Sometimes things aren't always as we perceive them to be. People change
throughout the years of their life. Perhaps it is the fact that when we are young, we feel
something we haven't felt in our whole lives, love. Falling in love as a teenager is
entirely different than falling in love in our adult years. Our feelings are amplified to such
an extreme level, we feel as though anything could push us off the edge. But it is those
feelings that make us so real. Those feelings drive us and make us feel human. Humanity
has this funny way of feeling things. Unlike any other animal, our relationships hit so
many levels before settling themselves to be, love. We may fall in love with someone at
first sight. The moment we see them, we are so captivated by their essence that we cannot
view ourselves ever being apart from them. Or, it could be the exact opposite. We feel
such an intense hatred for that person. But, in the end it was all a ploy; love disguised as
hatred. Love is so crazy like that. It is right in front of us yet we cannot bring ourselves
into the light to view it. As teenagers, we are vulnerable. We are young souls completely
unaware of our feelings, yet they are so powerful, they influence the rest of our existence.
Love enters itself into our lives in any way shape or form.
Whether it's the random stranger you meet on the road, or the one you've been
dreaming of throughout your entire life. It hides itself in nooks and crannies, andtransforms itself into different things. I don't think I'll ever be able to comprehend the
true power of human love; love between friends, family, or a significant other. One
should keep an open mind to the possibilities of where love could be hiding. It is a
possibility that love is right in front of you, yet you are blinded by the frustratingly
captivating character of this person; you feel love, yet it is camouflaged as hatred. Just,
keep an open mind, you never know what could happen next.1
"You really think she'll be the same this year?" Leo asked curiously.
I kicked a rock that lay beside me, grabbing at my grey uniform skirt. My white
polo underneath my "Stonewall Prep" embroidered sweater began to become damp from
the humidity that rose in the air. Wenatchee was always like this. Rainy and humid a lot
of the time, and clouds covered the sky. My friends and I walked to school, our bodies
filled with nerves, curious to what the rest of junior year would look like. It almost felt
unreal, that we had been walking to school yet we were all old enough to drive. It
provided us a chance to prepare ourselves before we entered the depths of hell we called
highschool. Perhaps it was the intense amount of homework we were assigned, or the
snarky students that outweighed us per capita.
Leo's blonde hair had been combed to perfection, and his black sweater had no
fuzz on it. His blue eyes seemed to sparkle whenever he stared into the sun. He was a
beautiful human. He had freckles that danced across his face like stars on a dark night. It
was no surprise that Leo was a fashion icon. He always was the best dressed of all the
boys, possibly even the girls. He was truly an icon and was not afraid to put Amber in her
place, and he earned respect for that.I looked down hesitantly at the ground as we strolled
"I mean it's up for debate; My money's on no.
"
Dylan chuckled loudly. She was my other best friend.
Dylan was older than Leo and I, we were both sixteen whereas she was 17. From
her short brown hair to her numerous piercings that lined her ears, to even her baggy
choice of attire, it was no doubt she had a rebellious streak. Dylan's reputation preceded
her; she was known as the biggest party animal in our school. I loved her though, no
matter how many times I had to leave the comfort of my home to drive her home from
parties. She took care of Leo and I. Dylan would absolutely destroy anyone who even
slightly hurt our feelings.
"You know if she pulls anything on either of you all, I have no issue putting her in her
place.
" she had this dangerous expression on her face.
Leo and I exchanged worried glances.
"I think we'll be fine, Dyl.
" I said.
We all had been walking to school together since we were eight years old. Having
houses that were literally all within walking distance of each other was quite rewarding
when it came to our commute to school. As we entered the gateway to our school, I read
the sign for the first time this year.
I smiled at him, agreeing with his statement. Perhaps the citizens of Wenatchee,
Washington didn't understand that our school is not entirely composed of wealthyfamilies. It's what made our friend group stick together. In our school, we stuck out like a
sore thumb. All of our money combined could not compare to the copious amounts of
money these students had. It put us at the bottom of the heap. We were thrown to the
back, nobody noticed us, nobody saw us, except Amber.
"Here goes nothing.
" I said, nerves coursing through me.
Dylan burst out laughing. Her eyes met with mine.
"Guys this isn't some morbid situation, it's our junior year. Come on.
"
I guessed she was right. I just couldn't believe summer had flown by as quickly as
it had. Dylan had spent her time working at her dad's car shop, and Leo was traveling
with his mother doing God knows what. It had just been my family this summer. My
parents worked all summer, so I resorted to spending time with my brother.. The most
exciting action I got was setting up a swing in the forest behind my house. I spent most of
my time residing in the forest. I walked through it to school, and I spent my summer
nights on the grass watching the stars at night. It was sort of my utopia.
As we said our goodbyes to each other and entered into our own classes, I felt a
familiar voice rise from behind me. I shot my head around quickly. I knew that voice.
Amber Davis.
"Surprised you showed up here another year, Violet.
" Her voice snapped snarkily.
I rolled my eyes. Class hadn't even started and I was already getting harassed by
the most wicked person in human existence. I turned around and met her ice-cold blueeyes. She was gorgeous, do not get me wrong. She had silky blonde hair that reached the
middle of her back. She always dressed so nicely. Her wardrobe mostly consisted of
skirts and dresses, with priceless jewelry. Amber Davis was the girl everyone either
wanted to be, or wanted to date. And here she was staring down at me with her dark,
beady eyes.
"I'm here Amber. Same as every year.
" I shot back, annoyed.
She quickly stepped around me, walking towards her seat. I moved to my seat and
sat down quickly. I took a long sweep of the class, searching to see any change in my
classmates since last year. They all looked virtually the same. Then as my eyes waved
over the group, they stopped quickly. A student I had never seen before positioned
himself in a seat a few behind me. I suppose I looked at him for longer than I expected,
because he stared right back at me for a good minute. He was a beautiful person. He had
messy black hair, and a well-shaped face. He had dark blue eyes that were absolutely
captivating. He was well shaven, and had skin that looked to be soft and practically
glowing. I was suddenly awakened from my trance when I heard a low voice grab my
attention.
