#final contribution to yesterday's beautiful mischief

[chaos-has-theories]

Me explaining shocking new developments to a half-asleep sibling last night

[kip-loric]

Remember - Cagel

Uh, hi. This is my first time posting anything, including a fanfiction, so I hope it's good. This is my contribution to the Lorien Legacies fandom, with a Lorien Legacies Reborn ship. Cagel! I finished reading fugitive six and was in the mood and because... why not? Anyways, hope you guys like it, or at least don't hate it.

Caleb's P.O.V.

I open my eyes to see sunlight streaming into my room through my open curtains. My window is slightly cracked open, a damp breeze blowing in through the screen.

I’m on my back, my thick comforter covering my legs and bare torso. I sink slightly into the warm mattress, my pillow feeling like a cloud. I let my heavy eyelids close before forcing them open again.

Wait… I think slowly. Memories blurred by alcohol fill my mind as I notice a slight pressure on my chest and glance down. A pale arm is draped across me. My breath catches in my throat, I’m fully awake now. I angle my head to my left.

Bleached hair is splayed out next to me on my pillow. Holy shit. I whip my head back forward and stare at the ceiling. I can feel lean legs tangled up with mine. I swallow hard and I urge my brain to remember more of yesterday.

What happened? I ask myself.

A bottle of champagne and a few beers come to mind. Damn, how much did I drink? I squeeze my eyes shut and dredge up more from last night.

There was Taylor and Kopano. They were watching a movie, something with action and cars.

I smile a little at the memory. I don’t mind their relationship so much anymore and have even begun to feel happy for them. Soon after they had gotten together, my childish crush on Taylor had begun to fade.

Ran was there too, along with Isabela, who somehow snuck alcohol from the UN Peacekeepers. We met up in our dorm and hung out, putting on some music. There were cups passed out and we talked for a while.

But...what happened after that? I remember Taylor and Ran stumbling out the door, leaning on each other for support. They said they’ll see us tomorrow, and maybe something about sleeping? I guess I wasn’t paying attention to them. I was paying attention to someone else.

I blink open my eyes, focusing on the ceiling once again.

It happened weeks ago. I didn’t notice it at first, the way my gaze seemed to be drawn to my roommate. When he caught me looking at him and I turned away as quickly as I could, I realized something was off.

I couldn’t place my feelings for a while, and then I tried to deny them. I mean, all my previous attractions had been to girls. Sure, I had eyed male peers now and then, but had ignored those feelings, hiding them away. If my brothers found out…

Damn it, though, when he smiles at me, my family's acceptance is the farthest thing in my mind. It’s like the voices in my head turn into background noise and butterflies take over my stomach. I feel blood rush to my cheeks everytime he laughs and I can’t help but join in.

Nigel.

Even the name has a way of taking my breath away.

He had been the first person to really look out for me, and we quickly became close friends. We started a band together, snuck out of the base with our friends, and partied on the beach. The nice punk helped me open up and discover myself.

I take a deep breath and look out of the corner of my eyes. A face filled with piercings is only a few inches away from mine. I can feel my eyes widen and I shake my head to try and clear it.

Focus, Caleb, I think. What happened last night?

Let’s see… Kopano passed out on the couch after eating almost everything in the fridge. He was snoring louder than I’ve ever heard.

And, Isabela drank way too much and ended up puking? Yeah, that sounds right. She slumped down on the couch next to Kopano, propping her head up with a pillow and immediately falling asleep.

So, that just left Nigel and I. Damn. The memories become clearer and I strain my aching mind. Fuzzy images pop into my head of him and I on opposite sides of the kitchen. I had a glass clasped in my hands, and kept refilling it.

“Woah, mate,” he had said. He hadn’t had nearly as many drinks as the rest of us and his voice was clear. “Let’s tone it down a notch, yeah?” I had reluctantly set down the beverage while he walked up to me. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of his hips and the way they moved with each step.

“You alright?” Nigel asked. We had locked eyes and I dumbly nodded.

He has beautiful eyes, I think. And they're often filled with whatever he’s feeling. Compassion, mischief, kindness, sometimes confusion, and tons of other emotions all show themselves there. His eyes have to be my favorite part of him.

You're getting off track, I scold myself.

“C’mon,” he had said. “You look like ya could use some rest.” He had led me to my bedroom and sat on the edge of my bed with me. A shiver had traveled down my spine as he accidentally brushed his shoulder against mine.

“You gonna be okay, pal?” He asked me. And then…then I did something really stupid.

