Hate me, love me, kiss me

Beguiled

I'm too poor to afford lunch at my school and home, so the majority of the time I just skip most meals. So I'm the first one at the student body room, and I'm greeted by another, I think his name was Adam- no, 

"Alan, I'm hungry. When can we go hun-" That's right his name is Alan. I meet his eyes again, the younger looking one- carter? Stops talking. Alan rushes over to me,

"Serenity right? What brings you here?" I slowly walk into the room,

"Uhm, I'm apart of the student body. What are you doing here?" I said. Alan sits back in his chair and places his feet on the table. 

"We were told to come here and see if anyone was able to show us around. Us being new and all, we were hoping you could." He smiles from ear to ear.

"I don't know why, we're perfectly capable of doing things on our o-" Carter tries to spit out before stetson elbows him in the gut. I raise an eyebrow and feel enraged. But my eyes were drawn back to Alan. have I mentioned how hot he looks.He has dark brown fluffy hair, his eyes are a fiery Amber, and those muscles, they are perfectly symmetrical, I almost want to draw him. He dresses like the older more mature brother for sure. He makes me run out of breath. I bite my lip letting my fantasies rule over me. 

"What do you think, Serenity? Would you like to show us around?" I look down at my watch, I have volleyball practice in an hour or so. Would I be back in time, there is a lot to show. 

"What grades are you in?" He raises an eyebrow,

"Senior?" He curls his bottom lip and nods his head,

"Sure." 

"perfect. I need to be back at the gym by 1:45.  I have practice." 

"Practice for what?"

"Volleyball." 

"What's volleyball?"

"This sport is so underrated, there shoot be a nvl (National volleyball league) you know, like  NFL. Basically 12 girls trying to score a point." 

...

I show them a lot of the school, the only one that has been talking is Alan. But with a voice like his, that's the only one I want to hear. 

w h y d o g i r l s f a l l ?

I look down at my watch as the guys play basketball, I have 10 minutes, I need to help with set up. I've had my eyes glued to this book, that I didn't notice them playing basketball without their shirts.The two of them have a very healthy six-pack. Wait, there is only two? Where is Alan? 

"what are you reading?" I nearly jump out of my skin before I notice him sitting right next to me. I look at my cover,

"It's a sci-fi, it's to embarrassing to admit." He smiles, staring me in the eyes,

"You can tell me."

"It's about werewolf's. It's actually really risque, supposed to be a true story but, I don't believe it." He raises an eyebrow,

"You don't believe it? The book or werewolf's?" 

"Both I guess. I mean, I believe in the supernatural like vampires but- I don't know, werewolf's seem to go hand in hand in everything that it just doesn't seem possible to be in more than one place at once." The sun shines in my eyes, I can feel the embarrassment rising in my cheeks.  

"Anyway, I have to go set up the volleyball nets and get the balls out. I hope I showed you enough, we ca-" I for some reason can't finish my sentence. It's almost like my body can't or won't finish it. I want to tell them to leave and see them tomorrow but my mouth and heart won't let me. I try it a couple more times but I can't. Out of pity Alan begins to talk but I start to hear a small voice telling me to invite them to watch me. Would that seem odd?

"If you want you can come and watch." He smiles, a lot.

"We'd love to." He stands up,

"Guys come on. We're going to help Serenity  set up her volleyball." I snort trying to hold back the laughter. 

"What?" He smiles, again. 

"You don't set up volleyball. You set up to play volleyball."

...

What is coach going to think when I bring three males to watch 14 girls play volleyball. They better not distract me. 

The boys help me set up the net and bring out the ball cart, it's so much easier when someone is helping me. I hurry up and get dressed in the girls locker room. I take off shoes and slip on my knee pads, I open my locker and grab my volleyball shoes. I put on my ankle braces and then my shoes. I tie my hair in a high ponytail and put on my headband. I walk out the door and see the three of them talking with the other girls of my team. I have to be faster at set up so I can warm up before them. I grab a ball when Emily (her name means 'rival' and that is exactly who she is, my rival)- the one that slung her bag in my shoulder- approaches me, 

"Bringing them was probably the dumbest thing you've ever done white." She walks away. I begin to slam the ball to the ground so it would hit against the wall. The only difference, I'm putting all my anger into it. Why did I get offended by what she said? I felt someones hand on my shoulder, I turn around and the ball hits me right in the face with all my force that I delivered to it. I get knocked down. 

"Dammit." That shows me I shouldn't get mad so easily. I look up and see Coach. 

"You okay?" 

"Yeah, she just, I've been really sensitive today."

"Thanks for setting up. Shall we warm up?" I nod my head and hustle to my quickly rolling ball. I begin throwing the ball to her to warm up my shoulders. The scrimmage game is in two days, I'm excited and nervous. San Diego is really, really good. I used to go to Torrey pines with my mom-before she got drunk and paranoid- and watch them play when I was in middle school. There number 2 in the U.S for high school volleyball. we're number four and climbing up fast. I'm hoping this scrimmage will show people not to underestimate us. It's taken us 4 years to climb from #22 to #4. I'm in my senior year and want everyone to remember us. More importantly I want my team to remember what we have accomplished even if a little snot like Emily makes them think I only want this victory for myself. 

