In the end, they only lasted another hour, before Brendan was half asleep against Christian’s knee.

“Are you seriously falling asleep before me? This is new.” Christian said while playing with his hair.

“Shut up. I drove all you ungrateful people back to campus.” Bren grumbled, eyes closed and leaning his head back against Christian’s hand.

“I guess that’s him out.” Christian said, and got up. “Say good night, Bren.”

“Night.”

“Good night Bren-bear.” Eddie said, looking down at his drink, which he had almost finished, and he debated refilling it or just taking off to find fun elsewhere.

Naturally, Laurel and Jordan followed suit. With them all pairing off, Eddie found he would rather not go straight back this dorm room that night, but perhaps try to find another party to crash. It was just after one AM. The rowdier ones would just be getting started.

Laurel did catch him on the way out the door, though.

“Richards told me to tell you you’re expected to show up tomorrow.”

Eddie managed to feign surprise. “Oh really? Where?”

Laurel crossed her arms, but her gaze was assessing, not condemning. “We have a meeting at Ten AM, in the prefab.”

“The horrible little box.”

“Whatever. So you have yet to tell me why you went from zero to sixty over the summer.”

Eddie mirrored her stance mockingly. “And I do believe I told you not to ask.”

She stood there stubbornly waiting. Well, she could wait until it snowed in the Sahara for all he cared.

“Does it really matter, Laurel? As long I’m making everyone happy?”

Laurel looked like she wanted to say something but stopped herself. “Fine. See you tomorrow. Try not to be a pain in my ass.”

“As long as you try to leave your bitch face at home. Did the wind change one day while you were watching a bad episode of Desperate Housewives?”

“Fuck off.”

“Already done, darling.”

-8-

The next morning he arrived ten minutes after ten at the prefab. He stopped briefly outside, looking at it with disdainful scrutiny. It was really unattractive. While he observed it, he pulled his phone out and typed in a name. Seconds later, the phone was at his ear and he was talking.

“Helen? Oh sweetie, I know you can’t have forgotten me already… well done! Yes, I’m doing very well. No, I’m afraid I haven’t had time to paint since last February. Oh, don’t sound so sad! Sweetheart? I need a favour…”

He stepped into the box a minute later, feeling fresh and only mildly annoyed that his day was being interrupted by being there, but he was a man of his word after all. He handed the file back to Richards, who was sitting behind the sole desk, across from Laurel. They had been discussing something, but stopped when he came in.

“Nice of you to turn up.” Laurel grumbled. She wore sunglasses and looked pale. Eddie grinned like a child.

“That’s what happens when you drink margaritas out of a box.”

“Shut up.”

Eddie waved her off and turned to Richards. “I went through your dossier and I have some notes.”

Richards nodded. “It might have to wait.”

Eddie leaned against the wall, and crossed his ankles. “Oh dear. Why?”

Richards actually did let his frustration show for the first time. “The board contacted me this morning, saying that they might withdraw their previously proposed funding.”

“Why?!” both Laurel and Eddie said at once.

Richards shrugged, which was a singularly defeatist gesture on him. “They are saying there are more pressing petitions for funds. Which unfortunately may be true. There’re always people lobbying for better buildings, or resources. We only came up with this last year, and we want to push ourselves to the front of the queue without showing we deserve it.”

“But this isn’t a competition. This is a genuine need. This is a real campus issue.” Laurel said.

“I agree with you, Miss Evans. But with just myself and Ms Caldwell backing it from a staff point of view…and the fact that no one really cares. No one important.”

“This is ridiculous.” Laurel said, quietly.

“It is. But it’s just the facts. Maybe if we wait another few months, they will look at it again. I’m sorry Miss Evans. And to you too Eddie. You have both put a lot of work into this idea for it to come to nothing.”

Richards looked dispirited as he spoke. Eddie, however, didn’t feel dispirited. He felt angry! He had indeed put a lot of work into this idea, and hadn’t realised until this point how much he was looking forward to it becoming more than just a pipe dream. It wasn’t that he had taken it as a given but…he had been enjoying himself. And that was nice.

“I’ll keep you two informed, but I’m sure you’ll manage to fill up your time somehow.” Richards said.

Laurel had slouched in her chair, arms crossed in a typical ‘Laurel’ gesture. But she looked truly disappointed. Then Eddie realised she would have to tell Christian. And Brendan. So Eddie cleared his throat.

