Noelle

Chapter 2

Nana ran out of the room to begin preparations. I, on the other hand, wasn’t so excited. When you keep a secret so dark, especially when it’s yours, you’re not able to enjoy anything. You try and after sometime you perfect it to such a degree that you’re able to lie even to yourself!

It was time.

Time to slowly begin to unravel my secret. It wasn’t something one could easy wrap its mind around and if I didn’t proceed cautiously, they could easily lose focus of the main target i.e. the creatures that are coming.

I could ask my father for the gazillion time to let me fight. I mean he has no other choice, right? He can’t let my safety in the hands of someone else and leaving me completely helpless. Well , that’s not actually true. I bet my right foot’s toe I could fight better and faster than his best man. But like I said, cautiously easing him into the truth.

I need some “me time” as I liked to call it. What better way to hide something than hiding it in plain sight. Like using something trivial for something unexplainable. 

As I was leaving the room dad came.

“I need to tell you something. “ like I already don’t know. And the only way I could feign surprise is to keep it neutral

“What is it?  “

“Were going to have a ball ..”

“Oh like the old fashioned ones with big gowns and …” maybe I was getting excited.

“No no, nothing like that. That was metaphorically speaking. We’re going to have a formal gather where everyone is dressed … formal “

“ and nice” why was he being nervous about telling me this. It’s not like he’s selling me in slavery.  He probably saw my puzzled look and added

“ I mean, we’re not in the 18th century but you should definitely wear a dress. A long one with thick sleeves.”

Thick sleeves. WHAT? Clearly he’s trying to tell me something but for the life of me I don’t know what it is.

“Dad, it’s summer. Do you want to boil me alive. “ I quirked an eyebrow. This is starting to amuse me.

“ I –I know. That’s why I want you to wear it .”

Ok, am I not following this conversation or is it a code for something. I obviously don’t speak parent but I thought I knew all the slang words and expressions.

“Dad, you either spill out what’s bothering you or I’m going in my birthday suit to the ball”  yes, that’s right. An ultimatum is always the answer. That or you die on the spot.

“WHAT! “ you see, my dad has the ability to get really mad very fast if you push the right buttons. And I obviously did.