Author's Notes- so I've really been looking forward to writing this chapter. I think it's one of the most interesting chapters and hopefully you do too. Enjoy!

Chapter 7: The Hills

A few hours had passed and Shine's amount of anger had dropped significantly. However, this didn't mean she was ready to forgive Beast Boy. In fact, she was still furious with him. Furious beyond recognition to be exact.

She was still in Starfire's room on her bed. Tonight, she was trying to relax and nothing more. She didn't want to speak to anyone, not even Starfire. Everyone just seemed like an annoyance and nothing more. It wasn't their faults, it was Shine's anger.

Why did Beast Boy have to be such a jerk? Why couldn't he have thought before he spoke? But why did Shine even care? Why did she care whether her and Beast Boy were a couple or not? All of these questions urged her to find time to think.

She sat there on the bed, lifeless. What had gotten into her? She was really enjoying living in Titans Tower. Starfire and her reunited, she found a place where her powers were considered special and she thought she had found someone who wanted to be hers.

In spite of all these answerless worries cluttering her brain, Shine was grateful to have finally gotten some peace and quiet. Some head space if you will.

The Titans were all in the living room and kitchen area. They knew now wasn't a good time to bother Shine or so it seemed that way. A crisp knock on the door caused Shine to snap out of her own thoughts and back into reality.

Rather reluctantly, she answered the door to see none other than Cyborg standing right in front of her.

"What do you want?" she asked, annoyed.

"Whoa, easy with the tone." said Cyborg.

"Sorry. I'm just a little stressed. Anyway, what is it?" Shine asked again.

"We're all going out for pizza and Beast Boy wanted to know if you wanted to come." Cyborg replied.

"Tell him I said no thanks." said Shine, coming close to shutting the door.

"You? Saying no to pizza? That's a first." Cyborg seemed more suspicious of her than he was letting on.

"I'm just not hungry, ok? Maybe I'll be in mood later on today." Shine retorted. She was actually pretty hungry or at least that's what her rattling stomach told her.

"Suit yourself." Cyborg replied, shrugging.

Shine waited until him and the other Titans left. This way, she could help obtain the peace and quiet she was craving.

It took them all a few minutes to leave. Once they did, Shine decided it might be nice to relax up rooftop. After all, it was a beautiful summer day. The sky was a rich blue and the sun looked like it was made of gold. Birds were chirping but other than that, it was mercifully quiet.

Shine rested her body onto a striped lounge chair. She masked her eyes with a pair of heart-shaped sunglasses which were left on the floor. They must have belonged to Starfire.

There, she laid engulfed into the blinding sunshine. Her body was warmer than it had ever been. This is the life, she thought to herself. Slowly, her eyes began to shut. She was getting ready to live her fantasies through her dreams. Dreams that included no noise, no heartbreak and certainly no Beast Boy.

She had been napping for around half an hour when she heard a voice talking right over her body.

"I'm not late, am I?" she heard the voice ask.

Whoever it was, Shine could tell he was definitely slick, smooth and oozed with charisma. Quickly, she opened her eyes. The figure that stood before her was probably the most attractive man she had ever seen.

His skin was a faint orange color, a tan like she had. His red eyes were deep and piercing and his hair was a fiery gradient. A black motorcycle adorned with a flames stood behind him.

"Who the hell are you?!" Shine exclaimed. She couldn't embarrass herself by showing how utterly star struck she was.

"Come on, you knew I'd be out." the guy said.

"I don't even know who you are!" Shine retorted.

This guy was definitely gorgeous but she didn't want to show her interest in him just yet.

"You wanna know something?" he asked.

Shine didn't answer.

"You're pretty hot." he said.

"Um, thanks. I guess." Shine replied, pulling herself up from the lounge chair as she pushed a strand of her blonde hair back. It seemed to have gotten brighter as it had been soaking in the sun.

"What? Come on, you know it's true. Anyway, you wanna come for a ride?" he asked, pointing at the motorcycle behind him. He had such a sleazy looking smirk on his face. But Shine kind of liked sleazy.

"Listen, I don't even know you" Shine told him.

"And since when does that matter? Just one ride." he requested.

