An Artistic Duo

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Saturday, July 21

The next morning, when I woke up, I continued my usual routine of not getting out of my bed until I was really sick of it. I closed my eyes, even though I knew I wasn't going to go back to sleep and just smiled at how good it felt to be under the covers. I thought back to the previous day, trying to jog my memory of everything that happened when it hit me. 

Me and Eli kissed. 

My lips touched Eli's, the guy I hated the most.  

I cringed at the thought. What had gotten into us? More importantly, what had gotten into me?  

I rolled over and faced the wall, trying to bring myself back to that moment, so I could figure out what the hell I had been thinking. 

But I could only think of Eli's lips on mine. They were so soft and warm. And he knew exactly how to move them to make me feel like I needed it. And having his arms around my waist... It was like my entire body was on fire with him. My heart beat faster just thinking about it. 

What was I thinking! I hated Eli! He was a jerk, and rude, and sweet, and funny, and so very attractive.  No. I needed to stop. He has a girlfriend and I do not like him. Obviously this whole friendship thing wasn't going to work.  I would just go on hating him and not hide it anymore. 

I hate Eli. 

No, I don't. 

Yes, I do. 

No, I don't. 

I groaned and punched the wall, then recoiled at the pain that shot through my fist. 

"Is something wrong, Lace?" Someone asked behind me. Kelsey. 

"No," I muttered, not turning around as my entire body flooded with guilt. This girl was nice. She didn't deserve to be cheated on- 

I stopped as I realized a heartbreaking fact. I had become a whore. I was the whore in this scenario. What was wrong with me! I had just had this happen to me and I had just done it to an innocent girl.  I buried my head in my pillow. When had everything become so complicated?  When Eli started turning attractive and funny and cute and- 

Ugh!  I did hate Eli, I really did, for pulling me down into all of this. He was an attractive bastard. But mostly the bastard part. 

How was I supposed to face him, again? I groaned at the thought. I really hated this guy for causing unnecessary drama.  I thought of everything bad Eli had done to me over the years, and soon I was angry. I wanted to rip his head off and throw it into an ocean.  

Screw his hotness! He was mean! He'd messed with me for years just for the fun of it. Plus he took first place from me every year, including this one. If we did end up winning, I would still have to share the glory with him. He took everything away from me, and was just a plain asshole. Who's to say that this whole summer wasn't just some ploy. 

That thought struck me hard. This entire summer could've been all an act. He could've just been doing it to mess with me and to get my life ruined this entire time. This was an intricate plan, and the whole BFF thing was a perfect cover up.  

I threw the covers off of me and sat up on my bed, turning around so my feet touched the ground. 

"Are you sure there's nothing wrong with you?" Kelsey asked. "You look... evil," she said.