Exception

"Why does he irritate me so much?"

• Inara •

The next two days were nothing but... romantic pretence
Every time we parted from each other, he would kiss me, touch me.
It made me... shut down with nerves
Because I liked it

I liked it when he kissed me
And then he would ignore me. Be blunt with me.
Barely speak during lunch.
It was confusing
He drove me home and to school each day

And Tommy didn't dare speak to me whenever I was with him
He was like a real possessive boyfriend
And yet a stranger at the same time.

So when Saturday came... I was a nervous wreck
Because I had to go to this party with Kane
And socialise
It was different when we had gotten ice cream, it was just us and I felt like he... opened up a little
But a party? With everyone else around

I had no clue what I would get out of him.

"Are you trying to kill him?" Ivy laughed
"I'm not dressing up for him, I... I thought it looked nice" I said, looking in the mirror
"Yeah it's nice... it'll be nice in his back seat too" she commented
"Shut up" I said, but all she did was laugh more

• Inara's Outfit •

"Ivy" I said after a while
"Yeah" she said absentmindedly
"What do you know about Kane? I... no one else seems to know much about him" I said

"I don't know anything, he never gives me any quotes for the paper, he'll never agree to a photograph after the game and he barely speaks to anyone except Koen" she said
"Oh" I said, sitting down so she could sort my hair

"Why?" She asked
"Just Tommy... calling him a... a druggy orphan" I said, thinking back
What does he mean?
Kane's a top player. He never misses a practice and he performs well in every game
He wasn't on drugs.

My phone then buzzed, pulling me out of my own head

Kane
- Outside. Hurry up

Charming
"He's here" I said, prompting her to move quicker as she put my hair up.

• Kane •

It's strange
Last week I didn't have to worry about people talking to me
Other than the idiots that could never take a hint
Now... now I was waiting outside a girl's house for her
To take her to a fucking party with me.

"Hey, turn that frown upside down, tonight will be fun" Ivy said cheerily, as she got in the back
"Fuck sake" I said, starting the car
Inara got in, looking...
"Hey" she smiled

"Hi" I said, turning my eyes to the road
Let's get this over with.
I glanced over at her as I drove...

•

Ivy disappeared as soon as we got in the house
"Don't get drunk" I said simply, walking with Inara
"It's not an actual relationship, I'm not your babysitter" I warned
"I'm not going to get drunk" she assured, trying to keep up with me

I sighed, grabbing her hand and leading her through the crowd.
To the kitchen, where we found Koen chatting up a girl
"Hey, I wondered when you'd get here" he smiled, immediately abandoning his pursuit

"Let me get you a drink, Inara baby, what you after?" He asked
"Uh... vodka, please" she said
I looked at her, before dropping my hand from hers
I hadn't realised I was still holding it.

"I won't get drunk" she said defensively as Koen handed her a glass
"Good" I said
"What do you want to do then?" She asked
"You can do what you want, long as you're not getting off with anyone" I said, moving to get myself a drink

"Okay" she said simply, and when I turned back to them, she was gone.
"There was no need for that" Koen said
"For what?" I asked, downing my drink
"Being a dick" he clarified
I rolled my eyes

"I'm right, I'm not her babysitter, I'm not her boyfriend, I don't owe her anything" I said
"But you want to" he said
"No. I don't" I denied

• Inara •

I wandered around the house, trying to find Ivy
Coming up short.
"Hey, Inara, I didn't think you'd make it" Mallory chimed
I looked her way, she was stood with her friend Dea
Both looking at me like I didn't belong here

"Mallory, hi" I said
"Come alone?" She asked, looking around me
"No, I came with Kane" I said
"Oh yeah... Kane, I meant to ask you about that, how did you pull that one off?" She asked

"I'm sorry?" I asked
"Kane, how did you do that?" She asked
"He likes me" I offered
She scoffed
"He doesn't like anything. Or anyone" Dea said
"Then I guess I'm an exception" I said

"Or a distraction" Dea said, looking me over with an expression I couldn't pinpoint
"Everything alright ladies?" Tommy grinned as he appeared, kissing Mallory
"Just fine" I said, leaving them to it
Pricks.

