Believe

Chapter Ten of Believe: Homecoming

I got dressed happily thinking of what Euan would say when he saw me. Matt wasn’t taking me out to dinner. I hoped Euan would still be here when I was finally ready. After taking a shower, my mom dried my hair and told me to get into my dress. My dress was a red, strapless, and floor length. It had one white ribbon which went around the waist and tied on the side. The dress had a tight bodice until the bow and the fabric was gathered in tiers until it reached the ground.


         My mom arranged my hair so that it was half down and half up. She plaited the half up part and ran a white ribbon through my hair. She curled the lower half and started on my make-up. When she had finished I didn’t think I could possibly look any better.


         “Gabby, you look absolutely beautiful.” My mom gave me a hug. “Are you ready to make your entrance downstairs?”


         I nodded, I felt too nervous to speak. What if Euan didn’t think I was pretty? I could care less what Matt thought about me. He hadn’t even gotten up enough guts to drive down my driveway and get me. He said he would wait in his usual spot. All I could think was how much of a pansy ass he was.


         I began to feel nervous as we reached the main staircase. I wanted so badly for Euan to think I was beautiful and think I was way better then Melissa could ever be. I should have fought for Euan, but instead, Melissa got him.


         “Gabby, wait here. I want to get my camera.” My mom ran quickly to her room and I decided to peek down the stairs.


         Euan had his back turned and was talking to Eleanor and Wallace. I saw Eleanor frown disapprovingly at her grandson. He shrugged and turned so he faced the stairs. I couldn’t help but think how great he looked. His suit was black and he wore a gold tie around his neck. I couldn’t think of anyone who looked as good as he did in a tux. I shrank back into the shadows, my stomach flipping. I suddenly didn’t want to go down the stairs.


         “Gabby, I promise! You look great.” My mom said as she started to walk down the stairs. “I’ll call when I am ready to take your picture.”


         I nodded once more and put my back against the wall. I was really starting to get nervous. I heard my mom call and I felt like running back to my room. Instead I took a deep breath and turned to walk down the stairs.


         I was blinded for a moment by the bright flash of the camera, when I had regained my eye sight, I trusted myself to start down the stairs. I began my decent slowly, careful not to make eye contact with anyone, but I couldn’t resist the urge. I looked up at Euan to see if I could read the expression on his face. He was staring straight at me, not paying attention to what his grandfather was trying to tell him. He smiled as I met his gaze and came forward to help me down the last few stairs. My mom took another picture when I had reached the floor.


“You look…beautiful.” Euan said breathlessly.


         I smiled shyly. “Thank you.”


         “Here,” Euan pulled something from his the inside of his tuxedo. I saw a beautiful, red rose in Euan’s hand “I highly doubt that Matthew got you anything and a beautiful girl deserves a beautiful flower.” 


         I smiled brightly at him. “Thank you. It is beautiful.”


         Euan looked like he was about to say something, but nodded instead and turned back to Wallace.


         “Gabby, let me get a few more pictures before you go.” I turned to face my mom with my rose still in hand. She took a few more pictures and Eleanor took a couple.


         Eleanor smiled at me and gave me a hug before I left. Wallace and my mom were soon to follow. I was extremely happy; I didn’t think there was anything that could make this night go wrong, too bad I didn’t know how wrong I was.





         I saw Matt waiting in his usual spot at the end of the driveway. I said my goodbyes to everyone and Euan took me down to Matt so I did not have to walk through the film of snow that covered the ground. I had protested at first, I didn’t want to have to burden Euan, but he said he had to get Melissa anyway. I hadn’t felt so bad after that.


         I hurried quickly to Matt’s car and slid in the passenger seat. He looked over at me once and said, “You won’t ruin my image. You look nice.”


         I shook my head, what an asshole. I shouldn’t have even gone to the dance with him. True to Euan’s prediction, Matt hadn’t gotten me anything and I started to look at the rose as Matt pulled away from the driveway and down the road.


