The Flirting Games

Enter the King - Part 10

Chapter Nine

Ellie had her back to the door, but listened to people coming and going. She heard Nate enter with his friends and order at the bar, which meant they must have a clear view of her table. Sliding over onto Liam's lap, she wound her arms round his neck and began to kiss him. After his initial surprise, he kissed her back, his arms around her waist. She thought she had been doing it long enough to make a statement to Nate and was just about to move away when a voice made her freeze.

"Eleanor Parkhurst! I swear you are so in trouble!"

"Jack!" She jumped up, nearly knocking over the table. Blushing from head to toe, she hugged him. "What are you doing here? Sit down. Um, this is Liam Anderson," she said, wincing in preparation for the explosion.

Jack laughed at her and sat, shaking hands with Liam, who looked completely terrified at meeting the infamous Jack Parkhurst. "I remember you. You're in SouthTower?"

Liam nodded dumbly in reply.

"I did tell you I would try to drop by for your birthday," Jack explained, still smiling at Ellie's discomfort. "Alex told me you were here."

"I'll get some more drinks," Liam said, standing quickly. "Let you see your brother properly."

"He seems alright," Jack commented, watching Liam walk away. "I guess I don't need to worry about Alex's last email full of angst that you were getting involved with Nate Naverly?"

Ellie shook her head, unsure what to say.

"That's him at the bar, isn't it?" Jack continued, and Ellie nodded.

"And that would be Brenner beside him? You know the girls in my year used to call them 'The Hell's Angels.' Apparently because they both have the names and the faces of angels, but the souls of devils." He smiled at the joke. "He must be sixteen or seventeen now?"

"Yes, I suppose so." Ellie got a stubborn look on her face. "I don't know what Alex told you, but if you think you have any right..." Her voice trailed off as Jack held his hands up in mock surrender.

"Don't look so worried, Ellie, it was just a social call. Anyway, you look like you have your hands full of Liam Anderson. Let's have a birthday drink and then I should be on my way. I've got a long drive up to Manchester this afternoon."

Ellie looked downcast that he was leaving so soon. He drew her in for a tight hug. "Cheer up, brat. I'll be back here for Christmas, don't forget. It's only a short term."

Dear little Ellie, he thought. Actually not so little Ellie; she was sixteen now. He wondered if he ought to say something sensible about boys. Not that she would listen, he thought; she'd already had several boyfriends. He hadn't approved, but at least it had all seemed fairly innocent. Until now. Openly kissing in the pub! He considered whether to threaten Anderson about not taking it any further than that.

He looked at her, trying to assess how boys her age saw her. She had inherited the same Parkhurst good looks that he had. Her eyes were the same golden brown, framed by thick dark lashes, but she wore her chestnut hair long, with a straight fringe over her eyebrows. Her bow mouth was also just like his, but much more feminine.

Alex could be quite good-looking too, he mused, but his looks were less obvious as he wore glasses and kept his hair far too neat.

"Try to stay out of trouble, won't you?" he said, sounding like their dad.

Ellie attempted a smile. "There isn't nearly as much trouble to find without you here to cause it," she countered.

"Pleased to hear it." He chucked her under the chin.

Ellie was really glad to see Jack and for some reason it mattered that he hadn't tried to forbid her to date Nate. Not that there was any chance she was going to, but his reaction had crossed her mind late at night when she had briefly considered it, and knowing he didn't seem to mind somehow made her feel happier.

After Jack left, Ellie and Liam went back up to the school. She wanted plenty of time to get dressed up for the school Halloween dinner; after all, it was also her birthday, so she had a good excuse for making a special effort. It wasn't remotely because she was hoping to impress anyone with her sexy black dress; at least, that's what she kept telling herself.

***

Nate sat at the WestTower table and watched Ellie walk in for dinner. She was wearing a long black dress. He wasn't sure he had ever seen her in a dress before, though he supposed he must have, as the girls often wore dresses for the Halloween dinner every year. It revealed some curves that her school uniform didn't, and the candlelight shined on her glossy red lips and chestnut hair.

He found he was cracking his knuckles under the table like a caveman.

That scene in the pub today had thrown him. She hadn't even seen him; she had been too busy sucking face with that idiot, Anderson. She wasn't pining for his attention; she hadn't even noticed him! Then her brother had come in, and he had hoped Jack Parkhurst would be angry at her public display of affection. In fact, he'd expected Jack to put Anderson through the wall, but no luck there either. Still, he was glad it wasn't him that had been caught kissing her. Jack might have left Compass Court, but you still wouldn't want to get found compromising his sister.

On the plus side, Alex was being friendly again and had persuaded Nate to come and sit at their table for dinner. He wasn't sure why he had agreed. It was masochistic if Ellie was bringing Anderson, and it was against his plan, which was to be aloof until the right time. But then the plan was clearly not working, which stumped him. It had always worked before.

Ellie had indeed invited Liam Anderson to join the WestTower table. Alex called her over and she sat down opposite him. With a polite smile at Nate she pulled Liam down next to her so he was seated directly in front of Nate.

As dinner unfolded, Nate began to re-examine his failed plans.

From the corner of his eye he took note of all the small signs. Ellie wasn't looking at him, but she was deliberately not looking at him. She let Liam whisper in her ear, and laughed and smiled up at him, but Nate noticed that when Liam tried to put his hand on her knee she shoved him away without really noticing.

Nate felt the sudden lightness of relief. It was for his benefit; it was all for his benefit! She didn't have strong feelings for Anderson at all. What a player! She had very nearly fooled him into thinking she was totally indifferent to him. He had to give her credit for matching him in the game.

But it had made him jealous just the same and it wasn't a game he wanted to continue any more. Somewhere along the way his feelings had become involved. He couldn't remember that ever happening before. He didn't want her to be with anyone else. He needed to work out exactly what he was feeling.

Maybe the time had come for a change of tactics. Maybe it was time to get more up-front and personal.