"Is there something I can help you with?" a voice cooly asked.
I came to, meeting eyes with the ethereal stranger. My face turned bright red, livid
with embarrassment.
I laughed, swallowed with embarrassment."Sorry, I don't think I've ever seen you here before.
"
He chuckled, his voice low and stern. He cocked his head and lifted an eyebrow.
"What, are you interested?"
Suddenly, my face grew even brighter. Surely this could not get even more
humiliating.
Shrinking back slowly into my seat, I gave Amber a dirty look. Perhaps she was
right. I had just hit an all time low. I looked back at the boy.
"Not necessarily interested. Curious? Yes.
"
He said nothing, he only focused his gaze back on the board. Amber watched the
boy as well, like a lioness stalking a zebra. I could tell he would be the next to fall victim
to her charm. Geometry was an absolute bore and I had no idea why on earth he would
bring his attention to such a tedious and dull subject. When the bell rang thirty minutes
later, I shot up from my seat and dashed out the door. Never had I experienced such a
level of embarrassment. I ran to Dylan, throwing myself into her arms. I trifled my way
throughout the story of my horrendous first hour. She gave me a deadly look.
"Who does this kid think he is?" She said venomously.
"No, it's fine. I'm not sure what I was expecting.
"
She hugged me tightly. We were soon met by Leo, who sat down next to us in the
hallway.The rest of the day was devastatingly slow until we hit lunch. I sorted my way
through the meriad of students until finally finding my Dylan and Leo. We found a table
and took a seat. Dylan asked me who the boy I had seen was curious. I searched through
the sea of students. Finally, I spotted him sitting alone at a table a few away from ours
and could get a good look at him. He wore A black polo shirt (part of our school
uniform), with our black jeans and black converse.
"Real edgy.
" Leo identified
"He sure thinks it doesn't he.
" I said after a period of time
Dylan held an apple in her hand. She stared at him down and squinted her eyes at him.
"Looks like trouble to me.
" she said, her mouth full.
I gazed at him. He had been a total jerk to me earlier today, but something about
him drew my attention and I simply could not adjust my gaze to anything or anyone else.
My friend's conversation turned into white noise behind me as I looked fixedly at him.
"EARTH TO VIOLET.
" Dylan yelled, snapping her fingers in front of my face. I
rocketed my face up.
"Huh?" I said. I had no idea what had been happening.
"Oh boy" sighed Leo.
"This is going to be a problem.
"2
Dylan ditched every-other day of school, so it was just Leo and I for the rest of
the day. My head on his shoulder, we trotted through the darkened hallways, scanning the
students around us curiously. Amber stood pressed against the wall, staring us down. Leo
rolled his eyes at her, and she stood down, a disgusted look on her face.
"Here's my stop. See ya later.
" Leo sang. He spoke in a sassy tone. I pushed his
head playfully and headed forward to my next class. As I trudged farther down the
hallway, it got emptier and turned darker. I turned my head nervously, noticing someone
following me. Sam Taylor, the school's biggest prick, moved up beside me, his head
towering above. I said nothing, only stared into his dark eyes. He ran his hands through
his light brown hair, smirking villainously.
"So, you wanna skip next period?" he said and grinned, still holding a
troublesome expression.
I swallowed and backed into the locker, my body hitting against it loudly. I finally
gathered the courage to speak to him."Pass.
" I said, rejection filling my voice.
He cocked an eyebrow, his slitting smile fading.
"That's a shame. I need some
fun.
"
I shoved myself into the wall, terrified. My eyes widened and searched for
someone to yell at. With my breath in my throat, I raised my hands and shielded my face
from the terrifying darkness that stood in front of me.
"I think she'll need a rain check on that.
" A vicious voice growled in the darkness.
I didn't move, I only stood nervously. Mystery boy slowly approached us, a dark look on
his face. He got dangerously close to Sam. Taylor's once so mischievous expression had
been replaced with a look of terror, shoulder blade rising, he refused to back down.
Mystery boy said something under his breath and Sam became more afraid.
"Milo, I didn't mean it, honest.
" He protested
Milo refused to take that as a proper answer, He winded back his fist and gave
Sam one swift, hard punch. It knocked Taylor off of his feet, slamming into the hard tile
floor. Milo looked up, breathing heavily, fists shaking. A snarling look spread across his
face, and his nose crinkled with anger. Sam lay on the floor, wrenching in pain. A smirk
spread across Milo's face as he pulled a cig out of his pocket and lit it, handing one down
to Sam.
"You may want this.
" He chuckled.Milo's face then turned to me, his dark blue eyes clouded with anger and
frustration.
"Why'd you hit him?" I asked, trying to act calm.
He shrugged and exhaled, smoke slipping from his lips. Milo's long sleeved white
polo was now stained with blood. There was no way he could stroll around school with a
blood stained shirt, I grabbed his arm, and led him to my locker.
"You can't walk around like that.
" I spat, once we reached the pods.
He crouched down, meeting my eyeline. With a roll of my eyes, I cleaned the wet blood
from his shirt, and dried it. He gazed at me, then stood slowly, still meeting my eyes.
"Thanks.
" we both said at the same time, our eyes widening with surprise. He
leaned closer to me, I felt his energy against mine. We both exhaled slowly, eyes still
gazing into each other. I snapped out of it, and my eyes shot wider.
"I-uh should get going.
" I muttered, and quickly walked away, stunned by what
had happened.
I pulled my arms by my side, and slipped away into the light.
He stayed, hidden in the shadows.
