Chapter 13
I AM BACK BABY! The dark cloak I've donned has finally been removed and I'm sorry for how long it took. Personal things came up and I had to take time to deal with them. So here is Chapter 13, take the time to read and enjoy! Thank you to all who supported me through these times.
A sharp pain churned in Will's stomach as he stared up at Dalia. His breaths required more effort with each time he exhaled, praying that Horace would come from the bathroom, so he could barricade himself until safety was nothing but guaranteed. Halt cleared his throat in an attempt to shift attention to him, perhaps lifting tension from Will's shoulders. However, Dalia's love struck motives kept her gaze fixed upon Will, acting as though Halt's presence was not around. She brushed her hair back, trying to mimic Alyss. In Will's mind, there was a clear distinction; he knew not the specific detail, but the contrast between the two was all too vague. Dalia was pretty in her own way, but there was no way she had the ability to compete with Alyss.
"Hi Will," she greeted, oblivious to his body language. He winced, as if the sound of being addressed pained him. Halt shifted his feet nervously; he could feel the timid aura Will was radiating. He searched for anything that may seize Dalia's attention, holding it firm for Will to escape, but ended in vain. "I um…didn't e-expect to see you here."
Of course you didn't, Will thought. There was no proper response, or at least none that could spare Will the guilt of dampening her spirits. He was not the type of guy who could hurt a girl and feel no sting of remorse afterwards. Almost like a blessing, he heard the doorknob click mixed with the harmony of a flushing toilet. Horace strode from the bathroom, wearing his silver swimming trunks, singing Adrenaline by Shinedown beneath his breath. He bobbed his head to the side, signaling for someone new. Will regarded Halt as a gesture of politeness. If his personality was slightly different, he would have seized any opportunity to be blunt and would have crushed Dalia's spirit with no remorse. He often wondered if life would be easier to live if he were that way. Horace's eyes drank in the image of a fear stricken Will and an oblivious Dalia, attempting to conceive an idea to steal her attention away from Will, taking it upon himself.
"Hey Dalia," Horace greeted. Similar to Halt, Dalia exhibited no acknowledgement of his presence. Before Will could react, Halt broke free and bolted into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. Will consulted his pocket, fumbling for his IPod, only to graze the empty fabric. Will's lips were glued shut, refusing to speak what he so desperately wanted. Dalia locked her fingers together, her bare feet pawing the ground. Will felt a lump in his throat; he prayed that he would not be granted an opportunity to speak to her.
"So uh, what are you doing here?" Dalia asked, tilting her head in a combination of curiosity and admiration. Will went rigid; the glint in her eyes disturbed him, as if she were crazed or impulsively obsessive. If Will was given an opportunity to guess, he would say that she were both. Should Will tell the truth, his words would do the same as spitting in Alyss' face. He couldn't lie for he had no talent for it. Like a blessing, Horace cleared his throat, similar to that of Halt moments ago. Will's breathing grew longer in length, inhaling and exhaling a tone of relief.
"Alyss invited us!" Horace announced. Will's heart sank; so much for a blessing, more like a punishment. He cursed Horace for being so thickheaded. To make matters worse, the bathroom door emitted a loud bang. Will leapt to his feet, startled. This apparently, was a moment Dalia hoped for. She seized the opportunity the moment it presented itself. Her hands wrapped around Will's arm, trying to portray a sense of fear. Will regarded her strangely, tugging his arm out of her grasp. Dalia looked disappointed, but still appeared determined. Halt's voice rang out from other side of the door.
"Horace! Are you not able to lie properly?" Halt scolded. Will was unable to see the crimson flush flooding from Horace's cheeks owing to the fact that his face was buried in his palm. Dalia looked back and forth between Horace and Will, trying to decipher what they could possibly lying about. A silent air was all that existed and Will felt it better this way. If his thoughts remained so, Dalia would be granted no opportunity to ruin what chances he had with her. Dalia cleared her throat, and Will's mind went blank.
