the siren † john seed

12

•

Liquorice looked at John with wonder. He was mysterious, and Liquorice loved this. He was like a gloomy shadow that managed to show up in the dark.

They managed to end up atop a small hill that overlooked a small patch of white flowers. She felt somewhat dizzy, and now that she thinks of it, she's been dizzy all evening.

She just wanted to go home to get out of her dress and sink into her bed. Liquorice couldn't do that in the company of John. That would seem rude.

"I'm tired, J." Liquorice says, forgetting that he didn't catch onto the one-lettered nickname. Plus he has brothers with the same letter, so she couldn't call him just J.

"J?" John questions, looking at Liquorice, who was in her own world.

"I can't call you John, because it's too hard to say." Whines Liquorice, laying down now.

"Well now I need a nickname for you too." John stifles a laugh, going to lay on his elbows, facing towards Liquorice.

For some reason a name was stuck in his head, repeating over and over again. He doesn't know where it had come from, but he knows where it will go.

"How's Lana?"

Liquorice's heart dropped when he mentions this nickname. She painfully smiles, as she couldn't tell him about Dylan's name for her.

"Why Lana?" This seemed way too familiar for Liquorice's liking. She just wanted to tell him of the origin of this name, but he looked proud of himself for coming up with such a name.

Liquorice was also genuinely curious on why he decided to choose Lana.

"I don't know. It's just stuck in my head for some reason." Says John, glancing over her body. "Maybe because Lana is such a delicate and beautiful name."

She was swooning. The way he managed to romanticize Lana for her in a few words made her want to elope with him.

She felt Lana was the name she was supposed to have all along when he says it.

Not Liquorice, not Carmen, Lana.

Her pained smile turns into a toothy smile, as she felt something in her chest.

"Lana. Liquorice." John repeats, unsure of the nickname Lana. It sounded nothing like Liquorice.

"I think Lana sounds beautiful."

••

John looks at his surroundings. He was inside of the woman's house. It was cute and small.

"You would be surprised when you see my house," John says, sitting on a small maroon love-seat.

"Let me guess, you live in a castle," Liquorice says sarcastically.

Liquorice rolls her eyes and makes her way to a cabinet. She opens it up and spots a red package with "Marlboro" emprinted on the front.

"I guess you can consider it a--what are you doing?"

John spots Liquorice sitting on one of the kitchen tables, holding a packet of cigarettes and a lighter.

"What's it look like, J?" Liquorice pulls the white bud to her lips, holding onto it with her teeth as she rekindled the flame inside the golden prison.

"That could kill you." He suddenly grabs the lighter from out of her hands and stops it. He grabs the box and the white bud and stuffs them all into his pocket.

Liquorice was dressed in a short pink dress that looked velvety with the small overhead lights. She looked tired.

"Where's your bedroom?" He asks, the white cigarette now in his possession. Liquorice points to the corridor, her head resting in her hand.

In a second, Liquorice is lifted upwards, bridal style.

"What are you doing?" She giggles, his scent coming to her nose. He smelled so good, she never wanted to leave his arms.

He didn't answer until Liquorice is put into her bed. "You look tired."

Liquorice didn't feel tired. She wanted to wear blue and go onto her roof, confessing her love for John. She wanted to wear yellow and dance at dusk with no sleep.

"Goodnight, Lana."

The nickname broke her heart, but she felt especially flirty as she was that tired.

"Are you not going to kiss me goodnight, J?" She pulls her lip under her teeth in a nervous manner.

"Of course." With those words, a longing kiss is planted onto her forehead. Liquorice closes her eyes.

"Sleep well, Lana," Were the last words she heard before being lulled to sleep with a smile on her face.

Lana.

—-

thank you for reading this mess. 💖