“What makes you think that?” he asked coolly, looking towards the kitchen.
“Sam,” I said dubiously, looking at him cynically.
He grinned at me wickedly. “Let's go.”
I smiled and let him pull me through the kitchen and out into the late nights coldness. The back spotlights were on so I could see at least up until the edge of the forest. James, Hunter, Jane and Fredric were already out in enormous the backyard. I think it was just Elane, Summer and Peter missing.
“Well, we have to split the teams up evenly, so I will go first,” James said, rubbing his hands together as everyone else arrived.
As I looked around I saw everyone had changed into very warm clothes, yet everyone looked fiercely ready for the game.
“Suit yourself,” Hunter said, gesturing with his hand for James to choose his first player.
I saw James calculate in his head. I knew he would be calculating his best chances of winning with each of us.
“Sam,” he said after a minute of searching.
Sam pecked my cheek and let go of my hand with a smile to walk over and stand by James. James smiled at Hunter to choose his first player, and of course knowing guys, we knew they were going to pick strategic wise.
“Fredric,” Hunter said with the nod of his head.
“Peter,” James chose.
All of us girls huddled up and waited in the coldness for Hunter to decide.
“Lays,” he said with a smile, and gestured for me to come over to him with his head.
I walked over to Hunter and smiled, hugging him when I reached him, then going and standing by Fredric.
“Jane,” James said next, then Elane walked over to us being the last player.
We had our teams sorted, now it was time to set the boundary lines.
“James, mark the lines,” Summer said right before James disappeared.
We all looked to where Summer was pointing which was way out on the far side of the property where James was waving his arms about.
“Hunters team will be scoring that way,” Summer said.
She whistled loudly and James disappeared again, and then Summer was pointing in the opposite direction.
“James team, this way,” she said.
I couldn't believe it. It was going to be impossible to score a point with the lines being at least two football fields away from each other.
James returned and he was standing with his team, but all our attention was focused on Summer and her explanation of the rules.
“No kicking, no low blows, no kneeing, no tripping, anything like that will be an automatic loss of points. Oh, James, that includes cheating,” Summer added with a smile.
I heard a few laughs as we dissolved onto our sides of the playing area, but I still couldn't figure out how we we're going to score points.
“Alright, who is the ruck?” Summer asked both teams.
I looked to Hunter and he observed all of us.
“Who can jump high?” Hunter asked us in a whisper.
“Me,” Fredric volunteered.
“Good, okay. I think James is rucking for his team so he's out of the way. I'll take Peter. Lays, do you want Sam?” Hunter asked me, looking at me questiongly.
“Umm… yeah, okay. Sure,” I said with a nod.
“Good. And that means Elane, you have Jane,” he said confidently.
“I'm pretty sure we can win this. Just use teamwork guys and well be fine,” Hunter said strongly. “Put em in,” he said, holding his hand in the middle of us.
We all put our hands on his and looked back at him for instruction.
“Break on three, ready?” he asked.
I nodded my head and so did Fredric and Elane.
“Alright, one, two, three…”
“Break,” everyone said, getting into position.
I went and stood opposite of Sam and he was grinning, his eyes glinting with excitement. I looked around and we were all in position, ready for the game to begin when Summer threw the ball up in the air between James and Fredric. And the battle begun. James leapt up to get the ball but Fredric beat him to it by a millisecond, snatching it cleanly out of the James reach and passing it back to Elane who was next to him. She ran towards our boundary line but she was miles away, then she kicked the ball into mid-air. What was she doing?
I saw it fly towards the line but it came nowhere close, until the ball hit something and stopped in mid-air. I stopped jogging towards the ball and watched, amazed. It was Hunter who had put a shield around the ball which I could vainly see, keeping it up in the air. Was he allowed to do that?
James was under the ball but couldn't reach it and Sam was trying to get past me.
“Lays, go long,” Hunter called.
I listened and abandoned my post near Sam and ran flat out past James and waited for the ball. I saw it float down in Hunters barrier and drop in my arms, then James was in front of me like lightening.
“Come on Lays, I don't want to tackle you so give the ball over,” he tried to persuade me, his eyes as black as night.
“Umm… no,” I said, smug.
I knew now why the goals were so far away, because it gave us a chance to use our abilities on each other, but only gently of course, so we were exercising our self-control over ourselves. I get it now, I thought to myself. If our eyes were black our senses enhanced as well!
“Lays!” Fredric shouted from behind me.
He had managed to sneak away from Peter and was now behind me, so I threw the ball his way. It almost didnt make it and James almost got it, the tip of his fingers grazing the ball, until I heard him cuss and stop moving. Fredric had shocked him, literally, and he was now rubbing his leg. Fredric ran the rest of the distance to the boundary line and scored a point for our team.
“Woo,” I said, walking over to Elane and giving her a well earned high five.
This game was turning out to be very different to normal footy, but I liked it, it was fun and exhilarating. It gave me a chance to configure my senses enhancement.
