“Set Fire to the Rain”
2011 © All Rights Reserved
Chapter 4
September 16, 2011
The time had finally arrived. Down stairs a multitude of people awaited her to kick off the party of the year. Everything was in place, the decorations were hung, the catered food had been carefully laid out, the music was already pumping through the state of the art sound system that her parents had rented and Hope had a small bag packed and a motel room booked for her special little after party with Joey. Every detail had been attended to and their was nothing left to do but enjoy her evening.
Hope stared at her reflection in the mirror and smiled. Eighteen. She was finally eighteen years old, a consenting legal adult. Her hair was done up in an elegant classic do and her dress fit perfectly. She put on a final dab of lipstick and she was done. “Perfect” she muttered. Everything was perfect, Hope told herself as she stood.
She walked towards the bed and picked up the white lacy scarf she was planning to wear in order to hide that cursed mark on the back of her neck. It was still radiating a slow burn when Hope ran her fingers curiously over the raised skin. What in the hell does it all mean, she wondered once again. Blowing out a sigh of frustration she was determined that whatever it was she would not let it interfere with her plans for a perfect night. Nope, that mark was not going to be a nuisance tonight she told herself determinedly and wrapped the scarf around her neck as a sign of a finality.
Hope stopped at the full length mirror on the back of her door for one final look over.
“Hope Masters” she said aloud. “This is your night to shine. You better do it right girl!” she added before taking in a deep breath, opening her bedroom door and stepping out in the hall.
Entering the hall the music floated up to Hope’s ears easily setting her mood. J Lo’s song “On the Floor” was echoing through the house bringing everything to life. Descending the stairs with her held high Hope was already swaying with the beat. She hit the bottom stair when a low whistle from behind caught her attention.
Turning, Joey was standing there with half a dozen of pink roses eyeing here up and down appreciatively. Hope could only smile at the glint in his eyes. This was her man and by the end of the night they he was the one that would take her innocence and make her a full fledged woman. She couldn’t wait.
“You are absolutely beautiful” he stated kicking up the corners of his mouth in a breath taking smile of his own.
Hope sauntered towards him and adjusted his tie. “You know babe, you’re not so bad yourself,” she told him patting his cheek affectionately.
“Really” he replied looking down at her with a flicker of amusement in his eyes.
Hope looked up at Joey and batted her eyelashes playfully before awarding him with a quick peck on his lips, “really” she stated.
Joey pulled Hope into his arms and held her close to his chest. For a solitary moment they just stood in the foyer arms embracing each other before Joey spoke again.
“Are you sure your ready for tonight baby?” he asked her trying to hide the excitement in his voice.
Hope pulled back and looked up at him, “Oh, I’m ready” she told him with confidence. “In fact, that is the only thing that I have thought about all day long” she added standing on her toes to nibble on his cleanly shaven chin.
“Good” Joey said bending down to brush a kiss on her lips. “Me too,” and with that he dipped down again and kissed Hope the way that he had been wanting to from the moment that he seen her start down the stairs.
When he had first seen her his heart stopped on a dime and his breathing rate increased. She looked like an angel with her blonde hair shimmering in the fluorescent light and those big eyes blazing a magnificent cerulean blue. It was an image that he would have ingrained in his memory for the rest of his life.
“Cut it out guys” Bethany called out stepping into the foyer. “You two will have plenty of time for that stuff later” she said stifling her own giggles.
Hope stepped out of Joey’s arms and turned to glare at her friend. Bethany waggled her eyebrows at Hope causing her to loose her straight face. “You have impeccable timing, you know that don’t you?” Hope said to Bethany.
“Yep” she replied popping the “p” at the end of yep. Bethany was wide open and bright eyed when she strode to Hope and looped her arm in hers. She pointedly looked over at Joey and said to him, “But, right now it’s party time and parties mean we dance, so why don't you be a good little boy and go put those pretty flowers in some water. Then you can meet us on the dance floor.”
