Chapter 8.

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        The lecture about the ancient Roman emperor Nero was completely lost on me; it was as if the volume of Ms Clark's voice had slowly drained away to mute as my brain was rattled with questions that could only be answered by my boyfriend - could I call him that? - who was hugely evasive to discuss whatever it is that was bothering him, or Noah, who seemed to be relucantly loyal to the cause. 

Imogen was scratching down notes on scrumpled pieces of paper that were unsecurely fastened together by a crooked paperclip, she never was one for organising her things which was more than likely the reason she liked to steal my notes every time an essay emerged. I looked down at my blank notebook and sank down in my seat, my spine aching from sitting in the same position for too long. My phone quietly buzzed on my thigh as a text was received, and I plucked it from my pocket to see five small words lit up on my screen.

        Want to talk. Smoke shelter. 

Lachlan was always an abrupt when he text people but I knew in my gut that the conversation he wanted to initiate would not begin nor end well. I silently wondered what Zach would think if he knew that I was going to meet Lachlan. I could easily guess.

It was mere minutes after the text when Ms Clark signalled the end of the lecture and I made my excuses to Imogen before I made my way to the meeting place. The walk was around five minutes from the building my lecture was held in, and I spotted the familiar couple of bricks that stuck out from the low campus wall as it met with the sloped grass bank. A regular flow of students took to climbing over that particular part of the wall so much that they had managed to dislodge part of the wall which made it easier to ascend over and down on to the other side.

Our meeting place - 'the smoke shelter' - was actually just an old bus stop hidden on the other side of campus that no local buses drove past on their route anymore, so it became overgrown by ivy and shadowed by a willow tree that hung over one side. In its desolation, It became a well known spot for students to smoke near the campus but without technically breaking the rules and thus was nicknamed the smoke shelter by smokers and non-smokers alike. 

When I landed on the other side, Lachlan was leaning against the wall looking down at his knees, twirling a cigarette around his fingers and his other thumb flicking against his Rolling Stones zippo lighter. I stared down at my Dr Martens as I trode over and stood in front of him. It was quiet for a moment before he spoke up as he lit the end of his cigarette and placed it between his lips. 

         "Lockie." he acknowledged, exhaling a wispy trail of smoke. 

"Hello." I said awkwardly. 

"Or should I say Lou?" he laughed quietly. "I don't know which you prefer."

"Lockie is fine." I forced out with a strained smile. 

"You never liked that nickname." he raised a brow, rolling his eyes as he combed a hand through his unkempt dark curls. I shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably. "I won't call you Lou anyway, it doesn't suit you."

"Why not?" I found myself asking. 

"It sounds like a wee girl's name. Not a grown woman, you know?" he tapped some of his cigarette ash on to the ground before sipping at the filter. 

"And Lockie is something a grown woman should be called, is it?" I retorted sourly, feeling the need to defend the name I had held for the majority of my life, even if I had left it behind. 

"No,"  he shrugged simply but his voice was full of truth. "I like calling you Lockie because no one else does."

He took one last big draw before crushing the cigarette beneath his foot and breathing out a big cloud of smoke. I was unsure how to respond and rocked on my heels until he began to chuckle under his breath. Lachlan stepped towards me until he was close enough so I could smell the bittersweet scent of smoke and peppermint blowing softly down to me as he breathed. Green eyes peered into mine, a determined look etched into his features.

        "I don't like him." he told me seriously as he pushed another cigarette behind his ear. "You two may have history but I have the present. I'm in love with the person you are now, Lockie. Not the sixteen year old girl who had to come all the way down here to get away from your issues and drink herself half to death. If he can say the same, then maybe he is worth all the trouble he's put you through, but if not, then he's in love with a person who no longer exists." 

My lips moved to speak but he placed his finger over them and smiled. "I'm not going to mention this subject again until you choose me. Everything will go back to how it was; I won't make any moves on you, I won't follow you around like a love sick puppy and I won't cause trouble. This conversation never happened as far as everyone else is concerned, okay, Lockie?"

He let his hand fall to his side and I answered timidly. "Okay."

"I believe your sugar daddy will probably be parked around the other side of campus." he mocked playfully as he turned his back on me before I could respond, glancing over his shoulder cheekily as he began to walk away. "Don't keep him waiting, he might think we're having an affair."

The silver car was parked up as I expected and as I got closer I could hear Joan Jett blasting from the open window with muffled wails. I rushed over, wholeheartedly expecting to see a murder scene before I saw that the source of the wailing was none other than Noah heaped in the back of the car as Zach bellowed with laughter mercilessly. 

As soon as he realised I was there he hastily reduced the volume and I got into the car wearing a disapproving look on my face. 

        "Thank God you're back." Noah exclaimed, attempting to sit up before holding his head in pain.

"What's going on?" I narrowed my eyes at Zach.

He gave me a sheepish grin. "I just thought I'd play some music to get his mind off the headache." 

"He's the spawn of Satan." Noah insisted.

"I can't believe you two are almost thirty." I said dryly and they both winced. 

"Don't remind me." Zach grumbled as he leaned over to kiss me on the cheek, but just as his lips touched my skin, he pulled away and frowned. "Have you been smoking?"

"What? No." I scoffed, but my instant defense was already futile. 

He knew I was lying. 

______________________________________________

Hello guys! It's been TOO long!

I'm aware that this chapter was a little bit of a filler, but I have to allow time for the story to progress naturally. It's also very short, and I apologise for the short update after having you wait for so long, but I hope you liked it anyhow. 

So, Zach is a secret alcoholic and Lou has met Lachlan in secret: Do you think this is the beginning of the end for the honesty between the couple? Or will they both come clean before it's too late? What do you think? 

Thanks so much for supporting me. 

- R x

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