Salient Secret

Chapter 7

Maya texted me and said, and I quote, "It's not formal but it's formal, don't wear jeans but don't wear a diamond necklace, that would be overkill." Aka smart casual.

I opened my cupboard, and I pushed past my coats to get to my dresses, the last time I wore a dress was to my grandfather's funeral two years ago. I always feel too...exposed. I wear everything but dresses, which I know doesn't make sense because that includes skirts, I wish I could explain it better, but I can't, it's preferential.

I came across this respectably short, flowy black dress, that screamed 'family dinner', I paired it with short mid length black boots, and I finished the look with my signature leather jacket, even though Autumn was just beginning, it was a chilly night.

I left my long, curly hair loose. I stood in front of the mirror studying myself, I took a moment to appreciate being mixed race because my hair grew back relatively fast after chemotherapy thanks to my genes.

I brushed my thick eyebrows in attempt to tame them, put a little bit of mascara on, and a dash of pin lip gloss. By the time I was done, I was surprised, I looked so...normal compared to the real me. I looked like someone who went on dates, shopped for prom dresses a year early, a cheerleader perhaps, and not the girl who spends a lot of her time in hospitals with no real future.

Maya said to be there at 7 pm, it was only 6:45 pm, and since she lived nearby it took less than 5 minutes to get there, so I used these spare minutes to pack the medicine I needed to take after dinner.

"Hey honey, where are you off to?" my dad asked, his voice laced with shock, probably because I was wearing a dress.

"Off to Mayas, her cousins from South America are visiting and she invited me for dinner, its smart-casual." My dad smiled in a way that warmed my heart immediately, and I know he was thinking the same thing that I was moments ago; she looks miraculously normal. He gave me a hug that was too tight and too long before he said, "Alright, enjoy, give my love to Mayas family and don't stay out too late, you've got early appointments tomorrow." Oh gosh, I almost forgot tomorrow is Saturday. My immunotherapy started tomorrow.

"Will do, bye, love you."

I decided to walk to Maya's house instead of taking moms car because it's such a beautiful night, I know it's a cliché, but I loved looking at the stars on a clear night, the night sky has always been my favourite thing to look at.

Eventually, I found myself approaching Maya's doorstep, but I decided to stop for a second and just look up, and breathe in the cool night air, I didn't get to do this often because of my incapable lungs, most of the time, cold air stung, but I took my chances tonight because of my doctor's appointment tomorrow. It was so peaceful out here-

"AHHHH!" I turn around screaming bloody murder to see what the hell just grabbed me. My heart was pounding out of my chest. I swear that fright made me feel closer to death than cancer ever had.

It wasn't a what that grabbed me, it was a who. And I could hear him laughing.

"Oh, you think that's funny huh?" It was so dark outside, I still couldn't see his face, but he was also wearing a leather jacket with black fur lining, black jeans...did he not know this was a semi formal dinner? And to add to his casual look, he wore white sneakers.

He eventually stood up, but I could only see the side of his face, but as he turned, I recognised him...it can't be.

My heart thundered in my chest. I felt like pinching myself, this couldn't be happening.

"Amy Smith?" he said just as shocked as I was, I still couldn't believe it.

"Kai Grayson," I said to myself more than him. He was here. Why was he here?