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The boxes were strewn across my bedroom floor packed full with my belongings. My clothes were creeping their way out of trash bags, while my books were wreaking havoc on the already-beat-up boxes. Unpacking was not an option. It was the first step to kissing my old life goodbye and I wasn't ready for that. Not only had I just moved from my hometown to the big city, but school was starting soon and I knew absolutely no one.
"Brooke!" I heard my mother call up the stairs.
"Have you unpacked yet? People will start arriving in the next few hours!" she continued to call.
Great. I looked around my room and out the bay windows. I noticed just how tall the skyscrapers were that surrounded our penthouse. The multistory buildings made me feel inadequate with their beautiful architecture and great size. At my lack of a response, I heard my mom's heels click down the hall from my room.
"Did you hear me?" she asked as she turned into my room and gawked at the mess. Her eyes were the size of dinner plates as she took in the scene in front of her. She replied in her "ultra-calm mom" voice as she absorbed the sight.
"Brooke, this evening is very important to me. It will give me a chance to meet the leaders of the council and will allow you to meet some people your own age."
Lacking enthusiasm and freshly jet-lagged I tried to formulate an answer good enough to appease her. "Mom, I just don't understand why I have to unpack my room if the party is being held downstairs."
I lived on the second story of our apartment confident that not one person would care to venture up to our grand staircase. I narrowed my gaze at her to see if my point had hit its mark. I could see her contemplate my point, but it was quickly whisked away.
"Brooke, it'll make me feel better if your room is in order. I promise as soon as it's over we'll get some pizza and watch The Devil Wears Prada. Deal?" Dang, she was good. Not only was I a huge Anne Hathaway fan, but I was dying to try New York-style pizza straight from the source.
"Fine. I'll unpack. But how long are these people going to be here? Don't they understand we just moved halfway across the country?" I was beyond frustrated that my mom had managed to orchestrate an entire party after arriving here nearly 8 hours ago and had already unpacked most of the apartment. She massaged her temples and I knew she was growing frustrated with my unwillingness to cooperate.
"The council members should only be here for around 5 hours. We have much to discuss due to the changes in leadership. Archibald, the former leader of the Lycanthrope Council, recently retired and the council members are having a difficult time replacing him."
Reading my disappointed and exhausted face she reached over and patted my arm. "Honey, I know this is a big adjustment but I know you'll just love the city."
Before she left my room she kissed me on the cheek. "Tonight will be over before you know it." Turning on her heel she left me alone in the room. My new room. Her Louboutins clicked and clacked their way downstairs.
Moving from the small town of Hendersonville, North Carolina with a sparse population of merely 14,107 people, to New York City was not just an "adjustment" but I would have to adapt to an entirely new lifestyle. I would have to take a cab to school instead of driving myself, there would be people populating every square inch wherever I went, and I couldn't just escape to the woods when I was upset anymore. Super. I sighed trying to expel all the stale New York air from my lungs. Sliding out of bed I padded across the floor to the closet where my evening dress hung. Our maid, Greta, must have picked it up for me while mom and I ate breakfast. The material was ultra-silky and was a beautiful sapphire color. Just looking at the dress made my pulse fasten. The plunging neckline was a bit revealing for my taste, and the deep slit that ended about mid-thigh made my face burn. I could not wear this. This was too sexy. I shook my head ferociously. Who was I kidding? Maybe this dress was exactly what I needed to boost my confidence. Greta hadn't failed to pick out matching jewelry either. The beautiful diamond statement necklace would look ravishing on the deep blue fabric. Sometimes I swore Greta knew myself better than I did. Wearing this dress would definitely push me outside of my comfort zone, which right now sounded pretty darn good.
