AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE?! Good thing you're beautiful |part 39|What's it like to beg like a dog?

You left the room, and just caught Aidan's bedroom door closing behind Lucian, so you tamped down your anger and made your way to his room, knocking on the door.


You heard some shuffling, and a "shh. Maybe she'll think we're not here if we keep quiet" whispered conspicuously loud.


"Lucian Chase Alicea," you said calmly. "Open this door." Your voice left no room for argument and the door swung open a few moments later.


Lucian grinned innocently at you. "Audrina. So happy you're here."


"ShutupIhateyou," you said all at once as you moved past him into the room.


"So are you two ready to tell us what happened?" Celeste asked with a small smile.


You waved a dismissive hand at Lucian, being purposely difficult, and you laid down on the bed, putting your head in Niko's lap, as he was sitting down as well.


Lucian explain the entire situation to them, answering all their questions before they needed to ask them. When he was done, everyone was staring pensively around the room.


"How are you, Dray?" Shayna finally asked.


"I guess as fine as I can be. I love him, and I'll probably always miss him," you shrugged. "But if I'd had the choice, I would have stayed." You stood up and started walked towards the door. "I dont think you guys would survive without me. I'm starving, kids. Let's go to the Prives."


You headed down there and saw that there werent too many people there. You supposed most people had eaten at lunch. You got your macaroni and cheese and sat down to eat happily.


"So when is the Halloween dance this year?" Aidan asked, picking at your pasta with his fingers. You grinned because even that messy gesture was done in the neatest way possible.


"I think it's on Halloween this year," Shayna said. "I'm pretty sure it falls on a Friday."


"What about homecoming? Isn't that soon?" Celeste pulled out her school planner and checked it. "Yeah, Shay. The Halloween dance is on a Friday. The 31st. Homecoming is at the end of September. The last Friday of the month."


"How many do we have?" you asked. At your old school, each grade had had one dance.


Lucian finished his small bowl of pasta and sat back and put his arm around you. "We have a dance for every holiday. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, Valentines day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, May Day, and End of the Year."


You stared. "Thats like.. one a month for the entire year."


"Yeah. They're actually good too. We have the option of going home for New Years, but most stay here. Our homecoming is right after the game. Halloween dance is costumes only. Christmas is done a few days before the actual holiday and we all exchange gifts. New Years is on New Years and we have the option of coming back then or a few days after for regular school again." Celeste flipped through her planner as she spoke. "Valentine's Day is fabulous. We do a lot around then. St. Patrick's Day is cute because everyone sends CloverGrams and you need to wear green for admission to the dance. Easter is semi-formal. May Day is formal. End of the Year is wild."


You sighed dramatically. "I guess I'll be going with Mr. Alicea to all of these. Pity, pity, pity." You jumped when he pinched your thigh. "Ow! I meant pity those poor girls who are going to wish you were their date. Gosh!" you said, pouting and crossing your arms even as you tried to hold back a smile.


"Mmhmm. Sure Dray. I am a superb dancer," he grinned, "I'll have you know."


You raised your eyebrows. "Are you really?" He nodded, and your friends did as well. You shook your head with a grin. "Should have known. You all are brilliant at everything. You owe me a dollar for everything you arent good at."


You finished your meal and after disposing all the garbage, you and the girls decided you wanted showers before dinner.


"Dray, you just ate," Niko said, linking his arm with you as you went back upstairs. "You arent going to be eating dinner."


You gave him a look. "Would you like to put money on that?"


After you had showered, you had gone into Celeste's room and watched a movie, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Once it was over, it was just about time for dinner so you sat in the Commons until it was time.


"Never, and I repeat 'never', am I watching that movie with you again," Niko said.


You burst out laughing. "I'm sorry! But it was funny!"


"No, Dray. You laughed at parts that no one else found funny."


"Yeah. Why did you laugh at that scene in the diner with Eddie?" Shayna asked.


You giggled even as you remembered. "Because! He gave her the evil eye! When he was looking at her his eye twitched!"


They barely heard you as you started laughing mid-sentence. Finally dinner started, and the lunch lines opened. The people already in the mess hall got up to get food while others poured in.


You, Shayna and Celeste got up to get food and the guys waited, not all that hungry yet. You got into line and talked until you had left the line.


The three of you stopped in your tracks.


"Who is that?" you asked stonily.


"Dana Callor," Shayna bit out with a grimace on her face.


Dana Callor. Dana Callor. Why did that name ring a bell?


"I dont like her," you said, watching as she so obviously flirted with Lucian, sitting across from him in the booth and almost blatantly ignoring Niko and Aidan.


"Neither do we," Celeste said. "She's all over your boyfriend."


"I can see that," you bit out, moving forward towards the table.


When Lucian spotted you, relief washed over his face and he held your tray as you sat down. He put it down and turned to kiss your cheek.


You smiled and then turned, smiling much too brightly at Dana. You extended a hand. "Hi. I'm Audrina. We havent met yet."


She looked at your hand and didnt even try to look happy about having to shake it. "Hi. I'm Dana." She looked at Lucian and her smile widened drastically, making you blink. "I was just catching up with Lucian." She gave him a coy look. "We havent spoken in a while."