I sat on my bed, facing Dylan who sat comfortably in my chair. Leo laid his head
on in my lap, staring at a magazine he had found somewhere in my bedroom.
"I just don't trust that guy, Violet.
" Dylan persisted.Dylan didn't trust anyone.
"She only said like two sentences to him, we don't know anything about him,
Dyl.
" Leo said observantly.
They were both right. The boy was so rude to me after knowing nothing about me.
But, I was staring at him for longer than I even knew.
The night carried on slowly. We talked for hours, discussing how we thought the
rest of the year would look. I knew I would have to nurse Dylan everytime she became
too drunk to walk, and Leo would probably be arguing with some random girl about
which color matched her complexion better. It would be the same as it had been two
years prior. I was undoubtedly bored with this town and I craved something new. Before I
knew it, my friends had left, and I sat in my room alone. My parents weren't coming
home until late, they were out working. My parents were the hardest working people I
knew. They worked their tails off everyday so I could go to such a lavish school. I truly
admired them for that. My friends left soon after our bickering arguments.
I heard a knock on my door.
"Violet? You awake?" A voice whispered shyly. It was Jack. I strolled over to my
door and opened it slowly. I opened my hand, motioning for him to enter. He sat on the
chair where Dylan had set herself previously.
"How was your day at school?" I asked.His eyes left my gaze, and his head drooped. He had always had trouble making
friends. He was a shy kid, and a lot of people had trouble understanding it .
"Bad"
. he spat out.
I grabbed his hands and placed them in mine. His eyes lifted, meeting my graze,
eyes growing soft.
"Don't worry about it. It's the first day, k?" I said gently.
He nodded, then tip-toed out of my room. I heard him shut the door to his room.
Getting out of bed, I opened my closet and got changed, then I entered my bathroom.
Tying my dirty blonde hair up into a ponytail, I re-entered my room and tiredly rolled into
bed. Tomorrow was a new day. The next few days were slow, I didn't see the boy as
much, I made an effort to avoid him to try and veer away from furtherly damaging my
ego. It wasn't until later that night I would communicate with him again.
Jack ran into my room excitedly.
"VIOLET!"
I looked up, exhausted.
"What do you want?" I groaned.
He played with his hands shyly.
"Could we go into the forest?"I rolled my eyes, nodding hesitantly. Soon after, I put on some shoes and left the
house with him. We trekked into my back yard, then slowly entered the forest. The forest
was filled with trees, oak, evergreen, and pine.
The mulch stuck to my shoes and I stumbled through the leaves, leaning on Jack
for balance. We kept walking, I searched through the sky, the sun was beginning to set
carefully. It felt like we were walking for seconds when we were deep into the forest.
This place does things like that to you. You feel so enchanted by the essence of its beauty,
you simply lose track of time. Jack was still full of energy, running in front of me, slowly
picking up his pace.
"Hey, don't go too far in front.
" I warned cautiously.
He turned his head and made an annoyed face at me, then kept running. The
woods were beginning to darken, as the sun set more and more, I started to lose track of
my brother. I yelled for him to slow down, but it seemed to be too late. I called his name
once. No answer. I called his name a second time. No answer again. I suddenly began to
panic, the hair rising at the back of my neck. My spine tingled, and my eyes widened.
There was no one else out here. And my brother was missing. I ran, panic stricken. I
cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted his name again.
"Jack, this isn't funny!" I shouted.
No response, again. The fear in me rose more. My jog turned into a sprint. I ran as
fast as I could trying to see if I could catch any sight of him. I was desperate for any sortof sign. A noise or a voice. I ran as fast as I could, my pace picking up speed rapidly. My
knees shook and my heat pounded. My lungs felt like rock, and my chest weighed about a
thousand pounds. Sweat dripped down my forehead. I sped deeper into the forest
searching for anything. I tripped and stumbled my way through the woods, without a clue
of where I was.
Faster and faster I ran. The trees transformed into a blur beside me. My feet were
kicking high in the air. The wind whipped into my face. I felt weightless, like I was
flying. Then, BAM!
I ran straight into a tall figure. I flung to the ground, my body aching.
"OW! What the hell?!" shouted the figure.
I recognized that voice. Not well, but I knew it. The not-so-stranger person stared
down at me.
"Oh god, it's you. I should have known.
" he scoffed.
Suddenly, it all came together. It was the mystery boy. I buried my face into my
knees.
"Yep, it would be me.
" I said, my voice muffled.
He reached his hand down and grabbed me by the arm, lifting me up. He picked
me up with such ease, it startled me. He set me down, then turned to meet my face.
"Can you maybe explain what you're doing here late at night?" He snapped.
I looked him up and down. He had to be joking."I could ask you the same thing.
" I said, challenge rising in my tone.
"So she can talk back.
" he smirked
This kid was actually annoying me.
"I'm here looking for my younger brother. He ran off.
"
He stared at me.
"Guess you should keep a better hold of him.
" He scoffed.
Never had I ever wanted to punch someone so bad.
I lifted my head to meet him. He was so much taller in person. He was abnormally
tall, with a muscular build.
"Listen, you can either help me, or move out of my way. Up to you.
" I bit my lip,
instantly flooded with regret. I probably shouldn't have said that, considering I just
rammed right into him.
"Feisty, aren't you? Though, I'm pretty sure you just ran into me.
" He said, he
moved his face closer to me, I could feel his hot breath on my face.
I moved my face even closer. A look of surprise entered his face. He wasn't
expecting that.
"Help me or move.
" I looked him up and down, again. A look of shock cloaked his
face.
I took a deep breath, and pushed his face away. Then I stepped passed him. And
walked off slowly. As I walked, a second figure approached me. It was Jack. I let out asigh of relief. I turned my head, only for a moment, to see Milo standing there, a smile
printed on his face. He thought my anger was funny. I turned my head again, and he was
gone.
