Beauty and a Cheat

Follow the spiders

I grabbed my high heels and dress off the floor, still in Justin's clothes, and tore down the tunnel, searching for the exit. Wiping my nose on my sleeve grotesquely, I soon saw the ladder that led up into the forest. With a hint of hesitation, I looked over my shoulder. Nobody was behind me to try and stop me, and for some reason, this angered me.

Idiot, I chided myself. Why would Justin try to follow me? Maybe he finally realized that I was just an average girl with fortune enough to meet a celebrity, not to mention get betrayed by one.

I brushed my hair out of my face and grabbed a rung of the ladder with clammy, white hands. I was so nervous about leaving. I probably wouldn't see him again. He wouldn't want to see me, that was for sure. Plus, going back to my parents was going to be a nightmare. How would I be able to deal with them when I'd lived down here so peacefully for a few days?

The inner battle continued inside me until I heard footsteps coming down the hallway. I started to climb with increasing tension, but whoever was walking had broke off into a run. The footsteps got closer, and closer, and closer. . .

"What are you doing?" Ryan's voice echoed through the darkness.

I wasn't sure how to defend myself, halfway up the ladder. So I stuck with the obvious.

"Leaving," I said, turning my head and shooting him a sarcastic smile. "Nice knowing you." I started to finish climbing the ladder, but his voice halted me.

"No, no, no, no, no." Ryan said, shaking his head. "Not without an explanation, missy." And to my utter amazement, he hoisted me around the waist and placed me on the ground.

"Hey!" I exclaimed in indignation. But he didn't let me finish the rant I was preparing to give him.

"We're going back to my room," he said. Pulling my hand, he started off through the tunnel. I tried to release my hand, but he had a stone grip. I sighed irritably. We passed through the entryways across from each other that led to Justin's room and the living room. I didn't dare peek at Justin in his room, but my face was still beginning to flush.

"What are you doing?!" I hissed, echoing what he'd asked me a moment ago. "It's none of your concern whether I leave or not!" I struggled as hard as I could against him, to no effect.

"Anything concerning my bro is my business." He guided me around a corner. Suddenly a memory flashed through my eyes of large, white spiders.

"No," I said simply.

Ryan turned and looked at me in confusion. "What?"

I flinched. "There's. . . spiders!" I squealed in disgust.

Ryan rolled his eyes. "Come on. They're not even that bad. I swear, you're such a girl!" And he attempted to tug me around the corner. But somehow, my fear managed to glue my feet to the ground. The adrenaline pumped loudly in my veins, urging me to run screaming in the opposite direction. I looked at Ryan, directly into his blue eyes.

"If you're planning on talking, do it here," I said firmly. "Because I'm not facing those spiders."

Ryan raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "The spiders AREN'T EVEN AN INCH LONG!" he yelled in frustration. "I rarely even see them! Come ON!" And he tried pulling my arm.

But I wouldn't move until he'd heard me through. "Okay, first of all, they're like, five inches long," I said in a disgusted tone. "And they're white. Have you not seen them? I saw a swarm when I first came here! They almost ate me alive!" I screeched.

Ryan didn't say anything for a second, but then he started laughing. "What a load of crap!" He said, sniggering outrageously. "White-- spiders-- honestly--" he choked, wiping his eyes.