Walking a fine line✔️

38. Heartache

I was relieved when nobody returned to the dorm early enough to witness the snotty mess that I'd become. By the time June and the other girls finally did return, my nose had been blown and my tears had been wiped away. It was only once the lights had been turned off that June hopped into the bed beside me and gave me a hug. She had of course spotted my red, puffy eyes the minute she'd seen me but I was grateful that she'd waited until the others had gone to sleep to ask what had happened.

Over lunch the next day I briefly told Ruben and Noah that Griffin and I were over and his feelings had been fake the whole time. They'd stared at me for a few seconds then shared the story of how their prank the night before had gone. 

"I wish we'd got him better now," Ruben sighed.

"I wish you'd been there Ror," Noah said. "He was completely covered in stock water and soggy toilet paper. It was a look and a half."

I gave him a small smile.

June looked towards Beckfall's table and cracked her knuckles. "I still want to go beat him up right now."

"Then he'd know the prank had worked," Ruben said, spotting my alarmed expression. "Remember, we pretend it meant nothing to Rory."

"Are we still going to pull the tutu prank during the match today?" June asked.

I shook my head and stood up, plate in hand. "The prank war is over. I want nothing to do with him."

Noah's eyes widened suddenly. "Rory, he's coming over towards us."

Panic flooded me. One gloating word from Griffin would probably unblock the tears again.

June grabbed the dirty plate out of my hands and waved me away. "We'll meet you in the bleachers."

I uttered a quick thank you then began walking at full speed out of the great hall.

"Princess." I heard my Griffin call after me.

I quickened my pace and made it out into the hallway.

"Rory, wait!"

It was after the third time he'd called out to me that I realised he wasn't going to stop following. I came to a sudden halt and swung around. "What?"

Shock flashed in his eyes. "You vanished last night."

"I got a headache," I snapped. More like a heartache.

"Oh." His features scrunched up in concern. Only I knew it wasn't concern because he didn't care for me.

"What do you want?" I demanded then changed my mind. "No, actually just leave me alone."

"I—" Griffin got interrupted by Oscar calling to him from the end of the hallway. He hesitated then turned back to me. "We can talk after the match."

"No we won't." I crossed my arms. "We're done Griffin. I don't want to play games anymore."

I turned on my heel and began walking towards the door without looking back to see his expression. He didn't come after me and I breathed out a sigh of relief. I made my way to the bleachers and sat down. The match was to start in thirty minutes but people were already filling out the stands.

I pulled out my phone and began to read. Nothing like a good book to whisk you away to another world and distract you from your reality. Minutes passed and eventually June, Ruben, and Noah joined me.

"Did you manage to escape him?" June asked.

I grimaced. "Unfortunately not."

"Then I can only hope your brother hands him his ass on a silver platter," she replied, making me laugh.