He had even helped me pick out the paint for my apartment and offered to help. I suppose somewhere along the line I should have seen the signs though,...what came next was a complete shock for me. I placed the paint roller down on the plastic sheet below our feet and let out a sigh. “This looks amazing,” I smiled. “You were right about the red.” Shayne tipped the beer bottle in his hand to his mouth and took a long gulp. “Never underestimate a man!” He laughed. I took a swig from my own beer then. Rachael was my Geography professor. She had started teaching at my university a year ago and had replaced my old male professor who was just a little odd. From the minute Rachael walked through the door the room would brighten. I always found myself staring at her, watching what she did, watching as she laughed and smiled at the students. She was beautiful. I had spent weeks building a friendship with my new professor and things seemed to be going in my favour. There was always some flirting in. Synthesizer. I hate calling it that, even if I guess creating sound exclusively through electronics makes it one. But I’d like to create a band of them. Or not just them, but with other more analog instruments. Fretless instruments. And maybe some specially tuned marimbas. Maybe even purchasing one of Partch’s. And with voices.”“You compose?”“Yes. Just for Sandy and myself.”“Have you performed them?”“It’s a limited audience.”“Of course it is. Not everyone wants to hear experimental music. But. We had completed, I think, 6 sets of 100 when we looked up and realised that the last people other than ourselves were heading for the changing area, though there was still ten minutes left of the hour. Fancy a race? Em asked No. thanks! I replied, honestly. You’re not chicken are you? You’re in good shape, were always miles quicker than me and if you feel out of touch, then it may be no more than making us equal. Winner chooses the post-swim venue, loser buys the first round. Four lengths.