"Evelyn, can you get the door?" Celeste yelled at me, tying up her combat boots, as a loud knock pounded behind us. I nodded clicking my heels over to the door and swung open the latch. It was Declan.
"Evelyn!" Declan's eyes lit up excitedly as he stood tall in the hallway. He stepped back, scanning his eyes up and down my body. He took a deep breath and rubbed the back of his neck. "Wow you look..." His eyes met mine, "You look amazing." I smiled as I felt my cheeks fill with color.
"Thanks." I smiled, "you look good too." He wore a plain white shirt, with a flannel buttoned open over it. The white under shirt tucked into a light pair of ripped jeans. One thing about Declan is he always looked so put together. His hair softly combed, and his shirt neatly tucked in his pants. So effortless, yet so well kept.
He gaze locked into mine as Lani trampled towards us, down the hallway waving her arms, "Declan! You didn't wait for me."
Declan kept his eyes on me, "ya uh huh."
"Declan did you hear me?"
Shaking his head, Declan unfocused his eyes and turned to Lani who stood crossing her arms. "What did you say Lani?"
"God, never mind." She laughed and shook her head, "Hey Evelyn!" she waved to me.
"Lani! How's your wound?" I asked, glancing at her stomach, which she covered up with a leather jacket.
"It could be better" She shrugged
"Are you sure you should come...I think you should rest." I said sincerely
"Hell no, I'm good...I could really use some alc to ease the pain though, so we should get going!"
"Right ahead of you Lani." Celeste peeked her head out the door and walked into the hall, Cassian behind her. "Lets go!"
We traveled through the path that lined the old teared up buildings to get where the party was. It was held in an apartment building they called, "The Spot".
The whole walk Cassian would not stop rambling about all the Rogues he thought were hot, Lani arguing his every claim.
"Dominic for sure!" Cassain blurted
"God no! He's an asshole." Lani sneered
"You're an asshole!"
"You know what!"
They snapped at each other the whole walk. I felt like my ears were going to explode each time they hissed at one another. Declan peered down at me, noticing the annoyed look on my face. He gently latched his fingers onto my wrist, and pulled me aside, as the group kept walking.
"What are you doing?" I asked
"Shh..." he whispered, holding his fingers to his lips. "I cant listen to them any longer...we're gonna take another route to get there."
"There's another route?"
"It's personally my favorite way to get there." He smirked
"Sounds good to me" I shrugged
He took my hand, and ran towards one of the old buildings, my body barley catching up with his feet. As we arrived at it, I stared at the tattered architecture... It towered over my head and was lit by only the moonlight. It was so beautiful yet so intimidating. It was dark, so I couldn't quite make out how tall it was...but I knew that it was very high.
"What are we doing here?" I looked up.
"Were gonna climb over it."
"climb! That? I can't do that!" I nervously backed up, and shook my head.
"Sure you can!" Declan laughed, stepping his shoe onto the latter of the building. He pushed his body up and held out his hand towards me, "You coming?"
I hesitated as he waited for me. I swallowed my fear and placed my hand in his, as he pulled me up onto the building. My feet climbed up the latter, as I trailed behind Declan. He climbed fearlessly as I tightly gripped the latter, trembling with fear. The breeze felt cooler and my breath felt harder the higher I climbed. I peered down over my shoulders and gasped at the sight I saw. We were so high above the ground...everything below me was foggy and pitch black. "Oh my god." I said trembling. I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath. Just keep climbing Ev. We soon reached the top of the building. Declan hopped onto the roof, as I grasped tightly onto the latter. He leaned towards me and reached his arm out. I gripped his hand as he pulled me onto the roof. I stumbled onto my feet as Declan caught me in his arms, "see." he laughed, "You're okay."
"I thought I was gonna die!" I joked, pulling away from him.
"I wouldn't let that happen," he smirked. I walked up to the edge of the building, standing tall, feeling the cool breeze run through the strands of my hair as I swallowed a deep breath and peered over the ledge. The moon lit up the whole sky, as a trail of fog, shifted over it. It was like there was no earth, no ground, no land. Just me and the moon.
"It's beautiful up here." I said gazing into the moonlight. Declan slowly walked up behind me, and peered out over the roof.
