Half Way Up-- Chapter 5
“That was so wonderful!” Liz exclaimed, flopping down on the couch next to Faithe in the main room of the Glamorama.
“I take it Sven worked his magic on you.” Opal said smiling.
“I think he’s better at that than Lucky.” Liz said looking genuinely astounded.
“Well he should be for what I’m paying him.” Opal grumbled as she left the room.
Becca laughed. “Opal’s always complaining about how much she pays Sven, but she shuts up when he gives her a free massage.”
“Well I think it’s worth it.” Gillian said blowing on her nails that Tiffany had just finished.
Becca walked over to a table and picked up a towel, her back to the entrance. “Yeah, Sven does have magic hands, but the one bad thing is the look Scott gets on his face whenever I tell him I get a free massage.” Becca said laughing.
“Chandler upset? Well we can’t have that.” A sarcastic voice said from behind Becca, startling her.
“Leo, you really need to stop sneaking up on me!” Becca said, clearly frustrated by Leo’s presence.
“I never sneak up on people.” Leo said smiling innocently, or at innocently as he could manage. He turned away from Becca’s glare and glanced towards the couch. “Well who are these lovely new faces?” Leo said and bent down to take Faithe’s hand, who was closest to him and kissed her knuckles. Faithe raised an eyebrow skeptically, completely not amused by the gesture.
Becca leaned forward to speak to Leo. “This is Faithe Reynolds and Liz Webber, they’re here visiting Mrs. Fargate. And they came with their boyfriends.”
Leo straightened and gently released Faithe’s hand. “Pity. Have you seen my mother?”
“Unfortunately yes. She’s already yelled at me twice for not getting her tea, which is not my job anyway and I think even Sven wanted to throw her out today and he doesn’t even speak English!” Becca said clearing annoyed by Vanessa.
“Oh good, sounds like she’s having a good day.” Leo said dryly.
“She’s in the facial room.” Becca said pointing in that direction.
“Thank you ladies, It was a pleasure to meeting you.” Leo said giving a mock bow and walking into the facial room.
Liz and Faithe both looked up at Becca curiously.
Becca sighed. “That’s Leo Dupres. He’s arrogant and annoying and spoiled and lazy and selfish and…
“Really cute.” Faithe finished with a smile.
“Well yeah he is, but he’s so smug!” Becca said sitting down in a chair with a huff.
Tiffany got out of her chair. “Faithe, Gillian it’s time for you facials” Tiffany said cheerfully.
After Faithe and Gillian left the room Becca say down on the couch next to Liz.
“What is the deal with Faithe and Nikolas?” Liz smiled slightly at the blunt question and Becca shifted uncomfortably.
“I just mean that she looked like she was about to pass out when I told Leo that Nikolas was her boyfriend, but this morning she looked like she wanted to rip Gillian’s head off when Gillian told Greenlee that Nikolas was with her.”
“I know, Faithe and Nikolas are complicated.” Liz said with a grimace. “They both have feeling for each other, but they’re too stubborn to admit it!” She said frustratedly.
“That must be going around. Ryan and Gillian are the same way. They both love each other so much, but they’re so stubborn and afraid.” Becca sighed. “Granted Ryan and Gillian have had a lot of problems, and they have very good reasons for being skittish, but I guess I’m just the “true love should conquer all” kind of person.” Becca said smiling shyly.
Liz smiled. “Oh I am too. Lucky and I have both been trying to get Faithe and Nikolas to admit their feelings, but I think they’re both scared. Nikolas doesn’t want to get in too deep cause he doesn’t want to get hurt if she doesn’t feel the same way. They weren’t exactly friends when they first met.” Liz explained. “And Faithe, well she hasn’t had the best of luck with relationships.”
“What happened to her?” Becca said more out of concern than curiosity.
Liz shifted uncomfortably. “Well that’s her story to tell. And don’t be offended if she’s a little stand offish, she’s not very trusting of people she doesn’t know.”
“Oh I understand. How long have you guys known her?”
“Um… only about two months, but it seems like so much longer than that. We’ve been through a lot together.” Liz sighed tiredly as if just thinking about their adventures wore her out.
“Well I think that Nikolas and Faithe and Ryan and Gillian are never going to get together on their own.” Becca said letting out a heavy sigh. Then a grin spread across her face when an idea came to her. “I have an idea.” She said conspiratorially
Liz leaned forward in anticipation. “What?”
“Well they need help right?” Liz nodded. “I think we should give them a little push. And what’s a better push than jealousy?”
“What do you have in mind?” Liz said smiling.
