Love Is Only an Illusion

“How’d it go, love birds?” Merritt exclaimed as Sutton and Danny walked through the door. “Woah! What happened to you, lover boy?”

Henley ran out of her bedroom and Jack sat up right on his air mattress. “Damn!” they both exclaimed.

Danny touched his face and winced. “I, um, took a, uh, hit tonight,” Danny got out as Sutton went to get him an icepack.

“Danny tried hitting on a girl, so she slapped him,” Sutton smirked, placing the icepack on Danny’s face. He winced once more.

“Shocker there,” Henley commented.

“Anyway, did you get Tressler to agree?” Jack asked.

Danny held up Tressler’s contact card between his fingertips. The group cheered.

“I’m just surprised you two didn’t kill each other with sarcasm,” Merritt said, looking the couple over. Sutton squinted her eyes at him and he smirked knowingly.

“Well, it’s off to bed for me,” Sutton faked a yawn. “Goodnight!” she called to everyone as she made her way to her room. Once inside, Sutton leaned her back against the cold door. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, until a knock echoed.

“Merritt, go away,” Sutton said, but she knew better. The knob jiggled and she moved to open it.

“Hey, Beautiful,” Merritt smiled, his arms extended.

“Don’t even say it,” Sutton commanded, crossing her arms and sitting on her bed.

Merritt closed the door. “He tried to kiss you?”

“I said not to say it.”

Merritt quickly sat beside her. “You slapped him? How come? I know deep down you wanted it to happen.”

Sutton huffed. “Obviously, my mentalism sucks if I can’t hide things from you.”

“So I was right? Wow, the voices don’t lie to me,” he joked, rubbing his head.

Sutton smiled. “I honestly don’t know how I feel. I mean, we are so different, exce-“

“Except for both of your inability to allow someone else to control a situation,” Merritt interrupted. “You don’t need to be completely the same to fall in love.”

Sutton scoffed. “I am not in love with Danny.”

“But you could be.”

“I don’t think so.”

Merritt smiled at her and kissed the top of her head in a reassuring action to show his support for her. He stood and left the room, not without peaking his head back in and blowing Sutton a kiss.

Sutton sat for a moment, staring at herself once more in the mirror. Was she actually falling for Danny? Could he actually like her? Sutton shook her head, laughing at her unrealistic thoughts.

Sutton carefully removed the gorgeous dress from her slim form, placing it back on the hanger in the back of her closet in the garment bag. A gray tank top and black shorts were pulled on to cover Sutton’s body. She removed her makeup with ease, as she hated the feeling on the products on her face. The bobby pins were removed slowly from her hair, careful to not tangle the curls. She was on the last one when she answered the knock at the door.

Danny slipped through the crack in the door. He looked at Sutton just in time to see her long red hair flow down her back. His heart started to beat faster as he watched Sutton run her fingers through the mess.

“What’s up, Danny?” Sutton asked, noticing his stare.

“Oh, um, I was just, uh,” he cleared his throat in hopes of being able to form a sentence. “I just wanted to say thank you.”

Sutton spun around to face him, her old desk chair creaking. “Is J. Daniel Atlas admitting that he needed my help?” She placed her hand on her chest, pretending to be in shock.

Danny rolled his eyes. “I never said that.”

“Oh, but the feeling is there, Daniel,” Sutton winked.

Danny scoffed. “Goodnight, Sutton.”

Sutton smiled. “Night, Danny.” She turned around in her chair to remove her contacts and braid her hair.

Danny stared at her closely, watching as her delicate fingers flew quickly to create the hairstyle. He couldn’t deny it; Sutton was beautiful. That explained why he was always messing with her. That explained why he felt like Cupid was squeezing his heart whenever they talked alone.

“Atlas, I can feel your sexual frustration,” Sutton joked.

“I-I wasn’t, I was just, uh...” Danny struggled to form a sarcastic response.

Sutton laughed and turned herself back around to face him. “I’m kidding, Atlas. Now, get out before I control you.” She stretched her arms out toward him, as if to be performing a spell.

Danny rolled his eyes and exited the room. “She’s insane,” Danny concluded and headed toward his air mattress.