Chapter Text
Jamie stepped off the train and took a deep breath as he noted how many people were around him. He didn’t think there were this many people in his whole village.
Time to buck up and get used to city living, he wasn’t on the farm now.
He threw his bag over his shoulder and looked for the exit signs. Apparently the University Campus was directly opposite the station so it shouldn’t be hard to find. His height helped, at 6’4” he towered over most of the crowd and found they tended to make way for him as he moved forward.
He’d never seen so many people in his life all in one place, he remembered his mother’s funeral, the church had been full then, and the hall afterwards but even that was just a portion of this seemingly endless sea of moving bodies. Once outside he saw the building that had been on the front of the University prospectus, something familiar at least and headed in that direction.
Just crossing the road had been an overwhelming sensory experience, the volume of the traffic and the people and busker playing his guitar the beeping crossing signals and the mixed messages sent by those brave souls who darted out into the road despite the signal instructing them otherwise. By the time he was on the other side he felt quite breathless and thankful to be alive.
Perhaps this wasn’t a good idea.
He passed through the doors of the building and headed for what appeared to be a reception desk, there was a small queue of people waiting to be attended to and he joined the back of the line. While he waited he observed some of the others around him; two girls, around his age he guessed chatted animatedly while sipping from takeaway coffee cups and regularly checking their mobile phones. They both had unnaturally blonde hair, lips that looked like they had been ‘enhanced’ and so much make-up he wondered if they knew what they really looked like underneath. They posed for a selfie together, pursing their lips and looking ridiculous he thought as they snapped the picture. No doubt it would be put on Social Media he told himself. Fake, fake, fake. That was the thing he was least looking forward to out here, at home he was surrounded by nature, and he knew nothing in the world was more beautiful or perfect. He’d watched TV, he had tried having social media accounts and he knew outside of his little world, there was so much fakeness, he wasn’t convinced he’d ever fit in.
But here he was and he was determined to fulfil his father’s dying wish.
“Can I help?” the plump middle aged woman behind the counter asked as he reached the front of the line.
He stepped forward dropping his bag at his feet. “I just arrived, I’m new, erm, I dinnae ken where to go.” he suddenly realised how strong his Scottish accent was now that he was surrounded by Outlanders.
The woman smiled warmly. “Don’t worry my lovely, just pop over there to the right, there’s another desk where the first years register, have you got your accommodation arranged?”
He nodded “Aye, I’m staying at McTavish House, I’ll be needin’ direction there as well.”
The woman kept smiling and he thought she seemed a kind soul. “Ah that’s ok, they’ll give you maps and your bus pass when you register, you’ll be able to get around the city without charge.”
“Och, thank ye.” he said picking up his bag and as he was about to turn to the right as he was guided he stopped and turned back. “Can I ask ye name?” he asked politely.
The woman beamed at him. “Oh everyone calls me Mrs Fitz ma darlin’ if you need any help at all you’ll find me here.”
He smiled back at her and held out his hand “It’s nice to meet ya Mrs Fitz, I’m Jamie Fraser, I expect I’ll be needing your help before long.”
She seemed surprised, in a good way, and shook his hand. “Over there to the right Jamie, you’ll be just fine.”
He nodded and moved away.
He found the desk she was talking about and joined another line. On a set on seats nearby he watched some boys, probably a year or two younger than him, sat chatting and laughing in that way that 18 year old boys do; teasing each other and playfully hitting out. His age was going to be another issue, most first years would be 18, he was almost 21, he’d always intended to follow in his father’s footsteps and that didn’t need a university degree. He was always clever though like his mother or so his father had said, and last year as his father passed away after a short battle with Cancer he made his eldest son promise to use that gift, and make more of himself than to just get by as another farmer.
He almost hadn’t done it, there was a pride to be had from working the land, he was well built and the manual work didn’t bother him. He’d find himself sometimes wishing he could be reading instead of ploughing or learning a new skill instead of repeating the same routines over and over though. He knew in his heart his father had been right, he wasn’t destined to be a farmer, he was a thinker. So the farm now sold, and his sister married off to her childhood sweetheart he was going to University, and he was going to learn about business. He’d always had a head for figures and had picked up some tips from his father, he figured this was as good a place to start to make good on his promise.
