"What did you do to Caleb?" you hiss back interrupting her as soon as they're across the room.
"What? Oh, don't worry about him."
Is-is he ... did you .." you growl unable to even form the words.
"What?" she comes back confused for a few moments. Then like a light bulb lit, "No. He's fine. Nothing like Gordon, that idiot." And more indignantly, "I'm not a complete bitch, Will. I thought you saw that."
She looks very hurt now, and you feel really guilty. You know Cara well enough to tell her sincerity, but then this is really Chelsea. She could really be using Cara just to manipulate you like her old self, although after all you've been through and she's said and done with you, you toss that thought. Caleb was being an ass trying to get her. What would you expect? What would you do? Still you need to know for sure
"Sorry, I ... but I just want to ..."
Mechanical bean crushing fills the room, and you can tell that Frank and Joe, who were obviously straining to hear before, gave up and talk to each other as she cuts you off.
"We don't have much time, Will," she whispers while playing with something on her lap.
"Time for what?"
"To figure out what to do ... about this ... with those guys."
"Those guys know more stuff than that book. They even did some ... hypno-mind thingy on me. Got me to tell everything. I couldn't stop my ..."
"Yeah fine. Just follow my lead. Keep them talking while I'm on the phone." She puts her hand on your forearm and smiles. "It'll be OK." Her eyes, kind and gentle, calm you more than her touch or words. You do trust her, maybe more.
Frank and Joe are on their way back, so Chelsea raises Cara's voice enough for them to hear.
"I understand now, Will. Thanks."
"So you two have made up? All buddy-buddy again?" Joe grins and bounces into the booth. Frank still looks stern and grumpy, while you see Cara's expression ooze that fascination with him that you had at the party.
"I guess, sort of. At least I see your point with getting rid of the book and stuff," she sighs.
"But you don't want to give this up?" Frank disapprovingly tells more than asks.
"Well, ... I understand, but we need to do something to get Gordon back. Can you help with that?"
If you thought Chelsea could plead the sweet innocent as herself, using Cara made you want to set fire to yourself if that would help her with anything.
"Sure, we can. That's our j..."
Frank corrects Joe with an elbow and, "We'll see what we can do. No promises."
"But that's the whole reason we started this," she whines pouting even more cutely persuasive than before. Frank's expression doesn't change.
"We will try," Joe offers while rubbing his ribs.
"But we need to get the book and anything else," Frank finishes emphatically.
"OK. I just ..." Cara's phone goes off, and she scrunches her face. "Mom. Gotta take this ... so Cara's life isn't screwed up," she adds the end when Frank gives her the evil eye. "Hey, mom. ... Yeah, I know. ... Soon. I'm with ..." She rolls her eyes and scoots out of the booth continuing to reply while walking over to a corner.
"So, Will. Do you trust her?" Frank pulls your attention away from watching Cara's head go back and forth and her body swaying so nicely as she tries to get a word in edgewise to her mom.
"I think so. I ..."
"Not think, Will. If she's playing games with us, it will get really ugly."
"And he means even more ugly than the usual Frank ugly which I think is already ugly enough for all of us here," Joe chatters moving out of the way of another Frank elbow.
You look at Chelsea wondering what you can say. You aren't one hundred percent, but she hasn't done anything evil, you think, again reconsidering whether Caleb and Sean have been turned to statues with their own mask on them. Yet your mouth starts moving as you remember what she said.
"Yes. I'm sure."
"How sure? This isn't a guessing game."
"We've heard about Chelsea Cooper's reputation. It doesn't seem like she'd give up easily," Joe adds.
"The thing is, she's not Chelsea Cooper - not right now." They both look at you bewildered. "OK. She's Chelsea but under that mask. Cara is in there, too, at least her memories, emotions, moral compass. It can affect you. No. It does affect you. In fact we're better off dealing with her as-is rather than Chelsea as Chelsea."
"And what makes you think ..." This time Joe elbows Frank reminding him of the earlier conversation, but you go ahead and confess.
"Because I've been under a mask, been her - Cara, and I felt those things." You feel very warm and know you are blushing at Frank, so you look down a moment and then talk to the table. "Cara is very taken by you."
"I knew it!" Joe gushes. " Can't ever resist my ..."
