black veins

"I have this... unexplainable anger problem," I whispered to Kilo, his warm eyes following my face.

He huffed, "Yeah I know, snapping every time I say something." 

"No, I don't!"

The corners of his mouth curve into a smile, winking, "Case closed." 

"Whatever," I roll my eyes, wanting to laugh at my arrogance, "but this is serious. When I get these rare angry outbursts, my veins turn black." He looks serious but then an uproar of laughter escapes his mouth.

"Rare!"  

"Kilo, this is serious." Kilo stared at the grim expression that laced my face and his face turned serious once again.

"What do you mean your veins turn black?" He asked, eyes focusing on me.

I take a deep breath in, "My blood turns black like it's crude oil. It's heavy in my arms and legs. I also get hot, very hot."

He throws a cheeky smirk, "Didn't know you were into roleplay, I'm digging that."

"Kilo, for goodness sake, I'm being serious." 

Kilo stared deep into my eyes. I realised how his dark eyes danced when he looked at me, making me jitter. Finally, he broke eye contact and stretched out on the floor.

"Moni, you're getting weirder as the days pass." 

I huffed loudly.

"MONIKA YOU BETTER GET YOUR ASS DOWNSTAIRS NOW!" My mother bellowed.

Eyes widening, I scrambled out of my room, jumping over Kilo, nearly tripping over my cat.

"What the bloody hell is this?" My mother points to the computer screen. As I neared closer, she had her email open and it read:

'Good evening Mrs Vendo, sorry to disrupt your day but all we have is a simple request. We would need your daughter, Monika Vendo, to pack her bags and go to the attached address. Have a great day.'

"That's so creepy. Delete it, it's junk." I urged, mother looking at me with half-disgust, half-fear. 

She lowered her glasses and scolded, "I hope you haven't gone snooping in stuff that is not your business, or worse, keeping any secrets away from me." I felt the air turn stale after she said that, knowing she could see right through my skin.

Slowly, I shook my head.

And I don't know why I didn't tell her about the black veins. I felt like this was the one and only thing I couldn't trust my dearest mother with.

She raised one eyebrow and declared that dinner was ready with a slightly lowered tone to her usual.

The atmosphere at dinner was tense. So tense that chatty Kilo didn't breathe a word, didn't even look up from his plate.

I nudged Kilo, "You alright?" He nodded. 

"I think that email is dangerous." He whispered, bitterly

"Huh?"

"Lilo, before she went missing, she got the same email. I don't know if it was coincidence but I don't trust it." Kilo mumbled, bottom lip quivering. Lilo was Kilo's twin sister, who went missing last year. He grasped my hand, stroking my palm with his thumb. 

"Hey, it's okay. If anyone comes for me, I'll use my amazing ninja skills." I winked, followed by a stiff chuckle from Kilo.

"I can't have another person I care about ripped away from my life."

"Don't worry, it's just a coincidence."