The Devils Of Harvard

Chapter Ten

The car began to slow when we neared the ocean front piers of New Haven where all we could see was the water, and in the distance New York's long island glistened with lights from people's houses.

"I want to end up there as a painter in New York, unfortunately I'm just trying to get by without my parents help to do it" Derek says looking over at me with his arm over the the back of the seat and around my shoulder giving my body warmth.

"Cold?" he asks upon noticing my shivering and I just nod.

"I'll be fine though" I say and he nods.

"I couldn't let a girl be cold" he comments before getting out of the car and walking to the back before opening the back where he pulled out a blanket and handed it to me.

"Get comfy" he says with a smile which I do wrapping up in the blanket while he got back into the car I then noticed him scoot closer to me and stop before looking over at him.

"Hi Derek" I say watching him watch me. He looked like he was looking for a cue or a sign to get closer to me though it's not like I could wave him over I was attempting to stay warm in the passenger seat while the ocean air wafted up to where the car was.

"Am I allowed to hold your hand?" he asks and the innocence to the question catches me somewhat off guard.

"Sure" I say slipping my hand under the hem of the blanket and over to his tattoo covered one, I desired to trace the lines see how many combined, mixed or faded into another.

"What do they mean?" I ask and he smiles.

"Tattoo's are an art form. Each one came from something in my life, every event had a meaning so I found a design of the symbol for it or could be symbolic for it" he says, "I designed most of them actually".

"I should have guessed that" I admit and he chuckles in a slightly darkly mannered way as though there was something more to him.

"Parties like the one you and your friends attend are famous for other purposes" he says out of the blue though he looked like he had pondered on it.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Drugs get done, and Yale students like yourself that come from money. We all have our secrets and desires. That party often ends up with virgins and unexperienced pure people becoming quite the opposite. About as innocent as it gets is being shit faced".

"Parties just show what we all hide from the world".

"Secrets are dangerous, both for the person who has them, and for the people that know about them. On this side of the world it's like a weapon" Derek sighs running a hand through his hair as he looked over at me.

I then give a challengingly superior smile rolling my lips in and back out before speaking.

"What is your secret then?" I puzzle watching him carefully as he shifted in thought before tilting his head side to side as if deciding which secret to reveal.

"I own the house we just come from, well my parents do. And they'd kill me if they knew that" he admits returning his attention to me, "what about you?".

"I am a billionaire heir to one of the largest companies in the world?" I say observing his reaction, which was satisfying since he looked perplexed.

"I wouldn't have guessed, most of the heirs I've met are old money though, so they are pompous assholes anyway" he remarks and I find this funny for some reason.

Probably the alcohol I've had.

"I also probably have to tell you more secrets to know more about you Scarlet..." and he trails off.

"Louviere" I fill in.

"Well... I attended public school rather then private because I didn't want to have friends richer then me".

"I used to date an asshole before my family moved to New York, then I dated one other guy who I left".

"What did this guy do to get such a pretty girl to leave" Derek prys pinching the corner of his lip with his free hand.

"I couldn't mentally deal with him going to a school far away from me, and so I asked to break up. But I had my grief stage, now it's time to move on" I say adding the last bit more to convince myself then anything.

"That is always good. I had this girlfriend who was a bit of a prude and always acted like she was better then everyone. She would constantly bring me down and I couldn't take it. I made a honest mistake. Fucked her best friend like the idiot I was. A piece of me wishes I could go back and fix it. Promised I'd be better. For that reason I don't actually have friends that are girls, and if I do know any they stay as project partners and that is it nothing personal. I don't do personal. A bit like how you won't go to far when first meeting someone".

"My most recent ex only had sex with me like a month before we broke up which would have been the seven month mark" I laugh at it now as it was funny. I also don't hold Nathan in resentment he was always kind and protective, and the way he could passionately love me was rare compared to all the other relationships I'd seen amongst peers.

"Didn't expect you to be so upfront with that" Derek remarks looking out at the water.

A calm silence fell over us as we looked over the ocean white moonlight refractions shaping the crests of ripling waves. There were no birds, even the cold wind was so gentle that it didn't give off sound.

Without having realized it I leaned over and was resting against Derek's shoulder his arm having moved to around my shoulders.

I then shut my eyes, listening to the lapping at the rocky shore and focusing on my breathing matching it with the sound of the waters movement. It was peaceful, I was at peace and it had illicited a yawn from me.

"Tired?" he asks looking down at me.

"Yeah, the ocean air made me like this, and I'm warm".

"I'll take you home" he says removing his arm and starting the car, before the parking brake went down and he began driving away though I gave him directions along the way.

It didn't take long and if anything the drive itself was calm though in his car he was required to drive with both his hands in use because of the manual.

When we got to the gate he slowed to a stop and looked over at me.

"I will stay here, I don't want to embarrass you if your dormmates are home" he says as I push the blanket off of myself.

"I never got your last name Derek" I say and he hums in thought.

"You're right" he says, "Halloway".

I give him a smile and open the door to the car to get out.

"See you around then, Derek Halloway".

"See you around, Scarlett Louviere".

Carefully closing the door I begin the walk up the driveway towards the house with my arms crossed to keep my hands warm.

Getting to the house I saw that they all were home already but the house was mostly dark save for Vanessa's room where the girl sat in the window with a grin on her face.

That would be the first time she looks giddy.

Ignoring it since its only fair I walked to the door and as quiet as I could slipped inside being sure to make as little noise as possible.

I felt like the kid that snuck out late though no one cares we were all friends however we didn't need to know every little detail of the others lives, that had been the agreement.

Getting into my room I got undressed and put on comfy clothes before clearing my face of makeup, and putting away my jewelry so I could go to sleep.

I then stared at my makeup free face and my now ruffled hair. I then began thinking back on tonight and the whole thing brought a smile to my face. Maybe university wouldn't be so bad.
     

   
Early update for some of you to wake up to specifically for my North American readers, comment, vote, and share. Anyways

Peace✌