The Bachelor - H.S.

Chapter 16

It's finally here! Sorry for the wait, but I hope you enjoy! Don't forget to vote and comment, I love to hear from you guys xx

L

***

The house is nearly empty when I wake next. As I will my eyes to open I find that my room is deserted, as it always seems to be. After closer inspection of the clock on the wall I find that it's nearly noon. It's not like I got back late last night, but I hardly have the energy to function right now- just thinking of all the events that transpired last night gives me a headache.

Eventually, I rise and slip into the shower. All I can manage to do is stand under the stream of water motionlessly, letting the hot droplets run down my face and body without so much as raising an arm. I exit after 5 minutes, still too shocked to be of any use at carrying out a task as a normal human.

I slowly slip into a fresh set of pyjamas and wander out aimlessly into the living room. I spy 3 girls chatting in the kitchen on my way, but don't stop to join them. As I sit down upon the plush brown coach within the room, I hear footsteps, then someone has joined me.

I slowly tilt my head up and find Astrid sitting in an armchair across from me on the opposite side of the room. She does not look to me and instead stares down at a large book settled in her lap. She speaks, but does not make eye contact.

"Have a good night?" She asks and I can hardly believe what I'm hearing. Astrid and I have never made conversation- not since I found out that she lied to Harry and undermined me. Even sitting inches from each other in a limo, we never so much as spare each other a glance. I know exactly what she is trying to do.

"Yeah, great." I respond, attempting to keep my tone even and miserably failing. The sarcasm in my voice is clear, but all I see is a small quirk displayed across Astrid's lips. She's definitely come to mock me- but how could she? There's no way she could have known that I was going to see Harry last night, let alone know that I'd been hidden in his closet while she confessed her love for him... or could she? I can't possibly think of a way she might have found out, but she's Astrid, after all. I can never be entirely sure of her innocence.

If she does know about me being in Harry's room last night, what else does she know? I attempt to force the unsettling thought from my mind as she begins to speak once more.

"Just stayed in?" Astrid questions again. She still does not bother to look up from her book and grant me the great privilege of eye contact.

"Yep." I retort, glancing away and pretending to look out the window- anything is better than having to see her face. I make no action to keep the conversation alive, but Astrid doesn't seem to be having it.

"I had a good night, too, by the way." She tells me against my will, a fond look crossing her expression. My hand grips the pillow to my left roughly as I try to calm myself- it's hard to resist lunging over and placing a swift slap to her smug face.

"Just stayed in?" I can't resist asking Astrid, my tone as fake as ever. She must at least know that I know she was with Harry last night- why else would she be here taunting me? Astrid does not respond. She does not lie and say she had a great time staying in last night- in fact, she makes no attempt to conceal the truth whatsoever. She only smirks, chuckles to herself, and continues to read her book. I can't take anymore of this.

I stand without another word and stalk out of the room. I don't care if she knows she's got the best of me. It's true- she has. There's no convincing myself otherwise. The hurt inflicted upon me by Harry is still so clear in my mind that I'm in no reasonable state to deal with a smug, bitchy Astrid.