(Sequel to Two Gangs and a Golden Girl)
***
"If you even think about touching me, I will literally rip off your arm," I growl when Xavier prowls closer. He doesn't stop. His poison green eyes drill into mine.
"I will have you, Marigold, and we will...
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I'm dreaming.
I know I'm dreaming, because in reality, my parents are dead. Not making eggs and toast in the kitchen with the morning sunlight creeping in through the window. I walk over to my parents while they're laughing about something - letting my hand trial across the kitchen island, over some keys, around a vase with bluebell flowers, right until I get to my mom's hand on the counter.
"Mom?" I ask.
Mom pries her eyes away from Dad to look at me with bright, sky blue eyes and that big smile of hers. "What is it, Sweety?" Mom asks.
Dad moves over to wrap his arm around mom's waist. "Is there something we can do?" he asks. His pine green eyes always looked so worried. Even though all I felt while looking at them was calmness. My parents always seemed to make me feel safe.
"I just miss you," is all I say.
Dad lets out a chuckle before patting me on the shoulder. "We're not going anywhere. I'll always be around for you to splash paint on," he teases.
"Promise," I whisper.
"I promise, Amber. I'll always have your back," Dad reassures before gesturing to the halway and saying: "Now go on. Jason is waiting on your session. We don't want you to start getting lazy. Marigolds are all fighters."
"Of course," I smiled and turned to leave.
I am a fighter. I will fight through this. I will hold on. I can do this.
I walk through the hallway - all the shadows disappearing and white walls becoming a shade so violent and bright, it gets harder and harder to see until...
An obsidian black nothing is all I'm aware of.
"And the funny thing is, I almost never get deja vu. Yet here we are. You sleeping like some princess - having everyone gush over you. And here I am, like a watchdog," I hear someone say far away.
I want to open my eyes. I really do, but waking up means reality. And reality isn't really pretty right now. Where am I even? Who's with me?