"I know." He said, turning towards me. "I knew you'd like it."
I shifted my gaze from the moon to Declans emerald eyes. His face was lit up perfectly by the moonlight...every inch of his skin looked so soft under the luminescence- the glow carving shadows in the sharp bones in his cheeks. My heart raced as he picked up his hand, and trailed it down my cheek. His hand met the bottom of my face as he lifted my chin with his thumb, rubbing his gentle fingers on my skin. He looked at my lips, then back up at my eyes as he leaned closer towards me. I bit my lip, and tilted towards him as he guided my chin towards his face, softy pressing his lips onto mine. I closed my eyes as I picked up my hand and held it to his warm cheek...I trailed my hands down the bandage that I had I forgotten I wrapped on his cheekbone. I pulled his face closer as his gentle lips grazed mine. His movements were so delicate, like I was a fragile piece of glass he didn't want to break. I trailed my hand up his face and brushed them through his hair, and down his neck. I felt the heat of his body radiate off him as my fingers lingered down his chest. He pulled away from my mouth, smiling at me as I caught my breath. I smiled back as he lifted my chin and slowly pulled me in again. My body felt as if it were glowing as he softly pressed his warm hand against my cheek. He pulled away from my breath and touched his finger to my lips as I smiled at him. "I would love to continue." He gently spoke, "but we're gonna be late."
Are you kidding me? The party didn't even cross my mind at that moment. It was okay though...I was glad he didn't want to go any farther. I didn't want to. But yet I would do anything to feel the way I did when he kissed me.
I nodded, smiling like an idiot as he took my hand and we climbed down the building. My body still felt so warm and my stomach felt as if he twisted it into a knot. I held my hand up my face...my cheeks were so hot. I couldn't stop smiling.
He led me into one of the broken down buildings and we walked a few stories up until we reached a door. It was like the apartment buildings back in Detra, but broken and abandoned. "Welcome to a Rogue party Evelyn." Declan pushed open the door as sounds of music blasted through my ears. Everyone's eyes turned towards us as we stood in the doorway. My lipstick was smudged all over my face...and his. Declan's neatly kept hair was a mess, and his shirt was untucked. People surly made their assumptions on what had happened. I held my hand to his lips and wiped the lipstick off his face. He laughed and told me he liked it there, as I rolled my eyes.
I gazed into the party...There were Rogues everywhere, each of them dancing carelessly like no one was watching. Colorful lights gleamed on to my face as I entered the room. A girl on an elevated platform was singing into a microphone as a band played loudly behind her. The crowd roared as the girl sang, jumping up and down on their feet, recklessly waving their arms in the air. The smell of alcohol burned through my nostrils as Declan and I pushed through the crowd. I looked to my right and a group of Rogues had their feet on the top of a table as the held drinks over the heads, spilling the liquor into their mouths and dropping it onto their clothes.The people around them shouted, "CHUG CHUG!", raging with noise and excitement. I've never seen anything like it...though at this point, I knew the Rogues would do something I didn't expect. I pushed through the flood of people, spotting Celeste and Lani. "Celeste" I yelled, the music blasting over my voice.
"I'm gonna go over to Celeste" I turned to Declan
"That's fine, I'll go get some drinks." I nodded and trudged through the bodies of people, as Decaln turned to the bar.
"Ev!" her eyes lit up as I neared her.
"This is crazy!" I yelled over the music, "There's so many people here!"
"Ya, more people showed up than I thought." She shouted back, "Where were you? I was so worried!"
"Me and Declan just took another route to get here."
"Oh Evelyn you don't fool me." Lani interrupted, "I can see that smudged lipstick all over your face...and his!"
My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as I picked up my hand and whipped the color off my lips.
"Did you guys-" Celeste looked up with an upsetting expression on her face.
"No!" my eyes widened as I aggressively shook my head, "No it's not what it looks like."
"Really?" Lani laughed eyeing me up and down, " Because by the looks of you...and him" She peered at Declan, then back at me. "It looks like you two fu-"
"No,no,no!" I shouted, "It was just...a kiss."
"A kiss!" Lani shouted with excitement
"Just a kiss?" Celeste crossed her arms.
"Just a kiss...I promise." it was just a kiss. A kiss I couldn't stop thinking about. He was just so gentle...very different than the men I'm used to.
