Sweet as a Strawberry

40 ~ Sour as a Byronic Hero

Chapter 40: Sour as a Byronic Hero

"What the hell are you doing?" 

Lottie blinked at me, perplexed. "What do you mean?" 

I raised my eyebrows. "You've been looking over your shoulder for the past hour. What's the problem?" 

She shrugged and looked at her feet. I sighed. You'd think that by now she'd know to tell me when she was bothered. 

"Tell me, Lottie," I pressed, nudging her shoulder. Lottie just smiled sweetly at me and patted my hand, but didn't respond. "Come on, what's wrong?"

"Girl problems, Ben," she said quietly. I opened my mouth to speak then snapped it shut. Oh. 

After a minute of awkwardness, I spoke. "Do you...do you need anything?"

She shook her head while grinning. "Not at all. Thank you." 

"You sure? Alright, then should we get back to your place?" I asked, steering her back to my car. I wanted to show her the cake I had made before the day was over. 

"Okay!" she exclaimed, grabbing my hand and skipping over. I rolled my eyes, but still smiled when she wasn't looking. 

By the time we got back, the sun was close to setting, but there was still enough light to look around. It had begun to sprinkle a while back, but was not much compared to a regular winter's day in England. It was almost like it was summer, and the Earth was smiling down on Lottie's birthday. How fuckin' cheesy am I?

I was just about to herd her inside before she got soaked when something stopped me.

"Charlie, babe, there you are!" a loud, obnoxious voice yelled. Lottie and I turned around and saw a man staggering down the sidewalk to Lottie's house. She squinted, and when the man got closer, she jumped and half hid behind me. 

"Who are you?" I asked rudely, moving my hand back to cover Lottie. "Go inside, sweetheart," I said to her.

"I'm her boyfriend. My name is Rick, how are you?" 

I heard Lottie take in a sharp breath of air, and she stepped around my arms and stared at him. "Rick who?" she asked. 

"Rick Bienvenue, I'm hurt you don't remember. We have been together since we were sixteen, after all," he simpered, touching his chest. I hated the shifty way he looked at her, and I reached out to pull Lottie closer to me, and then I comprehended their words. 

I cocked my head, confused. Who the fuck was this guy? "Lottie?" I asked, expecting her to deny what that guy was saying. It was bogus, lies. I knew it was.

She blinked those huge eyes at me, wide with shock and a hint of fear. She didn't respond. She just stared, as if she was realising something.