Fallen Arise

If Love's Elastic: Improved

By third period, the wind outside had calmed down, allowing the California sun to shine blindingly through the windows of the art room. Aurora kept her hand steady for her line drawing, the eyes stared back at her as she carved out the iris, life is always in the eyes, she told herself over and over again.

Her eyes flicked to the clock as her pen swirled across the page, the tip never leaving the paper. Cam was her salvation right now, he had to be waiting for Aurora now in the empty car park out front by now.

Aurora wished constantly that she could go home, it didn't matter that today was a Friday,it only mattered that she wouldn't have to come here for another two days. At home, there was no one to compare herself too, only Jason and Daniel and Luce.

She liked being on her own, it's just that other people had a habit of ruining it for her. Like this morning, she had been minding my own business when someone shouted her name and called her something that she had always been called. She wouldn't dare tell her Mother, she knew Luce would only feel guilty.

She left Shore g that day with a bitter feeling, the excitement she felt when she'd woken up, dulled by her experience this morning that reminded her of the worst thing she had ever done.

Cam was there. He winked at her as he approached, his car was short and sleek the black interiour of it felt hot from the heat of the sun that was now burning a million degrees.

"Hey, Kid." Cam smiled, his grin like a cheshire cat and completely infectious. Aurora's mood couldn't help but lift at the sight of it. Recently, Cam had started slicking his hair back and Aurora thought he looked like a gangster from the 60s- Tom Hardy in Legend.

"Sup," She grinned, throwing her bag and leather jacket into the cramped back seats.

"How was school?" He asked, pulling his red sunglasses into his hair.

"Shitty," She told him, as she put her feet up on the dashboard.

"The usual then."

"Why don't you just leave?" He continued, turning to the girl.

"That's not very good advice to give a teenager, Cammy," She argued, despite the longing that pulled in my chest, he made it sound so easy.

He laughed, "All advice is good advice,"

I snorted, "I really don't think that's true,"

"Well I think it is," He smiled, "Especially when it comes from me,"

"You could always homeschool me," She proposed jokingly, a smile played on her lips as they peeled out of the parking lot and headed towards the highway.

"Help me perfect my sarcasm, I feel like that would be a useful skill to have," She laughed.

He grinned, in reply. His hands, tanned from the sun, fed the wheel around an familiar corner.

"I said I would teach you to drive, didn't I?" He curved, following the long road that lead to the Grigori residence. Her house loomed over the beach, all windows and floaty curtains . With blue paint that matched the water Aurora and her family swam in together every day in the summer. The car hummed to a stop behind Mom and Dad's famous Alfa Romeo.

"Just ask then," He causioned, "It won't hurt, tell them you'll get a job like Jason."

Turning, Cam pulled Aurora's stuff from the back of his car, it was a stupidly short drive from the school to the house and Aurora wished it was longer. Daniel had only recently allowed Cam to drive her to school, ever since he came home from London. Aurora thought, in shame, that she wasn't even allowed to fly on her own.

"Bye Babes," Cam called from the car as Dad watched through the window, eyes narrowing. He got out, following behind Aurora as she entered the front door.

The house greeted her with warmth and cool floors. Dad sat on the sofa dressed in a white shirt, and Khaki pants that made him look older than Aurora remembered- it was as though he had actually aged.

"Hi Rory," He smiled and switched off the TV.

"Did you have a good day at school?" He asked, tipping his head back to look at her as she swung into the kitchen to avoid his gaze for a second, she grabbed a diet coke from the fridge.

"Yeah," She lied, "We drew a naked old man in art class."

Dad almost dropped his book, twisting his face into an expression of disgust. Cam snorted behind him.

Mom walked through the door, then. She shined like a goddess. Her black hair had grown long over the summer, threaded with gold from the sun it blew behind her as the sun rayed out behind her. In the corner of my eyes Aurora saw her Dad give Luce a look that made his daughter want to jump over the balcony.

She smiled at Aurora, coming around to kiss her on the cheek.

"You know you don't have to pick Aurora up everyday," Luce looked at Cam, who stood tall and dark like shadow in the frame of the front door. His car idled outside.

"Don't you worry your pretty head, she needs me," He winked at Aurora again, the side of his mouth quirked up. She did need him, she liked to tell Cam things she couldn't tell her parents and he was the best at keeping secrets.

"Besides, I might go insane otherwise, Lily's always at my place, I swear she thinks we're married." He said, shaking his head. Aurora knew he was lying, he liked to joke that his girlfriend, Lily, annoyed him when in fact she wasn't actually that bad. Aurora had seen her a lot lately, and he was right she was always at his place.

Arraine thinks it's because she's a ginger and that she looks like Lilith, and then Cam gets annoyed for reasons Aurora didn't know why. Lily was alright, even if she did have a temper.

"Your welcome," Cam finished, nodding at his oldest friends.

"See you on Monday, my love," He bowed.