Nora

After every class and locker visit, Deacon was there to greet me. He was unavoidable because his locker was right next to mine. I didn't mind because he was good to talk to and seemed to be pretty genuine towards me.

"So Nora, since you are the new kid, I'd like you to help co-host this party I'm going to have tonight." The black haired teen said ecstatically, "I'd love it if you'd help."
A party? Deacon throwing a party? He was head of the drama club and loved to transform himself any chance he took. Why would he throw a party?

While I was contemplating this, another person appeared in the corner of my eye and Cait eyed us both down. "Deacon's parties are famous, moron, and I want to come. When is it?"
Deacon was stunned by her sudden appearance, but gave her a smirk. "I plan on Nora and me setting up at six and starting the party by eight. Of course we are going to party through the night."
With a satisfied look on her freckled face, she nodded and turned to me, "I'm going to bring Piper, and no one will stop me." Her face was so serious I couldn't help but nod in agreement.

"Of course, Cait. I'd invite her myself, but apparently I'm getting taken away by Deacon all afternoon." I laughed loudly and reveled in Caits atmosphere. She wasn't slamming me into a locker, so whatever the reporter has said to her had calmed her spirits. It was actually quite pleasant when she was friendly and I couldn't help but swoon at her accent. The Irish girl sure was fascinating to watch.
She scoffed but gave us a wink as she walked away. We both watched her walk away and I heard him chuckle. "I'm glad you appreciate the feminine physique."
I felt my face get hot and I crossed my arms in defense. "She does have a nice body, Deacon. I don't think anyone could deny that. And people love looking at nice things, simple as that."
"But Piper is real nice too, right? I bet you if she wasn't a reporter or whatever, that pretty face would be one of the most popular girls in school."
My mind knew he was testing me, so I held back my other response. I shrugged and looked at him, trying to see his expression behind those black rims on his face. Every time I tried to figure out what he was trying to test me for, I fail. "Yeah, Piper is pretty." I countered carefully, trying not to give him anything to tease me about later. It was actually kind of fun testing each other. He gave me a smug smile and said, "I knew you'd say that."
"Damn it, Deacon, I never win."

After school Deacon really did snatch me away from literally everyone. I couldn't even talk to Piper in any class today because we were swamped with work. I stared longing from my corner of the room at Piper, who was working diligently. I know we just hung out last night, but I really wanted to talk to my friend about the party I was co-hosting. Deacon tried to explain that it was a great way to introduce me to the school and to create my image, and I got lost in it. I'm not going to lie, I wanted to re-invent myself here. The last few places I moved to ended pretty badly on all sides of the fence. It was like trouble followed me around, and I suddenly felt a pang of guilt.

What if trouble affects the people here? It could affect anyone. As I started to think about it, my heart started to race. What if it affected Piper?
I looked down at my desk and closed my eyes. It won't happen this time. I promised myself it wouldn't. I got involved with the wrong crowd and bad stuff happened. That's understandable. But Piper? She was so kind and she listens to people's problems. She tries to find truth and understanding where others just lie and hide everything. I finally feel like I can be myself around someone and I start to panic like this? It was probably my anxiety acting up again and I felt myself reach for my bag.

No.

I'm becoming too depend on my medication. I sat back in my seat and breathed a deeply. It'll be fine. Deacon would throw an amazing party and the school would love us. I didn't need them to love me, but I wouldn't mind being popular for once. It would be nice to able to walk through the school without other people either bullying me or shunning me. I grinned while I was running through my English test and knew every answer.
Today was going to be my day! I'm going to make it my day.
After my last class of the day, Piper tried to come up to me to chat but Deacon got there first. He put one of his long arms around me and guided me to his black land rover.
"There is no time to waste!" He exclaimed. We had to get party favors, alcohol, weed, and anything else he deemed essential to a great party. Deacon drummed his hands to the hip hop music he was blaring through the speakers of his luxury car.
"Okay, so I lied." He started off slowly and raised his hands to calm my expression, "I have most of it. The only thing we really need is to set up, and be prepared for any disaster that might happen. So that means placement. Of everything. We need a weapon concealed in every room."

