I walked into the ballroom and sat down at the piano to get away from all the new guests, they were all willing to fight against the Dark side, sort of like star wars in my head, except this was my reality. I just needed to clear my head for a few minutes, just so I wouldnt crack under the pressure.
I ran my fingers over the smooth piano keys and started thrumming them softly. Then I murmured some words with a simple and slow piano melody. It was nothing imparticularly, just what I was feeling.
“I should but couldn't let you go,
I don't know how long I can stand this.
We were meant to last forever,
And I hope we will.
“Forever and ever, my love will be yours,
But will you be mine?
I'll be yours,
Just please stay with me.
We are meant to be.”
I heard someone applaud from behind me in the doorway and I twisted around instantly.
“I'm sorry, did I disturb you?” Sam said, smiling beautifully.
I stood abruptly and faced him. “No, I-I was just…” I trailed off because he walked over to me, nearly jogging and he scooped me up in his arms.
“You drive me crazy sometimes,” he murmured when his face was nearly touching mine.
“A bad crazy or good crazy?” I asked cautiously.
“Both,” he said with a smile.
I bit my bottom lip and wrapped my arms around his neck.
“What drives you crazy?” I asked playfully.
He looked at me for a moment before answering, then he smiled. “The way you act. The way you look. How youre always intuitive and bright. How you feel and smell.”
“Really??”
“Really,” he confirmed, a smile in his voice.
“Do you know you drive me crazy too?” I asked.
“How so?” he asked innocently.
“For one, the way you touch me,” I said.
He looked back at me and smiled wickedly with his green eyes.
“What else?” He sat me on top of the piano so he could study my face easier without having to look down slightly.
“When you talk, you make my heart miss a beat, and there are plenty more things that I would rather not say out loud,” I said, smiling sheepishly.
He chuckled. “If I asked you a personal question, would you answer it?”
I thought for a minute, but why wouldnt I tell him, he was pretty much my only… what was that word, oh yes. He was my only amator, my only lover.
“Yes,” I answered honestly.
“Have you ever…” he trailed off embarrassed.
I smiled embarrassed too.
I instantly knew what he was getting at by the tone of his voice, but that was embarrassing.
“No, god no. I have not done it. I haven't dated seriously either, I was 13yrs old when I went on my last date.”
“Oh,” he said, surprised. “You haven't really dated?”
He seemed shocked that its been three years since my last date and three years since my last boyfriend.
“No, not since mum died. I just didn't feel like any guy was out there for me, but then I met you,” I said with a smile, putting my hand in his.
He smiled warmly and swept my hair back behind my ear.
“Have you done the deed?” I trailed off just as embarrassed, but I was honestly curious.
“No, of course not. I was always too young until around 30 years ago,” he said truthfully, smiling embarrassed like I was.
It was quiet for a moment before either of us spoke, it was awkward yet comfortably reassuring. I was just drinking in the way he looked. His light brown natural hair style, his very light green eyes, his straight hard cut masculine features, and his lean yet broad body. He was more of a man than a teenager, so much more.
“Why are the outsiders called outsiders?” I asked all of a sudden.
I had been curious about that for a while, but never had the chance to ask.
“Because, they have no region or belief, sort of. They always move around and switch members a lot, therefore cannot be a part of a permanent coven,” he answered me.
“Oh, so every one of the covens has a permanent house somewhere in their region, or a name that means something to them,” I said, surprised. “Then what would our coven be called?” I asked curiously.
He looked at me skeptically but smiled slyly. “We would be the Warringah I suppose, since there is nothing special that represents us yet, but that is only if we establish. Right now, we are a family.”
“The Warringah, like the council,” I said to myself, running it through my head. “You're right, being a family is much better.”
“What is your favourite colour?” he asked out of nowhere.
“Ahh… I like both dark blue and red. Why, what's yours?”
“Green. How about your favourite flowers?” he asked curiously.
“I would have to say… violets or roses,” I answered with a smile.
Why was he asking these questions, they were a little… different to the usual ones. Simple would be the appropriate word.
“Why are they your favourite flowers?”
“My mum use to really love flowers, shed tell me all their names, and I when I was a kid I would always wish my name had have been violet, because they're pretty flowers. And roses... well my middle name is Rose, and they're red so obviously I love them. But mums all time favourite was a pink lily,” I explained.
“Hmm... what about your favourite food?”
“Anything with chicken because I was practically raised on it,” I answered.
I felt like I was being interviewed.
“Where did you live before you came to NSW?”
“I lived in a suburb called Redland Bay in Queensland, mum loved the beaches up there,” I said, still grinning.
He was about to ask another question before Jane called out for us.
I grinned at Sam and he put his forehead to mine. “I love you,” he said.
“I love you too. We better go see what Jane wants,” I suggested.
He smiled and helped me off the piano. He took my hand and we walked out to the living room.
“Finally! Could you two move any slower?” she asked rhetorically when we finally emerged from the kitchen.