          I smiled a little as I looked down on it. It was funny that Euan was the one I hated a month ago and now was my favorite out of the two. Some of the things Matt did or said I found myself thinking that Euan wouldn’t say or do that. I wished that I was in his car and Melissa was in this one.


         We pulled up into the school parking lot. I could see other people walking up to the school. Despite the fact I was going to the dance with Matt, I was still excited for the dance. Matt came around and opened my door for me. I almost laughed, that was a first for him. I got out slowly so as not to tear my dress. I decided that I didn’t want to leave the rose in the car, so I took it out with me.


         “Where did you get that?” Matt was staring at the rose.


         “I got it at home.” I said idly, still looking down at it.


         All of the sudden I saw Matt’s hand come out of nowhere and pull the rose from my hands. He looked at it for a moment before throwing it on the ground and stepping on it, grinding it under his show. I tightened my jaw. He had no right to do that.


         “Matt!” I shouted, contemplating smacking him. “Why did you do that?”


         Matt just smiled at me, “You don’t need a flower, you have me.”


         “You still didn’t have to do that!” I looked down at the rose sadly. Its petals were crushed and lying around the stem. The bright red of the petals were a vivid contrast between the white of the snow.


         “Come on Gabby. We will be late for the dance.” Matt took my arm roughly and steered me to the front doors. I shook myself mentally. I was not going to let Matt’s attitude ruin my night. I jerked my arm away from him, Matt stared at me a moment before shrugging and walking through the doors of the school. I followed, dully; somehow I knew that the dance wasn’t going to be anything like I had thought.          


         I followed Matt down the hall to the gym. Matt paid for us to get in, we went through the double doors and into the half lit gymnasium. As far as I could see no one was dancing, they were all packed into groups talking to one another. I looked around for my friends and spotted them next to the stage that the gym held. I started to walk toward them, but Matt caught my arm.


         “Let’s dance,” he looked down at me and smiled. I got a creepy feeling in the pit of my stomach. I tried to think of a good excuse.


         “There isn’t a slow song on,” was the best excuse I could think of.  Then, to my dismay, a voice boomed over the sound system.


         “Okay, ladies and gents. It is time to kick this dance off with our first slow dance.”


         “It looks like we have a song to dance to now.” Matt twirled me around and pulled me in close. We danced like most couples did during Homecoming. I had my hands on his shoulders and he had his arms on my waist. We moved slowly in a circle not really saying anything. Once the song was over I instantly detached myself from Matt.


         “I am going to see me friends.” I motioned to my friends who waved at me from their spot next to the drink table.  Matt nodded and walked into the crowd.


         “Gabby!” Squealed Blaire and Jean together.


         “You look amazing!” McKenna said, coming up to join us.


         “You guys look amazing too!” I exclaimed. “I love your dresses!”


         Blaire was wearing a short, sea green dress that had beading around the top. McKenna was dressed in a smooth dress of deep blue and Jean had a beautiful yellow gown with black detailing.


         “Are you guys having a good time?” I asked as I got a glass of soda. Jean and McKenna nodded emphatically.


         “Oh yeah.” Blaire said. “Ryan and I are having a great time. I think he may even ask me out tonight!”


         “Blaire, that’s awesome!” I hugged Blaire and she smiled.


         “What about you and Matt?” Blaire leaned in and whispered to me.


         I shrugged as my response and looked over to where Matt was standing. He was surrounded by at least ten girls. I rolled my eyes and looked over at the doors to the gym and felt my heart stop. Euan and Melissa had just walked in the door. She wore a beautiful dress of gold that looked like someone had sewn together millions of small golden disks. Her hair was pulled into an elegant up-do and I instantly felt that my hair wasn’t good enough.


         “Gabby?” Blaire questioned and then followed my gaze. She looked from Euan to me several times before it final clicked in her head. “Gabby…do you?”


         “Yes…yes I do.” I said grimly and looked away from Euan and Melissa. Blaire looked around for McKenna and Jean, who were sitting down at one of the many tables littering the gym, before leaning in closer to me.


