Chapter 19- part 2
Deuce
I knew she was taken, but I couldn't stop thinking about her and the fact that we'd made eye contact on multiple occasions didn't help either. I was no psychic but I could tell she wasn't happy. Don't get me wrong- Clawd is a good guy and all, but the two of them weren't compatible. My aunts had always said that love made you blind- not in the bad way where you were taken advantage of. Blind as in you only had eyes for that person. Yeah, maybe I take things too literally, but the look in her eyes screamed desire.
Cleo
I don'twhy, but I couldn't stop thinking about the new guy at school- Deuce as Lagoona had said. Something about him really intrigued me; I couldn't tell if it was his style of dress or the fact that he practically bore holes into me through his shades. I sensed his confidence each time our eyes met. Instead of shrinking in embarrassment like most guys would- he held my gaze. It surprised me, because even Clawd had moments when he was a little frightened by me- it was a de Nile thing to be slightly intimidating.
A part of me wanted to get to know him more, but the fact that I had Clawd held me back.
Deuce
Heath and I were on our way to the gym for practice when I saw Cleo again. She was standing against the bleachers with the rest of her squad, applying lipstick in a golden compact mirror. Heath and I had been talking about the new iCoffin update, up until I noticed her. I stared in her direction until she noticed and waved shyly. Her blue-grey eyes sparkled. "Deuce! Don't look to me when Clawd kicks your ass," Heath warned, but it didn't faze me. We walked into the locker room to change into our warm up clothes.
"Can I tell you something Heath," I asked nonchalantly. Heath looked up from tying his sneaker. "Anything, snake boy." I scoffed at the nickname. "Clawd and Cleo aren't meant for each other." Heath looked at me as if he thought I was crazy. We stood in silence for a moment, staring at one another. Heath sighed, "I hate to say this- but you're right. I've known the two of them since elementary school and they've never been interested in each other. Then one day last week they became head over heels."
I was confused. "But why didn't you guys do anything if you knew something was off?" It bothered me that no one questioned their relationship. "Deuce, Clawd is the BMOC of this school and Cleo is the female equivalent. You don't mess with them!" I could tell he was getting annoyed and a little pissed when he trudged out of the locker room. I tied my sneakers and strolled into the gym.
My teammates were running laps outside, but I decided to stay inside. Cleo was sitting on the bleachers with her iCoffin out. I was guessing the rest of her squad was outside too. As always, my curiosity got the best of me and I walked over.
"Hey," I said, "I'm Deuce." She put down her phone and looked up at me. The smug look she gave made my heart race. "I know who you are. I'm Cleo." Cleo extended her dainty caramel colored hand in my direction. I assume she expected me to shake it, but being spontaneous I decided to kiss it. Her skin was extremely warm and felt soothing against my cool skin. I looked up to see her azure eyes staring down at me in astonishment. "Quite the gentleman I see," she uttered softly before pulling her hand away from mine. "Do you always greet the ladies this way?"
"Not unless they're as beautiful as you." I knew she'd probably heard that line all her life, but somehow hearing it from me made her cheeks flush with rosy blush. "Deuce, you're quite charming and handsome- but I most inform you that I have a boyfriend," she spoke with a hint of uncertainty. I reached over to stroke her bare arm. "I am aware of that, but there's no harm in talking." Cleo looked down at my hand resting on her arm, then up at my face. She was hesitant at first, but gave in with a sigh. "I suppose," she breathed.
She told me about her family- her domineering older sister Nefera, and her overbearing father Ramses. She explained her friendship with Ghoulia and how every monster at the school was terrified of her. I was captivated by her story and I could tell she wasn't the 'ṻber bitch' that everyone mad her out to be. She must have thought that she was boring me, because she stopped midway. "I'm sorry. I must be really boring you." I waved my hands. "No, you're just really interesting," I explained. She blushed and touched my shoulder. "Well that's enough about me. Tell me about you."
I smiled before going into the edited version of my life. I told her about my move from Greece to America when I was five and about my life with my mom and my aunts. It amazed her how we were so opposite, but so similar. Her mother had died when she was a kid, so she didn't remember her and I had never known my father. I told her about how I was a loner at my old 'Normie' school and how Heath was one of my best friends. "Thank Ra! That boy finally has a friend of his own," she proclaimed. I smiled. In the few days I had seen her, this was the first time I'd seen her so happy. I knew what I was about to ask her would no doubt kill the moment, but I couldn't help myself.
I cleared my throat, gulping to swallow the lump that had formed. "Cleo, may I ask you a question?" She smiled radiantly in my direction. "Shoot." I adjusted my sunglasses and began.
Cleo
"Why are you and Clawd together?" Deuce asked sincerely. I don't know why, but the question caught me off guard. I sat looking over at him and he stared at me- waiting for my answer. But I couldn't give him the answer he sought because I didn't know it myself. Countless times I'd asked myself the same question and each time I'd drawn a blank.
Clawd and I and pretty much everyone else at Monster High had 'grown' up together- but that hadn't caused me to be attracted to him. I'd even been best friends with his sister Clawdeen for as long as I could remember and the countless creepovers at their house hadn't spurred an attraction to him. Then one day I was standing in the hall with Ghoulia, Clawd had been standing at the other end with Slo-Moe and other members of the casketball team. When I looked up from my iCoffin, my eyes met with Clawd's and the rest was history.
The attraction was new and so unexplainable and something deep down inside of me could sense that it wasn't real. I looked up at Deuce, who was patiently awaiting my answer. "I-I don't know," I uttered, too embarrassed to look at him. He didn't speak, I suppose because he was waiting for more explanation. I inhaled deeply and rubbed my eyes. "You see, Clawd and I are alike in a lot of ways. We're both leaders and people always misunderstand us. I guess it's only fate that we'd be together." I knew it didn't convince him, because it hadn't convinced me either.
"It takes more than small similarities to make two people fall in love," Deuce said. I glanced at him. "Cleo, I don't think you too are in love with each other." I wanted to defend my relationship, but it was pretty much impossible. I stared at Deuce in defeat- that's when he leaned in and kissed me. His lips were warm to my surprise and they felt pleasant against mine. This kiss felt real compared to the countless ones I'd shared with Clawd and I didn't want Deuce to stop. Something in me snapped back to my senses and I pushed him away.
"Stop it Deuce!" I spat, "Do you know what would happen if someone was to walk in?" I gathered my pom-poms and phone and stomped off of the bleachers. "Do you know how much I would lose if I was caught with you?" I paused, waiting for an answer and when one never came I stormed towards the gym entrance.
"Wait!" Deuce called after me. I rolled my eyes and turned around. He walked over to me and grasped my arms. "Don't be afraid to lose what wasn't meant to be."
This chapter has one more part left and after chapter 20, present tense will be resumed!