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‘I-I don’t know,’ I falter, biting my lip.
‘Oh, for Christ’s sake, just stay away, Emmie…’ he groans. ‘Let me tell you – you’llneverbe able to fix me.’
I stare at him. ‘I’m not trying to fix anybody. I’m merely trying to understand what kind of hold you have over the people in this village. You’re like Marmite – either they adore you or they loathe you, and I’m literally fascin…’ I bite my lip as his mouth curls into a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.
‘Yes, that’s it. You’re fascinated by the village monster. You want to understand what goes on in a mind like mine. You’re wondering how I can have done so much wrong to my people, yet still they talk to me.’ He leans in. ‘It’s called entrapment, Emmie. And whether you know it yet or not, you’re going to get caught, too. Because I can’t help reeling people in and spitting them out like chewed gum.’
‘Don’t talk to me like that!’ I say, moving away from his beautiful face.
He’s like Dorian Gray in Oscar Wilde’s novel. Beautiful beyond belief on the outside, while inside he’s rotten to the core. Or at least, that’s what he wants people to think.
Because although he’s an utter arse, I just know that beyond his looks, there has to be some good in him. You simply don’t act kindly only when you think no one’s looking. You don’t care for animals or help the elderly to cross the road or defend kids if you don’t give a hoot.
And most of all, you don’t push the new girl away unless you’re absolutely not interested in her and you find her completely unattractive. Oh my God! Was that why he was pushing me away all the time? Is that what this was all about? And here’s me, trying to become his friend. Does he actually think I’m chasing him around because I’m interested in him? In that case, he must be truly delirious.
