𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥 {𝐀 𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐅𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐜} [1] ✔️

16. SAD MEMORIES

A WEEK HAD PASSED AND I had left the mansion, and now I found myself wandering through the woods. The sky was shrouded in a blanket of pure darkness, the perfect backdrop for a vampire's nocturnal stroll. Not a single light could be seen, and the silence was deafening. I never thought that walking through the woods could feel so peaceful, especially as a creature of the night. They say that the best time for a vampire to venture outside is at nightfall, and I could see why. The woods were devoid of any living creatures, no humans, no animals, just me and my thoughts.

But my thoughts were not peaceful. They were filled with memories of my old family, Gavin, Dina, and Ayla. I missed Ayla the most, and my dead heart ached at the thought of her. Why did I leave her? It was a stupid decision, and I regretted it every day. I wished she was with me, but I knew that life as a vampire would be too much for her to bear. Suddenly, I heard Gavin's and Dina's voices in my head, and my amber eyes twitched with irritation.

The words that were thrown at me like daggers were meant to hurt, to break me down. But I refused to let them. I refused to believe that I was unlovable, a burden, a disappointment. I refused to be compared to others, to be told to act a certain way, to be made to feel like I was always doing something wrong.

It was a constant battle, trying to prove myself to them, trying to fit into their mould of what a daughter should be. But no matter how hard I tried, it was never enough. I was always the black sheep, the one who couldn't quite measure up.

But then there was Ayla. She was the light in the darkness, the one who saw me for who I truly was. She didn't judge me or try to change me. She accepted me, flaws and all.

And when I ran away that night, it was her face that I couldn't forget. The way she looked at me with concern and love, the way she hugged me tightly and whispered that everything would be okay.

I didn't know where I was going or what I was going to do, but I knew that I couldn't stay in that toxic environment any longer. I needed to find my own path, to discover who I was without the constant criticism and negativity. And as I walked away, I couldn't help but wonder if they would ever realise what they had lost. Would they ever see that their words had pushed me away, that their actions had caused me to flee?

Nightfall had descended upon Forks, and the town was either tucked in their beds or out gallivanting. But I was neither sleep nor frolicking. My abode had become my personal purgatory. As I gazed upon Gavin's slumbering form, I noticed the absence of his partner, Dina. The room reeked of sweat and an unfamiliar scent, leading me to believe that Dina was out philandering. I couldn't blame her, and I wouldn't be surprised if it were true.

I grabbed my backpack from the coat rack and made my way towards the door. Suddenly, a gentle voice called out to me.

"Violet?" The voice inquired, causing me to turn around and face her.

Ayla stood before me, clad in her lavender pyjamas, her sorrowful brown eyes fixed on me. Her hair was a tousled shade of blonde, cascading down her neck, and her skin was porcelain smooth. She was around fifteen years old at the time.

"What are you doing up so late?" Ayla asked, her voice laced with melancholy.

"I have to go," I replied, my heart aching.

"Why? Did I do something wrong?" Her voice quivered with emotion.

My head shook in a frenzy as I approached her, my heart heavy with the weight of my emotions. I reached out and placed my trembling hands on her shoulders, locking eyes with her in a desperate attempt to convey the depth of my pain. "No," I whispered, my voice barely audible above the sound of my own tears. "It's not you. It's never been you. It's just that..." I trailed off, my words choked by the overwhelming sense of despair that had taken hold of me.