Emerald's POV-
I ended up losing track of time and when I finally came out from the tunnel I could tell the sun was starting to go down soon. Hours? I've been here for hours? That's what usually happens when I go 'practice' though. I lose all sense of time and just get lost in the flames.
I felt great right now. It's like drinking six cups of coffee or getting a B-12 shot. You just feel so full of energy and wide awake. I feel like my head is completely cleared of any cluttered thoughts or concerns and I just can't take the smile off my face. It's impossible to be in a bad mood when you feel like this. One of the many reasons why it's so addicting.
There are several pros and cons of being able to do what I can. The pros are that it makes me feel alive and then it gives me this peaceful full body experience. It helps me heal faster and it's the best defensive move I have if I were to ever actually need to use it.
The cons are that I easily lose myself when doing it. It's almost like being half awake or half conscious rather and it's easy to lose track of time and it's even easier to lose control over the flames especially once they've left my hands. Which is why I always make sure to do it when nobody else is around so I won't ever accidentally hurt someone.
I rode back into town and back to my house, but I didn't speed this time. If anything I took it easy and enjoyed the nice little cruise to my house. The sun was setting and the sky was changing colors from orange to pink. The air felt great on my skin and even Anala felt more relaxed.
When I got back to the house I skipped to the front door with a smile on my face, but when I went to open the door I was quickly reminded about all the things I had managed to erase earlier. August was waiting right at the front door and when I closed it behind me I had no choice, but to face him.
"Where have you been? I've been worried sick about you Emerald."
I stepped back and put my back to the door and this made August stop his movements. He sniffed the air around me for a minute and then looked down at my hands.
"What happened to your wraps?" He asked and I looked down to see that my knuckles no longer had the white bandages around them. Fire probably singed it off and I didn't even notice. My knuckles were completely healed anyway though.
"Must've fallen off while I was riding." I said and closed my hands into fists before moving them behind my back.
"Emerald we don't have to go to that girls party okay? I don't care about getting to know anyone else but you."
I wasn't mad at all about Courtney and what had happened anymore. It would be hard for me to get upset about much of anything for the next few hours, so I might as well enjoy it while it lasts.
"Oh that? It's fine." I said and pushed myself off the door and slid past him to go towards Helen's room.
"Have you checked on her?" I asked and turned around to see August much closer to me then I had thought.
"Yes, she's still sleeping. Alpha Paul left earlier he's been with her most of the day." He said making sure to stare right into my eyes and into my damn soul.
Why does he always have to do that?
"Okay, I'm gonna go shower and get ready." I said to him before turning back around and going up some of the steps of the stairs.
"Get ready for what?" He asked and I looked back down at him since he was now standing at the bottom of the stairs.
"For the party?"
"Why are you doing this when you know you don't want to go? You know I don't want to go, so why are we going?" He asked while he poorly tried to hide the aggression in his voice.
"I changed my mind. I'm in a party type of mood right now. You don't have to come if you don't want to I'm sure it's been decades since you've gone to a college party." I said with a sly grin on my face.
August took multiple steps up the stairs until he was standing on the one right below mine. He was still taller then me even on the step below mine, but it did bring him closer to my face.
"It's been a while yes. Are you sure you're not going to be embarrassed showing up with an old man?"
He's so handsome in so many ways, but right now I just want to reach out and tangle my fingers in his ashy hair. Or let him wrap those large arms around me tightly like he had done earlier today. Instead I stick with my best friend. Back handed comments.
"Anyone would be proud showing up with you by their side August." I said to him and his grin turned into a genuine smile.
He went to reach for my hand, but I took another step up the stairs to put more distance between us. Last time he held my hands he kissed them and wouldn't let go even when I was burning him. Just that one small action made me think for just a moment that August really didn't see me as a little girl anymore.
It's just another dirty trick though. A disguise. A veil that he's trying to blind me with and I won't let myself fall for the same bullshit again.
"Courtney is a lucky girl." I said and his smile dropped immediately, but mine never left my lips. I turned around before walking up the rest of the steps to get to my room.
"Emerald!"
I ignored him and just slammed my bedroom door shut and made sure to lock it.
I went to my bathroom and cut the shower on to heat up and went to my closer to find something to wear. Courtney said it's a pool party, but I don't know if I actually want to get in the water. Of course it had to be a pool party. Any excuse for her to be half naked and all over August.
Seeing that image in my mind though didn't bring out any emotion in me. No anger. No jealousy. Not even annoyance. I still feel calm even though I knew if it weren't for the effects of the fire I wouldn't be.
I grabbed a backless light green dress that had puffy sleeves. It's a bit short for me now, but oh well. I'm sure I'll still be more covered then most of the girls there anyway. I walked over to the dresser and picked my phone up to send a text to Jody. He'd most likely be going and I didn't plan on riding my bike out there in this dress.
When I was finished with that I went into the bathroom and took a shower, shaved, moisturized, the works basically. When I got out I dried myself off and did my best to scrunch my curls while they were still wet to help them form. I hated that I was doing this, but I couldn't actually feel the hate I had for it so it's hard to explain, but I decided I would wear makeup. It never fails no matter what I do my eyes are going to be watery and I will definitely have a pimple somewhere on my face tomorrow.
