C H A P T E R S E V E N

Words : 2682

Date : March 8th

I decided to take a breather, and looked around, trying to find an empty space.

"Come on," I told him, taking his wrist and dragging him out of the crowds. I grabbed another drink as I went, throwing away my cup in a trash can that we passed.

"Already dragging me away and I don't even know your name," He laughed, and I winked at him.

When we got to where I wanted to be, I fell to the ground, keeping my drink steady. It wasn't sand, it was just grass, which seemed much better to sit in than sand.

"My names Ruby," I answered him when I got comfortable. He took a seat next to me, close enough that went he moved the slightest bit his pants would brush his legs.

"That's not a boring name. Then again, I'm guessing you're not a boring person," He leaned closer, and I looked away, my mouth turning up into a smile.

"I guess so."

I took a sip of my drink, letting the burning alcohol warm me. I wondered what it was, but I figured it must be a mixture of different drinks. People liked to get creative at these parties.

"I've never seen you before," He said, and I laughed.

"I could say the same about you. I know everyone in Frémont, so I would know you if you went there," I told him, taking another big gulp of my drink. Whatever was in that cup warmed my body, and I felt myself loosening up. Seems like it was starting to kick in.

"You would be right, I go to St. Johns," I lifted an eyebrow, letting out a hum.

St. Johns was the only Christian school near our town, and it was actually a town over. It was not only preppy, but very strict. If he was caught going to a party, he could be kicked out of school.

"You certainly are daring. How'd you hear about this party?" I asked, looking away from him towards the crowds. I noticed a mix of St. Johns and Frémont kids. I hadn't noticed before, being too interested in the drinks than the people.

"Someone invited someone from St. Johns, and it seemed like an open invitation," Jon told me, and I nodded. It wasn't Fletcher, he only invited people from Frémont. Even so, he let anyone who was willing come.

We were silent for a while, me people watching, and him watching me. I always get red faced when people pay solo attention to me. Don't get me wrong, I love attention, but when it's just one person paying attention to me, it makes me nervous.

He made me nervous. Not in the 'I'm going to kill you', kind of nervous. But in the just natural, boy kind of nervous.

I knew what I was doing was technically wrong. Dottie was constantly growling at me, so I tuned her out. I'm sure the moon god is frowning down on me. Hey, you matched me with the worst possible guy, so this is what you get!

Every time Jon moved closer, as though he was going to kiss me, I got a feeling in my stomach, and I could see Connell. Stupid, stupid, stupid! I could only think as I tried to focus.

This man is ruining my life.

"I'm going to go get another drink," I said suddenly, standing. Jon looked at me curiously as I stumbled back down to the party, my feet digging in the sand. He waited there as I got another drink, drank half of it in one go, and then came back to him.

I didn't want to care about Connell anymore, so as I finished off my drink, not even enjoying it, I knew I was getting there. Was this what I was going to do whenever I wanted to forget? That sounds depressing.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Jon asked, and I nearly choked on my drink. What a question to ask someone you've just met.

No, I want to say. I've got something more, something you'll never understand. Something I probably won't ever understand, either.

Instead I give him the simple answer, "no."

He nods, his brown eyes looking into mine. My skins crawls. In a good way, or bad? I'm not even sure.

Suddenly, he leans forward, and his lips crash into mine.

<><><>

When I was a kid, I always wondered what my first kiss would be like. Maddie told me that she wasn't going to wait for her mate, and sure enough, she didn't. She lost her first kiss to her weird neighbor who kept worm boxes under his bed.

Zach laughed when she told him.

I had juvenile ideas that I would wait until I found my mate. And then I got impatient. It's not impossible to wait. I'm just not that kind of person. My first kiss was stolen by Eddie Baker when I was twelve, and it was mortifying.

I was impatient, and so I gave it away as though it was candy on Halloween. It didn't bother me after that, I barely thought about it. Then I kissed more boys, and had fun. Nothing more though, I knew my limits.

