Contact {#wattys2016}

Chapter 32

"I think you die if you don't start breathing." Barbie instructs as I search for a substitute brown paper bag.

"Barbie, I have reason to freak out." I respond, double checking that Brendon's not in his room. Even with the window closed, I'm paranoid to talk above a whisper.

"That's true. But Amber, it's okay. So he wanted to kiss you? Big deal. It just means that you're getting close and that he's forgetting the secret."

"But I-"

"I know, you wanted to kiss him. I understand that. Naturally, everyone wants to kiss him. He's freaking gorgeous."

"What?" I choke.

"You seriously haven't noticed? He's incredibly hot! With his green eyes and charming personality, I'm surprised he isn't already taken."

"I mean, I see what you mean." I think about it. I mean, he's fun to talk to. Conversation is light and addictive, captivating even. When he smiles, you automatically follow suit because it's so sincere.

Yeah...I can see why girls want him.

"To be honest, I wanted to kiss him."

"Barbie!"

"Hey! I wasn't even sure he was the guy you meant when I met him. He's really something. I admit it. I was into him when I lied about just getting close to the enemy. But I don't like him anymore, I swear."

"It's okay. I probably would've liked him sooner had he not pissed me off." I confess. Barbie laughs and I smile at her voice.

"So what's the course of action?"

"I don't want to be with Brandon anymore."

"Then dump him." She bluntly states.

"But I owe it to him to-"

"To lead him on? To pretend you want to be with him?"

"I should've never disrupted the order of things."

"Hey, at the time, it seemed right." Barbie retorts.

"But if I had just gone after him without the contacts then he could be able to go back to Lola. And she wouldn't be hooked on Hurley and Kevin wouldn't be in love with you and you'd be with Hurley and I would be ready for Brendon."

"I'm sorry what did you say about me and Hurley?"

Somehow I always seem to screw something up.

Oh shit.

"Umm I just think that if I hadn't intervened with his love life, he would've fallen for you." I lie.

"You can't lie with your contacts over the phone, Amber. Tell me what happened."

"You almost fell in the hall once and Hurley saved you. And then you told me that you  liked him. But Lola already was hypnotized to fall for him and Kevin was hypnotized to fall for you so I controlled you to forget the whole thing and stick with Kevin."

"AMBER!"

"I'm SORRY! Barbie, believe me, I didn't want to do it but if I had let things go naturally, Brendon would've found out or maybe life would've gotten more complicated and I couldn't let things get so twisted that something happened."

"I don't remember a thing, Amber."

"I'm sorry." I apologize again. You can never say "I'm sorry" enough.

"Do you know how scary that is? Hearing about something that happened to you but you know nothing of it? What if somehow I did date Hurley and felt some weird deja vu? What if I forgot everything because you accidentally told me to forget something but weren't specific enough?"