"No. ... With Frank." You chance a glance up. Joe slumps in disappointment, but Frank shows nothing. "In fact, I believe ..., I know that she will respond to you being nice. I think Chelsea just needs to be tough to keep her own place but wants to stop. That's why she needs Cara, and Cara will make that happen."
You actually have convinced yourself probably more than Joe or Frank. It's what you want to believe. Chelsea has been nothing but ... well, mostly nice and honest with you.
This whole switching identities and being Chelsea's closet friend was just too good to be true, you sigh to yourself as you wistfully gaze at her. If it has to end, better now knowing that the book has been taken care of and everyone can get back to normal, even Gordon.
"Sorry. Mom can be a bit possessive, isn't that right, Will?"
"Huh? ... Oh, yeah. That whole riding lesson thing when I was ..." You catch yourself before detailing more embarrassing moments being Cara.
"OK, now. Can you tell us where the book is so we can make it safe?" Frank pushes.
"No," Chelsea replies calmly shocking everyone. "Well, I don't know where it is right now."
"What do you mean you ..." Frank starts almost rising out of his seat until he sees you shake your head and Joe puts his hand on Frank's arm.
"I thought you have the book?" Joe intercedes.
"I have someone holding it for me. Safer that way. I didn't want to be tempted or anything."
"So is someone else involved as well as you two?" Frank calmly asks with a slight smile, the first he's shown.
"Chelsea has it," she giggles.
"Aren't you ..."
"The Chelsea that looks like Chelsea. I gave it to her telling her to hide it where absolutely no one would find and tell no one."
"Then how ..."
"I just have to call her and have her meet us with it. She can bring it to the loft at school. Everything else is there, too. That way it will all be together for you."
"That would be nice. Thank you," Frank smiles again, and you see that sparkle in Cara's eyes.
Chelsea is finally doing the right thing. It makes you feel good but also sad as you'll be going back to being the old, boring, troubleborn you. You ponder what could have been as she calls and tells "Chelsea" to bring the book to the school.
* * *
As Frank pulls into the parking lot, there's only a few cars in the teacher's section. The parking lot lights, those that work, lead a path to the gym where Chelsea tells Frank to park.
"She's not here yet, but you can come up and see the other stuff that we've made," she says as he turns off the truck.
Joe bounds ahead as if he needs to burn off energy. Frank scans everything around several times as he follows you in through the side door and up the steps. At the loft door, Joe reaches around and tries the knob, but the padlock holds the door secure. Frank just nods back to him. Obviously, they wanted to make sure it wasn't a trap.
"Can't get into the VIP quarters without a key," she giggles holding it up. "Technically, you guys haven't been on the team to earn entrance, so don't tell anyone I let you in. Who knows what Gordon would do." The giggle immediately dies on "Gordon," then she releases the padlock and hasp in silence.
The door swings open, but Frank motions for you to go ahead. Joe darts ahead again looking over the jumble of equipment and supply boxes. Then noticing the fridge, he pops it open.
"Nifty. Nothing like a stud pad with a cool one and--"
The sound of the door slamming has Joe spin around and start dancing to avoid the hulking form of Gordon lurching at him around the boxes. It's an uneven match. Joe's too quick, so quick that you swear you see two of him, but Gordon knows how to protect the goal, so there's no way Joe can make the door. However, to you Joe's real plan becomes obvious as he weaves around the room getting closer to you or, rather, Cara.
As you gape at the cat-and-mouse play, you catch Cara's form watching intently a few feet away. You can't read her expression - though she looks both concerned and surprised. Has Chelsea betrayed you having no intention of giving up the book, just going after anyone in her way? It reminds you of how Caleb behaved obsessed by the book and what it can be used to get.
Is this something done by Gordon on his own, like disturbing the resting dragon in his lair and he just reacts? Could it be that this golem has gone rogue like the other?
Thoughts spin of all you've done together with Chelsea and how close you've become. She opened up to you, and you thought she cared, but do you really know her?
Another crash brings you back to the action. Gordon has missed Joe again. In fact Gordon seems to be getting seriously whipped as he stumbles around the door leaving Joe a clear path to Cara - Chelsea.
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
More by this author
