And Dusk

Chapter 4: Always Next Time

Warnings: blood and violence

Word Count: 1975

Who the hell were those men?

Shaken up from her encounter with the three gunmen, (Y/N) threw the front doors of her home open and hurried inside with Mr Pennycrumb skittering behind her. "Dad?" She called out as she hurried all around, her voice breaking and echoing throughout the house. "Dad?!"

"(Y/N), hun, what's going on?" The southern accent sounding from behind her caused her tense posture to relax as she turned to Grace.

"Mom... W-Where's Dad?"

"He's at a meeting, sweetheart. I'm not sure where, he didn't tell me much," When her daughter nodded with a faraway look, Grace took a step closer. "What happened? Where's Preston?"

Swallowing, (Y/N) tried her best to crawl out of the hole she dug for herself, but it seemed to just be getting deeper. "Uh... I was attacked by some crazy people a-and Preston decided to take me home." She rushed out as her feet quickly took her to the staircase that led to the rooms. Grace was immediately on her heels.

"You were what?! Honey, are you okay?! Who was it, what'd they do?!"

"It's fine, Mom-"

"No, it's not! You need to be tellin' us these things, (Y/N). W-What if somethin' like last time happened?" Grace recalled the day the two met. The girl's shoulders visibly tensed and her mother wondered if she should have said that.

"Mom... I-"

"It's alright, darlin'. I'm sorry for saying that."

"No, no!" (Y/N) quickly turned towards her and brought her into a tight hug. Grace chuckled and returned the affection. "I'm glad you worry... It lets me know I'm loved."

Grace gently ran her hand through the girl's hair. "You most definitely are..."

(Y/N) began to get choked up, so she pulled away before the waterworks could make their presence known. She pointed behind herself awkwardly. "I'm gonna... get some sleep. I'm a little exhausted..."

"Of course, sweetheart. How about I make you a snack when you wake up?"

The familiarity of this woman making her food simply because she loved her had the girl's (e/c) orbs nearly overflowing with tears as she nodded. "I'd love that. Thank you, Mom... I love you." She grinned before slipping into her bedroom and softly closing the door. As soon as she heard her mother's footsteps echo down the hall, she quickly wiped her eyes and charged towards her bed, flopping onto her back and closing her eyes.

Inhale for one, two, three, four

One, two, three, four...

One moment, she's in her bedroom, and in the next, she's in the park where she left her date. She adjusted her blurry vision by blinking several times. The fogginess washed away to reveal Preston much closer to her than she was comfortable with. His brown eyes were glancing at her lips as his blonde waves, once slicked back, fell in his eyes as he leaned close to her, lips puckered. Before his lips could graze hers, she pressed her index and middle fingers to his mouth. The boy frowned and stopped his movement, eyes fluttering open. "Um... What are you doing?"

"I-I was, uh-"

"I have to go," She stood to her feet. "I think Mr Pennycrumb ran away."

"Oh," Preston's entire expression fell into a look of irritation that had her blood boiling every time she saw it. "Then, I'll help you look."

"No," She shook her head. "I don't think that'll be necessary. I'm just..."