Nathan
I could feel Percy's eyes glaring at me as I drove back to the hotel we were staying in. I kept my scowl fixed on the road ahead of me.
After several minutes of silence, Percy finally spoke.
"So are you going to tell me what that was all about then?" he asked.
"That was about me being pissed off at having to go and get your sorry ass out of trouble...again!"
"Again? That was the first time in about 2 months!" Percy argued back.
I laughed, but it was full of sarcasm. "You say that like it's a good thing. Never would be a good thing!"
"And it's not like I was getting in trouble. It was just a party."
"Yes, a college party! And you're just 16!" I shot back.
Percy had been trouble ever since he turned 14. He was your basic rebel. Always looking to break the rules, always looking to be different from everyone else. On the whole it didn't bother me. Only when I got dragged in to help did it start to grate a bit.
He also looked older than 16, and that didn't help. It meant that getting hold of alcohol was fairly easy for him, which just led to more trouble.
"And that was worth nearly strangling me for?" he asked. "I mean, I expected you to be pissed at having to come and get me, but that was a bit much even for you. What aren't you telling me? Why specifically did you tell me to never touch that guy again?"
I sighed. This was why I hated having a mate. It affected my behaviour and led to awkward conversations such as this one.
"Because you're 16. Did he even know how old you were?" I said, trying to move the conversation onto something else.
"For fuck's sake, it was only a kiss! It wasn't like I was going to take him to bed. Although I wouldn't have minded, he had a sexy...."
My arm flew out to the side and pinned his head up against the window of the door in one fluid motion.
"Say that again, and you'll feel real pain," I growled.
A car honked its horn behind me, and I realised I'd come to a stop in the middle of the road.
I released my hand from the side of Percy's head and continued to drive.
Percy shuffled in his seat uneasily, but then said quietly, "See, that's what I'm talking about."
I ignored him, wishing the traffic was lighter so I could get back quicker.
"It's him isn't it? What's so special about him?"
I ignored him again.
"I'll just ask Ronan if you don't tell me."
I groaned. Of course Ronan would tell him. Ronan told his brother everything, and I knew he would relish in making fun out of me for what happened tonight.
Ronan had a certain sense of mischief, which regularly got me into trouble. I specifically remember one time when he had managed to persuade a member of staff at Blackwood manor that I was an intruder. The said member of staff then launched himself at me and managed to headbutt me in the process.
I looked across at Percy and saw that he was grinning at me. He knew he had won.
"Fine!" I huffed. "That guy you were about to kiss, happens to be my mate."
I glanced across and saw Percy's eyes widen and his jaw drop slightly.
"Him," he said, "and you? Are you sure? I mean I wouldn't have thought he was your type."
I smiled slightly, pleased that at least somebody understood how I felt.
"Exactly!" I said, "And that's why I'm not going to have any more to do with him."
"So you're rejecting him?" Percy said, and I could hear some bitterness in his voice.
I glanced across confused by his tone.
"You said yourself, that he's not my type, so why are you surprised?"
"I suppose I shouldn't be," he said with a shrug. "This isn't the first time this has happened is it?"
"No," I said, with a clenched jaw. I was really getting sick and tired of being judged about this.
"Well, it's your loss," Percy said. "He seemed like a really nice guy. And I'm sure that someone else will notice that soon enough."
I finally pulled into the hotel car park and turned off the engine.
"What do you mean?" I said, giving him my full attention.
"Well, what you seem to have failed to notice, is that you've just left the guy at a college party. With alcohol and lots of horny teenagers. And let me tell you something else. I get the feeling that he hasn't had much experience in the past and is probably a little naive about people's intentions with him. I just hope he's going to be alright."
I could see the glint of mischief in Percy's eyes. At times he took after his brother a little too much for my liking.
But even though I knew he was just trying to wind me up, that didn't mean that it didn't work.
I could already feel my heart beating a little faster at the thought of him back at that party.
"Go on, get out," I said to Percy, gesturing to the door.
Percy laughed but got out.
"Aren't you coming?" he asked.
"No, I have something I need to do," I said, then started up the car and drove off before he could say anything else.
Stupidly I looked in my rearview mirror and saw him doubled over in laughter.
I flipped up my middle finger in the rear view mirror. He probably didn't see, but it made me feel better. The little bastard.
++++++++++++++
I'd been sat outside the house for half an hour unsure what to do.
I didn't really want to have anymore contact with him than absolutely necessary, but I also knew that if I wanted to get any sleep tonight, I just needed to make sure he was ok.
I was about to get out of my car when I saw him dash outside and hurl in a big potted plant outside the front door.
I screwed my nose up in disgust. This is why I never drank alcohol. It stripped away your dignity.
I saw a girl come over to him and gently rub his back while he continued to empty his stomach.
I felt my leg twitch slightly at the sight of someone else touching him.
He finally finished and wobbled down the path of the house and sat on the side of the road.
I had a perfect view of him in my nearside wing mirror and for the first time, I actually looked at him properly.
His hair was a dark blond, and quite messy, neither long nor short. Not long enough to tie back, but long enough to be able to grab a fistful of it.
I shook that thought away quickly.
He had a friendly face, and all his features seemed in proportion and pleasing on the eye. If you liked that kind of thing. There was something odd about his eyes though. I couldn't quite see the colour from here, but I was sure that they were not the same.
He was really small. And quite skinny too. It made him look younger that he was. I had to assume he was 18 if he was my mate. He looked about 16.
