Title: Learning To Hunt
Chapter: Alternate Version of Flashbacks
Fandom: The Tribe
Author: PinkTribeChick
Summary: Sometimes, love is just right under your nose . . .
Extended Summary: An alternate-universe Series 4 romance story, from the point of view of Pride, Jack, and an original female character.
Rating: Teen
Pairing: Jack-Original Female Fiction Character, Pride-Original Female Fiction Character, Jack-Ellie, and Bray-Amber, with a few mentions of other pairings.
Author's Notes: Massive thanks to Ariannya and Whit for their thoughts and proofreading on various sections over the years! Enjoy, and please review! Feedback is much appreciated!
Disclaimer: All characters, situations, and song lyrics remain the property of their respective owners. Any original characters are sole property of me, PinkTribeChick. The lyrics featured in this section are from "I Want You" by Elvis Costello.
Learning To Hunt
Alternate Version of Flashbacks
Pride stood across the room, watching Liliana dance with a dark-brown haired boy. He watched Liliana closely as she swayed to the music, her head rested on the boy's shoulder, but her eyes never leaving Pride's gaze for a moment. Her bluish-gray eyes seemed bluer than usual, almost an icy blue. She wore a loose white sundress, and her curly hair blew about in the breeze that was coming in through the windows.
Pride had never seen her look more beautiful. Why hadn't he seen it before? Why hadn't he seen how wonderful she was and how no other girl could possibly compare to the standard she set? Thoughts of her had been plaguing him all evening, since the moment he had picked her up for the party. And now she was dancing with that jerk Ass-Ton. No, Ashton, he corrected himself, laughing at the nickname he had come up with for the boy.
He sighed loudly and turned his back to her, unable to bear watching her anymore. He tossed his empty punch cup into the trash, running a hand through his short black hair. He was surrounded by people, feeling somewhat claustrophobic. It was as though the room was starting to spin a bit. He suddenly felt his face flush as the room became warm. Or maybe it was just his temper flaring about Liliana and Ashton dancing.
Spinning around to look at her again, he made himself dizzy, almost tipping over. He steadied himself on the table behind him, taking a deep breath. As the music changed from a slow ballad to an odd 80s song, he scowled jealously at Ashton.
"I want you . . . You've had your fun you don't get well no more . . . I want you . . . Your fingernails go dragging down the wall . . . Be careful darling you might fall . . ."
His nostrils flared as he watched Ashton slyly move his hands down toward Liliana's rear, his lips nuzzling her neck, as Liliana squirmed. Pushing himself off the table, he started over toward them, picking up more speed with each step. He crouched a bit and started to run, aiming for Ashton. Pride rammed hard into him, knocking him off his feet. Pride grabbed a startled Liliana, holding her close. Everyone in the room stopped dancing, staring at the scene.
"You need to learn a little more respect for a girl than that, Ashton!" exclaimed Pride, his words slurring a bit. "You shouldn't try to force yourself like that on any girl!"
"I want you . . . The truth can't hurt you it's just like the dark . . . It scares you witless . . . But in time you see things clear and stark . . . I want you . . . Go on and hurt me then we'll let it drop . . . I want you . . . I'm afraid I won't know where to stop . . . I want you . . .I'm not ashamed to say I cried for you . . ."
"You're just drunk, Pride! Under normal circumstances, you wouldn't give a shit if I made a move on her!" Ashton retorted, grinning.
"Oh, really? Wouldn't I?" Pride responded, kicking him in the stomach angrily. Ashton yelped, grabbing his abdomen. "Stay away from her, got it?" Pride took Liliana's hand and led her out of the room, closing the door behind them.
"Are you okay, Lili?" Pride asked her, putting a hand on her shoulder to steady himself. He stared deep into her eyes, as though he was looking into her soul, which gave her the willies. And he had the goofiest grin on her face, like he was possessed. He had never looked at her quite like that before.
