Between Ties

A Little Too Fast. A Little Too Quickly

Rhyett's Point of View

Alicia slurred her words as her one hand now quickly gripped my shoulder while Maverick stood beside me in the kitchen, tilting the bottle to fill both of our glasses with the transparent liquid labeled Gin.

I sat on the countertop of the kitchen island while our glasses were placed beside me, his dark floppy hair had hung down as he focused as much as an almost drunk person could and then Alicia from English classed pulled my attention with her voice.

"S-sometimes." She burped and then I c****d my head back making sure it didn't hit my face, she smiled from embarrassment and then brushed it off to continue "he doesn't get-get get it."

She shrugged throwing her hands up "I told him I wanted him to meet my parents but- but!" She gave up trying to fight her argument in her head "you know what Rhyett, f**k it!"

She sniffed and then looked over at Mav's who had just handed me my glass, his eyes were narrow as he didn't have any emotion on his face.

I smiled thinly to form a thank you while Maverick looked serious probably thinking about whatever f****d up thing he was going through, that he probably would deny if I asked.

I mean, I think we're friends now, but I can't let him verbally know that. He'd get mad and probably distance himself again, I don't get it. We obviously have a connection but sometimes he pretends that I'm the worst thing to ever come into his life,

Or maybe he wasn't pretending. Either way I liked this, him and I talking again,

"Yo, Alicia. I'm not trying to be a d**k but your voice is annoying. I came into the kitchen to get away from the noise, but f**k!! can you just-" He spoke seriously as he moved in closer to her to have her clearly hear him.

He wanted to finish his sentence off with "go", but then shook off his thoughts and pulled a dirty face. "Go find Beth!" He shrugged referring to the girl he was seeing as if she was nothing,

It was kind of harsh.

I mean I get that he's been drinking but- "she likes gossip and fixing people's relationship problems." He paused and then looked over at me as I was completely stunned but didn't say anything "I don't know about Rhy, but I simply couldn't care less right now. We all got our s**t to deal with." He said and then turned around to ignore her and downed his glass as her face looked heartbroken,

What a d**k.

"A little harsh, don't you think?" I smiled thinly, obviously not impressed. I shoved him lightly "Apologize, that was out of line." I was serious as he scoffed and then laughed ignoring my words as Alicia was about to walk away with tears glistening in her eyes but then I grabbed her wrist to pull her back,

"No!" I said to her and then she stayed standing, awkwardly sniffing and staring at the floor. I think she was about to cry,

But I wasn't sure.

I then gripped his face with my hand, feeling the bone structure of his sharp jawline and the soft skin of his cheeks and then forced him to look at her,

and in less than a second later he had lifted me off the countertop with his strong arms wrapped in his hoody, he held me up while my legs had wrapped around his waist as I tried not to fall from his crazy actions.

What the hell is he doing!

I breathed fast, I was a little scared as I had no idea how he had gotten me in this position so quickly. I swallowed as my heart began to beat at full speed like the sound of kick drum as I felt my back being pressed up against the kitchen wall and felt eyes of everyone in the kitchen staring. It felt like time had slowed down and I could literally feel the silence in my throat,

And in that moment I had realized how wrong this had looked and I knew in my heart that he didn't intend for it too come off as flirtatious, he was trying to scare me and and I knew this. So I tried to fight my way for him to put me down before Xander or Beth saw this and took it in a way that wasn't innocent,

but I was too weak for him.

He smirked and then his smiled died into a solemn glare before he had spoken "don't f*****g tell me what to do." He dropped me down onto the floor as I tried to catch my breath, holding my hand to my chest, still trying to recover from when he had lifted me so quickly.

He then picked up his glass again to walk towards the living area of the penthouse to rejoin the dancing bodies, blaring music and glowing purple and blue lights that flooded the place with its mystery and alluring touch.

He stood in front of Alicia who was clearly standing in his way and then said in a thick voice as if he was forcing it out.

"I humbly apologize, Alicia." He stared at her and then she said "it's okay, Maverick." Before stepping aside also forcing her forgiveness, her eyes looked sad but then she had noticed her friend who was full of energy running to to her to put her in a party mood, oblivious of anything that had just taken place.

He glanced back at me and then shook his head annoyed with me, before completely leaving to enter the other room, almost falling over his feet.

He sat himself down on the empty couch taking off his Nike's as if he was done with this party and wanted to be home. He then sat his glass down onto the table and stared at the people dancing before him,

I watched him push himself back onto the couch before getting my eyes pulled completely to see dark hair swaying on the other side of the now open space that was the dance floor, grabbing my attention instantly as if I was vampire drawn to the smell of blood.

Beth?

I wasn't sure. I walked into the living area and then saw blonde hair, and knew that those shinny locks were obviously Xander's.