"S-so what's the real reason why you're here?" Dalia asked. Her expression and tone resembled that of an interrogating detective. Horace looked to Will as Will did to Horace, both desperate for an answer. A thought of Cassandra flashed in the back of Horace's mind, but he hated to use her in a lie, especially one that could easily dissipate should Dalia go knocking.
"Cassandra and Jenny got invited," Horace sighed, impersonating a personality wishing he were somewhere else. In the deepest, darkest part of his conscious, this was true. He could easily name other places he would rather be, but the fact that Cassandra came to the aid of Will compelled Horace to make his presence present. "And Cass asked if we could come and Alyss accepted." Dalia fixed her eyes on Horace, an unusual light reflecting from her eyes. She studied him as if he were a textbook, combing his words for any flimsiness. Will felt light headed from holding his breath for so long. After a few long, agonizing minutes, Dalia's shoulders relaxed, perhaps deeming Horace's 'tale' bulletproof. Horace and Will exchanged triumphant glances with one another. She opened her mouth to say something, but the wiggling of the doorknob drowned her words. Halt strode from the bathroom, acting as if nothing were odd. From Will's perspective, this could be conceived as a blessing from above. He grabbed his black swimming trunks and made haste into the bathroom. He shut the door and locked it, as though Dalia was a bloodthirsty beast trying to disembowel him. Both Halt and Horace spent extended periods of time changing; Will debated whether or not he should imitate them. He shuffled around so as not to arouse suspicion. His ears perked up at the sound of Halt speaking.
"So Dalia, why aren't you down with the birthday girl?" Will went rigid; he only hoped Halt and Horace had enough sense to keep his infatuation in the dark. He imagined Dalia's lips pursed, her hand pushing her body at the hip, staring at Halt as if the answer was obvious.
"Oh they can get along without me," she excused. Will could feel her eyes burning a hole through the bathroom door. "Besides, the cutest and sweetest guy prefers a girl with confidence so here I am." Nausea usurped his stomach, sickening him to the point where he felt like vomiting. He thought he heard Horace snickering to himself, but failing to remain inconspicuous.
"You're very flattering Dalia," Halt mused. "I must say that you are absolutely breathtaking." Will too, found it arduous to keep his amusement unknown to others. Horace had completely abandoned his cause and was roaring with laughter. A loud grunt emanated, which was probably Halt elbowing the thickheaded behemoth, silently ordering him to subdue his hilarity.
"You silver tongue devil," Dalia commented. "But it is not your charm I speak of." Will rolled his eyes, Halt's attempt to assuage her crashing and burning.
"Well Dalia, I thank you," Horace chimed. Sincerity left her voice as she directed her attention onto Horace.
"Don't adulate yourself Horace," she remarked. There was nothing to sway her attention from Will, certainly not by the likes of ignorant sots of Horace and Halt's stature. Just as Will pulled down his shorts, Horace's words retracted Will's focus.
"You know, Will has a girlfriend." Will kicked his shorts aside, his hand striking the door to keep Horace from doing any further damage.
