You Belong With Me

Chapter 10

Location: ...
Time: 13:36
Everything's gone wrong

I was supposed to keep my distance.
Oops.

Since the last time I saw Cleo, I realized that I'm both a perfectionist and a procrastinator.

This plan has taken longer than expected. But there's no time limit, for love I mean.
But I'm getting impatient.
Along with the fact that I've been looking after my love, watching the decisions she makes and the reasoning behind it. We need to converse.

I don't care about the clothes she wears, or the way she decorates her room. But the choices she's making, Cleo needs supervision.

It's for her own good.
__________________
Location: house party
Time: 2:05
Who invited the flock of seagulls

That's what I want to know. Because the a hurd of strangers all couped up in the same water and expect me to believe that it's a house party.

Since I was only invited to church groups I find it hard to believe that this is 'Cool' in any way.

As I said, I am not meant to be here. I am not meant to be near her in any way. That's what my therapist recommended.
I feel uncomfortable seeing her have fun when I'm not around.

I might as well just leave.
I push my way through the crowd. Most pay no mind as they were all convinced I was a bouncer hence my black attire. Rich kids.
Just as I begin to make my way outside, a teenager bumps into me, or who I think is a teenager.

"Oh Sorry!" She smiles sheepishly her teeth where embroidered with gems that glowed in the orange light. I could barley hear her voice as the music played loudly so I couldn't help but read her lips.
She was clearly intoxicated, to an extent where I felt as if I needed to intervene. I mean as a good citizen.
The woman was juggling drinks on a tray, drinks that looked way too vulgar for kids this age, with her revealing outfit I'd guess she was hired to serve, brats.

I let her leave but make sure to keep an eyes on her. She approaches some kids in the pool, before even putting the drinks down. A hand grabs her behind and she topples over. I clench my fist.

One moment.
_________________
Location:House party, unfortunately
Time: 2:17
Boy, that sure was weird

And weird it was. I called the poor waitress a taxi, as she was clearly shaken. And waited outside for a few minuets with my lighter and cigarette before deciding to go home.

That's when I see who I've been subconsciously after, standing undeniably close with another woman.
Dread brews inside of my core. I have nothing to fret about. I despise the way they hold each other. Whomever this woman may be.

She turns around. I steal a glimpse of her face.

Well I'll be damned,
Still alive, and very well as I can see. I'm disappointed to say they least considering I kill for a sport. The woman gets in the car with a piece of me. Pure unbridled rage isn't even close to what I feel, bedsides a fool.

I fail to stock up on my charge of satisfaction from seeing Cleo's face. And also fail to kill a piece of bait and also need to wash my eyes out with bleach.

I'm not used to failing. At all.
___________
Few hours later
...
The best thing I have yet to see all night, the front door.
Not my front door of course. Cleo's.
A loopy smile glides over my face, I don't even feel the weight of the 3 bags of luggage on my back.

I bring a hand to the door. The door swings open before I could knock. I slide my hand through my hair. Real smooth Jesse.
Real smooth

Cleo leans against the doorway, looking preoccupied with her phone.
"Are you gonna come in?"
I'm snapped out of my daze by the hint of agitation in her voice.
I squeeze in the small doorway and take my shoes off and she's nowhere to be found.
I stand awkwardly as I 'don't know where the guest room is' waiting for her to come back.

Teenagers sure do change. It took a while for me to adjust to her new lifestyle and I still have a lot more to learn about her than I did before. She answered my text about an hour ago, 'Fine.' Is all she said. I wonder if I've been doing this wrong. Maybe a stronger approach would help with that attitude of hers.
____________
It's been 3 hours.

And she's not blind,
Simply we've been unconsciously ending up in each others presence. Living room. Kitchen hallways.
Does Cleo dislike me?

I catch her scrolling on her phone in the kitchen when I decide it's time to end this feud.
"Are you upset with your mother?"
The phone almost slips out her hand, she grips it tight.
"No, why would I be?" She sniffs, glances at me then wipes her nose with the collar of her hoodie and continued to search her phone. Teens..
"Well considering you have to be supervised at this age," She fully looks at my eyes "Not to be a pessimist but something must have happened right?
She sighs, placing her hand on the table, "You know, I don't not want you here, one minute I'm just going out n enjoying myself then all of a sudden I'm 7 years old with my 3rd nanny that month"
I take a second to realise what she had said. Interesting, though I'm sure I knew everything about her before she keeps dropping hints about her own personal life.

"How about we play a game?" I suggest.

She pauses, "A game, am I actually seven now?" She chuckles.

I give her a look. She sighs and continues to ignore me. She's changed alright. After some persuasion, got her to smile again and admit  "Okay! Okay, fine."
I silently punch the air as she shuffled into the next room.
Now, I have to decide what were playing.
___________
The music was barley audible due to how hard Cleo was gasping for air.
I glanced down, a tropical bathing suit tight on top of my tank top and mismatched socks.
Maybe I should chose truth.

She cackles once more before she goes, "Okay okay, Truth or dare?" She regains her breath, after a long sigh she looks at me expectedly.
I raise my brow. "Truth?"
Her eyes rake over my chest and she says "Fair enough," The track changes.
Who was the last person you've been with?" She squints. With a tilt of her head.
My brows shoot up again, this time in surprise. "Bold of you to assume I would tell you the answer to something like that." I say in a newfound low tone.
She laughs again, with her angelic voice. "Maybe I'm just out my mind." She grins
I can't tell her who I'd last been with. It would ruin this already spiralling mood, I smile approvingly
"I guess you are."
"Awh cmon! You're really not gunna tell me?" The bed creaked as she began to bounce slightly.
I just lightly shook my head. The track changes again.
"Oh, please?"

A smile spreads across my face. "If I didn't know any better I'd assume you're trying to seduce me" her eyes lit up. I could see her ears that turned red.
That ignited my curiosity,
I need to persevere but I thought 'she looks beautiful under the sunset'
The feeling of being involve again it leads to dangerous tension. This may be a foolish decision but at least nobody can call me a coward.

I inched closer to the edge of the bed, her lips parted as if she knew.
This won't end well.