Maleficent

The street was alight with flashes of sapphire and crimson as I turned Fletcher’s ute down Flora’s road. Dillon’s car was still missing from the driveway, replaced instead with the source of the flashing lights. Clearly the police had jumped on the case of Flora’s disappearance, which wasn’t surprising. A missing girl was a strange occurrence in our little town where nothing happened.

Flora snored peacefully, wedged between me and Fletcher, and completely oblivious to the drama that had unfolded this past day. I watched with a smile as Fletch cuddled her closely, nuzzling into her hair in relief. It was moments like these that confirmed I had made the right choice all those years ago. This boy loved Flora with everything he had, and I knew his mistake was his biggest regret. He’d been making it up to her ever since, even if she had no idea that he had cheated on her.

Palming Flora off to her parents was difficult, as they bombarded both me and Fletcher with questions as to her whereabouts for the past few days. Only when a light shower sprinkled down from the heavens, did they finally scurry inside without me.

Taking the opportunity, I fled the Hampton’s driveway, taking off towards home through the raining night. She didn’t live too far; only a few blocks away, but soon I was regretting running off.

With every step I took, the rain seemed to get heavier, pouring in thick sheets and soaking me mercilessly. I was sure that by now I looked like a drowned rat, my hair plastered against my face and my clothes clinging to my body. This was about the time where my knight in shining armour and one true love was supposed to miraculously be passing by and offer me a lift.

“Hey, you want a ride?”

Well, I’ll be damned.

Blinking through the relentless downpour, Jeremy stared at me, his eyebrows rising in question the longer he waited. Shivering through my heavy clothes, I rounded the hood and gratefully accepted the offered seat, piling into the car quickly. I gave the boy a guilty smirk as the scent of his cologne drifted comfortingly around me.

“Sorry about this,” I mumbled, indicating to the water now drenching his car.

Jeremy shrugged, eyeing my curves with interest. “Nothing I haven’t seen before,” he answered, his lips tilting at the corners. The perve.

Rolling my eyes, I peeled my shirt off, giving him a full view of my semi naked body before wringing my soaked shirt out over his lap. At his yelp of surprise, I laughed darkly, pleased that I had exacted my revenge.

“I assure you, you haven’t seen anything like this before,” I quipped, laying my shirt out over the dashboard in the hopes that it might dry a little.

Jeremy’s deep laugh rumbled from his chest, warming my cheeks slightly as he began pulling over to the side of the road. “Looks like I might be seeing more of it,” he grinned.

Folding my arms over my chest, I gave the boy a hard look. “If you think I’m just going to rip my clothes off so you can have your way with me, you’re clearly mistaken,” I answered, narrowing my eyes. “I’d rather walk the rest of the way home.”

Holding his hands up innocently, Jeremy gave me an amused look. “Woah, slow down there,” he laughed. “Nobody said anything about having their way with you.” Leaning in, he smirked, his eyes glistening with mischief. “Anyway, I thought I told you that I wouldn’t fall that easily, little bird,” he murmured. “And besides, you won’t get far if you walked. Not with the flooded bridge here.”

My eyes snapped to the only entrance into my neighbourhood, silently cursing the ridiculously stupid layout as my eyes narrowed in an evil glare. Barely a moment later, and Jeremy was making a U-turn, his tyres sliding heart-stoppingly in the mud as he pushed the car out of it.

“Where do you think you’re going?” I frowned. “There’s no other way in.”

Completely ignoring my question, Jeremy tapped his finger against the top of the windshield. “Have you ever watched the rain fall when you’re driving?” He asked.

Breathing out a sigh of exasperation, I tilted my head at him. “That didn’t answer my question,” I replied, fighting the urge to look out at the storm.

Jeremy nodded, casually settling back in his chair, and giving me a sideways glance. “We’re going to my house,” he answered. “To wait out this storm.”

I didn’t object, which seemed to surprise him, as I nodded and leaned forward. Gazing up at the night sky, I watched in wonder as the rain drops flew at the car, smiling at the beautiful sight. Faint white lights tailed the drops as they fell before exploding on the clear glass.

“It’s beautiful,” I whispered, giving the boy a small smile. “They look like falling stars.”

Smiling back, Jeremy gave me a sad look. “The fallen are always the most beautiful.”