In the game I scored 2 touchdowns and got tackled by Sam plenty of times. I think he was doing that on purpose though because every time he tackled me I would be shielded by his body so I would land on top of him, barely jostled. One of the times when I landed on him I was content to stay on him so he wouldnt be able to help James, Jane and Peter, it almost worked as well. He then realised what I was doing and rolled over me before getting up and pulling me up with him. He flashed me a smile and ran off in the direction of the ball and I chased after him laughing. The game was a draw in the end because nobody was giving up, so it was even at 8 all.
We all walked inside dirty, covered with grass stains and exhausted. All I wanted was to collapse and yell timber, my legs were so sore.
“I think I might stay the night here,” I said, sitting at the kitchen table. “If it's okay with you Peter and Summer,” I added, watching everyone around me.
“Of course you can stay the night Layla,” Summer said, smiling warmly.
She was so kind and beautiful, reminding me so much of my mum but they looked completely different. If Summer had dark brown hair instead of light, and goldy brown eyes instead of green, I could swear she was my mum.
“You're welcome here anytime,” Peter said, chugging down a glass of water, his usually combed back hair was in all awry directions.
“Thanks,” I said. “Do you mind if I go upstairs and have a shower?”
Everyone laughed. “You don't have to ask,” Elane said. “Just do.” She wavered me off with a hand, while drinking a glass of cold water.
I smiled and got up. “I was just being polite you know,” I said walking out of the kitchen.
I heard a few chuckles but shook my head and kept making my way upstairs. I ran a warm shower in the bathroom upstairs and sighed when I felt the water hit me. I got dressed and brushed my teeth and hair, then walked down the hallway to the upstairs living room. I sat down on the soft cushions of the small thre
e seater and relaxed further into them. It felt good to finally relax, until I remembered the Warrigal coven. I needed something, it didn't feel right, sitting here on my own when I thought about them. Sam, I thought. I somehow missed him already so I got up and walked the length to his door and knocked on it. The door opened and I walked in, closing it behind me.
“Sam,” I said, looking around me.
“Be a minute,” he called from the bathroom.
I went and jumped up and down on his gigantic bed like a little child for a few seconds before I laid down in the centre, my arms and legs just flopped out from underneath me. I didn't hear him enter the room, but suddenly he was beside me on his bed, staring at my face.
“What were you doing?” I asked, rolling on my side and propping my head up with my hand so I could see him better.
He had no shirt on yet again and I could see how sculptured his chest and arms were, along with his black mark on his chest. He also had a pair of black track pants on and I couldnt help but get sidetracked.
“Having a shower,” he answered evenly, retaining my attention. “How about you?” he asked, draping his arm over my waist.
I shivered but kept talking, his touch always did that to me. “I was just thinking how badly I beat you in footy.”
“Is that so?” he asked with a grin, inclining his face closer towards me slowly.
“Uh huh,” I said softly with a yawn.
His nose was touching mine and I was looking deep into his entrancing light green eyes. “You should sleep,” he whispered.
“I don't want to sleep,” I said, my eyes drooping.
“Why not?” he asked softly, confusion crossing his face.
“Because,” I whispered.
I felt him caress my face so I placed my hand over top of his.
“I won't let you go,” he whispered, kissing my forehead gently.
“Are you sure?”
“One hundred percent sure. I won't let you go even when you are sleeping if you want me to,” he murmured.
“Okay,” I agreed tiredly.
I wrapped one of my arms around his neck and the other under his arm. He enclosed me in return and pulled the big soft blanket over both of us.
“Sweet dreams my amator,” he whispered in my ear.
“Lover, right?” I asked drowsily.
“Right,” he confirmed, chuckling softly.
“Goodnight Samuel.”
****
I opened my eyes in the morning and was very warm, and when I looked over at Sam I realised he told the truth. He hadn't let go of me once, he was still holding me the same way when I fell asleep. I dug myself into him closer and felt him pull me tighter so I looked up, but his eyes were still closed. I kissed his collarbone and saw him smile; that did the trick, it always does.
“Morning,” I said slowly.
“Good morning,” he said, opening his extraordinary green eyes.
“You didn't let go of me,” I said softly, putting my hand on the side of his face.
He took a deep breath while closing his eyes, then he re-opened them and smiled warmly. “Of course not,” he finally said.
We stayed like that for a while, just embracing each other and searching each others eyes. In his eyes I could see to his soul and all the goodness that made up his personality. I started tracing his cheekbones down to his neck slowly, just marvelling at his perfection. How could someone as glorious as him want someone as average as me, besides having an ability.
“Whats wrong?” he asked, searching my face.
“Nothing,” I said, pulling away from his gaze.
“You're sad,” he acknowledged. “What is it?” he pressed.
“I… I just don't understand,” I mumbled.
“Understand what?” he asked.
“I don't understand why you chose me.”
He looked at me confused, his perfect brows creasing together. “Why would you doubt me in choosing you?” he asked, still confused and vastly becoming frustrated.
