By the time Aubrey reached history she didn't care that she might have some impossible connection with Declan Vaughn.
She wanted to throttle him.
His mysterious persona and one lined bombshells had been giving her a massive headache all day and she was ready to kill someone.
Preferably the annoyingly perfect looking boy with gold eyes.
You're much much worse.
You're supposed to be dead.
Yeah buddy the second I get my hands on you I'll show you what dead feels like, Aubrey thought angrily.
She barged into history almost throwing off some blonde girls balance on the way. She didn't care though, her eyes were focused on the window seat where he was supposed to put his precious butt on.
Part of Aubrey hoped that he wouldn't come, Aubrey had always hated confrontation but she was desperate for answers and he was clearly the only one who seemed to have them.
"You're not supposed to sit here." The girl behind commented. She was the same blonde who Aubrey had almost knocked over and she looked like those typical, extremely pretty girls with features the generic blonde hair blue eyes features.
"And why is that?" Aubrey asked.
"Declan Vaughn sits there." Came the reply. Aubrey tried not to snort at that. The way the girl said that made it sound like god himself had personally reserved this spot on earth for him.
"And pray tell me where exactly is he?" Aubrey shot back,"And I'm sorry his name is not written anywhere."
"Bottom right."
Aubrey's head whipped around to see Declan towering over her, despite leaning on opposite desk.
"I am here." He said,"And on the bottom right of the desk is where you will find my name."
He then turned to look at the blonde behind Aubrey and winked,"Thanks Tammy, I owe you one."
Aubrey had to hold back a snort as she heard her name. She sounded like a perfect fit for the Real Bimbos of Spade as she twirled her hair, blinked her eyes in a failingly seductive manner.
A wave of unfamiliar anger passed through her all so suddenly that Aubrey didn't even a chance to stop herself as she said,"The janitors closet is at the end of the hall. I would suggest that you guys get a room but I think it's not screaming trashy which is the theme you're going for."
The girl took in a sharp breath as Aubrey stared back at her smirking. She had the entire classes undivided attention now and turned to see Declan as of daring him to make his next move.
But Declan looked pained more than anything else, as if someone had knocked the wind out of him. His gold eyes met hers for a second and in that second Aubrey felt her breath snatched away with a sharp tug.
His usually walled eyes were shattered giving her a glimpse of what was inside.
Pain, fear and determination flashed through them in lightning speed before the wall snapped back into place.
"Well it's fun to see that the kitten actually has claws." He commented letting the amused smile return to his face.
Aubrey's mouth fell open but she caught herself quickly. She couldn't mess with Declan especially when he knew about her pills which meant that he had the power to tell everyone just how psycho Aubrey the new girl really was.
But her temper was rising fast and Aubrey had to physically clench her hands to prevent hitting his pretty face.
"Wow you really are a bastard." Aubrey said and Declan opened his mouth to say something but she cut him off,"But I assure that I'm much much worse than a bitch."
He smirked clearly understanding her reference to his comment in the hallway,"No doubt. I'm sure you are but that still doesn't change the fact that you're sitting on my seat cupcake."
Aubrey turned a deep scarlet,"I'm not your cupcake."
Again a smirk,"No, you're not nearly as sweet, Tammy on the other hand..."
Aubrey gagged.
"Mr Vaughn, Miss Valdis is there a problem?" Mr Thorne had just entered the class. Aubrey and Declan were standing face to face, Aubrey obviously a head shorter than him but that didn't lessen any it the tension in the room.
Mr Thorne must have sensed it as Declan shook his head,"No sir Miss Valdis and I just had a slight misunderstanding with the seating arrangements."
"Yes apparently it's been brought to my notice by the ever so polite Mr Vaughn that we have permanent seats in this class." Aubrey said and then added innocently,"I refused to believe him until I heard it straight from you."
Aubrey knew she was pushing It too far, especially when she had a lot to lose but she didn't care at that moment. She needed to prove to Declan and herself that she wasn't going to be bullied by some hotshot pretty boy.
Mr Thorne glanced at Aubrey his eyes taking on a peculiar expression which he quickly masked with an exasperated sigh.
"Miss Valdis I suggest you go back to your previous seat."
And that was that.
Mr Thorne had immediately started to teach ignoring Aubrey's flushed face.
But everyone stared at her their gaze burning a hole into her. She slowly got up her eyes trained down. She had embarrassed herself big time that was for sure and he would probably tell them all she was crazy too.
Declan stood in front of her his smirk still on,"I'd be careful if I were you."
"Is that a threat?" Aubrey whispered slowly trying to wrap her mind around what was going on.
