The next two weeks flew by; Tess kept busy by studying and art. Surprisingly the art teacher really thought she had some talent, which caught Tess by surprise. She was working late in the art room on Thursday when Catty Turner dropped her messenger bag at the door and came to Tess' table.

"Hi," Catty said, pushing some brown hair behind her ear, she looked slightly uncomfortably. Tess looked up at her, her paint brush steady in her hand.

"You're a great artist." Catty told her. "And if I lose the art contest to you...I'll be totally ok because I would rather lose to someone talented than winning if she didn't enter."

Tess smiled. "Thanks, the same goes to you." She set down the brush. "It's like we have been at a war you and I, an unspoken one."

Catty nodded. "I know, I felt totally intimidated by you and your art—"

Tess gaped. "My art? Please you have your own unique style with your beautiful landscapes with moons and gorgeous goddesses."

Catty grinned. "Thanks." She looked down at Tess' latest worked, impressed. It was a girl, wearing toe shoes and a raincoat dancing in a dark alley while it was raining—it was beautiful.

"Catty, you coming?" Said a male voice, turning both Tess and Catty saw Kyle. Tess didn't recognize him from school but from the school parking lot where he often picked Catty up. Looking down at her work Tess quickly packed up her supplies and headed for the door.

Sunlight streamed everywhere making Tess in a much better mood. There was no way you couldn't enjoy a day like this. She dug the keys out her jeans pocket and gently placed her new painting in the backseat of her car and her art supplies on the floor. She threw her bag in the other back seat before slamming shut the door. She looked up to see a guy leaning against the driver's door. Tess frowned, couldn't he take the hint?

Walking around she almost pulled her hair out, Adam just wouldn't leave her alone. Not only had he been coming to her house every day after school but he had started following her, waiting for her after each class. She already knew that Morgan and him were a couple there was no reason for him to flaunt it by trying to have an affair or something with her.

Tess froze; it wasn't Adam leaning up against her door, with long legs stretched out. He was gorgeous, there was no other word—maybe drop dead handsome but only that. He had dirty-blond hair and dark eyes, a smile that could melt your heart.

"Um, excuse me—" Tess began, her annoyed side already kicking in.

"Tess right?" He said smoothly, his voice deep hypnotic.

Tess looked at him, he looked a few years older than her, and no way he went to La Brea. How'd he know her then? "Yea?" She responded placing her hands on her hips, she was in no mood to put up with some creep.

"I have been looking for you," He said and got off the car and walked over to her. She looked up at him.

"Why is that?" She asked, cocking an eyebrow. Tess was no longer the new girl that would let people walk over her. He laughed and touched her hair, as if he knew her well.

"Get your hands off me," She slapped away his hand and began walking to her car. Once she opened the door and slammed it shut before Tess could get in.

"Do you mind? I have somewhere to go." She snapped at him. He looked surprised.

"Actually I do," He told her, he was holding her hand and letting his fingers trace her palm. Tess ignored the light feeling in her stomach and the dizziness of her head.

"Are you at least going to tell me who you are since you apparently know who I am?" Tess asked, keeping the rudeness in her voice.

"Eric." He hooked his hand in hers. "Eric Majors."

"How lovely," She replied, her will was getting overpowered by the softness of his touch. He brought her hand up and gently pressed his lips against it.

"Will you meet me tonight?" He asked. Tess opened her mouth to say no, she barely knew him after all but his eyes made her change her mind.

"Excellent, do you know where the Verve is? I will meet you there at nine." He asked. She nodded her head even though she didn't have a clue.

"Be ready to dance." He smiled then climbed into the passenger side of a black truck. Tess strained to see who was driving but soon they were out of site.

She sat in the driver's seat staring out the window. What had made her say yes? To going and knowing what this Verve club was? She drove home and instead of studying for her trig test that she had tomorrow she just piled her art supplies on her desk and immediately went to her closet.

It was nine fifteen as Tess pulled up to the Verve. She had over heard in English that Planet Bang was the place for high schoolers but maybe the Verve was new. She stepped out of her car, feeling confident but having the lower hand. The Verve had some of most beautiful people she had ever seen, the line wasn't long, but the guard picked who went in and who didn't. Once inside Tess let her gaze flicker over the huge crowd dancing to the awesome band playing onstage.

"The Misfits, they're good huh?" A voice whispered in her ear. Tess didn't bother turning around.

"You're late..." He said, took her hand and pulled her around. His eyes lingering over her face, chest, bare stomach, hips, legs and then back up at her face. She enjoyed him taking his time to look her over. For some reason she took her time picking out the right outfit; she chose a airy skirt that showed off her legs, and a colorful tank top.

"You look good," He said and pulled her towards the crowd. She smiled as he took her in his arms for the slow song, but it was over and a fast beat song came on. Tess held her hands over her head and swayed her hips to beat, enjoying the feel of her touching Eric and him watching her while keeping the beat himself.

They danced for two hours before he finally lead her out of the club and out into the chilly air of the parking lot.

"You never told me you could dance." Eric said, he was holding her hand.

"I don't even know you," Tess told him. It was crazy, she told herself, holding hands and dancing like they were on the movie Dirty Dancing—they had known each other for less than a day. Her first boyfriend it had taken him two weeks to finally hold her hand, and longer for him to work up the nerve to kiss her. Eric was different though; he was arrogant and he knew he was good looking and went after for what he wanted. Some of that she admired other parts of it she despised.

She looked up at the sky, completely dark except for the stars. They came to black firebird and she leaned against it as Eric gazed down at her. He held her face with his hands and bent down, lowering his lips to her's. Tess felt totally relaxed then suddenly felt a hunger for Eric. She hadn't dated anyone like Eric, who didn't play or acknowledged the rules.