Hope erupted in laughter when Joey sarcastically rolled his eyes at Bethany. He was grinning too as he casually shook his head and turned to place a kiss on Hope‘s forehead. “I guess I‘ve been put in my place‘ he said mockingly glancing over in Bethany‘s direction.
Bethany arched a questioning eyebrow and tossed him an innocent look. Joey snorted before looking back at Hope and told her, “You go on and I‘ll be there in a few“.
Hope didn’t even get a chance to respond. Bethany was already pulling her off balance and dragging her off as soon as Joey had placed that kiss on her forehead.
“Later Joey” Bethany called out dismissing him as they disappeared into the room where most of the students that attended Eastern Guilford High School were awaiting their beloved guest of honor.
Joey stood in the foyer for a moment and watched them go. He liked Bethany to a point but she could be a real pain in the ass sometimes. He looked down at the flowers that he was still holding and then thought about what was to come later tonight. Just thinking about it brought a huge smile to his face. Glancing back at the door way where the two girls just left he let out a sigh. This was going to be the longest party of his life while he waited to get Hope all to himself, very long indeed.
Turning around to head to the kitchen Joey was staring down when he bumped into something hard as a rock and as unforgiving as a brick wall.
“Damn” he muttered rubbing at his sore nose. Lifting his head Joey’s eyes widened and he instantly took a cautious step back as he stared into the dark face of Liam Goler.
The two boys eyed each other carefully like two wrestlers checking out there next opponent. Liam didn’t say a word as he stared down at the ever popular high school quarterback holding a handful of pink roses. He was dressed in a monkey suit and his hair was gelled so that not a single strand was out of place. He could smell the cologne wafting off him in waves and he had to ask himself once again, What in the hell am I doing here?
Joey didn’t want anything to do with the tall boy standing in front of him. There was just something about him that put off an aura of danger and he figured that it was in his best interests to just walk away now. Joey gave him a barely there nod of the head and stepped around him making his way to the kitchen.
In the door way Joey stopped and glanced back over his shoulders once more to see Liam still glaring in his direction. A shudder ran through him as he looked in those dark piercing eyes. Joey quickly turned around and picked up his pace to put distance between him and the glowering boy standing in the foyer.
In the kitchen Joey pulled a vase out from under the sink and half heartedly placed the flowers it. Going to the sink he wanted to kick him self for the way that he cowered from Liam Goler. Joey turned on the water and filled the vase still stewing over the encounter. Why am I even worrying about him, Joey asked himself. Liam shouldn’t even be a blip on his radar he thought mundanely, not with what was awaiting him later tonight. A beautiful willing lady, alone in a motel room, “Now that’s more like it” Joey spoke aloud as the image popped in his head.
Joey sat the vase filled with flowers down in the center of the table and headed back to the party. Hope was where Joey centered his thoughts, to hell with the likes of Liam Goler.
Liam stood off in a corner all by himself in the haze filled room that was crowded with a multitude of gyrating bodies and flashing disco lights. His lids were half lowered as he watched one person in particular. Hope Masters.
He asked himself for the thousandth time tonight what he was doing here but as he watched Miss Disney Princess shake what her mama gave her he remembered. For whatever reason he felt compelled to be here because he knew without a doubt that she was a lyric and he also knew that she had no earthly idea what was coming. So, being the good Samaritan that he was Liam dragged his ass here to stand in a corner and wait.
Hope was having the time of her life, dancing and laughing. Her party was turning out better than she could have ever imagined. Everyone had complimented her dress and Hope felt that she had to be the happiest girl in the room.
Joey came up behind her and placed his hands on her hips. “Dance with me” he whispered at her ear. Hope gave a soft laugh and turned around to face him.
Placing her hands on his chest she gave a sultry smirk and sinuously rubbed herself against him in time with the music. “Your killing me, babe” he groaned running his hands along her back. “That’s the idea, stud.” Hope looked up and winked at him.
“I want you so hot for me that by the time we’re alone you won’t be able to keep your hands off of me” she stated surely.
