Mistakes

                                            Preface
I rushed past the doors into the crowded room. A hundred hot bodies crushed together, and navigating through them was nearly impossible. I pushed my way through the swaying, yelling sea and tried desperately to reach the kitchen.
Nearly falling on my face more than once, I finally made it into the little archway and the only visible bubble of air. I took a deep breath and enjoyed the feeling of oxygen in my lungs. I wasn't sure, but I thought I had lost them; the vigilant group of guys that always followed me around at these parties. I almost hadn't gone this time, but my mother needed time alone with dad and she said I should go and be happy. I had rolled my eyes and thought, right. I'll go, but I have more of a chance at winning the lottery on mars then being happy there.
I eyed the punch bowl thirstily. I really was thirsty. I turned away before I could do anything rash. I had seen the boys standing suspiciously around the punch bowl seemingly in a conversation. I wouldn't put it past any of them to have drugged or something. In the back of my mind I knew that it was stupid of me to think this way. Why was it so impossible for me to have a good time?
I almost dove back into the crowd again, but the leader of my fan club saw me and started to wave vigorously, so I immediately spun the other way. Turning into the empty hallway where a shiver coursed through me violently. It was freezing in Alaska. My wardrobe didn't have a single coat warm enough for this kind of weather. I hugged myself and rubbed my arms to warm them with the friction.
I realized that maybe walking into an empty hall might not have been the best choice. I should have merged into the crowd. Stopping my feet, I turned around and almost had I heart attack.
There was a boy directly in front of me. When my heart began to beat once more, I looked around the hallway and behind him, trying to see where the rest of them were.
I should have known immediately that this boy was not part of my fan club, but I was too cold to be very reasonable.
The boy was very tall, but not lanky. He looked as though he was very strong. Bands of muscle surrounded his figure and gave him a menacing look. Despite his apparent strength, he wore a very warm and friendly smile on his face. It was almost too friendly; I had not even said one word to him yet.
“Er . . . hello,” I said shakily, sounding like a question.
“Hello,”
It was impossible not to notice how very beautiful he was. He wore a thin, skin tight jacket around his muscular torso, and didn’t appear to have sought any more warmth than the scrawny jacket gave him. He had dark black hair. It looked shiny and soft to me, as though they were feathers or fur. His face was made up of perfect angular features and lovely pale skin. There were two faint purple circles under his eyes like he had not slept well. His eyes . . . His eyes! They were coal black! I backed away uncertainly and automatically raised my hands so they were between us.
He gave me a confused look. “What’s wrong?”
I almost laughed at myself, but instead I stuttered. “Y-your eyes!” He looked at me as though I were very insignificant for a moment, and then the brazen smile was back in place.
“Contacts,” he explained.
“Oh,” the word seemed insignificant, but I could not gather enough of my scrambled thoughts to look away. He held out his white hand to shake mine.
“How rude of me! You don’t even know my name.” he laughed. “It’s Derek,”
I could feel that my face still stared at him in shock.
“I’m Luna,” my voice was unreasonably calm; that pleased me greatly.
“Hello Luna,” he smiled broadly. There was a glint of something unrecognizable in his black eyes, almost like a blatant fury, but before I could place it, his eyes were happy again.
“Why aren’t you at the party?” I asked timidly. He suddenly looked a little bit less happy, and a little more serious. The smile was still fixed in place, and I wondered what kind of façade he was putting on.
He laughed brightly and his breath blew into my face, amazingly sweet. I leaned in closer to smell it again, and lost every train of thought I had. All I knew were his smoldering eyes, studying me intently.
“I was watching those pesky little boys follow you around, and decided I would come and make sure they hadn’t killed you yet.” He told me with a hint of malice in his voice.
I shuddered at the words, and the sudden draft.
“Come on, let’s get you back to the party.” He suggested. I bit my lip; I really did not want to go back to that chaos, but what choice did I have? He must have understood my expression, because he took my arm gently and pulled my towards the sliding glass doors leading to the snowy white outside.
“Are you crazy?” I asked looking pointedly at the snow outside. He smiled at me again.
“I won’t let you get cold.” He promised. Arm in arm, he lead me outside and into the cold. Seconds before I could even feel the chill, he wrapped his arms around me and I was strangely warm. I looked at him in disbelief.
“Derek . . .?” I asked. I was so warm; I didn’t even notice the cold or feel the snow when it melted on my skin. What was stranger, his skin was frosty. His strong muscles were like granite, or icy marble . . .
He pulled me into one of the patio chairs and set me on his lap. I was genuinely surprised that I was so comfortable with this stranger. I should have seen that something was wrong. I should have known when he kissed me, that something was not right. My mind was too flattered and scrambled by his smell, his eyes, his touch . . . I couldn’t think clearly at all. Sadly, I didn’t even try.
He picked me up and carried me into the snow, laughing with me as we started a snowball fight. I didn’t even feel the cold. I was blissfully unaware of everything except his smile. Looking back, his eyes should have given it away, but I was too stupid to care at all.
Derek laughed his perfect, musical laugh and pulled me into the little forest area next to the lodge. I giggled when he pressed me up against the tree, kissing him back every time his lips found mine. His black eyes grew darker if it were possible, but I didn’t think about that. I didn’t think anything was wrong at all until he presses his lips up, as if to kiss the skin of my throat. . .