by Dakota Lake
“Give me that,” Aimee took the can of fizzy from me and poured it into her empty cup. “Watch this,” Aimee said.
She walked around to the other side of the pool and stood behind Millie. She then poured the drink down Millie's back. Millie jumped up screaming and started shouting at Aimee.
“Stupid idiot, I'm soaked.” Millie said squeezing the drink from her hair.
Aimee shrugged and was pointing at the boy next to her pretending he had bumped her. The tall boy that had carried Millie outside swept her up into his arms and carried her away, I thought he was going to carry her back into the house but without warning he dumped her in the pool.
Everyone cheered and more people jumped in fully clothed. Millie was in the middle of the pool screaming with mascara running down her face.
“What the hell Ryan,” Millie shouted at the tall boy.
“What you said it yourself you were already soaked,” he laughed. “Cannon ball.” he shouted and jumped into the pool splashing Millie even more.
I looked over at Aimee who was giving me the thumbs up.
Mack was messing around with some boy I didn't recognise they were both pushing and shoving each other then they both pulled each other into the pool.
I quickly walked inside, I didn't want to get dragged into he pool as well. I watched from inside the house. Mack swam to the edge of the pool and lifted himself out.
I moved away from the door and behind the blinds, I didn't want him to know I was watching him. He walked in squelching, dripping water everywhere.
“Hey dude, towels are in the kitchen and there's some spare shirts,” Robbie said passing him in the door way.
Mack walked across the room and pulled his shirt over his head and had his back on display as he walked through the door.
His perfect back was marked with two long dark scars running down it, they got closer together lower down. Then he was gone, I looked around to see if anyone else had noticed the scars but everyone was busy doing something else.
“I can see why you've fallen for him. He's probably the hottest guy at this party when his shirts off minus the scary scars though,” Carly said sipping on her bottle.
“What did you say?”
“Really I don't think it needs repeating, you did just see him with his shirt off?”
“No about the fallen thing,”
“Huh? You've lost me. Say again?”
“Fallen angels would have wings scars, they looked the the same as the ones I saw on Micah's back. Carly they both have the same scars.”
“Fallen angels really, what are drinking? I think I need some, you know how crazy that sounds?” she said smirking at me.
“Really this coming from someone that thinks there's vampires roaming around,” “Okay so say Mack and Micah are fallen angels and your brother's a Nephilim then wouldn't that make you a Nephilim as well,”
“I don't know, maybe. I need a drink, a proper one.”
“Bottoms up.” she said handing me her bottle to finish.
Carly was keeping herself amused with the same college boy, Caitlin had disappeared with Josh and I had lost track of Aimee.
I had drunk seven bottles of some alcoholic green drink from the table, I wondered if they even had any alcohol in them as they weren't having any effect on me.
I looked over at Carly she was poking the boy in the face, she looked wobbly and she'd had less to drink than me. I was getting bored and miserable, parties were meant to be fun but I couldn't bring myself to join in with any of the games and there was no way I was stripping off to jump in the pool even if it was heated.
I wondered around the gardens, there were lights hidden amongst the bushes and the further I got from the house the lonelier I felt. At least it was quieter over here, my head was full of everyone else's thoughts back there but all I could hear now was the sound of my own footsteps. I walked into a section of garden with tall hedges on both sides with small footpaths running between them it sort of looked like a maze. Something fluttered above my head I looked up and saw the raven, it landed on a garden ornament of a cherub.
“Well Rocky, can I call you Rocky I think it suits you and I have this weird hunch it might actually be your name. You're probably wondering what I'm doing all the way over here when the parties back there, I'm not even sure myself,” I quietly laughed at myself for talking to the bird it's not like it understood me.
I wanted to know why it kept following me?
“You named it?”
“What the....you frightened me,” I said turning around.
“I told you to leave that thing alone. So what is this you giving him advice on how to be sad and pathetic. What are you doing over here, the parties that way,” Micah said leaning against a tree. “What are you doing here? How did you know I was here?”
“I over heard the word party when you were talking to Carly. So I followed you, seeing as you like to tell me one thing and then do the opposite. You didn't tell me Caitlin had invited so many people to her sleepover....wait that's because it's a party and Caitlin doesn't even live here.” “You wouldn't have let me come if I'd told you. You don't have to rub it in I get that I'm in trouble and you're probably going to really enjoy dragging me out of here, let me just grab my stuff first,” I said taking a step but he put his hand up.
“Wait! I am annoyed with you that you can't follow simple instructions to let me know where you are and what you're doing? But I will let you stay if you try to keep out of trouble.” “What, why?”
“Because you might have to leave next week so this will probably be your last party with your friends.”
“Grrrr! Don't remind me. I'm don't want to leave, it's not fair. You can't make me,” “Well it's not up to me, if your brother wants you to go back you won't have a choice. So do you girls need a ride home later or are you planning on sleeping on the sun loungers?” “No we're sleeping in the guest house we all have our own room.” I said pointing at the building. “That's a guest house? I thought that was next door. So erm where's Carly?”
