Beth was changing her clothes in the locker room when Simon walked in. She hadn't heard him come in. He gulped as Beth slide the jumpsuit off of her body. Simon tried to look away, but she was very beautiful. Her skin looked so soft, if he went invisible then...
No he couldn't. He tore his eyes away, looking at the floor as if it was the most interesting tile work he'd ever seen. Beth was his friend, he couldn't do that to her. Simon was disappointed in himself for even thinking it. Who gave him the right? Nathan didn't, and Beth sure as hell didn't. He waited until she had her dress on before walking up to her. She smiled at him. Had she only known what he had just been thinking about.
"Do I even have the right to be mad? I mean, it's not his fault that this happened. The baby had a power." Beth fiddled with the waist of the floral dress. Simon didn't say anything. "Why does everything happen to us?"
"I don't know," Simon said. It was a good question, and Simon wished he could answer it for her, but he couldn't. He honestly had no idea. "Small world?" he offered weakly. Beth smiled.
"Guess we'll have to chalk it up to tough luck," Beth said, laughing lightly. Simon chuckled as well. They stopped laughing, and stood in silence for a moment. "How did it go with that girl? Have you spoken to her?"
Simon blushed a little. He explained, "we went for a few drinks last night. I don't know if she really wants to see me again though. But I'm going to try to talk to her."
"Good for you, Simon." Beth pulled him into a hug. She had to go onto her tippy toes to put her head on his shoulder, as she was fairly short. Simon closed his eyes, hugging her back. She smelled like vanilla. He was so happy to have a friend like Beth. "I really hope things work out. Any girl who doesn't jump at the opportunity to date you is crazy," Beth whispered into his ear, rubbing his back soothingly.
"You didn't," Simon joked.
"Call me crazy," Beth said, laughing again. She kissed his cheek as she pulled away, shocking Simon completely. He went doe eyed, staring at Beth as if she held a match just an inch away from his gasoline soaked hair. But Beth was casual, simply smiling at him obliviously as she pulled away from their embrace. Returning to stand flat on her feet.
"Am I interrupting something?" Nathan asked, scowling as he leaned against a locker near the door. Simon snapped his head in Nathan's direction staring guiltily while Beth just smiled Nathan's way sweetly, understanding that she'd done absolutely nothing wrong. Simon seemed to think she'd broken every single rule there had ever been. Nathan pursed his lips, his eyes darting between the two as they pulled away. Nathan was turning out to be a very jealous person, which he had never been before.
"We were just having a chat," Beth said, grabbing her purse from her locker, shutting it gently.
"Can we talk, Beth? Please?" Nathan asked. Beth looked at Simon who smiled, not minding if she wanted to be left with him. Honestly, Simon would rather if she didn't go with him, but he couldn't really say that.
Nathan waited for Simon to change quickly, and leave the locker room. Nathan then also changed. Beth crossed her arms, he wanted to talk but then he said nothing? Was he dicking her about? Nathan had his pants up, but still undone when he sighed, and leaned his forehead against the locker. He could feel Beth's stare burning into the side of his head, but like she said to Simon, she wasn't sure if she had the right to even be mad. Nathan shook it off, and did up his jeans. Beth blinked slowly as he pulled a white shirt out of his locker. Beth groaned, getting annoyed at how slow he was being.
Beth took a few short strides towards, ripping the shirt out of his hand, tossing it to the floor. Nathan glared at her. Beth slapped him on the cheek, not hard, but enough to shock him and leave a slight sting in place of her hand. He put his palm against his cheek and stared hard at Beth. Beth grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him down to lock their lips together. Nathan reacted quickly, using her hips to spin them both around so he could pin her against the lockers.
To his surprise, she moaned when her back hit the lockers. Nathan prodded his tongue into her mouth, claiming it as his own. She didn't fight him for dominance, rather, she let him control her. Her hands moved from the back of his neck to his chest, where her fingers made his skin burn with delight. She had the softest hands he'd ever had the pleasure of feeling.
