Sudden Bite

Chapter 15: Flowers and Parties

“So you busy tomorrow?” Alexander asked as he drove me home after school Friday.

“Funny,” I jokingly reply; we both knew that I didn’t have any plans.

“Do you wanna come over to mine then?” He continued catching me off guard. Never has he offered to go to his and I’ve never minded, I understand that him and his family didn’t exactly have the best relationship and it would be awkward to hang out in that atmosphere. That being said, of course I’m curious about where he lives. I know that it’s on the very edge of town but that’s about it.

“Of course – but you aren’t doing this to get out of tonight’s movie night?”

Chuckling Alexander assures me, “I’d never miss out on a chance to spend time with you… it’s just no one is home tomorrow and I wanna show you something.”

“I mean as long as you don’t cop out~” I tease again before getting out of his parked car to lead him inside. Dad had an extra shift at the garage tonight but would still be home before nine o’clock so I didn’t have to worry about him over working himself like I often did. Together we kicked our shoes off at the front door before moving in towards the kitchen for drinks and snacks – Alexander said he would just take water since he wasn’t hungry while I simply shrugged and hungrily looked through the pantry.

“What should I have?” I ask as I turn back to look at him, holding up in one hand a bag of my favorite sweet potato and beet chips and a small bag with gummy worms in the other. Alexander opened his mouth to reply only to be interrupted by the house suddenly being filled with noise. The front door seemed to slam open before a number of male voices sounded through the house easily. Of course, it was none other than Sam and his group of friends – all of them judging by the volume of the sound. The boys made a bee line for the kitchen – something I was used to when Sam brought his friends over, but since I was currently in the kitchen and with company I was a little annoyed, not to mention the tension that existed between Alexander and Asher and Max, even after so many weeks.

“Oh hey sis, Alexander,” Sam greeted when he eventually came in and realized that we were here as if this was totally normal. Usually when Sam had friends over I hid in my room and away from the sound… so maybe this was normal for Sam, but definitely not for me.

“Hey Catalina,” Asher attempted to flirt until he was met with Alexander’s literal death glare and halted, instantly taking a step back from me. I grinned. Placing the gummy worms back in the pantry real quick I hurried in pouring myself a bowl of veggie chips so Alexander and I could get out of this crowded kitchen as soon as possible.

“You guys coming tomorrow night?” Sam suddenly asked just when I thought I could pull Alexander from the kitchen.

“What do you mean?” I asked not wanting to outright ignore my brother.

“To Bear’s birthday party, open invitation,” Sam explained and Bear, who stood next to him, nodded in agreement.

“Sam you know-” I was going to remind him that parties aren’t my thing only for him to interrupt.

“I know but I thought since now you have someone to keep you company,” he said, obviously talking about Alexander. Sam might not look like someone who loved parties but boy did he and he was always trying to convince me that they weren’t as bad as I expected. Today was no different. Alexander, who obviously got Sam’s hint as well shrugged and said,

“Sure, I don’t mind going.” Snapping my head in his direction I glare at him for unknowingly letting my brother win. Alexander might not know about Sam and I’s disagreement but I had vowed to stick to my belief from start to finish – attending a party puts a wrinkle in that plan.

“Alright, fine, fine!” I exclaim, “Just stop with the puppy dog eyes.” Sam grinned in victory before giving us the time and date, only then finally letting us leave the kitchen.

Pouting like a child I flopped down on my bed, faintly aware of the sound of Alexander closing my door behind him.

“Oh c’mon, we can leave any time, we should at least show up since your brother wants to see you there,” Alexander said as he came and joined me on my bed. Jutting my bottom lip out further I sunk down even more. Suddenly Alexander was hovering above me, the surprise it caused me and the closeness causing my breath to shorten and catch in my throat. “Do I need to kiss that pout away?” Even though he’s clearly teasing and messing with me I nodded my head vigorously. Rolling his eyes with a grin Alexander leans down and capture my lips with his.

Immediately I’m lost in the kiss.

As my body unconsciously arches off the bed to get closer to Alexander his hand comes down and hold my waist, keeping me close. My own hands crawl up his chest and wrap around his neck as the kiss goes on, the both of us completely absorbed in the moment.

