Disclaimer – I don't own Darkest Powers
If I had known I was going to have so much trouble sleeping I would've gone with Simon and Derek.
Where did they go, you ask? That's a good question. They went out to go get some food. Derek had gotten hungry at around midnight so they took the van and went to go find some cheap fast food place. I could practically hear Derek's stomach through the wall. And that's one thick wall. Yeah, yeah, I know what you're thinking. My boyfriend had some serious issues with food. That's not exactly the case. He's a werewolf, so, naturally, he was going to have a huge appetite. The thing is he's in great physical shape. I mean really great physical shape. Now you're probably thinking, How can someone that eats as mush food as him be in really great physical shape?
A simple answer to a simple question: he's a werewolf.
I looked over to see Tori in the other bed snoring as loud as possible, another reason as to why I can't fall asleep. Aunt Lauren was next to me, sprawled on her side. I was thankful for the fact that my aunt didn't snore. I wasn't so thankful, however, for the fact that she tends to move around a lot.
Then I heard a thud followed by low "Shit!" coming from the guys' room.
It would take the loudest noise imaginable to wake Tori up, but somehow, she shot up in bed. She looked over to me. "What the heck was that?"
I shrugged in response and got out of bed, flinging the cool sheets off me. I looked over at Aunt Lauren to see if she noticed but she just rolled over and shivered. Tori followed behind me. I went over to the TV and grabbed the spare key Kit had given us to their room in case of emergencies and stuffed the key to our room in my pocket. Tori followed behind me. I walked towards the door and was just about to open it then thought better of it. I glanced down at what I was wearing: a dark green tank top and shorts that only came up mid-thigh. I walked over to my jeans I had recently changed out of and picked them up off the floor. I turned to Tori and moved my finger in a twirling motion, a gesture for her to turn around. I couldn't tell if she rolled her eyes or not but by what I was able to make out of her expression it looked like it. She turned and quickly I removed the shorts and replaced them with the jeans.
I walked back over to her, key in hand. I slipped on my sandals and so did Tori. We unlocked the door as silently as we could, and once it was unlocked we slid out of the room with out my aunt knowing a single thing. We walked over to the door next to ours and unlocked it. Slowly, we opened the door and stepped through. I found a dark figure standing in the middle of the room. Tori's hand flew up, ready to defend us. It turned when it saw us and sighed in relief.
"I though you were Dr. Fellows," it said. Simon.
"What the heck are you doing?" I asked. "I thought you were out with Derek getting some food."
"We are," he answered while rubbing his head and wincing. "We made it half way there before we realized we forgot the money Dad had given us yesterday."
I nodded and was just about to go back to our room when I realized I wasn't going to be able to go back to sleep anyway. And I did mention I should have gone with them.
"Can I come with you guys?" I asked.
"Sure," he said.
"Thanks."
I turned to Tori, who was staring off into space. "You wanna come with us Tori?"
"Yeah, sure, why not?" she said sarcastically. "It's only past midnight. It's not like I have any thing else better to do."
"You don't have to come with us," Simon pointed out flatly.
She shook her head. "I don't want to be the only one here with Dr. Fellows and Dad. Ceepy."
Simon and I rolled our eyes in unison as we headed out the door. We walked down the hall towards the elevator. I thought it was going to be silent until we got to the van but, of course, Tori decided to break the comfortable silence.
"Why did you guys go out anyway?"
"Derek got hungry and he woke me up trying to get out of bed," Simon answered with out looking at his sister. Then a tiny grin found its way up to his lips. "He tried to tell me to stay, but I ended up winning that little argument."
"Derek woke you up getting out bed?" I asked, surprised. "He's silent as all hell. Plus he has night vision. How'd he manage that?"
"Let's just say this time your boyfriend wasn't all that quiet," he turned to me and chuckled.
Oh God, I thought. I can just imagine what happened.
I shook my head and rolled my eyes. The elevator doors opened and we all stepped in. There was a boy that looked about Derek's age in the corner. He was a bit taller than Simon and had light brown hair and bright gray eyes. He glanced over at me and his lips twitched as if he were trying to hide a smile. I looked away quickly. I peeked over at Simon and Tori. They didn't seem to notice.
"First floor?" The gray eyed boy asked Simon.
"Yeah," Simon answered politely.
He nodded and looked back over at me and smiled again. I smiled slightly in return. I turned back to facing the elevator doors and I could still feels his eyes on me.
"I'm sorry," the gray eyed boy began. "but have we met before? You seem familiar."
I turned to him once again. "No I don't think we have."
"Sorry," he looked down.
"Its fine," I assured him.
He smiled again. "I'm Aaron."
