My chest tightens at the reminder of our looming deadline. “Leni?—”
She presses her finger against my lips. “We’re living in the moment, Ethan, and enjoying all the pieces that come our way.”
She’s a breath of fresh air, and I hadn’t realised how starved I’d been for human interaction in my personal life. After Dylan left for university, Vanessa and I were like two ghosts passing through the house, and our conversation consisted of who’d be home for dinner, and what we’d be eating.
For the first time in years, I feel like I’ve met my match on both an intellectual and sexual level, and it fills this emptiness I didn’t even realise was there.
That’s what makes this so dangerous, because I’m not just in awe of her, I’m starting to need her, which will make walking away one thousand times more difficult.
Leni deserves the kind of love that doesn’t come with caveats or timelines, but I’m selfishly starting to wonder if maybe we can make this work. We both plan on leaving Beckford when she graduates… Why can’t we go somewhere together? Would she want that, or am I simply an itch she’s scratching, someone she’ll look back on with nostalgia after she outgrows this version of herself?
With our final away game against Coleridge this weekend, I decide to throw caution to the wind and seewhere we stand. So, when Andy walks into my office on Friday morning, I set my plan in motion.
“You look better,” I note when he perches on the end of my couch.
“It’s good to be up and about again,” he admits. “I honestly felt like I’d been hit by a truck, then hit again two or three times.”
I arch a brow. “You better be one hundred per cent if you’re in here. I don’t want to catch glandular fever.”
“Mate, you would have been infected on day zero when you dropped me home, but if you haven’t got it yet, I’d say you’re good. Lucky bastard.” He mutters the last part under his breath, and I laugh.
“It’s good to have you back.” Although I’m missing the opportunity to see Leni in class once a week. Maybe I need to find reasons to drop in on Andy while he’s teaching her. Send her some flirty text messages while she’s supposed to be listening to him and give her a little taste of her own medicine. Hmm… that could be intriguing.
“So, Coleridge this weekend?”
I nod. “They’re sitting fourth, but if we win, we secure the championship.”
He grins. “Celebrations at Euphoria?”
“You’re recovering from glandular fever,” I remind him with a disapproving frown.
“Yeah, and my dick hasn’t seen any action other than my right hand for the past month and a half.”
I can’t stop the bewildered laugh that escapes my lips. “You’re crazy.”
“Crazy for some pussy. Speaking of… I never got to ask how things went with the devil girl? Did you finally kick the Vanessa-curse once and for all?”
“The Vanessa-curse?” I arch a brow. “Where do you come up with this shit?”
He shrugs. “You didn’t answer the question.”
My thoughts drift to Leni, but I quickly shove them away. Even though my best mate is a sexual-deviant, I’m pretty sure even he would draw the line at sleeping with a student.
“I don’t kiss and tell.”
He narrows his eyes, studying me while I try to maintain my composure under his calculating gaze, but I feel the heat rising from my collar all the way to my face.
“You totally shagged her, you dirty dog. You don’t have to tell me the details,” he continues when I flinch. “I’m just glad you’re moving on, which is why I think you should come celebrate with me.”
“It’s not a masked night,” I point out. “Besides, I’ve cancelled my membership.”
“Why?”
“I’m leaving Beckford.”
“In a month. Plenty of time to have some fun.”
I shake my head. “I’m good.”