         “When did this happen?” The corners of Blaire’s mouth turned up in a smile.


         “I don’t know Blaire,” I looked at her sadly. “It just sort of happened. All of the sudden and now I can’t help but feel helpless. I messed up and now Melissa gets him.”


         “I wouldn’t be so sure.” Blaire smiled at me and then started toward the table where McKenna and Jean sat. I watched her go, confused, until I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. I turned around and was greeted by the smiling face of Euan.


         “May I have this dance?” He asked. I looked around for Matt, but he was nowhere to be seen.


         “Yes.” I looked over my shoulder at Blaire who gave me the thumbs up. A slow song began to play and Euan pulled me close to him. He held my waist in one hand and my left hand in his other hand. We twirled across the dance floor like people use to back in the 1800’s. I couldn’t help but laugh, but the laugh died on my lips as Euan slowed and Matt came into view.


         “I believe this is my date.” Matt said. Euan slowly let go of me and Matt took his place. Euan turned to go, his back straight as a ramrod. I looked back up at Matt whose jaw was clenched tight. “Never…and I mean never let me catch you with him again.”


         His hands around my waist tightened to the point where it began to hurt. I just nodded, not wanting to cause a scene. Despite myself I felt tears well up in my eyes. Matt sighed.


         “Let’s go get some fresh air.” He said through gritted teeth. I nodded again and followed him out a door to the left side of the gym.


         We were in a hallway full of unused lockers. We were both walking silently along the hallway. I was half afraid of what Matt would do. He had been so angry. All of the sudden Matt pushed me up against one of the lockers. I turned my head away from him, afraid he was going to hit me. I heard him laugh quietly and felt his warm breath on my face. His fingers crept along my jaw until they got to my chin. He turned my head slowly to face his. I felt a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach and my skin broke out in goose bumps.


         He looked at me for a moment before leaning in a kissing me hard on the mouth.


         “Matt, I don’t think that…” I started to say, but Matt placed his lips on mine again. He pushed harder and harder against my lips. I tried to turn my head, but he had wound his hand up and had placed it on my chest, pressing me harder into the lockers behind me. I could feel the cold, hard metal digging into my skin. Then I felt Matt’s tongue running along my lips. I smashed my lips together as hard as I could. Matt pulled away and grabbed my cheeks and forced his tongue into my mouth.


         I started to panic. This is not what I wanted. I needed to get away. I need to run away, I need to get away from Matt. I bit down hard on his tongue. He backed away from me, holding his mouth.


          “Matt, I’m serious. Stop!” I warned him and tried to run away. He grabbed my arm and slammed me back into the lockers. They made a dull clanking sound as I hit them. He then lifted his right hand and hit me across the face with the back of it. Matt trapped me by placing his hands on either side of my body.


“Why isn’t this working? This should have worked. What did you do? Who did you Promise?” He spit blood out of his mouth and stared at me with pure hatred.


         “Matt, I have no idea what you are talking about!” I wanted to move but his arms were in the way. I felt tears falling down my face and a bruise forming on my right cheek where Matt’s ring had hit my cheekbone. His face was twisted in pure rage, I quickly looked away from his face.


         “Don’t lie to me!” He hissed and he drew my face up to look at him. His eyes were hard and cold. “I know exactly what you are, I’m not an idiot. Tell me, did you make The Promise?”


         “What are you talking about?” I practically shouted. Matt didn’t answer me, all he did was press his mouth to mine once more. I could taste the blood from his mouth and tried my best to turn my head, but that only made him press down harder on my lips. He applied more a more pressure until I could feel his teeth through his lips and my own lips began to bleed.


         I felt like I was stuck, like the day I had touched the shield. I couldn’t move my feet or arms. I was stuck, I willed myself to pull away and I still couldn’t. My heartbeat started speeding up. I felt like I was going to panic, I wanted to get away. Nothing I did seemed to make any difference.  All I could hear myself think were two words. Stop and help. I kept thinking those words until I felt like I was screaming them inside my head. I tried to move my feet and, to my surprised, I could move them again. I kicked as hard as I could at his groin. When he doubled over, I punched him in the back of the neck and kicked him again in the face. Sometimes having a grandfather as a cop came in handy.


