I sat myself in silence, bringing my fork to my lips, and chewing as quietly as I could on the piece of chicken. My parents talked most of the time, just about things around the neighbourhood...or church. Or the fact that I must be doing very well on finals.

"What were those kids doing anyway, Willard? Was it necessary to cause a scene?" My mother asked, clearly annoyed by my father's tendencies to lose his temper with other people. But with us? His patience ran very long and far. My mother was the more protective paternal figure.

I stared, now suddenly interested in their conversation. Not only were Clary and I having a full on conversation about them, but we've also heard a few things from Clary's younger sister, Lillian. She seems to have been a part of their "groupies" -- the idiots that worship them.

Eyes stared at each other. Willie -- my younger five year-old brother -- munched down on the small pieces of chicken already sliced for him in comfortable pieces. He simply wasn't looking forward to the argument my parents were going to have. Although they're highly religious, marriage is a tough one for these two "caring" parents.

"Of course it was. I wasn't going to let those foolish kids disrupt the order of my restaurant." My father snapped back at her, more calm than usual actually, and she only stared back before rolling her eyes.

"And actually," my dad began once again, "Eliot's father even told me about their criminal records. Those three kids are dangerous."

My mother's eyebrows raised on her forehead in little shock. "Criminal records?"

A lump grew in my throat, but out of excitement -- if that makes any sense. I'm in awe from hearing these things. It's like I wasn't even at the dining table. About Eliot...he's the perfect boyfriend my parents have paired us up with each other since birth. The only main problem is I don't like him romantically...and he doesn't either.

He's gay. His parents will disown him for knowing such thing. They don't accept him just barely as he is...imagine being homosexual? I mean, there isn't anything wrong with liking the same sex kind-a-thing. His parents don't accept it, though. Neither do mine. He isn't your stereotypical gay guy, but he is certainly an amazing friend.

His parents -- more likely his dad -- work for the law enforcement on criminal filing. His mother has the upper hand...being able to know which kids are troublemakers and which are blessed with good hearts. She'll gossip on every juicy detail she knows about them.

It makes me want to throw a book of get your shit together at her.

"What's the curly one's name?" I asked suddenly, out of pure curiosity. My parents turned to look at me, and although I was a great liar, my interest failed to suppress itself from my features. I was too intrigued by this new information.

My mother's eyebrows furrowed. "Don't get involved, Serenity." She spat, rolling her eyes. "This is none of your business. I don't want you near those kids or any of their tattooed friends."

"Mom..I was just asking a simple question." I whined, and surely my mother didn't like the sound of my "mouth talk."

She pressed her lips into a firm line before sighing heavily in irritation. "Unless you want some soap in your mouth, keep your talking back down. I don't want to hear you ask about these boys."

"Your mother's right."

And there's my dad. He's like the p*ssy of the house. Always climbing on the bandwagon with my mother. I want him to wear the pants in this family, but he just simply refuses to do so. My mother literally scares him, and he's a foot taller than her. He annoys me with his weak little statements.

"But --" I began.

"Serenity!" My mother gasped, snapping clearly at the sound of my voice again. I was a stubborn child, according to my mother. "I hope you are doing well on your studies. I think you're done with dinner for the night."

I knew not to justify any longer. I barely had eaten, but I guess that will do since she didn't want me around. You'd think I was greatly affected by their treatment. You'd think I'd cry because my mother tends to remind me how imperfect I am. Not really, though.

I'm not a very loyal child. At seventeen, I can pass for an angel, but I'm past that range right now. Past. I've had sex, I've drank, I've done drugs, I have a diamond tattoo on my rib cage, an area many men have seen in the swimsuits I wear when I'm out with friends to the "library".

I get tired of my parents' neglect, and there has to be a way to release my stress. And that method is defying rules that my parents treat like the bible and pretending to be glad I'm in church much rather than being kissed in the moonlight by a guy.

"Assholes," I muttered beneath my breath as I walked up the stairs, removing the baige flats I had on and throwing them across my bedroom in fury. At this age, everyone thinks they hate their parents and they have this crazy idea their parents are against them. I'm pretty sure my parents, however, are against me. And nothing they do is for "my good".

I stared at the pile of books with tired eyes, frowning deeply. Before I could reach another textbook, my phone whistled, causing me to quickly pick it out of my cardigan's pocket. The dress I was wearing was killing my sides, too.

"Hello?" I said into the phone, forgetting to check caller ID.

A squeal came from the other end, making me wince lightly before pressing it back to my ear. "Serenity, there is a neon glow up party at Natalie's tonight. Are you up for some sexy body painting?"

I smirked lightly to myself, feeling a heavy sigh leave my lips in gratefulness. "Of course, I am. What time are you going to pick me up. Gotta make sure my parents are fully asleep." I spoke softly into the phone, already staring at myself at the mirror near my closet door.

