The song for this chapter is Brighton - Forest Fire (If you like The Punisher and ship Kastle then watch frank + karen | i should have saved you [s1] by santiagonex on YouTube with this song. It's an amazing show and ship. This song is perfect, like do yourself a favor and listen to it.

MALIA'S POV:

The musical stylings of Demi Lovato thumped through my room as I planned my first day of Senior year outfit the next evening. In less than twenty-four hours we'd be back in classes. As tedious as school was I knew I'd miss my youthful days when they were gone only to be faced with the reality of the rest of the world; adulting.

I danced around my room in cute, pink cotton shorts and a gymshark crop tank. The lyrics of Sorry Not Sorry came from me in a joyous song. My had dropped off Scott who had gone to get his motorcycle that had been shipped from my his house so I sang to my heart's content and danced of my own free will. To be clear, I had pipes. Maybe my moves could use a bit of work, but I definitely had pipes.

Feeling myself, I jumped off my bed to prance around my room.

A knock on my open door put a stop to that.

I stopped mid-verse to find Scott leaned up in my doorway. My face turned red.

He held a dimpled grin on his painfully, adorably handsome face, his arms crossed over his chest. "Please, keep going." His dark eyes roamed over my body. "I was enjoying the show."

My brow arched. I walked toward him. "Oh, what was it you said yesterday? 'The show's not free, McCall. You want to stare, you have to shed clothes."

Without missing a beat, he reached behind his head to pull his shirt over his head, revealing completely lickable tan abs and pecs.

I tried to hide the fact that I bit my lip but his smirk showed that he saw.

"I held up my end of the deal," His voice akin to red velvet.

Was I going to let Scott McCall outdo me in my own home, Hell in my own room?

My pride made me get rid of my own shirt. I wasn't sure what propelled me to not stop there. My hands teasingly slid down my shorts so I could step out of them to be left in my lacey bra and bikini panties.

He stared at me with hard eyes as he tensed.

I was sure he could almost taste my arousal when I walked the rest of the distance toward him. My hands pulled him to me by his jeans.

He came willingly, a little stiff, but willingly.

I undid his button, my eyes never left his. At the sound of the zipper my eyes slid to his mouth, then they were back on his.

He seemed to be on the brink of something, but he was waiting for me to make the move.

"To be clear, I just want a taste," I told him before I dropped to my knees. I pulled his jeans down, then his brief to have his semi-hard cock in my face. Biting my lip again couldn't be helped. It was beautiful, it was just like how I imagined.

I made eye contact as I took him in my mouth. One of his hands wrapped around the base of his cock while the other slid up his abs.

He grew rigid. "I can't believe you're doing this." He drew his breath in. "Ahh, fuck."

I raked my nails down his abs.

He groaned. His hand came to my loose ponytail.

My moans around him ultimately drove us both wild. I liking hearing men moan and dammit if Scott's weren't turning me the fuck on.

I moved my hand up and down on his cock in a twisting motion while I sucked on the head. My other hand had dipped into my underwear so I could rub my clit. Okay, I was like ninety-nine percent sure that this was really happening. If it wasn't then I'd just have to get an actual taste.

My hand dipped low to collect precum on my finger, then I brought it to his mouth.

He sucked down my finger with a moan. "I need to taste you more often, Tate." His eyes closed as he leaned his head back. "Oh fuck, you're good at that." He let go of my hair.

I had half a mind to let him tittyfuck me but I didn't want to give him all the goods today. Who the hell was I kidding? All it would take was for him to scoop me up and throw me onto my bed for us to really get this going.

"Hmm, you smell so good."

I jerked him off while I focused on rubbing myself out. "Shit, Scott."

He seemed to love when I moaned his name. He grabbed my head with both hands and roughly brought my mouth back on him as he proceeded to skull fuck me. His cock was so deep in my throat I thought I was going to ingest it.

"Ahhh, yes." He looked down at me like the dirty slut I loved to be. "I bet you wish it were my cock you were sucking instead of Steve's when you're with him. Am I right?"

