Class Dismissed (One-on-One)

She met his gaze and bit her lip.

"I.. I've tried. He struggles with listening."

 

She frowned at him.

"Francis, I barely know you, and you're already encouraging me to break up with my long-term boyfriend?"

 

"He wouldn't hurt me," she said, a fierce look in her eye. "It's always an accident."

 

Poppy returned to her work, her jaw tight, but if he were to watch her, he would see the anger gradually work its way out of her expression.

"Sorry," she said quietly. "I just... Sorry."

 

"I shouldn't snap at you," she said, exhaling deeply. "You certainly don't deserve it."

 

A small laugh forced its way through, despite her unhappy expression.

"I mean, you did dump a bucket of mud over my boyfriend's head during the game," she said. "So I suppose you do deserve it."

 

"I mean, not really," she said with a smirk. "And the other members of the team certainly didn't deserve it."

 

Poppy rolled her eyes, and brought her clay up to her face, her grey eyes studying the sculpture intensely.

"We should probably be able to finish these tonight," she said thoughtfully. "I can find a kiln in town to fire them, if you'd like to come."

 

She laughed, but it seemed more sad than amused.

"Probably, to be honest," she replied. "He tracked my phone. That's how he found your house last night. I told him not to do it again, but..."

 

"He said he thought that I might be I danger," she said heavily. "Because I wasn't responding."