Deadly

Chapter 4

8 Years Later

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Mia sweetie, he's here!" Her mom called her down, jumping with excitement. After all, it was Mia's first date.

"Tell him I'll be down in a sec," Mia called back. "And bring dad down, y'know, to make it uncomfortable." Her mom laughed at the statement, then turned to open the door. Mia, who had been ready for a while now, came downstairs.

"Hey," she smiled at Ethan, who had his hands behind his back. He turned, and upon seeing her, blushed. Except when Ethan blushed his ears turned red, not his cheeks, a characteristic that Mia had taken a liking to.

"You look beautiful," he told her. Mia had to agree. She was wearing a red halter top with a cute bow on it, and a black flowy skirt. Her black hair was curled at the bottom, right where her copper ombre began. She let it down for the first time in years.

"Thanks," she answered. Then, gesturing at his hands, she asked, "So, are you going to tell me what's behind your back?"

"Oh, yeah," Ethan pulled out a rose from behind his back. "I thought you would like this. You know because you've never seen one before and..." he stopped waiting to see Mia's reaction.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" she gasped. And she truly meant it. It was a dark red beauty, and she couldn't believe that her mother could have called it ugly. But she didn't mention that now; she still wasn't sure whether or not the memory was real. She took the rose from his outstretched hand.

"Well you guys should get going," her mom reminded them. "Your reservation is at six forty-five and it's already six fifteen."

"Yeah, thanks for reminding us mom," Mia rolled her eyes at how much her mom knew about her personal life. "Bye!" she called as they headed out the door.

"Bye sweetie!" Her mom called back, masking her worry so well, even Mia didn't notice.

-

Ethan grabbed Mia's hand and pulled her out of the car, and they made their way into the restaurant. The waiter led them to a table at the back, which Ethan specially reserved due to Mia's discomfort at being in the center of attention. They sat down and were given menus.

Mia set down the rose she was holding and picked up her menu. She got a slight headache but ignored it as she figured out what to order.

"Hey Ethan," she asked. "Do you think I should get the ravioli or the-arggh!" She gripped her head.

"Are you okay?" Ethan asked, rushing to her side.

"Yeah I'm fine, I just got a killer headache," Mia responded.

But she wasn't fine. She'd only gotten a headache like this once before...

The little girl always stood in the shadow of her older sister. This time, it was food.

"My favorite food is chocolate," the older girl stated.

"Oh yeah," said her younger sister. "Well my favorite food is also chocolate.

The older girl shook her head. "No it's not. You're only saying that because I said it first."

"No I'm not," her sister protested.

"Whatever. Besides, my favorite food isn't chocolate anymore. It's brussels sprouts."

"Well that's my favorite food now too."

"I was just kidding," the older girl said. "Brussels sprouts are disgusting. But see, you said you liked them."

The younger girl ran off crying.

"I was just joking," her sister said. "Can't you take a joke?"

But the little girl was angry. Her sister did this all the time.

"I hate you!" She screamed. "I hate you! I hate you! I wish you were dead!"

Her words couldn't have been any closer to the truth...

"Mia, are you alright?" Ethan's voice brought her back into reality. Her eyes opened, and she saw that she had fallen off her seat and onto the floor.

"Yeah, I'm fine now," she told him, brushing herself off.

"Here, let me help you," Ethan gave her his hand, like the gentleman that he was. She gladly took it.

When he pulled his hand back, it was black. Dark veins spiraled around his skin, turning his hand, and part of his arm black.

"What the―" he started.

"Oh shit," Mia stated. I think that was me.

Ethan had a perplexed look on his face. Any moment and it could turn to anger, Mia thought

"Listen, um, Ethan?" She started. He looked at her, then back at his hand, sheer terror in his eyes. Oh shit, she thought again. This is even worse than anger.

"You see this might have been me, I'm not entirely sure..." Those eyes. "Just, um..." I can't bear to see them for another second. "Just forget," she said quickly. "Please, forget this. Be happy." Oh please, Ethan, please. She begged for him to be okay, reached down into the depths of her soul, to find some hope.

Maybe, just maybe, he would forget.

But her soul had been stained black.

She sunk down into the corner of the booth realizing what she had done. Ethan forgot about what happened.

He forgot about her.

She watched as he looked at his hand, confused, and walked away.