“Well we already saw how Faithe reacted to Nikolas and Gillian so we can get Gillian and Ryan to help us to make Faithe and Nikolas jealous and we can get Faithe and Nikolas to help us to make Gillian and Ryan jealous. Does that make any sense?” Becca said frowning at her complicated sentence.
“No it makes sense, but do you really think they’ll all help us?”
“Yeah, why not?” Becca said shrugging her shoulders and grinning.
“Well we can at least ask them.”
~*~
Ryan opened the door to the loft and entered with Lucky, Nikolas, and Scott close behind.
“Geez Ryan, only two hours at the gym today? You’re lacking off man.” Scott teased.
Ryan rolled his eyes. “Well I cut it short cause I didn’t want to wear you out.” Ryan shot back.
Lucky ran his hand through his hair, still wet from the swim he took and he dropped his backpack on the floor.
“Guys, you can shower and change here before we meet the girls at S.O.S.” Scott said flopping down on the couch, clearly exhausted.
“Thanks man and thanks for taking us to the gym.”
“No problem.
“Hey Lucky, go ahead and take the first shower.” Nikolas offered.
“Thanks man.” Lucky said picking up the backpack he had gotten from Myrtle’s on the way to the gym. Lucky walked to the back of the loft and around the corner, taking off his shirt as he went. Scott retreated into his room, leaving Ryan and Nikolas alone.
“So, you’re Gillian’s ex-husband?” Nikolas asked, eyeing Ryan suspiciously.
Ryan’s expression saddened. “Yeah I am. You know you’re the second person to ask me that today.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, a really beautiful girl I literally ran into on the way out of the Valley Inn this morning. Actually you probably know her, she said she was here with friends visiting Mrs. Fargate. Her name is Faithe Reynolds.” Ryan said pulling off his shirt and pulling on a clean one that was on the couch.
“Yeah we came here together.” Nikolas said quietly. He couldn’t stop the jealousy from rising up inside of him when he heard Ryan say that Faithe was beautiful. Of course he said she was beautiful, she is beautiful. And it’s not like you have any claim on her Cassadine. Said a nagging voice, which sounded suspiciously like Lucky, inside of Nikolas’ head.
“So you’re a friend of Gillian’s?” Ryan asked casually.
Nikolas smiled at the mention of his friend. “Yeah I’ve known Gilly since she was seven.”
Ryan started slightly at hearing someone else using one of the nicknames he had used for her. “So what, are you some kind of prince or something?”
“Actually yeah I am.” Nikolas said smiling like he’d won some kind of victory over Ryan.
“Oh”
~*~
Faithe grabbed the bottle of water sitting in the ice bucket and was about to go back to her facial, but something was standing in her way, or someone.
“I cannot figure out why someone as beautiful as you already are would need to spend a day in a beauty salon?” Leo said smoothly.
Faithe rolled her eyes and walked around Leo. “Sorry, I’m immune to charm.”
“Oh I’m not hitting on you, my heart belongs to that beautiful head of curly hair out there.” Leo said gesturing to the outer room.
“Nice way to refer to the woman who you say has your heart.” Faithe said dryly.
“What?! I love that hair!” Leo said defensively.
Faithe rolled her eyes and walked back to the girl that was giving her a facial.
“Leo darling there you are.” Vanessa said coming up to him.
“Mother.” Leo said smiling and bending down to kiss her on the cheek.
“Leo have you been to the office today?” Vanessa said in scolding tome.
“Mother I quit yesterday.” Leo said softly.
“You did what?!” Vanessa screamed drawing attention.
“Mother calm down, I never did anything there anyway.” Leo said shrugging his shoulders.
“Well if you would just have put in a little effort.” Vanessa leaned in and lowered his voice. “And I haven’t gotten Palmer to change his will yet and I needed you at Cortland Electronics so that I don’t end up in the cold when he dies!”
Leo sighed and rolled his eyes. “I’m sorry Mother, but Palmer didn’t want me there any more than I wanted to be there.”
Vanessa stifled a contrived sob. “Fine. I expect David to abandon me, but I never thought you would.” She said and walked away making a show of blotting the tears from her eyes.
“Mother wait…” But Leo was too late; she was already gone. He groaned in frustration and followed his mother leaving Faithe to frown thoughtfully at his retreating back.
~*~
Gillian walked out of the facial room, her face clean and fresh. Faithe was still in there getting her mask washed off. Gillian walked over to the couch when she saw Becca and Liz motioning her over. She sat down and frowned. “Okay what are you two in cahoots about?”
