Mia walks through the front door and her resolve to try as much as possible to get through the night normally crumbles. Who am I kidding? She groans within herself. It's obvious I don't have what it takes to accommodate these people all night long.
Mia desperately wished in her heart of hearts after Dana left her house that time will just stop and everyone will get stuck on a day like Tuesday. To be honest, it's not that she loves school that much. In fact, she despises it as much as the next person. But at least in class, no one's trying to get her attention or cajoling her into something that's practically impossible for her to achieve.
Unfortunately, Mia's no time controller and so, Friday rolls in just like every other day.
"Don't look so gloom, Mia," says Dana as she comes to stand next to her a few seconds later, "you'll scare everyone away." Dana's lateness is actually because she has been looking for a suitable parking space for the past thirty minutes; there are that many people at the party.
Now, Mia knows beforehand that many people are going to be attending the party- the football team has always been known for hosting the party with the largest attendance every school year- but even she can't have imagined that they're going to be that many. The house is literally crammed full.
As expected, Nathan Middleton, the football team captain and principal's son, is the one helping the team host the party. The principal, his father Bryce Middleton, allowed him to use the family's beach house for the party; majorly because it's far enough away from the main house that he can claim ignorance if things go wrong but also close to the main town enough that parents won't have a viable reason to refuse their children from coming. Pretty genius, even Mia agrees.
"Can we go look for somewhere quiet to seat already?" she mutters to Dana and the latter leads her to a love seat situated at the corner of the room.
Sitting down, Mia can't help but feel exposed with the outfit she's wearing. It's a deep purple gown that barely reaches her knees; and even though she has buffered it with a pair of long black pantyhoses, the feeling of being exposed just won't let her be.
Looking at Dana though, she immediately becomes thankful for her choice of clothes. The redhead's peach body-fitting gown bares covering anything at all, but she doesn't seem to mind it at all and so, Mia doesn't comment on it either.
Just then, a well-dressed waiter in black jacket and bowtie brings them drinks which Mia is fairly certain are alcohol so she declines, but Dana accepts and downs the whole thing in a blink of an eye.
"I don't know much about the law but I'm pretty sure sixteen isn't the legal age for alcohol drinking," Mia says to her after the waiter leaves.
"Look, Mia," she replies in that matter-of-fact tone she assumes whenever she thinks Mia is been overly naive about something, "parties have only one rule and it's to live. So, my friend, live."
But Mia only returns, "I'll go grab myself a soda," and leaves Dana to go to what looks like a mini self-service table.
Mia is looking for a soda can on the table when someone suddenly shoves her from the side. She turns angrily with a lot of words already at the tip of her tongue but stops when she sees the person. "Scott Simmons," she says, surprised.
Thing is, Scott is a blonde, slightly freckled, average height and no muscle boy who is a grade younger than Mia. He's never seemed to want to be in the same sphere as her before and it's only by sheer chance that she knows his name; he's the newest member of the football team so his picture and name is on the school wall alongside the other players.
"What do you want?" Mia asks, still unable to get over her surprise.
"I just want you to know that I can be very good for you too," he replies, smiling like he's Prince Charming. "I'm very gentle, if you understand what I mean, much gentler than Cameron can ever be."
It doesn't take long for Mia to grasp what he's driving at and the moment she does, her anger rises so high that it literally seems to be oozing off her in waves. Unable to let the insult stand, she makes to answer him with a good punch but someone else out of nowhere gets to him before she does and he goes howling to the ground in pain.
"One more comment like that Scott and I swear my next punch will make you unfit even for the reserve," Andrew says as he steps out of the shadows to glare at the now fallen figure that depicts Scott Simons. He's gently rubbing the hand he used to punch the latter.
"I just wanted a taste of what you're enjoying, Cameron," Scott argues. "I mean, I thought she was free for all."
Mia has never seen Andrew angry before but she can tell that he's absolutely livid in that moment as he grabs Scott before anyone can say Jack Robinson and sends him flying headfirst into the food table.
The crash and scream that follows stops everyone in their tracks and Mia realises that they're all watching Andrew, Scott, and her. Unwanted attention is definitely something she hoped won't happen and she covers her face in shame. It's definitely not my night, she cries within herself.
Andrew doesn't seem to mind the attention though as he walks over to Scott. "Leave before things get worse for you, Simmons," he says, eyeing the latter with eyes devoid of any kind of mercy.
Now, Scott knows that his reputation depends a lot on the way he responds to Andrew's challenge at that very moment. Will he be another wimp that cowers to the golden boy? Or will he be the jock that ends his reign?
