Chapter 2: The Scandal
People were singing and dancing. There was the live bands playing all sort of music. The town hall was decorated with bright colors of all sorts with a big banner saying "Welcome Back". The army boys were coming home.
The mayor walked up on the stage and the people quite down. The man was on the shorter side, his grey hair and slightly bold head showed his age. He trimmed his mustache and smiled brightly.
"We are all here to welcome home our army men, defending our country. Our sons, husbands, fathers, brothers, fiancé's, boyfriends…" He dragged out the last two and the girls all cheered, including Kory. Rachel just smiled at her friend's reactions.
The mayor chuckled. "Okay men, come on out!" He shouted and the curtains pulled back revealing all the men in their uniforms. The wives cried, the woman squealed and the others cheered. The mayor walked up to Adonis and garbed the young man in a big hug.
Kory jump from her seat and literally, climb over Rachel, the said girl couldn't help laughing as she tried to stay out of harms way. Kory made a beeline for Richard and she jumped on him. He caught her with ease and he held her up in place. She kissed him passionately before he let her back down.
"Welcome home Richard." Rachel greeted the young soldier. Richard 'ahw'ed and almost crushed the said girl in a tight hug. "With all this time you were spending with Kory I am surprised as how you are still so stuck up!" He said jokily and released her. "So am I." Rachel said with a deadpan expression, with which she earned a light shove from the redhead.
Everyone enjoyed the open bar. Richard and Kory where stuck on the dance floor. Victor was also having fun. He was also a soldier but two years ago a mine went off right next to him and he lost part of his left leg and sight in his left eye. They gave him an honorary discharge. He missed his old friends and was happy to see them again.
Victor had to drag Rachel on the floor but with the help of Kory and Richard. Victor held out his hand for young maiden with a big grin on his face. Rachel look at the tree of a man, he wore his old uniform and the little army cap. Rachel on the other hand had on a navy blue dress with a black floral belt and black high heels. She just gave him a soft smile and took his hand.
They were dancing to jazzy music and laughing. Trigon gently tapped Victor's shoulder to ask if he could cut in. Victor nodded and left the two and took off to look for another wall flower to drag on the floor. Rachel slowly took her father's hand and danced with him.
"Rachel-" He was cut short. "Father please, I am not interested in dating the mayor's son. Don't let us go through this again. Please." She said as she looked sadly in her father's eyes. He sighed deeply. His voice was always hard and sounded stern. He was a large man. People in the town either feared him or respected him. His skin was somewhat on the reddish side and his hair was completely white and he had dark eyes. Rachel completely took after her mother.
When her great great grandfather came into this village, they fought for the land. He was a real brute of a man but he had great plans and was a strong leader. Her family basically had build this town to what it is today. Then soon after her grandfather met Mynhard's father in army and the Anders' had moved here. Her father was a hardworking boy always in his father's field and then he had served his country for five years returning as the town's first war hero.
"Okay then. I just want you find a good man who is well set for life. I don't want you to suffer or get anything less than what you deserve." He danced with her until the song ended. "I'll be off-" He saw that Adonis was standing right behind her and the older man smiled halfheartedly. "Just give it a try." He said to her and nodded to Adonis.
Adonis smiled chivalry at Rachel as he held out his hand to the graceful Gothic girl. Rachel had to bite on her tongue not to roll her eyes. None the less she took his hand. And what a dancing feat they put up.
Rachel was turned, spun and flipped in all the directions as they jumped and danced to the up beat jazz music. She and Adonis like Richard and Kory grew up together there was a time she did had a small crush on him. He was a few years older than she was but they were always with their parents going to events and visiting over. However, his father sends him off to a fancy boarding school the same one that Commander was going for the last four year. Then when he came back, he was an arrogant-cocky-egotistical young man thinking he can have any girl he looked at.
After the dance Rachel was heading straight to her table but someone caught her arm. Rachel inwardly whimpered, as she really didn't want to dance again! She was twirled around and grab by her shoulders, she was met with her redhead friend. "Hey Rachel lets go to the 'Bear Claw'!" She said excitedly. Rachel's eyes grew as wide as saucers. "Oh no!" She exclaimed almost panicky.
"Yeah come on it would be fun, a couple of the guys are already there." Richard chipped in as he placed a kiss on his girlfriend's cheek, which made her blush. "I don't have the right clothes for that kind of place." The Goth tried to make excuses. "See I knew you would say that so I kinda packed in some clothes for you." The fire head explained. Rachel was stunned again. "What… what if our parents find out?" She tried again.
