Chapter Three: Fire
School went by fairly quick that day, all anyone could talk about was the party out at Olsen Bay, and I had to admit I too was pretty excited about it. It meant I didn't have to stay at home by myself, and it also meant I should be able to get rid of the creepy feeling I've had since my dream the previous night.
I have never had a dream that felt so real before. So real that I could actually taste the smoke that filled my lungs, and see every detail so clearly—the fear in that young man's eyes was unnerving.
I had just walked out the double doors to the front of the school when the hair on my arms started tingling and the necklace—I forgot I was even wearing—felt warm against my skin. I could sense eyes on me, I looked around and just when I was beginning to feel like an idiot, I spotted him again—standing at the edge of the football field near the tree line, white shirt, dark hair and piercing green eyes. He was too far away to pin point any actual features of his face but what I did know was, he was looking right at me.
Everything else around me went quiet as I locked gazes with the mystery man. I was just about to take a step towards him when I felt a hand grab my shoulder, I screamed as I whirled around.
"Whoa Seattle, what's got your panties in a bunch? You look like you saw a ghost." Stacy teased.
I turned my gaze back to the football field, no one was there. I brought my attention back to Stacy.
"Oh I uh...never mind, I just..." looking back at the field then to her again, "thought I saw something."
Stacy followed my gaze to the field, "Uh huh...alright then. Nothing's there Ri. Are you okay?"
"Oh yeah, I'm fine. Must be loosing my mind." I joked, trying to play it off before I lost the first friend I made here due to my insanity.
"Cool then, hey I was thinking, if you want I could come get ready with you. Then we can all go together."
"Yeah definitely." I responded almost sounding desperate at the same time, but truth be told, I definitely didn't want to be alone right now. Either I am truly loosing my mind—maybe from the stress of the move, and mom taking off to hunt down one of the most dangerous men alive, or I was truly being stalked, either one didn't sit too well with me.
Stacy laughed, "Awesome, I'll follow you home."
I took one final glance at the field before heading to my car, still nothing. It had to be in my head, there was no way someone could pull a Houdini and disappear that fast.
"Well this is it," I gestured towards my house when Stacy got out of her car.
"Very nice." She smiled. That's what I liked about Stacy, she didn't come off as a stuck up brat like I was used to. And when she smiled it was genuine, not mocking. I was definitely warming up to her cheery self.
I led her inside and gave her a quick tour of the interior. I knew we had a few hours to kill before Tate picked us up at seven, so I decided on making pizza for the two of us, and not that fresh out of the freezer kind either. When I cooked I liked taking the time to make everything from scratch. She was surprised at my cooking capabilities, told me she would be lucky if she didn't end up burning toast.
We had just finished putting the dishes back in the cupboards when she turned to me, "Idea!" she exclaimed. I didn't like the sound of that.
"Yes..." I asked cautiously.
"I'm going to do your hair and make up." She smiled then looked me up and down, "And find you something else to wear." She laughed.
I looked at my attire, a black Pink Floyd t-shirt along with jeans, which were a little to loose and a pair of DC skater shoes. "Hey what's wrong with my clothes?"
"You look like you belong in a skater magazine, also it's a little grungy, and I'm assuming you don't lack money considering the car you drive."
I raised my eyebrows at her forwardness.
"Hey! What are friends for right?" And again she wasn't mocking me, or purposely poking jabs at me to make herself seem superior, she was being honest. I knew I didn't have any fashion sense, I liked being comfortable and if hoodies and jeans were what did it then...that's what I wore.
"I can't believe I'm going to say this..." I pursed my lips, and noticed how Stacy was anxiously waiting for my answer, "but fine!" Before I even had time to set out some conditions she was squealing with excitement and dragging me to the stairs.
"You know..." she started while wrapping some of my hair around the curling iron, "Tate is totally into you."
I felt a flush began to surface in my cheeks, "Oh really?" Trying to sound nonchalant. She nodded.
"I'm sorry if..." I began not knowing how to phrase it.
"What?" then she must have realized where I was going with it, judging by her next words "Oh god ew. No Rileigh." She laughed, "All yours..." she was now doubling over laughing uncontrollably.
I didn't understand what was so funny, so I asked, "What's wrong with him?"
When her laughing fit finally subsided the slightest bit she replied, "He's my cousin dude."
"Oh." I started laughing as well, I didn't know what I found more funny, the fact that I thought she had a thing for Tate and it turned he was her cousin or the fact that "dude" was the very last word I would ever expect to come out of Miss red haired, pink skirted, high heeled cheerleader girl.
"Caleb on the other hand...you stay away from." She winked and pointed a finger at me in the mirror.
Caleb was one of Tate's best friends, and fellow football player. I met him at lunch earlier that day. He was just as good looking as Tate but he seemed to be less confident, a little shyer. He had deep brown eyes, and dirty blonde hair, he had the same "football" player build and was just as muscular as Tate...from what I could tell that is.
"Oh speaking of Caleb, I called Tate on the way over and asked that he pick him up, I hope you don't mind, figured it could be a double date kind of thing." She said.
"No I don't mind sounds great."
About an hour and a half later we were standing in front of my full length mirror with minutes to spare. I barely recognized myself. My chocolate colored hair was wavy and hanging loosely ending just above my waist, I was wearing a light purple eye shadow making my eyes stand out.
Stacy had torn through my closet, in her words—there is no way I lived in Seattle and only owned "boy" clothes. And she was right. She found the box of clothing I had stuffed away, things my mom had bought me but I never actually wore. Well until now apparently.
And I'm not going to lie, I looked great, I had on a white turtle neck sweater shirt that showed off my figure, with dark skinny blue jeans and faux brown suede high heeled boots that came up right below my knees.
