The Gifted

Chapter 9

Once we arrived at Rivers place, we sat down on the couch and sat in silence until my voice broke it. "So what were you and Mrs Dartwood talking about?" I casually asked fiddling with a pillows fringe.
A frown crossed his face and a dark look flickered in his stunning blue eyes. "I doesn't matter." He said in a stern voice, telling me that I should probably drop the subject. "Anyways, why were you there?" He said leaning his elbows onto the arm of the couch.
"I had a few questions I needed to ask her," was all I said. Laying back onto the couch, I let out a deep sigh.

"Are you sure everything alright?" Rivers asked with concern.
"It's just that I didn't grow up in this world, were as everyone here, they've know they were gifted since they can remember. I don't belong here." I said feeling the couch dip as Rivers moved closer to me.
"Of course you belong here, look at all the amazing friends and people you have met in your short time here." Rivers genuinely said placing his hand onto of mine on which was on my leg. Looking up we locked eyes and my heart started to beat faster and I felt the warmth of his hand on mine. Realising our closeness my eyes moved down to his lips, they look so... omg no I though suddenly standing up, letting his hand fall off mine.

"Umm I have to go," I quickly stated watching as Rivers sat on the couch with an expression on his face that I couldn't identify. Before I could catch his reply I was out the door and fled out of the building. Running across the courtyard I was looking where I was going and crash right into something.
"Aargh!" A voice exclaimed as we ran into one another.
"Oh I'm so sorry." I said gazing down to find out that it was Gracie. Bending down I offered her my hand and pulled her up.
"No worries Lyra, why were you running?" She asked fixing her shirt that got crinkled when she fell.
"I just felt like going for a run." I stated not wanting her asking questions, if she found out I was hanging out with Rivers.
"Ah ok, Anyways come with me," she said grabbing my arm and pulling me in the direction of the forest.

"Why are we heading towards the creepy, dark forest?" I asked trying to pull my arm back from Gracie's surprising strong grip.
With a smirk on her face she replied. "Trust me, it's gonna be fun."
Not trusting her use of the word "fun" I decided to follow wanting to found out where she was taking me. Eventually we entered the tree line and in the distance I could see the slight flicker of what looked like a fire. Following Gracie towards the fire it slowly become clear as to what this was, with the sounds of music, people chatting and yelling I realised that this was a forest party. Cam had mentioned it once before, "It's not a party you want to miss" he said, and with Cam's record I could only imagine what that meant. As we emerged from the dense tree line into a small clearing Gracie told me to stay where I was and that she'd be back in a minute. Doing that I hung back a little not really knowing anymore around me, I had seen their faces before in classes but couldn't put a name to them.

"Boo!" Came a voice behind me.
Startled I spun around and pushed whoever it was. With a laugh Cam swung an arm around my shoulder whilst holding a red cup of something alcoholic in his other hand.
Rolling my eyes I lightly punched him in the ribs as pay back.
"So you came, I wasn't sure if Gracie was going to do a good enough job trying to convince you." He slurred showing the effects of his drink.
"Yeah she took me by force," I answered.
"Hey you came willingly," Gracie argued, coming over to where we stood.
"Here," she said giving me a red cup filled with a mysterious liquid.
"What is it?" I asked her.
"Try it and find out," Gracie said with a laugh.
Shaking my head slightly in annoyance I took a swig of the drink. It wasn't too bad it was sweet with a slight nectarine taste to it.
"This is alcohol?" I questioned her.
"No it's not," replied Gracie.
"Damn right, it's better," Cam slight yelled but was covered up by the thumping music.
"Then what is it?" I asked curiously.
"It's a special concoction one of the earth gifted students created, it's made from natural things but gives you a high better than any alcohol or drugs could.