Blooming Danger

Chapter two

"We are here," Avan announced as she roughly brought the car to a halt, alighted and threw the car key at one of the drivers. The guy caught it mid-air and Avan blew him a kiss in a playful manner.

"Mom!" Onyx called excitedly as soon as she sighted her mom with some business-looking men dressed in suits.

Mrs Wins, who was equally excited to see her daughter embraced her, patting her red hair. She greeted Avan with a smile and a small nod.

Avan had somehow managed to earn everyone's respect and love because she can get playful with the staff, and Mr and Mrs Wins quickly warmed up to her when Onyx introduced her as a friend. She is always welcome in the mansion despite not knowing her origin. The only thing she told them was that her parents died when she was young and she had an older brother somewhere. She never really spoke about her family.

Mrs Wins introduced the girls to the men who seemed to be in their early thirties. Onyx almost rolled her eyes when one of them couldn't stop praising her beauty. He even kissed her hand.

Turning to Avan, the man was taken aback by the mischievous look on her face. Onyx almost giggled out loud, knowing that Avan does not like men like him, but she composed herself so she wouldn't embarrass her mother.

After the awkward moment between Avan and the men, they finally ate dinner and retired to bed early, exhausted from traveling from school.

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Onyx felt a light touch on her cheek. She couldn't ignore the sparks she felt, despite how light the touch was.

"Onyx, dear." Someone called her name but she was too sleepy to decide if she was dreaming or if the voice was real. The hand traveled to her neck and her exposed arm, stopping there as if the person was not sure whether to go further or just stop.

"Onyx." The deep voice that belonged to a man called again and this time, Onyx fluttered her eyes open. A pair of silver eyes stared back at her, the eyes seemed stormy and troubled, yet beautiful.

"Come home Onyx." He said, his voice sounding like a whisper.

"Onyx, you've gotta wake up!" Avan yelled, barging into her room. Onyx opened her eyes and sat up slowly, mentally groaning.

"It was a dream." She whispered to herself.

"Are you okay?" Avan asked, noticing her odd behavior.

"Yeah, sure... I just had the weirdest dream ever."

"Do you want to share?" Avan took a seat on her bed, crossing her legs.

" I can't remember what he looked like, but I am certain the person was a man." Avan raised her brow at Onyx but she continued anyway.

"He told me something about going home and his eyes..." She paused then threw an accusing look at her friend.

"Why did you barge in? Don't you know how to knock? You interrupted my sweet dream!"

"Did you see his face?" Avan questioned, ignoring her friend's little protest.

"No, but I saw his eyes. Silver eyes, absolutely beautiful and enchanting.

" Yes, beautiful until you make him mad" Avan muttered the last part to herself, but Onyx was quick to catch on to it.

"What?"

"Nothing, go downstairs and snap out of it." With that, Avan left her room.

Onyx could not stop replaying the dream in her head as she showered, something about those eyes just kept hunting her memory.

Avan was awfully quiet during breakfast, and Onyx kept zoning out of every little conversation made by her parents.

"Are you girls okay?" Mrs Wins asked.

"Yes." They chorused.

"You both seem dull today, especially you, Avan."

"I'm fine aunt," Avan muttered, flashing a quick fake smile.

"Mom, I had a weird dream," Onyx said, finally deciding to open up to her parents since the dream kept bugging her. Besides, she never kept anything from her parents.

"It's just a dream, Onyx, haven't you dreamt about something like this before? It's probably one of those dreams."

"But mom, this one is different. It makes me feel weird and I feel like..someone is watching me."

"You've always felt that way." Her dad chipped in.

"Yeah, but, this feeling is stronger dad."

"Onyx, it's not..."

"Maybe this dream is different." Avan contributed, cutting into Mrs Wins' statement.

"It's nothing Onyx. Avan, let's talk after breakfast" Mrs Wins concluded.

"Alright, aunt" Avan mumbled.

After breakfast, Onyx headed to her room to read the novel she recently borrowed from a library, while Avan discussed with the Wins. Onyx could sense that something was off but she ignored it and buried herself in her book.

"Hey Onyx, are you busy?" Avan asked. She was standing close to Onyx's reading table but Onyx didn't even notice.

"Not really. When did you get in?"

"Just now" Avan replied as she pulled off her shoes and stretched herself on the bed, close to Onyx.

"So..what did you guys talk about?" Onyx inquired curiously.

"Nothing much, just the usual stuff."

" which is?"

" Oh forget it. What are you reading?"

"Dragon Scale" Onyx answered, setting aside her curiosity.

"Oh I love that book" Avan giggled

"Who doesn't?"

"Onyx." Avan called

"Yeap?"

"I was just wondering what it would feel like if my parents were still alive."

Onyx thought for a moment before replying.

"I'm sure it will make you happy. Don't worry Avan ,I am here for you. My parents are too. They will take care of you. You know I don't mind sharing. Besides, you are like a sister to me already." Onyx assured her with a smile, patting her shoulder gently.

"Onyx, have you ever wondered what your life would be like if your parents weren't your real parents?"

"What are you talking about?" Onyx frowned.

"Like..what if you are not your parents' daughter, what if this isn't your life? You will probably be somewhere else, in another family, or another country, maybe another realm."

"What do you mean by another realm?" Onyx questioned, raising a brow.

"I'm just saying Onyx, just saying.."

"You really have a wild imagination, Avan."

"Just think about it, what if you wake up one day and you are not here, what if you are somewhere else?"

" Is this what you think with your brain?" Onyx asked with a teasing expression.

"C'mon Onyx, flow with me"

"I can't because I can't imagine myself in that situation and I don't want to imagine that. I'm happy with my life, all that's left is to finish my education, get a fine man and live happily ever after."

"And you think that will happen?"

"And why won't it happen?" She shot back.

"I mean, not everyone gets happy ever after just like that, some have to fight for it, overcome some shitty challenges."

"Okay, what's up with you Avan?" Onyx was now sitting up, her chin resting on her knuckles, a semi-shocked expression on her face.

"Hun?" Avan snapped her head toward Onyx's direction, as if suddenly coming back to Earth.

"You've been acting weird since we had breakfast. Does your discussion with mom have anything to do with this new behaviour of yours?"

"Just saying Onyx...just saying. Think differently for once, anything can happen." She shrugged. "A guy can just kidnap you one day, take you away and tell you he loves you."

"Okay, Avan, get out of my bed, you're being delusional!" Onyx picked a pillow ready to hit Avan for her sudden shocking outburst.

"I'm not, I'm just being objective." She giggled.

" How about I show you what being objective means." Onyx hit Avan with the pillow continuously. " Wake up!" She yelled as Avan screamed in fake pain. A pillow fight soon started between the two.