Cookie: Hmm, well...Stacy and Courtney is finding themselves in a special place in my heart along with my boyxboy characters. >.< *sniffs*
Song is by S Club 7 "I Never Had A Dream Come True" such a beautiful yet sad song
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*~Stacy's POV~*
As it so happens, I didn't have to follow her to the end of the world. She took me as far as the bustling and partially crowded cafeteria.
She led me in through the entrance, hands still holding mine as if it was the most natural thing in the world for her to be holding my hand. I stared at our entwined fingers, still hardly believing that we were actually touching. When I had woken up this morning and if someone would have told me that Courtney Heart would not only talk to me but hold my hand...I would have called them a liar.
But here I am, I thought, doing exactly just that. What was so special about today compared to any of the previous days? It certainly hadn't felt special when I woke up this morning. It's funny how things can suddenly happen out of the blue, even if it was very unexpected.
Like Courtney Heart walking into the cafeteria, hand in hand with Stacy Bennet.
I could feel eyes on as soon as we entered, curious and probing eyes. Even the janitor mopping an orange juice spill in the corner stopped and stared at us. I felt my cheeks flush at their scrutiny and I lowered my head, my dark hair curtaining my face from their view.
"Come sit with us, Stacy," Courtney said as we reached the long table already occupied with her friends and unfortunately for me, her boyfriend, Jake. I didn't meet his eyes as Courtney sat down next to him, tugging my hand to urge me to sit down next to her.
I hesitated before reluctantly giving into her gentle tugs, taking my place right next to her. The girl that had been sitting beside her first scooted over as far away as she could from me, as if I carried some kind of disease and she was afraid to catch it. I settled down on Courtney's left side, lowering my head and putting my book bag in front of me.
"What is she doing here?" I heard Jake ask Courtney, his voice harsh and judging.
I kept my head lowered, waiting for her reply.
"She's one of us now," Courtney said, voice light. "And, oh, Jake, I would appreciate it if you kept your dogs at bay. I really don't like other people picking on things that's mine."
My head shot up at that, my eyes going wide as I stared at the side profile of her face. She was looking at Jake with a wan smile on her lips and all though she had spoken lightly, her voice had held a certain ring of warning.
Me? Was she talking about me? I belonged to her now? Not that I minded belonging to her it was just that...this was certainly the first time I was hearing this.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Jake snapped, blue eyes glaring at me.
"Hmm," was Courtney's pleasant reply.
Everyone on the table and around us had heard every word of their exchange and now they were looking at me as if I had grown two heads. I clenched my hands, uncomfortable sitting in a world that was not my own. I didn't belong here with Courtney's friend. I didn't belong with Courtney.
"I should go," I mumbled, starting to rise. "I shouldn't be he-"
"You don't want to be my friend?" Courtney asked, cutting me off. She stared at me, bluebell eyes wide and appealing. She looked wounded that I would abandon her. "Stacy, don't you like me?"
I swallowed, mesmerized my her eyes. "Yes."
She smiled. "Then stay." She tilted her head to the side, stands of her pale silk hair moving with her. "Please?"
I sat back down and hugged my book bag against me. "Okay."
Her smile widened, nearly blinding me with it's purity. "Thank you."
I couldn't speak, completely drawn into her web. All I could do was nod and stare at her. I could feel others eyes on us but this time I decided to ignore them. Courtney wanted me here, she wanted to be friends. I'm not going to let them ruin the amazing feeling that she gifted me with.
"Here," she said, grabbing a bowl of strawberries from the table. "Have some."
I took one and and stared dumbly at it.
"Dip it in this," Courtney told me, setting the strawberries down and picked up another bowl. She held it out to me so I could see what was in it.
Chocolate.
"Dip the strawberry in," she smiled, "it gives it so much more flavor."
I hesitate but did as I was told. I dipped the tip of the strawberry in and watched as the dark liquid that was chocolate drip from the end of it. Before I realized what she intended to do, Courtney leaned forward and took a bite of the strawberry between my fingers. I blinked, watching her pink lips curve into a smile as she chewed.
"Delicious," she said.
I stared at the half eaten strawberry. I felt so confused, so many emotions suddenly reeking havoc in me. I felt scared yet excited, awed yet reluctant to believe that this was all happening to me in a span of just a few hours. As my eyes drifted back to her face, I couldn't help but wonder if I'm really dreaming...or am I just being toyed with.
"Here,"Courtney said, taking a strawberry from the bowl then dipped it in chocolate. "Try." She held the chocolate coated strawberry to my lips, eyes twinkling with mischief.
