A/N Sorry about the delay I will try to update once a week! Anyway I know I said you'll meet the daughters in here…well I lied you do see them and stuff but you officially meet them in the next one. PLEASE REVIEW! Thanks! Oh and thanks to demon goddess!
"Hey, Delaney, do you think you'll be able to come?" Ceth asked, tilting his head at me. We had been on the topic of clubbing at Planet Bang, and the group was now begging me to come along.
"Well," I stalled, trying to by my time. To tell you the truth, I really didn't like going to clubs. I wasn't fond of big crowds.
"Aw, come on it; will be a blast," Heather piped up, feigning a pout. She leaned against the chain link fence just off of school property.
I smiled at the fact they cared so much, "Ugh. Okay, fine; you guys win."
Addy laughed. "Heather always gets her way when she does 'the pout'," she informed me, continuing to giggle. She brushed back a strand of shiny black hair revealing a tattoo that seemed to be a goat.
I knitted my eyebrows together, trying to recall what it stood for. I did know it wasn't good.
"Hey, what's that on your neck?" I questioned more sharply than intended.
Her eyes grew wide for a second and she straightened her hair, covering the tattoo. She forced a smile. "Nothing, nothing at all."
I narrowed my eyes in suspicion, but chose to drop the subject, as I could feel the tension in the group heighten.
"I better go; I'll have to finish my homework before my mom let's me out of the house," I said in a rush, starting to walk backwards from the group, suddenly feeling ill at ease. My birthmark began to sting.
"Okay," Heather shouted after me, "We'll pick you up at eight, okay?"
I nodded and spun around on my heel, power walking to my house.
Fifteen minutes later, I arrived at my tan painted home- though I really wouldn't call it home yet.
I walked up the driveway and opened the door. The smell of oil paints and turpentine from my mother's studio greeted me, wafting up my nose. At first I used to get literally sick from the scent, but over the years I had adjusted to it.
"How was your day?" My mother asked, popping out of her studio. Her blonde hair was pulled up in a bun and wisps had escaped her hair tie's grasp. Her ensemble included a worn paint-stained apron, an oversized light blue button-up shirt, and ripped jeans.
I smiled at my mother's appearance; it made feel like I was back home in Ohio.
"Great," I answered truthfully. I flashed a huge smile at her and sauntered into the kitchen. I threw my messenger bag into a vacant chair and hopped into a barstool.
"Really? That's wonderful, Dee! I knew you would be fine here," the support in my mother's voice wasn't enough to hide the surprise just below the surface.
Frankly, I was surprised myself. I was usually a shy, quiet kind of person, not making friends easily. Most of the time I ended up an outcast for a few weeks until I plucked up enough courage to talk to someone.
"Yeah, thanks, Mom."
I looked around the kitchen, finally noting my brother's absent presence. When my brother was home, if he was in the family room the TV was on; cartoons blaring. If he was in the study, you could hear the various sounds of IMs, and if he was in his bedroom you could hear his stereo. Wherever my brother went, sound followed him.
"Where's Richie?" I implored, starting to collect my bag and making my way upstairs.
"He hasn't come home yet," my mother yelled at my retreating back as I ran up the stairs to my room. At the top of the staircase I stopped and whirled around.
I smiled at the concern on my mom's face. "Don't worry. I saw him today, and he appeared very popular. He's probably off somewhere hanging out."
My mother sighed. "I know, that's why I'm worried." She rubbed her forehead a telltale sign she was coming down with a migraine- and my brother was always the root of those migraines.
"Mom, next time just forbid him to do that."
"I know, I know. You know he'll never listen, though. He's always doing things like this. He never calls me," the last sentence she muttered to herself. She began walking back to the kitchen to retrieve her migraine medication.
I shook my head at my brother's ignorance at what he was doing to our mother.
I swear, one day he'll give her an ulcer, I thought bitterly to myself.
I slammed the door to my room and dropped my bag to the floor. I bent down and picked out my homework and planner. I flipped though the planner, finding today's date, and began reading what my assignments were.
A car honked in my driveway at exactly eight o'clock. I sprinted out of my room and down the stairs. My mother stood in the entryway, looking puzzled by the honking.
"Don't worry, Mom, I got it." She glanced at me and from my outfit she knew the car was for me.
She shook her head sadly. "Where are you going?"
"Planet Bang; with some friends, don't worry."
"Planet Bang?"
"Yeah, it's a club, and tonight they have a teen night. So, like I said, don't worry," I replied in a hurry, anxious to leave the ill feeling from before gone.
"Who will be there?" typical mother question.
"Friends," I answered slowly, then added, "And classmates."
She nodded her head.
"When will you be back?"
I chewed on my bottom lip. The group had failed to mention when we would be leaving the club.
"Uh, eleven?"
My mother sighed and crossed her arms. "Okay, but no later than eleven. You hear me? You're only fifteen."
I nodded, ecstatic she'd agreed on my time. "Thanks Mom, bye, love you." I rushed over to her and gave her a peck on the cheek.
I squealed and hurried out the door failing to hear her mumble, "You get more and more like Richie each passing day."