"Thank goodness you're okay.
" I released a long breath of air, relieved by
the sight of my brother, who seemed to be in good condition.
I was going to sleep well that night.
3
The next morning I awoke. It was my first weekend of the school year. Groggily, I
pushed myself out of bed and threw on a t-shirt and shorts. Rubbing my eyes, I stretched
and let out an exhausted yawn. I plopped my hand into my face. Rising it back up slowly,
I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked rough, to say the least. I tied my hair into a
ponytail and headed out the door.
Dylan sat in the kitchen, munching on a piece of toast, conversing with my
brother. They were best friends as well. Dylan had always known Jack had trouble with
friends, she couldn't understand why. So, she made it abundantly clear that she has his
best friend. They sat there, giggling and laughing. Jack looked genuinely happy, whichwas a rare expression he bore. When they were notified of my entrance from the
pounding sounds of my footsteps, she looked up at me.
"Jack here was just telling me about your little adventure last night.
" She laughed.
Of course. I only prayed he did not inform her of my little run in with the mystery
boy. I groaned and shot him a disapproving look.
"Yeah, yeah don't run off like that again, dude.
"
I grabbed her arm to head out the door. We got into her car and drove to pick up
Leo. It was rare for us to drive, considering we could walk anywhere we wanted. We
spent the day, doing as we did best, driving around, and eating at our favorite diner. And
our specialty, talking garbage about Amber. The day carried on as it normally would, and
we headed to our homes separately. I walked up the stairs, exhausted from the day. As I
threw myself tiredly into my bed. I slowly drifted into a sleep, my eyes weighing down
on me. I was awakened several hours later from a phone call. I groaned and slowly lifted
my head, picking it up. It was Dylan.
"Hello?" I murmured.
"You. Me. Party. Tonight.
"
Surely she was kidding; surely. But, as I knew very well, there was no talking
Dylan out of going to a party, and I was compelled to go considering I was her designated
driver. She explained further that Leo couldn't go because was on "house arrest"
, after
being out too late the previous night. I took a moment and sighed."Fine. Who's house?"
"Some new kid. His name's Luke.
"
I slapped my hand over my face. There was no going back now. I walked over to
my closet and searched for the nicest thing I could find. I found a green dress that fit
snugly around my waist. It was a bit too low cut for my taste, but it was the best I could
do. I threw on some platform boots and let my hair down from the ponytail. After
brushing it out, I decided to look as decent as possible, wearing my mother's silver
necklace and earrings. I did my makeup as best I could. I made sure I looked at least
tolerable until I was interrupted by Dylan's raging horn. I dashed down the stairs and
entered her car. She wore an excited look on her face.
"Don't get too thrilled.
" I muttered to myself
"I know, I know. This is just the nicest I've ever seen you dress. You look
really nice.
" She smiled warmly.
It made me feel good to hear her say that. It always meant a lot to hear her
compliment me. She's a pretty blunt girl, so a compliment is a rare piece of conversation
you'd gather from her. We drove on a path that was all too familiar to me. We were
driving into the forest. When we pulled into the driveway. We both sat there, in complete
awe. The house was angelic and massive. It was open and wooden. With an amazing
view of the forest. Other cars were already lining the sides of the driveway. I got out of
the car, shutting the door behind me. As we walked up to the house, I looked to see whatDylan was wearing. She had on jeans and a t-shirt. Classic. Dylan hesitated before
knocking, I wondered why. I was already suspicious of the fact I had been traveling
through this forest my whole life and had never come across a home quite like this.
4
We knocked on the door. A boy I'd never seen before opened it, excitedly. He ran
his hands into his light brown hair, it almost seemed auburn in the moonlight.
"Hello there ladies.
" he said, smirking.
I could sense Dylan's reaction, most likely an eye roll and a shove past him.
The boy ushered us into the house where we stood, once again in awe. It was
gorgeous, granite countertops and windows as far as the eye could see. Beautiful chairs
lined with gold. Tons of unfathomable artwork. It had tile floors in the kitchen, which
bled into wooden floors as we entered the living room. A massive fireplace stood in the
living room, people crowding around it. The home looked like a museum. I shook
Dylan's shoulders,
"Is this real?"I asked, amazed."Apparently.
" she sighed, chuckling. It didn't take long for Dylan to discover the
alcohol. My work was cut out for me. My job? Wait until Dylan gets blackout wasted to
drag her into her car and drive her back to my home. Great. I decided to look around for a
bit. The home was stunning. There were bookshelves and amazing couches. I fingered the
walls briskly, digesting the enchanting aesthetic the house possessed. Astonished, I
grazed my hands around the artwork.
There were alluring paintings I could not recognize, but I was still entranced by
the vivid colors and shadows they held. I walked up a few steps, entering a hall. The
music began to drown behind me, and it became almost silent. Strolling down the
hallway, I breathlessly stared at the bookshelves, lined with infamous books. Someone
who resided in this home had fabulous taste in books. I felt as if I had stepped into an
entirely new world, a false reality. Fascinated, I contemplated my trek.
Suddenly, an unfamiliar hand tapped me on the shoulder. I stopped, startled by the
announced figure. I turned myself around, facing the stranger.
This boy was average height, with short chestnut hair. He looked at me with brown
eyes, sending me bad signals. He took a good look at me, eyeing the cup of water that
occupied my right hand. He seemed nervous, yet confident. I couldn't quite read him,
usually I have a talent for that.He had an abundance of emotions he seemed to possess. It felt like he was
searching for the words to say to me. Failing, he fumbled through his mind,
searching for the right thing to say. Yet, no words escaped his mouth.
I never thought so much could happen in the course of five seconds.
"Uh- Have you seen Dylan?" he asked
I looked around, searching for her. I mentally trifled my way through the vast
grouping of people. She was nowhere to be seen.
