'Dug his teeth into me?' What the hell? What does that even mean? Is he a vampire now? Everyone around the dinner table was staring at me, waiting for me to say something. My mother who for a moment looked like she was about to agree to let me go to the bonfire, was now looking like she was rethinking it at the mention of Phoenix Santiago. Chanel  was unusually quiet, awkwardly staring at her almost empty plate. Nadine, who had just walked into the situation looked entirely confused.

"Did I say something wrong? Because it was kind of a joke." Nadine finally said, anxious to break the tense silence. 'Kind of a joke,' great. That makes this less awkward, thank you. "Although, I have to say it doesn't surprise me if that Santiago boy has taken an interest." She continued while gathering up our plates.

I couldn't stop myself from asking, even though I knew it wouldn't be helpful to the current situation. "Why doesn't it surprise you?" Chanel kicked my foot under the table and shot me a look that said to quit while I was ahead. My mother looked positively annoyed.

"Well..that boy has always had a way with the ladies, for one thing." She said as she picked up the stack of plates in her hands. Yep, definitely regret asking already. "For another thing..you're quiet the looker. Just like your mother was.". Nadine gave me another wink as she disappeared into the kitchen with the empty plates.

I flushed, while my mom thought about what she had said for a moment before calling out after her. "Excuse me, what do you mean was?" We could hear Nadine's laughter from the kitchen as she ran the dishes under the sink faucet. Chanel even had her lips pressed together like she was trying not to laugh, but I wasn't feeling humorous at the moment.

My mother turned her attention back to me, and shook her head. My heart sank, because I could already see it in her face she was about to pull the plug on the whole idea. "I don't think it's a good idea, Gia. That boy sounds like more trouble by the minute and we both know you don't have a very good track record with bad boys." I winced as she hinted about my ex-boyfriend, and Chanel  looked at me inquisitive. I knew my mother didn't mean it to be offensive, but it was still a soar subject for me. 

My mother never liked Tyler, my ex..which she made clear to me every chance she got. In fact, we used to fight about it a lot. She would forbid me to see him, I wouldn't listen and would find a way to see him anyway. She could sense he didn't have good intentions, and of course she ended up being right.  I know her well enough to know it killed her to not be able to say 'I told you so,'  but she could tell I was hurting so luckily for me she bite her tongue.

Which was probably a big reason why she already had an attitude about Phoenix Santiago, even though she did not actually know him. It was what he represented that she didn't like. "Mom, nothing is even going on between the two of of us. I don't even know him and he has a girlfriend or whatever." I did my best to mask the disappointment in my voice as I attempted to convince her it was no big deal. 

She looked at me wearily obviously still on the fence, so I continued. "What am I going to do? Avoid him in a small town like this? Not likely. You're going to have to trust me, mom. I won't make the same mistake twice." I held my head up high and said it in the firmest voice I could manage, though I actually wasn't positive of my ability to steer clear of him..not that she needed to know that. Chanel  smirked at me, looking proud. I could see it in my mother's face that she was going to cave. 

"Hmm..well, I guess so. But I want you to check in with me and let me know you're safe!" She waved her index finger at me as if saying she meant business and I heard Chanel  squeal next to me with excitement. She wasn't the only one who was excited.

Nadine came back into the room from the kitchen just in time to see Chanel and I celebrating our victory. "So you're going then? Well get a move on it! You kids have fun! It will give Caroline and I a chance to catch up." She waved us off, clearly dismissing us. Chanel  and I didn't have to be told twice and stood up like our chairs were on fire.

"Be careful, Gia! You know exactly what I'm talking about!" My mother called after us but we kept running out the door as if we didn't hear her. Yes, I knew what she was talking about.

Phoenix Santiago.

"You look super cute, by the way. I don't think I got a chance to tell you that earlier." Chanel smiled and gestured to my outfit while we walked down sidewalk of the quiet street filled with street lights. It had started to get dark and I put on my light gray sweater to protect my bare shoulders from the night air.

