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Elizabeth often fought pain with pleasure looking for remedy and comfort, denying what she knew, that she would only find a temporary distraction. Robbie kissed down the curve of her neck, grabbing the remote away from Elizabeth and switched the television off. He leaned into her and pulled her bent knee down and ran a hand up her arm.

Of all the times she'd ignored the pain and allowed herself to be consumed with Robbie, she couldn't do it this time. Elizabeth could feel her skin crawl under his touch and no matter how much she ignored it, her body repulsed his affection.

She pushed him away, and stood up, throwing her hair back. Robbie looked at her in utter confusion and annoyance. "What? What is it?"

"Nothing," Elizabeth shrugged. She picked up the t-shirt lying on the floor and threw it in Robbie's face.

He flew out of his seat and grabbed Elizabeth's arm, "tell me what your goddamn problem is! You barely let me touch you anymore, yet you're always asking for attention, make up your mind!"

His fingers dig into Elizabeth's skin, she grit her teeth stopping herself from wincing in front of him. "I never ask for your attention. I don't need it, in fact I don't need you at all, you're just a liability." Elizabeth pulled her arm away from Robbie, "if you keep going around cheating on me then I can't do this, whatever the hell this is anyway."

Robbie raised his eyebrows, "I thought we were past baseless accusations. Let me guess, that Penny told you some shit and you believed her?"

Elizabeth gave him a pointed look, "I saw you myself, dumbass."

After all the two years of dating Robbie, Elizabeth thought Robbie would stop trying to cover up his cheating. She knew he had only pursued her because of her status, something he considered an accomplishment.

"Well, you could've seen someone else-"

"Oh please, all I know is that we're done. I know you've been done with me for a long time now, but I'm done sticking around with arm candy. I don't need you. I never did."

"Didn't seem like that when you were over at my place every night when she died. Crying and desperate like the whore you are."

She felt an angry pain in herself as she heard what he'd just called her. While she and Robbie never had a real relationship, there was one point when they had pretended to respect each other. Now, nothing mattered anymore. They were sick of each other.

Elizabeth quickly recovered from her hurt state and smirked, "aw, did I hurt your little ego, Robbie.

Robbie started pulling his shirt on, realizing he was fighting for something that didn't exist. "I should warn you though, while we may not have been passionate lovers, I've been with you long enough to understand you have no heart. You can't give nor take any love."

"Oh so now we're going to pretend like it's my fault we didn't work, like we even know each other." Elizabeth refused to look away, to show any sign of acceptance.

"Everyone thinks you're a slut at school and without me, you're high position you claim to have is sure to fall. I'm sure Cat would've agreed too."

"Do not bring her up," Elizabeth walked over to the front door and swung it wide open. "Get out."

"Oo, that hit a nerve."

"Get. Out."

Robbie sauntered out slowly. " I know you'll come crawling back anyway. You have no one else Ellie. No one."

Elizabeth shut the door as hard as she could and leaned back against the wall. Her mother would not approve of the decision to break up with a Shaw, a business deal had put the two families in a good position. That was one of the reasons Elizabeth had stayed with him, maybe she was hoping to gain something out of it, not romantically because that was out of the question.

The sound of dripping water echoed in the kitchen, cutting through the silence. Elizabeth tightened the tap and fell down in a seat at the dining table, picking up the note left on the table for her and garbaging it without reading it.

She knew the routine since she was seven, her parents left on a business trip thinking a sticky note was good enough for their daughter to survive on her own. Survival Elizabeth did learn very well, leaving a child alone and confused help their basic human instincts come alive. That, and the Castles were rich, they had people to do everything for them. Elizabeth dialled her driver's number because at that moment she just needed a strong drink and loud music to drown out her thoughts.

●•●

Maybe 'weekend Wednesdays' wasn't a great day to visit the pub, when the general public was allowed to visit for the rest of the Elite but it was perfect for Elizabeth. The pub was loud and crowded to the point that no one could interact with one another, and no one knew who was rubbing against each other, just how she liked it. Sweaty and out of breath, Elizabeth left the dance floor to refill her glass.

Without warning, someone crashed into her, and she found herself against a firm chest. She looked up to recognize the person as the same guy who pushed her down at Ryan's party. Theo Meaken.

Meaken wasn't new to the school, only new to her level of awareness. The only other time she'd associated with him was two years ago when he was the person to go to for party favours, at the Westshire High bonfire. Cat had winked at him as he pressed a small sachet of coke into her palm, and in return she got a sarcastic smile. "Too bad pretty boy here hates the rich or something. It's okay, he plays hot Robinhood in my dreams."

Elizabeth's nostrils flared in anger, her eyes shooting daggers, anyone would agree it wasn't her most attractive side. "Looks like they're letting anyone in these days."

"Ah, you too are my favourite person, a rich brat who can't hold her drink." Theodore Meaken looked down at her, his hair a curly mess, and a smirk planted on his face.

"You know you think you're so smart, with that mouth of yours. Too bad you're an ogre who doesn't know how to walk straight. Hey mate, I'm guessing the drugs haven't left the system."

"You know, I thought your face broke after that pathetic fall last we met," Theo cocked his head to the side, his eyes scanning her face. Elizabeth's hand rose to her cheek, almost like Theo's gaze burned her. "But you're still talking too much."

"It's a good thing it didn't, you'd have to start selling drugs again to pay for the damage."

"I'm sure the damage would've helped the unpleasantness. With that face it'd be better to beat it with a bat. Besides, if I hadn't offered to pick your arse up and escort it to the taxi, your poor friend would've broken her back helping you."

"Goodness, thank you, what a fucking gentleman," Elizabeth scowled.

"You're not fucking welcome," he grinned.

"Why are you such an asshole?"

"Why are you such a sadistic little bitch," he pointed, raising his eyebrows. Elizabeth didn't know herself why she stood in the middle of the pub, drunk, arguing with this boy she barely knew.

"Fuck you," she spat.

"No thank you." He put his arms up in front of him and spun around, walking away from her. Elizabeth realized she'd been gritting her teeth too hard and relaxed her face.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes at the sight of a departing Theo, his white shirt clinging on to his shoulders. His broad shoulders, she noted.

"Egoist."

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