Chapter XXI

"I said, 'this time I've had enough.' And you've called a hundred times, but I'm not picking up."

…

He got back into the house, and as people were already starting to leave, Edmund was easily spotted by Peter.

"Can you handle these people?" he asked Peter. "I want to leave."

"What happened?" his brother frowned.

"Claire happened."

"She was here?"

"Well obviously," Edmund rolled his eyes.

"I take it things are still not settled?" he asked carefully.

"Aren't you a genius, Peter? Brilliant, really," he walked past some people making his way to the stairs.

Lucy saw him and followed Peter, asking what was wrong.

Edmund stopped. "Just, please, Peter," he pleaded. "You hosted enough parties. You can handle this."

"Wait," Lucy called. "You hosted parties too!"

"No," Edmund said while climbing the stairs. "I escaped them."

…

Liam sighed. "Must you?"

"Yes!" Claire all but shouted. "And am I or am I not completely right?"

"Red light," he muttered. "Red light!"

She passed right through it, not even listening.

"God," Liam said. "It's just my luck that your careless driving didn't get me killed."

"Right," Claire remembered. "It'd be awful to die on the same day you have a girlfriend, wouldn't it? You lover boy."

"Teasing sister really doesn't suit you."

"Hey," she faked offense. "Uncalled for."

"You do realize," Liam began after a while. "That you lost your temper completely?"

"Why are you on his side?" Claire asked really offended this time.

"Lucy thinks he's really set on making peace with you."

"You believe her because she's got you wrapped around her finger."

"Hey," he raised his hands in surrender. "Uncalled for."

"Sorry."

"Being rude doesn't suit you any more than being a teaser, Claire."

"I know. I'm more the –"

"Stubborn type."

"Hey."

"It was called for. One of you has to apologize first."

"I did! But he treated me badly. I won't stand rudeness."

"And yet you were rude to him. Why does he have to stand your rudeness since apparently you can't stand his or anyone else's?"

"I…" She paused to think. "I really tried my best at that cafe, Liam."

"But when he tried to apologize today, you wouldn't let him."

She absorbed his words. She really hadn't let him finish his sentence. She demanded a grand apology, when she herself hadn't apologized properly in the first place. In fact, her exact words were, "I came here to apologize." She never got to express just how sorry she was.

"When did you get so smart, William?" she wondered out loud.

"Very funny."

…

"Hey there," Susan entered the bedroom. "Everyone has left."

Edmund had his nose on a law book. "Good."

"I asked the others, and they said you weren't feeling well. Care to tell me what happened?"

"I wasn't feeling well, Sherlock."

"Edmund." He looked at her tiredly and shrugged. Susan could always tell when he was making up excuses and when he was really bothered by something.

He put the book down. Susan was the only one he could tell all the details to. She was gentle.

"That bitch!" She exclaimed with her eyes wide after her brother finished telling the tale.

"Susan," he said horrified. "You can't –"

"Whatever," she shrugged him off. "If she doesn't come looking for you on Monday – "

"We don't share any classes on Monday."

"I don't care, and neither will she if she's really looking for you."

"You make it sound as if she'll stalk me," he smiled slightly.

"Don't doubt it," she warned, freaking Edmund out. "Seriously. Monday, or she's done for." She then left him to his thoughts with a pat on his knee.

…

"Excuse me," Claire poked his shoulder. Even though she hated both Liam and her conscience for making her do this, they were right. She had to stop being proud. And stubborn. And wuick-tempered.

One thing at a time, she breathed.

He turned and saw her standing behind him on the line to get lunch. Edmund raised his eyebrows. That meant Susan was right, but was that a good thing?

"Look," she started. "I need to apologize for my manners. On Saturday, on that Friday when we went for coffee, and on that ball. Can you forgive me?" She raised her eyes to him expectantly.

"…Wow."

Claire blinked. "What?"

"I never heard so many apologies in one sentence in my life," he picked up a tray.

The girl rolled her eyes and got one as well. "Is it that hard to say 'I forgive you', even if it's just to get me a good night's sleep?"

"You haven't slept because of me?" He gave her a small smile as he got his food. "How lovely."

Was Edmund… flirting with her? Claire's thoughts were scrambled. He wasn't supposed to do that, and she most certainly was not supposed to like it. She blamed it on her forgotten ego. Really, am I that desperate for male attention that I'll start to take a liking to Edmund's flirting? She scolded herself. Of course she wouldn't.

She got her food as well and they approached the counter.

"I'll forgive you," he said suddenly. "If you agree to forgive me."

She looked at him strangely.

"I'm sorry too, okay? Just don't tell anyone I said that. It goes again my image."

"I forgive you," she smiled at his words. Edmund couldn't look away – she looked beautiful when she smiled. She really had to do it more often. "Then I forgive you too," he answered.

"Next," the lady in the counter called.

"Edmund," Claire said. "It's your turn."

"Oh, right," he snapped his eyes to the woman and approached the counter.

After paying for his lunch, he nodded at Claire since he held the tray with both hands. The girl chuckled and waved, since hers was supported by the food counter.

When she reached the lady to pay for her meal, the woman shook her head.

"The gentleman has already paid for yours, miss," she said in a bored tone.

Claire's eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. She looked in Edmund's direction and he winked at her.

The nerve!