Temporary Goddess

What Has You So Stressed

        Now that the football game was over, Gwyneth wanted us to go to the party that was happening on the outskirts of town. Now I know why we got dressed like this, it was her plan all along. As we got out to the parking lot Jacek pulled me a little behind him. I glanced over to see Drax and the kicker that messed Jacek up walking towards us.

        “Why are you here?” Gwyn hissed as she came to my side.

        I was slightly confused. Drax was actually the one guy who has hit on me and hasn’t tried to hurt me. They were blocking me like he was Torrance, but then it dawned on me. They weren’t hiding me from Drax.

        Drax put up his hands defensively. “We come in peace. We’re here to apologize for the low blow on the field. Reed here was upset and over reacted.”

        I clicked my teeth in irritation. “Well, ‘Reed’. How is your head feeling?”

        He shrugged. “You kick like a human girl. I’ll be fine.”

        “Damn, that’s disappointing.” I sighed.

        Hexic smirked behind me. Drax raised an eyebrow at him, causing Hexic to recoil.

        I watched this happen and came out from behind Jacek to push Drax. “Hey! No! You are not allowed to treat my friends like that. Hexic gets enough s**t thrown at him from Black Water students, your attention isn’t needed.”

        Jacek went to reach for my hand, but Drax intercepted and pulled me against his chest. “I’m sorry, babe. Let me make it up to you then. Let me take you to this party. Everyone from both schools is going.”

        “Oh, how nice.” I sarcastically cut in. “That’s going to be a hard pass. There is only one seat I want to be on, and I’ve been waiting all week to be there again. You’re not going to take that from me.” 

                Drax raised an eyebrow. “What?”

                I pointed over to the sleek all black matte back to our left. “You see that bike? You see the passenger seat? That’s my seat, and I already expected to be there right now. So, let me go and we’ll unfortunately see you there. Oh, and don’t try to drag me off with you. Jacek’s not in a really good, forgiving mood.”              

                “I’m really not.” Jacek said tiredly from behind me.

                Drax huffed, looking over my head. “So that kiss did nothing for you?”

                “It’s the only reason I’m not in a bad mood.” Jacek’s hand intertwined behind his head, growing tired of Drax with each passing second. “Oh, and I believe this is yours.”

                Without a second’s notice Jacek was right in front of Reed with his hand on his forehead, and in a single moment Reed went limp. His eyes lulled off like he was daydreaming, giving the guy a taste of his own ability. Drax finally let me go to attend to his friend, and I moved back to Jacek’s side.

                I tilted my head to the side watching Drax slightly panic. “It’s a sucky feeling, isn’t it Drax? See why I was so upset? But remember to just calm down.”

                He looked over his shoulder at me while we all turned to leave. “Jacek! Take him out of this!”

                Jacek shrugged. “I haven’t worked that part out yet. Good luck.”

                “Neither of you helped me, but maybe if you kiss him he’ll wake up, Drax.” I said over my shoulder before Jacek draped his arm around them.

                “Was that too mean?” I asked Gwyneth while we walked to the vehicles.

                She shook her head. “I don’t think so. They were the one who decided to play that dirty trick on Jacek. I won’t mention the face that Jacek gave that guy the effects of his own abilities. Never mind, I am. Jacek? Can you steal abilities from other Demi Gods or Immortals?”

                He shrugged, unsure if he should trust them, but after glancing down at me he decided to take a chance. “Yeah, that’s my ability. I’m a Copycat. I can copy abilities from someone after touching their skin. I just have to learn how to use them once I get them. Some take longer than others to learn.”

                Everyone was shocked to hear him actually reveal something about himself. I just smiled up at him. He was beginning to trust, to open up. That was the most he had said in one time to any of them, and the slightly worried face he was making was absolutely adorable.

I couldn’t help pushing up high on my toes to plant a kiss to his cheek and whisper. “Thank you for telling us.”

He rolled his eyes at me. Your welcome, dolcezza. Now are you ready to go?

                “Yes, do you know where the party is?” I asked, feeling his eyes still on me.

                When he nodded, I glanced over to Gwyneth and smiled. “I’m-“

                “Going to ride with Jacek. I kind of figured, what are you guys doing?” She looked over to Casey and Hexic.

                Casey gestured to his car. “I drove here.”

                “I walked here from the school.” Hexic said with a shrug.

                Gwyneth smiled and pointed to her car. “I can give you a ride then. We’ll see you at the party, Cairyn.”

                With that all of us parted. Jacek swung his body over the bike and held out his hand for me to take. I took it, but instead I swung onto the bike in front of him. Jacek looked almost shocked as I straddled his hips.

                I let you kiss me and now you’ve turned crazy. Jacek said teasingly.

                I giggled. “Yeah, except I’ve been wanting to do this since that first day I saw you. Remember, you snapped Gunner’s neck right in front of me. I wanted to wrap my legs around you then.”

                You have a dirtier mind than I thought, dolcezza. Is that what you think about all day?

                “Oh yeah. So, you’re telling me that the thought has never crossed your mind? Ever?” I asked, wrapping my arms around his neck after nearly sliding off the bike.

                Jacek smirked. Wouldn’t you like to know?

                I huffed at him. “Alright fine. I’ll just get off and hitch a ride with Drax then since the gang is gone already. Your loss.”

                I went to slide off the bike, but Jacek’s strong arms held me in place by my hips. I raised a challenging eyebrow at him, but softened when he looked pained. I had never seen him let down his wall like this, and I’m assuming it never happened.

