Distracted By You: Book 1 in The Exeter Running Girls Series, стр. 8
I had nearly reached the back door when a hand on my elbow swung me back the other way. I crashed into the person who the hand belonged to, nearly losing my footing.
“Whoa, darling, falling for me already?”
I looked up to see the face of someone I hadn’t seen for a few years.
“Wait, Kyle? Is that you?”
“Aww, you remember me,” he said with a charming smile. Wow, he had really grown up, but not in a good way. His body and face looked stretched. As though he were once a little elastic toy that someone had stretched out. “You at Exeter uni now?”
“That’s right,” I nodded as I tried to disentangle myself, but his grip on my elbow tightened slightly. Ouch.
I hadn’t seen him for many years, not since I was twelve. He had always been about, hanging around Rosie. It was what he did. When she left, he’d retreated into a sick puppy, then one day his family moved away. I had never had to see him again.
“You’re here too?” I asked, pointing to the elbow and trying to be released.
“Masters, this year,” he smiled proudly, but still refused to let go. His hair had grown long, the blonde tendrils nearly touched his shoulders, and his dark eyes sparkled, a colour I couldn’t really decipher in the dim lights of the house. His smile was beginning to creep me out, not to mention his death grip.
“Well, as good as it is to see you again, do you think you could let go of my elbow now? It’s hurting a bit.” I wiggled the elbow, he eventually let go – using the hand to brush through his hair. It looked like a practiced action, one he thought girls liked.
“Good job growing up, by the way,” his eyes perused me. So much so I instantly regretted the choice in the dress. I moved my arm across my chest, making a show of rubbing the sore spot he had created on my elbow, but actually using it to cover up my cleavage. He had been harmless as a kid, but this was just a little strange.
“Erm, thanks? I guess?” I struggled to know what to say. “Listen, I’ve got to-” I pointed to the side, trying to move around him, but he moved in the way and started walking forward. I found myself backed up against the wall. “Whoa – little creepy, Kyle.” I held up my hands, as though I was trying to calm a wild animal. Though technically, I was very much the cornered animal!
“You don’t need to be scared of me, Ivy,” he dipped his head, making me hit my head back against the wall. “We go way back.”
“So we do.” Yet I was twelve and he was sixteen at the time. He had been all over Rosie. I get that was no longer possible, but this was a little forward after not seeing each other for six years.
“What would you say to a little fun?” His eyes dipped down to the dress again. I folded my arms.
“Afraid not,” my voice took on a deep tone I saved for people I was only truly pissed off with.
“Five minutes upstairs on your back, Ivy, and I could change your mind.” He leaned towards me, his breath stinking of alcohol.
“Ew!” I vocalised my disgust loudly, prompting his eyebrows to shoot up in surprise. “Does that actually work on many girls?”
“You would be surprised.”
“Not interested. Go bother someone else,” I tried to squirm away, but he leaned against the wall next to my head, making my path of escape disappear.
“You look a little like her, you know?” His words made me freeze. I knew exactly who he was talking about, I didn’t need to ask. Rosie. Yet his words and the proposition he had just made suddenly made me nauseous. If he continued down this vein, I would be throwing up all over his shoes soon, despite the lack of alcohol.
“Hey, Kyle,” Benji appeared round the corner. “Take a break from your love life – we need your help. Luke is off his face, can’t even stand up.”
“Not now,” Kyle turned his head momentarily to look at Benji, revealing my nervous face and my attempts to push by him. I attempted to move away again, but Kyle reached for my arm, squeezing hard.
“Ow!” Okay, now he really was hurting me. “It sounds like your friend needs you,” I tried to wiggle out of his grasp.
“Come on, Kyle. You’re fighting a losing battle here anyway. She’s not interested.” Benji’s words were pacifying though he grabbed the back of Kyle’s shirt and physically drew him away.
I breathed a sigh of relief when his hands released me, rubbing the sore spot again.
“It’s good to see you, Ivy,” Kyle’s voice lingered as they left. Benji shot a look over his shoulder just for me to see. I think it was supposed to be apologetic.
I turned around, trying to shake of what had just happened. I literally shook myself, as a dog would to shed water, but it did little use. I straightened my dress instead, wishing I could remove that new memory as easily as I could the creases. Ew!
Concentrate, you were looking for Ellie.
I reached for the back door, it opened easily and I went out calling Ellie’s name.
“Ellie? Can I talk to you-” then a blur came sharply into focus, “oh god.”
Ellie was standing very, very close to Tye. Their surprised faces visible in the fairy lights strung up outside.
Chapter 3
The look of shock in their eyes was poignant. Visible from the orange glow of the fairy lights.
I think they had been kissing before I came out.