I love him, I love him not...

I love him, I love him not...(Ghost story) - Part 11

Walking to school with Andrew was...an experience. She had the satisfaction to see Emma's face as she walked in. Her jaw actually dropped. Belinda couldn't help letting a giggle escape and Andrew smiled down at her, blindingly. She knew she shouldn't feel so happy but she couldn't help it. Everything with Keith had been hushed and secret. Andrew was openly flaunting his new girlfriend, like he was proud.

Belinda went through the day, everything rushing by her. She felt so warm from Andrew's kindness, his...love. She knew it probably wasn't real but he was such a good actor. Keith had never done this, never...whoa, whoa, hold up! a voice inside her screamed. Keith isn't the issue. Andrew is possibly a demon from another dimension and you're thinking about when he's going to take you on a real date!

Belinda couldn't ignore it, this stupid voice of reason. It grounded her and made her feel guilty for pretending. She knew she had to, knew it was the only reason Keith was talking to her but still. She smiled up at Andrew, knowing she looked troubled. She was trying so hard not to fall into the pattern, fall into loving him gently. But she was fighting a losing battle, her will already breaking under the sweet assurance of his arms.

And then Keith's eyes met her across the room. The flash of blue helped to steel her against the seductive brown that invited her in, stealing into her thoughts. Her eyes flashed away from Keith's quickly but she wondered if Andrew had noticed. She looked up at him and she thought, crap. Only, slightly less eloquently.

Andrew looked at Keith with what Belinda could only describe as murderous intent. She was afraid, not only of Andrew but for Keith. Keith who only wanted to save her from...well, she wasn't quite sure what would happen but she knew Keith didn't want her to suffer it.

So Belinda did the only thing she could think of. She turned Andrew towards her and kissed him with an intensity that took over completely. She could feel the surprise and then the compliance. She could also feel the way he did this - detached and unfocused. She knew he wasn't really in this, wasn't totally interested. And she didn't care. If this distracted him from Keith, she would do it.

The rushing in her ears subsided, and she could hear the hushed silence in the canteen, disturbed only by the slamming of the door as someone left - in a hurry, evidently. She pulled back, looking shyly up at Andrew before the catcalls started. She could feel her face burning red but she forced herself to plaster a dopey grin across it, looking around unabashedly. The only person she couldn't find now was Keith.

Oh, part of her thought. Must've been him who ran out. Wonder why...Belinda tried to shake the thought, giggling and flirting with Andrew again. She could think about it later or - better - talk to Keith about it. He would be able to tell her something she wanted to hear, true or not. The thought set off a new rosy glow in her cheeks and she held tight onto Andrew's hand.

Keith was furious with himself. No, he told himself. Calm down. You don't feel like killing Andrew. You know she doesn't want to, and now you know why. A detached part of him wondered if she felt the same thing with Andrew that he had felt with her. Dammit! No, you didn't feel anything, remember? You know she did because she trembles when you hold her, and that's what you needed.

And none of this was helping the insane urge to beat some sense into the girl. He knew she was supposed to make Andrew trust her, make him believe she was still under the spell he had already weaved. But he hated that she was such a great actress. If it's an act. Keith tried so hard not to smash the wall, not to put all of his power behind him and hit it, pretending it was Andrew.

All he could do was pray it was an act and talk to her later. If she wasn't with Andrew. The thought was all he needed to propel him into the next part of the plan, with vindictive ease as he thought of Andrew, trapped and helpless as Keith locked him in a dark and solitary place.