A/N: This chapter is a lot longer than I expected it to be. I wanted to post this a long, long time ago, but here it is now. Hope you enjoy. Read and review (always appreciated)!

Chapter 3

Party Riot

The first week of school passed fairly uneventful for Tessa. The school work as of yet wasn't too substantial—as everyone was still getting back into the swing of things—and the debate team was taking things nice and slow as their first tournament was still a month away.

It was Friday and the only homework Tessa truly had was for English. The teacher had assigned a two-page essay over anything related to literature in some way over the weekend before they started their first novel of the semester the coming Monday. Most students usually wrote why literature was an important class to take—an easy essay to write and one that doubled as a kiss-up.

Tessa suspected that not many of the other students would write an essay concerning an actual piece of literature as she found very few of her fellow students readers for pleasure. She had also never come across a reader as avid as her. No, Tessa suspected that even those who did center an essay around a particular novel that novel would most likely be The Hunger Games, a Harry Potter novel, or Twilight. All of which she had read prior and while she considered none of those novels horrendous they were fairly easy, predictable literature pieces to discuss for the modern day.

Not that Tessa's own choice for her paper was all that original as she couldn't help but choose to write over A Tale of Two Cites, a book that had at least a million essays written over it already. But it being Tessa's favorite there was no way she could not write about her favorite story…now she just needed to think of something original to write about it.

Tessa stared down at the paper in front of her willing her hand to move, to write something but nothing was coming to mind. She turned her gaze to her worn, falling apart copy of A Tale of Two Cities. She had read, re-read, re-re-read it so many times had lost count and had almost completely demolished the spine. She could no longer remember what it was she loved so much about the book other than the book itself. And she of course could recite endless quotes from the book, some a few of her personal favorite.

And yet none of that seemed to help as she was tuck writing an essay over anything in the book, anything! She couldn't think of a topic she hadn't thought about before or one she hadn't heard over fifty times before.

She tapped her pencil against the page, listening to the sounds surrounding her. She could hear Aunt Harriet hustling about outside the kitchen. Nate, of course, she had no idea where he had gone off to.

There was an unmistakable tapping coming from the living room towards the kitchen. Aunt Harriet rarely wore high heels and Tessa wasn't allowed any, not that Tessa needed the height at 5'7 nor had Aunt Harriet made that an outright rule, but she had always steered Tessa away from the direction of those types of shoes. And while slightly impractical shoes for her height Tessa knew it had nothing to do with that for her Aunt.

She turned and stared at the opening of the kitchen wondering if Nate would ever wear high heels, and yet unable to picture it.

"Meredith!" Tessa called out as the tall, flowing brunette came into the room.

She smiled lifting her sunglasses to her top of her head as her stormy gray eyes—much darker than Tessa's—peered at Tessa. She walked up over to the counter that Tessa was sitting at.

"What are you doing here?" Tessa asked as Meredith slung an arm across her shoulder.

"What, I have to have a reason to visit my favorite grandniece, second cousin once removed?" She gave Tessa's arms a squeeze as she added with a shrug, "It's hard to keep track of the tree line."

As Meredith let go of her shoulders, Tessa smiled. "Well I'm pretty sure I'm not your grandniece."

"You're right," Meredith replied with a smirk. "I'm way too young to be a grand of anything."

"What are you doing here, Meredith?" Aunt Harriet asked looking quiet unhappy. If there was anyone Aunt Harriet greatly disliked—because hate was a word that was never allowed—it was Meredith Gray.

"Ah, it's nice to see you too, cuz."

"I'm not your cousin."

Meredith shrugged. "Once cousin-in-law, it's basically the same."

Aunt Harriet was unamused. "How did you get in here Meredith?" Her gaze turned sharply on Tessa.

With a hand placed on Tessa's shoulder, Meredith's smile fell. "She didn't let me in Harriet. I let myself in."

With her gaze back on Meredith, Aunt Harriet stated. "You can't let yourself into other people's homes it's illegal Meredith."

"The door was unlocked and it wasn't other people's it was my relatives house, who I thought would be more welcoming."

There was silence as the two of them stared each other down. Finally Aunt Harriet seemed to slightly deflate as she shook her head and walked past both Meredith and Tessa heading for the sink…and the bottle of aspirin. Meredith smiled as if she had just received an early Christmas present.

"I thought you were somewhere in China," Aunt Harriet said in a somewhat conversational tone as she took two pills.

