{Editing Status: Unedited}

"Brother," Lucas sighed, clenching his jaw.

I stared at the man in front of me. He was leaning against the door frame of the living room, his hazel eyes on me. I wanted to tear my eyes away from him, but I couldn't. He was dressed in all black, with a leather jacket, just like me. His hair was dark, almost black. He was wearing a smirk, and one of his black eyebrows were raised. He had a slight tan, and his cheeks were flushed like he had just been running. His jaw was defined and strong, and the muscles jumped around in it as he grinned at me.

"Who's this?" he smiled, tilting his head, still looking at me.

"Evan, meet Ivana. Ivana, meet my arrogant brother Evan," he said, through gritted teeth.

"Who's arrogant? Surely not me?" he grinned, his teeth blinding white.

I smiled slightly, and he winked at me.

"What do you want, Evan?" Lucas asked. Evan walked over to us, and fell down onto one of the couches, sighing, still smiling at me. He contrasted the couch; black on white. His beautiful eyes were on me.

"I live here, remember?" he laughed, resting his arm on the back of the couch. He moistened his lips slowly with his tongue, tracing his upper lip, then his lower lip, still looking at me. My eyes traced the movement of his tongue, and my stomach flipped. He tore his eyes away from me, and looked at Lucas.

"Is this your girlfriend?" he grinned.

I flushed. "No," I said, a little too quickly. I looked back at Lucas, and he glanced at me. "I mean, we've just met."

Evan nodded slowly. "Anyone fancy a drink? I fancy one," he said, standing up.

He was fairly tall, but slightly shorter than Lucas. They had a slight resemblance in their faces.

"No, Evan," Lucas sighed. Evan walked out of the room. I looked at Lucas. He was already looking at me.

"Um, so that's your brother," I said.

The muscles in Lucas's jaw clenched. "Yep."

"How old is he again?" I asked.

"Twenty four. But he acts like he's seventeen," Lucas rolled his eyes.

I giggled, and he raised an eyebrow at me. "Sorry. He's funny," I laughed.

"That's what they all say," he said, flaring his nostrils. My laughter stopped. Evan walked back into the room, with a glass of something I didn't know.

"What have you been doing, Evan?" Lucas asked. Evan drained his glass, put it down on the table, and looked at Lucas, with a mischievous kind of grin on his face.

"Nothing interesting," he said, taking his jacket off. He had a black, short-sleeved t-shirt on under his jacket. It was tight against his arms and chest, and his biceps bulged out of the arms of his t-shirt. I could see the shape of his abdominal muscles through his t-shirt. Evan threw the jacket onto one of the couches.

"You're such a liar," Lucas said, but he laughed slightly.

"Am not," Evan smirked. He folded his arms, and sat on the arm of one of the couches. "So," he said, resting his eyes on me. "Your name's Ivana?"

"Yeah," I said.

"Pretty name," he smiled.

I smiled back. "Thank you."

"What made you go for my brother?" he asked, laughing.

I shuffled uncomfortably. "I haven't really gone for him," I said. "As I said, we've just met."

"I'm right here, by the way," Lucas said. I elbowed him playfully.

"So you're just friends?" he asked me, and I nodded.

Lucas stood up. "Okay, enough questions for one day. Ivana, let's go," he said, holding his hand out for me to take.

Evan jumped off the arm of the couch and laughed. "Come on, Lucas. Stop being so boring."

"Ivana, let's go," Lucas repeated, more firmly now.

I took Lucas's hand. "Bye, Evan. It was nice meeting you," I smiled.

"You too," he grinned. Lucas and I walked out of the room. I looked back at Evan, and he was looking at me, the left side of his lip curled up into a smirk.

"I'm sorry about that," Lucas said, when we were outside. The rain had calmed to a soft drizzle.

"Lucas, don't apologize. He's nice," I said. That was an understatement. My heart was pounding in my chest, my ears, my throat. Everywhere.

