Synectica

Chapter 15

        Rain dripped down the side of the school sending cold drops down the backs of students' shirts. Netta pulled out her hoodie and threw it on quickly before dashing out into the rain through a side door that connect two parts of the school. She heard quickened footsteps behind her and thought nothing of it - plenty of people were sprinting by her to get out of the rain - until a hand seized her upper arm. She was yanked face first into a boy's chest with a thud, tripping over her own feet in her surprise. The boy's other hand wrapped around her waist, holding her close to him. She began to struggle when she read his thoughts and realized it was Andrew.

        My face!

        She buried her head in his chest so he couldn't see her.

        He began to push her out in front of him. She struggled back, trying to force herself to stay where he couldn't see her face. His stronger arms took hold of her shoulders and forced her out in front of him. He felt satisfied with himself until he saw her face. She had pulled in electricity as a shield and she had managed to place it as best she could in front of her eyes, which were glowing crimson red. Andrew kept his arms as they were and stared at her, disappointment in his eyes.

        "So close..." he mumbled, his eyes searching her face.

        His dark eyes penetrated hers and she felt the weight of them in her stomach. He reached out tentatively and then fingered the ends of her hair. His hand wandered over to her face, gently resting on the side of her cheek, his beautiful brown eyes looking into hers. Netta closed her eyes to concentrate on keeping her emotions in check. This could not go anywhere; she had to make sure it didn't for the good of the QO, her family. But seeing him standing there so close to her, his hair easily letting drops of water slide off to the ground and his shirt nearly completely soaked - her stomach twisted so hard it was painful. Being with him was becoming painful. The fact that he could never know the truth - that he would never truly know her, the real her; it gave her an overwhelming sense of loneliness and hopelessness. Not to mention her greatest fear: that if he did know who she was, he wouldn't want her.

        His other hand slipped to the small of her back and she realized what he was doing, even without reading his thoughts.

        "Andrew..." she said quietly before he leaned in too close. He just stared at her.

        "Why not?" he said, assuming that she had read his thoughts.

        "Because...." she couldn't think of a reason why not - she didn't want to. He started to pull her closer and her heart began to pound harder. Her stomach wrenched painfully as her logical side reminded her that if he got too close, he would burn himself on the forcefield covering her eyes.

        "Andrew," she tried again, "you can't - we can't."

         "Don't pull that on me, I know you feel same way." He moved a piece of hair from her face. She involuntarily closed her eyes at his touch. "I don't know why you're holding back. But you know how I feel about you, Synectica. You're the only one who can see the real me." He smiled for a moment. "It's ironic, isn't it? I play a part, hide behind a mask when I'm with other people, but with you, I'm myself. You only have to wear a mask around me."

         "Then what does that tell you about the stability of this relationship?" she asked.

         "It tells me that we were meant for each other."

         "If you play with fire too long, you're going to get burned. Even now, you could hurt yourself because of me. One of your friends could see you talking to a strange girl and then where would that leave you?" He frowned slightly at that thought as he watched rain drops sizzle slightly as they dropped on her mask of an electrical field.