As The Moon Phases

Dinner Date Late Night

    The rest of the afternoon was spent browsing through shops and small talk but I wasn't paying much attention to anything. I have been stuck in my head since I met Aradia. I was still really confused as to how she knew who I was. Not just my name it was as if she knew me and all my secrets.

    Before I know it it is dark out and we are at a restaurant waiting in line. The sad part is I don't even realize that we are there until Quinn grabs my arm and pulls me along and I snap out of my endless thoughts of psychics.

    "Welcome back to earth, space cadet."

    "Sorry I still have the Heebie-jeebies from the voodoo store," I say as a shiver runs down my whole body.

    "Don't worry about it. Aradia, I believe gets a kick out of freaking people out. She is great though. Very intuitive and caring."

    "If she is psychic like you said and that is how she knew my name then why did she say that she wasn't expecting me to show up yet? She said she knew I would come but not at this age."

    "Sometimes destiny is changed by interference or someone changing their minds about something. Sometimes psychics aren't told everything."

    As she finishes her sentence we hear cat-calls. Turning around we see the whole bunch, Riley, Mona, Carrick, Liam and Declan, heading our way. They reach us right as the hostess says she can seat us. 

    She takes us through a diner type, causal style restaurant and sits our menus on a large round table with a lazy susan in the middle. We all sit down and I end up with Quinn on my left with Carrick next to her, Mona next to him, Liam next to her, Riley next to him and finally Declan to my right. Since it is a larger table we aren't sitting too closely but I can feel electric shocks going up my right side. It is like a strong static electricity that is constant. I wonder if we were to touch if we would create a spark.

    I don't understand the attraction I feel towards Declan. I have never been this attracted to someone. It isn't just psychical though, don't get me wrong the guy is beyond sexy. But it's like there is some spiritual pull to him. My heart rate is erratic and we aren't even touching, hell we aren't even looking at each other. It's like an innate longing. I take a deep breath and try to clear my thoughts of all the unexplainable happenings of the day. Steading myself, I look up at the table with a smile. I have friends, I am not alone for once.

    "So Rowan, how was your first day?" Carrick asks.

    "It wasn't too shabby. I mean I was only at school for two and a half hours. The rest of the day was quite interesting. I ended up with two jobs today."

    "Well that's great," Mona says with a small smile. She looks a little sad though.

    "So how are you liking New Orleans?" Liam asks.

    I take a steadying breath and close my eyes a second. "To be honest it has become my favorite place in all my travels so far, and in such a short amount of time. It feels like home and I feel more cultured here. I don't really know how to describe it but it feels like fate me being here."

    I can feel a set of eyes gazing at me. Without looking I know Declan is studying me. I can feel it in my core. Before anyone else can ask any more questions the waitress comes over and takes our orders. 

    After she leaves I hear Riley speak for the first time tonight, "I think we all kinda know that feeling. We are all from different places except for Carrick and Mona. I am originally from New York."

    "That is one place I haven't traveled to yet. Did you like it there?" I ask. Her kick ass persona should have been a give away for New York born. I bet she is used to pushing her way to where she wants to be.

    "Yes, I miss it at times. It was a lot different from here. But I feel like this is home which is weird since I lived in New York longer. I have only been here since sophomore year."

    I am kind of surprised. I didn't feel like Riley would be the one to open up and talk to me about anything. The RBF from our earlier introduction had me believing she didn't like me or she was unapproachable.

    "I miss California"

    I looked to my right and there is a small hitch in my breathing. Just hearing Declan talk did that to me. What is wrong with me. You would think I was a love sick teen, or a nympho who hasn't had their fix in far too long.

    "Um..So you lived in California before?" I ask shyly. Stupid question why else would he say he missed it.

    "Yes. I moved here in eighth grade after my mother passed away."

    "Oh I am sorry to hear that."

    "Thanks. It was a long time ago. But I know what you mean about feeling at home here. I felt it within the first month of moving here."

    There is something about Declan's voice. When he speaks it  is like I am hypnotized and everyone else falls away. I forget all about the other people sitting at the table and it is just him and I. I am looking at him, watching his mouth move and then he turns towards me and our eyes lock. Again my breath hitches and I feel warm all over. I just want to grab him and kiss him. This is so weird. I have liked lots of boys, well not lots but a good bit, and I have kissed my share of boys but I have never felt such an innate longing.

    He smiles at me and I smile back. He turns his head to the side in a questioning look. Then I hear, "Earth to Rowan?"

    I shake my head and look towards where the noise came from and see Quinn giving me a questioning look as well.

    "Sorry, what?"

    "Declan was just asking if we all wanted to go to the club tonight," she says in a voice all knowing.

