Blue Moon Eclipse

Chapter 2

Lotus POV~~

After school, I go out with my social worker to look at apartments. She takes me to a few, but none of them are really close enough to the college I'm starting next fall, so we keep looking. At about 5:30, we take a break to eat dinner. Since I'm looking for a place near the college, we drive to a small dinner nearby and start discussing what I think I might need for the apartment. They have all kinds of programs to help with getting a group home kid ready for living on their own.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I'm still thinking about Shyla. Once dinner is done, I finally have the nerve to ask Marianne, my social worker, about her.

"So, I have to ask. There was a girl that was recently brought to my group home. Sh -" Before I can finish her name, Marianne cuts me off.

"Shyla. Yes. I'm her social worker as well. What about her?" She'd asks, lifting her drink to her lips.

"Well. She grew rather attached to me. And I want to make sure she'll be alright, and I told her I'd visit whenever I could and -" Marianne raises her hand, stopping me in my tracks.

"I can see that you care for her deeply. The best that I can do would be to give you the paperwork to adopt her. As for visiting, you know how that works already, so I won't lecture you on how frequently you can. But I must advise you, if you attempt to adopt her it will be a lot of work and stress. She is, after all, only 6 years old. And you'd be entirely responsible for her. You understand this, right?" A conflict begins in my head, but I nod at her anyways.

"I think I need time to think it over, but I would like the paperwork just in case."

"A very mature answer." Reaching into her brief case, Marianne has approval in her eyes as she passes me a large packet of paperwork. "There's a lot here. Take some time, look it over, and get back to me." I nod shortly again.

"I will. Thank you."

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Antonio POV~~

We finished up all the important errands hours ago. My sister, Natasha, picked out a dress, shoes, and accessories about an hour ago. Kylee, on the other hand, was taking forever. My mom kept telling her that the dresses she was picking were too short or too low-cut. Frankly, I agreed with her. A seventeen year old shouldn't wear a dress that's short enough to almost show her ass or low enough that her chest is almost falling out of it.

"Mom! I'm seventeen. That's almost an adult. I can't be your baby forever." Kylee wines. I practically snort as my mom crosses her arms over her chest.

"And until you're an adult, you follow my rules. Go change and pick something else." With a huff, Kylee stomps off to change. Natasha chuckles under her breath and leans toward me.

"She keeps this up, and mom might not even let her go tonight." Kai chortles in my mind as I smile at my sister. A few moments later, Kylee comes out of the dressing room in an emerald green evening gown with off the shoulder sleeves and a slit up to just above her knee.

"That's much more acceptable." My mother nods in approval as the bell on the door rings. I don't register Kylee's response as the most delicious smell wafts over from the door. I immediately straighten and snap my head in the direction it's coming from. I vaguely notice an inquiring look from my mom and sisters.

"Mate." Kai's attention is immediately on finding where it's coming from. The smell of a fresh rainstorm at the waterfall. She's here.

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Lotus POV~~

The final apartment Marianne is showing me is over a cute little dress shop about 3 blocks from the school. She said it is a little cramped, but I don't need much room. Plus, it's close to school. We walk in, and a bell goes off above the door. The woman behind the counter smiles at Marianne.

"Mari! It's so good to see you. Is this her?" She motions to me, and I smile in return. Taking a few steps into the shop, I notice a unique smell that makes something deep within me stir. Unsure as to why, I brush it off and extend my hand to the woman.

"Lotus Marigold. It's nice to meet you." She takes my hand and motions to a staircase near the dressing rooms.

"Right this way. It's not a very large apartment, but it'll do." As we move closer to the dressing rooms, the scent becomes stronger. It resembles a combination of freshly mowed grass and cologne. That's when my eyes meet the most gorgeous man I've ever seen staring back at me. He has Sandy brown hair and what one might call intoxicating green eyes. He's with two women and a teenage girl. I smile politely but can't seem to pull my eyes away from his. They flash a darker green before going back to the jade color I first saw.

"Curoius." I think to myself. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the women he's with looking back and forth between us.

"Lotus? Everything alright?" Hearing the concern in Marianne's voice snaps me back to reality as I turn toward her. I take note that the moment I look away, the man stands. He doesn't move much, but I can feel his eyes bearing into me as I smile at Marianne.

"Yes, sorry. I was just admiring the dress she's wearing. All of them are just so lovely.

"Great cover," I hear a snarky voice in my head remark.

"Awesome. Now I'm going crazy. First step, hearing voices. Second step, insane asylum."

"It's actually her birthday today."

"Well, Happy Birthday! I'll let you pick out any dress in the store. As a present." The woman, whose name I haven't caught, comes back down the stairs and drags me to start taking my measurements. As she's doing so, I realize that the man is still staring at me. Leaning toward the woman, I quietly ask her.

"Who're they?" Motioning slightly with my head toward the family, at least I assume it's a family. She, in turn, takes a brief look over my shoulder.

"Oh, them? That's the Willows family. They're... A very powerful family in the town." Almsot as though she said a joke, she smiles a small smile and continues taking my measurements. I stand there lost in thought for a few moments before she speaks again. "So tell me, Lotus, do you have a boyfriend? Maybe someone at the college? Is that why you want to be so close?" I'm not quite sure why she's asking, but I decide to entertain her questions.

"No. Actually, I'm going to be a student myself." She nods shortly and looks up at me.

"Good. No late night visitors then." She winks up at me. I laugh at the thought.

"No. No late night visitors." As I say it, she stands and starts writing on a notepad she has nearby.

"Now, let's find you a dress."

"Wait, you were serious? These are all so fancy. I'd never have anywhere to wear it." I say sheepishly, clasping my hands and looking at my feet. I've never owned anything this nice. Just then, the youngest of the Willows girls imurges from the dress rack beside us.

"We're throwing a party tonight. Why don't you pick one to wear there?" She smiles a large brilliant white tooth smile.

"Kylee!" The oldest one, still beautiful, but you can tell she's the mother here. I wish I had a mother. "I'm sorry about her. She's very.. Forward. If you would like to come, you're more than welcome, sweetie." She has her hand on Kylee's shoulder, both of them smiling sweetly at me.

"You should. It is your birthday, after all." Marianne chimes in from the desk.

"Your birthday?! Then you have to come." Kylee claps her hands in glee and walks over to where my measurements are written. "We have to hurry and pick one out. Then you can come back to our place and get ready with us. Me and my sister, Natasha. Isn't that right, Tash?" She leaves forward to look at the middle girl who's standing next to the man talking with him in a hushed tone. He's still staring at me.

"Yes, of course." She says distractedly, immediately returning her focus to talking to him.

"Well, I suppose it is my birthday, right?" I smile back. Kylee starts fussing over every dress in the shop, darting from rack to rack.

"Oh good lord, what have I gotten myself into?"