Lilith

by Ashley Jeffery

  I walked forward and out the door, conscious of the fact that he was following close behind me. I took a deep breath and looked around the hall for Rhi. She was leaning against one of the bright orange lockers laughing at something one of the fellow Bad Girls was saying.

  Her name was Jennifer Stevens. She was tortured by Lexie our junior year. Lexie befriended Jennifer when she moved here that year from Washington. All semester Lexie played the devoted best friend, she found out every juicy un-becoming detail she could about Jennifer, her family, and her friends.

  At the Winter Formal Lexie let the axe fall. When Jennifer showed up with her date dozens of pictures of her doing various embarrassing things surrounded her. Lexie was on the decorating committee and found it hilarious to use black and white shots of Jennifer.

  All of the pictures were anonymous; Lexie was smart enough to make sure Jennifer's head wasn't in any of the pictures. Lexie added glitter and tree branches to the pictures to make them seem more entwined with the rest of the decorations.

  The next week at school, the original pictures passed around with embarrassing information about Jennifer on the back. She left class crying and missed school for two weeks. The teachers didn't do anything either. Lexie had the whole school as well as the staff and parents wrapped around her twisted little finger. It made Rhiannon sick. She'd sought out Jennifer after, and we all became quick friends.

  They smiled when they saw us approaching.

  "Dean, this is my best bud Rhiannon, and this is our friend Jennifer. Guys this is Dean he just moved here." I said.

  "Dean, hi, I just moved here last year let me know if you need any help adjusting." Jennifer’s last word jumbled when Rhiannon elbowed her hard in the side.

  "I'm sure our dear sweet Pacey already has that covered Jenn. Speaking of which, Jenn and me were just leaving. Hope you two have FUN." Rhiannon wiggled her eyebrows at me and pulled Jenn with her through the hallway.

  Dean laughed lightly as he watched them walk away.

  "Your friend isn't very subtle is she? So you want to go get something to drink?"

  I nodded my head and followed him down the hallway. God I hoped I could keep myself from looking like a complete idiot.

  Chapter Two

  First Date?

  I followed him outside to a black beat up truck. He led me to the passenger side and opened the door for me. He was being pretty nice, what was the catch? I eyed him speculatively and he smiled.

  "Is it ok if I drive us? I’ll be safe." He asked.

  I got inside the truck without speaking. I didn’t really know the guy but I’d chance it. I really hoped I didn't end up chopped up into little pieces and shoved inside a hefty bag. At least Rhi knew who I was with if it came down to that. My murderer wouldn’t get away.

  I watched him walk around to the driver’s side door and get inside. He smiled at me again and turned the key in the ignition. The truck boomed to life, a loud deep growling sound that was almost soothing.

  He reached over and turned down the radio when the speakers screeched out the song Time That Remains by Three Days Grace. I smiled; at least he had good taste in music. I played with the silver and black bracelets on my wrist nervously. He drove out of the parking lot and into the street.

  "So, Pacey where do you want to go?"

  I chewed on my lip and immediately thought of The Hole in the Wall. It was a small sandwich shop in the center part of town. There were plenty of other people there to make sure I didn't get drugged and dragged out the back door by my hair. I struggled not to laugh. My over active imagination was getting a little crazy. Not an hour ago, I was imagining licking his skin.

  "Take Main Street down to Center. The Hole in the Wall is on your left." He looked at me sheepishly.

  "Huh? The Hole in the Wall? What’s that a landmark or something?"

  I laughed and said. "It's the best damn hamburger place in town." I pointed to an empty parking spot and he navigated the truck into the space.

  "Guess I'll just have to take your word for it. You ready?" He jumped out of the truck and walked around to open the door for me.

  "I know, it’s completely cheesy but my dad would insist."

  I thanked him silently and followed him inside. We sat in a booth not far from the front window directly in front of his truck. The sandwich shop was exactly what you would expect for a small simple food joint. It had faded black and white squared linoleum floors. Red walls and tiny jukeboxes at the ends of the table. I grabbed a handful of quarters and chose some music.

  Unlike the other places with the same paintings and similar decor, the one thing that The Hole in the Wall had over all of the others was its great taste in music. I chose two songs by Kings of Leon, and one by Shinedown. I handed Dean a couple of quarters and waited for the music to start.

  "Thanks. This place is very cool, where do we order?"

  I pointed towards the large menu hanging above the front counter.

  "What do you want?" He asked.

  "Hmm…a root beer float." I said.

  I watched him walk away. Aware that I was probably staring at his ass for longer than what’s considered appropriate. What the heck, was I doing here? I wasn’t the girl that meets the new boy and catches his eye. I was the girl who vanished into the background. I wasn’t self-deprecating enough to say that in a poor me sniffle sniffle way....I knew what and who I was, invisibility and all.

  I heard the door bells jingle and watched as Devil Incarnate walked inside. Lexie Vega narrowed her eyes evilly at me and leered when she saw Dean ordering at the counter. She was wearing her signature tight skinny jeans. A slutty tank top and her hair in perfect brown waves around her face.

  I watched her saunter over to Dean's side and then touch his arm suggestively. I was amazed when I saw him turn and gently push her away.

  "Sorry, I don't know you, so don't touch me." Dean said.

  My mouth dropped open in surprise. Holy crap nobody, and I mean NO-body turned down Lexie Vega. This was not going to end well. Lexie's mouth mirrored mine, hanging wide open in shock.

  "Look I'm sorry if that’s rude, but I'm here with someone and I'd really appreciate it if you didn’t touch me."

  He paid for our food and walked back towards me. I closed my mouth and pretended like I hadn't been watching the whole thing take place. He took the seat across from me and handed me my drink.

  I took a sip and casually glanced back to where Lexie still stood. She was staring at us, and she didn't look happy. I watched her take her finger and point to me and run it across her neck in a quick slashing motion. I swallowed wrong and coughed on the soda.

  "Who is that crazy girl?" Dean asked.

  I choked again and covered my mouth in surprise.

  "Seriously, you don't know who that is? That's Lexie Vega, queen of Culliver City, Royalty at our illustrious School."

  He just stared at me blankly; I didn't think it was possible to go one hour at my school without knowing who she was.

  "Nope not a clue. Did she really just point at you and make a you’re dead gesture?"

  I bobbed my head yes and watched him smile at my answer.

  "Yep she's a freak. I can't believe she gets away with that shi-…sorry, with that not nice behavior."

  I couldn't help myself I started laughing between words. "You better be careful she's serious when she says she'll kill me. She's a nutcase. I'm not even kidding. If you cross her, expect a horrible Social Death, and months of recuperation. She makes people’s lives hell at school, and it looks like both me and you are next on her list." I didn't want to think about what she had planned for me.

  His face went from blank to serious in an instant.

  "She won't do anything to you." He said.

  His food arrived at our table just in time to clear the tension but he never broke his gaze. He stared so directly into my eyes it was almost painful. Slowly his face softened and he reached out his hand to brush aside a red tendril of my hair.

>   His fingers grazed my skin. I almost jumped back in shock at his touch. It was electricity running through my veins. Like I’d only ever be alive when he was touching me. He rubbed a thumb across my cheek and spoke again.

  "You have nothing to fear Pacey. I'll never let anyone hurt you." And I believed him.

  He said it with such conviction there was no way I could disbelieve him. I’d only known him for a few hours and I already knew he would do anything to protect me, and as amazing as it sounded I felt exactly the same way.

  People were always talking about love at first sight. How their eyes wandered over a strangers face and somehow they knew…that they were it for them. I wasn’t in love with Dean because of his face, or the deep blue green color of his eyes. I wasn’t in love with him because of some trivial pretty package that would age and sag with time.

  I was in love with him because he made my blood boil. He made me feel alive for the first time. Somehow, I knew him without knowing him. Like some invisible bell inside me was ringing, chiming with the knowledge that he was finally here.