         For a second I just looked down at Matt, not really realizing what had happened. I couldn’t believe what I had just done. I poked him with the toe of the heels that I had worn. He didn’t move, only groaned. I dropped to my knees and put my first two fingers to his neck to check for a pulse. I felt it, steady and strong. So he was alive, he was perfectly fine. I had nothing to worry about. Matt stirred slightly and I jumped up. I had no wish to be anywhere around Matt when he woke up.


         I ran back up the hallway toward the gym. All I wanted to do was go home. The panic had caught up to me and I could feel the sobs in my throat. The tears were spilling down my eyes silently, no matter how hard I tried to suppress the tears and the sobs kept coming. I tried to wipe the blood from my lip, but it just kept coming. I had to look for Euan. He was the only one that could take me home. My friends weren’t going to want to leave their dates and take me home and I really didn’t care what Melissa thought. She only came to the dance with him to spite me.


         I burst into the gym doors and straight into someone. I felt a moment of panic, I instantly began to punch at the person. Hitting them solidly in the chest three times before they grabbed my shoulders and I felt an instant tingle.


         “Gabriella?” I heard Euan’s voice and I buried my face into his chest. Not caring if my blood, mascara, or foundation rubbed off on his shirt. I just wanted to feel safe. “Gabriella, what’s wrong?”


         “Matt…Matt…” was all I was able to get out before Euan pulled me away from him and bent down so his face was level with mine.


         “Where is he?” Euan’s voice was deadly, but his eyes softened when they reached mine. I pointed down the way I came and Euan looked back at me. “You stay here, I will be right back.”


          I continued to look down the way Euan had gone. I wondered what he was doing; I was half afraid that he wasn’t going to come back. I had managed to calm myself down enough that I wasn’t cry hysterically or gasping for air. I just wanted to go home. I didn’t want to stay for the last hour or whatever we had left. I did not want to be around when Matt woke up from whatever had happened. I felt my lip. The blood had stopped and I wiped away the dried blood. I was so glad that the dance had continued on, I had no wish for anyone to see me.


         I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Euan walking down the hallway. He had a puzzled look on his face; he stopped next to me and looked down.


         “Are you okay? What happened?” Euan looked concerned and I felt myself start to cry again.


         “Euan, will you take me home? Please?” I watched as other couples began dancing to a slow, mournful song.


I tried to suppress the tears. I didn’t want to cry in front of anyone. I hadn’t cried in front of anyone when my dad had died, with the exception of Euan, and I didn’t really want to cry in front of anyone now for a dumb reason. They would all say I brought it upon myself, that I had been toying with Matt.


         Euan came close to me and lifted my chin up with one finger. One look at him and I felt a fresh wave of tears come up and the panic catch up with me again. I pressed my lips together and closed my eyes. I was not going to cry.


         “Gabriella…” Euan started, then seemed to change his mind and said. “I will take you home.”


         He grabbed my hand and took me toward the parking lot, not even bothering to find Melissa and tell her he was leaving. He held my hand gently, it was comforting after my encounter with Matt. As we were walking toward his car he didn’t say a word, just put his jacket around my shoulders and opened my car door.


         “Gabriella,” Euan said once inside the car. He turned it on then looked over at me. “What happened?”


         I took a deep breath and then I told Euan my story. “After Matt had caught us dancing together he asked me if I wanted to get some fresh air. I agreed and he took me into a hallway I had never been before. We were walking down the hall when he pushed me against the lockers.”


         A fresh wave of tears started to pour down my checks and I started shaking violently. “He started to kiss me and he wouldn’t stop, I tried to push him away but he just kept coming at me. Euan...I was so scared. I just fought my way out. I didn’t know any other way.”


