Chapter One

Sodding typical. The moment Lilly goes off to the bathroom I end up feeling like a sitting duck in the room full of wolves. Well of course I’m avoiding eye contact with everyone here.  Instead I am focusing my attention on my ring, my little plain silver band ring, also known as my man repellent if its on the left hand ring finger. Of course it occasionally lives on the right hand so that I can’t ever loose it, that’s just ore trouble then it could ever be worth. To be honest most of this evening has been spent smiling and nodding. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve known Lilly for years but there is only so much patience for her constant bids for attention. For the most part she has been sat bitching and complaining about her latest failure of her dating venture. Proving exactly why I don’t date.

The gaps in mind numbing boredom have been filled by mild people watching, mainly staring at the door watching people come and go. The only mildly interesting, and I am being very generous with that term, people that have entered in the time its taken Lilly to explain for the eighth time that she thinks men are stupid; has been a particularly goofy, kind of nice-sh looking guy. Unfortunately his choice of company was his friend, a guy who seemed to exude that stupid “I’m the unsafe brooding guy that your parents warned you about” thing, the whole dark, dangerous douche bag kind of guy. At least I am not the only one wearing a mask tonight.

Call me cautious but I like to be aware of my surroundings so of course I twigged them shooting glances our way. If I didn’t know any better I would assume they were staring. Probably trying to guess if Lilly’s long hair is real or extensions, or just how few drinks it would take to get her attention.

Of course now she’s in the bathroom I hate sitting here at the bar waiting for her to come back. The supposedly “dangerous” looking one had made his way to the bar standing beside me, lightly pressed against me in the crowd while I try to ignore him, at least he uses manners when he speaks to bar staff. Not as much of a dick as I thought he was. He practically looked right through me when he spoke “Turner”, I stared blankly, as you do. “I mean, my name is Turner and you are?” I paused smiling to myself, trying to select the least sarcastic response I could muster, “waiting for my friend.” Thankfully Lilly appeared from the bathroom.

Lilly however, true to form did the one thing I didn’t want her to do, engage in conversation. She clearly fancied the pants off of him, it was clear as day. She became that shameless flirt she becomes around any moderately attractive guy. Fine he’s attractive that’s undeniable but still. “I see you had some company while I went for a pee, I’m Lilly, Lillian Mae, and who are you handsome?” I answered before he could open his mouth, “he’s leaving” giving Lilly a warning look that she was clearly intent on ignoring.

Turner invited us to join him and his friend, before I could decline Lilly had accepted before he had even finished asking. His friend must have picked up on my reluctance, possibly because Lilly practically dragged me over to the table, he laughed “don’t worry, we don’t bite.” Turner gave his friend the exact warning look I had shot at Lilly who had now placed herself on either side of the men, leaving my only option to be sat opposite Lilly who now seemed completely determined to get Turners attention.

I couldn’t resist a smirk as I resumed fiddling with my ring while I watched Lilly flirt mercilessly with Turner, who had avoided or shut down nearly all of Lilly’s flirtatious and incredibly suggestive questions. I could feel him staring at me. Watching me play uncomfortably with the ring while I maintained a vague but polite conversation with his friend, resisting the urge not to burst out laughing at Lilly’s increased frustration.

 

Turns out Turner’s friend name was Edward Harrison, even though he insisted that we call him Eddy, he seemed nice enough. I couldn’t resist a smirk when Turner told us his name, well proper name, Sebastian Turner, what possessed him to go round using just his surname I have no idea. No thanks to Lilly they now knew my name. Eddy was sweet about it “aww your name is really pretty, why didn’t you just say? Demetria Rose, its like a flower.” I raised my eyebrows and smiled politely “call me Demi, everyone does. So I have to ask, why go round by the surname? Is it another facade, a mask a mystery? Ir is it just to pick up girls? I have to say its not all that impressive, mysterious or as intimidating as it seems. Quite frankly the bad boy facade is a bit see through.”

Turner stared at me for a few seconds, “your ring, you hide behind it, I have seen you fiddle and play with it all night, I watched you swap hands to make yourself look taken when ever some poor guy even came close. If i had to guess, the only reason it’s not there right now is because its too late to change hands. Your hiding behind it, why? To avoid getting hurt? Drama, men or is it because you are hiding from something or someone? What’s made you so afraid that you hide in a room full of people? You only relaxed when you sat with us, when you watched your friend flirt shamelessly. Hell when you noticed that I wasn’t responding to her pathetic bids for attention you struggled not to smile, like now. You smiled your way through her frustration as she tried to raise her game. There’s a big difference between you and her, she demands attention and you run from it. Why? Lilly struggled to get my focus from you but you pay Eddy and I equal respect. You are different, a mystery never fully explained, you are different, not like her, this bar or this town. There’s something different about you, its in your eyes. You are hiding, why?”

Stunned trying to find the least insulting response I looked into his eyes for a moment. “You have hunger in your eyes. Not a normal hunger, not like the hunger I have seen, its like the ravaged hunger if a hunter. A dark hunger that you are trying to suppress, and hide.”  I sensed the quiet at the table as I watched and waited for Turners response. Lilly clearly in need of attention struck up a conversation with Eddy.  I gave up waiting for his response and watched Eddy as he tried to follow Lilly and her favorite topic of choice, men, particularly how messed up they all were, I smiled and rolled my eyes, letting myself relax a little.

Finally Turner spoke softer, “hiding seems to be a shared hobby, perhaps we have something in common.” His eyes dropped to my hands as I pushed the ring up securely on my right hand. “There is something strange about you, you aren’t like most men, what is it that I cant put my finger on?” He looked into my eyes as though he was attempting to read me, his beautiful eyes seemed to mirror my own, only for a moment. I could feel my heart racing, before I could speak Lilly handed Turner a piece of paper. I recognized the number scribbled on it, my own. Utterly mortified by her audacity I made our excuses , bidding them good night I dragged Lilly with me. Somehow our girls night had turned into an evening over taken by strangers.