Chapter 141

I did manage to get to sleep eventually last night. Surprisingly, I managed to push the thoughts about Conor to the back of my head for a while. I did result in counting sheep, not gonna lie.

I crawl out of bed and go straight to the loo in the en-suit that I don’t think I’ll ever get used to. Hell, I thought I’d been abducted when I first woke up in this palace. It took me a while to register that I was just in Conor’s house... I don’t know which one sounds worse to be honest.

After doing my business, I slump out of the bedroom, only to go flying into what feels like a rock. I stumble back and fortunately for me, the rock actually has hands which reach out and grab me, to prevent me from falling flat on my ass.

“It’s alive then” Conor smirks. He’s the rock...

I quickly let go of his hand and pull down my shorts slightly, paranoid that he can see more than he’s bargained for. I also do the same to my top.

“Let me guess, you were up all night thinking about me?” he smirks even wider.

I roll my eyes, “You wish”

He chuckles, “You do realise it’s already two in the afternoon”

I frown in confusion so he stretches his arm out and shows me his watch.

“It’s your fault for taking me out on midnight runs around the block” I huff. To be fair, that car was calling my name ever since I laid eyes on it. It wasn’t exactly Conor’s fault that I was up so late last night but, he doesn’t need to know that.

“Well if you ask me, I think you were expecting more than just a ‘midnight run around the block’, and I’m not talking about the FroYo we bought” he winks. I scrunch up my nose and shake my head.

“I’m really surprised your head hasn’t exploded yet, Conor”

“It’s a good job, too. So many people would be heartbroken” he pouts, holding his heart. “You being one of them”

“Shut up, Conor” I sigh, moving around him so I can walk away. I’m too tired for this.

This might be his idea of ‘banter’ at the moment but he’s actually really starting to piss me off. His big headedness was cute two years ago when I was in love with the guy but now it’s just freaking annoying. Especially how he’s not known me for so long and he already knows I’m falling for him.

Well, he thinks I’m falling for him...

Right?

“Help yourself to the kitchen” he calls after me. I don’t even bother to turn back around and roll my eyes at him or thank him or anything. Instead, I just frown to myself and storm down the ginormous stairs, thinking back to yesterday when he gave us a tour of the house so I can find the kitchen.

He better have Pot Noodles in or I swear I’ll steal his damn Lamborghini myself and take a short ride to the shop for one. When a girl has cravings, every wish is her command. This rich kid has got to have Pot Noodles in.

-

“Lucy, pass us the salt” Eleanor nods at the salt beside me. I take hold of it and lean over the table to pass it her. “Cheers”

We’re currently sat in Nandos, eating our own body weight in greasy chicken. Conor insisted on paying for us all so we kind of made the most of it.

I’m snapped out of my thoughts about greasy chicken when Matt lets out a giant, long lasting burp which was probably heard from outside the restaurant. Lauren’s face drops as the restaurant goes a lot quieter, and it’s actually me that beaks the silence by bursting out into uncontrollable fits of laughter.

“Matt, that’s disgusting!” Lauren cringes, covering her nose and mouth with her hands.

“Dad, what the hell?” Eleanor frowns. She has some nerve. She lets out more gas than a freaking gas tap in the science lab.

I wipe away my tears of laughter as the audience seem to turn back to their tables and talk amongst themselves.

“God, that was so funny” I breathe, glancing around the table at all the different expressions everyone’s giving Matt.

Mum’s just like Lauren and is covering her mouth and nose with her hands, Dad’s high fiving Matt, Eleanor’s looking at her Dad in embarrassment, Anna’s laughing along with me, Angela’s chuckling to herself, Jack isn’t even aware of his surroundings and is still devouring his chicken, and Conor... He’s just smirking at me, clearly amused that I found Matt’s burp so funny.

He shakes his head in amusement before returning to the few bits of chicken he has left on his plate.

