Page 73 of Spearcrest Knight

“There she is, I told you!”

I raise my head from the desk and peer around my table lamp. Audrey is striding across the study hall, Araminta in tow. They must have arrived not long ago—Audrey is still wearing her coat and scarf.

“What’s up with the radio silence, Sutton?” she asks as she draws close. “You know a phone is a tool of communication and not just a paperweight, right?”

“I know,” I say, dropping my head back down.

I hear the shuffle of the girls pulling up chairs to sit close to me. An arm wraps around my shoulders, and Araminta’s familiar perfume fills my senses. A warm, floral smell, like cinnamon and jasmines.

“There, there,” she coos.

I laugh weakly. “I’m not a baby.”

“Youarea baby,” she says, pulling my head up to rest it on her shoulder and gently stroking my hair. “You are a big sad baby that needs a big hug and a kiss.”

Audrey huddles close and they both kiss my cheeks until I can’t help but laugh and push them away. “You’re such idiots.”

“Idiots? Why?” Araminta says indignantly. “Because wewuvyou?”

“Oh God, please stop!” I laugh and sit up, and realise there are tears in my eyes that I hadn’t even noticed. “Look what you’ve done,” I say, rubbing the sleeve of my woolly jumper against the corner of my eyes.

“We can keep this up as long as we need,” Audrey says with solemn determination. “We’ll shower you with love until you’re ready to talk.”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” I mumble into my sleeve.

There’s a moment of silence and I look up to see three identical expressions of unimpressed scepticism.

“It doesn’t take a genius to tell something happened,” Audrey says. “Anyone with two brain cells could tell. You look like some tragic Victorian ghost.”

“Hey now!” Araminta hisses. “Do you not remember the briefing outside? We agreed on a delicate, tender approach, remember?”

Audrey looks down. “Sorry.”

“You don’t have to tell us anything if you don’t want to,” Araminta says, brushing aside the strands of hair now stuck to my wet cheeks. “We just want you to know that we love you and that we want to help, even if it means you want us to leave you alone.”

“I don’t want you to leave me alone.”

Audrey smiles. “We know.”

I sigh, tuck my legs against me, propping my heels on the edge of my seat. I take a deep breath and speak half into my sleeves.

“I kissed Evan Knight at his house on Christmas Eve.”

“That’s hot,” Araminta says at the exact same time Audrey says, “Oh God, why?”

“I don’t even know why! I was tipsy—we both were—and he asked for a kiss. He seemed lonely. I guess I was lonely too. I guess also I sort of wanted to. I mean he might be a complete arsehole but it’s not like I don’t have eyes.”

Araminta nods. She’s cut her thick hair into a bob, and the strands curl around her chin and bob when she moves her head in a way that’s both adorable and distracting.

“I know what you mean,” she says. “He's a walking wet dream. I don’t blame you for wanting to make out with him.”

“How did you know we made out?” I ask, my face flooding with heat.

“You made out with him?” Audrey frowns. “You said you kissed.”

“I did!” I say, covering my red hot cheeks with my palms. “I did, and then I moved away, and then he kissed me. And then we made out.”

“How far are we talking?” Araminta asks, leaning forward, her eyes boring into mine. “Are we talking heavy petting? Under-shirt action? Did you—” she moves back with a scandalised gasp “— did you touchhis cock?”

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