2: Blood and Cats' Eyes
01:34 Mar 02 2010
Times Read: 603
*Max Hunts*
Billy, Sarah, and Izzy took me shopping that weekend. We were checking out shoes when I told them about me and Mickey.
"Well, it's about bloody time!" Izzy said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked her.
Billy scoffed. "She means that you've been the center of his world ever since you came to the school. It's about time you give the poor boy a break and give him what he wants." She slid me a sly, knowing glance. Great. "And give yourself what you really want."
"He was nice to me, okay? That doesn't mean he just wants to get into my pants."
"She still doesn't get it," Billy said to Izzy.
Iz looked at me. "I'm your best mate, right? You're right about him in that he doesn't just want your body. But he's wanted you--all of you--for three years now."
"What do you mean by all of me?"
Iz stepped in front of me and put her hands on my shoulders. "He's bloody in love with you!"
My mouth dropped open. The first words out of my mouth were: "Why the hell me?"
Izzy and Billy shared a look, then Billy said, "You don't have to be modest, Maxie. If I were a boy with any sense at all, I'd be in love with you too. You're funny, intelligent, absolutely adorable, and you know how to flirt. And ever since Trace and I have known him, Mickey's loved stubborn girls."
"In other words, you're perfect for him." Izzy twisted her foot to see another angle of the strappy heels she was trying on. A little too pink, for her skin, I thought.
Damn. They thought Mickey was in love with me? That was insane. He wouldn't really fall in love with a crazed freak like me, would he? They seemed pretty sure about all this. But I was a fuck-up. I was bipolar--diagnosed before I came to the UK--and I had frequent panic attacks. I was a stubborn bitch when I had my bad moments, and I spoke way too much. About intellegent things, usually, but I turned every little thing into some perverse joke in the end. Could he really be into someone like me? Probably not. In love? Definitely not.
And how did I feel about this? No fuckin' clue. I was officially an emotional wreck. Joy, oh, joy.
I did know that I loved him, but I didn't know in what way I loved him. Certainly not like a brother. Maybe like a friend. Maybe like a lover.
He was really a great guy. Everything I imagined when I was little, and then some. To me, he was perfect. And to think, before I came to the UK, I was about to give up on the male sex permanently.
That evening, I texted Mickey to sneak out with me so we could go somewhere fun. He showed up outside the bio lab within the hour. I picked the lock, and once we were inside, I took off my messenger bag and opened it up. I turned around while I changed out of the sleek black sneak-out clothes. I could feel the heat of Mickey's gaze while we changed our clothes. I snuck a peek at him.
I watched him button up the black shirt and slipped my tights over my legs. The mini skirt slid over the tights perfectly and my deep red halter top went well with the bottoms. The knee-high, lace-up combat boots were my own personal signature.
We went the long way around to one of my favorite clubs. It was an underground Goth club. Both figuratively and literally, the club was underground. The intense music couldn't be heard through layers and layers of solid cement. They were very, very careful. Luckily, my aunt, who'd brought me to London, had a daughter who knew the paths to take to walk on the wild side. I led the way--as usual--because I was the wild child of everything I was involved with. The school, the family, the group of friends. I was always sneaking out for one reason or another--had been for most of my life.
I knocked on a metal door only a few feet high. A little metal plate slid to the side to reveal a window, through which I could see dark brown eyes peering up at us. "What color is blood?"
The answer wasn't red, or any other color for that matter. It was: "The sweetest kill, my brother."
"How many?"
"Me and my boy." I stepped aside so the brown eyes could see Mickey better. Mickey had never come with me before. Nobody had. It was my little secret. Well, now, I suppose it was our little secret. Mickey would keep it.
The small door opened and I slid in first. The door led straight down to the first floor, the bottom half of which was the beginning of the underground tunnels. Mickey followed and we were both stamped on the inside of the left elbow with a tiny red dragon. The club's insignia was a Chinese dragon.
The music was still inaudible. I led the way down the ramp-like hall and Mickey made sure I knew he was there. A couple times, he tried to grab my hand, but the third time, I told him this wasn't the place for hand-holding. This place was all about intensity and the Goth lifestyle. I couldn't wait to see his reaction to the music. It wasn't heavy metal or any sort of rock music.
A huge metal door dominated the wall that ended the hall, with two tall, insanely muscular bouncers guarding it. I showed them my stamp, motioning for Mickey to do the same, and waited for the door to open. The bouncer to my right punched in a security code on a little pad and the door opened. As it lifted up, an obviously drunk or high girl stumbled out and kissed my cheek. I pushed her off of me and entered the real club. A strong, etherial voice dominated the place. The place was packed.
There were three different levels to the club, but the whole thing was dark, with blue and purple and red lights smoothly stirring the shadows away. Mickey and I stood on a wrought iron balcony with only two ways to go from there. To my left was the stairs and behind me was the closing door. Halfway between the top of the stairs and the main level, there was another set of stairs branching off and going up to lead to the balcony and the sort of VIP room.
Across and down from the middle of the balcony, there was a low stage with a woman in deep red singing. Behind her were the violinist, guitarist and pianist all playing while she tapped on the drums in front of her. It was Aleesia, the club's greatest house artist. I'd actually met her a few times. Turns out she'd gone to the same school I went to now. My cousin had introduced us. At the top of the stairs, I could smell the sweat and humanity rising from below. It was a familiar smell that held more comfort for me than virtually anything else I knew. I might not have been coming here long, but the acceptance of this place made it feel like the closest thing to home I'd ever known.
*Mickey Thompson*
It wasn't half an hour after we arrived that, as Max would say, the shit hit the fan. I'd left to use the loo when it started. The sound of my zipper wasn't the only quiet sound. I could hear feet shuffling. Dismissing it right away, I wasn't prepared for the pain that exploded in my left side and in the right side of my head. I didn't see it until I was thrown into the ground. A man, if he could be called such, towered over me.
He was thin as I was, but shorter, and yet, he was able to toss me around. With one hit to the right side of my jaw, I was out.
I woke in her room, with Max standing over me with worried eyes. Maybe it was the pain toying with my mind, but her eyes seemed more yellow than they usually were. They looked like cats' eyes. I smiled up at those eyes.
"Oh, my god, Mickey. You're awake! Mickey, can you hear me?"
I nodded up at her. "What happened? How long was I out?"
"About a day. When you went to the bathroom, I saw this guy. I don't remember what he looked like, but I remember him walking outside the club and following. I didn't mean to leave you, Mickey. I'm so sorry." She wasn't on the verge of tears, but I could see the fear in her eyes.
"No. No, it's not your fault. Just tell me what happened."
"The guy walked out into the busy street and I started to go back. Crawling out of the club was another guy with blood everywhere. I went back in for you, but the bouncers had brought you out already." She paused and I frowned.
"What? What's the matter?"
She avoided my eyes as she answered. "You had bites all over you. It was your blood the other guy had all over himself. Now it's your turn. What happened in the bathroom?"
I shook my head. "I was knocked out. I don't know what all went on. Honest, Maxie."
Her hand felt cold in mine. "I'm sorry," she said again.
1: Boxers or Briefs?
01:32 Mar 02 2010
Times Read: 604
*Max Hunts*
My back was turned when I felt the hands on my shoulders. I jumped. I looked behind me to see Mickey's apologetic expression. He hadn't meant to scare me.
I touched his arm and walked with him down the school's corridor. One of the night checks came around the corner, and Mickey and I flattened ourselves against the wall. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe slowly.
The check lady turned her flashlight back off and walked away. I flipped off her uniformed back, then we continued down the big hall. We passed classrooms until we reached the bio lab. I pulled a bobby pin out of my hair and pried the two limbs apart.
Mickey crouched by me, offering the flashlight. I shook my head and slid the pin into the lock. The tumblers clicked softly until I got it. Slowly, I turned the knob and slipped inside first. Mickey closed and locked the door after following me in.
"I had no idea that actually worked," he whispered.
"Great thing about being a girl. I've been pulling this trick since I was six. Moving to London didn't change that." I rolled my pants up, stuck the bobby pin in the right combat boot, and rolled the pants back in place.
We crossed the room and I unlocked the door to the school's side lawn. I grabbed the shamrock charm around my neck and kissed it for luck. Then we headed the two blocks to the old chapel no one really used anymore. Mickey waved the flashlight's beam at all of our friends as we entered.
Everyone except my boyfriend, Zak, wolf whistled at us. My boyfriend sat with his flashlight off and his arms crossed over his chest. I knew he thought I was cheating on him with Mickey. I wasn't, and that was the truth, but I almost felt bad for Zak for thinking it.
Zak's black hair fell in his face as I trotted to greet him. I kissed him to try to let him know that I wasn't cheating. Everyone watched that crazy American girl make out with her boyfriend. That's what the meetings were for. We got to break all the school rules off campus. Maybe a few laws, while we were at it.
I grabbed a fist full of Zak's hair as we slowed the kiss. Then I pulled back and watched everyone clapping and laughing.
Zak smiled a little, but he was still jealous of Mickey and I showing up late.
To my right, my best chick friend, Izzy, fiddled with her deep brown hair, which she'd cut before the school year started. I liked the new look, soft and short chocolate-colored spikes. Her huge brown eyes and thin mouth worked well with the new hair. In front of her, curled up by her feet, was her cousin, Will. He had black hair cut much the same way Iz had, but with blood-colored streaks. He was like a brother to me and Izzy. Directly across from him was Jimmy and his girlfriend Sarah. Jimmy had the blue eyes that went well with Sarah's blonde hair. But the dark hair worked almost as well. Sarah was the only blonde in our little group. She was also the smartest kid in our class. Her glasses always sat on the tip of her nose like they'd been glued there. Beside them, to Zak's left, was the trio. Mickey and his reddish brown hair, Tracey with his frosted hair, and Billy with her long black hair. Tracey and Billy were twins, both of English and East Indian decent.
And I sat there with Jace, my bright, (obviously) red hair in long braids all the way down to my hips. We were all wearing black clothing. No uniforms and no pajammas.
"Come on, guys," I said. "Mickey and I are just friends, and you all know it."
Everyone burst out in laughter. Mickey wasn't smiling. Zak wasn't either. He stood up and led me away from everyone else. We were hidden from everyone else. This was not good.
I looked up into those bright hazel eyes and I knew what was going to happen.
"Max," he started. "I want to believe what you said back there is true. But you showed up late tonight, and it seems like you spend more time with him than with me."
"Zak, what I said is true. The only reason we came over together was because Mick wasn't going to come but had a change of heart. He snuck up on me as I was going through the bio lab. We didn't see each other before or anything, I promise. We are just friends."
"You go to study hall with him, you have more classes with him. You do more projects with him, Maxie. You do almost everything with him. I think our time is over."
So that was the words he'd chosen. I set my face and withdrew my emotions. I wasn't going to cry about this. "Fine. Whatever. I'm out. It's still my turn to pick the werewolves."
We came back out to join the group. While Zak went to his seat, I sat across from him on the steps up to the pulpit. Izzy came to sit by me.
We played the game. Werewolves.
It was my turn to play the moderator, so I got to choose who the werewolves were and who the seer was, while everyone else were poor little villagers.
"Everyone close your eyes." Everyone did and I walked around silently. I grabbed Jimmy's palm and drew a pentagram on it. I slowly worked my way around, until I decided on Zak. After another pentagram, I walked over to Mickey and drew an eye on his palm.
"Werewolves, open your eyes."
Zak and Jimmy recognized each other.
"Werewolves, pick someone to kill tonight."
The two decided on who they thought was the seer, who might be able to lynch them out in the exicution. They picked who to kill in the night round. They each had a different target. Jimmy looked over at Iz and Zak looked at Sarah. They eventually went with Sarah.