That will be a fun experience for later, I thought.
I turned my head back to him.
"I haven't, sorry.
" I took another sip of my drink.
He chuckled, smiling suspiciously.
"That's okay. I came over to talk to you anyway. You're Violet, right?"
I bit my cheek. I didn't like where this was going. What on earth would he want
with me? I thought suspiciously.
I had to be nice though, at least until I could find Dylan. I wasn't in the
mood to converse with him.
"Yeah, that's me. And you are..?"
His eyes widened again and he let out a laugh.
"I'm Luke. I threw this little rager.
" he smirkedI had a bad feeling in my gut about this. A sick feeling began to wash over me; I
cursed under my breath.
"Have you gotten a chance to look at the whole house yet?" He said curiously.
I shook my head. I hadn't, but I wasn't exactly looking for an exploration buddy.
"Well gosh, lemme show you.
" He placed his hand on my lower back, then moved
me to the hallway. It sent chills down my spine. We walked for what felt like
hours. The magic the house had possessed not so long ago had lost its
enchantment, it now felt like a dangerous trap, and I was the prey. I had fallen
victim to the beauty of the house, which lured me away from the rest of the
people. That was a stupid move on my part.
"This is the formal dining room. Then the game room, them..
" his words drowned
out as I began to get dizzy.
I placed my hand on my head. Losing my balance and leaning onto him. I doubled
over.
He shot me a worried look.
"Woah, now. You don't look too good.
"
I didn't feel good.
We were all alone now. It was one on one. Just the two of us. This really didn't
feel right.
He led me to another hallway."C'mon, let's lie you down.
" he said, with an eerie tone.
He moved his hand through my hair, playing with it, then placing it behind my ear.
He inched his face closer to mine. I could smell the cheap beer on his breath.
Oh, god. I thought.
He put his hand on my shoulder.
"I am fine.
" I said weakly
"Let's lie you down.
" he repeated, growing impatient
I suddenly began to panic.
"I-I said I'm fine.
" I said, standing my ground.
"I really think you should come with me.
" he protested.
He grabbed onto my shoulders and met eyes with me.
He leaned into me, and I shut my eyes tightly.
"What're you doing?" I questioned.
It felt like I had been struck with thousands of volts of lightning. I felt so
petrified, yet so powerless. I was too weak to move. Every muscle in my body shouted at
me to move and to run, yet I could not. I was stuck here.
He held a tighter grip onto me. My vision began to blur and the figures around me
all molded into one.Instantaneously, a figure rushed down the hall. My vision blurred, everything
around me molding into one. My head was spinning. I made an effort to try and make out
who this hero was, yet I could not.
"Let her go.
" A low voice ordered.
Luke loomed over me, eyes widening. I let out a sigh of relief. I was saved.
"C'mon now, Milo. We were just having some fun.
" He pleaded.
I met eyes with my rescuer. And in that moment, I had never felt so scared yet so
relieved at the same time. Of course. It was the mystery boy.
"Did you not hear me? Let her go.
" He said, moving closer. He bore a dangerous
look on his face, eyes narrowing towards Luke. I was still tight in Luke's grasp, his hands
enclosed around my shoulders, nails digging in. I let out a soft whimper, it was a
venomous amount of pain. Milo paced himself closer. He had no fear of this boy. To me,
Luke was an apex predator. Yet to Luke, Milo was the predator.
Milo was twice the size of Luke, it was an easy win. The dark, brooding figure made his
way closer toward us.
"Of course, you just have to be the hero, and ruin my fun.
" Luke sputtered.
This time, Milo came very close to Luke. Their eyes met closely. I even saw into my
savior's eyes. Then, fear shot through my body. His blue eyes still held the same amount
of beauty, but an intense danger was thrown into the mix."If I ever see you even come close to this girl again, I'll kill you.
" he uttered, a
dangerous venom stinging in his voice.
Those words resonated with me. I shuddered just hearing them, and he wasn't
even threatening me. This sent shivers down my spine. I was afraid for Luke. I think Milo
meant what he said.
All at once, everything turned black.
5
My eyes fluttered open and sunlight stung them. I reached my arm up, shielding
my eyes from the glaring sun. I took a moment, allowing myself to adjust to the light. I
had a pounding headache. It felt like there were three tons that were on top of me. I
moaned and looked around. I was struck with a shocking and sickening feeling. I had no
idea where I was.
Frantically I looked at myself. I wasn't wearing my own clothes. I was wearing a
huge t-shirt four sizes too big and some baggy shorts. My hair was pulled up into a bunand my shoes were gone. I searched frantically around the room, hoping my clothes
would appear somewhere. There they were, sitting on a bench that resided in front of the
bed. I learned over and saw it all, folded neatly, one upon another. I tried my best to make
what I could of my surroundings. Stumbling out of the bed, I reached for the door handle.
As I did, I came face to face with Milo. He stood there awkwardly, his waist wrapped
tightly in a towel. His hair was wet, the water dripping down his face.
"I-uh.
" I stammered
He smirked.
"You must like what you see..
"
I choked on my words. I couldn't speak.
"What am I doing here?"
His face grew serious. He looked down for a moment, heavily contemplating how
to word this to me.
Oh god, don
't tell me we-
. I prayed to God that my assumptions were false.
"My brother roofied you.
" he said bluntly.
I tried to process this,
"Carry on" I said.
"Well, I stopped him before he did anything and you collapsed on the floor. So I
carried you into my room and gave you my spare clothes.
"
"I slept in the guest room, don't worry.
" he said.
I felt horrible. I had been nothing but horrendous to this boy and he just saved me."I-I'm so sorry I--
"
"
-Ya uh don't mention it I guess.
"
An awkward silence swept over the room. I stood awkwardly, saying nothing.
