CHAPTER XXI: Good luck... with the surprises

------------------------------------------------

I was so fucking screwed up, damn exams! I mean, I was studying and preparing the test since August, but still... If I wanted the highest grade I had to study like a crazy. I had less than twenty-four hours, and I was planning to use them in the best way possible.

Since I met Kyan in the hallway and slammed the door shut on his face for the second time in a row, I was grounded inside my room. The only visit I had was when someone brought me breakfast, lunch or dinner. They knew how important was for me the university so they didn't mind on doing me this favor. One day Kyan was who carried the tray of food, I was a bit shocked since it always were my clan mates. We didn't speak though, he just smiled at me and gave me a peace of paper. He did it on purpose because he knew I couldn't stop, even to speak, so opening it I read the note.

I hope you're still not angry at me,
if you're, I'm really sorry.
We will talk when you're free again.

                                                             -K.

It was very nice for him, at least he understood that now I didn't have my head where it should be, and sure it made me grin like an idiot.

It was so much! Since August I studied three full books of Quantum Physics, two basic Physics books and more than one hundred class notes. Yeah, I was crazy to study that subject but I liked it, actually a lot.

Sighing, I dropped the documents I wrote next to me only for a moment, so I took the opportunity to relax on my bed. My thoughts went to Alex, my horse. Now you will understand everything, just let me explain it.

Most of the packs worked for others in exchange of money or something they were interested about, like witches, a territory, a book of magic... The members who belonged to a 'family' could accept, or not, tasks they were asked to do, but most of the money came from big works of other clans and individual money from single jobs. It was a system to sustain your pack and have a salary.

Victor had the idea to start a 'family business' building a barn and buying few horses. I liked riding horses since I was very young so I would have the opportunity to work with them. Vic told me if it hadn't worked he would have sold everything, so before one or two years the Mutilators took me, I went to Netherlands a whole year and attended school in there, to learn properly one of my future jobs. The owner was German and he taught me a lot of things, from ride horses to take care of a barn economically.

When I came back we started working on our new project, we had a little hope but it was enough to make it to flourish and made it work. Months later, when I was already in the country my actual trainer contacted me and that was how everything started. We rode and sold horses, we made a lot of money and it actually helped to build Livoti and the other clan houses. Now we were considered one of the most prestigious and famous barns in the US and I wasn't planning to quit for three simple reasons: we made a lot of money with them, I really loved to ride and it taught me to have more control of my demons since I had to be extremely relaxed.

Thinking about that, it reminded me I had to call my trainer to ask how my horses were working, and obviously if my beautiful and gorgeous little bastard behaved. Well like his owner, how not...

I didn't want to stress myself so I decided to take a bath. When I stepped inside my bathroom I looked at myself for a moment on the mirror, and it was when I groaned and cursed loudly. Fuck! I forgot that I couldn't do the exam with my piercings and my red African braids. Well, it seemed time to cut them.

I took my time to shower, since the bath seemed a good idea but bad at the moment. Drying only my body, I decided to dress into a black simple trousers and a dark green T-shirt. Before walking towards Gen and Vic's room I put on my red home socks, and made my way to my right and to the end of the hall, passing in front Charlie's bedroom.

Knocking softly on the door I waited few seconds until it cracked open and revealed a beautiful woman, with her blonde hair in a messed bum, her blue eyes looking at me intrigued while caressing her almost nine months pregnant belly.

"Hey Andy, what brings you here?"

"Ehm-I need you to cut my braids since I can't do my exam with them."

I shrugged a bit, since I didn't know what else to say. She smiled and took my hand with hers and dragged me inside their room.

"You're okay today? I mean the baby-"

"Oh beauty, that won't stop me to cut your hair. Plus today he's behaving so it's perfect."

She half squealed in excitement. Then she told me to take the desk's chair and some old newspapers and put them under it, so then there wouldn't be the need to sweep. When I sat I saw her with different types of scissors and some brushes. She was really excited since she studied to be a hairstylist but, because a lot of things happened, she could never work on it.

"Okay, how do you want it cut?"

I shrugged, again, just because I didn't care, it was hair. There was a time in my life were I had it short like if I was a guy, in a military style, it was cool but I knew Gen wouldn't like the idea.

"Even if you shave me I wouldn't care."

That was when I felt a slap on my head. The hell? It hurt! Our Luna was the typical woman who thought a girl looked better with long hair.

"Don't say that! I want you to look beautiful!"

"Then do as you want, I don't care at all."

She hummed and started cutting from the end when we heard a loud knock on the door and Taisia saying something out loud and stepping inside along with Vivi and Agathe. Obviously they gasped at the sight.

