A Touch of Souls (Immortal Souls) (7 page)

Waking up the next morning, I didn't want to be at home alone, so I decided to go to The Cavern. It was already 11 when I got there, so some people were showing up to start their Saturday early. Walking downstairs, I see Blaze already at his counter.

"Hey stranger," I shouted with a wink in his direction. I laughed as he turned around and surprise flickered across his face before he rushes to me and envelopes me in a bear hug that could have kept my breath from coming, had I not pushed hard against his chest to let him know he was a little too excited.

"I can't believe you're here! What happened? God, I was so damn worried about you Gwen!"

"I'm fine, Blaze," was all I could manage, because at that moment Dimitri and Candy walked down the stairs and took their seat in the far corner. Candy sneered at me before shoving her tongue down Dimitri's throat.
Yeah, she sure isn't his girlfriend. Ha, whatever!
Turning away from the scene that was sure to rip my heart out, I noticed Blaze was carefully analyzing me. "What?"was all I could choke out before the realization that he had just watched me stare at Candy and Dimitri.
Dammit! Here it comes...

"Gwen, don't let him bother you, he has come in here many times. I know this isn't what you want to hear, but every time he is here, he's accompanied by her." He actually wore a scornful expression when he looked at Candy. It was hilarious!

"Please, can you say player?" I rolled my eyes with faux casualness. Inside, I'm dying. I want to be the center of his affections. God, he just frustrates me so much! How can I like someone so much, but hate them the same amount? Ugh! Turning around, I grab a Bud Light and down it.

"Damn, baby, drinking this early?" a husky voice asked from behind me. Turning around, I am stunned to find an amazing looking guy standing not even a foot from behind me. His eyes, an emerald that glow from the inside, studied me as if I were the most precious jewel he had ever laid eyes upon. He was the exact height and build as Dimitri. But this stranger's hair was cut short, but not too short, just enough to be messy and fall into his eyes in a completely sexy and seductive way. Yummy!

"Rough day already, what can I say?" I replied, trying to play off the fact that I totally just checked him out, right here in front of a whole bar full of people. I don't think I managed it very well.

"Well, why don't you let me take you out tonight, see if I can make it up to you?" He asked with a wink.

"Yeah, sure," I answer, trying to sound as if he hadn't totally caught me off guard, which he definitely had!

"Okay, well, I'll pick you up here at seven," he replied with a wink, before cutting through all the tables on his way to the stairs.

"Wow..." I muttered to no one in particular, completely shocked with myself.
I can't believe I just agreed to go on a date with a total stranger... A hot one, though.
After watching the mystery guy walk up the steps I realized that I could feel someone staring at me...
hard
. Glancing around, my eyes fall on Dimitri, and sure enough he was glaring at me as if I had just killed his new born puppy.
Had he heard that conversation? That's impossible!
Oh well, even if he had, good! That will show him.

"Hey, Gwen?"
I turn at the sound of Blaze's voice bringing me down from my sexy guy high. "Don't you have a boyfriend?" Oh, shit!

"Oh, shit. What was I thinking?!" Oh man, my life just keeps getting more screwed up by the minute. How the hell was I going to fix this one?

"Maybe you could just go with that guy as a friend," Blaze suggested, shrugging his shoulders. "You need a little time to do what you want to do, you've been through a lot, baby."

"Yeah, maybe," I noted, before walking briskly up the stairs and out the door. I hadn't noticed anyone following me, but once I got to my car, I heard Dimitri's undeniable voice calling my name, just a few feet behind me.

Whirling around, I stared him down. "No, Dimitri! Leave me the hell alone right now! I am fucking through with you! You told me you were not with her, you lied right to my face!" That did the trick, he stopped dead in his tracks. Before he could change his mind and try to advance on me again, I got in the Kia my mom used to drive and left.

Pulling into Hunter's house, I didn't know what I was gonna say. I didn't really want to tell him about my "date" tonight. I just wanted to go shopping, but I sure as hell didn't want to do it in my mother's car. I hated driving her car around, it always depressed me.

"Hey dear," Hunter's surprise was evident in his voice.

"Hey, I want to go shopping, but I don't want to take my mom's car. Can I use yours?" The words came out before I could even stop them. I knew I couldn't tell him about my date. There was no way I could ask him to use his car, then tell him I had a date with another guy tonight. Dammit!

"Uh, yeah sure.
Do you want me to come with you?" he asked, glancing back toward the window that was in his bedroom.

"Oh, no.
I just want to be alone for a little while," I said while looking to the ground. It seemed like he could feel my shame, but I bet he thought it was for a whole different reason than me having a date with another man tonight.

"Okay, I'll just go get you my keys, be right back!" He jogged into the house, and returned about five seconds later with his keys in one hand and a credit card in another. "I want you to take my credit card and use it. After everything that you have been through, you could really use
a true shopping spree," he smiled warmly at me while extending his keys and card toward me. I took the keys and then hesitantly the card also. I had no intentions of actually using it, I just wanted to give him a peace of mind.

"Thank you," I said gratefully as I quickly pecked him on the cheek. Turning around to his SUV, it proved to be harder than I anticipated
to leave my mom's car there with him, but it was something that I had to do. I needed to get away from it, from all the memories it brought back.

Pulling into the mall's parking lot, I got out and walked around to the back to get my purse. As I opened the back door, I noticed a red piece of cloth. Reaching under the seat, I pulled out a lace bra that was two sizes too small to be mine. Oh hell no! I hadn't intended to use his credit card, but oh, this totally changed my mind! It was at that moment that I knew, I was changed.

Chapter 6

Walking into the hair salon at the mall, I already knew that what I was about to do was going to be drastic. I just couldn't stop myself. I was becoming who I had always wanted to be. I wouldn't let anyone tell me who to be anymore.

