The Clone Mansion

Behind the Glass

I look at Wishes skeptically. As usual, she's up to something. The question is what. As much as I want to investigate her motives, my need to stay in character trumps my curiosity at the moment. Grant would go in, completely unafraid and with no hesitation because he cares about her too much to waste precious time arguing with Wishes. So, that's what I have to do. I walk into the room without a word.

The first thing I notice is Grant's girl's attention is a feat to get. She doesn't even glance my way as I walk through the door.

She continues searching the cushions. Her face is set, determined to find what she's looking for no matter who's in the room.

"Looking for something?" I say, surprising and scaring myself with how easily I was slipping into this Grant role.

She spares me a quick glance. "Grant? You're here?" She jumps and runs over and hugs me tightly. "I was about to have to sleep with Wishes to get out of here."

I chuckle, she's got a good sense of humor. That is something I'm sure Grant was drawn to, being a professional in sarcasm and all. "Thank God I got here when I did. I have a sneaky suspicion she is terrible in bed."

She grins, exposing her alluring dimples. She's no Wishes but I can admire her charm. "How do I know you're not terrible in bed? Those who say things like that are typically reflecting something..."

I am stunned to know she hasn't slept with Grant. Grant is no stranger to hooking up on the first date and he's been seeing this girl for weeks now so why hasn't he made a move? Or has he and she just rejected his advances? I feel a little weird being this curious about their personal lives.

"You wanna find out?" The words feel wrong as I say them, I hate flirting with anyone besides Wishes. Even though we aren't together, it felt like I was cheating on her. I may be conniving and manipulative but I am not a cheater. I play fair, but I am ruthless. I am insane not evil.

She smirks. "A lady never tells." She teases, building the tension. "We should probably leave here before we start the pillow talk."

I was learning that this lady was a skilled seductress. "That can be arranged." I smirk in typical Grant fashion. "What were you looking for when I came in?" Grant is a curious person and I know for certain he would've eventually asked about the scene I walked in to. This was great because I genuinely wanted to know the answer to my question.

She sighs. "I know they're listening to me somehow and I couldn't find a camera so I was looking for some sort of listening device. I figured if they can't hear me anymore they would have to come in to check on me and I could use that to escape."

I stay silent, impressed. She's also very resourceful and intelligent, I didn't expect that from someone Grant's seeing. Why would he date somebody that is everything he hates about himself. Grant hates that he's smart and determined, he tries to hide it from the world, yet he's attracted to this girl that is exactly that. I realize I've been quiet for too long by the way she's staring at me.

"That's, ummm really smart thinking on your part." I say slowly, speaking my own words for the first time since I've been talking to her.

She chuckles. "Why are you saying that like you're surprised." She is confident too, I respect that. That's where she and Grant differ, he hates himself no matter how hard he works to portray confidence. That's his downfall, well that and his empathy. This girl and I have something in common, we think we're great.

"The only thing I'm surprised how good you look in those jeans. It's not humanly possible to look that good." I check her out as Grant would, fueling the fire. Being Grant is sort of fun, I see why he keeps up the façade.

"You shouldn't be surprised by that, but thank you. You're sucking up to me for some reason, what do you want?" She looks me up and down, mimicking me. Her gaze is so intense that even though I'm not in my own body I want to cover up.

"I want you." I say, keeping in character. Wishes flashes across my mind and I tell myself I was saying that to her.

"Stop distracting me! I'm really into you right now and I need to focus." She scolds me.

Her flirting effected me in a strange butterflies in your stomach sort of way that was new to me. It was thrilling. I loved how obvious she made it she was into me; how important the look she was giving me made me feel.

"We should go." I hold her eyes with my gaze, the intensity in the room at a boiling point. I almost kiss her just to see how different it is compared to Wishes but then I remember why I'm doing this. I don't care about her, I can't, I don't even know her. I love Wishes and I need to keep focused on my goal: to prove to Wishes that she wants me just as much as I want her.

"Lead the way G." She gestures towards the door. Panic soars through me as I realize I don't know if Grant has a nickname for her the way she does for him. What's worse yet is I don't even know her name. I have to be careful, I have to make sure she doesn't find out I don't know her name. The number of things I can't talk about with this girl was piling up around me, making me feel claustrophobic.

I wrap my hand around the shiny golden doorknob and attempt to twist it open but to no avail. I turn back to her, frustrated. "It's locked."

She makes a pouty face. "Seriously? What's the point? Why do they even want us in here?"

"I don't know." I white lie. I know why Wishes wants both of us locked up but what I don't understand is why she would lock us up together. If she wants to break us up, isn't this counterproductive? I'm positive she knows what she's doing but it doesn't make sense to me right now which irritates me. I hate not understanding.

"I am so over this." She complains then a lightbulb lights up above her head and her lips curve into a devious smile. "We'll just have to give them show they can't ignore."

I raise an eyebrow. "What do you have in mind?"

She doesn't speak just looks around the room with unknown intent. After she seems satisfied, she grabs my hand and pulls me close to her. She is even more beautiful when she's this near. The smell of glorious blueberries and vanilla surround me, forcing me to close my eyes.

Before I know what's happening her lips are on mine, leaving me both breathless and confused.