"No I don't!" he protested. He quickly changed pulled the whipped the door open, silencing Horace's next choice of words. Dalia brushed her brown hair back, blushing deeply. Before more harm could be done, Will descended the staircase, tossing his shorts in the corner. He retrieved his IPod, desperate to escape the shackles of conversation and the company of Halt, Horace, and Dalia. Alyss and her friends could be heard giggling from the living room, Morgan was flirting with Crowley at the kitchen table, and George and Ashley were cuddling in a patio chair. If Alyss or Mrs. Mainwaring knew, they probably decided that they would burn the chair later. The shuffling of footsteps in the foyer drove an impulse into Will's mind. He shoved his headphones into his ears and chose the loudest song he had. We Stitch These Wounds by Black Veil Brides exploded through his headphones, drawing even Morgan and Crowley's attentions. He strode into the living room, acting as though no one else around. He slumped down in the couch, losing himself in the head banging void. His head drooped, regretting the remaining hours he was to spend in Alyss' house of torture. Cassandra rose from her seat and proceeded into the kitchen to the foyer to retrieve her bikini. Horace and Halt entered, looking desperate and slightly winded, as if they had been sprinting. Dalia trailed behind them, her eyes glowing slightly brighter as her gaze fell upon Will. Alyss took notice and giggled, succumbing to the façade Dalia portrayed. Halt and Horace shared pleading looks with one another and directed both of their stares at Will, who paid them no mind. Dalia scampered over to the couch where Will sat and threw herself at his side, careful of the amount of empty space between the two of them. She scooted closer, flashing her prized smile at him. Will remained cautious, keeping his gaze fixed upon the carpet, as if he were counting the fibers. Her brown hair was dangling, grazing his shoulder. He moved to the point where he was practically hugging the armrest, praying Dalia would grasp the hint. He only hoped that Alyss' friends could occupy her attention long enough for Will to shrug away from Dalia's star-crossed clutches. Horace filled Cassandra's vacant seat adjacent to Alyss and her giggling companions. Halt stood in the doorway, his eyes drinking in the sight of Dalia cuddling an averse Will. Distaste was heavy in his mind, this girl clearly only cared for what her heart screamed for and everyone else's needs should be second. He watched Alyss' eyes dart sideways several times, but not in Will's direction. Halt grew nervous; if she turned to sneak a glimpse of him, Will's heart would surely shatter. Alyss would deem her adoration for him corrupted and would abandon them in desolation all for an untrue assumption.
"Will, I need to talk to you," he announced, hoping his voice ripped through the demented wails of his music. The miniscule hint of a voice pulled Will's gaze upward and positioned his view in Halt's direction. He didn't remember getting up and walking up to Halt, but was obliged. Dalia went rigid; how dare Halt steal Will from her side. Her lower lip curled distastefully, her determination undeterred. She vowed that Will's hand would be the one she clasped by the end of the night. Halt beckoned Will to follow him into the kitchen where Morgan pressed her efforts on an oblivious Crowley. "You've got to stay away from her!"
"You speak as though I'm following her around like a puppy," Will remarked. "Do you think I like her being that close?" This drew Morgan's and Crowley's attentions away from one another, gluing them upon himself.
"Who don't you like being that close?" Crowley interrogated. The first name to become clear in Morgan's mind was her sister, but Will seemed to cherish her presence being so close to him. She then remembered Dalia hurrying through the kitchen as though she were late for something.
"Dalia's persistent, she's completely different from any girl I've met," Will complained. Halt coughed; it sounded as though he blurted out a name whilst his hacking. Will regarded him strangely. Morgan reeled her attention back onto an unwitting Crowley.
"Not to be an opposition," Halt began. "But those words are twins to those when you were swooning over Alyss."
"But their meanings aren't parallel," Will retorted. He glanced nervously into the living room, heeding the sound of Alyss giggling, and felt the wave of seething impatience from Dalia. "Dalia's obsessive, avaricious, and deranged. She's addictive to a drug she could never have." Halt's tongue protruded through his cheek, Crowley's gaze was drinking in the image of the table, and Morgan was staring at ravenously, as she was depraved of the nourishment his words granted her. Admirable thoughts flooded into his mind, seizing control and left him swaying on the spot. He believed he was walking through a fantasy, deeming it impossible to actually be in Alyss' home. "Alyss' aspects counter Dalia's personality. No rapacious word has ever escaped her lips, no distasteful sparks have ever shot from his eyes, and no frown has ever replaced her captivating smile. There is no other heart as precious as hers. Her beauty is radiant, like the style of a goddess." An adulating smile was visible behind Morgan's hands; the giggling in the living room morphed into breathless silence. Halt mocked wiping a tear from his eye, an adroit smile crossing his face. This was typical of Will to profess his heart, but was astonishing that he finally possessed the ability to do so when Alyss could eavesdrop with no suspicion. Horace strode into the kitchen, scratching his head, his lips pursed. Halt cocked his head sideways, feigning curiosity. This reminded Will of Ebony in times when certain details seemed odd in her eyes. Horace looked as if he had been pondering; Will wondered how much effort Horace exuded to keep from passing out.