“No, that's not what I meant. It's just… why would you want someone as plain and average as me, there is nothing that makes me extraordinary like the rest of the Supernatural beings,” I explained slowly, choosing my words carefully so he wouldn't be under any miscomprehension.
“And you call me biased?” he said rhetorically with a scoff.
“But you can't say it's not true?” I asked him.
“Yes I can, because you are not just an average girl. You are more than that,” he said softly.
“What, just because I have some ability. That doesn't change a thing. Look at you, your sisters, your brother and your parents. You are all so much... better than me, and we just… just don't match.” I stopped there, I was on the edge of tears realizing what I was really trying to say was the truth.
Even when I looked in the mirror it was probably just a trick of the mind to make me happy.
“You don't understand, do you?” he asked quietly.
I looked up in confusion because of his question, he was staring far off like he was remembering something.
“What draws me to you is uncontrollable. We were meant to be and thats how it will stay because we are two halves of a whole. I am no better than you, the truth is you are too good for me and you could have anyone you wanted. You are the definition of perfect, beauty, intelligence and kindness,” he said, suddenly looking at me with his light eyes.
“I don't see it,” I grumbled.
He smiled slightly. “Then it just proves you are deceiving your true self.”
I sighed, frustrated and sat up, looking over at the clock. “It's seven already,” I said, looking back at him.
He was lying back with his hands behind his head, looking so irresistible. The sunlight was glinting through the curtain blinds and reflecting a white glow off the skin of his chest, making me want to lie back down next to him.
His eyes flashed to mine and he smiled brilliantly. “You look beautiful in the sunlight,” he complimented lightly.
I looked back at him in disbelief. I could feel my hair was a mess and every part of my body felt exhausted. I struggled to pull my eyes away and resist the urge to cuddle myself into his side, feel the fine hairs on his chest... so I shimmied out of the blanket and stood up on the huge bed.
“Are you getting ready for school or what?” I asked, stumbling around on the bed.
He looked at me and smiled wickedly, then he agilely leapt up and walked over to me. He placed his hands on my hips and put his forehead to mine, the sun glinting off both our faces but making him look like a god. I could feel his skins warmth penetrate my clothes but couldn't care less, all I could seem to focus on was his eyes looking into mine.
“I love you,” he murmured.
I put my hands on his broadened shoulders and stared further into his eyes.
“I love you Sam, more than you would know.”
He smiled. “Good, then no more talk about you not being good enough for me,” he probed.
“As long as you do the same,” I tried to compromise.
“I will take that deal,” he answered without having to think but pulling back and smiling exceptionally cheerful.
“It's a deal,” I agreed.
Someone knocked on the door and I heard James voice sound from the other side of the door.
“Get some clothes on! Breakfast!” he yelled.
“We better get ready,” I said unenthusiastically.
He chuckled and leant down to kiss me gently, his thumb stroking the side of my face softly.
“I'll leave you to get dressed,” I said with a grin, walking off the bed.
“Wait.” He smirked back but let me go so I could jump off the bed.
“What?”
He jumped off and led me into the bathroom again.
“Not this again,” I said with a roll of my eyes.
He spun me around into his arms, letting them slowly slip to my hips as we stood side on towards the wall length stretched
mirror.
“Perfection,” he murmured as his forehead touched mine.
I turned my head slightly to look into the mirror and he was right. We were perfect together, why did I always doubt myself? Maybe I had some sort of doubting disorder.
His hand stroked the length of my hair and I looked back at him. “Who ever would have thought you would be with me?” he questioned.
I tightened my hands around his hips when I answered. “Me.”
He smiled. “I'll be down soon.”
“Okay,” I said, letting him go.
As I walked away, he held onto one of my hands until it could no longer hold because we couldn't stretch that far apart without moving.
I closed the bathroom door with a smile and walked out of his room and through the upstairs living room before I remembered I forgot my clean uniform. Its still on my bed in my room. Oops.
I walked to Elanes room and knocked on the door. She didn't answer at first so I knocked again.
“Come in,” she finally called.
I opened the door and walked into her neat, spacious, colour coded room, but couldnt see her in sight.
“Elane?” I called.
“In here,” she said from her small closet.
I walked over to her and saw she was folding something away.
“Morning,” I said to her.
“Good morning,” she said, turning to me with her sweet smile.
I noticed she was already dressed in her green uniform. “What brings you to my abode on this auspicious morning?” she asked, pacing her room back and fourth to gather things.
It was a little weird how she was so neat but it was apart of her I guessed.
“Ah, I was just wondering if you had an extra uniform I could borrow my sweet Elane,” I asked, doing my best puppy dog eyes.
She laughed trillingly. “Of course, you don't need to sweet talk me. But why didn't you just ask Jane, she has a way bigger closet,” she said, walking back over to her closet.
“You were closer,” I said with a shrug.
“Yeah well, Jane and myself mix and match each others clothes all the time. So whatever ends up in whoevers closet stays there,” she said, coming over to me with a folded pile of green clothing, which I expected to be our uniform.
The Hidden Revelations: First Light Page 44