My face must have said it all because he started talking quicker, "For safety reasons. Cops don't come around my area and there is no other house within five miles of mine," he paused for a second to think, "They love their privacy, anyway, we just have to do this for safety reasons. As you know, I don't trust anyone." I suddenly laughed, and didn't know if it was because I was nervous or scared. "Seriously, dude this is how I have great parties. We have the liquor out in front, so people can see the liquor and no one will be stupid enough to spike it. I can't speak for people who get drinks made for them, but none the less, I want to try to be safe."
I nodded in agreement, it was sweet of him. He cared about the party-goers and just wanted a fun, safe party that everyone could enjoy. "I get it, Deacon. We will hide the stuff, and get the liquor. Got it."
"Good, because it won't take that long. The liquor however, might be an issue. Do you know anyone over twenty one? I have my dad's beer since he brews his own, so that's not an issue."
I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. I did know someone, but he always wanted something in return. He noticed my body language, "Please, Nora. I'll pay them extra."
A groan escaped my lips and I pulled out my phone, "Let me text him. He's nice to me, and other people. But he is a little far out."
With a wave of his hand, I was dismissed, "No problem."

Before we knew it, the party had started and people showed up. Almost by nine, even Cait and Piper arrived.

Deacon glanced at me nervously. While we were waiting on my friend to respond, I talked to Preston. He was a tall handsome black man, who apparently played football. I got excited when I learned he played because I loved football. It was only second to my first love: soccer.

Preston was great company and we had talked for about thirty minutes about football and joked around about our weird teacher at school.
My phone startled me by going off suddenly and I glanced at the text. It was from my old friend Hancock. I smiled at his response and signaled to Deacon with a thumbs up that we were ready to go. I apologized to Preston, and told him we had to go. That's when he stood up and let everyone know we were off to get the beautiful spirits for the party, but to enjoy the beer because there was plenty of it.

I shifted in my seat uncomfortably at the thought of seeing my old friend Hancock again. This guy was a character, all right. He loved drugs, drinking and dealing. That was his thing, and he always had the hots for me. I could tell Deacon was a little bit overwhelmed by the entrance he made when we arrived at his house, which was swarmed with people.

He had texted me that he went shopping for our stuff already to come pick it up. When we walked up, it felt like he got even taller than last time I saw him. He was taller than me now, probably a good six foot four. His shoulders were broad and his grin was devilish. Deacon held out his hand and they had a good talk. "Look, I really appreciate this man," he started and then Hancock cut him off.
"It's on the house today, buddy." His brown eyes flickered to me and he smiled, "I owe this one over here a favor. But next time, I'll charge you."
I raised an eyebrow at the favor he claimed. A while back I helped Hancock move some of his drugs. I wasn't proud of it, but I managed to pull it off without a hitch. He never paid me the full amount of what he told me he was going to pay, but I completely forgot. I sighed loudly on the way back to his house and Deacon coughed to break the silence in the car.

"Hey, he didn't seem to be the best of guys. What's your history?" The brunette kept glancing at me for a response while he was driving and shivered.
It would be easier to tell him he was my ex. Or that we were fuck buddies, but I couldn't do it. "Deacon, he's a drug dealer. I moved drugs for him."
I could see him freeze behind the wheel of his car and he took his sunglasses off. I have never seen him without his sunglasses, and it startled me. His eyes were a bright amber color, "Okay. Alright."
The atmosphere was tense for the rest of the ride home. Deacon reassured me that everything was fine, and that he was thinking about the party and if everyone was having fun. But something about him seemed off. It was like he knew something that I didn't and he wanted to tell me, but couldn't.

My hands shook at the sudden confession and I was confused by it. Was I expecting a confrontation? Why did I tell Deacon this, and not Piper?

We announced proudly that we had succeeded with our mission and everyone cheered loudly. Everyone came up to me trying to thank me but all I wanted to do was find Piper. She had been wanting to talk to me all day, and I basically ignored her because of class and Deacon.

I found her in the crowd rather easily, being handed a drink by the weird guy with the facial hair. His name really never crossed my mind, and I didn't really care too much for it. I watched from afar, constantly double checking on Piper with this guy. Maybe it was just his facial hair and weird hat, but he seemed like a harmless creep. Still though, he was acting pretty weird because of all the light physical contact he kept making with her. I could see her brush it off and him laugh, obviously a little buzzed already. I couldn't blame him for trying to hit on her, because she looked amazing. The clothes she was wearing hugged her curves perfectly, and the colors made her glow.

My stomach fluttered at the thought and I shook my head. I was going to let it go and talk to her later but I decided to check on her one last time.

That's when I noticed Piper stand up suddenly. Her face was pale as a sheet of paper and my stomach sank.
Was she okay?
She ran up to Deacon and he whispered something in her ear and I saw her stumble up the stairs in a hurry.

