Afterlight (Fanfiction) ✓

chapter twenty-two

Chloe

I was taken aback by how dainty Violet seemed—almost out of place in a town like this, where hostility followed me like a shadow. From the moment I arrived in Stratford, I'd been a walking target, whether it was for Justin or the gangs. Yet here was someone who didn't want to point guns at me, hurl venomous insults, or manipulate me for their own gain.

Her kindness felt foreign, unsettling even. I didn't know how to process someone like Violet, someone who wanted to welcome me with open arms in a place where I wasn't meant to feel welcome at all.

Still, suspicion lingered in the back of my mind. She knew exactly who I was—the prime target of Venom, the gang that had turned my life inside out. Why wasn't she like the rest of them? Why wasn't she dangerous?

I glanced up at her, towering over me by just an inch, freckles scattering across her nose like delicate constellations. She had this irrepressible smile, bright enough to fill the room with warmth. It was almost too much. Someone smiling at me here? It didn't feel real, didn't feel right.

"Oh no, sweetie," Violet said, her voice a melodic giggle, filling the air with an easy positivity I couldn't understand. "I'm not like the others."

"What do you mean?" I asked, stepping away, retreating toward the living room. I couldn't look at her anymore; her presence felt overwhelming, as if she were trying to light up corners of my mind I wanted to keep dark.

I busied myself folding the familiar Canadian flag blanket from the couch, smoothing out the edges and placing it neatly on the coffee table next to the ashtray. The house was finally clean again, a small victory in the chaos of the past few days.

From across the room, Violet answered, raising her voice so I could hear. "Just because I'm involved with the gangs doesn't mean I'm a part of them."

Her words stopped me in my tracks. I turned and headed back to the kitchen, where Justin leaned casually against the counter, biting into an apple like he didn't have a care in the world. I avoided his gaze and instead focused on Violet. Her aqua blue eyes locked onto mine, so bright and welcoming that I felt a pang of guilt just looking at her.

"It's a shock," I admitted, my voice quieter than I intended. "Everyone else in this town is out to get me."

"Not everyone," Violet replied, her lips curling into a playful grin. "I'm not, Jay isn't, and I'm pretty sure my brother Nick doesn't have a problem with you either."

"Nick?" I echoed, raising an eyebrow. I thought back to earlier that day, when Venom attacked Justin and me. Nick had stood off to the side, not participating in the violence. He was different from the others, just like Violet.

"Nick's genuinely a good person," she added, tilting her head like she was trying to convince me of it.

I sighed, shaking my head as confusion clouded my thoughts. "So, Dean and Nick are your brothers?"

"Nick's my brother by blood," Violet clarified, her smile dimming slightly. "Dean is my stepbrother. It's been that way for two years."

Two years. I repeated the timeline in my head, trying to piece together what kind of person Dean must've been before he turned into... this.

"I know Dean's done you wrong," Violet said softly, her voice heavy with something that sounded like regret. Her hands twisted together in front of her, a nervous gesture. "I'm sorry he put you through that."

"It's not your fault," I replied, forcing a small smile. "You don't need to apologize for him."

Violet nodded, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "I have to go, guys," she said suddenly, her voice lifting again. "Enjoy the cookies."