Worst Impressions

Chapter Fifteen

I didn't have to worry about Gideon at first. Wyatt swiftly tracked me down before my new obsession could. I tried to avoid him, but the boy was determined. He caught me while I was on the way to lunch.

'Look at you!' he said, grinning like a total idiot at me. 'You've really grown up!'

'Yeah, ten years will do that to a person,' I said, very conscious of the way people were looking at us. If they thought we were anything other than family, it was going to dent my reputation. I mean, I didn't have much of a reputation, but that didn't mean I hadn't been working hard to be perceived as being cool and kind of rebellious before I died. Being on good terms with a Maths teacher was going to completely shatter that image.

Wyatt didn't seem to notice my tone. He asked, 'Do you want to have lunch with me? We have a lot of catching up to do.'

'I usually sit with my friends.'

'Well, this can be an exception.'

Eurgh.

If Wyatt had talked about something remotely interesting, it might not have been so bad. Instead, he kept talking about Mum. I hardly ever saw her. And it sounded like he was going out to visit at least once a year. Not to mention all the emails and everything. Given that they weren't blood relatives, they were way too close than was natural. I knew nothing about Wyatt's actual parents, and I'd never met his Dad. For all I knew, Mum might have been the best role-model he'd ever had.

That was a truly terrifying idea.

The only way I could find to cope with the seemingly endless babble was to drift off into space until Wyatt was just white noise. It was working well until he asked, 'Are you listening?'

'Huh?'

He smiled as if he wasn't offended, even though it was clear he was. He repeated, 'What are your plans when you finish school?'

'Oh... I hadn't thought about it, to be honest. I suppose I'll probably work with Dad,' I said evasively. I had thought about it a lot. I had my own dreams to consider. I just didn't want to share them with him. 'Why?'

'I just thought it might be an idea for you to stay with Mum for a while. After all, she has enough money to support you, and you're a young girl. What could be more fun than a little time in a pretty and quaint environment? And then you can settle, marry, and have some –'

'Wyatt, if you mention children, I'm going to stab you in the hand with a fork,' I warned.

He flushed. 'I just meant that there's no reason for you to work yourself into the ground. You're a good girl, so you should find yourself a good husband when you're a little older and not worry about work or anything so stressful.'

'Yeah, like when I'm retired.'

'I'm serious, Elisa.'

I cringed. 'Don't call me that. Look, whatever I do or don't do, is none of your business. Even if you were my brother, it still wouldn't be your business. I don't actually know why we're having this conversation, anyway. There's no way I'm going to stay with Mum, and it's not your place to tell me what to do with my life.'

'I'm not telling you. I'm just making an observation. I want what's best for you.'

'And you think you're one to talk about what's best for anyone?'

'Yes. I have good friends, I'm working in a good school, and I have an excellent education. However you look at it, Elisa, I am doing very well for myself. My life is perfect.'

'Yeah,' I laughed. 'So perfect that you can preach to total strangers. Wyatt, don't talk to me while you're here, okay?' I said as I rose from my seat. I didn't have the patience for any more of his observations about my less-than-perfect life. 'It's embarrassing for both of us.'