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Looking at him, it all seemed obvious. It seemed simple, real and true. But even as he knew what it felt like, what could he do about it? Well, that wasn't obvious at all.
They had to talk quietly as it was late and they were supposed to be asleep. But sleeping was the last thing on their minds.
"Where are you going after we graduate, Charlie?" he asked.
"Oh well, you know, travelling. France, Italy, Greece, the usual stuff. Need to see where all the philosophy was thought up, I guess."
"Travelling? But what about cricket?" he sounded genuinely concerned.
"Cricket? Well, it's going to be more of a fancy, isn't it. Dunno if I make it to the Cambridge team after not playing it for a year or so."
"Gotta be an awful shame. You're very good at it..."
"I say, wouldn't you like to go travelling with me? I'd love to have a companion like you. It could be a lot of fun, you know."
"Oh, would I!.. But wait. My father might not let me go. I'll need to ask him."
"Oh, your father! Awful shame he is so strict."
"I wouldn't say so. He does care about me very much."
"Are you going to go to Oxford right away then?"
"Seems so. I'm not... I don't know if I would... But it is the right way to go about it."
"About what?"
"Well, see, Charlie, ol' chum, I don't know what line of living I should choose. I never thought being a civilian would suit me."
"Right. Well, why don't you go to the military then?"
"I-I don't think it would be needed anymore. Surely, there won't be any more wars. And knowing how terrible the ravage and squalor can get these days, it just doesn't seem right to participate in it."
"Yes, I guess, it would seem so, wouldn't it. Well, how about cricket then? You are awfully good at it."
"Oh, not as good as you are, I don't think so, Charlie. But if I could have a go at it, being a cricket team member does seem awfully fun. I don't know if my father would approve of it. But..."
"Maybe we would meet on the field one day then! Imagine that! Playing against each other!"
He froze for a moment. Something about that image in his mind wasn't quite right.
'
"It would be awful fun, wouldn't it." He tried to hide his face even though it was dark enough to hide expressions that his face made.
"How else would we ever meet again otherwise?"
"Oh, I do hope that you get selected into the team!" it came out a bit too loud and Charlie could hear his voice breaking in the middle of the sentence.
Immediately they heard footsteps coming towards them and then a loud "Shush!"
They both hid under their covers and pretended to be asleep. He felt like crying but he didn't know why.