I immediately ran up to the creep and grabbed him by the collar. "What the fuck did you put in her drink?" I said to him, inches away from his face. We were the same height so he couldn't escape my gaze. "N-Nothing, I didn't even make the damn thing, the bartender did. She just said she was sick—"
"Bartender? There is no bartender." I hissed and threw him against the railing of the patio. My feet moved on their own and I sprinted towards the black faux hawk in the crowd of people. I practically shoved them out of my way.

His eyes wide by my sudden appearance, Deacon stuttered, "H-Hey, Nora?"
"What did you give her, and where did she go?" I said urgently, referring to Piper. I knew he connected the dots instantly and told me she went to the bathroom upstairs in his parent's room. "Is there another set of keys or am I knocking this bedroom door in?"
He started to panic and he said there wasn't another set of keys. I took off running up the stairs, claiming three at a time and dodging people along the way. Adrenaline shot threw my veins like a junkie that couldn't hold back. My breath was quick and my whole body shook with fear and anger.
Piper. Piper. Piper. How could you have been so naïve?

I didn't stop and ask for directions, but I knew that she was up here somewhere, so I looked for a locked door. Every door was open and I got frustrated.
Why are there so many bedrooms in this fucking house!
When I finally found it, I tried to doorknob quickly. A voice called out behind the closed door. It was deep, and nothing like Piper's. It had to be the fake bartender. There was no other explanation. Piper was the only one with access to this room.
I could hear Deacon call my name and tell me to hold on. My body didn't comply, because my body was in survival mode. I ran back to the other side of the huge hallway, breathed in and took off running towards the door.
I didn't care what it was made of, but it didn't look like real wood. And luckily, I was right. Because I kicked it right off its hinges and barreled my way towards the voice in question. The man in was bald, and had a horrifying scar on his face. Completely startled, he tried to get up off the bed where Piper was laying.

He had his hands on the waist line of her jeans.
The girl on the bed was motionless, and her green eyes were closed.

She had to have been unconscious.

I didn't think. I just acted. Before he had a chance to defend himself, my mma training kicked in.
With a right hook right against his hardened jaw, I earned a satisfying crack as he flew back into the wall a few feet away from the bed. I didn't stop. I couldn't stop.

In the distance I heard Cait and Deacon call out, but I kept hitting him. Left jab. Right uppercut. I even pulled out a kick to his skull which knocked him out. I saw red, and my knuckles were split open. Apparently, I punched some of his teeth out in the process of hitting him. I was on the war path as Piper mumbled and tried to regain consciousness. The louder she was the harder I hit him. This fucker drugged her.

And I'm not going to let anything happen to Piper.
My hands were bleeding, he had two black eyes, a broken jaw and split lip. Deacon and Cait had to pull me off of him. I remembered the weapons we placed around the house and wondered why we conveniently hadn't placed one in the bedroom.
When Deacon had separated us, and pieced the door back together for a bit of privacy, he glared at me. With arms crossed he spoke, "I understand the anger. But you could've waited. Cait could've picked the lock—"
There was no time for that and even Cait interjected. "There wasn't any time, Deacon." She paused and then turned to me with a grin on her face. " But I didn't know you had it in ya, Blueberry. Good job."
The man with sunglasses sighed, "Fine. There wasn't time. But now I have to pay for this door. Good thing we didn't pay for the liquor."
It was supposed to be a joke, but I couldn't pay attention. I was in my head, far away from the four people in this room. Deacon had duct taped the perps arms and legs together and wondered what to do with him. He looked nervous and kept glancing at him. My hands were still shaking and my breathing was ragged. But I was proud. I saved Piper, and no one was going to take that away from me.
I couldn't feel my hands or the cut above my eyelid. When he toppled over, I jumped on him and hit the nightstand corner with my head.

My heartbeat was clear through my wounds but it was the least of my worries. We were hosting a party for under aged kids, who had all been drinking for the last couple of hours and cops were out of the question.
I studied the bald man in front of me, while they discussed what they were going to do. He had a full beard, but it was very well trimmed. It was the only hair on his head, and like someone who has been in a war, he had a huge pink scar running down his right eye. My eyes narrowed and studied his details in case I ran into him in the street.

