CONTRADICTED STARS || L. PARTRIDGE [1 | EDITING]

O8. Retaliation

EVERY HEADS, more than one could count, turned to her with their eyes nictitating. Cabrera immediately regretted her action, yet she was here — there was no turning back. All eyes were staring and their memories had already saved what happened for gossip later. She really fucked up everything for herself, hasn't she?

"Pardon? To be frank, I'm Tewkesbury." He answered. Laughters were heard. Is this really a professional university?

Y/N laughed slightly, finding humour in the joke, but not for long when she retaliated, "Right. The bothersomeshire. You say you care about your education?"

"Yes, I very much do."

"What about the people around you? Do you care about their education?" Cabrera questioned with the same amount of disrespect the sly statements of earlier possessed. That didn't go unnoticed by Louis. The other students were puzzled by the interaction, but it was entertaining enough to watch.

"Of course, I do." He replied with a chuckle emitting from his mouth. His eyes searched the crowd for someone to step in, but no. He had gotten himself in this situation, and he was the one who needed to get himself out of it.

"Actions, not words, Partridge. You as an actor should know that." She shook her head in dramatic disappointment as she tsked repeatedly, shifting in her seat. "Everyone was given a short time to introduce themselves, you're taking someone else's opportunity for academic recognition. Moreover, I don't think using someone in the web of your omission to get an advantage with your introduction will get you anywhere."

"I was simply doing my introduction."

"Using my name and recounting events that worked out in your favour with your own narration."

"I was not. I was setting you as an example, you and I for being great social diplomats."

"Then why is everyone laughing? Your comedic sense? I find that extremely hard to believe. These pairs of eyeballs set on me right now aren't all flattering."

"Or they just find our friendship entertaining."

"What's entertaining, Partridge, is when I get there and tear you up limb by limb in front of everyone, but because I'm still waiting for you to fill my cup, you're lucky. I dialled God to send me a full industrial sized box of patience today. So good to soak up all that holy hallelujah in this ninth circle of hell. Otherwise, you wouldn't be standing there unscathed." Cabrera remarked, putting an emphasis to his last name.

"I'm sorry, but I'm just wondering why you're so mad about this? Literally everything I do is a burden to you. Quite suspicious, don't you think?"

"What's suspicious is what you do. I wouldn't tell you in front of everyone, because unlike you, I still have the decency to keep events to myself and marvel at privacy before all is lost." He looked threatened as he should be. Louis was a tough nut to crack and there he was, speechless.