“I dunno she's with some boy over there?”
“What boy?” he asked sounding both annoyed and interested.
“I dunno he's some college boy, wait a minute you're jealous, that's what this is. I thought you were acting weird back at the cabin. You like Carly,”
“Don't be stupid I don't even know her?”
“Then it shouldn't bother you when I tell you I saw her heading back to the guest house fifteen minutes ago with that frat boy.”
His face dropped and changed from annoyed to super mad in seconds.
“Micah it was joke,”
“Well that wasn't funny, your sense of humour sucks.”
“No you suck now go find her she's in the kitchen making margarita's. Why don't you go and talk to her instead of watching me from the bushes cause it's a little weird and stalker-ish.” “Fine, but I'm still annoyed with you for lying to me. We will finish this conversation tomorrow,” he said smoothing the side of his hair down.
“Can't wait oh and Micah I don't think you used enough hair spray there's wisps everywhere,” “What!” he said alarmed.
“Again I'm joking. Lighten up.”
He frowned at me and walked off towards the house, the raven was long gone and it was getting chilly outside so I made my way back into the house and walked around aimlessly until I wondered straight into a room full of books.
There was no one else in the room and I hoped Robbie wouldn't mind me having a look around. The books seemed to be categorised and there was one section that caught my attention. I picked up a really old looking book and carefully turned the pages looking at the detailed drawings. The words under one of the pictures stood out to me.
The wicked angels were cast out and sent down to earth and fell towards the gates of Hell where all the evil ones reside.
The door creaked and I jumped dropping the book in the process. Mack shut the door and walked towards me, he bent down and picked th
e book up and looked at the cover.
“So normal teenagers are out there having fun while you're in here reading some rather questionable books.”
“Well I'm just really boring and probably not normal either?”
“Well if you're not normal, then I'm definitely not normal.” he said handing the book back to me. “And for the record I don't think you're boring, you caught my attention a long time ago.” I slid the book back onto the shelf thinking he probably said those kind of things to other girls I wasn't stupid.
“Why are you wearing those?” I asked wondering why he had his black sunglasses on his face. But he looked down at his shirt.
“It's not mine, I borrowed it.” he said smoothing the T-shirt down, there was a picture of a pug dog on the front.
“I meant the sunglasses?” I said.
He didn't reply, but I got the feeling he didn't want me looking in his eyes. I think it had something to do with the other night when I looked into his eyes and passed out then woke up on the couch. “Never mind,” I pushed past him and walked to the door.
“Ruby don't,”
“Don't what? You ignore me at school and you've had all night to speak to me, but you choose now when I'm hidden away in the library probably because you don't want Millie to know.” “Whoa what?” He slid in front of me blocking my way to the door. “Who's Millie?” “She had her arms all over you earlier,”
“What the skinny blonde in the cheerleading outfit that got dumped in the pool?” “Yes that one.” I replied.
I hadn't like the way he had said skinny, I suddenly felt pounds heavier than I actually was, Millie looked like a beanpole compared to me.
“The only girl I've noticed tonight is you,” he said trying to reach for hand.
I shook my head, I knew they were lies made up to get my attention.
“What do you want me to say?” he asked.
“I dunno the truth? One minute you're into me, then overnight you can't even look at me.” I waited for a moment but he didn't reply, so I pushed passed him.
“Because I was meant to stay away from you.” he said quietly.
“What?”
“I mean I'm trouble, I'm bad news. I didn't want to get you into trouble. Your brother wouldn't want you hanging around with me. But I can't seem to stay away from you. I've never been one to follow the rules it's how I ended up here and it's the reason I can't stay away from you.”
He walked around me and stood in front of the door blocking my exit route. Then he leaned back and removed his sunglasses and hooked them inside his T-shirt collar.
The way he had said my brother made it seem like he knew him already, maybe they had met at the fight club?
“Well my brother doesn't always know what's best for me he keeps a lot of secrets and he likes to keep me in the dark about things.”
“I'm sure he's doing what he thinks is right for you.”
He looked at me and all I could see was his green eyes staring back, I couldn't hear his thoughts but I remembered I couldn't do that with Mack, if I looked too hard into his eyes I might get sucked into some weird hallucination and pass out.
He didn't look happy either and diverted his eyes away from me. He stepped forward and I found myself looking up at him.
“I tried to stay away from you but I couldn't. You're like this little bright star, there could be a million other stars but all I see is you,”
“Wow does that work on other girls?”
“Ruby, there are no other girls.”
I watched his green eyes as they searched my face, he slowly leaned down closer to me. He looked into my eyes for a split second, my hands found their way to the back of his neck pulling him closer to me. He kissed me gently pressing his lips against mine, after a few seconds he stopped and looked at me rubbing his thumb across my cheek.
He kissed me again parting my lips with his, I returned his kiss without a second thought. There was a bump at the door, it opened and a drunk couple who were kissing fell in and landed on the floor. It didn't seem to bother them though as they carried on kissing and giggling on the floor. Mack took my hand and we stepped over them.
