Wow. Clichéest story ever, but I was struck by inspiration. I'm hoping the differences will be that a) the girl will not fall in love with one of the covenant cause, jeez, I have to draw the line somewhere, and b) I will not slip up and stick the word LOL in here (THAT DOESN'T COUNT!), unless someone is writing a text message... and hopefully it'll be well written, but I doubt it, cause I tend to get bored after about the third chapter, but I'll try to finish it, as I leave my other stories to rot (including one that I started writing weeks ago and just haven't posted yet .)...Anyway, thanks for reading.
A/N: Three of the main characters in this come from a french speaking province, yes, province, as in CANADA, so there will be occasional french words and phrases thrown in, along with the occasional mi'kmaq, gaelic and norse. And possibly japanese, but thats debatable. But not much, so don't worry about it. And if it's a phrase, I'll translate it.
Pronunciation guide:
Ceilidh: Kay-lee
Asa: Ay-za
Mius: Me-oo-s
Quebec: kwa-bec (definitely an english person saying it) --"
Québec: kay-bec (the french pronounciation) D
Disclaimer: I do not own the Covenant. Sadly.
--
It was still what she considered an ungodly hour of the morning when her phone rang. She pried one eyelid open to glare at the offending object. It rang again. She glanced at the clock and cursed under her breath. Six thirty in the morning was too early for someone she knew to be calling her. As the mobile rang again, she reached over and grabbed it.
"H'lo?"
"Ceilidh?" A womans voice asked. She stiffened and sat up in her bed. She'd always hated being called Ceilidh.
"Mother." She replied. Her bedroom door opened and her two best friends, the girls she shared her appartment with, entered. She motioned with one hand for them to stay silent, continuing the motion at the same time for them to sit on the bed.
"Ceilidh." It was her fathers voice in her ear now. "We've come to a decision. It's been long enough. You've been away from home, away from your brother, and away from us for eight years. It's time for you to come home."
"What?" Of all the things she expected, this was the least. She stood.
"We're bringing you back to Ipswich."
"That's not fair! You can't do that! I have a life here! I have friends, and a job! And what about school?" She couldn't believe they were actually doing this to her. When they'd first sent her away, she'd used to wish every night that they'd bring her home. And now that she'd finally settled in and straightened everything out, had a boyfriend, a job and what looked like the perfect plan, they were going to screw everything up?
"You had friends here too. I'm sure they remember you. If you so desire, I'm sure you can even bring some with you. Find a job in Ipswich. You'll be attending Spencer with your brother and the rest." Her father's voice brooked no argument. "Have your things packed. The movers will be there for it this afternoon."
That snapped her out of the daze she had fallen into. "Fine. But I'm not living at home." She cut him off as he began to protest. "I've been without parents for eight years. I don't need them now. I'll get an appartment for when I'm not in dorms. Does Tyler know I'm coming back?"
There was a drawn out pause from the other end. "No."
"Good. Keep it that way." She flipped her mobile shut and tossed it to the dresser. Turning, she met the eyes of the two girls who were now sitting on the end of her bed. She had met them her second day in Canada. Cass, the youngest, half irish, half mi'kmaq, with snowy white skin and raven black hair and eyes, was the early riser out of the group. She was already dressed. It was she who had come up with the play on Ceilidh, Riot, when she learned of the newcomer's dislike of her name. The other, Asa, the oldest, born in Norway, was still in her pyjamas, her black and blond hair tumbling down her back.
"What's going on?"
"That was my parents. They're bringing me home."
--
Two days later, the three were crossing the lawns of Spencer Prep, earning many an odd look at their gothic appearance.
"I still can't believe they did this." Riot grumbled, pulling an oversized red and black checkered sweater tighter around her and adjusting her grip on one of the three guitar cases she was carrying. "I only have five months to go before I'm an adult. They couldn't leave me alone for five more months?"
"Maybe they want to get to know you." Asa suggested. Riot shrugged. "I don't really care. Let's just get this five months over with and get back to Québec. I'm sure Pierre is missing his sweater already." Asa and Cass exchanged a look over the shorter girl's head.
"Yeah." Cass commented. "His sweater."
"Shut up."
--
When they finally got all their stuff to their rooms (after much maneuvering, Riot had managed to procure them singles), the three gathered in Cass's room to decide on the next course of action.
"It's only seven thirty." Cass complained. "We left most of our stuff at the appartment, and it's friday night. Isn't there anything to do in this town?"
Riot bit her lip. "Well, there used to be this place where the Spencer kids used to hand out...Nicki's? It's in town, only a few miles from here. I'm pretty sure that's where most of the people are."
Asa grinned. "What are we waiting for? Let's shake em up." Cass echoed her grin.
"Girl, you read my mind. All out goth?" Asa nodded. Now Riot grinned.