I nodded. I tried my best not to gag but when I did he only groaned so I let it happen.

"Damn, that's hot."

Eventually, he pulled out of my throat to intensely jerk off. He moved back a bit and angled his hips away from me.

"I want your cum on my face, Scott."

He stopped mid jerk to gawk at me before he resumed and aimed at my face.

Watching him pleasure himself was so fucking hot.

"Cum on my face." I demanded.

He cracked a grin. "You're a dirty girl, Tate." His abs tightened as he stilled, a moment later he groaned loudly as he squirted all over my face. "Fuuuuuck, Malia."

I dabbed some on my finger and brought it to my face, then tasted it. "Hmm," I stood from my knees to head to my bathroom.

"What about you?"

I turned back to him with a carefree smile on my face along with his cum. "I told you, I just wanted a taste. Now you can go." I dismissed him, then closed my bathroom door behind me to get in the shower where I finished myself off with one of my vibrators.

Okay, so that actually happened.

I did that.

SCOTT'S POV:

I stood outside of her closed bedroom door in awe.

Did that really happen? A lot of weird shit happened and they all felt really real, the last time included. I was pretty sure I was awake and not daydreaming.

She knew what she wanted, I'll give her that. We didn't have to start something serious but I hadn't been in a situation before where the girl gave the cold shoulder and acted dismissive of the guy, not that it was the other way around for my past dealings. If my self-esteem weren't so high I would be a little rattled, but I wasn't.

My drums were calling my name. I wish I could say I learned my lesson the first time but I was a glutton for punishment.

Soon enough my playing caused her to stand in my doorway with a cute angry pout and her arms folded across her chest in a bathrobe that didn't do much to conceal everything. Her dark hair was underneath a bath towel.

"Came back for seconds?" I said because I knew it would piss her off.

The look on her face said she was now considering it but she wiped it away.

"I thought we had this figured out," She entered with heavy footfalls. "You basically act like you're not here and I don't go all psycho on your ass?"

I fixed her with an interested look. "So you do admit you went full Jeffrey Dahmer?"

She just stared at me.

My hands raised in surrender. "I'll move it down to the garage. Cool with you?"

"Do whatever you want." She backed out of the room. "I told you that you wouldn't be here long."

"We'll see about that."

MALIA'S POV:

I rolled my eyes, then returned to my room to get ready for the concert a few hours away.

The doorbell rung. I jogged to go get it.

Scott was in the kitchen washing a plate. He looked up at my presence.

I answered the door. "You look hot."

She beamed. "So do you." She shut the door behind her. "So bad news, the guys can't go. We can sell their tickets."

We headed for the stairs.

She grabbed my arm to still me. She turned to the kitchen. "Unless,"

My head shook.

"Scott," She pressed forward. "Do you like Electronic music?"

He nodded. "A decent amount." He placed the clean dish in the dishrack.

"Well, we have extra tickets if you're interested?" She offered.

He walked toward us, aware of his predator-like air about him. His eyes fell on mine. He sensed my discomfort, then passed us. "Thank you, but no."

Lydia hit my arm.

I sighed. "Hey," I turned to him. "Do you want to come with us? The ticket is yours if you want it."

He stared at me. "No, thanks. I'm good." He turned on his heel and started for the stairs.

Lydia gave me a sharp look.

My shoulders shrugged, but I sighed in relent. "Wait,"

I walked toward him just as he shifted toward me, there was a moment of us in each other's spaces in what probably looked intimate with the amount of eye contact we were giving each other. But I couldn't move back. Neither did he.

He looked down at me with wondering eyes. His eyes were an enticing warm brown that looked a little more chocolatey when he looked at me. "Tate?" He stared at me like he plans for me, but behind that, he held deep secrets that would rock my world.

"Um," I stared into those eyes.

Lord, give me strength.

"The concert." Lydia provided for me.

"Yeah, that." I pointed toward her comment. "If you want to come with us I think it would be fun." My hand playfully hit his shoulder.

He looked at it then at me in question. "And you're not planning my assassination?"