"Ten, sharp. I promise it's worth the chance of getting your ass grounded. Hot shirtless guys covered in neon paint and an excuse to be half naked around them? Ugh, my kind of party," she groaned, just at the thought of the many guys she could hook up with.

I stifled a laugh, shaking my head and biting my bottom lip. "I'm so up for it. I need to rest from these books. That's all my mom expects me to do."

"Well, my mom's at a business trip, like always. I'm not really concerned, so hurry up it's eight and you need an outfit. Dress to impress." I could just feel the smirk on her face.

I rolled my eyes, playfully. "You mean dress in that neon tutu I got last year that shows half of my ass?"

"Exactly."

After she hung up, explaining she's got neon body paint with her so when I climb in her trunk, we'll be applying it immediately, I began to bring out the bright pink tutu that glows in the darkest of lights. The neon green fish nets that end at my upper thighs were next to the florescent tutu seconds after.

Humming quietly to myself, I heard my mother's heels and quickly shuffled to hide the things I was picking out. I piled them beneath my bed, and put my books around my frame to make it seem like I have been studying for a long while.

She popped her head into my bedroom. "Serenity, I think you've studied enough. It is time for bed, alright?"

I nodded my head, closing my books and avoiding eye contact. It made me sick to my stomach how great of a liar I was to my parents. But any of my friends could see right through me. It says a lot about my parents. They never took the chance to get to know their own daughter. That's why I seek attention from my friends.

Clearly fed up with my mumbling, she scoffed and closed my bedroom door lightly. I don't understand why she hates me so much, yet I understand why I hate her so much. It was evident now.

Knowing there's a party in just less than an hour made butterflies fly around in my stomach. I quickly shuffled from my bed and began to look for the clothes I stuffed beneath my bed. I brought out the tutu and began to remove my clothes.

Once dressed in the neon fishnets and clothes, I went to cover my bare breasts with a white, tight crop top that fit well to my figure. I smiled at myself in the mirror, inhaling deeply as I planted my feet in a pair of black wedges that made me three inches taller.

My phone vibrated.

Clary: I'm outside near your bedroom window. Fire escape? ;)

She knows very well I hate going down the fire escape, but I can't do much about that. It's the only way out of my house without causing too much commotion downstairs where my parents could easily see me. I sighed deeply, opening the window gently and climbing onto the fire escape.

I breathed deeply once I felt my feet hit solid ground. My body sprinted towards Clary's jeep, laughing loudly as I almost tripped and she cackled loudly, throwing her head back at my idiocy.

"C'mon!" She breathed as I climbed on. "You look really hot. I saw your butt bouncing as you climbed down the fire escape."

My lips curved into a smirk. I examined what she was wearing. Cat-eye neon eyeliner on her eyelids, dark eyelashes bigger and bouncing. She wore her hair teased and crazy, neon blue cheetah prints on her cheekbones. She was wearing a a lace cropped top, that was bright pink and a pair of bright green dancer shorts.

"You look sexy," I teased her, roaring and clawing at the air with my hand. My nails were coated in neon yellow.

She rolled her eyes at me. "Serenity, I have to do this makeup fast or else."

"Have you ever heard of fashionably late?" I asked her, eyebrows raised.

Ignoring me, I felt the cold substance on my face as she began to make elegant lines and shapes. The color she was using on me was pink, and once she was done after ten minutes, she told me to look in the rear mirror to see if I liked it.

Butterfly wings were around my eyes, my lips a color green and looking full even in the darkness of this hot night. She didn't bother to brush my wavy hair. We agreed to leave it natural.

"I really like this," I told her, and she started the car in a hurry to get to probably the biggest party of the year.

"Yeah, well, thank me later. I probably won't remember anything after this party." She joked.

I chuckled, leaning back into my seat. "Let's hope I don't wake up a guy next to me in the morning."

~-~

My lips turned into a wide grin as I looked around me. The warehouse was filled with neon decorations and lights, people dressed in the brightest colors dimly illuminating our surroundings. Music blared loudly, my excitement rushing and pumping through my veins.

Clary pulled on my hand, bringing me inside as I was engulfed by our usual friends. Renee, Natalie's pretty face splattered in neon paint, and Emily. Squeals erupted but were muffled by the loud music.

"Great party, as always," I shouted over the music to Natalie, who just glanced down at my outfit with a sparkle of admiration in her eyes. She was always the one to boost up my self-esteme and tell me I am absolutely hot without even trying.

Her eyes widened. "Serenity, you're rocking that neon booty tutu."

I giggled softly, wrapping my arms around her and embracing her. "You're rocking that bra and underwear. Neon thongs? New trend."

She laughed at with me, winking and turning over to probably race towards her boyfriend. Clary had disappeared I suppose, and Renee was probably hooking up with the bartender already in some closet. That left me with Emily, the shyest one of us all.

