Hate me, love me, kiss me

Guardianship

"Siren?" My brothers voice peaks through the door. I was nervous, I didn't know what he was going to say about Alan. He extends his hand out for Alan to shake, leaving me surprised. Alan takes his hand, Ryan is obviously gripping it hard. 

"Would you like to join us for dinner?" Ryan asks. 

"Uh, no I couldn't possibly intrude." Alan smiles. I look at Alan, 

"You wouldn't intrude-" I say pulling him towards the door as Ryan opens it. 

"I'm making corned beef and cabbage." I can hear his low growl. I wonder what a werewolf eats- raw.  Ryan and Alan sit in silence, staring at each other as I make dinner. Since we have company over I decide I'm going to make a peach cobbler, with the fresh peaches I picked from the farmers market a few days ago. I've been wondering what I'd do with them, this is a great excuse. I hate eating them by themselves, there messy and sticky and can ruin a good dress too. I place the peaches accordingly and spread the juices around evenly. I then place the pie crust over it and stick it in the oven, should be ready within 45 minutes. I check on the roasting corned beef cooking in the slow cooker. It smells delicious in here. I notice Stetson and Carl also approaching the back door. When I look at them I point to the living room, they both nod there heads and make there way around to the front door.  I guess I should get two more plates, there whole pack better not show up. I don't have that much food left. I grab a one of our more fancy table cloths, I set out a few glasses and two choice of drink- water and milk- I hope they like both. I set out 6 dinner plates and 6 desert plates. I then set out an assortment of table ware. I grab the corned beef with a pair of tongs and set it out on a cheap boat plate I bought from the 10 cent store. I then place the cooked cabbage across the boat plate pouring left over juices onto the corned beef. I set the plate in the middle of the table. I rush over to my pie and grab it from the oven placing it on the counter. I have to let that rest for 15 minutes before I put it in the fridge for five. I wipe my hands on my apron, placing the apron on the counter. I put my hands together and say 

'Dinners ready!" I smile. I am really happy Ryan wasn't over protective about Alan, it came at such a surprise too. I watch as five of us sit down, I wonder if mother didn't hear me. I look at Ryan, 

"Help yourselves, I'm sure my mother won't mind." I smile. I push my self out of my chair and quickly head over to her room. 

*Soft knocks* 

I knock on her door quietly in case she is sleeping, 

"Mom?" I ask. 

"I'm going to open the door now, I hope your dressed." I open the door and see her sprawled on her bed. Her breathing is deep and long, she's out cold. She must have had a long week at rehab. I let her sleep, I'm sure there will be left overs for her tomorrow. I walk back over to the dining room table and remove her spot from the table. I sit myself down, the room is really quite. 

"So, is it good?" I look down but they haven't touch there plates- worse yet, there is nothing on there plates, Ryan  is the only one that has. 

"What, you don't like to eat?" Ryan mutters. I slap his hand as he chomps on his food. He gives me the 'what' look. 

"Well, you see, we've eaten before-" Alan tries to explain, but Carter interrupts. 

"Your food smells like wet dog." He says. Excuse me?! I tighten my fist, 

"Carter, do you realize how much money I spent on this?! How long it took me to prepare for this dinner?! Do you even care?" Carters eyes open wide, but then his arrogance fills his tiny brain.

"I don't care how poor you are Serenity, a four year old can make a better corned beef than you." I felt tears welling in my eyes, I grab my silver fork and bring it to my sides, thinking he didn't see it. 

"Only a dog can smell it's own kind." I snap, I rush past him with tears falling, I grab the fork and stab him into the shoulder.After realizing how my anger took over me I ran into my room, before slamming the door I yelled,

"I WANT EVERYONE OUT! NOW!" 

*Door slams* I leap into the bed crying into my pillow. Why has this hurt me so much? All I wanted was to hang out with Alan. But Carter is always ruining things, and I haven't even known him that long. I should probably say goodnight to Ryan, he's heading off into town for a couple days with my Dad to a car show, hoping to snag some cheap parts from sellers who don't need them. But I'm too sad, I feel like someone took a knife into my heart and kept pushing.

...

O V E R D O S E 

I haven't slept in a few days, I've been trying to improve on my cooking, my anger, my senior project, two semester finals, let alone my volleyball techniques. Just by re-watching old tapes my mother put in storage. Normally people who don't sleep pass out in exhaustion but I feel like I'm on speed. I close my locker but am met by a man who smells like grease.  