"Depends on how you take it sweetheart." He said is voice so low that only she could hears him,"But if I were you Id run away."
"From what?"
His gold eyes were almost oppressively cold now as if it was physically folding around her and crushing her.
"From this town."
Aubrey's eyes unwillingly filled with tears. She regretted it immediately but it had become all too much. All her classmates were still all too happily looking at her shameful fall and the boy who was the key to her insanity was threatening to call her out for the very insanity caused by him.
Life was a bitch.
Declan smiled knowing he'd won and stepped aside waiting for Aubrey to go away. Wether he had succeeded to chase her out of the town as well as his seat was yet to be seen.
But Aubrey didn't want to back down and for once in her life she didn't want to run away. But she knew if she wanted her dignity to remain intact, at least whatever was left of her dignity she would have to walk away.
That and she really didn't want to burst into tears in front of the entire class.
So she grabbed her books as Declan stepped aside letting her through. She resisted the strong urge to kick him in the balls as she got wiggled out of the seat with the full intention of walking out of class.
And that's when it happened.
Their shoulders brushed against for the smallest of moments but the impact knocked Aubrey straight off.
An electric charge so strong passed between them that Aubrey felt it till her toes. It was as if Aubrey had been zapped with lightning and Declan's sharp intake of breath told her that the same, whatever it was happening to her was happening to him too.
And then he looked at her, his eyes blazing a dark gold. His face was sharp with a calculated blank expression but his eyes said it all.
He was barely holding it together.
Even though they were standing a few inches apart the electric current charged the air between them.
Aubrey didn't dare to breathe as she stared at Declan as evenly as possible.
He stared back at her and his lips parted as if he was trying to say something but word were failing him.
"Miss Valdis shouldn't you be taking your seat?" Mr Throne had turned back now watching her with a glare behind his glasses.
Aubrey went a deep scarlet and nodded somehow managing to break her gaze from Declan.
No don't, not yet.
Declan's deep voice echoed through her head and Aubrey turned back sharply to look at him.
But he was already sitting looking out of the window with a far off look on his face.
Aubrey don't do anything stupid.
Once again his voice echoed through her head but he hadn't moved one bit.
She was going crazy.
She walked to her seat at the back of the class and got the rest of the period she did her best to ignore the looks thrown her way.
______
"So you fought with Declan Vaughn over his seat in Thorne's class, huh?"
Casey was extremely bubbly as she came and sat next to Aubrey in lunch.
Aubrey looked back at the smiley girl shocked. Everybody had been avoiding her like the plague after history. Gabby had not come to school which meant Aubrey had to brave the halls on her own.
She didn't expect any of Gabby's friend to come sit with her but it's still stung a little when the walked past her.
And yet by some miracle it was boy crazy Casey who had come and set herself beside Aubrey.
"I always thought you were a Declan kind of girl even though Michael is gorgeous." She continued on,"Declan's like man candy, playboy, Greek god and Abercrombie model all stuffed into one but he's kind of rude."
Aubrey snorted,"Kind of rude? He's a jackass."
Casey laughed,"Trust me that's what everyone says but they all end up sleeping with him and then being discarded like trash but you seem like you can hold your own."
Aubrey looked down not wanting to tell her just how much he owned her ass right now. He had her container with a label that had her name written against an antipsychotic. He could tell everyone just how messed up she was and on top of that without the container she couldn't get new ones.
Casey smiled though,"Don't worry about Declan he's hot and shit but he won't gun after you. His MO is more like lie in wait and let the girls swarm to him."
Aubrey laughed grateful for her very unlikely friend,"You make it sound so creepy."
Casey laughed to,"Yeah and by the way don't feel bad them not sitting with you. Gabby is kind of the glue to our group and they are kinda jealous."
"Jealous of getting embarrassed by Declan?"
Casey shook her head,"No please I'm pretty sure they've already slept with him. But you're very pretty and you're kind a the talk of the school."
"Umm thank you?" Aubrey really didn't know how to take that.
"Your welcome." She said,"If it's worth anything I think Michael is definitely the better option and yesterday when you two were talking it seemed like he really liked you."
Aubrey blushed despite herself. Michael was very good looking it was true and he didn't have the personality of an ass wipe such as his cousin.
"He was just being nice." Aubrey countered.
"Well nice or not he likes you." Casey said,"And if you wasn't to go to war against our dark prince over a seat I suggest you get Michael on your side."
God, what she'd done in history was stupid. Why was she trying to mess with Declan anyway? Especially when he could potentially reveal everything she was trying to hide.