Richards looked at him then, and Eddie thought about not saying what he was about to say. It was a huge personal risk. And Laurel was of course sitting right there. He would have to navigate this delicately. Was it really worth it?

It must have been because he said; “Perhaps, Mr Richards, you and I could talk alone.”

Richards’s expression became intrigued. Laurel perked up. “Excuse me?”

“What a good idea. Yes, Madam, you are excused. It would save me from being rude and simply booting you out.”

“But...” she started, looking at Richards, who hadn’t objected. He took pity on her and said;

“Miss Evans, would you mind?”

She obviously did mind. “But I should know, if it’s about this project.” Eddie smirked. Laurel could smell privileged information a mile way and got so riled up when she was refused.

“I'll make sure to pass on any and all relevant information. But if Eddie wishes privacy, then it’s only respectful to grant him that.”

Ha! This was a concept Laurel had serious problems with when it came to Eddie. It was like the mystery had been built up so much in her head, she half-expected him to be a spy or super villain of some sort. It was almost flattering. If it wasn’t also rather annoying.

“Yes, Madam, you should learn to respect boundaries.” Eddie told her pointedly. She shot him a look that was only mildly buffered by her glasses, before grabbing her bag and stomping out. What a child. Eddie pushed lightly off the wall and went to take her spot. Richards looked at him expectantly.

Eddie took a deep breath, then hesitated. His next step was so incredibly risky. It meant bringing his two worlds within touching distance of each other. He would have to play it very carefully, if he didn’t want to crash and burn.

“My parents,” he began slowly, “have money. I’m not sure if you know who they are…”

Richards nodded slightly. “I do. Though you obviously don’t want that publicised.”

Eddie inclined his head. “I’m glad you see that. So I have a proposal, for them and for you. They have been somewhat…displeased with my flighty ways and lack of focus, so my involvement in this project serves the purpose of keeping them off my back and out of my business.”

Richards nodded. “That explains you coming back on board.”

Eddie grimaced. “Yes, it does. However, as you so eloquently put, if this project does not actually happen, they will once again be less than happy. So I will propose the idea to them that they become patrons of the project.”

Eddie sighed loudly then and leaned back, folding his one leg over the other and gazing at nothing.

“But you see, Mr Richards, my parents are somewhat conservative.”

“How do you mean?”

“While they understand that unsavoury things happen in this world, they prefer for it not to touch them too closely. It might leave a stain. If we don’t approach them with the idea in as bland a way as possible, they won’t back it. So here is the strategy. I will bring it up with them, and put them into contact with you. You then need to sell it to them, not just as humanitarian outreach but as a reputation enhancer. As it is, having a jewellery making patron will seem bizarre. But if you want your funding, this is the only way I can see it happening.”

Richards was staring at noting, a look of deep thought on his face. “That is definitely doable. Especially if I ask Ms Caldwell to step in on that. She has a very persuasive manner when she chooses.”

Eddie shrugged. “It’s a little like cutting that tiny little piece of poison from a blowfish. If you want this project to live and not die an untimely death, you must step carefully.” Eddie sighed softly. “Especially when it comes to my parents.”

Richards appeared to consider him. “Eddie, I understand that this must be a large step for you, to allow us to contact your parents. I thought of asking you before, but Ms Caldwell warned me not to.”

Eddie was happy that Cressida had done that, without him having to say so explicitly. Still. “Please don’t think I’m doing this out of some sense of duty. I am, at heart, quite a selfish bastard. I just want to stay in school, where I can live La Vida Loca.” Eddie told him, as he tidied his hair, making sure his pink streak was visible.

“Hmm. Nonetheless, thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet. My parents still need to be persuaded.”

“No, I meant thank you for the trust.”

Eddie’s hand stilled at that but he carried on quickly, hoping Richards hadn’t seen it. “It’s not trust. The fact that you know my name is only because you have access to my student record, not because I gave it to you.”

“A fact of which I am very aware, Eddie.” He replied dryly, with slight emphasis on the name, showing that even though he called everyone else by their honorifics, he was aware enough of Eddie’s privacy that he wouldn’t breach it. “Now, I’ll get in touch with Ms Caldwell and discuss further steps. And you will contact your parents?”

“I am a queer of my word.” Eddie said, tapping a Boy Scout salute to his head.

“Perhaps, if we are going to propose this properly we need a name.” Richards mused. “It looks better on paper.”

“Oh don’t worry about that.” Eddie said, standing up again. “By next week, that will be resolved. In the prettiest way, I do declare.”