Can't Get You Out of My Head (please get out of my head I'm begging) (bxb)

23 | is vampy evil? comment for yes, vote for no

The fountain stands at the center of the town square, bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight. Silver ripples dance on the surface and reflect in Ethan's shining eyes. He sits at the edge of the fountain, staring into the water, and I sit staring at him. His are pupils dilated and glazed over, almost mesmerized.

Shadows play on the sculpture of 'The Thinker.' The marble man looks almost eerie in the way he sits. He can never stand up and leave this town.

Just like us.

My foreboding thoughts are cut short when Ethan looks up and smiles. It's brighter than a moonbeam cutting across the dark sky.

He blinks and it seems to break the spell he's under, eyes alert once more. "What are you thinking of?"

I've never been asked that in my life.

"What?" I ask stupidly.

Ethan shrugs. "You look like your pet died. I mean," he backtracks, chuckling lightly at my expression, "you just seem a bit gloomy."

"Well, you seem...you look weird too," I object. Great. I get a 10/10 on trying to flirt.

But Ethan giggles, warm brown eyes crinkling at the corners. "I look weird to you, Lukas? Well...that's too bad, cause I think you look cute." OH MY GOD I CAN'T BELIEVE I JUST SAID THAT.

I turn crimson to the roots of my hair. My voice comes out in what can almost be considered a squeak. "I-I uh, what?"

I think I'm hyperventilating. I cannot generate a single coherent thought.

Ethan bites his lip, still grinning. The teeth digging into his bottom lip make it a cheeky smile. "You heard me."

My heart in my throat, I edge a little closer to him, my fingers gripping the rim of the fountain. The marble feels cool beneath my hand, the spray from the water dampening my hair.

Ethan shifts closer to me, his thumb brushing against mine so lightly that I would have thought it an accident if I couldn't hear his thoughts. His gaze drops to my lips and he repositions himself again, almost falling into the fountain.

I grab his hand. "It's slippery!"

"I wasn't going to fall," he protests. That would've been so embarrassing! Especially when I'm trying to kiss him!

He leans in and I let go of his hand, wondering whether to touch his face. Maybe I should ask first? Even though he's thinking the same thing, he doesn't know I can read his mind.

Ethan pulls away so fast that I think he's going to fall into the fountain again. Why is Lukas frowning? I thought he was going to kiss me....

Wait, I was!

I don't think I've cursed Ethan's inability to read minds—and my subsequent ineptness at body language—as much as I do in that moment.

Ethan flushes, turning away to root around in his bag. "Anyway, I finally remembered to bring this," he says, fishing out a silver coin.

I suck in a sharp breath. Before I can say anything, he's already tossing it in.

The coin flips through the air in a series of somersaults. It plonks into the water with a splash, making a tinkling sound as it hits the other coins. I wish...I wish I could find a place I can call home.

Dread settles in my stomach. Ethan's never going to go back home. He's just as trapped as the rest of us. I don't know if it's already too late. I don't know if I might accidentally do something that would get him stuck here forever.

"Ethan." I stand up suddenly, my voice sounding choked. "Isn't it time for you to leave?"

He blinks up at me before getting to his feet. "Leave? To go where?" Why would I want to leave?

"Anywhere but here!" I gesture wildly around us. "Don't you want to go see the world?"

"I mean...I guess I did? I dunno, maybe I just lost interest?" I don't know what's keeping me here...I just know I don't want to leave.

Fear grips me at the turn of his thoughts. All I can think is that he used to dream of seeing the world and now he's stuck here in this town. The thought of him leaving makes me want to throw up. But he's only here because he doesn't have a choice.

"How can you say that? How can you just...lose interest...like that?" My voice is shaking. "You had so many plans."

"Yeaahh." He drags out the word, his eyes glazing over again. "But I love this town. It's so...magical."

Tears prick the corners of my eyes. I have to tell him the truth and he's going to hate me and the thought of it makes me want to die.

"That's just the thing, Ethan. It is magical. This town...it's not what you think it is. You're the first person from the outside world to have found this place." There's a lump in my throat that I can't swallow, and when I open my mouth again my breath leaves in a soft whimper. "I've been lying to you. We've all been lying to you."

Ethan looks dazed. "What? What are you talking about?"

It's getting harder to breathe. My words rush out in an uncontrolled flood. "No one leaves Brambleburg. This town has you under a...a spell. You need to escape while you still can- I don't know if you can."

He shakes his head violently. "But I- I don't want to leave." I could just stay here forever with you. I love you.

It hits with a gut-wrenching punch that leaves me breathless. Ethan loves me. My heart soars and then plummets like rollercoaster. I'm elated and then horrified and then I'm gasping for air. I couldn't live with myself if he gets trapped here because of me.

It's my fault. The realization settles at the pit of my stomach like a pile of bricks. He's stuck here and it's all my fault.

"You can't just stay here forever!" The words rip out of me against my will. My breathing is ragged, chest heaving with the effort of trying not to cry.

Ethan inhales so fast it's almost a gasp. "What?"

I grit my teeth to stop my tears from spilling. "Ethan. You can't stay." I hit the final nail in the coffin, feeling it tear through my heart as I do so. "You don't belong here."

He doesn't want me here. Ethan swallows thickly, his bottom lip quivering. "Fine." His voice is barely audible. He doesn't want me.

He grabs his bike, and I almost stop him. I almost tear my hands through my hair and beg him to stay. He could just stay and be stuck here, but he'd be here with me and maybe he'd even be happy. He would be trapped, but maybe I could make him happy. Even for a little while.

The full moon stares down at us.

I have to let him go. And it kills me.

A/n:
Hey now before you come at me...you saw the chapter title!