4-5 TiK ToK

I needed to find something to either focus my mind or make me not think. I tried working out at the local gym. I fell on the treadmill. But so did all the women around me. Yeah, turns out there are people at the gym. Maybe that’s where they all hide.

I dropped off some elixirs to sell at the potions store and decided to study alchemy there too. Change of scenery.

I decided to take a walk around town. Why when I have a car with a heater in it? I don’t know. But this guy was singing his butt off. So I stopped and watched him for a bit.

“Sir. I think you should get in side before you freeze to death.” I told him during a break during songs. He ignored me.

The next day, the person I was trying not to think about – called me.

He invited me to ice skate with him at the Winter Festival. That didn’t sound so bad.

Felt bad though. Ouch. My knees were bruised for a week.

We also built a snowman. I didn’t even have to sing the song. Dean was quite for the most part. I forgot it was Christmas to be honest. It hit me that I had never heard him talk about any family. I guess I wasn’t the only one who was alone at the Holidays. He was too. It made sense that he’d want to hang out that day.

We got our picture taken that day too. I added it to my collection. That took me to a grand total of two personal pictures in my home.

I decided to try to throw a kind of New Year’s Eve party.

I honestly just went through the phone book and invited people.

Dean was invited. Because he was only one I knew in that town.

Or so I thought.

“Hello Raven.”

Lady Cooper. The fortune teller and witch, that my Mom and Dad went to when they wanted to find out if I was really my Dad’s kid. And she looked young. Must be a witch thing.

“Hello, Lady Cooper.”  I replied.

“I suggest you server your attachment to the fairy off to our side.” She told me, before walking away.

I looked over and there was Lief. Opps. I briefly wondered how she knew about all that. But guess that’s part of being a fortune-teller.

He wasn’t happy I “broke up” with him. We were never really together. It was just one time. Maybe he wasn’t mad that I wasn’t joining his legion of baby mammas.

I ended the dud of a night listening to Dean play the guitar. That was the best part of the whole thing. My party throwing skills needed work.

The next evening, I got a call from Harmz. They were coming to visit me! I was so excited. I couldn’t wait.

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It seemed to take forever for them to get there. But it was only a week.

I was so glad to see my great cousin. Who was more like an Aunt really.

And to see Skye. Who had brought homework with her for some reason. She was not in a talking mood. And Eric was at the local Hospital, doing his Doctor stuff. So Harmz and I left the house.

“See what I mean?” I asked her. I had been telling her how empty the coffee-house always is.

“Yikes. Let’s go somewhere else.” She suggested.

We decided on one of the beaches. It was nice enough outside to enjoy it.

“So, tell me more about Dean.”

I had told her bits and pieces via text messages.

“There’s not much to tell. We hang out sometimes. We go to the bar. And the town festivals. He came to my lame New Year’s Eve party.”

I paused. She knew about the kiss.

“There was that kiss. But we had both been drinking. So it didn’t mean anything.”

“Raven. I think it does. He wants to hang out with you. And not just to go drink.” Harmony started.

“I think he’s just lonely like I am.” I told her.

“Maybe he is kind of lonely. I’ll give you that one. But I still think you should say how you feel. Even if he don’t feel the same way, at least you’ll know.” She finished.

The problem with that was. I didn’t know what I felt. Maybe I was just confused and trying to latch onto Dean because he was familiar and I had lost so much in a short time span.

Harmz left me to my thoughts as we fished in silence.

Of course, she and Eric decided to be all cute and couple like after we got home. Darn them.

And that just overdid it, in my book. I did ask later why Eric had wings again. He explained that they come back on some former fairies, even if they are no longer fairies. There wasn’t really anything that could be done about it, because it was actually an illusion produced by his body since he was born fae.

Harmony gave me a lot to think about that day. And so did watching her with Eric. I didn’t know exactly what I was feeling. So I didn’t want to say anything. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t try to figure out what Dean was thinking or feeling.

I decided to throw another party – this time with some help from Harmz and Eric.

A kegger!

I invited Dean. And a bunch of people from the phone book again.

I had to get myself some liquid courage for the night. I didn’t want to try to push things. Just feel things out with Dean.

He seemed pretty enthused with the party at least.

So did Eric. I had never seen him drink before.

I also didn’t know how strong he was. It’s kind of weird. Eric was born around the same time as my Mom. But since he was born Fae, he aged slower until he married Harmz and renounced his fairy status. I just sometimes forgot that he knew my Mom. That he grew up with her.

Skye was the only teen there, but we wanted her to feel included.

“Eh, I’ll go read a book.” She said, before going downstairs. I had noticed she didn’t like crowds much. Or people.

“Hey. Harmz.” I whispered “Help me do a keg stand.”

“I don’t know, Raven. I haven’t worked out in a while…” She replied.

But helped me do one anyway. It was going pretty well….

Then it all came crashing down. Well. I did.

“I am so sorry!” Harmz exclaimed, freaking out.

“It’s okay. The only thing really hurt is my pride.” I told her, as she helped me up. It was my stupid idea. I couldn’t blame her.

“Are you alright?” Dean asked, after he came over to check on me.

“Yeah….I’ll live.” I told him. He actually seemed genuinely concerned. But, friends do care about each other. I told myself it was just that.

He asked me to dance with him. We danced for a while. Then he went back to the keg. Over and over. And over.

Yeah, I was not letting him drive home. I took his keys from him. Then took him downstairs, to sleep it off.

He stopped me and stroked my cheek. Saying nothing. I didn’t know what to think. I almost cried. No one had ever done something like that to me. Ever. It made me feel. Special.

I took a deep breath and shook my head.

“Dean. You need to try to sleep this off. I’m going to leave you down here, okay? I need to go clean up after the party.” I told him and went to leave.

He grabbed me and dipped me. I let out a small scream and was worried he’d drop me.

Before I had time to ask him to put me down, he kissed me. I was stunned.

Somehow, we made it to the bed. I don’t even remember how.

I had never felt so much with somebody. It was almost too much for me to handle, in my mind and in my heart.

I knew we had to stop, once I started to actually think again. He was drunk. I couldn’t do that to him.

I pushed him back a little “We need to stop.”

“Why?” He asked me.

“Because. You’re drunk. And this could totally mess up our friendship.”

Dean drew closer to me. I could feel his breath on my face. It smelled of booze, but also of cherries for some reason.

“I don’t want to…stop. Do you?” He asked me.

No I didn’t want to stop! But I knew I had to. I nodded my head.

Dean did move back. We just kind of looked at each other. I guess neither of us knew what to say.

Then he turned over and went to sleep. I laid there for a bit. I never dreamed any of that would happen. I wasn’t sure what to do.

I went up to clean then it was time for breakfast. I sat down to eat and Harmz’ came up to me.

“I need you to watch Skye for a while.”

I choked on my food. Me? Watch a teenager? I remembered being one. I wasn’t always a good girl as a teen. Though Skye seemed different on that front. Just cranky.

I agreed to do it. Because family helps each other. I guess her and Eric wanted to take a trip together. I told her just not to come back pregnant.