"I was in Dalian, Shenzhen, and Beijing mostly to be specific," Meredith replied as Aunt Harriet stared at her over a glass of water.

Tessa looked between the two women. The only name Tessa had recognized Meredith saying was Beijing, all the other names were foreign to her ears which wasn't much of a shock to her. Tessa like most of the family wasn't sure what it was Meredith did exactly other than it concerned American and China business relations and that her degree was in Business Communications.

"It was a fairly productive nineteen months I have to say. But nothing beats being back home in the States," Meredith said looking over at Tessa, "with family, of course. So now what have you been doing as of late Tessa? Have you made any new friends in town?"

"A few," Tessa replied as she could feel her Aunt's gaze upon her. "Sophie and Jessie."

Meredith nodded leaning against the corner. "So no boys yet?" she teased as Tessa blushed slightly. "They'll come soon enough."

"They better not," Aunt Harriet muttered under her breath.

But Meredith either didn't hear the statement or choose to ignore it—more likely the latter. "How about parties? Gone to any of the wild parties around here yet?"

Tessa immediately thought back to Sophie and how she had to tell her that she couldn't make it to the party and that instead she would be applying for a part-time job. Sophie had looked sympathetic and said that she understood. Although Tessa had noted that Sophie hadn't talk to her much after that, not that they had many chances with only sharing a class where you couldn't speak English.

It had been even harder when Jessamine started to talk about Martin Bakshaw's party on Saturday and how she was contemplating on whether or not to show up or in Jessamine speak 'grace them with my presence.' Jessamine was fairly cocky for a freshman in high school, but that probably had to do more with it being a small town.

Tessa had found out not only Martin's last name but that the party would be unsupervised and would start at seven and supposedly end at two in the morning.

"No, unlike you Meredith, Theresa is a well-behaved, respectful, young lady. Nothing at all like you were when you were a teenager," Aunt Harriet answered for Tessa looking smug.

Tessa looked at Meredith expecting her to be upset but instead she saw a faint smile touch Meredith's lips. "That's probably for the best," Meredith responded, earning a frustrated look from Aunt Harriet. Meredith looked back down at Tessa as she continued, "But you still should as they say 'live a little'. Certainly not as much as me though. Are there any parties happening around here yet? Or is too early in the semester?"

Tessa looked over at her Aunt Harriet and could see her Aunt staring at her hard, not wanting her to answer the question. And Tessa for the most part usually did what her Aunt told her to do. She didn't want to fight her, it was never a fight she was going to win and even if she did what good would it do her.

Still with Meredith here Tessa felt braver and more rebellious—Meredith just had that effect. It was no secret in the family that Meredith had been quite the stereotypical rebellious catholic teenage girl.

"Actually," Tessa said looking over at Meredith, "there is a party on Saturday over at Martin Bakshaw's house."

Meredith's eyebrows rose as she asked in a genuinely surprised voice, "And you're planning on attending instead of staying here reading a book?" There was a quirk to her lips as she teased Tessa.

"Well…not exactly. I have a part-time job interview that—"

But before Tessa could finish Meredith interrupted, "A part-time job? At fourteen, barely?" Meredith shifted her gaze to Aunt Harriet. "You're making her get a job."

"It'll be fine work experience for her and she needs to start earning her own income," Aunt Harriet replied, looking pleased with herself.

"She's fourteen."

Aunt Harriet lowered her gaze. "Not everyone can be spending all their free-time high off drugs at some wild party." She turned her gaze to Tessa even though she was still speaking to Meredith. "She's not going to that party."

"Making her get a job is all the more reason she should go to the party." Meredith paused taking a breath as if to calm herself. "How long does one job application take anyway? Certainly not an entire day and my guest is the application occurs mid-morning to afternoon while the party would occur at night. No reason she can't attend both."

Now Aunt Harriet was getting angry as she walked over to Meredith. "I am not having my niece attend an unsupervised party that would be completely irresponsible."

Meredith looked at Tessa and asked, "Is it unsupervised?"

"Well…kind of…Martin's older brother is supposed to be there though," Tessa said as both women stared at her. "He's nineteen."

Aunt Harriet was shaking her head. "A teenager watching other teenagers, most ludicrous thing I've ever heard."

"Oh, don't be so melodramatic Harriet. He's still an adult regardless. Besides what do plan on doing, keeping Tessa locked in the house until she goes to college. My parents tried that and it didn't work. She needs social interaction and dealing with her own problems along with the schooling." Aunt Harriet didn't look convinced and Tessa could see her eye was starting to twitch. "You can't keep her a recluse. She needs to make mistakes. It's the only way she'll learn." There was a heavy silence before Meredith added, "How's it going with Nate?"

