BitterSweet - 1

Chappie 3

Clay drove in silence so I flicked on the radio. Price Tag by Jessie J was halfway through,

"It's not about the money money money we don't need ya money..." I sang super loud and my voice hit every note perfect. I'm not saying I'm a good singer. I think I sounded like a cat being stamped on by a gorilla but I hit every note. Clay switched it off but I carried on singing,

"We just wanna make the world dance forget about the..."

"Scarlett...Scarlett...SCARLETT!!" Clay screamed,

"Bleddy hell I hear you, there's no need to shout" He glared at me with his utterly adorable angry face,

"Why did you leave college early?" He asked. I stared out the car window gazing at the city in silence. Yeah he was hotter than Robert Patterson in Twilight but I wasn't about to bond with him over my problems,

"I just had, had enough of lessons" I muttered. Oh god his car stank of his aftershave. I was basically drowning in Clay, not that I cared. I would live in this car forever...or until I needed to go toilet then I would have to...

"You always do that!" He snapped into my toilet thoughts,

"Do what?" I asked frowning. God he was being moody today or maybe he was always moody. After all, I'd only known him two days,

"When people talk, you go off into your own little world" I was silent as he carried on, "I spoke to your dad this morning before he left..." He glanced at me. I loved his voice. I'd bet my new sunnies that he sang better then Robbie Williams, "He asked if I could give you lessons..."

My blood ran cold. What had my dad said? My dad didn't know anything about me, he didn't even speak to me,

"Lesson for what?" I muttered,

"Sparring" He means fighting right? Would that mean he would fight me? Well that was OK. Working out with Clay. Yum. I suppose I wouldn't mind being able to kick ass... "and swimming" He finished looking uncomfortable. Oh my bleddy god, I was going to kill dad. Clay thought I couldn't swim. I was 17 years old and he thought I couldn't swim,

"I can swim Clay, I don't need lessons from you" I snapped,

"You're dad thought because you never swim that you might have a..." I interrupted him,

"My dad doesn't give a f**k about me, he doesn't even know me. He gives me money and expects me to keep out his way, so I wouldn't believe half the stuff he says about me" I was almost shouting. Just thinking about my dad telling Clay stuff about me made me angry. Yeah Clay was cute and sexy but he knew nothing about me and dad,

"He cares about you Scarlett" He muttered,

"How would you know?" I asked,

"He told me"

"Yeah? I don't know why he bothered. You'll be dead in a week or so like all the other gorilla's before you" I squeezed my eyes shut as soon as I said the words. Why did I do these things? Say these things?

"You push people away. Don't you?" He said softly. I stared at Clay in shock and glanced away before he saw my face,

"You're wrong" I mumbled and flicked the radio back on. He switched it back off. My fingers hovered over the on button but he pushed my hand away softly. Oh my god! He touched me. I smoothed my skin where his long piano playing fingers had brushed over mine. I will never ever wash this bit of my hand ever again. I will wear a glove forever and sometimes I will take it off and kiss my hand. He had touched me. My cheeks were flushing red,

"You don't have college tomorrow?" He asked,

"Huh?...I don't think I do...I have to check...I mean...hang on" I took a breath. I am a number one i***t. "No I do not have college tomorrow"

"Good, I will teach you some moves then" I bet there are plenty of moves he could teach me that didn't involve fighting. Shut up brain,

"I'm not having swimming lessons because I ca..." I started to say,

"Prove to me you swim Scarlett and I will tell your dad that you swim. Until then I don't have a choice, your dad has told me what to do and he is my boss I can't ignore..." He was about to say something but his face froze as he stared into the car mirror,

"Get down now!" He shouted to me. What? Get down where? I'm in car...He shoved my head down between my knees. Omg he touched me again. At this rate I would never shower again. The sound of smashing glass shattered into the air. What the... A crack of gun fire screamed in the air. The car swerved on to a pavement,

"Get out of the car Scarlett and run OK? Run and don't stop" He stared down at me. s**t this was serious, Clay looked scared, "RUN!" He screamed at me. I acted without thinking and jumped out the car door. Omg my heels were so going to be trashed after this. People on the roads ran in all directions, I didn't hear their screams. I just heard bullets and smashing glass. I ran...well hobbled down the pavements as fast as I could. My heel snapped and I fell down grazing my knees on the floor. Tears streamed down my face as I struggled to get back up. These were my new shoes and they were ruined. I heard police sirens ringing in the air but I carried on running. I had to get home. My shoes were broke, my nails were broke and Clay was...Shit Clay was probably dead. Why did the thought make me stop running and glance back? He was hot but he was a bodyguard. He was a nobody.

"You push people away. Don't you?"

Two days and he already understood me more than my dad did. I stared down the road where the Clay's car had stopped. Cops already littered the area. Where was he? Please no don't let him be... I ran back leaving my shoes on the pavement,

"Scarlett!" I stopped and turned around. Clay was walking to up to me,

"You're not dead" I stated. He stared at me in wonder and I think he almost smiled,

"Of course I'm not dead, I told you I was good at my job"

*****

*****

I had called Charles (my driver) and told him to take us home. Clay had wanted to get a taxi but taxi's are filled with germs and other disgusting things. We had rode back in silence and now I stood in the lobby watching the servants run about filling up peoples drinks and topping up the food. To be honest I wanted to go upstairs and snuggle in my bed. I hadn't really wanted to put on my fav clingy (but not too slaggy) black party dress and apply make up for three hours. That didn't include how long it took me to tame my crazy locks of black hair and sort out my stumpy nails. I had to admit that when I stared in the mirror I looked pretty grown-up and sexy. I wore my black bikini underneath my dress not that I planed to go swimming but because it was a pool party...

