Aurora's Point Of View

Everything was chaotic and noisy downstairs, and it was only 5 AM. No one would be up for breakfast or school even remotely this early, and Dustin didn't have field practice on Tuesdays. I kept hearing my name being thrown around, I must still be dreaming... But suddenly, I heard an unmistakable, raspy voice.

It was Arlan's.

I shot straight up in a panic, gripping my blanket. What was he doing here? He's going to see my living conditions and it's going to be so embarrassing!

I clamber down the stairs to see Arlan downstairs talking to Agatha, who is still in her robe and squinting through her glasses. He, on the other hand, is dressed in a white, long sleeved turtle neck and jeans, seemingly covering up all of his tattoos. His usual rings were not adorned on his fingers. Why was he trying to look so sharp...?

"Aurora, we have news from your school."

I hesitantly look from Arlan to Agatha, feeling extreme confusion at such an early hour of the morning.

"Oh...kay...?" I say cautiously.

Grabbing a paper from Arlan's hand, she hands it to me and it looks like an acceptance letter. But...I've never applied to any colleges and I'm not a senior yet?

"Apparently your school recommended you to a boarding school, you'll be leaving tonight."

I look up immediately.

"Agatha, they must have sent it to the wrong person. And Arlan, what are you doing here?" I snap.

"Well, he gave me the letter, claiming he's your boyfriend," Agatha said boredly.

"I am her boyfriend, m'aam," He softly confirms, "i'm driving her up, her bags are already in my car."

Panic set in quickly.

"B-but agatha, I don't wanna go to boarding school!" I whimper.

"Well, you got accepted on scholarship, the school recommended you," She said, "Besides, you're getting older, and we could use more space for younger children to come in."

"P-please," I whimpered, "if this is about the money," I sputtered. It has to be why. Dustin ratted me out and now he's trying to get rid of me!

"Money?" Agatha's bored voice suddenly had some energy to it, her eyes darting in confusion from me to Arlan, then me again.

"Dustin stole Aurora's money to buy weed," Arlan chimes in, clarifying as my face went red. How did Arlan even know that, did he see Dustin smoking? "But that'll be something you guys deal with, we have to go now," He said, ushering me out.

"Wait!" I twisted from his grip, planting my feet on the ground. "Come on, Agatha, do something!"

"Dustin Hargrove!" She was already going up the stairs, yelling for him. I stood shaking and teary eyed at the door with Arlan's hands on my shoulders. She doesn't even care that I'm leaving!

"Agatha!" I yell. She wasn't coming down for me. She didn't care at all. I spun around to Arlan. "I'm so confused," I whimper, wiping a rolling tear. "How could she just not care? I've lived here eleven years, she's acting like me leaving is just one less problem to deal with!" I yell in rage.

"Aurora, relax, please," Arlan said, taking my hands and pulling them to his.

"How are you ok with this? I-I'll probably never see you again! I don't even know where this place is-Weatherlily Boarding School" I sputter, looking down to the paper, crying and sniffling.

"Why don't we go to my place to relax, watch a movie? You don't have to move in until 7 pm. Don't overthink aurora. don't overthink," He said, pulling me closer to him as I crumpled the paper in anger.

"I guess I just don't have a choice," I close my eyes, sniffling. "How did you even find out about this?" I ask.

His face whitened slightly before he coughed into his fist.

"I-I...heard it being discussed at the Dean's office, and collected the acceptance letter to give to you to ease the news rather than you hearing from them or Agatha. I'm sorry, sugar."

I wiped my nose and sighed in exhaustion.

"But let's go watch another Disney film, okay?"

"Okay," I mumble with an angsty shrug.

Half-way into Bambi, my eyes are heavy and I can't stay awake from the news of the day. Not to mention it's only 5:45 in the morning.

"Why don't you take a nap?" Arlan whispers in my ear. I sigh lowly.

"But not here, I'll take you to my room so you can be more comfortable."

Too exhausted to argue, I agree. The second my body hits the plush mattress, I'm seemingly out like a light.

When I wake up, I look around in the darkened room to see an alarm clock. it's 7:45 PM.

Oh no! It's already night!

I lean up and look around me.

"Arlan? ARLAN?"

He comes in casually.

"Yeah, baby? Oh, you're up, did you nap well?

"T-the whole day went by, it's 7:45! I'm supposed to check in at 7 and it's 3 hours away!" I cried.

"Aurora," he said softly, not wanting me to get worked up.

Something wasn't adding up. Something wasn't making sense.I lifted myself off the bed, eyeing him warily. Why was he so casual about being late, about all of this? Why was he the one driving me there? Why did the school even suggest me to a boarding school?

He suddenly broke out into a big smile, and if I wasn't mistaken, teary eyes. I sighed, feeling relieved. Oh, i get it. He's having a hard time saying goodbye. He was even close to crying! I stopped overthinking and relaxed. He probably just needed a comforting hug before we left, having a hard time coping with saying goodbye.

I got up and sighed, ready to comfort him.

"Arlan,"-

"There is no boarding school. I completely made it up, it was all me."

I froze and my ears rang. I backed away and felt my breathing start to pant. I didn't know what to feel, say, react. Nothing made sense and all I know was I was afraid. Maybe I heard him wrong. Maybe he was just joking around.

"I faked an acceptance letter and gave it to the school to forward to your foster home."

Silence hung in the air as it dawned on me he was being serious. I eyed him, waiting for a 'just kidding'. Seconds upon seconds of silence ensued and yet there was no sign of him saying it was a joke. I swallowed dryly.

"Isn't that illegal?" I counter in a scarce mumble, eyeing him cautiously.

"Who cares?" He laughed softly under a breath. He stepped forward and my skin felt cold.

"You live with me now."

I gulped, terrified he would make such a bizarre choice. I wasn't sure if I was dealing with a psychopath and spoke delicately.

"Arlan...I never agreed to this. This is huge. This is my life, this isn't like me hanging out for a few days. I need a place to live," I was starting to panic.

"I know baby," he came forward and cupped my face and I stilled, horrified. His eyes searched my face. "Live with me."

Kacelynn was right.

"I don't want to live with you," I whimper in a whisper, desperate tears filling my eyes.

"Aurora, I can take care of you. I have the means to give you the life you deserve. No more foster home, or creepy boys, or stupid, waste-of-time coffee jobs. I care about you. Let me give you the life you deserve."

"M-movies, and hot chocolate...that's one thing, Arlan. B-but living with you, you taking full responsibility of me? Th-that c-can't h-happenn," I stammer.

"You want to stay there forever?" He looked confused, referencing my foster home.

I swallowed.

"Well, n-no,"—

"And do you really think they'll give a shit where you are once you're 18, or after that? You could be on the streets, Aurora. Stay here and be with me, who knows, maybe we'll get married."

"Married?" I breathed out, jerking my face out from his hands. This was all-consuming for me as I sped walked past him. "Arlan, I have to go back and tell them this was a mistake!"

Just then, the door opened and I gasped seeing a buff man. I yelped in shock as my stomach dropped in fear, I hugged myself and whipped around to Arlan, my heart jackhammering in my chest, as I quickly ran to the other side of the room.

"I-I thought you said you lived alone!" I beseeched, crouching down and hiding myself into the corner as tears slid down silently. Who is that, what is this, where am I?! What had I possibly gotten myself into?! Who is Arlan?!

"Oh no, sweet heart," Arlan said as I heard the buff man walk in. "You thought wrong. There's a whole empire here."

Kacelynn was right. Kacelynn was right. Kacelynn was right.

'You'll wish you'd listened to me.'

"Welcome to the Obsidian Wrath Mafia."