Chapter 12 #2
I stand up, and he looks down at me, his eyes scanning my features. He looks like he’s in a haze, his mind lost as he stares at me.
“What?” I wonder what he’s thinking.
What’s behind those glossy eyes? He tosses my black hair behind my shoulder, and turns me slightly, walking me forward to the mirror that sits in the corner of my bedroom.
“You’re a dream in yellow, don’t you think?” He asks me, looking at me in the mirror as he stands behind me.
I look at myself, and up to him, feeling a smile creep onto my lips. He bends down, pressing the simplest kiss to my temple, and then he nods his head.
“Let’s go Ryn. Your room stresses me out,” He pulls me by my hand.
I follow along, grabbing my phone, and my bag with my free hand as we walk.
“My room isn’t any of your concern.”
“It is. I’ll even help you clean it... but dear god, please clean it,” He laughs, and I ignore him.
I like my mess because it’s mine.
We walk down to the car, and like a routine, he opens my door for me and helps me in.
As soon as he climbs into the car, his sunglasses are on, and his hand is resting on my thigh, his fingers already twirling on my skin, drawing aimlessly.
We drive for a while, and the city comes into view shortly, the heavy buildings starting to glow as the sky melts into the shoreline.
I look at everything, watching as skyscrapers pass by, and people do the same.
He drives closer to the coast, and then I figure it out.
“Ferris wheel?”
“Among other things... Yes,” He tells me finally, and I’m glad I didn’t go with the heels now.
He makes his way to the parking area and gets out first. He opens my door for me and helps me from the Jeep with ease.
He takes my hand in his, and we walk together, our shoulders brushing as we walk.
The closer we get the more the group comes into view.
I see Griff with Jade, and Sienna with Lawson, the four of them socializing, their eyes on us as they talk.
“Finally!” Lawson calls out to us when we’re close enough to hear.
“Sorry, Cinderella wasn’t ready for the ball,” Bellamy jokes, and I shove him to the side with my shoulder, our hands still connected.
He doesn’t budge, just squeezes my hand one, two, and three times. I look up at him, and he’s already looking at me, smiling.
“Well, he never told me where we were going, so I was in a crisis,” I tell them. “Sorry,” I apologize and watch as Griff shrugs.
“Not a problem. Let’s go,” He nods his head, his arm slinking over his girlfriend's shoulders.
Jade wears a dress like me but hers is a pretty pink that compliments her skin well.
Sienna is wearing shorts and a pretty white shirt that hangs from her shoulders.
She and Lawson walk close to each other but don’t touch at all.
I watch Sienna and Lawson, trying to decipher how untrue the friend comment was.
They don’t seem friendly at all, to put it plainly they look like they dislike each other.
Part of me wants to jump in a Ferris wheel pod with her and make her tell me, but my better judgment tells me to wait it out.
I look up at Bellamy, and he presses his lips together into a sweet smile.
Even when I’m doing nothing Bellamy seems to always look at me like he appreciates me.
He seems to always have his eyes on me. Even when he puts his attention elsewhere I can tell he’s still trying to focus on me, make sure I’m comfortable, or okay.
Making sure I don’t need anything from him.
He’s attentive and caring. He makes that obvious.
He’s really, really good at faking it, and that makes me feel more comfortable to ease into this.
“We’re going to the Ferris wheel first?” I look in the direction of Jade who asked.
She and Griff are looking at Bellamy and me as we walk. I look at Bellamy too, not knowing the answer either.
“Yeah, if you guys are cool with that.”
Everyone agrees, and we approach the pier, all of us walking down, and passing people as they leave. We approach the line, and stand in it, waiting with one another.
“So, are you two…” Jade starts, pointing to Bell and me.
“No.”
She narrows her eyes at my quick response, turning her head to look at Griff.
“It’s fake,” Sienna says and the boys nod.
“So you two aren’t actually dating? You’re... Fake dating?” Jade asks, and I nod. “Explain,” She smiles, and Griff does too, extending his arm over her shoulder.
“I’d love to hear your version of this story, Kamryn,” Griff speaks out.
“Wait, me too,” Lawson chimes in, keeping the same smooth, cool attitude.
“I’ve been tutoring Bellamy, and he came to my apartment, and snooped through my things until he found-”
“I was not snooping. The list was sitting on your coffee table begging to be found. I think she placed it there. She wanted me to find it, and beg me to do it with her,” He argues, and my jaw drops.
