Distracted By You: Book 1 in The Exeter Running Girls Series, стр. 31

“No and no.”

“Why aren’t you going back?” Tye pressed the point. I could tell I wasn’t going to be able to get through this without an explanation so caved and revealed the bare bones.

“My mum is going away on holiday with a friend. To Lanzarote.”

“Nice for some,” Sam pocketed a ball.

“What about your dad?” Savannah also didn’t seem to notice my discomfort.

“He’s spending Easter with his new girlfriend,” I found myself looking down at the ladybugs on my hand, especially the one dancing on my knuckles, but Tye had seen. As I looked away and pretended it was nothing, his penetrating gaze lingered. It was not something I wanted to talk about.

“So you’re just going to be here in halls all alone, by yourself for two weeks?” Savannah asked again. At my look of surprise, she scrunched up her face. “That did not come out quite the way I meant it.”

“It’s alright, but yes. I will.”

“Come to mine for Easter instead,” Tye’s words were sudden, causing me to flick my head round to stare at him. The words shocked everyone.

“What?” Sam exclaimed, only to receive a poke from the cue that Savannah snatched from his hands.

“Ignore him,” Savannah waved off his behaviour, pressing a hand towards him to make him shut up. “Carry on.”

“Yours?” I analysed Tye, but his face was full of sincerity. “Really?”

“Yeah. I don’t particularly like the idea of you being alone all Easter. Savannah’s right, it does sound a bit lonely. Besides, you’ll be a good distraction from my dad,” he took the glass back, smiling innocently as if this idea was nothing. To me, it was quite an intimate idea. Staying at his parents’ home.

“Maybe…” I debated for a few minutes whether I could seriously go to his parents’ house for Easter. Well, it did sound better than sitting in my tiny little room by myself. It woulg give me a week of ogling him rather than staring at my four white walls. “You would have to ask your parents if it’s okay?”

“They’ll be fine.”

“Ivy, you’re up!” Sam practically pulled on my arm to drag me away from Tye. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but this move seemed to anger Savannah again, she mumbled something about him rigging a bet, but I wasn’t sure.

As I turned away from Tye to collect the cue, I let my hand run down the inside seam of his jeans across his thigh. I heard him trying not to laugh as I took my shot.

When I returned to the stools, having landed three, Tye leaned over and whispered in my ear so only I could hear him.

“Next time we play pool, do me a favour and don’t wear that top.”

“Why?” I whispered back as I looked down at the lacy white blouse – it was cut into a deep v at the front and fitted my figure well. I looked up with a pretend gaze of innocence. “It’s a nice top.”

“Too nice.” His eyes wandered down again. “Also, when you take your shot, we can all see your bra.”

I looked down in shock, but quickly recovered, snatching the cider from his hands.

“Strangely enough, Tye, I think you’re the only who has noticed.”

He smiled and let his eyes drop again.

“Tye?” Savannah tossed the cue for him to catch. “Put a pause on the flirting for a minute – it’s your turn.”

He winked at me before moving over to the table, softening the flirtation again to but another joke.

Tye and I were sent to get the next round of drinks after the first game, but the bar upstairs had become so busy and crowded we had to wait in one rather muddled up queue and squeeze into the gaps left by the newcomers. Unfortunately for me, we bumped into some more of Tye’s friends.

“Tye, man,” Benji appeared at his side, slipping through the small gaps between people and slapping him on the shoulder.

“Hey, Benji,” Tye offered their customary fist bump and I tried not to roll my eyes at the weird macho bravado on display. I’m not sure I was successful.

“I didn’t know you were out tonight,” Benji swayed on his feet, off balance with what must have already been quite a few drinks.

“We’re playing pool with Sam, Luke and Savannah.” At the mention of ‘we’, Benji clocked my presence on the other side of Tye, his small eyes widening in realisation that I was stood there at all.

“Oops, didn’t see you there.”

“So I gathered,” I smiled back, feeling how fake it was and noticing how Tye watched me. He must have been able to tell that it was false.

“Erm… You’re…” Benji pointed at me, screwing up his brow in concentration.

“Christ, can you still not remember her name?” Tye asked in amazement.

“Come on, there are lots of people at this uni. Can you remember all their names?”

“Don’t worry about it, Billie,” I shook my head and folded my arms, both a dismissive and defensive manoeuvre at once. I shifted between my boot-clad feet, feeling uncomfortable all of a sudden. The guy had a habit of making me feel roughly two centimetres tall. God, I hoped he never did this to Cara. It would crush her.

Tye sniggered at my chosen choice of name.

“It’s Benji, not Billie,” Benji said with a little annoyance.

“Oops, sorry,” I fake apologised, tapping my head for a ‘duh’ effect. “I knew it had something to do with the flowerpot men.”

“Oh, she’s vicious, man,” Benji elbowed Tye, laughing despite my words.

“Indeed she can be,” Tye was still sniggering.

“Well, at least I was closer than your non-existent guess.” I offered with a shrug.

“Then I’ll try never to forget your name again.” He scrunched up his face for the second time. “But what is it?”

Both