THIRTY

Luc 

‘AT LEAST THINK about it.’ 

February 15. Walking Lexi to uni the next morning.

‘I just don’t think it’s a good idea,’ she sighs, shifting her bag on her shoulder, looking around. Looking edgy. ‘People are starting to stare,’ she whispers as we stop outside the entrance to the biological sciences building. 

‘Fuck ‘em. I’m here with you.’ I put my hands on the sides of her shoulders to get her attention. ‘Hey, you want to do something this weekend?’ 

She nods. ‘Yeah.’

‘And will you at least meet with Shelly?’ 

‘OK. But no promises.’ 

‘Cool.’ 

She looks at me. So beautiful. Clearly terrified I’m going to just drop her. But how the fuck could I do that when she’s totally bewitched me?

‘I’m not going anywhere,’ I repeat. 

‘I’m just trying to be realistic, you know?’ she says. 

‘Yeah. But—’ 

‘Lexi!’ Cerys hurries over from somewhere to my right. 

Jake follows behind. We nod.

Someone holds up their phone to take a photo.

‘For fuck’s sake,’ mutters Cerys. 

Lexi uses me to shield herself. I tilt her chin up and kiss her. ‘No cameras this weekend. Just us.’

She nods.

‘We should get going. They’ll already be in the lecture theatre,’ says Cerys. Jake grabs her for one final kiss and Lexi scrunches her nose. 

‘I’ll text you,’ I tell her before she leaves with Cerys. 

I watch her leave. Her sexy wiggle in her tight jeans. Imagining the pink, lacy panties clinging to her ass beneath.

‘Town?’ Jake asks. 

We watch until they’re out of sight.

‘Yeah, sure.’ We turn and start heading into town. ‘Where’s your car?’ 

‘Near town,’ says Jake. ‘I’m going to buy Cerys a game. Well, an expansion. Gave her the game yesterday. The expansion is just an extra surprise.’ 

‘Nice. What game?’ 

‘Eldritch Horror. It’s pretty good. We should have a game night. The four of us.’ He shoves his hands in his pockets. ‘Fuck, it’s cold.’ 

‘Maybe we could rope the guys in,’ I suggest. ‘And Leah.’ 

Jake scoffs. ‘As if Leah would join us. That would have been like asking Hayley to hang out with us.’

I shrug. ‘She might.’

We stop at a crossing, waiting for the lights to change.

‘Think the game takes up to eight,’ Jake says, checking his phone. ‘Maybe their friend Sam, too?’ 

I snort. ‘What, pair her up with Harry?!’

Jake shoves his phone back in his pocket. ‘All right. Maybe not. Just the four of us then?’

The lights change and we cross.

‘Anything you need to do in town?’ Jake asks. 

‘Not really. Might go look at some cameras.’ 

‘Oh yeah,’ Jake says, grinning. ‘Harry told me about Lexi shadowing Shelly.’ 

‘It’s not confirmed yet,’ I say, zipping the front of my hoodie up as a gust of wind hits us head-on. Jake’s right. It’s freezing. 

Jake stops walking. ‘Game shop’s down there,’ he says, nodding to his left. ‘Want to meet up back here and we’ll go straight to yours?’

‘Mine?’ 

‘Yeah. Well, Harry’s. Practice this afternoon.’ 

‘What?!’ No one told me. 

Jake checks his phone again. ‘Yeah. And we’ve got a gig this weekend. Last-minute thing.’

‘Oh.’ Fuck. I run my hand through my hair. Promised Lexi no cameras. Now that’s shot to shit. 

Jake interrupts my thoughts. ‘So, twenty minutes?’

‘Uh, yeah. Sure. Twenty minutes.’ 

Damn it. 

I WANDER INTO a large electronics store in the centre of town. I leave the chill of the outdoors behind as I enter the warm interior, filled with screens and music and the heat and buzz of electricity all around. 

I spot the cameras towards the back and head straight over.

I’m not entirely sure what I’m looking for. Buying Lexi a camera without letting her choose it herself seems wrong. Like buying an instrument for someone without giving them a chance to test it out first.

Still, I can get an idea of what kind of stuff she might need. Would have been easier to just ask Shelly but I’m here now.

As I look at the cameras, only familiar with some of the features and barely half-sure of the rest, a swish of blonde hair in the next aisle catches my eye.

‘Hayley?’ 

The short woman turns around to face me.

And it fucking is her, too.

‘Luc. What the fuck are you doing here?’ 

She’s wearing the store’s uniform.

‘You work here now?’ I ask. Dumb fucking question. 

She rolls her eyes at my stupidity. ‘No, this lime green and pale blue piece of shit polo shirt is the latest in haute couture, don’t cha know?’

‘Right. Sorry I asked.’ 

She comes closer to the shelves. ‘I had to get a fucking job after you dumped me, and this was all I could get!’ she hisses.

‘Couldn’t you go back to medicine?’ 

‘After I dropped out to be your full-time girlfriend?’ She pauses as another employee walks past, slowing to watch her. Her supervisor, presumably. Plastering on her fakest smile, she picks up an electric toothbrush from the shelves on her side. ‘Is this the sort of thing you were looking for, sir?’ she says to me. 

I glance at the supervisor and then back to Hayley. ‘I, uh, yes,’ I take it off her and her superior leaves.

The whole thing is too ridiculous. We both burst into laughter. ‘The fuck was that?’ I ask.

‘I’m still on probation,’ she says, noticeably softer. Then she scowls. ‘This is all your fucking fault, though.’ 

I run my hands through my hair. ‘I never, not once, said you should quit medicine.’

‘Yeah, well,’ she puts her hands on her hips. ‘Have you and her split up yet?’ 

‘She has a name.’ 

‘Just fucking answer my question.’ 

I sigh. Should have just spoken to Shelly. Not that I had any idea Hayley was working the shelves in this shop nowadays. ‘No,’ I say. ‘Not that it’s any of your business.’

Hayley rolls her eyes. Again. ‘She’s probably just after your money,’ she sniffs.

‘Well you would know, apparently.’ 

‘What’s that supposed to mean?! I loved you!’ Her raised voice causes a few heads to turn. Some manager-looking type starts toward us from the other side of the store. ‘Shit,’ she mutters under her breath. 

The manager approaches. ‘Is everything OK here? Sir?’

I smile. ‘We’re good, thanks.’

She gives a stern look at Hayley and sighs. ‘Fine. Let us know if you have any problems,’ she says, smiling at me.

‘Will do.’ 

She leaves and Hayley looks at me. ‘Thanks,’ she says under her breath, with the least thankful tone I’ve ever heard.

Once I’m sure the manager’s out of earshot again, I lean forward. ‘Our relationship was over way before I actually ended it. You know that.’

Hayley busies herself with the electric toothbrushes.

‘It still really hurt.’ 

‘I’m sorry.’ 

‘No you’re not.’ 

‘Yes,’ I say forcefully. ‘I am. For God’s sake, reapply for medicine.’ 

‘So everyone on my course can point and laugh at the girl who got dumped by a famous drummer?’ she scoffs. ‘And that’s if I can even get another offer!’ 

‘Whatever,’ I mutter, shaking my head. ‘Better than being the sales assistant who got dumped by a famous drummer though.’ I look at her meaningfully. 

She looks down.

‘Or however you want to fucking spin it. I don’t care,’ I say, before turning to leave.