We walked along a corridor which had photos of Robbie at all different ages. In front I could see into the kitchen, Carly was chucking pieces of lemon at Micah who was using a saucepan as a bat. Mack stopped and took a few steps back.
“What's wrong?” I asked wondering why he didn't want to walk that way. He was frowning looking in Micah's direction.
“That's just Micah, he's my brothers friend.”
“What's he doing here?”
“He sort of keeps an eye on me when my brothers at work, I lied about where I was going tonight and he followed me here. Don't worry he's not that bad once you get past the hostile exterior.” “I've never seen him like this,” Mack said watching Micah playing with Carly.
“Yeah I think he's got a crush on Carly. Wait you know Micah?”
“No....sort of,” Mack quickly steered me out of view and outside through a side door. “He can't find out I'm here or I'm never going to hear the end of it,”
“Why do you owe him money or something?”
Mack frowned, pulling me along side him. “Why would you think I owe him money?” “From that club. Yeah I know about his shady night time job.”
Mack stopped and spun me around to face him.
“You know about the club?”
“If you mean the fight club then yes, I think my brother fights there.”
“How do you know that. Please tell me you've never been in there,”
“Just once,”
“How did you even find that place and what were you doing in that part of town?” “I was at the rental store the other night with Aimee and we got lost.”
“You got lost what from the store to the car and managed to detour to the club,”
“Something like that,”
“Did you follow someone there?”
“Obviously not, me and Aimee have better things to do then follow random people around after dark.” I laughed it off. But Mack looked upset.
“You didn't go in did you?”
“If I say yes are you going to get mad? I was in and out in ten minutes. Don't worry I don't plan on going back.”
“That place is full of fall.....” he stopped and looked at me and changed his words mid sentence. “really nasty people, did anyone give you any trouble?”
“No. Some guy asked me some questions but I managed to get away from him.”
“Do you remember his name?”
“I think it was Cole,”
“Cole I should have known,” he stopped and looked at me. “Come on.”
We walked over to the guest house and Mack pulled a key from his pocket.
“Where did you get that, I thought Caitlin had the only one?”
“She did, I had to borrow it earlier to get in and use the dryer, one in the house was already full. What you didn't think these were mine?” he said pulling at the bright orange basketball shorts he was wearing, I only then noticed he wasn't wearing any shoes.
“I was more distracted by your top half.”
“Yeah I know what you mean,” he left the key in the lock and hooked his finger in my belt loop and pulled me towards him, putting his hands on either side of my neck, which sent goosebumps down my arms, then he leaned in and kissed me again.
“Get a room,” Someone shouted from an upstairs window of the house.
He smiled at me and unlocked the door, he walked in and flicked the light on, I shut the door and followed him.
“This kids parents have to much money,” he said smiling over at me.
I heard voices on the other side of the door, one of them was definitely Carly I recognised her laugh. Mack chucked the door key at me and disappeared behind a door just as Micah and Carly crashed through the front door.
Carly landed on the floor. “Ruby my legs don't work,” she giggled. “They feel like jelly and cream.”
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“I see you found someone to carry you,” I said watching Micah as he picked her off the floor and lifted her onto the couch.
“What are you doing?” he looked at me.
“Nothing I got bored and came back here, I'm actually really tired anyway so I was just heading up to bed, just need a drink from the kitchen first.” I chucked the door key to Micah and walked down the corridor, I opened the room I saw Mack go into, it was the washing room but he wasn't in there. The pug T-shirt and orange shorts were folded into a neat pile on top of the counter. I noticed the window was unlatched.
“Ruby that's not the kitchen silly,” Carly called over to me. I walked out again.
“Yeah I forgot kitchens through the next door.”
I made a quick drink of orange juice and walked back into the front room.
“Carly do you need help getting into your bed?”
She shook her head like a kid and pointed at Micah.
“He has arms so he can carry me.”
I looked at Micah, Carly was messing his hair around playfully. He nodded at me. “Are you sure? she's had a lot to drink,”
“It's fine.” he said holding her arm away so she couldn't mess his hair up again.
“You can help me get into my pyjamas,” Carly said giggling.
“And that's my cue to leave. I will see you in the morning. Are you staying here tonight?” I asked Micah.
“I'll be down here.”
“Okay, well night,” I said walking up the stairs.
“Ruby and Mack sitting in a tree. K.I.S.S.I.N.G,” Carly started singing.
“I can't hear you,” I said loudly, walking up the stairs.
I walked into my room, the bedside light was already on and Mack was lying stretched out on my bed with his legs crossed, he was looking at his cellphone. He had changed back into his original clothes, white T-shirt, black jeans and his green high tops that matched his eyes. “Boo,” he said grinning at me.
I locked the door just encase Micah decided to walk in unannounced. I looked over at the balcony door, thinking it was a good job I hadn't locked it.
I went round to the other side of the bed and searched through my bag then changed my mind about changing in to my pyjamas.
