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We talked it out a week later and are good friends again. But had I told Rhia, I would have never heard the end of it.
After Marco and I broke up, she pushed for Connor and me to get together, and in a lot of ways, it would have been perfect. Connor is one of the best people I know—genuine, funny, super caring, and not to forget hot as hell, but I could never see him as more than my best friend’s older brother.
“You’re blushing, princess. Tell me,” Tiero orders, putting his finger under my chin to lift my face to his.
Think, Ella. Think.
Then another memory resurfaces. “I’ve cheated,” I blurt out.
Tiero looks at me, and his eyes widen with surprise. “On your boyfriend?”
“God, no!” I’m quick to respond. “Though I was tempted once… on a Scotland trip. It was just before Marco and I officially parted ways,” I add. Why I don’t know. It’s not something I’m proud of.
“I cheated in a geography test at school in year seven… and I’ve never told a soul. I was so ashamed.”
“Ella, Ella, Ella, I didn’t think you had it in you,” Tiero chuckles. “How did you cheat?”
“It was quite elaborate.” I smile as I think back. “In hindsight, I should have spent the time studying. It took me much longer to create my deception. And then I felt awful afterward.”
“Maybe, maybe not. Let’s hear it,” Tiero encourages, wanting to hear the story now.
“Well, first, I’d like to say I’d normally never cheat, but geography really isn’t my strong suit, and I was petrified to fail… Perhaps that’s why I can’t navigate,” I say more to myself as the realization hits.
“Anyway, in my mind, this test was super important. Rhia and I had just started secondary school, and the pecking order was being established, and my arch enemy at the time was in my geography class. Portia O’Brian… God, I loathed that girl! She was so pretentious and thought herself better than anybody else. Even thinking of her now makes me want to punch her pretty, always overly made-up face!”
That makes Tiero laugh. It’s not often I have violent bursts, but even now, my fingers clench into fists.
“I had considered sewing a cheat sheet into my skirt, but then I would have needed to look down, which could have given me away. So I sewed an extra layer of fabric onto my pencil case, and I could secretly detach a corner or two and peek inside. I even stitched my cheat sheet into it so it wouldn’t blow away if there were a gust of wind from an open window.”
Tiero shakes his head. “Wow, you really thought this through. I love it. Tell me more.”
Delighted with his enthusiasm for my ploy, I go on. “I chose blue paper for the cheat sheet, similar in color to my pencil case, which had been a birthday present from Rhia that year. She had handmade it and written all over the fabric. So when my secret flap was lowered, the cheat sheet wasn’t even that obvious. I was quite proud of myself for how it turned out. During the test, though, I was sweating, and my heart was pounding. I totally expected to get caught.”
“And did you?”
“No, I got away with it and aced the test.” I giggle, remembering. “I felt so guilty for cheating, though. I didn’t tell anyone. Not even Rhia. Even though she would have cheered me on.”
“Fascinating. And totally surprising.”
I chuckle. “Yeah, I have some badass in me… don’t underestimate me,” I declare with mock conviction.
“Noted,” he replies, tickling me lightly. “Now, tell me about that one time you were tempted to cheat on your loser boyfriend.”
“Ah, but that’s not a secret. Rhia knows about it.”
“And let me guess, she cheered you on?”
“Hmm, I see you’re getting the picture. Of course, she did. Doesn’t mean I acted on it, though.”
“So, who was the guy?”
“Why do you want to know? If I asked you about every woman you took to bed or were tempted by, I’d say we’d still be here tomorrow… that’s if you can remember them all,” I tease him, though I’m certain it’s the truth.
Not surprisingly, he ignores my last comment. “I want to know all about you, cuore mio. Everything there is.”
He looks so earnest, and it touches my heart—so I relent.
“As I said before, it was on the Scotland trip Rhia and I went on two years ago. It’s where she met her boyfriend. I entered a speed stacking competition, and my main competitor was this hot Scandinavian guy who looked a lot like a Viking.”