"Some thoughts are better expressed quietly," he muttered.
"What do you mean?" Will asked.
"Are you deaf?" Horace asked rhetorically. "You were loud enough to rouse the dead from their graves!" Will's heart sank; his gaze was pulled to the floor in a shameful fall.
"Please tell me Alyss didn't hear me." Horace rolled his eyes, surprised Will had the nerve to ask.
"Did you not hear what I said?" he catechized. Will stared at him, still waiting for a clear answer to pass Horace's lips. Horace let out a weary groan and sighed. "Of course she heard you! She was peering around the corner during your ranting!" Halt snorted; attracting both Will's and Horace's attentions as if he were a magnet.
"Such colorful vocabulary," Halt remarked. "Such large and imposing words for an English grade that sounds like a stutter." Will was choking from the discipline to keep from laughing; Horace's face deeply resembled that of the skin of an apple.
"You try defining Shakespeare's word choice," Horace excused. "His stories drown from all thy's and thee's and hath's."
"The simplest of ancient English language stumps the greatest defensive player to walk the halls of Meadow Ridge High School," Halt remarked. "You can diagnose the direction of an offensive play before it even happens, yet the idea of the most elementary of literary pieces leaves you dumbstruck."
"Oh shut up Halt," Horace cracked. Halt snorted. "Besides, I was talking about Will confessing his heart at a volume the entire world could hear." Morgan, irritated by the disturbances faulted by Will, Halt, and Horace, grabbed Crowley's hand and led him into the foyer, fuming silently about how rude some people can be. Halt shook his head, unsurprised at Crowley's reaction. Will paid them no mind. With the insight Horace gave him, he felt as if hiding was essential. She wasn't at his side, asseverating a mutual adoration that burned in her chest as it had in his. A wave of cold depression came over Will, dampening every bright thought prancing in his mind. Footsteps in foyer echoed, amplifying as they drew closer. Cassandra paced into the kitchen, a towel draped over her shoulder and her phone clutched in her hand. Her eyes first fell onto Horace, a swift glance of adoration, and then darted onto Will. She rolled her eyes exasperatedly.
"Don't tell me he's depressed again," she complained. A slight emphasis hung on her final word. Halt gazed at him, as if he were reading a book. Will turned away, keeping his face hidden so as Halt would be unable to read his emotions.
"Perhaps he wouldn't be if Horace stayed quiet," Halt remarked, flashing Horace a reproachful glare. Horace held his hands up in protest.
"What did I do?" he demanded. "All I said is that Will spoke loud enough to wake the dead from their slumber."
"It may have just been a passing thought," Halt pointed out. "But it wouldn't have been born if you kept your lips glued together."
"Says the guy who…" Cassandra's irritability took her. She stepped in between them, striking both boys in the chest. Horace exhibited no reaction, but Halt emitted a sudden grunt of surprise.
"Do you two ever stop?" she scolded. Horace opened his mouth to argue, but the menacing scowl on Cassandra's face forced him to reconsider. "Every time I turn around, you two start going at each other!" Will trudged back into the living room, stealing Cassandra's focus. "Where's he going?" Halt shrugged.
