Page 43 of Love, In Balance

Shortly after, Pierce walks in. The air immediately feels heavier. The energy in the room shifts, and I feel weirdly on edge.

He walks everywhere with this cocky kind of confidence. Not the kind of confidence youshouldembody though.

The kind that exudes threat. The kind that’s used to belittle others and make them feel less than you are.

It’s intimidating, even to someone of my stature. And I quiteeasily meet his height and bulkiness.

He’s a demeaning bastard and the way he talks to people and looks at people pisses me off. I internally ground myself, giving him the benefit of the doubt. After all, he’s merely walked through the door.

“Hey Quin. How’s it going?” he says. How lovely of him.

I acknowledge him as I would any other person.

“Afternoon. Not bad. I’ve just been setting up everything ready for lectures today. Everything ok?”.

He walks over to the desk, setting his bag down and appears tense. The original façade fading.

“I didn’t catch you much at the faculty social. You were there one minute and gone the next” Pierce says to me.

He has something on his mind and he’s clearly going to make it known.

“Yeah, I left fairly early” I say. Giving a minimal response.

“I saw you with Lista, and then you left when Drew and the guys showed up. Did something happen between you guys?” he asks.Aha. And There it is.

“Oh, no. Lista had a panic attack. Something seemed to have triggered her, and I found her outside in a state. I knew she needed Drew. Once he and the others got to her and she relaxed more, I left and headed home. I didn’t want to intrude whilst she was overwhelmed”.

“Right ok… I didn’t know. No one mentioned it to me” he says.Yeah, I fucking wonder why.

“All I know is that she needed Drew, so I called him. He turned up with the guys. Lista is fine now anyway, which is what matters”.Not that you care...

“What happened to your hand Quin?”.

Jeez, is this twenty questions or something? What’s with the inquisition?

“I got cut” I say, offering the simple fact.

“Yeah, no shit. How did it happen?”.

I didn’t realise he cared about my wellbeing so much…I think sarcastically.

“I was helping Lista build some furniture, and the hammer slipped and smashed the glass that I was holding. It cut my hand. It’s fine though”.

A few minutes pass as I continue setting up for the day, despite Pierce glaring at me.

He is thinking so intensely, that I feel like I can hear him.

And I’m waiting for whatever he’s got to verbally throw at me. I can feel it. It’s like the tension he’s holding onto is emitting from his brain and into the room.

“So why were you at Lista’s?” he comes out with.

I knew it. I had a feeling he was sniffing around for info.

“Not that I need to explain to you, but we had our study session at hers as she was waiting in for a parcel. I’m not sure why I feel like I’m being interrogated here Pierce” I say bluntly. Feeling the need to stand up for myself.

“Hmph. Studying” he says sarcastically.

I’m suddenly extremely on edge around him. He walks towards me, closing the comfortable space between us, crowding myevery senses.

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