“We went to school together. We never went out. Not even asking each other and being rebuffed.”
“So, you’re saying he turned up at a party unannounced and afterthirty seconds, you had sex with this boy. The one you’ve known for years but never shagged before. Is this the bullshit you’re expecting me to swallow?”
My eyes narrow. “So youhaveseen the video.”
“The same thirty seconds you watched in the common room. That’s it.” She pauses for a moment, then mutters, “That’s all it took to see you’ve obviously got something going.”
“It was a party. There were a couple two doors down from us going at it, too. Why don’t you go hassle them instead?”
“Because I doubt random couple are going to tell me what I want to know.”
“And what’s that?”
“That he isn’t going to hurt you. That he hasn’t hurt you before. That he isn’t… I don’t know… forcing you to be his girlfriend or something.”
“Forcing me?” I stare at her open-mouthed, wondering if that’s a shot in the dark or if she knows something. “Where didthatcome from?”
“You’ve got a weird vibe.”
“Vibe,” I scoff, poking her in the ribs, the arms, the legs, anywhere at random until she’s squirming away. “You’re the one with the weird vibe.”
“You know, the walls of your room aren’t just thin when you’re having sex,” she blurts, curling her shoulders.
My mouth goes dry. The last of my good humour evaporates as I think of what she might have heard. How many times I’ve held in tears until I was alone in my room, thinking it was safe. How many halves of muttered conversations I’ve had with the memories shouting in my head.
“Sorry if my snoring annoys you,” I murmur because I have to say something and addressing the issue directly isn’t possible from the space I’m in right now.
Then Seb walks out the door and stops short, frowning. “Are you two, okay?”
Great. Apparently, everyone around me has a nose for trouble that I’m immune to. “We’re fine.”
“We’ll be finer once you get your arse over here, Sebbie,” Rowena says in a sweet tone that sounds completely unlike her usual voice.
“Sebbie,” he mutters, giving a groan as he sprawls on the bench beside me. “Better hope that one doesn’t catch on.”
He puts a hand on my neck, manhandling me close enough for a kiss. “Sure you’re okay?” he repeats in a whisper, and I nod.
“Rowena would like a complete breakdown of our entire relationship when you have a moment. She’s worried you’re forcing me to have sex with you.”
“Weaponising concern is such an anti-feminist thing to do, Esme,” she retorts, not looking particularly upset at the revelation. “A couple more like that, and you’ll have to rescind your card.” She glances past me. “And yes, I would like a brief rundown. Seb, you start.”
“On the first day I met Esme, she fell over nothing and banged her head on the side of my desk.” He holds his hands crossed over his heart. “And from that moment on, it was pure love.”
“I knew it,” Rowena says with satisfaction. “No sexual history, my arse.”
“Steady on,” Seb says, his grin widening. “We were eight.”
“You remember that?” I ask, staring at him with a puzzled expression. “It was so long ago.”
He shrugs. “Eh, what can I say? Mind like a steel trap, me.”
“You’ve forgotten the cafeteria hours three times since you got here.” I shake my head dolefully. “Might want to sharpen that steel, mate.”
A headlock is his answer to that, one where he holds me steady while raining kisses upon my head.
“No sex in the gym,” Antoine calls out as he emerges from the changing rooms. “Unless you involve me, whereupon have at it.”
He makes eyes at Rowena again but she’s not looking. Her troubled gaze travels over me and Seb, still prying. “Why do you remember falling over?” she asks me.