I smiled. Zak wasn't one to give up on a game based on lying and eliminating players. Oh, no. My voice broke the perfect silence. "Werewolves, close your eyes. Seer, open your eyes."
Mickey looked around and flicked his gaze to Zak. He knew me better than Zak did. I nodded silently. "Seer, close your eyes. The night is now over and as dawn breaks, we find the Villager, Sarah dead. The Werewolves killed their first. Now in the daylight, they pass for Villagers. Who's a wolf?" I asked.
Zak said, "I think it's Izzy."
"What?!" Iz exclaimed. "That's insane. I couldn't be a Werewolf."
"No, Iz," Zak said. "I think I heard Max stop when she was marking the wolves."
"How many of you think Izzy's a Werewolf?"
Zak, Jimmy, Billy, and Tracey all raised their hands.
"And how many think it's Zak?"
Mickey and Will and Izzy raised theirs.
"Under the belief that she is one of the Werewolves, Izzy is exicuted."
Iz showed both her palms to everyone.
"An innocent Villager was condemned."
Round two. "Everyone close your eyes..."
We played until Mickey and Will were the last two standing. Mickey showed the eye on his palm and Zak lost it. I could see the anger in his eyes before he started yelling.
"I FUCKING KNEW IT!" he yelled, tossing one of the folding chairs across the chapel. I didn't hear the rest of it, mainly because I was running out of the chapel and back to the school. My boots thudded quietly as I ran out the door and onto the street. I ran the two blocks, ran to the bio lab, then slowed down. There were plenty of ways for everyone else to get back into the school, and Zak knew this one was my favorite. I took refuge in a tight corner away from the doors. I picked up Jenny, a rat that lived in the lab. Class pet...
I cried silently as the rat ran around my shoulders, scampered in my lap, and eventually fell asleep in my arms. The door leading outside opened and a tall shadow peered inside. First, I thought it was Zak. But when he spoke, I knew it was really Mickey.
"Maxie? Are you in here?"
I sniffed and said, "Yeah. I'm here with Jenny."
Mickey slipped in and closed the door. "Hey." He came to sit beside me. "How are you feeling?"
I shrugged lightly, not wanting to wake the black ball of fur in my arms. "Okay, all things considered. I'm sorry I ran out like that." I glanced at him, seeing a small scratch along his left cheek. I looked around for other marks. His lip was split and his knuckles were bruised and raw. "Did he do all that to you?"
Reluctantly, he nodded. "He came after me first. When Jimmy and Will tried to hold him back, he hit them both. Gave Tracey a bloody nose too. I didn't want to fight him."
"I know. I'm sorry, Mickey."
"For what? You didn't throw the punch, did you?"
"No, but I'm the reason behind it. He wouldn't listen to me when I told him that we were never more than good friends." I felt the tears well up.
When they fell, Mickey touched my cheek, wiping them away gently. He cupped my cheek, and I saw something in his eyes that I couldn't recognize. It wasn't just sorrow because I was hurt. This was... different. Then I got it. The piece I hadn't seen in him before was longing. For what?
My emotions already confused and chaotic, I moved in to kiss him quickly. I surprised him, but it wasn't an unpleasant surprise. The rat in my arms squeaked and I put her back in her tank. Then I focused again on Mickey. I kissed him again, and he was prepared for it this time. His hands went to my hips and I was suddenly flat against the lenoleum floor, my fingers entangled in his hair. He pulled back, holding my arms away from his hair.
"What? What's wrong?" I asked, voice a little too breathy.
"I can't do this, Max. Not like this." He sat back on his knees and looked at me.
I sat up. "You don't want me?"
"I do. More than you know--"
"Then do this. Mickey, please." I showed the more sane part of me to him and touched his hand. His fingers twisted in mine, until I lay back down with him over me. I guided his hand down to my waist, and kissed him again. He got the message from there. His lips against my skin, he kissed my neck while his hands went down to my pants.
