Tethered

Chapter 1:

Elizabeth POV

~~Memories~~

"So...then, what do you say?" The perpetual chitchat of a random guy was irritating me the hell out of me. He wasn't taking 'no' for an answer. This fellow was so drunk that he fell off from the seat beside me soon after he proposed his plan of some hanky panky.

Huh! Only in his dreams!!!

I shook my head amazed as I exhaled loudly before looking around.

'Turn me on' by Kevin Lyttle was now blowing through the speakers as a crowd of sweaty, drunk people moved their bodies in a freaky way in Diana's basketball court size living room.

Diana, Diana Fresnel was my best friend since kindergarten. We were inseparable like siamese twins till we reached our. Then we met Janet Shelley and became three musketeers in 7th grade. In the start of the sophomore year, we got ourselves a blush baby, Susie Root and in the middle of the same year, Lola Harvard, the bad ass joined our group and since then we are a team, a group of hot, young, sexy girls. Might I mention, we were popular among my school mates and other schools too.

We were crowned with the title 'the babes'. Since this was mentioned, let me also inform you about our competing group of rivals with the title 'the plastics' which they definitely copied from the 'Mean girls' due to lack of creativity. I hated that title anyway. The Plastics were ruled by three girls; Daisy Wilson, Emma Weston and Sheena Harley, our archenemies. Cruelty was their middle name. They would stoop down to the lowest level, if needed. We weren't cruel, at least not as cruel as them, yet, some girls hated our guts. And I knew that they displayed their jealousy in the form of detestation.

My eyes caught Diana, she was grinding the mind out of some poor guy who was on the verge of fainting due to his body against Diana's hot one. I couldn't help but laugh at his expression. She, my dear friends, was immensely hot! Just like a volcano with lava coming out. Her skin was a few shades darker than my olive tone, so were her mysterious, sexy black eyes. She was tall, around 5'10 feet unlike me who just crossed 5'01. Funny wasn't it? Her black shorts and yellow spaghetti sleeved top perfectly showed her curvy body that was every man's dream to lay his hands on.

Her dark straight hair just completed her look as she smirked deviously at that poor guy leaving him completely whipped before making her way to me.

"Hahahaha.... You are a complete asshole if you kissed her!" Lola's voice roared in laughter as she sat beside me flirting with the bar tender. Her height towering mine by 10 inches. Her magnetic long legs dancing their own dance. Awww... what wouldn't I do to have legs like those? Her pale skin was shining in her own sweat.

"'Sup girls? How's the party going on?" Diana asked nearing me.

"You burnt the floor, girl!" I remarked as I sipped through my margarita after giving her a high five.

"Not better than you had, yesterday," she winked at me making me chuckle, with a roll of my eyes. Modesty, was a bitch that bit her ass. I had thrown the party the previous night but tonight, the last night of my summer before the senior year started was something I never wanted to forget. I wanted to live completely before getting stuck down to those stupid desks again! I hated schooling for some reason but it surprised me greatly to know I pass every test with good grades! I wasn't a nerd though my grades made me look like one.

"So, what now?" My strawberry blonde friend Janet asked joining us. Her green eyes were sparkling as she sipped the last of her coke. She didn't prefer alcoholic drinks unlike the rest of us. She was the saintly cute girl-next-door types. She stood up to her 5'6 feet height and tried straightening the creases on her floral printed summer dress. With the lasers flashing and the dimmed lights, her blonde hair seemed to have halo above her perfect body. I looked at my raven hair and wished to have the golden hair like Janet's or even Susie's.

"Now, we push the bitch of the century into the swimming pool and watch the show," Lola smirked twirling her fingers in her brunette hair. It always amazed me how her hair had natural red highlights that now shimmered in the low party lights and people thought that she colored her hair. Her mischievous gray eyes sparkled as she stood up and searched for Sheena, the brunette bitch in the crowd. I totally agreed with Lola's evil plan. That slut deserved every pain in the world after what she did to Diana just a week ago. I could feel the evil smile spread across my lips thinking of what Lola just suggested. That would be quite a show to watch the plastic barbie squeal and shriek for help on a night with sixteen degree Celsius displaying on the thermometer.

If I would have known that she would be brave enough to show up without her minions, I would have planned for a better show than this one but right now I was fine with the idea.

"Guys, I don't like the way it sounds," Susie our personal blush baby sweetheart chimed in. She was the shortest member of our group, well if we excluded me, I was just half an inch taller than her petite figure. But why were heels for again?

She tugged her honey blonde hair behind her ear as she looked around cautiously with her eccentric blue eyes.

"Relax babe, we are just having a little fun. We aren't planning to kill her, not anytime soon," Diana retorted.

"She called this upon herself," I added. By the time any of us realized, Lola was already dragging the almost half drunk brunette towards the Fresnel's pool. Gosh, her heavy make up was going to make Diana's pool dirty for sure!

"Girls, ready to watch the duck fuck the cold water?" I smirked taking out my cell phone and shooting the whole scene.

Lola tossed the bitch like a sack into the water.

Three

Two

One

"Aaaaaa.....!!!" And there was that ear piercing scream from Sheena as she resurfaced.

"You bitches! Whores! How dare you do that to me?" She shrieked lividly splashing the water while we tried to catch our breath and stop laughing at her face.

My stomach was aching! Gosh! It was seriously very funny.

"Oh! That was a return gift for making out with Carter," Diana explained her in a tone as if she was talking to a child as she bent over a bit towards the pool.

Not many people had gathered around to witness it but I swear, the first thing they will see tomorrow morning would be the MMS: how plastic barbies turn into Annabel dolls.

It served her right for making out with Diana's boyfriend and acting all queen bee. She was smirking all the time while they fought and broke up. Diana wasn't the same for a whole week and when she was finally getting over it, this bitch decided to give her a reminder of what happened between her and Carter. It was definitely not wise of Sheena to still show up at Diana's party and taunt right on her face!

********

I woke up to the massive headache. The alarm doesn't seem to stop ringing! My head felt as if it would explode any minute. The last thing I remember was drinking another shot in the celebration after Lola throwing Sheena into the pool. I seem to have somehow made it back to my home in one piece. Miraculously.

I fished for an aspirin from the nightstand and gulped it down with the bottled water.

These hangovers were the nastiest thing to face after a mind blowing party. I lethargically walked up to the sink and watched my mess of a make up, all over my face. The eyeliner and mascara had spread all over my eyes making me look like a raccoon and my red lipstick was smudged. At least my olive skin didn't look as dead as a zombie. My hazel eyes still looked dull due to the tiredness. To top it all, my raven hair looked like a bird's nest!

I sighed in disbelief that I had even slept in the same party clothes! Now, I had to wash off this mess... Couldn't risk anyone seeing me like this. Elizabeth Marshalls was always to look striking. No clothes was to be worn more than twice, especially the clothes for the school and parties. And those were my codes that I followed at any cost.

I was dragged out of my thoughts when my mobile buzzed on the nightstand. Was I running late fashionable again? Or had Mr. Tobby finally established a search party for me? Nah! I don't think his memory would be good enough to remember something that occurred the previous year. Then who was messaging me this early in the morning?

Out of curiosity I checked the message.

Lola: Lizzy! You bitch! Why did you send my MMS along with Sheena's???

I furrowed my eyebrows trying to make sense of the matter she mentioned, she surely seemed extremely pissed off about or was trying another trick upon me? I typed a quick reply to her.

Me: What the fuck are you talking about??? I don't understand a shit!

Immediately, the phone started ringing. It was her! I picked it up still confused.

"Hello," my voice was hoarse.

"Hello my foot! You bitch! You sent my MMS to everyone?" She screamed from the other end as if I was deaf. I had no other option but to pull the phone away from my sensitive ear till she finished screaming.

"Lola, what are you talking about?"

"You. Sent. That. Video. Of. Mine. In. The. Duck's. Costume!" She was literally furious.

The memory flashed back from two weeks ago. We had been playing truth or dare, and when Lola chose dare, we had made her wear a duck's costume and do the funny dance. During which she accidentally slipped over a chocolate rapper and fell straight on her butts pulling down the curtains of the near by window along with her! I burst out into laughter at the memory.

"Seriously? That would have won AFV grand prize!" I exclaimed.

"Grand prize!?! Grand prize, huh!?! You get your ass here Missy, and I'll make it feel sorry for itself!" She screamed before ending the call leaving me laughing like a loon. Oh boy, no doubt that she was one hell of a violent female out there.

Do I skip the school today? Knowing Lola, it was always better to take some precautions.

Oh, come on! Why was I thinking like a wimpy loser? The worst she could do to me is shake me vigorously and scream at my face. That was no big deal.

Thinking about Lola, I wondered what was the case with Sheena. I bet she had become the laughing stock as well by now.

I freshened up and showered. The breakfast went in a blur while I chatted with the girls, of course Lola was out of the chat. Apparently, Diana woke up with Shane again in her bedroom and she had no memory of how she got there. Her house was a total unauthorised club, every other corner she found a hobo and every other step someone had puked.

She was worried that her parents would arrive anytime, unlike mine. Mine wouldn't show up even if I got arrested or even blew the house up. They never gave me their time! They would rather waste their precious time cracking some fucked up deal in some third world country.

I only wished that I had what others had. I wished for the fatherly affection and motherly hugs and kisses to wait for me when I come back home. I want them to scold me for my misbehavior or for coming home late at nights. I just want someone to wipe my tears when I cried or give me a big bear hug when I was scared. I wanted them to watch my back, like every other kid felt but not me...

My friends were one lucky people out there. And I lived like an orphan enough though my parents were very much alive and healthy...

I sighed as I had the last bite of my toast and ran upstairs to get ready after dismissing the awaiting maids. I didn't know any of their names. As every two years the whole housekeeping staff would change. I had no idea why that system was put into practice by my parents but every other new year I would woke up to the new house maids.

I walked into the wardrobe and picked up my brand new white single strapped top and a wine red mini skirt that I bought on my trip from Hawaii.

I pulled out my furry white boots to match with my clothes. I put on some light touch ups. Some lip gloss, some mascara and eyeliner. I left my hair open and voilà! I was all set to go. I had one of my maids pack my school bag that was resting on the couch. I was so not in any mood to do that silly stuff. I picked the heavy thing off the couch before it sagged and moved to the basement where my babies awaited for me.

I wasn't shy to admit that I really liked having interest in cars. I was always open for good rides. I hopped on my favorite red Lamborghini Murcielago which was a gift for my sixteenth birthday. I never preferred a chauffeur, I loved driving them myself. I couldn't tolerate if anyone else touched my baby but me.

My mind seemed to get a little fussy with irritating thoughts, so I switched the radio on. Rihanna's song 'where have you been' was booming through the speakers. That was one heck of a catchy song!

I've been everywhere, man

Looking for someone

Someone who can please me

Love me all night long

I halted my car at the fork of the roads and looked at them. One of them crossed through the forests and the other led through the town. I missed the lonely forests with the fresh air. Without a second thought I drove my car through the first option in my mind, the forests. What could possibly go wrong when I'm in one of the fastest cars? The animals won't even dream of crossing my path, for sure. The song continued.

Where have you been?

Cause I never see you out

My head bobbed at the beats as my fingers tapped on the starring wheel. The forests looked greener at this part of the year and the fresh air whipped my hair back. This road made me feel like a queen. I knew it was dangerous as no human could be seem till the afternoon sun blarred. I should have gone through the other way where people roamed around. But what do I say? I loved the beautiful nature and the fresh air.

Are you hiding from me, yeah?

Somewhere in the crowd

My eyes landed over an unexpected figure that looked like a guy on his foot, all alone. He was carrying a bag. Was he insane? No one walked here, they drove! For heaven's sake there were wild animals in this part of the country!

Where have you been all my life?

Where have you been all my life?

I turned down the music and slowed my baby to stop behind him. He neither bothered to stop nor turned. His gray jeans and green hooded jersey looked faded. For some reason this sight resembled like the one in the movies where a psycho killer carrying a chopped dead body in the bag to dispose it.

Yup, I was crazy and he was just a guy probably deaf and slightly blind.

'Now, don't you dare get down Lizzy!' My rationality warned but I being me, hopped down my car and called out, "hey there!"

No response nor did he turn. I sighed loudly as I called out again, "you there, green hooded guy." Still no response. Definitely deaf. Losing my patience, I briskly walked up to him and placed my hand over his shoulder freezing him right in his steps. He might have definitely thought some ghost of the forests had summoned upon him. I wanted to chuckle at my stupid thought.

He slowly turned to look at me and that made my breathing stop. If I tell that I had seen a man more handsome than him, then that would be the biggest lie of the century! Snow White would be jealous of his skin tone. His face was spotless! No signs of blemishes, dark circles, acne or any other thing like that! His icy blue eyes were hypnotizing me. I had to crane my neck to around 65° yet I didn't want to complain! Gosh, he must be around 6 feet at least! His perfect, delicate angular nose and high cheek bones made me gasp. He was a lean guy with flesh on the perfect places. My eyes caught his plump red lips which complimented his long face.

He removed his headphones and stared at me just as every other guy but why didn't his eyes hold any emotions? Usually guys look amazed at my sight but this guy didn't show any such signs, instead it was me who felt like passing out any moment now! His dirty blonde strands of soft curls of his hair rested on his broad forehead under his hood. I gasped for air and his delicious chocolaty musky aroma with a touch of scent of the mud at the first rain after hot summers engulfed me. Oh god! Why does he have to smell so good? He was asking or saying something but nothing made sense to me by hearing his deep smooth attractive voice. Nothing else held my eyes except his kissable lips. I must definitely be looking like a goof right now but I couldn't help myself.

I tried averting my gaze to distract myself. What the heck was wrong with me?

"Are you o--" I cut him off as I shouted, "look out!" and pulled him out of the way of a falling tree branch that had caught my eye. A second late, and we would have lost such a beauty from the face of the earth! Couldn't risk that now could we? He had landed on his butt with me right beside him.

"Are you okay?" I turned to look at him. My pounding heart slowly calming down. He was shocked, I could say that as he kept looking from the tree branch to me and back to the branch but my gaze was stuck to his breathtaking mouth that was ajar. It looked like he saw me shamelessly ogling at him as he closed his mouth and clenched his jaws. Boy, they looked strong!

My eyes averted from his mouth to his eyes making me flinch. His eyes held nothing but pure anger! Was he angry with me? No, it couldn't be. What wrong had I done? Guess he was angry with mother nature for almost killing him.

I cleared my throat to overcome the awkwardness as I stated, "get in the car, I'll drop you wherever you want."

"I don't need any help from you. I can take care of myself pretty well," he spoke through his clenched teeth as he stood up. I followed him and dusted my clothes as his words finally sank into my brain. Why was he taking out his anger on me? I just wanted to help him!!!

"Don't shout at me! I didn't tell that tree branch to fall on you! I saved your life for the fucking sake! A simple thank you would have done the job," I shouted.

"Well, I never asked you to save my damn life! I didn't even ask you to stop! It was you who wanted to force your help," he shouted back making me grind my teeth in annoyance. Oh, this guy was unbelievable!

"It was good that I stopped then. Now shut up and get in the car. I'll drop you at your destination," I ordered calming my anger down. He kept staring at me clenching and gritting his teeth but finally, he silently got into the passenger seat making me follow him shortly.

All of a sudden, I could feel excitement bubble inside me. I couldn't believe that he was sitting there, right beside me! Even though he shouted at me before, I did not seem to mind at all about that. Gosh! He was just so handsome that I had zoned out right in front of him! I had never spaced out before. This was the first time. Was it only me or did it suddenly get hot in here?

I stole a glance at him who was busy looking outside. I couldn't take the silence anymore. My ears were itching to hear his melodious voice again.

"I'm Elizabeth Marshalls. Call me Lizzy, Z, LZ, anything. So, what's your name?" I hoped he was back to normal from the angry mood by now.

Silence, there was only silence before I cleared my throat again. 'Hello! Earth to the handsome!' I wanted to shout but I let it pass and sighed loudly.

"Rome," he said at last, his voice acidic. What the hell was that for? I didn't even throw him into the pool as Lola had thrown Sheena.

"Is that your name?" I asked cautiously making him sigh irritated before briefly nodding his head.

"Rome what?"

"Mathews," he spat venomously making me drive in silence for next ten minutes. I would involuntarily watch him swirl uncomfortably in his seat from the rearview mirror. Why was he swirling like that? My car was the most comfortable car ever! I frowned at him through the rearview mirror and suddenly he caught me staring at him again. I flushed in embarrassment as I averted my gaze back to the road.

Why was I feeling shy? I could slowly feel the tension in the car build up. Just wanting to loosen up the awkward situation I asked him, "where to?"

"Huh?" He asked out of blue.

"Where should I drop you?"

"There's a school ahead, stop there."

"Wow! That's my destination too!" I exclaimed making him turn to glare at me like I just commented him on his 'un-manliness' or something if that is even a word...

"So, junior year?" I asked hoping to start a normal conversation without any glares or sighs.

"No, senior," he said sternly. What was with him and the answer to the point? Couldn't he speak more than a limited number of words? Then it stuck me what he had said. He was a senior? Wow! New student! Wait, should I be saying woe to the new student?

"That's--" he cut me off as he almost shouted at me, "can you shut your damn mouth and drive?"

Cold chills went down my spine. No one had ever shouted at me before this, not even my parents. If one excluded Mr. Toby, who was an exception. What was this guy's problem? I shut the big excuse of my mouth and silently drove cursing him in my head.

I shouldn't have stopped to help him. He was just an ill mannered lout. He was definitely an asshole! Fuck! Why was I feeling bad because of an excuse of a human being beside me? He will rot in hell!

Okay, I was going way too overboard but it was this asshole's fault! He might have anger issues or just woke up from the wrong side of the bed.

The rest of the ride went in silence, I was actually hoping for an apology for his misbehavior but there came none! Disappointment filled my entire being. Why was I feeling this way because of him? Maybe, it's just because he's handsome and arrogant while other guys give me all the time I demand.

Finally the old campus fence was visible. Dragging myself out of my thoughts, I drove through the open gates and into the parking lot. A lot of students had stopped by to drool over my baby as I stopped her by the entrance of the parking lot letting Mr. Grumpy get his ass off my car.

"The office is in the main building, the white one and the first corridor leads to the reception," I directed him but he gave me another one of his angry looks before smashing my baby's door close! I gasped in shock as I got down to check if something had happened to her.

Relief flushed through me when my eyes didn't find even a scratch on her. I glared at him while he scorned at me before marching off from the sight.

"Inglorious bastard!" I grumbled under my breath as I sat in my car to park it at the first spot available. That jerk seriously didn't know who he messed up with. He will definitely repent when he'll learn who I was. I got down from my car and patted her hood telling her, "good girl."

Her shiny red paint took many breaths away on her single sight. I looked at the other side where my gang stood. The girls had seemed to have zoned out as all the four kept staring into the space. "Girls," I sighed shaking my head before making my way there.

"Hey girls! 'Sup?" I asked them hopping over to sit on the trunk of Diana's Mercedes.

"Lizzy, who was that guy you just dropped off?" Lola asked dreamily.

So, he was their reason to zone out. Let's have some fun babes!

"Um...he?" I pretended to be dumb.

"Yup, he. The green hooded guy. The handsome one," she gestured towards the direction Rome disappeared.

"Oh he! He is my new boyfriend. He's been stalking me for a few days now and never stops begging me to take him in. So finally, today feeling pity over him I accepted his pleas and made him my boyfriend," I smiled innocently.

Everyone kept staring at me wide eyed before Lola bursting out into laughter.

"Hahahaha...nice joke. You haven't dated since two years and the last time I checked, you said 'dating will have to wait, sorry Richard' ," Lola mimicked me from the previous night where Richard had again proposed me in the party.

"Okay, I agree that my dating history is bad but it isn't so bad that you can't believe me!" I protested.

"No dear, your dating history isn't bad, it's close to N.I.L.L! And if he was your boyfriend, he would have kissed you before marching off all offended but he scorned at you like you were pain in his ass," Diana interjected making me sneer at her.

Ouch! that hurt, a lot!

Okay that meant that they noticed every bit of the scene with Rome. I didn't know why but all of a sudden I was livid.

"Thanks for enlightening me, best friend. But he was the pain in my ass not the other way around!" I hissed in anger.

"Okay Z, just drop this argument and tell us. Who. Is. He???" Diana asked impatiently. Not even quarter of an hour had gone by and he already got my friends to quarrel with me! For Pete's sake he hadn't even talked to them!

"He's a freak! Very bad tempered and a loon named Rome. Now I swear, I hate all the Romes in the world!" I spat angrily recalling his impolite behavior.

"But he's so handsome!" Lola squealed! That only made me stare at her in disbelief.

"Did too much of alcohol last night damaged your brain cells? 'Cause I clearly remember mentioning that he is an ill mannered, bad tempered, impolite, lunatic asshole and I hear you compliment him?" I quoted irately.

"I never heard anyone cursing someone else so much, he can't be so bad," Lola mumbled under her breath making me narrow my eyes at her.

"He messed up with you? Wow! That is something that we don't see every day," Janet sniggered but immediately covered her giggle with her pretentious coughs as I glared daggers at her. But she wasn't the only one, even other girls tried hiding their strifles! It was just the first day of the senior year and already that rascal spoiled my mood!

I huffed and puffed before irately marching towards the school.

"Come on Z! Chill babe! We were just kidding. That fellow definitely doesn't know..." Diana stopped shouting behind me when she realized I wasn't going to turn around.

I walked into the school feeling really pissed. I hope he realized soon enough who I was and apologize for his behavior.

Why was I even thinking about him? Cheer up Lizzy, there was a long year waiting ahead. And there were a lot of other boys in the world beside him. Definitely more better than him.