"That's her" a girl said as I walked past
So I slowed myself
"Really? Her?" The other girl asked
"Yeah, unbelievable isn't it?" She asked

"Not completely, I guess she's pretty but... when has he ever had a girlfriend?" The other asked
Great. The whole point of fake dating was to get people off our backs
Yet it seems all it's done is cause me more grief.

I headed back to the kitchen
I can't find Ivy anywhere
But when I got back, there was only Koen, chatting up the same girl from before until he saw me
"Inara, you alright?" He asked
"Yeah, where's Kane?" I asked, looking around

"Outside I think, he was talking to Luke" he said
I nodded, looking out of the window
And I saw Kane. As well as two girls
The two girls who were talking about me before

"I think he needs a drink, don't you?" Koen asked beside me, raising a brow
He's right. I should go out there
Make myself known
"Yeah, what does he like?" I asked

He chuckled
"You" he said
"To drink" I said, he wasn't funny

• Kane •

Please just fucking leave me alone.
"I just think if you give me the chance, I can make you love a dance" the girl laughed
"Hey baby" Inara spoke up behind me, before she handed me a drink
"You looked thirsty" she said, hand curling round my arm

"Thanks" I said, putting my arm around her waist
She smiled, leaning up to kiss me quickly before she turned and smiled to the girls
"Sorry to interrupt you, I'll see you in a sec yeah?" She asked
I nodded

Before she strolled off
"So you two, you're serious then?" The girl asked
"Deadly" I said, watching her as she left
"I didn't think you were really into anyone here" the other girl asked
"I wasn't. Until her" I said.

•

"Little depressing aren't you? Sitting out here alone?" I asked
Inara turned her head my way, sat on a swing as she slowly rocked herself back and forth
"Better than being in there" she said, facing away again

"What was that all about?" I asked
"What?" She asked
"Kissing me" I said, pushing her
She squealed, grabbing onto the ropes as I pushed her again

"We're a couple, aren't I supposed to kiss you?" She asked uneasily, her back to me
"Fair enough" I said
"Are you... busy tomorrow?" She asked
"Busy? What for?" I asked

I wasn't going to another fucking party
"Thought maybe we could hang out again" she suggested
"Why?" I asked
"We still don't really know each other" she laughed

"We should talk about simple things" she said
"Like what?" I asked
Why did she want to talk to me at all?

"Favourite things, favourite colours, stuff like that" she said
I said nothing.

"Can I ask you a question?" She asked
"What?" I asked
"Why are you doing this? What is it you hate about Tommy?" She asked

I stopped pushing her
Trying to think.

"He's too confident, when all he does is piss people off and hurt them" I tried to explain
"And what? You suddenly care about how hurt I am?" She asked calmly, standing up to face me
"It's not about you" I said

"Then what's it about?" She pushed, stepping closer as she looked up at me for an answer

"Let's go" I said simply
"Go?" She asked
"Yeah, seems we're both sick of the place. Let's leave" I said, waiting for her to follow

•

The drive to her house was silent
As she lay her head against the window, nearly asleep
"Petal" I said
She didn't respond
"Inara" I said louder, waking her up.

"Shit, sorry" she mumbled, opening the door
I got out too, walking her to the door
To make sure she didn't fall over if not anything else
"Thank you, for driving me home" she said, opening her front door

"It's fine" I brushed off, ready to leave
But she grasped my arm, looking up at me with those fucking eyes
Those innocent ones that fooled you into thinking she was safe.

That she could be trusted
"I mean it, thank you" she said
It was sincerity
Honesty.

And as I stared into her eyes further, as she smiled up at me, still holding my arm, I felt... important
To her.

And like a fucking idiot, I leaned down and kissed her
And like a fucking idiot. I got nothing back
She just stood there, surprised

I pulled away, pulling my arm out of her grip as I quickly made my way back to my car
She didn't want to kiss me
Why did I even want to kiss her?
Fuck.

• Inara •

Why wasn't my body moving?
He was kissing me
Without an audience
Without any pretence.

But as my thoughts caught up to me, he had moved
He was walking down the path
"Kane" I said, but he ignored me.

"Kane" I tried again, following him
"I have to go" he said coldly, opening his door
"I'm sorry, I-"
"I'll see you Monday" he said simply, shutting his door, shutting me out

Monday?
"But what about... tomorrow?" I mumbled as he drove off.
I'm such an idiot.

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