“Nooooo,” I whisper in my room, dragging a hand across my face as the rest of yesterday comes flooding into my mind.

“No,” I had told him, leaning closer to his handsome face. The alcohol had made me unnaturally brave and I had rested one of my hands on top of his. My worries had begun to melt into nothingness. “I won’t be okay if you leave.” I remember how my words slurred together.

His neck began to turn red and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down nervously. “Caleb…” he whispered, his eyes showing confusion and an odd nervousness. Oh, screw it, I had thought, like an idiot with too much to drink.

I had quickly leaned in the rest of the way and pressed my lips to his. I cupped his face with my hands and I closed my eyes as he made a surprised squeaking sound against my mouth.

No, I groan internally. Why, why, why? Why, you dumbass? I glare at the ceiling in my frustration. No matter how strongly I felt drawn to him, our friendship was more important, but I probably ruined it last night.

But then… I scrunch my eyebrows together in uncertainty.

I remember moving my mouth against his passionately while leaning into him, wanting us to be closer. He had planted a hand on my waist to steady us, then kissed me back. His lips were softer than I had imagined them to be as he tried to match my intensity.

He… kissed me back?

Eventually, I let him overpower me and take the lead. He had brushed his tongue piercing over my lips while running his fingers through my sandy blond hair. I had tried to urge on the brit with a small bite to his bottom lip, but the hand that was in my hair faltered instead.

I moved my hands away from his neck and cheeks, beginning to run them down the sides of his body. My right hand had snaked into his shirt and pressed against the small of his back.

I remember myself breaking our kiss, both of us out of breath and panting slightly. I had kissed his jawline and then his neck, earning a low growl from him.

“Oh god,” I mutter while pinching the bridge of my nose. My face gets hot from the embarrassment of intoxicated me, but I take a deep breath and continue my memory hunt.

I had nibbled and suckled the sensitive skin of his neck, making him let out light moans. I felt myself getting hard as I suddenly bit down on his skin and he gasped with surprise. I tugged up on his shirt, my way of telling him I wanted it off.

A deep sense of longing and want took over me and I crawled onto his lap, my face still buried in the crook of his neck. One of my hands had reached down towards the forming bulge in the front of his pants.

I need you. I need you. I need you. The words had chanted over and over again in my mind like a drunken mantra. Nigel gripped my wrist to stop my hand from moving any farther.

“Wait,” he muttered. His voice had seemed distant and fuzzy at the time. He gripped some of my hair and pulled my head back so I looked him in the eyes. We stared at each other for a few seconds before he kissed me softly.

And… my memories stop after that.

Wait, no! What happened!? My breathing falters as I think of the possibilities. I relax a little as I realize my pants are still on, but my heart continues to hammer against my chest. I wrack my brain, but come up with nothing more and finally bring myself to look at the person next to me.

It's definitely Nigel, no doubt about it. His breathing is slow and steady, making my eyelashes flutter with each exhale. He wears a thin tank top and a pair of sweatpants.

Should I wake him? I desperately want to know what happened, but he also looks so calm. I gaze at him, my heart beat settling. My initial panic is soon replaced with a flood of warmth in my chest.

“Nigel,” I whisper, reaching over and nudging his shoulder slightly. “Nigel.” He groans in his sleep, lips pursing together. I shake him a little and he moves his head closer to me.

I take in a sharp breath and his legs shift around, becoming more entangled with mine. His eyelids open slowly and when he sees me he smiles, a pleasant surprise on my part.

“Hi,” he says groggily.

“Good morning,” I whisper.

“Mm,” he replies, eyes half closed. “What’s the time?”

“Um, I’m not sure. I haven’t checked.” Nigel must hear the slight panic in my voice because his eyes open the rest of the way. He lifts his arm off of me and untangles our legs.

“Do you remember last night?” He asks me, starting to sit up. There’s worry in his words and his looks at me with concern and hopefulness.

“Uh, well, I- I remember some, but- uh,” I stutter, sitting up quickly and crossing my legs. “I mean, I- we didn’t have…? Or di- did we?” I rub one of my arms nervously and Nigel gives me a soft smile. “I can’t remember...”

“Nah,” he says quietly. “I stopped you from going too far. You were way too drunk and I couldn’t take you like that. Besides, I wasn’t sure if that’s what you would have wanted.”

I take a deep breath and return the smile. “Thank you.”

He nods, almost sadly, and glances down at the bed. “I’m… not sure if you want any of this.” He motions to the space where we were just sleeping next to each other.

