I'd like to thank Wendy, Anon, Guest, and CookieCrazyLamboTwins for reviewing! And also thanks to all those that added this story to their favorites and their alerts! It means a lot to me!

Disclaimer: Had I owned the Covenant, I would not be working the job I work now.

"Each friend represents a world in us, a world not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born."

-Anais Nin

"I feel so out of place," Abby stated as the girls walked up to the door of Nickey's after paying their cab fare. Lena linked arms with her roommate.

"What for?" Lena asked. "You look like any other teenager! And you're good looking!"

Abby smiled faintly but it disappeared quickly, "I just don't leave the confines of my—our room..." she replied.

"Can't stay holed up in your room or the library forever," Lena stated as she opened the door to the bar. "I mean we're only young once...we might as well go out and have fun, right? Relax, Abby! We may not have many friends but it doesn't mean fun is lost on us!"

Lena was sure that Abby wasn't convinced by her little pick me up speech. She suppose she'd just have to show her.

Nicky's was loud and smoky, it was really no wonder Abby didn't bother to come to it often. To be completely honest, as much as Lena loved this type of scene, she really hoped that there would be other places this little town of Ipswich had to offer. Sure she'd read briefly of Ipswich's rich and questionable history. She still hoped for something less historical and a little more...just something. Like abandoned warehouses for parties or like it.

"It doesn't look like there's anywhere to sit," Abby said over the music. "We're going to look stupid just standing around."

"Duly noted," Lena replied. "C'mon, we don't need a seat. I've just spotted an open pool table with our name all over it. Play me at a game!"

"I'm not very good!"

"Humor me then!"

"Isn't that what I've been doing all night?" Abby groaned. Lena rolled her eyes and didn't respond as she just started to pull her roommate toward the empty table she had spotted.

It would have it that she wasn't the only one to have set sights on the table. Reaching the table, Lena dropped her roommate's hand and grabbed a cue stick at the very same time a boy with wavy brown hair had. Startled Lena released it only for him to take it and turn his back on her after giving her the strangest of looks.

"The hell?" Lena mumbled.

"Just leave it," Abby said. For some reason, Lena thought her roommate sounded a bit tense.

"What for?" Lena asked frowning. "Yeah, excuse me," she said grabbing the boy's attention. "This is our table." The guy looked at her.

"Don't see your name on it," he said. "Now go away, I've got a game to play," he turned his back to her again as he spoke to his friend. "Where the fuck is Garwin? I'm kicking his ass tonight."

Lena felt her anger bubble as he ignored her again. Sure it was just a pool table, but that didn't excuse his behavior. As Lena was about to forcefully turn him around to face her, she herself was turned around.

"Don't do this," Abby said. "He's Aaron Abbot and he's bad news."

"I don't give a fuck if he's President of the United States," Lena replied, turning on the spot, she tapped him on the shoulder.

"You're still here?" Aaron asked annoyed. "Who the hell are you anyway?"

"I'm Lena Shaw, commit it to memory and you can save telling me who you are because I don't care," she said. "What I do care about is how fucking rude you are. Apparently your mother and father must not have taught you any manners."

"Apparently you don't know how things work around here, new girl," Aaron said. "I say 'go away' and you do it."

"You're so full of yourself," Lena laughed. "Here's what's going to happen," she said leaning on the table slightly. "You're going to let my friend and I play one little game considering you're just wasting space holding this table for your own no show friend...because that is the polite thing to do."

Aaron rolled his eyes before feigning a yawn, "Blah, blah, blah," he said. "That's all I heard, new girl. I suggest you and your little friend go back to the cave you've been living in."

"Clever," Lena lamented. "You know, I once hit a guy with a rock all because he looked at me funny. Imagine what I'd do to you. I'm older now and a lot sneakier."

"Is that a threat?" Aaron asked suddenly standing straight. Lena guessed she was supposed to be intimidated. He might be bigger than her, but she was far from scared.

"It's a fucking promise," she growled.

"What's this?" A new voice started. "If there's a promise for an ass kicking and I'm not the one making them, then there's a problem." Lena looked at the person to see it one of the boys from earlier; the blond. Abby next to her became significantly more stiff (if possible) at the very sight of him. Lena however, wasn't able to dwell on it long as the guy addressed her. "This guy bothering you?" he asked.