                “Hey, I was just joking about Drax. I would never go anywhere with him.” I touched the side of his face gently.

                Jacek let out a deep breath. “We can’t do this, Cairyn. I’m sorry.”

                Hearing him say that was…heartbreaking. It was a rejection. One I didn’t expect from him, but I guess I should have.

                “Oh, yeah I get it. Let me just…” I felt stupid for thinking that kiss meant something. Damn, I should have thought this through more. Jacek was Immortal, and I…was just a human. Thinking about it like this made more sense, but it wasn’t helping the pain I was feeling.

                Jacek helped me off so I could get on behind him. I didn’t want to hold onto him. If this was his way of rejecting me, then I needed to distance myself from him. We needed to go back to the way it was on my first day of school, passing strangers, because I wasn’t going to be able to stop the way I felt about him. I slid his helmet on and without being able to help it, a few tears strayed from my eyes and melted into the cushion of the helmet. God, I was an i***t.

                We arrived at the party and I was off the bike with helmet in hand before Jacek even turned the bike off. I hung it from the handle bars, gesturing to the other parked cars.

                “I’m going to go find Gwyneth and Hexic. I’ll see you later.”

                I didn’t give Jacek a chance to say anything before I was jogging to the cars. How? How could I be so blind. From what he said at the game I thought…I thought he actually felt something for me. I guess it was just the need to watch over me. This whole time. This whole time I thought we were getting closer, he actually told me about his father. He was opening up, told me personal things about himself. What the hell was all this for? To lead the stupid pathetic human along? To make me look like the fool for loving someone untouchable. Did I really just admit to myself that I loved him? Man, I need to talk to Gwyneth.

                I found her car, and headed over to it. She and Hexic got out, smiling at me, at least until they both saw how upset my face was. Gwyneth gestured to the lake. “Go, we’ll meet you and the guys there.”

                When Hexic was gone Gwyneth curled me up in her arms. “Hey, what’s wrong? You were with Jacek. What happened?”

                I let out a deep sigh. “Um…I kind of sat in his lap on the bike and told him that I have been wanting to kiss him since forever and that I wanted to…you know, with him. Everything was going good, but then…he rejected me.”

                “What in the hell?!” Gwyneth screamed out as she pushed me out in front of her to stare at me. “HE DID WHAT?”

                I groaned. “He rejected my advances, Gwyn. It’s not a big deal. I just wanted to talk to you, you’re the only female friend I have and I have never been rejected like this before.”

                She smiled sympathetically. “You’re always the one doing the rejecting?”

                “No, I’ve never dated anyone before or anything like that. Back where I’m from everyone stayed away from me. I didn’t have any friends.” I said, watching Gwyneth’s mouth gape open.

                “They stayed away from you?” She asked as we began to walk towards the lake. “Like literally?”

                I nodded. “Yeah, like they were afraid to even touch me. It was like I was a walking plague…Gwyn? Was this just a game? A sick joke to be played on the pathetic human? I feel so stupid.”

                “Oh, babe. Please, don’t let this get to you. I’m sure there is a reason Jacek…said the things he did.” She said trying to be comforting.

                “We can’t do this, Cairyn. I’m sorry. That’s all he said. That’s all he said…” I felt my shoulders drop. “I need to get drunk.”

                Gwyneth nodded. Internally, she was cussing at Jacek a thousand times over. “Then, we’ll get you drunk, babe. We’ll find you a guy to dance with, and soon you’ll be forgetting about that moment on his bike.”

                “I sure hope so. Right now, I feel like tearing my face off with embarrassment.”

        We did exactly what we needed. Gwyneth found us drinks, lots of drinks, and with skill we avoided the guys. It was a lot harder than it looked, but at the same time we think they were staying away on purpose. Then I suddenly bumped into someone I didn’t expect.

                Gwyneth and I rocked the hell out of that dance floor, well, grass. Twisting and turning, dipping our hips and running our hands over ourselves. Lost in the beat. Lost in general. Then suddenly my hips were caught by hands, and I was almost dreading glancing over my shoulder to see who it was. Saying I was shocked, was an understatement. It wasn’t a guy, but a drop dead gorgeous lady with the side of her bright white blond hair shaved on one side and stunning blue eyes that I thought were glittering. Her full lips were a lovely shade of deep matte red, and her eyes were surrounded by a smoky effect. I was shocked to even see someone this beautiful holding onto me. Then again, she reminded me of someone.

                Gwyneth’s face looked just as shocked as I felt. “Marrison? I didn’t know you would be here tonight.”

                I’ve heard that name before, but where? The girl smiled at Gwyneth as she pulled my hair to the side. “Evening, Gwyn. I was told you brought my brother tonight? What’s going on with that?”

                Brother?

                Gwyneth swallowed hard. “Nothing, I swear. I’m changed, I didn’t do anything to Hexic I promise.”

                “Your Hexic’s sister?” I said before I felt lips press to the soft skin on my neck. Anywhere she touched left me tingling.

                She giggled a little, pulling my hips back into her. “My names Marrison Enders, but you can just call me Marri. I heard about you standing up for my brother, and I just had to meet you. Let me say, I’m very impressed.”

                My whole body shook against her as she whispered teasingly into my ear. “You’ve been looking for me? I’m nobody.”

                Marri nuzzled into me like this is what she had been waiting for. “Oh, you are anything but that, sugar. I can feel the way your body is reacting to me. As soon as I touched you, you relaxed against me. Tell me, what has you so stressed?”