by Jones, L. A.
Aradia was silent for a few minutes. "What kind of a choice is that?"
Dax shrugged. "An unfair one I'll admit, but necessary."
There was another period of silence before Dax asked, "So what is your choice?"
Aradia sighed before stepping on her tiptoes, throwing her arms around Dax's neck, and kissing him.
"Does that answer your question?" She said softly.
Dax only smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her harder.
Chapter Ten
Roy's alarm clock buzzed so loudly that Al swore a string of Spanish curses as he got up from his own bed to shout down the hall. "For Christ's Sake Reynaldo, would you turn that damn thing off!"
Roy's eyes suddenly shot open and he sat up in his bed. Confusion ran through his mind like water currents making him wonder what the hell had just happened. He placed his left hand on his sweaty face, and closed his eyes to concentrate harder. Only to regret it when he realized that what he thought had happened between him and Aradia had just been a dream.
"Figures," He scoffed. "Totally figures."
Emotionally and physically drained, Roy fell back onto his bed.
A part of him wanted to fall back asleep in order to recapture the passion he had so recently lost, but being the practical guy that he was he couldn't bring himself to do it.
"It'd only be a dream. A figment of my imagination." Roy muttered through gritted teeth.
Slowly closing his eyes, he vaguely remembered the look that had been in Aradia's eyes when he was dreaming. The look of desire, passion, and wanting, but most of all the love. The love he had seen in Aradia's eyes was what he truly remembered and what he wanted from her. He knew Al had a point and that Aradia was clearly in love with Dax, but he also knew that he didn't care. He was the one who deserved her and was going to have her. Besides, he couldn't handle losing another woman in his life.
He may have been very young when his mother left after Johnny's birth, but he still had problems dealing with it. Ever since, he awoke that morning to find his father crying in the kitchen holding a letter hand written by their mother. In spite of Al constantly telling him and his other brothers stories about what, lousy a mother she had been, Roy still missed her. He didn't really know how that was possible because according to Al all she had ever done was drink, smoke, and come home late at night dressed like a skank. Al was verbal about how awful their mother was. The way she yelled at them, cussed them out, slapped, and punished them on a frequent basis. In fact, according to Al she was so awful she made the woman from Misery look like Mother Theresa. Worst of all, Al said that the reason D was so quiet and shy was the way their mother treated them. So when she finally left, Al was glad about it. Unfortunately, he seemed to be the only one who outwardly showed it. Maybe because Roy didn't really know her so he always had to wonder, what his mother was like or perhaps without his mother he lacked female attention, which was why he felt awkward around other girls.
Aradia, however, had changed all that. When they had first met at the racetrack and she smiled at him, Roy had felt something special with her. Roy could honestly say that from the moment they danced at Jayce's party to even the time when she caught him as a werewolf and threw him in jail for safekeeping, he had never felt so in love.
As he finally hauled himself out of bed and got dressed, Melina's face appeared in his thoughts. He frowned at this because he felt bad that in spite of her finding out that, he was a werewolf and still wanting to be with him, he could not return her feelings of love. She was attractive, smart, nice, and Roy did care for her but no matter what he did he couldn't stop thinking about Aradia. But Aradia is in love with Dax, Roy thought bitterly.
This fact plagued him constantly as he finished his breakfast and got into his truck. However, it as he was turning the key and getting ready to drive to school that he also began to remember all the times Dax had made Aradia miserable. Twice she had come to him in tears over something he had said or done.
She deserves better than that, Roy thought, she deserves better than some leech who plays with her heart like it's some sort of toy. She deserves a guy who wouldn't make her cry, who would buy her everything she needed, who would worship the ground she walked on, and make her feel like the goddess that she is named after. She deserves...his thoughts trailed away as he parked in the parking lot of the school.
Suddenly, he heard a shrill laugh echoing through the air. He automatically recognized it as Aradia's. He then turned to stare at her as she got off the school bus, talking to Rhonda. Hearing her laugh made Roy smile with pleasure. How he loved to look at her with her long mane of red hair swirling in the air shining as brightly as polished bronze. How he loved everything about her in general. How he loved her and only her!
His smile, however, disappeared as soon as he saw the oh-so familiar gleam of wavy blonde hair as he walked over to where Aradia stood and swept her into his arms. Dax didn't even hesitate before giving her a passionate kiss in front of everyone and Aradia did not even seem to mind. Quite the contrary, she slipped her hands around his neck as her foot popped up from the ground.
Roy scowled as he saw all this.
You don't deserve her Dax, he thought to himself as he gripped the steering wheel and heard the crunching plastic, you don't deserve a woman as good as Aradia. You don't, but I do.
"Hmm God I've missed you," Aradia cried out passionately as Dax broke the kiss. "It feels like an eternity!"
"Aradia, you saw me just two nights ago," Dax chuckled.
"Wow that long," Aradia said in a playful yet sarcastic tone.
Dax laughed as he drew her even closer to him.
"Jesus! Get a room you two!"
