Chapter Two:
"Wow, how long has that been going on?" Pogue asked listening to Evelyn Danvers voice echoing from the living room of the Danvers home.
"About two hours now," Caleb said glancing at his watch before pulling on a black shirt over his white tank top.
Tyler leaned against the banister beside Reid. Reid looked at Caleb.
"Well, don't you think you should go in there or something?" All the guys looked at Reid when he spoke. "What?"
"Since when have you ever cared about anyone other then yourself?" asked Pogue raising an eyebrow.
Reid glared at him."Shut up,"
Pogue rolled his eyes, "I didn't say a word."
"Oh my god dude, you just did!"
Caleb looked from Reid to Pogue probably trying to decide if it was worth him stepping in; in the end he decided it wasn't because he shook his head saying, "I am going to go up stairs to get my wallet. Did Sarah say she needed a ride?"
Pogue shook his head, "No, she just got her car back from the shop. She is bringing Kate."
Had Reid been paying any attention to what the other guys had been saying he would have noticed that the last part of Pogue's statement was said with some resentment, but he wasn't, so he didn't. His eyes were focused on the living room.
Reid wasn't sure why he had so carefully chosen his outfit tonight or actually bothered to brush his hair but he did, of course in the end the brushing didn't help because it looked the same, all pointing forward. He was wearing his lucky jeans with his favourite black tank top; he had a red jacket on over top of it and his leather jacket in one of his hands. Not to mention his token fingerless gloves he wore at all times except at school.
He was staring at the ceiling when Caleb jumped the last stair. "Let's go, I don't think Victoria will be joining us."
Caleb left the house via the front door soon followed by Pogue and then Tyler. Reid stood up glad he had brought the Escalade rather then have to sit in Tyler's Hummer and hear more about this new girl he had met.
Just as he was about to leave the living room door burst open. Reid turned casually to see Victoria storm out. Unlike most girls, who would be balling their eyes out after having a two hour shouting match with their mother, she just looked pissed. She didn't even notice Reid and stormed up the stairs to the second floor of the enormous house.
Reid's eyes followed her. He stood frozen to the spot contemplating his next move carefully. The honk of Tyler's car woke him up. He stuck his head out the door and looked out over the drive way. Pogue was idling on his bike, Caleb was beside Tyler's truck in his Mustang and they were now all looking at Reid.
"Uh I'll catch up, just gotta call the parental." Tyler nodded at Reid's excuse but Caleb looked suspicious. Sure, Reid didn't think he called his father for about a year, but still. Reid actually thought Caleb was going to wait but eventually they all pulled out leaving Reid's big black SUV alone in the driveway.
Reid smiled to himself and closed the front door. There was absolutely no sign of Mrs. Danvers, which didn't bother him all that much. She was probably losing herself in a bottle of exceedingly expensive scotch and would be found later by Caleb. Anyway, Reid had a mission.
He ambled up the stairs to the second floor and casually strutted down the hallways he had been familiar with since he was a child. If his memory served, Victoria's room was on the third floor. He could remember them all terrorizing her when they were younger especially when they got their powers at thirteen. She could never retaliate because she didn't have them, and never would.
Reid found the next stairway and dashed up them. When he was finally outside her door he hesitated. 'What's wrong with you?! Snap out of it, man,' with that thought he put his hand on the door knob and swung open the door and stepped into the room.
The last time Reid had been in Victoria's bedroom had been a very long time ago, searching for a diary, if he remembered correctly. It looked very different from the lilac and cream frilly mess it once was. Everything in the room was a deep red with black accents. There was a double four post bed and an enormous vanity table. There was an open door leading out of the room, he craned his neck to look in it and saw it was a walk in closet now instead of a miniature play house.
Footsteps drew his attention. Victoria came out of what was her en-suite bathroom, towelling off her hair. She was wearing a pleated black skirt that ended just above her mid-thigh and a black bra and that was it. Reid was slightly shocked at her appearance but soon regained his composure.
"Hi," He said putting on a cocky smile.
She just looked up at him. She didn't scream or yell at him or run back into the bathroom she just stood there and stared.
After a few seconds she went back to towelling her hair, she bent over and started towelling the back of her hair upside down, "Don't you knock or is that also one of the rules of the covenant?"
"Wastes time. Anyway ya know, you are part of the covenant too by just being a Danvers. So your stuck with the rules too."
She scoffed, "Not quite the same though is it?...What do you want anyway?" She straightened up flicking her hair over her shoulder and looked at him, leaning back on her one foot.
He shrugged, "Nothing, just came to see if you were all right,"
She stared at him, for the first time looking really surprised, her lips parted a little and Reid found it harder and harder to control himself.
"Are you sure you're okay?" She asked.
"Peachy why?" He walked over to her bed and turned back around and looked at her.
"Just doesn't sound like you, that's all." She walked into her walk-in closet.
"You've been gone a while, things change," He sank back on her bed lying down and staring at the red canopy that covered the bed.
"I've been gone two years Reid, not a life time…" She stopped when she came out of the walk-in and saw him on her bed, "Comfy?"