Unpacking all 36 boxes took about 4 and a half hours. My books took up most of the space in my room since I had over 1,300 of them in my collection. My bookcases took up an entire wall of my room, while my clothes had a spacious environment in the basically empty closet. There was no need for bulky coats, snow pants, furry boots, or anything having to do with cold weather, so most of my attire consisted of shorts, t-shirts, and summer dresses. A piece of me was looking forward to fall since I have never really experienced it before, but I was going to miss the warmth of North Carolina along with the natural spring-fed pools, lakes, and the immense forested area.
Slipping off my pajamas and sliding into the silky dress made me feel oh-so-chic. My cupcake pajamas lay on the floor practically begging me to put them back on and return to the comfort of them, but for now, it was time to play my part. The sluggish feelings were quickly replaced with nervousness as I glanced at myself in my floor-length mirror. This dress hugged my soft curves and made it seem as if I had cleavage. I was barely a size B bra. "'B' stands for 'because there's nothing there" which every guy at my old high school would express to me in one way or another. I was a proud member of the itty-bitty-titty-committee. Little did those high school guys know that where I come from it's completely normal to possess smaller breasts. Turning around I noticed that my butt was more apparent as well. Where did Greta get this thing? It felt like it was made for me. Sitting on my chair I fastened my sky-high stilettos. They had a lovely velvet texture and the darkest black shade I have ever seen. They paired perfectly with the dress and jewelry. I brushed through my day-old curls and applied some dry shampoo. I absolutely hated washing my hair so dry shampoo was one of my best friends. I applied my favorite dark red lipstick by Tarte, "Cheerleader" that I had picked up from Sephora before we moved. I swiped some blush quickly onto my cheeks. With this very simple gown, there was no reason to have dramatic makeup. I brushed absolutely nothing off of the already perfect dress but tried to make some of the wrinkles less obvious. My mother's voice boomed into my room as I was working up the courage to make my grand entrance.
"Brooke, people are starti-" she cut herself off at the sight of me. She clasped her hands over her heart and wiped a single tear from her eye. "Oh, honey, you're a diamond in a rhinestone world!" She took my hand in hers and pulled me into her embrace.
"Thanks, mama and you're as pretty as a peach, but aren't you always?" My mom had wrinkle-free skin and luminous curls that encased her angelic face. She truly was someone who didn't need makeup. She kissed my cheek and used her spit to pat down my fly-away hairs. She looked me over and turned me around in a small circle.
"Mom, you know I hate when you do that." She laughed knowing that it embarrassed me even when no one was around. There's something about your mom using her spit to fix you all up that just grosses me out.
"I know you were looking forward to a quiet night in, but Reginald is bringing his son Caspian." It had been at least four or five years since I had last seen Caspian. He was scrawny and super lengthy and sooo not my type. Even though we used to be the best of friends, mom was always convincing me he had a crush on me. I never saw it though.
"I haven't seen him in so long. He probably doesn't even remember me." She rolled her eyes and I already knew what she was going to say.
"Babe, his puppy love could have been seen from a mile away. You don't just forget somethin' like that." Mom was absolutely convinced he had a crush on me since we were eleven years old because he helped me clean up my knee after falling off my bike. He kissed it because he said that love heals all wounds. I thought it was the sweetest gesture ever, but of course, my mom had other ideas.
"Well, regardless I'm not interested. I'm not looking for anything right now." She sighed heavily before responding to her very 'heartbroken' and 'unwilling-to-move-on daughter.'
"You will experience so much love and so much heartbreak in your life. Lucas was a silly boy you wasted your time on." I folded my arms across my chest at her accusation before winding myself up and giving her a piece of my mind.
"Mom, we agreed not to talk about him. So please, for me, don't bring him up. Okay?" She put her hands up and shook her head to concede but I knew she wasn't done with the subject matter.
"Anywho, our guests are arriving and I would like for you to meet each of the members of the Council. It's imperative for your leadership and future roles within the council." There she goes again, talking about her unrequited devotion to the wolves. Yes, they allowed us to live a life of luxury but at what cost? I wasn't allowed to have friends who didn't share qualities with me, we were forced to move every so often to curb suspicions, and I was expected to further myself within the council and have kids as soon as possible to expand our bloodline. Sounds more like a cult if you ask me. With a terse nod, my mom knew I was done with our talk and left the room. I'm not one to have a short fuse but I am widely passionate if there's a difference. She knew not to push sensitive topics with me especially before such a paramount event.
