Happy 3,000 likes teaser!!

Thanks so much for all the new likes on my Facebook page.  Your support and love are so amazing!  This is another Light in the Shadows teaser.  Up until now, I've only given you Clay's POV.  But Light in the Shadows will be from alternating POVs.  I thought that was really important, because while Clay is on his own journey, Maggie is doing her thing as well.  So here's a little taste of something sort of happy that will be coming down the pipeline for them.

I hope you enjoy it!!


************
"Um...wow.  Thanks." I said in absolute and utter amazement.  Clay stood at my doorstep wearing dark jeans, a pressed blue collared shirt, black wool coat and holding the largest bouquet of roses I had ever seen.  It was obvious he had checked all of the required boxes on this "date".  Down to his perfectly slicked back hair and over eager expression.

In the previous incarnation of our relationship we sort of skipped the whole "dating" thing.

Somewhere between saying hello and diving headfirst into the turmoil we had forgotten the basics.  Our love hadn't been typically teenage in any way.  We had gone zero to a million without so much as a trip to the movies or an uncomfortable dinner at Applebee's while we chatted about favorite bands and most embarrassing moments.

Looking at Clay, all dolled up and standing almost timidly in front of me, I realized how much we had missed.  How in the heat of our intense and crazy love we had forgotten the most important step in any relationship...the first date.

I felt a sudden sadness at those tiny moments that we hadn't experienced together.  I took a deep breath and reached out for the roses.  Clay's smile was shy and uncertain, showing me that he was as clueless as I was when it came to rewriting our history.

Was it possible to go back to the beginning?  To try and do things the right way?

I gripped the bundle of overpriced flowers in my hands and gasped in surprise.  I lifted my finger and saw a bright red blob on the tip.  Shit, I should have realized there were thorns.  The bite of pain reminded me that we had a long way to go.  That no matter how beautiful the package, the hurt was still there.

And I wasn't sure how long it would take for it to go away.  Or if it ever would.

"Are you alright?"  Clay asked, moving toward me.  I stuck my finger in my mouth.  The tang of copper sharp on my tongue.  I nodded my head and moved away before Clay could touch me.  I wasn't ready for that just yet.

I dropped the flowers on the table inside the door and grabbed my purse.  I joined him on the porch and zipped up my coat.

"You ready?"  Clay asked, trying again for the whole smiling thing.

Was I ready?

Hell if I knew.

But looking at his hopeful expression I knew that I could only try.

Happy Valentine's Day

I wanted to give you guys another Light in the Shadows sneak peak.  I really struggled with which one to use...because I really don't want to give much a way.  But given that today is all about romance I wanted to share something...well...romantic.

This is a bit of a scene from when Maggie and Clay finally see each other again.  I can't say what brings them back together (though you may be able to guess).  I just love writing their love story.  It's so real and so raw and it really takes a lot out of me, but it's consuming.

Enjoy!!

**********

This sadness was painfully familiar. The silent, open mouthed suffering was something I had felt entirely too much of in my life. The barely controllable urge to purge my grief with the slice of a razor was overwhelming. I could almost hear the darkness whisper in my ear, a taunting tease of potential relief. I knew this was the risk of coming back here. I knew that it resurrected a thousand instincts to hurt, to maim and to destroy everything inside of me. Everything that I had worked so hard to rebuild.

Leaving the Center was like leaving a warm and safe cocoon and being thrown headfirst into complete and utter chaos. From the moment my plane touched down in Virginia I struggled to remember that I was in control of these traitorous feelings. That it was my choice to cope in a healthier way.

But returning to Davidson, particularly under these circumstances, was proving a true test of my new found resolve. The meds helped. The stuff I had learned in therapy rattled around in my head, reminding me to breathe. To re frame. To talk myself off of the cliff I was already in danger of toppling over.

But Ruby needed me. Which made my anxiety even harder to rein in. Because I had always been the needy one. The truth of it was that I had needed Ruby. Maggie. Lisa. Even as I had denied needing anyone.

And now I was the one being leaned on and I wasn't so sure I could handle the pressure. I was brittle and raw and I knew that Dr. Todd's concerns about me coming back here were legitimate ones....

                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~

I made it through the day. Barely. Even the weather was in mourning; a soft rain falling as I made my way into the church. Everything felt dark. I focused on my breathing even as my guts knotted up inside of me.

It was important I found my strength. That I pull my shit together and be the man who could support someone else and not just leach it. Damn it, I could do this!

I was engaged in this crazy internal dialogue. Jumping back and forth between giving myself a perky little pep talk and mentally screaming at myself to man up. I was totally lost in it, trying to get up the nerve to go to the front of the church and sit with Ruby in the pew where she sat sobbing.

Her grief was almost too much to bare but I needed to get over that. It wasn't fair to leave her alone. Not now. Not when she never abandoned me when I needed her. But there was that part of me that fought for self preservation and I knew this whole scene had the makings of my own personal disaster.

I was very close to running out the side door and never looking back. Drive to the airport, jump on the first available plane and get myself the hell out of Virginia.

I had almost talked myself into it when I felt a stirring in the air. I swear my body started to hum and I just knew she was there.

Maggie.

And just like that the fuzzy black faded away and everything clicked into place. My heart thudded into over drive and my palms started to sweat so I shoved them into the pockets of my gray slacks.

Of course she came. I knew she'd be there. And though I tried not to allow myself the hope of seeing her, I couldn't deny that I had longed for it all the same.

And here she was, looking the same only better. Her dark hair was pulled back in a low ponytail. She wore a dark green wool coat over a black dress. She looked beautiful and perfect and the embodiment of everything I had always craved.

She walked into the church, stopping to talk to an older woman I recognized as one of the local shop owners here in Davidson. I knew I should go and find Ruby. But I couldn't make myself move. I stood there, rooted to the spot, not sure if I wanted Maggie to see me or not, even as I screamed at her in my head to look at me. Please.

As much as I missed her and dreamed of this moment, I was scared of it. I had pushed her away. I had put the necessary distance between us. I had done it for her. Because I hadn't wanted her to get sucked into my crazy life anymore than she already had been.

But God I loved her. She was the piece I had been missing for the last three and a half months. She was everything I wanted in my life but wasn't sure I deserved. And this was why I wasn't good for her. My feelings about Maggie May Young were too intense, too consuming and they always threatened to swallow me whole.

But then her eyes lifted and met mine and everything else disappeared. Her eyes were bright and I could see the way her chest started to rise and fall more rapidly. Before I realized what I was doing, I was moving toward her at the same instant that she began to make her own journey down the aisle of the church.

It was like this every time we were together. Our bodies orbited around each other as if pulled by an invisible force that we had no control over.

Fuck me, I wanted this. And I wanted to run from it. I wanted to pull her in and never let go. And I wanted to push her away.

Two minutes. That's all it took for my head to short circuit.

Maggie stopped five feet away and we stood there, staring at each other. I didn't know what to say. What worked as appropriate chit chat when you saw the love of your life again after breaking her heart? And at a funeral no less.

I could see she was struggling as much as I was. And I hated that. Her face was flushed and I could see her pulse throbbing in her neck. I wanted to taste the skin there and feel her heart beat beneath my lips.

So instead I went for the anti-climatic.

“Hi.” I said softly.

Bad Rep sequel sneak peak

Okay, I've hinted around about the follow up to Bad Rep for awhile.  I hemmed and hawed over whether I wanted to follow Jordan and Maysie's story, or whether I should spend some time with other characters I had grown to love.

As you do when you're brainstorming, I wrote all of these snippits...trying to figure out which one I really wanted to write.  And Riley Walker, Maysie's snarky but loyal best friend, kept coming back to me.  The truth is I incorporated so much of my own personality into Riley as I put together Bad Rep that she quickly became on of my favorite characters.  And I've been dying to see where her story goes.

One of the first little bits I wrote went like this:  "I had been dumped.  And we're talking, take-his-testicles-off-with-a-teaspoon dumped."  I just loved that and so the idea for the "sequel" went from there.