“I almost forgot-!”

Sam barges right into my room without knocking leading to our current situation. Even though Alexander and I had snapped apart he remained hovering above me, our hands all over each other and lips obviously recently kissed. Looking seriously mad for a moment Sam takes a deep breath with closed eyes before saying,

“I say nothing, this never happened, I’m erasing this image from my mind.” With that he turned around and left just as he came. As soon as the door was closed I covered my face with my hands out of embarrassment. Alexander rolled off of me and simply laughed, and even though I was beyond embarrassed I loved the sound of his laugh and couldn’t help but smile myself.

“Next time we lock the door,” I sternly tell him as I sit up to grab my laptop so we could actually watch a movie like we planned.

“Oh? There’s going to be a next time?” He teases resulting in a pillow being thrown in his direction, and of course (much to my disappointment) being caught.

“Just for that I’m not letting you pick the movie,” I tell him defiantly as I plop back down next to him.

The next afternoon – late afternoon to be honest – Alexander came to pick me up to bring me to his place, insisting that he drive since it was fairly far away. I was beyond happy for some reason, sitting in the passenger seat of his black Cadillac, light hearted folk music playing from the speakers. Even though I wouldn’t be meeting any of his family today I still wanted to try a little more than usually when getting ready. That’s exactly what ended me up in a very light pink floral skirt that ended mid-thigh, a white top and jean jacket all finished off with a black, round, trendy hat sitting at the back of my head. The weather was so nice when I woke up this morning and it only seemed to be getting nicer, lifting my mood even further. Alexander’s hand was in mine; our fingers laced and settled in my lap until they eventually had to come apart so we could climb out of his car.

His house was… well so much more than a house – it was something between a mansion and a literal castle. When he said his family was big I didn’t know that meant that they all lived together as well, but clearly this place was built to house many, many people. It was both gothic and modern in its architecture and there was something beautiful about that. The stone fountain out front was polished and gushing with clear water, the grass vibrant green and trimmed to perfect; there were dozens upon dozens of tress surrounding the house – after all we were kind of in the middle of the forest – and each one was flourishing in the mid spring weather.

Leading me by the hand, Alexander took me up nearly ten stairs before we finally got to the front door where he slipped the key in and swiftly unlocked it, dramatically bowing. “Ladies first.”

The inside of the house was all the more luxurious and I was honestly a little afraid to touch anything in fear of breaking it. Knowing how clumsy I could be I think my fear was pretty just. Carefully I toed off my white converse for my white sock covered feet to glide across the floor instead, Alexander doing the same with his shoes.

“You’ll need your shoes,” he explains as he picks his up before asking, “You ready for your surprise?”

“Of course,” I say holding my hand out in his direction once again for him to guide me, happily intertwining our hands together. As he lead me through the house, seemingly heading towards the back, I couldn’t help but constantly look one way then the other, just taking in everything. The house was even bigger inside and that was saying something. As we come out from a hallway we’re met with a door that we stop in front of to put our shoes back on before he pulls me outside.

My breath was instantly taken away by the absolutely gorgeous, flourishing garden that was laid out before me. It was, vibrant, and never ending and just utterly perfect, everything perfectly taken care of. Flowers of a variety bloomed left and right.

“This- this is amazing,” I uttered in awe of the one of a kind garden.

“My mother would be happy to hear that, she’s very proud of her garden,” Alexander explains before gently tugging on my hand as if to silently tell me that I could walk through the garden and that I didn’t have to look just from this one spot. The roles had switched and now I was dragging Alexander all over the place, from one plant to the next, from one arrangement to the next. Every flower was perfect in its own way, all the colors absolutely eye-catching and breathtaking. Not to mention the scent – every flower smelt slightly different but amazing nonetheless of course. At one point Alexander released my hand but I barely paid attention since I was crouched down focused on a particular rose bush – they were pink just like the one Alexander gave me on our first date. I began to wonder if this was where he got it but my thoughts were disrupted when Alexander’s voice broke through.

