2 ELF

And, in the end

The love you take

is equal to the love you make

~ Paul McCartney

Shit, I can't find Hailey.

When we arrived at Cole Harper's party, she disappeared into the thick crowd, hoping to attract the guy she's been crushing on, leaving me her only best friend with these highschool cannibals. It wasn't easy for her to come to terms to the fact that she has a huge, gigantic and enormously big infatuation with Cole, it took her literally months of practicing, a bold make over and a couple of shots before she dragged me out of my house at 7pm on a Monday night, blackmailing me with the simple fact that I'm her one and only female friend and she couldn't go without me.

I didn't have a life, I never liked parties, with the blasting speakers, blaring music I don't listen to, the grinding bodies of half-naked girls on their horny companions, drugs and cigarettes passed around while playing the devil's game, vomit comets taking place in the kitchen while a few cat fights start up with drunk best friend, balling their hair out for a guy that's having sex with another girl entirely.

No, this is so not my scene.

I am a "teacher's pet". The type that counts the number of pens she has and never runs late to class. A perfect student, even though it came with a lot of disadvantages like being socially awkward, having only two best friends (although Noah travelled three years ago to Paris, we still talk to each other occasionally), and unpopularity despite the fact my dad is one of the richest parents in the Parents Teacher council. I didn't care, never did and I wouldn't change myself for anything or anyone.

Where was she? It is past ten already and my mom will be getting worried by now.

"Hey guys, come check out this Blue haired chick, she's barfing her guts out in the foyer!" a drunk boy slurred with his red cup raised. A few yay's flew across the room and the crowd shuffled towards the direction the disgusting act was taking place.

I shake my head disdainfully as I force my way to the opposite direction in hope I fine a clean place to sit, somewhere free from saliva, booze and if possible the disgusting noise playing. Teenagers. It's hard to believe I'm part of this maddening population, I have been too long here, I just wish Hailey... I stop dead on my tracks. Oh no, Hailey is the blue-haired chick, making a sharp turn my face bumped into a solid wall.

"Ouch", I shriek, rubbing my temple where my head collided.

"Watch it dwarf", a deep voice rumbles, forcing me to look up at an amazing set of deep green eyes, I gasp in surprise and stumble back in reflex, almost tripping. His hands shot out and his warm hands grip my fore-arm in order to steady me.

"Geez, a drunk klutz, just get out of the way, will you?" He pushes me impatiently to the side while I struggle to get my mouth working.

Stephan Stones, one of the hottest guy in the school. He is everything one expects from a hot high school jock. Average scores, football captain, hot cheerleader girlfriend, playboy reputation, stinkingly rich family. And when I say he's hot it isn't an understatement. He reminds me of the Greek gods I always read about in history class. Curly black hair, intense green eyes and his chiseled defined jaw. I was kind of into him, alright if I am being honest, I am totally into him. It wasn't just his appearance. He is Stephan and as cliche as it sounds there was more to him than it looks. It's just a feeling.

I immediately remember Hailey and I turn to the foyer, hoping no one has remembered to take a video of her or something. Pushing through solid sweaty bodies, I got to Hailey who was crouched down on her knees, her blue hair disheveled. Kneeling besides her I run my hand through her hair.

"Are you okay?"; I whisper, "Come on let's leave now, everyone is watching us"

Hailey moans and grips my hand before heaving violently while I hold her hair back, whole she deposited whatever made her sick in the first place.

"Eww, this is so going on my channel, blue bitch volcano vomit", a fat boy slurs, a camera on his hand, he is apparently planning on uploading the video. I quickly make sure Hailey was fine, before I stood up to deal with the obese jerk.

"Please, can you just delete that?" I ask him politely. The boy snorts and continue to record the scene. Hailey collapsed on the floor. Torn between needing to get that video and helping my passed out friend, I grab the phone from the fat guy and take a couple of steps back.

"Hey bitch, what's the big deal?"

"I said stop and don't call me names", I shot back

"Give me back my phone right now slut, else I would do something terrible to you"

My hands stop fumbling with the phone and I look up to the idiot who threatened me, "Did you just threaten me?"

"Yes Whore," he spat back.

In a haze of anger,I dropped the phone to the ground and stepped on it, it gave a satisfying crunch sound.

