The Light and Dark in Us

8. Mon Devoir

"EDMUND ASHWICK?!" Ellie shrieks.

Lottie. Jamie and I are all in their dorm room after the class and...Ellie isn't happy.

"Seriously what is up with Edmund?" I mumble to Jamie.

He doesn't respond but nudges me back, indicating I should listen.

"EDMUND!?" Ellie repeats, pacing up and down the room, "Oh that little rat, of course he has to make you fall in love with him. "

Lottie blushes profusely. "I'm not-"

"-Not the problem at hand Lottie!"

"She only danced with him," I argue, "it's not like they kissed or something..."

Jamie's eyes are on me immediately.

"Yes I know but that dance will lead to him and Lottie spending more time together, which will lead to hand-holding, which will lead to a kiss." Ellie says.

"They already did that..." Jamie adds unhelpfully.

"Did what!?"

I grimace. "The handholding."

Ellie groans dramatically. "We're doomed!"

"I am here you know," Lottie humphs, crossing her arms, "and Edmund doesn't seem half bad."

"You only say that because he's charming and pretty Lottie." I add, unhelpfully.

"No! That is not the reason!" She retorts.

"Yes it is." Jamie states.

"It is not! You can't judge a person based on rumour and hearsay. Surely you Ellie of all people would know that."

"Lottie for once in your life can you stop being so painfully naive."

There's a drop in the air at Jamie's words.

I'm offended and he wasn't talking to me. "Jamie-"

"No," he cuts me off, turning back to poor Lottie, "You're just a foolish little girl who likes fairytales, you're being childish and you're going to put Ellie at risk."

Ellie stops her pacing abruptly, stamping a foot. "Right, you two can leave if you keep being so counter-productive!"

Lottie nods. "Yeah! And you're wrong."

Jamie shrugs. "Odette was stating facts, so was I."

"You're being mean, and Odette is being a Jamie Volk, it's hard enough with one of them, get out of our dorm!" Ellie declares.

Jamie mutters something in another language and storms out of the room, I follow after waving awkwardly.

The door closes, I turn to Jamie. "Euh."

"What?"

"You do realise how what you just said might've been insensitive right?"

"Not for someone who isn't sensitive."

"It's not Lottie's fault she has feelings Jamie, that was unkind."

He looks away. "The world is unkind."

There's a pause. "And Ellie?"

"Ellie's just angry, she pushes me away because I point out the negative and she likes to ignore that." Jamie grumbles.

I smile, which confuses him. "But you'll never leave her side, will you? No matter what."

He acknowledges my question, his annoyance melting away. "No matter what, I've known her since I was a baby...she's like a sister to me. But sometimes she does want me to leave her side."