I mean seriously it was one stupid seat versus her sanity.
Or at least whatever was left of it.
But still there was a part of her that wanted to push for answers. Ones that he surely had.
"Hey Aubrey."
Aubrey nearly jumped from her thoughts as Michael appeared in front of her.
He looked as handsome as anyone could ever be, well except maybe his cousin.But Michael was still damn close to perfect.
"Mind if I join you?" He asked.
Casey threw Aubrey an excited look and nodded subsequently,"Oh I'm sure she'd love it."
Aubrey threw a look towards Casey who simply mouthed, you're welcome.
"Anyways I have work to do so I'll just leave you guys alone." She said giving a small wink before slipping out of her seat.
"So I hope last nights disaster with my cousin didn't throw you off?" He asked after Casey was gone,"He has a very habit of being very unsocial."
Aubrey's gaze flickered to where Declan sat, he was surrounded by girls and guys alike.
Michael followed her gaze and sighed,"I heard about your fight with him. If you want me to talk to him-"
"No." Aubrey said rather harshly cutting him off trying to understand why either half the school was utterly enamoured by Declan Vaughn or thought he was some kind of assassin.
"I mean." Aubrey corrected herself in a gentler tone,"I can handle him. On top of that its just a seat."
"Michael!" One of his friends yelled from across the cafeteria.
Michael sighed,"I need to go, I'm sorry."
Aubrey nodded,"Of course."
He got up and hen hesitated for a second before turning his gaze back to her,"This Friday, are you free?"
Aubrey almost fell off her chair in shock.
"W-Why?" She managed to stammer out quite ungracefully.
"Oh." He flushed slightly,"I was thinking I you'd like to go out with me? Maybe catch a new movie or something?"
Aubrey looked at him gape mouthed. But then she imagined what that was probably looking like so she promptly shut her mouth and nodded,"I'd love too."
"Great." He said,"I'll pick you up at seven?"
She nodded.
He turned again but then once again stopped and turned towards Aubrey,"Hey have you seen Gabby?"
She shook her head,"She's not in school today."
His eyebrows scrunched up in confusion which made Aubrey throw a confused glance towards him.
"Oh it's nothing." He said noticing her look,"We have a chem project."
He turned around and left this time but Aubrey couldn't shake off the feeling that the look he had on his face after she had said Gabby wasn't here was anything but nothing.
_________________
Aubrey decided to skip the rest of lunch and head towards the library.
The hallways were fairly empty as she made her way down them slowly. She stopped in front of the vending machines debating wether she should get a Mars Bar or not.
Suddenly a hand clamped down on her wrist making her turn around instantly.
Aubrey was prepared to go all ninja until she saw Declan standing in front of her looking so terribly frightened that almost immediately Aubrey's heartbeat picked up.
His palms reached up until they were on either side of her cheeks and his forehead was pressed up against hers.
What was happening?
"I thought I lost you." He said softly his lips just inches away from hers. Aubrey wanted to ask him a billion questions but she was rendered speechless.
His breath, his touch had her reeling unable to form any thoughts. All she could do is hold his solid gold eyes gaze and do her best not to keep herself upright despite the fact that they were giving out underneath her.
"You can't do this." He said once again and this time his voice is soft that it's pleading,"You can't think this is the right thing to do. You said you'll burn hell for me and you know that I'll burn everything else. So please don't make me do it."
He looked at her in a way that made Aubrey melt right into the ground,"Getting answers from them won't help me, my fate is sealed I've made sure and I'm not going to let you break it just to trap yourself in it, instead."
Aubrey's lips parted as she looked for some answer any answer to what he had said to her but she just couldn't.
Because she didn't understand what he was trying to aka her to do in the first place.
What could she say, all she could really think about was the electric sparks racing up and down her cheek, his breath on hers.
He smelt like rain, Aubrey distantly thought out.
"Aubrey-"His eyes widened this time and his hands dropped from either side.
She immediately slumped against the wall as if all energy drained out of her.
"Shit." Declan murmured stepping away from her as he ran his hands through his hair.
"What was that?" Aubrey managed to breath out,"Y-You just-"
He stepped forward promptly cutting her off,"What's the date?"
Aubrey's eyes narrowed but she answered,"February 18th."
He closed his eyes pacing in front of her and he looked so scared, so pained that Aubrey just had to ask,"What's going on? What just happened? What were you talking about?"
He looked at her wearing that same torn pained expression,"Why didn't you tell me Aubrielle, about this? I- I could have stopped you- I just wish-"
He never did get to finish his sentence because that's when the vending machine near her exploded into a million bits.