Nathan's hands slide down her sides, until they were about where her ribs were. He kept them still on her sides, using his thumbs to gently tickle her. His actions sent shivers down her spine. He smirked into their kiss, loving the way he made her feel. No one else was allowed to touch her like he was. She was his.
"Before yous start shaggin', yah should know I'm in 'ere," Kelly said. Nathan pulled away from Beth, and glared at Kelly over his shoulder. Kelly was amazing at ruining the moments he was trying to share with Beth. Beth coughed awkwardly, fixing her hair hardly messed up with her fingers, and straightening out her dress.
Beth ducked away from Nathan, picking up his shirt and handing it to him. He took it, and pulled it over his head. He put on his sweater, and closed his locker. Beth held out her hand for him, and he smiled as he took it.
"See you tomorrow, Kelly."
"Bye," she said.
Nathan and Beth walked hand in hand towards her flat. Nathan tried to apologize about the Finn thing but she wasn't having any of it. It wasn't his fault, there was nothing he could have done.
"So how do you feel about me?" Beth asked.
"Huh?"
"While you were in the trance with the baby, you said; it doesn't matter how I feel about you." Beth smirked. Nathan chuckled nervously, his free hand reaching up to aggressively rub the back of his neck.
"Stop being a little shit," Nathan said, pulling her close to kiss the top of her head. "You're a little shit disturber."
"I am not," Beth defended, laughing at him. "Tell me your feelings, Nathan." Beth unlocked the door to the flat, leading him straight to the couch. "Out with it."
Nathan looked over at her, which was his biggest mistake. She was pouting, and looking at him with those beautiful eyes. He sighed, kissing her forehead sweetly. He explained, "I don't actually know how to explain it." A blush danced across his pale cheeks.
"Just try," Beth said, scooting even closer to him. She rested her head on his shoulder. He smiled, leaning his head on top of hers.
"Well, I just. I've never felt this way about any girl. I've always been in relationships for the guaranteed shagging, but it's not like that with you. I've given up other girls for you and we haven't even had sex."
"Romantic," Beth joked, feeling him laugh as well.
"Oh piss off, I'm tryin' here."
"Thank you for trying."
"Now, how do you feel about me?" Nathan asked, smirking down at her.
"I really like you Nathan, I want to actually be with you," Beth said.
"Beth," Nathan said, moving so he was looking at her. "Will you be my girlfriend?"
"I'd love to," Beth said, leaning up to kiss his cheek. Nathan smirked.
"I haven't had a girlfriend in over two years, so be patient if I'm not that good at it." Nathan pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her completely. This was going to be good for him, he knew it. "But I promise I want to be good at it."
A few days later, Beth was late to service. When she found the group they were talking to two people, who were dressed very... conservatively. Beth walked up to hear the talking about the group meeting that was happening just a few yards away. After inviting the group to join, the two walked off to meet up with the others, who were also dressed like that.
"What's going on?" Bath asked, leaning on the back of the bench next to Nathan.
"I have no idea," Nathan said, pulling Beth down to sit on his lap.
"I'm freezing," Kelly said, standing up.
"Yeah, let's go in." Beth stood up. Since Beth was going, Nathan was obviously right behind her, following along like a duckling.
"I'm going to play footie in the lobby," Nathan said kissing her cheek before rushing off.
"So yous are gettin' serious then?" Kelly asked, walking with Beth as she went to get her hoodie from her locker.
"Yeah, he asked me to be his girlfriend a few days ago," Beth said, smiling to herself. "He's my boyfriend."
"Does he," Kelly paused, wanting to not offend Beth. "Treat you well."
"How he treats me isn't an issue, it's how he treats..."
Beth was cut off by Simon storming into the locker room. He walked over to Beth's locker and leaned on the one beside it. He crossed his arms.
"Nathan is such a twat, I don't know why you're dating him." Simon scoffed, rolling his eyes. Beth looked ay Kelly who nodded, understanding the end of Beth's sentence without her ever actually finishing it.
"I'll go talk to him. Don't pay him any mind, Simon. He just thinks he's being funny." Beth pat Simon's upper arm. "He doesn't care what anyone thinks, and he thinks it's like that for everyone."
