A.

"Do you ever get flashbacks of your days in Aussie?" I glanced at A. in the passenger seat as I drove, "because I do," I continued not waiting for her answer. "All the time," A. replied tiredly, in a tone suggesting complete understanding. We then exchanged anecdotes of scenes from our uni days that visit us at random moments; (all of which I won't go into detail right now because it puts a knot in my chest just thinking about it).

"We should go back," A. said lightly, referring to the land down under. "We should," I agree, equally unserious. 

After a while, A. being the economist that she is (she works in a bank), naturally fall into talk of the local political and economic climate (two subjects I have very little knowledge & interest in but know just enough to be a good listener). I generally repeat whatever bit of news I picked up from my parents' banter and A. will expand on the issue with real opinions and I would find myself out of my depth. Names of politicians, ministers, political parties, the latest scandals etc. all very foreign to me (sadly). 

I do love listening to A. though. She is intelligent and she does not speak in a derisive manner as most political aficionados (bitter people this lot) do, rather in a simple, honest and informative way good teachers do. 

I ended up sleeping at A's place after the movie (a strange plot less thing that had Keanu Reeves in it; Mr. Reeves being a subject of mutual interest between us) and as I let my breaths even out, staring in the semi-darkness of A's room, I found myself feeling transported to those uni days when I would crash at Sofy's place in the city. It tasted like youth, singlehood and independence. Perhaps not quite the exact experience, but it was enough. It soothed me.