         I succumbed to my tears, feeling them fall in torrents down my checks. I placed my hands over my face. This was the second time Euan had seen me cry. I felt embarrassed and turned my body towards the door of the car. I tried to take deep breaths and calm myself down. I felt Euan place a hand on my shoulder. I let him turn me to face him and bring down my hands. I didn’t look him in the eyes as he brushed away my tears. I winced slightly has his hand swept over my bruise.


         “Let’s go home.” Euan said softly and I nodded. I felt him pull the car out of its parking spot. I had slowed my tears and was breathing normally. I just wanted to be as far away from Matt as possibly. Now that I was with Euan, I felt safe. 


         Euan pulled up in the driveway of our house, I saw that Eleanor and my mom were waiting next to the front door. Suddenly I decided I didn’t want to go in and see my mom.  She would ask what had happened, and I would sound completely stupid if I tried to explain what had happened. I knew my mom would ask awkward questions and get me to relive the moment all over again. I had to leave, I didn’t want to go inside. I started to feel hot all over. I had to leave…now.


         I flung open the car door and ran toward the edge of the property that I knew held the path to my beach. I didn’t care how cold it was and I didn’t care if there was two inches snow, I just didn’t want to see my mother’s face when I told her what happened, not right now.


         The wind whipped around and hit my face. The snow pelted me, yet, I still pushed on toward the beach. Under the cover of the trees the wind wasn’t that bad, I felt tears welling up in my eyes. How could everything gone so horribly wrong? The dance was supposed to be one of the greatest nights of my life, and Matt had double crossed me. I felt my heels slip and slide underneath me and I resisted the urge to take them off, even if I was upset, I retained some amount of common sense.


         My tears were coming down in sheets as the realization of the past months hit me. Matt hadn’t liked me at all, he had been using me! How could I have been so blind to what he was doing? It was obvious to everyone else! He hated the McCready’s, he wanted to harm them as their family had supposedly harmed his, and I was the perfect solution. Why else did he put up the charade that I was his ‘girlfriend’? The events that had happened over the past month suddenly fell into perspective. All the odd things that Matt had done became clear to me.


         He hadn’t actually asked me out because he hadn’t really wanted to date me. All he wanted was a reason to be close the McCready’s house.  He had waited to ask me to the dance because he had been gambling his chances. His odds were that I knew something more about the McCready’s then he did or I knew nothing at all. He had obviously thought that kissing me would help soften me up to get the answers from me.


         My stomach churned at the thought of Matt’s lips on mine. Since I was old enough to understand what a kiss was, I had dreamed of the time when I would receive mine. Matt’s one action had brought all of those dreams crumbling around my head.


         My thoughts rolled around in my head as the wind whipped from the beach. I had finally made it to my destination point. The harsh wind blew off the waves forced my tears to freeze immediately, despite the cold I could not get rid of the feeling of betrayal in the pit of my stomach. I had been so easy to trust the people at my new school that I had fallen unwittingly into a trap. I had foolishly believed that Matt had actually cared for me, that he wanted to be with someone like me, that I hadn’t stopped to think about his ulterior motives. Euan had tried to warn me, but I had been too stubborn to listen.


         At my old school that wouldn’t have been a problem. Whenever a guy would express any fondness for me I would start thinking of reasons behind it. I never believed that the boy wanted me and not one of my friends. In the end my suspicions drove the guy away and I never got the chance to feel what dating was like. At my new school I had tried to change a little, and look where it had got me. Crying on the beach, while it’s snowing, freezing my butt off. How could I have been so stupid?


         I sidled up along side of the rock I usually sat on. I wasn’t stupid enough to try and climb it, but being next to it offered about the same amount of comfort. I didn’t want to go back and face my mom, to see her crestfallen face as I told her the events of the dance. I was also half afraid that one of the McCready’s would rub it in my face and tell me they knew it would happen all along. I almost wished one of them would, it was my own dumb decisions that had gotten me to this point. I deserved what they threw at me.


