Be Rude but Love Me | ✔

CHAPTER 25

I tear my eyes away from Yann and imagine he just didn't say that. It's not going to change anything, it's not going to change the way I feel about him. I realize then that today is one of his bad days, when he doesn't believe in what I do.

I'm still on the couch when Lucy looks up at me, undeniably in search of tears on my face but I don't give her this pleasure. She grimaces in annoyance and gets up from her seat on the floor. "Trying to be strong." She mutters under her breath before grasping a sandwich. "She did cry for The Fault In Our Stars," Lucy announces to everyone and leaves the room.

I watch her leave as I glare holes into her back.

"Hey, Tracy," Ellie calls to me as Bea Miller's Brand New Eyes starts playing with the scrolling cast. "What was that quote you used last time to define TFIOS?"

"Oh, yeah," I answer after a moment when I remember, "it was um... death is a tyrant that spares none."

"Yes, that one. I don't –"

She's cut off by a curt voice. "It's, love is a tyrant that spares none."

I turn my head to find Yann frowning at me. He's still sitting at the very same spot on his chair. His opened legs support his hunched torso as he leans his elbows on his knees. His facial features are expressing stark disgust as if my words were sacrilegious.

"I do know the actual quote. It's by Pierre Corneille from –"

I'm rudely caught off, but this time, by a lightly surprised voice coming from Yann. "Le Cid."

For a few seconds, no coherent thought can form in my head. I am surprised – to say the least – that he of all people likes French literature. The thought makes me happy. Maybe I am simply happy for nothing, maybe Yann doesn't even read French literature that much.

But the moment the thought crosses my mind, I am proved wrong.

"Tracy loves French literature," Lucy declares as she reappears in the room, always eavesdropping. I stare at the tonguey little thing, irritated. But she speaks again before I can, "You like it too?" She questions Yann.

He gives her a brief look before his eyes settle on me. "I love it."

And before I can say anything, Lucy pipes in, "Thank you everyone for coming," she beams at each and every one of the boys, "now I'm going to bed." And she runs up the stairs.

"You haven't showered yet!" I scream at the top of my lungs but only the slam of the bedroom door answers me.

Ellie chuckles and shakes her head. Just then, James gets up and helps Ellie clean the mess we've made. I see Will drag Yann apart so I go help the lovebirds before me. We dump the trash in a can and put the dirty dishes in the sink. "Tomorrow," Ellie says dismissively with a wave of her hand towards the dirty plates.

When the three of us get back to the living room, Will and Yann are done talking. Will walks to us and kissing Ellie and me on the cheeks, thanks us for the movie night. James does the same, only he gives a lasting and longing look in Ellie's direction. Behind him, I see Will rolling his eyes and I wonder what his deal is. As James leaves with a bye, he makes sure to stay as far away from Yann as possible as the latter shoots daggers at him. I still wonder what it is that James said that created such an animosity between the two of them.

Will walks past Yann and pats him on the back, "Come on, buddy, let's go."

Ellie walks to Yann and kisses him on the cheek. She murmurs something in his ears and while she does, I see his eyebrows shoot up as his eyes fall on me. I frown at that, wondering what Ellie just told him.