Demon Soul (1)

I

"I'm going to rip your arm off and shove it so far up your ass you'll feel it punching you in the stomach!"

This happened almost every morning. I threw my hairbrush out into the hall, listening to it hit the door adjacent from mine. Ronin had closed it just in time, and when he reopened it, I wanted nothing more than to gouge his forest green eyes from his skull.

"Come on Adelia, really? You're acting like a three year old."

"You're the one to talk!" I growled. "And for the last time Ronnie, it's Delia!"

"Oh, now you've stepped over the line." He walked out of his room, just for me to slam my door in his face and lock it.

I hated my foster family. I'd been taken in by my foster parents when I was three, and Ronin came in a year later when he was four. We were total opposites: he had black hair, I had platinum, his eyes were green, and mine were such a pale blue they were practically gray. He liked to play sports and go outside and I was working my ass off to get good grades. I stayed inside most of the time, either reading or doing something or another to keep me busy. Still though, somehow he was the apple of my parents eye and I was just the disappointment.

With a loud huff I pulled a sweater on over my tank top and shoved my legs into my boots. Blackwood, Alaska was plunged into thirty degree cold and it was only May. I hated this town, it should have been named Backwoods, because we're as bout as far into the sticks that you can get without straying too far from modern civilization. Everyone here was close knit and even though I'd lived here all my life, I still didn't know half their names.

Thankfully our parents were busybodies and were never home in the morning. I closed my door behind me and glared at Ronin, who didn't seem to pay any mind to my irritation, like usual. I grabbed my car keys before he could snatch his own and bailed out the door, practically tripping over my own feet. Grace was certainly not my middle name. I just readjusted myself and hopped into my car, tossing my backpack in the passenger seat and listening to the engine purr. I'd saved up my money to get this thing, an old Chevy truck that a friend's dad had given to me for a thousand bucks. That money came from hellish babysitting jobs and whatever holiday money I scrounged up.

The town wasn't big, and most of the income relied on the fishing industry. On the plus side, we had some good sushi bars out here. On the downside, most of the town smelled like fish, and you never quite got used to it. The only thing that seemed to cover it up for me was the smell of coffee, a certain kind that I always bought every morning. My scowl turned up into a smile as I saw a good friend of mine at the coffee stand, working as a barista. Tara's face lit up when she saw me and she handed me the usual, almost like she'd been waiting for me.

"How's everything going?" I asked her.

"Pretty good, I just got promoted to manager." She wiggled her eyebrows, eliciting a giggle from the both of us. "I'll be at school around third period, my first two are electives anyway."

"I'm just glad you found yourself a steady job." I grinned, handing her a five. "Keep the change."

"You're just precious, say hi to Blake for me!"

I waved to the girl, taking a drink of the mocha while I pulled away from the stand. It wasn't until now that I finally relaxed, the tension in my body easing. My mornings were always stressful, they had been for years now. School seemed to be almost as bad, but I wouldn't be having to deal with it for much longer. I'd be graduating in a month, and then I'd be free to go wherever I wanted. I was already eighteen, so I didn't need my parents consent for anything. Not like I ever really needed their consent for anything anyway.

The parking lot was almost full when I finally arrived at Blackwood High. There was one spot that was always open though, right in the corner by the exit. I took the spot and parked my car, feeling the chill through my leggings as I stepped out into the cold. We seemed to be stuck in an endless winter this year, with the snow reaching above record heights. Today was clear, but the skies were gray, and my feet crunched through the already packed down powder as I marched my way into the school. The hallways bustled with activity, everyone was excited for the year to be over. No one was excited as I though, even though I didn't show it. A pair of eyes caught mine in the crowd and I smiled, pushing through to get to him: a boy with brown hair and chocolate eyes, spiked with gold.

"Blake!" I grinned, letting the boy pull me into a hug. He squeezed me tight, placing a kiss on my lips.

"Well hey there Delia, someone's excited to see me." He grinned. "How'd you sleep baby?"

"Okay, Ronin pissed me off pretty bad this morning but what's new." I rolled my eyes. "How's everything going?"

"Well, I got a letter in the mail yesterday," His eyes lit up. "I got a football scholarship to Stanford!"

"Oh my god!" I squealed. "Blake, that's awesome! I'm so glad you got it!"

"The only thing I'm not excited for is leaving you behind." His face fell for a moment as he brushed my hair behind my ear. "I'd take you with me if I could."

"Don't worry about it Blake." I placed my hand over his and kissed his palm. "We can do long distance, I know we can."

"How about I call you every day after school?" He smiled.

"Sounds like a plan to me."

The bell rang out above our heads and I sighed, running my fingers down his arm to tangle my fingers in his. I felt confident with him, the star of the football team and the best looking guy in school. All the girls were jealous of me, and I made sure to flaunt my relationship whenever I got the chance. If I couldn't have the love of the students, I'd have their envy instead.

Blake and I shared our first period, history. The teacher was good, but the class was boring, and it seemed he'd already given up trying to teach the class for the year. We'd be graduating in a few short weeks anyway, so what's the point? All the students seemed to be on board with this idea and took to their phones or goofed around in their seats. Blake and I sat together, his arm wrapped around me while I cozied up to his side. He wasn't particularly warm, but anything was better than the cold I was feeling right now. God, I hated living here.

"What are you thinking about sunshine?" Blake's voice interrupted my thoughts.

"How much I hate the cold." I laughed to myself. "I'm thinking about moving to LA when I'm done here. It's warmer down there, isn't it?"

"It's fairly warm, I'd say at least." He smiled. "We went down there last summer and it was pretty bad, not sure how it is during other times of the year though."

"Well, anything is better than living here." I sighed, someone's gaze catching my attention.

Ronin was across the room, staring at me. I could see a seething hatred in his eyes, but he'd never admit it. I pulled my eyes away and squirmed a little, feeling uncomfortable. Since we were never blood related, Ronin had tried on occasion to...start things. I told him no every time, but it was obvious he wanted me. It's part of the reason why there was a lock on my bedroom door. I didn't feel safe in my own home.

While I shifted around in my seat, I finally found a spot and grew comfortable, dozing off against Blake for the remainder of the period. When the bell finally rang though, I was able to blink myself awake in time to see him waving to a pair of girls across the room. They giggled, and he winked, and even in my half asleep state I just grabbed my things and left. In the back of my mind, I knew long distance would never work for us, because he was too popular and I was not. He'll find someone better over there, and I'm just over here slowly bracing myself for the inevitable. Just enjoy what you have while it lasts, right?