They pulled apart, both of them craving more.

"Tess!" Someone shouted her name. She didn't care; she wrapped her arms around Eric's neck and pulled him closer. His lips met her's once again but differently this time, harder. He slipped his tongue in her mouth.

"Tess!" The person shouted louder. Gosh, this guy was persistent. Tess broke the kiss and looked over at the entrance of The Verve, Adam was waving his arms at her. She paled, Eric noticed, he grabbed her hand and opened the door to the firebird, ushering her inside.

Tess watched Adam run towards the sports car but was too late because suddenly the car zoomed from the parking lot. No, she thought. She didn't want to leave—she didn't want to leave Adam. But what about Eric? She looked at him, gosh he was gorgeous.

He stopped the car at the beach. Eric opened the door and pulled her out, his lips instantly on hers. It was intoxicating. His hands where in her hair while her arms where around his neck. Then she pulled away.

"Why did we leave?" She asked. Tess breathed, she was already making out with a total stranger this was not her. Eric took her hand and pulled her onto the sand, she smiled not that she minded too much. She took off her sandals, the waves gently crashed around their ankles.

"I thought you wanted to be alone..." Eric answered her, his eyes amazingly dark.

"I guess," She replied. She stopped and looked at him. "How did you know who I was?"

He avoided the question by kissing her again, but she pulled away again. "Eric..."

"Yes?" He said slowly opening his eyes.

"How did you know who I was?" Tess repeated. He sighed.

"We have business together." Eric said finally and shrugged. She frowned. Business? Is this business including making out?

"Business?" She replied, with disbelief in her voice. He raised an eyebrow at her irritation.

"It isn't important." Eric told her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Want to go swimming?"

"Isn't important?" She said. "You somehow know me, you ask me out not talking to me more than five minutes, we dance and suddenly you can kiss me all you want without getting to know me in the least!" Tess was close to shouting. Her outburst didn't seem to bother Eric much; he just pulled her closer and teased her with his lips then kissed her softly and gently.

"Want to go swimming?" He asked again softly. She soon forget about her outburst and focused at the darkness around them. Who would see? Tess nodded slowly.

Tess fell instantly asleep in her bed, not bothering to put her clothes in the hamper or to brush her teeth or hair. Her mother wasn't home so she really didn't have to answer to anyone and Hazel was watching Family Feud.

The next day at school Adam was waiting for her after gym. She was sitting outside the gym, cooling off when he stomped up to her.

"Well?" He snapped at her. She scooped her hair into a ponytail and looked at him.

"What?" She asked, confused.

"You acted like a bitch Tess!" He snapped at her, she stared at him. How dare he call her that? After he was the one that was "with" Morgan and continued to stalk her!

"Blowing me off like that!"

"Blowing you off?" She shouted back at him.

"Yes! Blowing me off! Do you realize how dumb I felt shouting and waving my arms when you drove off with that guy—me standing in the parking lot like an idiot!"

"Well its not like I knew it was you—or that you had asked me on a date!" She snapped back. Tess stood up and grabbed her gym bag. She hadn't wanted to leave, but once they got to the beach she was happy they had.

"Hadn't asked you on a date?" He repeated angrily. "Well I have been trying you know! But no you avoid me!"

She turned and looked at him. "I don't want to be some girl on the side Adam! God, do I look easy to you? Because I'm not!" Tess screamed at him, turned on her heel and ran into the girls' locker room. Sitting on the bench she took a deep breath then held it when she heard two girls who were talking.

"I mean really, Adam has been chasing that new girl since she came here." Said one voice.

"She's really pretty but really quiet."

"Yea well Kathryn was with him when they went to The Verve last night and he totally ditched her for run after the new girl when she was with some other guy."

"He was a hottie, but in a dangerously sexy sort of way. Adam is the boy next door cute."

"Watch it," Snapped the other girl. "Adam asked me to meet him after school."

Tess felt tears surfacing, she pushed them away. He wasn't worth crying for, grabbing hold of her gym bag and grabbing her messenger bag she decided that she was gonna go home. She didn't want to stay for the last two periods of school.

Heading towards the parking lot she noticed that Adam was talking to Morgan. Angrily she just wished that time would stop so she could stop and think. She heard some crying nearby. Then an urgent voice snapped at the crying. She walked over and saw that some creep had one of his hands around a girl's throat and had a gun pointing at her stomach. Panic seeped into Tess' stomach. He was ordering her to remove her clothes, she was begging him no.

"I said do it!" He snapped. Tearing streaming down the girls face she slowly began reaching for her top, Tess screamed out no and they both turn at her. She eyes widened as the gun was pointed at her. Tess flung her hands out, expecting the bullet.

But nothing, nothing happened. Tess opened her eyes to see that they were frozen. Her brows drew together—what had she done? Then she pulled back her hands and stared at them. It looked as though...but she couldn't have—could she? She had frozen time. Tess quickly stood behind the guy with the gun, took a deep breath and then repeated the hand movements: pushing her palms out while lightly clenched then quickly opening them.

The guy blinked still having the gun at where Tess was.

"What?" He said looking in front of him, ignoring the weeping from the girl. Tess suddenly hit the guy in the head with her gym bag, making him collapse to the ground. She stepped on his wrist the one that held the gun and shouted at the girl to run.

Tess turned off the engine of her car as she sat in front of the pizza place with the girl sitting next to her.

"Are you okay?" Tess asked handing her some tissues.

"Yeah, I am fine thanks to you." She said, mascara running down her face and she wiped it away looking ashamed.

"I'm Tess Court."

She looked at Tess and smiled, "Ellie Richards." Tess pulled her makeup bag from her gym bag and handed it to Ellie.

"Want some pizza?"

Ellie laughed, "As long as you let me buy."