"See, not bad huh?" Stacy smirked at me in the mirror. She was in a small jean skirt with black leggings and a pink sequenced dressy shirt. Her bright red hair was pulled up into a messy bun with strands of hair going every which way.
"Not bad at all." I smiled back.
"See I knew I would find some girlie parts hidden under those baggy clothes," She laughed and gestured towards my chest.
"Oh shush!" I fake slapped her in the arm.
Then there was the distinct crunching sound of tires driving over gravel. One thing's for sure, you could never sneak down that driveway.
Stacy and I met the guys outside, piling in the back seat of Tate's gorgeous Chevy Silverado, lucky thing he had running bars, or else they would have had to lift us into the gi-normous truck.
Olsen Bay was a large beach ten miles South of town. There had to be at least a hundred people at the party, in the center of it all was a huge bon fire. A nice jeep was parked a little ways away playing some kind of country song about beer and horses.
I've never really liked county music, but I had the strange feeling that living here...it would grow on me.
Tate led us down to the fire, taking my hand in his. I would be lying if I said my heart didn't do a little leap at that small gesture. I looked to see him smiling at me as we made out way down.
"So this is the place to be huh?"
"It sure is" he responded. "And the good thing about it, is the cops never bug us down here. There's a party out here every Friday. In the summer it's better."
"Why's that?"
"Well skinny dipping of course." He said in a joking - but not so joking tone.
I laughed, "Right."
The bon fire was beautiful, I've never been to parties that involved standing on a beach with the moon shining on the water and a fire on shore. No back in Seattle our parties consisted of 20th floor condos, tuxedos and trying to figure out what kind of bug is on the menu next, like snail...like c'mon. Nasty.
Tate had just left to get us more drinks when I spotted 'him' again, standing across the fire, Mr. Dark Hair, Green eyes. Eyes so intense I could feel the weight of them on my skin. He had to be real. Nothing that felt that intense could be fake...could it?
Deciding there was only one way to find out I started making my way around the fire, slowly and deliberately keeping my eyes on him. There is no way I was going to let him get away this time. He was stalking me for crying out loud!
I made it to his side of the fire, but stopped six feet away from him, there were other people on this side too, but none that were paying any attention to him. But how was that possible? The mere sight of him made my heart speed up.
With his chiseled jaw line, the tenseness of his body - how he stood completely still, whiter then normal skin color, and those eyes...vibrant green eyes that stood out in the harshest of any light. How was he not surrounded by drooling girls?
Mechanically my feet began moving, closing the distance between us, and betraying my brain in the process, which told me to stop and not go any further.
I stopped two feet in front of him, his eyes didn't leave me the entire time. Everything felt like it was in slow motion. Now what?
"You're following me." Was the first words that left my mouth. That just goes to prove there is no filter between my brain and mouth...
"Am I?" he responded while tilting his head slightly to the side.
What kind of response was that? I raised my eyebrows, "Are you?"
"Do you want me to say yes?" He spoke with an Irish accent, his tone was cocky yet angelic and mesmerizing. His lips looked so smooth and welcoming...I could just picture...
I shook my head trying to get a handle on myself. "How bout I want the truth." I said sternly.
"And in time it shall reveal itself, but for now what'd you say we have some fun?"
"Right...okay there Gandhi."
"My name is not Gandhi." He replied matter of factly, and then his eyes shifted somehwere behind me. "Oh times up luv, your little girlie friend is looking for ya." He turned to walk away.
"Wait!" He paused and turned back. Crap, again with the non existent filter, why couldn't I just let him walk away? "I never got your name..."
"Name's Liam" He smiled, showing perfectly white teeth. Then he began to walk away, glancing back once to say, "Nice necklace by the way, see ya soon Rileigh Mason."
Unintentional my hand went to the necklace that I bought yesterday. It felt warm against my cool hands. How did he know my name? And who the heck was this guy? The distance between Liam and I was growing by the second as he retreated down the beach. I was just about to run after him to demand answers when a hand wrapped around my wrist.
I turned around to see Stacy staring at me, "Rileigh I called you like five times as I walked over here, what were you staring at?" She asked completely confused—well that explains how he knew my first name...but not how he knew my last name. Or why he was following me.
"Oh sorry Stace, I was talking to this guy and..."
"A guy?" She glanced over my shoulder "What guy?"
"Liam, he went that-" I turned to point him out but he was gone. "Well he was just here."
"...Rileigh, you've been standing here for five minutes, but I never saw anyone with you..." concern washed over her face.
"No he was right here, I swear."
"Okay...I believe you, maybe he was blocked by the fire." Maybe? She still didn't believe me. But I knew for sure this time, he was real. I not only seen him but I had a conversation with him.
"Yeah...maybe." My voice sounded distant as I took another look down the beach—nothing.
"Any way, I was coming to tell you your date passed out and Caleb thinks we should get him home." She laughed.
"Yeah sounds like a good idea," We began walking to where Caleb had Tate leaning on the truck, "How much did he drink?" I let out a laugh as we approached Caleb.
"A little too much I would say." Caleb chuckled, "Here help me get him up in this beast."
My house was dark and completely silent when I walked through the door, deciding I wasn't quite ready for bed yet I made my way into the living room and turned on the light.
"Home so soon?" A quiet voice came from the corner of the room.
I jumped back and a scream escaped my mouth. First thought that crossed my mind was I'm going to die.
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A/N Well??? What do ya think so far? I was kinda iffy with this chapter... but I just shrugged it off. Gotta keep the story moving!
PLEASE COMMENT and vote if you like. I would truly like to know what you think. Also if there is any Irish people reading this...i need help! lol with Irish slang, maybe some pet names (not for animals) but like, what guys call girls...nicknames I suppose. That would be greatly appreciated.