"I hate this," Renee sighed. Dean just smiled at the thought of her misery. "I can't say if you're lying or not."
"Oh, I'm not lying," he opposed and made it sound like he was hurt by her accusation. He wasn't really. He was enjoying the fact that she was confused.
"Really?! 'Cause it sounds like a total bullshit."
"Well, I'm not saying something actually happened. But when I walked into their room that morning, they were both inside. Sleeping. In the same bed. Next to each other. And I'm not hundred percent sure about this, but they may have been naked."
"That did not happen," Renee said, as she took Dean's hand off her shoulder and sat up to look at him. She tried to read the credibility of the story from his eyes, but it was impossible. He was too good at lying, what made her think for an instance about their possible relationship. It would be easy for him to cheat and pretend he's faithful, wouldn't it? Renee had no reason to think about it now, though. Therefore she returned to the topic. "Did it happen?" she asked suspiciously. She was going back and forth and couldn't make up her mind about the story.
"It did," Dean insisted. "I remember I was standing there for few seconds, confused, disgusted, and wondering what the hell was going on. But as I was thinking about it, my mind got loose and started picturing what might have happened. I was even more disgusted. And I was like argh, I don't really wanna know. I so don't wanna know. I turned around, but I had to look at them one more time. And I saw them spooning. They were fucking spooning! At that point it was all too vivid. And I wondered what if they really were naked. And I felt like throwing up." Dean put a lot of effort into telling the story and making it sound convincing; he paused where necessary, raised his voice to emphasize the particular part, and kept an eye contact with Renee. But he realized that he had to make a mistake somewhere when he saw the change of her face expression. It alerted him. She was no longer confused and she didn't seem angry. Now it was quite the opposite; she was quiet and in harmony with his storytelling. Her smile told a story of its own. She has overcome the strength of his persuasion and seemed to have found out the truth.
"You went too far," she said as she leaned toward him. Then she whispered, "Liar."
But he wouldn't let her take control. He wouldn't give up that easily. He rose from bed to be in the same level as she was and could look her directly in the eye, powerfully, even aggressively. His animal instincts were on the rise, but he was well conscious of the situation. With an evilish smile, he got a hold of both her arms and pushed them so that she would fall onto the bed. He looked down at her and bit his lip. Still putting pressure on her arms, he leaned closer until their bodies were almost touching and questioned her accusation, "Or am I?" But he didn't wait to get an answer, he kept moving closer, having a staring contest with her, but thenshe ruined his attempt to make a move.
"I'm sorry," she apologized. Her face expressed disgust, but she was laughing. She gave him a guilty look.
"What the hell, woman?" Dean joked, but he was quite shocked.
"I just . . . I imagined it," she explained and burst out laughing.
"Ew! What exactly?" he asked although he did not really want to know.
"Not that! I don't know. Just them, holding each other in their arms, whispering into each other's ears, leaning for a kiss . . ." she said, and the absent look on her face made it clear she was picturing it again.
"Stop. I don't need to hear it."
"It is your fault anyway. Why would you even make up that kind of story?"
"Hey, I did not make it up," Dean stayed true to his version.
"See, I just don't believe you," Renee wanted to get up, but Dean's hands were quicker to keep her close.
"Maybe that was my intention. Maybe it really happened but I made it look like it didn't on purpose. Maybe," he paused to get her under his spell, "I wanted you to believe I am lying while in fact I was telling the truth, exaggerating, so that even if you witnessed their affection, you would not believe it. Or, I just said it to get that image into you head, confuse you and make you question what actually happened. And, no matter if it's a truth or a lie, I guarantee that next time you see Seth or Roman, you'll be nervous and permanently thinking about what I said. And you'll be tempted to ask them."
"You are so cruel," Renee realized.
"That's why you like me so much," he said courageously.
Renee shook her head and sighed. "I hate you."
"No, you don't," Dean countered. "I'm very lovable." Dean thought he would give kissing another try, but as soon as they heard a card being put in the door, they moved away from each other, as if they were doing something bad.
Seth entered, and Dean and Renee shared a look. They planned to play it casual and make it look like they were just hanging out. But frankly, they didn't care much about what Seth would think that was going on.
"Hey, buddy," Dean addressed him, "we were just talking about you."
"No, we weren't," Renee refused to admit the embarrassing, awkward conversation they had before.
"So what is it this time?" Seth asked. It became a habit for Dean to tell his little stories, mostly concerning Seth, which usually were far from reality. Seth somehow almost always found out about the newest gossip. At first Seth was really angry at Dean, then it changed to annoyance and now he was just indifferent. He realized there was no way to stop Dean from spreading the gossip. For him, Seth learned, it was just fun.
Dean's malicious smile made Seth question his interest. He turned to Renee and asked, "Do I wanna know?"
She immediately responded with a short but sufficient, "No."
"So, anyway, are you telling me that you two have nothing better to do than talk about me? And it doesn't even surprise me that he," he pointed at Dean, "throws dirt at me, but you Renee now joined in?"
"No," she refused the accusation.
"What can I say," Dean took the lead, "we're partners in crime."
"No, we're not," Renee disagreed, but she kind of like that idea. It sounded appealing to her.
"So that's what you two are?" Seth wondered. He already moved on to the next topic.
Renee looked at Dean, as if he was the one to know the answer to that question. Dean wouldn't show a single sign of hesitating but wouldn't answer in the way they wanted him to, either. "We're the Rolleigns shippers," he joked.
"Oh, cut your bullshit, Ambrose," Seth exclaimed.
Listening to the conversation these two were having, Renee returned to wondering about what Dean told her. There was plenty of bullshit, that's obvious, but what if some parts of that story were true? Maybe Dean didn't completely make it up. Damn it, Renee thought, he's such a good manipulator. He can make her believe whatever he wants her to believe. He had a lot of experience in those brainwashing games.
"And don't try to get away from the subject," Seth continued. "I'm pretty sure Renee, too, would like to know how you would define what's between you. Don't you?" he asked her directly.
"Nah, I'm good," she surprised both of them with her answer.
"Come on, people," Seth wouldn't let it go. "Are you in a relationship?"
Dean and Renee looked at each other and then unanimously responded, "No." Seth would expect that answer from Dean, but the fact that Renee said it was strange. And it even sounded as if she was in peace with it. Didn't Renee want to be Dean's girlfriend, after all?
"Are you dating?" Seth posed another question. This time they didn't agree on the answer, though.
Renee went for the energetic "no," just as the last time, but Dean hesitated, then caught Seth's attention by saying, "I think so."
"No, we're not," Renee said assuredly. Seth wondered why would she disagree, and why would she be happy about opposing Dean.
Both Dean and Seth waited for an explanation from Renee. Even Dean seemed a little bummed about her reaction.
"Come on," she said confidently, "we've been on one date. That's not dating."
"Hmm, so if we went on another date, would that meet you requirements for dating?" Dean asked her.
"I guess so."
"All right. I'll pick you up at six."
"Smooth," Seth noted sarcastically.
"That's not how it works," Renee laughed, while Seth observed. He probably should have left, but his curiosity wouldn't let him.
"Really? You may want to reconsider that tonight." Dean's confidence was attractive. Renee couldn't resist it. Although she didn't want to let him dominate her, she couldn't refuse his indirect, or maybe too direct, proposal to go out with him again. She didn't give him a straight answer, though. She just looked at him, shook her head in disbelief, yet both of them knew that the date would happen. But for now she could keep her disapproving attitude. She could pretend to be mad and leave without a word.
When Renee was gone, Seth acknowledged Dean's strategy, "Well-played, Ambrose."