"Heeeey Scarz why are you out here alone? Come and join your party" Milly walked up to me. Well at least she had came to look for me which was a first. She wore a black dress as well but it was a bit...revealing (Lets just say if she was to bend down you would be able to see her underwear) Her brown hair was piled up in a sort of ponytail bob thing and her make-up was a bit too full on but she had tried, I suppose. I followed her into one of the large party rooms. On the ceiling disco lights whirled around and music played from huge speakers. The room was crammed with people dancing about and drinking anything the servants passed around,

"Here" Milly gave me a cocktail and I took a small sip, "I want to introduce you to someone" She shouted over Lady Gaga's just dance. I nodded and let her drag me outside onto the pool area. A boy lounged on a deck chair sipping a beer. He had soft spiked blonde hair and was speaking to five people from behind his black sunglasses. I suppose he was cute with little freckles on his slightly tanned cheeks, "This is James he's new to town and this is Scarlett, James" I stared at him a few moments,

"Hey Scarz" He smiled revealing pearly white teeth. He took of his sunnies and stared at me with blue eyes,

"Hey" I smiled back. I looked around for Milly but she had disappeared, "Ha looks like I've been set up" I joked but how dare she leave me with a guy I didn't no,

"You wanna sit down" He sat up and made room for me on the chair. I didn't want to look like an i***t in front of everyone so I sat. I took a long slurp of my drink to do something,

"Your home is really nice" He smiled and looked around. The grounds was filled with people everywhere, some were kissing or puking up on the grass...

"Yeah its alright" I muttered watching people dive into the pool,

"You want to swim?" He asked,

"Nah lets dance"

*****

*****

"It's not about the money money money, we don't need ya money money money!" I screamed the song at the top of my lungs holding my drink in the air. The whole room danced tightly together. Everyone was touching someone somewhere. It was hot and sweaty, the air smelled of B.O, perfume and vomit all together. I didn't know the time but it was dark outside now,

"You want another drink?" James shouted to me. I stared at him and for some reason he was looking super hot. I wanted to kiss him...so I did,

"Get me a drink!" I shouted.

*****

*****

I staggered outside with James. Most of the party had worn down now. People made out in corners and slow danced in the party rooms. My head swam and I staggered into James,

"Yano I didn't really no who you were but your alright" I slurred at James. Normally I never drink this much at a party and I never usually sound this stupid. I just wanted some fun,

"You're really really sexy Scarz" He said using my annoying nickname. We stood beside the pool and I stared up at the stars,

"I love stars" I muttered. James giggled and kissed me again,

"You wanna go to a room?" He mumbled in my ear. Why would I want to go to a room with him...oh...

"I'm alright here" I giggled hoping he would leave it,

"Sure" James wrapped an arm around me, "Well lets go swimming then" He said,

"Oh...nah lets just stay here and um stare at the stars or something" I muttered. He laughed,

"Don't be such a baby...swim little fishy" and he pushed me gently. I lost my balance and stumbled into the swimming pool.

*****

*****

The water hit me. Freezing. I was sober almost instantly. Pure terror ran down in my veins. I couldn't get out. I was going to drown. It was dark so dark. I pushed my arms around but I couldn't move. I couldn't get out. I needed to take a breath. My lungs were bursting. My head was exploding. Fear gripped me and I could get out. I was just so tired of fighting the water. I closed my eyes embracing the darkness when strong hands gripped me and dragged me up. I was to weak to move. The ice cold air hit me strong in the face but I couldn't take a breath,

"Scarlett?" Someone was calling me. A musical voice. I felt hands on my chest pressing down, water erupted from my mouth and I was choking but breathing. It was so cold. My whole body shivered,

"I think you should leave, all of you" A voice roared. I tried to stay awake but my head was pounding, "Scarlett? Stay awake...I think you may have hit your head" I felt the strong arms lifting me up and carrying me, "Open your eyes"

"No...I want to sleep" I mumbled,

"Open them now"

I opened my stinging eyes and looked up at a beautiful tanned face. Of course it was Clay and he was looking down at me with his cute face of anger and worry. Oh my god he was carrying me, in his arms. I didn't feel so cold all of a sudden,

"Your eyes are green" I muttered to him. He blinked at me in confusion, "Their really nice" Shut up Scarlett but I was still drunk to be fair, "Where did James go?" I asked,

"You mean your boyfriend?" He walked up some stairs,

"He's not my boyfriend" I replied automatically,

"Well you were kissing..." He said. I changed the subject,

"You saved me...twice in one day" He put me down on a bed. It wasn't mine,

"I'm your bodyguard it's my job" He walked away and returned with a towel, "Your looking better, you have some colour in your cheeks now" He said as he rubbed the towel in my hair. He was drying my hair for me! The fact I wasn't having a heart attack as he done it showed to me how drunk I was. I felt myself drifting off to sleep and this time Clay didn't stop me,

"I don't think I will ever shower again" I mumbled softly,

"Why?" He asked but I was already asleep.