When Fleur sees Josh again, it's three days later. She scurries up to him in the school corridor, where he stops to open his locker.

'Josh,' Fleur says, reaching out and touching his arm. He turns his head to her, and she sees his face. 'Hey,' she says softly.

'Hey,' he says. He doesn't hug her.

She swallows, and then steps into him, wrapping her arms tightly around his middle, her forehead nuzzled into his chest. He winces.

'Are you okay?'

He doesn't answer His arms snake around and hold her close. They stand in the corridor, suspended in the moment as the world whirrs by, just for a moment. Fleur takes a step back, Josh drops his gaze, his hands in his pockets.

'Is this why I haven't been hearing for you?' Her fingers trace the bruise on his jaw.

Josh runs a hand through his hair and sighs. 'It's been a stressful time. Finals next week. My dad being... himself.'

'You can always come to me. To my house, I mean. Study there. My parents won't mind.'

'Thanks,' his eyes drop and he closes his locker. 'Gotta get to class.'

'Wait,' her hand reaches out, touches his arm. 'Are we okay?'

Josh turns slowly, keeps his eyes down. 'Yeah,' and then he's walking away.

-

The coffee shop is bustling with life. But at this table, the air changes quality, it chills. There is a heavy silence over the small area, like a vacuum. Fleur is fiddling with her coffee cup. She's only had a sip. Josh downs his coffee quickly and then allows his eyes to settle on the mug, the crease between his eyebrows are deep.

Fleur fiddles a bit more. 'I don't understand what's going on,' she says.

Josh sighs but doesn't look away from the mug. A quiet settles around them, thick and heavy, it's consistency changing time, making it feel stickier, thicker.

'Have you ever met your dad?' Josh says.

'What do you mean?'

'Your birth dad.' Josh's eyes are still on the mug, contemplating something.

'No. You already know that.' Fleur says.

He sighs. 'My dad seems to think it's him.'

'It's who?'

'My dad.'

'I don't understand...' Fleur says, her voice a whisper.

Josh leans back, his dark eyes finally falling onto Fleur. He sighs again, the deep furrow remaining between his eyebrows. 'My dad thinks he's your dad.'

Fleur swallows. 'Your dad isn't a very reliable source of information.'

'He says he knows your mom, Fleur. Says he knows her, like that. Like they were involved. At the same time as he was with my mom.' His voice comes out harsh, grating.

'Your dad never liked me.'

Josh scoffs. His dark eyes move around the room, shoulders flat. Fleur can feel her heartbeat shattering her chest. It can't be, surely it can't be, she thinks.

'Josh, maybe we should just ask my mom about this. She will tell me the truth. She would have by now.'

Josh stands. 'I should go.' He digs into his pockets and pulls out a cash note, dropping it onto the table.

'Josh, wait. What does this mean for us?'

'I think we both know what it means.' His eyes glitter with moisture. 'We can't-' he swallows. 'We can't.'

Before she can say anything else, Josh leaves. He doesn't look back.