"I don't know" Shine replied. She allowed her body to ease and soften up.

"Why don't you know?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.

God, he looks so hot like that, Shine thought.

"Well, why should I?" she asked as she raised her eyebrow, mimicking him.

"Because I know that if you do, you'll have the time of your life. By the way, you look hot like that." he replied, pointing at her eyebrows.

"I can't." Shine said.

"Why not?" he asked.

"I'm going to be busy today." she replied.

"Doing what exactly?" he asked.

It seemed like he didn't believe her and he had good reasons to. After all, she was sleeping when he found her.

"Things." Shine said sternly.

"What kind of things?" he interrogated.

"Things." she repeated.

He began to chuckle as if Shine had told a joke or something. He took a seat onto the lounge chair and looked deeply into Shine's eyes. Her icy blue eyes were so different from his lush reds.

"Shine, you know you're lying. You set this day aside just for me and you know it." he said.

"How do you know my name?" asked Shine.

Things were definitely getting creepy.

"It's Shine. Well, Galatea actually but your little buddies call you Shine. Am I right?" he replied.

"Maybe you are, maybe you aren't." Shine said.

"So how about that ride?" he asked. He looked like he was expecting her to say yes.

"Where do you even want to take me?" she questioned suspiciously.

"Just for a ride. A date perhaps? We could even go to my place, Shine gorgeous." he replied, smirking. This guy was definitely thinking about sleeping with her.

Sure, he might have been handsome as could be but Shine wasn't going to sleep with the first guy who gives her compliments. If that were the case, Beast Boy would have gotten something the day they met.

"I never confirmed that was my name." she retorted.

"But I know it is. You'd be surprised at all the things I know about you. You're a special girl, a beautiful, sexy one. I've put a lot of effort into finding out all about you. I know your little buddies are out somewhere. Your best friend's name is Starfire, right?" he replied.

Shine was completely and utterly baffled. Just who was this guy? And how was he so approachable and easy to talk to yet so unattainable at the same time? He was a total sleaze ball but Shine was somehow captured by him.

"How do you know all this?" she asked.

"Listen- Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, Raven, Beast Boy." he rattled their names off.

"How do you know all my friends?" she asked again.

"I know everybody." he put it simply.

"You know, it's not really fair that you know all of this about me yet I know virtually nothing about you." Shine said. This was her chance to figure out who he actually was.

"What do you wanna know?" he asked flirtatiously.

"Um, I don't know. Your name maybe?" Shine replied in a sarcastic tone.

"Alright, alright. No need to get feisty, missy!" he exclaimed.

"Can you just tell me your name?" she interrogated.

"It's Inferno. Inferno Nelson." he replied.

Shine easily nodded her head. She couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Not thinking about that ride, are you?" Inferno asked, his eyebrow raised yet again.

"You're right. I'm not." said Shine sternly.

"What's wrong? Think I'm a bad driver?" he asked teasingly.

"Not at all." she replied. She was starting to tap into his game and Inferno was definitely liking it.

"You're one tough nut to crack." he said.

Shine was considering taking this ride now that she was beginning to get the gist of his shtick. But then one concern crossed her mind.

"Say, how old are you?" she asked.

"The same age as you." he replied

He definitely looked older than that but maybe her age was something he hadn't gotten wrong.

"Seventeen?" Shine questioned.

"Nope. But now I know how old you are. Anyway, I'm nineteen." he said laughing.

Fuck. There lied even more tricks.

"You're a firecracker, you know that?" she said.

"You're damn right I am." he replied. A flame of fire ignited onto the clasp of his hand.

"We have the same powers…" Shine's words trailed off her tongue.

"Why do you think I find you so tantalizing?" he asked.

"A firecracker with a great vocabulary." Shine said simply.

Inferno raised his body from the lounge chair. Where was he going?

"Listen, I can tell you're not going with me this time. But if you ever want to hang out with some people, your people, let me know." he said as he blew the flame resting in his hand into Shine's face. He pulled his body onto his motorcycle.

"Wait," Shine didn't want him to leave yet.

"Let me come with you." she finished.

"What were you waiting for?" asked Inferno as he extended his arm to reach hers.