"Nice," he laughed. "You don't know my brother."

I gripped his arm, and he looked down at where my hand was. "I promise you, you don't need to apologize."

He sighed, and then nodded. "I...I really like you, Ivana," he muttered. "I know we've just met, but it's true."

I looked at him, and smiled. "I like you too, Lucas," I smiled. I loosened my grip on his arm, and looked at my watch. My mom would be wondering where I was. "I better get going," I said, with a sigh. "I'll see you...tomorrow?"

He smiled. "Tomorrow," he agreed.

I kissed his cheek, grabbed my bike, and then cycled away.

I cycled faster and faster until I reached my house, where I dropped my bike on the garden, and ran inside, in a hurry to try and sleep my thoughts away. But of course, that was impossible in this house. Liana was waiting for me. She was sitting on the stairs, a thick book in her lap. She looked up when I walked up to her. She looked at her watch.

"Well, you took your time," she said, snapping her book shut.

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up, would you? It was pouring with rain, and I didn't feel like cycling home in the rain, thank you very much."

Liana laughed. "Baby," she grinned. I stood on her foot and she grimaced. "Ow."

"You had it coming," I said. "Baby."

She glared at me. "You've been with a boy," she said.

"What? No, I haven't," I lied.

"Your cheeks are red."

"From the wind. Idiot."

She rolled her eyes. "Stop lying to me and tell me the truth. I won't tell mother, I promise," she said.

I sat down next to her and put my head in my hands.

"Ivana, what?" She whispered.

And I told her about Lucas. I left out the part about Evan.

When I was finished telling her about our "coffee date", she grinned at me.

"What?" I scowled.

She elbowed me in the ribs. "I'm proud of you, sis," she grinned.

"For?"

"For getting a boyfie," she winked.

I scowled at her. "I don't have a 'boyfie', you idiot. I hardly know him," I protested.

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but you like him though."

I shrugged. "Yeah, I do. But I want to get to know him properly first before anything happens."

She nodded. "Smart," she said.

"And? How are you and Blake?" I asked her.

She grinned, slyly. "Just great."

"Tell me when you two go on a date. I want all the details."

"Fine," she said, with a roll of her brown eyes.

"Don't let mother hear you talking about boys," Aurelia said, walking into the hallway where the staircase was.

"Well if you keep your mouth shut then she won't," Liana snapped. I nudged her, and she glanced at me. I shook my head.

"Don't speak to me like that," Aurelia said, calmly. She never rose her voice, and when she did, my blood went cold with fear. She was just like mother.

Liana stood up. "I'll speak to you as I like. Tell mother, and I'll kill you, I swear it. It's a secret, and it's going to be kept that way."

Aurelia raised an eyebrow and laughed. "You have some nerve speaking to me in that manner. Would you like me to tell mother of your disgusting manners, Liana? It's not the first time you've acted like a spoiled brat," Aurelia smiled.

I stood up. "Stop it," I snapped. "Both of you."

Liana span around, glaring at me. "Whose side are you on, Ivana?"

"I'm on no one's side, Liana," I replied. "We're sisters. We have to stick together, not fight. Aurelia, don't tell mother about anything that you heard, please."

She shook her head. "I won't, as long as Liana sorts her attitude out."

Liana opened her mouth to say something, but I dug my nails into her arm, and she grimaced with pain, and glared daggers at me. "Fine," she snapped, and she sprinted up the stairs two at a time, the stairs creaking as she ran.

I sighed and shook my head. "I hate it when you two fight."

"She's incredibly immature," Aurelia said. "She has no respect. I'm her sister, not one of her silly friends."

"I know, I know," I sighed. "I'll talk to her. She won't listen to me, but I'll try."

Aurelia smiled. "At least I have a sensible, mature sister."

