Thursday wasn't a good day either. The best they could do was give each other a quick look as they passed in the corridor or across the room in the classes they were in.

By lunchtime, Rob decided to take action. He planted himself on the bench near the exit door closest to the tree Becky usually sat under with her friends.

Becky saw him sitting with his elbows on his knees fiddling with his fingers. She sucked in a breath as he looked up. What to do? Trin was walking beside her. Did she make out she still hated him or let him make the moves. As they drew near, Rob stood up.

"Hi, Rob." Trin skipped forward and tickled his chin. "Can't talk. Gotta tuck into my sandwich. I'm so... hungry today." She darted through the exit before Becky had a chance to say anything.

Rob laughed as he watched Trin go. He looked back to see Becky's confused face. "Hello."

"Hello." Becky frowned. "What was that all about?"

"I'd say it's Trin's way of giving us some space." Rob chuckled again.

"Why would she do that? Normally she's all over you." Becky peered at him. "Did you say something to her?"

Before Rob had a chance to answer, Hunter Jones walked towards them. "What? Are you taking another number, Jarvis?"

Becky turned on him. "You shut your mouth, Hunter! That's not funny!"

"Yeah... well tell him to fuck off because I've got number one." Hunter wrapped his arm around Becky's shoulder, curled up his lip and stood with his hand on his hip.

"There are no fucking numbers, Hunter, so shut your mouth or I'll shut it for you." Seeing Hunter touch Becky infuriated Rob. He stepped forward.

Becky moved out from under Hunter's arm and stood between them. "This is bullshit." She put a hand on each of their chests. "No fighting."

"He's disrespecting you, Becky, and I won't let him do that." Rob took her by the wrist and pulled her behind him.

Becky pushed between them again. "I can take care of this myself. I don't need your help." She turned to Hunter and shoved him hard on the chest. "Fuck off, Hunter. You're being an arsehole!"

"Fuck you, Becky!" Hunter lifted his hand.

Rob grabbed his wrist. "Don't even think about it, Jones." He stepped forward and gave Hunter a jolt. "What sort of guy are you? You speak about someone like that and expect to get away with it, and then think you're gonna hit her because she stands up for herself. You're fucked. If you ever do it again it'll be me who deals with you and it won't be a push. I can promise you that. Now fuck off!"

Hunter lunged. "I wasn't gonna hit her!" He pushed Rob in the chest. "You fuck off. Becky's with me. We've been getting it on well before you ever came on the scene."

"Does she know that?" Rob regained his footing and stepped forward again. "If you really liked her there is no way you'd talk to her the way you do."

They butted chests. "She knows I like her. We've hooked up often enough for her to know it."

"So you talk about her like she's a whore and she likes that does she?" Rob advanced again causing Hunter to stumble backwards.

He righted himself, and then butted up against Rob in return. "It's only because you're trying to snake your way in. I'm defending what's mine."

"And that's how you do it? Treat her like shit?"

"Stop! Both of you stop!" Becky squeezed between them and pushed with all her might to get them apart.

Rob looked down at her, breathing hard. Did she have something serious going on with Hunter, and he didn't know about it? Is that why she didn't want people to know about them? "Is that true, Becky? Have you got something going on with this cockhead?"

"Watch your mouth!" Hunter made to step forward again but Becky pushed him back.

Rob looked at him, and then back at Becky. He was so angry. Was she playing him? "You need to get this shit sorted." He stormed off leaving her standing there.

What the hell? Becky couldn't believe what had just happened. She watched Rob go, and then turned to Hunter. "He's right. I need to get things sorted with you, Hunter. We hooked up a couple of times but we've never been a thing. How could you say that? You've only ever been interested in getting blown and you speak about me like I'm a whore." Becky poked him in the chest. "I. Don't. Like. It." She let out a heavy sigh. "Why would you say that to him? That you and I are a thing. You know we're not. Never have been."

Hunter smirked. "It got him going though didn't it? The look on the cunt's face. Gotta love it. He thinks he's hot shit at everything. Why should he think he can hook up with you too?" Hunter swung his arm over Becky's shoulder again. "You should be thanking me. I did you a favour getting him off your back."

"You didn't do me any favours." Becky pushed Hunter's arm away. "For your information I think he's a nice guy. He's been helping my brother. Training him and encouraging him. Building his confidence. I don't see any of my best buddies putting in any of their time helping someone who needs help. And as far as him thinking he's hot shit at everything that's because he is and you're just jealous." She jabbed him again. "So you fuck off, Hunter. You do that shit again and I'll kick you in the balls next time." Becky stepped backwards and added, "We don't have a thing and now I'm going to tell Rob exactly that."

"Ah... fuck off, Becky. You're a tease. Jarvis will find that out soon enough, cause he only wants what every other guy wants." Hunter turned his nose up and gave her the finger as he stormed off.

Becky huffed. She gulped back the lump in her throat and set out to find Rob.

He was sitting with the hockey guys, Shauna, Tess and Lizzy but he didn't look happy. How to approach this so it wasn't awkward? Becky sucked in a breath and strode toward the table. She grabbed his arm before he knew she was there and used her bitchy voice. "You and I need to talk." They all looked up at her dumbfounded but Becky kept her eyes on Rob. "Now!" She swirled away and moved around the building out of sight hoping the others saw her as they always had.

Rob watched her stride away. It reminded him of the first day he had meet her. He grinned, looked around the table at the others and shrugged. "Better go see what she wants." Rob took his time. He was still angry. When he stepped around the building, Becky was in the alcove.

She glared at him, stepped forward, and jabbed him in the chest. "I. Do. Not. Have. A. Thing. With. Hunter. Jones."

"Ow... fuck, Becky. That hurts." He moved backwards and took hold of her wrist.

Becky pulled it out of his grasp and stepped out of his reach. "I might be a slut but I'm not that kind of slut. I do not have two guys on the go at the same time and just so you know, Hunter did that to piss you off. He knows very well that he and I do not have a thing. He's jealous because you're good at everything and he's not. You made me so mad thinking I couldn't stand up for myself and if you think you're going to act like an ape to impress me you've got another thing coming and if you want this to work then you have to learn to trust me and if you..."

Rob kissed her. He put his arm around her waist and carried her further into the alcove. "I get it. I'm sorry." He smiled and flipped her bottom lip.

"Don't think your cutesy smile is going to get you off that easy." Becky bit her lip trying not to smile. "You always do that to deflect situations you don't like."

"Do I now?" He grinned again and went in for another kiss. She stopped him.

"Yes. And your eyes mimic your mouth." Becky flipped his bottom lip. "They work together to get a girl all flustered so you can stop her from telling you where to go."

"So where do you want to tell me to go?"

Becky sucked in a breath. He was doing it now. Smiling and talking with his eyes. Sending her a challenge. She pushed his arms away. "I'd like to tell you to go fuck yourself if you ever think I'm fooling around with someone else when I'm kinda fooling around with you."

The bell rang. Becky stepped around him. "I'll see you tomorrow, Rob Jarvis."

Rob grabbed her hand. "You're not going to the café after school?"

"I gotta work today. I'm on the four to eight shift." She grinned as he tugged her closer.

"Just so you know," he murmured. "If you were a slut I'm glad you're not that kind of slut." Rob kissed her, and then whispered, "Because you're my kind of slut."

Copyright © 2017 by Donna Fieldhouse. All rights reserved.

This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This book is a work of fiction. Some places are real. All characters and incidents are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.

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