"I like it. You got thirty minutes, we meet back here. Go." The three scattered.
Riot headed into her room, dragging a pair of customised converse, with black rubber and the word 'Riot' embroidered in white up the back, out of a box. She tossed them on the floor next to the extra bed as she began to dig through her clothes for her favorite pair of capris. They were black, with chains that crossed from the belt loops near her hips to the opposite knee, hung with small charms of skulls. She belted them tightly at her hips, with a belt patterned with black and silver flames and a buckle shaped like a skull. Next she pulled on a stomach baring black tank, tugging it until it showed clearly the purple and green handprint tattoos on her left shoulder, the lower left part of her throat and the center part of her back. Finally, she reapplied her mascara and eyeliner, until her eyes were lined clearly with black, and changed her piercings. Instead of her regular silver labret, she put in a black lipring with a red bead. She took the seven studs out of her left ear, and the five out of her right and replaced them with rings, hooking a chain from the bottom ring on her left ear to the ring in her nose. Glancing at her clock, she cursed. Grabbing her shoes and her gloves, she raced across the hall to Cass's room. Asa looked up at her from where she was sitting on the bed. "You're late."
Riot gave her the middle finger. Asa laughed. Riot sat on the other bed, pulling on her shoes and examining the other girl's outfit. Asa was wearing black cargo pants, hung with humerous chains and held tightly to her hips by yet another chain. Her black streaked blond hair had been straightened, leaving her bangs flopping across one black-lined eye. She sported a tight black tshirt with silver wings on the back and a cross on the front. She also wore converse, hers the traditional black pair. Her eyebrow ring was a flashy black curved barbell that matched the black ring in her nose and the silver rings that lined her ears. A black spiked choker sat snuggly around the base of her throat. To finish the outfit, she wore black fingerless gloves with studs over the knuckles. All three girls wore them everytime they went out. Riot tugged her own on, just as Cass entered the room from the connecting bathroom. She wore a black haltertop over a black miniskirt, showing off her tattoos, and kneehigh black converse, a chain looped around her waist, one end connected to the middle to hold it tightly to the girl's body, the end hanging near her knees. The younger girl's pale skin contrasted highly with the black eyeliner that surrounded her eyes. Her shiny black hair had been pulled into a messy bun at the base of her neck, held there by spiky chopsticks. Her black gloves were held tightly shut by velcro. Spiked bracelets encircled her wrists. Like Riot, she had connected a chain from the hoops in her ear to the hoop in her nose, a small jeweled skull hanging from it.
Asa rose from where she'd been sitting. "Let's take richie's car," She said, nodding at Riot. "We want to make an impression."
Riot flicked her off for the second time in as many moments. "Not my fault that I actually put effort into my car."
Cass laughed, making her way to the door. "Asa can't tell tire from steering wheel, anyway! Remember what she did to Jaques' car?"
"Hey!" Asa defended. "That was one time! And I was only fourteen!"
"Sure," Riot teased. "Excuses. You were just a tree hugger. And you really wanted to hug that tree." Cass giggled.
Asa sniffed, ignoring them both. She was back to giggling and talking by the time they reached the parking lot and Riot's prized possession, a 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R R34. It was painted black, unsuprisingly, with purple underlights and deep purple wings in a tribal style painted on the side. The girls slid into the car, taking a moment to plug Cass's black MP3 player into the connection before heading out of the Spencer parking lot in the direction of Ipswich, just as the first notes of a japanese heavy metal band started.
--
"So, this is Nicki's huh?" Asa commented as Riot pulled her car in next to a large black hummer. "Doesn't look like much."
"Well, it's something to do." Cass commented, opening her door. A few boys leaning near the door stared openly as Asa climbed out beside her, looking around.
"Dudes." Riot commented. "That's our appartment." She pointed across the road. Cass and Asa turned to look. Sure enough, their building sat almost directly across the street.
"Superbe!" Cass cheered. "Now if we get drunk we don't even have to drive back!"
Riot and Asa exchanged a look. Sighing, Asa pushed the younger girl toward the building. "Listen, lightweight..." Riot heard her threatening. She didn't hear the rest, however, because as soon as Asa opened the door, the music washed over them and the older girl's low voice was lost. Inside, the place was packed. Obviously, friday nights were good nights for business. Along one side, a bar was set up, stools bolted to the floor in front of it. Tables were scattered across the floor along the wall opposite the door, leaving the middle open for the dance floor. Opposite the bar, there were pool tables. Cass and Asa stopped, taking in the pool tables, and turned to look at Riot, who was grinning insanely. Her boyfriend, Pierre, had taught her how to play pool last year, and it had turned into an almost nightly tradition with him back in Québec. Riot had turned into an immensely good player over the winter, spending five to six hours at a time playing the game. Cass and Asa groaned. Cass grabbed Riot's arm as Asa stared down a boy who was looking at them as if they were aliens.