Unfortunately, Scott's options aren't as clear cut as he's thinking it up to be. It doesn't take a psychic to know that he'll be in for a very humiliating defeat if he goes up against Andrew; and worse, the latter knows that too.
"This isn't over, Cameron," he finally says as he gets himself off the floor.
"Actually, it is," Andrew returns and stares his opponent down, "and you know that pretty well too."
Scott eventually leaves with what little remains of his dignity and the party continues as if the last few minutes didn't happen at all. Truth is, Scott is no one important really and his absence has no effect on the atmosphere.
Andrew is about to get back into the party mood too when an angry Mia suddenly pulls him back and dishes him a very good slap. "This is all your fault!" she shouts in his face.
"How exactly is any of this my fault?" he returns with as much venom as she holds.
"If you hadn't been so stupid as to make that ridiculous statement in school, all that nonsense with Scott wouldn't have happened," she says, poking him in the chest so hard and fast that it's hard to know when she isn't poking him.
"Oh, quit it already, Gates. I was just messing with you," he replies and catches her hand before she has the chance to poke him again. "I mean, why in the world do you think I would settle for a low-quality commodity?"
The statement enrages Mia so much and she almost explodes there and then. Andrew Cameron, the jerk of all jerks, dares to call her a low-quality commodity. Oh, I'm going to show you low quality, Andrew, she determines within herself.
Squeezing her hand into a fist, Mia makes to hit Andrew with the hardest punch she can muster, but he suddenly holds her fist and keys it by her side before she even gets the chance to swing it. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," he whispers into her ears before sauntering off like the king of the world, leaving her fuming on the spot with her fist still balled to her side.
"I hate Andrew Cameron so much I wish he'd just die!" Mia shouts as she drops herself unceremoniously next to Dana, grabbing the drink the latter was reaching for and downing it before she can even say anything.
"Umm Mia, that was alcohol," says Dana, eyeing the usually reserved girl next to her with concern.
"I know," she replies, "and I need more."
Without thinking about it, Mia gets up from her seat and goes to grab any and every drink she can lay her hands on, gulping them down before their rightful owners can even get a word of protest out.
Soon, she starts to feel woozy after a couple of drinks but she doesn't care to stop. Truth is, she just wants to stop feeling anything and booze is good for that, at least that's what she's been told.
Out of nowhere, a sharp pain suddenly drills through Mia's skull. "No!" she gasps, realising what's about to happen. "Not here. Please not here."
But her brain doesn't cooperate and the cacophony she so very well knows suddenly erupts inside her head. She grabs her head and closes her eyes in the hopes that that will be enough to stop it, but as usual, it's a futile attempt.
Mia doesn't even know she has hit the floor until Dana suddenly appears crouching next to her with concern written all over her face. Mia looks around to see everyone stop and stare, unable to understand what's going on with her. Great, thinks Mia to herself, now they think I have a mental illness in addition to my weirdness factor.
The noise suddenly turns into a high-pitched screech and she screams out like a dog about to die. She has no doubt that her brain is going to melt anytime soon and run out her ears, but it must have decided at one point not to kill her as the noise suddenly stopped and she looks around one more time at the faces of the shocked teenagers around her before finally falling into the waiting, silent, blissful arms of darkness.