"Thanks, again" I said.
I picked up my clothes and hurried out of the bedroom. I grabbed my phone from
the counter and fled down the stairs. Checking my phone I had seven missed calls from
Dylan. I didn't call her back. I didn't have the energy to. I had just almost made the worst
mistake of my life had Milo not been there. The real question was how did he know I was
there in the first place? No one else could hear, we had wandered too far from the party.
There was no way he could have heard us from the living room. As I wandered through
the home I realized that Luke was not the only one who spent his days in this heavenly
manor. Milo lived here too.
I questioned many things in my head as I tried to weave my thoughts together. My
mind was racing, I had no idea what to think of any of this. I soon came to the realization
that I'd have to walk home. Walking down the stairs, I exited the home, floundering
down the driveway.
The woods seemed different today. They stood eerily, looming over me. They
watched me like a wolf watches a deer, their eyes never leaving me. I felt like prey again,
just as I had felt the preceding night. I was barefoot, in clothes that clearly did not belong
to me, with makeup running down my face. It wasn't hard to take a look at me and makeone's own assumptions. I wondered what my parents would say, when I entered my
house. The footslog through the forest seemed to last for hours. I finally made it into my
backyard, exhausted. Nauseated, I quickly opened my back door, and slipped up the
stairs. Sliding into bed, I fell into a deep sleep.
6
I woke up and checked the alarm. 7:30 a.m. I overslept. Frantic, I threw on a grey
uniform shirt and a white polo-tee, followed by a gray crew neck sweatshirt. I
exhaustedly tucked the collar of the shirt over the sweatshirt and hurried to the bathroom
to brush my teeth. Finished, I dove to my vanity in my room and began to work on my
hair.
Today seemed like a messy bun kind of day. I threw on a pair of converse and dashed
out the door, bag flying in my hand. I waited and ran to the meeting spot where the trio ofus gathered, and to my surprise, they had waited. My best friends both held the same,
disapproving expression on their faces.
"Never got a call back from you, Vi.
"
Dylan said, eyes not leaving the pavement as she walked, cigarette in hand. She
puffed out the smoke and let out a long, disappointed sigh.
"Lemme have a hit of that.
" said Leo, snatching it from her hand and breathing it
in as well. Dylan whipped out her usual pack of cigarettes from her pocket and handed
one to Leo and I, which we both took. Smoking was the only thing that could entertain us
in this bland town. I let the smoke resonate in my mouth, then let it spill out between my
lips.
"Sorry, you guys. I just got carried away I guess.
" I said, but I wasn't really sorry.
Dylan gave no reply, but Leo only patted me on the shoulder and rested his head
on it.
"Another day of hell.
" he said, puffing out another hit of smoke.
As we walked into the gates, our school's beautiful stone building stood, towering
over. Leo linked arms with me and we headed inside the building, eyes passing by
everyone. We felt as though we were walking in slow motion past everyone. People gave
us judgemental stares, but we kept walking. We noticed Sam Taylor begin to approach us.
Sam Taylor, gave me a sense of fear since the last time I had seen him. Just as he
opened his mouth, eager to speak, Dylan shoved her middle finger in his face, not evenstaring him in the eyes. He flipped us all off back and cursed underneath his breath. I felt
a grin pinch my face as I watched him in amusement.
Our favorite thing to do was to observe the students around us, all kids forced to
go to a prep school who were really lost souls ready to rebel in this colorless town. A
group of boys lit their cigarettes off of each other in one locker pod, while a group of girls
all whispered into each other's ears, probably going on about Sam Taylor or another one
of the pricks who ran around, only treating them like utter shit. The three of us walked
into the women's restroom, Leo was as feminine as most of us. Frankly, no one cared that
Leo joined us. He propped himself up on the bathroom counter and positioned himself
near the sinks. Lily Cameron, a tall slender girl with dark black hair, walked in swinging
the door open. She walked near us, facing the mirror. With one slick motion, she pulled
out a flask from the inside pocket in her jacket.
"Care for a hit?" she chuckled, shoving the camouflaged vodka our way.
I shook my head, as did Leo. But, in classic Dylan fashion, she obliged, winking at
Lily.
"You and her got something goin on?" I asked shyly.
She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders, leaning against the stall door.
"She's cute, but she seems like a secretive girl.
" Dyl squinted.
The poor students who attended here were all mindless souls, who searched for a
smoke and a drink to allow them to feel something. When I thought about this place, Ionly saw grey. Grey like our uniform colors, and grey like the sky at all times. The good
thing about our friend group was that it had all different flavors that combined into
something unique. Dylan was the rebel teen, filled with angst and anger. Leo was the
sassy asshole who always made an effort to get a laugh out of someone. And I was
known as able to keep a positive attitude throughout anything. I considered it one of my
many gifts. No matter what, I would always find the good in something. School was a
melancholy time, where we spent lunch smoking on the concrete porches and dreaming
about what it would be like to leave this town. I noticed a tall figure standing in the
courtyard, smoking a cigarette.
I watched him as he pursed his lips together, breathing out a puff of smoke.
"I wonder what he's thinking.
" I asked Leo, as I leaned against him.
"Let's think, Dear Diary" he began in a fancy british accent "Oh how awful it is to
be given such riches and the most dashing looks, and still I am quite unhappy.
" He let out
a fancy laugh.
Dylan burst out laughing, but I didn't. What was it about him? Perhaps it was that
he had saved me. But, he seemed different from the boys I had run around school
alongside.
I hopped off of the concrete wall and wiped my hands, strolling towards him. My
friends questioned me, but I quickly hushed them, crossing my arms behind my back.
Creeping behind him, I came so close to him."Stalking me, are we?" he said, still staring into the journal.
Shock rose in me.
"No! Of course not!" I exclaimed "It's just, why aren't you talking to anyone?"
