Blooming Danger

Chapter four

She would have concluded it was another dream if not for the open closet door, and the lingering feeling of his touch on her skin. Her room did not even smell like the usual vanilla and coffee, instead, it smelt like mint and another strange scent she couldn't detect. Another strange thing is a familiar voice in her head, telling her it's not a dream.

Onyx lay face up on her bed with no memory of how she got to bed. She remembered being kidn*pped, Avan killing two people who had the same blood colour as hers. She remembered running home to her parents and how worried her parents were, but, that's it. No memory of how she got to bed.

"Onyx, are you awake?" Avan knocked, calling out to Onyx from outside.

"Yes, I am." Onyx half yelled so Avan could hear her. Avan's first step into the room glued her to the spot.

"Didn't know he would show up in person." She mumbled.

"Who, what are you talking about?" Onyx asked, a bit puzzled.

"Was someone in your room last night?"

"What are you driving at Avan?" Onyx was going to hide it, she didn't want to sound or look like a crazy person, but Avan's questions were making her a bit uncomfortable and suspicious.

"Your room smells like him." Onyx sat up. If Avan can detect the smell, then she knows the guy...if that makes any sense. Of course, it doesn't make sense. How would Avan know the guy in her dreams?

"I think it's high time I told you, Onyx."

"What are you saying?"

"We were planning to keep it from you, at least, for a few more weeks. The situation is not helping, my brother is not helping either." Avan stared at the confused girl in front of her, she signed deeply and continued.

"You don't belong here, Onyx, we don't belong here. We have to go home since it's getting dangerous for you here. They know you are here and they will send more people to hunt you down. You will be safer at home, in our realm. My brother will take good care of you. Besides, it's high time you started learning how to discover and use your powers."

Onyx stared long and hard at her best friend. If she thought she was crazy, then her best friend might as well be crazy.

" Is this a prank?"

"Onyx, I'm not joking, I can't explain in detail right now, your parents will do that and then my brother will tell you everything you need to know."

"Wait, wait, hold on, what has this joke you are making got to do with my parents and what do you mean by your brother?!"

"Do I look like I'm joking right now?" Avan frowned.

Onyx assessed her best friend who was standing in her doorway with her hands tucked in her pants pockets.

"Did you hit your head hard when you fought with those guys?" Onyx inquired. Avan scoffed, muttering inaudible words to herself.

"Go downstairs for breakfast," Avan spoke one last time and left her room. Onyx stared at the closed door, thinking about what Avan said. None of it made sense.

"She must have hit her head hard." She concluded, slipping off the bed to take a bath.

-------------------

"Morning mom, dad." Onyx greeted the moment she descended the last step of the stairs.

Her mother was sitting on the white couch, she was fiddling with the hem of her dress, something she does whenever she is nervous. Her dad had his glasses in his hand, strange because they were always on his face. He was drumming his fingers on the small table that carried one of the expensive vases in the house. As for Avan, she had her arms crossed on her chest, she was leaning against the wall with a lollipop in her mouth. Looking like she was not on planet Earth, she had zoned out again.

"Okay... What's going on?" Her mom and dad stared at her like they were about to do something dangerous, and Avan just stared at the marble floor.

"Come honey, come have a seat beside mommy." Mrs Wins called on her daughter. Onyx slowly approached her mom.

"Is something wrong? Do you finally know the reason those people were after me?"

"Uhg..yes. Something like that." Her dad replied, taking a seat on the same couch mother and daughter were now seated.

Onyx glanced at Avan again, hoping she would look up and maybe give her a hint of what was happening, but, Avan still had her eyes fixed on the floor.

Onyx's mind played back to what Avan said in the room. Her heartbeat accelerated. She didn't know what to think but tried to be calm.

"You see.." Her mom started "You..you.." She closed her eyes, opened them and continued.