 All in all though, it was actually quite peaceful here. I wasn't used to this yet, living in a small town I mean. It was so quiet here compared to back home, and let me tell you right now that my mother would never let me just take off walking like this in Denver.

"Thanks, you look amazing. I honestly feel under-dressed compared to you." Chanel  brushed off my words like I was kidding, but I was actually quite serious. It's not even that she was dressed that fancy, but I could tell she had a lot more style than I did. 

She was in black ripped jeans with black ankle boots and a soft olive green long-sleeved top. Her long black hair was all put up in some fancy up-do I had no idea how she did, and her makeup was flawless. I started regretting not paying more attention to my hair and makeup, and I was honestly jealous of her curves.

"Oh, please. You're totally hot. You-know-who is going to be overcome with lust." She shimmied and something about the way she smiled at me told me she knew he was on my mind. But of course I rolled my eyes, and tried to play dumb.

"Oh, who the hell cares? Everybody is so concerned with Seattle, Wichita or whatever that guys name is." I waved my hand dismissively, knowing I was probably overselling it. Chanel  didn't look convinced in the slightest. "Frankly, I'm getting tired of hearing it." I didn't mean that last part to sound so defensive, but I was getting more nervous the more people talk about it.

She put her hands up defensively and stepped back as if saying she came in peace. "Well, excuse me. I'll just be over here minding my damn business if you need me." She then looked ahead and walked in silence, making me feel guilty for snapping at her.

"I'm sorry, Chanel. I didn't mean to be rude." I said apologetically. She looked at me with a smirk on her face, giving away that she made me feel guilty on purpose. "I guess I'm just feeling nervous, and not just because of him either." I awkwardly rubbed my arm, feeling exposed talking about my honest feelings. But she only nodded as if she expected as much.

"I'm sure you're feeling like a fish out of water right now. This is a bit different from city life, huh?" Her tone sounded remorseful, and it was nice to feel like someone understood. With my mom I felt a lot of pressure to act like everything's fine and just let her be thrilled about all these changes. But all of these changes are also scary.

"You could definitely say that. So far it's pretty much been different in every way. Where we're living, our the town, the people in it. Even my mom is different here than she was back home." I shook my head, overwhelmed thinking about it all. Chanel  and I walked in silence for a few moments as she seemed to processing what I had just said. 

"So are you..not happy here?" Chanel  asked shyly, which was out of character for her. She seemed slight hurt by it somehow, and I couldn't help but smile at the fact she wanted me to like it here.

"I didn't say it was bad changes, did I? Just that it was different." I smiled at her and a weight seemed to lift like it made her feel better. "In fact, I think I could actually learn to like it here." This seemed to satisfy her, and she immediately returned to her usual perky self.

After a while I started to realize  I had no idea where we were going. She seemed to notice my confusion as I looked at our surroundings and laughed. "Don't worry, it's just on the beach up ahead. can't you hear it?" She motioned for me to listen, and now that she mentioned it I did hear it. Faint in the distance was the sound of loud music playing and the overlapping voices of teenagers, giving away that there was a party going on.

My breathing started getting heavier as a sudden wave of anxiety hit me. This is it, I'm actually doing this. My first party here. Who all is going to be there? Are these people going to be cool or stuck up little douche bags? Is..he there already? More importantly..is he there with that redhead, Charlotte Valentina? 

Chanel  eyed me suspiciously when the pace of my walking started to slow down significantly. The panic I was feeling must have shown on my face because as soon as she looked at me she started shaking her head in protest. "Nuh uh, don't do that. Don't overthink it. You'll be just fine, Gia. You look great, you're with the coolest girl in Meadow Hills.." She dramatically flipped her hair, making me laugh. I hadn't realized how much I needed a friend like Chanel in my life until now. "..you got this, girl! Let's just go check it out and have fun! If it's lame we'll leave and go make trouble somewhere else." She locked her arm with mine and lead me down the beach towards the noisy sounds of the party. I exhaled a deep breath, willing myself to take her advice and chill out.

This is me, being totally chill. Nothing to worry about, I'm cool. Cool as a cucumber. No worries for this girl. Hukuna Mat--this isn't working.

I had to admit that there was a lot more people there than I was thinking in my head, considering this was a smaller town. Chanel  wasn't kidding, every teenager in town must be here.

Most everyone was in their own little world. Drinking, dancing, laughing, goofing off, everywhere you looked there was something happening. It was kind of overwhelming. I automatically found myself looking around for Phoenix, but quickly scolded myself and forced myself to focus on trailing close behind Chanel.

As we made our way through the crowds of teenagers and closer towards the raging bonfire on the beach, I finally caught a glimpse of him. He was standing with two other guys I had never seen before by the fire, all three guys with red plastic cups in their hands. But he most definitely stood out from the crowd.

He was wearing dark jeans with a black loose-layered button down shirt with a leather jacket. His dark eyes stood out even among the flames of the fire, and his hair was messy but kept..inviting you to run your fingers through it.

I couldn't help but feel relieved I had yet to see his girlfriend, but that didn't mean she wasn't here. Besides, even if she wasn't..so what? What does that mean to me, exactly? He's still not mine to think about. Frankly, I feel dirty just looking at him. No, Gia..bad, Gia..down girl!

I could tell Chanel  was going for where the drinks were, which as fate would have it was right behind him. Meaning we were going to have to walk right by him. I saw him stop talking to his friends mid-sentence when he noticed me approaching, making direct eye contact with me. Something in his expression changed as a mischievous smirk spread on his perfect lips, and even his friends seemed to notice..which made them look on our direction too. 

I could feel myself flush a bright red and like the coward I was, I walked right past him as if I didn't even see him. From the corner of my eye I could see him turn his head watching me walk away, his expression looking slightly amused.

"Dang, you're just going to go on and pretend he doesn't exist? You stone cold heart-breaker, you!" Chanel  playfully nudged my arm with her elbow as she found us two red plastic cups. I shrugged, trying to act like I didn't know what she was talking about..but even I couldn't keep a straight face. "Seriously, did you see the look on his face? He looked shocked you didn't walk up and ask him to impregnate you." Chanel's  laughter was so loud it almost drowned out the music, and even I had to laugh at that one. It was funny because it was true. Something told me that no one was a bigger fan of Phoenix Santiago, than Phoenix Santiago. He  just reeked with cockiness...and sandalwood. He reeked with cockiness and sandalwood.

Just as Chanel handed me a drink, a familiar voice came up from behind me. Even before he spoke I could tell from her expression who it was. "Mind if I get a refill?" He asked, talking to Chanel  but looking at me. I looked down at the cup in his hand, and noticed it wasn't even empty.

"Your drink isn't even empty, Phoenix." Chanel  said with skepticism in her voice, vocalizing what I was thinking. His dark eyes were still fixated on me and for a moment I wondered if he had heard her. He was making me very nervous, and was standing just a little too close to me to not raise some eyebrows. But I held my head up high, returning his stare..refusing to let myself be intimidated. Or at least refusing to let myself appear to be intimidated.

Finally, he glanced down at the full drink in his hands, and smirked before downing the entire glass in a matter of seconds. Chanel's eyes rolled in the back of her hand as he handed her the cup without missing a beat. "It is now, isn't it?"

Chanel  looked like she was about to point out that it wasn't her job to refill his drink, before seeming to decide it wasn't worth the argument and fill it anyway. I'm pretty sure she was more concentrated on the two of us. This little staring contest of ours was getting embarrassing. Even among all the music, shouting and laughter, nothing was quite as loud as the tension between us.

