Chapter 2

"Sit down a minute, Liz," Becky encouraged, grinning at her.

Elisabeth just stood there, eyes firmly locked with Paul's. She wanted so hard to look away, but she couldn't. Something was keeping her from looking at Becky, and kept her looking straight at Paul.

Oooh, but it wasn't that she even liked him- she didn't!

He was weird looking. He made her skin crawl.

She was a bit scared of him, actually. If it wasn't for his small physique, she'd be worried he could even hurt her!

His eyes had this cheeky glint in them as well, and his grin she could see, was trying to be friendly, but the stud just below made it seem really sleazy.

Ohh, why is he looking at me like that? She thought worriedly, and felt herself fall back a few steps.

That sudden movement caused her eyes to instinctively move as well to steady herself, and she broke the lock she had with Paul.

"Liz?" Becky asked.

Elisabeth looked up at her, but was feeling really uncomfortable. She could feel Paul's eyes still on her, putting her off.

"E... er... er... um... yeah?" she mumbled.

Becky frowned. "You ok?"

"Sure," Elisabeth breathed, feeling herself flinch.

"Well- sit down, get to know everyone," Becky said, getting ready to stand up. "I've just made coffee."

"Er..."

No, no, no! She was thinking. I want to get out of here!

"Actually Becks, we better get going," Steve spoke up, looking at her. "We'll be late."

"Oh, alright then," Becky said.

Elisabeth sighed with relief inside her head. She didn't know what it was, but being in the same room as Paul was so weird. It made her all tense up, and her heart beat really, really fast.

"W- where are you going?" Elisabeth asked unsteadily, concentrating on Steve, as he was the only nice thing in this room!

"Bowling," Steve said. "With a few mates."

Elisabeth could see Becky's eyes roll with annoyance. She wanted to be alone with him!

Hmmm, Elisabeth could see why. He was gorgeous!

Steve grinned at her. "Why don't you come?" He asked.

Elisabeth's eyes widened. "Oh- er... I-"

Becky seemed interested by this. "Yeah Liz, why not? You haven't been out all week."

Elisabeth hesitated. She really, really didn't want to go out with strange people. And God, Paul would be there, as well. And she just wanted to stay away from him! Forever! But when Steve was smiling at her like that, she felt her doubts melting away...

"Erm... I'll have to change," Elisabeth found herself saying.

"Don't be stupid, you look fine," Becky replied.

"Yeah, c'mon!" Steve grinned.

Oh God, she was convinced!

She let a smile escape back at him. "Ok... I'll go," she said.

"Great!" Steve announced. "We're taking my car, ok?"

Elisabeth nodded, as Steve and Becky stood up together.

"You ready, babe?" Steve asked her and Becky smiled happily back up at him.

"Ahuh," she said, and he took her hand.

Elisabeth felt a pang of jealousy- God, how she'd love a guy like Steve! How she'd love a guy!

Her feelings of longing were soon replaced though by apprehension as she felt Paul stand up behind her.

She felt a little shiver run through her body.

"We better get going then," Steve said, and he led the way to the door, taking Becky, giggling along.

Elisabeth followed quickly, scared Paul might... well... she didn't know. Scared Paul might do anything.

He just looked like one of those scary guys who listened to rock music, went to clubs every night head banging and smoked and took drugs. And compared to simple, shy little Elisabeth, the contrast was frighteningly huge.

Becky picked up her coat, whilst Steve opened up the door, and something told Elisabeth to do the same, but at that second, Paul moved past her in the hallway, and his black leather jacket brushed past her arm and she almost jumped out of her skin.

He made her jump, just making contact with her. Her heartbeat shot up so high, she thought her heart was going to explode for a minute.

He followed Steve out of the front door, to the car, but Elisabeth still didn't feel safe. God, what's he doing to me? She thought. Ok, I'm shy around guys, but I'm not usually SCARED of them!

"You ok hun?" Becky asked her. "You look worried."

Elisabeth snapped back from watching Paul leave. "Er... f-fine."