"It's nothing I can't handle," Lena said. She didn't need someone to fight her battles. She blamed it on being an only child for how she acted. Plus, she was so hardheaded, she sometimes didn't know when to back down. Much like know.

"She's the one making the fuss, Garwin," Aaron said glaring at her slightly before looking at the blond again. "Are you playing or what?"

"Well, with a face like yours, I couldn't really blame her, Abbot," this Garwin guy said. When Aaron was about to retort Garwin pushed on. "Any other night I'd love to take your money, but you were obviously just rude to two beautiful girls. Ladies," Garwin said as he turned both girls away from Aaron Abbot and placed an arm around both of them. "I win again," Garwin laughed as he started to lead the girls away. Aaron had shouted something, but Garwin had only laughed and continued on.

Lena didn't like that she was being lead away from a fight she would have eventually lost anyway. A quick glance at Abby showed her that her roommate was a mixture of relieved and still very discomforted as this Garwin guy continued to lead them as far from the pool tables as possible.

"What an asshole," the blond said as he released them both. "I'll admit, you've got balls, new girl. You're like half his size and you're threatening the prick."

"Lena Shaw," she sighed. "My name is Lena, not new girl. Commit it to memory," the blond raised an eyebrow, but there was an air of amusement in his eyes.

"Didn't mean any offense...Lena," he said. "And in case you were wondering, I'm Reid Garwin." Lena looked at his outstretched hand. Finally taking it he smiled. "Who's your friend?" he asked nodding at Abby.

Abby's mouth dropped open in disbelief before she crossed her arms and practically glared at him. Lena curiously wondered where this girl was when she was standing up to Aaron Abbot.

"Abby," she said. "Abigail McLean. I've only been in your homeroom for the last four years, not to mention a number of other classes."

"Right," Reid said as it dawned on him. "The quiet chick in the back of the room. You're like top of the class behind Golden Boy Caleb," he said. Lena wasn't sure if Abby was embarrassed or surprised by what Reid said. "Anyway," he trekked on. "My friends and I have a table, care to join us?"

"Actually, I think—"

"We'd love to," Lena cut across Abby's obvious rejection.

"C'mon then," Reid said tilting his head in the direction of the table before starting that way himself. Lena was going to follow when Abby grabbed her arm.

"Why did you just agree to sit with him?" Abby asked. "It's bad enough you caused a scene with Aaron Abbot."

"That was hardly a scene," Lena retorted. "And why not sit with him and his friends? Look around, not exactly seat galore is it?"

Abby rubbed the bridge of her nose in annoyance.

"We're here to socialize! And I'm still paying for your dinner so what's the big deal?" Lena asked. "First Aaron Abbot is bad news and now you're freaking out over sitting with a guy and his friends."

"He's Reid Garwin!" Abby said. "And he and the guys he hangs out with are the Sons of Ipswich," she further explained. Lena openly stared her.

"Is that supposed to mean something to me?" Lena asked when Abby hadn't elaborated any further.

"Yes," Abby said running a hand through her loose locks. "They're the descendants of the oldest families in Ipswich. They're practically royalty. Which makes them the most popular here. Them and usually by extension whoever hangs with them. Not to mention they're on our swim team! Do you know what four scantly clad guys do to hormonal girls? If we sit with them do you know what that means for us?"

"No, but I'm sure you're about to tell me," Lena deadpanned.

"Dead meat...it makes us dead meat, Lenny," Lena raised an eyebrow at the nickname but said nothing as her roommate continued on. "I've spent four years with them and it never fails. I've managed to stay out of the drama and with two of the four boys taken I'm not really in the mood to throw myself into the drama that comes with those boys."

"Chill out would you," Lena sighed. "We're literally just sitting with them, we're not going to try and sleep with any of them. It's just a seat for crying out loud."

"But that's all it takes," Abby groaned.

"I dare a bitch to do something," Lena replied. "Now would you stop worrying and come on, we're starting to look silly just standing here!"

Lena once more didn't wait for her roommate to object once again as she had grabbed her arm and started to pull her in the direction that Reid had gone in.

They were just boys and as far as Lena was concerned there wasn't anything to worry about. If she didn't like them after tonight, then she wouldn't have to deal with them later. Maybe a polite hello here and there, but other than that what did it matter? And with the chance that she did like them, wouldn't that just mean she'd successfully have made some friends? After all, she knew she and her roommate both would be in the need of some friends at some point in their lives. Lena saw absolutely nothing wrong with trying to make friends with some supposedly popular kids.

