✧༺♥༻∞ Chapter Five ∞༺♥༻✧

The background noises that growled through her ears were echos now. All she could concentrate on was how embarrassed she felt. Demi pushed her head backwards and looked up to the restaurant's patterned ceiling. It was full of textured white swirls. She'd started to count how many there were just to change her path of thought but before she could stop herself, she'd drawn her eyes away and climbed to her feet. She wasn't going to sat there and wallow in embarrassment just because a man had caught her by surprise.

"Please excuse me," she said to her sister and Caleb, grinding her teeth together. Walking with her shoulders pushed back and a small black handbag in her hand, Demi was ready to stop being an embarrassment and start being a woman.

She waited until William had finished with his colleague before pushing up behind him. The blonde opened her mouth about to speak when her words decided to halt. They wouldn't come out. Not a single word. What did she even come over here to say? Why did she make this move?

"Here to explain why I had to pay for your theft?" William spoke in his usual authoritative tone. His body was still turned away from Demi, but apparently he was smart enough to recognise the sound of her girly footsteps.

"What?" the blonde questioned in disbelief with a small shake of her head.

William swung around swiftly on his feet. His eyes wandered over her figure, just like they had in the pub. Only, this time he wasn't drunk nor was he checking her out. There had been somebody familiar about her and he was trying to find out what it was. "The key cards," he responded; his eyes halting on hers.

She lifted her shoulders into a shrug and plastered that innocent smile onto her lips. "Are you telling me girls don't always take something home to remember their night with you? Maybe nobody's enjoyed it before," she teased.

Will narrowed his eyes. "I've never done that before."

"You've never had sex before?"

"I've never got with a stranger. I mean, you could be anyone. Literally anybody. And actually-" His words trailed off and his eyes looked to the ground. "Never mind." He was about to tell her how he felt like he knew her from somewhere, but instead he stopped himself.

"In case you were wondering, I didn't know you worked here."

"Probably because I don't work here. I just came in to check on the staff." They both lived in the centre of Brighton, it wasn't a huge surprise that they'd ended up in the same place again.

"So I had no way of knowing you'd be here."

William chuckle. "Are you trying to convince me or yourself?"

That question made Demi's mind spin. Why was she trying to convince him? Probably just an awkward moment; something that was unlike her. But then, she had left him in a hotel room whilst she ran back home.

As William looked up again, she accidentally caught his gaze. She tried to tug her eyes away but it seemed they wanted a longer linger. He wasn't looking away either.

Eventually, he said, "You can go back to your table now. The pink's finally gone from your cheeks. I need to get back to work." He was so arrogant. The way that he stared at her like he didn't know whether to smile or scowl. He knew he was better than anybody else yet there was a warmth deep inside his blue eyes. That warmth was all that had made Demi trust him. His eyes weren't blue like the ocean, they were blue like a perfectly heated, indoor swimming pool. And she was drowning in them.

"I'm sorry for wasting your time, Will. I hope we won't run into each other again."

"Likewise."

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Demi spent that afternoon back at Ewelina's, reading through the diary that she'd carried out of hospital with her. Her finger traced below the words, slowly recalling the emotions she'd felt behind those clean, white wall. She could almost hear the constant chatter of the other patients around them. They were so loud and they never went away. Sometime she'd thought she'd rather shove her head in a freezer than listen to more stupid words coming out of their mouths.

A single tear drop dripped down onto the paper. She was glad to be out but now she had to rebuild her whole life. She would have to find a job - which wasn't easy with a background like hers. Maybe she'd go freelance in something, or perhaps she'd audition for some dance gigs. Then she'd have to find some place to live long term, and Brighton wasn't the cheapest of places.

The blonde spread her legs out on the floor, feeling them rub against the fluffy, purple mat in Ewelina's housemate's room. There had been nothing that comforting in the hospital. The sheets were scratchy and the pillows flat. Then there was the food that wasn't even worth thinking about. The thought alone about it made Demi feel ill.

Eventually, spending time in her own head got too much and she decided to go out for a walk. Taking her dress off carefully, she replaced it with a blue and white tracksuit that she'd borrowed from one of Ewelina's housemates. She hadn't washed her waves out from the night before, so she pushed up her blonde hair into a messy ponytail.

The beach had always been one of Demi's favourite places. Brighton wasn't the best because it was often busy, the more secluded ones that seemed to go on for miles were the best. Still, Brighton would do for now.

The sun was beaming bright and Demi couldn't help but feel like a tracksuit was the wrong choice, even if it was one made for the summer. Thin, comfortable fabric.