"Your butt is so round and firm looking and I'm freaking jealous," she teased me, making me laugh at her adorableness. She was a bit chubby, but that didn't stop guys from loving her curvy body. She was cute and short, something we all admired about her. She was bubbly and nice when you got to meet her.

People were completely covered in paint, drawings of pe*is on people who've already gotten too drunk to deal with and people decided to have fun with them. I was dancing around on the dance floor with Emily, just minding my own business with a neon cup in my hand.

I tipped my head back, drinking away the stress my family presses onto me. Emily danced like an awkward weirdo, but that's what made it fun to spend time with her. She beamed at me, before turning around and leaving me in a flash.

I shrugged it off and danced by myself, not before I felt a pair of strong arms wrap themselves around my waist. A small smile curved into my lips as I moved with the stranger, feeling his shirtless body against the skin that my cropped top revealed.

He was muscular; I could tell from the amazing feeling of his abs. His hot breath was fanning against my ear, my bottom lip between my teeth like I was struggling to stop myself from climbing on the stranger.

"Paint my body, baby?" He asked hotly in my ear, his town husky and raspy like it couldn't go an octave deeper than that anymore. I turned around to face him, his beautiful features becoming my worst nightmare.

It was him. The handsome guy with the eyebrow piercing and lip ring. The one with the tattoo on his arm and one on his wrist. He was shirtless, revealing two swallows on his chest and that was just about it. He had fewer tattoos than his friends, way fewer. The one who caused more grey hairs on my father's head.

My lips parted, a gasp escaping them as I stared into his deep, green eyes. He simply smirked at me, but I hard the largest urge to pull away from him and walk away. I don't do criminal records, that's for sure. I like to enjoy myself, but I know where the line is crossed.

"No, fucking, way," he whispered to himself. "Goodie-goodie waitress from that fucker's restaurant?"

He immediately pissed me off. My lips pressed into a thin line. No matter how attractive he is, I am irritated by the way he talks. Like he's the best thing around and no one could do better than him. Not only is he a cocky douche, but he has a criminal record. Let me repeat. Criminal record.

I pushed him off of me in fury, rolling my eyes and turning to walk away.

"Wait," he called, immediately grasping me in his hold and bringing our bodies close once more. I shrieked, trying to get away from him but his hold was too tight. I wouldn't lie, I'm actually a bit frightened. Our eyes met once more, his staring with interest while mine tried to stare at anything but him.

"Just...disregard whatever you heard about me. I can tell you think I'm a fucking d*ck with a record of murders," he sarcastically spat at me, but some truth was being hurled in the air with his words.

I gulped down. Having fun with someone at a party, despite what my parents have said...I couldn't be crazier.

I raise my shoulder to shrug off the nerves. "I'm Serenity." I told him over the music.

He nodded, a small smirk on his plump, heart-shaped lips. "Harry."

The name, oddly, suited him so perfectly. "I'll paint your body."

We were enclosed behind a metal fence, the party still going on behind us as I pulled the brush for the paint. His shirtless body was so hot I almost drooled right at the sight of it. I licked my lips before placing the brush on his soft skin, drawing crazy swirls with a wide smirk on my lips.

Harry chuckled, a drink in his hand as he watched me paint his body in the neon pink paint. I placed one hand against his chest, wanting to gently caress the skin beneath my palm. The cold substance dried almost immediately on his skin, and when I was done letting my eyes linger longer on his body, I was met by his intoxicating, warm lips.

Our lips moved in sync, the cup he had in his hand hurled against the metal fence as he turned us around, my body against the fence, our fingers laced with the fence while we kissed. His lips felt so good on mine, and I completely disregarded what anyone was saying about him.

His tongue slipped into my mouth, his hands leaving mine as the trailed down my sides, squeezing my ass in the large sand of his own hands. I moaned loudly into his mouth, feeling myself start to sweat to the rising temperatures of the room.

But I pulled away, only to receive a displeased grunt from Harry. I laughed softly against his lips. "Let's dance, instead, yeah?"

"I really wanted to do this rather than dance." He admitted, shrugging. He isn't that bad, but that doesn't mean I'd take it further with him. This is just one night, and then I'll return to my normal, pretentious self until the next Friday night comes around.

I smiled at him before pulling him into the dance floor, winking and feeling him press his body to mine, dancing wildly at my side like I promised I'd forget what I've been told, and hopefully we'd both forget tonight because it never happened.

"You're a great dancer," he licked his lips, probably staring at my bouncing ass because I'm sure that's the only thing guys were staring at. I smiled to myself, pulling him closer like a careless bitch. Maybe I am one, but I'm sure this means nothing to the both of us.

"So are you," I bit my lip.

He hisses. "Bite your lip again, baby, and I'll have to kiss you."

"Try me." And yes...

I bit my lip again.

The plot is getting there, guys. Just watch. I wanted to try something a little different from the last time I tried writing this. But here goes the newer version of Mercy c: