"This is what she had become."
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Cleopatra Banks' last week in the small town of New Chelsea is nothing like she would have imagined it, but nothing could have prepared her for the stinging betrayal she's faced with and suddenly the prospect of...
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"Just act natural," Alexis whispered from behind Cleopatra, underlying tones of amusement in her voice "try not to throw up when you speak," she snickered.
Of course Cleopatra didn't register any of this. The only thing she could make out was the loud sound of the bongo drums beating wildly in her chest where her heart should have been as Maxwell approached her.
He seemed to have been walking in slow motion and the closer he got, the more his annoyance became palpable.
Cleopatra wondered what the reason behind it was.
Had she done something wrong?
Said something wrong?
Set fire to his house maybe?
"Don't you have a phone Banks?" he asked when he finally stood in front of her. His eyebrows were furrowed and his lips were set in a firm line.
But of course Cleopatra didn't register any of his words either. She probably didn't even notice that she was staring right at him.
"Hey, are you okay?" Maxwell placed a hand on her shoulder. His tone had now changed to one of concern and not irritation.
The feel of Maxwell's hand on her shoulder seemed to do the trick and snapped Cleopatra out of her daydream.
Maxwell Benson was actually standing in front of her. And his hand was on her shoulder. The palms of her hands began to moisten and a few beads of sweat started to form on her forehead.
He was actually touching her!
"Cleo, you good?" Maxwell asked again. His lips were now set in a concerned frown.
"Uh, hey Max I'm good, are you good?" She responded, her entire body stiff and her back as straight as a ruler. Alexis snickered behind her again and this time Cleopatra's cheeks warmed up. She knew she had probably done something stupid or said the wrong thing.
Maxwell's eyebrows shot upwards. "I'm good, listen I texted you last night. We're supposed to start with our Chemistry project today. We discussed everything last week don't you remember?" He asked her.
She remembered the project alright but she couldn't quite remember having discussed anything with him.
He was probably doing all the talking and she was just staring at him and getting lost in his brown eyes.
The usual.
"Yes, yes I totally remember," she lied, a nervous smile making its way onto her face. "My battery died and I didn't really have time to charge it." For someone who was normally on top of things, she seemed to have become rather forgetful lately especially when it involved Maxwell.
"Okay cool I'll see you later, gotta run now," he removed his hand from her shoulder, winked at her, gave her a dazzling smile and ran off.
She finally let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding in and the bongo drums slowed their rhythm until she could feel the regular beating of her heart.