She took her Sketchers off and walked with them dangling from her fingers. There was nothing like feeling the sand beneath her toes on a warm Summer's day. Demi adored looking out into the distance and watching the waves. She'd walk close and then run back from them before they ran over her feet. When they did, it was cold, but the more she did it the warmer it got. The more enjoyable it felt. Then before long she was drifting dreamily along the shoreline, feet soaked in the water, without a care in the world.

Until...

"OUCH," the blonde yelled suddenly. "Fucking jellyfish!" It was the UK, there was rarely a harmful one in sight and this case was no different. Even so, it didn't halt her scream. Most of the beach had probably heard her.

Demi could hear feet behind her, rushing to help as she fell to the floor in an over-dramatic spell of shock. The sun was gleaming into her eyes so it took a few seconds for her to take note of who it was until he spoke.

It was that same arrogant, well-spoken voice again. She rolled her eyes before even seeing him.

William said, "Not you again." He knelt down to her level with a sigh. He gave her the kind of look you'd give your dog if they kept jumping on the couch. "Stop stalking me."

"I was out here for a gentle stroll, then I got attacked by a jellyfish and now you."

Will inspected the jellyfish for a second before extending his arm to help pull the woman back to her feet. "It's just moon jellyfish. It won't hurt you. You're being a drama queen."

"Its purple rings made it look deadly," she commented in a bitchy tone, not impressed by his reaction.

"Do you not have a job you need to get to instead of following me around everywhere?"

"Don't flatter yourself. No, I don't have a job. A-Anymore." She let out an exasperated sigh before pushing her lips together and passing the man a glare. He'd tease her even more now he knew she was jobless and she wasn't about to tell him why.

It was just a second later that Adam was forced to leap into the air to catch a frisbee that had been heading in their direction. It would have hit Demi if  he hadn't been paying attention. She hadn't been paying any, after all. She'd just been staring at him in annoyance.

Adam swung through the air, catching the plastic toy in his left hand. As he curved down to the ground, his arm stretched out and accidentally swung Demi down with him. Unimpressed and yelling, she fell down on top of him.

The blonde opened her eyes slowly to look down at him; her chest on his. It was even more embarrassing with her tracksuit on, especially when he was bare chested with some white shorts.

Their state's awkwardly collided for a moment or two. "You look better without all the make up," William commented. She knew he was lying though, she scrubbed up well. Unless, sporty-looking-natural-girl was his kind of thing. It was possible but unlikely.

"Was that a compliment or an insult?" Demi questioned sharply, highering her head so it wasn't so close to his. The thought of feeling his breath on her skin again made her want to run away.

"Are you sure we've never met before?"

"We met last night when we screwed and then today at lunch when I tried to hide under a table. I think that gave me a bruise, by the way. I might sue."

"I mean... are you sure we never before yesterday?"

Demi shrugged and got up off of the man, brushing her tracksuit down with her hands. Sand got everywhere, even when she was wearing so many clothes. She couldn't help but imagine where it might have got when it came to him, since he wasn't wearing a lot.

Had they met? She couldn't focus back on her memories far enough to know. Surely he'd remember meeting somebody as unique as her and surely she'd remember meeting somebody so obnoxiously annoying as him.

"I don't know what it is. I just feel like I recognise you."

"Maybe you're the creepy stalker instead of me. Plot twist," Demi sang.

"Never mind. Do you think you can get yourself home after your traumatic jelly fish experience?"

"The traumatic part was when you purposely pulled me on top of you."

Adam shifted from one foot to the other. "You know I didn't do that on purpose."

"Sure. Who wouldn't want a hot, naturally-beautiful girl who looks better without makeup, falling down on them?" Demi wasn't going to let him live his earlier words down. Her eyes widened; her hand moving to her hip.

"We know you like climbing on top of me, you can't even deny that one."

"Seriously? Go and play with your posh pals, Wills."

"Wills? You make me sound like a prince."

"You act like you think you're one." There was part of her that wanted more. The banter made her insides both furious and excited like she wanted to push him away at the same time as pull him in for a kiss. His charm, or, lack of it was something she'd never found in somebody before and he could certainly keep her on her toes. But no, he was an idiot and she'd promised herself not to run into relationships so soon after leaving the hospital.

"One step at a time," Demi mumbled to herself, kicking at the sand with her feet as she walked off.

She knew what she needed to do to keep herself well.

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Author's Notes:
Demi's been getting odd vibes over William and William recognises her from his past. Have they met before? Find out in the next chapter!

Interactive Question:
Have you ever dated someone who's annoying?