         I sighed, a few tears tried to trickle down my face but were stopped by the wind. I knew that as soon as I saw my mom, Eleanor or even Euan that I would start to cry again. I felt so foolish, like I was over reacting. This happened all the time didn’t it? Other girls always seemed to bear it better then I was. With a nasty jolt my thoughts quickly turned, hadn’t the dreams I had been having depicted this very scene? 


         I was on the beach, it was cold, and I was crying over something I thought was ridiculous. I started trying to think of the rest of my dream, I knew something else had happened, but I could not remember what. I knew something was about to happen, my dream had at least made me feel like something big was going to happen, but I couldn’t think of the image.


         I heard the rocks grind behind me and thought nothing of it, thinking it was the snow and wind. It wasn’t until someone grabbed my shoulder that I spun around. Pure panic overwhelmed my system. I tried to run, but the hand held me firmly. It was not until I felt the familiar tingles running down my body that I calmed myself and turned to face the other person on the beach with me. Euan stood facing me with nothing on except for the tux that he had worn to the dance.


         “Are…you okay Gabriella?” He asked as I looked up at him. Small bits of the snow were landing in his hair, he looked even better than normal. Despite that, I felt the tears start. I had known this was going to happen. If I could have been by myself for the rest of the night, I would have been able to be calm, but Euan had to be the gentleman and follow me here.


         “I’m…” I started to say ‘I’m fine’ but ‘fine’ never came out of my mouth. I felt my eyes start to sting and a lump form in my throat.


         Without a word Euan opened his arms and I rushed forward into them. I was extremely grateful that he had didn’t say anything like ‘I told you so’ or ‘you should have listened to me.’ His arms closed around me and a felt safer somehow and a little bit warmer. I buried my face against my chest and tried to stop my tears. They were so pointless, but I couldn’t stop them from coming.


         Euan didn’t say a word he just held me there until my sobs slowed, I knew that I probably ruined his shirt. I tried to back away from him but he held me in the circle of his arms. I looked up at him mildly surprised. He brushed away the few lone tears left on my face. I smiled a little and looked away, embarrassed. He probably thought I was another one of those girls, the ones who cried every time their feeling got hurt.


         “Pretty Gabriella.” He murmured so softly I was not sure I had heard him. “Matt is not worth crying over. There are plenty of other guys. I am sorry for what has happened to you. Try and forget it.”


         Euan tucked a small piece of hair behind my ear. The motioned made me tingle all over. I shivered slightly, but it had nothing to do with the cold. Euan seemed not to noticed, he was staring at me intently. I stared back, wondering what he was thinking. No matter what I had just been through, all I could think of was Euan kissing me. Would it be different? Should I let him? Just as I decided that if Euan ever wanted to kiss me I would let him, he leaned in and kissed me lightly on the lips.


         A shock ran throughout my body all the way to my toes. It was exactly what I always thought a kiss should be like. I kissed back cautiously. The tingling continued as Euan deepened our kiss. I wanted more and more of the kiss, more of Euan. I slowly put my hand on the back of his neck and he pulled me in even closer. The kiss was staring to make me lightheaded, but I didn’t want to stop.


         I felt the warm pressure of Euan’s lips slowly pull away from mine. I stepped back dizzily and looked at him. My jaw dropped as I saw a blue glow around him. It was lighting up the entire area around us. Not only that, but a golden glow was coming off of myself. I looked down at my hands in surprise. I suddenly felt very cold. My teeth started to chatter.


         “I am so sorry. I didn’t even think about the cold. I am so sorry, come closer.”Euan grabbed my hands and pulled me closer. The instant I was inside the blue aura that circled him I felt warmer. It almost felt like a balmy summer day, I looked around us, but nothing had changed. The wind was still whipping little bits of snow all over the place, but as soon as it came in contact with the blue glow, it melted. I looked up at Euan, awestruck.


         “How in the hell-” I started to say, but Euan pressed a finger to my lips. He looked elated. I stared down at the golden glow around me.


         “Listen Gabriella, there is no easy way to say this to you but…you’re a witch.” Euan whispered into the dark cold of the night.