"hey baby." he gives me a quick air smooch. I've never seen this man in my life and I've been here awhile. 

"are you a werewolf?" He takes off his sunglasses. He looks in my eyes, but I close them. 

"That doesn't work on me if my eyes are closed." He grabs my face, 

"Then open them." His cold voice shakes my spine, his grip gets harder around my face.

"HEY!" I hear Alan yell. I can hear his feet pound against the tile, 

"Let go of her!" His fist hits against the other guys face, letting go of me. I open my eyes and see Alan squeezing his neck staring him in the eyes. 

"How dare you touch her. She's under my protection. Who's your pack master?!" Alan says, but his mouth doesn't move, how? My eyes widen. I grab my book from the floor and search through the book, 

' A werewolf can communicate with each other through there minds, a form of mind reading.'  So how can I hear them?

"I'm just looking for the ring man. Please don't kill me." Alan's grip gets tighter, 

"DON'T!" I yelled. Everyone clearly hearing me. Alan looks puzzled but clearly so am I. He looks back at the man, 

"I don't ever want to see your face here ever again. Tell your pack master if I notice your brand at this school I will rip every fur off your body." The guy runs out the double doors and scurry's away. Alan extends his hand, helping me get up. 

"Thank you." I whisper. 

"I won't let a werewolf harm you, ever. I'm sorry about a few nights ago. Carter is still a pup." I smile. Alan, 

"Would you like to join me for a cup of coffee this fine morning." I can't think about the last time I just sat down and enjoyed a moment for awhile. I'm always doing something, whether school related or home related. I nod, I don't have anything going on for a few hours. The student I'm supposed to tutor cancelled on me, so I don't see why not. I am hoping my mind isn't playing a trick on me again. That wasn't fair, I really like him. I look at my locker and notice the dent the guy put in it from leaning against it. Alan grabs my hand, in front of everyone in the high school. At first I hated it, it was so embarrassing but then, something about this made me feel so warm inside, worse than butterflies. He's the first person that has ever showed me love, love that isn't forced because they feel bad for me. 

We walk to the coffee shop a few blocks from the school. I order a coffee and Alan pays for it. I still don't quite understand what I am doing here, are we here to talk or sit in silence.  I'm fine with either one. We sit down at a table and I drink the caramel Frappuccino.

"You're in danger." I play with the straw in my drink, bringing it up and down. 

"I know." His eyebrow raises when I say that. 

"what? Your howling isn't exactly quiet. Also, the last couple nights I saw a wolf patrolling my house, very closely. You know, if my mother sees you, she'll freak." His head tilts, like a real dog would. 

"She's a paranoid woman. She thinks anything and everything is out to get her. Besides, she's drinking again so it's a little bit stronger than normal. When I grabbed my coffee my long sleeve exposed the multiple bruises on my arm. He looks down and notices, he grabs my hand and raises the sleeve. 

"Did she do this to you?" He asks. 

"No, I think I played a little to hard with Rhonda and sunshine, I hit my hand on the wooden fence." I say pulling my sleeve back down. I've been put through worse with my mother, her hitting me doesn't raise the peak of what she can really do. I've been scratched, burned one time, she's tried drowning me in alcohol. 

"One time, she drowned me in alcohol claiming that I was born from the man who's chasing after her, she started yelling at me 'How does it feel not being able to escape?!' she terrified me. The smell of alcohol made me want to vomit." Alan's face was calm but his body said it all, he didn't like the way she made me feel. But you know I don't really mind how she treats me sometimes, it's the only time she shows me love; even if it hurts. I look down at my watch, I have another 45 minutes before I have to go. 

I told him more of what I've been through, he wanted to listen so I told him. I told him my parents like my older brother more than me, it's always been that way. But my brother always made sure he returned there love in his own way. I told him more in detail how my mother treats me, all of us. He asked me what she is so afraid of but I couldn't tell him. My mother when she's drunk has a habit of not sharing information, it's almost like her brain tells her what not to say, even when her brain isn't able to function fully.  

We sat in silence for a little while and I enjoyed it. I don't get much silence anywhere else, not even when I'm alone in my bedroom. My brain is always on, like it's writing a story. But not even it knows how this ends. 

"Can we be friends?" I blurt out. Turning my head to him quickly, waiting for his reaction. 

"We weren't?" He asks. I shake my head,

"I just felt like I needed to be around you, so I did." 

"Absolutely we can be friends .Serenity, I need you to know that you are in danger, seriously. If anything tries to hurt you, I will kill them."