I shook my head. My eyes dropped as I tried to hide my smile. "No, not today." I met his gaze. "So what's it going to be, Scott? You in or out?"

A soft grin came to his face.

SCOTT'S POV:

Who would've thought I'd have been standing at an Odesza concert with Malia and Lydia and actually having fun? Not that they weren't fun, I just didn't think it would be possible with Malia hating my guts and all. But we've established that even though she hates me she wants me as much as I want her sexually. She would probably never want me in any other way.

Odesza's song Higher Ground vibed through the air after many other songs.

I couldn't quite let my guard down to the point that I was careless. I knew of the dangers in the world that most people thought were bedtime stories. And I made a promise to Henry that I'd look after Malia. There was a bad vibe I got the moment I got here but I didn't have anything to base it off of that would make them turn around. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, besides they were having fun. Especially with the edibles they ate on the way over.

Malia looked back at me with intrigued eyes. "Why won't you dance, McCall?" She pivoted toward me and swayed her hips until she was in front of me. "Are you embarrassed that you can't dance?"

"Me? Not able to dance?"

Her eyebrows lifted in amusement. "Can you?"

"I don't know. You tell me." As dumb as it was I did the funky chicken with a serious facade. It worked.

She laughed. Her hand rested on my shoulder. "You can do better than that."

Was that an invitation?

I pocketed it away for later, not while she was high. If we were going to share a dance together she would be level headed and not influenced by a relaxing drug. She needed to be her bratty, bitchy, high-maintenance, cocky self.

My hand went to her hip. "If I showed you all my moves nothing would be left up to mystery." I offered a gentle grin. "Now stop worrying about and have fun will you."

Someone bumped into us, I was pushed into her.

"Watch it, man." A guy said.

My grip on her hip tightened so she wouldn't fall. I looked behind us at the douche.

He had a foot on me and like fifty pounds of muscle but that didn't mean shit.

He felt my stare and said, "What the fuck are you looking at?"

"We're waiting on an apology because you bumped into us." I supplied.

He laughed obnoxiously. "Why would I do that?" He smacked his buddy's chest.

His friend looked remorseful. "He's had a few too many. You should apologize, Jerry."

"No chance of that," Jerry admitted. His eyes fell on Malia. "But I'd be willing to apologize to you in private if you ask nicely." He grinned a ghoulish grin at her.

I moved forward to get in his face. "Why don't you get out of my face before I embarrass you in front of all these people?"

He looked like he didn't want to take the offer but then my eyes briefly burned Alpha red and he backed off. "Okay, man. Jeez." He backed away sloppily while his friend helped him walk straight.

I turned back to Malia to find her with a disappointed look on her face. "What?"

"I don't need you to do that for me, you know."

My forehead crinkled. "What? Tell a drunk guy to take a hike?"

"No," She tucked her hair that fell out of her french braid behind her ear. "I mean defend me. I don't need you to do that." She seemed truly uncomfortable.

I wasn't quite sure what I did wrong or why she felt that way toward me after we had a chill moment.

"What's wrong with defending you? He was an asshole."

"It works under the assumption that I need saving when I don't." She explained.

For the life of me, I didn't understand women. They get offended if you put in the effort to have their backs and hurt when you don't. What was the right way to handle these situations?

"And I especially don't need saving from someone like you." She threw at me.

I stilled, then met her eyes as I tried to mask my hurt. "Got it, it won't happen again." I backed away, then headed for away for some space.

"Scott?" She called after me.

Why was I putting forth the effort when I knew she didn't want anything with me, let alone a friendship? Why should I be the fool here for the sake of being a nice person? Well, I did owe it to her after how I treated her when we were kids. And I was staying in her home. That didn't mean I had to be played like a fiddle.

MALIA'S POV:

I turned back to Lydia with an eye roll.

She watched me with curious eyes. "What is going on between you two?"

My shoulders shrugged. "I don't know."

"One minute you're teasing each other, then fighting, then hugged up, then arguing again."

A frustrated groan left me. "I said I don't know."

She fixed me with a look.

