Count On Me(76)

I have never wanted to kick someone’s ass so much in my life.

She smiles at him as he spins her around and everything shifts inside of me. Up until twenty four hours ago, I thought I was the only person in the world that could make her smile like that. Now I’m seeing the truth. Apparently Dillon can too.

My worst fears are coming true.

I’m losing her.



Belle



I’m not sure how it happened, but I’m actually having fun.

As Dillon swings me around again, letting me dance around him, I’m smiling and laughing and having the time of my life.

When he told me to ignore everyone around us, I did as he said and everything seemed to get lighter. I kept my eyes locked on him or at least his chest and now as it’s a new song, I’m doing the same again. I focus on his smile and how amazing dancing this way really is.

There’s a set of eyes I can’t entirely block out though and after one particular spin, I catch them and they seem to be the complete opposite of what I’m sure is evident in my own. Where I’m happy, he seems damaged, hurt even, and I can’t help but feel that I’m the reason why.

When Dillon asked me to dance, I was so sure he was doing it for Kayden that it didn’t even occur to me that maybe he was acting on his own. With the scowl on his face now, it all makes sense. I don’t stop dancing though. I don’t go to him the way I want to. I just do the one thing that’s always been so hard to do with him. I look away.

As much as I want to believe that Amy is lying, I can’t. There’s this part of my brain that keeps going over every single thing that’s happened with us and it just seems to bring more truth to what she said. When you spend a long time doing things to someone, not so nice things, why would you change it unless you were playing a game with them?

That’s where confusion sets in. I can replay every second of our time together. The way it felt when he kissed me, the struggle he had asking me out and the way his eyes always go soft and tender whenever he’s around me. Is it possible to fake that sort of thing? I know actors do it because there would never be any movies if they didn’t, but away from the cameras and the insanity, can a real, living, breathing person do that sort of thing?

“Oh no! I’m losing her.” Dillon calls across to me and I grin as we continue dancing. He could have easily made fun of me for what I did, but instead he cracked a joke. As off as he makes me feel most times, it’s obvious he’s not the same guy as before.

Neither is Kayden.

The song ends as I banish all thoughts of Kayden from my head and Dillon leads me off the dance floor and over to where the drinks and food are set up. I’m not sure if he realizes it or not, but I’m not going to be able to eat anything that’s set out in front of us.

It’s the first real reminder since I got here that I’m not like anyone else. I’m still the freak.

“You want a drink? They got punch, but since a couple of the guys threw vodka in it earlier, I don’t recommend it. I think there’s soda too.”

I nod my head and he makes his way around to the other side of the table, grabbing a soda and popping the top before making his way back and handing it over. The way he does all of this gets to me. He made sure that never once was he out of my line of vision, just the way I needed him to.

Dillon is doing everything right.

I nod my head in thanks, wishing I could just say the words.

“You’re welcome, Cinderella.” He answers with a smirk. He points up toward the stage and as my eyes follow he speaks. “I gotta help set up the slide show for the Homecoming Court. You gonna be alright on your own for a bit?”

I nod and he smiles again.

“Thanks for the dance, Isabelle. Maybe I can steal another one before it’s over.”

As I watch him retreat, I think about what he said. Can I really stay for much longer? I know things have been going well so far, but I also know that it’s going to start wearing on me.

“Isabelle…”

Oh no. Not now. Not when I’m having such a good time.

I look up and I’m slammed with the intensity of his eyes as they meet mine. Soft, just like before and even in the limited amount of light in the room, the green shines through crystal clear. I feel myself melting the more we just stand locked in place.

“We need to talk about earlier.” He says slowly, almost as if he’s unsure that he’s used the right words. “What Amy told you is total bullshit. I’m not—I’m not playing you, Belle. I would never do that. Not to you.”

I want to believe in him so bad my chest physically hurts. I need to believe because with the way he’s made me feel over the last few days, the last thing I want to do is go on without him. I’m just not sure I can.