Louise’s POV

So for the millionth time this term, I sat outside Mr Gregory’s office with a glum look on my face. I didn’t even hit anyone this time! I mean I slapped David, yeah, but that was totally needed. I sat staring at the many magazines on the coffee table and the one fake rose in a plastic vase again. The magazines were the exact ones that were there the first time I spoke to Conor out here.

“David. You first. I’m going to hear everyone’s side of this story…” Mr Gregory ordered and David shuffled into the room sheepishly.

“Look, Louise…” Conor began. Yes, you heard me right. HE started a conversation with ME! “I’m sorry about all this…” I slowly looked up and across the table to where he sat opposite me.

“Sorry about what?” I looked at him confused.

“I threatened David. I think that’s what caused all this…” I remained looking confused. “I think someone wanted to see me and him fight, so they made up that rumour.”

“Ah, don’t worry about it.” I shrugged it off. “Rumours are rumours. As long as we know it’s true it’s nothing…” I smiled. “And nothing happened between me and him last night…” Conor laughed.

“Yeah, I gathered that… The way you slapped him across the face made it seem you knew as little about it as I did!” His laugh was something I always enjoyed hearing; he was always portrayed as this evil man but I’d seen this side of him it seemed no-one else had.

“Yeah, just don’t barge in and shout stuff like that again… I can’t afford to hit anyone else – I might get expelled!” I laughed.

“One thing bothers me though…” Conor leant forwards, resting his elbows on his knees. “I just said I threatened David and you said nothing?”

“Why would I? You threaten everyone!” I laughed.

“Hey!” He protested, his arms up in surrender. “I’ll have you know I’m a delicate flower.” We stared at each other for a few seconds in silence before I giggled and set us both off. We were both bend over doubled, laughing like we didn’t have a care in the world – and for that second I didn’t.

“Delicate flower?” I questioned while trying to stop laughing. “Please. You’re a flytrap at most…”

“I’m offended!” He pretended to be shocked. “I’m pretty sure you’ve hit just as many people as me this week!”

“Yeah, so? You losing your touch, Maynard?” I teased, winking at him. He fidgeted in his seat.

“You’re just getting to my level, Redford!” He winked back.

“I was on your level long ago…” I joked. I tried to remain cool but inside my body was doing flips and I was internally screaming. There was something amazing about the fact he used my surname – I used to hate it, I still do, but now Conor’s said it – well it’s a whole different ball game!

“Conor. You, in.” Mr Gregory said as he flung the door open and David walked out still looking sheepish. He sat down next to me.

“Wow. He does like to grill you…” David breathed a sigh of relief.

“I’m used to it.” I said indifferently. It seemed the atmosphere had changed so quickly after Conor had left the room. I felt like I didn’t even want to be sat here anymore. David’s company was alright at times, but after this whole episode I didn’t even want to be near him. In my head I contemplated the many ways I could say an excuse and leave, the trouble was I didn’t want it to seem so obvious. I’ll sit here for another few minutes, I told myself as we sat in silence.

“Look, I wanted to tell you the truth about everything. I just want to come clean, if you’ll let me?” David had turned to face me as he broke the silence. My stomach dropped.

“What are you talking about?” I said a little harsher than I meant.

“Look, I deserved more than a slap round the face from you! I’ve been so stupid.” He said honestly. He looked down at his hands that were clenched together in his lap.

“David, seriously, what are you talking about?” I spat. “Just tell me!” He fidgeted awkwardly in his seat, still looking down.

“It all went wrong. I just want to clear that up first. It wasn’t meant to end like this!” He shook his head.

“David?” I questioned once more. "Please just spit it out!”

“That rumour was made up for me.” He said, sighing afterwards.

“FOR you or BY you?” I had to check.

“For me.” He said. “By Josh and Frank.” If I was at home my mum would have said ‘keep pulling that face and it’d get stuck like that’ because again I looked confused.

“After you left for your meeting with Mr Gregory, Conor went all Psycho on me. He pushed me up against the lockers and threatened me in front of everyone! Then Josh and Frank came up and said they’d make up this rumour about you and Conor so he’d get annoyed with you then I could come to your rescue at the detention and look like the better person…” My face stayed the same.

“What are you talking about? The better person? That rumour didn’t do anything for anyone!” I questioned again.

“This is the thing, they said that but they went behind my back to create this rumour about me and you so that I was dropped in it. It was all planned but they screwed it up on purpose. See I was meant to be the good guy, instead they made me look like the bad guy.” He finally gained the courage to look me in the eye.

“What do you mean make you look like the good guy?” I was clueless, yes. I bet you’re sitting there screaming the obvious things in my face but the truth was I was so lost with what had happened I was barely thinking straight.

“Louise, it’s simple. You like Conor, right?” I hesitated. I looked around shiftily as I thought of what to say and whether Conor could hear me.

“I may do.” I whispered awkwardly.

“And I think he likes you.” David said to my shock.

“Really?” I said sounding like a child who found out their crush likes them. How stupid. Act cool, Louise!

“Yes.” David said angrily. “Just let me finish!”

“Alright!”

“So you like Conor, Conor likes you BUT…” He hesitated again and took a deep breath in and out. “But I like you too…” My jaw dropped. My heart felt like it stopped. My stomach fell through the floor and into the core of the earth.

“What?” I asked.

“I like you, Louise. And I think Conor can see that. When he threatened me he said you were his, that I was stealing you from him. Well I couldn’t have that! I wanted him to look like the bad guy so you could see the real me, the one I’d be if I was your boyfriend…” I tried to swallow but it felt like my throat was covered in razors. Did David just say boyfriend?

“I need to… I just… I need to…” I stammered. “Excuse me.” I quickly stood up and ran for the girls bathroom just down the hall. Styled that out well, I know!

I walked into the bathroom and stood in front of the sink with a mirror above it and stared deeply into the eyes of my reflection. What the hell was all this? One minute I have one friend, now I have two people who might like me… But who would I choose? I mean if they both asked, if one realised the other was going for it and they both asked, who would I choose?

David or Conor?

A/N!!! I put the author's note at the bottom this time because I'd like to know who you would pick if you were Louise? Would you go for David OR Conor? This may help with how i'm taking the story!

Dedicated to conors_mayniacs for her constant support of my work through them all! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! <3

Another massive thank you as this story nearly has 1000 reads already! I love you all for that! I feel like i'm not doing or saying enough to show how i truly feel but i hope you all realise it means so much for me!!! I'm so proud of this chapter (sad i know) it took me hours to perfect because i really wanted to get the feelings out there! Feel free to comment, vote, follow, promote and whatever! If you want me to read one of your fan fictions just message me! :D Love you all! xxxx