Chapter seven -  Enemy Engagement

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I spent the entire afternoon curling my hair and getting ready for some event I didn't even want to attend. But if I really have to go, I'd rather look a bit decent since there will be some really attractive guys.

Or so my mom told me.

I am wearing a floor length classy dress, which perfectly accentuates my waist by the small waistband. There are some (fake) jewels along the neckline.

Secretly, I really like the dress, but there's no way in hell I'm going to admit that to my mom, though.

I applied the last bit of make up to finish my look, needing a bit more than usual thanks to my tired looking eyes.

Last night was pretty tough due to some stupid nightmare I've been having for ages. It's extra stupid since the damn thing doesn't mean anything.

Normally I don't wake up because of it, yet tonight I did and I spent a full two hours wondering what in God's name it could possibly mean.

I came up with nothing.

I glance down at the necklace my grandmother left me when she passed away, debating whether it would work with the dress or not.

Right then Geoffrey comes storming in. "Dude, haven't you heard of the verb 'knocking'?" He just glares at me, clumsily trying to fix his tie.

"Having some trouble there?" A grin present on my face.

"Loren, I am not in the mood for stupid remarks, I have been trying to get this freaking thing on for ages and it drives me nuts." He pulls the tie over his head before throwing it on my bed in frustration.

"So what are you saying?" I smile, a hint of evilness hidden in it.

He sends me a last glare before saying, "Help me."

Oh this is brilliant!

I open my eyes a bit farther, indicating him to use the magic word.

"Please?"

His voice is much softer than ever before, making him sound much more gentle and sweet. Combine that with the vulnerable look in his eyes and you have the cutest puppy in the world.

And then his lips turn up into a grin.

"Nice to see I have such an impact on you."

"Do you need help or what?" I snap after getting out of my daze.

He nods. I slowly approach him, grabbing the tie he previously threw on my bed and sling it over his head, before adjusting it.

It makes me think about my dad again. Whenever he had to go on an important meeting, he was so nervous that I had to be the one fixing his tie, like some sort of lucky charm.

When I am nearly done I look up to find him staring down at me. I keep his eyes connected with mine. He looks rather confused, probably mirroring the look on my face.

The gap between our bodies is closed until a flat screen TV wouldn't even fit between us. I probably haven't been this close to a guy since... Well, ever.

At the thought of that, I stare down again, being the first to break our eye contact. I remove my hand, which was still laying on his chest.

"Uhm I am going to get ready," I mumble, walking over to my closet, nearly falling over a pile of clothes. When I reach it, I grab the necklace and try to put it on. Not easy when your hands are shaking due to the nerves racing through your body.

Don't ask me why.

"Need some help?" he asks. He must've noticed my clumsiness. Well, isn't this embarrasing.

I nod slowly, looking at him for the first time again. "That would be nice."

He steps closer.

I turn around, handing him the ends of the necklace around my neck and place my hair to the side.

Through the mirror, I watch him attentively as his warm, rough hands gently put the necklace on, brushing softly against my skin from time to time.

I keep on staring into the mirror, fiddling with the pendant.

"Can I see it?" It takes me a second to realize he's talking about the necklace. I open my hand, revealing it to him.

"It's beautiful," he says, sounding really sincere for once.

"Thanks, it belonged to my grandmother." His hands are still on my shoulders and weirdly enough, I enjoy his every touch.

"Oh, she's a really nice woman."

"Uhm," I say uneasily, "she's dead." He looks confused for a second before realizing.

"Oh, I, uh, sorry, I was talking about the other one."

"That's okay." I smile slightly. He nods and our eyes connect again, keeping that contact for a very long time.

"Kids it's time to go!" my mom yells.

Damn her for ruining my first enjoyable moment with Geoffrey.

Much to my mom's despise we still didn't bond, but somewhere I think she was also relieved that I wasn't really fond of people like him, for my own safety.

Lana on the other hand has been all into the bad boy lately. I am talking about Wes, of course.

Last week, at the big party, the two of them flirted all night, I got nearly sick of it. Especially because I know Wes is just playing with her, and she might be saying that she is too, I still think she is farther into it than she thinks.