"Onyx, you've always been a good girl. Even as a child, you were so sweet and kind to everyone, it was so easy to love you and adore you. You were so adorable. Your father and I adored you, we still adore you Onyx. We are not giving you away Onyx, it's just something that needs to be done..we.." She signed heavily, swallowed hard, placed a hand on her chest and looked up at the ceiling and the expensive chandelier.

"Mom, are you okay, what's going on?" Onyx was starting to get scared. She didn't know what was going on and she did not like any bit of it. She turned to look at her father, whose facial expression was no different from her mother's.

She glanced at Avan who was now squatting, the lollipop still in her mouth. She only takes lollipops when she doesn't know what to say or when she just wants to shut up. Avan is not the type to shut up and she is not the type who finds words too difficult to say. This action only made Onyx very anxious.

"Mom!" She half yelled when her mom wouldn't say anything, the tension was becoming too much for her.

"I'm so sorry Onyx. I love you so much, no matter what happens you are and will always be my daughter, my baby..we just."

Onyx watched as a single tear ran down her mom's cheek. Her brows pulled together in worry and fear.

"Dad?" She called, hoping he would say something.

"There is no easy way to say this. We couldn't bring ourselves to tell you earlier but this has to be done now, for your safety, baby girl."

"Will someone tell me what's going on?!" Onyx was getting scared to the point that it was already frustrating.

"Yes, yes, just listen and try to be calm, everything is for your good. Just try to understand, okay?" Onyx nodded, hoping they would spill the bean already.

"You see.." Her dad began, as her mom held her hand. "Years ago, we received a beautiful angel to be our daughter. Our assignment was to protect her and keep her safe here on Earth. She is meant to go back home at the right time, her real home...so.." Her dad paused, wiping his forehead with the back of his palm.

"Dad?"

"It's time to give her back." Mr Wins continued " It's time for her to go back to her home, where she belongs."

"What are you saying, dad? Who is the daughter? Where is she?"

"Onyx." Mrs Wins called with teary eyes. " It's you, you are that beautiful angel."

"What are you saying?!" Onyx yelled, hitting her fist on her lap in frustration. She could only wish it was not what she was thinking.

"I don't understand! Why was I given to you?.. Why?... You gave birth to me mom, right?"

"Onyx..." Mrs Wins burst into tears, palming her face.

"Mom! Talk to me!" Onyx stood up, she felt warm tears stream down her cheeks, she didn't want to accept what her brain was trying to process, she didn't want to accept what common sense was telling her.

"You see Onyx.." Her dad's voice sounded broken like he was on the verge of tears.

"We..we are your parents, but..we are not your real parents. We didn't give birth to you."

"What..what?" Onyx's brain stopped processing words for a second, her throat was dry and her saliva suddenly tasted too bitter to swallow. Goosebumps aroused on her skin, but she was not cold, instead, she felt hot. Hot tears streamed down her beautiful face as her eyes stung with more tears.

"No... You've got to be kidding me. You are joking, right? This is some crazy joke. No..no, no, no!!" She screamed.

"Onyx calm down." Avan tried to make her friend calm, but the moment Onyx snapped her head towards her and looked at her with anger, Avan stopped in her tracks.

"You knew?" Onyx asked.

"It doesn't matter, Onyx..."

"Answer me!!" Onyx yelled. Everyone flinched, feeling the anger radiating from her body. Her mom stood up, she was worried Onyx would hurt herself, but she couldn't even get close to her.

"I. Asked. You. A. Question. Avan." She said in a dangerously low tone, taking two steps closer to Avan.

"Yes," Avan answered. Not answering her would be a mistake. She knew better than to avoid the question. Onyx may be on Earth, but that doesn't stop her from being dangerous if she chooses to be.

"That's what I thought." More tears streamed down her face, she palmed her face and sobbed silently, then she ran up to her room, locking the door.

She was more angry than sad. She sobbed loudly, she was devastated. Her anger turned into rage, she couldn't control her emotions, and it only made her more upset.

She finally exploded, breaking and throwing things. Something she never saw herself doing. No one knew she was capable of such rage. She was always so calm in any situation.