Joey gave a strangled laugh, “I don’t think that’s going to a problem” he told her and pressed himself against her to demonstrate the undeniable proof.
Hope was about ready to retort with another sexy comment when the first wave hit her like a freight train. The mark on her neck burned at a fever pitch and her stomach rolled over with the pain. She keeled over suddenly and brought her hands to her head that felt as if it was about ready to explode.
“Hope….Hope” Joey, panic stricken, called out her name. He knelt down by her side and started to rub his hands along her back, “Hope…..baby, Hope what’s wrong?”
Liam knew the moment that it begun. He felt the surge of electricity in the air and glanced in Hope’s direction. She dropped like a rock and it was then that he came to the decision that he had to get her out of here and fast. Roughly pushing his way through the crowd, Liam made his way to Hope’s side.
“Move” he ordered the quarterback that was sitting by her. There wasn't any time to make niceties at the moment. Leaning over he pressed a hand to her forehead and felt that heat course through his own body. The powers were birthing and if he didn’t get her out of sight from the curious crowd they were going to get a show of the likes they had never seen before.
“Hope, we need to leave, now!” he told her urgently. She moaned in response and curled around herself into a small ball. Liam had just made the decision to pick her up and carry her out of the house himself when he was suddenly bulldozed out of the way.
Shaking his head to clear the fog from his tumble Liam stood up and narrowed his eyes on the Joey, “Boy” he said in a stiff warning tone, “you need to back the hell off and check your self or you will be very sorry.”
“Stay away from her” Joey sneered between gritted teeth. His chest was heaving as he glared back at Liam Goler. “You” he bit out and pointed an accusing finger at him, “need to leave.”
Liam took an imposing step forward when another groan came from the huddled ball in the floor. “I’m not leaving without her” he stated glancing down at Hope.
“You’ll leave now or I’ll throw your sorry ass out” Joey growled. He took a step forward daring Liam to make a move.
Hope was going to die. She was going to die at her own eighteenth birthday party in front of the entire student body a hopeless virgin. Her stomach wretched as she rolled over and dry heaved against the floor. Where was everyone? Call 911, just do something, she thought miserably. It felt like someone was ripping her skull open and prodding her brain with a steak knife. What was happening to her? Couldn’t she just die already and make the pain mercifully stop?
Time was running out before the real fireworks would begin. He had vowed to never use his powers against another human being but this time was going to have to be an exception. Liam closed his eyes and breathed in deeply calling in the energy. A second later he snapped his eyes open and released it on Joey.
Joey was reving up to tackle the boy again because he wasn't making any move to leave. Then it hit. It was like a bolt of lighting had struck him. Fire ran through his veins burning him from the inside out. Not knowing what was happening to him Joey could only drop to the floor and scream like a banshee.
Liam watched the brute fall and briefly smirked with satisfaction until he heard Hope’s pitiful whimper. With Joey on the ground Liam bent down and swept Hope up in his arms. He moved quickly to the door not daring to look back. Joey would be fine, Liam knew that for a fact. He only released a quarter of his power on him. He would have one hell of a sunburn, but the jock would live to breathe another day.
Liam ran to his truck and quickly placed Hope on the passenger seat where she immediately curled into a tight ball. Jogging around to the driver side Liam slid in and started the ignition. He knew where he had to go to keep her powers under wraps from the watchful eyes of the security forces. It was the same place that he was taken to by his own father when his powers came. The old mine down by the river.
“It hurts” Hope whimpered from her side of the truck, “Please make it stop.”
Liam glanced down at the pretty girl who had sweat beading profusely on her brow. Not able to stop himself he pulled a tissue out of his pocket and wiped it away. He met those searing blue eyes filled with an agony that he knew all to well himself for he experienced it too just a few months ago.
“I know” he choked out and forced himself to turn away from the pain Hope held in her own eyes. It was imperative now that he get both of them the hell out of there. Throwing thetruck in reverse Liam peeled down the drive not wanting to think of what the next few hours would bring, “Believe me Hope, I know.”