Goblin City: The Return | ✏

3. Till dawn breaks

I was really enjoying myself. I've never thought I could, but I was. Jareth smiled down on me, lovingly. I couldn't help but blush a little.
"Aw", he gushed.
"What?", I giggled.
"I saw you blushin', that's all", he grinned broadly. A shadow soon covered my face for a moment. "What's wrong?", he asked, pulling away.
"I just remembered that I can't be here all day", I sighed.
"How's your brother? He must be, like, 5-ish"
"He's fine. He doesn't make a lot of noise, as he did 5 years ago", I chuckled. "That means I won't have to ask you to steal him"
"Very funny--", he playfully rolled his eyes.
"Duh! I am funny", I giggled softly. "Uhh... my parents will be worried if I don't go back home soon", I whispered.
"You still live with your parents? Damn, I thought you'd live on your on by now..."
"Yeah, I know... my stepmother told me that I'll have to live with them until I 'get myself a boyfriend'...", I sighed.
"And what am I? A chair?"
"I mean... my parents also told me that they'd like to meet my boyfriend. Well, my stepmother insisted on that"
"If they wanna meet me, they'll have to go through the Labyrinth", he winked.
"That ain't a bad idea...", I smirked evilly at the thought of my stepmother trying to find the way out of the Labyrinth, just like I did only five years ago. "Wow. You really do hate your stepmother"
"What made you think I didn't?"
"I don't know..."
"Sheesh, if you knew her as much as I do... trust me, you will hate her as well"
"O-okay. I trust you"
"What time is it?", I inquired.
"Three to thirteen"

Oh, yes. I forgot the clocks that are here go from one to thirteen.
"Okay. I have to get going--"
"Don't go"
"W-what?"
"I said, don't go. I get really lonely on here... and them stupid goblins don't know how to laugh on their own, I have to order them to do so"
"But--"
"Please? Just until dawn breaks", he pleaded. The Goblin King himself is pleading??, I couldn't believe it.
"And that'll be when, exactly?", I raised an eyebrow.
"At 6:05"
"Ah", I sighed. "Okay then"

We danced through the night.

*an hour later...*

"Shit I've gotta go--", I said while looking at the clock that was floating in the air.
"Well damn", Jareth sighed.
"Time flew", I lightly chuckle.
"Indeed", he nodded. I stood on my tippy-toes and pecked his lips. "Do you really have to go?", he whined.
"Yes"
"Will I see you again?"
"Depends on you", I winked.

I began floating in the air, and flew to my house. I landed inside my bedroom and sighed happily. My parents were about to arrive, I was sure.
"Sarah?", my stepmother's annoying voice called.
"Yes?", I tried to sound polite, although I was innerly screaming. Footsteps were coming closer to my room. She knew she couldn't enter unless I invited her. I heard a knock on the door.
"Why are you still awake? It's too late, Sarah"
"You really called me to ask me that?", I asked, not even trying to hide my annoyance.
"No...", she sighed. "I called you to ask you if Toby was sleeping alright"
"Then why didn't you just ask me that directly?", I spoke towards the closed door. I knew I was getting on her nerves, as I didn't hear an immediate answer. "Yes, he's sleeping alright", I rolled my eyes. "It's not like I gave him to the Goblin King", I muttered to myself.
"What did you say?", my stepmother asked. I gulped hard.
"Nothing. I'm tired. Good night"
"Good night, Sarah", she said. I could practically see her rolling her eyes.
"Fuck!", I whispered on the pillow. I turned around and almost had a stroke. "What are you doing here?", I asked softly.
"I missed you already"
"Ah, stop that--", I blushed.
"It's true", he smiled.
"Who are you talking with, Sarah?", my stepmother's irritating voice asked.
"Zzzz", I pretended to sleep, just to make her feel that she was hallucinating. I heard her go away and giggled softly.
"You're cruel, Sarah", he chuckled lightly, winking.
"Yeah, I am", I giggled. I let out a soft yawn.
"Aw, someone's sleepy", he gushed.
"Yeah, kinda"
"Go to sleep then", he kissed my forehead.
"Good night"
"Night", he caressed my arm. That was the last thing I felt before I drifted off to sleep.

Morning came, along with birds chirping. I was still sleeping, but then I heard a knock on the door. I managed to open my eyes.
"Who is it?", I sleepily said.
"It's me, dad", he answered. "I'm heading off to work"
"Okay", I yawned and waited. He used to give me a kiss before going out. That was before that witch came into his life. I groaned, realising I had to spend the whole day with my stepmother. It was one of those days in which I don't want to get up from bed. "Bye dad", I whispered towards the closed door. I turned around and closed my eyes, drifting off to sleep.

"Sarah!", my stepmother's thunderous voice called. I groaned loudly. Help me, I thought, here comes a day in the military service. "Time to wake up!", she added. I reluctantly got out of bed, put on random clothes and opened the door.
"I'm coming", I said in a no-feelings-expressed voice. I stomped down the stairs.
"Hurry up, or it will be too late!", she urged me. Too late for what? It's Saturday, let me live!, I thought. I sat down on a chair, munching my breakfast silently. I dared not look her into her eyes. "After breakfast, we'll go shopping", she announced. I rolled my eyes.
"Why?", I asked, annoyed.
"Because we have to buy yourself some new clothes"
"What's wrong with the ones I have?"
"Oh, there's nothing wrong with them... they're just old"
"They're good. I don't need new clothes", I stated firmly.
"Sarah...", she began another one of her clichéd speeches.
"What? It's true, I'll buy new clothes when I need them", I stood up from the chair and walked out of the room I was eating in. "What's the point of wasting money on things you know you don't need?", I asked, not really expecting an answer. I heard my stepmother sigh. I headed to my room and closed the door behind me. I punched my bed with my fist, inwardly screaming. "Why can't I get out of this place?", I muttered to myself.
"You can, Sarah", a voice behind me said. I whirled around. Jareth.
"No, I can't", I shook my head quickly. "She controls every step I take. I wonder if she controls my dreams as well"
"You can always come with me", he winked.
"She'll call the police if she notices that I'm missing", I sighed. I heard steps coming towards my room. My body froze. The door opened with a creak, revealing my stepmother's ugly silhouette. I gasped, thinking she would see me with a 'stranger'.
"Sarah? Who were you talking with?"
"I was talking to myself", I gulped.
"Don't fool me, Sarah", she shook her head. "I heard another voice"
"What are you, spying on me?", I scoffed. She didn't answer my question, instead she asked me:
"Do you have a boyfriend, Sarah? I'd like to know if you had one", she insisted. Yes, I thought, I do... but you won't approve it, I don't care if you do, anyway. I mentally stuck my tongue out at her. "Answer me, Sarah", she hissed. I imagined her as a snake, and almost laughed at the scene.
"Tell her", Jareth's voice whispered in my ear. I gulped.
"Yes, I do", I finally stated. I could clearly see him winking, as in 'well done'. My stepmother's eyes shone. I felt a shiver down my spine.
"Ah", she smiled snake-like.
"Don't come inside my room unless I invite you to do so", I crossed my arms on my chest. She ignored me and stepped inside my room, closing the door behind her. Help, I gulped, here comes the overwhelming horde of questions.

There'll be more coming in chapter 4!

⚡Isa⚡