Chapter 34: Rebellion

(Three Years Later ~ Sixteen Years Old)

I grimace as the needle pierced my skin, closing my eyes against the pain.

"You doing okay, Dee?" Xavier asked. I nodded without opening my eyes, "Almost done."

"It looks amazing, Dee." Tori told me.

"And...done." Xavier said with the last prick of the needle.

"Phew." I said, opening my eyes. I look down at the tattoo on my hip, a vibrant rose in blood red with bright green thorns, "Xav, I love it!"

"You're starting to look like a florists." Tori said.

I laughed. It was true that I'd gathered quite a collection of flower tats, with my daisy chain bracelet tattoo and matching daisy on my shoulder, the small cherry blossom behind my left ear, plus my new rose. Still, I liked to think I kept them tasteful, each one being fairly small and pretty. I had a total of six tattoos now, and I didn't regret any of them. I certainly didn't regret the look on my parents' faces when they found out. When they saw this one, their reaction was going to be priceless.

"I'm thinking of something a little different for my next one." I said, "I'll drop by in a few weeks to discuss it with you, Xav, but I've gotta run. I'm meeting Lucas in ten minutes."

"I'll give you a ride." Tori said, and once I'd paid Xavier I jumped into the passenger seat of her car. My parents wouldn't let me drive, even though I'd already passed my test, because they said I wasn't responsible enough. I tried buying myself a car but they sold it whilst I was sleeping.

Tori had been my best friend for three years, since we met each other when we both got our belly buttons pierced. She's seventeen and dropped out of school and now she's part of a band, which is how I met my current boyfriend Lucas, who is the lead guitarist in the band.

Tori pulls up outside our regular bar and I climb out of the car, "You coming to band practice tomorrow?"

"Wouldn't miss it." I told her, "Thanks for the ride."

I shut the door and Tori speeds off out of site. I push open the door to the bar and loud music floods my ears. It takes me a moment to spot Lucas, finding him at the far end of the bar chatting to the bartender, Chase. He kissed me when he saw me and ordered me a vodka coke. Lucas doesn't drink anything because he's a vampire, but he knows my story and how until I hit 18 I can eat and drink like a human.

I slide onto his lap and sip the drink, "Tori said you got another tattoo."

"I did." I confirmed.

"Maybe you let me see it later." Lucas whispered in my ear, his hand trailing up my thigh.

"Maybe I will." I said, wrapping my arms around his neck. He kissed my own neck, his fangs brushing the sensitive skin there and making me shiver.

"Come outside for a smoke?" He asked. I nodded, abandoning my drink and following him out the back into the alley where he lights a cigarette. He takes a drag then passes it to me as his phone rings. "I have to take this, I'll be right back."

He walked down the alley and round the corner to take the call and I learned against the wall, blowing smoke into the air in front of me.

"Hey beautiful." Said a drunk-sounding voice from beside me, "Can I bum a light?"

"I don't have any more." I told him truthfully. Lucas had taken them with him.

"Maybe we can just share this one." He said, grabbing the cigarette out of my hand. I glare at him but I let him take it. I can get another from Lucas when he comes back. "Maybe there's something else you'd like to share with me too."

He pressed himself against me, pushing me back into the wall.

"Get off of me!" I protested, pushing at him. When he pushed back with more strength I realised he was a vampire. How had I not noticed it before?! Whilst I was stronger than a human, I wasn't really a full vampire yet and my strength didn't match up to his.

I open my mouth to scream but then I realise I would put human lives in danger if anyone came to help me. Instead I keep pushing, trying to get away even though he was twice as strong as I was.

"Hey!"

Suddenly the guy disappears from in front of me and I see Lucas beating him to a pulp on the floor. I'm sure of he had any, this guy's blood would be everywhere by now.

"Lucas, enough!" I said, trying to pull him away before he killed the other guy, "Just leave him."

With one final kick, Lucas turns away and pulls me back inside the bar, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah...I'm fine." I said. Lucas' fingers trail across my shoulder, where the strap of my top is broken, "Must have gotten torn when I tried to get away."

"Do you want a drink?" Lucas asked.

