\\ Amazing trailer by @loyallyric //
One secret, one curse, is enough to change everything. Everything she knew, everything she thought she understood, became nothing, twisting into an ultimate heap of confusion. He is after her, the one that has...
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Standing and staring at the dim reflection in the mirror, I scrutinize every inch of my bare skin. Everywhere there are red spots, rashes covering my once clear, pale arms. I involuntarily itch and dig at the rashes, dead skin particles becoming visible, scrape marks from my sharp nails carved into my skin.
"Vivian Regina freaking Faith! Why in the world were you not at school today!" A familiar voice bellows through the stairway, their feet charging up the stairs and undoubtedly to my room. To this I find that I'm not wrong, for seconds after their loud voice made it's way up the stairs, Audrey comes barging into my room with no remorse, but instead what sounds like pure animosity towards me.
"You, missy," she points her finger in my direction as I stay focused on my reflection, "better feel horrible after leaving me all alone! Nicki didn't even do so much as glance at me and give a subtle wave! I can't believe her!" Rey goes on a complete tirade, lecturing me to and fro as I just stand there, impeding her tone of voice as she jaunts on and on, never once taking a breath.
I watch her out of the mirror, pivot on her foot and for the first time ever since coming here, Aubrey's eyes flit to mine, and in an instant, her indignant look disappears while a gaze of sympathy sufficiently fills her fern green eyes. Her hand shoots to her mouth as she takes in my full appearance, my attire, everything.
"Oh my gosh, V," she whispers in a mellow tone, concern fully visible on her facial features now. I shake my head slightly, back and forth, swallowing the lump forming in my throat as I watch a single tear slide down my cheek.
"You're skin..." she gasps. At this point, I want her to leave, to not have to stare at me any longer. "You're, you're covered in rashes," she adds, her hand still covering her mouth.
I avert my gaze from the mirror to my window bench, glancing at every pattern I've studied over thousands of times before.
"Please, just go," I mutter, almost too quiet for her to hear, though she's still able to.
"Vivian-"
"I said go!" I turn to face her, my cheeks inflamed. My tone takes me by complete surprise, and I watch as her expression changes at an advanced speed. "Rey, I..I'm so sorry, I didn't m-"
"No, no it's alright. You said you wanted me to leave, so I'll respect your decision. I hope that you feel better soon, Vivian," with that, she walks out as if my comment didn't affect her, though I know it did, knowing her, I know it one hundred percent did.
Instantly, my insides fill with regret, guilt, sorrow. I watch as her figure emerges from under the porch covering, her face blank. She strides to her car, opening the door, then slamming it, loud enough that I can hear it from where I stand, gazing out the transparent glass of the window.
By then, the rashes seem to grow even more painful, painful to the point where I want to leave my own skin. I harshly itch and scratch at it, blood now coming out of pores from my skin, tears falling from my eyes from what I had just done to Rey doesn't make the feeling of culpability any better, it makes it worse...far worse.
"Vivian," his voice comes echoing into my mind, though as much as I might despise him, his voice has the power over me to make me forget everything, and I hate it. I pivot on my foot, and I see him standing there, arms crossed, leaning on the threshold of the door.
"What is happening to me," I whisper in between intakes of air, a loud hitch in my chest as I breathe.
"Vivian, calm down," he takes a step into the room, a step closer to me. I involuntarily scrutinize Alakade's attire, denim jeans, and a maroon shaded drawstring hoodie.
"Calm down?! You want me to calm down?! I can't, Alakade! My skin, it burns, it burns like a blazing fire, all over my body! What is happening to me?!" I yell on top of my lungs, "I had stomach cramps for two hours, disabling my ability to move, and have had pounding headaches, and that's all you say, is to calm down?!" Though I know I'm taking it to extreme measures, I can't help it.
It's like the ball of anger building up inside me has finally reached it's breaking point, exploding on everyone around me, making me this raging monster. I'm a monster.
I watch as Alakade comes closer to me, and I'm caught off guard, my body tensing, when I fell his strong arms wrap around my body, pulling me closer to him, and I willingly fall to his chest, my forehead above his heart. An aroma fills my nose, the air I breathe, it's a smell I've never smelt before. It's of strong peppermint, and fragments of what seems to be evergreen trees.
I place both of my hands on his chest, not pulling away like I should, but this feels good, exotic almost. His arms tighten around me, and my mind urges me to pull away, to not forget what he's done, but I can't, it's almost like I can't. I almost want something just like this, but I know I can't have it, never in a million years.
But what confuses me, is that when his hand comes in contact with my bare skin around my shoulder and arm, he doesn't vigorously pull it away like Kinney did, instead, he rubs it, and in a way, it takes away the burning sensation. Just imagine stepping into a wildfire, you're clothes being instantly incinerated and the flames engulfing you whole, whipping, lashing, and dancing around you with no mercy, the pain almost unbearable.
"Alakade, what's happening to me?"
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Any Predictions?? If you're able to guess it - what's happening to Vivian - I'll give you a shoutout in the next part, Part II! Which is coming up soon! (About 6 more chapters). Don't forget about the question I asked you in a previous chapter: what does the name Adrian Athen stand for?
