Chapter Eleven
It's been a two weeks since the break up and the rumours around the school why the short Irish girl broke up with one of the star Crimson football players were going wild. Victoria had point blank ignored William. She had bumped into him plenty and didn't give him the time of day and he'd caught on pretty quickly he'd lost her for ever. All her energy went to doing well in her in class tests and exams. She hadn't spent much time with her friends outside the library in the last two weeks and everyone was under academic pressure before the long winter break.
Victoria was leaving her last exam relieved when she bumped into someone rushing by and dropped all her stuff. Sighing she glared at the tall man's shirking form before bending to pick up her things.
"He's an ass" Teddy's voice laughed bending to help her pick up her pens.
She laughed too "Yeah," she agreed "How'd your exam go?"
"Good I think" he admitted running a hand through his hair as they stood straight again "You?"
"Brilliant" Victoria grinned cheekily "Was that your exam last also?"
"Yeah, maybe now we can hangout again" he teased "Natalia cornered me in Starbucks and practically interrogated me to find out where you were" he admitted "None of us knew where you were hiding out"
"Lucius and Charlotte's seen me in the library lots" She laughed defensively, "Library, home, gym, The Corner Cafe are my 'hide outs' " she explained putting a stray hair back into her messy bun.
Teddy's eyes widened "You've been studying in the Corner Cafe?" he asked shocked,
She nodded pulling at her winter jacket, the weather had dropped in the past week "well yeah, I knew the moment you brought me there it be a great place to study"
"I never thought of checking there" he murmured staring into the distance distracted. "After you sent that text last week telling everyone you were going into exam lockdown we didn't think you'd actually fall off the face of the earth"
"I didn't" she laughed "Charlotte's been as distant as me I'm sure"
"She still replies to text and missed calls" he countered moodily.
"My phone has been exiled, it's locked in a drawer dead" she laughed and Teddy joined in, realising that Victoria wasn't purposely avoiding anyone but determined to do well.
"Alright I forgive you, want to come over to to mine? Luke, Daniel and I are having a gamers day" Victoria smiled brightly and nodded excited to get to play the playstation again, she understood now why they boys liked it so much.
"Sounds like fun" she grinned then listened to Teddy tediously describe his company law exam as they walked to his expensive apartment building.
When they arrived Lucius did a overdramatic, double take and had to get up and touch Victoria to make sure she was real. His comedic actions caused everyone to laugh while Victoria swatted his hand away and slid into the vacant arm chair with a playful pout.
"Like I would be who'd you hallucinate anyway" she argued as he chuckled and fell into the couch while Teddy disappeared into the kitchen to grab some snacks, and the boys started up their race again.
"Sprite and skittles" Teddy handed to Victoria before sitting on the edge of the couch to be next to her armchair.
Lucius glanced at the pair "No more projects together, huh?" he pointed out, Teddy glared at him while Victoria hummed cracking open her can of spirt.
"Guess not" she answered mildly "But I've decided to keep him on as a friend" she eye'd Teddy teasingly and he just chuckled.
"Who said I'm up for that job?" he asked cheekily.
"I'm in your flat, eating your food am I not?" she pointed out popping some skittles into her mouth, Daniel laughed with her.
"She's got you there" he chuckled, handing over his controller to Teddy so he could to race Lucius. The quartet were relaxed as the race started up, Victoria yanked off her shoes and Daniel stole her sweets with a wink.
"What you got planned for the break?" Lucius asked grinning as he was winning the race.
"Oh nothing" Victoria admitted running her fingers over the arm of the chair, she never noticed how soft it was before, "My parents are travelling for Christmas and I don't really like Ireland in the winter."
"What about your old friends?" Teddy asked confused glancing from the screen for a moment too long and crashed into the side of the race track "Don't you miss them?"
