Problems in Paradise

Chapter Four

‘That doesn’t surprise me,’ Oscar said, looking more animated. ‘Does she have interesting things to say at the moment?’ he asked, curiously.

Laurel shook her head. ‘Not really. There was a cute guy interested in her at uni who she liked, but it didn’t work out for some reason.’

She noticed a crease between Oscar’s brow as she said this, and frowned herself. ‘Really?’ he asked. ‘Do you know why it didn’t work out?’

Laurel shrugged. ‘He was giving out mixed signals, or something, I don’t know. He wasn’t exactly making her feel like he really wanted to be with her, if that makes sense to you.’

Oscar looked adorably bemused. ‘Not really, no.’

‘He continually changed his mind,’ Laurel said. ‘It sounds like he was a bit awkward. He wanted to be with her, I think, but she’s so beautiful and amazing and everything that I think it threw him off and he chickened out.’

‘You mean he thought he didn’t have a chance with her?’

‘Sounds like that to me,’ Laurel replied.

Oscar looked thoughtful, and Laurel’s heart clenched. Could it be that Oscar was developing serious feelings for Morgie? She knew there was physical attraction, that much was clear- it seemed like every boy in the world had at least some attraction towards Morgie- but she’d always figured that that was just part of Oscar and Morgie’s friendship: flirtation, a bit of kissing, but friendship. Firmly friendship.

What if it became more? Laurel didn’t know if she’d be able to bear it. But she had to know.

‘Oscar, er, do you… are you jealous?’ she asked, managing to make a mess of it as usual. She cursed herself for even saying it.

‘Jealous?!’ repeated Oscar. ‘Of what?’

‘The cute guy Morgie was interested in,’ she clarified, wishing she hadn’t said it.

Oscar smiled. ‘Of course not,’ he said. ‘We’re friends. She’s free to like whoever she wants to.’

Despite the smile and light tone, Laurel wasn’t convinced. She smiled back, however, trying not to show it. ‘Ah okay,’ she said. ‘Just wondering.’

Then, she looked back at the water, rather than at the face of the gorgeously unattainable boy beside her, and wished she was confident enough to make him hers.

*

‘That was seriously messy, Ez,’ Will said to his friend, as they wandered in to the hotel.

Ezra didn’t say anything. He’d agreed to go and get a drink with Will when he’d come over and suggested it after the Scene with April, but was now regretting it. He preferred silence and just being alone when something like that had happened, not an immediate analysis of the entire situation.

‘What were you arguing about?’ Will probed.

Ezra resisted the urge to snap at his friend, and just sighed. ‘Look, Will, I don’t really want to talk about it. I just… I don’t know. It was just crap, that’s all.’

‘Okay.’ Sensing his point was moot, Will led Ezra to the bar, and, ordering a few cocktails for them all, he looked at Ezra half way through.

‘Should we get anything for Morgie?’ he asked his friend.

Ezra shrugged. ‘I dunno, man.’

Will considered it, then ordered her one. ‘Might help me win that bet,’ he said, as the bar man got to work.