“Why have you agreed to come to Madagascar if you don’t like her at all?” Ruth glares at him.
“Natalie wants to tell her everything there, so we all have to go,” she replies stiffly.
“Why? So that you can scare her away again?” Ruth shrinks back at his harsh words and lowers her gaze. Cassius is dangerously close to the truth. Actually the weekend at Cassius’ should have sufficed, but Livia has proven to be much more tenacious than Ruth thought.
“Don’t worry, Natalie will look after her,” Ruth tries to lighten the mood. Cassius gets up abruptly, glaring down at her.
“That won’t be necessary anymore. It’s my job from now on,” he snaps, leaving the bar without another word. Ruth wrinkles her brow.
“What’s eating him? He’s been so weird lately.” Natalie sighs, wondering why she gets stuck with all the uncomfortable tasks. Couldn’t someone else tell Ruth? The girl is still waiting for an answer, looking at Natalie questioningly.
“Livia and Cassius are an item since last weekend,” she murmurs quickly to get it over with. Ruth’s face drains of all colour.
“What did you say?” she whispers, shell-shocked. Natalie shivers, suddenly the room is ice-cold. “I thought Cassius didn’t attend the party,” Ruth continues, still eager to deny the gruesome fact. Natalie shrugs, rubbing her arms with her hands.
“True, he wasn’t there. But the next day he went to her flat, with one of Nuala’s puppies as a present.” Ruth sits very still.
“And since that day they've been together? Just like that?” Her voice is rising dangerously now. “You said she was in love with Rupert!” Her words sound like an accusation.
“Calm, down, it’s not my fault that she chose Cassius in the end!” Natalie hisses, tired of this pettiness. “You can ask her yourself why she did it!” Ruth stares down at her hands.
“I thought she was afraid of Cassius,” she murmurs, more to herself than to Natalie. Livia must be way stronger than she initially thought. Suddenly she relaxes, her posture changing. “Sorry for that outburst,” she smiles at Natalie. “I was just so surprised. Maybe it’s better this way and I can finally get rid of my crush on Cassius. There could still be a chance for me and Rupert, you know.” Natalie gapes at Ruth in surprise, her eyes narrowing. Surely Ruth couldn’t see reason so quickly, could she?
“It’s awesome how well you're taking the news,” she replies carefully. “Everything will be so much easier if we all get along well again.” Ruth smiles, but the smile doesn’t reach her eyes. She knows she has to be cautious, Natalie isn’t easily deceived. Ruth can always talk Augustus and Rupert round, but Will knows her too well and Cassius is too suspicious to trust her. But Madagascar is her next chance to get rid of troublesome Livia. Livia has to decline to become an Arash, as Rebecca did all those years ago. Involuntarily Ruth shivers, not noticing that Natalie is watching her.
Chapter 32
By the end of the week I’ve already received a letter from the housing association saying that the keeping of animals is forbidden in this house. Either I get rid of the dog or my rental contract will be terminated with immediate effect. Fuck, what am I going to do? It doubtless was my grumpy neighbour on my left who denounced me. But I’d never give Daisy away! Cassius had to leave after the weekend and she’s sleeping in my bed now, the next best thing to him. I burst into angry tears and call Cassius, who takes my drama very calmly. “Move in with me,” is his first reaction. I gasp, that’s surely a bit early after just one weekend together!
“Thanks for the offer, but no,” I answer after a short silence. “It’s just too fast for me. And Daisy’s wrecking everything with her sharp teeth at the moment so your flat would be in shreds after a few days.” As if he doesn’t know this, but I have to soften my refusal somehow.
“I’m talking about my house in the country, Livia, not my flat in town. She’d prefer it there anyway.” I’m speechless now. What about uni? My whole life is here, isn’t it?
“Sorry, I can’t,” I whisper into the phone. “It’s too far away to get to my courses.” Cassius snorts disparagingly.
“Livia, we’re together now, you’ll never have to work. You don’t really want to be a maths teacher anyway, do you?” I shake my head, though he obviously can’t see that. I’m not sure if I’m overjoyed by his words or intimidated. He’s a bit too controlling for my taste. I don’t want to be totally dependent on him, and what on earth should I tell my parents? Anyway, I still have so many questions about Cassius and the others which I didn’t dare to ask last weekend, it was just too magical to jeopardise it.
“No, Cassius, thanks, but I can’t do it.” Again there’s a short silence and I can feel him bristling.
“You’re welcome. I offered because I love you.” He cuts the connection, and I stare open-mouthed at the phone. The three words, he just said them. I swoop down and pick up Daisy, kissing her tiny head.
“My life’s too good to be true at the moment.” I confess to the puppy. “Come on, let’s go to Natalie’s, you can chew her carpet for a change.”
“Looks like you’ve hit the jackpot,” Natalie sighs enviously, stroking Daisy.
“Of course, despite the fact that I’ll soon be evicted from my flat,” I shrug gloomily. Natalie looks at me sternly.
“Cassius offered you the ideal solution, didn’t he?” Not so long ago she was warning me off him and now she’s encouraging us to move in together? She’s one fickle girl if I ever knew one.
“How often do I have to tell you that it’s too soon for me!”
“Why?” she replies stubbornly. “He loves you, you love him, and you don’t like your courses anyway. So what’s the big deal?”
“Yes, but…” I try to get a word in edgeways, but she’s on a roll.
“You don’t want to be dependent on him, just in case it doesn’t work out. You have to have a little more faith!”
“Of course, but you have to understand!” I exclaim exasperatedly. “My last and only longer-term relationship didn’t work out either, and Cassius is just too good to be true!” Natalie rolls her eyes.
“You don’t have a very high opinion of yourself, do you? Let me tell you that Cassius might be many things but he knows exactly what he wants and he’s not inconsistent. And I’ve known him much longer than you think.”
“But that’s the point, I’ve only known him for such a short time!” I object but Natalie is really agitated now, jumping up and pacing the room.
“Livia, sometimes it’s not important how long you know someone, it’s just meant to last forever if it happens! What’s a day, a month or even a year in comparison to eternity?” Whoa, what exactly is she talking about? I know she’s prone to exaggeration, but eternity is rather a strong word.
“Sometimes you say the strangest things, you know?” I mutter. Natalie stops pacing and regards me wearily. Deep in thought she bites her lip.
“Right, I’ve another idea: move in here.”
“What?” I can’t follow her erratic utterances. She runs her hands through her hair, grinning.
“Move in with Rupert and me, that’s a great solution. One of us is home most of the time, so Daisy won’t be alone too much if you want to attend your courses. Though in my opinion that’s pointless as you hate them anyway. I’m sure we’ll get along famously.” Her cheeks are glowing as she picks up the dog and whirls it around. It’s tempting alright, but what about a bit of privacy?