L I S A

Gone. Just like the wind that floated in the sky and never looked back from where it came. She was gone just like that and she wasn’t bearing the burden of coming back to the ground. Her feet must’ve taken her too far above, he must’ve flown her away that now she had forgotten her way back home or perhaps she was just terrified to come back to this life.

I kept staring at her as her eyes went back to being normal. She’d sold her soul to the Devil and she was not coming back. That thought played in my head on rewind. She’s not coming back.

“Is everything okay?” I felt a light touch on my shoulders and spun around only to have my body colliding with a firm steel.

I blinked a couple of times leaning away from the metallic surface or rather a torso and then my eyes got trapped into his light brown ones. He gazed down at me in wariness as his hands caught me from leaning further away.

He got a good hold on me and turned to the girl behind my back. I grabbed one of Edward’s wrists and asked him to stop on his tracks. It wasn’t the whole thing with Julie that scared me and made me look at Edward with begging eyes. It was much more complicated than that.

As I felt Edward’s arms surrounding me in a protective way, at once I perceived Julie’s eyes going a darker shade. Call it jealousy if you will but I knew well enough she wasn’t jealous of me but rather He was envious of Edward. Last night he had kissed me and told me soon I’d be his. Seeing me like this, wrapped up in someone else’s embrace must’ve given him a taste of his own medicine.

And I was terrified of that. Edward had no idea what all of this was about but if he stayed long enough to find out, there would be hell to pay. And I could feel his anger already mounting inside of her body.

Her lethal gaze fell on me and I shivered, swiftly squirming out of his embrace. I tried to focus on anything and anywhere except for those two crimson balls.

“Jules, is everything okay?” Edward asked as his tone dropped down to a very soothing one.

She gazed between me and him but mostly me as if scolding me for doing a bad thing and then she returned to him. With a mocking smirk and half-angered voice, she spoke being as threatening as she could be, “It will be once you leave.”

Her eyes contained nothing but a hollow expression. She had nothing left to give to the entire world or even her friends. It stunned me to think how much she’d changed over a single night. Her looks constituted a diabolic presence and her voice was as lethal as venom. Her eyes were two dark pits of drains that knew no end and with those lethal eyes she stared back at Edward possessing the matching dominance and grit.

I was beyond scared thinking Edward wouldn’t turn down this challenge but to my surprise he was in just as much awe and decided to back down. He grabbed a whole of my wrist and dragged me away with himself.

He didn’t ask for my consent which was unusual but I was kind of glad for just leaving her and that place without any much difficulty. I did require some time to clear my head.

Edward still hadn’t let go me and clung to me like a child to his mother. His other hand wrapped around my waist as he kept dragging me with himself. For a moment I thought we’re going back home which was a bummer but then I perceived the twinning lights in the middle of the trees.

He took me back to the wedding.

“Why are we here?” I lightly tugged at his arms to slow down his pace.

“This isn’t just their night.” He murmured frivolously in my ears.

I was baffled by what he said. Not just their night? What was his devilishly romantic brain cooking up this time?

He stopped once we’d come across a red tent sort of house where twining lights replaced the need of threads over the piece of cloth. No one was there except for a few girls, Martha included. She paced towards us and smiled a grin at Edward before turning to me.

“You look awful.” She pointed out. I just rolled my eyes and tried not to respond too much to the comment.

“That’s why you’re here.” Edward chirped from beside me.

They both flashed a knowing smile in each other’s direction, leaving me completely to dwell on my stupid worrying thoughts. I didn’t want to guess even though I could very distinctly regarding how my next few moments were going to be like.

I turned towards Edward hoping he’d understand that this was not funny anymore. I looked perfect the way I did if they didn’t count the dirt but I was really in no need or mood to wear a dress. It was tiring and too much for me besides I had other things to worry about like Julie, the Blood Moon and my psycho admirer and so on.

“You’ll have to wear a dress to be my date.” Edward chimed and his words were the last I heard before a brutal hand hurled me inside away from him. I hated him for this but not for what he said, I’d be pleased to be my little knight’s date.

* * *

I stood gaping at my image in the mirror. I’d heard about makeup and a bit patch-up but what she did to me was beyond any renovating. She had made a striking cup of clay out of the drenched mud. Her work was stunning, I was gorgeous and my image was nothing I’d ever looked like. I was . . . exquisite. She made me exquisite.

My wavy blonde strands were perfectly combed before my breasts and my eyes were a lighter shade of brown with long dark lashes that kissed my cheeks. My cheeks weren’t much bony, they’re filled with flesh and the dark bags beneath my eyes lightened.