Since she was flirting nonstop, I had to entertain myself. Much to my dismay, Dwayne glued himself to my side for a while, attempting to flirt. Actually, just trying to get me into bed.

I pied him of rather quickly and a quarter of an hour later I saw him heading off to the second floor with some girl from our school.

After a few drinks, everything went more smoothly and I found Cody in the crowd. We laughed, danced, talked, drank and enjoyed the night together.

He drove me home in the early morning, where we found Geoffrey sitting in front of the door, holding up the key, obviously not able to put it into the door.

We just ignored him at the beginning, saying our goodbyes.

"I had a really great time," Cody said as he put his arms around my waist.

I might have been a little wasted, I wasn't wasted enough to make the same mistake I made a year ago. I just hugged him, saying that I did too.

"See ya in school." I smiled as I pulled back, heading over to the drunk on my porch.

"Need help with that?" I heard Cody yell from behind me.

"No thanks, I've got this." I grabbed the key out of Geoffrey's hand and opened the door.

I meant to leave him outside. I changed that plan when I saw his bruised knuckles and black eye.

"What the hell happened?" I snapped, trying to get him to his feet. I supported his weight on my shoulder, tagging him along to the living room, letting out a sigh when I spotted the stairs.

"Y-You know he's just-just trying to get in yo-your pants r-right?" he slurred.

Ignoring him, I decided to let him sleep on the couch downstairs. When I placed him down he grabbed my arm and pulled me down with him. I swear for a second I thought he was trying to kiss me.

I pulled back quick enough, throwing a blanket over him and getting him a glass of water and a bucket. Before returning to where he was, I took a deep breath for what was about to come and was pretty relieved when I found out that he had already passed out.

After placing the glass and the bucket down next to him I went to sleep myself.

"Coming mom!" I yell as Geoffrey and I quickly step away from each other and start making our way downstairs.

I slip into my shoes, heels to be precise. Then followed the three members of my new composed family out the door.

I really hope I won't embarrass myself, since wearing heels normally isn't my cup of tea. It's not like I had a choice, my Vans just don't go with the dress. I exercised the whole afternoon on walking on them. Fingers crossed everything goes well.

We are going to an engagement's party from friends of my mom and Geoffrey's father. They are kind of the reason they met, so I am not really sure I want to celebrate the fact that they are getting married. After all, they partly caused the divorce of my parents.

We are taking the biggest car because my Vespa had to fit in the trunk. After the little gathering 'the parents' are going to celebrate their six month anniversary. So I can get home myself.

The little side problem is that I have to take Geoffrey along since his motorcycle was damaged in a way he can't even remember during the night of last party.

Some vital parts were damaged so it is still being fixed, leaving him without a motorcycle.

I put my bag, filled with clothes for the way home, on my lap, and try to avoid Geoffrey as much as possible throughout the ride, which works perfectly.

During the short period of time we stay at the party; the prettiest girls there kept throwing themselves at Geoffrey, while only two dorks approach me. Not that I want attention that badly, there just was one really attractive guy whose attention I tried to attract.

I kind of failed.

My path doesn't cross Geoffrey's during the evening, which makes me suspect him of having sex with one of the future bridesmaids.

When it is time to go home, I change quickly and wait outside for further instructions.

"Loren, we are leaving," my mom says, "there is some food left in the fridge if you get hungry, give Geoffrey a lift home and then you can go visit Lana or whatever you want." I nod while I watch Geoffrey step outside in all his glory.

His tie hung loose around his neck, a few buttons of his shirt were undone. His hair stuck out in all angles looking all wild.

Sex hair?

Probably.

I watch the car drive away as I took a seat on my blue baby, putting my helmet on and giving Geoffrey the one Lana always uses.

He shakes his head wildly. "I am not getting Lana's cooties!"

"What are you, five?" I chuckle at his reaction.

He sends me a glare.

"Come on, get on I don't have all night."

"You really think I am getting on a motorcycle with a girl when I am not the one to drive and the motorcycle is a blue Vespa?" He shakes his head again. "Don't think so."

