Darken my love

Chapter 4

"So?" Matthew muttered from beside me as I was leaned over the book finding designs for our competition. I glanced quickly at bored Matthew who was leaning against his chair observing the library bored. Mr.Tomlinson and Mr.White were writing their strategies n paper together, Elif was long gone to the farthest part of the library as she said she needed an alone place to think properly. The curly-haired boy, Mert, was tying something on the phone uninterested. I went back to the fat book in front of me to read 'effective ways to win any Competition' in the corner box of the page. Mr, White, and Mr. Tomlinson both made it clear that we had extra space in our trophy section for more trophies and asked us to stay an hour after at school.

"Okay, kiddos. Gather" Mr.White called Elif in the empty library who came into view with a book, laptop, messy hairs, and thick rim glasses. When we all put our attention to him, he passed the page to us as we four were sitting side by side. "Now, we have 2 from Marketing and 2 from Graphics. And here is the plan" he grinned at us showing us the paper he and Mr.Tomlinson were working on. We all leaned over it to see 'Million Dollar Smiles' on top of it.

"MDS will be an NGO but at a smaller level. It is like charity for underage type thing. For starters we will be going to deliver food to the schools which cannot afford good meals, them for next level we will form a portal where underage children can tell us about their problems and we will solve them and lastly this NGO will also fight for children who are being abused, child molestation or harassment cases." he finished and gestured Mr.Tomlinson to continue. Mr.Tomlinson sat up straight with a blank face.

"That was what we would do. Now, let me tell you what will happen after this. Firstly, the people sitting here are core-team of this NGO. Secondly, we will be involved in activities that might offend some enemies or mafias. I am not scaring you, I am just stating the facts. Thirdly, this might be hard but I am sure till that time we would have a pretty good team to cope up with whatever situation arises. The first two steps are easy but the last one might be difficult for all of us but all we need to do is stay united." Mr.Tomlinson looked at us with great belief, we all nodded ensuring him our involvement with them.

"Hey! I came up with the slogan just now" Mr.White exclaimed with a skin-tight smile. Mr.Tomlinson rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"And what that would be?" he asked looking at him in agitation.

"United we win, divided we fall" he grinned making all of us laugh.

"That is a moral of the story" Elif dead-panned through her thick glasses causing Mr.White to snort.

"Mr.Tomlinson, I thought it was a simple competition" I averted their attention to me as I asked him closing the book in front of me.

"For one, all of you are going to call us Stephen and Harris outside school hours, and for a second it, this time whoever wins the competition they are going to fund him to pursue their idea. So, we should have future plans" he explained clicking his pencil on the table.

"That is future plan, what is present? Matthew leaned forward on a large table between them and four of us. Mr.White got up and zipped his jacket up.

"That is your duty. Bring a mindblowing logo, website, and marketing idea and we'll work on it" he shrugged slipping his hands in jacket pockets. Mr.Tomlinsn got up too with his journal. "Remainder: The competition is next week" they both walked out of the library before hearing a loud "Oh Come on!!!!!!!!" from Mert. We all gathered our belongings and put books back in racks before making our way out, too.

"How are you going home?" Matt asked opening his car's backdoor and threw his bag in. I shrugged adjusting my beanie and pulled out the phone from my pocket. Elif and Mert were already gone like thin air.

"I am gonna call Tom or Viv to pick me up" I unlocked my phone answering him. He snatched my phone away, I looked at him questioningly.

"Where do you live?" he asked pushing the phone in his jean's pocket. I got his hint that he wanted me to give ride but I wasn't accepting it at all. Mom would freak out if I brought a guy home or driving me home.

"At the end of forest road but it's ok, I'll manage" I opened my palm to him so that he could give my phone back but he shook his head opening the passenger door for me. "Oh, no-no-no. I am fine. Tom will pick me you might have to detour. It's fine, really" I assured him closing the door but he opened it again.

"It's fifteen minutes from here. Tom will take twenty to come here and the school is whole scary now, please get in" he touched my arm lightly, I was about to question him when he cut me in, "your house is in my way. I live next to your area so it won't be a problem for me" he convinced me by waving my phone in the air "And your are gonna get your phone if you get in" I sighed in defeat and got in glaring at him, he smirked back. He slipped in and returned my phone tucking his seat belt. I snatched the phone away which caused him chuckling.

"You don't drive, Tom told me but my question is why?" Matt asked once we hit the road. I felt weird as we suddenly being frank when yesterday I didn't even know him. I turned my head and shrugged in response.

"I don't know. I don't feel like driving when I have two drivers around me" I chuckled to cover up my lie because I wasn't friendly to talk about my fears to people, even my friends. My fears or should I say the dark side of me was only open to my therapist and my family and no one else. That was the major reason too that I socialized less with people because they would ask me personal questions which I could.t answer.

"You tell something about you." I tried to avert the direction of our conversation, he took in a deep breath.

"Name's Matthew, you can call me Matt. Family is devastated with you know, father abusive and all." my eyes widened upon hearing this, he shrugged. "Two brothers, one is foster and one is love, trust me when you will meet him you will fall for hi with his sensibility and adorableness" his face cracked into a smile on his brother. His face turned from completely deserted one to a beautifully nourished one in a moment. I smiled back to encourage him. "Parents are getting divorced and we will soon move to another to the next town with my little brother. I think it was the most sensible decision my good for nothing father made" he spat venom in the mention of his father. I put my hand on his shoulder in assurance. He nodded his head in acknowledgment. I turned my head back to look at the crazy snow covering pavements, letterboxes, bushes, and fence around the garden, only then I realized that we had entered our area as all houses seemed familiar. It was strange at first but then I predicted that Tom might have told him about our area.

"Help me locating your house, will you?" He asked sensing my questions, amusedly. I pointed to the white house with snow covering the garden and white wooden door in the front. He stopped the car and went out to open the door for me. I smiled at him surprisingly at his strange behavior. He was acting all gentleman with me or was he always like that?

"Thanks for the drive" I muttered thanking him which he shrugged of by adjusting his jacket. I made my way in when his car drove away. When I entered the house's environment was different and the same moment Vivian ran upstairs angrily coming out of the kitchen. I made my way to the kitchen and saw Tom was face-timing with Brad, our almost cousin, lying on his king-sized bed.

"Lily!!!!!!!!!!!!" I squealed throwing my arms around Tom's neck who held them waiting for Brad's reaction. Brad threw the paper he was showing Tom and poked his tongue at me. Tom chuckled with me because Brad hated that name from childhood.

"How are you, bruv?" I asked moving to the fridge and retrieved a milk carton to make coffee. "Do you want?" I asked Tom who nodded.

"Vi, will you believe that Mira broke my guitar because there was a lizard in her room and she used it to.... kill it!" he shined and I was pretty sure that he had his head on his pillow. Tom laughed eating an orange as I boiled milk for coffee.

"Sorry to disappoint you but you can expect that from her now!" I exclaimed letting out a burst of throaty laughter in the end earning a big scowl from him. "I know, Braddy. Yesterday Vivian lit a firecracker in Mr.Blue eyes's basket, can you believe that?" Tom exclaimed with his hands in the air. I chuckled slipping his cup to him and ruffled his hair.

"See, now you feel my ailments" he flopped on his bed turning position. I rolled my eyes at him, "You both are girls! where is mum?" I asked Tom who replied with a quick 'out' and returned to Brad to whine about their sisters. "Drama Queens" I muttered and went out of the kitchen to resume my journey to my room. I slipped in when I saw snow in the backyard, I opened the curtains and stood near it to enjoy the weather in my peaceful world, existing in my room only.

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