She came over to me and took my hand, pulling me towards a group of guests. I looked back at Sam panicked and held onto his hand tighter.
“Jane, where do you think you're going?” I asked, stopping dead in my tracks.
“We're all splitting up to prepare with different covens. When we have learnt all that we can from that coven, we ourselves will all meet up and exchange what we can,” she rushed out.
“Jane, who's coven is she going with?” Sam asked harshly.
Obviously he seemed threatened by this.
“Don't worry Sam, she is with the Rafire,” Jane said, rolling her eyes.
“Jane, calm down. You might as well just turn into Summer,” Sam said sarcastically.
She looked at him insulted, but let it go. “Sam, we may not have much time, we need to be as prepared as possible.”
“Just let me say goodbye first,” he said, grabbing me out of Janes snare and pulling me close to him.
“I love you. We will be together again soon,” he whispered fiercely in my ear.
I grabbed his shoulders and kissed his lips roughly, he kissed me back just as hard. I heard a few whistles and laughs from the four guys behind me, but I couldn't care less.
“For goodness sake, she's only going to be out the back,” Jane said.
I think she was annoyed by the whole thing, and I swear I could hear her eyes roll.
She grabbed my arm and tried to pull me away while we were in the middle of a very important kiss, but Sam wouldnt allow that. He grabbed hold of my waist tighter and there was no way she could win tug-o-war with him, so she dropped my arm in defeat.
Sam finally pulled away to breathe, initially ending the kis
s, and we both looked at Jane.
“You done now?” she asked sarcastically, her arms folded across his chest.
Sam bent down and kissed my lips gently just once, so I put my hands on either sides of his face.
“I'm done, for now,” he said with a smile.
“Good, let's get to work then shall we?” Jane asked.
“We shall,” I said mockingly. “I'll see you,” I said to Sam.
He nodded and let go of me unwillingly.
I took Janes arm and we walked over to the Rafire coven. They were all clearly grinning after watching my little performance and I smiled sheepishly.
“Alright, I'm going to leave you with these guys and they will teach you what they know. Don't worry, they are all good guys,” Jane said.
I noticed her mood was lightened so I smiled, thankful.
“Alright, now we're all here, let's head outside,” Andrew, I'm pretty sure said.
I think he was the leader of the Rafire coven too, just by the way he acts you can notice he is the alpha.
I followed the four of them out, wondering which covens James, Hunter, Fredric, Sam, Elane and Jane got.
We arrived outside and this time I scouted for the guesthouse which I could only just spot on the edge of the forest. It was a two- story guest house that looked like a small house itself, but the main house was way bigger. It was the same colour as the house too and it looked practically brand new, the trees hid it though, thats why I never really spotted it before.
“Let's get to work,” Andrew said, stopping and facing the rest of us.
The afternoon was mentally challenging and very tiring. They all taught me how to use my ability in every sort of way I could; if I was being attacked, or if I was defending, or if I was captured, and how to enhance my senses using my energy. I already knew how to do the last one though.
Markus tried to flirt with me a few times, but I just laughed it off like a joke. They were all pretty friendly, except Cameron who didn't speak at all, but he instructed me if I was doing something wrong or right. They were also very good instructors, I learnt a lot from them, showing just how inexperienced I really was.
I walked inside the backdoor to the kitchen, my feet dragging on the ground after being outside for at least five hours straight.
“You did well today Layla,” Andrew said, stopping beside me.
“You can call me Lays if you want,” I said.
I didn't imparticularly favour one of my names more, it was just easier and shorter to call me Lays instead of Layla.
“Ah, sure Lays,” he said with a smile.
He walked over to the fridge and grabbed out a can of coke, then he took a big swig.
“Yeah, you did pretty well for a beginner,” Steven said, clasping me on the back.
“Thanks,” I said, going and sitting down at the steel oval table.
Cameron sat down at the table too and slid me a can of coke across the table.
“Thanks,” I said again.
He nodded in reply.
“When are we all meeting up?” I asked after gulping down some of the drink.
I didnt realise I was thirsty until the bubbles of soft drink hit my throat.
“Everyone should be coming down now,” Andrew said, looking around us and at his watch.
Everyone finally arrived in the big kitchen minutes after, and it only just fit all of us in there without it being too crowded. I noticed everyone went for the fridge first, so it was lucky Jane and Elane stocked up the fridge and cupboards before everyone got here. And to be honest, we still had a few outsiders coming and one more coven. It would be a miracle if we all fit into the kitchen which was the smallest room in the house.
Once everyone was settled we sat and discussed plans to all meet in the ballroom tomorrow and practice little things, such as one-on-one combat, and a group attack. Skills like that, it's experience we may need in a fight, and since the Fengral coven had the oldest and experienced members, they would hold the next meeting.