"Hey guys," I greeted as Ceth opened the door from inside Heather's Expedition for me. I crawled in and plopped down next to Ceth. I smiled at his expression regarding my clothes. I was decked out in a one-strap halter that sparkled navy blue in the light, a black leather mini skirt, and my prized black high top converse shoes.
Hey, at least I wouldn't break my ankle.
"You look great," Ceth complimented me.
Addy giggled. "Yeah, I can practically see him drooling, good going Delaney." She gave me a thumbs-up, and grinned widely.
I beamed but noticed Courtney and Andrew weren't there. I didn't say anything about it, though.
"Thanks," I acknowledged, staring Ceth in the eyes. He had beautiful eyes, a green pond, but close to the pupils and outlining the irises laid a band of amber.
He smiled and stared back into my eyes. I felt engulfed in his eyes, thinking I couldn't escape their splendor.
I suddenly felt a tickling sensation in my mind and had an urge to kiss him.
But Heather saved me from making a fool of myself as she blasted the stereo. Metallica, my savoir, blasted from the speakers and vibrated my body.
"Here we go!" Heather hollered above the music.
I saw Ceth throw a poisonous gaze her way, but Heather chose to ignore the venom. She slammed her foot on the pedal, and we lurched backwards. She changed gear off my driveway and took off heading for Planet Bang- way above the speed limit, I might add.
"I didn't bring money," I confessed devastated as the security guards checked us.
Heather smiled sympathetically at me. "It's no problem. I'll pay."
"No, I couldn't-" I started, but was interrupted by Heather.
"Nonsense, of course you can. I insist; you would insult me if you refused, anyway."
I nodded, trapped by her statement.
We approached the booth to pay, and I stuck close to Heather.
She addressed the man inside the booth. "Two for me and my friend," she motioned toward me. I saw her slip money to the man- but it was only enough to pay for one. The man running the booth didn't seem to notice, for he handed her two wristbands.
Heather smiled proudly and looped an arm through mine. She slapped the band on my wrist, and dragged my through the entrance of Planet Bang.
As we entered, music echoed though the club, resounding in my body. It pounded dully in my mind, but it wasn't painful, more pleasant. Beams of neon colored light sliced through the air, cutting the dances into freeze frames, and changing bodies' colors.
I grinned at the scene; it looked awesome.
"Uber cool," I commented, more to myself than to Heather.
"Tell me about it. If you like this, we'll have to take you to some other clubs."
"Yeah, like the Dungeon," Ceth added, coming up behind us.
I turned around to face him, my hair swishing over my shoulders. I looked around the vicinity, realizing Addy and Billy weren't with us.
"Where'd the others go?" I asked.
Ceth shrugged his shoulders. "Addy and Billy are out dancing, and Courtney and Andrew wanted time alone. It's just you, me, and Heather tonight." He grinned and winked at me.
I blushed.
Suddenly, Ceth snatched my arm from Heather, and pulled me away. "Hey, Heather, go find some guys; me and Delaney are gonna dance."
Heather snorted and stuck her tongue out at Ceth. "Fine, but you owe me." She winked at me, and I caught her drift.
She disappeared into the masses of bodies after only a matter of seconds.
Ceth smirked down at me, and it was a rather sexy smirk, I had to admit to myself.
He tugged on my arm and forced me out to the dance floor. He seized hold of my waist and drew me closer to him.
I blushed- damn it- I blushed.
I swayed; at first just barely, then feeling more comfortable, I leaned into it showing off some of my best moves.
Ceth gazed down at me from his perch of six foot, and I captured his gaze, holding it.
The next song possessed a faster beat, and I became bolder with my dace steps. I moved like liquid, the melody guiding me.
I was faintly aware of other eyes on me. I glanced around me, and spotted the same four girls that I saw in school leaning against the lockers- and something pulled me to them.
The one with green eyes and wild brown hair stared at me as she danced with her friends, and I saw the blonde throw me occasional shy glances.
My birthmark began to act up again. It throbbed dully and altered to a pale red.
Abruptly, I stopped dancing, making up my mind to talk to them.
Ceth looked at me startled. "What's up? Did I do something?"
I smiled at him. "No, you were perfect. I just want to talk to those girls." I gestured to the group with my head.
I spun on my heel, and started for them.
"Delaney, I'm not sure if that's wise. I mean, they aren't good."
I halted mid-step and looked back at him. I sensed a lie in his words, and didn't understand the reason.
"Oh. Well, I'll find out for myself."
Ceth grabbed hold of my wrist before I could get any further. "Don't."
My birthmark burned under his touch. I flinched, beginning to jerk my arm away from him, but before I could, he dropped my wrist and looked at his palm.
In it was burned an imprint of my scale birthmark; now forever a part of him.
I gazed at him strangely, not feeling right, and backed up away from him cautiously.
Ceth looked at me helplessly, his hazel eyes wide with something I couldn't identify. He blinked and whirled around. He shoved through the crowd and vanished.
I began feeling ill at ease again. I knew something was weird about the group whom I had dubbed my friends. The weird part wasn't weird as in wacky, but the supernatural weird.
I shook my head, remembering the girls.
