We walked inside the building and saw people dancing on the floor - girls and boys without a care in the world, few of them even making out. It was not that I was innocent, or ignorant about what I saw. I had expected it all. Was this even a house? I wondered as it had a dance floor.
Alex came to us squeezing out of the crowd, hugged Rini and kissed her, "Hey." "Hey" replied Rini kissing him back. They were so mushy and cute that it made me sad that I didn't have a boyfriend to share such affections with. Jessi saw my expression and whispered in my ear, "Don't worry! You'll find someone too!" reading me like a book.
"Well you guys chase all of them away," I scowled at her looking around.
"Awe come on," Rini joined in linking her arms with mine; "They aren't good enough."
"She's right Eves," added Alex, holding Rini by the waist protectively, "Prince Charming is waiting for you."
This made me laugh and I shook my head smiling. Maybe my prince charming got stuck in a tree while searching for me. Rini and Alex took off after some time, heading to the dance floor.
"Let's go to the counter," Jessi suggested, pulling me along with her. As I walked I bumped into someone, I apologized before I continued to walk to sit at the bar side.
"One martini," ordered Jessi, eyeing the bartender who was a cute blonde-haired person.
"A vodka please," I said to the bartender when he looked my way.
I gulped the vodka in one shot scrunching my face at the taste, for which Jessi patted my back laughing. I started scanning the room when I found a guy looking our way, then I realized that his gaze was directed towards Jessi and I was going to tell her, but my best friend was already looking at him. Well, wasn't this fun.
"Go!" I said.
"What?" Jessi snapped up from her eying contest.
"Go talk to him," I said pushing Jessi in the front, "I don't need you to babysit me, I'll be perfectly fine."
"Really?" asked Jessi getting worried.
"Of course. Now go there before I kick you out of this chair," I nudged Jessi.
"Thank you," Jessi kissed my cheek, "I owe you one. Call me if anything happens okay?"
"Yes ma'am," I laughed and saw Jessi walk over and talk to the mystery man.
I spent my time talking to the bartender, who seemed friendly. His name was Brandon - a senior in college who was pursuing his degree in arts. I was fine until ten thirty but then Brandon got busy pouring drinks. I left the counter-bidding goodbye to Brandon after some time, heading in search of my friends. I saw Jessi talking with the mystery man, her fingers linked with his. Guess they really clicked, I could not find Rini - God knows what she and Alex were up to.
Now, what do I do? Both my friends were busy. Wait didn't Jessi say something about the lake yesterday. I really did want to go and see it. Who could miss something magical, right? When I had come out of the building to have some fresh air and away from the music, I had seen something from the corner of my eye and it was a little thing with wings- a pixie. It was my first time encountering it and it was truly magical. The way it tried flying it looked like a newborn. It had disappeared going inside the forest. I had seen a couple of pixies a while back but they had vanished in a millisecond.
That is how I ended up here now, scared hearing an animal howl, which was definitely a wolf. Closing my eyes, I prayed. 'This is the time wherein the horror movie, the girl gets drawn into woods and gets killed,' I thought to myself. It was a very bad idea. Just because we lived in with the supernatural creatures didn't mean all of them were nice.
Another howl was heard through the forest, making me trip. I hurt my ankle in the process, scraping the skin and it stung when I tried touching it. I heard a growl and stood up abruptly, starting to walk backward and gasped when I bumped into a tree. The tree seemed to move which made my heart drop to level zero, draining the blood out of my face. As fast as my brain could process, I began to run but managed only a few feet before tripping, again. Closing my eyes, I waited for the impact but did not fall.
I felt a hand tightly wrapped around my waist while I was facing the ground. It pulled me making my back hit a muscular body. My heart beating frantically in my chest, I felt a warm breath near my ears sending chills down my body.
"Steady," a husky masculine voice whispered in my ear,"I won't harm you."
The voice sent shivers through my body making me feel tingly. I turned around to see the hottest and sexy man I had ever come across. Every feature was well defined on his face - a clean-shaven strong jaw, his eyes a deep purple that caught my eyes. His black hair fell messily on his forehead. He wore a black V-necked shirt and dark blue well-fitted jeans hung on his waist. But he had a strong aura around him. 'Dark and handsome,' I thought to myself. I had forgotten that I had stopped breathing, slapping myself mentally for gawking at him.
His hands were on my waist. I felt safe and warm. It was the first time that a man had held me this way. I blushed thinking about it. He must have seen me blush because he brushed his knuckles softly on my cheek. This made my eyes go wide and blush more, so much that I had to turn my head sideways to prevent the stranger from seeing it.
"It's not safe here at this time of the night," his eyes bored into mine when I met his gaze.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize it," I replied apologetically, "I got lost and didn't know my way out." I tried to move out of his arms and he caught on to it, let me go. I saw him sniffing the air and then realized that he wasn't human - that had me panicking.
"You are hurt," he stiffened and said, making more of a statement than asking a question.
I nodded, sitting down and looking at my ankle, remembering that I had hurt myself before while walking.
"Here, let me see," he got down to examine it. Before I could protest, he had loosened my shoe, taking it out and wrapping a handkerchief around my ankle. Making sure it sat well, he got up.
"Um...Thank you, it wasn't really necessary," I thanked him; it was going to leave stains on the white cloth.
"Where do you stay?" he questioned me.
"Near the Crispy Bakery."
"Let's get you back home," he said holding his hand out for me.
"But I have to go near the church," I replied putting my hand in his and standing up,"My friends might be waiting for me," I added.
I dusted my clothes and stood straight. I got cell reception but it went out again.
"At midnight? And what are you doing here?" he raised his eyebrow, making him look more intimidating.
"Yes," I replied as we walked, "I was actually following a pixie..." I said sheepishly. He chuckled hearing this.
We walked silently when my ankle started hurting and I winced with the pain.
"Let me," he lifted me in his arms carrying me. I opened my mouth and closed it like a fish, not knowing what to say. Here I was being carried like a princess by a hot guy. 'What was he doing here anyway?'
"What were you doing here?" I blurted out before I could process my thoughts.
"Having a walk, I believe," he chuckled darkly. 'Really?' I thought.
"What's your name?" he asked me.
"Eve. Yours?"
"Ruka."
The way back was silent. 'Ruka,' I thought, 'The name suits him'. After a while, I glanced at him only to meet his piercing eyes directed at me. I suddenly lowered my eyes, feeling so conscious that I wanted to hide behind a rock. When I peeked again a small smile played at the corner of his lips. I couldn't comprehend how good looking he was, and he seemed nice too.
With all the walking I had done before meeting him, I started feeling tired and sleepy. I fought to keep my eyes open but gave in ultimately, closing my eyes and heard him murmur something as I drifted off to sleep.