    "What club?" I ask.

    "There is a place in town that lets us in even though some of us aren't of age yet," replies Riley.

    "Sounds like fun. I'm in."

    The rest of dinner is passed with light chatter about nothing in particular. At one point Declan's leg brushes against mine and I feel like I want to faint from the contact. Electricity shoots through my whole body and I have to yet again take a calming breath. But when my napkin falls from my lap I reach down to pick it up and so does he. Under the table our hands and heads are within inches of each other. I look into his eyes again and he smiles.

    "I got it," he says picking the napkin up and placing it on my leg. Once it's there he runs his hand down my thigh. A moan almost escapes my mouth. Holy s**t this guy has some sort of spell on me. If we weren't in a public place I might jump his bones.

    All of a sudden I hear clapping and I look up to see the wait staff heading our way with a cake filled with lit candles. Then everyone at the table starts clapping and singing happy birthday. I look at Quinn and she looks guilty. She promised me that she wouldn't say anything but I must admit it is nice having friends to celebrate my special day with, and it isn't long before I start smiling. Then I blow out the candles, making a wish that all my days here can be as good as this one.

    We all have our share of cake and then we are paying our checks.

    "Hey guys lets go. I am ready to dance," Riley states to the group.

    I am still breathing erratically, from Declan's touch, as we get up to leave. This is going to be a long night.

                                                                    ******************************

    We arrive at a club and the bouncer lets us in without checking any of our ID's. Heading straight to the bar Quinn yells out, "What do you want to drink?"

    I have had drinks before but I am not a huge partier so I just get a cranberry vodka. I take in my surroundings. The place isn't that bad, busy but not overly crowded. They are playing some older club music but everyone seems to be enjoying it. Once we have our drinks Riley and Quinn talk me into joining them on the dance floor. 

    I love dancing. I get shy at times but the alcohol and beat tonight get me in a daze and I let go. Right now they are playing Tonight, by Enrique Iglesias. The beat starts pulling me in and the lights are flickering putting me in a trance and I start to move. So I dance provocatively who cares, dancing makes me feel free. The words to the song are making me think of Declan, I have traveled a lot and I have never felt what I do for him and we don't even know each other yet.

    I find myself looking back to the table where we were before heading to the dance floor. I don't see any of the guys. I turn back around to ask the girls where they went and I see Carrick dancing with Quinn. They don't seem so shy on the dance floor. Carrick has his hands on her hips and they both have a little grind going on. To my surprise Liam and Riley were also getting down. Liam has been so quiet, so I never pictured him being outgoing, but why come to a club if you aren't going to dance, right? Again I wonder where Declan went.

    All of a sudden I feel a hand travel down my arm and tingles travel through my whole body. Declan. I turn around and instantly get lost in his eyes. I throw my arms around his neck and we start dancing. We don't break eye contact.

    After two dances I am sweaty and my whole body is vibrating with the beat and lust. Declan ducks down and whispers in my ear "You are an amazing dancer." My breathing accelerates and I find myself turning before he moves away, catching his eyes I get some sort of bravery and duck down and capture his lips. 

    I shock him. He seems to jump a little but he doesn't pull away. After a few seconds I pull away, take a breathe and pull him closer for another kiss. Opening my mouth I run my tongue across his sealed lips asking for him to open. Instead he pulls away from me and then apologies.

    I am shocked and embarrassed when Quinn comes up to me. 

    "Hey lady maybe we should head out. We have a long day tomorrow with you starting at the voodoo shop and Saints and Sinners."

    "Wait you're going to work at the voodoo shop," Declan asks with a disdained tone.

    "Yes that is one of the two jobs I got today," I snap back, my brow raising in a form of asking what the f**k is it to you. I don't like the way he asked me that.

    "Sorry I didn't realize you were into that bullshit. Just another one of those girls. Looking to "magic" to make their life easier," He says with the air quotes around the word magic.

    I stare at him with my mouth open, who the hell is this guy? Although I still feel the attraction, the anger inside me is helping fight it off finally. 

    "Declan? Seriously? I work there to prick," Quinn says.

    He just continues to glower at her and me.

    "Actually I am one of those girls who need money and I am going to take any job offered. We can't all live off Daddy's money. Come on Quinn lets go before Declan starts to feel dirty with girls like us too near him. Excuse me," I say brushing past him and his stupid holier than thou attitude.

    As Rowan and Quinn walk out they don't notice the dark eyes watching from the corner. He found the show quite entertaining. Watching boy wonder get turned down was the making of a great night. But he also enjoyed the little fire girl's show on the dance floor, he wondered if she would get that heated on a dance floor with him.