"Hi, what can I do for you today?" A short, potato of a woman asked me as I walked through the door.

"I would like for you to dye my hair, please," I asked as sweetly as I could. I knew she was going to try to talk me out of it. Everyone did. Any other day, I would have relented, but I was done being who everyone else wanted me to be.

"What color, darling? A light brown? Dark brown? Maybe just a little dirtier blonde?" she questioned with a smile.

"Red, dark red, with black highlights."
I heard her sharp intake of breath as soon as the words left my mouth. I laughed silently. This was going to be good.

"B-but you have such gorgeous hair," she stuttered, running her fingers through my thick golden locks.

"Please, ma'am. It's what I want, and whether or not you do it here, really doesn't matter, I'll go get it done elsewhere if need be."

"Oh, no
no! We can do it, just have a seat please," she says as she gestures to a chair right next to her.

"Thank you," I say as I make my way to the chair she indicated. Relaxing, I calm down from my fury at Hunter as the woman works her hands through my hair. When it's time to rinse the dye out, I feel much better. I almost feel guilty for doing this to Hunter.
Almost.

I pay with his credit card and then make my way to the shop in the mall that I know does piercings and tattoos.
Time to get my lip pierced and then go shopping for some new clothes. He was going to regret treating me like this. I was going to ensure it.

Walking out of the mall with my hair done, a lip ring around my full lower lip, and bags filled with new clothes, I felt like a whole new person. The person I have always wanted to be. As I climb into Hunter's Hummer, I couldn't help but wonder what I would tell him when I arrived at his place. Should I tell him anything?

As I pull into Hunter's driveway, I noticed first thing that there was a car in his driveway that looked suspiciously like Candy's. I decided to just leave his keys and credit card in his driver's seat with the bra that I found in the back of his car. He's not stupid, he'll get the hint.

Driving home, I'm excited about my new look and even now looking forward to the date that I don't have to feel so bad about now. Once at home, I decided to go ahead and dress up. I hadn't been on a date that wasn't with Hunter since freshman year. I was gonna show him what he's gonna miss since he cheated on me with Candy. But wait, wasn't Candy with Dimitri? I felt a nagging feeling that there was more going on than what I knew, but I was too wound up to think much about it.

I practically ran through my room getting everything I needed and heading to the bathroom. I quickly took a shower before spending more time than usual to my look. When I was done, I had smoky makeup that made my blue eyes stand out against my tan skin and newly dark hair. Staring hard into the mirror, I determined that I loved my new look. I had my dark hair half curled, half straight, falling long past my shoulders. My lip ring was curved around my bottom lip that jutted outward in an ever pouty way. I was quite fond of the new me. I was totally hot.

Pulling into the bar, I didn't see my new mystery man anywhere, so I decided to go inside to see if he was already there. Walking past a row of bikes, I immediately recognized Dimitri's and smiled to myself.
I can't wait for him to see me.
To confirm my suspicions, I take a quick glance around the bottom floor as I make my way to the bottom step. Dimitri is seated in his corner sipping on a beer, the only thing missing was Candy. Of course, she wasn't here, she was too busy with Hunter. I ignored him as I walked to the bar where Blaze was still working.

"Damn, Gwen! You look fucking hot!" Blaze whistled as I made my way to him through the crowded bar.

"Thanks, Blaze. I've always been expected to be some perky, preppy blonde who is perfect in every way. I've always conformed to every person's belief of how I should be, but now I'm done," I say, smiling proudly at him. I continued to smile as he openly checked me out.

"Uh oh, looks like you've got the attention of the guy who's usually here with that bitchy blonde girl," he whispered, glancing to the corner of the bar. I could feel his stare penetrating my back as if he could use all of his hate to force me to leave. I whirl around to glare at him, but stop when I see my date walk in. I walk as seductively as I can over to meet him on his way in. I hope Dimitri watches and it hurts him as bad as he hurt me. He deserved to suffer.

"Hey, uhm," I stop as I remember that I don't even know this guy's name. "I'm sorry, I don't even know your name."

"No, dear, I am the one to be apologizing. I never properly introduced myself. I was just so captivated by your true beauty, and now, you just look absolutely stunning. I love your new look," he looked me up and down openly appraising me with a smile that revealed one deep set dimple and one that barely dips into his tan cheek. "I am Adrian," he bows, before grabbing my hand and kissing it.

"Oh, I'm Gwen," I stuttered, as I tried to gather myself. Just being in the presence of someone this intoxicatingly gorgeous was making me trip over my words in an attempt to not embarrass myself, a problem I never had before.

"I know who you are, beautiful. Are you ready to get going?" He questioned with a slight raise of his brow. Even if I wanted to, I don't think I could have ever denied Adrian anything, he was just that amazing.

"Sure, where are we going?"

"That, my darling, is a secret. You will find out soon enough," he replied, leaving an air of mystery behind as he made his way back up the stairs. I felt as though someone followed us out, but am too enamored with the man in front of me to turn around and see if my suspicions prove to be correct or not. It didn't matter, nothing did right now except me and Adrian.

Following Adrian outside, I noted that we were walking toward a beautiful Chevy Camaro. Light blue with black racing stripes, it was a car that I could openly appreciate. I didn't typically love Chevrolets, I was more of a Ford type of girl, but damn he had a hot ride. Maybe my date with Adrian wasn't such a bad idea after all.

"So, how old are you?" I questioned as he opened my door for me.

"Oh, let's just go with eighteen," he answered with a wink, and that feeling that I was missing something returns.

"Oh, so are you graduated? I've never seen you around. And I know everyone," I replied with a smirk.
One of the perks to being the most popular girl in school.

"No, actually I just moved here, I'm enrolling in school tomorrow."