I smiled courteously. "I'm Chloe and this is my cousin Simon –" I gestured to him "- and my other cousin Tori –" I waved at her.
That was the cover story. I was staying here with my mom (Aunt Lauren), my uncle (Kit), and my cousins (Simon, Derek, and Tori). We were on vacation. That's all anyone needed to know.
"Nice to meet you all," Aaron said politely.
"You too," Tori said while Simon just nodded and smiled. I jumped when I heard the elevator ding, meaning we reached the lobby. We all shuffled out. We were about to go our separate ways when Aaron turned to me. He had a flirtatious smile on his face.
"So I guess I'll see you around? The hotel I mean." he asked.
"Uh…" What am I supposed to say? Sorry, I have a boyfriend that's a werewolf and will kick your ever loving ass if he was here and saw you smiling at me like that. No! I couldn't say we were leaving because we just got here a few hours ago. Think, Chloe, think.
"Sure…?"
It wasn't supposed to come out like a question. It was supposed to come out as statement because that's what it was. The other problem was that it wasn't supposed to come out at all. Greeeaaat.
"Cool," he smiled again and walked away.
What in the hell just happened?
I caught up with Tori and Simon and she looked at me. I shrugged my shoulders, communicating a silent what?
"It was pretty obvious he was flirting with you," she explained as we neared the van. "Or at least trying to."
"Shut up!" I hissed as we got in. But it was too late. Derek was glaring at Tori from the front seat.
"Who was flirting with who?" he asked.
"No one was flirting," I scoffed before Tori could explain what happened in the elevator. He narrowed his eyes at me and looked back to Tori.
"Someone was trying to flirt with Chloe in the elevator," she answered with a smirk and I glared at her. He looked back at me.
"It was nothing," I said quickly. "Besides he isn't my type."
"You have a type?" all three of my friends asked at the same time and their heads snapped in my direction.
I stood up from where I sitting in the van and curved part of my back so I wouldn't hit my head. I wrapped my arms around Derek's neck from behind. He looked up at me with an amused expression on his face.
"Mm-hmm," I answered without looking away from him. "Tall, broody, anti-social, really cranky. And if you throw in werewolf DNA I think you have a pretty good mix."
Derek lifted his eyebrows at me. I smiled and pecked him on the lips. I would have kissed him like I normally do, but Tori and Simon were making fake gagging noises so I settled for a quickie. I rolled my eyes and reluctantly pulled away from him.
"Can't you guys save your make out sessions for when we're not here?" Simon asked sarcastically from where he was sitting in the passenger seat. Derek and I looked at each other then back to him.
"That wasn't considered making out," I corrected him and started getting up and wrapping my arms around Derek's neck again.
Derek spoke next. "But, hey, if you want to see a make out session than we'll be more than happy to show you guys what –"
"No thanks," Tori cut in loudly. "I'm good. I don't like the mental image of you two sucking each other's faces off so I very highly doubt I'm going to like the real thing."
I smirked, pecked him once more, and sat down. Tori stared at me with a very uncomfortable expression on her face before turning her head forward slowly. The ride to wherever we're going was silent after that. None of us spoke or tried to crack jokes like we always do. It was comfortable silence.
We pulled up to the drive-thru at Burger King and Derek ordered what he wanted, Tori got fries, and Simon got a diet Coke.
"You sure you don't want anything Chloe?" Derek asked me again.
"Yeah I'm sure."
He nodded at me. "That'll be all," he spoke louder into the speaker.
"Next window please."
Derek pulled up, he paid, and we got our food and drove away. We couldn't go back to the hotel because Aunt Lauren and Kit don't know we drove out here and with everyone, besides me, eating or drinking something, we would've been busted. We found a parking spot in an old park and just settled over there. Derek handed Tori her fries and Simon sipped his diet Coke, every now and then making a face at the taste of it. Derek dug into his food like there was no tomorrow and I stared out the window. There was something about that Aaron kid. Something about him just seemed…off. He seemed really nice, but the way he looked at me was strange.
I heard my name somewhere off in the distance. Ugh, God, my imagination was getting to me. My mind was playing tricks on me. I shook my head. I heard my name again. Louder, but I still didn't register it. Strange…
"Chloe!" a voice said. I jumped.
"Yeah?" I asked stupidly as I snapped back to reality.
"You okay?" Simon asked. "We've been trying to get your attention."
"I'm fine," I promised them. I looked up and saw a pair of green eyes in the rear view mirror. Those green eyes were dark with concern and worry. I nodded slightly and that seemed to help some. He stared at me for few more seconds before tearing his gaze away.