"Sorry," I neared her. If I told her everything that happened she wouldn't believe me, so I settled for, "I let him cum on my face this morning."

She surprised me by laughing hard. Her hand went to her stomach.

My hand slapped her arm. "Hey, I enjoyed it."

Her arm hooked around mine. "I'm sure you did, he's hot as fuck." She rested her head against mine. "Is it big?"

"Very," I said as if I'd grown the cock myself.

"How'd his cum taste?"

We started to dance in our embrace.

"I went to the bathroom and ate all of it." A horniness grew in me even though I tried to push it down.

By the time the concert ended Scott hadn't returned. Admittedly, I was slightly concerned.

The crowd dispersed with the end of the show.

"I think you made him cry," Lydia said, referring to Scott's absence.

I snorted a laugh. "Shut up." My amusement fell away when I registered what was ahead of us.

Lydia let out a scream that practically made me deaf in one ear.

Four men with black AK-47's dispersed into through the cars and began shooting. The cacophony of chaos filled the air.

My eyes searched for Scott.

Lydia grabbed my hand and tugged me. "We have to go."

The guy next to us took a bullet to the head.

We screamed.

He laid on the ground with blood surrounding his head.

Tears stung my eyes.

Lydia tugged us.

One gunman came down our row, stopped in front of us with his back to us shooting.

A bullet flew through the car windows just behind us.

We screamed and ran.

"Go to the car," I told her.

"What? What about you?"

I stared at her. "I have to find Scott."

A bullet dug into my leg. I screamed in pain. Her teeth gritted together.

Lydia fell down to the ground, she clutched her stomach.

People dropped around me left and right.

I was beyond terrified, but I had to get us out of here. So I pulled us behind a car, which I knew wouldn't offer much protection but I had to do something.

A woman crawled on the asphalt already bleeding. She looked at me and cried for help when she was shot in the head, her blood splattered on the car next to us.

Someone jumped behind us and I screamed.

Scott raised his hands to calm me down. "It's okay, it's just me." He was crouched down. He had blood on his arm from a bullet hole. Other than that he seemed fine.

My chin trembled. "We're going to die."

His head shook. "No, we're not. You take Lydia back to the car. I'll clear a path for you."

"I'm not leaving you here, Scott. You have to come with us."

"Not until these guys are dealt with." He insisted.

Tears slid down my face. "What about you?"

His hard gaze softened. "Don't worry about me." He was going to take the heat so we could get to safety, but at what cost? He didn't give a damn about his own life right now and that wasn't right.

My eyes held his as I gave a stern nod. "Don't," I begged. "Please." My voice shook.

He gazed at me with fear and something else until he reached over to grab me by the back of my head and pulled me close enough to press his lips to mine tenderly. I didn't know if that was his thing but it was the softest kiss I'd ever gotten in my life and totally not what I'd expect from him. It was nice. Meaningful. Not fair because I didn't know if I'd get it again or if that was the only reason he kissed me. Even if it was it didn't actually matter then because it made me feel something that I don't think I ever felt.

When he let me go he immediately ran to action.

I was left with tingly lips and a whole lot of confusion.

"Don't mind me, I'm just bleeding here." Lydia said.

Shit.

I turned back to her to grab her up. "We have to get to my car."

"You're going to leave him after a kiss like that?"

We helped each other up.

I winced at the terrible pain in my leg. "Not now."

Somehow with bullets flying past us and people dropping we made it to my BMW no more scathed than we were before. Before I got in the car I searched for Scott.

"He's okay," Lydia tried to convince me.

Gunshots still rang in the air.

"You don't know that." A heaviness sat in my chest. "You don't know that he's okay or even alive." Something itched inside of me to go to him so I ripped part of my shirt off to tie around my leg, I grabbed the tire iron out of the trunk, then tossed Lydia the keys. "Go to the hospital." I ran as best I could so she couldn't come argue with me.

"No!" She called.

She knew she had to leave because if she didn't she'd likely pass out and if anything happened to either Scott and I she'd probably die. So she made the necessary move and backed the car out to drive.

