Worst Impressions

Bonus Chapter - Beth meets Mandy

Beth made no secret of her annoyance at my presence. She stalked off towards the café, determined to put as much distance between us as possible. The younger boy, Lewis, caught up and matched her pace. He put his arm around her waist and, despite the snarling of that same beast in the pit of my stomach, I did nothing to intervene.

It was Beth's body and her decision who did or didn't put their hands on her.

Almost at once, she brushed his hand away. While I didn't let it show on my face, I felt some relief and satisfaction knowing that she was as irritated with the attentions of this boy as she had been with mine. I lingered back with Beth's friends, all of whom regarded me with cautious interest. They said nothing, but I could tell that they were trying to figure out just who I might be to her, how we knew one another, and whether they should encourage my presence or try to scare me off.

Beth and Lewis got to the café before we did and disappeared inside. By the time we arrived, there were two new people alongside the elderly man I'd seen waving to the group from the building. Eric wasted no time in approaching the woman, lifting her into his arms, and spinning her around.

For a moment I thought perhaps they were a couple until the other man warned, 'Take your hands off my wife, man. Don't think I won't snap your board in two.'

'Killjoy.' Eric set the woman back down. 'Still not ready to divorce him? It's fine, I'll wait.'

Boisterous though they might have been, it was obvious from the level of comfort Beth displayed in the company of these people that she was far more at ease around them than she ever had been at the school. It made me wonder why it was that she'd seen fit to abandon them to attend an academy so far away. True, it was a prestigious school and many future universities and employers would be impressed to see that she'd attended it, but as much as she professed to love her friends there, they didn't have the same jovial back and forth that she had with this group.

Beth grabbed my wrist and tugged me further into the room. She pointed out each person. 'Oliver, Cassidy, and Bill. This is William,' she introduced me to them at large. 'He went to school with me for a while.'

'Ohh, I should have known.' Eric clapped me so hard on the back that I staggered forwards. 'Rich boy, huh?'

'Guilty as charged,' I said. I hoped that I didn't wind up with a hand-shaped bruise on my back from him. 'It's nice to meet you all. My sister Amanda will be along shortly, and a friend of mine.'

'Is your sister cute?' Eric asked.

Beth pinched the bridge of her nose and answered before I could say anything rude about opinions held on my sister's appearance. 'Jesus Christ, Eric. We're going to get you neutered if you don't learn to chill around girls.'

'I was blessed with this stunning body, and it is my duty to share it with beautiful women.'

'Kind of like how it's my duty to share my fist with the faces of idiots?' she asked.

'Ouch,' Poppy laughed and punched her shoulder gently. 'Nice one.'

'My girls,' Eric said to me with a smirk. 'They're so witty. And so violent. Gets me all tingly.'

'You say that like it's a good thing,' I replied.

'I like them feisty.'

'And we like you silent,' Cassidy quipped.

'Awesome,' Beth laughed and held out her hand to the woman. She slapped her own palm down onto Beth's triumphantly.

They were all ridiculous. Utterly childish and silly. Yet, it felt warm. Like a home. I hadn't felt that sort of warmth outside of my own family in a long time, if ever. If I'd been Beth, I never would have been able to tear myself away from such a cosy atmosphere, not for all the education in the world.