The fat moron let out a short shriek, "my phone, that was the latest version you bitch"

"I said don't call me names, you jerk"

His face suddenly turned angry and the crowd's attention shifts to us, an overweight rude punk and a small preppy girl, he takes a threatening step towards me and my heart drops as I realize that he has every intention of hitting me across the face, he lifts his and and I close my eyes, raising my hands to shield my face and waited for the resounding beating I'm about to receive.

But nothing happens.

One

Two

Three...

I open my left eye first, just to see a strong muscular back blocking me. I straighten up from my defense stance, and I immediately notice the person who protect me from the abuse.

None other than Stephan Stones.

I shift out of his back and find him twisting the arm of the jerk who raised his hands on me.

"Why don't you pick on somebody your own weight, huh?", he says menacingly, he then pushed suddenly, causing the fool topple to the ground.

"Everyone, scram, now", he says, silently challenging anyone to defy his orders

The crowd dispersed so quickly, it was as if nothing even happened.

Stephan turns to me, "Hey dwarf, go pick your friend up, I'll drive you both home"

"I have a car", I croak out for the first time after he stood up for me, I wave my car keys in the air in front of me.

"And I can drive", he replies, swatting the key from my grip. Before I could protest, a pained groan distracted me. I rush to Hailey's side.

She is coming to.

"He just wanted to use me", she wails, the smell of booze and vomit blasting in the air around me.

"I know honey, I need you not to say anything right now ok, let's get you home"

She shakes her head suddenly and her face wince in pain probably from her sudden gesture.

"My mom will have a fit, let me stay at your place tonight, I told her we were having a sleep over"

"Ok then", I hoist her up, trying not to breath. As we stood from the ground, I notice Stephan was still standing waiting for us.

"Lead the way", he says rigidly.

We got outside and lead him to my car.

He took one look at my car and then to me, "This baby is yours", he asks his words laced with disbelief.

I shrug, "I'm rich", I point out. Being rich never got into my head. It didn't make me proud, my father owns a lot of companies and even though him and my mom were divorced, he provided for us, he got us a massive penthouse apartment and sophisticated cars, he always made sure we were both comfortable, even though his wife and my mom don't get along.

I lay a drunk Hailey, who is still wailing about Cole not wanting her, into the car and I took the front sit while Stephan got into the drivers seat.

"You don't have to do this, I'm not drunk"

He doesn't respond to me and concentrated on starting the engine. He maneuvers the car into the road skillfully, and drove.

"Why are you helping me?", I ask him, uncomfortable. He wasn't the friendliest guy around. He probably wanted something from me.

"Where do you live?", he counters my question.

"Preston Street, it's a pent house"

He looks at me, "You live in that place?"

"Yes", I say curtly.

There was ten minutes of silence before he decided to speak, "I hate it", I turn to him and see the way he clenched the steering of my car.

"I hate seeing a man hit a woman. It's weak, derogatory and animalistic, I simply can't stand it"

I look into his eyes while he watches the road, there is no traffic and Hailey is probably passed out again. He had a serious look on his face and he had a small crease on his face.

He then suddenly to me,"What?"

"You frown too often",

"How do you know that, Sherlock?"

"You have stress marks on your face", And I watch you sometimes."Life must be a bit hard isn't it?

"Shut up, you don't know anything and you never will so stop trying to figure me out" he snaps at me and I flinch from his sudden outburst.

"Sorry, I just wanted you to stop frowning", I say in a small voice.

He sigh and relaxes his face, he looks younger when he did, more boyish.

"Look dwarf-"

"I'm not a dwarf!", I shot back.

He smiles. It didn't look like the smiles I catch him giving his girlfriend Ashley, the current girlfriend I know of. This smile lit up his eyes but it only lasted for a moment or two, then it was gone. I find myself wanting to see more of it.

"What's your name?", he asks as he was about turning round a corner

"Elizabeth Reese", I reply the moment he hit the horn to alert the driver in front of us of our presence, it's probably some teenagers from the party making out in the middle of the road. The truck in front of us started to move.

"Elf?", he asks, "what a funny name?", he smiles again to himself

"No not Elf, Elizabeth Reese, but you can call me Beth"

"I don't know", he drawls, "I like Elf better"

Before I could think of a reply he pulls up.

