Chapter 4

Chilled To The Bone

“You are grumbling a lot more than usual…” Quinn commented as I walked her to her sixth hour, we were walking slower than normal, not afraid that she would be marked late as it was still the second day of school, I had already proved that teacher’s were lenient this week.

“Am not,” I countered, but I noticed the grumble in my tone and huffed, I wouldn’t be walking next to Quinn right now if I could just go home, but I knew that Tristan was probably waiting on me to drive me home. For some reason he got under my skin more so than anyone I had previously met, and it irritated me to no extent that now on I was tied to him in a way that I regretted deeply.

Quinn gave me a pointed look, her eyebrow arched precariously, daring me to lie more to her. With a heavy sigh I shifted the weight of the backpack on my shoulder, having sweet talked one of the teachers to help me pry my locker from its hinges. In other words, I would be getting a reassignment of my locker, that might be the only highlight of the day. The bell went off before I could elaborate my mental condition to her, well in the most in descriptive way possible, because even though I felt a start of a hatred growing towards good ol’Tristan, I felt determined to keep the secret that, a secret.

“Well I got to go…guess I’ll be seeing you tomorrow, remember we have to go over the fall party plans again,” she reminded me, and I smiled giving her a wave before she trotted off to her classroom.

Defeated, I walked to the entrance of the school. Feeling childish I pressed my face against the cool glass, to see the rain splattering hard against the sidewalk still, and my car only a short distance away. I was once again grateful that I had thought of getting a close parking spot today. I didn’t see anybody outside, and a flicker of hope sparked in my eyes. Maybe Tristan had forgot about me? Smiling wryly, I pulled the hood to my jacket tightly around my head, before pushing open the door and rushing out into the cold rain.

I was soaked to the bone by the time I had reached my car and dug my keys out of my pocket. Crawling into the car, I quickly fired the car to life with shaking hands. Turning the heat up all the way, I waited comfortably while the car’s heating system was warming the car up.

A smirk still graced my lips and I leaned back in my chair, closing my eyes lightly. He had forgotten, thank goodness, I wouldn’t have to deal with him anymore today. The radio played quietly in the background of the rain and my breathing; a sweet melody of an instrument that suspiciously sounded like a piano, but it was too soft to tell. Sighing as the heat warmed up my skin, I smiled, content with the fact that I wasn’t cold anymore.

There was a rap on the door, and I jolted forward, my eyes snapping open. My head collided with the sun visor that had apparently fallen down again, but I quickly looked towards the passenger’s side. A figure stood in front of the window, their features meshed together by the rain, but they were obviously indicating that I roll down the window.

I rolled it down, careful of the rain that was now blowing inside the car, trying to see who it was. A face appeared clearer, and I gasped, starting to roll the window back up again quickly. But Tristan’s hand shot forward and took advantage of the open space and pressed the unlock button on the door. I tried fiddling with the window and searching for the lock button at the same time, but I was too late he had already opened the door and was climbing into the passenger’s seat.

I glared at him, as he shut the door firmly behind him, the window finally rolling up, a minute to late of its purpose. He shook some of the water droplets off his hair, a grin on his face as he finally turned to look at me.

“You tricked me…you...you....you jerk!” I growled, and he just laughed it off. It struck me. This was the first time I had ever heard him laugh, and I found myself captured by its tone, the deep baritone note like thick velvet, and my anger dissipated.

Shaking my head furiously, I tried to work my anger back up towards him, but it stayed flat, “It wasn’t that hard, you are pretty gullible,” Tristan chuckled, and I had wondered what had him in such an upbeat mood but only for a split second before I scowled at him.

“Get out of my car,” I tried my hand at seething, trying to put my whole force into those words, but they came out as a question. His eyes held mine, and I found myself staring into the crystal depths, almost as if in a trance, a pull. I snorted in disgust at myself and lost eye contact as I looked away, towards the window.