Finally arriving at the table, Lena counted four boys and two girls seated there. Abby moaned softly as they came to a stop. Apart from her friend's obvious discomfort, Lena's first thought was that this was a very good looking group. No wonder they were so popular.

It's like I walked right into the middle of an episode of some teen drama...they're gorgeous.

"What took you so long?" Reid asked. "These assholes were claiming I made you both up."

"Sorry," Lena said smiling. "We got distracted."

"With what—never mind forget it," Reid said. "Everyone Lena Shaw and Abby McLean," he said.

"We know who Abby is stupid," said the boy that had been with Reid earlier in the day. "She's in our homeroom. You'd know that if you didn't sleep through it." he added with a small nod in the girl's direction. Abby blushed and tried to look elsewhere. He coughed and looked at Lena. "I'm Tyler by the way, Tyler Simms."

Lena nodded, "It's nice to officially meet you." She turned and looked at the others.

"Pogue Parry," the boy with the long dark hair said. The girl sitting beside him smiled.

"Kate Tunney," she said. "Welcome to Ipswich."

"Thanks," Lena said returning the smile.

"I'm Sarah," the blonde next to Kate said.

"Caleb Danvers," said the boy with his arm around Sarah. Lena nodded, mostly because she still couldn't fathom how good looking these people were. And so far they seemed friendly enough.

"Nice to meet you all," she said once she got her wits about her.

"You two can sit," Caleb said. Lena noticed he had a warm yet guarded smile. She vaguely wondered if there was a reason behind it.

Of course there is, Lena thought to herself. What was it that Abby said? Right, town full of money and secrets.

Lena and Abby sat close together, neither saying anything for a few moments. Lena got the sinking suspicion that if no one spoke soon, Abby would excuse herself and disappear leaving her to fend for herself. Especially with the fact that they were gaining a bit attention from elsewhere in the bar.

"So where are you from?" It was Pogue that broke the silence between them. Lena looked at him and stopped herself from thanking him breaking the silence.

"Ithaca, New York," she said. "It's a bit of a change from where I'm from to come here," she said. "But please tell me there more to this town than this little bar."

Caleb laughed, "I promise you, there's more to this town than this bar."

"And you're in luck," Reid cut in. "We're on our way to see one of the things that Ipswich has to offer."

"Tell me more," Lena said turning toward him. Reid did the gesture as though zipping his lips and gave a shrug.

"But if it's all the same, you'll just have to come to find out," Reid said.

"So this is just the pregame?" Lena smirked.

"Fuck yeah," Reid replied. "You in or what?" Lena went to open her mouth to say exactly what she thought when her roommate beat her to the punch.

"That's nice and all," Abby spoke up. "But we really couldn't intrude," she said. "We don't even have transportation."

Lena looked at her roommate as though she were crazy. Why was she so against being around these guys? Sure maybe they shouldn't go to a party to some place they didn't know...but hell there was a party they were being invited to. They'd be crazy to give it up.

"We've got plenty of room in our cars," Tyler said. "We're returning to the dorms after, you wouldn't be intruding. It'll be fun, I promise. I mean as long as you stick with us," he smiled but Lena thought it was more for Abby's benefit than for her own. She was sure her own face read that she was signed up the moment Reid invited them.

"I don't know," Abby mumbled. "I mean you guys don't even know us, I mean we could be like a mass murdering duo or something."

There was laughter around the table, even Abby eventually laughed after she got over the initial shock at saying something funny that is.

"Girl," Kate said. "Why haven't I talked to you before? You're definitely funnier than the other bitches around here. You have to come."

"I agree," Sarah said. "And like Tyler said, it'll be fun!"

Abby blushed at the attention and then she nodded, "O—Okay," she said. "I guess one night out wouldn't hurt..."

Lena couldn't stop herself from pumping her fist in the air, "Hell yeah!"

"You've got more energy than I expected," Pogue laughed. Lena smiled as she lowered her arm.

"So when do we leave?" she asked.

Lena and Abby had found themselves in the back of Tyler's prized possession Hummer H3 a good hour later. How did Lena know it was his prized possession? Well the smile on his face when he pointed at it saying, "This one's mine girls," pretty much gave that away. The other four were in Caleb's 2005 Ford Mustang, Lena was a bit jealous...the moment she was able to call Caleb her friend, she was going to borrow his keys and take that baby for a spin. And then she had heard something about a Ducati...man she wished her parents let her take money and use it like that...

