Chapter four
1113 Words
Lila
I sit cross-legged on Erica’s bed, the blue light of my phone screen washing over my face. My thumb flick again and again as I scroll through my i********: feed. Pretty faces. Vacation reels. Everyone looks so happy.
Why’s my case different?
Jim’s words echo in my mind again and again. Cursed Changeling. What the hell does that even mean? I’ve checked online, but it all doesn’t make sense. . .
“Hey,” Erica calls, gliding into the room in a little blue dress that hugs her curves in the right spots. “You’ve been scrolling since the dawn of humanity.”
I chuckle. “Well, it’s helping me stay calm.”
“Is it, though?”
I shrug, but my jaw clenches. She’s not wrong.
She flops onto the bed beside me and her perfume fills my nose. “You need to step out into the real world. Don’t let your stepfather’s vileness stop you.”
“I’m trying, but it’s not easy. I put up with so much before I decided to leave. You know what’s crazy, it feels like he’s here. Still watching.”
Erica sighs. “I still don’t get why your mom married that man.”
“She thought he’d take care of me when she was gone. You know she had cancer. She wanted to make sure I wouldn’t be alone. Jim… he was sweet to her. Courteous. Said all the right things. She thought he’d be safe. Thought he’d protect me.”
Erica’s eyes shine. “She didn’t know what he really was.”
“No. She died thinking she made the right choice.”
Erica sighs. “Come out with me tonight.”
“You know I don’t like clubbing.”
“It’s Jenna’s birthday party. Everyone will be there.”
I sigh and drop my phone. “I don’t. . .”
“Come on.”
“Okay, let’s hope it’s fun.”
Erica’s face widen into a smile. “Awesome, let me drop you off.”
Half an hour later, we arrive at Jenna’s house. Music is blasting and strobe lights paint the walls in streaks of red and gold. It feels like we’re in a club.
Erica slips into the crowd like it’s made for her, laughing, dancing, a drink already in hand.
I linger near the wall, wrapped in shadows, watching.
Bodies twist and glide on the dancefloor. Laughter rolls over the beat. Everyone looks like they belong here. I’m the only one standing in the shadows, watching others have fun.
Cursed changeling.
Where did Erica go?
I look around and then my eyes settle on a dude in black, leaning against the wall with a drink in hand. There’s something strikingly familiar about his sharp blue eyes.
He notices I’m looking at me and locks gazes with me. Something inside me stir. Like a forgotten memory waiting to be unlocked.
He moves first, gliding through the crowd without breaking eye contact. The room is getting hotter, and I’m losing my breath.
He stops in front of me, just close enough that the scent of his cologne fills my nose.
“Hey,” he says, his voice low yet audible over the music.
“Hi.”
“You here alone?”
“I came with a friend,” I say.
He leans closer and his arm brushes mine. My skin sparks under his touch.
“Come with me.” His lips graze my ear as he whispers.
He walks toward the back and I follow.
We slip into a small bathroom, dimly lit and warm. He closes the door behind us, and then we’re kissing. The kiss is urgent and wild. I’m breathless.
His mouth sets my lips on fire. His hands slither down my back. My heart is beating fast. I don’t feel like a broken girl running from a monster. I feel wanted.
A buzz from his pocket breaks the magic of the moment. He breaks the kiss and whips out his phone.
“Oh no!” He grunts. “I have to go.”
“What?”
He leans his forehead against mine.
“Don’t worry. I’ll find you. I swear.”
And then he’s gone. It’s so fast. Everything feels like a dream. I stand still, stunned. My body hasn’t stopped burning with the flames of passion. This guy set me on fire and then vanished. It’s crazy. I lean against the sink and try to steady my breath.
I adjust my dress and step into the hallway. Erica might be looking for me already. I hurry down the hallway, ready to reunite with my friend.
Footsteps echo from behind me. I turn and see a man in all black, hurrying in my direction.
“You see a tall, big guy with blue eyes come through here?” he asks after walking up to me.
I stiffen. That was the guy I kissed. Should I say yes I saw him? I regard this man. His voice is calm, but there’s something unsettling about his intense stare.
“No, I didn’t see anybody.”
His eyes narrow. “You sure?”
“Yeah, I’m sure.” I flash him a awkward smile and walk past him.
He lunges and slams me against the wall, his forearm across my chest. My breath leaves me in a rush. I try to scream, but his hand clamps over my mouth.
He draws something from under his coat. A large hunting knife.
“Now tell me the truth. Where is he?” He presses the knife to my throat. Panic surges through me. I can’t even say a word.
In a blink, someone pulls him backward and punches his neck. It’s the guy I kissed! My mouth is wide open as I watch him knock the man in black out cold.
“You saved me,” I cry, launching myself into his arms.
He looks stunned. I guess he’s surprised how I got in danger so soon after he left me.
“I. . .” His lips part, but I seal them with a deep, wet kiss. Right now, I can’t think of a better way to thank him. Our lips crash together. Nothing else matters. Not even the unconscious man on the floor.
This kiss is less intense than the first one. Even the taste of his lips is different.
“Marcel, what are you doing with my girl?”
I break the kiss and turn around. It’s another handsome hunk with blond hair and blue eyes, looking exactly like the one holding my waist. No, my eyes aren’t playing tricks. I’ve gotten myself entangled with twin brothers.
- Writer