"I'm fine. Thanks, but I could have handled that myself," she said. She looked at him strangely. "Why are you looking at me like that? What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing," he said.
"We need to get you home, you're obviously drunk," she said.
"I am not!" he countered defensively. "I had the same punch that everyone else did, and no one else was drunk in there."
"Yes, they were. Ashton was, Deirdre was, everyone nearly. I'm even feeling a little tipsy from it," she responded. It was very obvious he was plastered. His pupils were dilated, his face was flushed, and his breath reeked of alcohol. She touched his cheek gently, and he felt a warm surge throughout his body."Peaches, you're sloshed."
"Well, I only had three cups, so I can't be drunk, can I?" he said, hiccupping. "I am perfectly fine." She rolled her eyes at this. He was still making weird eyes at her, and she shivered.
"Well, you're giving me the creeps. I'm going back into the party," she said, pushing past him. He grabbed her by the arm.
"Lili, don't go," Pride said pleadingly. She looked over her shoulder at him.
"Why are you acting like this?" she asked.
"Acting like what?" he questioned back.
"All weird . . . like you're more than just drunk. First, you attack Ashton, which is so not like you, and now you're looking at me funny, like you're demonically possessed. What's wrong with you?" she answered, growing irritated with his behavior. He had ignored her all night, and now he was expecting her to take care of him when he was drunk. He was such a hypocrite at times.
"Nothing's wrong. I just realized something earlier," he insisted. The room was getting hotter by the minute, it seemed to him. He was getting dizzier, too.
"Oh? Enlighten me, Pride. What have you realized?" she said sarcastically. "That you have the mental capacity of a five year old when you're drunk?"
"No . . . ," he said slowly. He nodded, then spoke again. "I love you, Lili." She looked at him incredulously.
"Now I know you're drunk," she said, rolling her eyes again and turning to go. He pulled her back again, trying to regain his composure.
"I mean it. I love you," he said seriously. Her eyes widened as he touched her cheek tenderly, pulling her to him.
"You really mean that, don't you?" she asked in shock, looking at him with her mouth hanging open.
"Yes," he said. She raised an eyebrow, closing her mouth. Then suddenly, before Pride knew what hit him, she kissed him passionately. He held her even tighter to him as they kissed fervently.
"I want you . . . I want you . . . I want you . . . Every night when I go off to bed and when I wake up . . . I want you . . ."
"I . . . love you, too," she said breathlessly between kisses.
"I love you so much, Lili," he responded. Then suddenly everything went black . . .
"I love you so much . . . I love you so much," Pride repeated over and over, tossing about in the armchair where he had fallen asleep. May stood over him, listening to his drowsy rambling. "I love you so much . . ."
"Pride, honey, wake up," she said, shaking him a little bit. His eyes flew open, and he stared at her silently for a few moments. His mind recalled the dream he had been having. A very vivid dream about Liliana. It had just been a dream. He looked at May in puzzlement.
"Did I fall asleep?" he asked finally.
"Yeah. That must have been some dream you were having. I could hear you down the hallway you were talking so loudly," she replied.
"What was I saying?" he said, sitting back up in the chair and closing the book that lay open in his lap.
"Something like, 'I love you so much, I love you so much.' Were you dreaming about me?" she responded, grinning. She sat down on his lap, throwing her legs over the arm rest of the chair. Pride looked down at his hands, feeling guilty. May was his girlfriend, and he had been dreaming about Liliana. And what an odd dream at that. His imagination had gone a little overactive. He looked at May thoughtfully. He didn't want to hurt her feelings, and he wasn't about to let anyone know what he'd really been dreaming about. He plastered a false smile on his face.
"Yeah, it was about you. A really good dream, too," he lied. He kissed her gently on the forehead, and she cuddled up against him. As they sat there, he replayed the dream over and over again in his mind. Just a dream, that's all it was, he told himself. But he could never tell anyone about it. Never.
The next section will be another future section that takes place BEFORE the future sections I posted in Chapter 21.