English Accent (The Accents #1)

Make it lighter

"Can I ask you a question?" I asked Borah, sitting across from me.

We were spending our lunch break in a little bistro near the campus. Sierra wasn't with us, taking care of some project and I finally had a chance to talk to Borah alone.

"Sure." She replied, taking out pickles from her sandwich. "Unless it's about quantum physics or Ezra's sex life, I'll answer."

"I don't know a thing about quantum physics, and I don't want to know a thing about Ezra's sex life." I replied honestly.

"Then go for it." She said, eying the slices of cucumber with disgust.

I took a deep breath and asked the question I've been wanting to ask for some time.

"How well do you know Dominic?"

Borah paused and her hands holding the sandwich froze halfway to her mouth. Putting the sandwich glare, she laced her fingers in front of her and looked at me.

"If you're asking if I've had sex with him, then no, he's all yours."

I scrunched up my nose. This is not how I expected this conversation to go.

"I didn't want to know that, but thank you for telling me." I replied evenly.

She grinned and I pressed my lips into a line, wondering how to put into words what I wanted to say.

"I mean, I knew you knew him long before I came here." I tried.

Borah nodded.

"Yeah, we went to one high school. When he became friends with Ezra, I was kind of forced to spend with them more time than I wished."

"So you would know some things other wouldn't, right?"

She furrowed her brows.

"Depends on what you would like to know."

I took a deep breath.

"Are there-" I paused, biting my lip. "Is there any possibility that there is something he might be hiding from me?"

Borah's eyes widened a moment before she turned them away.

"I don't really know. I think you should ask Max, though, he's the closest friend Dom has ever -"

"There is" I cut in, sensing her lie.

She swallowed.

"There is something, isn't it?" I pushed, seeing her insecurity. "And you know what it is."

Borah's face screamed guilty, like a child's caught on stealing cookies from a jar.

"Abi, I don't think I -"

"Please." I stopped her, already knowing what she was about to say. "I know something is wrong. He can think I'm blind, but I can see it. And since he doesn't want to tell me, I have to know somehow."

She sent me a pitiful look. I must have looked really miserable, because her face fell and she gave up.

"Listen." She reached across the table and took my hand in hers. "I know you worry about him. I know that you want to help. But I don't think asking someone else is a good way to go."

"If it's the only way to go, then it has to be the good one."

She shook her head.

"No. It really isn't." Her other hand joined mine on the table. "Yes, I know Dom. And yes, I know some things others don't. But I also know that he wouldn't be happy if I was the one who told you. If anyone apart from him was the one to tell you."