Forever & Always

(35) Everything is Out of Control

"What's wrong, love?" Aunt Rebekah asks as I sit in the library, warming up in front of the fire in my dress. 

"Why would you think something's wrong? Can't a girl just call her Aunt to say hi?" 

"She can, except you normally call me on Saturdays or you come to visit Marcel and me. This is unusual for you. So I will ask again, what is wrong love?" 

"It's just been a rough couple of weeks," I begin to explain, sighing as I swing my legs up and onto the couch. "The school's having some... issues. And we have new students, Landon and Rafael-" 

"The Landon your sister was so enamored with a few years ago?" She cuts in, and I just know she is raising one of her perfectly manicured eyebrows in confusion.

"That's him," I confirm. "Anyways, it's just been crazy around here and I-" I begin to try and explain again when I hear someone enter the room. Glancing to my left, I see Rafael, looking handsome and regretful as he leans against the wall. "And I wanted to talk to you, and see how things are in Paris?" I finish, ignoring Rafael's eyes on me. After what he's done, he can wait. 

"It's a wonderful place, love. Marcel and I would love for you and Hope to come to visit soon," She states, rustling on the other end telling me Marcel is around. 

"Is it one of the girls?" He asks, Aunt Beks mumbling a yes. "Hello, sister."

"Hey, Marcel," I greet my older adoptive brother, smiling at the sound of family. 

"You and Hope should come to visit soon, we haven't really seen you two since.." He begins, trailing off although I know what he means. 

"Since Dad and Uncle Elijah died," I finish for him, glancing at Rafael when he clears his throat. 

"Ugh, I have to go Aunt Beks, Marcel, somethings come up. I'll talk to you soon." 

"Bye, sweetheart," Marcel says before Aunt Beks chimes in with "Talk to you Saturday, Love," and I hang up, setting down my phone. 

"That was immensely rude of you to interrupt my conversation with my Aunt and brother," I state, not bothering to make eye contact with him. 

"Hey," Rafael greets, ignoring my comment and pushing away from the wall to approach me. 

"Hey? Is that really how you want to start this conversation?" I question. "Hey," I repeat again, mocking his low voice. 

"So you know?"

"So I know? Know what? That you promised me you didn't have feelings for my best friend? Or that you said you and I were going somewhere? Or that when you were upset, instead of talking to me, you went off to have sex with one of my closest friends?" I question sarcastically, anger lacing my voice. 

"You know," He confirms, sitting on the coffee table and letting out a deep sigh. 

"Yes," I confirm, looking away to stare into the fire that met my anger. 

"I am -" 

"Don't say you're sorry," I request quietly, cutting him off. "Tell me why."

He sits momentarily, looking down at his hands before glancing up at where I sit. "It began when I left you and Hope with Landon to go get that plant from the wherever," He begins, a humorless laugh escaping my lips at the memory. "I had gone to every place I could think of on-campus, my rage sitting on my mind and chest like it used to when I would get really angry. Like when I threw that lawn-mower through the patio of Lan's and my foster parents." 

"You did what?" I question, getting caught off guard by the new information. "Actually, I don't care." I cut myself off.

"I realized that Hope had made the plant up, and I headed to the gym, to get some of my anger out. I walked in and Lizzie was sitting on the mat crying, which was covered in dust from the punching bag that she had ruined, and when I apologized for walking in and turned to leave, she stopped me. She apologized for making me be her date to the party and for you not allowing Landon to stay."

"But that wasn't me!" I exclaimed, standing as my anger that was once dwindling grows again. "I was asked to by my sister, to which I disagreed and she freaking knocked me out with a spell!" 

"I know, I know," He tries to calm, standing himself as he places a hand on my shoulder to calm me. 

Stepping back, I shake his hand from my shoulder and mumble "nunc auferetur", pushing him away.

"Just, please finish this story. Get it over with," I state, ignoring the look of hurt he's giving me. 

"I assured her I'd keep my word, and when to leave before she ran up to me. That's when she kissed me," He states, pausing momentarily, assumingly to gauge my reaction. 

"And then?" I question, surprising him. 

"And then I pulled away and asked what she was doing. She stripped off her shirt, took mine off me, and told me not to think about it. And I was in such a rage that I didn't. I just thought of it as a way to not think for a little while," He finishes, not going into details past that which I am grateful for. 

"You didn't try to stop her," I state, not as a question. 

"Andrea-" 

"You didn't try to stop her. You let her kiss you. You let her take off your shirt. And you let this happen," I state, not leaving enough of a response for him to respond. "You are a fucking werewolf and have the strength to have stopped this."

"I wasn't thinking straight-" 

"You weren't thinking straight?" I ask incredulously. "Rafael, this isn't the first time you've disappointed me. You left me with only a note, you agreed to be Lizzie's date, and you slept with her. When is it going to end?" 

"Now. I know I've royally fucked up since I've been a student here, and I'm so sorry-" he begins to apologize before cutting himself off. "Actually," He states, stepping forward, "Let me show you how sorry I am, through the upcoming days, or weeks, or as long as it takes," He requests, holding his hand out to me. 

"What do you think you are doing?" I ask, raising an eyebrow in question

"I'm going to start making everything up to you now. So, you want to see if I still got the moves your sister taught me?" He questions, giving me a charming smile. 

"So you think that dancing with me will make everything magically better?" 

"No, but it can't hurt anything, now can it?" He questions, his nerves clear in his eyes. 

I hesitate for a moment, considering if I really am going to do this. Taking his hand and standing, I follow him as he leads me to an open area. 

"So, rough night?" He asks, trying to cut some of the tension while he places his hands in their proper places as we begin to dance. 

I give him an apprehensive look, glancing down at my dirt-covered dress before looking up to make eye contact. 

"Nope. All evidence to the contrary, I actually had a lot of fun. Kaleb was my date to the twin's party and we had some fun dancing and talking for a while. I then went on an adventure with Pen, Hope, and MG. I actually have my own Avengers squad," I state with, him chuckling. "And you?" I ask curtly. 

"I was straight with Lizzie. Told her we have no future together," He explains as I glance away. The placement of a hand on my cheek pulls my eyes up to his. "I explained to her that I'm falling for another girl and that I've made some mistakes that I'm going to be making up for for a while." 

 "You better be sure as hell that girl is going to be the cause of your nightmares for the next millennia."

"I would expect nothing less," He comments with a chuckle. We stay like this, dancing in a tension-filled room for a long time before the loud approaching of feet catches our attention. Turning to the doorway, we spot my sister, who lets a smirk rest on her face for only a moment, before shaking her head. 

"It's the twins and Dr.Saltzman. The biological mom is dead again, and it's a mess." 

Without a glance to Raf, I run off, running as fast as I can to three of the most important people in my life.