Mr Night

Book2: Chapter 2

-HER-

I tried my best to pretend that the store didn't exist on the other side of the road as I kept walking, my eyes forcefully focused ahead while my feet were moving fast. I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible before I could give in to the small voice telling me to look at the store. Still, I couldn't help. As I turned around the corner, my head turned on its own to glance back at the watch shop.

Nothing about it had changed since I saw it last time. To outsiders, it looked like a normal watch shop, but for me, it was something else... a way to another world that I had caught a glimpse of.

Just when I started to get used to everything, I was ripped out of it and deposited back in my painful reality. I clenched my jaw and blinked my tears away as I continued walking, trying my best to push the painful memories at the back of my head.

~

The next day I woke up and got on with my life. I did some chores for my cousins and ran errands for my aunt. It was enough to keep me busy, but I was afraid I would soon find myself alone with my thoughts, feeling stuck in reality and hating my life more than ever. However, I was hoping I would get used to this... or maybe, I wouldn't. I didn't know.

It felt like an ordinary day, nothing special or out of order. But once I got back to my aunt's house after running the errands, something felt very odd. My aunt was back from the wedding, but she was still dressed. When I entered the house, I found her pacing in the living room. Her eyes lit up as soon as she saw me.

Instantly, I felt this urge to flee the house, but it was already too late. She had her hands on me.

"I have been waiting for you," she hissed at me as she started fixing my hair all of a sudden. She scanned me from head to toe to ensure I looked presentable. I could see the hints of disdain in her eyes as she looked at the clothes I was wearing, but she didn't make a comment about it yet. I could already tell why she was doing this.

"Whoever it is, I am not going to meet him," I told her. I was slightly surprised that she had managed to find another suitor for me in under twenty-four hours. This was truly record-breaking.

"No, it's not what you think," she told me instantly, but I shook my head. I wasn't going to fall for such traps again. I knew what she was capable of. She had pulled something similar in the past. I wouldn't let her fool me twice.

"I don't want to see anyone. I have been out the whole afternoon, and I am tired. I would like to be left alone for the rest of the evening, please," I told her and headed towards the stair, but she reached for my arm and stopped me.

"It's not a suitor, Ophelia. I met someone at the wedding today who could help you out," She told me.

"Help me with what?" I asked her, still not giving in.

"Well, we talked about it yesterday, didn't we?" She reminded me.

"I am fine. I was feeling under the weather," I tried to excuse myself, but she wasn't having it. Instead, her grip tightened around my arm, making me more anxious. She seemed very determined this time to have me meet whoever she had brought home.

"You must see her," She told me, "I've had great trouble getting her to talk to you,"

"Her?" I cocked an eyebrow. "Did you bring a suitor's mother this time?" I asked.

"No, it has nothing to do with a suitor. She is here just to talk to you," she tried to convince me. "That's all. Just go and talk to her," She spoke, tugging me towards the parlour. I had no other choice but to go with her. Also, the way she had asked me had felt odd too.