When I was finished I went to got dressed and then came back to try and think of what to do with this damn tornado on my head. I tried to tie back some of my hair and let the rest stay down my back. I wasn't overly crazy about it, but it was something different and that's enough for me.
I decided I wasn't going to do the heels though. I despise heels more then anything else in the woman's clothing world. They're hot sure, but who the hell actually wants to walk and stand in heels all night? Nobody.
Plus it's a pool party so I figured some simple flip flops would be fine. My toes were still painted red from the last time I painted them. It didn't really go with my outfit, but oh well.
I checked my phone to see Jody agreed to come pick us up and would be here soon. I scurried back to the bathroom and slipped some simple silver hoops in my ears and then paired it with a silver necklace that had a small silver crescent moon hanging from it. I looked myself over again in the mirror and let out a breath.
I wasn't ever sure if I knew how to be a girl or not. I know I am, I just can't explain it really. Sometimes I wonder if I'm just mimicking other girls to fit in because I have no clue what I'm doing or how to come off elegant.
'You look nice.' Anala said.
It was rare when Anala would actually give me compliments or really anyone compliments, so when she does I know she means it.
I smiled at myself and could still feel the happy pill effect from playing with the fire earlier. I didn't want the high to go away, so I shut the bathroom door and flicked my fingers a few times.
The small flame appeared and I made sure to keep it small and let it dance back and forth between each of my fingers. It was like a small pet, it wasn't alive and didn't have any thoughts of its own, but it would dance around and twirl with my fingers and hands as if it were.
I heard a loud knock at my door and jumped and quickly gripped the fire in my hand to smother it. I opened the bathroom door and when I came closer to the bedroom door I stopped. I could see the shadow of two large feet standing on the other side of the door, but I couldn't smell who it was. He knocked again and this time I unlocked the door and opened it.
August was on the other side and as soon as the door opened he walked right into my room.
"Sorry I thought I smelled fire." He said and looked down at my hands.
I folded them and placed them behind my back to shield them from him and his stare. He was wearing a white button up shirt that outlined every single muscle that was hidden underneath. The top buttons were undone and you could see the few dark hairs he had on his chest. He paired it with black shorts and black sneakers.
'Mm now he looks hot!' Anala purred obviously needing no hesitation to compliment him.
"Well I have been known to smell like smoke from time to time."
He grinned back at me, but it dropped when his eyes started to slowly drift down my body and back up to my eyes.
"Absolutely not Emerald." He said and my mouth instantly dropped open.
"Absolutely not what?"
He scoffed and ran his hands through his silver hair before looking back at me.
"That dress barley covers anything." He said through gritted teeth.
I put my hand to my chest and tilted my head back to act as if his words had wounded me.
"Oh no! Someone might discover that I have tits! What ever shall we do Alpha?" I said in an overly dramatic voice.
He took another step towards me and the once blue eye he had look much darker then before.
"What's wrong? You don't think I look good?" I asked and puffed my lip up out at him.
He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close to him until our noses were almost touching. His mismatched eyes stared directly into mine and I could feel everything his thin white shirt was sculpting.
"You always look good." He said lowly making his chest vibrate against mine.
"Really? Even when my hair is a frizzy mess and my clothes are covered in animal blood?"
"Even then." He said back darkly and I could feel the heat on my palms start to appear.
He reached down and traced his rough finger down my jawline and to my neck. I closed my eyes and tilted my head back enjoying his touch. I didn't care if it was wrong or what my moral compass wanted to say. Nothing can feel wrong when I'm on this happy high.
His fingers went down to my chest and my eyes flicked back open to his. He was still staring back down at me and the blue in his eye was almost completely gone. His fingers trailed down lower and lower until he hooked them under the necklace I had on and slid his eyes away from mine and onto the crescent moon.
"Silver suites you nicely." He said and I wondered if he could hear just how hard my heart was pounding in my chest.
My throat and mouth felt incredibly dry suddenly and I wet my lips to try and find some type of moisture.
"Thank you August." I said and even though I didn't want him to he pulled away from me and the warm feeling he made my body have disappeared.
We made our way downstairs, but before either one of us could get to the bottom step there was a knock at the door. I scurried past August and went and opened the door to find Jody.
He was wearing a dark navy button up shirt that was not buttoned at all and a pair of white swim trunks. He smiled down at me and I opened the door all the way to let him inside.
"Damn! Look at you miss bombshell!" Jody said and gave me a side hug before looking over at August.
"Oh sweetie don't you look handsome?" He chimed and August looked extremely embarrassed and ran his hands through his hair before muttering a thanks.
"Let's go I'm ready to get my drink on!" Jody cheered before walking out the front door.
I looked back at August and he walked up to me and put his hand on my lower back where my skin was exposed. He closed the door behind us and walked me to Jody's car.
His hand on my bare skin was enough to send sparks to my finger tips. I just hoped the happy high would last long enough to get me through tonight.