"Oh my God! I can believe my eyes! You're finally cutting your ugly shitty braids!"

"Hey!I like them!"

"Well you're the only then..."

"Vivi and Taisia, potete andarvene a 'fanculo."
(You can fuck off.)

That was when I received my second slap in a row.

"Ouch Gen! It hurts!"

"Then watch your mouth! I don't want the first word of my kid be 'fuck you'."

"Don't be so melodramatic, he has to born first."

She gave me a 'Don't you dare talking me in that way' look. Without saying a word I zipped my mouth with my finger, while the girls were sat on the bed snickering.

"How will you cut your hair Andy?"

"That's a good question Agathe, she told me to shave her head."

I heard their gasp and I resisted to chuckle. It was funny though. I never understood why girls overreacted when it came their hair, c'mon! The hair grows, you know...

"I don't care just cut it short, I'm tired of having it long. Sometimes my head hurts for it weight."

They hummed in response, I wanted to change my hair cut. I didn't think it would be that bad. For few minutes we heard Gen's scissors cutting the end of my braids until she found my locks, then she proceeded to undo them. Since they were too much I helped her along with Agathe. Fuck the day I paid for them.

"You know... I think you should take your piercings off Andy."

"And why is that Vivi?"

"Because you're not a girl anymore. You're already a woman and some of them don't suit you anymore. I think you should take all of them or at least those who are most visible."

I turned around frowning, I also paid for them. Damn hell! She didn't have the guts to face me, in fact she wasn't looking around like she was crazy. When I cleared my throat she turned back and smiled innocently, making me raise an eyebrow.

"Why? I don't want to."

"Andrea, you're not anymore the fifteen years old rebel you were. I think you should change so you can have a more adult appearance."

"We will see after my new haircut."

She nodded and an hour or so passed, we were talking about random things and now I had Vivi and Taisia helping too. They were cursing at my braids, obviously for how long and how much they were.

"Finito! Holy shit Andrea! How much I hated those fucking ugly braids!"

"Eh! Some respect to them!"

I heard the girls chuckle and then I felt the fake hair sliding down through mine and fell on the floor.

"Uh oh! Your hair is so long! Please Andrea leave it as it is."

"No."

"Please! It's so beautiful! It reaches almost your waist."

"Nope, Taisia. Gen cut it please, and short."

It was just hair for fucks sake! It would grow! The girls groaned and I felt how they sat on the bed again watching interested how our Luna was proceeding. I heard the scissors cutting an amount of locks, it was good the feeling. Not much time after Gen finished.

"Done! I know you don't like thin out hair and you wanted it short so, I think I did a good job. Go and see yourself in the mirror."

I felt liberated for the weight of it. I touched it and it was soft and short, yes! When I stepped inside the bathroom I took a peck at my new hairstyle. I just loved it. I have always had a straight hair, and Gen cut it just below my chin, not touching my shoulders. I looked at my platinum white hair, it reminded me a lot of memories I didn't want to remember again. I just thought it was time to move on. It would be a pain in the ass to hear people ask why I had 'dyed' it white, but no, it was natural. Another reason why I had my red braids.

Going out I found all the girls almost in the door, with a smile on their faces.

"Oh my God! You're so hot Andy!"

"See Taisia? There's no need for long hair."

"Shut up and just accept the compliment."

When I saw a pout on her lips I giggled, while the others were looking at me in a sort of awe. Then I felt Vivi's hand touching my hair and I turned to face her.

"You were right, with this haircut my piercings don't suit me anymore."

She nodded giving me a big smile, and that was when I froze in my spot for what came for her mouth.

"Girl, Kyan will drool over you."

"Who what??!"

I groaned and rolled my eyes when I heard Gen's voice. Shit, she didn't know! Neither Taisia! Then it was time to tell them, but when I turned around to face my other friend because I didn't hear she squealing, something she did a lot, my face frowned.

"What are you hiding Tai? It's strange you don't squeal, or jump or do your little shitty dance."

It seemed I touched a good point because she became nervous instantaneously.

"Well?"

"Ehm-I already knew."

"How?"

"Kyan told me."

Holly shit. He. Was. So. Fucking. Dead. I was gonna castrate him and them make him eat his own balls! What a nerve had the guy! Obviously Taisia noticed my change of humor and cursed quietly.

"Andy, the other day I stepped into a conversation between him and Ben and you know how can I be when I want to know something. So in the end he gave up but made me promise to not tell anyone since he didn't know if you would agree with the idea of everyone knowing it."

