MEDICINE ──── GEORGE RUSSELL.

XIV.

chapter fourteen. forfeit.

Althea looks at Augustine. "I want to forfeit our bet." she says finally. 

"Woah." Augustine says and frowns. "Why?"

"I don't know. It doesn't feel right." Althea says softly. 

Augustine's eyebrow quirks. "You actually like him."

Althea groans and buries her face in the closest cushion. "That's the problem. I didn't want to."

Augustine slides a cup of tea towards Althea. "Look, for what its worth, he seems to really like you, and I would know. I've seen his dating record."

Althea laughs humorlessly and then glances at Augustine. "You won't hold it over my head...?" 

"No, God no." Augustine shakes her head. "I think its a very honorable thing that you're forfeiting before anyone gets hurt." she glances back at Althea. "And I don't feel right taking your apartment, so we'll call it even."

Althea glances at Augustine. "Is that a bad thing...? That I can't... commit to a simple thing like a dare..?"

Augustine shakes her head. "You like him; its unfair to him if you lied to him."

Althea shrugs. "Its not that its unfair. Its the fact that its a lie. I've been lying to him since I've met him. If it ever comes to light, I'm genuinely going to feel horrible."

"So don't tell him." Augustine says. "Guys are weird anyway. We've all been there, some of us, still are."

"So you and Max....?"

"That's a little different. He and I just don't work; Max and I can't communicate. You and George do." Augustine glances at Althea. "Sometimes, we lie to cover our asses."

Althea bites her lips. "Why haven't you and Max tried again...?"

Augustine shrugs. "Talking to Max Verstappen is like pulling teeth."

"But you keep going back."

"Yes, I admit, its... a two way street." Augustine concurs. "But the difference is, I've come to terms with it. Its always going to be Red Bull first, me third."