Xander held onto her waist, as they swayed like liquid. It was as if I was watching two souls intertwine in their own galaxy that only they had existed in, I didn't like it. I swallowed.

God, please tell me I'm hallucinating.

I glanced at Maverick to see if he was seeing this too,

He was,

But strangely he didn't seemed bothered, and I knew how much he liked Beth,

But I'm not him. I pressed my brows together, as I felt a little pissed off, and maybe jealous.

He went on a date with me, he rented out a restaurant for me, he even wanted everyone to know that he was into me, but then he does this.

Are you actually joking,

Okay maybe I'm being dramatic, we're not even dating...but I-

Nope, go over there!

I want answers. I'm always wanting answer. I shrugged,

and then began to push through the crowed of people who seemed like they were glued to their spots, not wanted to move as I tried to get through and then passed the couches only to feel thick fingers grip my wrist pulling me to stare down at him,

Almost pulling my mind along too, from my focused irritation.

"I wouldn't if I were you." Maverick said and then I looked at him as if he was stupid "How are you just sitting here! You literally love her and you're just sitting here!?"

"It's not that deep Rhy, plus I'm not insecure." He let go of my arm. "They always do this, I'm not much of a dancer and Beth is, they both are, they get drunk and they always dance together."

He looked at me, with now calm but stern eyes. The anger I had seen in them earlier was gone. It's as if we had switched emotions in less than five minutes, but I think he was forcing his mind to fight whatever built up anger his issues had made him feel, in order to be calm,

Maybe be calm for me, because I wasn't right now.

"That doesn't make s**t okay though." I said to him "I'm cool with it, they aren't f*****g. They're just dancing Rhy. Chill."

"They're practically having s*x with their clothes on!" I said and then smiled at how ridiculous I sounded, but I was still pissed though.

His smiled followed mine. "Look, you have two options, you can go over there and cause a f*****g scene and have them both tell you how silly you're being, in front of everyone." He paused and then narrowed his eyes in a smiley way and I knew he didn't have a second option as I laughed at how long he was taking to continue while I had waited.

"Or..." I took his hand and pulled him onto his feet forcefully and then he broke his hand from mine before I said "You can dance with me and I can cause a scene tomorrow instead." I completed his Sentence for him.

I just really wanted to forget this, and if Xander and Beth could dance together. Why couldn't Maverick and I? None of us were in a relationship and I didn't see Maverick in that way,

He was my friend, and that was it.

"I didn't offer myself." He said trying to play with me "plus I just told you ya boy don't dance."

"Not without shoes you don't!" I said quickly picking up his shoes from the ground holding it in my hands.

"I'm not doing it! Why don't I just sit here and you dance for me."

"Dance for you? What am I ? A stripper? you gana throw ones at me too?" I said and then he laughed, I love when he laughs,

it's seldom.

"Nah I ain't that cheap, but you gotta work for that 20 though." He created a smirk with his lips and then I shoved him.

This was good, we're friends again...

Or are we? s**t at this point I really can't keep up anymore.

"Mavs!" I nagged "come on!" I said acting like a little kid as I threw a tantrum playfully and then he stopped me as he glanced around to see if anyone was looking "Okay fine, stop embarrassing me and I will!"

"Deal." I said calming down and then he plopped himself back onto the couch,

I was confused.

"What are you-"

"Well. If I'm going to be forced to f*****g dance, I want my damn Cinderella moment. Don't try to rob me from that shit."

He lifted his legs and held out his feet that had been coated in fresh socks, waiting for me to put his shoes on.

"Come on princess charming, the nights not young no more." He said as his eyes pointed to his shoes that I had held in my hands.

"You're really something else!" I said rolling my eyes as I shook my head and then put his very clean Nike's onto his feet. I tied his laces and then he had gotten up and did a tightness test as he had moved around in his shoes a little.

"Perfect fit!" He was being funny and then I played along,

I held out my hand and then said "Cinderella, may I have this dance?"

Mav's I hate you.

I smiled.

"I thought you'd never ask." He said and then put his hand into mine but before I could take the lead he had instantly became dominant and dragged me onto the dance floor, causing me to pick up my pace. I laughed while he pushed through the crowed "the f**k out my way!" He said seriously trying to make the crowed give us space to pass through "I'm not playing! Move!" He said and the people scattered quickly, he spread the crowd apart like Moses had parted the Red Sea.

"Can you chill!" I laughed as we were now standing in the middle of the dance floor as Selena's Crowded Room, began to play.

"I love this song." I said in my baby voice.

"I know, living in the apartment right across from yours makes it very easy to know what songs you like." He joked referring to me always playing my music loudly, I shoved him as I began to blush because he had probably seen me dance around in my apartment a million times and sometimes my moves needed a little work.

"So what now? I don't dance so...you need to walk me through this." he nodded waiting for my command.

