My mom was so excited when she got the E-Mail from my Aunt Bernie, her country sister. Don't get me wrong, I loved where my Aunt lived. It was completely different from here. South Carolina was home of some different kind of people, I somehow fit in though. I loved the boys hooting and singing country songs in their trucks that could be described as monster trucks. More Specifically, Summerville. It sounded fake but really, it was nice as it could get. The colors of the local High School were Kelly Green and Yellow. Football games were everything to those people. They even Changed Halloween for a football game once (A/N: True Story) "We're going this year" my mom said, I knew it was because she thought I was getting involved in the things I shouldn't here. I was happy to pack my bags and make me way to South Carolina by Plane. Alek on the other hand a long with Jasmine and some of the mai didn't agree at all. They wanted me to say. Valentina though, loved the idea. She thought me getting away from the order for two weeks would be amazing. My mom introduced an idea to me a week before we left. "You can bring any friend."

"Any friend?" I asked

"I promise any friend" How funny would it be to watch Alek get down and dirty with my best friends. I really do mean dirty.

"Alek?" I said and she crossed her arms.

"You said any friend!" I put my hands up in defense.

"What is your deal with him? I was prepared for Brian.. But Alek?" I knew if Alek went he would think I was finally doing something responsible. Taking a protector with me, just in case. I saw it as revenge.

"He's my boyfriend." I said, I knew I would hear about that later from everyone. Alek had a big mouth, he was probably laying in my bed playing with my laptop.

"Okay he can go. But anything.. BAD. I'm telling his Aunt."

"Alright. I love you mom" She did a sarcastic frown and eye roll as I pretended to call Alek running up stairs. He was there being him. Laughing to himself.

"Since when did we start to date?" He got up stretching, like he'd been there all day.

"A minute ago. So do you want to go?" I asked this was going to be one hell of a trip and if he didn't go. Jasmine would, or Amy. I wasn't sure yet. Amy would enjoy the country guys and Jasmine would protect me. I needed someone that would do both but I didn't know who else.

"OH yes" He said. "I cannot wait!" He didn't seem so thrilled. "A bunch of guys you've talked to Amy about every night this week and me. This is going to be great. Too bad I could kill every one of them. Tell them to watch their hands"

"Alek, Not funny"

"I thought It was." He said, kissed me on the forehead and jumped out of my window. I dreamed about the boys that I had talked about. The ones that took me back to my child hood when I was seven and we stayed there all month. I hadn't seen these guys since I was ten. It's been six years. I hope that they are the same people I left.


Plane Ride with Alek and my mom:

I was in the middle of the most awkward thing ever. My mom and Alek were making small talk with each other, never really getting down to what my mom wanted to know until we took off. "Are you sleeping with my daughter?" She asked.

"MOM!" I yelled, I had never been so embarrassed.

"No I am not." He looked her in the eyes. Eye contact was something my mom had to have to tell you weren't lying.

"I believe you" She smiled and It was like suddenly Everything was alright with her and Alek. Weird. "Chloe, have you talked to Ryan or Jake?" I shook my head. "Oh okay, we haven't seen them in six years so I was just wondering"

"Yeah, I hope they haven't gotten big heads now that they are 19, 18 and 17"

"Who's 17?" Alek asked.

"Chloe's first true love." my mom laughed, I gave her one of those looks that told her to shut up.

"Salt was not my first true love!" I said "He's my best friend during the summer or was"

"Mhm yeah sure" My mom said and laid back closing her eyes. I did the same but thought about how it was going to be when we got off the plane. Alek held my hands in his, he was really playing the part. The plane landed around 10:30 at night. We had gotten a late flight to begin with so I expected that. When we got out the heat was great. Alek held up his phone for service.

"Well." he said "At least I have enough bars" he smiled and we went through the air port doing what we had to do. When we got outside my Uncle's Ford Platnium was waiting for us. Alek and I got in the back seat after Alek shook his hand returing my uncles country accent with his british accent. SC was something someone would have to see. Charleston Airport was different from where we were going. The town of Summerville faded as we took some roads past the Baptist Church and past a WELCOME TO JEDBURG sign. The Vet, the horse stables, the state flag that had one of my friends names on it with White Paint hung in a tree in some feild. We turned down a road that turned into a dirt road. The house had a sign saying the name of one of my friends on it. Salt Lane. He lived with my Uncle and Aunt now I guess. The trucks were in the front yard with the lab and the camo covered duck boat/ fishing boat. The horse was against the barbwired fence watching the truck. It was perfect here. I jumped out and ran inside. The slick floor was covered with rugs and my Aunt was sitting cleaning dishes while Salt lounged shirtless on her couch. Alek walked in as I made my way down the three steps to the den like area. "Hey" I said trying not kiss him on the cheek, he kissed me on the cheek though. I gave him a hug and noticed how warm he was.

