‘I don’t think you really drink,’ said Jim, staggering into the room and collapsing in his chair. ‘I think you’ve got a little tube that collects all the beer in a plastic bag hidden under your jumper.’ By the time Omar had made him a coffee, still humming ‘Screwed Up and Over’, Jim had sobered up a bit. ‘Fuggles Chocolate Ale? What a bloody rip-off. I think they just gave it a Christmassy name to sell the stuff off. I bet you at Easter it’s called Fuggles Eggnog Bunny Ale.’ He rifled through his CDs and, bizarrely, put on the soundtrack of My Fair Lady. ’I’ve grown accustomed to the tune that she whistles night and noon … accustomed to her face …,’ he sang along with a tuneless bellow.

‘Mate, you’re the one who should be going solo,’ Omar said dryly. ‘Are you heading back’ to Cornwall at the weekend, then?’ Michaelmas term officially ended on the Friday, and most people were heading home, as the college ground to a halt.

‘Yep, lucky old me,’ said Jim. ‘My parents are picking me up on Saturday morning.’

‘Mine are coming Saturday afternoon,’ nodded Omar. ‘It’ll be weird being back home for Christmas; I haven’t made any plans for New Year’s yet. Sharif and I normally go to the same place, but he’s not really forgiven me for leaving the band yet. He’s got bloody righteous about it all’

‘I meant to ask you,’ Jim said suddenly. ‘Do you want to spend New Year in Scotland with me? My cousin has a flat up in Edinburgh and he’s throwing a bash for Hogmanay or whatever the heck they do up there. It should be great.’

‘Wow, that would be fantastic!’ said Omar, deeply flattered, although he and Jim were clearly best friends now, and no one described him as a hanger-on any more.

’I’d love to, but I’ll need to see how my folks are.’ Seeing Jim raise his eyebrow, Omar quickly qualified, ‘Not to ask permission or anything, but I just think that things have been a bit funny at home. My mum called me last night and said she really missed me, and she sounded sort of upset. I don’t think they’ve been getting on.’

‘Sure. Well, why don’t you see?’ said Jim reasonably. It would be nice to see you in Scotland - I think I might miss your ugly mug over the hols.’ He let out a slight, embarrassed laugh. ‘I guess I’ve got accustomed to your face.’

‘Aw, thanks mate,’ said Omar, a bit embarrassed, too. He downed his mug of coffee quickly. ‘I’m going back to the library. Do you want me to pick up your stuff from the Rad Cam for you?’

‘Cheers, that would be great,’ Jim said. ‘See you in Hall?’