CHAPTER EIGHTEEN- STAND IN THE RAIN
Hey there, two chapters in one day, and they're long too!
I know a lot of you want to see more Blake and Tory, especially Blake!
Thank you all for reading and reviewing-my dad finally fixed my stupid computer so it's working, I'm working on my writing a lot now. But I might not be able to update as soon as you'd like me to because I'm working on a few other writing projects and one is for my teach. Because she wants me and four other people to write stories for our class. And she's like "I'm expecting a lot from you," and bla, bla, bla. But you know, it's all good, I'll deal. Wish me luck…now I'll stop talking and here's my story…
After kicking myself for doing everything wrong, I sat beneath the willow tree, letting the vine leaf things come down and swing before, just brushing my skin. I'd calmed down much more from my episode last night and now it was the morning, for humans, probably about four or five because the sun was just starting to come up, but it was still really dark…
As I stared down out across over the water, glinting in the early, early morning. I had stayed up all night, not falling asleep once, not even getting tired. I was totally awake and alert. Nothing would catch me by surprise, and nothing really could, because no one knew where I was. I was under the willow tree, but on the far side, so I was on the edge of the cliff as well as the roots of the enormous tree. I looked over the water, just as I had been doing all night.
I hadn't really been thinking about anything but the mesmerizing waves, they'd calmed over night, just like I had. Now I was mulling over the meaning of the Rise Against song, A Hero Of War. It was such as sad song…but I knew it was true, that people had actually recruited young men into the army to do things like that…I also knew that a lot of those people ended up committing suicide or being admitted to an asylum because of all the problems that the realization of what they've done messes them up and they can't live with themselves and they commit suicide or go crazy.
Now, for not reason at all, I was just sitting there, going through songs that reminded me of Dimitri, the old Dimitri…my Dimitri.
There was Bad Girlfriend by Theory of a Dead Man—no definitely not a Dimitri song.
Halo by Beyonce—yes
Tim McGraw by Taylor Swift—maybe
Untitled by Simple Plan—it reminded me of my current situation, but not Dimitri.
Love Game—that reminded me of what I had thought of Adrian before we had left for the rescue mission.
Whatsername by Green Day—it reminded me of what I was trying to do, not trying to forget the time, but to forget Dimitri.
Ave Mary A by Pink—it reminded me of how I felt on the plane, the desperate need for someone to comfort me, and that someone just happened to be Alexander.
Gotta Be Somebody by Nickelback—Dimitri was my somebody.
All of the Broken Hearts by AFI—not really reminding me of Dimitri, but I loved the song, a really great song; I especially liked the beginning.
Come On Get Higher by Matt Nathanson—if the lyrics were reversed to be from a female point of view, it would be perfect, but an amazing song none the less and it really did remind me of everything that happened with us...I missed the sound of his voice, the rush of his skin, from the one time I got to really feel it, the still of his silence…I started to play the song.
I miss the sound of your voice
I miss the rush of your skin
And I miss the still of your silence
If I could walk on water
If I could tell you what's next
Make you believe
Make you forget
So come on get higher
Loosen my lips
Faith and desire
In the swing of your hips
Just to pull me down hard
And drown me in love
I quickly changed the song to something else and ended at If U Seek Amy by Britney Spears, which I thought, was so funny, but I didn't laugh out loud, like I would have a long time ago. I just acknowledged the thought that it amused me that I had landed on that song, and the title and song itself are just hilarious.
Oh baby, baby have you seen Amy tonight?
Is she in the bathroom?
Is she smoking up outside?
Britney sang into my ears and I leaned my head against the tree and changed it to something more…something not Britney. It's not that I don't like her music, well, she's and idiot, but her songs are okay, but I just didn't feel like listening to her damn high pitched voice fixed by studio. I changed it to Money Honey by State of Shock and just listened to it. Not thinking…it was nice…I realized how tired I really was…thinking that it wouldn't matter if I went to sleep…I probably shouldn't…I want to…rest…just rest and not really think about anything for a long…long time…
******
I woke up to Lady Gaga's Love Game and the willow vines tickling my nose. Hmmm…where am I? I wondered. I'm under a tree…a willow tree…at the…Royal Court…what happened? Why am I under the damn tree? My eyes snapped open and I let out a small scream as I saw that my feet were just dangling in mid air in front of me. Then I remembered that I was outside and truly came to my senses. In doing so, I was reminded me of what went down last night…with my mother. How she'd hit me, in front of everybody. How she said that she'd made a mistake in having me.