They had been driving for quite some time, music filling the space in the car. Lena was growing restless that this ride was taking forever. They were on one of those old roads and when Tyler took a right off on a side road, Lena unbuckled her seat-belt, reached to the front and turned off the music.

"You could have just asked," Reid said looking at her.

"Lena sit down, the road's bumpy and you're going to hurt yourself," Abby said. Lena rolled her eyes and sat but not in her original place by the window.

"Where the hell are we going?" She finally asked when the car got too silent.

"You'll see," Reid said. "Besides we're here." Tyler had begun to slow the car, they were somewhere deep in the woods, other cars parked around them.

Abby frowned and looked at Lena as though this was all her fault.

"Why are we in the middle of nowhere?" Abby asked.

"We're not...well we are...but you know what," Tyler smiled back at her as he climbed out. "Come on, it's started."

Lena looked at her roommate, "Okay, maybe this was a bad idea," she said.

"You think," Abby hissed. "And you didn't even feed me. My last meal would have been three saltine crackers," she added as she pushed the door open and jumped out. Lena threw her hands up in surrender.

"If it makes you feel better," Lena said as she followed suit. "I know judo!"

"Do you really?" Abby asked as they followed after the two boys and their friends that had arrived at the same time.

"No," Lena said.

"You're unbelievable," Abby sighed.

"Hey," Lena retorted. "You sounded hopeful for a second there! I tried m—Do you hear that? Do you feel that?"

Lena and Abby stopped walking as they both felt the ground shake as the sound of pumping music seemed to reach their ears. Abby instantly hit her forehead.

"They're known to throw parties in the forest around here..."

"Who the Sons of whatever?"

"Ipswich, Lena how hard is that? But no, they just show up. Someone else usually organizes them."

"For someone that doesn't leave the campus much how do you know so much?" Lena asked. Abby rolled her eyes.

"I pay attention," she said.

"You're nosy," Lena smirked.

"Oh shut up," Abby said.

"What are you two doing?" Reid asked. "We turn around and you're stopped back here, what's up?"

"Nothing," the said in unison.

"Lead the way," Lena said. Reid regarded her before throwing his arms around both of them for the second time that night as he lead them in the direction of this party. They eventually reached the edge of the clearing to find the full blown party going.

The grounds were unleveled, but it worked as on each hill was a parked vehicle with lights on, but the thing about it was they had placed colored film over the lights, efficiently lighting the area in numerous colors. The music blared and bodies were moving to pounding of the bass.

"Un-fucking-believable," Lena shouted over the music. Reid smirked down at her.

"Welcome to Ipswich," he said.

The music had been on a constant with songs transitioning from one to the next. It had been nearly an hour and a half since they had all arrived at the party. The group which had started out a full eight had slowly become just a group of four as first Pogue and Kate had disappeared, followed not too long after by Caleb and Sarah. Though Caleb didn't leave without giving the two troublemakers of the group a warning and a reminder that they needed to make sure nothing happened to the two girls they had all but forced to the party.

Lena was having a good time listening to the stories that Reid and Tyler had to tell of their little group. She got a kick out of the fact that Tyler had been given the moniker, 'Baby Boy'. She had resorted to calling him that herself. It only seemed fitting. Lena could even see that her reluctant to party roommate was having a good time herself. She'd laugh and even poked fun at the boys. Perhaps the alcohol had a little to do with her roommates new found courage, but hell...Lena took it as a win.

Already buzzing from the alcohol in her own system, Lena found that she couldn't stand still much longer as a fast beat began to pulse, making every fiber in her being pulse with it. She was moving toward the speakers without much thought of it, wanting nothing more than to just lose herself in the music.

Lena jumped and twirled, screaming out the lyrics with the however odd number of people surrounded her. She lived for the moments like this, when she didn't have to think she could just be. Lena loved them so much because these were the moments she was least likely to get in trouble believe it or not. Just moving to the sound of that boom, boom, boom.

It seemed all too soon that the song ended and a new one had started, one just as fast, but didn't give Lena the same feeling that the other had. She stopped her moving and looked around her.

"Shit," she muttered as she realized that in her haste to be near the speaker she hadn't bothered to drag one of the three people she was with along with her. So much for not getting herself in trouble. If she were lucky, they hadn't bothered to try looking for her and were exactly where she had left them.