There you have it...the next "Bad Rep" book will be about Riley and Garrett, the lead guitarist of Generation Rejects.  Where that ends up, only time will tell.  I know people will be disappointed this isn't a book entirely focused on Jordan and Maysie.  They'll be around of course.  And you'll get to see how they're holding up.  But I really wanted to write in Riley's voice.  Because I love her attitude and I love her snark and I KNOW she will be so much fun to figure out.  So here is a tiny piece of Riley's story, the Bad Rep spin off...Again, no title has been decided on but I usually come up with those as I go.  Will keep you posted of course!

ENJOY!!

**********

Dear God on everything that is holy, please don’t let me strangle this guy! I gnashed my teeth together, feeling the overwhelming urge to smack the shit out of Maysie for dragging me to the seventh level of hell with her. Or otherwise known as a Generation Rejects after party.

Sure this may be her thing. She played the part of rock star girlfriend really well. And more power to her. But she had gotten a wild hair up her ass thinking I needed to party, enjoy my youth, blah blah blah. So here I was, surrounding myself with drunken jack asses as they tried to rub against each other (or me if I wasn’t paying attention) in some sort of scary mating ritual. Sorry, I missed that episode of Wild Planet.

“Don’t you think?” Huh? I blinked in exaggerated slowness, making it clear that I hadn’t heard a damn thing he had said. Garrett wasn’t put off by my blatant disinterest. I think the dude could talk to a brick wall. Garrett Bellows, lead guitarist of Generation Rejects, Jordan’s roommate, and the guy I had been engaged in a one sided conversation with for the past fifteen minutes. One sided meaning that he was talking and I could care less. I had tuned out around the time he started waxing poetic about surfing at night during some trip to Hawaii last year.

I really hated these pseudo philosophical types. You know the ones that smoked a bowl or two and suddenly they were Plato reincarnated; talking about the meaning of life and how it had to be a government conspiracy that McDonald’s only rolled out the McRib a few times a year.

“I’m sorry. You’ll have to run that by me again. I was too busy trying to remember why the hell I let Maysie talk me into coming here in the first place.” I said, infusing more than a little bit of asshole into my tone. Okay, so maybe the guy didn’t deserve to have a firsthand encounter with Riley Walker, Mega Witch, but I was in a bad mood and feeling annoyingly heartbroken; which made me rude and more than a little punchy.

I didn’t handle humiliation and disappointment very well on a good day. And Damien, ex-douche and overall shitty human being had dosed out both in plentiful supply over the last two weeks. And today was anything but a good day.

I fully expected Garrett to call me a bitch and leave me alone to stew in my bitter juices. I was really hoping he would anyway. But the idiot did no such thing.

Instead he laughed. He freaking laughed! Was he missing a few of those brain cells that were required to recognize when someone was being a complete and total fuck face to you? Oh God, maybe he thought my attitude was endearing! Shit, I hadn’t thought that he might be one of those crazies who got off on bitchy girls. Retreat Riley! Retreat!

“You have one huge ass chip on your shoulder. Does it work for you?” Garrett asked lazily and my eyes snapped up to his. He spoke in a slow drawl that was either meant to be dead sexy or a perfect cure for insomnia.

“Does what work for me?” I asked him warily, not sure where he was going with this. He pushed a hand through his hair and narrowed a pair of thoughtful blue eyes in my direction. I couldn’t really make up my mind if I thought Garrett was good looking or not. His dirty blonde hair was on the longish side, hanging down to his shoulders. I wasn’t typically into guys with long hair, but this dude sort of worked it. He wasn’t overly tall, probably coming in around 5 foot 11 with a wiry frame that he seemed to like to show off, given the amount of time he spent without a shirt on. Though if I had defined abs like that, I’d probably be topless all the time, tits and all.

His cornflower blue eyes could have been appealing if they weren’t blood shot and glazed over. He exuded that laid back could-give-a-shit demeanor that only came after inhaling a copious amount of THC into your system. And given the number of chicks who had attempted to get his attention since he had plopped down beside me to begin the most asinine conversation in history; he must have some sort of magnetism. Too bad I was wearing my armor of snark and not remotely susceptible to any of his possible charms.

I could admit that I had already dismissed him as a low functioning stoner who was smoking away the last of his brain cells. But then his question and his following statement caught me off guard.

Garrett leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. He waved a hand in my direction. “This. The whole I’m-a-bitch-so-stay-the-fuck-away act. I get that this probably isn’t your scene. I bet you’d rather be at some eco warrior save the pandas meeting or something. You seem like the idealistic save the world type.” I bristled at his annoyingly astute observation.

“Wow, so you picked that all up from the complete lack of conversation we were having? Can I add deluded quasi psychic to your resume? Right under wannabe rock star?” I said rather nastily, not wanting to give anybody the upper hand. Particularly this grunged out dope head whose eyes seemed to have cleared a bit. And I couldn’t help but notice that, yeah, they were pretty appealing. How obnoxious.

“Well, you’re wearing Reco jeans, which points to the fact that you think you’re environmentally conscious but in reality it smacks of pretention if you ask me.” I opened my mouth to tell him he could take his bullshit preconceptions and shove them straight up his ass. But I didn’t get a chance because he just kept going, whether I wanted him to or not.

“And then there’s that shirt. I’m sure you spent a long time stitching all those little patches together. Does that make you feel better than everyone else? The fact that you sew your own clothes and wear pants made from plant shit? Because I bet you just feel really lonely. And sad. So you throw out this attitude and judgmental BS hoping no one calls you on it. And if they do, that only proves they aren’t worth your notice or your time.” Garrett delivered his stinging critique with a frustrating blasé smile. Like he was commenting on the weather! When in truth he was flaying me alive. I wanted to punch him in his stupidly attractive face. Because yes damn it, I suddenly realized he was pretty darn cute. And I hated him!

“Whatever.” I hissed out getting to my feet. Garrett laughed and I realized I had reacted just as he expected me to. Well, who cares, I didn’t need this crap.

“Have fun dulling your senses and killing your brain cells.” I bit out as he pulled a joint from his pocket and lit up.

He pulled in a lung full of smoke and slowly exhaled. “And you enjoy standing up on your soap box while you doll out your all-important criticisms. I’m sure it’ll make for a fun evening.” He said drolly as he turned to a pretty girl who sat down beside me. She giggled and leaned into him as he slung an arm around her shoulders. He literally turned his back to me as though I had been dismissed.

What a dick!

I stood there fuming. No one out bantered Riley Walker. Especially not a guitar playing, pot smoking, needs a hair cut in the worst way, jack ass.

So I stormed off. It was only much later that I realized Garrett Bellows had done something more than piss me off and incite my urge to maim and kill. He had made me forget about Damien. And for the first time in weeks I hadn’t been depressed and miserable.

Huh. Interesting.

A Little Look at Jordan

In honor of hitting 2,000 likes on my facebook page here is a little bit of Bad Rep from Jordan's POV.  I really love writing from a guy's mindset.  I hope this clears up a little of what Jordan was thinking during all of that drama.  Enjoy!!!

********

~Jordan~

“Hey Jordan.” I grit my teeth at the breathy voice on the other end of the phone. That's what I get for not paying attention to the caller ID before I answered it. I had been dodging Liv's calls for a few weeks now. I felt like we had said all we needed to say. I knew she just wanted the drama and I was not into that at all.

After that night of the mixer, I bit the bullet and ended whatever relationship she and I still had right then and there. Yeah, maybe it was a bit dick of me, but I couldn't have her thinking that there was any hope we'd be together again. Particularly after being in that bathroom with Maysie.

Olivia had blamed Maysie for all of it. Which was bullshit. She knew it, I knew it. We hadn't been together since May. We had made the decision to spend time apart, see where that led us. I should have cut the proverbial cord then, no questions asked, no misunderstanding. But when you're with someone for such a significant part of your life, it was fucking hard as hell to put the fork in it. No matter how dysfunctional the whole thing had become.