The sirens of the police sliced through the air. They weren't far away.

A shooter came into view.

I crouched with my back to the door of a car, my hands gripped around the tire iron in fear. "What am I doing?" I asked myself.

People were dying and I was sitting here, too afraid to do something about it. My everything shook, but I still moved low through the remaining cars. My blood pumped loudly in my ears. I curved around a car closer to the source of grunts. I prayed that they didn't belong to Scott.

"Come on," I peeked over the headlight to see a gunman a few feet away with his attention elsewhere. "Come on, Malia." I rose. With a silent battle cry, I clocked him in the head with the tire iron until he fell to the ground. I quickly scooted the gun away from him to back away from the body that laid face down in front of him.

The dark haired man wore a black leather jacket and dark jeans just like Scott, bullet holes decorated his jacket, blood pooled around him.

My eyes closed in defeat while my heart sank. As much bad blood I harbored with Scott he didn't deserve to die, especially if he was willing to stop these men from hurting anyone else. He wasn't a bad guy, not anymore. He was rough around the edges, but soft with me. Even when I didn't give him a reason to be. All he wanted was to take his course needed for college and get the hell out the same as I wanted. I shouldn't have treated like a second-class citizen just because of our past.

I reached out to turn him over. My eyes stung with tears of relief when it wasn't him.

"Malia," He called.

I looked up at him. "You're alive." I stood with a wince.

"I thought I told you to go." He said sternly.

My head shook. "I wasn't going to leave you behind." I felt extremely light headed.

He reached down for the gun. "You should've left."

I snatched the gun from him. "What are you doing? Don't you hear the sirens? If they see you with a gun they won't ask questions first, they'll shoot you." I tossed it away.

A bullet pierced his shoulder. He stared at me, then shoved us out of the way. We fell to the ground.

"Are you okay?" My hands went to his shoulder to stop the blood. "You're okay, right?"

He stared at me.

"What?" I demanded, feeling uneasy under his gaze.

He gave a tired grin. "You're worried about me."

The cops arrived with top speed and ammo to save me from this embarrassing moment.

"Let's get to my motorcycle," He helped me get up.

A female cop came up to us. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," I answered.

I felt Scott's eyes on me, I turned to him.

"We're going to get you medical attention. Stay right here." She drifted off to help more people.

He pulled us forward.

"What are you doing? They'll take us to the hospital."

His head shook. "I don't do hospitals. I'll be fine."

"Don't be stubborn." I stopped him to survey his wounds. "You're hurt. They shot you. They shot me." My hand hovered his injuries.

He sighed. "I'll take you, let's go."

He didn't trust that I wouldn't pass out on the back so he made me get in the front while he drove behind me. It was oddly the most intimate thing we experienced, wounded but held together.

Eventually, we ended up in the closest hospital's parking garage. We sat there for a few moments, the shock of what just happened weighed on us. All we did was go out for a good time then violence took over and rained death down on us.

He got off, then helped me off. "We have to call your parents if they haven't heard about it already."

I sighed. "They're going to flip out."

He nodded in agreement. "Yeah."

I looked at him. "If I told them what you did they'd be so angry with you, that you put your life in danger, that you thought so little of it to risk everything."

He stared at me. "They were killing people, Malia. You were hurt, so was Lydia. I did what I had to." He pulled his eyes away to the emergency entrance. "Just like how you could've gone with Lydia but you didn't. You wanted to fight."

"I wanted to make sure you were okay." I admitted.

His eyes snapped back to mine. When he went to say something I cut him off.

"Let's go get this over with." I started for the doors.

He followed. "Thank you." He said anyway.

I offered a kind grin back that didn't reach any part of my face. With the craziness of the day in my mind, we waited to be treated.

A/N: Alright, what do yall think? I was going for an American Assassin's opening scene vibe here, but I could never do that scene justice. Such an amazing Dylan O'Brien movie, he was amazing in it (I saw it three times).

So do yall the progressions between Scott and Malia? Do you want them to go in a different direction? Let me know your thoughts. And if you have ideas/prompts/suggestions. :)