I turn back to Matt who’s rubbing his hands together with a wide smile on his face, asking around for who wants pudding. He’s practically rejected by everyone because they’re too full.

“Lucy?” he pleads.

“I don’t think I can, Matt. Sorry” I shake my head, barely able to move from the amount of food I’m stuffed inside me. Conor better have a gym back home because I don’t think I’ll be able to work my bikini for the pool tomorrow at this rate.

I’m feeling really hot and clammy to be honest.

“I’m gonna go outside for a second. I’m absolutely boiling” I breathe, standing up from the table. I manage to walk out of the tight restaurant and sit on a bench outside. The fact this country’s boiling hot (even at 8pm) doesn’t help with my problem at all. I never thought I’d say this but I’m really missing English weather right now.

I take my phone out of my pocket to see if I have any messages, and to my surprise and relief, I actually finally have a text from Nick.

From - Nick: are you coming over?

Well, it’s not some romantic heart throb of a text that will make me want to jump on a flight back to Manchester right now to see him, but it’s Nick... I’m lucky I even got a text from him after what happened. This is the best I’m going to get from him.

To - Nick: i’m back in Brighton to see my family remember? I’m sorry :(( xxx

There’s no way I’m telling him I’m at Conor’s house in America. Yikes, that wouldn’t go down well.

From - Nick: yeah whatever, I’ll see you when I see you x

I know what you’re thinking, Mum and Eleanor are going to kill me for even replying to the asshole, but when I go back to the UK, I know I’ll want him back. I guess we both use each other in the relationship. He uses me for... you know... and I use him for confidence really.

I’m definitely not going to tell Eleanor and my Mum about this. I think I’d rather slam my tongue in a car door. It would be less painful...

I decide not to reply to his last text because this is probably adding to my phone bill massively already because I’m abroad, and I’ve only sent one text. O2’s a bloody rip off.

But hey, Nick put a kiss! At least I’m not entirely in his bad books right now.

“Hey”

I’m snapped out of my thoughts by Conor who slumps himself down beside me on the bench.

“Hey” I nod.

“What you doing out here?”

“Trying to get some space” I raise an eyebrow teasingly, turning to face him.

“What are you implying, Stratford?” he scoffs.

He used my surname, oh my lord.

“Well, there’s a certain Maynard that doesn’t understand the term ‘personal space’” I throw back.

Hey, I’m pretty proud of that one...

He chuckles, “You know that texting abroad costs a bit more than your monthly contract”

I frown in confusion, “You read my text?”

“No” he shakes his head. “Just saw you on your phone”

“Yeah well a bit more money on your contract bill wouldn’t be a problem to you, would it?” I raise an eyebrow. Rich kid.

He just shrugs, choosing to ignore me. Okay then...

“Nick texted me” I decide to tell him. I don’t even know what made me decide that.

“Oh yeah? What did he say?” he frowns.

“Just asked me to come over to his” I shrug, making Conor scoff. “What?” I snap.

“He was calling you a slag and everything and all he has to do to get you two on the ‘right track’ of things is ask you to come over?” he shakes his head slightly, glaring at some ice cream parlour across the road.

“You don’t know anything about our relationship” I sigh, slouching in my seat. I’ll be mad if he starts having an opinion on our relationship. Fair enough if it was Jack or Eleanor that spoke to me this way because they’ve actually kept in contact with me for all these years.

“I learnt a hell of a lot in the short time I was at your apartment”

“No, Conor. You don’t know anything. Why do you think that you can just make judgements on my relationship when you haven’t even bothered to contact me for two years?” I snap, launching myself up from the bench and storming back inside the restaurant.

I wasn’t getting much space out there anyway.

-

“He’s always been an asshole. You should know that more than anyone” Eleanor shrugs, taking another bite out of her chocolate Santa. I don’t even know how she got that in the middle of summer. I’m guessing Conor bought it her though. She hates him a lot less than she usually does recently.