But then I had met Maysie. And touched Maysie. And tasted Maysie. And there was no going back to Olivia. I told her when she got back for the summer that we were over. But she had begged me. Pleaded that I couldn't leave her. She threw a bunch of shit in my face about our history and the fact that she was going through a tough time after her grandfather died in the spring. That she needed me. I shouldn't have caved. I knew that I wanted to be with someone else. I told Liv that I had met someone.

So, long story short, she hung onto the dead horse of our non-existent relationship while I tried not to run like a little bitch to Maysie and beg her to have me. She was being cool and distant and part of me knew that I should respect that. But that louder, more insistent part of me was like FUCK THAT! So I made my move.

In the worst possible scenario. But I made it. I couldn't handle it anymore. And I knew for those few minutes that she was into me. I mean, really into me. And I felt like I had won the fucking lottery. But then that goddamn friend of Olivia's busted in and then Maysie was running away.

I felt like I saw Maysie's back more often than her front. I couldn't get her to stay long enough to work through anything. And that was frustrating. But it made me want to chase her down until she had no where to go. And didn't want to.

I felt like shit that Olivia thought I was going behind her back with Maysie. I hated that she found out the way that she did that Maysie was that someone I had met over the summer. I knew Liv and Maysie were sisters and I didn't want to be the source of what would most likely become a very awkward situation.

After her round of bitch wrestling, I laid it all out for Olivia. I was done playing nice. I let her know in no uncertain terms that my heart was with Maysie. I wanted to be with Maysie. The “discussion” with Olivia turned into her yelling and me trying to calm her down. Then she started crying and it sort of deteriorated from there. When she picked up my Gretsch guitar, the one my uncle bought me when I was fourteen, and smashed it against the wall, I had had enough

I had gotten my keys and left, thinking that was the end of it.

I should have known better.

Even though I had stayed away from the Pi Sig house for the last two weeks, I couldn't avoid an ex-girlfriend who was insistent on being seen. She waited for me after class, called my phone constantly. I started avoiding the commons and library. Thank fucking Christ for Garrett and his open door policy because I was close to losing my damn mind.

And maybe I wasn't being fair in not letting Olivia say her piece. But I was of the understanding that we were all talked out. What else was there to say?

Because when I wasn't at school, or hiding out at Garrett's I was doing some stalking of my own. I waited for Maysie outside her apartment several times a week. I couldn't get a read on her schedule, so I just started showing up at random times.

Her friend Riley, who I had mad respect for, was okay with it at first. But as time wore on, she finally told me to leave her roommate alone. That had sucked. Because I didn't want to leave Maysie alone. Maybe I should just call her.

But it was too easy to ignore a phone call. I wanted to see Maysie face to face. I needed her to see me when I laid it all out at her feet. I was feeling desperate and that was something I wasn't used to.

By the end of week two, I was at Garrett's house. I was expecting the guys back anytime to start practice. We had a gig tomorrow night and wanted to nail down our set. Hanging out with my band mates was just the break that I needed. None of the guys went to Rinard. They were all locals who happened to have a mutual love of hard, kick ass rock.

When I hung out with them, I wasn't Jordan Levitt, Frat president, Mr. Popular, ex-boyfriend to Olivia Peer. I was just another guy, banging on the drums to the noise around him. And it felt freaking great. I liked the guy I was when I was here at Garrett's. Because I was really starting to hate that other Jordan. He was kind of a prick.

I was feeling better about things. I needed to distance myself from the Rinard bullshit machine. I needed to figure out a way to get Maysie to listen to reason (well my reasoning of course) that we belonged together. And I was ready to pave my own way in this mess that I called a life.

But then I answered the fucking phone.

“Hey.” I said shortly after hearing my ex's greeting.

“I just wanted to see how you were doing. I miss talking to you.” Olivia said softly. I didn't respond. What was I supposed to say? The truth was I didn't miss a thing about the awkward tension that had been our relationship for the last year.

“Yeah.” I said back. I heard Liv take a deep breath. “Look, Olivia. I'm not sure what the point of this phone call is, but I think we've said everything we need to say.” I said, trying to be gentle and not the raging jerk that I really wanted to be. I felt like every time I spoke with her it was the same conversation over and over again. I tried to patient. I tried to be understanding. But I was at the end of my very long rope.

“I don't think so Jordan. We still have a lot to say to each other.” Olivia's voice started to sound angry. I was saved from having to continue with this particular discussion by the arrival of my band mates. They loudly entered the house and I was thankful for the distraction.

“Piper! We've got to practice!” Cole yelled out in way of a greeting.

“Jordan! Listen to me!” Olivia screeched and I knew whatever she had to tell me was just going to piss me off. We had never been able to talk about anything like freaking adults. It always ended up with her screaming and me wanting to bang my head into a wall.

“Olivia...I have to go. Like I said, I'm not sure what else there is to say. We broke up. I'd like to be your friend. But I don't know what else to say.” I clenched my drum sticks in my hand, thinking about smacking myself in the face with them for picking up the damn phone to begin with.

“Friends? Friends!? Give me a fucking break Jordan! If you think I'm going to move aside while you start screwing that bitch, you are sadly mistaken.” She yelled. She was working herself up to blow and I really didn't need this shit. And she was not going to talk about Maysie like that.

“Watch it Liv. You can say what you want about me, but don't bring Maysie into this. You and me, we had our problems and they had nothing to do with her. We were broken a long time ago. If I hear you saying shit about her, you'll have to answer to me. Are we clear?” I growled. Yeah, I was well and truly angry.

“Jordan, I'm sorry, I'm just so upset.” Olivia wheedled, her tone instantly changing. I sighed tiredly. I knew manipulation when I heard it. And I had hit my mind fuck quota for a life time.

“Look, I”m sorry you're upset. But we're done here. But I'm serious, leave Maysie out of it. You have beef with me, not her.” I warned.

“Dude, seriously, hurry up!” Mitch poked his head into the bedroom where I was staying. I nodded my head at him.

“I've gotta go. I think we're done here anyway.” I said.

“Don't you dare hang up Jordan Levitt!” Olivia's voice rose again. Shit, there was no easy way out of this mess. So yep, that's exactly what I did. I hung up the phone just as Liv started threatening me again. Dick or not, I was over it.

**

The Boogie Lounge was packed. I smashed my sticks down on my kit, loving this part of the set when I could really unleash. We had just launched into the song, Loose Ends and I was going balls to the wall. I had incorporated this kick ass drum solo toward the end. It was intense.

Sweat poured down my face and I wiped it away from eyes with the back of my hand as Garrett took over with this guitar. I couldn't really see the crowd. The lights were blinding. Right now the people at the foot of the stage looked like a big shadowed blur.

Cole was practically mouth fucking the microphone. He was such a fame whore. He loved the attention. Me on the other hand, I could take or leave that part of it. I just liked playing music. I mean, it was great that people liked us and dug our songs. But I would be just as happy playing in Garrett's basement. It was about jamming with people who were as into the music as I was. It was about creating something that I loved.

The rest I could give a shit about. But the other guys wanted the lime light. Cole particularly, craved it. So I went along for the ride. I enjoyed being a part of Generation Rejects, even if the attention was a bit unwanted at times.

That had been a source of serious conflict between Liv and me. She hated the band. Hated my music. She wanted me to have nothing do with the three guys rocking out on the stage with me. And that was a huge part of what killed our relationship. Over time, her constant nagging about giving up the band became too much. So Maysie or no, I would never have stayed with someone who didn't support something that mattered so much to me.

We ended the set with Lost in You, one of our few ballads. I hated ballads. I particularly hated that ballad. I had written it two years ago when I thought Olivia hung the fucking moon. It was pussy song written by a deluded idiot. But the damn thing had become insanely popular. So now, here I was, forced to play a song that only reminded me of what a dumb ass I had been.

“Awesome job tonight, Piper.” Mitch gave me a mock bow and I twirled the drum stick in my hand. I was burning up under the glare of the spotlights. I stood up and used the front of my shirt to wipe my face.

“Thanks man, it was pretty killer tonight.” I said, moving off to the side of the stage.

