Galaxy Of Hope

It was quiet in the car. When we weren’t bickering we were mostly silent. It was not entirely uncomfortable. I was aware of the fact I could have gotten an entirely different bodyguard. At least he could be funny… sometimes.

I was texting away to my friends when I noticed him glancing over.

‘You know… I could teach you some other defence techniques.’ He had watched my training session with Dean earlier.

I glanced up. ‘Like what?’

I was already brown belt in Krav Maga and now also the Rainer fighting technique called Muiz Lachi. It looked a lot like our MMA boxing.

’It’s called Verr Boyas. It’s very technical. I think you would be good at it.’ These days I was almost beating Dean, so I was improving greatly. ‘Since I’m mostly just standing outside that door of yours, I might as well be useful.’

I had seen Andrew fight an unsuspecting college student who happened to grab my arm in a harsh way during a line for the food bar. He had been on the floor in two seconds flat. It was impressive.

‘Yeah, good plan. I want to know, in case somebody tries to cut in front of me at the pizza corner when you are not there. Might come in handy.’

He genuinely laughed out loud at that joke, keeping his eye on the road and I smiled.

We arrived at the lake and were shuttled to the huge chalet by private ferry. The sun was setting. Andrew scanning the lake intently.

‘What you staring at Andrew?’ I joined him silently and he flinched. ‘The sea creatures about to kidnap me?’

‘Very funny.’ he dryly added. He glanced towards the party, we could clearly hear the music from here. Lots of people were in the water at the shoreside, many stood on the giant outside balcony. I could see people on the roof too. That’s probably were Sebastian was knowing him.

The boat bopped on something and I stumbled. Andrew corrected me and helped me from falling over. ’Sea creatures huh. More likely I’m to save you from yourself.’ He let go hesitantly when he saw I was steady on my feet again. I didn’t dignify that with a response.

We arrived on shore and I was wrong. Sebastian was at the entrance greeting all his guest in his flamboyant style. He was wearing his swim shorts and an Hawaiian shirt. However, he had told everyone to come in semi-formal outfits.

Like my dress. The bastard.

He was slinging Hawaiian necklaces over everyone’s neck and his pink sunglasses could not conceal that he was already wasted.

‘Little bird!’ he yelled way too loudly and hooted like a wolf at the night sky. Everyone around stopped and stared at me. I turned a little red in the face.

He was so much sometimes.

He ran, literally ran for me. Picked me up and swung me around so roughly my handbag flew off, with one of my sneakers.

My sneakers… how the heck was that even possible.

The way he was swinging me was a little too roughly. I got placed down and was planted a big kiss on my mouth, a Hawaiian slinger on my neck and my entire vision swimming and swarming around me.

Andrew was at my back instantly, holding me steady and he was carrying my purse. He gave Sebastian an angry scowl.

’A little less next time, Barrington.’ Seb just saluted him and gave me another kiss. ‘I’ll see you inside okay little bird, we have an open bar. Oak is around somewhere. Probably in the game room where the books are. Jax is at the lake with Dexar, Nexxar and Baylor. I have no clue where the other Briareves are. But they’re probably somewhere in a dark corner.’ I doubted Sky would be in a dark corner but okay. Chris passed me and kissed my cheek. I waved at Dean, I saw he was talking to Ash on the patio. Yep, I was not going on that patio tonight. Not before I had a drink. Every conversation I’ve had with the white haired one, had turned out into a full on raging fight. I was not in the mood for that. By the way he was scowling at me from above his pint, told me he wasn’t either.

Sebastian was off again, on his way to Bron and his brother Mason by the firepit in the front yard.

Andrew was still keeping me steady. ‘You good?’ he asked.

‘Yes, thank you.’ I smiled at him. He smoothed down my frizzed hair on top of my head. ‘Here, let’s go and get you your shoe back.’ He had given me my purse. He was now searching for my shoe. So I sat down on the side of the dock. I was not spotting it anywhere. After about five minutes he came back with my sneaker. ‘You want the good news or the bad news first?’ he smirked.

‘The good.’

‘Well the good is that I have found it.’ He crouched down and raised my foot and placed it on his firm thigh. ‘The bad news is, that it’s wet and I have not found it by the water.’

I cringed when the meaning of that hit home. ‘Oh god… no way.’

’I’m just messing with you, it was in the water.’ He laughed.

‘I think I’ll go barefoot. I’ll put them in the room upstairs.’ I’ve been here before and I knew where Sebastian’s room was.

‘Okay, princess.’ He helped me unlace the other one, which was bound really tightly by the way. Then he helped me stand up. I still wobbled a bit.

‘Sure you are alright?’

‘Yeah, I’m good here. You can go now. Thank you though.’ I really meant that. His job wasn’t easy and he was just doing it because he had to.

He put his hands in the pockets of his black jeans. He glanced around. ‘I think I might stay around for a while.’ He was scanning the place.

‘Do you think something will happen?’ he was acting a little bit nervous.

‘No… I don’t know. The Paramore’s are all here but they are intoxicated. When I saw Sebastian throwing you around like a ragdoll, I’m not taking any chances princess. It would literally mean my life if something happened to you.’ Something flashed through my mind but I couldn’t grasp it. I nodded.

‘I understand.’ Suddenly I felt really weary. ‘I’m just going to put these away, before someone takes them.’ It was awkward for a moment. He just nodded and I took that as my cue to go. I had to pass hundreds of people just to make it to the stairs. I saw vaguely familiar faces in the crowd. But none of my friends. They were all outside somewhere probably.

I opened the bedroom door. It was dark inside. I was searching for the light switch and flicked it on when a hand suddenly covered my mouth. I screamed into it, my instincts kicking in. But then I smelled him. Ocean waves and mint chip cookies. Dosch. My stomach did a flip.

He locked the door behind him and I turned around. Excited to see him, it had been weeks now. Also last time I had seen I had been on my knees in front of him in that bathroom at the dance, my stomach did a low flip again thinking about that night and him. I was a little bit shocked at the angry expression on his face.

’Really… Lux? Vincent?’