Acting on Instinct

Betrayal

Joe could feel his heart flipping in his chest as they set down the podium back in the lecture hall, Dianne scurrying away as quickly as humanly possible leaving him standing awkwardly scratching the back of his neck and wondering what the hell had just happened.

He'd snapped - and immediately regretted it once the words were out of his mouth. But she had pushed him - confronted one of the areas he was most self conscious about - and forced his hand. He was used to always having the upper hand, but she'd been fearless and intense...and she'd backed him into a corner. It was a position he wasn't used to.

At least, that's what he told himself, anger still simmering underneath the surface as he watched her slide her high heels back on out of the corner of his eye. Though she had poked the bear, there was still a part of him that was completely entranced by her big brown eyes...

"Joe?" Zoe's concerned voice broke through to his thoughts. "Are you alright?"

Joe shook his head before recovering and nodding, "Yup. Fine."

"Okay," Zoe responded suspiciously. "Sure..."

"Room looks good," Joe cleared his throat, taking a moment to look around the space where Zoe would be speaking. Dianne, prior to their weird hallway confrontation, had worked magic to transform a cold lecture hall into a cozy meeting space that seemed to fit the Zoella brand.

"It's great, right?" Zoe replied excitedly, "I don't know where Dianne pulled those flowers from, but it almost looks like my office. She nailed the Zoella aesthetic."

Joe nodded, his eyes flitting over the big vases of flowers on either side of a high backed chair.

"Those were all Alfie," Dianne interjected from across the room as she wiped dust off her blouse. "He has a key to the greenhouse across campus...I just arranged them."

Alfie shrugged, his cheeks tinted pink, "Just thought they'd match your brand..."

Joe smirked at the obvious thing happening between his sister and the grad assistant, unintentionally meeting Dianne's eye as she did the same thing. Both their eyes widened and dropped to the floor.

"You two are being weird," Zoe announced, pointing at both Joe and Dianne.

"Yeah, what happened in the lounge?" Alfie joined in the teasing, clearly happy for the attention to be off of him and his blush.

"Nothing," Joe and Dianne replied in unison as Joe cleared his throat and Dianne simultaneously rolled her eyes.

"Right," Zoe deadpanned. "Anyway, I don't want to use the podium, I think this chair is perfect Alfie. Much more...intimate."

Joe's eyes widened yet again as he watched his sister shamelessly flirt with a grad assistant she'd met a week ago.

"I think that's a good choice," Alfie replied, his eyes locked on Zoe, and a slight smile on his lips.

Joe shot Dianne a triumphant look - see, Zoe didn't need him to make decisions - but noticed she had her head tilted over her phone, nibbling nervously on her thumbnail.

"Alright, we're all set here," Alfie finally broke his gaze from Zoe. "Zoe, do you and Joe want to grab a quick dinner at the cafe around the corner before 7pm?"

"Sure!" Zoe chirped, before Joe had a chance to answer. "And Dianne, too right?"

"Oh, I think she has dinner plans with her boyfriend," Alfie answered casually, though his words felt like a stab directly to Joe's heart, and he wasn't sure why. He hadn't forgotten about the disheveled man he'd seen her leave with the week prior - but the reminder still didn't feel good. Though - he had to admit - even if she was single, he'd never have a chance with her. He had muffed that up quite nicely and she very clearly hated his guts.