“You know, we really should take Kyle up on his offer to help us get some gigs. You're done in May. Summer is touring season. It would be awesome.” Mitch said, bringing up the old discussion. Mitch, Cole and Garrett had been tossing around the idea that we should go on the road for a few months.

Mitch's cousin Kyle, was a club promoter in Washington D. C. He had heard us play last school year and liked what he heard. He told Mitch that he would easily be able to get us some gigs at some clubs where he had connections. The idea had its appeal. I loved music. There was nothing I wanted more than to make a living at it. I just wasn't sold on it. There were too many other variables to consider. Like my dad, who wanted me to join his accounting firm after graduation.

I rolled my tongue ring across my teeth. I did it so much I was probably chipping away at the enamel, but it was my nervous tick. Something I did when I felt the overwhelming urge to put my fist through something.

Which is what this discussion made me want to do. Mostly because I was sick and fucking tired of my dad's asshole disapproval running my life.

“Yeah, I think you're right.” I finally said, surprising the hell out of Mitch. I had been the lone voice of dissention and my sudden agreement definitely came out of left field. But it was my life. And it was about time I started living it on my fucking terms.

Mitch was a big guy. I was by no means a small dude. But Mitch towered over me. So when he dropped his bass and gripped me in a hug, it felt like he was crushing my ribs.

“Man, seriously, enough with the hugging shit.” I pushed him off but grinned.

“Did you guys grow fucking vaginas while we were on stage?” Cole asked, throwing back his beer. His serious lack of filter made me want to slug him in the face most of the time. But you had to laugh him off, it was easier than inflicting bodily harm.

“Shut your fucking face, Kroegar.” Mitch laughed and Cole's face darkened. Cole hated Nickleback with a passion that was bordering on crazy and Mitch enjoyed nothing more than goading our front man.

“I'm gonna punch you in the fucking balls.” Cole growled, slamming his beer down on the table. Garrett and I dropped the equipment we were holding and stepped in between them. A fight between our band mates wasn't unheard of. Garrett and I usually let them duke it out but we figured a fistfight in the club, even if it ended with every one cool again, wouldn't get us a return invite to play.

“Just chill out you two and load up your shit.” Garrett said, smacking Mitch on the back of the head and shoving a handful of amp cables at Cole.

“I'm not fucking Chad Kroegar.” Cole mumbled, wrapping up the cable.

I didn't know whether to laugh or smack him.

When we were finished loading up our gear into Garrett's van, we headed toward the bar to get a drink. And that's when it happened.

Okay, well the it was actually her.

Maysie Ardin.

She looked fucking beautiful as always. She was dancing with Riley and her other friend Gracie and I couldn't take my eyes off of her. The way she moved her body only served to remind me of what it felt like to touch that body. To run my fingers along her sleek, wet warmth. Fuck, I was getting a god damned hard on. I needed to take it down a notch.

But it was hard when we were in the same room. Hell, just breathing the same air as Maysie made the urge to grab her and hold on forever impossible to ignore. So I stood there, against the wall, staring at the girl who had turned my world upside down. And I ached. A deep in the bones ache for something with this girl. Something amazing and life changing.

When she was done dancing, she walked off the floor and toward the bar with Gracie. I could see the sweat glistening on her skin and my tongue literally throbbed with the desire to connect to her flesh. I watched as she made her way to a dark corner at the end of the bar. She hung back, almost as though she were trying to make herself invisible. I saw her glance around the room and I knew she was looking for me.

At first that made me damn near giddy until I really took in her face. She was extremely uncomfortable. The way her eyes darted around made me think of a hunted animal.

Which was crazy because she had no reason to look like that when it was me that was nervous and unsure. It was completely out of character for me to trip over my tongue around a chick. I had never been that way with Liv. Even when I was knee deep in the unrealistic ideal of her, I never had this tangled up in the guts feeling I would get around Maysie.

I always thought love at first sight was a crock of shit invented by guys wanting an easy way into a girl's panties. All the Shakespearean bullshit about never knowing love until you saw her was just that...bullshit. That wasn't real life. It just didn't happen like that.

I had never been more wrong.

From the moment Maysie Ardin walked into Barton's I was obsessed. I could admit that. She was gorgeous. She was funny. I loved watching the way she bantered with Riley. Or the way she and Jaz would dance to the music in the bar during their breaks. Hell, I even loved the way she smoked her cigarettes; holding in the smoke and then slowly exhaling. It was sexy. It was hot. She was very, very dangerous. Because I watched her way more than was healthy, even I knew that. I tried to rationalize these intense, over the top emotions I was having for a girl I didn't even know that well.

It didn't make sense. There was no build up. With Liv there had been major build up. But this was instantaneous. And if I had learned one thing over the last few months, it was that attraction made zero sense. I wanted Maysie badly. Fuck me, it was damn near desperate.

I had never in my life been so consumed with someone the way I was with Maysie Ardin.

And she was avoiding me.

I could tell by the way she was hiding off to the side of the bar, that she didn't want me to see her. She was hoping to go unnoticed. What she didn't realize is I always noticed her. If she was in a room, then my eyes would find her. There was no hiding from that.

I moved through the crowd. Not once taking my eyes from the girl who stood nervously, chewing her bottom lip.

I came up behind her. My eyes lazily moved up and down her body, taking her in. She hadn't realized I was there so I took the time to peruse her at my leisure. Her smell hit me like a ton of bricks and my dick twinged in my pants again.

Finally I sucked in a breath. “Hey, Mays.” I watched as her shoulders tensed and I suppressed the urge to slam her against the bar and take what I wanted so much to be mine. The instinct to mark and plunder was overwhelming. Man, I had to get this shit under control.

“Hey.” She responded, not turning around. I needed to see her face. So I moved around until I was looking directly at her. Her head was bowed, her long hair looking wild and fuck me beautiful. I remember grabbing a handful of that hair and pulling as I devoured her mouth at the mixer. My dick was no longer just twinging, it was rearing to go.

“You looked good out there.” I remarked, waiting to see her eyes. And when she finally looked at me, my heart freaking stopped. It was those damned eyes. They got me every. single. time. They were a seduce me brown that I remembered going hooded with desire. My tongue felt thick as she looked at me. How can a girl bring me so low so quickly?

We started to exchange pleasantries, as forced as they were. Hell, even I was feeling the awkwardness at this point. Then I asked her how she had been and something changed. My girl went from uncomfortably blase to raging pissed.

“Just fucking peachy.” She bit out. What did I say? I frowned, not understanding the reaction to such a simple question. And then, well I got sort of pissed myself. Because I had been seriously pining after this girl for months. Consumed, obsessed, needy. And then she bit my head off. Girls and their damn crazy thoughts. And us guys were supposed to understand?

“What the hell Maysie? It was just a damn question?” I asked in bewildered irritation. I just didn't get it. And from the look on her face, I wasn't going to get any answers. She had completely shut down. Her friend was suddenly beside her and I greeted Gracie with a barely civil hello.

I stared at Maysie, wiling her to say something...anything. But she wouldn't look at me. Finally I gave up, this was going no where. “I've got to get back to the guys. See you later.” I said. But she still wouldn't look at me.

So I left her. And that was the hardest thing I had ever done. Especially when my every instinct was to hold on to her tight and never let go.

And then it hit me with sudden clarity. I needed to grab a hold of what I wanted. I needed to let Maysie know exactly how I felt. Let the chips fall where they may. Because I wanted that girl in my life. I needed her. Wanted her to know that she owned every piece of me.

So I ditched the guys. I was headed to Maysie's and I was going to make her hear me out.   

Sneak Peak at Light in the Shadows!

Thanks for all the new likes on my Facebook page!  As a thank you here is a chapter from Light in the Shadows.  Good ol' Clay sure has a lot going on...remember this hasn't been edited and it's subject to change.

Enjoy!!


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

It was my birthday. I wanted to be giddy. Excited. But I just felt sort of numb. It had been a long time since birthdays really meant anything to me. But today, I did feel happy. Because today I turned eighteen.

