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“Abi?” Concern shines in Ethan’s blue eyes. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. We should get to class,” I say. Because it’s the easy way out.
A distraction.
One I greatly need.
Ethan prattles on about his weekend, talking to me like we’re old friends but I barely register his words.
Despite spending almost three days in bed, I feel more exhausted than ever. I look it too, the dark circles under my eyes testament to how weary I feel.
I clutch my folder to my chest like armour. I find it helps to keep my hands busy. Occupied.
Ethan moves ahead of me when we reach our classroom and opens the door again.
“Thanks,” I murmur, slipping inside.
There’s no sign of the teacher yet, so I hurry to my seat and try to block out all of the white noise.
But Elliot’s name rings in my ears and I can’t resist the urge to eavesdrop. Because it’s Elliot, the object of all my desires. And even though he elicits all kinds of confusing and tainted feelings in me now, my heart is still desperate to be close to him.
Toknowhim.
“Apparently he went on a date with Lauren Winrow.”
My heart stopped as my fingers curled into my skirt.
A date.
He was on a date.
“Elliot Eaton doesn’t date,” someone else says.
It was true, he didn’t.
At least, he hadn’t … until now it would seem.
“My cousin Clara is at SCU with Scott Eaton’s girlfriend, and she said that Mr Eaton orchestrated the entire thing. But they hit it off big time.”
“Well, duh. Lauren is gorgeous and her father owns half of High Wycombe. They would be the perfect power couple.”
“Abi.”
I startle when Ethan lays his hand on my arm. He quickly withdraws it, guilt washing over his expression. “Sorry, I didn’t mean?—”
“It’s fine.” My smile is as weak as my resolve.
Because hearing Elliot went on a date, with his perfect match apparently, sends me spiralling into the black hole I’d worked so hard to drag myself out of this morning.
A date.
It sounds so incredulous.
But nothing is the same anymore.
Why should this be any different?
* * *