"Probably looking to drown his sorrows in the alcohol of head banging symphonies," Halt remarked. Will dragged himself across, ignoring the gazes of Delia, Julia, and Alyss and sank grimly into the couch. He consulted his IPod, pushing the headphones into his ears, hoping to drown his mind in relentless rock music. He selected Whispers in the Dark by Skillet, watching Alyss converse unknown words with her friends, flashing glances back at Will. Dalia looked conflicted, wondering if it were safe to occupy Will's side. He paid no mind to the lyrics for they spoke very little motivation. Alyss rose from her seat, crossed the threshold and plopped herself down at beside Will. She was talented at spotting cheerless flaws for there were none that was allowed to knock on her doorstep. She tapped him lightly on the shoulder, requesting his attention. Will unwillingly pulled his headphones from his ears, but refused to meet her sweet gaze. He could see sparks shooting from Dalia's eyes from the corner of his view. Alyss laid her head down on his shoulder, coaxing him to look at her. As if an invisible hand had pulled him, he turned his head. Will found himself locked in a sweet gaze with a girl he cherished, thirsting for the idea that she was his and he was hers. She said nothing; instead, she put her arm around his neck, pulling his face to her shoulder, stroking his hair. It seemed as if Dalia was having a fit, fighting back the tears before they tasted the air. Cassandra tailed Halt and Horace as they walked back into the living room. Halt looked over at Dalia, a triumphant smile crossing his face. He did admire her self control however, as she rose from her seat, walked plainly into the kitchen. Cassandra made no effort to register her absence as her eyes drank in the image of Will's face pressed against Alyss' shoulder. Alyss paid them no mind for she had what she hungered for in her arms, seeking comfort. She allowed him freedom, removing her arm from his neck, staring adoringly back into his brown eyes.
"Are you okay?" she asked assuredly. Will nodded apprehensively. Alyss felt her smile reach the bottoms of her ears. Will fell into a familiar trance, losing touch of what was occurring around them. His only sight was her beautiful, radiant smile. He felt his head tilting slightly until a loud snap in his ear startled him. He jumped, turning to glare at Horace. Mrs. Mainwaring entered the room, burdened with a sense of elegance that Alyss seemed to have inherited. Her eyes studied her company in the room, taking note of the bathing suits beneath their clothing.
"So are you going to get in the pool?" she asked. "Or are bathing suits beneath your clothes a new fashion statement?" Alyss snorted at the typicality of her mother's sarcasm. Her eyes widened in forgetful nature. She dashed upstairs without uttering a word, abandoning Will in a temporary state of curiosity. He glanced at Cassandra, hopeful that she may speak the answer to Alyss' madness, only for it to be crushed. Horace stared at her, his mouth moving in silent rhythm. His gaze was fixed on Cassandra; Will considered her blessed that Horace had not been gifted with heat vision. Julia and Delia had their attentions focused on Halt, debating in whispers, erupting in soundless fits of giggles. Morgan came back into the room, lugging Crowley behind her by the hand. Red fluffs coated her cheeks; a bright grin was spreading across her face. Crowley lips were puckered as if he were kissing the air. Alyss thundered down the stairs, clutching her IPod speakers in one hand while balancing her IPod in between her fingers. She faltered down the final steps as her sweet gaze fell upon Will. Will felt his heart stop; his breaths grew shorter in length and more numerous. He wondered how long he should feel this reaction whenever his eyes kneeled in the image of a mortal goddess. Mrs. Mainwaring coughed, startling them. She beckoned them into the kitchen towards the patent glass doors. Alyss' backyard was more than capable of holding another house if a crescent shaped pool didn't take up half the area. Its perimeter was concrete and curved with its shadow. Cushioned pool couches and chairs lined the edge, inviting those who laid their stares upon their frame to sit in their comforting laps. Fake palm trees were situated on the farthest side, obscuring what treasures lay behind their thick trunks from sight. A polished wooden table sat in the shade beneath an umbrella in the company of a couple of cushioned pool chairs. Around the concrete was some of the greenest grass Will had ever seen, except for a small portion in an area near the doorway where a dozen types of flowers bloomed blithely, their scents exploding from their bright petals. Alyss and Will chose seats nearest the table, settling their towels so as they lay with no wrinkle. Every so often, one would shoot an unbeknownst admiring glance towards the other. Horace and Cassandra chose a cluster of chairs near the palm trees next to Halt, who seemed to be either ignoring or oblivious to the hungry stares of Delia and Julia. George and Ashley chose a couch separate from the rest of the guests in the hopes of no disturbances. However, with the unpredictability of Horace and Halt's intentions, that prayer is just as good unspoken. Will snorted with that happy thought. His fingers grabbed the hem of his shirt, but hesitated in Alyss' presence. Ordinarily, Will didn't stutter in the process of removing his shirt, especially if there was girl around. But Alyss was so much different from other girls! What would she think of him should he do so with her so close? Should he swim with his shirt on the entire time? No, that would be a major discomfort. Alyss pulled her shirt over her head, her silky blonde hair tumbling down her shoulders. She then pulled her shorts down past her ankles, revealing a blue topped, and black bottomed bikini. Will swore he had swallowed his tongue. He exerted a considerable amount of effort to pull his gaze away from Alyss. She stared at him after she stashed her garments next to the arm of her chair, as if she were waiting for his opinion. Even if this were the case, Will would be unable to give her one, his incompetence to speak being at fault.