Yep, Eighteen.

I was finally my own man. Free to make my own choices. My own mistakes.

Free to live my own life.

That was something I never allowed myself to even dream of. Because dreams have a way of crashing down around you and leave you broken. So I had always tried to stay away from dreams.

But there was a time not so many months ago, I had started to dream again. And that led to something one hundred times more beautiful. And a thousand times more dangerous.

Hope.

Because my hope had been wrenched away. Died a tragic death at the hands of my own selfishness and fear. And even as I tried to reconcile my guilt about ruining the one good thing I had, I still felt it like a sharp jab to the gut.

It never left me. The pain of regret. It was like a phantom limb. A shadow that refused to let go.

But today, I felt it again.

Hope.

And it was a glorious thing.

I woke up to Tyler dumping cut up pieces of colored construction paper all over my head. I spit them out of my mouth and pulled bits out of my hair.

“What the hell are you doing?” I asked incredulously, sitting up, sending paper swirling to the ground. My skinny as hell roommate, brought on by years of heroin addiction, grinned at me like a loon.

“Happy Birthday, man! Get up! The staff go all out on your birthday! They'll cook you whatever you want for breakfast and I sure as shit wouldn't be missing out on that. Not when otherwise you'll be choking down oatmeal and cold bagels with the rest of us.” I couldn't help but laugh. And damn that felt good.

Because today could be a beginning for me. The beginning of a whole new chapter. And there it was again...

Hope.

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

By around 2:00 in the afternoon, I had caved to the Birthday Gods and had finally gotten into the spirit of things. A few of the behavioral aides had brought out a cake during lunch. The entire room had launched into a really bad version of Happy Birthday. I had even gotten a few presents from my counselor and other staff.

Maria and I had snuck away after group and watched a movie in the common room. Something we never would have gotten away with otherwise. Mail had come and gone and I received the obligatory greeting card from my parents. I was sure it was something my dad's secretary had picked up at Walmart. It looked cheap and cheesy and was only signed “mom and dad.” And I swear it wasn't even their handwriting.

It wasn't as though I was surprised by their lack of sentiment. But I had to seriously tamp down the flash of hurt I had felt nonetheless.

I had met with Dr. Todd briefly to discuss my treatment. I was due to be released from the center in two weeks. Though, Dr. Todd informed me that since I was now a legal adult, I could discharge myself if I chose to do so.

That had given me pause. Wow. I really did have full control over my future. My parents didn't dictate anything about my life anymore. And the giddiness I had denied myself earlier, let loose inside of me without abandon.

But I had to be careful. I couldn't let my newfound freedom ruin the progress I had made. It would be so easy to check myself out, go about living my life and forget about the sordid ugliness I had been living for so long.

But that was ridiculous. Because if I didn't' finish what I had started and continue to commit to my on going treatment the darkness would find me again. I couldn't run from it.

So I had assured Dr. Todd I would be staying the remaining two weeks and he didn't' hide the relief at my statement. He had clasped my shoulder in a way I wished my father would and had smiled kindly, letting me know that he thought I was making responsible and sound judgments.

And again...I felt really good.

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

Right before dinner, I was called to Jacqui, the night administrator's office. I couldn't help but wrack my brain, thinking of some infraction I may have committed. But I had been good as gold for some time now, so I couldn't' figure out what I was needed for.

I walked into the office and was greeted by a warm set of arms that wrapped around me. I brought my arms up and held my Aunt Ruby, who was gripping me like her life depended on it. I should have realized when I hadn't heard from her today that she was up to something.

But I had never thought she'd come down to Florida to see me. But that was Ruby. She had always loved me more than I sometimes deserved.

“Ruby.” I said, smiling at my much shorter Aunt. She beamed up at me. She was dressed in her typical gypsy getup, complete with flowing skirts and some crazy scarf thing around her neck. She even had tiny shells sticking out of her hair. Where the hell she got the ideas for her crazy outfits, I had no idea.

Ruby reached up and patted my cheek, the way she had done since I was a little kid. “My Clay. It's so good to see you.” Her grin was infectious. Ruby radiated a positive energy that was impossible to ignore. She had helped to pull me from many a bad place just by being her. I would do anything and everything for the woman who stood in front of me. She was the mother I wished I had. She had been down at least four times in the last three months. Lisa had come with her whenever she could, but work kept her pretty busy.

Four times, my aunt had been to see me and my parents hadn't come once.

“What are you doing here?” I asked her as she hugged me tightly again. Ruby pulled back and gave me a mock scowl.

“As if I would miss your eighteenth birthday! Don't' be silly.” She swatted my arm and pulled me over to the small couch that sat in the corner of the office. Jacqui had left, giving us some time to visit. Ruby hefted the heavy bag she had brought with her.

“Are you carting around a ton of bricks in there?” I joked, watching as my aunt pulled out a squished cardboard box.

“Oh, darn. It's all smooshed.” Ruby complained, peering down into the box. She closed the lid and handed it to me. “Well, it should still taste good.” She had brought me a freaking birthday cake. Complete with my name and tiny little paintbrushes made in colored icing for decoration. I felt my chest seize up. Christ, I was seriously turning into a complete douche bag. Crying over every tiny thing. What happened to my man card? You'd think I had turned it in a long time ago with the way I was getting all choked up over cheap, grocery store birthday cake.

But fuck me, I couldn't remember the last time I had a birthday cake. And today I had had two. Even I wasn't immune to the warm fuzzies that brought on. Ruby then pulled out two plates.

I grinned as she cut me a large slab and I hate it like a starving man. I was always a sucker for sweets. Ruby ate delicately around the icing, complaining that she should have gotten carob instead of chocolate because it's healthier. I let her grumble about how white sugar was worse than rat poison and ingesting refined flour was like personally asking for your pancreas to shut down. Yep, I just silently listened and ate the hell out of some chocolate birthday cake.

“I still can't believe you came down here. It really means a lot to me.” I said finally, washing down the cake with a bottle of water. Ruby's eyes started to water and I braced myself for the tear fest. Ruby was extremely emotional and once upon a time I would have run for the hills at the slightest hint of the touchy feely stuff.

I had spent a long time creating a very thick, impenetrable wall around myself. A wall that made it easier for me to live each day inside my own, very messed up head. If I didn't let people get too close, than I didn't have to feel the guilt of screwing up later.

But that had been blown all to hell by a pair of beautiful brown eyes and a snarky attitude.

Can't go there. Not now. Not when I was actually feeling okay. Shit, I'd end up a blubbering mess along side my already blubbering aunt.

Ruby wrapped her small hand around my wrist and squeezed. I reached up to cover her hand with my larger one. I was okay with showing her that I loved her. I was learning that it was good to share your feelings. That I didn't have to protect people from the person that I was. That damn it, I was worth loving. This was drilled into my head during every therapy session. I was told over and over again that gosh darn it, people like me. But it still stuck in the back of my throat. This crazy notion that I was a decent human being.

“Clayton Reed, I'd have moved into your room if I was able to. But something tells me they might frown on that here.” I snorted. Even though she was joking, I wouldn't have put it passed Ruby to try. “Lisa and I love you as if you were our own. We will always be here for you. No matter what.” Ruby finished seriously. My throat felt uncomfortably tight, but in a good way. A really good way.

“I love you guys too. I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me.” I said in quietly, proud of myself for being able to express my feelings in an appropriate way (thank you coping skills 101). Ruby furiously wiped at the tears that leaked out of the corners of her eyes. She pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket and blew her nose noisily. Nothing like a cotton wad full of snot to kill the heaviness.

“Enough with all of this crying. It's time for gifts!” Ruby enthused, giving me another watery smile before pulling three packages out of her bag.

“Ruby. You didn't have to get me anything. Just you being here is enough.” I said, though I couldn't help but feel an anticipatory excitement that I hadn't felt in a long time. The kind of bubbling in your stomach that you only feel on Christmas morning. Or before you get behind the wheel of the car after getting your license.

Or before you kiss your girl for the first time.

Anyway...onto presents.