  We spent the next four hours in that booth and talked about everything and nothing. Time flew by on a new standard of time. I was changed. One touch of his fingers on my cheek and my whole world was upended. What I had with Weston wasn’t even on the scale anymore for weighing emotions.

  Was this how love felt? This all-consuming need to be near him. To feel his touch. I was terrified of something I couldn’t even describe. Something I couldn’t have controlled even if I’d tried. Love wasn’t something that you choose.

  Love chose you, then proceeded to hit you over the head with a bat, and told you to pay attention. The ringing bell inside me vibrated in my veins, creating a current of power that could rival a small city. I was high on something that had nothing to do with a popular dried herb, or stupid pill, and everything to do with one person.

  That buzz followed me home. It sang me to sleep and whispered in my ears while I slept.

  He’s here. He’s finally here. It kept saying.

  When I woke up the next morning, I felt complete. I couldn't believe the need I had to be with Dean. I felt full when I was with him. Full in a way that had nothing to do with eating and everything to do with the empty feeling that I always felt in my chest. And here he was this boy I only met the day before and I knew I loved him.

  My cell phone beeped and I reached over and took it off my bedside table.

  How did it go?

  I stared at Rhi's message and groaned. I forgot to call her last night. She was going to kill me. I typed quickly and sent her a message back.

  Great, strange, wonderful, I don't know.

  I got ready quickly and went downstairs. My mom and dad were in the kitchen eating. I grabbed an apple and made my way towards the front door.

  "Stop right there young lady. What's this I hear about a new boy?" My dad said.

  I groaned and glanced over my shoulder towards my father.

  "What do you mean?" I asked innocently

  "Please don't test my patience, you were seen with a boy, a much older looking boy I might add by me personally. What's up?"

  I grinned and noticed his mouth twitching at the corner; he was totally messing with me, which was very common for my dad. He liked to mess with people, make them uncomfortable, and poke at fresh wounds. He was a brat but I loved him.

  "Whatever old man, that eyesight is getting bad. You should call your doctor it could be a sign of a serious problem."

  He laughed and elbowed my mom in amusement. "She gets that mouth from me you know."

  My mom nodded along quietly. She was just as bad he was.

  "You have no idea how much I wish I was adopted." But staring into their faces and my mother’s thick auburn hair, I could never deny my parentage.

  "But seriously who's this new boy?" My dad asked again popping a ripe red grape into his mouth.

  "Dean, he just moved here, I took him to Hole in the Wall and showed him around town. He's just a friend dad, nothing serious." The lie tasted bad on my tongue so I tried to swallow it and it burned as it hit my stomach.

  My dad sighed disagreeing. "I wouldn't be so sure about that, I saw the way he looked at you. Just be careful okay."

  I bobbed my head and walked out the door before they could stop me again. Rhiannon was waiting in her car in my driveway. I walked over to the passenger seat and got inside.

  "Thanks, I never made it back to get my car." I said.

  She smiled and stared at me without moving.

  "What?" I asked.

  "Seriously you better give me the freaking deets.” She said.

  "It was nice; he was nice, overly nice really."

  "Wow nice huh. That it? That's a little disappointing, not to mention seriously depressing. Nice, ugghhh I‘d give up nice every day of the week for just a little hot and heavy." Rhiannon started the car and backed out of my driveway.

  "Well that wasn't only it. When we were at Hole, we ran into your favorite person."

  Rhiannon screeched the breaks and pulled to the side of the road. "No way."

  "Yep, and she hit on Dean too." I said.

  "Wow did he ditch you for trashy pants?"

  I shook my head no and smirked. "He turned her down. She wasn't very happy about it either. The bad news is she probably wants to kill me, but the good news is there is actually a boy in that school who is immune to her."

  Rhi stared blankly out the front window. Her hands were clenched so tightly around the steering wheel her knuckles turned white.

  "Rhi, you ok?"

  She didn't respond. I nudged her gently and asked again.

  "Rhi, seriously are you ok?"

