Her // a Billy Andrews love story //

Chapter 5.

Ada's POV~

It was an outer body experience. That's what I'd decided. Watching Billy struggle his way through simple maths was like watching a man without legs try to walk. I felt bad for him but also hated him at the same time. It was... strange. 

Anyway, since my little play with Billy, and Josie's punishment, I decided I best stay away from Billy since shocking him into being a better person wasn't going to work. Therefore I had to coax him out gently and hopefully that would work. Although, I had to confess, what I did was too quick. I was bored and let my boredom get the better of me. I couldn't go straight out of nowhere, I had to go slower. Treat him like a baby deer who was scared and learning how to walk for the first time.

Josie's glare could be felt burning holes into the back of my head, but I ignored it and kept my gaze on Billy, who had been obviously ignoring me for the past few days. I wouldn't mind as much, but Richard had been telling me he had been talking about me behind my back to the other guys. Now that made me suspicious and determined my entire day. I had planned to ask the boys about it, but not Billy so he thinks he still has the upper hand. However, Rich didn't seem to want to help me, since he hadn't told me anything about it to tease me, so I teased him back with tales of Prissy. He shut up then. 

As Mr Phillips drew the lesson to a close, I walked over to the boy's side and asked the first boy I saw; Gilbert. He turned to me with a friendly smile and looked me up and down curiously as I was dressed in my signature scarlet red dress.

"Hey, I was just wondering if you could help me." I asked, seeming innocent enough.

"Oh yeah? With what?" He replied with a smirk, grabbing his books.

"Billy. He's been talking about me, I know he has."

"Now, you gave him quite a fright, I'm sure your brother will tell you-" Gilbert tried to leave, but I grabbed his elbow to stop him and let go quickly, not wanting to give him the wrong idea or get Mr Philips to tell me off for being 'unladylike'.

"-Please, Gilbert?"

"Okay," he said in a hushed voice, leaning in, "he's been ranting about you. Anything you do, he finds fault with. Just leave him alone, you've really shaken him up y'know." Taking a deep breath, I nodded in understanding.

"So he hates me. Great." Back to square one.

"Well, I wouldn't say that. Every conversation he turns it into what you did today or what you said. . ." Gilbert smirked even wider and walked off, but I didn't attempt to stop him this time.

I had a whole bundle of thoughts then, what would happen now? I couldn't catch feelings or let him catch any feelings from me, that would ruin the plan. Or improve it. . .No. London, why did we have to leave London. That's what I had to remind myself, no feelings could be involved with any of it. However, this did change things. Not that I believed Gilbert about the whole 'he might like you' thing, but Billy seemed to talking about me a lot and I didn't like that.

"Ada! Come one, we can go!" Richard's voice called and I fell out of my trance. Hurriedly grabbing my things and getting ready to go, I narrowed my eyes at Richie with a knowing smile. He had a lot of explaining to do.

~

"Then Billy went on about you in lunch, again. I swear you've cast a spell on him like a little witch!" Richard yelled dramatically, laughing loudly as they walk up the steps to their front door. 

"I bet I haven't, he just hates me because I embarrassed him in front of his friends. That's all." I excused, walking into the warm house with a gentle shiver in appreciation for the warmth.