novacane | griezmann

6 // ANTOINE

"you're no good for me, but baby, I want you."

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I was walking back to my house when I spotted Elliott sitting on the courtyard, alone, as she read a book. I didn't bother to join her, despite how lonely she looked.

Instead, I sat at a nearby table; I was close enough to observe her without seeming creepy.

I pulled out a sandwich and began to eat it, watching as Elliott ran a hand through her hair, scrunched her nose, and pulled the book closer to her face. I wonder what she's reading, I thought to myself. She pushed her glasses further up the bridge of her nose, leaving me to raise my eyebrows. Mon dieu, I thought. She's such a child.

Elliott let out a sigh that, even from where I sat, I could tell was one of those dreamy and wistful sighs. I rolled my eyes a little before I watched her look up and instantly throw her book inside of her backpack, and only then did I realize that she'd suddenly been visited by some unexpected company.

Robert, Marco, and Mario all sat around the poor Englishwoman—I grew alarmed, watching her grow so awkwardly uncomfortable. Of course, her face turned red and she chuckled and laughed or whatever at their words, but it was so easy to to tell when someone's presence was unwanted. Especially Robert, as he placed his hand on her lap and began to whisper things in her ear.

I stood up immediately and went over to the group, not sure what drove me to do so. Jealousy? No. Genuine care for Elliott's privacy? No. "Elliott." I spoke, my face plain. She looked up at me with her eyes wide, and her face only grew redder.

"Antoine, hello. I was just—I, um, have your project." She spoke, digging in her backpack. Upon doing so, her book fell out—I picked it up and stared at the title with a smirk.

"Fifty Shades?" I spoke, tapping the cover. No wonder she looked as though she was on a completely different planet while reading. Elliott gazed up at me, blushed, and pulled out a ziploc bag with a flash drive on it.

"Here's the slideshow...just go over it before you present, so you know what to say." She spoke, ignoring the fact that she was practically reading pornography.

"I wonder, Elliott, who are you reading that book for?" Robert's accented voice cut through the air as he smirked at her.

"Me, obviously." Marco joked, smirking over at Elliott as right. "Right, Elliott?"

"Her name," I placed the book back in her bag. "Is Valentine. Only I can call her Elliott." I stated, admittedly allowing my protective side to get the best of me.

"Oh, and are you two dating, or something?" Robert faked offense as he put his hand on his heart.

"No, I'm pretty sure she's dating Julian. After all, he can't stop talking about her." Mario rolled his eyes slightly.

"That's actually why we came to talk to you, Elliott." Robert turned to face her. I watched Elliott push her hair out of her eyes; she swallowed and looked down at her lap.

"I don't think she wants to talk." I stated, growing annoyed by the three guys I considered my friends. "Besides, don't you three have a class to get to?"

"And don't you?" Marco rolled his eyes but stood up nevertheless, knowing that the last thing he wanted was to get into an argument. Especially with someone like me; I had crazy anger issues and everyone on campus knew that i loved a good fight.