Em' , Mom, my brothers and I were walking around the strip mall to find something for Dad's upcoming birthday in a few days. It was so damn cold it felt like we got locked in a giant freezer.
"Look it's snowing!" the youngest two say looking up at the sky , jumping up and down in joy.
"Yet the ground is already blanketed in that cold white shit." I remark.
"Avia!" Mom warns.
"Sorry, Mom."
We continue walking when I feel my foot hit something metal. I look down and I see a dagger.
Why'd there be a dagger in the middle of the street? I thought to myself as I bend over to pick it up. I flip it around in my hands to get a look at it. This could be useful. I reach inside my coat pocket and put the dagger inside.
"Avia! Keep up!" I here Mom call.
"Coming!"
I sprint over to my family as we continue venturing around the shops.
Mom spots a vintage tool shop and exclaims, "You're father will love anything from here! Let's go in, kids."
We enter the shop and the bell above the door rings.
"Well , hello fellow customers!" An old chubby , jolly man with a white beard cheers.
"Hello , Santa!" Blake shouts waving to the man.
The man laughs, "Why hello little man. I'm not Santa. My name is Harold. See." , he points to his name tag.
"Sorry. I mean...hello Harold."
"Aren't you cute." Harold says. "Here have a free peppermint." , he takes two peppermints from the jar on the counter and puts them in Blake's hands. "Give one to your little brother over there." he smiles.
"Okay! Thanks!"
He turns to my mom, "Anything I could help you with?"
"No thank you. I'm just looking around for my husbands birthday on the sixteenth."
"Oh, I'm sure whatever you find for him he'll love."
"Kids, do you see anything your father will like?" Mom asks looking around.
"How about this?" Em' asks showing Mom an old birdhouse.
"That's perfect!" Mom exclaims approaching Em'.
"No, Mom, what about this?" Blake asks while trying to balance an old toolbox.
Mom turns to Blake , "That's good too."
"Can we get both for daddy?" Danny asks.
"I guess we can!" Mom exclaims.
"Yay!"
We put both things on the counter and Harold rings us up. "You picked some wonderful items here."
"We sure did!" Blake says.
—
After we leave the store Mom decides it's time to head home. As we're walking I see a pair of eyes sticking out from behind a bush watching me.
"Hold on. I gotta go look at something." I say as I sprint toward the bush to confront whoever the hell was watching me.
"Hey, creep! Eyes off me!" I yell as I see a familiar girl pop out from under the bush. Romi. "You...did Vrai send you by any chance?" I ask crossing my arms and lifting an eyebrow at her.
"Y-yes actually."
"That's what I expected." I take out the dagger from my coat.
"W-wait what are you—"
I point my dagger so it's barely touching her stomach. "Take...one...more...step."
Romi bolts off the second I said it.
I look around and no one seemed to notice.
I put my dagger back in my coat pocket and dart off to catch my family.
—
Three Days Later
Today was my Dad's birthday and we were all gathered around on the couch on one cold , snowy day. He had already opened the gifts we had got for him days ago. Just as we were celebrating, I hear knocking on the door. "I'll get it!" , I shout.
I open the door and it was Rowan.
"Rowan? What are you doing here and how'd you know where I live?"
"No time. Come outside."
"But it's cold as shit."
"Just come outside."
We walk outside and sit on my porch that was covered in snow.
"Look." Rowan says handing me a piece of paper that she took out from her journal. "I found out that on the floor in the bathroom at school a few days ago." I took the paper from her and looked at it. "Vrai set up a plan to send Romi to spy on you, then later track you down and capture you."
"Oh shit, really? Damn."
"We got to figure out a plan."
"Let's get on it."
We both rise from the porch when someone stops us and pulls us back from our hoods. We fly about two back and land in the snow.
"Found you."
...Romi.
"Why the hell are you here, Romi?" I ask while dusting snow off my body.
"To take you away."
"To where?"
"You'll see."
"You're not taking me anywhere!"
"Try and stop me."
"Easy." I take my dagger out from my coat pocket.
"Where'd you get that?"
"Off the street."
"Please—"
"For once you're defenseless . I have to take my chances." I point the dagger at her as she slowly backs away with her hands up. I slit her collarbone region aiming for her neck. She put her hand on top of the slit letting blood spill all over her hand and drip onto the snow as she tried to run away before I grabbed her by her coat and whispered in her ear , "If you tell the authorities...or anyone...I will fucking kill you." I put my dagger against her throat, "Got it?"
"Y-yes. Just let me go!"
I let go and she ran away.
"Let's go, Rowan."
We walk back inside and headed to my room.
"Avia, are you feeling okay? You seem off."
"Off? No , I'm fine."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. I'm sure."
"You didn't actually mean it when you threatened to kill Romi, did you?"
I snicker, "Of course not! But I'm not going to risk going to jail or my sister covering for me again."
"Oh, okay."
I pull pictures of the three girls out from Rowan's journal. "Mind if I keep these? For my own research purposes?"
"No I don't mind. Keep them."
"Thanks."
"No problem, Avia."
I slit the picture of Romi like at her neck.
"Avia—"
"What now, Rowan?"
"Why'd you—are you sure you're okay?"
"Yea. For the last time, I'm all good."
—
After Rowan leaves Mom started making dinner.
"Avia , come over here for a second I need to tell you something."
I walk over toward the counter where Mom was stirring a pot of what looked like stew. "Yes, Mom?"
"Our neighbors are coming over tomorrow afternoon."
"Ugh. Why?"
"We're going to meet their new baby , Light. And please be nice."
"What? Did I do something wrong last time?"
"Well, not per-say. Oh and almost forgot , two of their kid's cousins are staying with them while their parents are in London."
Better not be Vrai and her brat sister.
"That's...nice."
"Just be friendly to our guests tomorrow is all I'm asking."
"Got it, Mom."
—
I hopped on my bed and opened my journal. I needed a plan just in case the two cousins that were also coming over were Vrai and Sienna.
No fucking way was I going to let her get me alone in my own house to hurt me .