“I guess” I nod. Conor’s not an asshole. Well, he is sometimes but I know he’s secretly a good person. He just pissed me off a lot because of what he said outside Nando’s. “How are you even eating after the huge meal we’ve just had?”

“Lucy, that was three hours ago. I have the munchies now” Eleanor groans. How that girl eats more than an elephant and still manages to put on no weight, I’ll never know. “But I’ve got to keep my bikini body up so I’ll stop”

I laugh as she wraps up her chocolate Santa and rubs her belly.

“We only have like, five more days of this and then we go back home so just enjoy it whilst you can. You won’t have an opportunity like this again” she gives me a sympathetic look. “I can’t believe after all these years, he’s invited us here. The asshole’s alright, you know?”

“I thought you hated him” I practically gasp.

“He’s tolerated” she shrugs. I shake my head in amusement. “He might’ve won me over by inviting me here and letting me raid all his cupboards and stuff. I feel like I’m at a five star, all inclusive holiday”

“With Conor Maynard” I decide to remind her. She’s definitely been brainwashed.

“Yeah well I sort of ship you two together no matter how much of a prick he is. Jack and I have this theory that this whole thing is fate bringing you two together” she shrugs, licking the melted chocolate off her fingers. “Well, me more than Jack”

“No way” I shake my head. I’m slightly amused at how much she used to hate him, but once he pays for her luxuries, she’s actually saying that she ‘ships’ us. Yeah, she approves of him because he’s rich.

“Whatever. I’m going to bed now. All that eating’s tired me out” she sighs, pulling herself up from my bed and prodding out of the room.

“Night” I chuckle.

“Night” she smiles, closing the door behind her. Well I’m nowhere near tired so I’ll probably roam the house to see who’s still up. Jack wouldn’t go to sleep at 11pm, right?

As I’m getting out of bed, three knocks are thrown at my door.

“Room service” he jokes as he swings open my bedroom door and walks towards me. And no, I’m afraid it’s not Jack. It’s his irritating brother that I happen to not stop thinking about.

“What do you want?” I sigh, falling back onto my bed.

“We need to talk” he shrugs, sitting down next to me.

“I’m not in the mood, Conor”

“Do you want to go for a walk?” he asks, checking his watch.

“I just said, I’m not in the mood” I frown. As much as I’d kill to go for a nice walk around the area, there’s no way I’m going to do it with Conor.

“Come on, I need to speak to you. I’ll buy you candy floss” he bribes. For god’s sake...

“Okay, fine” I nod. “But no longer than an hour”

Half of me’s interested in what he ‘needs’ to speak to me about, and the other half just wants to have the candyfloss and see what the city’s like in ‘slow motion’, not driving at about 80mph in a Lamborghini.

“Deal” he holds out his hand for me to shake. I frown and show him my pinky. He raises his eyebrow before giving me a smirk and linking his pinky with mine. “Pinky promises are legit”

“You know it” I nod, smiling widely as I jump off my bed and begin to put my shoes on.

He chuckles, “Let’s go”

I follow him out of the house and down his driveway until his stops and turns to me.

“Where do you want to go?” he frowns, shoving his hands in his pockets and raising an eyebrow at me.

I shrug, “Where’s your favourite place to go here?”

“Well I’ve not found any hills that overlook LA yet” he teases, making me chuckle. “But I guess we could walk to the city centre. There are some pretty cool buildings there” he shrugs. “If it’s too far, we can just walk around. There are some café’s around-“

“Conor” I snap him out of his rambling, smirking slightly in amusement. “We’ll go to a café” I shrug.

“Yeah, sure” he nods. “Let’s go”

We start to walk down the small path that leads us out of his house and into the outskirts of the city. I only know this because Conor briefly explained it to me on our ride around town last night.

“So what did you want to talk to me about?” I sigh. Might as well get this over and done with.

“Lucy, chill out. I thought we could talk about more positive things rather than rushing into stuff” he smirks. I just raise an eyebrow, making him chuckle.