*Mickey Thompson*
The next morning I felt terrible. I couldn't believe what I'd done to her. I couldn't eat breakfast because I was nauseous. I knew she'd hate me for it. Maxie hated people taking advantage of her. Lying in my uniform, I thought about her.
Three years ago, when we'd first met, I remembered how odd she seemed. Antisocial, but beautiful. All her vivid red hair all around her pale face, those green eyes so open and curious. I was the first to greet her.
Now, she was even more beautiful. Grown into her skin, eyes still as stunning as the first day. I loved the coconut scent of her hair, which was so long it was more like a maine than anything else. Unbraided, it touched the tops of her thighs.
The very thought of her thighs was enough to tempt me to talk to her again. But I couldn't. There was another option, but I wouldn't want my roommate walking in and catch me wanking. Brian was the one who would intentionally do something like that. It was more than bad enough that I'd walked in on the middle of him doing it, as well.
Still, there was a problem to be delt with. I wanted her, not my own hand. I wanted what we had last night. I wanted to feel her soft skin, to smell her hair and her sweat. It was a need. I needed to feel her reacting to me, her fingernails on my back and her heart beating so fast.
The small black cell phone on my pillow vibrated. I looked at the screen. Max.
I quickly opened the phone and said, "Hello?"
"Mickey, are you, um... Are you okay? I mean, with what happened last night?"
She had certainly decided against beating around the bush. "I'm really sorry I went along with it, Maxie. I really a--"
"I'm not." Her breath was shaky over the phone. "I'm not sorry... about any of it. I just don't know what I'm feeling for you, Mickey. I need to know how you feel about me."
What could I tell her? That I loved her? That I've wanted to be with her from the moment we met? Either of those answers would scare her away. I tried not to think about what my body was saying, though it was a bit difficult. I shook my head.
Hormones. "Maxie, I... I liked it. What we did, it was one of the most wonderful things that's ever happened to me." Okay. That was a rediculous thing to say too. I hit my head a couple times until she responded.
"So, you don't regret any of it either?"
I stood up, hoping all this wasn't a dream. "No. No, the exact opposite, really."
"Oh. Um, maybe we could, uh..."
"Take things slowly," I said.
Her voice hid something in the last words. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea. Um, yeah. Slow."
"Max?"
"Yeah?" Her voice held anticipation.
"Could you come by the dormitory?"
"Now? You mean, right now?"
"Well, if you're busy, maybe another--"
"No, no. No, I'm not busy."
"Then, whenever you'd like to. I'm going to be here all day."
"Open up."
"What?"
There was a knock on the door. "I'm already here. I was heading to the library. Open the door."
"Just a moment." As I got rid of the rubbish and laundry on the floor, she spoke.
"You're not in your bunnies, are you?" Her word for anything considered an undergarment was bunnies. Beautiful, funny, and sexy all in one short package. She was only five-foot-two.
"No." I opened the door for her and we hung up the phones. Her wide, green eyes were on me and I felt the arousal intensify even more.
"Pity. I would have liked to see what kind you wear. Since you were going comando last night." As though she lived here, she plopped herself on my bed and grabbed the pillow, giving me sultry cat eyes as she bit her lip.
I felt the blush rising and quickly resumed cleaning the room. I could feel her watching me, silently following me with her eyes.
After a minute, she said, "Well, you're no fun."
I looked at her. "What?"
She slid off the bed with the grace that had come from years of ballet in America. I knew what she was playing at. She was teasing me. The same sway in her hips and coy eye contact I'd seen her use on Zak so many times before. Only, instead of jealousy running through me, it was anticipation. She pulled at my tie as she explained.
"Well, here I am, sitting on your bed, giving you some of the most obvious signs, and there you are fussing with the laundry." She clicked her tongue at me and pulled my tie as she stepped back. I walked with her until I was over her on the bed.
"Max..."
She guided my hand up her skirt. I was suddenly thankful for the uniforms. But she stopped me when the tips of my fingers found the edge of the lace.
"So," she said, "boxers or briefs?"
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