Ruby watched as I unwrapped the gifts. She and Lisa had gotten me a new charcoal kit, a ridiculously expensive set of paint brushes and a bunch of new sketch books. I couldn't stop the goofy grin that spread across my face. There was nothing in this world she could have given me that would have meant more.

Drawing and painting were everything to me. I had become almost obsessive about it. But it was that indelible part of me that I refused to ever give up. I had lost so much already, but I always had my art.

“I wasn't sure exactly what you used, but the girl at the art store assured me these were the best.” Ruby said a little nervously. I ran my hand through my hair, a little overwhelmed by those prickly emotions again. But now I could appreciate them for what they were and not worry about potential explosions. Medication was a fantastic thing.

“They're awesome Ruby. Thank you so much! I'll call Lisa later to thank her as well. This is just...” My voice trailed off and I grinned like an idiot at my aunt, who was smiling like a loon. Hah. Like a loon. Yep, we looked like a couple of...well, mental patients. I couldn't help but crack up as I thought that.

Then suddenly Ruby's mood sobered. The change in her demeanor threw me and I was instantly on edge. She reached into her bag and pulled out another gift. This one wasn't' wrapped in the traditional birthday paper the others had been.

Looking closely, I could see that this one was bundled up meticulously in the Davidson Digest, the local paper of Davidson, Virginia. I looked at Ruby questioningly. She was staring down at the mysterious gift and I could tell she was uncomfortable. What the hell was hiding in that paper? A fucking bomb?

“More gifts Ruby? You shouldn't have.” I joked, already hating the seriousness that had overtaken my usually jovial aunt. Ruby clutched the object in her hands and held it out for me to take. Slowly I took it. It was heavier than it looked. I couldn't get a read on its contents through the thick paper.

I started to pull at the tape when Ruby covered my hand, stopping me. She looked at me with concern and I dropped it on the table. “What is it Ruby? Just spit it out.” I said, feeling more than a little annoyed by the smoke and mirrors bullshit going on. What the hell was so scary about a damn present?

Ruby sighed. “It's from Maggie.” She said quietly.

Oh. Well there was that.

I swear the air left my lungs and I felt like I was suffocating. My heart started beating in overtime and I thought I might pass out. It was nuts how just the mention of her name caused such an instant physical response. It was like my body reacted on a primal level to it.

Ruby and I never talked about Maggie. Hell, I very rarely talked about Maggie. The few times she had been brought up with my friends at the center, I shut it down as quick as possible. Not because I didn't want to talk about her. But because talking about Maggie was hard. It was painful. It was like taking a kick to the kidneys. But it also made me remember what I was missing on the outside. What I had given up because I was a fucking coward who couldn't deal with life.

My memories of Maggie Young were complicated. And the only safe place I had really been able to let loose about it was with Dr. Todd. Therapy was my safe place. I let things rip there that I never would anywhere else. There I could indulge in the fucked up darkness that I still felt inside when I remembered how badly I hurt the girl I loved the most. How I ached for her every single day. How I wanted nothing more than to run back to her and beg her to take me back.

Dr. Todd and I were working through my feelings of guilt and shame where Maggie was concerned. Because I had hurt her more than I had hurt anybody else. Because she was the person who had been prepared to walk off the cliff with me.

And I had almost let her.

“Maggie?” I choked out, trying not to strangle on the effort it took to say her name.

Ruby nodded, her mouth tight with worry. I knew she was scared that mentioning the girl I had loved and lost would make me lose it. And part of me wanted to lose it. But then what would that accomplish? Maggie would still be a thousand miles away, living her life, just as I had wanted her to.

But here I was, holding a gift from her, ready to cry like a little baby at the mere mention of her name. She had me by the balls. Now more than ever. That was painfully clear.

“She came into the shop last week.” Ruby began, watching me closely. I worked hard at keeping my face perfectly neutral, when inside I was screaming. Inside I was cursing the fucking cosmos, fate, whatever, for this god damn tragedy that I called a life.

“Oh yeah?” I asked with the fakest attempt at casual that I had ever heard. It was laughable. I would have laughed if I hadn't wanted to cut my fucking skin until I bled.

Damn it! I hadn't felt like that in a while. It was not a good thing.

But I took a deep breath and counted to ten. I found my super bubbly happy place in my head and got my shit under control. Because I was desperate to know about Maggie. To hear about her. To know what she had wrapped so carefully under the newspaper in front of me. And nothing could have kept me from that.

Ruby took another deep breath and continued. “I hadn't seen her since after you had come to Florida. She looked good, Clay. Really good. She seems to be in a really good place.” Ruby said, smiling slightly. I responded with my own smile. Because that did feel good. Knowing she was okay and not miserable because of what I had done to her.

“That's great.” I said with sincerity. Ruby's face relaxed marginally when I had yet to freak out on her. Little did she know there was still time...okay my sense of humor sucked, even as an internal monologue.

“Yes, it is.” Ruby agreed. She cleared her throat. “She came in to look over the new books. I told her it was good to see her but I left her alone. Let her do her own thing.” I smiled at the thought of Maggie getting all giddy over a bunch of used books. She was such a dork for that kind of thing. A beautiful dork of course.

“That's cool. She always did love your shop.” Ruby nodded.

“That she did.” She agreed.

There was a moment of silence and I thought that was it. Great story, Ruby, I thought dryly, trying not roll my eyes. But I should have known better. Ruby was known for dragging things out. It took her forever to spit out the point of what she was trying to tell you.

“Before she left, she came up to the counter and handed me that. She said it was for you. For your birthday. She asked me to make sure you got it because she didn't know where you were. I took it Clay, but I wasn't entirely sure I was going to give it to you.” Ruby told me, looking me straight in the eye.

I grimaced, understanding her hesitance. “Yeah, I get it. But it's okay. Really.” I assured her, my fingers itching to rip off the paper and see what Maggie had given me. I needed to see it. More than I needed anything at that moment.

Not waiting any longer, I pulled the wrapping and tossed it on the floor. At the first glimpse of the dark, charcoal butterfly on the cover, I had to sit back and take a minute. Because this girl was going to undo me from a thousand miles away. She was getting ready to rip my fucking heart out.

Because I recognized that butterfly. Because I had drawn it myself. For her.

For Maggie.

“What the hell?” I said more to myself, pulling the leather bound book into my lap. Opening it up, I realized it was a scrap book. Page after page, Maggie had carefully placed my drawings on plain mattes. They were the ones from my bedroom wall in Virginia. And the ones I had given her.

Every single one was there. Every. Single. One.

Ruby was looking at the pictures over my shoulder as I flipped through. I turned to my aunt. “When did she do this? When did she get my pictures?” I asked in absolute disbelief. I was stunned by what was in my hands. Like a piece of me had been returned. As though once again, Maggie May Young and galloped in to the rescue.

Ruby touched one of her fingers to a picture of Maggie's face that I had drawn in pencil. I loved that picture. I remembered the day she had come over to my house to study and had ended up falling asleep. Watching her sleep (and not in a creepy, stalker way. It was totally romantic, alright) was one of the most peaceful moments for me back then. She was so beautiful and unguarded and I loved her so damn much I hurt with it.

So I drew her. I had to. I needed to capture that moment when everything was perfect.

My heart thudded in my chest at the weight of what this album meant. For Maggie. And for me. Because I knew she still loved me. And damned if that didn't make me feel like doing a tap dance in the middle of the room. And I would have to if I didn't think it might make me end up with a Thorazine drip.

“She came over to the house, not long after you were sent here. She asked to go up to your room, that there were things she needed to get from up there. Lisa and I didn't see the harm. Not after everything...” She stopped abruptly. There was no sense in her continuing that particular thought. We both knew how much Maggie had been through.

I continued to thumb through the pages. Ruby and I remained quiet as I took it all in. These pictures that reminded me so much of the one bright spot I had during the darkest time of my life. Of the girl who had tried to save me even as I destroyed her.

Shit, I was going to fucking cry. I felt the tears prick in my eyes and I rubbed them away with the heel of my hand. I squeezed my eyes shut.

