rule of three. [saltburn]

quarte.

xxx.

chapter four.
quatre.

xxx.

Jade didn't understand what was so hard about not fucking staring at someone like they were the only thing to look at in the room. It had been days since the incident in the library with Oliver Quick, yet here he was in the pub, sitting across the room, staring at their table; more primarily, at Felix. Maybe you could say she was just as bad for staring back at him, but her eyes were not filled with curiosity and wonder like his, they held annoyance that was just about to bubble over and spill everywhere.

Maybe Oliver was just some weird loner that was envious of someone like Felix; someone that didn't seem to have to try too hard for anything, had a lot of friends, money, girls hanging onto his every word no matter how unsubstantial it was. And while that was embarrassing and pathetic, it shouldn't make her this angry. And the the alternative that would irritate her down to the bones was that he was a freak, a creep, someone to watch out for.

" Jade, you cool? You've been, like, dead silent. " Farleigh called, holding his smoking cigarette inches from his lips as he looked down at her questionably.

" I'm fine. Just not exactly in the mood. " She replied coolly, finally looking away from Oliver to look up at Farleigh briefly before she locked her eyes back down on her drink. There was another reason that could be contributing to her recent frustrations, but if she thought about that, she might flip the table so it remained buried in the back of her head as she downed her glass.

" Hey, there he is! " Felix suddenly shouted a moment later, interrupting the main conversation at their table. The same dark haired pest that had been buzzing in Jade's ear stood near the bar, catching Felix's attention as he grinned and beckoned him, " Ollie! Oliver, Oliver, come here, mate! "

Jade clenched her jaw and dragged her eyes over at Felix. He had to be fucking kidding.

As Oliver approached the table, the others surrounding it looked up at him, some with polite smiles, others with disinterested expressions, but none were more genuine than Felix, " Hiya, mate, this is my fucking hero right here. I was just telling everyone how you saved my arse yesterday. "

" So cute. " Annabel and India, two of the girls that often found themselves hanging on either arm of Felix, chimed in tandem as Oliver bashfully looked down at the ground.

" Here, take a seat, I owe you a drink. " Felix insisted, waving his hand along when Oliver glanced over his shoulder. In the doorway stood Michael Gavey, waving stiffly. " Oh, sorry, are you with a friend? "

Jade pressed her lips together and hoped that Oliver's potential guilt of abandoning his fellow loser would shoo him away, but of course nothing can ever be that easy.

" Eh, no, they just left. "

xxx.

" Shots! Shots! Shots! " The table chanted, smacking their palms against the table hours later as Oliver succumbed to peer pressures and downed another glass, the others erupting in cheers of approval after.

It was so loud now, Nell's head felt like it was ringing simply from the voices around her, she could barely pay attention to what was going on, though it wasn't much of anything really.