Somehow, in that little bit of time Derek and I looked at each other, Simon and Tori ended up getting into an argument and before me or Derek could step in, she yanked open the door and stormed out. Simon had averted his gaze forward; lips pressed tightly together, eyes filled with anger. I called after Tori and got out of the van. I started running after her. She sat down on a swing and looked at the dew covered grass blades.
"Tori," I said softly.
"I'm fine," she assured. "I'm just sick of Simon's bitching and moaning. Go back to the car. I'll be there in a minute."
I didn't move.
"Go," she spoke gently.
I hesitantly walked back to the van, every now and then casting worried glances in her direction. When I finally reached the van Simon was nowhere to be found. Derek was still in the front seat. His hands grasped the steering wheel tightly and his forehead rested on them lightly. I got back in the car and took Simon's place in the passenger seat. He lifted his head and looked at me but I was too busy staring at his hands. His knuckles were white and it looked like at any moment the steering wheel would break into two pieces .I placed my hands over his and, as gently as I could, pried them off. I was surprised to see that he actually let me.
"You're either going to hurt yourself, break the wheel, or both," I told him softly. "Where did Simon go?"
"He went to go apologize to Tori."
It was different but a good start right? It had to be. I scrunched my eyebrows together in confusion. "Then why are you…?"
"What if one of them loses it and starts throwing spells around like nothing," he said. "We can't risk that Chloe."
His gaze was kept forward on the two people at the swing set. Tori was still sitting on it, still looking down. Simon was standing over her waving his arms in wild gestures as he spoke to her. Suddenly her head snapped up and she said something to him. His hand shot forward as if he was going to use a spell, just as Tori's did, and I could feel Derek tensing up, his hand creeping to the door handle, getting ready to run out there and stop them if he needed to. Then they caught themselves at the last minute and Derek relaxed slowly.
"Calm down okay?" I tried to help him. "Simon knows not to do anything stupid like that. And neither does Tori."
He nodded, eyes still trained on the scene a few feet away from us. I grabbed his face in both of my hands and turned him towards me. His eyes were clouded with concern.
"Calm down," I whispered gently. "They're fine."
He nodded in my hands. I leaned forward and lightly pressed my lips to his. It was a small kiss, sweet. He pulled back and leaned his forehead against mine.
"Are you calm now?" I asked jokingly.
"Yeah," he chuckled.
"Good."
I gave him one more kiss before pulling back. Derek looked over at me and said, "So what about this kid in the elevator?" I rolled my eyes and laughed.
"What?" he asked.
"I don't get how you're the genius if you can't at least guess why I'm laughing," I shook my head.
I laughed even harder because of his expression. His eyebrows were scrunched together, lips slightly parted, and he stared at me as if I had just grown another head. The he became completely serious and looked forward to his two other siblings. They were still at the swing set but it was easy to tell that the tension between them had decreased. They were still talking but now Simon was sitting next to her on the other swing.
I grabbed his hand. "His name was Aaron. He looked about your age with these bright gray eyes and light brown."
Derek grunted.
"Too bad I don't like any of those features," I explained.
All Derek did was grunt again. I sighed, reached over the center console, and sat on his lap, straddling him.
"Next, you're going to tell me you like guys with black hair and green eyes."
Duh.
"Yeah," I said as I fingered a piece of his hair. "I do."
Then his mouth was molded against mine. His warm, soft, smooth mouth. My hands slid up his chest and around his neck. This kiss reminded me of the one we had the first night at the motel. Something coursed through me and I swear I melted. I pressed my body against his and his hands tugged on my waist, silently asking me to get closer to him and I wanted to, I just didn't think that was humanly possible considering the fact our bodies were mashed together. We probably looked like a huge lump of tangled limbs. My hands glided to the back of his neck, up to his head. I grabbed fistfuls of his hair and I heard him growl softly into the kiss. I pulled back to look at him.
"Sorry," he apologized in a whispered tone as his eyes closed, embarrassed.
"Don't apologize," I said him quickly. My voice was quiet but I wasn't sure why. "It just caught me off guard."
He nodded and opened his eyes again. I leaned back in and pressed his lips to mine again, softly this time. Just a sweet little–okay maybe not so little–kiss. It wasn't a peck like before and it wasn't like the other kiss. This one was tenderer, more caring, loving. Derek pulled back and buried his face in my shoulder. My hands fell from his head down to his back where I began to trace lines and shapes.
"You have no idea how good that feels," he sighed quietly.
I laughed gently. I continued doing that for I don't know how long. Every now and then Derek would let out a soft noise of appreciation and would nuzzle deeper into the curve where my neck meets my shoulder. After a few minutes I realized something.
