Will squints. “Sorry, I must be a little slow today. Don’t you all go to school together?”
I tug his arm. “I’m getting really thirsty. Why don’t you come help me get drinks? I could take you around Emberton. It’s really beautiful.”
Will’s gaze doesn’t leave Nicole and Heather, but Huan comes into my peripheral vision, Frank hovering at his side.
Heather nods brightly, oblivious to everything but Will. “Yep, we’re all in the same program, though Ellie joined last minute.”
Will’s face slowly morphs from confusion to shock. I sway backward, my joy from seconds ago buried by dread.
He turns to me. “Wait, am I understanding this right? You’re still in high school?” His voice is just above a whisper.
I nod mutely.
Will is silent for a moment. Then he steps down the bleachers and says, “I could use that snack now.”
Chapter
19
I blink a few times and follow him. The girls wave good-bye, clearly confused by the sudden change in Will’s mood. Dev catches my eye as we walk past the field. He’s too far away to talk to without yelling, but his brow is furrowed. I point toward Emberton and mimic drinking. He points back to the pitch and it’s clear he’s almost up to bat. I look from him to Will, who is striding ahead of me. I do want to see Dev play, but this isn’t the right time. And I’m sure he’ll understand since he only invited me as a form of homework.
I mouth an apology and hurry to Will, who is far ahead now.
“You’re in high school?” he repeats when I catch up to him. “You haven’t graduated?”
I grimace at the annoyance in his voice. Will is usually so laid-back that I’d almost convinced myself he wouldn’t care about my graduation status. But I was clearly wrong.
“I’ll graduate soon.”
“Yeah?”
“Well, um, at the end of the school year. But really, is that solong in the grand scheme of things? Spring will be here before we know it.” I’m hoping for a tiny smile, but he rolls his eyes.
“Why didn’t you tell me that?”
“I don’t know.” I drop my gaze to the ground. “I just—you and Frank had already graduated and we’d just met and Iamtaking classes with college students and...” My shoulders slump. “I don’t know. I guess I just wanted you to... to like me.”
“And you thought lying to me was the way to make that happen?” His eyebrows pinch together. “Frank tried to tell me something about Huan being in high school in America but I told him he must be wrong. I look like such an arse now.”
He widens his stride so that I have to speed walk to keep up. “I’m sorry, Will. I really am. It was a stupid thing to say. I kind of blurted it out at the flea market and I didn’t know how to correct you afterward.”
Will stops abruptly in front of Emberton. I take his hands in mine. He doesn’t pull away, but he doesn’t grip them either.
“Why don’t we go somewhere and talk?” I turn toward the manor. “We could grab drinks inside? Or we could go somewhere else. Maybe get some lunch.”
He looks at the manor and then back at me. His face is still pinched. “I think I’m going to head out. I’m knackered and Mum’s been on at me about packing for the trip. You understand, right?”
“I...” My legs are shaky and I can’t get a deep breath. Oh no, what’s happening? What’s he thinking? “Are we okay? I wish you wouldn’t go right now. Maybe you can just stay a little longer?”
“No. I think it’s better if I go.”
“What about Frank?” I wave back at the cricket game, desperateto find a reason to make him stay. “You can’t go without him. We at least need to go back and tell him you’re leaving.”
He glances in the direction of the pitch but shakes his head. “No, I won’t pull him away from his date. He can call a cab when he’s ready.” He heaves a sigh. “We’ll talk after I’m back from Belgium, okay? Mum will murder me if I’m texting over the holiday.”
I wander aimlessly through the manor after Will drives away, lost in my thoughts but not ready to share them with anyone else yet. The scene with Will keeps replaying in my mind.Whydid he have to find out about Waterford? I should have pulled him off the bleachers as soon as Nicole and Heather saw him. Or grabbed him and kissed him so hard he forgot what we were talking about. Now he’s upset and I don’t know what to do to make things go back to the way they were.
I find myself at the conservatory. It’s the only place around here where I’m not surrounded by people. In fact, I’m the only one here again. I wander around, taking stock of the plants and watching the fish swim in lazy circles. I know there’s one voice that’ll calm me. I pull out my phone.
