Maleficent

Bentley’s clear blue eyes swirled in my vision. His breath was hot on my cheek as he pressed light kisses across my jawline. A low growl hummed through his lips, his hands brushing up my waist as he pushed closer. For a moment I wondered how I’d gotten here and what I was doing with Bentley. Especially after the oath I had taken.

“Ben – Bent…” I stammered, pushing his reluctant body away. “Come on. Get off!”

I could feel the boy’s chuckle against my skin as he refused to back away, pressing into me harder and ignoring my protests. I tilted my head from side to side in a futile attempt to escape his onslaught of kisses, cringing away from his roaming hands.

“Bentley,” I repeated warningly.

His hands tickled at the bare skin beneath the hem of my shirt, tracing circles into the small of my back. He grumbled, his lips kissing back up to my mouth with determination. The strong scent of his cologne wafted around me, mixing the uncomfortableness of my position with the sharp bark at my back.

“Bentley, I said get off!”

The words had barely left my mouth before the overwhelming relief of my release breathed through my body. The chill of the cold night air melted through the aftereffects of Bentley’s body heat as he was wrenched away from me. I stood, fingers clinging at the tree I leaned against, my eyes widening by the second.

“Hey man, she said get off.”

The voice was that of the boy I’d seen helping Bentley carrying the esky and though I hadn’t spared him a second thought previously, he most certainly intrigued me now. My eyes travelled down the boy, stuck between shock and interest. His own gaze was trained on Bentley who now writhed uncomfortably on the ground, struggling to get up.

“Mind ya business,” Bentley slurred, anger tinging his words bitterly. “Nothin’ ta do with ya, Forbes.” He rolled onto his knees, tipping dangerously to the side as he pushed himself from the ground. “’Tween me an’ my girl.”

I rolled my eyes then as the boy, Forbes, took Bentley’s arm and steadied him before turning his eyes to me briefly.

“You okay?” he asked.

I nodded, watching in amusement as Bentley tried and failed to brush off Forbes’ help though he was leaning heavily on the sober man. Forbes wrapped Bentley’s arm over his shoulder, giving me a casual salute before dragging the drunk away and leaving me standing alone and baffled against the tree.

I could see the lights of the surprise gathering over in the direction that Bentley had gone. The faint whisper of the music sung in the air, mingling with sucking noises of the sexual origin. Clearly others had the same idea that I’d somehow come to.

“I have to say,” came a familiar voice. “I haven’t seen anyone turn that guy down before. I’m impressed.” I inclined my head slightly to see Forbes emerge from the darkness. “And you’ve got him wrapped around that little finger too.”

My smirk came easily. It had become habit since learning to build the wall around myself. It was my safeguard. My way of holding myself away from the world without really leaving it. The boy leaned his shoulder against a tree close to mine, his eyes glinting through the darkness. They looked almost silver.

“Thanks,” I answered. “For the help. Bent still hasn’t gotten it through his thick skull that I’m done with him.”

The boy smiled slightly, holding his hand out to me. It was close enough for me to shake. “The name’s Jeremy. Jeremy Forbes. I’m, uh, a friend of Harper’s.”

“Some friend you got there,” I scoffed.

“Some ex,” he countered with a raise of his brow.

I laughed. “Touché.”

We fell silent for some time. Only the music splitting through the silence and the light rustle of the leaves above us. I hated to admit it, but the silence was surprisingly comfortable. I didn’t mind the company of this stranger. A hand brushed through his hair casually before he stretched. I couldn’t figure out what it was that made me curious about him, until it hit me like a tonne of bricks.

“Oh my God!” I exclaimed. “You don’t know who I am!”

Jeremy’s brow rose a little higher, his lips turning to smirk at me. “Should I?” he asked.

I blushed immediately at his tone. At the arrogance laced with a tint of disgust. My statement had come out unintentionally vain as if shocked that someone would dare not know that I existed. It was refreshing, in a way, to see the eyes of someone who didn’t look at me with envy or lust. Simply curiosity.

“What I meant to say,” I explained. “Is that my name is Raven Diablo, and I haven’t seen you around here before.”

Jeremy grinned. “Like I said. I’m a friend of Bentley’s.”

“It’s a small town,” I commented. “And I know a lot of people.”

That was untrue. Though the town wasn’t exactly a city, it wasn’t small enough to know the majority of the residents. But when it came to Bentley, a boy I’d known my entire life, well not much got past me. I knew his family. All his friends. I knew every nook and cranny of his life, just as I did everyone else’s. That was my power.

“Alright, alright,” the boy sighed and by the tone of his voice I knew this was a subject he didn’t particularly care to admit. “I’m Bentley’s brother.”

Huh. I guess I didn’t know everything, after all.