After a lot of discussion we had plotted to see if we could sneak in a snitch to see what the Dark covens were planning, but the hard part was still to come. We would have to send someone who was trustworthy and who the Warrigal coven or any other coven had never seen before. In the end we decided to send Drake, one of the new, but reliable Fengral members. He was reliable because he was Lucas; the leaders son, and soon to become the leader once his father retires. Most of that would happen tomorrow while we were at school on Wednesday. Then, when we were to come home, it was straight back to preparing for a fight or battle as everyone was saying.
I looked up at the clock and it was nine already.
“I have to go,” I said, standing up, and in the process interrupting everyones conversations.
“I'll walk you home,” Sam said, standing up next to me.
“Alright, I'll see everyone tomorrow afternoon,” I said waving goodbye while walking out the door.
“Bye Layla,” the whole room chanted.
It sounded so funny to me and I couldnt help but giggle.
Sam held the front door open for me and he took my hand as we walked into the nights air. He seemed exceptionally happy to be with me tonight, and I felt better to be alone with him for once.
“What is your favourite movie?” he asked.
I smiled and sighed at the same time. “Why do you wanna know all this boring stuff? You know basically everything about me already.”
“Because I want to know more about you, every little detail I can find out. So… your movie?” he urged.
I laughed. “Um, I guess… 10 things I hate about you.”
“What about your favourite movie and food?” I asked him.
“I do not have a favourite movie and my favourite food would have to be a shepherds pie,” he said smiling.
“Yummy,” I said, rubbing my stomach.
It took a long time to me just to walk out of the front gates, but eventually we started walking up my driveway. We finally got to my front door after many more questions that were very pointless to me, yet important to Sam.
“I guess I'll see you later,” I said, my tone dropping slightly as we were standing on my porch under the orange light.
“You have my word,” he said before kissing me goodbye.
****
I woke in the morning and it was freezing, it was like someone had turned the heater onto air-conditioning. Okay, yes, I guess I had been a little rebellious asking Sam to sleep over in my room last night. My argument was that his house was packed full of people, we barely were alone anymore, and I did not want to be by myself last night so I ended up calling him over.
I curled up into a ball, wrapping the blanket around me, then I turned over and I saw Sam was nearly falling off my small bed. I shuffled my way over to him and shook him lightly.
“Sam.”
He flinched and fell off the bed, hitting the floor with a hard thud.
“Ouch... are you okay?” I whispered, squinting through my eyes.
He sat up and rubbed the back of his head. He jumped back onto the bed agilely and closed his eyes again, cuddling me to him.
“Are you sure you're okay?” I asked, rubbing the back of his head.
He opened his enchanting eyes. “Yes,” he said warmly, with a smile.
I smiled too. “Time for school,” I groaned.
“Yep,” he said. “The day I finally get you to myself for a whole two hours.”
I lay stroking his head for a while, thinking I am so lucky to have him, until I remembered. “I got you something,” I said.
“You didn't have to get me anything.”
“But I did,” I pointed out.
“But there was no need to,” he retorted, pointing out the obvious again.
I looked at his perfect face for a minute, debating whether or not he was going to argue with me over this.
“Well, do you still want your gift?” I asked.
“I guess,” he said with a
sigh.
“Anyways, it's not just from me. Its from all of us for all your hard work.” He had been working extremely hard to keep everyone from ripping each others throats out because not all of them got along. He maintained the training routines, talked to everyone which included thanking them. He planned and explained to the mass amount of people staying with him and I think he deserved something for it all.
“I should have guessed,” he said after a minute, rolling his eyes.
I smiled ecstatically and leaped out of bed. I went over to my cupboard and got the small box from the top shelf.
“All the guys helped me put it together a few days ago,” I said, climbing back onto the bed.
He sat up next to me and put his arms around me, resting his chin on my shoulder.
“Here you go,” I said, handing him the box.
He took the box out of my hand and opened it to reveal the shiny silver pocket watch.
“Look inside,” I urged.
He smiled sweetly at me then looked at the watch to open it. Inside was a small picture of him and me that was taken two months ago at James and Elanes celebration birthday party. They had officially turned 16yrs old on their 50th year.
In the picture we were both standing up and Sam was standing behind me with his arms wrapped around my waist. His head was next to mine, the way I will always remember us. His tall, lean, built figure surrounded me. He was only about half a head taller than me in the photo but you could tell he was very over-protective of me because of the way he held me and his stance.
“Thank you,” he said, looking at me warm and loving.
“Soo… you like it?” I asked.
“I love it,” he said, kissing my cheek.
He put it away in his pants pocket and wrapped me back in his arms.
“I better go get ready for school,” he said into my neck.
“No,” I moaned, grasping his cotton shirt.
He chuckled. “Come over to my place when you are ready.”
“Don't I always?” I pointed out.
“Very true, but meet me in the garage this time. I'll be waiting,” he whispered into my ear.
I sighed. “Alright, but I don't want to let you go yet,” I said reluctantly.
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