What Happens in the Dark

Chapter 35

I walked upstairs and couldn't stop replaying me and Mya's conversation in my head over and over again. Maybe I was too harsh? It needed to be said though, I just hope I made some type of progress. As relaxing as it felt to be back in my bedroom, It still couldn't stop my mind from making up a thousand different scenarios of what could happen as I'm trying to complete this purpose all these ancestors have for me.

I grabbed my robe and wrapped it around my body and went to call Monroe so that he isn't worried.

A couple rings went by before he answered, "Seven how did it go?"

"Well, I think I pissed her off, then I made her sad, and now I feel like I've gotten no where. I'm so lost Monroe." I sighed rubbing my forehead.

"Listen. It is in you, and you are not alone, okay? What you're doing is extremely difficult, I mean you're aiming to heal a deep wound that hasn't been addressed in centuries." He said.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" I asked confused making him chuckle.

"What I mean is, Rome wasn't built in a day." He said talking to me like I am a child.

"Yeah I know." I sighed.

"Just know I'm proud of you." His words made me blush and like my heart was slowly melting.

"Monroe? I have a question about your dad." I asked taking a long pause waiting on him to give me permission to ask.

"Well are you going to ask it, or?" He said sarcastically.

"Why did he kill Raymond's brother? Mya said it was over a crime he didn't commit." I heard Monroe take a long and deep sigh.

"The reason Raymond and I quit being friends is because I had told you that he knew someone wanted to kidnap my mother, before Esther cleared it up for me, that Raymond actually knew of someone who wanted to hurt our clan, and not necessarily my mother. However, My father found out Raymond's brother Amaud, was associating with the men who took my mom in order to hurt my father. Amaud knows who killed my mom, he knew everything and when my father kidnapped Amaud for a week demanding him to tell him the names, Amaud took everything to his grave. He and whoever those men were that hurt my mother, wanted our clan to turn themselves over to whoever these people are, and give up our family legacy. My father then grew into the dark that consumes him deep inside, and he killed Amaud."

I sighed taking in everything Monroe said as much as I hate for people to die, or not-so-mythical creatures, I should say, I understood why Monroe's dad did what he did, If only Mya and Raymond knew this side of things, maybe their perspectives would change.

"Im sorry I had to ask, I just need whatever I can get at this point to bring both sides together, but it's like the deeper I dig, the more skeletons I find," I frowned. Monroe didn't say anything for a moment.

"This whole world of ours was founded on nothing, but blood and skeletons Seven, that's why I wanted to shield you from this." He said sadly.

"I wasn't shielded from a lot of things growing up, but I still handled it. " I responded making him sigh.

"I know." He said faintly.

******************

It was finally friday, and as ready as I was for the weekend to be here, I was so nervous about meeting Monroe's family tonight. I was also dreading dress shopping with Aunt Dana, but I owed it to her after allowing Monroe to compell her against her unknown will.

I sat in Mr. Brookes class as he passed out our graded biographies and was pleasently surprised when I recieved a 98. You are an exceptional writer Miss Knight. Your partner also received a passing grade, he's never tried in my class before. Good work.

A little note was written beside my grade and I smiled to myself. I've always loved writing, but I never considered seriously pursuing it. It also made me happy to know that I encouraged Monroe to actually try. I looked up to see Monroe smiling at me.

"What'd you get?" I mouthed.

"An A." He mouthed back before raising his eyebrows with a mischevious smirk.

"Good job." I smiled. He nodded his head shooting me a heart fluttering smile, then looked back down at his desk.

Lunch came around and Lacey was not at school today. I didn't care enough to ask, but found it strange due to her perfect attendance record at least for as long as I've been here. Eli and Sterling teased eachother pretty much the whole time. I continued to get hateful glares from Allison and her minnions from across the cafeteria, but I didn't care. However to my surprise I saw Rachel sitting with them. That's odd, but she can do as she chooses, we have become distant lately.

When 7th hour finally ended, Monroe met me in the parking lot and drove me back to my aunts.

"I am so nervous about tonight." I sighed staring out the windsheild, watching the trees pass by.

"Seven, you've already met half the family." He laughed glancing towards the rearview mirror before switching lanes.

"Yeah, but these are your parents, what if they react like Lacey?"

Monroe let out an abnormally loud laugh that was almost sarcastic,"Seven. I can promise you less than two percent of the population of planet Earth is like Lacey."

I half smiled. He always knows how to make me feel better, It's like an intense calm that washes over me, just from hearing him speak.

We pulled up to my Aunt's driveway as usual and he looked over to me, "Listen, I'm going to be here at eight, okay? Don't be nervous, they will love you." He winked at me then kissed my cheek. If my body could've physically melted into the seat, it would have.

"Alright." I blushed before opening my door.

"Hey aunt Dana." I smiled as I walked inside.

"Hey hunny! are you ready to go shopping for tonight?" No..

"Yes," I lied. I didn't even get the chance to grab a water before she pulled me out into the garage. I guess she meant right now. We hopped into her Lexus and drove to the strip mall. She found a dillards and practically dragged me in there.

"Now I know you love to wear black, but I think emerald would look so pretty against your fair skin and dark hair, plus it'll make those pretty green eyes pop." She beamed. As much as I hate dresses, she described me in a way that made me feel pretty. I responded with a smile and she pulled me over to the maxi dresses that were seperated by color. She picked up a few then put them back, only to go back over the same ones until finally she grabbed a strappless emerald green maxi dress that was long and so pretty, yet extremely casual.

"Do you like?" She asked excitedly looking back and forth between me and the dress.

"I actually really do." I said examining the piece of fabric in her hands.

"Yay!" Her eyes lit up, "Let's get you a dressing room so you can try this on."

We walked to the dressing room and she shoved me in it with the dress. When I finally put it on I looked at myself in the mirror and realized it actually did make my eyes pop. It was loose and casual yet it clung tightly to my waist and butt making my figure that I've always hated pop.

I stepped out to where aunt Dana could judge and she smiled so big her mouth wasn't even closed.

"You look phenomenal. We are definitely getting this." She beamed. As happy as I was with the outfit choice, I am still so nervous.