Page 122 of Spearcrest Knight

“I’ll go sort it out,” I sigh.

Since I’m in a t-shirt, shorts and socks, I pull on a baggy jumper and leave my room, half excited, half nervous. In the common room, a couple of Year 12 girls are peering around the curtains, faces pressed to the window as they stare at the boy outside, confirming what I already know about who’s waiting there.

I open the door with my most formal expression. “Hi, Evan, it’s not allowed for you to be here, so—”

I stop in my tracks

With everything that’s happened between us, you’d think I’d be desensitised to his looks, but I guess it’s the kind of thing you can’t ever get used to.

His hair is slightly wet, brushed back from his forehead, leaving his face and its impeccable bone structure fully exposed for maximum impact. He’s wearing black running shorts, white trainers and a baggy grey sweatshirt, his training bag slung over one shoulder.

Behind him, the sun has almost finished its decline across the sky, leaving it the pale shade of violets, and the last sun rays catch the gold of Evan’s hair, making it golder still.

“I wouldn’t have had to risk your pristine reputation by coming if you ever took calls,” he says, waving his phone in my face.

I raise my hands in concession. “Okay, I’m sorry, I was already on a call.”

We stare at each other. A slow breeze rustles the ivy leaves that cover part of the building. Evan’s gaze is gentle on me, a slight smile playing on his lips. Our last moments together, his words, mine, the pleasure we shared, hangs between us like an invisible, shimmering veil.

I clear my throat. “Well, what did you want anyway?”

“Are you going home for the holiday?”

I shake my head. “No, it’s exam season. My parents will be working all week, so I’ll be staying here.”

He nods and hesitates. He brushes back his wet hair, bites his lips. “I, uh, was wondering if you want to come and stay with me for the holiday?”

I narrow my eyes, frankly shocked he has the audacity to make such a bold and reckless offer, but he raises his hands and hastens to add, “It wouldn't be just the two of us like… I mean, my family is going to be here, and my mum actually went to Harvard, so I thought you might want to chat, or…”

He trails off and stands there, ruffling his hair awkwardly. I watch him with what I hope is ice-cool calm, but in reality, my mind is scrambling around for all the reasons I should say no and finding none. We’ve just finished a round of mock exams, I don’t have a job to go to, I’ll be alone in Spearcrest over the holidays which is always really depressing, my parents would encourage this idea so I can’t rely on them saying no, and the thought of meeting Evan’s Harvard graduate mum is both terrifying and exhilarating all at once.

Not to mention the thought of staying with Evan.

Especially after everything that happened.

Especially now I no longer know where we stand.

Hating him really was much easier than whateverthisis.

“I’ll have to ask my parents,” I say eventually.

He nods. “Yeah, of course. I told my parents I’d invite you and they are very excited to meet you. They're impressed that you’re a prefect and asked me how on earth I got you to hang out with me.” He stops and bites his lip in a gesture of trepidation. “Well, I didn’t tell them about… everything, but—but, anyway. So they’re very excited to meet you, and my sister is also staying, I think you two might get on.”

He stops, staring at me. His eyes are wide and too blue and very earnest. I can tell he’s trying to make amends, in his own outrageously bumbling, heavy-handed, American way, and for some reason it makes me smile.

“I’d love to come, alright? This place is depressing this time of year. I just need to let my parents know.”

His face breaks into a broad grin. “Alright—great. Let me know. I’m leaving tomorrow, I’ll text you all the details. Tell your parents I’ll give them the biggest hug if they say yes. Alright, I’m off before the Spearcrest police come to arrest me for indecent behaviour. See ya tomorrow, hopefully.”

He leans suddenly forward to press a kiss against my cheek, and then he turns around and disappears into the soft purple and gold of dusk.

37

Complicated

Evan

“So,youreallylikethis girl, huh?”

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