  She turned and faced me speaking through her clenched teeth. "If that whore lays one hand on you I'll freaking kill her Pacey. I'm not even kidding I'm so sick of her self important, crazy, trashy, twisted shit."

  Rhi put the car in drive and slammed on the gas pedal. I held onto the front dash in fear and watched as she drove like the devil all the way to school. Every muscle in my body squeezed tight in terror. Rhiannon actually made it to school in less than five minutes. Five very excruciating minutes, and my house was almost three miles from our school.

  She exited the car and slammed her door so hard the car shook. My left foot was braced against the dash in anticipation of our crashing. She hadn't hit one car or pedestrian in her death drive, really she should be driving for NASCAR with those crazy skills.

  I untangled my body from her passenger seat and followed her outside. She was walking away from her car with her head angled strangely. I looked into her tilted face and saw anger flashing brightly through her eyes.

  "Rhi?" My voice came out in a squeak.

  She turned to look at me and pointed to something or someone behind me. I twisted on my heal and followed the line of her finger. My pretty little Grey Honda was destroyed. I walked forward and stared in amazement at its horrible transformation. The tires had all been slashed; all of my windows were shattered, and scratched into the speckled side was one vulgar word. BITCH. My jaw dropped in shock.

  What happened?

  I didn't feel Dean come up behind me until he put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me away. I turned to watch my car every second until it was out of my line of vision. He led me into the Main Office. Rhiannon sat beside me on the bench while Dean disappeared inside one of the small offices.

  A pretty woman I'd never seen before followed him out through the open door and stood directly in front of me. She had dark hair cropped short in a cute pixie style. Her eyes were a deep sea blue and she had the kind of face that looked good with or without makeup. Timeless beauty I think my mom called it. She crouched down and looked me straight in the eye.

  "Hi Miss O’Brien, I'm Mrs. Charleston, I'm Dean's mom. I'm also the schools new Vice Principal. Do you know who might have vandalized your car?"

  I chewed on my lip in frustration and shook my head no. I was so off everyone else's rad
ar I doubted anyone other than my immediate friends, even knew that I existed.

  "Actually mom, uhh I mean Mrs. Charleston, I think I have an idea who it might have been." Dean said.

  I glanced at Dean's face in surprise.

  "Seriously?" I asked him.

  "Yea, you know Pacey I agree with Dean, I think we know exactly who did this." Rhiannon's face was amused and angry.

  I looked around me in confusion. Who would do this to me? I didn't have any enemies; I kept my head down and let Rhiannon do all the talking. It had to take a certain amount of animosity to make someone act out this harshly. Who could I have pissed off...?

  "Come on guys, do you really think Lexie would go that far?" I watched one of Rhiannon's eyebrows rise in amusement.

  "Uh yea, come on Pacey she's the freaking devil in a mini skirt. She's done loads worse to other people, me included as you well know."

  "I hate to break up your little discussion girls, but do you have any proof this Lexie is the one who did it?" We all looked up at Mrs. Charleston. She was definitely new.

  "No, but yea, I mean I can vogue for Pacey. That Lexie girl hit on me yesterday and wasn't too happy when I turned her down. She even made this stupid gesture to Pacey. She seemed psycho mom, and you know I wouldn't lie to you."

  Mrs. Charleston elbowed him playfully.

  "Sorry, Mrs. Charleston." He raised his fingers in the air and made quotations around her name.

  "I know Dean but I need more than your word, I need actual proof. Pacey dear, I had the secretary call the police and they should be here shortly. We should call your parents; since you’re underage, they’ll need to be here while the Police question you. Now I suggest you two go get to class. Pacey can stay with me while we wait."

  "But Mo---"

  She held up a hand to Dean's complaint.

  "No but mom's, no Mrs. Charleston. You get your behind to class or so help me I will give my only son detention.” She smoothed down the wrinkles on her tan skirt and squared her shoulders.

  “I'll give you all a moment to collect yourselves. I'll be waiting for you in my office Miss O’Brien." She patted my hand sympathetically.