Once registered and now in possession of a map, a bus pass and his course schedule along with a schedule of events for “Freshers Week” he headed back outside. He was ready for some peace and quiet, time to find his new home. He was happy to find that the bus wouldn’t be necessary to get to the building he’d arranged a room in. He followed the map, across the campus and found McTavish House, he’d chosen it for the good Scottish name, it turned out to be a very modern building, built for students, the ground floor had another reception desk and a communal lounge area and a cafeteria. He made himself known at the reception desk, a young man who appeared around his age was manning it.
“I’ve rented a room here.” Jamie told him “I’ve come for the key.”
“Sure!” the young man answered looking down at the computer on the desk. “What’s the name?”
“Jamie Fraser” he answered, he chuckled to himself as he thought that he’d never said his own name so many times in one day.
“Ah yes, 5th floor, room 509. I just need to check and photocopy your ID.”
Jamie nodded and handed over his Driving Licence, he hadn’t brought his car here yet, he figured from the maps most places he’d be going would be walkable and with charges for parking he thought it easier to go without. The man brought the Licence back and handed it to him “My name’s Steven, I’m a third year, we have volunteers run the house, reception, events and so on. There’s a board over there with more info and a leaflet in your room. Any issues there’s usually someone here but if not just use that phone” he pointed to a phone on the end of the counter “and dial the number on that sign above it, that gets you though to building management, they’ll help with any damage, faults or security issues ok?”
“Thank ye” Jamie said picking up his bag again along with the key fob that Steven had put down on the counter, and heading to the lift.
“Oh and student union registration is happening in the lounge for next 2 days, after that you’ll have to go to the office, you’ll need to register if you want cheap drinks at the bars” Steven called after him. Jamie nodded in acknowledgment and headed up to the 5th floor.
Room 509 was at the end of the corridor, Jamie was glad he’d only have adjoining neighbours on one side, he wasn’t relishing the idea of apartment living, let alone student apartments. He had chosen one of the more expensive options offered by the university, a self contained suite with small living / study area, a double bed, a bathroom and small kitchen area which only included a fridge/freezer, a small sink, a kettle and a microwave and a couple of cupboards and drawers. Anything requiring more advance cooking techniques was not allowed to be made in the rooms. It wasn’t ideal but he would make do. Most rooms didn’t even have the kitchen area at all.
He tossed his bag on the bed and surveyed his new domain. The couch looked comfortable enough, and the desk big enough to work at. There wasn’t much space, and his bulk was taking a lot of it, just as well he didn’t plan on having visitors. It would do until he got to know the city better, then maybe he’d find some private rental somewhere .
A welcome pack of milk and a loaf of bread had been left with some small packets of butter. He’d have to go shopping, he’d not brought food with him. He’d not brought much at all, just some clothes, his laptop and a Photograph of his family which was the first thing he took out of his bag and placed on the chest of drawers. He smiled at the image of his sister, just a toddler then, his mother, beautiful and graceful, him, a cheeky looking 6 year old with curly red hair and his father standing proudly by them all. “I’m doing this for you Da, I hope you ken it.” he muttered as he turned to unpack the rest of his bag.
After an hour of lying on the bed and trying to rest he sat up again, he couldn’t sit still when there were things to be done. He’d got that trait from his father. He picked up the map and the bus pass putting them in his pockets as he headed out again for supplies.
The campus, he told himself as he looked at the map, was like a village just with a lot more people. There was a shop he could buy food, a post office, a stationers, a bookshop, quite a few bars and cafes and restaurants and takeaways. He didn’t see why he’d ever have to leave the campus with all this at his easy disposal, but he did want to explore the city more eventually.
Two hours later, laden with bags he returned to his room. Someone was moving into the room across the hall, a girl, the door was held open with a cardboard box overspilling with various bits and bobs and as he set down all his bags to open his door he could see inside that this girl had not travelled as light as him, the room looked packed to the brim with trinkets and make up and jewellery and more clothes than he’d ever seen.
“Hi!” he jumped as the voice behind him had appeared to come from nowhere. He turned and stood upright, looking down at the girl in front of him. She was at least a full foot shorter than him, had that same unnatural blonde he’d noticed on the girls earlier and her make up was not quite as heavy but still too much for his liking. She blinked up at him smiling shyly seeming a little in awe of his size. “I’m your new neighbour, Laura.. are you first year too?”
He smiled as warmly as he could, he needed to make friends here after all. “Aye, I am. I only moved in t'day meself, just a few hours ago… Och I’m Jamie”
Laura rolled her eyes “These rooms are so small I don’t know how I’m going to get all my things in, but where there’s a will…” she grinned then as an aside as she moved to go back into her room “… plus Daddy said he won’t take any of it back after I made him bring it all here.” she giggled at herself and chewed on her bottom lip swaying slightly as she looked up at him and Jamie smiled. He thought she might be trying to flirt, she reminded him of the young girls at the pub in the village, but he wasn’t interested in any of that right now.
“Well I’ll leave ye to get moved in Laura, nice to meet ye.” he had opened his door and picked up his bags again.
“See you soon Jamie” she called out almost musically and he headed back into the sanctuary of his room and closed the door behind him.
Now he had food and first on the agenda was to put some of it into his growling belly. He wasn’t in the mood to venture down to the cafeteria just yet. He boiled the kettle and filled up the Pot Noodle tub. He unpacked the cutlery he had bought while he waited for it and set up his laptop on the desk. Taking the Pot Noodle over to the desk he prodded at it while his laptop booted up and found the network in the building.
He started an email to his sister.
Hi Jenny,
Just letting you know I’m here safe, I’m in my room and have already met a neighbour. It’s really not so different, just another village. Say Hello to Iain for me and hope you are both well. I didn’t call as I know you’ll both be out working.
Love
Jamie
He sighed as he pressed the send button. Iain was his best friend, also a farmer but he was definitely born for it; his father had given him a chunk of his land when he’d married Jenny earlier in the year and now they were managing it themselves. She suited the country life as well, he couldn’t imagine her here with all these Barbie dolls, she’d much rather be knee deep in manure. It was him who was the different one, he would have to carve a new path rather than follow one already laid.
He picked up one of the leaflets on his desk as he tucked into the Pot Noodle. It was advertising one of the Campus Bars ‘The Oxfordshire”, the pictures made it look like a nice old fashioned pub and the leaflet mentioned that spirits were included in their Happy Hour offer. He thought he might check that out one night, seemed like his kind of place.
For tonight, he had the bottle of Whisky he’d just bought, it wasn’t very social of him but he planned to relax on his own tonight, get his bearings a little more before venturing out. The day had been quite overwhelming and he just wanted to be with his own thoughts for a while.
He browsed through the other leaflet he’d been given. He’d need to register with the Student Union to get access to most of the deals on offer and he made a mental note to do so tomorrow. Freshers Week looked interesting, there was a fair starting tomorrow where he could see what groups there were and sign up. He wondered if there was an ex-farmers group or Scottish Highlanders who felt out of place group and chuckled “Ya daft clot” he muttered to himself. “Get a grip man, they’re just people like you.”. He shook his head and as he finished his ‘meal’ he started up Netflix and put on a good action movie. He fished out the glasses he’d bought from the bags of shopping he hadn’t yet fully unpacked, and the bottle of whisky and poured himself a dram and settled down on the couch, his long legs stretched across it and over the armrest at the other side to watch the movie.
He was well into a second movie and a good way through the bottle of Whisky when there was a knock on his door and a voice shouted through. “Knock, knock Jamie, come on we’re going out, come and join us.” it was Laura. He considered ignoring it for a minute before she knocked again. “Come on you big ginger, I know you’re in there and I’m not letting you spend your first night sitting in alone.”
She sounded like she’d already had a few, and Jamie considered he could not be one to judge as he looked at the half demolished bottle in front of him. He set the laptop down on the desk and rolled off the couch onto his feet. “Aye alrite I’m comin’” he shouted back as he made his way to the door.
“Yay!” he heard Laura shout then just as he was opening the door she heard “Wait till you see the size of this guy!” which he found she was saying to the two other girls in her company. He tilted his head at her and she chewed her bottom lip as she blinked up at him. “Well you’re a big fella, and that’s a good thing, right girls?” she looked to her friends for support and they all blinked up at him with their fake lashes and plumped lips and he couldn’t help but laugh.
“Ye daft lasses” he said and looked back at Laura, “Are ye invitin’ any other men t’ this shindig or am I t’ be entertainin’ all three of ye?
Laura raised both her arms in the air excitedly and squealed “Ah who cares, boy or girl, we’re all new, let’s just get to know each other… Jamie, this is Keera” she pointed out the darker girl amongst them, caramel skin and long Jet black hair straightened to within an inch of it’s life. “…and Stacey…” she referred to a brunette girl with soft curls in her long hair “…they’re first years too and live at the other end of the corridor. I met them as I was bringing stuff up.”
Jamie nodded to them both in greeting and picked up his wallet and his keyfob. “Well ladies, where are we going?” he asked and they led him out chattering incessantly.