Fleur's frown deepened. "He was on the fence about wanting a relationship because of our difference in status, so I told him to make up his mind by Friday. Then he told me we shouldn't talk and that he needed to know if he could be okay without me and left."
She blinked in surprise, folding her arms as she considered Fleur. "Why did you give him an ultimatum?" she asked, her tone genuinely curious rather than accusatory as she sat on the arm of the couch.
Fleur hesitated, tugging on her pinkie finger. "I love him.. I'm scared the longer I wait the harder it will be if he says no."
She watched her, her face impossible to read for a moment. She opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated. "How... how different are your guys' statuses?"
She folded her arms self consciously. "Pretty different. Some would say I was born with a silver spoon."
"But..." She seemed uncertain, looking over her shoulder as if she expected Ferris to enter at any moment. "He's not... he's not that poor, is he?"
She hesitated, reaching over and lightly touching her shoulder. "He's sacrificed a lot.. I'm not sure he even had a house to live in."
The reaction was immediate. Her eyes widened and tears filled them as she pressed her hand to her mouth. "Are you serious, Fleur?"
She stood up, not seeming to want comfort in that moment. She began pacing, running her fingers through her hair in a fashion that would feel familiar to Fleur. "But... he told me everything was fine," she said. "He told me that he had it under control. Maybe he just didn't show you where he lived, Fleur. I've been in school for three years."
She turned to Fleur sharply, looking absolutely distraught. "Is that possible? Is that possible that you just didn't see where he lived?"
"I.. I don't know. Maybe.. Alyssa... You should talk to him about it. This wasn't my place to tell you."
"Just kept things from me," she said flatly. She exhaled slightly, looking up at the ceiling. "He's always done that for me. He's always taken care of me."