The two of them both broke the kiss to stare at who had spoken. They groaned, however, once they realized it was Tristan. He was walking up from his grey Porsche convertible, swinging his coat over his shoulder, and propping his sunglasses onto his long brown hair. He grinned wickedly as he began to walk towards them.
Aradia, however, scowled.
While Dax, in contrast to his girlfriend, looked highly amused. "It's alright Tristan, I forgive you."
"Huh?" Tristan stared at him in astonishment.
Aradia too looked at him in confusion.
But Dax's intentions were soon revealed. "I can understand how jealous you are of my being with the most beautiful woman in the history of creation; both hidden or human, and how spiteful that must make you. Therefore, I forgive you for all the comments you must make as a result."
"Furthermore," He said dropping his voice to a low whisper. "I forgive you for just being you because out of all the offensive things you do I can honestly say that that is the biggest."
Aradia threw her head back laughing while Tristan scowled.
Slowly inhaling and exhaling a breath, Tristan said, "You know ever since Aradia moved here a lot of things have changed. Before I never even bothered to talk to you and now I have to tolerate your presence more than I care for."
Aradia stopped laughing and began to go practically red in the face.
Dax, however, still managed to keep his face smiling.
He was even able to retort, "Hey how do you think I feel Tristan? Before I didn't even know you existed, but now I have to put up with you and the fact that you speak to me when I really don't give a damn about your opinions."
Aradia laughed once again to which Tristan snapped, "God don't you ever stop laughing?"
She wiped laughter tears from her eyes. "Only when things stop being so funny."
For the first time, Tristan didn't say anything he merely snorted and took off towards the school.
"You know as obnoxious as the guy is I really do admire him," said Dax.
Aradia looked at him, extremely confused. "Why"
"Because God knows how hard it must be for him to walk around having the IQ of a rock and yet still act secure."
This time Aradia's laughter echoed throughout the entire parking lot, cat
ching the attention of several passerbies.
Dax just chuckled as he turned back to look at her and began to draw her into yet another kiss. However, this was when the bell signifying the beginning of the school day chose to rang. They both groaned heavily as they drew themselves apart from their passionate embrace, and walked hand in hand to the school's entrance.
Chapter Eleven
"So how was your weekend?" Dax asked Aradia.
He leaned against the lockers as Aradia opened hers.
She shrugged before her response. "Needless to say, getting the gifts back home was epic not to mention how shocked my parents were when they saw it all. The only downside is now my dad has to figure out where to keep them."
"The stuff you don't like you can always return to the store or sell you know," Dax pointed out.
Aradia glared at him before slamming her locker shut. "That would be rude Dax."
He merely shrugged, indifferently. "It's not like you knew half the people who gave you the gifts anyway."
"But still..." She trailed off once she turned around and saw Roy.
Slowly, she gulped in awkwardness.
He, however, cheerfully greeted her, "Hey Rai-Rai," and moved to hug her as he always did.
This time, however, she stepped back.
Roy was stunned and his arms dropped to his sides.
For a while there was nothing, but awkward silence between the three of them. Roy, Aradia's best friend, standing in front of her and Dax, her boyfriend and consort, standing behind her. The two of them glaring at each other, lethally.
On one hand, Aradia wanted to be perfectly blunt with Roy about Dax's request, and not returning his feelings. Most especially how awkward he had made things between her and Melina. On the other hand, she couldn't bring herself to be so mean so instead she took her boyfriend's hand and left without another word.
"It will be a miracle if he ever forgives me," Aradia muttered.
She hadn't meant for Dax to hear her, but he did.
"I don't see why you should care," he snapped, "It's not like you're dating him. Unless of course you want to..."
Irritated, Aradia spun around and snapped, "What is your problem Dax? Didn't I just do what you requested? Didn't I just blow him off?"
She let the question hang for a while before saying, "My God! You know I love you, but I wish you would stop acting like a jealous school boy."
"I AM a jealous school boy," He snapped.
"No, you are a jealous vampi..."
She silenced herself as she quickly noticed her peers in the classroom staring at them.
Aradia sighed as she took Dax's hand. "Look Dax, I don't know how many times I have to tell you that I love you. Only you. I don't love Roy or anyone else. I don't want anyone else. I want you and only you."
Dax sighed before finally drawing Aradia into yet another one of their passionate embraces and kisses. They lingered even after the bell rang again signaling the start of class.
They stopped, however, as soon as the teacher cleared her throat and said, "If you two are quite finished, would you mind sitting down?"
They both giggled as they did so, still holding each other's hand.
Aradia had never been a fan of school, but this year made her feel especially frustrated. Last year, she had been so preoccupied with her hidden activities that she had failed many of her classes. So much so, that she was going to have to repeat her junior year. Aradia, of course, was indignant at such an idea, but according to the school officials, she had no choice. Once she thought about it though she supposed it was a mixed blessing because by repeating her junior year, which colleges considered the most important, she would have the opportunity to not only get better grades but to also get better scores on her S.A.T's. Still it was embarrassing that while most of her friends were going to graduate from high school, she would not be doing so.