"So you're too cute to say hi to me, Gia Pet?" There was a playfulness in his voice as he teased me about my name again, probably knowing it would piss me off. He was obviously annoying me on purpose, and it was working. But I was also pretty sure he was flirting with me too, though I wasn't entirely sure. Is he doing it on purpose, or does he just naturally gave out this intense sexual energy around anything that moves?

"Don't call me that. It's not funny." I said coldly, making him laugh. Chanel  watched us with her drink in her hand like she was watching a tennis match that was never-ending.

"Aww, why not? I thought making fun of names was our thing?" He tried to look innocent, but he couldn't look innocent if his life depended on it. In his defense though, I could see his point. I did start making fun of his name first. To be fair, it's a weird ass name.

I stubbornly held my chin out and folded my arms over my chest, not really knowing what to say to that. I definitely wasn't apologizing, I'd never hear the end of it. He was too cocky for his own good, and I was feeling very conflicted about it. On one hand, it pissed me off. On the other, it was kind of turning me on in some weird way. Ugh, the struggle is real.

"What's the matter? Don't you want to be my little Gia Pet?" He bit his bottom lip and lightly tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. I wasn't immune to how his touch made my body react. Why doesn't he just pick me up and throw me in the fire? It would be quicker, wouldn't it?

"I don't want to be your little anything, Detroit."  He rolled my eyes at me making fun of his name again, but what can I say? A good classic never goes out of style. "Now don't you have someone else here that you can annoy?" By 'someone else,' I meant his girlfriend. But I was afraid if I said that I would sound jealous, and I was determined to make this 'indifferent'  thing stick.

He smiled, seeming more amused by my sass than anything. "But I don't want to annoy someone else. I want to annoy you, my little Gia Pet." He winked at me as I stomped my foot in frustration. That is not  my new nickname. He is not making that a thing. I refuse. Irritatingly so, even Chanel  seemed to find this amusing.

"Call me that one more time, and it will be the last thing you ever say!" I was losing my patience as I tried my best to sound intimidating, but I wasn't given the reaction I was looking for. Instead, he looked at me up and down and licked his lips. I was pulled out of my anger for a moment and looked at him, confused.

"Can I let you in on a little secret?" His voice was a whisper and I doubt anyone else could hear him over the music. I gulped, feeling a huge lump in my throat as he leaned his face in closer to mine..staring at me with those brooding dark eyes of his. I was stunned into silence, so he continued. "You're sexy when you sass me, blue eyes." His eyes traveled down to my mouth, which was my cue to snap out of it.

His friends stood behind him watching the whole thing, exchanging glances among themselves and shaking their head in laughter. I was quite certain they had seen him flirt with girls this way a million times.

"Phoenix, get out of my face before I make you cry in front of your little friends." I snapped at him, he blinked as if I had pulled him out of a trance. His face was unreadable for a moment, but I was on a roll. "I don't appreciate guys who are taken calling me sexy and I don't think your girlfriend would, either."

He studied me for a moment before a grin spread across his face, and I shook my head in disbelief. Did he really have no shame whatsoever? Did absolutely nothing bother him or he just coasted on 'cocky prick' mode?

"You're saying that you would appreciate me calling you sexy if I wasn't taken?" I threw my hands up, accepting that I was clearly talking to a person who wasn't right in the head. Although, he wasn't wrong. If he was single..no. Never mind, not going to go there.

Instead of entertaining any conversation further, I literally turned my back toward him to face Chanel, who was stared at us like we had grown another head. I could hear him chuckling behind me, which only raised my anger more.

"Do you think we can take these drinks somewhere else, please?" My question sounded more like a plead, and Chanel  nodded in agreement before something in her face changed as she looked over my shoulder.

"Maybe you could even take those drinks home, new girl." My heart sank as I turned around to see the redhead, Charlotte Valentina standing behind Phoenix and staring me down like she wanted to kill me. It was quite clear she had just witnessed the whole thing.

I probably should have stayed home.

authors note: If you enjoyed this chapter, please don't forget to vote! :)