"Need there be a reason?"
"I mean I guess"
"Pray-tell.
"
I supposed he was right, maybe he enjoyed keeping himself at a distance. Though,
I had never met anyone who enjoyed being on their own as much as I did. Some need
others to survive. I, in fact, did not. So I suppose I understood the point he was trying to
make. I looked at our surroundings. Many people were watching us, mostly girls,
jealousy painted on their faces. I laughed on the inside. They wanted so badly to catch his
eye, I'm sure they have tried for so long. But, they forget that he is rock solid and feels
nothing for anyone except for himself, or so I thought.
"People are staring.
" I said wearily and unsure.
"Let them stare.
" he sighed, staring deeper into the trees in front of us. He learned
down, closer to me. I could feel his mouth near my ear.
"Maybe don't get roofied next time you go to a party. Rookie Move.
" He
whispered.
My ears turned hot, my face reddening.
Did he really just say that?I let his point sit with me for a moment. Just as the bell rang, corralling us all
inside, he stared down to me.
"Why don't you do someone else the honor of tormenting them,
" his piercing
words cut through my veins. Ouch. That stung. I nonchalantly flipped him off as he
strolled back into the school. Turning my head, I noticed Dylan and Leo rolling with
laughter on the grass. I dragged my feet over to them, hanging my head over my
shoulders.
"Ha.ha.ha sorry I am trying to make a new friend.
" I said bluntly
They kept laughing, as we headed through the school and out the door, on our way
home.
When I got home, I decided I would simply disappear for the rest of the day and
night. It was necessary for me for I knew that Dylan would leave the constant reminder
that I was groped by Luke. That was a feeling I could not shake. Never had I felt so
afraid, yet so powerless. It was odd for me. Milo had saved my life, yet he seemed to
dislike me so strongly.
The night trolled by quickly and school resumed on Tuesday. I was met downstairs by
Leo and Dylan. A worried expression sat on their faces.
"We were worried about you, Violet.
" Leo said, softly, concerned.
I gave no response. I simply opened the door and began to walk to school. The last
thing I wanted was to talk about that. That was a thought I wanted gone from mymemory. Though Milo did save me, it did not excuse his foul attitude towards me, which
constantly left me wondering what he did truly think of me. If he despised me in the way
I had perceived, he would have simply left me. Yet he didn't.
"I will kill you.
" he had said, gravely.
Luke had bore such a fearful look in his eyes. He had been afraid for his own life,
and I didn't blame him.
As we trudged on through the streets, paving our way to school, we walked in
utter silence. Neither Dylan nor I had uttered a word the entire walk. When we came
upon the gates of our school, we dispersed into our separate classes. I kept my head
down, solemnly entering geometry class. There he was: Milo. I didn't even want to make
eye contact with him. I did my best to pay attention to the entire class, but occasionally
my mind would wander to another place, like the events that had taken place that past
Saturday. Luckily, I had no classes with Luke; he would make it even more terrifying.
Once lunch came about, I found Leo and Dylan, and we sought to find a table.
"What's been with you lately?" Leo asked.
I didn't know what to say because I did not hold the answer to that question. I sat
in shock for the rest of the day, allowing the feeling of discomfort to take over me.
Through chemistry, English, and literature I sat in utter silence.
When the bell notified me that school was over, I stayed behind, running my
fingers through my hair. I buried my face into my hands, contemplating whether I shouldstick around or leave. I made the decision to exit, but took a separate turn to walk home
on my own. I trudged home, my school bag slung over my shoulder. When I entered my
driveway, I let out a long sigh.
My parents hadn't seen me in what felt like forever, I had never looked more
rough in my entire life. I took a look at myself. I had on only sweats, and my hair looked
amess. I took a deep breath, and started towards the front door. My hand touched the cold
doorknob, and it sent chills throughout my body. I closed my eyes, unprepared for my
parent's reaction to their first sight of me in days. My eyes flung open.
My mother sat by the kitchen table, my father beside her. They both bore a
concerned look on their face, and the corners of their mouths turned down into a
disapproving frown. My mothers nose scrunched up with disappointment. They took a
long pause before acknowledging my presence.
"You did not tell us you were going to a party.
" She said, with a stern tone, crossing her
arms over her chest tightly.
I struggled for breath, the air was caught in my throat. I paced the room nervously.
Did they know I stayed the night at Milo
'
s house? I wondered.
"It was sort of, uh-last minute.
" I stuttered.
My mother's eyes squinted at me. She gave me a long look. I turned to meet eyes
with my father and was met with a piercing glare.
"It was, honest.
" I protested.My father shook his head. This was getting absolutely nowhere.
"You're grounded.
" She said, the venom in her voice pierced through my veins.
I opened my mouth to protest, but shut it quickly, and ran up the stairs. I slammed
the door behind me then went to sit on my bed. Hot tears streamed down my face. It was
so unfair that I would be grounded after being dragged to this party.
I blamed the fact that I was out all night entirely on the fact that Luke had roofied
me. And that was something he was going to pay for, one way or another.
What felt like hours passed on, and I lay in my room restless. My mind overflowing with
thoughts. I sat up, and threw on a black hoodie and some shoes.
I pulled the hood on over my head, grabbed my phone, then made my way to the
back window. Unlocking it carefully, my hands cautiously turned the lock. One wrong
move, and I would be caught. I quietly slipped out of my window, and jumped onto the
cold, moist ground. I ducked down, and ran as fast as I could into the woods. I needed
time to think everything over, more had happened in a week than in my entire life span so
this was all a new feeling..
I pulled a flashlight out of my pocket and headed into the darkened abyss of trees
and bushes. I walked steadily, trying to make out what I could see, which was not a lot. I
treaded on until I found the treehouse my father had built for me when I was five. I never
came up there anymore, so I had no idea what dangers were held above. I fearlessly
climbed the ladder, eager to reminisce in the home I remembered so fondly from mychildhood. Once I made it up, I grabbed a lantern from the corner and turned it on.