"Okay first, you can....hold me." I said not knowing how to teach someone how to dance with me, but I'm trying.

"Like this?" He asked after confidently putting his strong hands on my hips, as if this was some 90's romcom and we're at prom.

I wish we could always be like this, him and I had potential of a friendship that could be so deep, but I know that tomorrow when his sober he'll go back to forgetting me, and then it was my turn to be Cinderella.

But I didn't want to think about that, I just wanted to enjoy tonight. I smiled.

"Or like this?" He quickly spun me around taking me by compete surprise and then pressed my back against his chest, pulling me in as he held onto my waist. He lowered his head to rest his chin in my neck to speak those words into my ear, but all I could smell was the alluring smell of his cologne.

I then slowly reached my hand up to have my delicate fingers glide through his floppy straight black hair, I breathed deeply.

He really does look like Jim Hawkins from Disney's Treasure Planet. I thought as my fingers felt the silkiness of his strands.

"This is..." I felt my heart beat fast as he began to sway with me.

He lied, he can dance.

Asshole.

"Fine, I guess." I finished my sentence with a swallow as I tried to catch my breath, inhaling his cologne again as if I needed it to live,

Why was it so easy with him, why-

My thoughts got distracted as I felt a vibration coming from inside of his jeans pocket, which had made me instantly turn around to face him as my curled red hair twisted through the air along with my movement as he pulled out his phone to read the text.

His face dropped from his content expression and then he said.

"s**t, I need to go. I'm not driving tonight, I had obviously been drinking so my brothers here to get me." He said in an almost sad tone.

"Is it already midnight?" I said referring to Cinderella and then he caught the reference.

"I'm afraid so. I'll see you at home." He said and I knew that he meant that he'll see me and I'll see him because our buildings were across from each other but,

It sounded cute, as if we had lived together. I wanted to tease him about it, but I'll save it for tomorrow.

Knowing Mav's was leaving had made me feel like I was going to feel alone being here although Xander was still about, but him dancing with Beth means he's distracted and I just don't feel like, 

Feeling alone right now. I think I should just go home. I need to rest and honestly nothing would feel better than cuddling with all my plush toys and going off to bed.

"Hey, do you think your brother would be okay with me catching a ride with you? I don't really think I can deal with Xander and Beth tonight. I'd rather go home."

He smiled "Yeah sure, Kenzo wouldn't mind. Get your shit." He shrugged.

"Wait, your brothers name's Kenzo. That's a cool name." I said and then we walked over to the couch as I picked up my bag and the hoody I had brought along with me.

"Yeah, I have three brothers. Kenzo, Tusco and Nixon." He nodded and then he pulled the front door of Beth's penthouse open for me to exit through and then I walked underneath his arm to safely pass through before he had closed the door behind himself,

Leading us out into the passage.

Maverick's Point of View

We got to the ground floor and then I followed her out, into the open and slightly chilly streets of New York City, and sure I wasn't f*****g going straight home,

But dropping her off first was something I'm sure Kenzo wouldn't mind, he is the father figure amounts the four of us and he wouldn't mind taking an intoxicated girl safely home,

Plus he owed me, I reunited with the witches from Hocus Pocus just like he wanted so the b***h owes me.

I noticed Kenzo's white Range Rover pull up against the side walk as Rhyett stood beside me putting her hoody on "Is this him?" She asked.

I was confused as I answered her "yeah" this was his work car, I mean of f*****g course a ranger rover was his work car, his one of the most successful medical doctors in New York,

But he wouldn't fetch me with the range.

The car came to a halt as the passenger window buzzed down only for me to see the Devil himself holding onto the steering wheel with both hands, his blue eyes shimmers as he wore an evil grin,

"Your girlfriend Elizabeth, looks a little different." He said trying to piss me off in his f*****g British accent. "Where the f**k is Kenzo!?" I glared as I noticed Kenzo's phone laying on the passenger seat.

"Don't get your knickers in a bunch brother, he's at the spot. I told him I would get you, I was leaving from an interview anyway." He said and it would make sense that he was driving Kenzo's car, to keep a low profile but Kenzo could have at least f*****g warned me, but then again Nixon has his phone for God knows what f*****g reason.

"Nixon!?" I heard Rhy yell as she saw the face of actual satan in flesh form, while pulling her head through her hoody to then pull it down and it have it sit properly. Her eyes were in complete disbelief.

Fuck, I need to keep her far away from him.

"When you said Nixon was one of your brothers names, I was not expecting Nixon Van Halen!" She pulled her long red hair out of the hoody that held it captive to have it rest over her shoulder.

"In the flesh!" He soaked up her admiration for his shitty rock music.

"This is wild! Your brother had like two number ones on the billboard rock charts!"

