Magic Love (A Cethany Fanfiction)

Chapter 19 - Something Before

Connor

I pull away after a few seconds. She didn't kiss me back. I don't know what I was thinking. Her remembering made me want to relive the moment. Under the mistletoe, and her brown eyes staring at me. I couldn't keep myself away.

My heart sinks when she stands up, her face emotionless.

"I--I have to go," she says. She's not looking at me.

"Wait, Beth." I touch her arm but pull back after she flinches. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I did that. I didn't mean it--

"You didn't mean it?" Her eyes are still at her feet.

"Well, I mean, I--

She finally looks up, cutting me off. "I can't be here, Connor. I'm sorry."

I listen to the soft padding of her feet as she hurries down the stairs.

;

It's time for school again. Classes drag by. Beth avoids me in homeroom, her back to me. I run an errand during second period, to French. When I step inside, Beth is sitting near the middle, beside Val. Her eyes dart up to me, but quickly go back to Val. They're working on a project together. When Val moves, his shoulder bumps into hers.

I'm not jealous. No, I can't be jealous. I don't have the right to be jealous.

I hand the note to the teacher and speed out the door without waiting to be dismissed.

;

Beth

It's back. The mind reading thing. I know it the minute I walk into the cafeteria for lunch. Voices are everywhere, even though not everyone's mouths are moving. I close my eyes to shut it out for a second. When I open them again, Liv is waving at me, gesturing for me to join their table.

I forgot. I have to talk to Connor now.

I sigh and head to the lunch line. I grab a sandwich and slowly make my way over to the table. I sit between Livia and Val, avoiding Connor's piercing gaze. Cassia has moved to a different table, but someone new has joined us.

"Who's this?" I ask casually. I look up at the new kid, and Connor, sitting next to her, is still staring at me.

"This is Josephine," Livia says.

Josephine smiles. "Call me Jo."

I nod and smile back. "Are you new?"

"No, my, uh, old friends kicked me out. Heather thinks I hooked up with her boyfriend, rumors got around, and now I'm the most hated person ever." She shrugs.

Her boyfriend was a really good kisser, gotta admit.

I raise my eyebrows but stay silent. I'm about to try to get to know her more when Connor's thoughts interrupt me.

She won't even look at me. Oh my god, what have I done?

Out of the corner of my eye, I see his expression worsen.

She has a freaking boyfriend. How could I be so stupid?

He turns away.

It doesn't help that she's still beautiful.

I almost blush. Val nudges me.

"Hey, what have you done so far for the Romeo & Juliet project? I don't know if I should use props in the balcony scene, did you?"

Shit.

"Um, I haven't started yet," I say, hoping he doesn't ask about it anymore.

"Oh." For a moment, he's silent and I relax. "Who's your partner?"

OH MY GOD.

"I'm her partner," Connor says from across the table. I can't tell if he's saying it just to inform Val or if he's trying to get me to look at him. Either way, I give in.

I look up. His eyes are staring at mine, trying to figure out what I'm thinking.

"Oh, that's pretty lucky," Val says happily, clueless. "How convenient it is you both know each other. My partner is some chick named Alexa. All she talks about is how bad her hair looks. Her hair does look pretty crappy, though." He laughs, then notices the tension between Connor and I.

"Am I missing something?" he asks, eyebrows furrowing.

"When are we starting the project?" Connor asks me.

Livia and Jo both join in on staring at me. Great. I try to look at Connor without crying.

"I don't know, any time is fine." I pretend to care what time it is and look at the clock. "I forgot, I have to ask Mr. Pfeiffer about something." I grab my books and my water bottle. "See you guys later."

I run like hell. Well, I run as fast as I can without getting in trouble.

;

Damn it. I hear footsteps behind me. I duck into the room to my side. Great. Janitor's closet. I lock the door just as someone shakes the doorknob.

"Beth, come on," he says. "Let's talk."

"Nothing to talk about."

"And that's why you locked yourself in the janitor's closet?"

I close my eyes and switch the lock. He opens the door, and the bell rings. Kids start filing into the hallway, so he walks into the closet and closes the door behind him.

"I don't want to be late for class," I say.

"We both know that's not what you're worried about." He turns the light on, and I'm looking at his eyes again. God.

"Look, Beth. I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me." But he's thinking something different.

I want her more than anything.

I take a deep breath. "It's, um, okay. Can you just tell me what happened that Christmas?"

He looks at the ground. "It was at a Christmas party at my house. You didn't want to come, but I made you because I didn't want to deal with the relatives alone. And we had been getting a lot closer lately. And then, you know what happened next."

"So... were we together?"

Yes. "No."

"Don't lie to me, Con."

"Why would I lie to you?"

"Because I just heard you think it."

He closes his eyes. "You can do that again?"

"Yeah, it came back this morning. So. We were together."

"Only for like a month. And then you had to leave."

"A month is still pretty long. I can't believe I don't remember this at all."

The tardy bell rings. My first late class.

After a few seconds, I say, "Were we, you know, serious?"

He doesn't say anything. There's my answer. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I had finally found you again. I didn't want to make things awkward. I just thought you wouldn't remember as long as I didn't bring it up."

"Well, that didn't work."

"I know."

He finally looks at me. "You haven't changed."

"What do you mean?"

"You're still beautiful."

A/N: It took me so long to update this I'm sorry! But like homework has been making me insane and like I can't focus on anything right now. And my other story I haven't updated for a month ugh. Might be a little slower but I hope I can continue. Thanks for 700 reads!