Pride and Hate with Benefits [COMPLETED]

Chapter 41 - Chance meeting

Ellie

"So, did you bid on anything?" Jenna asks when we walk towards Dirty on Sunday morning.

I shake my head. "George said we could bid on anything we wanted, but it didn't feel right."

"How was the food? Did anything interesting happen?"

I steel myself. "D was there. And Julian and his sisters."

I see her face pale. "Oh. Well, I guess that's not surprising." She wrings her hands. "Was... was he with someone?"

"No, he wasn't. He was there with Mia."

There's relief on her face and I can tell it's still hard for her to talk about him.

"And what was it like seeing D? Did you speak to him?"

"I did. We even danced." The words leave my mouth before I can think.

"Danced? But Ellie, you don't dance. I've seen you try to waltz, and I felt so sorry for the old man that asked you."

"Well, the truth is, I've been taking lessons."

"You have? Why didn't you tell me? I could have gone with you."

"I know, but I wanted to do this on my own."

She puts a hand on my arm.

"Back up. You danced with D? After all that happened? Wasn't that awkward?"

"Not really. I'm sure he was just being polite, though. Or maybe he wanted to get away from Mia."

"Was she as clingy as she always is?"

I raise an eyebrow. Jenna calling someone clingy is a rare insult. But before I can answer, she opens the door to Dirty and freezes. I make a loud noise as I walk into her back and stumble.

"What's wrong?" I peer over her shoulder. Straight ahead is Julian. He's sitting with Noah, Knightley and D. They haven't noticed us yet. "We can go somewhere else," I whisper and pull at her arm.

"No." She straightens her back. "We have to learn to coexist. I'm sure it'll be fine."

I hold on to her arm as we walk inside and head for the counter.

She keeps her gaze on the menu as we wait, even though we've both had it memorized for about a year.

I'm not as strong. I glance back at them. Julian is staring at Jenna's back with a wistful look. Knightley says something funny and they all laugh. Except Julian. When D notices, he looks over to see what's caught his attention.

My breath is sucked out of me as our eyes meet and I blush. Embarrassed by my reaction, I turn to the counter and try to think of something to order. Anything.

"Yogurt."

"Toppings?" the barista asks in a bored voice.

"Berries." I can feel the heat of his eyes on my back.

We say nothing as we wait. And I wonder if Jenna is regretting her decision to stay.

When we get our order, we pick a small table as far away from the others as possible. We've barely sat down when Julian and D come up to us.

"Jenna," Julian says. "It's good to see you."

"You too," she says and stares at her coffee.

"Oh, and you, Ellie." He shifts from one foot to the other.

"Julian," I say and sip the coffee that I apparently ordered as well.

D is standing a step behind him as if he wants to separate himself from us.