"Yes, let's all praise our very own Russell Brand." I said sarcastically with a straight face "We're getting a cab. I'm going to make sure she gets home and I'll meet you at the spot."

I guess I'm driving under the influence tonight.

"Now that's harsh, I'm way better looking than Russell Brand." He said toying with me "Get in Maverick." He was a little serious and then looked up at the moon to remind me that it was full "we're already late."

"Look Nix, I'm not playing. We're going to take her straight home, no bullshit. Got it!" I was stern looking him dead in the eye and then he nodded.

"Fine," he rolled his eyes at me and then turned back to face her "hop in love." He said to her in a cheery tone and then I opened the backseat car door for her as she climbed inside and mouthed "I can't believe this is happening!" without him seeing me reading her lips,

Now, I f*****g would get into the passenger seat because I guess at this point the dancing game was over and it was no longer fair play. Beth wouldn't sit next to Xander in the backseat of a car so I shouldn't sit next to Rhy, but I felt like I had to be close to her, because I didn't trust him not just with her but with anyone,

And I never f*****g will, the poster child for black magic wasn't someone I would want to get anyone I cared about involved with,

Yes, I f*****g maybe care about her, a little.

I climbed in beside her and then shut the door.

"It's Nixon Van Halen!" She whispered to me still in awe as I exhaled deeply.

I really wish it f*****g wasn't.

"So how was the party darling, sorry for my ill manners but I didn't get your name?" He spoke to her, looking at her in the rearview mirror,

"She doesn't have one." I answered for her and then she looked at me with a confused mean look on her face and I knew that I had to shut the f**k up, before I made this seem weird but I was only trying to protect her,

"Rheytt." She said to him politely.

"Oh cute, well goodnight Rhyett!" He shrugged and before she could react to him in a confused manner, her body fell to the side almost collapsing as I caught her in my arms allowing her to rest on me as I used my arms to hold her up.

"What the f**k!?" I felt the rage boil in my soul as I screamed at him and then leaned forward before grabbing his neck from the backseat as the car swerved before he gained control again,

Black magic. I didn't hear a spell and he didn't make a sacrifice.

I felt my hand heating up as it began to burn the flesh of his neck with its flaming touch. "Wake her the f**k up, or I swear I will f*****g set your throat on fire!"

He began to cough and then said, "do it and I'll take the air out of your lungs and then I'll kill her too, baby brother we do kind of need a sacrifice to bring our father back to life!" In the most suffocated voice I had heard him speak in.

A human sacrifice. The resurrection spell is in our fathers grimoire would never acquire a human sacrifice. We don't uses humans as sacrifices. What the f**k was he talking about. I brushed it off, but remembered to bring it up later.

"Air out of my lungs?" I mocked him "The f**k outta here with your Aang The Avatar s**t. I'd love to see you try after I kill you." I said heating up my hand to an even hotter degree and then he yelled, intertwining his laugher with volumes of darkness "fine! fine! Stop! I'll wake her up! You win!"

He said and then I let go of his neck almost pushing him towards the window and then he touched his burnt skin and smirked.

"That's going to leave a nasty bruise." he said.

"Wake her up! now!" I demanded and then lifted her lifeless body to have her lay comfortably in my arms,

She was helpless.

"I can't," he said and then I screamed "what the f**k do you mean you can't!?"

"It's a full moons sleep. She won't wake up until after the full moon has passed." He said matter-of-factly. "So by tomorrow morning she'll be up, it ain't a big deal. She looked tired and like she hadn't slept in days. I was doing her a favor. At least now she'll have a good nights rest Maverick." He shrugged and then I exhaled deeply,

It would be so easy for me to kill him, I could set his house on fire with him inside of it, or I could tie his dumbass up and set him on fire instead staring with his hair.

"You still want me to take her home?" He asked "I mean you could just put her into bed and tell her that she had passed out, when she asks you what happened last night."

"No, we're taking her with us." I said, I couldn't leave her in her apartment basically unconscious, anything could happen and it would be on me,

Technically on Nixon,

But he didn't give a f**k about her and I was related to him so,

it would definitely be on me,

And to be f*****g honest. I'm not cool with leaving her unattended in this state. I'll take her with us, that way I know she's safe and then I'll take her home before the full moon fades out, just in time to have her wake up.

I tried to create a solution in my head.

"Cool, I guess we have ourselves a sacrifice." He played so he could get a rise out of me. No human is going to get sacrificed and I'll make damn sure of that.

"Refer to her as a f*****g sacrifice one more time and I'll turn you into one. Air is the most useless element amongst the four of us, and we won't even miss you..." I said seriously and then tried to calm down my emotions as I had her lay in my arms as if she was a baby, I looked down at her and her shinny hair that had gotten f*****g everywhere and then said "I swear Nix no more bullshit, so you better keep f*****g driving and shut yo dumbass the f**k up, if you know what's good."