Aurora's Point Of View

"Woahh! That's a big ass volcano!" Hadley squealed from Beck's passenger seat as we pulled into the university parking lot, her ginger braids whipping around as she peered out the window.

"Had...that's the bonfire. Dear God, how are you shit faced already?" Beck groaned as his twin sister pouted.

"I-I'm not, luv, I only had like two beers. Maybe three...oooh theres Carina from History! HIII CARINA!" She waved ecstatically.

"Hadley, she can't hear you, the window is-nevermind," Beck shook his head, making me double over in laughter from the back seat as he parked. "And your horrendous British accent is coming out, so I know you're drunk."

As we piled out, the smell of caramel apples and booze wafted around as rap music thrummed straight through our bodies and eardrums from the speakers. The squeals of some drunk girls met my ears and I flinched as they ran past me, Snapchatting each other.

"BITCH!" One girl yelled as her friend's liquor spilled to the floor from her cup, laughing as she ran after her.

I pulled the mint colored flannel Hadley let me borrow closer around me as the wind whipped. I felt out of place and definitely too socially awkward to be at a social event.

"Ugh, it's a bitch, I reckon," Hadley groans as she sees Sage dancing with some of her friends. Beck seemed to look a bit uncomfortable seeing her.

But almost instantly, Beck was recognized by his friends, disregarding his ex.

"Aye, Beck!" One of the guys across the parking lot holding a Budlight can waved him over as I looked in that direction.

A couple excited girls with those boys called his name and started fixing their hair and smoothing their mini skirts. He waved back to the crowd as dreadful jealousy pooled in my stomach.

"Hey, I'ma go say hi, but I'll be back!" He insisted to me, his chocolate eyes opalescently iridescent under the full moon.

As he clutched my elbow and leaned forward, my face blushed red as he said, "Keep an eye on her," he nudged his head towards his sister, who was counting the checkers on her flannel, "make sure she doesn't break a bone," he grinned playfully.

I tried not to focus on the delicious smell of his cologne so close to me as I forced a giggle before he jogged off to meet his friends.

"Aurora...do you think..." And I zoned Hadley's horrible British accent out as I watched, forlorn, as Beck slapped palms with his friends confidently and exchanged a beer from them. He looked so handsome in his leather jacket and brown jeans, his red curls shiny under the lights strung up around the palm trees. He gave side hugs to each of the girls which just about made me want to go home.

Stop, this isn't about Beck! This is my first college social event!

"What?" I turned back towards Hadley.

"I don't even remember, let's go to the photobooth!" She grabbed my hand.

I sped up to keep up with her and laughed, excited to get my mind off Beck.

Walking past the crowds, I saw a couple on top of a grassy hill making out like it was their bedroom. Jeez, I know people are drunk, but really?! Cringing and shivering, I look to my right to see some stoners wheezing and blowing smoke rings. Don't like that either. Is this what college is really about?

As we clambered into the booth and pressed the start button, our faces appeared on the screen. We stuck our tongues out as the camera captured it, then hugged each other, then did a few other silly faces.

"Alright, let's see!" Hadley squealed as she made her way out.

Pushing past the curtain, I stepped out and took one of the glossy photo booth strips that printed out.

"This is so cute!" I squealed, putting into my jean pocket.

"We should get some food! It's a bit hungry, innit," She grabbed my hand and lead me to the food line nearby, stumbling.

That made no sense whatsoever but I followed her.

"Woah, careful," I laughed.

On line, we were finally close enough to see the bonfire. I turned and watched in awe at the enormous, crackling flames that seemingly touched the sky in a beautiful array of orange and red.

Standing by the fire, I see Beck. His tan skin was emulsified with the glow of the fire, looking a warm orange color. He was overwhelmingly handsome in his leather bomber jacket and brown jeans. He looked like a fiery angel.

Next to him was a shorter girl with long, thick brown curls and a short little green dress. Who was that?!

She was laughing loudly and touching his arm, stumbling a little with a wine cooler in her hand. He helped steady her, even took off his jacket and draped it over her little shoulders. She tugged it closer around herself as Beck squeezed her shoulder. I quickly turn around, just as Hadley groans.

"This line is too long! I wanna dance, come on!" Her normal voice slurs.

"Oh, I-I d-don't really dance! " I shouted above the music as she unexpectedly took my hand, Jogging to catch up with her.

Hadley starts whipping her hair all around and dancing to the music, drawing in a crowd of boys and my face grows red and I begin to awkwardly inch my way out. A pair of hands catch my hips and attempt to grind with me and I squeal and shove him away, running out. The last thing I want is to be is trapped in a mosh-pit of people.

