Page 8 of Only When We Fall

I tilt my head, pretending to think it over. “Guess you’ll have to write a whole paper on me.”

“Oh, I plan to,” she says, eyes sharp. “You’ve gottroublewritten all over you.”

I raise my glass in a mock toast. “You wouldn’t be the first to say it.”

She presses her lips together in a fine line before pouting and saying, “Alex, by the way.” She holds out her hand and I shake it, smirking at her formality. “Mummy or daddy issues?”

I laugh, snatching the bottle back and taking a large gulp. “Neither.”

“Bullshit,” she murmurs with a slight smirk. “You’ve got this whole bad boy vibe with rebellion and anger running through your veins. There’s got to be parental damage in there somewhere.”

I laugh harder, shaking my head. “What about you?”

“Ha,” she scoffs, taking the bottle back. “Daddy issues. One hundred percent.”

“Left or just absent?”

“Left when I was three. Wanker. Never paid a penny in maintenance.”

“But here you are, at university, showing him, you didn’t need him to make it.”

She gives a knowing smile. “Is that what you’re doing, Kai?”

I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly. “I’m here proving to myself I’m good enough.”

She shuffles down into the beanbag further. “Aren’t we all?”

Chapter Three

Emmie

“You absolutely have to come with,” says Zara, giving me her best pleading face.

“I absolutely cannot,” I repeat, gathering my books from the floor of the shared living space so I can hide in my room before the boys get back. “Classes start tomorrow, Zara. I haven’t even read half of what they suggested.”

“And you think you’ll cram it all in tonight?” She arches a brow.

“We’ve spent the entire week drinking and partying, I can’t stomach another Jäger Bomb.”

She pouts playfully, “This isn’t that kind of party. It’s a chill night with some guy strumming on a guitar. Not a Jäger in sight.”

She follows me to my room and watches as I dump the books on my bed. “Who is this guy anyway?”

She practically bounces with excitement. “His name is Seb, as in, Sebastian, isn’t that cute.”

I narrow my eyes. “I’m not sure any guy likes to be thought of as cute.”

“He’s amazing at art. You should see the portfolio he submitted. He showed me and I was wowed into love.”

I laugh, “Love?”

“I have to go,” she suddenly wails, dropping on my bed. “You should see the girls in my class, Em, they’re gorgeous, every single one of them. If I’m not there tonight, he might fall in love with one of them and he’s actually meant for me. I can’t miss this opportunity; it could change the course of my life.”

“Like in Sliding Doors?”

She frowns, and I huff, nobody watches the classics anymore. “Fine,” I mutter, and she screams in delight, throwing her arms around me. “But no shots.” She nods in agreement. “Of any kind.” She nods faster. “And I want to be home at a reasonable hour.”

She rushes off to get changed, and I pick up my phone to call Mum. “Hey you,” she answers, and I hear the smile in her voice.

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