Disclaimer: I don't own The Mysterious Benedict Society
Chapter 8 (Kate's POV)
Pressing my eyes closer to the cold window glass I stared out at the porch light burning in the distance. "I would say that's a yes Connie Girl, the boys are still awake too."
I guess I expected some response since Constance had been the one to ask the question in the first place, but when I turned to look at her all she did was slump her shoulders a little more. Feeling a little awkward I nibbled at my bottom lip as my eyes darted to the clock handing on her wall. It was almost ten o'clock, was she waiting for me to leave? Digging my hands into my jean pockets I took a few steps closer to her as I did my best to smile.
"So... Telekinesis it must tire you out to use it huh?"
She looked at me for a moment before her face scrunched up even more. If there was a secret word that would make her suddenly more upset...well Katie you just said it. Silently Constance pulled her feet up into her bed and turned to face the wall. I rocked back and forth on my heels before I gave up and sighed. Teen angst, it had to be.
"So..." Half of me wanted to probe her brain as easily as she always did mine, and the other half wondered if she'd just be better off alone for a while. But then chances are if she wanted me to leave by now, she'd have let me know in no uncertain terms. A small grin creased my cheek as a dozen memories of her doing just that played out in my head.
So biting the bullet I went and sat down next to her on her bed. I admit I held my breath at first, but when she didn't say anything I knew I guessed right. Old Connie Girl did want to talk! Flicking my chin in thought I did my best to put the pieces of this puzzle together. But it didn't take long to guess the general idea if Telekinesis was a trigger word. Scooting a little closer to her I slowly leaned into her line of sight.
"So Constance, when did you learn to do that whole floating food trick?"
Just as I expected she frowned a little more as she pinched her lips together tighter then a steel drum. But I wasn't letting her off the hook, nope I just kept staring. Finally she huffed out an annoyed sigh. "It was the natural progression of my abilities..." I smiled as I got ready for the clincher. "Then why are you so upset about showing it off tonight?"
Her eyes opened wider as my question chopped right through her patented Connie Girl shielding. Trying to get the upper hand back she turned to stare at the other wall. But leaning into her shoulder I pressed the issue quite literally. Finally once her annoyance level got to be more then she could bottle up she whipped around and glared at me. And like it often did, the truth came exploding out like a fizzing soda.
"Sticky thinks I'm a mean little girl!" She screamed as her face fumed redder then the bucket now half dangling over the side of her bed. Yeah dangling the same as I was. But pulling myself up a little straighter on her mattress, I just stared at her as I watched her face flex with...let's see... Rage for one, and frustration for another. And... Those two emotions I expected, but what I didn't was the stream of tears that were now barreling down her face as she quivered silently.
Constance wasn't usually open with people, so I have to say I felt both touched and honored to be one of those that she let see her like this. Smiling softly I put a hand on each of her shoulders. "Connie Girl...I think you're really a sweetheart... And I bet anything that Sticky feels the same way."
That got her attention more than I expected it to, which made a funny little idea pop into my head. Squeezing her shoulders a bit tighter I grinned sweetly down at her. "You uh...seem to care a lot about what Sticky thinks about you... I mean for him to be that guy you always..." I let my words trail off as I saw a look of desperation in Constance's eyes. She was looking at me like I was suddenly holding her over the edge of a cliff.
Even though she was usually the one in the position to make others squirm when she knew all their secrets, the look on her face showed that she knew the tables had just turned. And honestly I felt more than sorry for her. Smiling softer I looked her in the eyes. "Hey it's okay if you kinda like him Connie Girl. I mean after all we've all been friends for years."
Her bottom lip twisted as her face beamed redder then before. "It isn't okay..." She stammered out as she dropped her head to gaze at the pattern on her bedspread. "And why not?" I shot back. She huffed out another frustrated breath as I saw her getting angry again. "Because I'm too young for him!"
I didn't say anything for a second or two before I gently patted her on the shoulder. "Come on Connie... Sure he's got a few years on you, but forever is a pretty darn long time." Lifting her chin to make her look at me, I smiled wider. "Give yourself a few more years, and hey you just might be surprised." No doubt about it I could see the look of hope ringing out in her eyes. "Would he really wait for me...?"