"Good." celeste took a deep breath. "Well uh...do you want a drink Ev?"
"uh, Declans getting me one!"
"Oh." She sighed, running her fingers through her long black hair.
"There he is now!" Declan stood tall behind me as he tapped my shoulder. I greeted him and took the drink out of his. I stared at the liquid in the bottle...I could smell it from where I stood, and it didn't seem pleasant. I swished the drink in the cup, debating whether I wanted to taste it or not.
"Well are you gonna drink it?" Declan lowered his cup and wiped his hand over his lips.
"It's just...i've never had alcohol before." I laughed, embarrassed.
"Oh, I forgot they don't let you drink it in Detra."
"Nope. Only officials."
"Well." he wrapped his hands over mine, and led the tip of the cup to my lips. "You are in for a treat then!"
I gulped back the liquid as a burning sensation tingled down my throat, and sat in my chest. My heart raced immediately- my body felt awake. I coughed and shook my head. " That's awful!"
"You get used to it." Declan laughed, "Now come on!." He took my hands and pulled me into the middle of the dance floor.
"Lets have some fun!"
Before I knew it - and a couple drinks later - my feet were dancing on top of a table, that stood over a flood of people. I peered over and saw Celeste and Lani jumping excitedly next to me. The crowd cheered at us as we swayed our hips in the air and trailed our fingers down our bodies. I couldn't even remember how I got there. How did I get there?
Celeste moved her body towards mine as I grabbed her hand, pulling her mass towards me. She laughed as I held up her arm and I twisted her figure in a circle. She stumbled back onto her feet, looked at me, and bursted out in laughter. I then took one look at her, then I started to giggle. I couldn't stop laughing. Everything was just so damn funny, I didn't know why. Lani wobbled over and placed her hand on top of me and Celeste and we all started bursting out in a fit laughter.
I knelt onto the bottom of the table, wiping tears that came from my chuckles and shook my head. I caught my breath and peered around me. A giant crowd of people had their eyes glued to me as I glanced up from the table. I held my hand to my head...trying to remember what the fuck I was doing. I think that's when I finally sobered up. My vision spun around in a circle as the pool of people crowded me, overwhelming my senses. I closed my eyes to try and stop the spinning sensation. Even under the darkness of my eyelids, my head felt as if it was being whipped around in a circle, over and over again. I opened my eyes...my brain felt like it was going to burst in a million pieces. I needed some fresh air... and to get away from all these people. I glanced around and noticed a door that led out to a balcony. I quickly jumped off of the table and pushed through the crowd of people, as Celeste and Lani continued their laughing fit.
A pulled open the door, and rushed outside, swallowing the cold air in my lungs. I held my hands over the edge of the balcony and hung my head down. My brown hair drooped in front of my eyes as I took a deep breath and held my head in my hands. "Oh my god." I mumbled to myself rubbing my fingers over my temples.
"Rough night?" A husky voice gawked beside me
I picked up my head from my hands and glanced at the voice beside me. Of course. Dominic. He gazed over at me, and immediately picked up his head, as if I saw light spark in his eyes. I
I watched as Dominic's eyes trailed down my body...from the tip of my lace green top, down my tight black shirt and revealed legs to the edge of my black heel. I could tell a thousand thoughts wandered through his head as he studied my drunken look.
"Are you done staring?" I hissed
"Not yet." he smirked
"Do you purposely try to talk to me only when I'm at my worst" I rolled my eyes, leaning my arms over the balcony as I turned my head towards him.
"How else would I annoy you?"
"I don't need to be at my worst for you to still annoy me." I sneered
He rolled his sharp blue eyes and shook his head, placing his forearms over the ledge, gazing out into the moonlight. I glanced at him...his dark hair still laid messily over his forehead-as always, but he was dressed nicer than usual. He wore an off-white button up, the sleeves rolled up to his elbow as they hugged his muscles tightly. The buttons of his shirt that trailed down his neck were undone, revealing his sharp collarbone. His shirt was half tucked under his dark black pants that were fastened with a belt, which complimented his back boots nicely. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny cardboard square. He flicked open the top of the box and pulled out a tiny white stick that had a faint brown end. He reached into his pocket again, putting away the box and pulling out a red lighter. He placed the stick in between his lips and flicked his finger on the lighter until it sparked. A tiny flame lit up, igniting the end of the stick as he swallowed in the smoke and slowly puffed it out, glancing back at me with his eyebrows raised.
