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Chapter 8

Hey, sexy individuals! I just wanted to tell you just how much your reads, votes and comments mean to me. Love you! Oh and the sexy Stephen James as Zylen Woods. Just imagine him with blonde hair.

Defining Moments.

These were essential to what some classify as a good life. Everyone needs that game-changing moment that they'll tell their grandchildren about. It could be about that beautiful girl who decided to give you a chance and 5 years later she's walking down the aisle. Maybe it's that one time you entered a contest you thought you could never win and won anyway. Defining Moments could be about anything, really. As long as you feel like they are a huge reason you think your life turned out the way it did.

My defining moment was certainly seeing Adam mentally torture me. Nothing would ever be the same again. He had the power to vividly make me visualise what I didn't even know I dreaded.

"Aura," His voice cracked me out of my stupor. "I really am sorry you had to find out this way. I handled it all wrong. I get a little out of control when I'm desperate."

"A little out of control? You made those two children scream! What exactly did you show them?" I requested, pointing in the direction of the house where he did the unexplainable act.

"I don't know. I can't see what I make people see. That's their own personal thing. It was probably something feeble."

"Never do that again, Adam." I tried to sound stern, but the cracks in my voice gave me away. I yearned for the days where I felt nothing. Being emotional was exhausting.

His face went soft. "I promise. Aura, what you must come to understand is that while my methods of trying to stay close to you are peculiar, it is never my intention to hurt you."

Although I believed him, I didn't respond. I wondered how we moved on from here. I had so many questions.

"When we were at the park, you mentioned someone named Zylen. You said he told you to watch me. Is he like the Dark Lord of the Underworld or something?" I fed my curiosity by asking.

"No," He laughed. "He's just one of my best friends. He helped me when I was at a really bad place and I owed it to him to look out for you."

"What does he want from me?"

He shrugged. "I'm not really sure, to be honest. You can ask him yourself when you meet him. I'm sure you have a lot of questions."

"Yes, I do. When can I meet him?"

"Do you have anything you need to do now?"

I shook my head. "Not really. I'll have to send a text to Aunt Sarah."

"Cool. Then we can go right now if you want." The way he popped his lips when he said 'cool' made me wish the word wasn't part of teenage jargon.

"Sure. Qaahir won't be joining us, will he?"

His forehead creased. "He already at the place we're going to. Why?"

I shrugged. "No reason. I just think the way he drives should be forbidden."

He laughed, longer than was necessary. "You are a funny girl, Aura."

"I aim to please." I replied, dryly.

He cackled again and said, "Come on, then."

The drive to the unnamed destination was tedious. The car hit alot of bumps which made me feel like vomiting all of my internal organs out. And here I thought a ride in a car with Qaahir was the worst ride I've ever been on.

"We're almost there." Adam announced. "I should probably warn you though, you might want to stay away from Jesse."

I turned my head to look at him quizzically, which I instantly regretted as another wave of nausea hit me. My hand flew to my mouth in an attempt to block the impeding flood of bile making its way out of my throat.

"Who's Jesse?" I asked, when the car came to a halt. I unbundled my seat belt and got out of the car to get a whiff of fresh air.

"Another one of my friends. He's..." Adam peered at me with a teasing smile. "A bit friendly."

Okay. He was going to have to explain whatever he meant by that, but before I could force the words past my lips, he began walking in the other direction.

Realising that I had no idea where we were, I scanned my surroundings. The place looked very uniform. Rows and rows of houses similar in colour and size filled my view. There wasn't a tree in sight, just some lush green shrubs in front of some of the houses. It looked like one of those neighbourhoods people paid a fortune just for some stiff air.

Adam must have seen eyes searching the place because he said, "I know. I sometimes walk into the wrong house."

It was understandable to see why he would do that. But then again, people shouldn't have their doors unlocked for him to make the mistake in the first place.

Adam led to a house that had a slight difference from the rest. The door was pitch black, which contrasted with the bright peach paint of the house. He knocked twice, rapid movements of his fist against the door.

The door opened slowly, like it was almost afraid to reveal the person behind it. I saw dark, blonde hair first, which fell into his face. Intense blue eyes that held promises I knew he somehow couldn't keep, a blue so vivid I'd be doing it a dishonor to just call them a mere blue.

"Adam," He said. His voice was gravelly, hoarse. He sounded like every word he said fulfilled a purpose. The timber of his voice did things to me that I didn't even understand. "I see you've brought Aura." He opened the door wider, an invitation to step into his house. I trudged behind Adam.

"How's it going, man?" Adam asked, while he and Blue Eyes did that strange man hug thing.

"It's all good," Blue Eyes replied. He turned to look at me, and I felt more like liquid than solid as he surveyed me. "Aura," He drawled, like he invented the word. "I'm Zylen. It's nice to finally meet you."