#AUPAIRCHRONICLES (Book 1)

Chapter 2

"What do you want?

"Can't I kiss my girlfriend?"

A smile danced across his lips, and he was having a hard time staying balanced. Franziska could tell he was already drunk and even though she didn't want to make a scene, it was difficult to control herself when she saw him acting so careless.

"Aren't you busy with the brunettes over there?"

She pointed to the girls he had been flirting with a few minutes ago who must've come up with him. Robyn was glaring at them without shame while Tara was already eating Gavin's face.

"I'm here now!" Connor responded playfully.

"And I don't care."

Before he had time to answer, Dean interrupted them.

"Hey, Franziska, here's your drink." He handed her a glass.

"Thank you."

Dean noticed Connor's presence and the hard look he had on his face.

"Hey, Con, is everything alright?"

Franziska looked at her boyfriend, hoping he would show his affection for her just like a knight would for his princess, but reality always happened differently.

"Yup, just saying hi to Fran. Have fun, guys." He winked before leaving to join Robyn a few meters away.

A pained look crossed Franziska's face as she saw him returning to the bimbo of the hour; however, she quickly recovered. I won't let him affect me tonight. She took the glass from Dean's hand and gulped down the whole thing. A smile spread across her face.

"Thanks."

"You know Connor," he remarked, but Franziska thought it sounded more like a question. Without waiting for her answer, he laughed. "Of course you do. Everyone does, right?"

She gave him what looked like a half-broken smile, and thankfully, he didn't question her further. At least she didn't need to explain everything to him.

"Would you like to go somewhere else?"

"Yeah, sure, do you have a place in mind?" Franziska asked, her voice coming out a little too high-pitched. Was it on purpose?

In any case, Connor heard it over the music, or maybe he had just guessed what was happening, judging by Dean and Franziska's expressions.

"Maybe we can go to a quiet place." He rubbed the back of his head. "Like my apartment and-" He paused. "Have one last drink?" He wasn't sure if she'd agree, but this girl was worth a try, and he couldn't hide his surprise when she nodded.

"Let me get my jacket. I'll be right back." She headed towards Connor's huge bedroom where she had left it earlier, and without great surprise, Connor followed her.

"You're leaving already?" Connor questioned as soon as they were in the room.

"I can see that you're a good guesser," she blurted out while opening his dresser. Most of his clothes were dark, making it easy to find her beige coat.

"C'mon, stay longer," Connor requested, sounding tired.

"Why?" She turned around. "Because you decide everything I do? It's crazy how you so easily acknowledge me when we're not surrounded by people."

"What do you mean?"

"Forget about it." She shook her head.

Connor sighed and took the jacket from her hands.

"C'mon, stay."

"Sorry, but I'm gonna pass." She grabbed the jacket back.

"So, you're gonna leave with Evans and ... and cheat on me?"

"Cheat on you?" she gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"You blew me off the whole night, flirting with some Kylie Jenner copycat and now you're complaining? I know you're ashamed of me, but you know what? Other guys appreciate me just the way I am."

"What?" He frowned. "I would never be ashamed of you."

"Yeah, yeah! Sure! Bye Connor."

"Hold on." He took her by the arm with a convincing look in his green eyes and added, "I'm not ashamed of you, I swear."

All they could hear was the music through the walls as they stood there in awkward silence.

"I don't know ... I just feel like ...." He tried to come up with a reasonable explanation but failed. "I'm just ... I don't know ...."

"A coward," Franziska whispered, shrugging his hand off. It didn't take long for Connor's face to turn twenty shades of anger as that word opened up a deep wound from his past.

"You know what Fran? Go ahead. Go ahead and fuck this guy. That's all you're good for anyway." He smirked at her and it was as if he was Dr. Jekyll turning into Mr. Hyde.

"Shut up!" she yelled. "I would never do that and you know it."

"Coming from a girl who spread her legs twenty minutes after I met her? That's kind of hard to believe."

And just like that, her hand flew through the air and slapped him across the face. It was a perfect, strong and precise hit. Connor's lips turned into a smirk as though he hadn't felt anything, and she started to attack him, trying desperately to cause him even a fraction of the pain he was causing her. He grabbed her hands and fought her off as he placed his finger on the lips that she used to love so much.

"Shhhh! You don't wanna make a scene. My guests could hear you!" he declared in an exaggerated tone as if the slap she had just given him was for fun.

It pissed her off even more knowing how much Connor could care less about what people thought.

"I don't care about your fuckin' guests, you son of a bitch!"

"Gee, thanks!" He blocked her attempts at trying to break free from his grip. Quickly, his sardonic smile was replaced by a serious face, and he ordered her to calm down.

"No! Back off, motherfucker! Arschloch!" she insulted him in both English and German.

"Not sure I understood that last one," he provoked her. "Come on, Fran, stop it. I'm sorry ... okay?"

Hurt, hidden by pride, made it so that Franziska couldn't believe him yet. All she had wanted was for him to give her attention in front of his friends. She couldn't accept it. She couldn't let him treat her like so many men had when she was in Germany.

"Let me go!" She put her hands on his chest and pushed him with all her strength, and he finally let go of her.

"Babe, come on," he called out, but she ignored him and headed for the door. The sound of his voice and what he said next stopped her in her tracks.

"If you go with him, I swear to God, forget about me, Franziska," he threatened, and a few seconds of doubt invaded her body.

As much as she cared about him, and as much as she wanted to stay with him, her pride was too hurt to let her feelings take control. So, it was with a heavy heart that she kept walking, the crash of the door resonating in his ears.