“Nope,” he said simply, popping the ‘p’. and I groaned internally, but just turned the radio on louder after saying, “Well I’m not taking you home…”

“There’s no need for you to do so, because I’m driving,” he said reaching over, and unbuckling my seat buckle swiftly before I had the chance for my jaw to drop.

“No!” I said, reaching for the metal buckle, but it had already snapped back into the side of the car with finality. “This is my car; you can’t just come into my life and take over. You are changing everything,” I snapped. He was insisting on following me everywhere, and now he was taking my car so he could take me god knows where.

His face fell flat, and solemn, those silver pools turning to steel once again, “If I do believe, you came into our life, and now we have to work around you. YOU are changing everything.” My face fell into a frown, and I stared downcast, instantly regretting my words.

We stayed silent for a few minutes, it was a very uncomfortable silence, but I cleared my throat and shook my head, he was trying to corner me into giving me the fault. But was it my fault? “No, you still aren’t driving,” my voice was a little shaky but I held my eye contact firm, determined not to look away again.

“Yes…” he started, sliding the key out of the ignition, turning the car off quickly, “I am.”

“Would you stop tricking me…”I growled, reaching over to the keys, but I felt his hand placed on his shoulder restraining me from snatching them jingling ring of keys from his other hand.

“But it’s just so fun…and you are so gullible,” he snickered, and growled under my breath. The heat started to seep away from my body as the car’s hot air was leaving through the vents. I stopped trying to grab the keys, and grasped my forearms, to contain the shivers that were starting to erupt on my skin. Tristan’s hand on my shoulder was hot to the touch, like an ember in a fire, and I found myself leaning into his hold, to be wrapped in those warm arms.

He hadn’t seemed to notice my likeness to his touch, but my coldness, “Well seems you have a choice…you can either let me drive so you get the car warm again or you can deal with the alternative and walk home while I keep your keys,” he shook the keys to accent the deal. I stole a glance from him to the keys, debating whether I’d be fast enough the catch him by surprise. Probably not.

Me having to sit through the cold or having to sit through a drive to who knows where with Tristan, my mind fought to find the lesser of the two evils. He was sure lucky that I hated being cold. “Fine,” I said sharply and he grinned, and waved his hand for me to get out.

“No way, I’m not going to let you drive away with my car, you’re getting out,”

He just shrugged, “Fine, but I have the keys so there is nothing you can do about it in an attempt to leave me here,” I rolled my eyes but waited patiently for him to get out. The door opened and another cold rush of rain and air blasted at me, and I winced at the brief nuisance, before crawling over to the passenger’s seat.

He came in the driver’s seat just as I was snapping the seat buckle again, a look of irritation sure to be on my face. He smirked again, before hesitating to turn the car on again, “Then again, we could just sit here for awhile…” he suggested.

“Turn the dang car on!” I yelled and he smiled, but did as I asked; well more accurately ordered. The car heat took awhile to kick back in and he started pulling out of the parking lot.

It felt odd, sitting the passenger’s seat; it was like a totally different view than when you drove. In fact I can’t seem to remember a time when I was in a car and didn’t have to drive, it had become a second nature for me, always walking to the driver’s side of the car with the keys in hand. Now I felt sort of helpless; just along for the ride, in a literal sense.

I glanced over at Tristan, his eyes nonchalantly glued on the road. I noticed the way the rain drops had made his hair wet and curled in smaller, tighter curls than dry, its black strands, going even darker at the moisture. Stray beads slipped down the side of his face, down to the base of his neck before disappearing under the collar of a grey t-shirt that clung to his skin tightly. He wore a leather jacket over his shirt, that was beaded with the rain, giving him the bad boy aura that matched his sarcastic, self absorbed attitude. Through all the material, I could still make out the outline of firm muscles that flexed and unflexed with each time he did a hairpin of a turn. I could imagine myself easily wrapped in those strong arms, the warmth that would surround me like a blanket, the total feeling of safe and security. My face against that chest, breathing in his scent that was starting to wind its way into my car. My eyes trailed up his arms, until they reached his lips, that I now noticed were turned upwards in yet another one of his smirks. That caused me to look into his eyes, searching for the reason of the smirk.