Yeah, well, why haven't you killed me yet, MOM? I sneered internally. I touched my hand lightly to my cheek and felt the crusty dried blood on my face.
Yours truly, Mom, it practically screamed at me. I pulled my bag over and yanked out a black hoodie with a zipper and thumb wholes in the sleeves. I leaned forward slightly and slipped it on, sticking my thumbs through the holes. Then I had an idea…yesterday, I lost my mother…so she was dead to me now…I had the strong urge to dress in all black, as if I were going to her funeral. I laughed humourlessly. I retrieved a pair of black jeans and threw them over my arm and stood carefully so I could go change.
The few people I passed stared and I just looked down, pretending to be immune…then I think, I don't give a fuck, let them see me. So I look up to them and smile dryly at anyone who dared to look at me. And the few who looked me in the eye flinched and made quickly on their way…all but one…
There was a young boy, about my age, maybe nineteen. He had brown hair like mine…the exact same shade as mine. That was odd because my hair was totally unique; I'd never seen anyone with the same colour hair…hmm. His hair was styled to be messy which I found to make him handsome. Then the thought, did he have the same father as me? Came into my mind and I quickly dismissed the thought and assessed the rest of this boy. Aside from the hair, he had…a bright and lively colour of royal blue. Like a serious royal blue. That was seriously cool. He kept eye contact with me as I quickly ran my eyes over his blue jeans and nicely fitted green sweater, which set off his eyes perfectly.
I felt drawn to him at once, but not an attraction…an interest, like I wanted to get to know him. From the muscles that were obvious on his legs and arms, he was a dhampir. He did not smile, but there was something mixing in his eyes.
As he passed, his hand touched mine, handing me a note lightly. Our eyes met in a sideways glance and neither of us smiled. We just shared an intense look, it said that he understood.
When I was in one of the stalls in the bathroom, I unfolded the note, it read:
Rosemarie Hathaway,
I saw what happened last night with your mother. I would very much like to talk to you, my name is Etienne. I want to speak with you Rosemarie Hathaway. My cell number is: 613-983-2118. Call me anytime. Soon please, I would much like to talk to you as soon as possible.
What the fuck? That was a little odd. I changed into my black jeans and looked at myself darkly amused in the mirror. Slinging my bag up on the counter I rummaged for a pen and quickly wrote.
It's not been a very good few days, so guy passing notes to me in the hall like we're third grade is a bit weird. So anyway…if you want to talk to me so much, here's my number: 697-472-7994. Call me, Etienne.
I smirked. Let's see what he thinks of that. I smiled and gently rub a damp piece of paper towel to my blood dried face. Once I was satisfied, I pulled up the hood to my sweater pulling my hair through on either side of my face, so it was mostly obscured from view and walked out looking down so no one could see my face at all. As I was walking back to the tree, I saw this 'Etienne' character walking towards me.
"Hey," he said. "Didn't know that a mother slapping her child could cause them to go emo, yeah?"
I rolled my eyes and handed him the paper for no reason at all because I simply could have just told him what it said. He thought it was funny and let in fly away in the breeze…and over the cliff went the paper.
"I'm not emo, I'm holding my own personal funeral for Janine Hathaway because she's dead to me now," I informed him.
He looked down at his outfit in fake outrage. "And you didn't tell me? How could you? I am in no shape to attend a funeral," he declared loftily and I had to admit…he made me laugh. Really laugh for the first time in a long time. Most of the time I forced a laugh and a smile, but I'm good at it, so nobody notices.
"That's okay, I'm not even sure she deserves a funeral, she should be taken up on fucking child abuse charges." I said bitterly and he threw his arm around me like we were old friends and he turned and led me to the cliff.
"I can arrange that, Rosemarie, if you wish," he said courteously and I laughed again and slipped away from his arm.
"No thanks, without her who is to guard Lord Szelsky?"
