Dark One: One for Sorrow... (The Khiara Banning Series Book 1) (6 page)

“Hey! Is Mom still at work?” I ask, knowing it’s a yes.

He gives me an awkward one armed hug and sighs, “Yes.” And then as if sensing my disappointment, he says, “I know we’re always gone Khiara, but you’re very independent. You can take care of yourself, whereas we need to be out at all times of the day and night for work. You’re old enough to understand aren’t you? We work hard so we can put you through school and so that you can get yourself nice things, because you deserve them so very much, ma belle.”

I nod my head as tears come to my eyes. I thought I was over being sad about them working all of the time, but to hear my dad talk about it just makes it worse for me because I know they love me and would do anything for me, but it’s hard being alone all of the time.

When I was younger, they were able to spend more time with me, but as I started to get older, they took longer shifts. I guess they figured I’d be okay by myself, since I wasn’t a little girl anymore, but the truth is it’s very lonely.

My parents have always been pretty perceptive people, but it feels like they haven’t figured out yet how much it means to me when I get to spend time with them like I did when I was a kid.

“Okay Dad. I’ll see you later.” I kiss him on the cheek. “Love you.”

As I head up the stairs and then into my room I notice Pug in his usual spot curled up on my bed. “Hey Butt-face, how life treating ‘ya?” I say, smiling at him.

Pug grumbles and lifts his head to see me, but won’t get up. He’s just too damn cute and I love him so much. Pug is the only pet I’ve ever had. He has always acted like a puppy, though now I guess you can tell he’s aged quite a bit since I first got him. He was already pretty old when we rescued him from the side of the road one day. 

“Move over, pup.” I say as I plop onto my bed and push Pug aside.

Smiling, I awkwardly slide out of my dress and kick off my high top shoes, which I forgot to take off at the door, and relax into the depth of my queen sized bed with six fluffy pillows, which may seem like too many pillows, but admit it; there’s never enough. I climb under the covers, having decided against putting any pyjamas on because I’m so exhausted, and fall asleep in just my bra and underwear in seconds.

~*~

I hear a voice, a male’s voice, singing somewhere close by. I am walking down Valour Street and am getting closer to my destination, the voice.

“The moon is bright and so are your eyes, in love I am with you. I see you smile and my heart skips a mile, in love I am with you.”
I need to get there before he stops singing that lovely song.

“Forever will my heart be true, it’s you that I hold you dear…”

I begin to run until I get to apartment number 667. I walk in and it hits me; this is Cael’s house. The voice must be him! I run into his room and see that he’s sitting on his bed playing a beat up old guitar. He doesn’t even notice me at first but then he puts down the guitar and smiles his heartbreaking smile at me, and somehow, I know that the song was for me.

~*~

I wake up with a start from the best dream I’ve had all night- where did Khiara go? I look around and try to get my bearings and look over at my dresser to find a note. I pick it up and read it, smiling at her awkward self-admission of being nervous and rambling on paper.

God, it must be five in the morning or so, I should really go back to sleep. But I want to see her; I
need
to see her again. Even though it’s no longer my job, I must keep her safe. She’s all that I have left and I will not let her stumble into the Battle alone.

~*~

I’m dreaming he’s outside my window. He looks tired and I can tell he thinks I can’t see him peering in. But wait- I’m awake…

I leap out of bed and run to the window, but I’m too late. He’s gone. I must’ve been picturing it after all.

Six

The doorbell is what wakes me up from a deep, deep sleep.

“Who the hell is it at seven in the damn morning?”

Ring.

“Shut up!”

Riiiiing.

“Go away!”

When Cara’s ringtone starts to play, I’ve had just about enough.

What could Cara possibly want from me at this time of day? It’s so early! And I went to bed not long ago. What in the world is wrong with her?

“What do you want now?” I say into the phone angrily.

“Wow, chill much. We have school, you know that right?”

“What?” I yell, looking at my calendar to make sure she’s joking, which of course she is.

“Hah. No, I just need you to come shopping with Janie, Chris and me. We’re getting our semi-formal dresses! And you’re coming right? To semi-formal, I mean.” Ah, Janie, the blonde Georgian Princess of itch with a capitol B, and Victoria’s minion.

“I guess… ugh, I hate you. I practically just went to bed. I’ll be out in twenty; I need a shower because I smell like cleaning supplies, vomit, beer and Missus Pussy Pants’ fur, which by the way you should
really
clean, Cara.”

“Don’t avoid the question, honeybun. You’re coming to semi-formal aren’t you?”

“Yes,” I sigh. “Apparently I am.”

Twenty minutes later, I’m out the door and am getting in the car with my best friend and two people I can’t stand. I’m waiting for this day to get better.