“Oh.”

That’s all you have to say!? I think. Oh? Tell him how you feel! I look up at Nigel and my throat starts to close up. “I-” I blink rapidly a couple times as he looks at me expectantly. “I do. Want this, I mean.”

“Really?” He asks.

“If you do, then yeah.”

His signature smirk returns and he leans closer to me, giving me plenty of time to pull away or rethink my decision. I meet him halfway and our lips crash together. My senses are heightened compared to last night, and the kiss soon turns heated.

We fall back onto my bed, with Nigel on top. He seems much more confident than yesterday and his tongue finds its way into my mouth. He pins one of my arms next to my head and makes an approving noise in the back of his throat.

We kiss for what feels like an eternity, my imagination running wild. A loud knock on my door makes us both jump. We break the kiss and Nigel flings himself off of me.

“Uh,” I say, but Nigel has already caught his breath and strides to the door. He opens it and leans against the doorway.

“Oi, what’s up?” He asks. Lightly panting, I peer over his shoulder and see Isabela’s dark hair on the other side. I start panicking again as she sees me and I give her a small wave. She rolls her eyes and speaks to Nigel.

“Some of us are a little hungover, so if you could kindly shut your traps, that would be nice. Save it for another time? Or maybe put your legacy to good use.”

“Sorry, love,” Nigel tells her, not flustered at all. “We’ll be quiet.”

“Thank you,” she huffs and leaves us alone. Nigel shuts the door quietly behind her and walks back up to the bed. He sits on the edge and swings his legs over, nestling down into the covers and pillows.

He holds out one of his arms. “Cuddling?” I smile happily and let him wrap me in his arms. I nuzzle into his chest and breath in his scent, not wanting the moment to ever end.

“So, does this make you my boyfriend?” He asks after a minute, twirling a few strands of my hair through his fingers.

“I hope so,” I say.

He chuckles lightly and kisses the top of my head. “Good.”

[247krp]

— Rejoice, little lambs! We have recovered our own Lalisa Manoban, spotted prancing about in the Southeast Side. I don’t remember seeing her with any clique back in high school, but I’m not here to spill yesterday’s tea. So straight to the rundown: can you say hot-tempered and determined? Apparently now she spends time as a detective, and keeps skeletons buried at Macheon Hill Community, 101. But those won’t stay hidden for long, if you and I have any say on it. Welcome back, Princess Shamu; we missed you so.

In case you don’t remember the devil’s name, here’s to refresh your memory:

Fat. Very Fat and Unpopular. She might as well have been one of the Nobodies…. even so, she wasn’t good enough. All through High School she was teased by how big she was. Short term friends would tell her she had so much potential if only she would lose some weight. But the truth is she loved food. She was a fatty and she knew that, so she didn’t let it bother her too much. Regarding her courses she was practically a genius. Best of the herd. She would often be selected for mathematics, science or language competitions. It was true, she was gifted, but nobody cared. Except when someone needed tutoring. Then she was useful. Other than that she was practically invisible. That is until Gossip Girl decided to dig into her family. Finding out she was the daughter of a multimillionaire stock broker and a very successful fashion designer / model brought a bunch of attention towards the girl. Suddenly a lot of people wanted to hang out with her, mostly because she they wanted something out of her. The females wanted autographs, purses, clothes, shoes. The males generally wanted to date. They somehow thought that Lalisa Manoban would happily accept the sugar-mama lifestyle. Wrong.

Nevermind the memory lane though, the present is always the ripest fruit:

There was a 180 degree turn in Lalisa’s life. After graduating she set new goals and was completely determined on achieving them. One of those goals was to do something extremely reckless and out of her comfort zone… And so she joined the Police Academy. It was that which helped her become the woman she is today. She wanted something physical and challenging, something she hadn’t experienced before. Enduring the harsh training was hard, however not once did she think of quitting. It was fun, rough and challenging. Her goal? To become a detective and solve crime. Which, in present day, she achieved with hard work and dedication. The days she spent in the Police Academy were the most memorable. She still remembers the first time she was addressed as Officer Manoban. These days she’s known as Detective Manoban a new and improved woman… Oh did I mention she’s 130 pounds lighter?

But we are nothing if not open books – my job is to ensure you get to the best pages:

Born in Thailand abandoned in Korea when she was seven. The last thing she remembers about her parents was them telling her to stay put while they ran to the store for a minute. She still vividly remembers her mother’s face and her teary eyes as her father observed from a distance. Internally she knew what was about to happen, however she waited. It took about three days until someone finally asked her what was wrong. However it was useless since she didn’t understand what they were saying.