"We will, yeah?" he lifted his arm and flexed. "We are perfectly fit to guard Lord Szelsky, yeah? Two stunning guardians like us and he'll be safe for the rest of his life!" He said it like it was obvious and that there was no possibility of me rejecting this.
"Right, so, would you care to start over?" I ask.
"Oh yeah! I'm sorry. Hello, you must be Rosemarie Hathaway, it's a pleasure to meet you, and I am Etienne Spencer." He bowed his head and looked at me seriously, but I could see he was amused by the look in his luminous eyes.
"It is a great delight to meet you as well, Etienne Spencer, as you know I am Rosemarie Hathaway; from whereabouts are you from, my dear sir?" I say bow lowly from the waist.
He tsked. "No, no. you are a lady, you must curtsy; bowing is for the gentlemen only, don't you know that, malady?"
I looked at him blankly. "There is no way that I'm curtsying."
"Oh, yes, you are,"
"No,"
"Yes,"
"Or what?" I crossed my arms on my chest and glared at him even though I knew this was a stupid conversation.
"Or I'll make you, I'd fight you and I'd win," he confirmed.
"You think you can fight me…and win?" I raised my eyebrows in astonishment.
He hung his head and looked at me through the bangs of his dark hair. "No, not really, but can you deny this beautiful face?" he pouted his lips and looking into his eyes through our same coloured hair made him look very handsome, but I still wasn't attracted to him in that way. It was just an 'I want to get to know this kid' kind of thing. It's not like I'd want to start something with this random, funny and flirty guy. But I'd love to have him around.
"Rosemarie?"
I snapped out of my thought process and looked up at Etienne's smiling blue eyes.
"Hmm?"
"I said why you would not curtsy?" he repeated and I rolled my eyes.
"Come on, it's just too girly for me,"
"But you are of the feminine variety, are you not?" he was trying to hold back a smile.
"In that way, yes, but not in the manners or actions," I replied truthfully and he laughed, something about his laugh made me laugh too.
He sighed. "Don't you love it here?" he asked suddenly.
I nodded, not minding the question. "Yeah, for sure, I slept out here last night," I blurted without thinking.
He raised an eyebrow. "Why would you sleep on a cliff?"
I smiled. "Because I'm Rose Hathaway,"
"It explains everything, doesn't it?"
*****
Etienne had made me laugh some more and then I finally had to go so we programmed our numbers in each other's cell phones and hugged like we'd known each other for years then I left.
Now, I have my hood pulled up and am leaning against a tree by our jet as I waited for them to ready it. I text Alexander saying, we are leaving in 10 minutes and if you're not here the plane will leave without you.
It wasn't very polite, but I just did it, just 'cause. I look up at the flight attendant poking his head out.
"We're ready, miss," he called and I nod and make my way up the steps and walk inside. I silently put my bag up in the baggage holders above and slump low in my seat with my legs spread apart in front of me, but I'm slightly turned to the side so I am able to stare out the window when we fly. I take out my iPod and put the song Stand In The Rain by Superchick on repeat:
She never slows down
She doesn't know why but she knows that when she's all alone
Feels like it's all coming down
She won't turn around
The shadows are long and she fears that if she cries
That first tear
The tears will not stop
Raining down
So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it's all crashing down
You stand through the pain
You won't drown
And one day,
What's lost can be found
You stand in the rain
She won't make a sound
Alone in this fight with herself and the hears
Whispering if she stands she'll fall down
She wants to be found
The only way out is through everything she's running from
Wants to give and lie down
So stand in the rain
Stand your ground
Stand up when it's all crashing down
You stand through the pain
You won't drown
And one day,
What's lost can be found
You stand in the rain.
And that's what I'll do. I'll stand in the rain. Weather someone's there to support me or not.
So did you like it? That one was pretty long, so I'm hoping that was okay, and what do you think of my new character Etienne? They're be much more of him and how could I posibly forget? There will also be more Tory and Blake for all of you, don't worry! Thanks so much for reading, but now, to complete the task, you must review, it would make me very happy ladies and...(if there are any reading my story) gents. Please review and it'll make me so very pleased with all of you and you might even get ANOTHER chapter by the end of the weekend. So please do review, my dear friends. Alright, so enough with the old English, eh? Hahaha.
Review please, I love you for it,
~Alice