~BOOK 5/PART TWO~ Paranormal: Too Close To Home (Multi-Bandom FanFic)

After hers and Kenya's fight, Halsey stayed at the bar, downing drink after drink after drink. She smooched off of young men, taking sips of their drinks and drags of their cigarettes. She was an absolute wreck, and the entire time, Will was there, watching her annihilate herself. He wanted her to stop, but he knew his words would mean nothing to her. They'd go in one ear and right out the other.

At one point in the night, after most of the bar-goers had escaped to the streets, Halsey stumbled up to the bar and plopped down on one of the stools, dropping her head on the waxy, condensation covered counter and groaning.

Will finished drying the glass he had in his hands and set it down, making his way over to her. "Do you want me to call you a cab or something?"

"Why don't you get me...get me another drink, sexy?" The witch stammered, lifting her head up and failing miserably to make herself appear attractive, with her droopy eyes and smeared makeup.

The bartender heaved a sigh and pulled out a special bottle from underneath the bar, uncapping it and pouring the bright red liquid into a small shot glass. "Here, drink this." Without hesitation, the hybrid snatched the drink into her possession and downed it, the drink having the opposite effect on her than what she was looking for. Instead of taking her inebriation to the next level, it rid her body of all the toxins and gave her the energy she was lacking.

"Hey, what'd you do to me?" The young witch-vampire inquired angrily.

"Vampire's blood," He answered her honestly, resting on the opposite side of the bar with his arms folded over one another, "It basically heals you, and I give it to patrons who are too drunk to sit up. I can't have you walking out of my bar when you can't tell your lefts from your rights."

"Who said I was leaving?" Halsey retorted, "Or that I couldn't tell my lefts from my rights?"

"No one, I was just telling you what I did." Will stood back and put his hands on his hips. "You know, a girl like you shouldn't be drinking like that. It's not healthy."

"Well when you have as many problems as I do, drinking's the only relief from it all." Halsey stuck her hand out and - without getting up to retrieve it - brought one of the bottles lining the wall into the palm of her hand, taking the top off and putting the drink to her lips, downing the drink in one swift motion. She carelessly tossed the empty bottle behind her and heaved a sigh. "Besides, my mom or dad has a tab with you, so I'm drinking as much as I want. It's the least they can do for me."

"Your mom or dad?"

"I'm surprised you don't know them," The hybrid continued, standing up and slipping behind the bar to create herself a more complicated drink, "They're no strangers in this desolate town."

"Who are they?"

She turned her head in Will's direction, a smirk crawling on her face. "You're cute, you know that? Acting dumb...but you, me, and everyone left in this damn town know my parents. They're famous, or should I say, infamous."

"Still not ringing a bell," The bartender retorted, allowing the girl to prepare herself a drink even some of the other bartenders couldn't make.

"Mom and Dad, Rachael and Patrick, witch and vampire, referred to differently everywhere but hated by everyone," She muttered, as she finished the drink, swooping it up in her hands and turning to face him, "But not more than me."

"Oh, them! They used to regulars here. They're not that bad of people," Will tried to convince the girl, but there was no changing her mind. She kept a stone expression, sipping the cocktail she'd concocted for herself. "I mean, I kissed your mom before. She's kinda hot."

"Everyone thinks that, but the only hot thing she is, is a hot mess."

"Ouch." He pouted. "Take it you and Rachael don't get along at all, but I don't know why. She's, like, the coolest person ever."

"Are we talking about the same Rachael?" Halsey inquired with a chuckle, "Because the Rachael I'm talking about is not cool."

"I know she doesn't seem like it, but your mom is pretty cool. Your dad too. He helped me when I was bitten years ago. He's always been like a big brother to me."

"Well I'm glad they cared about you, because they certainly didn't care about me." The hybrid gulped the last of her drink down and slammed the glass down on the counter. "You got anything stronger? Your drinks are kinda weak."

"I've never said this before, but I think I'm gonna have to cut you off here." He smiled sweetly at Rachael and Patrick's daughter. "Do you have a ride?"

"I don't need a ride for where I'm going, but thanks for the offer." She pat him on the shoulder and jumped over the bar, stumbling a bit but quickly gaining her footing back.

Will rolled his eyes at the girl's stubborn behavior, walking around to the exit for employees and making his way to Halsey's side. "You're not going anywhere like that. I'm taking you home," He declared then realized what it sounded like. He blushed a little, getting nervous around the blue-haired hybrid. "Not like taking you home taking you home, but I'll-"

"Stop it, Will," Halsey murmured, bringing her hand up and running it up Will's front, "You don't have to act like this when no one's around. You're cute, I'm desperate, and we both look like could use a good night. So why not take me home?"

"Because you're drunk and I have to close," He stated responsibly while wrapping his arm around her waist and putting her's around his neck for support, "Besides, we just met."

"Not really. You know my mom and dad and I've been told I'm just like them. So I'm kind of like two of your friends in one." The vampire shook his head in disagreement. "C'mon, Will. When's the last time you had someone..." Her voice trailed off as she shortened the distance between them, her other hand grabbing his underneath, a smirk on her face. "...touch you like this?"

"N-N-N-Never," He stuttered, his heart racing and blood rushing to his cheeks.

"So I'm your first," Halsey stated, the corner of her lips curling upward in a teasing kind of way, "How cute."

"You-You're not my first," He tried to sound strong, while peeling away her fingers.

The hybrid rolled her eyes."Sure, and I love my parents." 

"I can't tell if you're being sarcastic." The barkeep swallowed a large lump forming in his throat.

"I'm definitely being sarcastic. I told you, I hate them. God, did you even listen to anything I've been telling you?"

"You know, maybe I should call you a taxi."

"No, don't call a taxi. I don't want to go." Halsey frowned, draping her arms over Will's shoulders. "Will, don't make me go."

"What's so bad about going home?" He genuinely asked, Halsey bit her lip debating if she should keep her other problems to herself, or if she should let a complete stranger in.

"Once I go home, I know everyone's going to expect something from me." The blue-haired beauty stated while sniffling, "They either want me to be like my parents, or expect me to grow up. They all want something from me, but they don't want...me." Before Will could respond, Halsey's eyes widened and she abruptly gripped her stomach, folding over and throwing up. 

The vampire scrunched up this face as the hybrid emptied the contents in her stomach, but he couldn't help but feel just a tad bit sorry for her. So the vampire pulled out his phone and dialed a number he'd never used before.