"Commander goes there so often that she is like the local queen there. My father never found out. Come on." Kory whined. "What if-" Kory quickly chipped in. "What if. What it. What if what? To be old and wise you should be young and stupid. Come on it will be fun. Unless you want Adonis to take you home?" That made the raven haired girl think and she turn to find the arrogant young man dancing with another girl. She looked back at her friend with an expression. "Yes!" Kory jumped and they dashed off to their horse-cart.
Richard drove the cart to the 'Bear Claw' once they were close enough to hangout. They had gotten off with their new drapes on. Rachel was mortified, as she had to change in the cart. She was scared someone would open the door while she was this in her underwear. Kory had on a short black skirt, fish nets and a tight green shirt. Rachel again not to excited with her outfit but she would rather wear this than that. She had on a light blue flirty looking one suit short dress and added by her fashion friend a white scarf around her neck tied in a little knot.
They walked past a few of the young soldiers and other people who were talking and dancing outside with the live band, inside the 'Bear Claw' was crowded with people sitting at tables in their groups and an open bar and people serving food.
Much to Rachel's surprise there was a lot of people she knew, Jennifer and Victor, Garth, the Spanish twins, Roy, Artemis, the list could go on and on. "Hey miss Roth." Rachel's eyes went wide as she recognized that voice. She turned again and saw Gar. He was the same height as herself, His hair was ruffled and his blond hair against his skin stick to his face, clearly he's been dancing. He had a green-checkered shirt that showing too much of his chest Rachel cared to admit and baggy off-blue jeans. His dashing smile brought her eyes back to his. "Garfi- hmmf" She glared at him for placing a hand over her mouth. "It's just Gar. Please." He pleaded with an embarrassing smile and apologized.
"Gar!" Kory shouted and she hugged the shorter guy. "Kory! How are you? Who's your boyfriend?" Gar asked as he let her go. "Richard, and this Gar." Kory said as she introduced the boys. "Nice to finally meet you Gar." Richard grinned as he glanced at Rachel with a knowing look. Rachel made a shocked face and quickly recovered with a scowl.
They all got their drinks and sat outside, Victor and his 'friend' joined them as well. "I would never have guess in my life to see you here, Rachel." Jennifer said with a shocked smirk. Rachel rolled her eyes. "You and me both." She said and looked at her redhead friend making out with her boyfriend she rolled her eyes and took a large gulp from her drink. How Kory always seemed to get her to tag along she'll never know.
She did end up dancing with Victor, Richard and a lot with Gar. After a few drinks she was really starting to enjoy her night. After all her stress melted away and after she loosened up a little.
It was getting late and Rachel had lost sight of her friends, she found Gar at the bar paying and she walked over to him. She stumbled a little the last stretch and grabbed hold on the counter to steady herself. "Woah, Rachel, had a little much there?" Gar asked with a grin. She eyed him and regained her composure. "Do you know where Kory is?" "Nope, I haven't. The barman said they already paid the bill. They must have gone…" He said as a matter of fact-ly.
"How am I going to get home?" She asked in a almost panic. "Don't worry, I'll take ya." He offered. Seeing that this was her only option and she had to admit she was too drunk to navigate her way back to the streets she did know she walked out with Gar.
"How did you get here?" She asked him as they walked away from the pub. "I walk." He answered her a little embarrassed. "Walk?" She asked surprised. "Yes, Rachel I walk. I didn't see much in buying a horse, I mean I live in the upper room of your barn. My house and work is the same place. And I go to town when you do. Just sometimes when I do go out, I choose to walk, which isn't often." He explained to her.
Rachel saw they were heading to direction of the swamp and stopped dead in her tracks. Gar saw her hesitation and laughed. "Rachel I won't kill you, this is a short cut I know to your house." He saw her eying him suspiciously. "Trust me." He smiled at her.
Rachel looked at him and his honest smile. She felt like she could. He was a good person in general. She'd seen him working with the animals and Jessie. He was a hard worker. She did notice him and he always talked about interesting subjects when they did talk. She could trust him. They walked through the swamp. They walked quick enough to reach a road she recognized.
"Wow I didn't know I lived so close." She was honestly surprised. "Yeah, most people won't admit it but the swamp is what actually divides the richer farms from the town, which makes sense because the lands closer to the swamp is richer." He said as he kicked a stone in the road.
Rachel didn't know what took over her but she lock hands with the blond boy and laid her head on his shoulder. They were lucky is a warm night because neither of them had warmer options. They talked about many things and Rachel could feel she was falling for this boy, but she can not.
Gar look at her beautiful face as it glowed in the moonlit night. 'Could you want her more?' He asked himself. He know that this ivory beauty is way out is league and trying to do what his heart already did, is a scandal in the hidden laws of this county.
A half-breed and a Lady.
End of chapter 2