Deep breath.

One. Two. Three.

Deep breath.

I opened my eyes, lingering on Maggie's face in front of me before flipping back to the front. And then I saw something I hadn't noticed before. On the bottom corner of the inside cover, a piece of paper was tapped to the leather.

It was from Maggie. Christ, she had written me a note. I wasn't sure I could read it. Not when I was already feeling like I had been run over by an eighteen wheeler.

But I did anyway. As if I could ever resist her.

And I was glad I did.

There is more beauty inside you than anyone I have ever met. These pictures don't lie. I won't ever forget you. Or stop loving you. You can ask me to. You can tell me to move on. But I won't. And I never will. Just don't forget how beautiful we were. How beautiful we can still be. Please.

~Maggie

Because I hit 400 likes on my Facebook page...here's a little something for you.

Thank you to everyone for liking my Facebook page!

Here is Clay and Maggie's first meeting from Find You in the Dark, only told from Clay's perspective!  Enjoy!

The First Day of School ~ Clay~

“Time to get up!” Ruby's voice called in from the hallway. I groaned and pulled the covers over my head. Fuck me! I was functioning on less than four hours of sleep and felt like shit. Maybe if I ignored her, Ruby would forget I was even here.

I should have known better.

“Wake up, Clayton! You don't want to be late on your first day of school!” My aunt's sing song voice, normally almost soothing to me, was grating as hell at 6:45 in the morning.

Six forty-fucking-five in the god damn fucking morning!

“I'm up.” The words were muffled through the flannel of my comforter. Slowly I pulled the blanket back and stared at the ceiling. It was my first day of school in Virginia. First day of my own personal hell. Welcome to the Thunderdome, baby.

I didn't waste too much time lying there, knowing Ruby would come bursting through the door if she didn't hear me getting up. So I slowly put my feet on the floor and stretched out my body. Scrubbing my hands through my overly long, dark hair, I tried to quell the nerves in my stomach.

Looking around the room, I realized I had become a stranger in my own life. I hadn't been to Virginia since I was a kid and now I was, living here. With a woman who I didn't really know that well, about to go to a brand new school. I didn't know anyone. Christ, I barely knew myself. I didn't hold out any hope that this place would be any different than the one I had just left. Same shit, different zip code.

Lord knows I sure as hell didn't feel any different. I still felt like a fucking mess inside. Four months in psychiatric treatment didn't do shit. Sure, I'd been given a fancy label for the crazy crap going on in my head. Bi-polar disorder. Borderline Personality. They were just words. Definitions for a less than normal person.

Because normal was something I didn't think I'd ever be.

Normal sounded wonderful though. Most people would rather die than feel ordinary. Kids my age were striving to become something unique. They wanted to be their own individual, completely different. But I'd give anything to blend in. To feel like for once, I was just like everyone else.

I lifted the plastic bottle from my bedside table. I shook it, hearing the sound of the pills jangling around. They were supposed to be the answer I needed to fix the ugliness inside me. I was supposed to be taking them twice a day, probably for the rest of my life.

But I hated them. I hated the dulling of my thoughts. The way my limbs felt heavy and hard to move. I hated that all I wanted to do was sleep my life away rather than live it.

If that was my magic cure, then I'd keep on fucking looking. Because it sure as hell wasn't in the bottle in my hands.

I felt the anger rise up out of my very dark place. I threw the bottle across the room, watching it hit the window with a satisfying smack. The bottle was still intact. Damn it.

“Clay! If you don't get in the shower, I'm coming in and getting you!” I heard someone threaten from outside my door. I cringed, recognizing Ruby's girlfriend, Lisa. I'd better get a move on, because knowing her, she'd actually do it.

Whereas Ruby was full of happy, sparkles and kittens, Lisa was hard and firm. And I did not want to mess with the bad ass biker lady, poised ready to come through my door and drag me into the shower.

I grabbed my robe and threw open the door to find Lisa standing there, her arms crossed over her chest, a scowl on her face. “I'm on it.” I said, moving passed her down the hallway. Lisa was extremely intimidating, but I sensed a softness beneath the hard exterior. I didn't know Lisa that well, even though she and Ruby had been together for five years.

Ruby was my mom's older sister. Once upon a time, Ruby and my mother had been close (as close as anyone could be to my mom). She used to come down to Florida for Christmas and in the summer. But that had all changed when I was around twelve years old. I had been too young at the time to understand what “coming out” meant.

I figured it out later that Ruby had finally admitted to my parents that she was a lesbian and had fallen in love and moved in with a woman named Lisa. My parents had immediately cut off communication. My father, a conservative Republican, had no place for “alternative lifestyles” in his family. My mom was just a judgmental bitch who would rather cut off her family than face a life choice that was different than hers.

I couldn't think about my parents without feeling rage. Rage and hurt and a twinge of hate. They were my parents in DNA only. They had made it perfectly clear that they were through with me. That they were tired of my “issues” and that's why they had shipped me to Virginia.

I had embarrassed them. Humiliated them in front of their friends. I had forced them to face a side of me that they had tried to deny for so long. So they had thrown me into a hospital until I was deemed okay to leave. Then they sent me here. With nothing more than some clothes in a suitcase.

I knew they hated me if my mother was willing to talk to her black sheep of a sister in order to get rid of me. I had only arrived three days ago. I had been discharged from the hospital and a car picked me up, the driver gave me my plane ticket and I touched down in Washington D.C three hours later.

No call, no letter, nothing from my parents but a second hand message from a complete stranger that I was going to live with my Aunt Ruby for an indefinite amount of time. I knew Ruby had spoken to my mother since I had arrived, but I hadn't. Not that I particularly wanted to. But that little boy inside of me that longed for a mother's affection, ached with the knowledge that my own parents, the people who had given me life, wanted nothing to do with me.

Well, there was a fucking depressing thought for first thing in the morning. Way to start the day, asshole! I thought to myself harshly.

I got in the shower, going through the motions, without really thinking about them. Back in my room, I went through the clothes in my suitcase that lay open on the floor. I hadn't bothered to unpack yet. Mostly because I was too busy being depressed and angry to think about getting my life into some sort of a routine.

So I threw on the first clean pair of clothes that I found, a pair of jeans and a gray t-shirt. I picked up my army jacket and headed out the door. Putting my arms through the familiar sleeves, was a strange sort of comfort. I had gotten the beat up jacket at Goodwill in Miami. My mom had hated it. So of course I loved it. I wore it every god damn day.

“There you are.” Ruby said, smiling as I entered the kitchen. The room was warm, with sun coming through the stained glass window above the sink. My aunt stood at the stove, cooking a pile of eggs. “Sit, eat.” She said, setting a plate with eggs and toast down at the table.

“I don't normally eat breakfast.” I told her, looking at the food in mild disgust. Taking my medicine killed my appetite. The thought of eating right now made me feel faintly sick to my stomach. Yet another reason, I refused to take the the pills this morning. Not eating wasn't normal. And damn it, I'd be normal any way I could.

“Well, just try. You can't go to school on an empty stomach.” Ruby said as though I were a small child. She handed me a steaming mug. The liquid inside was unidentifiable. I sniffed it hesitantly. I never knew what my new age aunt would try to foist on me. Just yesterday she insisted I drink a tea infused with angelica root to try and purge my negative aura. It had made me want to puke.

“What is it?” I asked, peering into the cup. Ruby patted my back.

“It's Earl Grey, silly.” I let out a sigh of relief.

“With a few drops of St. John's Wort essential oil for positive mood.” Ruby added as she went over to get her own mug of tea. I sat the drink down on the table. Lisa came in as I was pushing my eggs around on my plate. She poured me a cup of coffee and I gave her a small, but grateful smile.

“Thanks.” I said, drinking it in two gulps.

Ruby was humming under her breath as she cleaned up the kitchen. Lisa sat down beside me and started going through the paper. “Did you take your pill?” She asked me, without looking up. I grit my teeth. It was going to be hard to get anything passed her. Ruby seemed pretty oblivious to a lot of things. But Lisa was shrewd. And smart. Which might make my life a hell of a lot more difficult.