“Cut the crap, Conor. You just want to take me somewhere far so I can’t run away from you when you annoy or upset me” I roll my eyes, reading him like a book. He knows how bad I am with finding my way around places.

“What makes you think that?” he frowns in confusion.

“Well you’re not telling me what you wanted to talk about yet”

“No” he shakes his head. “I mean, what makes you think I’m going to upset or annoy you?”

I just shrug, choosing not to reply because I’ll probably say the wrong thing. I’d say something along the lines of ‘you always upset or annoy me’ which would piss him off so much.

“Can you just talk to me?” I sigh. I’m sick of waiting now.

“I care about you, you know?” he frowns, stopping in his tracks to look at me.

I just stay silent and let him finish talking because I’m honestly lost for words. The fact he’s told me he cares about me has made me speechless, so god help me for what he’s about to say next. I brace myself for his next sentence.

“The whole thing about Nick... I-I know I fucked up and left you for two years but I just care. I don’t know” he stutters. “I didn’t mean to piss you off earlier. It just frustrated me how you were happy that the dickhead texted you” he grinds his teeth together.

“I’m dealing with it, Conor” I manage to say. I don’t even know why I said that because I’m not dealing with anything at the moment.

“You deserve so much better. You’re funny, smart, absolutely stunning and so many guys would be fucking lucky to have you. You shouldn’t lower your standards to that twat” he says in disgust.

Okay, I think I’m about to faint. Why does he only have to say these things to make me fall for him really hard?

“Thank you” I force a smile, still slightly stunned that he complimented me so much, and they had such a great affect on me.

“You don’t need him” Conor frowns, shaking his head slightly and moving a piece of stray hair out of my face.

My breathing pattern becomes uneven and I think I’ve forgotten how to speak freaking English. I’m going to choose to stay quiet.

“You don’t need a guy to make you happy. You’re better than that” he mutters, and I actually find myself leaning in closer and closer to him to the point where our lips are brushing together. Before anything else can happen, he takes a step back making me snap out of my thoughts. “Sorry” he shakes his head.

“What’s up?” I frown, slightly annoyed he moved away from me.

“You have a boyfriend” he reminds me. I clear my throat and nod slightly.

I should thank Conor for making me realise that I don’t even need Nick in my life, but I can’t. There’s a reason why he’s just done what he did and it’s actually pissed me off.

I groan, “Why do you do that?”

“Do what?” he frowns in confusion.

“You say all these things, invite me on holiday with you, convince me that I don’t need Nick in my life anymore and practically persuade me out of my relationship-“

“Because I care about you” he interrupts me.

“You’re doing it again!” I gasp. “You say and do all the right things which make me fall for you, but when I make a move, you push me away. Why?”

“You have a boyfriend” he shrugs. “I’m not making you cheat on him. You should know what that feels like”

“Since when have you cared about Nick’s feelings? Chances are, I’ll be breaking up with him anyway because everyone I know wants me out of this relationship”

I sound like such a bitch. I’m willing to kiss Conor right now even though I’m still in a relationship. I don’t care how horrible Nick can be at times, I’m still in a relationship with him and I shouldn’t betray him like that.

“You’re still with him. Doesn’t matter how much of an ass he is, you need to let him know it’s over before you move on” Conor tells me, sighing in boredom.

I’m glad he’s changed for the better and everything and against cheating now but... Why aren’t I happy about this?

I continue to stare at him in complete shock. He’s just practically lead me on and now he’s pushing me away like he doesn’t even want me anymore. Maybe he’s just trying to get Nick and I to break up for his own benefit...

Well he can think again. If anything, this little chat’s made me want to stay with Nick. Why should I break up with him just because freaking Conor’s told me to?

“Stuff the walk, I’m going back” I sigh, turning on my heel and walking back to the house.

I’m glad we’re close to his because I don’t think I could deal with having to wait for him to walk me back. That would’ve been awkward and very annoying.