With My Life in Her Hands

I'm not sure how to feel about parties.

The bass makes the house almost shake like the earthquake. The music is louder and without a beat. It seems like headache inducing white house. I see humans everywhere scattered 'dancing' or drinking something in a red cup. This does not seem fun with so many strangers surrounding us.

We stand out in this sea of college students and I am not sure it's a good thing.

Willow seems just as lost as I in this environment. The mostly fawn colored eyes of the Wiccan glance around the room for something to do. I don't know what to do either. A sharp smell permeates this house and I don't know what it is only that it is strong compared to the water I usually drink.

"What are we supposed to do at parties?" I lifted my face to better see Willow.

"I'm only asking because we're the only ones standing still," I continued.

"Drinks!" Willow suddenly shouted. She looked down to see me and I stayed still to better see the Wiccan's gentle face.

"I should get us drinks. We should drink to relax but not a lot because bad things happen to drunk people ans I don't want bad things to happen to you so we'll only drink a little," Willow raises her hand and pressing them together so there is a small space between them.

"I should actually go get them. Stay here so I don't lose you," Willow instructed looking straight into my hazel eyes. It left me feeling paralyzed again. Willow didn't want to lose me. I found some energy to move my head and Willow smiled at me again. Willow held up her pointer finger and stood still for a second and entered the crowd of inebriated young adults.

I stayed there in the crowd glancing all over for Willow when I noticed someone walking over in my direction. I didn't even glance at him. I kept searching for golden red hair that looked like fully bloomed roses at night. I almost succeeded until that 'someone' came too close.

"So what brings you here?" The stranger slurred in my direction bringing in the awful stench of vomit and alcohol.

I crinkled my nose in disgust.

"I was thinking over there," he waved his hand in a random direction."You're hot and I'm hot so let's go upstairs and be hot together," I'm sure the smile should've been charming but the smell was making my stomach turn.

"No. I am not hot," I told him haughtily. "I am actually cool. Your stench and gender disgust me so leave. I don't like you so I want you to leave."

"Oh, come on," the drunken man whined and it disgusted me even more. He kept getting closer to me. "Come with me upstairs."

This stranger is so irritating. How could I see Willow if this oaf is blocking my view? He comes to me covered in a weird slime and smelling of vomit and presumes to think I'll do anything with him.

"You listen to me," I growl looking straight into the drunken dunce's hazy eyes. "You're a disgusting boy who has more of a chance with that red cup than me. If you don't back away then I'll show you happens when you anger my kind." Already I feel my eyes shifting and he must see it because the the dunce starts to stumble away from me.

"Hey!" I hear Willow yell over the music.

I look over and see a familiar redhead approaching. The lights are dim like in my room so the Wiccan's red hair is especially noticeable in the dark. Pale hands have a tight grip on two red cups much like the one in the drunken stranger's hand.

"Who's he? Am I interrupting something? Do you want some alone time? I'll just go-"

As Willow starts walking away, I grab onto her sleeve careful not to let it tear.

"You're not interrupting anything," I reassure her and my scowl softens. "If anything he's interrupting. Anyway, the fool was just about to leave," I finish glaring at the drunken stranger.

He must have some survival instincts because he continues to stumble away.

"Here's your cup," Willow sticks out a hand towards me with a cup.

I thank her but do not drink. The stranger had the same cup and was acting like an idiot. I don't want to drink even a little of this if that's what can occur. Willow takes small sips of the drink so she probably knows the effects it can have.

Willow looks around the room and her eyes widen to the left.

I turn in that direction and see two people on the couch. They are probably a couple. I notice this because of how close they are sitting together and how they seem to smiling every time they sneak glances to see each other. Both are conventionally attractive with matching dark hair. The guy could be considered handsome if you are into double chins and muscles.The girl can be considered pretty with full lips and curves. Like I said though, they could be considered aesthetically pleasing if you like the standards of the medieval ages.

Willow keeps glancing at the couple so I wonder if she knows them. She said she grew up here so maybe they went to school together. It is possible. UC Sunnydale did have many students from the town.

"Do you want to talk with them?" I say gesturing my head towards the couch.

Willow nods eagerly and I follow her to the couch.

"Hey, Percy!" the Wiccan greets Percy enthusiastically and I see the somewhat pretty face of the girlfriend turn into a scowl before smoothing.

"Hey, Willow." Percy is slow to respond to Willow and less happy to see her. I hope she doesn't notice but just the idea of someone not liking Willow company makes me frown. How is that even possible?

"Oh," Willow's mouth frames the letter perfectly before she glances at me sheepish. "This is my new friend, Briar."

I smile at Willow to show everything is fine before nodding at this Percy.

Percy is like every red blooded male. He cannot control his reactions to our kind. He smiles a bit too wide to be a friend and stares at me too long indicating interest. Brown eyes, not even anything interesting like Willow's, eyes me in a way that makes me feel filthy.

His girlfriend seethes in jealousy and hits him hard to gain Percy's attention.

"This is my girlfriend....."He trails off and the girlfriend's scowl deepens.

"Laurie," she practically spits it in his direction.

"I didn't know you went to UC Sunnydale. I haven't seen around campus."

"I don't actually," Percy corrects. "I'm here visiting....."his voice trails off again when I hit his vision.

Laure hits him again and he continues.

"I got a football scholarship and go to USC."

Willow smiles at him. "Congratulations." She seems honestly excited for him.

Laurie smiles and exposes too many teeth making it seem more like a snarl.

"We were supposed to meet my friends so nice meeting you." She grabs Percy's hand and drags him into the corner.

Willow stands there stunned for a second at how fast they marched off. I don't really know what to say. I don't ant to believe anyone would try to get away from Willow but that girl was so bitter...

I can hear them arguing and Willow must too because we both turn in their direction.

"Why? So I can watch you flirt with that redhead and ogle that brunette?" Her voice is loud and carries too well.

"What, Rosenberg? Yeah, right. She's just some egghead who tutored me a little in high school. I mean, she's nice, but come on, captain of the nerd squad."

"Well, I don't know. Maybe you have a thing for geeks."

"Uh, no. I like my women hot. Call me old fashioned."

Some people might say they see red at someone talking about their friends. I don't believe them. It is not possible for human eyes to change the pigment which they see from that fast. However, I saw blue. My eyes change into a crystal blue that's rare with humans and fills my vision with the same shade.

I didn't even have to think about it. One second I am next to Willow seeing the devastation on her face and the next I'm in front of the couple from hell. Suddenly, two cups were in my hands and the next I saw them they were dripping amber liquid. The red cups dropped to the floor with an unsatisfying thud.

"Congratulations!" I say full of false cheer. "You have won the award for being the fakest human beings on planet Earth."

The girlfriend is the first to recover. She wipes her eyes and stands there gaping at me. Percy recovers last and they both watch me shocked and wet.

"Bastards deserve ugly whores. I've never seen two uglier people in my whole life. You were lucky that Willow wasted a breath in your direction but decided she was too 'geeky'. Am I right? Realize this is your last chance. I am not a forgiving person. The next time I see you and trust me I will, you're going to show some respect or you're going to wish you're mothers didn't waste nine months on wastes of oxygen." I have never heard my voice sound so cold .

I turn around and take Willow's wrist to try to take her away from such evil people.

I can't help saying one more thing to the whore before leading Willow to a different part of the house.

"Maybe if you weren't so ugly, he'd stop looking at me and Willow."

As we walk away, I realize an important thing I should tell Willow based on this experience.

"I don't like parties."