I'm kind of jealous that she isn't intimidated by them all watching, and how confident she is with her dancing, but I don't want to be touched like that. I can't dance at all. I would just be embarrassing myself. But it comes to her naturally. Although I don't want the attention of these boys, I'm still jealous she has it. My mind is just weird like that, I guess. A few of them shout out asking for her number, I wonder if anyone of them even know Hadley is gay.

After about twenty minutes of aimlessly wandering around, I decide to ask Hadley to take me home. Only thing is, though, I can't find her anywhere! I start to push my way through the crowd, only to be pushed back.

"Shit, sorry!"

When I look up, it's Beck. His eyes are glistening red like Christmas, matching his hair. It's disorientating to see him not sober, but he is a college guy after all. I can't expect him to be a wholesome, perfect thing.

"Oh...hey," He slurs in a raspy tone, laughing adorably.

"I wanna go home," I pout, then tilt my head. "Are you okay?"

"I'm a little high," He admits, before snorting and putting a hand over his mouth. Oh boy. I giggle.

"Oh...I didn't know you smoked."

"Yeah, neither did I. Stupid me for thinking Jeremy would give me a regular brownie at the bonfire."

He takes my hand and I look down, surprised. Suddenly my skin feels so heated and not because of the bonfire. He walks me to the bonfire and looks up into the growing flames.

"So cool, right?" He asks.

I nod.

"Yeah, I like it. Not so much the people though."

"Oh yeah? Drunk idiots aren't your scene?" He pokes fun as I sigh and grin at him.

"Absolutely not..."

I notice our hands are still holding and wonder why he hasn't let go while trying to keep my fingers from trembling in his.

"You're the coolest one here, I think," He admits.

My cheeks glow as red as his eyes as I stammer incoherently.

"Me? Psh, no. You're just high..." I say unconfidently.

"No, I bet none of these people could sing like you," He looks at me and I feel my face soften as I look back into my favorite pair of eyes. Soft, chocolate eyes. "Or look as stunning as you."

He looks up suddenly as Journey's Don't Stop Believing comes on, before I can even respond.

"Ahhh shit, you promised me a dance Mulven!" He grins.

"No!" I squeal and laugh as he brings me close to him, tugging me by the waist.

"I-I don't dance, it's w-way too embarrassing!"

I fall into his chest and hug his torso exploding with laughter as he starts singing and dancing with me in his arms. I'm so happy to be back in them.

"JUST A SMALL TOWN GIIIRL!" He belts as I cackle over his tone deaf voice, so happy to be close with him at this moment.

Only, it's a fantasy. Don't Stop Believing is playing, everyone's drunkenly and enthusiastically shouting the lyrics to the sky, but I'm eating a bag of candy corn alone.

Hadley is still God knows where. I look up as a happy couple holding hands walk right past me. I feel my heart sink. A normal couple.

By the food vendor, another happy couple is feeding each other cotton candy and taking selfies. They giggle as they snap pictures. I start to feel that jealous feeling pool again. I decide to walk to the bonfire to at least have something to do.

Only, I stop in my tracks when I see something that makes my body feel numb. Right in front of the bonfire is that same girl from earlier and Beck.

Kissing.

Acid tears flood to my eyes as I pivot around, my body flushed with a burning sensation. My heart is thudding painfully hard and fast in my chest as I'm sprinting away. Humiliated. Fuck.

Fuck.

I was dillusional. Why would I think Beck likes me? I had it so wrong the whole time, it was just a little fantasy. A crush. I'm nothing special to him. He's just my best friends twin brother.

So what he played me a stupid song on his piano? It means nothing. He knows I have a 'boyfriend' and he's not interested.

But why not? God damn it, why isn't he interested? We have so much in common, we laugh so much, he's so sweet, handsome and perfect. Why can't it just be...perfect?

I didn't feel good enough for someone as amazing and special as him. I mean, he's Beck. He's charismatic, he's everyone's friend, he's so beautiful. Surely he didn't want someone as plain as me. Stupid, why am I so stupid??

I didn't feel like I belonged at this party. Not even at this school. I never felt like I belonged in my high school. I never felt like I belonged anywhere, will I ever feel like I belong somewhere?

I wipe the rolling streaks of tears from my face as I'm embarrassingly sobbing, weaving through the crowd. How will I get home? Beck and Hadley are wasted and I don't know Arlan's address. I'm fucked and stuck here with these drunk idiotic college people!

I feel like the biggest idiot. My anxiety seeps in and I feel a panic attack coming. My thoughts racing a million miles per hour. I stop in my tracks and squeeze my eyes as I'm breathing erratically, crying. As I contemplate what to do, a honk makes me jump and flinch so hard I almost fall over.

Whipping around, I see Nate in his car. Like a Godsend, he rolls down the window.

"Aurora?"

He must've come to the bonfire too, and thank God. I quickly run around get into his car.

"Thank God you're here," I sob.

"Woah, shh, what's wrong?" He looks at me in concern.

