Free What's a Girl Gotta Do? by Holly Bourne Page B

go around doing, but they do them anyway.”
    He opened his mouth, then closed it again.
    â€œSo…” I breezed on. “Evie tells me you’re not really a feminist?”
    His smirk returned instantly. “I’m an equalitist.” He said it so smugly that his attractiveness nosedived by at least ten points.
    â€œIt’s the same thing,” I argued.
    â€œWell, I prefer to use the word equalitist.” His lip was curling, and I shook my head in disbelief.
    â€œI mean, millions of women all over the world are being oppressed, tortured, undermined and massacred, and you’re more worried about branding ?”
    â€œWell if that’s the case, why are you so het up about using the word ‘feminist’?”
    â€œBECAUSE…” My fists were clenched. “Because, yes, equality for everyone is important but using the word ‘feminist’ makes it pretty darn clear that gender is a main offender in the universe-is-bullshit Olympics. The word feminism acknowledges that, since the dawn of time, society historically split humans into two categories – male and female – and one has uncontrollably shat on the other…”
    Will looked bored by my rant – actually bored. He stopped me with his hand, and I was so stunned by the rudeness that I let him.
    â€œSince the dawn of time?” He smirked. “So, were, like, male dinosaurs oppressing female dinosaurs?”
    I threw my hands up. “Oh, by all means, ignore everything important I just said and focus on the one tiny thing that wasn’t perfect. Because that’s constructive.”
    â€œI was just joking.”
    â€œYeah, well, I was just leaving. The last thing I need right now is help from someone like you.” I stood up.
    He didn’t stop me leaving, so I carried on walking away from him – feeling that anger back in my stomach from those days before I came up with the project, feeling like I was losing, even if I was pretending I was winning.
    â€œWait,” he called, just as I was at the door. I stopped and watched him make his way over. He was shorter than you’d think, standing up. I stood taller.
    â€œWhat is it?”
    â€œYou honestly got that angry, that quickly? How are you going to cope with a month of all this?”
    I did a huge big sigh. “You were rude.”
    â€œYou were ruder.”
    â€œYou wound me up.”
    â€œBy politely disagreeing with you? So you storm off? From what Evie said, the point of this project is to stand up for yourself, not storm off.”
    God, he was cocky. And he knew he’d got to me. His smirk was super strained – from being so wide across his face. His eyes danced all triumphantly behind his glasses.
    I smiled a tiny smile. “Yes, well, the project’s not started yet.”
    â€œJust as well.”
    â€œDo you even need those glasses?”
    It was his turn to smile. “As a matter of fact I do.”
    â€œI’m worried about working with you,” I admitted. “I’m not sure if I can do this with someone who doesn’t believe in what I’m doing.”
    We were bashed by a group of students streaming through the doors, soaking wet. I looked through the windows – it had suddenly started pissing down outside. Will grabbed my arm and steered me away and, again, his assertiveness gave me fancying-him vibes. I hated myself for those vibes.
    He lowered his voice, so it was calmer, almost soothing. “Don’t you think you’re going to have to get used to people not agreeing with this pretty quickly?”
    I didn’t say anything.
    â€œLook…” he continued. “Just because I don’t call myself a feminist, doesn’t mean I don’t think this is an interesting project.”
    â€œYou’re not acting like it’s interesting. You’re acting all superior.”
    â€œBecause you are! You didn’t even say