He rolled on his side and propped himself up with a hand. "Very," He said raising an eyebrow.
She rolled her eyes and went over to her vanity and sat down. Reid looked at her, she was wearing a black shirt, it was tight with white cuffs and collar, it suited her. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail.
Reid shoved himself off the bed and walked over putting his hands on the back of her chair and leaning over her. She didn't seem at all intimidated by the closeness like most girls would be. "So what did your mom have to say about you, naughty girl." It was hard to remember this was the same Victoria who left two years ago.
She looked at him as she put in her earrings, they were thin silver hoops. "That I was forever ruining her life and why, oh why, couldn't I be more like Caleb?" She gave him a sarcastic smile and went back to looking through a jewellery box that was on the table.
"So what, she gonna send you back to Paris?" She glared up at him.
"I was in London genius, and no, said she wouldn't waste the money." Victoria put on a thumb ring that resembled a snake.
"So…what's she gonna do?" This time Victoria really looked up at him in the mirror looking him right in the eye and for the first time Reid noticed she had the brightest blue eyes he had ever seen. Had he always known they were blue?
"Why do you care? You have never exactly been interested in…well, let's face it anyone other then yourself."
Reid put his hands out in offence, "Why do people keep saying that to me? Is it so bad I am interested in helping a friend?"
Victoria turned around in her seat to look up at him, "You're Caleb's friend not mine, so why do you care?"
He shrugged, smiling at her. "Fine! You don't wanna talk, fine! I'll go."
He turned and started to leave the room, 'Three…Two…One….'
"Reid," He stopped and turned back around and faced her, she was standing now, he was actually quite startled at how good she looked, "Sorry, just, you aren't usually so…nice. It's kinda unsettling."
"Well, excuse me for trying to better my self." He crossed his arms looking at her.
She stared back at him and shrugged, looking up at him from under her long lashes, "Sorry,"
He nodded, "I'll forgive you... this time." He walked over until he was standing in front of her, "I have a wicked idea."
"Wicked?" She said raising an eyebrow.
"Oh yeah," He said smiling, his eyes widening, "I am taking you to Nicky's. It'll cheer you up."
Now she really looked surprised. "Nicky's?"
"Y'up," He smiled down at her. She was a couple of inches shorter then his 6'.
"My brother would never…"
"Your brother doesn't have to know, unless you are one of those people who can't abide by rule breaking." She looked at the grandfather clock in the corner of the room. "I mean it isn't even rule breaking, more like rule bending." Reid said shrugging and trying to look innocent. He wasn't sure as to why exactly he was trying to get her to go ...
She looked at him and he had a sinking felling that she was going to tell him to beat it but was shocked when she said. "Let me get my purse."
They sat in Reid's SUV speeding into town. She was in the passenger's seat with one foot on the seat the other resting on the dash board. Her purse was on her lap. He wondered what she was thinking. He shook his head, he was loosing it, he was getting all sappy. If he wasn't careful soon he would find himself with a full time girlfriend like Caleb.
Yet somehow his eyes still found themselves resting on Victoria again.
"Uh, Reid?" She asked casually.
He continued to look at her. "Yeah?"
She looked at him, "Might wanna watch the road."
He suddenly remembered he was driving and looked back at the road just in time to swerve and miss an on coming mini van.
"Wow, sorry 'bout that." He said. He hated to find himself blushing…him, Reid Garwin, actually blushing.
"No worries, but you know, I don't think Caleb would appreciate it if you killed me on the way to a club he doesn't want me in."
"Noted," He looked at her and smiled and she smiled back. "And it's a bar."
"Oh?" She chuckled.
"Yeah," Reid checked the road again before looking back at her. "So what is in fact going on with you?"
"You really wanna know?" She asked watching him.
"Wouldn't have asked if I didn't," He shrugged.
She sighed and looked at him, "On Monday I move into Spencer,"
He stared at her, "Wait, wait, wait, are you just going to Spencer, or are you actually moving into the Dorms?"
She crossed her arms and smiled, "Roads remember?"
"Right," He looked back at the road.
"Dorms and the whole sha-bang,"
"Wow, it took four years for Caleb to convince your mum to let him move into the dorms, took you two hours."
She looked out the window, "Not even in fact. I suggested it, she jumped on the idea."
Reid nodded watching the road, he felt like he had really put his foot in his mouth this time, and usually he wouldn't have cared but her attitude had really changed at the mention of the subject.
Reid pulled the SUV to a screeching halt outside Nicky's packed parking lot. "We're here."
Victoria looked out the window. She looked out looking a little nervous for the first time all night.
Reid sighed and tried to fight the urge to say something comforting but in the end lost, "Don't worry; Caleb is probably at the library with Sarah studying like mad for midterm exams."
Victoria looked at him, raising a perfectly arched eyebrow, "Really?"
"Oh, without a doubt," He smiled his signature smile, "Ready to have fun?"
She smiled and opened her door, "Yeah, we'll see Garwin." She said hopping out of the truck. But Reid couldn't help but notice she smiled at him as she said it all the same.