“What makes you think we’re in cahoots?” Becca said smiling innocently.
“Because you both look like the cat that ate the catfish.” Gillian said looking at them suspiciously.
“Um… Gillian, I think you mean canary.” Becca said trying to be helpful.
Gillian frowned. “Why would a canary eat a catfish?”
Becca and Liz both stifled a giggle.
“Never mind Gillian.” Becca said smiling.
Gillian shrugged. “Well whatever the saying is you two are up to something.”
“Well what have you noticed about Nikolas and Faithe.” Liz asked.
“They both have feelings for each other, but they’re too stubborn to admit it?” Gillian said smiling knowingly.
Becca smiled triumphantly. “And all they need is a little push, right?”
“Right.”
“Gillian, we have an idea.”
~*~
Faithe walked out of the facial room and frowned. She was definitely not used to being pampered. She took a drink from her water bottle and looked around the room, seeing Becca, Liz, and Gillian sitting on the couch whispering fiercely. Faithe frowned. She didn’t know Becca and Gillian that well, but she knew that look on Liz’s face; she was up to something. She was about to go over there to find out what was going on when something at the door caught her eye. Myrtle had just walked in followed by a tall blonde woman in a brightly colored dress.
The blonde turned and Faithe got a better look at ‘her’ and gasped. “Oh my.”
~*~
“That is a marvelous idea Becca, I’m sure Nikolas won’t suspect a thing.” Gillian said, very pleased with the plan. She looked up and gasped. “That has to be the ugliest woman I’ve ever seen.”
“Gillian that’s not very nice.” Becca said turning around, but her eyes widened in surprise at the sight she saw. “Oh my gosh!”
Liz turned around to look, curiosity getting the better of her. She fought everything she had in her not to burst out laughing.
~*~
“Myrt what are you doing back so soon? Couldn’t get enough of Sven?” Opal said bending down to hug her friend. Then Opal caught sight of the tall craggy faced blonde with the dress that looked strangely familiar. “Who’s your friend?”
Myrtle gestured to Luke, who was playing with his blonde wig. “Opal Cortland, I’d like you to meet my old friend Roxy DeVine.”
~*~
“I don’t care if they’ve disappeared, I want them found!” Stefan ordered into the phone and slammed it back down on the receiver.
“So no news right?” Alexis said quietly from the door.
Stefan started slightly, not having heard her enter. Alexis narrowed her eyes at his nervousness. Stefan didn’t get nervous.
Stefan’s face returned quickly to its usual stoic mask. “No I’m sorry. There has not been any new information.”
Alexis sighed tiredly. “Sonny said he couldn’t find anything either.”
“You went to Corinthos for help?” Stefan asked, his tone dangerous.
Alexis rolled her eyes. “He offered to help when I told him what happened.”
“And since when do you confide in a crime lord?”
“Alleged crime lord.” She muttered automatically. “He’s a friend.” She said in a tone that made it obvious that it was not only friendship.
“I didn’t approve of Mr. Ashton, but he was ten times a better choice than Corinthos.” Stefan said disapprovingly.
Alexis sighed. “I don’t think now is the time to discuss my choice in companions.”
“Well it seems that this family has lost all judgment when it comes to relationships.”
“Oh and you have the best judgment in relationships?” Alexis said raising an eyebrow.
But Stefan ignored her. “Elizabeth and that hooligan Lucky Spencer, you and Corinthos, not to mention Nikolas and that harlot Faithe.” Stefan spat angrily.
“Now Stefan, don’t you think ‘harlot’ is a little bit of a strong word? You hardly know the girl, she’s actually quite nice.” Alexis said, a little surprised by Stefan’s outburst.
“I know her well enough. She does not deserve Nikolas and she’s dangerous, just look at what has happened!”
“Well that’s kind of our fault.” Alexis said shrugging her shoulders.
“What?” Stefan’s nervousness returned swiftly.
“Well I mean our family. It was most likely Ilias who tried to kill Faithe.” Alexis said narrowing her eyes.
“Yes of course.” Stefan said quickly. “I have to be at the hospital soon. I’m sure everything will turn out all right Alexis.” He kissed her quickly on the cheek and was out the door, leaving a very puzzled Alexis in his wake.
Just after he had left his computer beeped and Alexis walked over to it. “He left his e-mail program on.” She mumbled as she went to close it, but something caught her eye and she opened it instead.
We apologize that our first attempt to eliminate Miss Reynolds has failed. We will not rest until the job is completed.
Alexis gasped. “Oh my God.”
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