The Midnight Gang

Chapter 12

I heard him talking to someone and then footsteps walking away.

"You can come out now, Astoria. I've Known you since we were born, you can't hide from me."

I slowly walked out from behind the tree and faced him. He'd defiantly grown up since I saw him last, which was when I was 3 and being left at the school but that's beside the point.

"Marcos." I spat.

"Don't spit out my name like some dirt on your shoe, I'm your father. Address me properly."

"Why should I? You were never there for me. You abandoned me at the school when I was 3. Only when hell freezes over will I call you father."

"You changed your name. What's your new name?"

"You don't deserve to know, but as I despise the name 'Astoria' it's Scarlett."

"Scarlett Griffin. It doesn't work."

"It's Scarlett-Rose Black actually."

"Took your Mother's last name I see then."

"Yes. She was there for me more then you. I was disgusted to share your name. And when you finally got into the news at school, I got shunned and bullied all because I shared your name. So, I changed it. Simple. But I'm not here for a family reunion."

"Obviously, I wouldn't want you to bring those to our next family reunion."

"I'm not part of your family anymore. Your long forgotten. Out of my life."

"There's a ball soon. My second in command will be your date and you can bring your friends with you, no big weapons. Maybe just a dagger or two. It might get a bit messy, but you remember our family, a bit crazy."

"I don't remember your family because you left me at the age of 3 and I won't be going."

The guy who walked off earlier came back, this time with something in their hand.

"Michael, thank you. If you just give that to Astoria, I'll introduce you two. Astoria, this is Michael, your date for the family ball and my second in command."

The guy was about a foot taller than me with brown, short hair dressed in all black.

"Hi, I'm Michael."

"I've already told her that. Now, give her, her outfit. And get the others to drop the other outfits at the door anonymously."

"Here you go Astoria." And he handed me the outfit before walking off.

"I don't were dresses, and I don't go to balls."

"It's a ball, you can wear the dress for one night."

"As I said before, I'm not going."

"Astoria, I'll see you at 8 o'clock at my house on Thursday. A limo will come and pick you and your friends up. Michael and Antonio will be in the limo as well."

"I'm not going."

"See you next week, Astoria." And with that he walked off, leaving me in the middle of the woods with a dress in hand. But, nevertheless, I made my way back to the house with my friends all wondering about the outfits that were left at the front door. What confused them more was me walking back with the dress in hand and a murderous look on my face.