"If you really want one, you could just ask instead of staring at me like an idiot." He rolled his eyes, pinched two fingers in between the stick, and pulled it out of his mouth.
"What is it?" I puzzled, staring at the thin stick that spit out smoke between his fingers.
"This?" He held up his hand, "its a cigarette." Dominic laughed as he placed the stick back into his mouth, and sucked the smoke through his teeth. His eyes shut as he slowly blew the smoke into the darkness over the balcony. He swallowed the smoke like an ice cold drink of water...as if it were refreshing.
"What's the point of it?" I laughed
He took the cigarette away from his lips and held it in front of his eyes. He twirled the stick between his index and middle finger, studying the rhythm of the smoke as it twisted through the air. "I like the buzz it gives me." he said, "It makes me feel good, rather than alcohol making me feel..." He turned his eyes towards me, "Like that."
"Watch it." I said lifting my hands from my head, giving him a side eye. He laughed as he placed the stick back between his teeth. I cursorily gazed as he drew the smoke back and pushed it forward with his breath, fading into the dark black night.
"Can I try it?"
Dominic lifted his eyebrow and shifted his eyes towards me, the cigarette hugged between his lips. He eyed me up and down with a puzzling look on his face, as I stood staring curiously at the thin white stick between his lips. He shrugged and took the cigarette out of his mouth, holding it out towards me. I reached my arm out to grab it, as he quickly pulled away.
"uh-uh,you don't get to hold it." He smirked.
I rolled my eyes as I slowly leaned towards his hand. The sweet smell of the smoke burned through my nostrils as he held his hand to my mouth and placed the thin cigarette in between my lips. I sucked in the warm smoke, as it tingled down my throat. I immediately felt awake- a warm sensation danced into my lungs and spit back up through my throat. He pulled the cigarette away- looking at me with a wicked grin as I immediately started coughing a fit. My throat burned as the smoke spit from my mouth.
"God!" I coughed, "That's awful." I held up my hands, swatting the smoke away from my eyes. Dominic laughed as he placed the stick that touched my lips, back between his. He smirked and shook my head, my stomach fluttered as I watched him dance the cigarette between his teeth. It was that smirk. That goddamn grin.
I watched how he effortlessly swallowed the smoke down his throat, and blew it back out of his lips.As the smoke trickled out of his lips, it softly curled around his head...It was mesmerizing. Meanwhile I stood like an idiot hacking my brains out.
"The Alcohol was awful...that was awful, what else!"
"Not everything's awful here Miss Kane." Dominic muttered as the cigarette hung from his lips.
I laughed, " I'd rather a little smoke run down my lungs then be back in Detra."
Dominic lifted his arms onto the ledge of the balcony, learning forwards, gazing out into the cool air, as his cigarette smoke faded into the sky. His eyebrows squinted as he peered out...he was thinking.Thinking hard. I wonder what he was thinking about.
I looked at him, I couldn't help but think about what happened earlier in the woods. As much as I didn't want to...I grabbed his attention as the words slipped out of my mouth.
"Thank you." I said, as he turned his head towards me.
"For what? The cigarette?"
"No" I giggled softly, quickly bringing myself back to a serious tone. "For saving me...back in the woods, I never got to thank you."
He stood in silence for a moment, leaning into his shoulders and tilting his head down as his brown hair fell over his face. He removed the cigarette from his lips and hugged it in between his fingers, holding his hand over the ledge. "You don't need to thank me, it was my fault anyways."
I was in shock. Was he really taking the blame for what happened back there? Now that's something I thought he'd never do. I didn't take it as his fault though, I was the one who attracted the troopers. I was the outsider from Detra.
"No..." I rubbed my forehead, "...No they were looking for me..that's why they attacked. I peered towards him, "I get why you want me gone."
An upsetting look filled his eyes as he faced me, and took a deep breath. "You don't get it though..." he paused and took a deep breath "but you deserve to know."
"Know what?"
"The reason I wanted you gone."