He taps his fingers rhythmically on the chestnut table and hums a tune along with it. Boredom; that's his problem, and there's really nothing more he can do to keep it at bay than what he's doing at that moment.There was a time when I was busy, he remembers,when I had a lot to do than my time could afford. But those days are long gone behind him now, remaining back in his youth when he still aspires to be more. Now, he has it all: fame, fortune, age, and of course, a lot more time than he can possibly do anything with.He finally stops the tapping but only to begin arranging and rearranging the contents on his table for no particular reason nor aim.Thing is, even till then, a lot of people still marvel at the way he seems to have everything that can be had in
"I swear I'll never do that again in my life," groans Mia as she wakes up to her head throbbing. The throbbing is accompanied by a really heavy headache, but compared to the assault that knocked her out, it's just a lovetap;and for that, she's thankful.She finally pries open her eyes to see that she's in her room, wearing her pajamas, and from the looks of things, quite comfortable in bed.How the hell did I get home?Mia asks herself. She remembers the party and how Andrew got on her nerves- she's still considering murdering him in retaliation for that- She also remembers her indiscriminate drinking, the pain that threatened to take her life, and finally, the merciful blackout that saved her from it all.But try as she can, she just can't seem to remember anything after
“You know him?!” That’s the first thing that Mia thinks to shout after her initial shock. Now, she knows that most people will begin with questions like "What in the world just happened?"or"Where the hell did you learn to kill like that?" or something else along those lines.But Mia has never claimed to be like most people.“Yes,” Regina replies, a bit confused at her choice of question. “Andrew’s a friend.”“Wait, you’re friends with this demon?!” she shouts again. How the hell can Andrew be friends with Sam and Regina?She thinks and almost gives in to the temptation of murdering the boy who is her nemesis there and then.“Look, I know you have so many questions but I just heard those guys radio in for reinforcement,” Andrew says, cutting into Mia’s thoughts. “I suggest we leave before they arrive.”“No
We must be going at a death speed, thinks Mia as the car whizzes in and out of traffic. It's only a suspicion that she’s fairly certain is true, but she doesn’t dare to take a look at the speedometer for the fear of confirming it.By then, Mia half-expects the cops to be on their tail but none of them are in sight. Then, she realises that virtually no cop car can keep up with the Ferrari’s speed. Their pursuers, on the other hand unfortunately, has no trouble keeping up; her interval glances confirming it.“Relax already, Gates!” Andrew suddenly shouts at her from behind the wheels. “Your incessant movement is distracting me.”“Those guys are still following us,” she returns as if the past hour isn’t enough to tell him that.“Don’t worry, they can’t catch up, and they won’t want to draw unnecessary attention to themselves by shooting at us,” Andrew assures h
Mia dries herself with the lone towel in the bathroom before putting on her new outfit of blue jeans coupled with a cream top; and a frown spreads across her face. Her clothes; they fit; perfectly.How could Andrew have known my size? Mia wonders as she steps into the room to see him sprawl across the bed with a magazine in hand; his black jeans, grey top, and blue sports jacket adorning his body excellently. He has opted for a pair of leather boots instead of sneakers like her.The receptionist is nice enough to send up an extra bed to their room and even follows it up herself to make sure it’s delivered to the right room; although Mia finds her motive for doing so questionable.Thing is, throughout the set-up, she does nothing but send not-so-subtle sensual looks at Andrew and Mia almost gives in to the urge to barf at the sight of it.He’s an overbearing, narcissistic teenager, you moron! She mentally shouts at the woman.
Mia has been running for more than fifteen minutes but she hasn’t come across the payphone she spotted from the motel window.I swear it had looked so damn close before, she thinks as she tries her best to keep up her speed, but that doesn't hold as the seconds tick by.Truth is, Mia has never been an athletic person. Yes, she can hold her own quite well in a race, but her body is a little bit on the generous side- as many people have pointed out in times past- and although it has never affected her before, it definitely is now.Her thought returns back to Andrew. It has been doing so ever since she left him, but she quickly stomps it just like she does every time it crops up. He’s gonna be okay, she assures herself. There’s no doubt that Andrew’s a strong guy and will be able to carry on without her eventually.She, on the other hand, is a different story. She can’t even find a damn payphone.Mia is st
New York City, New York. It’s around ten in the night when they drive into New York; at least that’s what the clock on the dashboard says. Mia has never felt as tired as she is in that moment but the excitement coursing through her veins from seeing such a marvellous city didn’t make that all too obvious. Now, it’s not that she thinks Chicago isn’t marvellous anymore- seeing an actual big city isn’t enough to just rob Mia of that love that she has for her home city- but being in an economic jungle like New York is definitely an upgrade in travel experience for her and she likes it. And Andrew said that this isn’t even the best part, she reminds herself. The street traffic has become light by that time of the night but it still isn’t very easy to manoeuvre through the city- one of the side effects of being in the city that never sleeps- but Andrew’s navigation is quite expertly and that makes the journey reaso
Okay, everything in this company has got to be imported from the future, Mia concludes when she sees the diagnostics room; at least that’s what the inscription on the door calls it. It takes a few more minutes of persuasion from Jacob before Mia finally agrees to have them run diagnostics on her mind. Whatever the hell that means, she thinks all the way. Truth be told, she doesn't see the importance, nor care to really. But Jacob has gone out of his way to protect her for sixteen years, the least she can do is indulge him; and so, she does. Besides, if he means me harm, she thinks to herself,he could have done so when I was still young and defenseless. However, one question that keeps nagging at Mia even as she gives in to the request is, why is Jacob Londermann, the CEO of one of the greatest tech company there is, so invested in her, a sixteen-year girl? And no answer she's come up with so far has sa