The next day, it was Saturday, so Liana didn't have school. She asked if she could come to work with me, but I know she just wanted to meet Lucas. Because she didn't have a bike, I walked with her (very reluctantly). By the time we got to the shop, I was exhausted. I gave Liana some money to go and do her own thing, instead of annoying me while I worked. She took the money very willingly, and left the shop. I walked to the back of the shop to re-stack the boot polish. I flicked through my phone contacts, where I saw Lucas's name. I pressed on it, and messaged him:

Hey. You want to meet up later? Ivana.

While I waited for his reply, I re-stacked the polish. I impatiently kept looking at my phone's screen, waiting for his name to appear on my phone.

When he finally did reply, I picked up my phone in a hurry, dropping a bottle of polish in the process. Luckily, it didn't break open, and just simply bounced off the floor. I ignored it, and opened up the message:

Hello. Yes, sure. I'll meet you at your shop at about 1pm? Lucas.

I replied immediately.

Sounds good. Ivana.

I smiled, as I picked up the bottle of polish from the floor and put it on the shelf. I stood up, dusted my hands and almost jumped out of my skin.

Evan was standing by the front desk, grinning.

"Jesus, you gave me such a fright," I laughed, running my hand through my hair.

"Sorry," he chuckled.

"Is there something I can help you with?" I asked, with a smile, trying to hide the face that he could probably see my pounding heart through my chest.

"No, not really. I'm just checking out the shops in this town," he said. "You work here?"

I nodded. He was wearing all black again, just like me. His eyes traced over my body as I walked over to him, and I tried not to blush like a fool. I walked behind the counter. He leaned on the counter, and smiled at me. "Your brother has told me a lot about you," I told him, putting my phone on the desk.

"He's told you that I'm a manwhore, right?" he said, laughing, rolling his hazel eyes. His lashes were long and black.

"Basically," I laughed.

He picked at a nail casually. "He's jealous of my good looks," he sighed, and grinned at me.

I chuckled. "In your dreams," I teased. He smirked and raised an eyebrow. "He'd murder me if he knew I was talking to you right now."

"My typical baby brother. He's scared you'll like me more than him," he snickered, licking the side of his mouth with his tongue, and he glanced at me. "Told you he was jealous."

"He's just trying to protect me," I said.

"From who? Me? Oh, please," he chortled. "It's not like I'm dangerous or anything."

"I know, but he's just protective," I said.

He rolled his eyes. "More like scared, the coward."

"Don't you love your brother?" I asked him.

Evan looked at me. "Oh yes, sure. I just love my brother," he said, sarcastically, and I laughed. "Well, I better go." He grinned, and winked at me. "Catch you later, beautiful." And he marched out of the shop.

I turned on the computer, flustered. I wasn't expecting that. Well, maybe I was. He probably called every girl beautiful. I laughed at myself, and fell into the chair, and rubbed my temples.

I was getting another headache. It was like someone was shoving knives into the sides of my head, burying them deep into the base of my skull. I groaned, and took a bottle of water out of bag. I unscrewed the top and took a long gulp. I wasn't sure why I was getting so many headaches. It wasn't like I was stressed or anything. And I was drinking plenty of water and eating plenty of food. I sighed. It was weird.

When my shift was over, I met Lucas by the statue in the middle of the town square. The statue was of a stone tree, but I never knew what it symbolized. It probably symbolized the forests surrounding Salem. He grinned when he saw me, and I hugged him. He was warm as he wrapped his arms around me. I had to stand on my tiptoes to hug him; he was so tall.

"So, how was your day?" I asked him as we walked. I wasn't sure where we were walking too, but I didn't care. Just being with him was enough. His presence seemed to calm my headache slightly.

"It was okay, I guess," he sighed.

"Just okay?" I wondered.

"My mom phoned me," he said, avoiding my gaze.

I frowned. "Your mom? Is she back in California?" He nodded, but didn't say anything. "Are your parents divorced?"

He nodded again. "My mom left my dad for another man," he said. I entwined my fingers through his, and squeezed his hand comfortingly.