Hearing the doorbell ring over the next hour brought me out of the deep haze I was in. I noticed how much louder our apartment grew and was curious to meet members of the New York council. I just couldn't help but think that inevitably this would someday be my life. No matter how much I didn't want it. So much for manifesting on a full moon. Also, where are my tarot cards?
Walking down our grand staircase I was very conscious not to trip in my heels which I felt slightly silly for wearing considering my five foot nine height. These babies brought me to at least six feet, but it was clear I was still one of the shorter members at the party. Kick, walk, kick, walk' echoed in my head. This was what my mom would tell me to avoid tripping over the fabric. The catering staff was busily carrying around hors d'oeuvres on golden platters. The trays had exquisite designs on them with winding vines and emerald leaves. Everyone in the crowd was dressed to the nines. Floor-length gowns were a dime a dozen here but nothing short of gorgeous. Some of the dresses had diamonds angled in pretty patterns, while others were much more simple like mine. I couldn't help but stare at how beautiful our penthouse became in such a few short hours. Twinkling lights hung from the ceiling and hanging lanterns made the lighting very intimate. The grand staircase held a small orchestra at the base playing a lovely violin medley. The marble floors sparkled from the hanging lights and all the furniture had been cleared to make room for conversation and dancing.
I searched the grand hall for a blond head filled with curly tendrils but spotted nothing. I let out a sigh of relief hoping that maybe Caspian and his father didn't make an appearance tonight. Seeing them after so much time has passed felt weird to me. It would be an awkward conversation filled with, "Look how tall you've gotten!" and "I remember when you but a little thing!" I wasn't keen on small talk only because there were corners of people's minds I wanted to explore.
Noticing my mom across the great hall and her eyes staring right at me, I veered to my left and nearly took out a very tall figure. I practically fell to the ground at the impact. I could feel my cheeks burning as I dusted off my gown.
"I am so sorry I wasn't watching where I was going." I literally fell all the way to the ground in front of hundreds of people. So much for a 'grand entrance.' Steading myself upright and brushing off my dress I couldn't help the blanket of embarrassment that hung over me and kept me snug. A few strangers shot me weird glances at my clumsiness, and some gasped at what had just taken place. There was that friendly New York welcome I've heard so much about. Shaking my head at the ignorance of these guests a spark of realization ignited within me. I recognized this guy, but I couldn't quite place how.
"It's my fault, really. I should have noticed you from watching you, I guess I wasn't expecting to introduce myself like this." His bright smile lit a small fire in my stomach and the way he chuckled while trying to apologize. Blushing deeply I noticed how incredibly attractive this guy was. And then it hit me.
"Oh my gosh, Caspian?" His curly dirty blonde hair and glimmering green/brown eyes complemented each other nicely. He was at least six foot five and towered over me. He had definitely changed from his string-bean physique I knew from a few years ago. Did he recognize me? Stammering, I answered him forgetting about how he was trying to apologize and thinking that I would be recruited to join the NFL with how hard I knocked him down, "No, really, I was trying to escape my mom, and instead I ran directly into you. It's my fault."
His delicious smell wafted into my nostrils. It was an enticing woodsy scent. He smelled like he had literally walked through the woods to get here. Noticing my nervousness or seeing how deep red my cheeks turned he fell back a step.
"Wait a second. Rookie?" The recognition in his voice was undeniable. He was one of the only people I let call me 'Rookie.' It was a horrible and embarrassing nickname. Obviously.
"Yeah, it's been a while hasn't it? I didn't recognize you at first." I noticed him looking me up and down then back up again. Did I look much different from the last time he saw me? 7 years ago?