But what did he have for Piper? How did he know her? Why was he here? This man was older, and had to be at least in his late twenties or early thirties. I snorted at his bartender attire, with a black blazer and white undershirt. Coupled with his age? I guess you could mistake him for one.
Deacon's voice finally fell on my ears. "I say we throw him outside of a hospital and leave it that."

Piper's best friend rolled her eyes, and motioned to the bald attacker. "And he is just gonna let it go?" She was sitting on the bed next to Piper, who made a small noise. It seemed to trigger the drama king across the room next bald guy. "What else are we going to do, Cait?" His voice desperate.
She huffed in frustration. "Just get him away from her, Deacon."
The actor slowly turned to me when he noticed my absence in the conversation, "are you alright?"

"I will be once Piper wakes up." I said after a long bout of silence. The atmosphere in room was eerie and I looked at both of them before laying my eyes on the reporter I just saved. With her black hair a mess and her clothes wrinkled, she still looked beautiful.

"I think you earned that," she threw a set of keys into my lap. "You take care of Piper. We take care of him."
The redhead smiled warmly at me and then cracked her knuckles while the faux hawked teen's eyes widened. "She's right, take her home. I don't know what he drugged her with, but if she was roofied, she will be out of it for hours."
The only thing I was thankful for right now was that I had just gotten my driver's license a few months ago. It was hard getting Piper out of the party without anyone noticing but Deacon helped me out the back entrance of the party while Cait drove the car around back.
When I placed her in the car as gently as I could, she moaned my name. Green eyes fluttered open, but I could tell she wasn't all the way back just yet. I whispered as I put on her seat belt, "Relax Pipes, it's going to be okay. I'm going to drive you home."
I earned an unidentifiable mutter from her and I shut the door quietly. I jumped when I realized her best friend was still standing behind me. She had one eyebrow raised, "Be careful."
It was the only two words out of her mouth, but it meant a lot to me. She had been so nice to me lately in her own little way that it's almost concerning. I don't know why she let me take Piper home, but I guess she thought I couldn't do whatever they were going to do to the bald guy. Cait was tough, and I appreciated it.
A grin formed on my face because I may have earned a few brownie points for beating the hell out of that guy.

The drive home was pleasantly quiet, I didn't even put on the radio. The moon was full and bright tonight, lighting the roads we were turning on. When I finally drove into Pipers driveway, I was thanking the Gods for her dad working this weekend. It would've been pretty weird trying to explain what happened.
I glanced at Piper and a shiver ran down my spine. Bright green eyes were staring right into my soul and I was frozen solid. The moonlight hit her perfect facial features through the car window while her head leaning back against the seat. The girl next to me was gorgeous.
Although, I had no idea if the drugs have worn off or not, I opened my mouth to let her know what was going to happen so she wouldn't be scared.
"Piper, I'm going to help you inside, alright?" I said softly and leaned closer to undo her seat belt. Her eyes watched me in complete silence. I assumed that she couldn't control herself and I ran around the car to help her out. She looked at me apologetically but still pushed me away, "I can d-do it."
Piper stumbled forward and she headed head first for the concrete below before I caught her.
"Piper, no."
I could hear her gasp when I swooped her up in my arms and started to walk towards her house. The tension was high and I sighed silently. I forgot I had accidently ignored her all day.
Oh, fuck.

Earlier she also told me that we could go separate into school. I hit myself mentally and glanced down at the girl in my arms. She probably thought I was ignoring her for my reputation. When I reached her room upstairs, she huffed. My mind wanted me to acknowledge it but I was already striding towards her bed. I could feel her wiggle as I laid her down quickly.
"Alright, Piper. I'm going to get some water for you and find my way out, alright?"
Piper's slender arms wrapped around my neck as I tried to stand up. I looked at her and my breath hitched in my throat. Her eyes were locked with mine and our faces were inches apart. It was dark in her room, with the only light in the room from the moon. So I couldn't tell if her eyes were hazy or it this was really Piper.
"Piper—"
"Stay." The single command from her made me shutter. God, why was she so beautiful? It was almost intimidating to look at her. I swallowed and reached for her arms to unhinge them, "o-okay."
But she wouldn't let me go, in fact her arms tightened around me and she pulled me on the bed. I froze when I felt her lips on my cheek. As if she was under a spell that was just broken, her arms released me. I laid right next to her quickly, not a single body part touching. My heart was racing from the sudden contact.
She was fast asleep while I'm sitting here holding my cheek, completely frozen in place.
When my eye lids finally betrayed me, I had one last thought.

Sleep well, my little journalist.