Midnight Shades

Chapter 38

On Thursday night, I sit on the couch next to Kiara with Joelle on my lap, playing with the necklace that Louis gave me. I watch her adoringly with a smile on my face as she examines it before she lays her head on my shoulder and look at Peter who speaks.

"I see that you've a tattoo." Peter points out, nodding towards my wrist as he drinks his water.

"Oh, yes, I meant to ask you about it but I forgot." Kiara adds, smiling.

I sigh with a smile as I look at the dates on my wrist. As I pat Joelle's hair, I softly say, "It was the day I first saw him."

Peter smiles knowingly. "Louis?"

I nod. "Yes."

"Is Louis your boyfriend?" Joelle questions, playing with the buttons of my shirt.

I lean down and kiss her head. "He is."

Her eyes shoot up to mine as she asks, "Was he the one who gave you this necklace?"

I laugh lightly, remembering our conversation on Tuesday night when she asked me where did I get it from and I told her the it was a gift. I felt uneasy telling her that it is from Louis, so I told her that I was going to tell her later.

"That's right." I say, winking playfully.

For the first time since I have arrived, Jeremy surprisingly speaks, "Can I see it?"

His voice is so low and quiet, almost not audible. I look sweetly at him with a smile before I nod my head, silently telling him to come and see it. He hesitantly gets up and walks towards me slowly, almost as if he is afraid of me. Sighing lowly, I extend my hand out for him to see my wrist.

Peter mentioned before I came here that they know that I'm different, maybe that's why Jeremy is being careful and scared. It saddens me deeply that he might think I'll do something to harm him.

After his eyes bore into mine, they flicker down to my wrist, examining the tattoo before he rises his hand up. His eyes snap up to mine briefly before he looks down again as he slowly and gently traces his fingers over the tattoo. His fingertips are extremely soft and gentle.

"Did it hurt?" He softly murmurs, taking his hands off as he looks at me.

"No," I smile. "It didn't."

He nods silently before sitting again in his place. Joelle tugs on my shirt to gain my attention, and when I look at her, she leans to my ear and whispers, "He's a bit shy."

I nod slowly. "I figured."

"Do you have any other tattoos?" Kiara asks, a grin on her face.

Breathing in some air, I answer with, "Yes."

"Where?" Joelle gasps.

I smirk and hit my forehead against hers playfully. "On my back."

She pouts and says, "I want to see it."

"I'll show it to you later," I wink as I promise her.

The conversation goes on from here, Kiara and Peter constantly apologising for the absence of their daughter; Jane, while Jeremy participates with one or two words and Joelle surprises me with her hyperactive soul and intelligent mind.

Living here feels normal. It feels like I carry no worries or problems on my shoulder, then I realise that feeling this way is a problem itself. My mind swam on its own these past few days, it made forget who I truly am, it pushed all the problems that I should face away, and it made me happy and carefree.