DEVIANT [H.S.]

4 - Unexpected

I wake up to the sound of my door slamming open, a too-familiar voice booming off of my walls.

"Serena! Get up now!" Jeriah yells, yanking my blankets off of me. I let out a groan in response. I'm not awake yet.

"Serena... when were you going to tell me that you snuck out?" He says more quietly this time, sitting on the edge of my bed. He's already dressed in a suit; he has to go downtown today I assume.

I lift my face off of my pillow slightly. "You found out..."

"Sure as hell, I did. We have security cameras all around the perimeter of the house." He snaps, making me flinch.

Damn. "So.. you knew."

He nods. "I always check the cameras before heading to bed. It just surprised me that you would leave without your Protector. Serena, I know that you hate the whole idea of the Core, but I can't let you off of the property without Caleb."

"Just because my mom got raped by a stranger in the cold of night doesn't mean I-"

"Enough!" He shouts, glaring at me with piercing eyes. I sulk back down to my pillow. He stands up.

"I have a meeting with the board today. You need to go to the store and buy some groceries... with Caleb," He says sternly, swiftly leaving my room in three seconds flat.

Soon enough, I hear three soft knocks on my door. Caleb's face peeks through the crack.

"Can I come in?" He asks.

"Sure.. it's a house party this morning." I roll my eyes, sitting up and expecting Caleb to sit with me on my bed. Instead, he heads to my window.

"You really need to let some light in here in the morning," He mumbles, splitting my curtains down the middle and pushing them to the side.

"Yeah, yeah.. whatever." I mumble, not really caring about any light.

"What's wrong?" Caleb asks, stepping over to my bed and laying down on it, so he's looking up at the ceiling.

"Well, he found out I snuck out last night. And I can't be let off the property anymore without you by my side. So, I don't know. I'm a little negative today."

Caleb looks over to me. "You know, you shouldn't be so against Protectors. We're here to help."

"Don't start that shit or grocery shopping today will be hell," I warn him, Caleb emitting a throaty laugh in return.

"Ha, you really aren't a morning person."

I press a palm to my forehead, suppressing a headache. Suddenly my vision is a little blurry and my mind stirs in a fog. I'm in phase one of a massive come down. Caleb notices.

"I'll go get you a glass of water. You should start getting ready, we have to leave soon," He says softly, rising from my bed and leaving out the door.

I groan at the amount of light in here, but I don't bother with any curtains. Instead, I swing my legs over the edge of my bed and rest my elbows on my knees, holding my head in my hands.

Why does everything have to revolve around Protectors? I can't leave without a Protector, I can't live without a Protector, and I sure as hell can't lift myself off this bed to go grocery shopping with one.

Caleb comes back into the room with a glass of water, interrupting my conflicting thoughts.

"Is everything alright?" He asks, noticing my stance.

"I just don't get it. Normally, Protectors would be all strict and proper and not let me go out late at night and get wasted. But you are the opposite. Why?" I reply, looking up and taking the glass from him.