Afterlight (Fanfiction) ✓

chapter five

Chloe

THE last thing I wanted was for my driver's license to be stolen. The sinking feeling in my gut told me it had been taken—probably by one of the Venom members, knowing how careless they were with my things.

My heart raced at the thought of Justin seeing it. If he knew who I was, if he recognized me, everything would unravel. And that was a risk I couldn't afford to take. I didn't want this to be how my story ended.

I had imagined a life where I would grow old, surrounded by the people I loved, drifting peacefully into the next world. My parents had always told me that life was beautiful and fleeting, something to cherish every second of. They'd taught me to surround myself with goodness, to stay healthy, to be kind, and to remain positive no matter the odds. But when they died, it was just Brad and me against the world. We fought, not just to survive, but to stay together. We couldn't end up in foster care—we knew too well how it could tear siblings apart, leaving us vulnerable in a system that didn't care.

Brad tried everything—he worked hard, but when he turned sixteen, opportunities were scarce. He had no choice but to step into the dark world of selling drugs. It became our new normal, our survival tactic. And so, we fell deeper into a life I never imagined for myself.

I had dreamt of a different path, a brighter one. I'd imagined shopping in Soho, sipping coffee in northern Manhattan, maybe even finding love in a corner café. I thought that after Stratford, I'd make my way to New York, breathing in the chaos and excitement of the city. But life had a way of upending dreams.

Because here I was, standing in the drab streets of Stratford, only because I had dared to rebel against my brother's orders. It wasn't until now that I truly understood why he had been so protective. He didn't want me to end up like all the others. He didn't want me to be killed.

As I stepped out of the motel, the sun was a harsh, unforgiving glare on my skin, offering no comfort in its warmth. At least I had fresh clothes to wear, but that didn't stop the panic creeping up on me. The thought of my life ending here, under these circumstances, terrified me. I slid into the car, closing the door behind me, my mind racing.

"Why didn't you want to stay here when I offered, especially when it's clear you had a room booked?" He asked, his tone casual but probing.

I forced a quick lie to the surface. "I was staying here with a friend. We had a fight."

He nodded and followed, believing my shameless lie, the car now an enclosed space where silence hung heavily between us. The engine roared to life with a vintage growl, filling the air around us. The sound was almost alien to me, a reminder of how out of place I felt in this world.

"I actually have some errands to run," He said, his voice steady, his eyes never leaving the road. His fingers gripped the steering wheel with a calm precision, like he was in complete control.

"Okay," I mumbled, my voice barely a whisper, my gaze fixed on my duffle bag sitting between my feet. Every beat of my heart felt like a countdown, the seconds stretching painfully. The thought of my stolen license gnawed at me—how was I supposed to get it back from the Venom crew without risking everything?

"I'm going to drop you off at my house," Justin continued, his hair catching the sunlight, gleaming in the early morning haze. His eyes, too, seemed lighter, almost unreadable.

We pulled up to his small house. I hesitated before stepping out of the car, looking back to see him still sitting there, his hands resting on the steering wheel. What kind of errands was he running? What was his game? Was it normal to pick up random girls and keep them around? My pulse quickened, my thoughts spiraling as I shut the door behind me and made my way up the sidewalk, trying to keep my composure.