I was sitting on my boyfriend's lap, rubbing his back, and, in a way, cuddling with him.
Yeah, my life couldn't get any better than it was right now. I pressed closer to him–still not sure if I could–and sighed contentedly. I hadn't even realized that his breathing had deepened, as if he were sleeping.
"Derek?" I asked.
"Hmm?" he hummed. He sounded like he was trying to fall asleep but fighting the urge to do it at the same time, not sure if he should give in or not.
"Do you wanna go home?" I suggested. "Get some rest?"
"No," he answered quietly. "That means we'll have to go get Tori and Simon and deal with them the whole ride home. It also means you'll have to get up and I don't think either of us wants that to happen."
His grip tightened on my waist as he said the last part. He was right of course. We rarely ever had moments like this. It was hard to have alone time when your aunt didn't really approve of your boyfriend and she tried to keep you apart every chance she got, always glaring him when she thought he was going to try something, even if it was just reaching for my hand or walking up behind me and placing his hands on my shoulders or waist. I've tried explaining to Aunt Lauren that Derek isn't like that; he wouldn't even think of doing anything like that but, apparently, she can't get that useful piece of knowledge through her thick skull.
Stop thinking so much. Enjoy your time with him. Who knows how long it will be before we do this again.
I felt something covering my hands. Derek's baggy t-shirt was over my hands and my fingers were making their way up and down his back. How did they get there?
"Your fingers are cold," he commented.
I stopped abruptly. "Do you want me to stop?"
Derek shook his head. "It feels nice. I can't remember the last time I felt something cold on me."
I nodded and started doing it again. His back was smooth muscle. We didn't really speak; just appreciated the moment, the time we had together, knowing it was limited. Tori and Simon would come back eventually and then I would have to get up. That or we would have to listen to Tori go on about how if we wanted to do something like this, we shouldn't do it out in the open. It should be in a private area.
Derek reached behind him and grabbed my hands. "They're coming back."
I sighed. "It was nice while it lasted."
"Yeah," he nodded and smiled crookedly at me. I smiled back and my heart skipped a beat. He hardly ever smiled. Especially that smile.
I was leaning in, ready to kiss him –
Just then a knock on the window made both of us jump apart.
"Break up the love fest, people," Tori said and rolled her eyes but I could see the smile playing at her lips.
I untangled myself from Derek reluctantly and made my way to the back seat. Simon motioned for Derek to get out of the driver's seat and he didn't argue. He just sat in the back with me, gripped my hand and closed his eyes.
"Chloe what did you do to my brother to make him become this laid back person who actually cracked a smile?" Simon asked, feigning shock. "I mean, seeing Derek smile is like a freaking miracle from up above."
As if to prove his point, when we stopped at a red light, he looked up and clasped his hands together like he was praying.
"Thank you Sweet Lord," he said, acting all emotional. "You blessed my brother with the ability to smile. After sixteen years–sixteen very long, very stressful years–you have given my brother a gift. The gift of being hap –"
Simon was cut off from his prayer due to Derek smacking him on the back of his head.
"What the hell was that for?" he asked as he rubbed the back of his head with the hand that wasn't on the wheel. Tori and I couldn't stop laughing. I was gripping my sides and my head was practically in Derek's lap because of how hard I was laughing, Tori was leaning forward with her hands on her stomach and her face was beet red. We laughed all while Derek glared at the back of Simon's head as his brother drove.
"That was for saying I was never able to be happy," Derek said, stiffening a little. "I've always been perfectly capable of being happy, just never really had reason too. And I've smiled and I've been happy before. You know Simon and so does Chloe."
"Of course Chloe does," Tori drawled and raised her eyebrows.
"Yeah I've seen him happy before," I said. "He's like a little puppy dog getting a treat – no pun intended."
I couldn't help but put in the last part...and laugh at the bad pun along with everyone else, besides Derek that is. We started cracking up even more and my head was now fully in Derek's lap. My sides hurt...badly. Now it was my turn to get glared at. I just smiled up at him even if it caused me pain. He looked out the window as we parked the car in the hotel parking lot. We all jumped out of the van. Simon and Tori looked at each other. Then walked away, getting the message, leaving Derek and I alone. He leaned back against the van, not meeting my eyes. I walked up in front of him wrapped my arms around his waist.
"You know I didn't mean that, Derek," I said.
He grunted in response.
"C'mon. Don't be like that."
This time he didn't even say anything.
Crap.
"I'm sorry alright?" I said.
I started walking away from him. I was halfway into the lobby, almost near the elevators, when his hands were suddenly on my hips and his lips were at my ear.
"I'm not mad."
