Isla

12.

1 2 | t a m a r a m a

"SO, ARE YOU GOING TO TELL ME WHAT THAT WAS ABOUT?"

My face warmed from embarrassment and I turned away, avoiding eye contact. "No."

After my little break down, Everett had calmed me, wiping my tears away in silence, handing me some water to drink. I knew my face was streaky and my eyes were swollen, but that was the least of my worries.

I was mortified.

I had cried in front of Austin exactly three times in my life. Once, when I was six and he'd beaten me in a race. Second, when I was nine and he gave his first kiss to Jessica Browning on the school playground. And finally, for a week straight eight years ago, and he held me the entire time.

Yet here I was, crying in front of a boy I'd met a few weeks ago. A boy who had teased me relentlessly. Who I'd tried to murder the day we met.

But the teasing never came. Instead, he stepped back and offered me a small smile.

"Fine," he said, though his voice was gentle. "Keep your secrets."

"You're one to talk," I shot back, raising a brow. "Online school?"

It was his turn to blush. "I mean, I did have some questions to turn in."

"And did you?"

"Stop deferring back to me. This is about you right now," he said quickly. He furrowed his brow at me, his smile fading. "Isla, what happened?"

"That's it, I'm leaving," I said. I turned, praying he wouldn't follow, beginning to walk out of the beach and towards my house.

The one hour walk to my house, since Austin had bailed on me.

I groaned at the idea.

Soon, Everett fell in step beside me.

"Will you be okay?" he asked, frowning.

I sighed, glancing at him. He watched me with those burning hazel eyes, his lips pursed into a tight frown.

He really wasn't going to let this go, was he? I'd already humiliated myself enough – I really didn't feel like having a deep and meaningful with Everett. Especially when the topic at hand was Austin and Mia.

"It's a small town, Conolly," I said finally. "Nothing's going to happen. The crime rate is, like, zero percent."

"That's not what I meant," he said sternly. I wavered, swallowing thickly and the dark look he was giving me.

"Well," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Whatever you meant. I am perfectly capable of walking home alone."

"Walking?" he raised a brow. "Where's your bike."

"Forgot it."

"At home?"

"Yes."

"How do you forget your mode of transport at home?"

"I just did, okay!" I sputtered. My face warmed and I turned away, shaking my head. "Can you just drop it?"

He opened his mouth to protest, but quickly shut it again, walking beside me in silence. We made our way up our first hill, the one that lead to Clemente House, and I assumed he'd leave me there.

But he continued walking beside me, strolling right past his place without so much as a glance.

I rolled my eyes, still annoyed that he insisted on walking with me, but I was determined not to say anything. I pursed my lips, continuing to walk in silence.