“Oh, you look adorable Khiara! All dressed up. Super fancy, bless your heart” says Janie. I’m wearing skinny jeans, ballet flats and an oversized Flogging Molly tee shirt. My hair is pulled lazily into a messy bun and I’m not even wearing makeup except for some hastily applied mascara.
Yeah right, Janie.

“Thanks,” I reply, “but try not to
compliment
me too often
today okay?”

Janie gives me a look that can be interpreted as,
whatever
or
oh screw off.
I’d like to think it means either or, just for the hell of it. Spice up my life with choices, and all that.

In the back next to Janie, Chris is absolutely, one hundred percent unhappy about something. He doesn’t even want to be looking for dresses even though I’m sure on any other day he’d be happily running alongside Janie, whose pants he is dying to get into.

I lean forward in my seat, tired of looking at Janie’s face, and look over to Cara. She’s yapping on her phone, speaking to her latest boyfriend; if you could even call him that.

Cara’s chewing gum loudly as she speaks and I’d be tempted to smack her upside the head if I didn’t know she did it on purpose to bug Janie. “I know right?” Chew, “You’re so amazing!” Chew, “I can’t wait to see you! I brought people so we won’t be alone and we’ll have a double date.” Chew, “Also, my best friend is coming, so you know, you get to meet her and stuff. Yeah, I know, but she’s single. Maybe we could set her up with one of your friends. Okay,” Chew, “Bye!”

I take the sunglasses that are resting on her head and put them on my own face, “Cara, do you think you could chew louder, I can’t hear you.”

Cara smiles and blows a big bubble, “No problem, babe.” The bubble pops loudly in my face and Janie makes a disgusted noise. We laugh.

We pull into the parking lot of the local shopping centre and find a parking space near the entrance. We all get out as Cara explains that we’re meeting the guy who she was talking on the phone to, in the food court. I guess we’re getting lunch. Or breakfast more appropriately since it’s only about nine o’clock in the morning – it’s going to feel like a long drive from my house to the mall.

As we get inside I notice that Chris’s face looks no different from when we were in the car. I wonder what’s wrong with him, but I don’t want to ask for fear of Janie yelling at me to stay out of their business. It’s too early for yelling.

Both Chris and Janie come from a strict religious background, and while Chris is ready for
everything
, Janie wears a purity ring. They’ve been together for four years, that’s a long time for any sex crazed seventeen-year-old boy to abstain from doing the deed; especially when his girlfriend is as good looking as Janie. I’ve always found it funny that she’s such a snob, yet she’s the daughter of a preacher.

We walk to a table where Cara’s latest boy toy is sitting reading a book that I’ve already read. Five times. It’s one of my favourites, ‘Pride and Prejudice’ so I decide to actually try to like this boy.

“Tristan!” Cara yells as we walk into the food court. 

Cara gestures to Chris and Janie, “The other couple I was talking about. This is Chris and Janie.” Then she grabs my arm and pulls me forward, “This is my best friend in the whole world, better than ice cream with cherries and chocolate sauce on top, Khiara. She gets me out of trouble and I get her into it, but she somehow keeps coming back for more.” She smiles at me, to see my reaction. I awkwardly smile back and she just looks thrilled.

“Everybody, this is Tristan. He’s nice, he’s gorgeous and he’s smart. Also, he’s super tall, it’ll freak you out when he stands up.”

Tristan gets up and shakes my hand. Cara’s right, he is quite tall. He goes to shake Janie’s hand, but Chris who reaches out his hand instead, pulls her away as if to communicate,
back off.

He’s got dark brown hair that’s been cropped pretty short, and he’s got large muscles on his arms. He’s pretty skinny in contrast to Cara, but she looks so happy. Maybe this is for real; maybe she’s stopped being so damn-I won’t say it. She is after all, my friend.

“So, this is Khiara,” he says in a voice that I can only describe as velvety smooth. “It’s very nice to finally meet you, I’ve heard so much about you.”

I nervously smile up at him, “Yeah? Well I’ve not heard anything about you, so it’s really nice to meet you, and I hope we’ll get to know each other better today. You seem like a really good catch for Cara. You see, she’s a bit promiscuous and I’m hoping this is going to be a long term relationship for you guys,”
Oh no, I’m rambling.
“So it’s just really great to meet you, I already said that didn’t I, and uhh…” I bite my lip.

Cara pats me on the back a little too hard. “She does that when she’s nervous. She just runs her mouth, if I were as promiscuous as she
says
I think you’d have already known that, seeing as we’ve been together for a
whole two months
already.” Oh. This must be serious if she kept him from me for that long…

“I guess Cara told me about you before, but I have a hard time listening, always in my own little world… and such…” I say, trying to salvage the mess I’m sure I’ve created.