in your eyes

5

You've gotta be fucking kidding me.

"Robert."

That was the only word that I could find it within me to say once I'd gotten over the initial shock of literally bumping into him again.

It was the same feeling I got when we first met that was currently sending sparks through me, my mouth going bone dry as I stood up straight when Ian and Dill approached me from behind.

Ian placed his hand on my lower back, a look of concern on his face as he leaned down slightly to ask me if I was feeling alright.

I gave him a reassuring nod, taking a deep breath in order to regain myself as I watched Dill embrace Robert in a tight hug.

I brushed myself off slightly as I adjusted my clothes and caught Robert's gaze again, stepping back a bit so I could introduce him to Ian.

"Ian, this isㅡ" I was cut off by Robert stepping forward and extending his hand out for Ian to shake it, biting the inside of my cheek again gently.

"Robert Crowne," he finished for me, a cocky grin on his face as he cut a quick glance over at me before turning his attention back to Ian.

"You must be Hazel's older brother that she was telling me about last night, yeah?"

He spoke so nonchalantly, once again running his fingers through his dark curls before he put a cigarette between his lips.

My face immediately went hot as I stared up at him in disbelief, knowing fully well that I mentioned Ian to him as my boyfriend last night.

I narrowed my eyes at the beautiful man who stood in front of me, taking Ian's hand in my own and noticing how tense his body had grown since Robert had spoken.

"I'm actually her boyfriend," he spoke sharply, his hold on my hand tightening slightly.

I could hear Dill giggling to herself to the side of us, thinking to myself about how she could possibly find this moment at all comedic when I felt like I wanted to just take off back home on foot.

Dill noticed the rather panicked look on my face, clearing her throat gently and taking Ian's arm on her own as she looked between the three of us with a soft smile on her face.

"Why don't I take lover boy here inside so that he can meet the others, yeah? You two just meet us inside when Rob's done having a smoke," she said kind of quickly, shooting me a knowing look as Robert lit his cigarette while the two of them walked off towards the bar's entrance before any protest could be made against it.

Ian turned back to me with defeat in his eyes, his eyebrows furrowing as he caught one last look at us both on the sidewalk before disappearing into the bar with Dill.

Once Robert and I were alone, I gave him an annoyed glare, punching him in the shoulder before I crossed my arms over my chest and rolled my eyes at him.

All he did was laugh as he continued to smoke his cigarette and look down at me, putting his hands behind his back as he rocked slightly on his heels.

"Now what the fuck was that about," I questioned, my cheeks burning with frustration.

"What the fuck was what about," he shrugged, taking a drag from his cigarette.

"Why'd you tell him that I introduced him to you as my older brother?"

Even through my anger, Robert looked good as hell with that cigarette hanging from between his lips.

He didn't say anything for a long moment as he took another drag, looking past me and over to the entrance to the bar.