Chapter Six
It's been a month in since Esme and I had started dating...hmm sorry, fake dating. But what's the difference really? We might as well right? We walk everyday to school together, with my arm over her shoulder. I make her laugh countless times. I've taken her on fake dates, movies, mall trips, whatever. I hug her for show, hell, I even sneak a few kisses on the cheek, but never the lips. That's the only thing I can't pull on her.
Esme and I ride in my car right now, driving to a beach party I was invited too. When I first started taking Esme to my parties, she hated it. It wasn't till then when I realized how stubborn she really was. Absolutely tiring, let me tell you that.
She starting lightening up by the time we went our third party. But she was still a b***h about it though every now and then.
This is her now.
"How long are we going to be there for?" she asked.
I rolled my eyes. That was her signiture question.
"There's no time limit." I answer.
She sulks.
"Fine, but expect me to make 'friends' like you tried to make me do last time. I'm sticking with you all night whether you like it or not."
I wiggle my eyebrows at her.
"I like."
She pushes me playfully.
"Sure you do, but what about the food? I'm not talking about alcohol because I already know it's going to be there, but is there going to be anything to eat besides beer and vodka?"
"Drugs?" I inquire?
She pushed me again.
"That's not funny."
I shrugged.
It was silent for a while, but as soon as felt Esme's hot eyes on me, I knew I was up for a lecture, one I've had many, many times before.
"Claude, you better hope I don't see you with other girls while i'm not watching again. Remember last time? We had to fake break up and make up in front on everyone in that party." she warned.
"What?" I said defensively. "We needed a little time apart. Being you're boyfriend is very tiring."
I'm rewarded with another shove.
"Diddo, boyfriend, diddo. But don't think you can do whatever you want to me, just because I can't see you. This fake dating thing is not going to work out, if you're like that."
I chuckled.
"It'll work out."
I reached over and grabbed her hand. Doing something completely new and un-Claude-like, I raised her hand up to my lips, no longer looking at the road ahead of me and kissed it.
Esme looked just as startled as I did.
The rest of the ride to the party was lapsed in silence, yet though Esme couldn't see it, I had a huge, contagious smile on my face.
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At the party, she and I went to meet the boys first. There was Trent, Austin, Kole, and Perry. They are four of my best teamates.
"Yo, here comes the couple of the day." Trent ratted off.
I push him aside and Esme and I joined the rest of the group.
"Hey guys." Esme greeted them quite boldly.
"Hey E, hows our man Claude treating you?" Kole asked.
Esme was fast to reply.
"You tell me, he spends half of the day prolonging with you guys most of the time, so who's at fault here?"
With hands on her hips, Esme feigned pissed off stance.
The boys laughed.
"Touche."
The guys now turned their attention to me thankfully becuase Esme's gaze was starting to wander. I quickly tap her on the shoulder softly which was our sign for her to stop talking.
"Yo, you gotta stop ditching your girl for us, I know, we're like attractive and everything but, come on look at her."
We all turn to look at Esme. She's looking somewhere else. Oblivious as always.
"She's gorgeous." Austin whispers. There was definitely awe in his voice.
The boys all nod in agreement.
This somehow annoyed me, but I managed to hide the scowl and put on a plastic smile.
"Yeah, whatever." I tell them.
I unconsciously grabbed Esme hand, holding it tightly, before turning to ask her,
"Lets go get some drinks over there."
I point to a lone cooler, stashed in the sand. Not much people surrounded it and it was away from prying eyes and ears.
Esme nodded, but I was already leading the way.
"Why are you walking so fast?" she asked as I dragged her along. "What happened?"
"Nothing." I mutter. Just that my friends are acting weird.
When we got to the cooler, I reached in and pulled out a bottled water for her and an ice tea for myself.
We wandered back from the crowd a little and sat on the sand, ignoring the fact that the sand will get in places most uncomfortable.
"This sucks." Esme says suddenly. She turned and looked at me.
"What sucks?" I ask, already knowing it was because she didn't want to be here in the first place.
Esme sighs.
"I can't... I can't tell what's going on and you, for god sakes, wont tell me! It's frustrating! It sucks!"
I can't help but laugh at her sudden ticked off state.
"It's not funny." she tells me, with her no nonsense tone.
"Sure." I agree noncommittal.
Again, I grab her hand. She rewarded me with another surprised gasp, but she didn't let go.
"What are you doing?" Esme asked timidly.
I shrugged, knowing she couldn't see the action.
"Something." I answer shortly.
Silence rolled off her tongue.
I let it stay there, for I didn't know what else to say or do. So instead, I watch the crowd of party goers, dance their a*s off and get drunk under the hauntingly bright moonlight. The boys had now scattered, so I could only spot a few who which were Kole, who was dancing with two brunettes quite inappropriately, and Perry who sat influencing a bunch of freshmen's to get drunk with the weirdest kinds of drinks.
I laughed as one of the freshmen's puked up one of his many concoctions and I watched as the other freshmen's all scattered away to what I hope is a bathroom. This beach will end up puke-i-fied, if one of them don't make it to a trashcan, or a sink in time.
I felt a small squeeze from my hand. I look at Esme.
"You're doing it again." she tells me.
"Doing what?"
"Something's going on and you're not telling me."
I roll my eyes playfully.
"There's a lot of things going on. It's a party, I can't tell you everything that's going on."
Esme gave me her famous, non-seeing glare.
"Not everything, you moron. You just laughed just now, tell me about that. What's so funny?"
Now I sigh.
"The moment's pass. Is it that important to you, to know what's going on?"
Esme pulled her hand suddenly from mine.
"Yes, it is important! I can't exactly see anything can I?" she stood up. "Is it so bad to want to know what the hell is going around me or how the hell I'm supposed to respond to a situation? Is it?"
Esme's fired up again now. I feel guilty.
"Sorry." I reach for hand, trying to get her to sit down next to me again. "Sorry, I was being insensitive."
Esme huffed.
"Insensitive is not what I'd call it."
Her hands are crossed and she's standing in a protective stance.
I smiled. Glad that she was back to to her stubborn ways. I hate it when she gets mad. She always finds a way to make me feel guilty, which I should feel since most of the time I do say something insensitive or something like that.
"Sorry.' I say one last time. "I promise I'll tell you the next time something interesting happens, just sit down before you make even more people stare."
Esme looked around frantically.
"People are looking!?"
"Yeah." I answer. "So hurry up and pretend cuddle with me, so we can check off the break up, make up act."
Esme didn't hesitate for second before I had her wrapped in my arms where I silently laugh to myself.
There was in fact no one looking at us. I just wanted her to let me hold something other than her hand for once.
I look down at Esme. Her smooth, black hair has half darkened into the night while I can only see half of her face. I felt the rim of her glasses press into the bareness of my chest, and I couldn't get enough of her scent.
Having a blind, fake girlfriend, I realize, certainly has its perks or else I wouldn't be able to pull things like this. I'm not talking sexual harassment or anything, but just mutual touching. I like mutually touching Esme.
I look around once more, actually looking for something interesting so I can tell Esme about it. What I saw instead was Austin intensely staring at us.
His words still leave a jealous burn in my head.
"She's gorgeous."
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