Icarus Reincarnate || The Secret History

four

I look at him oddly. "What are three days going to do?"

"I have a doctor out there, he'll get rid of the blisters for free. He owes me." I decide not to ask how a doctor could possibly owe a college student anything.

"This sounds unreliable."

Francis rolls his eyes. "The same thing happened to me when I was eight. He just sucking in the fluid so you don't risk popping the blisters early and scarring. This way we can lay the bandages smoothly and it won't be noticeable under your clothes. Look, when is your next class?" I explain that I have no Friday classes and he says it would be better if we leave promptly.

I grab some things from my room but fail to notice Henry's watchful eyes see me get into Francis' car.

I was surprised by how good of a weekend I had with Francis. I spent a lot of time making use of his library, but we made our meals together and talked a lot about life.

We're sitting quietly by a fire, reading our respective books when I finally talk about something I wanted to get off of my chest.

"It's been a while since I've been here." I say. Francis looks a bit grim and the oncoming conversation. "I was really scared, you know."

"I could tell. You kept sending reassuring smiles to Richard but we could all see you shaking."

I frown. "I'm not very good at poker faces, never was."

"That night, did I really-- do that to everyone." Francis clears his throat and closes his book.

"No, not everyone. It was just Richard and Bunny. But we were there."

"We did make out some, but I was just intrigued. I don't exactly go for women." This doesn't surprise me. Bunny makes it clear who Francis prefers.

"Who was the first? Kiss I mean."

"Richard." I smile sadly. "Well at least it was Richard."

"For a long time Henry thought you were going to report us." I look at the fire. "I thought I was going to too for a while. But I didn't know enough details. Tell me, was Bunny honestly sober." Francis begins to look uneasy.

"This conversation doesn't leave the countryside?" I stick a pinky out. It's shaking.

His eyes twinkle at the gesture it and he partakes in the juvenile promise before continuing. "Henry was the only one of us sober. You two were blackout drunk but Bunny and I were coked out." My breath catches in my throat.

Cocaine? They do cocaine? This shouldn't shock me but it does. "Francis. You- why?" He shakes his head. "We're not going to stop so forget about that."

"How did I not know?" He sits up straight. "We're corrupting you. I know it, Richard knows it, everyone knows it. But quite frankly we're getting sick of each other. You have a lot of light. Things make you happy that we don't even care for. It's a nice change. We may hide some things from you, but trust me. It's things you don't need to know. You wouldn't realize it either but Bunny is a hundred times more tolerable since you came around. Henry won't let that go so easily." I suddenly feel like this group is trapping me in. Have they always been watching me this closely? Crafting situations so I'd only take in what they want me to? A thought crosses my mind.

"Wait Henry was sober, but he watched? Wasn't be involved?" Francis answers. "Yes and no. He wanted to make sure no one actually had sex with you so he only watched. I'm sure it's because he was quite sure you're a virgin and should that have happened you could have sued for rape. Whether you won or not it would be bad publicity for the Greek studies, which Julian is the head of."

"That's pretty cold of him." I say but cold doesn't even begin to describe what that was. Sick feels more accurate.

"Henry is always like that. Oddly enough, he only ever cracks around you and Camilla." I grimace.

"I was in over my head when I came to that study party." Francis agrees. I peer up at him.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Francis sighs. "I'm probably worried about you. I don't worry for people much so I'm sure that's what it is. Just watch your back. I keep seeing people take advantage of you and you let them without a fight."

"Like who, Richard?"

"All of us, even me. Not a lot of nice people come around often." He reaches over and cups my chin and plants a deep kiss on my mouth. Not like my kisses with Camilla. I pull away with eyes wide and breathing deeply. "Why did you-"

"And we take as we see fit." He gets up and takes his book back to their library.

---