Blood.

Chapter Eighteen: Strawberry Lush Ice.

Alina's head was tilted towards the ceiling as the puffs of smoke shaped like rings exited her mouth. Marcus watched with his head resting on his hand while he and Leah talked occasionally snatching the vape from Alina's fingers and taking a puff himself. All four of them were waiting for their friend to arrive so they could leave school and go to the club and drink some coffee so they wouldn't kill themselves.

Aurora's P.O.V:

The door didn't budge, I frowned and turned towards Milo with big eyes.

"One minute," He bent his head down so we were eye leveled, "Text me when you want to come back. Call me if something happens and"-

"I know the rules, Milo, I promise." I was practically buzzing in my seat, despite waking up and not finding practically anyone home and deciding to have cereal in bed and then learning about the no contact rule which I will continue to not accept, the day had turned around. I had forgotten about a group project I had with my friends so technically the grounding on not meeting them ended for this week after which I wouldn't be grounded any longer anyway.

"Okay then," He kissed my nose and I heard the click of the door, I grinned at him and stepped out, he just waved at me and drove away as soon as I was inside. I turned around to grin at my friends and launched myself onto Rhydian who immediately wrapped his arms around me, Fiona launched herself onto us. Dev just watched us, his hair still damp as if he took a shower some time ago, until I finally let go of them and went to hug him.

"Hey, Rora girl," He tightened his arms around me and kissed the side of my head. I smiled up at him. 

"So what are we doing?" I asked letting go. 

"Talking."

"About the project?"

"About your vacation."

"And Dev's new addiction," Rhydian muttered. 

"Not an addiction," I saw Dev roll his eyes and keep his distance from Rhydian, he was dressed casually in a white T-shirt and grey sweatpants, his bare feet padded along the floor as he lead us up to his room. I looked at Fiona with a small frown as Rhydian scowled at him

"One of them kissed the other, the other didn't like it. First time they are talking since. It's been months."

I didn't ask who kissed who, just slouched a little. There were conflicts everywhere. 

I entered Dev's room, hit by the cold air of the AC. His bed was unmade, school books spread out everywhere. 

"Whirlwind?"

"Stuck up storm actually," Dev answered me opening the door to his closet room where on the ground there lay blankets, a bowl of nachos, dips, sodas. Rhydian growled at the answer.

Fiona and I exchanged a look. 

Dev sat down, I sat across from him, Fiona beside him and Rhydian closed the doors before joining us. 

"Not that I mind but"-

He pulled out something before I could finish my sentence. Vape.

"No one knows." He told me. Rhydian scoffed. He glared at Rhydian. Fiona rolled her eyes and snatched it away from him, taking the smoke in and motioning me to come forward, I closed my eyes as she blew it on my face and smiled. I liked the flavours scent, I liked how it felt against my skin. 

"I like the smell," I declared.

"Knowing you, you'll love the taste."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Strawberry Lush Ice."

~o~O~o~

It had taken about half an hour, a little bit of coughing and a lot of talking for the boys to get comfortable with each other again.  

I decided not to inhale the smoke, only puff it. 

My throat felt scratchy but I couldn't stop, I liked the feeling it gave me though the nicotine levels were low, I felt like I was doing something dangerous even though it was completely normal according to them. 

"That's it, right, don't blow it very fast." I followed Dev's instructions, a little prodding by Fiona and I got it in a few tries. I could make rings. Rhydian clapped. Fiona and Dev threw Nachos at him to keep him quiet. 

"Fast learner." Rhydian nudged me. I smiled feeling more confident and took another large puff before passing it around. 

"How was yours?" I asked Dev, we were talking about vacations before the rings came up. 

"Good," He smiled, "I went back to India, I met my cousins, we played Holi and watched old Bollywood stuff. At some point we went to a concert too, we were fuckfaced, like everyone was drunk."

"Your cousins are a bad influence."

"They are perfect," He answered Fiona, who raised her eyebrows teasingly, "Plus it was only the younger set of us, if any of the older siblings or parents find out, we'd be buried ten feet under."

"Six feet."

"No trust me, they'd go the extra mile."

"I'd be buried twenty then," I muttered leaning my head backwards to let the smokeout of my mouth, Rhydian inhaled the smoke coming out of my mouth and let it come out of his nose. I just watched. It was one of the few moments in my life I felt cool.

"All your siblings did it."

"I bet," I agreed closing my eyes for a minute and then in a much lower voice told them the reason for my unhappiness, one of the reasons. "They'll pass out next year."

"You'll still have the older four around."

"The older two," I corrected Dev, opening my eyes. 

"Alina's hot."

"She's my sister."

"So is Vince."

"Guys? Siblings. Come on."

"Okay but they are very hot."

"Absoute eye candy."

I groaned kicking my legs at the ground a little, they all laughed, I smiled snatching away the vape and brought it to my lips. And then for the first time, I inhaled it. Properly. 

I immediately coughed it out, Dev pulled me towards him and rubbed my back, Rhydian took the vape.

"Alright,we've had eough."

"I agree," Dev patted my back when I finally stopped, "Tell us about your new boytoy."

"Dan," Rhydian clarified. 

And then I choked for a second time. 

_____

Our matron was pissed at us and didn't give us our laptops. Not on me for once.

I'm reading Diasy Jones and The Six, so good. 

I know the story is going slow, school's partly to blame and my reluctance with starting with the actual plot as well. But it will, soon enough, it has too.

Anyways, thanks for staying with me, love you.

Adios Amigos. <3