The Arrangement

Chapter Twenty-Six

Blair 

I have to admit after Ashton's little outburst it's definitely cleared the air between the two of us. Instead of seeming to avoid me as much as he can he'll actually initiate conversations with me and now we're halfway through the first month I feel as if I've settled in quite well. 

It's still a weird dynamic to be around and it's taken some getting used to with so many personalities to get to know but it's also kind of nice. There's always someone around, but in truth I probably spend the most of my time with Lennox. 

I'm not really sure what Ashton does for most of his day, Henley is always glued to his laptop and well Carter is without a doubt a workaholic. I don't think he ever stops, his phone is always in his hand, and he seems as if he's one annoyance away from having an aneurysm. 

It's actually quite amusing to watch sometimes but he definitely doesn't take kindly to if I scoff or smirk, so I do try my hardest not to. Which is a lot harder than I ever thought it would be. 

In terms of work. Well, I seem to have been blacklisted from all the clubs since what happened. I can't escort with Tif and even though the allowance was transferred into my bank the day I signed the contract I've avoided touching it, other than using some to pay off part of the medical bills. 

It's not as if I particularly have many expenses whilst I'm staying here seeing as all my meals are fully catered for, but I still have my phone bill and my hole of an apartment and the bills that come with that. 

I know I could easily use the allowance, but my plan was to save everything that I wouldn't be using to pay off the medical bills and then use the rest for my nursing fee's. 

In truth I need a job and as it stands, I have no real options, so I need to search for something. 

As we all sit around for breakfast I wait until everyone seems to be enthralled in their own conversations before, I turn to Carter. 

"Would it be okay if I use your laptop tonight?" I ask, hoping the answer will simply be yes and that he won't ask any questions. 

I'm nowhere near that lucky though. His brows pinch together as he considers my question, his gaze regarding me for a moment. There's curiosity there as he studies me for another moment.

"What do you need it for?" he asks, and I don't think it's to be intrusive, it comes across more like he's generally intrigued. 

"I just wanted to search to see if there were any jobs available at the moment" I reply attempting to infuse a light-heartedness into my tone. "Seeing as I can't exactly go back to bottle service" I then say with a shrug. 

"Is the allowance not enough?" he asks, and I notice the way the whole table goes quiet, the rest listening in to our conversation. When I glance around, all eyes are on us, waiting for my response. 

This is definitely a part that I really don't like. When I feel completely put on the spot. It makes it difficult to pull together a response and causes my mouth to go dry. 

Taking a deep breath, I fake nonchalance. "Yeah of course it is," I say but his expression doesn't shift as he continues to stare at me. "I... I erm... I guess I'm just a little bored" I then lie because it seems like the easier option. 

"You mean because you use the money to pay of your father's medical bills?" Ashton asks from opposite me and I'm quickly coming to realise that he doesn't take the soft approach. Like ever. 

He just says it how it is without so much as a second thought for how it could make someone feel uncomfortable. 

For a brief moment, I consider how to respond. I could brush it off, laugh it off, but that seems inadequate given the way he's intensely glaring at me right now. I glance at Carter but his gaze is fixed to Ashton, frustration evident in his expression. 

"Yeah, I do" I finally say, my voice barely above a whisper. The admission feels heavy, like I'm dragging a weight behind me that I can't shake off. "But it's not a big deal, really" I then say attempting to sound nonchalant.

"You know you could have most of it written off right?" he says, arching a brow. "We can get someone to look into it for you if you want" he then offers but I'm already shaking my head. 

"No, I don't need that but thanks for the offer" I quickly reply not wanting anyone to dig into anything. 

I see the way his brows pinch together in obvious question at my rejection, and I know if I look at the other's their expressions will probably be the same. 

"Why not?" Ashton presses, his tone not gentle in the slightest. "Why would you willingly take on a debt that high if you don't have to?" 

I take a deep breath feeling the weight of everyone's gazes on me whilst I try to come up with an answer that isn't going to cause more questions to arise. The problem is I don't have one. 

It's not as if I can just come out and tell them the truth. Explain that after what I did, I feel that it's the only way to clear my conscious. So instead, I lie. 

"It's what my dad would have wanted me to do" I say in an attempt to shut him down, but it only causes his glare to intensify. 

"What? He would have wanted you to cripple yourself paying off the debts he accumulated whilst dying?" he asks, an air of accusation in his tone that has my defences slamming up around me. 

"No, that's not what I meant" I rush to say, my heart pounding in my chest. But the way he's looking at me, trying to unravel the tangled mess of my thoughts. It makes me feel exposed. "It's just something I have to do okay" 

"But why?" he presses and just when I thought that the two of us were going to get along fine, I feel as if I'm terribly mistaken. 

"Ash," Carter cuts in, his tone an evident warning that Ashton of course chooses to ignore. 

"It doesn't make sense, we're all thinking it" he snaps back to Carter, the tension in the room seeming to double straight away. 

I can feel the heat creeping up my neck, a mixture of embarrassment and frustration. The way Ashton is scrutinising me, like I'm some kind of puzzle he needs to solve, only makes it worse. My mind races, trying to formulate a response that with satisfy him, yet I come up with nothing. 

My only saving grace being my phone buzzing on the table next to me. 

In a rush I grab it and almost want to cry with relief when I see it's Tif wanting me to meet with her today. Seeming to be having her own crisis. 

Scooting my chair out, I wave my phone and flash them an awkward kind of smile. "My friends having a crisis. I'll er... I'll see you guys later" I quickly blurt out and before any of them can say anything I dart away as quick as my feet will take me.