Dusk And Dawn (TEGSA)

Chapter 4: I want it that way.

Alicia, you and little Ollie were everything to me, but my desire for blood and seeing others tremble overshadowed my love for you. My lust for fear and suffering became a part of me, and it was these moments of terror that made me feel truly alive.

The devil had brought me under his wings in a dire situation. Yeah I knew he wasn't a good guy but I felt the need to repay his kindness, so I went around doing his will but I never once stopped to think, 'How was this gonna affect you both, my angels?'

"Are we there yet?" I asked my mom in an overly excited way. After weeks, even months of not seeing my dad, I'll finally be able to see the dark bags under his lovely emerald eye and his ginger beard, "Is dad gonna piggyback me when we get there?"

My mom heaved a deep sigh, frustration wasn't the only thing hitting her and I knew, she became moody after she took a phone call.

My mom's voice was soft as she said, 'Karina, we can't visit Daddy today.' Her words struck me like a knife, a pain deeper than any physical hurt. It felt as if my soul was falling off a cliff.

I missed dad, mom knew. She knew dad was all I needed for me to be perfectly functioning like I used to. She knew. And with that, I also knew that she won't say or do anything to hurt me knowingly and even unknowingly. So why, what the heck was the reason we can't see dad?

My mom staggered before finding her balance on the last step of the stairs where she sat before breaking the news to me, "Dad is no more."

***

I don't want you to think I like Caleb. Yeah, he's an attractive dude but he's NOT my type. Why? because he's like a whole friggin' shapeshifter, warping and wafting his attitude and personality anytime and anywhere he felt like, and it was one thing about him that was annoying.

I glanced at Caleb's hand, feeling a flush of embarrassment. His concern was genuine, though it did little to ease my irritation. 'I'm not following you home today,' I said, waving my phone to show him Mrs. Oliver's message.

"Oh...you got a date?" he bluntly asked, mistaking Mrs. Oliver's message for a confession from a guy. His eyes had signs of some underlying jealousy but I didn't want to dwell on that feeling.

"No." I clarified before pulling the stop wire. 

The bus came to a halt, followed by me and Caleb stepping out of the vehicle before waving the moving bus goodbye.

It was something I started once on one exhausting sunday but it soon became a habit, then evolved into a tradition.

I quickly strode through the gates, ready to have a short talk with Mrs. Oliver before attending class to further ruin my perfect attendance.

As the last tiles to march was fast approaching, so was Caleb's grab. He grabbed my arm and yanked it so tight, I nearly lost it. Caleb's grip was tight, and though I exaggerated a bit, it was still too firm. My heart raced, a stark contrast to my annoyance.

But...on the other hand, something else was racing, no not time, my heart. My heart was pounding to the steady rhythm of the song, 'I want it that way' by the backstreet boys which was playing boisterously in my head, making my body tingle.

"I'm so sorry if I offended you with my previous comment about you having a date," he lamented with an act so convincing that I would never had guessed was a fake until his next words, "because I assumed you'll never have a boyfriend."

Then he laughed hysterically and walked off. Darn it! Only if he could have a taste of my overheating fist along side my legs of steel. I promise a swift kick to his face would not only hurt, but would enough to turn his brain back to normal.

Putting the situation at the back of my mind, I focused on the matter at hand, Mrs. Oliver. So I ran with more effort. Into the building, up the stairs, up another stairs, then another and the list goes on.

As I climbed the stairs, each step felt heavier, and by the time I reached the fifth floor, my legs were nearly giving out. My hands were now taking the brunt of the climb, and I was close to collapsing.

By the time I could see the fifth floor hallway, my hands had now become my feet and were also starting to give out and I knew it wasn't long before I turned into Sadako Yamamura (Warning: Do not search her up.)

A tanned hand held out to me, bringing with it a beacon of hope and the sun rays, quite literally.

I looked up to see who this person was and to my shock, horror and disgust, it was Caleb. He had a big smirk on his face which read, 'You could have just used the elevator.'

Yeah I could have just used it, but I didn't know if the elevator would lead to the abandoned office because Mrs. Oliver and I used the stairs to get there. Or maybe I could have used the elevator to the fourth floor then walk the fifth.

I shrugged his helping hand off, rolling my eyes at his unbelievable samaritan act. I flared my nostrils to the fullest extent, inhaling the dusty smell of the stairs deteriorating wood's life. I absorbed the somewhat foul smell in hope it would produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which would give my body energy.

I forced myself to stand but ultimately ended up falling on my ribs.

Caleb offered his hand again, a smirk on his face. "You could've used the elevator," he said, as if reading my mind. Despite my irritation, I was grateful for his help.

He knelt down for me to see his face and that was when I noticed the cigarette in his left hand. He came to the forbidden zone to smoke. Since when did he start smoking and why? I wondered.

He noticed my gaze shift to the cigarette in his hand and chuckled. "Don't tell my mom, and I'll help you up. I also won't spill about your chat with Mrs. Oliver." The offer was tempting, but I knew I should refuse.

I knew I shouldn't just watch as Caleb ruined his life, but I think you know what I chose.

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A/N: The prompt, 'I want it that way' was used when Karina was blushing in the eighth paragraph. It went like, "My heart was pounding to the steady rhythm of the song, 'I want it that way' by the backstreet boys which was playing boisterously in my head, making my body tingle."