned my next visit for the next hour or so, until finally exhausted we said our good nights. Katie promised to get up with me in the morning and walk back with me to the station, and although she believed she would, I knew I'd be finding my own way back.