"Hmm. Cant imagine why." You ignored her intense glare and turned to speak to Niko and Aidan, purposely making it so she couldnt talk to Lucian without being openly rude. "You guys havent gotten your food yet. Aren't you guys hungry?" When they began to shake their heads, you tried to kick them.


"Ow!" Dana squealed.

RiR
You looked up in shock, and everyone grew silent for one tense moment. You tried so hard to hold back the laughter that was bubbling up, and you knew your face was screwing up in concentration. You tried. You really did. But it was futile.


Your laughter burst out of you, and you didnt even see that Shayna and Celeste had stumbled away, cracking up, that Niko had turned his head into his shoulder and was quivering with laughter, and that Aidan and Lucian had looks of confusion and then shock on their faces.


You laughed so hard that you started to worry about loss of oxygen. You tried and failed to stop, and could only laugh harder.


You suppose that Lucian got a bit worried at your hunched, silent, non-breathing figure, and he patted your back. When you could finally control yourself you sat up, knowing your face was beet red. You saw Shayna and Celeste, coughing lightly, come to stand by your side, as Dana was in Shayna's seat and Celeste didnt want to be rude. Niko sat up straight and placed his mouth into the palm of his hand, resting his elbow on the table.


You breathed deeply, trying to stay under control. "Sorry about that."


Of course, that started up the laughter again.


"She's cute Lucian," Dana said, feigning indifference. "So tell me how you got her. Did she follow you home?"


Even that couldnt diminish the humor. "Not exactly." You raised your eyebrows, seemingly interested. "But why dont you tell me what it's like to beg like a dog?"


"Well I'm starved!" Niko declared. "'Scuse me Dana." He climbed over Dana and stood.


"Yeah. I need to get some... orange juice," Aidan offered, getting up as well.


"Uh... forgot a straw," Celeste said, putting her food down, along with a water bottle.


Shayna slid into the seat next to you. "I'm not missing this."


"I dont beg, Audrina. I just ask and recieve." Dana's feigned indifference had turned into cold anger. "As I'm sure you arent used to. If I understand correctly, you were a nobody before you came here."


You laced your fingers under your chin and leaned forward. "Yet notice whose side of the table Lucian's sitting on. I assure you, he's not here because he likes the view."


"Oh, dear God." Lucian leaned back and covered his face. Shayna grinned.


Dana glared at her. "Can I help you, Belandrake?"


"No, no, no Dana. Shayna's not in this. Shame. You came here for a reason, and it had nothing to do with Shayna. So lets get everything out in the open," you said amiably.


"Audrina!" she gasped. "Are you accusing me of having a motive? That's low of you. I came here to talk to Lucian. Dont let your insecurities get in the way of good judgment. Could destroy you," she threatened.


"Oh, but it's difficult. If Lucian is stupid enough to get in with someone like you, then I have every reason to be insecure. What kind of guy am I dating?" you said innocently.


"You know Audrina, we've all been wondering about Lucian as well. I mean look at you. Your own father didnt want you. Are you sure your mother didnt commit suicide?"


"Dana. Leave," Lucian demanded. He suddenly sat up and looked as fierce as his father had looked earlier. She looked up at him, still ready to do battle, but at the expression on his face, she stopped.


"I'll see you later Lucian." Dana looked at you again. "Bye, Daughter of the Year," she smiled.


You let her walk away, knowing that if you spoke, you'd end up doing something you'd regret. You just closed your eyes and breathed deeply.


Shayna kissed your cheek and placed a hand on your back. You could feel that Lucian was still tense beside you. You heard the others walk back over and sit down.


"What happened?" Celeste asked softly.


You opened your eyes and just looked helplessly at Shayna. She nodded and you got up, walking away from the table. You knew Lucian was going to follow. You walked out of the building and towards your dorm, and at the last moment, you veered off the path, heading for the place Lucian had brought you after the deal with Olivia.


You walked up the small hill and saw Lucian fall into step beside you.


You went down the other side of the small hill and walked along the path Lucian had taken you on. You slowed after a bit, not remembering where to go, but Lucian understood and led the way.


When you finally made it to that small clearing, you began to pace around it. Lucian leaned calmly against a rock, watching you.


"I dont even know why I'm angry," you said to yourself. "That's the girl that had threatened me over IM. I expected something. I've just never dealt with anything like this before." All the while, you were putting your hair up and taking it back out incessantly.


You suddenly stopped. "I dont know how my mother died."


Lucian finally stirred. "What do you mean?"


"I have no idea." You turned to him, fighting not to cry. "My father never told me. He said there was an accident. The casket was closed because my father couldnt handle an open one. All he told me, all anyone told me, was that there was an accident. I have no idea how she died."


You let out a helpless sob and began to pace again. "I am a terrible daughter," you mumbled. "For all I know, my mother could have been murdered or killed herself or met with some freak accident! Curse my overactive imagination." You began to get louder as you spoke quickly, pacing faster to hold tears at bay. "The basztard didnt tell me anything! He claims to love me, yet wont tell me how my own mother died! Gosh, there must be something wrong with me. I dont even think I want to know." You pulled another bun out of your hair fiercely, causing yourself pain but you ignored it. "Maybe... maybe it-"


Lucian caught you in your pacing and turned you to him. He kissed you lightly, and you saw the concern in his eyes. "Audrina. Dont talk, dont even think like that." He shook you softly as he spoke. "I think," he sighed, "it's time to open that gift from you mother."