Chapter Ten:
The Spring Fling was a dance put on every year by Spencer Academy. Usually it was only attended by freshmen to the school. The Spring Fling Flash Party however was a totally different story.
One of the seniors would text message every student in the school a location and they would meet there and party. This year it was being planned by Kira Snyder.
Reid walked down the bluffs with Victoria beside him, his arm hanging around her neck.
"The bluffs? Oooh, real original Kira." Victoria scoffed. Reid sniggered.
"Where were you two?" Caleb asked as they came to stand beside the group of friends who were already there. It included Caleb, Pogue, Kate, Sarah, Tyler and Petra.
"Wouldn't you just love to know," Reid said smiling smugly at Caleb. He did however casually kiss Victoria on the temple before letting her go so she could go talk to the girls. Caleb glared at him but remained silent.
"What the hell were you thinking man, sneaking out at your…." Pogue glanced at Kate who was now talking to Sarah. "Party,"
Reid gave his friend a fake sad smile, "What, don't tell me you were worried!?"
Pogue scoffed, and Caleb answered for him, "No, but I was worried about my sister when she turned up gone."
Reid shrugged, "She's fine. You should worry a little more about yourself Caleb," Caleb raised an eyebrow, Reid's eyes flashed. Caleb took a step forward.
"Hey you wanna dance? Love this song," Reid and Caleb both looked at Victoria who suddenly addressed Reid.
"What? Oh sure," Reid took her hand and she led him to where people were dancing. Reid shot a smile over his shoulder at Caleb.
Caleb groaned, "Damn it," He whispered rubbing his hands over his face. Sarah looked at him.
"Everything okay?" She asked worry filling her face.
"Yeah," he nodded briskly and smiled at her.
Sarah gave him a smile, "Kate forgot something in my car. We are going to run and go get it." Caleb nodded and the girls ran off to where all the cars were parked.
"Maybe Kate forgot her personality." Pogue snapped under his breath, Caleb looked at him.
"Not now, man," Pogue shrugged and looked at where Caleb's line of sight was to see Reid and Victoria dancing. "They're getting to close," Caleb said.
Pogue looked at him, "So, what are you planning on doing about it? We have threatened Reid, begged with Victoria, nothing left to do."
"She is going to get hurt."
Pogue shrugged, "You don't know that man, and maybe they're happy." Caleb turned on Pogue.
"They may be happy now but trust me Reid will only hurt her, if not of his own volition then by his addiction."
Pogue turned to Caleb and said in a small voice, "We don't know for certain he is addicted,"
"Come on Pogue, he uses all the time,"
"Well, maybe ascending set him straight, I haven't seen him use in a while." Caleb shrugged off Pogue's words.
"Just wait, something is going to happen to him, and I want to stop it but I can't with Victoria in the way."
"In the way? That's a little harsh isn't it?"
"Ya think I go over and say something to Reid, Victoria isn't gonna jump down my throat about how it isn't my life and-"
"It isn't, man," Caleb looked at Pogue, "It's Reid's, if he wants to fuck it up then fine, we can't do anything about it, he knows what will happen if he keeps using like this, we can't do anything or else he will just use more. Who knows maybe Victoria can get through to him."
With that Pogue walked over to go see Tyler. Caleb was left to glower at Reid and Victoria's dancing forms.
"Shit," Victoria stopped dancing and dug her cell out of her jeans pocket. She looked at Reid. "It's my mum, I gotta take this. Be back in a sec." Reid nodded and Victoria left the dancing masses.
Reid went and stood over with Tyler. "Hey man," Tyler said noticing Reid, then he went off into a long winded tail about how he was certain Petra thought he was hot and how she wouldn't leave him alone when they were at school.
Reid however wasn't listening; he was lost in his own thoughts. He had lost sight of Victoria who was trying to get a stable signal.
He was fairly sure he had never gone so long without looking at another girl in his life and he was fine with that, and that kind of scared him. They had promised no commitments, and it was Victoria's idea but Reid found himself doubting whether he liked that promise.
The thought of Victoria with anyone but him made him angry beyond belief.
"Dude, you okay?" Tyler suddenly asked Reid looked at him.
"Yeah why?" Reid asked looking back over the party.
"You're using," Reid's head snapped around to look back at Tyler.
"What? No I'm not!"
Tyler shook his head at Reid's response. "Yeah you are - your eyes are black." His friend whispered.
Reid closed his eyes and shook his head pinching his temple. He opened his eyes again and everything seemed slightly duller. He felt a little light headed and staggered a little. Tyler grabbed his arm.
"Wow," Reid whispered feeling slightly shaken up.
Victoria was suddenly by his side, "Are you okay?" She asked grabbed his other arm to help Tyler steady him.
"Oh…uh yeah, just a …nothing. Are you okay?" He asked really looking at her for the first time. She looked shaken and a little scared.
"Uh yeah, can you give me a ride to my house?" She asked. Reid nodded.
"Yeah no problem,"
Tyler looked sceptically at Reid, "You okay to drive?" He asked looking Reid up and down.
"Fine," Reid snapped he started to walk towards where they had parked his truck but he turned and grabbed Tyler by the jacket.
"REID!" Victoria yelled stunned. Tyler was looking at Reid with wide eyes.
"Tell Caleb about what just happened and you'll regret it!" He let go off Tyler and turned walking towards the Escalade. He grabbed Victoria's wrist and pulled her along with him.
She glanced over her shoulder at Tyler who was looking shocked and unable to move. She looked at Reid who was pinching the bridge of his nose and panting.
"Reid! What the hell was that?" She asked trying to pull her hand out of his but his grip only tightened.
"I dunno," He answered.
"You don't know? You don't know?! That isn't good enough, you scared Tyler, and he is your best friend." Reid rounded suddenly on Victoria and faced her.
"You think I meant to do that? Why the hell would I?" He yelled. Victoria tried to pull back but his grip tightened harder on her wrist.
"Reid, let go." She said pulling her wrist harder and harder.
"What scared of me now….just like Caleb….oh yeah he's soooo scared of me 'fraid I can't handle it." Even Reid knew he sounded like he was rambling.
Victoria ignored his rant, "Reid, let go." Victoria said in a dangerously low voice, looking at his now black eyes.
"Why? Wanna run away? Thought you needed a ride?" He asked savagely, pulling her even closer to him so she stumbled on the gravel slightly.
Victoria looked him in the eyes, not seeing his blue ones, she gently placed her free hand on his cheek he reeled back but she didn't let go.
"I know you don't want to hurt me so just let go Reid. I am not going to run away, I am not going anywhere." She said quietly. Gently. Not what he was expecting.
Reid looked down at his hand on hers and realised he was cutting off her circulation. He suddenly let go and stumbled a few steps away from her. Victoria flexed her hand letting the blood rush back to it. She looked at Reid who was staring at the ground with a blank look, his eyes back to normal.
"Come on, you said you would give me a ride." She went and got into his truck that was only a few feet away. Reid turned and looked at her. She was sitting in the passenger's seat. He walked over and opened her door again. Careful to avoid her eyes and focusing on her delicate collar bone, Reid handed her the keys.
"You know how to drive right?"
"Yeah but…."
"You drive," He dropped the keys in her lap and waited for her to shimmy over. She nodded and got into the driver's seat as he climbed into the cab.
As they drove off Reid leaned his forehead on the cool glass of the window trying to contemplate what he had just done and why Victoria hadn't just left him standing there.