His eyes were the same silver that drew me in with every time I glanced at them, and I almost smiled at the thought of gazing into those eyes for eternity. Until I found out they were looking back at me. Blushing furiously I snapped my head back to look out the window; I had turned so fast that I heard a snap in my neck. Discreetly I lifted my hand up so I could rub the crick out of my neck with a groan.

What was I thinking? He was a selfish, uptight jerk of a guy and a werewolf no less. So far the only thing he had shown to me was that I was a nuisance in his path and poured the entire fault on me for walking in on him in a fight with another werewolf. So why was I even considering him handsome? The corner of my mouth lifted in distaste as the rain whipped past the car that was now passing the road that led to my house.

“Where are we going?” I asked, trying to act nonchalant about the fact I had been staring a moment ago. “Because we just passed my house,”

“Who said I wanted to go to our house, I’m driving,” he said obviously.

“In MY car, when I was planning to go to MY house, without YOU,” I stated.

“But I’m the one driving,” he said again.

“Because you blackmailed me into letting you drive…if you won’t drive me home, just stop here and let me walk,” I said pulling on the door handle for emphasis. I wasn’t handling being in the same confined space with him well, and my emotions were going haywire.

He looked at me shocked, “You hate the cold though,” I smirked at catching him surprised.

“Don’t try and act like you really know me,” I defended myself against his true accusation. “Now stop or get out,”

It took him a moment to reply, but he didn’t stop the car and I watched the blurred trees past us, “Sorry can’t do, we are to far from your house now, you might tell someone between here and there,”

My eyes squinted in irritation, “Fine, I’m not going to give into it, your inflated ego that feeds off my irritation,” I said simply and fell back against the window. I wondered how long he would last without having to tease me.

The rain didn’t stop; if anything it picked up and pelted the car to mercilessly that I was worried for the paintjob. I had just now noticed that the music station had subtly been turned onto something that resembled hard rock, and I sighed making myself calm down before I fed into his need to irk me, which was probably the only reason he changed the channel.

“Where are we going?” I asked again, realizing I hadn’t gotten an answer before; my fingers were drumming on the seat, absentmindedly.

“Back to the pack,” he cleared his throat, covering it up as a faint cough. “I need to work out some details about your watch schedule, and other matters,”

“Then why am I going?”

“Because I still need to watch you, can’t leave you alone at home now can I?” I stiffened in my seat, for one thing, I was positive at lunch that I hadn’t told him about my father not being home ever when I was, sometimes going a week at a time before I got a glimpse at his clean-shaven, yet sleep deprived face.

“Who says I’m going home alone?” I asked nervously, was I seriously dealing with a stalker/kidnapper here.

“I have my sources,” he smiled wildly, just as we pulled into a spot right by a house similar to the one that I had been in yesterday. Whipping my head around, I wondered how I had missed us turning towards here, or even coming down the long winding road that lead here.

He was out of the car and heading inside the house before I knew it. I sat there dumbfounded, as the car suddenly felt achingly empty, his overbearing presence gone. What was he doing to me? I felt the car start to get colder again and realized he had taken the car keys again. Yeah, why leave me with them, I’d just drive away. At least he was smart, in some ways.

Sighing, I quickly opened the door and ran onto the porch, that shielded me from the rain that was splattering up the dirt making it sprits up in mud. The dark clouds had made the whole atmosphere feel as if it were night, a strange feeling when I checked my watch to see it was only four, no one else would even be out of school yet. The lights inside of the house were warm and inviting, but I stood there in the threshold of the door, gazing in. The sweet smell of cooking from deep within the confines of the household wafted out towards me, but I stood halted, feeling so out of place in the homey atmosphere. So instead of letting myself go inside for the warmth that seemed to radiate inside, I walked over to the end of the porch and settled in the rickety wooden swing that hung by chains from the porch roof.