"Who's he? Is that your boyfriend" he taunted sounding more like a redneck than before.

"Actually it is" I smiled at him. "Don't make fun of him okay. He's never been down South before"

"Oh pshh Why would you think I would make fun of him?" He asked laughing. I knew this was going to be a creative three weeks. "Bon fire tonight, the brothers will be in town" I smelt something on Salt. It was strong on him.

"Are you smoking weed?" I asked him crinkling my eye brows.

"Is it that obvious?" He asked. I was so distraught. My friend was on drugs and he didn't see the problem with it. It was perfectly normal to him.

"Is everyone on drugs?" I asked about the rest of the guys.

"Pretty much" he sighed "So are you going?"

"Yeah" I said. I had to keep Salt out of trouble the best I could or it was going to be a problem for everyone. Alek and I were sharing a room against my Aunt's request. My mom had told her it was a test. I personally didn't see why my mom thought Alek and I were going to do anything here. We unpacked and I told him where we were going tonight. I knocked on a door down the hall from me. "REL, can I barrow some clothes from you tonight?" She let me in.

"Who is the boy?" She asked me.

"My boyfriend"

"He is so hot, and that accent where did you find him?" She asked laughing going through her closet trying to find somethings that I would like and fit in.

"I've known him for two years, we go to school together and one day we just started to take a interest in each other." I shrugged. She said 'awwh'.

"Does he have a brother?"

"No but he has some "Jock" friends" She smiled saying even better. She handed me a pair of shorts that were so short the pink pockets were sticking out of them. She let me wear her Pink John deer boots. and styled my hair to part down the side fixing it with tons of hair spray. She fixed my eye make up and gave me the choice between the horny hunter tank or the browning tank top. I was going to be crazy so I chose the horny Hunter thing. "Are you driving tonight?"

"Oh yeah. You and Your boy" she laughed as I rolled my eyes. I loved how I felt. Freedom like I new person that I didn't know. I didn't even feel like I could claw her up or anything. Or hurt her if she did anything. I felt human. "This party is big"

"I have something to ask you"

"About Salt... right?"

"How'd you know?" I asked

"He's high all the time. Can't get a word through to him. He doesn't care about anyone but himself and it's annoying at least he doesn't kiss girls or bring them over. Just one or two freaks that wear nothing but black and think they are better than everyone else."

"Oh really. That's good he's not sleeping around I guess..." I wasn't happy that my childhood friend was on drugs. It made me sick. When it was time to go at 12:45am we started to drive. Alek was looking at me like I was crazy. "Like my shirt?" I asked him and laughed.

"This is going to be fun" Alek rolled his eyes as we walked up to the fire.

"CHLOE!" A group of shirtless guys yelled "Hey baby" Jake Called running up to me "You've grown up! Who's this?" He smiled looking at Alek.

"Alek- he's my boyfriend Jake"

"Oh welcome to the family" They were playing Jason Aldean and singing along holding their beers in their hands. I didn't see Salt yet. I did see a girl that was watching me, every move I made she was watching. Alek noticed too.

"She's mai. I can tell" He said. She was wearing all black and I wondered for a mili second if that was one of the girls REL was talking about. Jake handed Alek a beer surprisingly enough Alek was drinking. I saw Salt.

"I'll be back" I said and walked up to him. "Where were you?" I asked.

"Noneya meaning stay out of it MOM" he said then I pointed to a girl, the one that was watching me still.

"Did you sleep with her?" I asked

"If you're jealous that I have a life outside of you then Yeah I did."

"So your mai" I pulled him from his smart ass talk because it was really pissing me off. His eyes turned into slits. "And your high as a kite. Now you're going to attack me for knowing your little secret that's nice." He dragged me behind a truck scarring a couple away.

"How do you know about us?" I retracted my claws the way I had when I told Amy I would be safe. "Oh... I see. You are one of us. Is your boyfriend too."

"Yeah I am" Alek said coming out of no where like usual. "I'm also her protector, even from High Teenagers like yourself."

"Dude, you're younger than I am" He said.

"But I'm not as careless" He looked at him "Drugs don't go with what you are, it damages the way you think. The control gets harder."

"You act like I care, british boy. You might be with Chloe but remember. Now that I know I can touch her... I will" Salt walked off and went back to his partying.