When Jon kissed me, I felt all the anger I had towards Connell all come in at once. I was angry at how carelessly he tossed me to the side.

And so, I kissed him back. Ferociously.

He seemed surprised by this, but responded accordingly, kissing back. We were in a war over power. I pushed him down, my lips devouring his. He didn't taste good, he tasted like how I'm sure I taste. Bad quality alcohol.

There were no sparks. With Connell, there would have been sparks. That's what Maddie said was going to happen. Not anymore, though.

Jon was demanding, only stopping to breathe for a short second. I barely had time to gasp for a breath before he lowered his lips to mine again. Boys, I thought distastefully as my anger started to flood away.

What's wrong? I thought. I wanted this, didn't I? I led him on, I basically put myself out there to the world, yet now, I didn't want to do it anymore.

He put a hand on my thigh, and started to travel my dress. Suddenly my mind went in hypo drive, and I shoved his hand away, breaking the kiss.

Before I could say anything else, there was a loud wail of a siren, and immediate reaction from the crowds. People immediately started talking, and when the police cars came into view, they started running.

I didn't look back at Jon as I started running towards the crowd, trying to find Maddie or Sara. I didn't find either in the midst of pushing, drunk teens.

My head hurt, and I could feel my vision go in and out. Drunk, yes. I was utterly drunk. I was also confused, trying to find my way out of the mess.

When I finally burst out of the crowds, I just happened to be at the wrong side, and was face to face with a cop.

Ms. Bell was a werewolf, and also a cop. She kept an eye on the safety of the wolves from a different position then just warriors, and she kept us safe.

When she recognized me, drunk off my heals and stumbling, she frowned, and moved forward, grabbing my elbow with her hand. I stumbled as she took me towards her car, shaking her head as she go.

"Why I never, you're daddy's going to be angry when I pull up with you," She opened the back of her police cars door, and ushered me in. Her southern accent was clear, and over exaggerated. It happened when she gets mad at someone.

It was so quick, I completely forgot about the fact that I didn't have any shoes.

My head was already hurting as we drove towards my home. Half from her constant angry spouting, and when she was quiet, she was silently seething, glaring at me through the mirror.

I closed my eyes, trying to calm down my head any my stomach. It's not that big of a deal, I tried to console myself. Yet, it was. My parents were going to ground me for life.

We pulled up to my house too soon for my liking, and she dragged me out of the car. I hung onto her arm, saying nonsensical words, dragging my feet as we walked up the sidewalk to my porch.

I stumbled as I was pushed along, trying to sharpen my focus, but failing miserably to do so. This sucks, was all I could think.

"You're lucky I picked you up and not one of those other officers," Ms. Bell said as she helped me up the stairs. Her features softened as she looked down at me. Ms. Bell cared too much for her own good, and that's why I liked her.

Her caramel eyes left me, and she knocked on the door, 3 times. 3 hard knocks, and my heart sank.

My mother opened the door, her eyes filled with fire. She must have seen me come up in the driveway, and was just waiting for us to get to the door.

I looked away from her blue eyes, and down towards the ground, defeated. My father stood, arms crossed in the background.

I look like my dad more than my mom. I have his curly brown hair, and his big brown eyes. My skin color is a mix between my mom and dad's, since my dad was mixed, and my mom was as white as a sheet.

I looked like my mom in my face, though. Sly, unnoticeable similarities, unless you look for a long time. We had the same nose, and the same chin. But our hearts, were very different.

Maddie loves her mom, more so like a best friend than a mother. I've never understood that. Moms are moms. You love them as the person that gave birth to you, helps you when you're sick, makes you laugh, and gives you unimaginable love. But to love them as a friend, almost seems strange.

I loved my mom as a mom, but our hearts are different. My heart is filled with so many useless things. I love useless things, things that never matter. I don't have a path, and I don't know what I want to do.

I looked forward to have a mate, because I thought I would understand myself more when I had that part of me. But I found, I'm much more confused about myself than I was before.