"We've grown apart, I think me being here and them being there is harder than we thought it was going to be"
"Don't you Facebook or Skype?" Lucius asked "Tessa and I are practically as far away as you are to you're friends"
"I don't really like all that social media, I'm a in-person communicator" she explained, "Can't understand long distance relationships at all" she added eyeing the gold band on Lucius's wrist, he'd told her Tessa had gave it to him for his birthday.
Lucius held in a comment about how close distance her and William were, "If you like someone enough it's worth it" he explained instead handing back the sweets.
"If you're crazy, is what he was meant to say" Teddy laughed falling ingot he couch as he lost the race.
Victoria turned was next and she paid no attention to the boys jeering as she played, she wasn't very good but Daniel wasn't going easy on her. "What are you doing for the winter break?" Victoria asked the boys after she lost to Daniel.
"We're going to Seattle of three weeks" Lucius explained "Since Teddy and I are from there, Daniel has nothing better till Christmas so he's tagging along for a short holiday"
"Oh" Victoria replied handing her controller to Teddy, she was hoping that someone would be around but even local wonder boy Mathew was spending Christmas with his grandparents in Arizona. "I wish I had of had time to take up a winter elective," she had been four days past the deadline when she thought up the idea. The boys debated over what film to watch and ended up just playing a new Playstation game, Victoria didn't know how to play this one and just watched and texted Charlotte and Natalie.
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Victoria was busy in the kitchen making the boys and herself a chicken stir fry after they watched a action movie, when Teddy walked in bored of the new round of gaming and hungry from the aroma of food. He sat watching her cook and smiled when she glanced at him.
Teddy thought over how she would be in Cambridge and it didn't sit well with him, watching her sprinkle some spices into the pan he suck in a breath and wondered if William would be hanging around Campus, or if anyone was. Victoria could be left in the state all alone, when she could be coming to Seattle too. Teddy imagined bringing her to all the Seattle touristy things he never really enjoyed as a child, and out to dinners, they'd only ever shared take-aways together before so that be new too, he could bring her out at night and introduce her to all his old friends from High School and football. And it's not like she'd know no one, Lucius and Daniel would be there.
"Hey, would you like to come to Seattle?" he blurted out, Victoria cocked an eyebrow at him as she lay down some knifes and forks "You don't have to stay the whole break" Teddy added honestly, Daniel wasn't staying for the whole holiday, he was going back to Texas for Christmas.
"That's too much Teddy" she replied dishing up the meal. "I wouldn't want to intrude"
"Daniel had chosen to stay with Lucius in his families town house, I live a little out of town by the coast. My mom would love a guest, Phoebe is always dragging friends home over the weekend"
"You have a sister?" Victoria asked shocked, Teddy chuckled and nodded.
"You'd get to meet Ava too" Victoria grinned at him, thinking of this famous cousin he spoke of a lot.
"Well I am doing nothing" she pointed out, already knowing her answer Teddy smirked, "and you're practically begging for my company"
"I am" He played along, "begging"
"Guess it sounds like a plan Teddy" she grinned then called the other two for the food.
"So our flight is tomorrow morning, don't worry about anything." Victoria trusted Teddy to get her ticket even if she was surprised they were leaving so soon, She'd have to tell Lance she was away for the holidays, as the other two made their appearance eager for some food, "if you get your butt here before ten it would be awesome" Teddy added as an after thought thinking about not wanting to leave the long flight too late in the day.
"Kay" Victoria smiled glancing at Lucius, who was piling a mountain of food onto his plate, "I get to meet Tessa too"
"Great" Lucius rolled his eyes "I'm sure you'll hate each other" he laughed sarcastically.
"Vicky's here!" Daniel called through the house as she stepped into the expensive apartment. "You're here early" he smirked down at the girl leaning on the opened door with a cheeky smile.
"So are you" she counted, eyeing his causally red hoody and jeans.
"You going with no luggage?" Daniel asked confused as he looked into the hall for her bags.
"I didn't want to haul them all the way up here so I just left them in my car" she explained walking down the hallway "They awake?" she laughed facing Daniel as she walked into the kitchen. Daniel nodded with a laugh looking deeper into the kitchen past her, she cocked an eyebrow at him.