"Riot, no! Beer first, and dancing! We'll play pool later!" Now Riot groaned.
"Beer, yes. Dancing, no." Sighing, Cass dragged her to the bar. Looking around, she leaned in between two guys around their age and rapped sharply on the bar. Almost instantly, a bald man appeared. Riot guessed he was Nicki. Suprised, the two guys that Cass had been leaning between looked down and noticed the gothic looking girl between them. They jumped apart. Cass pulled Riot and Asa up beside her.
"What can I get you girls?" Nicki asked.
"Three cokes." Riot ordered, as Cass opened her mouth. Cass shot her a death glare, but Asa smiled. Nicki nodded, disappearing for a moment and reappearing with three cans of pop. "Listen, idiot," Riot muttered in Cass's ear, popping her can open, "Asa's drinking legal at home, but the age is different here. We can't buy alcohol, and I'd rather avoid the embarassment of trying." The younger girl frowned momentarily, then sighed, nodding. All three girls turned, leaning on the bar, observing the other people in the bar.
Half an hour, three cokes apiece and two orders of fries later and Cass noticed a group of goth looking people on the dance floor and took of to introduce herself to them. Asa and Riot exchanged a glance.
"Pool?" Asa offered.
"Pool." Riot agreed. The two headed across the room to the pool tables, where there was one free. Picking up a cue, Riot chalked the tip. "You wanna break?" She offered. Asa nodded. "Aight. Go easy on me, though. I haven't played in a while."
She shot, breaking the triangle and successfully sinking two stripes. As both girls examined the table and Asa nodded at another ball, inclining her head at another pocket, before leaning down to take the shot, a voice carried to them over the crowd.
"Well, will you look at that. Goths play pool." Both girl's head's jerked up to meet the eyes of a blond at the next table. He smirked, leaning on the table, where he'd obviously just finished playing, and just as obviously won. Beside him, a brunette with dark skin and blue eyes grinned. Riot flicked her eyes over to him and nearly flinched. Tyler. She hadn't been expecting to see her brother this soon. She thanked whatever gods there were that she was wearing thick makeup and sporting heavy jewelry, and that he wasn't expecting to see her here. She didn't want to have to deal with her twin this soon. She looked back to the blond. Must be Reid. Boy, has he changed.
"Is that a problem?" She asked, standing up straighter. Beside her, Asa stood to her full height, rivaling the two boys. Reid looked her over. "No." He glanced over at the boy beside him. "You interested in playing against us? We're getting tired of taking Aaron's money." Behind them, Riot could see another boy glaring, fists clenched. She looked over at Asa.
"Est-ce que tu veut de jeuer? (You wanna play?)" She asked. Asa cocked her head. "Ca peut etre interessante. (Could be interesting.)" Riot turned back to the two boys, who were looking on with confused expressions. "Alright. We're in."
Reid and Tyler circled around the table as Riot repositioned the balls. "You guys foreign or something?" Tyler asked.
"Canadian." Asa replied. "Well, at least I am. Ri over there is actually originally from around here."
Riot shot her a dark look as Tyler and Reid looked her over, suprised. "Really?"
"I lived just outside of town briefly, a long time ago." She looked up at them, forcing a smile. "I think I remember you two though. Tyler Simms and Reid Garwin, right?"
The two nodded, shocked. She grinned, this time honestly in good humor. "Riot AuNuit." She stuck out her hand. They shook. "Where's the other two? Caleb Danvers and Pogue Parry, wasn't it?"
Reid glared. "You know an awful lot for someone who only lived here briefly a 'long time ago'."
Riot grinned. "Good memory."
"Riot AuNuit doesn't sound like a very real name to me."
"Yeah, well my real name isn't that interesting."
Tyler cut in. "Guys. Can we play?"
"Please?" Asa added. Reid and Riot glared at eachother. Reid looked away first. "I'm Asa." Asa added, nodding the boys general direction. "We'll break." Reid announced. He leaned down to take his shot. Riot watched carefully.
"So," Tyler started awkwardly. "Why are you guys in town?"
"School." Asa replied, meeting his eyes. Just then, Cass returned from the dance floor, hair falling from her bun. "Hey guys." She glanced at Reid and Tyler and sat on the edge of the table next to them.
"So," Riot asked, "what were they like?" She glanced over at Cass. Cass smirked. "They're pretty cool. Apparently there's a pretty decent music scene around here for you to get in on Riot, and if you weren't so antisocial, this new guy I met would've told you all about it."
Riot grunted. Asa leaned down to take her shot, successfully sinking three balls. She nodded at Riot, who leaned down to line up a shot. Cass sighed.
"I'm Cass. You are?" She asked, looking at Reid and Tyler.
