All This Darkness Will Surround You

Chapter 1: Claretta, Claretta

It was eleven o'clock on Sunday morning, and Livi was sitting at the marble island in the middle of her kitchen, spinning on her black stool, as her best friend angrily cooked pancakes to soothe her hangover. It was the strangest remedy Livi had ever heard of, but with Merris, it was somehow effective.

That was true of a lot of things with Merris.

"I did not do anything of the sort!" exclaimed the girl in question, cracking an egg. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun that somehow suited her. Livi had tried to replicate the style a few times, but she always ended up looking homeless.

"Yes, you did!" said Livi. "I was there, I had to drag you halfway across Bristol and sneak you into my room with your pants down at your knees. Trust me, you did."

"I did not," said Merris haughtily.

"Oh, please," said Livi with a laugh. "I chased you for ten blocks, and then you pulled down your pants and pissed right in the middle of Park Street. It was the most embarrassing thing ever."

Merris groaned as she flipped the pancakes onto the plate. "I didn't, did I?" she asked, turning around.

Livi nodded. "You did."

Merris Min was the prettiest girl Livi knew. She had long, raven black hair, wavy thanks to her routine perms, and slanted black eyes that constantly looked angry with the world. She was toned all over from the self-defense classes she immersed herself in, and was far more fashionable than Livi's leggings and sweaters were, always wearing lacy tops and short skirts and black leather jackets. Merris had an unfair advantage, though; she bought all of her clothes at home in Korea, where everything was half as expensive.

Merris also had no ability to hold her liquor whatsoever. Livi had a very close relationship with the Mins, thanks to years of dragging Merris up the stairs with them and cleaning up her vomit.

"My life is over," Merris declared dramatically, placing a plate in front of Livi. "Over. That's it. I'm moving back to Korea."

"Please," said Livi. “You could never go back to Korea. You don’t even speak fluently anymore.”

"I hate you," moaned Merris, slouching over her plate. "Why are you being so mean to me? I'm hungover."

Livi grinned, popped a bit of pancake into her mouth, and sighed as the chocolate chips melted on her tongue. Despite Merris’s plight, there was something calming about this, their Sunday morning ritual.

There was a sudden slam behind her, and a cold wind blew into the room, picking up Livi's red hair and bringing in matching autumn leaves. Livi gasped, jumping off of her stool and running to the window. She grabbed the white ledge and pushed downwards, to no avail.

"It... won't... close!" she said through gritted teeth. An even stronger gust of wind blew in, and Livi held herself against the windowsill to avoid blowing away, pressing her eyes shut.

When the wind died down, she took a deep breath, and looked out the window. A ring of leaves whirled around her head, and she watched in awe as they all floated down to a dark silhouette leaning against a tree.

Green eyes met hers, and she gasped, suddenly knowing exactly who it was.

"Vincent," she whispered.

The window slammed shut, and Livi barely pulled her hands out in time. She turned back to Merris, who was stuffing Livi's pancakes into her mouth without a care.

Usually, Livi would have scolded her. But now, all she could think was I didn't open that window today.

. . .