"What's wrong?? E-everything, what isn't wrong?" I beseech, shaking my head and crying.

"Woah woah, shh, please, Aurora, breathe in," I follow his inhale, "and out," he instructs and I struggle to exhale slowly. "And again," I shakily inhale, "Out," I blow out an exhale, sniffling.

"I-I don't fit in here, I don't feel accepted anywhere. The real question is what's wrong with me?" I blubber, shaking my head.

"Shhh, nothing, nothings wrong with you," He promises. "I promise."

"I-I've just never felt normal and I never will," I blubber, feeling overwhelmed.

He sighed, gripping the wheel tightly, looking out into the bonfire scene where everyone is drunk and laughing, the faint sound of music and screaming being heard from the car.

"I know what you mean. I feel the same way. I try to fit in at these events but at the end of the day, I know I'm keeping an ugly secret. I'm not one of them. So I know exactly how you feel, and it's hard for me to make friends too," He looks to me sincerely now, " I'm sorry Aurora. But I'm glad I ran into you, I was worried on how you'd get home. What time did Arlan say you had to be home from the bonfire?"

I whimper as my face pales. A brand new thing to be concerned and overwhelmed about came into mind.

"I-I don't know. I didn't tell him I was going. He never said what time to be home from Hadley's."

Nate bellowed a long, low sigh.

"Oh boy..."

When Nate pulled to the front gate and entered the code at Arlan's estate, the gates unlocked and he entered and parked. Nervously, I stepped out of the car and walked to the front steps with Nate.

"Try to take it easy, alright?" He asks with a look of concern.

"Nate, thank you so much again for the ride. I didn't know what I was going to do. Sleep well."

Nate wished me well and a good night, and took off to his room.

My palms sweat nervously as I stood at the front door, alone. Shakily, I headed up the winding stairs and hugged myself while walking into the upstairs hallway. Only, I stopped when I saw several packed bags in front of Arlan's room-The same bags I packed at my foster home when I thought I was going to boarding school.

Why were all my belongings packed up??

Fear filled me as a whine caught in my throat in fear. Was Arlan getting rid of all my stuff so I could only have his, as a means to control me more? Was he packing my stuff to sell me off as a prostitute or some sort of human trafficking project? Was I going to be sold? Was this a punishment for staying away too long and not coming home in the morning?

Something extremely bad was about to happen and I didn't want to face the punishment. Would I be choked, slapped, tied up, starved for days? Locked away in a dark basement? My mind wouldn't calm down.

Hesitantly, I opened the bedroom door ever so slightly, only a peek in view. It wasn't enough to see anything else, anything dangerous or alluding to a punishment, so I slowly opened the door fully. I could hear my own hyperventilating as my heart thudded in my ears. When the door was fully open, my breath caught in my throat.

But Arlan was not there. The room remained empty of any human but me. The bed was neatly made, the lamb on my side of the pillow. I exhaled softly, releasing my tight grip on myself. I relaxed my jaw, sniffling the last of my tears. It was peaceful to finally be alone in pure quietness. Parties aren't my scene. The loudness and chaos of the party was too overwhelming for me and the sound of silence was comforting. I looked at the lamb lying limp on the side of my pillow. His lifeless eyes seemed to look back at me.

"Aurora."

I jumped and whimpered at the dark, ominous but familiar tone. I felt my skin vibrating and tears re-emerge in my stinging eyes. Turning slowly, I faced what would be the wrath of my kidnapper.

Arlan was dressed signaturley in all black, a black silk button down with his sleeves rolled up, his inked skin on display, black work pants and shoes. His jet black curls were gelled slick behind his sharp, angular face, with some curls framing the nape of his neck. I hadn't realized his hair had gotten so long. He didn't hold a smirk on his plump lips, or a belt or hairbrush in his hands. He didn't look angry, his brow wasn't pronounced over his eyes. He looked rather neutral, indifferent. But I knew some storm was coming. This was his game: he acts calm, feigns like he forgives me, and then strikes once my guard is down.

I was stupid for not coming home in the morning. I shouldn't have pushed my luck and stayed there all day of today. I took advantage of this opportunity and now not only was a horrible punishment coming, but I may not be able to go to Beck and Hadley's house again. I may not even be here anymore, he may be sending me away.

I walk up to Arlan first, his expressions not changing. When my toes meet his and we're standing with our shoulders facing each other, I lift both my hands.

I removed my flannel and dropped it to the floor, following my tank top, the clothing landing with a soft, barely audible noise to the ground. Arlan gazed down in surprise, his brow scrunching together in confusion. He looks down at my body with me just in my baby blue bra, not touching me, and I reach my hand up to maneuver his stubbled chin to redirect his eyes to face me. My eyes searched his as his jade eyes looked lost and confused.

"Make love to me."