Wasted Time

Chapter 28

Emily's POV

I frowned at the drizzle that moistened my clothes as I made my way out of the Tube station and turned onto the street where Dean and Annabell's shared house was. I had an interview for a potential work experience placement in a town about an hour away from London, and Dean had offered to drive me to save me the money.

I swung open the gate of their house and made my way up to the front door. Dean had told me just to go in and wait for him, and I was a little early, so I let myself in and stood in the hallway, looking around curiously as I never visited them at their place before. I knew they were only living there temporarily, so they hadn't added many personal touches to the hall yet, but there was a framed photo on the table by the door, containing a family. The children were clearly a younger Dean and Annabell, and the people standing behind them looked like their parents. I smiled at the happy-looking family, all smiling over-cheerfully as everybody did in family photos. Dean was adorable, with gaps in his teeth and hair spiked up carefully, and I giggled a little, before I remembered the rift that now kept this family apart, and my smile faded slightly.

I was about to call out to let them know that I was here when I heard some voices ringing out loudly from a door just down the corridor. I winced slightly – it sounded like they were having an argument. I didn't want to eavesdrop, but it was difficult not to hear, and I didn't want to interrupt them. I took a few cautious steps closer to the door. I could hear Annabell's voice mumbling, but I couldn't make out any words.

"You're being ridiculous, Annabell!" came Dean's voice, sounding irritated. Annabell's reply was too quiet for me to understand, but it sounded pleading.

"Look, he's my friend, and my client, in case you'd forgotten! What you're suggesting is totally unprofessional!" I frowned. Who was Dean talking about? And what had Annabell suggested?

"Yeah, I know, but someone else, not Michael!" he said loudly. Michael? I thought Annabell and Dean were friends with Michael. What about him could possibly be causing this argument?

"Look, you shouldn't be interfering anyway, you're going home soon!" I racked my brains for anything either of them had said about Michael in the last few days. I knew that they had all seen each other quite recently, what had Michael said about that? Suddenly, a thought popped into my head. I had been chatting with Maddy the other day, just the usual sort of gossip, when she had said that Annabell had been looking for a boyfriend ever since she got here, and everyone knew that Michael and Annabell got along really well. What if Annabell liked Michael? My eyes widened as I considered the possibility. Michael and Dean were really close, I could see how that might upset him.

"What do you mean, it won't take that long?" Dean sounded outraged. "Just keep out of this, okay?" Unable to stand there for much longer hearing this uncomfortable discussion, I couldn't stop myself from calling out.

"Hello? Dean, I'm here!" I shouted, biting my lip nervously. A sudden silence filled the house, and a few moments passed before he finally stuck his head around the door, his eyes worried and an embarrassed blush daubing his cheeks.

"How much did you hear?" he breathed anxiously.

"Uh... not much," I lied quickly. Annabell appeared behind Dean.

"Emily... please don't tell anyone what you heard," she pleaded. "It'll just be -"

"Don't worry, I won't say anything," I reassured them. "I didn't hear half of it anyway, let's just forget about it, okay?" They both relaxed slightly, but were still sending each other tense glances.

"Shall we go?" asked Dean hastily, grabbing a jacket from a hook near the door. I nodded, and headed down the path behind them to the van. Most of the time they deliberately looked away from each other, but when they thought I was busy doing up my seatbelt, I saw Annabell send Dean a meaningful look, and him shake his head fiercely.