“Yeah.” I lied effortlessly. I had grown used to lying. I lied often, and without guilt. But the level stare Lisa tossed my way, made me swallow thickly. I started to pick at a healing scab on the underside of my arm. Something I often did when I felt agitated. I ran my fingertip along the rough edge of the cut. It was straight and precise. Made with a confident hand. Made to hurt and forget all at the same time.

“Just make sure you do. Your medicine helps you. You don't want to end up back at the hospital, do you?” She asked me, taking a sip of her coffee, but never looking away from me. Her eyes followed my fingers anxiously picking at the scab on my arm and I immediately stopped the nervous movement. I pressed my hand to the table top, trying to stop myself from picking.

“Uh, no. Definitely not.” I agreed. Fuck. This lady most certainly had my number. And I felt oddly reassured by that. I wasn't used to anyone really giving a crap about me. No one had ever taken the time to care about about how and what I was doing. But these two women were making it clear that they did.

I felt an unaccustomed relief that was startling in its intensity.

Lisa laid a hand on top of my clenched one. “Take care of yourself, Clay.” She said softly before moving her hand away and returning to the paper.

I didn't know what to do with the warm feelings that sentiment gave me. So I got to my feet and carried my plate to the sink. Ruby put her arm around my waist and gave me a squeeze. I froze. Physical affection was really weird for me. Again, it wasn't something I was used to. But Ruby hugged me without wanting anything in return. Unconditional love was new to me. And made me feel really uncomfortable.

I moved away from my aunt. “I'd better get going.” I said, reaching for the messenger bag that hung on a hook on the wall.

Ruby handed me a few papers. “Don't forget to stop by the office and check in when you get there. They'll give you your schedule. Good luck.” She gave me a wide smile. I tried to smile back, but my lips didn't appear to be working. Good luck. Yeah, I'd be needing a lot of that.

Lisa waved as I grabbed my car keys and headed out the door. The day was warm. Not Florida warm, but still nice. I hadn't seen much of Davidson since I had arrived. But it seemed like a quiet town, with not a lot going on. Which was a nice change from the overly frenetic energy of Miami.

I was glad to leave the mayhem behind and maybe settle into a nice quiet life here. If that were possible. My fingers moved to my scabbed arms again. A constant reminder that I was only deluding myself. Nice, quiet, normal. Those words weren't in my vocabulary. And I didn't think they ever would be.

I unlocked my five series BMW with a sort of twisted loathing. I hated the car. I hated everything it represented. Because my parents had given it to me on my sixteenth birthday. They loved to play at being the perfect, doting parents in front of their friends and associates. And that was the entire point of that useless piece of metal. It was a statement. It said, “see what great parents we are? We gave our son this awesome car!” It made me sick.

They had shipped the car here a while ago. Apparently, they had planned on me coming to Virginia way before I had known about it. Ruby had said it had arrived three months ago. While I was still on lock down in the Miami General psych ward.

But I needed wheels, so I was kind of stuck. No way I'd drive Ruby's VW bug with the whacked out bumper stickers reading “break for my broom” and “my karma is my dogma.” I didn't want to come across as a complete pussy.

I headed toward Jackson High School. I was nervous. I could admit that. Though I shouldn't be. This wasn't the first time I'd be the new kid at school. I had changed schools three times in the last six years. Usually when my behavior got me expelled and my parents were forced to find me a new private school to attend. I never lasted long. Self-destruction was my middle name. And walking the straight and narrow was not what I did.

I wondered, with humorless amusement, how long I'd last here.

I pulled into the parking lot and stared up at the brick building. This was my first time at public school. And I did not want to go inside. I wonder if I could get away with skipping on my first day? But I thought about Ruby and Lisa and how much they were putting themselves out to let me live with them. And for once, I felt a little guilt. And a realization that my actions would affect others.

Huh. Maybe I had learned something in all of that therapy.

I finished listening to the song on my stereo, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel. I was already late, might as well enjoy my music. I watched other students scramble toward the school. Like a bunch of mice, scurrying inside. I was going to hate it here. I just knew it. I didn't fit in with these small town, walking talking stereotypes. Who the fuck was I kidding?

But I wasn't there to make friends. I'd had enough of people pretending to like me for one life time. This time I'd stay the fuck to myself. The fewer people to get involved in my life the better. I didn't need the fake sympathy and then the more obvious disgust when they realized how messed up I really was. I had been used by people my entire life and I didn't want any more of that.

I just needed to get through the year. Graduate. Then move the fuck on. My life would be own. I turned 18 in March. Then my parents could go fuck themselves, because I would be making decisions for me.

I had worked myself up pretty well by the time I finally got out of the car. I was feeling good and pissed as I grabbed my bag and the papers Ruby had given me and headed toward the school. I had no idea where I was going.

I stopped in the middle of the side walk and started going through the papers, trying to find the name of the administrator I would have to speak with. I dreaded having to walk through those door. Dreaded having to start this whole living thing all over again.

Then it felt like a damn wrecking ball smacked into my back. I stumbled forward and dropped the papers I was holding. My temper immediately flared. My head started to buzz and my fists clenched. I was ready to take someone's fucking head off!

“What the fuck?!” I growled, reaching down to pick my papers up off the ground. I started to cuss. A lot. Fuck, shit, god damn it! They all came out of my mouth like verbal weapons. Aimed at the asshole who had yet to apologize for knocking into me.

I straightened up and looked down at a girl who was fitting a piece of plastic onto the back of her phone. She hadn't bothered to look up at me and I couldn't really see her face. Long, brown hair hung around her, eyes trained down to the object in her hands.

“Oh, I'm sorry. Did I miss the stop sign?” She asked sarcastically. I almost laughed. Was she serious? I didn't know if I should be angry or amused. Though she still hadn't looked up and her rudeness started to piss me off again.

“Guess it's too much to expect an apology.” I said through clenched teeth. I was goading her. I wanted her to look at me. The fact that she hadn't yet, bothered the shit out of me.

“Probably.” She answered offhandedly, finally looking up. And when she did, I swear the air left my lungs. Who the hell was this girl? She was fucking gorgeous. Her long, brown hair hung down her back in a slick stream. Her wide, brown eyes blinked at me as though she were startled by my appearance. Thick bangs covered her forehead and her perfect nose scrunched in annoyance, once she got herself together.

I felt my hands grow slick and I shoved them into the pockets of my jacket. My heart was hammering in my chest and I couldn't stop staring at her. God, I must look like a damn psycho leering at her like that. Her face and neck were flushed and her chest rose and fell heavily. I tried not to stare at her chest as it moved. But my eyes drifted there anyway.

Christ! I was ogling some strange girl's chest in front of the school! Get it together, man!

I fixed my eyes back on her face and watched as her jaw clenched. She was angry...and really hot.

I closed my eyes, trying to get myself under control. No friends! No social interaction! That was my mantra! I had to remember it. No, I was going to have to force myself to stay away from this girl. Whoever she was.

But then what do I do? Like an idiot, I try to find a way to keep talking to her. Like she was my new drug of choice and I couldn't get enough.

I had known this girl for all of thirty seconds and I was already ready to follow her to the edge of the earth and back. Yep, I was insane. But I knew that already. Nothing new there.

The girl gave me a funny look and started to walk passed me without another word. But I had to stop her. I needed to! “Well, you could at least tell me where the main office is. You know, after practically running me over and all.” I said to her retreating back, hoping like hell she'd turn back around. Just so I could see her face again.

But she didn't look at me again. She kept moving toward the school as though I had already become an after thought. “You're a big boy, I'm sure you can handle this one on your own.” She called over her shoulder. I couldn't help but watch the way her hips swayed as she moved.

“Thanks for nothing!” I yelled after her, annoyed that I was so bothered by the fact that she had completely blown me off. Isn't that what I wanted? To be left alone?

She didn't respond, disappearing inside the school. And I stared after her.

Damn, I was in trouble.