Fire In My Veins

Loud, obnoxious pounding reverberated around the bathroom. During Tal and Zane’s wrestling, I grabbed the red dress and locked myself in the bathroom. Those two are so hard-headed they forgot all about me and I wasn’t about to change in front of them. Last thing I saw was that Zane and Tal in a head-lock before Tal somehow flipped him over. The pounding became faster along with Tal now yelling.

“SkyLynn Charlie Reyes, you better get your ass out of that bathroom this instant or so help me, I will run it down!”

I could practically feel the anger in his voice and Tal was serious. He would actually run down my door if I didn’t open it. I shook my head before staring at the mirror. The red dress hugged all my curves, but it was easy to move in. The v-neck showed some cleavage, but not too much that everyone could see everything. The dress ended at my knees just as I suspected and showed off my long, lean legs. I think I look pretty good in this dress.

“Zane does have good taste in dresses.” I said to myself, turning around to see my back.

The back was opened and showed some of my tattoos. On my back, was a tattoo of a full moon night with a silhouette wolf howling at the moon. It covered my whole back and it hurt like hell when I got it. Hours of lying down on my stomach and staying stiff were difficult. On my shoulder blades were a series of bats and on my left shoulder was a bite mark with blood dripping from it as if I was bitten by a vampire. I was and still am very infatuated with vampires and werewolves.

My black hair was down and came an inch after my shoulders. It was naturally straight and choppy and I had no make-up on. I don’t really want to go to this stupid thing anyways, so why bother? I groaned and turned to glare at Talon behind the door. He actually started kicking the door! I could hear the creaks as the door tried to hold up against Tal’s strength. I marched towards the door and yanked it open. Tal’s fist was about to give me a bloody nose, but I managed to move my head to the left and grab his wrist, twisting it around his body and sending him to his knees.

“Ow, ow, ow!” he whined.

I pushed him slightly so that he fell on his face.

“Next time you want to knock continuously on my door, don’t.” I said.

I turned my head towards Zane and told him the same thing, only he wasn’t listening to me and was staring at me like I was from a different planet. His eyes were wide and kept roaming all over my body. I scooted back a bit. It looks like he was going to pounce on me.

“What’s up with Zane?” I asked Tal.

Zane had this weird look in his eyes that seemed familiar to me. Talon got up and dusted off the imaginary dust off his jeans and was about to answer my question, until he became like Zane and just stared at me. They were starting to freak me out. I moved away from them and they stood there like statues.

“Come on, guys, say something!” I pleaded.

I don’t take too well to awkward silences. If anything, their jaws dropped and their eyes got bigger, but that didn’t help me.

“This isn’t funny. Don’t just stand there.”

I rubbed my arm up and down, feeling uncomfortably with their gazes on me. I needed them to say something. I felt like I was back in high school again. Half of the Junior and Senior guys staring at me like I was a piece of meat and the other half wanting to break me into tiny pieces until I couldn’t find the will to live anymore. I could feel my vision blur. No! I’m not going to cry. Not anymore.

“They’re just speechless because you look so beautiful right now.”

I turned to where I heard the voice and saw River. He was standing in the middle of my doorway watching the whole thing unfold. How come I didn’t notice him? Especially since he has black hair and red spiked tips down the middle, imitating a Mohawk. He walked over to me and wrapped his arms around me from behind.

“Don’t pay attention to them. They just aren’t use to you wearing dresses like that.” He whispered.

His British accent wafted into my ears. His head was bent down towards my neck and smelled me. Any one else would have been freaked out, but for some reason, it comforted me.

“But do they have to stare at me like that?” I sighed, leaning back into his touch.

They continued staring at me until they noticed River behind me. They both seemed to get out of their trance and seemed confused to see River in the room.

“Since when did Riv get in here?” Zane asked, looking at Tal as if he had the answer.

“I’m not sure, but I do know that Sky, you are smoking hot! Guys won’t be able to keep their hands off of you!” Tal yelled, overjoyed.

I winced and nobody noticed except for River. He could practically feel me wince since my body was close to his.

Hands grabbed roughly around my wrists and my body slammed into a locker.

“Look here guys, a kitten has lost her way back home.” His voice said mockingly.

It was the end of school and I was about to go in my car until they came along. The other four guys laughed and started backing me up into my locker. Strong grips held my arms and a body wrapped their arms around my waist immobilizing me. I saw an arm raise and come down on me.

“Sky!”

I jerked out of my reminiscing and looked at the guys. All of them were giving me concerned looks.

“You okay, baby?” River asked, holding me tighter against his body.

“You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.” Tal said, coming towards me and pushing back my hair.

“More like the devil.” I muttered.

Luckily, none of them heard me.

“It must have spooked you really bad honey. You’re sweating.” Tal cupped my chin and stared into my amethyst eyes.

Zane came up behind Tal with a wet washcloth and began to cool me down. I relaxed into their touch. Everything they did comforted me, not like a lover, but like older brothers protecting their little sister.

“Where would I be without you guys?” I asked rhetorically.

I knew the answer. I would be dead somewhere bleeding to death and all alone without anyone to hold or comfort or love me. They all chuckled and embraced me into a big group hug.

“Now all we need to do is make-up and hair.” Zane said.

I stared blankly at him.

“I don’t even want to go to this thing. What makes you think I’m going to get all prettied up for the worst night of my life?” I had my hands on my hips glaring at him.

Zane cheekily smiled and left towards my bathroom leaving me alone between Tal and River.

“I know I said you were hot before, but with some make-up and doing something with your hair, you’ll look absolutely stunning!” Tal reasoned.

“You think I want to be the center of attention?”

I don’t think I want the whole school staring at me; the fat girl with braces, no friends, and emotional and social problems. I sighed heavily and looked at them.

“Do what you will.”

Tal smiled widely and followed Zane into the bathroom. I just know I’m going to regret this.

“Don’t worry,”

I looked back at River. His smile was reassuring and his arms snaked around my waist.

“You may not know it, but worry is all over your face.”

He placed his head on my shoulder, “Just try to have a good time. And if not, we’re at The Pick, alright?” he nuzzled my neck and gently kissed my neck.

“Alright,” I sighed.

Zane and Tal came back in the room with Zane carrying my make-up kit and Tal carrying my curling iron and some accessories.

“I’m ready.” I opened my arms and they went to work.

“You look absolutely stunning! We are geniuses!” Tal proclaimed.

Tal had gently curled my hair so that it bounced whenever I walked. My hair now came up to and inch before my shoulders and my neck had a chain with a ring as the pendent. It was my, Tal’s, Zane, and River’s promise to always be there for each other no matter what. I had silver dangling earrings and a silver bracelet on my left arm. The bracelet did nothing to avert people’s eyes from the tattoo on my left arm.

My whole arms had tattoos of werewolves and vampires from bats, paw prints, blood drops, and full moons. I am really fond of that tattoo. Zane had put black eyeliner on me and had put some red eyeshadow on me and did a smudging effect. I had some blush, but not too much and my eyelashes had mascara. My lips were soft from my chapstick and Zane had put some red lipstick on me.

“Damn, Sky,” Zane whistled.

“You could pass for a vampire mistress.” He joked.

“Really?” I asked.

I did look pretty nice. Okay, pretty nice was an understatement, I was, as Tal said “absolutely stunning”.

“Can I drink your blood then? I’m terribly thirsty.” I asked, walking over to Zane.

I was right in front of him and looked into his green turquoise eyes. He chuckled deeply, “So like a vampire mistress. Very hot.”

I kissed his chin and walked back to my bed and got my black clutch that Tal found in my closet. I took a deep breath and faced them.

“Huntington High School here we come.”