Rafe looked at the tiny figure walking away from him. She marched like a soldier, Rafe thought with amusement.

After another moment's thought, he followed her.

"I'm walking you home," he announced. Norah stopped.

"You don't have to do that. It's a long walk. And the town is safe. It's not London."

Rafe shrugged. "You stayed behind for me. It's way too dark. I'm walking you home."

He couldn't believe just how dark it was. Closer to the festive season, London was like a festival of lights. Endless car headlights, LED screens, Christmas decorations lit up and hung out on almost every street.

"Honestly, the scariest thing that can happen to me is I step on cow shit."

Rafe was having none of it and walked next to her. Norah knew he was as stubborn as she was, so there was no reason to argue with him. Defeated with a sigh, she picked up her pace to match his as they headed home together.

"Oh wait... can I do something? It's really killing me," she said, stopping him and looking at his neck.

"You better not step on my foot again."

"It's not that.." She said with a laugh. He realised he enjoyed her laugh.

He rubbed his chin self-consciously. "Okay, what is it?"

She walked up to him and gently re-adjusted his tie and smoothed down the front of his shirt. It didn't really surprise him; he was already used to her obsession with neatness and symmetry.

She had rearranged all the books in his locker, organised his pencil case and looked at his ironing work by scrutinising his shirt. He pretended not to notice the last part because she tried to be discreet about it.

"Thanks. You happy now? Can we go?"

With a small smile, she nodded and walked ahead.

It was weird being with her and finding a topic of conversation that didn't involve homework or school. But they both had plenty of studying for one day, and both were grateful for the silence. Norah stopped several times to adjust her bag straps. He noticed how much they dug into her tiny shoulders.

On a whim, Rafe reached out to check the weight of her bag. He pulled it up by the top strap as she walked in front of him.

"Holy shit."

He felt like he tried to pick up an anchor. Her bag was almost bursting at the seams from too many books.

"What the heck you have there?" he said in shock. Was she carrying this load every day?

"I'm used to it," she said with a shrug.

"Tch. Give me that," he said, pulling the bag off of her shoulders.

Norah looked at him in confusion as she stumbled back, the weight lifting from her.

"Learn to pack lighter. You don't need to lug all this shit around. Leave some in your locker."

"Last time I left something, it got vandalised," she said pointedly.

"Put it in your locker, genius."

"Thanks anyway," Norah murmured as he slung back the bag on his broad shoulders. "You don't have to do that."

"I don't mind."

"You live with your parents?" Rafe asked few moments later.

"No, with my grandma."

"Oh really? How come?" Rafe asked. Norah kicked a pebble forward.

"My mum is on a journey of self-discovery, after her divorce."

"Oh... what kind?"

"You know the whole 'eat, pray, love' type of thing. Spiritual healing, travelling alone."

"Oh that crap," Rafe said with a nod. "If that's journey of self-discovery, then I'm doing it right now. All alone here in this shite hole."

Norah let out a sigh. "You know this town isn't so terrible. I'll show you around one day, you'll at least stop insulting it."

"Maybe you should."

"Well, if your grades go up as we hope, then I don't see a reason not."

"It's a deal," Rafe said with a wolfish grin.

Norah smirked and shook her head. "I'm making way too much deals with you."

They settled once again in comfortable silence. Couple of cows and sheep shuffled as they passed the field. The air was filled with the smell of frost, manure and freshly cut grass. Norah allowed herself to ask him some questions of her own.

"You probably miss your parents now that you're here," she said.

Rafe was silent for a moment. "Yeah. But they always travel and spend half the time in Italy, so it was mostly me and our housekeeper Joanna. My brother would come over often, though."

"How old is your brother? What's his name?"

"Emile. He's eight years older than me," he replied and talked about him with a smile. "It's quite a gap, but I don't feel it. He's great. Bit of a dickhead sometimes, but great. And clever."

"What does he do?"

"He's a lawyer."

Norah let out a small gasp, her eyes wide with admiration. "Really?"

"Yeah... you like lawyers?"

"I want to be a lawyer. I'm going to apply to Law School in London."

Rafe wanted to smack himself for being so self-centered, as always. It hadn't occurred to him once to ask where she would like to apply, which degree, which university. All this time it was all about him. Rafe's mood soured a little, but at least Norah was looking enthused.

"Where does he work? Is he an associate? What is his specialty?"

"He owns the whole firm. The company is called Heim & Leighton."

Norah looked like a kid that entered a candy store for the first time. Her eyes were wide and sparkly.

"No way," she breathed. "But why isn't his surname in the title? If he's a partner."

Rafe shrugged. "He didn't want the name to appear. Said it brought too much attention, and not the good kind. He doesn't want the company to do anything with the family business for now. Later, maybe he'll rename it. So you've heard of it, huh?"

"I applied there for an internship when I finished my GCSEs."

"Really? Did you get it?"

"I got called for an interview, and that's when my parents' divorce happened and I ended up here."

"Oh. I'm sorry. But hey, you can apply again."

Norah smiled. "Yeah I will, this upcoming summer."

"You know if he ever comes here, I can introduce you. Get a fast track to land that job," he said with a wink. "Not that you'd need it anyway."

"I'd love to meet him. I followed the companies' work. They're sharks."

Rafe thought of his brother Emile, who was more of a water buffalo than a shark.

Rafe knew that his brother would like her. Her strictness and neatness, all the things his brother had admired. He briefly wandered if Emile would like her the best out of his previous girlfriends... He quickly pushed the thought out of his mind. Norah was not his girlfriend. And won't be.

"That's me," Norah said pointing at the small cottage, standing in the row with other small cottages lined up neatly on a small, pebbled street. It was a picturesque property, with climbing hydrangea weaving around the south side of the house. "Thanks for walking me. See you tomorrow."

"Looks nice," he commented. The chimney was smoking, and from afar he could see inside the neat living room. The TV was on and her grandmother, he assumed, was watching a tv show.

"Thanks... As you can see, it was perfectly quiet and safe."

"No, that black cow we passed was going to eat you. It was good that I was around."

Norah giggled. Rafe had a mild phobia to farm animals, specifically to cows and sheep. He said they stared at you intently with their beady eyes.

"Do you want to come in for a cup of tea?" Norah suggested.

"No, cheers, I've got to get back to my shit hole. Maybe next time."

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said, taking her bag from him.

"See you," he said, waiting until she walked through the front door. She turned to him and gave him a little wave with a shy smile, then clutching both of her bag straps she went in.

God, was she always this cute?