I sighed in exasperation, at least there still was a part of his brain that worked.

"Were you the only one who didn't know, Gen?"

"Me? Well since we are telling us the truth I knew since the first day. Obviously Vic told me, but also asked me to act like if I didn't know."

Shaking my head I felt a headache coming. Before I felt worse I said my goodbyes to the girls, who stayed in the room talking with our Luna, and made my way to my bedroom. Once inside I stripped and decided to take off my nose and septum piercings. I needed to take a nap so I put the alarm clock to ring two hours after, without taking my books and class notes off the bed I laid on the soft mattress until I felt asleep.

The night before the exam I slept three hours, since I turned off the alarm and fell asleep again and one hour later I woke up realising I had to study. I had to be at the university thirty minutes before my test, so at eleven o'clock. Probably my exam, if I was lucky, would end at midday and I could eat at home with the others.

Victor always drove me to school when I had important meetings and was there to see me. I was okay with it, in the end he was a sort of a father forme so he wanted to be there in this kind of events. As I knew him, after all the night studying, I exited my room to go to his to wake him up. He had a problem, he wasn't a morning person so I was used to be his 'alarm'.

Stepping inside trying to not wake up Gen I made my way towards Vic's part and I shook him by his shoulders.

"Victor, wake up!"

I tried to yell and whisper at the same time, but it was useless so I was deciding between a glass of water or plug his nose. Being me, I chose the second one. With a mischievous smile on my lips I trap his nose between my thumb and index, he struggled a little until he opened his eyes and looked at me deadly.

"Welcome to this wonderful morning, Victor."

Cheering him up quietly he groaned and turned to the side, gave his mate a kiss on her head and waited few seconds sat on the bed before getting up.

"I'm gonna shower and make some breakfast. See you in thirty minutes."

In the mornings he was always a kind of a zombie, grumbling and not speaking clearly. Snickering he showed me the mingle finger and I had to go to my room before I burst into laughing right there.

I took a shower too and thanks Pancakes Goddess I sorted my class notes inside a folder, the last things were my books, my own schemes, and my laptop since I had to make a presentation of what theme of Physics I chose to expose.

I dressed into a pair of high waisted dark jeans, a large white shirt with the sleeves rolled below my elbow. To match my outfit I decided to put my brown leather Oxford shoes and for later I took my dark blue wool coat jacket. The holes where I had my septum and nose piercing were already closed without any little scar, and I decided to let my platinum white hear down. Taking all my belongings with me I went downstairs where Victor was already preparing breakfast.

When he was done with our food I already had the dinning table prepared. We did a little talk since I was giving a final review, though it was a bit useless. I wanted to be there an hour before so I was already preparing everything. My books were already on my backpack, along with my folder and written schemes.

"What the hell! Non ciposso credere!"
(I can't believe it!)

Without looking at the source of the voice I knew it was Charlie and the guys, I could smell them. Putting some of my hair behind my ear, I smiled because everybody hated my hair.

"Let me guess, you also hated my red braids."

"Hell yeah. Did you take off your septum? Holly shit! Where is the Andrea I know?"

Facing him I gave to the guys a bright grin, showing my smile piercing behind my upper lip. I shook my head when I saw Charlie approaching me.

"Also my piercing nose."

I was almost ready when he took my hands with his, making me stop and meet his green eyes looking down at me. He still wore his glasses and his brown hair was messed up.

"Good luck Andy. I know you will do great, you're intelligent, have good grades and you're studying since August. It's impossible something goes wrong."

"Thank you Charlie, ti voglio bene."
(I love you.)

I hugged him tightly, even if we argued or fought each other we still were like brothers. He was always there for me as I was.

"Hey beauty, good luck. I have nothing to say since Brown already said everything."

Separating from Charlie, I saw Emmett carrying a bag with him. He had to go in an urgent mission and would be back on Saturday afternoon. I hugged him also, but my voice was muffled by his chest.

"Thank you Em, good luck to you too."

When we separated we turned to Charlie who cleared his throat and obviously was pouting. He was so cute when he did it! Emmett chuckled while I giggled because we knew the reason behind it.

"Yeah, thanks for calling me Brown. Good luck gorilla."

We couldn't breath when he hugged Brobro and me, laughing. He was in a good mood, because normally when we called him gorilla he got furious. There we were, in a trio hug. We remain still for few seconds before pulling apart.

Turning around I faced Vic who was smiling, it said everything. He was proud of us. It was the opposite of the first day I met my two 'adoptive' brothers, he had to separate us because we were about t kill each other.