Aunt Harriet looked from Meredith to Tessa and back again. "Fine," she shouted throwing her arms in the air in anger. She turned her gaze sharply on Tessa ignoring Meredith completely. "I want you home no later than nine, I don't care when the party starts. This is one chance I'm giving you Tessa and I wouldn't waste it." She stormed out of the room without looking back on either Meredith or Tessa.

Looking satisfied Meredith turned to Tessa. "And that my girl is how it's done. Now, where is that brother of yours?"

Tessa shrugged her shoulders. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

The party was already in mid-swing by the time Sophie drove up with Tessa beside her. Tessa was beaming as the interview she had that afternoon with the bookstore manager had gone great. She had been hired on the spot (after only a few questions) and because she would be working at the bookstore would get an automatic fifteen percent discount off the merchandise—books! Excluding books that had been released within the past two months, but still.

Yeah, Tessa already knew where most of her paycheck would be going into. Was it bad that your place of employment not only your time and effort but most of your money? It was probably a conflict of interest, not that Tessa really cared.

"Uh, earth to Theresa?" Sophie said waving her hand in front of Tessa's face.

"Oh," Tessa looked over at her friend? who was already standing outside of the car leaning in. She gave Tessa raised eyebrows as Tessa's added, "Just daydreaming for a bit."

"Well if your done daydreaming, there is a party going on a few feet from us. Unless you're having your own private party in your head?"

Opening the door and stepping out, Tessa replied, "No. I'm good, let's go in."

They walked past of the line of cars and up the front steps to the house. Tessa was about to press the doorbell when Sophie said, "Don't bother. Doubt they would even hear it over the music."

The music was fairly loud, Tessa had to admit, even when they were driving up to the house she could hear they thump and beat of the music. Wouldn't someone in the neighborhood call the police for disturbance of the peace?

Sophie turned the knob and pushed open the door walking in with Tessa at her heels.

Everyone was talking, dancing, or on their phones texting. The music was even louder than Tessa had expected almost to the point where it was hurting her ears and while she could tell that there was someone singing in the song she couldn't make out the words.

Someone had caught Sophie's eye and waved to her. Sophie waved back before turning to Tessa. "I'm going to go catch up with someone, I'll meet up with you in a few minutes. 'Kay?" Sophie practically shouted at Tessa.

Tessa nodded as Sophie disappeared off into the crowd. Not even a minute in and Tessa felt out of place in the party. Maybe this was a mistake?

Well, if it was, it was too late now to turn back. So instead Tessa turned and walked through the house trying to find a quieter area.

An hour had passed by as Tessa sat down on the couch by herself as she looked through the crowd for Sophie. Barely able to believe that Sophie just left her there, all alone, when she very well knew that Tessa knew nobody at this party. The facts were Sophie ditched her and Tessa just hoped that it had been an unconscious act. And she prayed that soon Sophie would realize what she had done and come looking for her. Tessa was never one who was comfortable attending a large party, let alone one where she didn't know ninety-five percent of the attendants.

She was staring through the swaying bodies of the teenagers, trying to find a flash of auburn hair tied together with a red ribbon, but she was coming up empty. She was so intent on her search for her newest friend that she didn't notice that she was no longer the only one sitting on the couch anymore. She didn't notice until she felt breathe on her neck and a whispered, "Are you looking for someone in particular?" in her ear.

She jumped, startled, and looked over at the boy who was already leaning away a grin plastered on his face. Tessa stared at the strange boy for several minutes. He was a fairly built guy and looked to be a grade or two older than her perhaps. He had dark, short hair and piercing blue eyes the color of the ocean at night. And, of course a look that stated he couldn't care less about the world as he leaned back into the couch. He was holding onto a cup and as Tessa looked at the dark mixture swirling in the cup she wondered if it was alcoholic.

Looking back up she stared into his eyes to see if they were dilated. A sign she always used with Nate to see if he was drunk although lately all she had to do was breathe in his direction and the smell of liquor would slam against her face. His eyes didn't look too dilated.

The boy's grin seemed to widen she noticed and then she saw his eyes traveling across her body. Is he checking me out? And then Tessa realized that she had kind of, sort of, had been checking him out although for her it had been completely innocent, but still.

She turned away trying to hide her blush. It was rude of her to do and she knew her Aunt Harriet would be yelling at her right now if she knew she was being impolite.