Everything had been as I left it. There were pictures I had drawn as a kid, and books I
had read, there were even papers and markers from the last time I had ventured here. I
pulled my legs in and sat comfortably against the wooden wall. A flood of nostalgia
washed over me, and my eyes began getting droopy and heavy. The next thing I knew, I
was drifting off into a deep sleep.
I was awakened a bit later by a loud, blustering voice. My eyes shot open and my
head raised up quickly. I kneeled over and peered out the window to see who the
mysterious voice belonged to. I wasn't sure why I was shocked at that point because of
course, it was Milo.
"HEY! I SAID WHO IS UP THERE?!"
I looked down to see Milo's tall, shadowy figure, his hands cupped around his
mouth. He looked beautiful in the moonlight and I couldn't help but gaze at him. He
looked strong and defiant as he stood his ground, his feet planted in the grass, ready to
take on whoever awaited above him. His thick hair fell over his eyes. His piercing gaze
struck fear in me. His voice was thick with power. I stuck my head out and rolled my
eyes.
"This forest doesn't exactly belong to you, ya know.
" I said.
He chuckled, his lips curving into a playful smile. He smirked, and cocked an
eyebrow."Ah yes, but it does.
" He sneered.
For God'
s sake. I thought.
"So you move here and now all of a sudden this entire place belongs to you.
"
He burst out laughing. He thought that this was funny. Of course he did.
"Virtually, yes. Aren't you a little old to be playing magic tree house?,
" he said,
sarcastically.
I groaned. I did not have time for his smart alec games. I swung my legs over and slowly
began to climb down the ladder.
"Careful now, I would hate to have to rescue you, again.
" He chuckled
That was it. I was seriously going to punch this kid in the face.
"You didn't need to save me. I had it all under contro-
" I slipped and lost my grip.
He sped over to me, but I caught myself just in time.
"Sure you did.
" He said, releasing a long breath of relief.
He trotted over by my side when my feet met the grass. I jumped down, springing
up to meet his eye line. He shot me a suspecting look.
"Care to explain what you're doing here?" he said, challengingly
He began to pace in front of me, leading the way deeper into the dark sea of trees
that blended into the night sky. My eyes grazed over the sky, watching the stars and
planets with utter awe. I had never experienced the forest at night with someone other
than my brother. It was an exciting yet new feeling that was completely foreign to me.I took a deep breath and faced him.
"I got grounded.
" I said, shaking my head angrily.
He stopped walking and turned his head towards mine.
"You're serious?" he said, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, I'm serious,
" I humphed.
He chuckled and muttered something I couldn't quite make out under his breath.
"What, you've never been grounded before?" I said, smirking.
His face curved into a beautiful smile and his eyes widened excitedly.
"No, I haven't" He laughed.
There was no way. He was lying. Everyone got grounded.
"Why on earth not?" I sputtered.
He continued walking, his shoulders broadened. I could tell he was about to tell
me a long story. He puffed out his chest and shook his head.
"My mother never focused on me or my sister,
" he said, exhaling a long moment
of breath.
I had no idea he had a sister. I thought he only resided with Luke.
"And your father?" I said softly,
He paused, silent for a moment.
"I don't know him.
" He said quickly.Immediately a feeling of guilt rushed through me and I stepped back away from
him.
"I'm sorry.
" I said quickly.
The side of his mouth curved upwards, creating a playful smirk.
"Don't worry about it. I live with my mother, sister, and occasionally brother. He
has an apartment further in town, so he spends his time there.
"
He rarely communicated with Luke, and his mother was most likely heartbroken
from his father.
"How old is your sister?" I asked
He smiled at the thought of her. I could tell he loved his sister by the way he spoke
of her.
"She's eight.
" He said chuckling.
We kept walking for a long time, most of it in utter silence. It was a mixture of
feelings. Serenity from the peaceful forest, yet awkward from the lack of communication
we shared. We trudged on until we entered an area I vaguely remembered. He led,
walking up the driveway into his home.
"It's freezing outside, come inside.
" he ordered softly. He opened his arm,
motioning for me to enter the home. I was hesitant at first and began to protest, but he
insisted I accompany him into the house. The house stood just as beautiful as it was the
last time I had been there. When we walked into the manor, a small girl awaited us in theliving room. She looked just like him, the same beautiful black hair, the same chilling
blue eyes. She wore a friendly smile and quickly ran to her brother. Embracing her, he
lifted her up into his arms.
"Violet this is my sister, Marie.
" He said excitedly.
She stuck out her hand, just as eager as her brother had been.
"Nice to meet you.
" I said.
Once she was set back down onto the floor, she skipped over to the kitchen and
called for her mother. No sound response came back. I overheard some small bickering,
but Milo led me the other direction towards the stairway. As I made my way up the stairs,
I took into account the pictures on the walls. There were many photos of Milo as a child
and a few of Marie, but none of Luke.
We entered his room, which I vaguely remembered. A flood of memories came
through me.
He sat on his bed and looked up at me. His room had such a breathtaking view of
the forest. In that moment, a river of thoughts flowed through my head. Who was this boy,
and what was his story? Why does he feel different from other people? What is he hiding?
For the longest time, I had taught myself to never allow my guard to be let down.
But, during this time, my guard was slowly and unconsciously slipping away, like
a snake shedding its skin. Something about him made me melt away, and I felt myself
irrevocably entranced by him. Every move he made sent me into a sweet melody that Ihad never known or heard. There was just something about him. Suddenly, fear washed
over me as I came to the stinging realization that my heart was in the hands of a boy I
barely knew, he could crush it at any waking moment.