"Here we are", he says, coming out of the car and helping me get Hailey out of the car. Hailey was sound asleep and standing her up was not working so Stephan dipped down and carried her bridal style.

"Lead the way", he grunted

My apartment was on floor eleven, so I quickly walked into the building, greeting Hank, the doorman briefly. We got into the elevator and it took us two minutes before we got to my door. I fumble for my key card and swiped it before opening the door.

My mom was cuddled up on the couch with Sniffles, our Tiger stripped cat. Our arrival woke her up.

"You are in so much trouble young lady", my mom breathes out. My mom is a beauty. She had a shoulder length brunette hair with startling deep blue eyes, she still had a petit figure, and it made me wonder why my dad ever left her in the first place.

Stephan grunt from my back and I remember drunk Hailey.

"Mom, I'm so sorry we are late, Hailey's drunk and I have to tuck her into bed. Oh and this is Stephan a friend"

"Evening, ma'am", Stephan greets politely

Without waiting for the situation to sink in, I assist Stephan with getting Hailey into my room, we drop her into my fluffy bed and Stephan flexes his arms while he took a look around my classic black and white designed room.

There was a picture of me with both my mom and dad, we were all smiling and I had ice cream beard on. I was ten years old then and they were still together, we were on the beach and they both held my hands from each side, i was wearing a one piece that was decorated with spongebob's face, my brown hair pulled back to a ponytail my hazel eyes glowing, my mom wore a yellow bikini with a cream sarong tied on her waist. My dad only had a blue short on, his blond hair messy from the wind. It was one of the happy days of my childhood, my dad had time for his family then, before he got more immersed in work.

Stephan picks the picture up and looked at it intensely.

"You were a cute Elf", he says. I scoff, feeling a blush, "You need to get out"

He turns around and start for the door.

We both walk downstairs, my mom waiting at the end of the stairs for us.

"Care to explain?", she asks, a serious scowl on her face.

"Hailey drank more than she was supposed to", I say meekly, hoping she wouldn't explode in anger.

"You were drinking? Where is this coming from? Is your boyfriend part of this?"

My face turns red, "No Stephan is not my boyfriend", I turn to the boy standing beside me and nudged him, "Tell her"

Stephan grabs me and pulls me into a hug. I widen my eyes in shock, after a moment he releases me with a smirk evident in his face. He them bends down and kisses my cheek.

Then he faces my mom, "It was never my intention for her to be at the party, I rescued her from there ma'am. I promise to take good care of your daughter Mrs Reese"

My mom shock face, turns happy, "My little baby finally has a boyfriend"

I blushed harder, "No, Mom this isn't what-", I start to say before I was being swatted to the side while my overjoyed mother took Stephan's hand and led him to the couch, where he sat down comfortably, letting my mom baby him.

I look at the mysterious Stephan, who is he? Is he this carefree teenage boy that defends helpless girls about to be beaten by fat entities? Is he the playboy that girls fall hopelessly for, taking advantage of them and breaking their hearts like a devout Casanova? Or is he this moody boy, who is mostly lost in class, his face always tensed, never smiling and never speaking unless being spoken to?

He is a complicated piece of work. I want to know him, I watch my mom chat excessively with him, a small smile plays on his lips, his eyes sad. His eyes always looked sad. It made me want to know who hurt him, who made him to be so detached and broken.

I promise to be your friend Stephan, I promise to know you, whether you want me to or not.

I walk towards the pair and pick Sniffles from Stephan's lap, the cat meowed softly.

"You need to leave", I say authoritatively

"Beth! That is no way in treating your boyfriend", mom scolds me, then she turns to Stephan, "Sorry, she never had a boyfriend"

"Mom", I scream in horror.

Stephan laughs deeply, the real one, I know it's real because it chases the constant sadness in his green eyes, he throws his head back and laughs.

"I'll leave now ma'am, I have school tomorrow, and I'm not done with my assignments"

My mom looks shocked she turns to me, not caring that sniffles is still lodged in my hands. Shook me silly,

"He does homework!, I'm so proud of you Beth"

It took minutes and her favorite soap, doctor who, to get her to calm down.

I silently walk Stephan to the door.

"Thank you", I whisper to him as I held the door of my apartment for him.

He nods, "See you around Elf", he walks out of the door without looking back.