Darkness (A Tristan Evans Fanfiction)

Chapter One

I walked down the same corridor that I've been using for 12 years. There's only one way to get to my father's office and that's through this hallway. I know this place like the back of my hand. I've spent the majority of my life here.

I opened the door to my Dad's office and sat on the hard, plastic chair. I was suddenly envious of the cushioned chair that my Dad gets to sit on. That's one of the perks of being the boss, I guess.

My Dad is the man that organises and looks after the Protection Centre for Endangered children; that could be them being in danger of harming others or being harmed themselves. But I like to call it the Safe Zone.

A lot of dangerous people would die to find out where this centre is. Luckily my Dad realised that early in my life, before the wrong people could get hold of me or my mum and use us as blackmail. This place has been a home to me since I was 4.

I waited patiently for Dad to get off the phone. He's always busy. After what feels like a year, but was actually only 2 minutes, he put the phone down.

"Hi Daddy!" I greeted him with a smile.
"Hi Lyss, how are you doing?" He asked. Here goes nothing. I took a deep breath before asking my dad what I've never had the courage to previously.

"I'm good but I want to ask a favour." I hesitated but he gestured for me to continue. "I want to be like everyone else in the centre. They all take classes together, have roommates and socialise. I feel like I'm isolated because of the special treatment I get."

"But darling you love your private tutors and the privacy you get by having your own room." He tried to persuade me, like he always does.

"I know you want to protect me but nothing is going to happen to me here. I want to make friends and live as normally as I can whilst being trapped in here. I've had 12 years of special treatment and loneliness; but I never realised they were related until recently. Please Dad." I begged but added extra as a clinching point. "Plus now is the best time for me to have a fresh start since everyone is coming back for a new academic year! There will be loads of new kids so I'll blend in."

He looked defeated. I knew that for the first time ever I had won an argument with my Dad. "Fine you can attend classes with everyone else." I started to celebrate silently. "But you can't have a roommate." That put an end to my victory dance.

"What? Why?" I exclaimed, not bothering to hide my frustration.
"Do I have to remind you of what happened last time you had a roommate?"

I put my head in my hands to express my embarrassment. To put it lightly, I scared my roommate away by threatening to throw her teddy out the window. All because she touched my favourite Bratz doll. As an only child, I wasn't a good sharer.

"Dad, I was 7!" I stated. "I've matured since then." I observed his facial expression. His eyebrows were furrowed in concentration, and he was biting his lip. He was focused on a spot on the corner of his desk, as if trying to avoid eye contact with me.

"Some of the kids are dangerous Lyss. I don't want you to get hurt. What if the girl I put you in a room with had anger issues and hurt you? I'd never be able to forgive myself."
He tried to explain.
"That's a risk everyone else faces. So I'm willing to face it to." I said more bravely than I felt. Honestly the idea of being attacked or abused by anyone scared me to death, but I wasn't going to let him know that.

"I'll consider it. You can only have a roommate if I find someone that is nice and that will be a good influence." He stated, in a fatherly manner. I nodded, knowing that this is the best that I'll get.

"Now I need to warn you about one of the boys here. His name is Tristan Evans. He's dangerous. I don't want you to get caught up in trying to talk to him because I know you're too friendly for your own good." He warned me. I rolled my eyes.

"Dad I can decide who I want to be friends with. You can't control every aspect of my life. And what's so dangerous about him anyway." I wondered.
"That's confidential information that I'm not allowed to share." I nodded again, understanding that my dad isn't allowed to tell me everything.

"Okay. Well I should probably go. I'm sure you're busy enough with out me taking up more of your time." I said  whilst standing. "Thank you again Dad. I love you."
"I love you too darling." He replied whilst hugging me.

As I walked out of his office I couldn't help but think about that Tristan kid that my dad warned me about. I know I should probably leave it and take my father's advice. But something attracted me to the mystery of this kid. If my dad won't tell me what's so dangerous about Tristan, I guess I'll have to find out myself.