Four Elements Book 2 - Fight and Feel

Part 47

Andie froze, her eyes widening. Of course, there were probably a hundred men called Eric in Olympia. But she had a nasty feeling it was the one she knew. She looked up as "Eric" marched onto the stage. And sure enough, it was Andie's childhood friend. And of course, he looked right at her. Andie's stomach lurched as she heard the first bars of the song he had chosen. It was a love song. And he was still looking at her. She heard the chair scrape the floor next to her as Bane started to stand up. She caught his forearm to stop him.

"Bane, don't," she said. "Just let it go. It's only a song."

Bane and Eric glared at each other. Then, slowly, he sat back down. Andie couldn't decide if she felt angry or so embarrassed she wanted to disappear into a hole. One thing she did know though was that Eric was not going to get away with it so easily. He finished his song, not taking his eyes of Andie the whole time. She looked away, concentrating on the picture of the owners on the wall opposite her, but could sense his gaze. Finally, Eric stepped down. Andie then turned to Bane.

"I'll be right back."

She leaned forwards and kissed him. Then, she got to her feet and jabbed her thumb at the door while looking at Eric. He got the hint and walked towards her. She didn't wait and marched outside, not pausing to hold the door for him the way she would have ordinarily have done. She felt the cold air brush against her face as she went out the door and took a few steps forward.

"Andie, come on..."

She spun around and glared at him.

"What the hell was that, Eric?" she demanded. "Are you really trying to break me and Bane up? Because you're wasting your time, it's not working."

Well, she was trying her best for it not to work, but both boys were making it difficult.

"Look, I don't care how much you hate Bane for being the one I'm with, or whatever reasons you have, but how can you put me in that position?! How am I supposed to convince him there's nothing between you and me?"

"It's just a song..." he said, rolling his eyes.

"It's always "just" something with you!" Andie snapped. "What part in the sentence "I'm with Bane" is too subtle for you to understand?!"

"The part where you forgot one detail."

Andie raised her hands to her hips, exhaling hotly.

"You mean your being a jerk?"

Instead of answering, he marched towards her, pulled her face upwards and crushed his lips to hers. Andie immediately pushed him off.

"What in God's name d'you think you're doing?" she asked.

"You know it's how it should be. He barely knows you! We've known each other all our lives!"

"That doesn't mean we have to be together! And it certainly doesn't mean that I should just dump Bane and run off with you!"

"You know we would be together if you hadn't moved."

"You don't know that!" Andie retorted. "And you can't just force yourself on someone like you own them!"

"It's just because you won't admit it..."

Eric moved in to kiss her again, but this time, Bane shot out and knocked him backwards. When he aimed to hit Eric again, Andie jumped in front of him and said: