VIII - Kieran

"Have you found her?" she asked with a hint of impatience. Willow shook her head and glanced at the window.

She sensed the disappointment from Lilith but she did not received any response. No words followed after that question, Lilith just stormed out of the room without saying anything leaving Willow behind.

"Oh Triz, where have you been?"

-

If there's something that Odette and Tara have familiarized with, that is the human's party life. They are welcomed with a loud blasting music and a bunch of teenagers holding a red cups filled with all sort of alcohol. Sharp smell of cigarettes, mint, and alcohol blending around the room.

Karma was infront of them paving the way for the three of them. They were not able to walked throught everyone without having an interaction. Karma just know everyone and they need to stopped everytime for her little chitchats.

"Hi! I haven't seen you before" a guy from another group said. He scanned them from head to toe so obviously that the three were able to notice.

Karma noticed that Tara kept on tugging the hem of her croptop. She sighed and gave her her leather jacket. "They're with me, Jason" Karma interrupted.

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" the man teased. Karma forced a smile and guided the two. "This is Tara. And here is Odette," she paused and glanced at Odette. A smirked formed on her lips before proceeding to talk, "or mine".

The crowd roared from the news. Odette stiffened and felt her cheeks heat from embarrassment. She slightly pinched Karma's armed which the latter only laughed on.

"Hey", Jason went beside Tara. She turned to look at him and immediately noticed his hands snaking around her waist.

She frozed for a moment and looked at Odette and Karma who were now talking to the group of people beside them leaving her stuck with Jason. "Don't be shy. Tara, right?" she nodded and tried to distance herself away.

"Yes" she glanced at his hands in which he noticed but didn't bother to remove.

"There you are" a familiar voice echoed behind her. One sniff and she knew who it was. The voice, the smell, and the familiar feeling of his presence.

"Kieran!" Jason greeted, unaware of the situation he's stirring. He received nothing as response, only the sight of Kieran's darkened eyes and clenched jaw.

"Oh! You are here too." Kieran finally answered. He moved closer to Tara and slowly snatched her away from him. "Actually, she's going with me" Jason broke out a laugh, slightly hinting that he couldn't believe it.

"Pardon?" Jason advanced towards them. "She was with me", he added.

The people around them felt the tension building up between the two of them. Kieran chuckled and made Tara look at him by holding her face towards him. The people gasped form his sudden move.

"Tanya Radella..." he uttered. He paused to glanced back at Jason who's not having it. Then he added, "Are you with him?"

Tara cleared her throat, not removing her gaze from Kieran. "No", she answered, almost a whisper but everyone who's too engaged in their scene were able to get it. Kieran smiled and nodded. He faced Jason who could not believe what he heard.

"Well, you said she was with you. I'm not sure about that now"

The mockery in his voice was very evident. The crowd reacted the same way he did which made Jason get more flustered. "The fuck you're acting all cocky for?", he fumed, aggresively closing the distance between them.

Before he could grab his collar, Kieran was faster enough to grab his. "I can't remember letting you touch me", his voice thundered. 

Tara gasped at the sight and searched for Odette among the crowd. She felt an extremely strong aura from Kieran and it was way different than his usual presence when around her. His eyes darkened, displaying a very grim look. 

The ocean of people made it hard for Tara to look for Odette or even Karma. She couldn't leave Kieran behind for the fear that something bad would happen. Finally, she grabbed Kieran's arm to caught his attention, in which she did. He turned to look at her only to see her frightened expression and that's when she felt his muscle relaxed. He let go of Jason who was pulled by his friends. 

"Dude, what are you thinking messing up with him?" 

"I'm sorry about that" he uttered and pulled her close to him. "Are you with my sister?"

"Yes but I can't find them anywhere", Kieran nodded and guided her through the crowd. 

The people who want to get close to them, to Kieran rather were so obvious but Kieran doesn't seem to care at all. He was too preoccupied looking for his sister's whereabout. It lasted a couple of minutes but they were not able to see Odette or Karma. 

"I guess they're having their own world", Kieran chuckled and faced Tara. 

"I must agree", they laughed it off together and decided to go outside. 

He let her seat when they reached the poolside. There's a fewer people there so it's not as noisy as inside. He lit a cigarette and slightly moved away from her. "Where have you been these days?" he asked. 

Tara cleared her throat and stood from her seat. A mischievous grin formed in her lips and asked, "Why do you want to know?" with a smile. 

Kieran blurted out a laugh from amusement. "Sure you know how to answer now", his eyes catched her necklace. "It's pretty. Where'd you get that?" 

Tara traced his gaze and realised he was looking at her necklace. She held it before answering. "My mom gave it to me"

"Gorgeous. Oh! Do you want a drink?" he threw away his cigarette and walked towards her. "Come on, let me get you something" 

-

"Are you sure she'll be fine?", Odette asked. They were watching Tara and Kieran walked outside. Karma chuckled and nodded. 

"They were probably looking for us earlier" she said and reached for Odette's hair. She slightly stroked it with her fingers and stared at her. "I haven't seen you in a while" 

Odette faced her and smirked. "Miss me?" 

Amused by her boldness, Karma wasn't able to respond quickly. "Come with me" she said and grabbed her wrist. 

They walked through the busy people in the hallways. The house were big enough to have every corner occupied by people. When they reached the last room, Karma pushed her towards the room and crashed her lips with hers. 

Odette pulled away and smiled at her. "In a rush, as always" 

Karma bit her lip and nodded, realising that Odette was mocking her. "Told you, I haven't seen you in a while", she uttered, accepting her current situation. Odette's smile grew wider. She held Karma by her throat and pulled her closer to finish what she started. 

-

"Willow, where's your daughter?" Peter approached her. Her forehead creased at the question. 

"She wasn't here?" Peter nodded in response. 

"Sorry to trouble you. I'll talk to her when I see her", Peter couldn't believe what he heard at first but he chose to leave. 

Peter is Tara and Odette's mentor. The thought that her daughter was not with Peter earlier troubled her. Lilith will get fuming mad once she knew about this. She decided to head home hoping that she would find her there. 

-

They watched the people around them get busy with everything. It has been a couple of minutes when they decided to stay there and there's still no hint of Karma or Odette. 

"Don't worry, they'll come back later", he reassured after noticing she kept on looking around. 

"Hey! What are you two doing here alone?" a familiar figure appeared in front of them. It was Beatriz.

"Bea" Kieran greeted then completely ignoring her. 

"Hi! I am waiting for Odette" Tara butted in when she sensed the lack of interest from Kieran.

"I saw her earlier with Karma. Why don't you join us?" the girl sat beside her and held her hand. She gave her a pleasing look as she teasing tug Tara's hand. 

Tara glanced at Kieran who's looking annoyed. He heaved out a long disappointed sigh and gave her a nod. "Come on. What are you playing?" 

"Great! The usual" she clung onto Tara's arm completely leaving Kieran behind them. 

She turned to look at him and stuck her tongue out. "Brat", he whispered before following them. 

They arrived at the kitchen with much more people. In the middle of the room was Karma and Odette laughing with the people around them. Odette waved at them when she saw them and run towards Tara. 

Grinning from ear to ear, she gave Tara a teasing look. "What did you do outside, huh?" 

"So you were watching me when I was looking for you", Odette chuckled and rested her arms on her shoulder. She then pointed at Beatriz, "friends with her?" 

"She saw us in the living room and invited us here" Odette nodded and pulled her towards the table. 

"They just won't let me be with her" Kieran whisphered to himseld who got no choice but to follow the two. 

"Wow, I thought you will sleep all day" Karma butted in upon seeing Kieran tailing the two girls. 

Kieran gave him a smug look, "and you are always out of sight". He looked at Tara and slowly pull her towards him. 

"You are always leaving me", he whispered to her ears, placing his hand at the small of her back. 

Tara smiled, implying that she's amused. "People like to pull me away from you. I wonder why" 

"We got new players here!" Beatriz announced, catching the attention of the people inside. 

The crowd cheered upon seeing Kieran. 

"Kieran! Kieran! Kieran!"

"Alright, truth or dare?" 

"What the hell? That's so lame" Kieran bursted out laughing. 

He glanced at Tara, making sure she's on his side. "Alright, dare" which made the crowd roar louder. Karma was too amused watching her brother gets cornered and she knows why. 

"Dare. What do you guys want him to do?" Bea asked. Karma wuickly raised her hand. 

"I dare my brother to kiss the most attactrive girl in this room" she said with an intention to bring something up from the past. 

The crowd starts whispering upon remembering the familiar incident. Kieran was an asshole. 

"I dare you to kiss the most attractive girl in this room", Karma confidently said without breaking the eye contact from the girl beside Kieran. 

The girl was giving her an annoyed look and she doesn't seem to care. She knew what was going to happen. 

"Ofcourse he would kiss Marina", someone from the crowd whispered that made Marina smirked. 

"I don't think so" Karma respondsed, making sure everyone could hear her. 

Kieran moved away from Marina who was expecting for a kiss. On the opposite side of the room stood Heleana, a sophomore from a different school. She watched him walked towards her while the whole crowd was making noise. 

Kieran stopped infront of her. "May I?"

Heleana smirked and glanced at Marina who was looking furious. "What about her?" pointing her lips at Marina.

"I got to be honest" he said before coming close to kiss her. 

"Would he kiss that girl?" someone whispered. 

Kieran looked at Odette and gave her a knowing look. "The most attractive girl in this room?", he repeated. 

Crossing her arms above her chest, Karma nodded before giving Odette a reassuring look. She knows what she's doing like the back of her hand. 

"Who could it be besides Tanya Radella here?" he said proudly while looking at her, cheeks all red and flustered. 

"Damn, is that really him?" one of their friends from the crowd said. 

"If you would let me," he paused. Tara slowly nodded and that's a signal for him to claim her lips. 

The whole room was immediately filled with cheers as if they were all waiting for that moment. Well, they were because that's far from what happened before. Kieran was known to be straight forward and true to his words. If you would ask him who's the most attractive in the room, he will really answer it with all honesty despite having someone with him. 

Satisfied with her own conclusion, Karma left the room smirking.