"Reid Garwin."
"Tyler Simms."
Cass gasped, looking him over. Tyler flushed. "Oh. So you're him, huh?"
Riot took the shot, sinking five balls in a combo. "Cass, shut up. You have no idea what you're talking about, and you're embarassing the boy."
Cass grinned coyly. "I try." Riot handed her the cue. "You know what? I'm actually tired. Jet lag. I'm gonna head back to Spencer. You can find some one to hitch a ride back with, can't you?"
Asa looked over at her. "Hitch a ride back with who? We've only been here an hour."
There was a discreet cough. All three girls looked over at Reid and Tyler. "We go to Spencer. We'd be happy to drive you girls home." Reid volunteered. Tyler shot him a look.
"Actually, I'm feeling the same as Riot is." Cass replied. "I'm going to head back with her."
"Me too." Asa nodded. Reid and Tyler followed them to the door and out into the parking lot.
"You sure you can find your way back - damn that is a nice car." Reid commented. Tyler whistled, pulling out his own keys. "Hey, Baby Boy, let me drive." Reid nagged, making to snatch the keys from the younger boy's hands. Tyler yanked the keys away just in time.
"Back off creep, let me drive my own car for once." Reid pouted. Asa and Cass grinned, leaning against the side of Riot's car.
"So, who's car is this, anyway?" Reid asked, backing up a little to look at it.
"Mine." Riot replied, leaning against the drivers door. Reid met her eyes.
"It's nice."
Riot gave a noncommital grunt. "Alright, slackers. If you two are riding back with me, get in now. If not, sleep at the appartment or get a ride back with someone else." She turned to open the car door. Tyler swung into the drivers side of the hummer, Reid sulkily taking a place in the passengers seat. Just then, Riot's phone rang. She pulled the cellphone out of her pocket and flipped it open as Cass and Asa piled into the passengers side of her car, Asa taking the front seat.
"Hello?"
Her face hardened into a glare almost instantly. "Yes. We've settled in. All our stuff is there. No, I don't particularly care what you think. I'll come in tomorrow, it's too late now." A pause. "Don't call me that ridiculous name. I'm seventeen, for Chrissake. Yes, whatever. Whenever I happen to get there! You should be happy I even came to this stupid town with this little fuss! Fine! Twelve! Goodbye!" Snapping the mobile shut, she shoved it back into her pocket, rubbing her eyes with the other hand.
Reid and Tyler stared at her out of the side window of the hummer. Asa motioned with one hand for them to go on, the other hand unbuckling her seatbelt. The two drove away, Reid still looking back out the rear window.
Cass leaned out the drivers door. "Ri?"
Riot forced a smile onto her face and swung into the car. "It's nothing. My parents want me to go see them tomorrow. That's all." She turned the key in the ignition, and the engine caught almost instantly. Asa and Cass exchanged a look, both staring pointedly at Riot's hands, which were gripping the wheel so tightly that her knuckles were turning white.
--
Reid turned in his seat so he could stare out the back window at the girls in the parking lot. Tyler glanced at him from his place behind the wheel, amused.
"What?" Reid demanded, straightening to face the front. The younger boy shook his head, grinning. Reid gave him a sidelong look, thinking about the three girls that they'd met at Nicki's. "You know...that short one, the one with the car...she looked just like you."
Tyler threw him an 'are-you-crazy' look before turning his eyes back to the road.
"Dude, I'm seriously. Take off the make-up, take out the piercings and get rid of the hair dye and the girl would be a carbon copy of the Covenant's own Baby Boy."
"You're imagining it." Tyler replied. Reid glared.
"Baby Boy, I have a memory! I do remember your sister! Your twin sister! What's to say your parents haven't brought her back?"
"My sister's name wasn't Riot, if you remember, Reid. " The younger boy shot back, glaring back.
"And she admitted that Riot wasn't her real name! Think, Ty, this could be her!"
"Let it go, Reid." The older boy fell silent, staring mutinously out the windows at the growing dark and the ominous shapes of the trees. A tense silence fell, only broken when they finally reached the parking lot at Spencer.
"She's too short." Tyler muttered.
Reid grinned, clapping the younger covenant member on the shoulder. "Sorry to be the one to tell you this, but Baby Boy, you're short too."
--
AN: And there's chapter one. For no apparent reason and with no apparent plot. Yay. At least I can claim I did something today besides complain about how sucky my work hours are and how I never get to see my friends. I don't know why I'm writing about french people, as I'm an Anglophone (aka, english person) with french immersion and therefore speak neither french nor english, but frenglish (a happy mix!). Be prepared for an overly long wait on an even worse second chapter. Anyway, you know the drill. Reviews make me happy. However, I'm not a solicitor. Oh, who am I kidding? Pleasepleasepleasereview? Please?