Glitch (boyxboy/android)

Chapter 14: Trapped

"But isn't that like...cheating?"

☆

"...And then, it just drew this detailed diagram of the circulatory system." Leo is getting Harley and Yan up to speed on his 'upgraded' tutor in the school canteen.

"But isn't that like cheating?" Harley asks, brows furrowing. 

"You're just jealous." Yan interjects. "Do you think it will do my English assignment for me?" Yan leans over a little, trying to be discreet with his request. 

"I guess so but I don't want to raise suspicion, you know, or it will be taken away from me. Besides, you don't have the mother pressures like I do." Leo adds. 

"Hey Harley!" The conversation is interrupted by Hope, Chloè and Anna now surrounding the table. Leo watches as Harley snakes his hand around Hope's petite waist, with Yan accepting a sweet kiss on the cheek from Chloè. He looks at Anna, just about managing a nervous nod and an awkward wave. 

"Hey baby, you look nice." Harley compliments his girlfriend, causing Hope to subconsciously touch her hair and play with a forming curl around her fingers. 

"Aw thanks babe, yeah I dyed my hair a little, you know, for the winter prom?" 

The winter prom. Just those three words put Leo on edge. It's not like he had forgotten that it was going to happen, or that he was obliged to make a grand gesture to Anna about inviting her to it, but every time it entered his head, he made himself think of something else.

"You will look like a diamond on my arm." Leo inwardly vomits at the sickly scene. With Hope lapping up the sugary sweet compliments like a cat that had got the cream.

"Only for you baby." She gently rubs a hand down the length of Harley's thigh causing the pair to momentarily forget that there were four other people present.

"You wanna go somewhere?" Harley asks, his usual playful tone being replaced by a more deeper one.

"Sure." Hope replies as her hands lace with his, with her pulling him up from his seat. They leave without a word. 

"Bye then!" Yan says sarcastically, half chucking to himself, with the remaining four people still present.

"Do you wanna take a walk Yan?" Chloè now asks. 

Yan looks low key smitten with the request, but then is distracted by someone kicking his shin from under the table. He looks up to see a panic stricken Leo staring at him. His eyes pleading. Don't go...don't leave me with her.

"Um...Chloè I'd love to, but I'm still having my lunch with Leo here."' 

Chloè looks over at Leo, her brow slightly furrowed, Leo is smiling widely back at her. 

"I'll keep him company." Anna suddenly pipes up. Leo's happy face drops like a heavy weight. 

Yan now looks at Leo, then Chloè, then Leo and again at Chloè. She was pulling him away like a magnetic force and his resolve was weakening. 

"Yeah ok then. I'll catch you later Leo." Yan is too ashamed to look Leo in the face for ditching him in his hour of need, but Chloè was too much of a temptress.

Leo now feels the chair next to him being pulled back slightly. His skin prickles, his body tenses as he feels Anna's presence next to him. He even struggles to make eye contact.
"So..." she says, her voice sweet and soft, but filled with cunning. "You've not forgotten the deal have you?" 

"No I've not forgotten." Leo says, trying his best to keep his voice unaffected by the situation he found himself in. 

"I'll tell you what, I'll make it easy for you." She continues. 

"What? You'll drop all of this and leave me alone?" Leo says with a glimmer of hope. 

"Nice try." Anna replies, her voice staying the same. "You will ask me to the prom this Friday lunch, here in the canteen, or everyone gets to hear about your bathroom antics with fake men." 

Leo breathes out slowly through his mouth, trying his best to keep his composure. He turns to look her in the face.
"Why...why are you doing this?"

Anna's face shows no mercy, no compassion. "I get what I want and I want you. We are destined to be the winter prom golden couple."

"You're a psycho." Leo mutters under his breath. 

"Yeah, so I've been told." Anna says with a light chuckle. She stands up from the table, running her cold fingers down Leo's heated cheek. "I look forward to you sweeping me off of my feet." She adds before calmly and casually walking away. 

Leo holds his drink carton tightly, squeezing it so much that the juice rushes out of the straw. He felt cornered, he was trapped.