I continuously spike the ball down on Emily and I block whatever ball tries to bring. Right now, the score is 24-3 and this is a 3-0  match. my team has won two of three sets but we're about to take the third one. I keep looking over at the boys and the only one that seems to be paying attention is Alan. My heart skips a bit, I felt the wind coming at me. I immediately let out my hands and let the hard ball hit against my platform sending it right over to the setter. She yells for pipe but send it to me as I slide and hit it cross court sending it on line. Earning the winning point for us. 

"Amazing game team." I make sure to let that word play a little longer. Everyone is amazed by the last play, of course Emily has to ruin it. 

"What kind of performance enhancer pill are you taking. There was no way you could have gotten that ball in time. That's the only reason I can come up with. So, siren. Enlighten me. How did you do it?" I roll my eyes. 

"Math, but you wouldn't understand that. Would you?" I walked away intentionally bumping into her shoulder. 

I look at my phone, eight missed calls from Ryan? I click his number and wait for him to answer.

...

W A T C H O U T I T M I G H T B I T E.

I took my shower and got dressed quickly getting out of the thick sh*t I am in. I stuff my towel in my locker and walk out of the locker room. I move my feet quickly, I have to get home. 

"Hey, is everything okay?" Alan says moving at my speed. I stop, his hand on my shoulder. I shake my head with tears filling my eyes. Why do I feel so close to you? I want to pour everything into your cup, and you would be willing to drink it. 

"Siren. We have to go." Ryan has his arms crossed, he's right. His Jaw is clenched, I'm assuming it's because of Alan. I hold onto my volleyball bag,

"I'm sorry, I have to go." I walk away from him but start to run to my brother. He holds onto my back and gently guides me out of the gym. Ryan is seven years older than me, he dropped out of high school to help my Mom and Dad, he regrets that decision. He'll be 25 next month, during our big match actually. But, my Brother was the one that took care of me when my parents couldn't- which was always. He fed me when I cried, changed my diaper, gave me baths, he's like my Dad. Which is unfortunate he should be in college going to parties and having  girlfriends. Instead he is here stuck in this small town taking care of his baby sister. 

My brother speeds through our driveway, dirt flying behind us, when we stop, we drift. I unbuckle my seat belt and jump out of the car running up the stairs, my brother behind me. I swing open the door,

"WHERE IS IT?!" My mother cries. I look at the house, everything is on the floor, dishes are scattered and broken. The couch is flipped on its side. My mother's knees and forehead are cut. She's searching through the floor, her hands shaking. I rush over to her,

"Mom, mom what is it you're looking for?" I try to grab her hand but she slaps me. 

"Leave me alone, stupid girl." I hold my cheek, some blood was drawn, it's fine she's drunk she doesn't really mean it. 

"Where is that ring?" My eyes widen, why does that question sound familiar? I slowly get up, I walk over to her bedroom to find my Dad, he's sitting on the bed having a beer. I knock on the door, this is the only part of the house that isn't destroyed. My Dad must be sober. I knock on the door, he turns his head. 

"sh*t, did your mother do that?" I go over to sit next to him,

"Yeah, but it's fine. Why is she destroying the house?"  I ask. He shakes his head and takes another drink of his beer. 

"I took her precious ring and hid it." I raise an eyebrow, this is the first I've ever heard of such thing.  He notices my confusion. 

"It's been the reason why your mother's an alcoholic. It's our families heir loom and apparently it is extremely valuable; but she won't sell it and is the cause of her paranoia. I'm so sorry you have to see us like this pumpkin." This is the first time I've ever seen my Dad sober. He pulls me in for a hug but he smells like beer so I don't make it last to long.  He pulls out the ring, I look at him.

"It has been in your pocket this whole time?" I hold out my hand asking for permission to hold it. He places it in the center. It's a black band, almost like a wedding ring. It has a red border with two golden wolves under a tree, almost like they're kissing. Why is this a family heirloom? 

I lay in my bed reading my book as my Dad helps my mother clean up her giant mess.  He was the reason she destroyed the house, he can clean it. This story is claimed as a true story, but why don't I believe the words I read?  Werewolves, can they actually exist? I search through the pages, I notice a picture and flip to the page. It's a picture of a wolf standing on a mount of bodies, a woman at the top wearing a ethereal wedding dress, her hand over her head and a bite mark on her wrist. But I notice a black ring with a stone on the top, she's the only one alive in this picture. Even the wolf has been killed. I look at the bottom of the picture and it is called, 

"Lover or killer"

She killed all those people in that photo? I continue to read the words, but there is nothing else about this picture. Why won't it tell me more?