Part 67 (1/2)

No. Shaun hasn't that much influence. He's doing this deliberately to confuse and worry me.

What a snide b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

”Thanks for the help, Shaun. Shame we couldn't keep things professional.”

”And I'm sorry I rejected your attempts to have s.e.x with me.”

”What?” My voice rises. ”What the h.e.l.l?”

”It's okay, Fleur. You weren't the first to offer yourself in the hope I could influence your grades. Your maturity about the rejection sucks, but I'm prepared to draw a line.” Shaun strides to the door and pulls it open. ”See you around.”

Numbly, I walk to the door and leave without speaking. I had many retorts in my head, prepared to bite back; but the sardonic look on Shaun's face suggests that reaction is what he wants.

I leave the building and head across campus, and my body tingles with nerves as I play over his words. I jump to a hundred conclusions over what he'll do.

Nothing. He can't do anything.

26.

WILL.

Fleur's distracted this evening. I responded to her earlier text, to let her know I'm busy, but will be at group; keen for Fleur to realise I'm sticking to my word. There's no real point in me attending the group. I'm sure she knows as well as I do it's an excuse. This exchange of texts suggests she's letting me edge back in. Tonight, we talk and from there, see where we go. Her reply this time was an okay with a smiley face.

Fleur doesn't have a smiley face when we're in the group tonight. At first, I'm convinced it's because of me; but her shortness applies to everybody else, and she makes mistakes over names and dates. Things Fleur never makes mistakes over.

An hour later, the rest of the group leave, and I sit on the desk with my feet on a chair, watching as Fleur avoids my eyes. Great. Are we back to this? I like the chick; but if I'm wasting my time, I'm not wasting my energy.

”You okay?” I ask her.

”Stressful day.” She finally looks at me, and her eyes s.h.i.+ne. This girl is fighting tears.

The familiar spike of anger pushes me to stand. ”What happened?”

”It doesn't matter.”

”Yeah, it does, if somebody upset you. Who was it?”

Fleur touches beneath her eye, catching a tear. I pretend I don't see. ”n.o.body. It's fine.”

I grab my bag from the table. ”Liar. Tell me who. I'll speak to them and ”

”Jesus,” Fleur interrupts. ”You don't need to protect me from anybody. Besides, it's not as if me and you are... something.”

”Yeah, about that. When are we going out? Tonight?”

”I'm not in the mood, Will.”

I've spent the last hour watching Fleur's every move, itching to push hair from her face, remembering how close her mouth was to mine at the party. Now, I have an excuse to touch her. I place my bag on the tiled floor.

Fleur stiffens as I place a hand on her arm and looks back at me with wide eyes. ”Come on, let's do something to take your mind off whatever this s.h.i.+t is,” I say.

”How do you propose to do that?” she asks in a low voice.

How? By touching you and kissing and undressing you and... Yeah. ”A drink?”

”Alcoholic drink?”

I smile. ”If you like.”

”Not a good idea, I'll probably drink too much as I'm in this mood.”

I've seen this expression before. ”Was it Ethan again?” My stomach plummets south. I've been away, after what happened maybe Fleur went elsewhere. She b.l.o.o.d.y hated me two days ago. ”Are you guys back together? Is that why you've avoided talking about this? Fleur, be upfront with me.”

”No!” she snaps back. ”Not Ethan. But I am over men s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g around with me!” When she drags her arm away and steps back, I step forward.

”What the f.u.c.k is going on?”

”Nothing!”

”Is it that Shaun guy? Seriously?”

”Shut the h.e.l.l up, Will!”

Ah, s.h.i.+t. Semi-hysterical woman making no sense. Walk away? ”Fleur, calm down.”

Wrong move. Her eyes flash with anger. ”Don't tell me to calm down!”

”I don't want you to be upset!”

”Hypocrite! You're on the list!”

”What list?”

”Of men who screw me around.”

I push a hand into my hair. ”Don't compare me to them.”

”What makes you different?”

”I'm not about to f.u.c.k you around. I want to be part of your life, instead of using you like Ethan and Shaun did!”

”Why?”

”Because I do! Why does this s.h.i.+t have to be a.n.a.lysed?”

”Because I was fooled by them, I won't be fooled by you!”