Pushing her way through the still pulsating crowd she eventually made it to the little space that her roommate and the two boys had been occupying. And just like most of her luck, which was bad, Lena found that they were no longer there.

Running a hand through her hair she did a quick sweep around of the area, hoping to come across someone in the group she had come to this party with. No Pogue and Kate. No Caleb and Sarah. No Reid, Tyler, and Abby.

She just had to go into the crowd didn't she? And to think she didn't even have their numbers. Not even Abby's. Shouldn't that have been the first thing they exchanged after unpacking and stuff?

"Are you looking for someone?" Lena turned toward a boy. His hands were stuffed casually into the pockets of his coat. His blue eyes unnerved her a bit but Lena nodded.

"Plural," she said. "I'm looking for someones."

"Big area," he said. "You shouldn't be by yourself. Who are you looking for?"

"My roommate, Abby McLean, do you know her?"

"Can't say that I do," the guy said. "Anyone else?"

Lena looked around her before looking back at the guy, "Reid Garwin and company...I came to this party with them and I ran off and lost track of the ones left. Surely you know who they are right?"

The boys features darkened a bit, but Lena marked it off as it being the lack of natural light in the clearing and the alcohol she had in her system.

"Yeah, I know exactly who they are," he said.

"Excellent," Lena said a bit unsure. "You haven't seen them have you?"

The boy seemed to think about it for a few moments before...

"Lena!" Turning at the sound of her name, she saw her roommate running up to her, Reid and Tyler in tow. "We've been looking everywhere for you!"

"Here I am," Lena said. "But don't fret friends, I wasn't completely alone I was just talking to..." Lena turned again to gesture at the boy she was talking to, to find him gone. "He was just here."

"Who was here?" Tyler asked. Was it Lena's imagination or did he seem a bit panicked?

"Some guy," she said perplexed. "You guys had to have seen him when you saw me."

"You were standing here alone, babe," Reid said frowning. Lena mirrored the frown. She wasn't that drunk, she wasn't even tipsy. There was no way she just imagined having a conversation with some guy.

"I wasn't," she said. "And don't call me, babe," sighing she ran a hand through her hair. "Whatever. Forget about it. I'm alive. I'm not in any danger. Let's all just chill. We're here to party—"

The music suddenly stopped and the the boy up at the make-shift DJ booth's voice echoed over the clearing, "Just got word the cops are on their way! Y'all know what to do! Move! Move! Move!"

"Looks like this party is over, Lena," Reid said. "You heard the man, let's go! Baby Boy! The keys!" He yelled as they started to head back in the direction of the parked Hummer.

"It's my car!" Tyler shouted back.

"And I'm driving it," Reid retorted.

Lena rolled her eyes at the argument that took place all the way until they reached the argued about car. It would seem that Reid had won as he was the one that had climbed into the driver's seat.

"What about the others?" Abby asked as they climbed into the back.

"They're just right there," Tyler said. "Caleb text us to go on...and to make sure we don't get caught..."

"Like me need reminding of that," Reid scoffed. He had started the engine and threw it into drive before any of them had the chance to buckle up. They were speeding from the forest before Lena managed to hear the soft click that she would be safe at the hands of this boy behind the wheel.

But it wasn't Reid's driving that had made her suddenly feel unsafe. It was that no one else had seen the boy that she had been talking to...Lena was a lot of things. Crazy wasn't one of them...well...not in the sense that she was mental at least. Lena hadn't made up an entire conversation and as people walked by her and this guy she didn't see a single strange look. Maybe she did have more to drink than she thought.

Nonsense. She was talking to someone, and he was just as real as night followed day.

"You all right?" Lena looked at her roommate.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Lena smiled. "I just was thinking about how much fun tonight was."

"Glad you had fun," Reid said from the front. "I, however, had to be responsible."

"Yeah whatever man," Tyler scoffed. "Abby did you have fun?"

Abby didn't say anything for a long while. Lena nudged her slightly when it seemed like the girl wasn't going to answer.

"Actually," she started. "I had a ton of fun. Except..."

"Except what?" The other three asked together.

Abby laughed, "I'm so fucking hungry."

Ok, friends. That's the end of the second chapter. I hope you liked it! I wanted to cut it in half, but I just didn't know where to split it, plus I didn't want to go on too long with Lena's first day in Ipswich.

Again I hope you liked it!

Maybe review, please? :)

Much love,
TR