That is not how I raised you to behave, young lady, she would say. Aunt Harriet had been tougher on Tessa now than ever before ever since Nate started to really act up.

He seemed to be shaking his head as he looked at her. "You haven't gone too many parties, have you?" he asked and Tessa was unsure if he was making conversation or really wanted to know. Either way she felt offended, slightly, even though it was true.

She lifted an eyebrow and said, "Oh, and what would make you think that?"

He titled his head and face masked of expression as he replied, "Well, for starters you're not trying to in with the crowd, make conversations, meet new people. Second you're sitting on the couch with a neon sign on your face telling people to stay away."

"I do not have a neon sign on my face stating that," Tessa said with furrowed eyebrows.

His lips curved up slightly towards the corner as he replied, pointing his finger, "With that look you do."

"It's not nice to point," Tessa replied but the boy looked unfazed as he took a sip from his drink and watched her. Tessa squirmed under his gaze waiting for him to leave and rejoin whatever group he was there with.

"You're really not enjoying yourself here, are you?"

It was silent, or well, it wasn't really silent with the stereo streaming out music and people talking, shouting, and laughing all around them, but it was silent between the two of them.

"No," Tessa answered. "I'm not huge into parties and certainly not large parties where I hardly no anyone."

"Well, that makes two of us," the boy responded as Tessa looked over at him in surprise. He looked like he was enjoying his time here and certainly looked like he blended in nicely with the party crowd. He was incredibly good-looking though Tessa would never state it out loud. Could he possibly be lying to her to seem empathic?

There was a shout in the distance (a very loud shout considering the music blaring) and a girl waving her hands in the air wildly. It broke the gaze between Tessa and the boy, a gaze that Tessa didn't even realize had occurred. Will's demeanor seemed to shift as he recognized the girl.

Probably his girlfriend?

He stood up preparing to head over to her when he looked back down at Tessa with a slight grin. "Hey, you want to join us. Sure would beat being here by yourself."

"Thanks," Tessa replied as she stood up. "But I really should get back to my friend. She's probably looking for me."

"Are you sure?" the boy asked. With a smirk he added, "You look like you could use saving from your boredom."

Tessa's eyebrows furrowed as she stated, "The last thing I need is a wannabe-Sir-Galahad." With that Tessa walked away without noticing the strange look the boy was shooting her way or the girl who had caught up to him, upset and shouting.

Worry started to settle into Tessa as the time kept ticking by with no sight of Sophie, her ride home. It's probably already nine. Aunt Harriet is going to be furious with me.

Tessa had made it all the way upstairs where the blare of the music wasn't quite as loud. Her eardrums were thankful for that. She was passing the doors, all of them shut, and noise coming from a few of them that Tessa didn't want to ponder nor did she want to peek through any of the doors.

She had reached the end of the hall when she turned around ready to head back down the stairs. She jumped in surprise as she saw two identical girls with long dark hair staring at her.

"Sss-so-orry," Tessa stammered. "I didn't see you there…or hear you." The girls stared at her with dark eyes as Tessa's nerves heightened. Their silence and the way they looked at her was eerie and had her frightened.

"A freshman," one of the girls told the other.

"Indeed," the second girl replied.

There was a moment of silence.

"You do know what is done to freshmen at parties here, as tradition dictates," the first stated rather than asked.

"I believe I do."

Tessa stepped back as she hit the wall. She suddenly felt like a gazelle being cornered by two lions. "Uh, I think…I have to go…it was nice mee—"

But Tessa never finished as the second girl shot at her with lightning speed. It surprised Tessa as she kept most of her attention on the first girl who had been the one really speaking. Tessa struggled against the second girl's grip but was deterred by the strength of the girl. The first girl came down to her level unwrapping her scarf around her throat. "You won't be going anywhere, my dear."

Tessa's eyes widened as the girl brought the scarf closer to her mouth ready to gag her. Tessa opened her mouth wide, ready to let out a high-pitched scream, but before she was able to scream the second girl slammed her hard against the wall, knocking her shoulder and her head.

Immediately Tessa went unconscious.

The first girl looked at the second girl. "Was that really necessary?"

The second girl only shrugged in response.

A/N: Alright, what do you guys think? Do you like it? What do you think about the addition of Meredith? Do you know who the mysterious boy is (though it's quite obvious) or the identical girls (not quite as obvious)? Or what is going to happen to Tessa next? As always leave your thoughts and opinions in a review. Thank your for reading and hope you enjoyed.