“M’Lady,” he said making me giggle and stand up to turn around and face him only to find him kneeling and holding a medium size sun flower out in my direction, the yellow color warm and happy.

“Why thank you,” I played along accepting the beautiful flower to bring up to my nose to smell.

“Since you’ve accepted my flower can I ask for a favor in return?” He asked standing at his full height. After nodding he taps his cheek in indication. It was horribly cheesy but I couldn’t help but grin and go along with it. Leaning up on the tips of my toes to place a chaste peck on his cheek.

“Do I get to see your room now?” I ask trying to hide my excitement. I once read that your bedroom is a reflection of your mind. My room was typically fairly messy like my brain, light and colourful like my personality, walls covered in my artistic vision. I was curious to see what his room would say about him.

“It’s not the exciting but sure I guess, if you want,” he shrugged in response while nodding as well.

We returned inside after my long tour around the garden and went back towards the front of the house to leave our shoes there only for the door to suddenly open. We were both shocked – after all we expected the house to be empty. Nonetheless, despite our prior belief a beautiful girl with wavy, dark brown hair that reached her shoulders, fingers clearly having run through it many times making it flawlessly flip over to one side, came in, eyes covered by large, ray band sunglasses.

“Anna,” Alexander stated in shock. She propped her glasses up on top of her head, revealing eyes similar to Alexander’s. She looked to be a couple years older than us, dressed in all black from head to two and finished with a leather jacket. “What are you doing here?”

“My appointment got canceled,” she explained, looking annoyed about the inconvenience. “Oh! And who do we have here?” She asked as if suddenly noticing my presence.

“I’m Catalina O’Neil, Alexander’s…” I wasn’t sure how to finish that sentence because even though we had labeled ourselves as a couple I wasn’t sure what his family wanted to know and this girl was clearly related to him one way or another.

“Girlfriend.” Alexander easily finished for me.

“Oh~ so this is the girl a keep hearing about,” she teased before introducing herself, “Hey, I’m Annabelle, Alec’s older sister.” We shook hands. I instantly made the connection, from their looks to their aura they really were siblings. Just like her brother she was gorgeous and intimidating, but after talking to her for just a few moments she didn’t seem so intimidating… just like Alexander.

“So what are you guys up to?” She asked removing her own shoes – which were platform ankle boots, leather once again.

“I just showed her the garden and now we’re just gonna hang out before we head out for a party tonight,” Alexander explained with a casual shrug.

“You guys are going to a party?” She asked, looking almost worried and concerned… but apparently for none of the reasons I suspected. “I’m sorry Catalina, you’re so cute, but you will stick out like a sore thumb wearing that to a high school party.”

“What do you mean?” I ask with a small pout, fiddling with the end of my skirt. It’s not like I had any experience when it came to parties so although I didn’t know what she meant when she said I couldn’t wear this to a party, I also trusted her despite having just met her.

“Honey, you scream party virgin and innocence,” she explained, her choice of words making me blush. I wasn’t that innocent.

“Leave her alone Anna, she looks beautiful,” Alexander said, slinging his arm around my shoulders in comfort. He must have thought that I was taking offence to her words when I really wasn’t – she was right after all, I probably didn’t look like I was going to a high school party.

“Of course you think that, she’s your first girlfriend, and I don’t disagree, I just think she’ll stick out at the party you’re going to,” she shrugged in response, the words ‘first girlfriend’ making me become not just pink but a deep, beet red color. I was Alexander’s first girlfriend. “You know, you’re about my size,” she says, turning her attention back to me, “I could lend you something to wear, oh and I’d love to do something with that gorgeous hair of yours.”

“Annabelle,” Alexander said in a warning voice while I was simply grinning.

“That’d be nice actually, thank you,” I said making her grin widely and childishly stick her tongue out at her brother.

“Wait, you’re leaving me for her?” Alexander asks, looking offended that I had accepted her offer.

“Oh calm down, it won’t take that long,” I tell him, quickly leaning up to place yet another quick kiss on his cheek before Annabelle loops her arm through mine and leads me up the nearby grand staircase.

“Don’t worry, we’re gonna make you look so good Alexander won’t even know how to control himself.”