My dress was a beautiful one shoulder that extended up to my long legs and the glossing pink was able to match my lip-gloss. Martha had forced my feet into long high-heels and compelled my body to be fitted into such a tight dress. However amazing I looked, I was feeling insecure.

My body wasn’t as great and though the dress hid some of the flaws I still had some of them on show. For sure I was satisfied with myself but I felt insecure thinking what Edward would think of me.

“He’s going to love you.” Martha soothed me by running her hand up and down my naked back.

I looked into her eyes and instantly saw a thrill and happiness. It confused me because after everything I’d brought upon her and them, they should hate me. “I thought you hated me.” She furrowed her brows unable to understand my trouble with her generosity. “After what happened to Julie, I thought you’d hate me.” I said burying my gaze into the ground.

I felt a soft touch on my shoulder as she lifted my chin up to look at her through the mirror in front of me, “It isn’t your fault that your fate is entwined with ours. Never blame yourself for what is happening because no one, not even we have the empowerment over what is going on and what will happen tomorrow. As Malcolm said, all we can do is live this night—who knows how long it’ll last. ” Her face lost its glee as she spoke the last sentence but gained it again very soon.

“Enough talking. Go to your date, he must be waiting.” She chirped from behind me tugging at my shoulders making me laugh.

I turned around to leave as I heard her scream on the top of her lungs, “You owe me a good night’s gossip!” I gave her a glare, embarrassed as I stormed outside the tent as soon as I could.

Just as I looked ahead of me after letting go of Martha’s comment, I stumbled on my heels and fell into a pair of very capable hands. His tough manly hands wrapped around my waist as the tip of his fingers decided to trail up and down my entire back that was revealed to them. He drew patterns and traced softly against my skin.

It was soothing to an unbearable extent. The mere touch of his fingers compelled me to close my eyes and lose in the intensity of the moment. His touch made my heart go a hundred times faster than its usual pace. And at last the sensation from his unwavering, velvet touch that provided serenity to my mind and churned a whirlwind of sensations in my heart that mere touch made me weak at my knees and I had to hold onto his shoulders for support.

My lips fell into the crook of his neck as I decided to lean further onto his chest. I wanted to devour his scent that entered my nostrils, the aroma of sandalwood and damp earth. I loved the way he smelt—he was almost edible. I could stay there all night without any intrusion bothering me but apparently he had other plans than just to stay under the moonlight and breathe me in all night.

He moved away from my embrace and grabbed my wrist as he began to hurl me softy somewhere deep into the forest.

The moonlight never abandoned us as Edward was beginning to get faster and faster with his steps. I struggled to keep up with him but after much difficulty I could ultimately walk beside him, giving him company. He was not very proud or disappointed when I was able to match his pace but he kept looking at his destination, the one where he was meant to be at.

I didn’t know where we had reached but for some reason Edward came in front of me and covered my view of almost anything in that dark. He looked down at me, smiling as he did. He caused my face to lift just so I could stare into his beautiful eyes and leaned into my face. I didn’t know his intention but my eyes shut tightly and they waited.

“Keep them like this until I ask you to open them.” His voice brushed softly against my neck like the cold wind on a winter’s night and sent shivers down my whole body.

I bit down on my bottom lip to suffocate a coy laugh and obeyed silently.

I waited for two or three minutes patiently until he came closer and slightly tugged at my arm. I wanted to see but then I remembered I shouldn’t so I followed into the direction he was taking me. His arms were securely wrapped around my waist as we walked, ensuring I wouldn’t fall. He was being so protective that I couldn’t help but smile, smile at his . . . care for me.

I could feel his face lowering into the crook of my neck as he whispered into my ears, “Now open them.” His hands were still surrounding my waist and his face was just where it was as I fluttered my eyes open.

Lights. They’re the first thing my eyes could perceive. Several twining lights were decorating the natural beauty of the trees and there were queues of rose bushes cut in a beautiful manner. The lush ground had a runner of red rose petals that led to the centre of all the striking beauty, forming a heart shape. And just above it stood a million stars forming the galaxy and I could honestly see a million of vibrant colors to leave me in awe.

If I had thought Edward could be romantic, this was beyond my any expectations.

His head was still leaning into my neck as I gasped perceiving the unbelievable splendor he’d created for me. He started perching gentle kisses along my jaw-line and held onto me tighter as no ne words escaped my mouth, nothing would form at the sight of this memory that would stay in my heart for a longer period of time.

I was happy and not just any happy—I felt important like for the first time that seemed to be in forever, I felt like someone really loved me so much to go through all the troubles. I felt obliged to him for making me feel such an ecstasy that I might’ve never experienced if it wasn’t for him. And I wanted to tell me all of that but all of a sudden I couldn’t feel my tongue.

