Magic Love (A Cethany Fanfiction)

Chapter 17 - Too Many Tragedies

Beth

I see Val sitting along at the usual table, and I furrow my eyebrows in surprise. Usually either Connor or Livia is already here.

Val looks at me and tells me the answer to my thoughts. "Cass is mad at him."

I look at him. "For what?" Then, with a sinking feeling, I remember yesterday. I sit down and slump my shoulders. Val nudges me.

"What? It's not like it's a big deal. They always fight."

"Yeah but I think this was my fault. They were on a date last night and they bumped into me at this record store. Connor insisted on taking me home."

Val sucks in his breath. "I'm sure it's nothing."

I cringe when I see Connor's face as he comes back into the cafeteria. His eyebrows are furrowed and his lips are in a tight frown. But all he does is shake his head. He doesn't touch his food.

My head starts to swirl, and I know what's coming.

A face now. Connor's. I look up. Mistletoe. Then he comes closer.

"Isn't this wrong?" I say.

"Doesn't feel wrong."

I smile. "I didn't say it felt wrong."

I look up at Connor. "I remember," I say.

He gives me a small glance. "Remember what?"

"Christmas."

His eyes widen and he looks at Val. Val shrugs his shoulders. Then Connor leaves without another word. And I feel broken.

;

I sit through photography class blindly, my leg thumping up and down as fast as lightning. I need to get out of here. I need to talk to Connor.

I barely register that someone is talking to me until she taps me on the shoulder. I look up.

"Oh, Claire." I give her a weak smile.

She's staring at me like I'm crazy. "Are you okay, Beth? You haven't spoken at all." She looks genuinely worried. I try to look happier.

"Yeah!" I say, over exaggerated. "I'm fine. Really. Just, school is stressful, you know?"

She still looks skeptical, but returns to fiddling with her camera. I sigh.

After class, I almost run outside. Connor has swimming for eighth period, and the pool is right by the entrance. Of course, he needs to change and shower, which might take a while, but I don't want to miss him.

I try to act casual as I stand alone at the double doors. Then I see Adam's car pull up. Shit. I forgot.

He rolls down his window, like he always does.

"Let's go. Hop in," he says with a sweet smile, and I look at him and smile and melt because he's just so beautiful and then someone comes out of the double doors and there he is, blue eyes and wet hair and sleeves rolled up to his elbows. And I'm caught between my two worlds.

Connor looks from me, to Adam, then to the floor.

And then he keeps freaking walking.

"Bethany?" Adam says from the car. And I know that I probably shouldn't do what I'm about to do. But I don't listen to myself.

"Connor!" I yell. He whips his head around. His eyes are pained. I swallow and run to him, leaving a dumbstruck Adam waiting in the car.

"Connor," I say out of breath.

"Beth, what are you doing? You should go home," he says. He's looking around, as if trying to find something to look at other than me.

"Where's Cass?" I ask. I look straight at him, but he won't return it.

"I don'r know. We're not really... you know... anymore... why?"

I can't keep the look on my face straight. "You're not..."

He finally looks at me. "I broke up with her, okay? We're done." He looks so sad and I want to hug him so tight and hold his hands and tell him that everything's going to be alright. But I can't. Because he's my best friend and I can't. And Adam is there.

He sighs. And then I'm left standing there, with a distant voice, probably Adam's shouting at me. My vision goes blurry as Connor's figure grows smaller and he drives away in his car. And then there's footsteps behind me. And then arms wrap around my waist and someone tells me to go home with them and

I can't move.