"I'm so sorry, Lucas," I whispered.

He shook his head. "Don't worry. I told her when we left that I didn't want to speak to her ever again, but she obviously didn't listen to me. She phoned me this morning, but I switched my phone off. I don't want to speak to her."

"Of course you don't, it's understandable," I said.

He looked at me and gave me a small smile. "Thank you."

I smiled back. We were no longer in the town center. We were on a road that lead to a forest. I swallowed.

"We should turn back," I said, suddenly.

He frowned at me. "Why?"

"Lots of people get lost in that forest. It's believed there are mountain lions in there," I lied. The lies formed on my tongue easily, and he looked convinced. His eyes even dilated slightly, like my lies were too convincing. Like I was manipulating him, in some way, to listen to my lies.

"We'll turn back then," he agreed. We turned around, and walked back the way we came. I was way too good at lying; it was actually bad. I shouldn't be that good. We walked in silence for a couple of minutes, then he asked me a question.

"Did my brother come and speak to you this morning?"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Why?" I asked.

He glanced at me, and then rolled his eyes. "Because he looked incredibly smug when he came home," he said, curtly.

"Yeah. He did," I said, folding my arms. "You don't need to be jealous."

He laughed. "I'm not jealous. I'm just concerned for your safety," he said.

"My safety?" I spluttered.

"He only wants one thing from girls," he snapped.

"He's your brother!" I hissed.

"And?" He retaliated.

"You can't talk about him like he's a pile of dirt. He's your family. Have some respect," I snapped, and he looked surprised.

"You'd feel the same if your brother made your life a living hell growing up," he snarled.

I didn't have anything to say to that, because I didn't have a brother. I had two sisters - one that I loved, and one that I tolerated. I grabbed his arm, and he tried to pull away, but I held on.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I didn't mean anything I said."

He looked at the ground, clenching his jaw. "You don't know what he's like," he muttered. I touched his cheek with my hand, bringing his eyes to mine.

"No, I don't. You're right. I shouldn't have said any of that," I apologized.

He sighed. "It's okay. I'm sorry too," he muttered. I dropped my hand, but he grabbed it and pressed his warm lips to it.

When I arrived home that afternoon, I was surprised to see my mother sitting on the rocking chair on the front porch. Her eyes were closed and I noticed her lips were moving. As I approached her, she was muttering in a language I didn't understand.

"Mother?" I whispered.

Her eyes flicked open. She looked angry for a second, but then she smiled. "Ivana. You're home."

"Are you alright?" I asked her.

"Of course. I just felt like some fresh air, that's all," she smiled.

I nodded. "Mother, I keep getting bad migraines. Should I go to the doctor?" I asked.

Her eyes suddenly lit up, and she looked extremely, and weirdly, euphoric.

I frowned.

"I wouldn't worry about them if I were you," she grinned, with a small laugh. She stood up, and walked over to me. I took a slow step back. She looked slightly manic. She pressed her hand to my cheek, and closed her eyes, squeezing them tight. Her hands were unnaturally cold, and I winced at their frigidity.

"Mother -"

"Shhh," she whispered. I watched her eyes; her eyeballs seemed to be moving under her closed eyelids. I was seriously freaked out. She opened her eyes slowly; her pupils were dilated so much that it seemed like her eyes were fully black.

I swallowed.

"My daughter. You are almost ready," she grinned, her teeth scarily white in the dim light of the afternoon.

She turned around, walked back inside, and closed the door behind her.

---

A/N

Here's another chapter (:

I have just submitted my book Oblivion {A Dan Howell Fanfiction} for a Watty award! To read it, just go on my profile/works: https://www.wattpad.com/myworks/60744481-oblivion-a-dan-howell-fanfiction-wattys2016 (it was the first book I wrote on Wattpad!)

Hope you enjoyed!

Olivia J. Clarke

(Picture: Evan White ~ Jensen Ackles)

© Olivia Clarke 2016

Salem