The Baron and I

Julfa followed the students and reminded everyone to take their belongings.  Once the last student had walked off, she placed her suitcase on the grass and went back on the coach.  She thanked the driver and turned around for a last glance when she noticed a backpack. One of the students must have forgotten it she thought, wondering how they had managed to leave behind such a huge item without realising it was missing!  Walking back she grabbed the backpack, lifted it up and realised the cursed thing was heavier than she had expected.

Julfa determined she would have to take it since all the students had already gone inside the activity centre, and the coach needed to be emptied so that the driver could leave. 

She grabbed the bag with both hands and heaved. Slowly she staggered towards the entrance of the coach. If only the coach driver could see her struggle and help but no he was busy eating an apple and reading his newspaper. She lifted the strap of her own side bag higher on her shoulder as she felt it was slipping.

“Great”, she muttered to herself and carried on trudging forward.

As Julfa stepped off the coach, she stumbled. 

It was inevitable she thought.

She could feel she was going to fall, so she pulled the backpack in front of her, closed her eyes and hoped it would offer some protection.

“Woah hey, careful,” she heard someone say as she noted that she hadn’t hit the ground. The someone had grabbed the bag and held her by her arm.

“Ach, thank you,” Julfa said taking the last step off the coach, trying to look up at her saviour and attempting to stand on the pavement while pulling the strap of her handbag up again. There were too many tasks to focus on at one time. She had said her thanks too soon and tripped again, this time over the backpack her rescuer had placed on the ground. Her misstep sent her flying and she would have landed on his chest, but he stopped her from knocking into him.  

Mortified, Julfa apologised hastily, “God, I’m so thank you. Really … sanks. I mean sorry. I am not sure how I have become this tangled!”

He held her arms as she steadied herself.

“Maybe you should have removed your handbag off your shoulder before trying to offload that backpack off the coach,” he suggested with a laugh, “it might have helped.”

Julfa had now managed to get her balance back and was standing firmly and steadily on the ground. 

She looked up at the person who was advising her. He must be one of the guides at the activity centre. He was dressed in hiking boots, a navy fleece top with the logo of the centre and dark cargo pants.

She brushed her hair off her face and laughed in embarrassment, “I know. I was trying to be efficient I guess. Take everything in one go, was the thought.”

He kept looking at her in amusement.

“Thank you again or I would be on the floor with some knee scraping no doubt.”

She glanced at the driver, he was oblivious to the commotion and kept reading his newspaper, munching loudly on his apple. At least she was saved the humiliation of having any witnesses to her near fall.

“I think a scraped knee would be the least of your worries. You might have hit your head!” The guide picked up the backpack and waited for her to follow him. “Come on, let’s get you inside with the rest.”

“Just one second,” Julfa said remembering the driver. She went to the coach door and said, “everyone is off the coach and we have taken all our bags. Thank you!”

The coach driver looked up and raised an arm in acknowledgement. “No problem,” he said gruffly, pressing the button which began to close the sliding the doors.

Julfa reluctantly walked back to her much-bemused rescuer. He had the backpack slung across one shoulder casually and her suitcase handle in his other hand. She hated it when people showed off their superior strength with little action.

“Why did you get left with the task of sweeping the coach? Misbehaved on the way here?” he teased.

She grimaced at his words. He thought she was a student.

“I’m one of the GTA’s,” she corrected him as they walked together towards the centre. He looked down at her and stared blankly. He was tall she noted as she said, “Graduate teaching Assistant.  I’m completing my PhD. I’m not one of the undergrads, I am actually here to supervise the students.” 

They were having to walk across muddy patches where the grass had been trampled by too many boots and wasn’t able to grow back. It must have rained yesterday because the mud was squishy and deep.

“Ah ok. You are one of the important people!” He replied. Julfa hoped he wasn’t still teasing her. She smiled hesitantly, walking carefully and watching her steps on the mud.

When they approached the building he said, “Here you go! We are here. Everyone has gathered in the dining area for the welcome speeches and instructions. I will dump these bags and meet you back in there.”

He hadn’t thought it was necessary to say his name or ask hers Julfa thought, walking into the dining area of the cottage-like building and standing near the door.  She had missed some of the welcome speech.  The course director was stood at the front of the room with the centre manager. When she finished speaking, the course director looked around the room and introduced the staff.

“We have two of our GTA’s here with us helping me this week. David Bradbury, who is standing by the drinks and Julfa. Where is she?” Rachel the Course director looked around the room.  Julfa lifted her hand and said hello. “Ah there she is. Julfa Siddiqui, standing at the back,” Rachel finished. 

Though half the students knew her as she was their seminar tutor, they all glanced around and looked at Julfa when her name was mentioned.

“Nice name,” she heard someone say. Julfa turned her head to the left and up. It was her rescuer who had come to stand beside her leaning against the door. He stretched out his hand to shake hers. Julfa placed it in his and replied, “thank you.”

“Nathan,” he said introducing himself. He didn’t let go of her hand and Julfa didn’t know what to do but continued the shaking motion. What felt like ages later, he let go and folded his arms over his chest.  His fleece jacket was rolled up to his elbows, showing lean muscular arms. Nathan had looked directly into her eyes when he shook her hand and Julfa observed they were tawny brown. Spying on him sideways she now saw that his hair was golden blonde, a wavy tuft of which fell over the large brown eyes. He was pretty she acknowledged. A picture of perfection and he could easily have been part of a boyband if he chose. He was going to be popular with the female students.

“I think they are calling you,” Nathan whispered.

Julfa realised Rachel was asking her about the dormitory group details. She blushed realising she had been busy thinking about the pretty face next to her when she was technically still working. Hurriedly she went to the front of the room and announced the names of the students of each group and which dormitory room they needed to go to.  The centre manager informed everyone their staff would assist the students with their luggage.

Julfa followed the students to the room where the bags were kept, ready to take her own. She pulled the handle of her suitcase and struggled with the weight. Now where was that helpful guy Nathan when she needed him? After he saved her from falling off the coach like the hero of a romcom shouldn’t he be here to help with her suitcase?