Life seemed to not exist in the two times I had been here, no one was outside the houses as if everyone was holed up inside. Away from me. I had found out their secret, so who really would want to contact me?

So I just sat there staring at my hands as they wound around each other impossibly, giving myself a thumb war between them. There was a creak in front of me as I recognized the sound of a screen door opening and I looked up. A lady was standing there, looking shocked when she saw me sitting on the swing. Her black hair fell in waves down her back, curling in a wilt that looked natural; strands of it framed her round face. She was holding a pot, of what looked like dishwater, on her hip, which she shifted in surprise at the sight of me. Her bright silver eyes were wide, “Excuse me…you must be Samantha?” she asked, and I nodded.

Quickly she dumped the pot out over the side of the railing onto the ground. “Why are you sitting out here?” she asked walking over to me, setting the pot on one of the side table’s before smiling sweetly. I found myself smiling back, she seemed friendly and I instantly responded to it.

“Oh…uh, Tristan…car…yeah,” I couldn’t find the right words to explain the situation, but she seemed to get it.

“What have I taught that boy about manner’s?” she huffed, her black hair bouncing as she sat beside me. After drying her hands on her apron swiftly she held one out to me, “I’m Mrs. Everdeen, Tristan’s mom,” I took her hand, the warmth enveloping my own.

“Sam.” I responded, and she nodded, “Yes, I’ve heard all about you from…why don’t we get inside, this cold is close to unbearable, dear,” I nodded gratefully and we walked inside.

I shivered at the absence of the cold, the wood floors and forest accents inside the house seeming to influence the heater’s to work harder. Mrs. Everdeen was so much different from Tristan in the brief conversation that had already started between us, she sounded sweet and friendly, it seemed impossible the two of them were even related. “Come to the kitchen dear,” she called walking down the hall. I took off my boots and carefully placed them by the door, before padding down after her.

The kitchen was an amazing sight, its up to date appliances all shining with silver surfaces. The counter space wasn’t near to used up as a huge set of ingredients were spread out widely in front of her as she walked around the floor that could be used as a ballroom. “Sit down,” she gestured me over to the set of bar stools that were lined against the counter.

Slightly uncomfortable in a stranger’s home I sat down as she started chopping up carrots on the counter space opposite from me. “Thank you,” I murmured.

“Tristan really should have taken you inside, it’s so impolite to leave you sitting in the rain like that,” she fussed.

“Oh…its fine, I chose to sit out there,” I stammered out, not knowing why I was covering up for him.

“He still should have offered,”

The fire crackled from the living room next to the kitchen, soft music played on the stereo system. I admired the expensive attire that decorated the house, leather couches that looked perfect to snuggle in on, and a soft plush carpet, the kind that would slip between your toes when barefoot.

“You don’t mind that I’m human?” I said suddenly, the question nagging in the back of my subconscious.

She laughed lightly, “Of course not dear, we’ve lived near humans for years upon years, it’s not like we have distaste towards them,”

“But aren’t you worried that I would tell?” I asked, worried.

She looked me in the eye, her warm eyes shining as she smiled, “No, dear, you seem like the sweet type of person, and I’ve already found trust in you, I have no doubt you will keep our secret.” I smiled back; glad I had someone’s trust.

“What are you cooking?” I asked, moving onto easier subjects.

“Dinner…we would be honored if you would stay with us, Sam” she said, and I checked my cell phone instinctively, looking for a text message from my father. He always let me know when he planned on coming home for dinner, so I’d have it ready for him. Nothing and my stomach rumbled as I realized I was hungrier than I let on. “We insist,” she continued, noticing my hesitation.

“If it won’t be too much of a hassle, I’d love to,” I said softly, and she nodded in approval. Just the thought of going home after being in such a warm home like this, it chilled me to the bone. To walk in an empty house to only be greeted by the glassy eyed images on the television and a dinner for one was just depressing. Maybe for just one night, I could pretend I had a family with this woman, with her sweet kind face and gentle attitude. Maybe just one time.

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