Derek turned me around to face him.
"Then wha…what the hell? Why were you…you acted mad…and all you would do is grunt and you never really gave me a real answer. Grunting wouldn't be considered an actual answer. That's just –"
I was cut off by him putting his hands on either side of my neck, his thumbs tilting my head up so I could meet his eyes.
"Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?" he smirked.
His lips were against mine before I could even respond. His hands moved from my neck down to my shoulders, from my shoulders down to my forearms, to my forearms down to my hands, where he entwined his with mine. I pulled back to look at him. He was smiling again.
"You're such a jerk ass," I whispered as a smile danced across my face.
"And you're a mean girlfriend," he whispered back, his smile staying in place.
I reached up again but before my lips could even come close to touching his I heard a strangely familiar voice.
"Oh hey Chloe," the voice said.
Aaron.
I turned around to face him. He was smiling kindly at me but when he saw Derek something flashed in his bright gray eyes. Was that…anger? It couldn't be. I had just met this kid.
"Um, hi," I said awkwardly.
"Who's this?" he asked pointing a finger at Derek.
If I hadn't been listening hard enough, I never would have never heard how his twisted ever so slightly on the word 'this'.
"This is my boyfriend, Derek," I said simply.
"I thought you said you were here with your cousins."
"I am," I answered. "I'm here with my mom, my two cousins, my uncle and my boyfriend. He's close friends with Simon and Tori."
So much for the whole cousin thing, I thought.
"Pleasure," Aaron said, holding his hand out to Derek. Derek just stared at it and after a few seconds he got the message and pulled his hand back. That's when Derek met his eyes. Something in Derek's changed. It was strange, it just didn't seem normal. Well, normal for a teenage werewolf, that is.
That's when I heard the growl: it was just a deep rumble in the back of his throat.
Before Aaron could have the chance to hear it, I stepped in.
"We better get going," I said.
"Okay," He nodded. "I gotta get back too. It was nice meeting you Derek."
"Yeah," he replied warily. "You too, Aaron."
I tugged on Derek's hand and we made a beeline for the elevators. I hit button number seven and we headed upward.
"Why did you start growling?" I asked.
"There was something about him," he answered. "I don't know. It just…didn't seem right. He didn't seem right."
I nodded and squeezed his hand. He looked over at me and leaned down to give me a gentle kiss on the lips. His hand cupped my cheek softly as his thumb caressed my cheek. He pulled back, walked up behind me, and snaked his arms around my waist.
"What was that for?" I asked.
"We never got a chance for a second one in the lobby."
I chuckled and leaned into him. The dinging noise went off and the doors opened. We walked out, still like that. We hobbled over to the doors that led into each of our rooms. Tori was leaning against the door. I had the key in my hand so she just snatched it, opened the door, handed the key back to me, and practically ran into the room.
"Simon had the key," he said. "Dammit. If I knock I might wake Dad up."
I fished his room key out of my pocket and handed it to him. He scrunched his eyebrows in confusion.
"Your dad gave it to us for emergencies."
He nodded slowly and kissed my cheek and I did the same with him. I hugged him.
"Thanks for what you did tonight," he said. "It was nice. Too bad it doesn't happen more often. We need more time in our day to fit that in."
"We'll make our own time if we have to because I liked it too."
I felt him nod before pulling back.
"Night," Derek said.
"Night," I responded.
He opened the door then held the key out to me. I took it and watched as he walked back into his room silently. I unlocked my door and walked in. Not as quietly as Derek but quiet enough. I saw Tori snoring away in her bed, just like before. Aunt Lauren had moved but she was still on her side. I was surprised normally she would have taken up the whole bed. I quickly stripped out of my worn out jeans and got back in my shorts. I climbed into bed carefully, watching as the mattress dipped under my weight. Aunt Lauren just rolled over again. I pulled the covers up and over me. I turned so I was on my side and thought about what had happened tonight.
Tori and Simon had gotten into a fight. For once Simon tried to help the situation. It worked. When they got back to the van it seemed as though they had never been fighting. Which reminds me, the van…
Derek and I actually had alone time tonight. Something that happens when we we're really, really lucky. We hardly ever get our time alone like that it was nice. We had a little bit of freedom which was definitely different because I can't even lean on Derek's shoulder when because of my aunt, much less kiss him. In front of her at least. It was different, romantic even.
We'll make our own time if we have to…
My tone might've sounded like I was joking when I said it, but I was serious. We would. It felt nice having alone time with him and I would want to have more of that. Just so we could escape for a while and have fun like normal teenagers do. The only thing is – we're not normal teenagers.
We'll make our own time if we had to…
I really think I could get used to that.