Turning Victoria found a half naked Teddy, her jaw dropped and her face warmed up. As she gazed at flawless his pale skin, the dark sensual hair that trailed from his bellybutton downward before disappearing into his low hanging pyjama bottoms. "Wow" she whispered watching him drink his coffee unconcerned, Daniel nudged the younger man as he reached for the fridge door and Teddy's biceps tensed, Victoria quickly adverted her eyes and sucked in a long breath as she felt her body jump in temperature even without looking at Teddy since that godly image was imprinted into her mind.
"Morning" Teddy grinned enjoying the flush forming on Victoria's cheeks. "You're early" he pointed out making her a coffee the way she liked it, spotting how she wasn't looking at him directly.
"I never trust airports," she explained sliding into a barstool eyeing his coffee cup. She stayed quiet as he made the coffee, "Why aren't you dressed?" she asked as casually as possible lifting her gaze to his blue eyes, trying to control her body's reacted to his naked form. She had somewhat successfully forgotten how good looking Teddy Grey was, or at lease gotten used to having a friend that was extremely good looking, but it was increasingly difficult not to wonder what his muscles felt like or what all of his form looked like or if he could use his body well in bed as he stood right in front of her half naked. She sucked in a breath and forced back her eyes back to his after catching herself eyeing his subtle V line above his pants.
"Sketchy around nakedness are we?" Teddy asked walking over to her with two coffees. "Doesn't seem like you" he teased sitting beside her his bare arm brushing against hers causually.
"Jesus Teddy just get dress" she hissed pulling away from him when the familiar, tingly, sensation she always tried to dismiss around Teddy formed in the bottom of her stomach. Victoria couldn't look at him anymore choosing instead to yank out her phone and punch in the password, finally reading all her friends 'Safe Flight' messages.
"I told him you wouldn't appreciate seeing his crooked nipples this early" Lucius laughed walking into the kitchen dinning room fully dressed in baggy ripped jeans and a knitted jumper, Victoria noticed he seemed to put an effort into his appearance today since she'd never seen either of the item's he wore today before, "But unlike me he just stayed in here in his naked form when he knew you were already coming up"
"Crooked nipples?" Victoria murmured eyeing Teddy's chest again flickering over a few of his chest's skattered freckles, biting her lip as her insides twisted uncontrollably she looked away from Teddy amazed of how his body was making her feel, just a body had never done this before.
"I don't have crooked nipples" Teddy huffed, Victoria knew he didn't but after seeing the insecurity in her friend she couldn't resist, and the chance to lighten to mood was welcomed.
"You so do" she laughed, he lifted his arm to cover himself up, that just made her laugh for real, "you look vulnerable" she teased the attraction in her body remained unlike before where she could always easily distract herself from it, but now without William to take her sex frustrations away it felt like her attraction for Teddy was hitting her like truck and she hoped he wouldn't pick up on it.
"I don't have crooked nipples." he argued leaving the kitchen in a mood with his coffee and a frown.
"He doesn't," Lucius pointed out with a cock eyebrow as Victoria tried to cool her flushed cheeks, she hated that she couldn't control how she felt about Teddy and was afraid he'd figure it out and embarrass her.
"I know." Victoria shrugged sliding back into her seat indifferently "He shouldn't be dressed like that around me," she muttered to herself sipping her coffee.
"Why?" Daniel asked confused, she hadn't expected him to over hear her, "it's just a body" he pointed out striking a muscle man pose, she laughed dryly.
"Yeah like me walking around in a bikini would go down well" she muttered standing up "bathroom" she explained leaving the boys and her coffee.
"Weird" Daniel stated when she was out of ear shot. "I've seen her running with a shirtless William plenty of times"
Lucius made himself a coffee as he thought that over "Yeah but she was having sex with William" he explained dropping the sugar spoon to the counter as an epiphany hit him, "You don't think she likes Teddy?" Lucius asked mildly, "Do you?" Lucius never thought that Victoria did like Teddy, she was alway quiet clear, even in her body language that they were just friends. And now after all his teasing to Teddy about liking the girl, she might in fact like him back.
