16 years.
Prom night was supposed to be one of those memorable nights of high school. Nothing about the night was worth remembering for Tara. She had no date for prom which had been totally her decision.
After the break up with Dylan, she caged herself from any other relationship. She turned down every guy that had proposed to her to be their date. In her defense, she didn't need a date to enjoy prom.
She had won her red ball gown dress for prom. She looked stunning. Most people had complimented her. She had enjoyed the party for the most part. The food and music was great. She had danced with Norah. They had stuffed themselves with chocolates and dessert cakes.
She had given Norah space to enjoy with James. She envied a little how James stared at her best friend. It was truthful to say that he was smitten. Tara had witnessed their ups and downs but they never gave up on each other. On her sixteenth birthday, she had wished for such a relationship.
Her genie was working in slow motion.
Tired of the party, she opted to go outside of the room. Soon they would be off to college. The only thing they would be left with are memories. She walked through the hallways reminiscing all the times she had for the last four years. The horny couple in the hallway scurried away quickly when they noticed her.
She walked further into the school until she ended up at the door to the pool. She opened it hesitantly. She peeped through the door to see if it was unoccupied by the horny couples.
Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed a body floating on the surface of the pool. On instinct, she rushed into the room and jumped into the pool.
When her head was back up from under the water, she heard a loud curse. She wiped the water from her eyes. Suddenly she was face to face with an angry glare.
"You?" He glared.
She glared back immediately when she realised who the culprit was. She hadn't talked to him since she tried to seduce him. She was even grateful both Dylan and him hadn't turned up at the lake house for summer. It was her and Norah again and she had loved every second of it.
"What are you doing?" she questioned.
"I should be asking you. What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be up winning prom queen or something?"
"I would be if you weren't playing dead. I am such a fool." she hissed.
"What are you even doing playing dead in the pool?" she narrowed her eyes.
"None of your business."
"It is now that you got me all wet."
He swam to the other side of the pool. She swam after him.
"What's your problem anyway?" she frowned.
"Get back to the party. I am sure they are already looking for you." Lyon held himself out of the pool.
She watched his bare back quietly admiring his body as he rubbed himself with the towel.
"You're still here." He looked back at her pissed. She swam slowly to the stairs and walked out of the pool.
"In case you forgot, this is a public pool. You don't own it." she sneered.
"No?" he lifts a brow.
"No. I have every right to be here as much as you or the next person." Tara argued.
"Is that the only reason? Or there is another hidden ulterior motive?" His words were mocking. His gaze even more suggestive.
"You're too full of yourself Lancaster."
"I am not the one who throws themselves on their boyfriend's cousin." Lyon glared. She was seeing red. That happened one time and she would forever regret it for the rest of her life. Why was he rubbing it in her face? Besides she was drunk that night.
"You're such an asshole." she spat.
"Well, you like this asshole."
"Like?" she scoffed ridiculously.
"I hate you Lyon Lancaster." she hissed.
He smirked. His smirk widened into a wicked grin the more he stared. She was fuming. She would slap him if he was closer.
Something about this night felt like that night. He was back into his space sucking out all the oxygen with just his presence.
"I have realised something about you Thompson." He leans over her ear, his voice making a small echo. Her body shuddered voluntarily. She was dripping wet from the pool. Of course she was feeling cold now she was out of the water. She escaped his touch when he lifted his hand to touch her face. She might have been drunk that night. She was sober this night.
"You're a big liar." he mutters, jaw clenched. She chuckled humourless.
"Is that all you can come up with?" she challenged.
She was poking the bear but she didn't care. She was tired of him.
"We both know who the biggest liar is between us." she muttered through clenched teeth. He smirked.
"You don't want to know the begining of that Thompson." His voice was cold as it cut through the air.
"In fact..."
Lyon traced a finger over her wet face. She pulled away from his touch.
"You should go."
"Run as fast as you can before one of us regrets another night."
"You don't scare me."
"Funny that's the same thing you said last time. Want to remember how that ended?"
His voice sounded distant. Her vision became blurry suddenly. His lips were moving but she couldn't hear a single word, at least not clearly.
"Hey,"
Her legs failed her. He caught her just in time.
"Shit!" he cursed. He looked panicked.
"You can't do that here." Was that panic in his voice? She was too strung to comprehend. Her head felt heavy liked she had been drugged. Had she been drugged?
"Damn it you're changing!"
Changing!
She looked down at her hands and the truth of the situation registered in her wobbly head. She was turning into a wolf. The sound of her dress tearing filled the room. It was really happening.
"You need to calm down." Lyon's voice boomed over her panicked self. She needed to breathe.
"Breathe Thompson!" he yelled.
She inhaled and exhaled.
"We're not going to be able to make it outside without you turning." he said.
She can only focus a little as the change takes over her inner self.
"It's going to be okay. Don't fight it." he advised letting her kneel on the ground.
"We need to close the door." Lyon rushed to the door and locked it. It was the two of them at that moment. Her joints burned. She felt her entire self floating just before she turned into a werewolf.
Lyon stood before her slightly panicked.
"Calm down Thompson. It's over now." Lyon walked closer to her. Every instinct in her body urged her to run but he was blocking her. She glared.
"Calm down, will you?" he whisper yelled.
It felt like a command to her body as she knelt down on the ground groaning as she turned back into a human. His face was turned to the door when she completely gained her senses.
"Take this." He threw her a towel without turning back. Tara didn't know if to feel grateful or sad that he had been the one to witness her first change.
She had wrapped herself with the towel when he faced her. She stared at her torn dress. How was she supposed to get back to the party let alone home?
"You can take these." He offered her a hoodie and shorts. She was physically weak. She didn't trust herself to put on something as simple as a hoodie.
"I am not going to look."
An argument was on her tongue but she fought it back. She needed his help. He dressed her carefully and picked her up in his arms.
She wanted to protest but there was nothing left in her to fight. She held onto him for her dear life. The last thing she remembered was the ignition of the engine as the darkness enveloped her.