I shrugged cheerfully. "He just might, I mean it's not like Sticky has been in a hurry lately when it comes to dating." Constance looked like she was storing all these facts away inside some invisible file in her head. And then gradually, she started to regain her composure and dry her tear stained cheeks.
Not able to hold back the happy laugh I reached over and grabbed up the teen in a hug. "Ah Connie Girl you've grown up so much!" Out of the corner of my eye I watched as a tiny smile came to her face, so when her usual indifferent complaint for personal space followed I just held on all the tighter. Finally letting go of her we just sat in a happy silence for a few moments, before a thought hit me. Leaning back on my hands I looked back over at her. "So...Sticky, how come you don't just read his mind and find out how he feels about you?"
Her eyes narrowed in thought before she looked back up at me. "I...I'd rather wait...that's all." Grinning I playfully tossed a throw pillow at her to break the string of heavy thoughts I saw racing over her face. "Too bad Reynie and me don't get to be among the privileged few like dear Sticky!"
The pillow simply deflected off of her indifferently as what I'd said seemed to snap her thoughts in a totally different direction. "Oh..." She said slowly in the way one would say "oh, by the way." But the "by the way" didn't follow it, instead she just stared at me with a focused look that meant her brain was turning a mile a second. Her face looked so suddenly odd that I turned to scan over my shoulder. You know just in case a Ten Man was grinning wickedly through the window. But no it was all clear, so turning back to her I frowned slightly. "And what's that look for...?"
Constance simply rubbed at her chin in thought before she looked up to meet my eyes calmly. Her face looked like she was about to utter the secret phrase and I was suppose to know how to answer back. And yeah sure enough she looked to her right and then to her left as if she forgot that we were alone. And apparently we weren't alone enough for her, because as she stared focusing on my face I felt those old familiar pin pricks.
As clear as if she's spoken it with her mouth I heard Connie Girl's voice resound inside my own mind. "Kate...I wasn't sure if I should tell you but..." "Tell me what?" I said as I completely forgot to just think my reply. Holding a finger to her lips to shush me, her gaze got all the more serious.
Was this a secret meeting I'd forgot to realize I was attending? "I shared my secret didn't I?" I heard her answer in response to what I'd thought, and didn't mean to relay to her. Taking a deep breath I focused on her face as I tried to settle into our mental conversation.
"Okay, what's the next secret on the agenda? Fire away Connie Girl."
Oddly enough she reached over and put a hand on each of my shoulders the same why I had done with her just a few minutes ago. Was she trying to comfort me or brace me? But for what? "Brace you." She answered. And before I had time to ask for what again, she had told me what. And that "what" wasn't the "what" I had ever been expecting. In a voice as calm and clear as if she was speaking it in the usual way, she stated a simple sentence.
"Reynie is in love with you."
For a few seconds I just stared at her as I repeated the phrase in my head. "Yes that's what I said." She huffed back as if she was impatient with my mental stuttering. Then as if it all finally clicked together I recoiled on the bed until I heard my bucket thump against her footboard.
"Muldoon!?" I shouted as I abandoned the telepathy all together.
"What other Reynie do you think I mean?" She whispered seeming frustrated by my lack of comprehension.
"Our Reynie? That Reynie?"
Constance rolled her eyes. "Y-E-S! I found out at dinner the other night, didn't you notice how awkward he was?" Constance then shook her head. "Never mind, don't answer that..." I ignored what I probably should have taken as an insult, the memory of the dinner in question was too busy racing through my mind. When all the pieces finally fell into place I jumped over the footboard and started to pace in between the piles of clutter on Connie's floor.
Reynie!? Reynie!?
Before I realized what I was doing I found my hand reaching into my bucket and wrapping around my spy glass. Pushing it up against the window I aimed it across the street. There in close up detail sat THE Reynie. He was sitting on the porch swing with Sticky. He was staring up at the window... He was looking like he was lost... And he was...
He was...in love with me...
Thanks for reading, please feel free to review. More chapters coming soon.