"Okay, your choice," I say, starting to drive off in walking speed, staying beside him as he walks.

I keep on speeding up and slowing down, making sure he knows I am sitting here comfortably while he is walking his ass of.

"You can always get on you know." I grin, knowing he won't because that would ruin his reputation.

"Annoy me all you want, I'd rather swim the ocean and drown than get on that thing with you," he exclaims, before both of us notice the driplets that were starting to fall.

"Looks like you'll be able to do just that." Then I race home, succeeding at making it home before hell breaks loose.

And it did, it poured and poured and poured and soon enough, it started to get dark.

Geoffrey might be a big and dangerous guy, I'm still starting to get worried. After all, he has been walking for four hours, when it normally should only take you two hours to get here.

I was initially going to spend time with Lana but she was busy. She was being pretty vague about it, which made me think something was wrong. After hearing her being so cheerful when I called her, I guess she's alright.

By now it's half past twelve, Geoffrey still hasn't come home yet and I get that desperate that I even send him a few messages.

He doesn't reply, leaving me here getting all worked up about it.

Another hour passes by when I hear a car pull up into the driveway. Oh god, if this is his father, what do I tell him?

Hey, I am sorry but I was being a bitch and now your son got raped and tortured and is probably lying at the bottom of the sea by now.

I hear some cursing of an unfamiliar voice, that's when I got scared. I grab an umbrella that's near the door while more sound is being produced at the door.

God, I promise if I get out here alive I'll do anything for you, I'll even clean your shoes and do your laundry, please, I am too young to die.

The noise doesn't stop. Like a fool, I stand as still as possible, trying to figure out what the noise was. Keys, cursing, things hitting the ground and then finally a familiar voice.

"Give me some light I can't see anything."

"Geoffrey?" I slam the door open to discover him standing there with Chester leaning against him.

"Loren, great, let us in," he says brushing past me with Chester still hanging over his shoulder.

"What happened? Where have you been?" I ask, sounding more concerned than I should.

"Relax, dad," he replies, putting Chester down. That same Chester starts rubbing his head like a possessed demon.

"Man, the headache," he complains.

"Get him something." Geoffrey points at the cabinet at the side. That's when I notice the skin on his knuckles has been ripped apart once again.

"You got into a fight? Again?" The concern and anger showing off much more than I intended to.

"I don't need a lecture, certainly not from you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I hiss.

"Look, Chester hit his head pretty badly when they knocked him over, just get him something okay?" I sigh, nod and stump over to the cabinet, getting out some painkillers, spray to disinfect the wounds and bandages.

Chester's sitting in a really vulnerable looking position. He got hurt pretty badly, I could tell you that.

The skin above his left eyebrow has popped open, his lip is thick and the remains of blood cover his face. I take a towel and some water.

I give him some of the painkillers and sit down on the couch right in front of him, lifting up his chin displaying the wound properly. He doesn't even object.

In the mean time I spot Geoffrey in the corner of my eye, cleaning himself up, clenching and unclenching his fist, trailing over each and every finger.

I return my attention on the bruised face in front of me, whose eyes were glued to my face, holding a certain kind of thankfulness in them.

After washing his face, I gently clean and disinfect the wound, putting a cute Winnie the Pooh plaster over it, causing Geoffrey to laugh.

I bring the towel to his lips, washing the blood off and do the same with his knuckles. At that he grabs my hand, giving it a firm squeeze before smiling lightly. "Thank you."

I smile back at him, his thanks were very well received. But then Geoffrey decides to ruin the moment.

He pulls me away from his friend. "Okay, time for bed," he says, taking me upstairs. He pushes me inside my room like I was some sort of pipette.

"So what do you think?" he asks.

"I don't think he has a concussion, he just needs to sleep to get the alcohol out, he'll feel better in the morning," I say before he tries to slam the door in my face, but I stuck my foot between it, hurting it rather badly in the process.

"Why are you being such an ass again all of a sudden?"

To be honest I didn't even expect an answer, and I certainly did not expect this one.

"Because I didn't like the way he looked at you." With that he slams the door shut, leaving me alone with those confusing words.