- Chimera of Life -

Story Five: Righteous Mirage

Chapter Five By Heartfire

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'All right… call me pragmatic… call me an idiot… a moron… or better yet,' He thought of her, '… a jerk… I should start giving up on that woman but hell no… I can't seem to…' He tried every trick in the book. He made sure he was around her every time he could. He made sure that his presence was known… Stared at her like a lovesick puppy- okay, that one wasn't planned… it just kind of happened once or twice and then….

He'd try to bump against her and leave flowers from Onie's garden in her room… He's making the entire race of mankind embarrassed with what he's been doing and she still- still!!!- has yet to look his way! Why the hell wasn't he getting a single reaction from her? Even a glance of annoyance would give him a hint! He was brooding so much that he wasn't aware of his surroundings once again...

…

He had stared at her again… She wished she didn't have to eat at the cafeteria. She almost couldn't with the way he was focused on her! Her hands were shaking and… Argh! This has got to stop. What was he trying to accomplish?!!!

She looked up and the very person she was thinking of was walking towards her with his head down, looking at the floor… It was almost as if – if there was a God- he had sent this person her way to finish this once and for all.

She walked to him with a purpose… Her eyes were blazed with checked anger and her hands were just itching to bury themselves into his arrogant pretty face.

The next thing Jessie knew, he was slammed against the wall with one arm pressed against his neck. His eyes focused on ice blue fire ones and both his eyebrows went up in surprise. Dorothy!

"When the hell are you going to stop?!"

She spoke with barely contained anger… barely contained anger meaning… maybe she wasn't so unaffected…? A slow grin appeared on his face with that thought in mind. "Hi."

"What is your problem?! Are you so sexually deprived that you would blatantly show such disrespect?!"

That comment poked a hot iron rod through him and the initial happy surprise he felt instantly disappeared in hot fire. "Excuse me, but I'm not sexually deprived. I had been quite happy with my sex life, thank you. I don't even know why the hell I'm attracted to you! My types are usually brunettes or redheads who are warm as honey and who wants me. Not some arrogant ice queen."

What he said created a worming hole within her, for reasons unknown to her. "If I'm not your type, then why are you trying so hard?!"

Her question verbalized his personal thoughts… Why was he so attracted to her??? 'Why?' A sigh of frustration escaped his lips and he looked away. "I don't know! If I could stop myself, I would, but I couldn't."

The helplessness in his voice was not expected. She lessened the pressure against his neck unconsciously. He's being truthful. If she were truthful to herself, she'd be saying the exact same thing.

He looked back at her and their eyes met. The magnetism between them erupted and Jessie reached out and touched her face. He saw her eyes darken, saw her sudden intake of breath… "You can feel it too… can't you? We're going to be good for each other…"

Dorothy shook her head and tried to gain back reason. She whipped her face away and stepped back. "I don't want it. I don't want you. Stay away."

"Why?" Jessie stepped forward. He could see something in her well-guarded eyes… something akin to… hurt? Something she doesn't want anyone see…

'Because I will never let a man touch me…' She silently recited her creed of long ago before she turned away. As much as she wanted it to stop, as much as she wanted herself to not tell him anything, words still flowed from her lips. "I don't want it to happen. No good would come out of it." Her eyes were closed when she felt his tender touch on her shoulder… The hand that had saved so many lives…

"Dorothy… we're both reasonable adults… Tell me truthfully that you don't feel what I feel… and I'll stay away from you."

She was about to answer 'No' when she was suddenly turned around and before she could protest, he leaned down and kissed her with so much care and tenderness… so much softness that it… she… she… her eyes closed once again.

It was over too soon. Jessie had to keep a firm hold on himself while he kissed her because she was like water to a thirsty man. "Ball is in your court, Dorothy Catalonia…" He stepped away from her then walked down the hall while he tried so hard not to look back.

She opened her eyes and they glistened against the dim yellow lights of the long hallway. A hand slowly went up to touch her lips, pressed against it then a shuddering breath went through her… Why was she so troubled? Why was she so shaken? Why was it that she feels so… lost?

He was an enemy. Everyone in this base was her enemy… except maybe for… no… even he may be an enemy. But then, how could it feel so right whenever Jessie kisses her? Whenever his arms were around her?

She had not grown up in a loving environment. She had grown up to see how affections could have an effect on people, but she had learned about pain and death too quickly, too often, and too much that she had made sure she would never be touched by so again… yet this time, it seemed as though she had just met pain and death once again.

When she's with Jessie… she feels more… alive, such as she had never felt in her entire life…

'Ball is in your court, Dorothy Catalonia…'

"My court…" Dorothy softly whispered to no one as she turned around and slowly walked away to the other direction.