"But it's not, is it?" Simon snapped, storming out of the locker room again.
Nathan avoided Beth all day. It's almost as if he could sense she was mad at him. But there was nothing he could do a she waited by his locker with crossed arms and a scowl. He pouted, pulling his jumpsuit off he quickly pulled on his regular clothes.
"I'm going to be away tomorrow for a mandatory anger management class. Make things right with Simon," Beth said. Nathan grabbed her hand before she could leave.
"He knows I'm just joking," Nathan said.
"No Nathan," Beth said, pulling her hand away. "He doesn't. Sort things out with him."
After her stupid meeting, Beth went to community service as always, and everything was wrong. Curtis and Alisha were dressing like the people they'd seen in the park a few days prior. Nathan, Kelly, and Simon were all relieved to see Beth. Nathan more than anyone. Nathan was quick to wrap her up in his arms.
"Please don't be mad at me anymore, I can't sleep here it's not safe." Nathan gripped her close. "They like, hypnotize people."
"Nathan?" Beth asked, hugging him back.
"Don't talk to the leader, she'll take you away from me," Nathan whispered. Beth was shocked by the fear in his voice.
"We've got a plan," Simon said. "And it will be easier with you involved. Have to worked out how to move stuff yet."
"It only works when I'm like, super scared or mad or something." Beth gulped. "I think it'll probably work today."
"I don't want you going," Nathan said, gripping onto Beth's hand.
"You know I have to," Beth said, kissing the corner of his mouth.
The plan was for Kelly to grab Alisha and drag her through the fire exit. Beth was to watch the door and make sure no one came in while Kelly got her. Beth was just fine, acting smiley when people passed. But then Curtis showed up, Beth didn't know what to do. She was about to go in and get Kelly out of there but one of the brainwashed guys, grabbed her around the waist.
"Nathan!" Beth screamed at the top of her lungs. She kept screaming it as she was carried to the lobby. It was useless, Nathan had his earplugs in. Beth screamed all the way to the lobby. She was crying, practically hysterical. She flailed around. Papers, ribbons, pencils. Anything loose on desks was flying around the room. "Nathan..." Beth cried, feeling defeated.
That's when Kelly walked out, smiling happily. Walking with Curtis and Alisha. Beth cried as the leader got closer. Her headphones were pulled out by the man holding her.
"You don't have to behave like this," the girl said. This was it. She was getting brainwashed. "You can be so much better."
When you're brainwashed by virtue, you've essentially been murdered. Nothing you do, you're actually doing. It was as if Beth had been asleep for days. When she woke up she was tired, and unhappy. One moment she was trying to rescue Alisha and the next, she was standing outside surrounded by the people of virtue. How did she get here? Suddenly she heard screaming, she was in the middle of the crowd so she couldn't see what the commotion was. When she pushed her way through she saw it. And she screamed louder than anyone.
Suddenly, she was hysterical again. Nathan, her boyfriend, impaled by the fence. He was face up, with his lanky limbs dangling around him. He was wearing a suit which would have confused Beth if she wasn't freaking out, and blood had begun to stain the white shirt.
Beth ran forward to Nathan, only to be swooped up by Curtis, who held her back from running to him. She fought his hold, but he was too strong. Realization hit her like a bad hangover, and she fell completely limp in Curtis' arms. He tried to say stuff to calm her down, but what could have possibly worked?
"Rewind time!" Beth screamed. "Stop this happening!"
"I don't know how!" Curtis said, trying to hold Beth back as she caught a second wind. She fought more. Kelly hugged Beth's head, trying to help.
"He's not allowed to die," Beth whispered, feeling sick. "He's not allowed."
Beth kicked until she managed to hit Curtis' knee, freeing herself from his hold. She ran to Nathan, staring at his face which looked so lifeless, so still. Beth pushed Nathan's curly hair off of his forward, her tears landing on his cheek. Simon walked up behind her, putting a hand on her shoulder. She flinched, but didn't do anything about it. Simon slowly, wrapped his arms around her, pulling her away from Nathan. She didn't want to go, but she couldn't fight it.
Not anymore.