He was sat with his shoulders hunched and his head hung low. He looked sad. Or tired. I could see the girl talking to him, and it looked like she was trying to persuade him to stand up and follow her.
He eventually seemed to reluctantly agree and stood up, only to trip up over the kerb he had just been sat on and land sprawled out on the pavement.
The girl stamped her foot in frustration, then tried to pull him back up. He ignored her and just lay on the floor like a dead weight. I could see the girl looking around in desperation, not knowing what to do.
I sighed.
Then opened the door of my car and got out.
I saw the girls eyes widen as she saw me approach.
"Looks like you could do with a hand," I said, getting straight to the point.
"Um, it's ok, I can handle it," she said, eyeing me up warily.
I looked her in the eye. "It doesn't look like you're handling it," I said, gesturing to the guy lying on the floor at our feet.
"Um, no offence, but I don't know you, and you scared the bejesus out of me earlier, so I think if it's ok with you, I'll be fine dealing with this by myself."
I looked at the girl and could see she wasn't going to be backing down anytime soon.
"Fine," I said, trying not to show my impatience with the whole thing. "I tell you what, I'll just sit over here," I said pointing to a small garden wall, "and if you manage to get him on his feet and on his way home, then great, but if not, then you'll let me help, ok?"
She opened her mouth to say something but then snapped it shut again. "Fine," she eventually said, and I smiled slightly to myself.
I went and made myself comfy on the wall, while the girl frantically tried to get the guy to move.
After several minutes she managed to get him on his feet, but he was leaning on her heavily just in order to stand up. As soon as she tried walking him, his legs turned to jelly and he ended up on the pavement again.
"Arrrgghh!" she shouted in frustration.
I felt the corners of my mouth twitch, but I quickly relaxed my face when she turned to look at me.
"Ok, I'll admit defeat," she said. "Just promise you won't murder us or anything."
I smiled slightly. "I'll try my best not to."
The girl raised her eyebrows at me, but I just ignored her and walked over to the guy.
"Come on boy, time to get up," I said, nudging him a little with my foot.
"Kicking him, is hardly going to help!" the girl said stomping over to me, "and his name is Cole."
"I didn't need to know that," I growled out, before realising that it wasn't her fault that I was trying to know as little about my mate as possible.
"Maybe this is a bad idea," the girl said looking at me with worry in her eyes again.
I sighed, and forced myself to try and be more pleasant.
"Sorry," I said, "I'm not a people person generally."
"No kidding!" she mumbled more to herself than me.
"My name's Nathan, what's yours?" I said offering my hand for her to shake.
"Natalie," she replied, giving my hand a tentative shake.
"Right then Natalie, do you know where Cole lives?"
"Yes, it's in the next town, not far from Highfield Hall."
"Hmm," I muttered, trying not to sound too disgruntled by that news. Although I had already guessed as much.
"Right, come on then, let's get him home."
I bent down and scooped Cole up, bridal style, being careful to not touch any bare skin. I knew we had already sealed the bond, but if I wanted to break it again, I needed to have as little contact as possible.
Unfortunately Cole had other ideas, and as I was walking to my car, his hands kept flailing around, trying to grab onto something, eventually settling for a fistfull of my hair, leaving the base of his hand pressed against my cheek.
I immediately felt a warm sensation travel down my face, and I had to concentrate hard on not leaning into his touch and sighing in contentment.
Cole must have felt it too as he suddenly became very still, and I saw a look of bliss pass across his face.
Natalie opened the back door of my car, and I lay Cole down on the back seat. I had to gently pry his fingers out of my hair, and the moment I freed them, they immediately grabbed hold of my hand.
I groaned in frustration. Frustrated that that he was again strengthening the bond, and frustrated that I had to break the contact.
In one quick movement, I jerked my hand away from him, and shut the door.
Natalie climbed into the front seat, and I got in and set off.
It took less that 15 minutes for Natalie to direct me to Cole's house, and I pulled up outside.
It was a nice looking house. Not very big, but well maintained, with a pretty front garden with various flowers starting to show.
"I'll go and knock," Natalie said, jumping out of the car and knocking on the front door.
I walked round and opened up the back door.
"Come on Cole," I said, pulling him up into a sitting position by his arm.
This time, Cole seemed more alert and he turned to look at me. I saw his eyes widen with fear.
"Hey, hey, you're ok," I tried to say soothingly, "you're home now."
I saw him look around and relief pass across his features when he saw his house.
He slowly made his way out of the car, and I steadied him with his elbow when he stood up.
"Cole?" I heard a concerned voice say, and I turned round to see what I presumed was his father, coming out to meet us.
"Hi Dad," Cole croaked out, "I think I might have had too much to drink."
"You don't say!" he said chuckling a little.
"Thanks for bringing him home safely", his dad said to Natalie, "and thanks for giving them a lift," he said to me.
As he looked at me, I saw a look of something pass across his face. But then it was gone again.
"No problem," I said, quickly getting back into my car.
"Hey wait up!" Natalie called.
Before I could say anything, she had seated herself back in the front of my car.
"I live just a few minutes away," she said flashing me a smile.
I shook my head but started the car and pulled away.
True to her word, a couple of minutes later we were pulled up outside her house.
"So, um, I should probably thank you for that."
"Yes, you probably should," I said back.
She smiled and shook her head at me. "Never mind," she said, before getting out of my car and walking into her house without another word.
"Humans!" I said, shaking my head.
I'll never understand them.
A/N. A familiar face shows up in the next chapter.......