At last when words didn’t come out, a small drop escaped my eye grasping his attention. He brushed it away quickly getting bewildered by the passing time.

“What did I do?” He asked worriedly.

I wanted to laugh at his concern because he did do something. He made me feel whole after a long time, he made me feel like I had everything I’d ever wanted, he made me feel complete, not longing anymore.

“You complete me.” I admitted between many sobs and happy cries.

I didn’t know how he felt but I was certain about my feelings. He was the one, the one made for me, the one I was longing for and the one to complete me, it was him and it didn’t matter what he felt because I knew even if the sun wouldn’t rise one day, I’d still be in madly in love with him. He was my little knight.

He came closer to my face and whispered softly against my lips, “You complete me too Lisa. You make me realize that I’m not just a monster, I’m more than I’d ever let anyone believe. I don’t let anyone see through me but you broke down all my walls and found a way through my heart. You familiarized me with the boy I used to be, you taught me to have hope and I can’t deny it anymore. I won’t deny it.” He moved away from me face but stole my gaze away with himself.

“You won’t deny what?” I asked.

He took a deep breath and admitted without a trace of hesitance dripping from his tone, “I won’t deny my love for you.”

My heart skipped a beat and my whole body froze as his confession played on rewind in my mind. I won’t deny my love for you.

He did feel the same about me. I was dumbfounded as to what to reply as an answer, I was certain about my feelings but just like I said, suddenly I couldn’t feel my tongue.

“I don’t require an answer now, I want you to think long and hard.” He drew me closer into his arms and perched one of my hands on his shoulder and took the other one in between his clasp. “Let’s just enjoy this night.”

Just as he finished his speech music started to play but I was too taken by his eyes to care who played the song but it must’ve been an old tune for I couldn’t memorize it. Edward took charge and started to sway in the rhythm of the tune and I matched his pace. At first it was confusing for I’d never danced before but I was soon to catch up and enjoy every little bit moment of it.

The wind was caressing our skins as the night went darker in the sky and a deathly silence enveloped up closely like a shawl though none of it bothered him. He kept looking into my eyes and dancing with me.

He stopped at last when he figured out my difficulty of not being able to move anymore—as much as I’d wanted to, those heels were killing me. He lifted my chin with the tip of his index finger like he often did and prepared himself for the finale.

I knew what it was going to be like. He was preparing himself for me and my scent he needed to resist and I patiently waited for him to come closer. I didn’t want to look so eager but every part of me was craving for him, for his touch and I had to remind myself again and again that he was only mine, I’d have him soon.

It was my turn to shut my eyes as he lean into my face. Moment by moment my heartbeat went wild as his sent of sandalwood neared me. The cold radiating from his skin enveloped me just when the waiting ended and his lips moved against mine. They felt soft like silk against my lips and cold like winter against my heat. The smell of damp earth filled my lungs as his lips moved with a rhythm against mine.

I threw my arms around his neck and had to hold onto him tighter as my knees wouldn’t lift my weight anymore. He responded by wrapped his arms around my waist and shunned away the little space that might be making up apart. He was gentle with me and I could feel by his touch that he was holding back himself. He wasn’t letting himself take the whole dominance over me—he might think he’d hurt me but only if he knew how much I was enjoying this.

Abruptly he pulled apart and I grudgingly I had to obey even though I’d wanted nothing more than to just feel his lips on mine once again.

“You’re eager than I thought.” He admitted as a quick blush crept up to my face and I tried to escape his eyes.

“No need to coy away Lisa, there will be plenty of other opportunities.” He leaned down and pecked on my cheek as I felt butterflies flying in my stomach at his words.

We stood there for a while staring at each other in silence, none of us geared up to write the end of this wonderful memory. “I don’t want this night to end.” I complaint and hugged him firmly as if he’d fade away in the next moment. “I’m scared of tomorrow.” I admitted.

“Even if you were to wake up by me pecking on you cheek and laying there next to you?” He murmured soothingly in my ears.

I didn’t know why but the thought of him lying next to me in bed was challenging and at once lovely. I’d love to know how we’d get through every night if that were to happen.

“Will you be there every morning?” I asked gazing at him from under my lashes.

“Every morning.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.” He took my face in his hands and perched a gentle loving kiss in between my brows.

That moment made me realize that he was being truthful and no matter what the next morning awaited, I knew it was at least worth leaving. Despite the dangers that might be standing on our way tomorrow, I believed we’d get through them by a little faith and love.

Just as I was thinking he hauled me up into his arms in bridal-style and I gasped. I peeked at him from under my lashes and saw him smirking; he wanted to play a very naughty game. Just by thinking of tonight I was feeling a typhoon of emotions inside of me.