"Look, I know tonight might be a bit scary, but Steve's mates'll be great. And you'll have a great time."

It wasn't ALL Steve's mates she was worried about. Just one...

Just then, Paul put his head through the door, making her jump again.

"Did Steve leave the keys in the lounge?" He asked, his London cockney accent coming through.

"Er... dunno," Becky replied. "Go check."

Paul nodded, and walked past Elisabeth again, and she wanted to jump away in fright. But this time, he didn't make contact with her.

"Do you like Steve?" Becky grinned excitedly at her.

Elisabeth had shook up again. "Er... yeah, he's cute. I- I- I- mean nice," she quickly corrected.

Becky laughed. "Yeah, God, I know he's cute! Won't take me long to get him into bed," she whispered cheekily.

"Becky!" Elisabeth scolded.

"How `bout Paul?" Becky asked. "Bit shy- dontcha think?"

Shy? Shy??? Well, that's not the first word Elisabeth would use to describe him.

"Erm..." Elisabeth was cut off by the phone ringing. The ring on their phone was really high and shrill, and she hated its piercing screeches.

Becky sighed and leaned over and picked it up. "Hello? Oh- hi Dan."

Her brother, Elisabeth thought. Hmmm, he must be phoning about the party Becky's parents are having for their anniversary next weekend.

"Got `em!" Paul suddenly announced behind her, and she really did jump this time, and in doing so, she knocked the notebook off the table, with her hand. All the papers scattered onto the floor.

"Oh!" She cried.

"God, sorry," Paul muttered, and as Elisabeth knelt down to pick them up, Paul did as well.

Arragghhhh, he's so close she thought, panicking. She fumbled all her attempts at picking the paper up because she was shaking so much at his very presence, and then she reached over to pick a particular piece up, just as Paul reached for it as well.

His tanned hand covered hers, and she could feel herself freeze up in shock inside. Especially as the moment they touched, she looked up at Paul, and he looked up too. Their eyes were inches away from each other's, and Elisabeth's heart was beating so much she was getting a pain in her chest.

But then Paul seemed to blush and he looked down again and took his hand away to pick up another piece of paper.

She continued to look at him a little longer, surprised, but then he stood up.

Slowly, she did the same.

Becky was still chatting away on the phone, with her back to them.

Paul put the notebook down on the table; with the papers he's collected, with the car keys still in his hand.

Elisabeth slowly out her papers back on there as well, and found her voice. "S- sorry," she said.

Paul had been avoiding her eyes, but when she spoke, he looked at her. She expected to get a cheeky grin or something, but he just said, "ok," and looked at her.

She could feel his eyes not just looking at her, but looking into her, and she felt herself trembling.

God, what is it with him? She thought, head racing. Why does he make me feel like this? And why, whenever he looks into my eyes, am I unable to look away?

His brown eyes were soooooo deep, she noticed. And they were looking so deep into mine, right inside.

He's scaring me, she thought.

There's no way I can spend another moment with him.

"I- I-" she tried to say, but Paul just stared back at her, a blank expression on his face. Blank, but totally hypnotic.

"I suddenly don't feel well," she said, and with as much force as her head could muster, she tore away from his stare.

From a long way off, she could hear Becky put the phone down.

"S-sorry," she mumbled again, and turned around, and grabbed the banisters and swung herself up onto the stairs.

"Liz?!" Becky called, surprised.

"I'm sorry!" She called, not looking back, rushing up the stairs, nearly tripping over her feet, she was going so fast.

But she couldn't get away from Paul fast enough.

She ran into her room, and slammed the door shut behind her. She collapsed onto the back of it, breathing heavily and trying to regain her composure.

God, what had just happened there?

Paul- he was so... compelling... but more disturbing as well. His presence was just... frightening. He controlled her- he was just so powerfully... different.

And he'd also looked right inside her just now.

Not just into her sub-conscious, into her mind, into her thoughts.

He'd looked right into her heart; and she knew, to her despair, that he knew everything that was in there.