It was hard at first but as a kid you’re very resilient and you adapt and you learn. The foster home she was in wasn’t good at all. She witnessed how one of the caretakers physically and sexually abused children by bribing them with toys or money. On her end she stayed as far away as she could from that man as possible. Albeit that wasn’t enough to stay under the radar. One day Lisa caught the man’s eye and just like that she found herself without clothes looking back at a full grown man’s body. It was the most disgusting sight she had ever experienced. As the man drew closer she had lost all will to resist and decided to just accept what was coming. Maybe she deserved it. However thanks to God, and really good friends she made, she was saved. A barrage of foster kids ganged up on the man with full rage determined on ending it all once and for all. The kids fought greatly but still the monster prevailed. That’s when Lisa decided to speak up for the first time in her life.

“It’s okay. You can do it to me.”

Those were the last words the monster ever heard. Intentionally seducing the man, she sat him down, straddled him, kissed him and with extreme anger she sharply rotated his neck. It wasn’t enough to kill him, which is what she was aiming for, but the results were much better than that. The man became paralyzed form the neck down and she doesn’t have to live with the guilt of having to kill someone. I guess it was a win win situation.

Her luck began to change when she was adopted. Just months after the incident, which appeared on the news, a couple came to pick her up. They had tried to have a child for a while now but it just wasn’t working. At age nine she legally became the heiress to a bunch of money. A multi-millionaire step father and a super rich fashion model / designer mother sound like awesome parents. However they adopted more for publicity rather than out of love. The couple was very dysfunctional. They were never home at the same time and if they were it was never with each other but with other people. His father (although more caring) was the strangest, he would often bring home young men which would be roaming the house naked. As if the place belonged to them. It was almost like she didn’t exist. It was worst when she gained weight. Her mother barely even spoke to her then. But as always, books had been her companion. One thing she’s grateful for is her father’s library (and the one he built exclusively for her) and her home school teacher. They were her greatest allies. She decided knowledge would be her best friend and she wouldn’t need anything else besides that.

Home School was fun but it didn’t bring the social benefits an actual school contributes. She was around the age were she would be entering High School and she really wanted to get out and explore the world. Experience love, laughter, mischief and many other things without being alone. That’s when Lisa decided to speak with her Home School teacher and ask her to speak to her parents for her. Her parents couldn’t care less and left the responsibility to her Home School Teacher which became her tutor. Even though she was ahead a few years she decided to just start from the beginning. And honestly it was the worst decision of her life…

Well.. not exactly.

Everything was basically the same as it was at home. She was invisible. No one cared about her, and when they did it was because she smart and they needed help. She made a few acquaintances but those didn’t last long; And that was something she was already used to. Nothing new. Then suddenly, her fifteen minutes of fame arose and everyone claimed they knew her. Everyone was interested in being her friend, everyone wanted a piece of that fortune. Lisa can admit she was very tempted in taking that moment to shine. She wanted to have many friends and not feel so alone anymore. But she knew deep down that it was all fake. She was too smart to let an event like this take over her life. Gossip Girl just wanted to see her crash and burn, an innocent bystander in a lake full of no good junkies, criminal rich kids who are entitled to everything. She wasn’t going to cave into the pressure. She’s been through worse.

And so her fame died down. She went back to being invisible her Senior Year.

Present day Lisa is a detective with a passion for what she does. She LOVES busting the bad guys and solving the cold cases she’s given. Titled ‘The Young Prodigy’ by her coworkers who get jealous of how young she is. After the rigorous Police Academy training she has grown stronger, less fearful and more brazen. She isn’t afraid to speak up anymore and definitely doesn’t like to stay invisible. Everywhere she goes she makes sure she stands out, may it be by her new found beauty or her intelligence, whatever it may be she’s gonna turn heads.

She still visits her father who still brings young men into the house, just doesn’t bother to hide it anymore (not like he did very well in the first place). The bond with her mother has grown ever since she lost weight. They go on shopping sprees together and she gets totally spoiled. She now calls her ‘my little princess’ and pinches her cheeks as if they’ve been that close for a long time. Deep down she knows there’s really no genuineness in her mother’s heart but she’s learn to take advantage of her circumstances over the years. Her mother gets a best friend who she spills all her secrets to and she gets to be rich with her.

It’s really not that bad pretending after all.