"Never showed it" Daniel pointed out honestly "Like, we'd have picked up on that or like Natalie, you know her friend with the big mouth, she would have told us" he added "You know what girls are like but Victoria well she's like one of the lads right?" he asked with a shrug as he polished off his sandwich.
Lucius agreed with him, Victoria never once before came across anything more than one of the gang, "Then why the sudden weird attitude?" he asked picking up his coffee.
Teddy walked in dressed in slacks and a fitted shirt, looking very prober and tidy "Don't say a word, they're bringing me out for dinner the minute we get home" he argued dropping his empty cup into the sink as the pair of boys burst out laughing at his outfit. "Oh shut up" he growled leaning against the counter. "Where's Vick?" he asked eyeing the empty dining table.
"Bathroom" Daniel explained scratching his head while Lucius texted for a taxi. "Hey do you know why she got all weird with you?" he asked dropping his phone to the table eyeing the screen, Lucius swallowed some coffee and surveyed his friend.
Teddy shrugged, he assumed it was because she was just a little touchy this morning."Reminded her of William maybe?" He knew that now they weren't partners anymore so he could actually express his attraction to Victoria instead of just having Lucius calling him out on it, but he was afraid they're friendship would be lost, and he found that he valued her friendship more than the risk.
"Yeah you wish," Daniel laughed striking abode builder pose loosely "That boy is made like a tank."
The bathroom door clicked closed down the hall, "Don't mention him" Teddy warned "She gets all weird when you do, all quiet and stuff"
Victoria took in Teddy outfit and got all hot and bothered all over again, as the instant attraction flooding her body at the sight of him all formal and proper. She had always liked men in shirts and suits but Teddy took the cake, "What are you wearing?" she snapped frozen at the entrance of the kitchen, watching as his biceps were perfectly advertised in the shirt that somehow matched his eyes perfectly.
"We've got a dinner date the minute we land," Teddy explained pushing himself off the counter, tugging the shirt out of his pants irritated that even she was calling him out on his appearance, "Mom would kill me if I turned up in jeans."
Teddy watched as she picked at the sleeve of her loose blazer and eye'd her runners "I'm not dressed right at all" she whispered more to herself than to the group of boys.
"You are for travelling" Lucius admitted with a bright grin, "speaking of, lets get going the Taxi should be down there now"
"Now?" Daniel panicked.
"Calm down Danny boy, it'll be a smooth flight wait and see" Teddy chuckled walking towards Victoria and grinning "you can change on the plane if you really want"
"Oh yeah, hey how much do I owe you?" she asked grabbing her purse, Teddy cocked an eyebrow at her confused as he picked up his bag and suitcase. "For the ticket to Seattle, I wont let you pay my way Teddy" she pointed out.
Lucius chuckled behind them "Yeah Teddy how much is a one way flight to Seattle?" he taunted with a loud laugh as they left the flat, Victoria closed the door with a thud and locked it with Teddy's keys before handing them to him and squeezing into the lift with the three boys and their luggage.
"How much Teddy?" she asked rather calmly, even thought they were pressed together in the lift and her mouth was watering from his amazing aftershave.
"Trust me it's fine Victoria" He chuckled, as they reached the ground floor, the four of them went outside and the boys went straight to the awaiting taxi while Victoria went to her car, a little annoyed that Teddy wouldn't take any money from her. Yanking out her two suit cases Teddy appeared and helped her. "I know you want to pay for the ticket Victoria but it's not a commercial flight we're taking."
"What do you mean?" Victoria asked confused as the taxi driver put her bags into the car's boot for them.
Teddy smirked down at her as he held the door open for her before sliding in beside her "You'll see" he whispered excited, Victoria bit her lip confused as Lucius turned up the radio as a good song came on.
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