"Are you going to swim like that?" she asked. Will jumped, stunned from her address. He tried to open his mouth to speak, but it was although someone has super glued his lips together. Instead, he shook his head. Alyss smiled as an assumption crossed her mind. "Oh Will! Are you shy of taking your shirt off in front of a girl?" He wondered if there was any proper answer. She was openly mocking his shyness and he felt slightly affronted. Nevertheless, Will indulged her subtle request. With his hands trembling, he pulled his shirt over his head, feeling a gust of wind blow against his bare skin. Will's built body acted as a magnet to Alyss' stare, watching him flex his chest slightly, his rock hard abs bulging. Will was careful to avoid her lustrous gray eyes should any criticism be born in her head. Although he was turned away, he could feel her smile burning a hole in the back of his head. He hated the waves of impulse that flooded his brain, forcing him to turn and face her. His stare was pulled upward until she locked him in a beautiful, radiant, trance-like prison. He felt slightly unbalanced just as he had earlier, only there was no Horace to snap his fingers next to his ear. Alyss' hands held one another, desperate for the touch of the other, their fingers locking as she twisted and turned nonchalantly. They would have stayed that way, perhaps the remainder of the party if Halt hadn't gotten the idea of splashing Will with freezing water. He didn't remember leaving the table, only that he was now inches from the edge of the pool.
"Hey! Are you two going to act like you're in a romance movie all day?" He demanded. "Or are you actually going to get in swim?" Alyss appeared obliged to resist Halt's inquiry, but Will knew better; he was going into the water whether it was voluntarily or with help. He crept slowly up to the edge, staring down at Halt so as to be sure he wouldn't try anything shifty. The moment Will deemed appropriate to dive in was the moment a shove had saved him a couple of seconds. He came up to the surface, slightly gasping and wiping water from his eyes.
"Horace!" he cried out angrily, whipping around in confusion.
"What?" he replied in a tone of convincing innocence. His voice didn't seem to have rang out from behind him. Will opened his eyes to see Cassandra and Horace next to the ladder, engaged in flirtatious conversation. He turned around to see Alyss attempting to portray a lack of innocence. But her devious smile was her tell-tale detail as she shrugged and laughed. Will couldn't help but laugh back.
She is so beautiful, his mind swooned. He just had to overcome his shyness with her or else all of his work would have been in vain. Or else, his life would lose its meaning. Alyss scooped her IPod from her chair and plugged it into her speakers. The words in the titles of songs were a blur at Will's distance, but the erupting sound was loud and clear. She had chosen the song Bad Romance by Halestorm, which colored Will dumbstruck. He never knew that Alyss was into rock music just as he was, especially with her sense of elegance, grace, and perfection. This was just another detail to make him love her ever so much more. With this cheering thought, Alyss took a running start and dove into the pool at Will's side, much closer than a friend would normally be.
Review please! Chapter 14 has been a real pain to write and I need everyone's help I can get.