So when my mother opened the door, disappointed, and ready to yell, I realized how different we really were. She would have never gone out to a party when she was a teen, she would have stayed home and studied. She always knew what she wanted to be, and she did everything possible to reach her goal.

I'm just not like her.

But I am, in so many ways, aren't I? Too many ways, if you ask me. So as I felt the tension in the room, but I also felt something else. Fear.

They were scared, as they always were when I went out. Scared I wouldn't come back. That's how parents are, and that's how they are.

I felt bad, but when did I not? It felt like I was always feeling bad for one thing or another.

"Ruby Delson, you get in this house this instant!" My mother's strong voice snapped my out of my long rambling daydream. She was the head of the house, and everyone knew it.

I stumbled into the house, and I was immediately filled with a sense of calm. Vanilla, it was all over. On the couch sat Connell, reading a book, uncaring of the situation. He only looked up from his book when I walked into the living room and collapsed on the couch across from him, groaning at I did so.

He was victorious, and it made me mad. What made me even more mad, was that he didn't flaunt it. I would have. Instead, he just sat there, patiently waiting for my parents to chew me out.

I hate you.

"Where were you? What were you thinking? What did you do? Answer me!" My mother was stressed, asking continuous questions but getting no answers back.

I shrugged, letting my hair fall around my face, shielding my eyes. I put my hands under my thighs to stop them from shaking.

"Do you know how it feels to have my daughter hauled home in a cops car, drunk off her rocks?!"

I wanted to tune out, but I stopped myself. I dug this grave, can't crawl out now. Connell was silent, watching my mother yell. His hand tightened around his book as every word, before going slack as he put down the book all together.

"Sorry," Was all I could say when she stopped talking. I was going in and out of awareness, my brain not working all the way.

My mother was silent, and she turned to Ms. Bell.

"Thank you Angel, I don't know how to repay you," My mother said, taking Ms. Bells' hand. Ms. Bell smiled gently, patting my mother's hand.

"It's okay, anything to keep her safe."

Ms. Bell took her leave, and I sat in silence as my parents talked with each other.

I put my chin in the palm of my hand, closing my eyes. When I opened them, I noticed Connell staring back at me, his blue eyes studying my face. He didn't seem to care that I saw him, in fact he just kept watching me.

My mother noticed that I was about to fall asleep, and angrily sighed, rubbing her hand tiredly on her forehead.

"Mr. Wood, will you take Ruby up to her room? It's the last door on the right," My mother turned around to quietly argue with my father once again. He was probably trying to defend me, that's what he always did. He was normally more in tune with me than my mother.

Connell stood slowly, and walked around the coffee table, stopping when he got to me. I tried to get away from him, attempting to stand. I only ended up falling back down into the couch, a grunt leaving my mouth as my breath was knocked out of me.

"Silly girl," Connell mumbled to himself, leaning down to pick me up. One of his arms went under my legs, while the other went around my waist to secure me. He held all my weight with ease, seeming to have no problem. Of course.

My parents didn't notice as he walked to the stairs, straight passed them. He went up the steps slowly, carefully. I found myself falling asleep in his arms as I was lulled back in forth as we went.

I was too tired to open my eyes, but I could hear him open the door to my room. I didn't even open my eyes when I was jerked suddenly, I only heard him swear. He must have stepped on something.

He placed me on my bed carefully, pushing my covers back, and then pulling the blankets back on me.

I rolled around, finally turning in his direction. I could hear his breathing as he looked at me, and then as he looked around the room. Dottie was happy for his closeness, savoring it.

My mind went heavy and clouded as I was on the brink of falling asleep. Before I went completely, I heard his jacket crinkle as he moved, leaning down.

He pushed back the hair on my face. The last thing I felt before I was completely asleep, was him rubbing his thumb on my cheek.

The last thing I heard, was him walking away.

This was fun to make, I hope you guys enjoyed!