"You could definitely say it's been a while." He ran his fingers through his hair while taking in the sight of me. He shot me a brilliant smile and I felt goosebumps all over my skin. Since when did Caspian get so attractive? I know I haven't seen him in a while but I couldn't believe it. I wrestled with the thoughts in my brain as I tried to formulate a response. But instead, he broke the awkward silence.
"Do you want a drink?" I felt as if I already had four shots of tequila with how blown away I was at seeing Caspian.
"Well considering I live here shouldn't I be the one offering you a drink?" He looked amused and awarded me with another gorgeous smile.
"I would love a drink. Got any scotch?" Being 17 it might have been alarming that he wanted hard liquor, but it's quite common where we come from. Our bodies break down alcohol differently than others, so it takes an exuberant amount to become intoxicated. Crossing to the kitchen he followed close behind me. I poured him a glass of scotch in one of the most beautiful crystal glasses I had ever seen and poured myself a glass of Rosé. The conversation was mostly lighthearted with some questions about how I had been, what the move was like, and what school I would be attending tomorrow. Every now and then he would look at me with the most attractive expression like he genuinely cared about my responses. I also caught him glancing at my lips a few times while I spoke.
"I believe the school my mom mentioned to me was Greenwich Academy." It was a private school on the upper east side. My mom warned me of the entitled attitudes of those living in the area. I really didn't like snobby people who acted above everyone else. Sure your parents have loads of money, but why be a jerk about it?
"Oh, Greenwich Academy is actually where I attend as well. It's a nice school. Has your mom told you that it's mixed with our kind and humans?" Mom tried to keep me in school with people who were like us so I was shocked when I heard him share the revelation with me.
"No, actually she didn't mention it. I don't mind though. How do you like it?" He took a drink and put the glass back on the counter where we were standing. His finger began to outline the rim of the crystal glass as if he were in deep thought.
"I enjoy it. The classes are great and the people there are interesting." Usually, we try to be around those who are like us, but there are so few of us it's difficult to manage.
"That's good to hear. I'm happy you're enjoying it." I couldn't help but blush as I stared at him. He was easily the most attractive guy I had seen. Before he had a chance to respond my mom waltzed into the kitchen and threw herself into our conversation and it's a good thing she did. I was ready to devour this guy based on looks alone.
"Brooke! I see you've reunited with Caspian! What a nice surprise." She glanced from him to me in something resembling delight.
"It's been most wonderful talking with Brooke, Ms. Woodrow." The way he said my name made my legs feel like jello wigglers.
"We were talking about school. Caspian says he attends Greenwich Academy as well." My mom brightened at the new information.
"Well, that's perfect! You'll know someone on your first day!" She gave me a very obvious wink with the accompanying smirk. She was making this so awkward. There's no way Capsian didn't notice it either. This dress must be having a field day with the red contrast of my cheeks.
"I am most pleased to be showing your daughter around tomorrow." He winked at me without my mom seeing him. Thank God. She would've made a huge spectacle if she thought he was flirting with me. Mom informed me that there were other guests I needed to speak with and introduce myself to.
"It's been great catching up, Casper. I'm sure I'll see you around more later." He chuckled at his childhood nickname. He used to be very pale and super quiet so the name suited him perfectly. He eyed me up and down slowly. He cataloged the way my dress clung to me. Stopping at my chest area and leisurely making eye contact with me again he finally spoke.
"I have no doubts I'll be seeing you more this evening, 'Rookie.'" I laughed nervously as my mom whisked me away but my head was spinning from the way he looked at me. Or maybe it was from all the wine I had drunk. Either way, I was completely enthralled by him.
An image of Luccas filled my mind and I felt guilty instantaneously. How could I pine after another man a few weeks after having my heart broken? Even though he had broken things off with me. I wasn't ready to move on from him and how could I? I spent nearly two years with him and he shattered my heart into a million pieces. He wasn't something I could just "sleep off."
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