I know.

Twenty Four

"Well?"

"Um. I'm busy."

"Is Penny here?"

"No."

"Right. I'll stop if someone comes in." He sighed. "I really don't like what you said last night. I know you were drunk and everything but I think it was disrespectful and rude and downright embarrassing. I wanted to walk you home and I don't understand why you'd rather have some total stranger walk you home. I'm not even going to get into you sitting on his fucking lap all night because I'll come to that in a second. But this guy's been out of your life for 10 years and you'd rather him walk you home than me?"

"We had-"

"No, we haven't had just one date Aurora. We've had 2. We had brunch and we had that afternoon here."

"That wasn't a date. I was working."

"It was a date."

"No. A date is making a plan with someone and going out together. You came here and we hung out. It wasn't a date. Is this a date?"

"No."

"Same premise." He glared at me.

"Can you stop being rude and interrupting me. I'm in the middle of talking to you. You can be so ill-mannered sometimes Aurora. Why did you want Taylor to walk you home?"

"Because he's a friend?"

"Yeah. Sure. Friend." He scoffed. "Friends don't sit on each other all night giggling. If you think you guys are friends you're a lot dimmer than I thought you were."

"You don't know me and Fin. That's normal for us."

"I don't like you being around him. I tried but I don't like it Rory." He moved closer. "I think he has an ulterior motive. Why else would he just come home and suddenly, after 10 years, want to make everything right now? It doesn't make any sense. I know you want him back like you guys were back then, you used to be so close. I know he was like a brother to you Rory, but for 10 years he didn't give a damn about you. He wasn't there for your parents, wasn't there for Pip, wasn't there for your break ups. I know I wasn't exactly here too but I was around. We bumped into each other and I asked how you were, we talked at the parties. He was nowhere and he was supposed to be the 1 person you could trust to be here. And he wasn't and then all of a sudden he shows up and now he's ready to apologise? What changed?"

"Okay that's enough." I turned my head as Fin came into the room. "You need to leave."

"What the hell is he doing here?" I looked between them both heart racing. "Aurora, what the fuck-"

"Stop shouting at her Henderson. Get out."

"No chance. I'm not following instructions from you."

"You will when you're talking to Rory like shit. You really think I'm going to let you do this to her? After what you did to Shannon? Get fucked Jamie."

"You really want to bring that slag into this?" Jamie pushed me to the side, pulling me out of the stress induced black out I was in. By the time I turned around, the two boys were squaring each other up. I swallowed. I can't let this carry on.

"OI." They stopped, turning to look at me. "ENOUGH." I pushed between them both, using all of my strength to push them apart, turning to look up at Jamie. "You felt me up in the pub last night because I bought myself a drink. I don't remember what I said to you but whatever it was is how I feel. You want to talk about how you're feeling? Now it's my turn. You're a jealous, egotistical, self-absorbed child. If you could have put me being friends with Fin to one side and left it, I'm sure you'd be having another date and I might even let the way you've spoken to me today slide and put it down to anger. But it's too much and I'm not letting you speak to me how you have been. Leave." He stared at me. "Now then!" I pushed on his chest and his eyes narrowed before stepping back to the door.

"You're pissing me off Aurora."

"Good. Now you know how I've been feeling. I'll see you at the next party for whatever the town throws." He turned around, slamming the door behind him but I continued watching until he drove off.

"Rory-" I turned around and pushed Fin's chest.

"You shouldn't have come out here. I don't need to you step in and protect me Taylor. I can handle stuff like this myself."

"Did you hear what he was saying Aurora? He called you fucking stupid."

"I was handling it."

"When? Why was he even here in the first place? Why is he always here?" I scrunched my face up at him.

"Why are you always here?"

"Because I want to spend time with you before I have to leave."

"What's the deal with you two? Why did Shannon get brought into it?" He sighed. "Griffin, I swear to god-"

"She cheated on me with him when we went to uni, he got her pregnant and she told me it was mine. Then like 3 months in he pushed her down a flight of stairs when he found out and she miscarried." I slapped my hand over my open mouth. "I told you I don't like him."

"Yeah, that's a valid reason not to like someone. Why didn't you tell me? That Sunday before I went out with him. I'd have called it off then Griffin."

"Because that was 5 years ago. He could have been a better person and you were right, it wasn't really my business. But then the Monday, I came in here and when I went in the back, the first thing he did was laugh and ask me if I knew if she'd had any more miscarriages and then said he hopes you don't have the same clumsy feet."

"I'm sorry, he said what?" He nodded. I crossed my arms giving out a huff. I needed to talk to Zoe. How the hell am I supposed to respond to that? "I um- I need some space."

"Rory-"

"No Griffin. Please. This is a lot to process. Last night and this morning and you and how you make me feel and this and him and you moving clubs. It's a - it's a lot and I don't-" I shook my hands at the side of me, freaking out. I moved past him into the back room, returning quickly with his bag. "I need you to leave. Please." The doorbell rang again and I turned to face it as he took the bag, flipping my customer service face on. "Hi Gwen, how are you today?" I moved around the counter, trying to ignore how he was looking at me, bag over his shoulder face like he was worried. I looked into Gwen's eyes, hoping I could focus on what she was saying as he left, the door closing quietly behind him.

"I feel like I walked in on something there."

"Oh no, just Griffin being Griffin. Nothing ever changes with that boy, still as loose headed now as he was before." Gwen laughed. "Now, what can I get you?"