“This is why you aren’t allowed to tell the story because that is not what happened. I made a stupid list, for research purposes of course, and then Bellamy came over so I never put it away. It was just there, and he found it,” I look up at him, and notice his smile.
“What list?” Jade asks.
“Her list of things she’s seen but never done,” Sienna finishes for me, and I nod.
“It was never meant to be seen by anyone but me or Sienna. We were watching a movie, and I told her romantic shit like what happens in those movies doesn’t happen in real life…
Because it doesn’t, it’s all fake. She proceeded to argue with me and said it could be possible.
I made the list to see if she or I had actually done any of that stuff, and before I could give it to Sienna, Bellamy-” I try to explain, but Bellamy cuts in.
“I’m just a good person, and she begged me to do the list with her so I said-”
“That didn’t happen. He annoyed me and I said no, and the only person we have to thank for me saying yes is Sienna.
She’s reasonable and level headed, so when I told her about what happened, I thought she’d say not to do it, but then she told me to do it.
When the sane one tells you it’s a good idea, there’s really no arguing,” I look over to Sienna after I finish, and she grins from ear to ear.
“At your service,” She winks at Bellamy, and I roll my eyes.
“You’re never allowed to tell that story, you lie far too much,” I point at Bellamy, and his amused smile brightens.
He hangs his arm over my shoulder, pulling me into him as we move up into the line.
“Well, for people who aren’t actually dating, you two are very… good at faking I guess,” Jade tells up, and my smile turns awkward as I laugh.
I can’t help but think of Bellamy’s friends, and question what they think of me.
I’ve never been too keen on worrying about others' thoughts about me because they could potentially hurt my feelings, and I don’t have time for that.
But I do question what they think of this arrangement.
Of me, and their best friend. Did they encourage him like Sienna did me?
Did they tell him he was crazy? Did they high five him when he told them that I agreed, or did they warn him to be wary of me?
Questions swirl in my brain, but I fake a smile.
“All comes with the job,” Bellamy brushes her words off, and we continue talking, but I’m focused on the sinking feeling in my stomach.
I manage to move from Bellamy’s arm around my shoulder, leading the group to the front until we get to the ticket booth. Bellamy pays for the two of us, and then we’re off. Bellamy and I escape into a pod, and we’re sitting, away from everyone else.
“Ignore them,” He comes close to me, sitting down just like I did.
“I am. I don't know what you’re talking about,” I brush his words off despite the odd feeling in my stomach.
“I could see it the second Jade said what she did... You curled up, you went somewhere else. It’s not a big deal. I told you I was going to do a good job, everything is the same as it was, there’s no change.”
I nod, agreeing with him, and believing him too.
“Do your friends… I mean do they care that we’re fake dating? Do they even like me?” I ask, not sure why I even care in the first place.
Of course, I want to work with the football team. I want all of them to like me, but it’s more than that. I can’t place it, but I know it’s more than just wanting some players to like me.
“They think you’re cool. They also think it’s good that I’m stepping out of my normal…
tendencies,” He steps over the word, and I raise my eyebrows.
“The fact that I don’t do casual. As you called it, being a nester.
They think it’s good for me, that you, and the list is good for me.
Why are you worried? Do you think they’re out saying shit about you?
Because they wouldn’t do that. Not to me, or you. ”
He defends his friends and tries to ease my mind, but I continue my stream of concerns that lie far past just his friends. Concerns I didn’t think much about before agreeing to do the list.
“I just don’t want anyone to get any ideas,” I know I don’t have an impeccable reputation as it is... but everyone knows I’m not the dating type.
I have no idea what this will make others think. Part of me fears an expectation from others... Especially if people find out all of this is fake... I just don’t want to put myself in any danger.
“Well everyone already has ideas,” He admits.
“Yeah I know, your ex wants my head,” My laugh is filled with annoyance.
“Too bad she can’t have it. I don’t really care, we can know, no one else has to. It’s easier to live life without giving a damn about other people’s opinions, Ryn.”
“It’s just easier said than done,” I look up at him, and he shrugs.
“I just don’t know why you care about the opinions of others, if you know it’s easier to not care then just don’t,” He speaks like it’s easy, and I furrow my brows.