"I think I just want to go home." I said.

"You could come back to mine." He suggested, his hands on my waist.

"No...not tonight. I really just want to get home." I told him.

"Okay. Home it is." He said, "Come on, I parked just down the street."

We walk down to where he's parked his motorbike and I swing onto the back.

Lucas revs the engine a couple times before we speed off, me clinging onto him tightly around the waist. The wind whips through my hair as we head towards home, streetlights blurring into continuous yellow lines.

We screech to a stop outside my front door. I jump off, "I'll see you tomorrow at band rehearsal?"

"Sure thing, Dee." He said, then he shoots me a wink and drives off.

I sigh and slink into the house.

"Daisy-May, where do you think you've been all day?!" Alice is shrieking the second I shut the door.

"Out." I said, shrugging off my jacket and throwing it onto the hook.

"Did you come home on a motorbike?" Jasper asked with a glare.

"You know I did, I don't know why you ask." I said, opening the fridge.

"We're you with Lucas again?" He asked.

"What happened to your shirt?!" Alice said, staring at the torn strap. Her look hardened, "Did he do this?!"

"No." I said, "I tore it myself."

"Daisy's lying!" Phoebe yelled, pointing at me and grinning. I glared at her and her smile disappeared.

"Daisy, what happened?" Alice asked.

"Just some drunk guy." I waved it off, grabbing a bar of chocolate and shutting the fridge.

"Drunk guy?! Were you drinking?!" Alice shrieked.

"No." I said.

Phoebe's giggle gives away my lie and Jasper starts to yell, the ultimate end of the fight being both of my parents shouting "You're grounded!" and me slamming my bedroom door in their faces.

A few minutes later there's a tiny knock on my door, "Daisy?"

I let Phoebe in and she climbs up onto my bed, "Are you mad at me?"

I sighed, "No, Pheebs, I'm not mad."

"You got in trouble." She said, "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry." I said, stroking her soft black hair, "Your talent is an absolute gift, but please in the future when I lie, just keep it to yourself."

Over the three years of Phoebe's life we'd discovered three gifts; the ability to tell when someone is lying, seeing people's dreams and being able to manipulate plant life. We were still waiting to discover if she had any more that just hadn't emerged yet, but so far her gifts had proved to be both useful and devastating for me.

"Why do you do things which upset Mommy?" Phoebe asked.

"Because she upset me first." I said, knowing full well how childish that sounded.

Phoebe looked sad, "But when you upset her you get in trouble and that makes you upset. I don't like it when everyone is upset, it makes me upset too."

I try to smile at my sister, "Don't be sad. When you're older you'll understand that sometimes you have to do things that will upset people. And then maybe I'll tell you why I do the things I do."

"Is it to do with Aunty Rose?" Phoebe asked.

I stared at her, "How do you know about Rosalie?"

The family hardly spoke about Rose, and I'd be surprised if they'd explained her story to Phoebe.

"You dream about her sometimes when you're sleeping." Phoebe said. Her gift of seeing people's dreams creeped me out sometimes. Often I didn't remember my own dreams, so I could never be sure what she'd seen.

"I'll tell you about her one day." I said with a sad smile, "When you're older."

"I'm three, that's pretty old." She told me.

"It is." I agree as seriously as I can, "But isn't it past your bedtime?"

"Nooooo!" She cried.

"I think it is." I said.

"Can't I sleep in here again?" She asked.

"Not tonight." I said.

"Will you at least read me a story?" She begged.

"Sure." I said with a sigh. I'd always had a soft spot for Phoebe, no matter how bad a mood I was in or how rebellious I was feeling. "Which book do you want me to read?"

"Make something up!" Phoebe demanded, so I began to spin a tale of dragons and fairy princesses until she fell asleep, then I carried her into the room adjacent to mine and put her in her own bed, kissing her forehead and saying goodnight.

I go back to my own room and text Lucas, talking until I fall asleep.

A/N: Heya! How'd you like sixteen year old Daisy? ;) And do you all approve of Phoebe's gifts so far? (Thanks for all the suggestions by the way!)

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