Is she a fairy, I thought, or a mischievous pixie?
I leaned forward and took a bite of the strawberry, aware of the eyes staring at us. The sweet yet bitter taste of the fruit exploded in my mouth, the chocolate intensifying the flavor just like Courtney had said it would. She watched me slowly chew and smiled that secretive smile, as if she knew something that I didn't.
"Is it good?"
I nodded.
"Oh no," she said suddenly, setting the bowl of chocolate down next to the bowl of strawberries. "You have chocolate on your lips."
She reached a hand out and gently wiped the chocolate off my bottom lip with a finger and stuck that same finger in her mouth. "Hmm." Courtney moaned softly, eyes never leaving mine. "I love chocolate."
I swallowed, nearly chocking on it but I managed to push the lump in my throat down. "Y-yeah. Me too."
She turned away from me and smiled at our audience. "Strawberries and chocolate anyone?"
Everyone seemed to dive in all at once to get some strawberries, dipping it the chocolate and making comments about how delicious it was. Courtney laughed softly at the compliments. Jake's glare, if it was possible, turned more deadly.
I held the strawberry that Courtney had bitten in the palm of my hand, staring at it before gently closing my fingers over it. The bell rang to end lunch and when no one was looking, I surreptitiously wrapped the strawberry in a napkin and stuck it in my sweater pocket. I felt like a thief but I wanted to keep the strawberry. It was a weird thing to do but I never know when this dream will end and when it does I wanted to have at least one proof that it happened.
A momentum.
"I'll see you later, Stacy," Courtney said as Jake led her away from me, his arm wrapped around her waist. She wiggled her fingers at me with a smile before turning away. Jake looked like he wanted to have a few choice words with me but left me be, walking out the cafeteria with Courtney and their friends.
I watched them leave, heart dropping. By the end of the day, it's Jake who Courtney belonged to. I thumbed the strawberry in my pocket and walked the opposite direction.
Courtney will never be mine alone.
***
I only had two classes left after lunch and none of them had Courtney in it so I spent the rest of the school day daydreaming of her.
I sat by the window in my sixth period class, staring out at the view of the willow trees and soccer field. Just a few hours ago I had stood out their with West, Shane and Riley. Courtney had come out of nowhere and saved me.
I closed my eyes and flashes of her different expressions came into mind. Her taunting smiles, her cherry lips and twinkling eyes. The scene in the cafeteria kept replying in my head over and over again and I still couldn't get my mind around it. If I didn't know better...it felt like Courtney had purposely been seducing me.
But no, I thought, shaking my head at the idea. It's probably all a fantasy in my head. She was just being nice. But did being nice have go that far? My conscience whispered.
She was just being nice, I told my stupid conscience. She didn't mean anything by it. To her, I had probably been just a new sort of entertainment. When the bell rang to end the school day I rushed out the door, wanting to go home and lay down and think about...about what? Courtney? My fascination with her is slowly turning into an obsession.
I need to stop it and fast.
"Stacy!"
My steps faltered at the sound of Courtney's sweet voice calling me. I shook my head and continued to walk away, drawing the hood of my sweater over my head.
"Stacy, wait!"
My steps quickened even though what I really wanted to do was turn around and look at her. Watch her animated face smiling at me with that glint in her bluebell eyes. But you can't, I told myself. If turned around...I shuddered to think what would become of me. What she would reduce me to.
"Stacy!" A hand touched my arm before I could completely walk out the building. I paused by the exit, aware of the passing glances people were shooting our way. I ignored them and looked down.
"Stacy," Courtney laughed, breathless. "Didn't you hear me calling you?"
She must have ran to catch up to me, I thought, feeling strangely special by the idea but I quickly stomped the feeling down. She and I belonged in different worlds. I felt more comfortable in mine.
"Stacy?" She stepped in front of me. "Aren't you going to talk to me?"
I glanced up at her and quickly looked away. If I looked at her any longer I would only find myself caught in her web again. "I gotta go," I mumbled, stepping around her.
"Stacy, wait," she reached out to touch my arm again but this time I dodged her.
"It's better that you don't talk to me," I told her.
"But why?"
"Because you'll be tainted."
"Stacy-"
I turned and walked away from her, shoving my hands in my sweater pockets. Yeah, I thought, it's better this way. This would be kindest thing I could ever do for her because if she stuck around me...she'll be tainted with the rumors swirling around me.
Courtney shouldn't be tainted and it was time for this dream to end.