We were already in the car heading towards the university, I was a bit nervous since it was very important for me to have a high degree mark.

Before we left the kitchen Charlie asked if they could come later since they didn't have nothing to do, and he wanted to show them the surroundings. I told them there was no problem and I lost in my tracks when I lock sights with Kyan, his brown short curls were messed up, he had a two or three days beard and his deep green eyes lusted for me. I think I drooled over because I lost sense of time. After realising we were a bit late, we rushed to our garage and took Vic's black Mercedes Benz CL600.

In twenty minutes we were parking in front of the building, when normally there were a good forty or forty-five minutes to Burlington. When I got inside, there was no one in the hallways. Normally when we had this kind of exams everybody was in one room studying, as we did in high school. Opening one of my classrooms, I saw one of my closest friends sat alone in a desk, taping furiously on his phone.

"Adam!"

He faced me, his short black hair was styled with some gel. It seemed his own hair but I knew him so it was obvious he would use it. His big brown eyes looking at me intensely and his thin lips curved upwards giving me a bright smile.

"It wasn't a joke when you told me you cut your hair and took off your piercings."

"What did you want? A pic?"

"Nah, I don't want your ugly face on my phone."

I glared at him before we shared a laugh. Then I sat next to him and opened my folder and started to review the last things, he obviously groaned. We met back to high school when I didn't have any friends, you could say he was my first. At the end of it I decided to study Physics and he chose Law career. He was already free since he had his exams the week before, so I was about to breath freedom for few weeks.

"Andrea, it's useless to study now. What can you learn in less than an hour?"

"Shut up and don't stress me. If not I'll kick you out."

"You know it's true, bitch."

"Okay, out."

Grabbing him by his shirt I literally kicked him out since my foot made contact with his ass. Slamming the door shut behind me, I turned on my laptop and opened the PowerPoint to see if everything was okay.

The exam consisted in thirty minutes exposing our presentation and we could be inside two hours, maximum, with the teachers asking us questions. It was a pain in the ass, but if you studied it was worth it.

Meanwhile I was giving a final review I heard Adam and Victor chatting quietly outside the classroom. Vic liked my friend and he was happy we still were after everything, and obviously he knew about us but we made him promise to not to say a word about it. Minutes after I heard Charlie and the guys asking about me, and my so beloved Adam answered I was nervous so I kicked him out. How he knew me...

"Shit! Where are my class notes about the first lessons?!"

Stress hit me like a damn elephant sitting on me. I know! It didn't have fucking sense but I was also fucking anxious! Taking my folder with me I stepped outside where everyone was talking, all the attention was on me but I didn't give a fuck and approached the haired gel guy.

"Adam, I don't find the notes about the first topic we studied."

"And?"

"Help me you asshole!"

"You kicked me out. Plus you're fucking nervous so no. I don't want to deal with you right now."

"What? You're a fuck boy, an asshole, a pussy, a ..."

I didn't know what else to say to him, I was breathing a bit hard and it didn't help one bit.

"Did your majesty finish? Perché mi stai rompendo il cazzo."
(Because you're busting my balls.)

"Your penis broke long time ago."

He glared at me. Then he took my folder and dragged me inside the classroom again, the next thing I knew he slapped my ass hard with my ring folder.

"Ouch! That hurt!"

Before I could hit him back, he slammed the door shut and I heard him cursing loudly. Little big detail, he was inside the BDSM world, so yeah he was a bit violent, but in a good way. With his girlfriends, outside the bedroom, were like a normal couple, inside it was a different story. I discovered it in the most undesirable way.

One night I needed somewhere to sleep so I asked him and he told me it was fine but there was also his girlfriend. I didn't care, I was just happy I had a place to stay. Almost at two in the morning I woke up hearing a scream, a girl scream. I was worried so I went upstairs since I was sleeping in the couch and opened Adam's door, that was when I found his girlfriend in her fours handcuffed to the bed posts and he fucking the shit out of her with some type of whip in his right hand and his left fist grabbing her hair tightly.

You can imagine what happened next... I was just speechless, they stopped and looked at me while I muttered a sorry and went downstairs. After a short time I heard some steps and someone sitting beside me on the couch. It was Adam, I was a bit afraid and asked if he would do to me the same. He laughed and said obviously no since I wasn't his type of girl. I should be angry but I was never been so happy in all my life.

What worried he the most was me behaving in a different way since I knew his little secret. He didn't have a lot of friends and it was because for his nature but I told him since he wouldn't do me anything, everything was good. He smirked which was a bit strange but since then he was a bit dominant with me, he put as an excuse that it was the real him. Bullshit, but I had fun with him since I had a reason to hit someone every now and then.

