Page 96 of Cream & Sugar

“A-are you filming me?”

Lara flaps her hands impatiently. “Shh, I’m getting footage to announce us getting back together. Honestly, this sort of thing will blow up online. Maybe just try to smile? If you wanna cry too, that’ll work. Don’t worry, I’ll put music over the top of it so no one will know what we’re saying.”

I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Her voice is caramel sweet, even if her words are as caustic as battery acid. All those years I dated her, I never saw it. Or maybe I didn’twantto see it. Because, for a long time, I didn’t think I’d ever find someone better. Freddie’s words from Monday morning surface through the whirlpool ofracing thoughts: 'She didn’t deserve you'. I don’t think I believed him then, not fully.

Not until right now.

I pull myself together and stand up. Planting my feet, I hold out an arm towards the door. “No, thank you, Lara. I think you should go.”

Lara doesn’t move.

“What?”

I shut my eyes, suddenly finding the glare from the windows overwhelmingly bright.

“I don’t want to get back together with you. I wish you all the best with your life, but I don’t want to see you anymore. Please leave.”

The scrape of a chair as Lara gets to her feet. “Wait, are you serious? You’re actually knocking me back? Me!”

“Yes.” The roar in my ears is getting unbearable. Thoughts collide like Formula One cars in my brain. “I’m knocking you back. I-I don’t want to be with you.”

My hands shake uncontrollably. I clench them tight, my nails digging into my palms. Lara touches me on the shoulder.

“Oh Shauny, honey, are you having one of your little freak outs?”

“No!” I yell, my eyes filling with tears. “You dumpedme, Lara. I’ve moved on. I don’t want to get back together, and I don’t want to be your boyfriend, no matter how much your so-calledfansmiss me.”

I step back. Lara puts her hands on her hips.

“Iknowyou miss me, Shaun. Why are you being like this—?”

“Hey!” A shout fills the room like a cannon blast. I’ve never heard Freddie raise his voice before, so it takes a second to register it was him. In a few long strides, he’s by my side, his hand a firm anchor on my shoulder. “If he wants you to leave, you should go.”

Lara sneers at Freddie like he’s a bug in her lip gloss. “Um, how about you mind your own business, Frankie?”

“Um,” he mimics her, “my name’s Freddie and how about you shut the fuck up and leave like he told you to.”

She scoffs, speechless for a moment, before rounding on me. “Are you going to let your staff speak to me like that?”

A lance of anger rips through me.

“He’s not just mystaff!He’s my—” I catch the word before it falls out, but only just. With panicked eyes, I look to Freddie, then back to Lara, who folds her arms like a grumpy teenager.

“He’s yourwhat?”

“I’m his boyfriend,” says Freddie.

I gasp, my head whipping round to look at him. Didhejust say it? Did he just call me his—

“Boyfriend?” Lara cackles, an ugly sound that doesn’t suit her. Or maybe it does. “Shaun’s notgay! So don’t get your hopes up, ‘Freddie’ or whatever your name is.”

“I don’t need to,” says Freddie, calmly. Then he takes my hand, interlocking his fingers with mine. He gives it a reassuring squeeze, which I return. “See? Seems a bit gay, if you ask me.”

If looks could kill, we’d be vaporised. The whole café too. Lara’s practically foaming at the mouth.

“Are you trying to humiliate me, Shaun?” she wails. “Do you realise how embarrassing this is?”

Freddie sucks his teeth.