Upon learning that Aradia was being kept back a year, Dax managed to convince the school officials to keep him back as well. Aradia had been stunned when he told her this, but Dax had pointed out that that was one of the benefits of being a vampire.
"Mind control," he had said at that time. "Can be deadly useful."
Therefore, he was going to repeat a year as well, his senior year to be specific.
"I am glad of it really," said Aradia as she and Dax walked hand in hand to her next class.
"Glad of what?" asked Dax.
"You being with me because God knows how miserable I would be without you."
Dax smiled and brought her hand to his lips. "You know ever since the day I was changed I have wanted to die."
Aradia's eyes grew wide with shock. "Why?"
He shrugged as if his answer should have been obvious. Nevertheless, he explained it anyway. "I hate being what I am especially whenever I...eat."
He paused awkwardly. "But ever since I have met you not only have I been loving my life like never before, but for the first time I have started feeling grateful to the man who turned me."
"Why?"
"Because if he hadn't have turned me, I never would have met you." He smiled sexily as Aradia sighed.
The bell rang, interrupting their tender moment. Dax then gave her a swift peck on the lips, turned, and began walking to his own class.
Chapter Twelve
Friday night rolled around again, but Aradia was stuck in the dining room doing her homework. All the while resisting the temptation to bang her head against the table.
"It's funny," she grumbled to herself as she erased yet another answer. "I can set water on fire, bend steel with my bare hands, foretell the future, and yet I cannot get five questions right on my math assignment. You know, I am starting to believe that the universe likes mocking me."
Aradia laughed at her own joke as she dropped her chin onto her hand. She hated the fact that she was stuck at home while her friends were out partying. It couldn't be helped though, she had to pass her junior year and somehow redeem herself in her parents' eyes. She cringed now remembering the fight that she had had with her father when they finally received her grades. He had been pissed, understandably so, but upon being summoned to the principal's office with Aradia and finding out she had to repeat her junior year...Furious was only one way to describe his reaction. He had yelled at Aradia like no tomorrow, proving without a doubt why he was recently being considered for the position as the next District Attorney of Salem.
Repeating her junior year was just one of the many offenses Ross said he had been forced to deal with concerning Aradia. There was also, her randomly appearing at dawn without so much as a phone call; not to mention the rumors that they had heard about her fooling around with half the guys in town. Ross admitted that he taken all that in stride, but only because he was sure Aradia's grades were okay. Finding out that that was not so had made it seem like everything he and her mother had done for her had been thrown right in his face.
Aradia had tried to argue that because she was the Witch Queen and part of the hidden race, she didn't really need to get good grades or even go to school. This had definitely not pacified Ross. He had argued that she may be part of the hidden race, but in order to pass among the humans she needed her education. Aradia argued that she could always fake the papers like the other hiddens. Ross had then said something that Aradia knew would be stuck in her mind forever.
He had said, "It's interesting how the biggest thing you complain about is how different the hidden race view themselves from the human race. Well guess what? One of the biggest accomplishments and virtues of the human race is the ability to get an education. Did you ever consider that maybe the reason why so many of the hiddens act so power hungry and prejudiced is because they have everything handed to them on a silver platter? Therefore, the only thing they learn is how to get what they want by any means necessary. While the humans with their education learn so much more."
Aradia had been stunned in silence and in awe. After Ross's anger had cooled, he had reluctantly ad
mitted that Aradia's failure had not been entirely her fault. She had had so many pressures ever since her freshman year so Ross said that he supposed he should be thankful that at least she was only repeating one year. However, Ross had insisted on new ground rules. She could no longer host any more parties at Club Tolerance if her homework was not finished. If she did not receive at least a C on all of her assignments, papers, quizzes in every class for the rest of the year she would be confined to her room to study. The list of changes to benefit her education went on and on and although Aradia hated it, she knew there was nothing she could do.
However, she couldn't give up her Witch Queen duties, which included promoting tolerance amongst the hidden. The only effective way to accomplish that was by keeping the club open so Aradia had to relinquish her role as hostess for Club Tolerance to her foster sister Melina. From that point on, while Aradia was figuratively chained to the dining room table surrounded by her schoolbooks Melina would sashay out the door every weekend in various glamorous outfits. Aradia would not have minded it so much if she and Melina were not fighting.
Melina had found out at school that the reason Roy had dumped her was because he was still in love with Aradia. In the tradition of shifting blame from the person you love, Melina had chosen to believe that Aradia had stolen her boyfriend. No matter what Aradia said, Melina still went on making her life hell. So it had been only out of necessity that Aradia had asked Melina to take over her role as hostess, which out of all the duties Aradia had was the only one she really enjoyed.
Aradia groaned as she finally did slam her head against the table. For a few moments, she remained like that, until the doorbell rang. Aradia's head then shot up as a smile appeared on her face. She then bolted from the table and straight to the door. Her smile turned into a grin when she threw it open and saw who it was.
Dax grinned at her. "Well let's get started, shall we?"