My thoughts were cut when I heard one of my teachers telling them to shut the hell up. She opened the classroom and smiled at me sweetly, making the boys going inside. My world froze when I saw Kyan. Shit! He probably wanted to kill the poor Adam. We locked eyes for a moment before he looked away from me. In a way it made me a bit sad since it was my fault. Wait. Since when did I become that soft?!

"How beautiful you are Andrea. Short hair suits you."

"Thank you Ms. Ronell."

I gave her a soft smile and I tried to study a bit again, while the guys were talking with my teacher. Few years ago she was one of our teachers in high school but then she started teaching at the university Classic Literature.

"Oh and how cute Charlie and Andrea were back in high school. Emmett, for example, was a bit mysterious but he was already a man."

"Yeah, now Andrea is a normal girl with anger problems while I am-"

"Anger problems? Oh, fuck you Charlie."

I heard all of them laughing, thankfully Kyan was laughing to. I didn't want he to be angry at me, at least not now. The chuckle of our teacher lasted longer and she looked between Brobro and me.

"That's the way you talk to him now? I remember when you were a couple. If I remember Andrea was fifteen and Charlie sixteen. You were so cute, I don't understand why it didn't last longer."

I gulped in fear. Holly shit! She remembered! I was screwed up, and in that moment I only wanted to hid underground.

Looking around I saw Abello, who didn't know were to look at since Kyan was in front of him, he was so fucking angry! When our sights met I turned my head to see Mason and Oliver with their mouth gaped open, Benjamin and Adam snickering while looking at us. Logan was trying to calm down my mate and Victor sighed, looking down and covering his face.

"Yeah-Well-Uhm, things that happen in life."

Giving her a tight and nervous smile, she grinned back but I was sure she regretted it since she felt the tension inside the room. They kept talking but it was freaking awkward, and I was becoming more nervous.

"Andrea Schiffer?"

Everyone stopped and looked at the man who opened the door and looking around until his eyes were on me. I closed the books and met his gaze.

"Yeah, it's me."

"Okay, in no more than five minutes you have to be inside."

"Sure, thank you."

He nodded and closed the door behind him. The guys stepped outside too slowly for my likes, when Charlie passed me gave me a small reassuring squeeze on my arm, and we heard a quiet growl. Kyan. Brobro rolled his eyes and made me almost giggle, but when the others passed by I didn't have the strength to look at them in the eyes.

It wasn't my fault! Everybody have some secrets they don't want the others to find out. In my case, since I was so jinx it was just time until they would find out.

A shiver ran trough my spine when I was left alone with Kyan, there was the need to turn around because his smell was extremely manly. When I took all my things with me I faced him who was behind me. I looked into his green and beautiful eyes, but I couldn't read his emotion.

"I-Uhm. I should go."

He didn't say anything, and it made me a bit uncomfortable since I didn't know why he kept looking. Deciding it was time to go I started walking, but at my second step he grabbed my arm making me turn back.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

Why was he apologizing? I furrowed my eyebrows but it only made him smirk.

"For this."

With his hand behind my head he smashed his lips with mines. I was surprised so automatically my eyes widened. It was a slow and gentle kiss but it didn't last long. When he pulled apart he smiled and caressed my lower lip with his thumb. I could still feel his taste in my mouth.

"I hate you."

In that moment it was true. I was speechless but I managed to express what I felt. He knew the effect he had on me and still he had that perfect idea. Was he serious?!

"I already know that, payback is a bitch."

He smirked leaving me with my gaped mouth. Jerk! When he reached the door he turned back to face me again.

"Oh... Good luck."

Smiling in that moment a lot of emotions passed trough my body. I was already nervous for my exam, even anxious and kissed me?! I was going to fucking kill him!

Once I calmed down I walked towards the classroom where everybody was already sat and waiting for me. Taking a deep breath I got inside and greeted everyone.

I was a step closer to my freedom.

------------------------------------------------

Hi everybody!!! So there's a new update for you! I'm so so so happy this book almost reached 9k  of views! That means we're closer to the 10k!! Yay!!

I decided to update today because I'm leaving for Rome and I'll stay two weeks, so probably I won't have Internet!! In my time in there I'll rewrite all the chapters, since most of them NEED a review ahahaha

So, that's all for now! Let me know what are your thoughts and if you liked this chapter don't hesitate on voting!! ❣

07/09/2016

------------------------------------------------

AwakenDemons: Stheno
2015© BecomingApocalypse