“Noah, you know, sex is not a thing you’re good at or bad at. It’s just…a thing. The whole world has sex. It’s not a big deal.”
“Maybe not. But…”
Oh God. Here we were. Talking. Him and me were…fucking talking.
“The whole gay community, the dating apps, the clubs… It’s all about looks. If you look like…like you?”
“What do I look like?” I had to get it in there. But then? These were the kinds of discussions I had with the boys in my office. Weekly. Straight kids having their hearts broken. Queer kids having their hearts broken. Fellow teachers thinking I could solve their disastrous relationship problems. I had form for…trying. Making equally bad decisions myself. Every week, I knew even more about how little I understood of the world. And how easy it was to mess it up.
“You’re…beautiful. Fit. Perfect.”
“Shut up.”
“No. I’ve seen you, all of you, remember?”
He had as well. And now he was calling me perfect?
“I’ve burnt my foot to a crisp.”
“You have. Reminds me I need to put more burn gel on. How does it feel, still painful?”
“Don’t deflect. You were telling me you fancy me.”
“Fuck’s sake, Fox.”
I liked him. Fuck. I did.
“What?” I grinned.
“Of course I fancy you. I’m not blind. You’re, like, all my wet dreams swirled into one. Which is why I am taking you back to your room before I get ideas and make a total arse out of myself.”
“And what if I don’t want to?”
“Then you’re an idiot. And on that note? I’m going to go and grab us some lunch and bring it back here.”
“Noah!”
There he was, once again…running away.
And I remembered his mum’s words from last night. He’d run away yesterday too. Just as he had now, disappearing out the door as soon as the situation got tight.
For no reason at all. Because I hadn’t been lying. I would have happily pulled him into my arms and kissed him and got down and dirty with him. I’d have fucked him. Let him fuck me. Whatever he’d asked for. His big hands all over my body. His crinkly eyes. Those lips on him. Definitely kissable.
He intrigued me.
I wondered why.
He was gone for ages, and I popped the pills he’d laid out for me, adjusted my foot on the pillow, fluffed up and turned over for me like I was staying at a luxury hotel. I had to laugh, remembering that I actually did. I just hadn’t planned on it including my very own medical team.
I must have gone back to sleep because next thing, there was a dip on the edge of the bed and a cool hand on my forehead.
“Fox, darling.”
Oh. Mrs What’s-her-face. His mum.
“Just checking in on you, you were fast asleep. Noah brought you some food. I think you should try to eat something. You must be starving. Would you like… He brought something that I think is supposed to be a cola drink, and the other tin has lemons on it.”
“Is there tea?” I asked, like the spoilt imbecile I apparently was.
