The Eternal& The Ephemeral

Chapter 2

chapter 2-Of tales

"what would you like to drink tonight ladies?" Anton questioned playfully, and purposely using only 'ladies', as Carlos rolled his eyes. 'Uptown girl' blasted through the speakers of the bar as Rosanne, Amber, Carlos and Anton-another one of Amber's friend, found some seats in the corner. The crowd was filled with loud juveniles, broken hearts and dancing diva's.

"everyone fancy's beers'?" Carlos asked, looking around the group.

"Not on a Saturday." Rosanne said as she shrugged apologetically afraid of insulting the the German-Anton. Anton chuckled, and Amber said, "Exactly! we need vodka tonight-that's the only way we are getting the good secrets out!"

"Alright, alright." Carlos said as we went to fetch vodka from the bar.

Another classic-Saturday Night- started playing on the speakers.

More people flowed into the dance floor, as a simply good night edged on being a memorable one.

One the crowds would remember but more importantly, one this four peers from different parts of the world would come down to and intertwine as though stars were aligning, somewhere and somehow, sometime and for some reason.

"So what are you doing here up at Oxford? I've heard great things form the university you come from." Anton asked Rosanne.

Rosanne smiled, "well, it was a great university, but it felt stagnant, I wanted to go beyond, push myself, I guess." Rosanne said with a smile.

'Vienna' by Billy Joel started to play as though on cue, as the crowd roared, perhaps Vienna was waiting for everyone and everyone was waiting to get to Vienna. A slow appreciative hum spread through the crowd, lyrics familiar and emotions embodied.

"And how do you plan on doing that here?" Anton pushed, twirling his beer bottle. 

"Mr. Clarke's been appointed as my tutor." Rosanne said.

"Oh shit, best of luck, he's a fucking genius but he's a lunatic." Amber said, as she took a sip from her bottle. "Lunatic, but if you manage to impress him, he'll help you with your research, if any in question." Carlos spoke.

"That's the plan, but I've catered the surprise factor in," Rosanne said. "And his lunacy," Amber said, as she raised her bottle. "And his lunacy, cheers to that," Rosanne said with a soft chuckle, raising her bottle to Amber's, Carlos's and Anton's.

"Oh, before I forget, Roman's coming tomorrow." Anton said. "Boy genius is coming to Oxford, I didn't know that." Amber spoke, surprise lacing her voice.

"Who's Roman?" Rosanne asked casually, looking at Anton.

"Roman is a friend, a kind of extraordinarily intelligent man, he's genuinely brilliant, a physics nerd."  Carlos said with a tone of reverence.

"That's an understatement, actually." Anton said, shaking his head. "Oh if you do want help with your studies," Anton took a big pause, "don't ask him." He said dramatically.

Rosanne chuckled, confused, "What?"

"Yeah guys, we are here in this fun fun place, and we are talking about intelligence of men that aren't present here, let's not bore our new friend here." Carlos said as he called over for more beer bottles.

"What about your course?" Rosanne asked Carlos. "In flirtation obviously." Amber answered before Carlos could. Carlos chuckled, "I don't need a degree in Flirtation, I already am well equipped in that department, won't say that Rosanne?" He asked her as he looked at her with a playful  flirtatious expression.

"I plead the fifth." Rosanne said with a smile. Anton laughed, "Oh no, Carlos is losing his touch." Amber laughed, Carlos made a face of mock hurt, as he waved his hand off.

Rosanne felt so comfortably happy with these three people she didn't know until yesterday, she wondered how that was possible.

"So out of curiosity, how did you three become friends?" Rosanne questioned, eyeing the three of them.

"That's a good question." Anton said, chuckling as though revisiting a memory eons ago that still bought joy. Amber took the initiative to tell the tale, "So basically Anton and I met at a summer camp, years ago when we were teenagers, we were in this forest, but I wasn't having any fun so I wanted to do something adventurous, I snuck out one night while everyone was sleeping and guess who else in that very Moment was sneaking out too," Amber said, pointing dramatically towards Anton.

"And here we are, still sneaking out of dorms, still seeking some adventures." Anton said with a smile. "how interesting." Rosanne commented, looking at them. "And Carlos joined us, 3 years ago, we met him at a friend's party, actually he fell in the pool, and we helped him up."

Rosanne chuckles.

"Ah that's as interesting as that story gets." Amber shrugs.

"Well this calls for another round of alcohol." Carlos declares with a grin.

Tales surface, laughter shared, as the night progresses, music alights the dance floor, but the group of 4 stay seated where they are-for they are just getting to know each other and they have just met the night, and it is indeed a young one.

Little did they know of the things to follow- oblivion sometimes is the best thing to preserve happiness and joy.

If only to steal a few days of youth.

~