DARKSIDE

00 | PROLOGUE

Nova Newton sat in her small library, confused and bored.

Bored because she had nothing else to do. All the assignments were finished and the house chores were something she didn't need to worry about; not that she was complaining. She just wasn't in the favor of her parents hiring a maid, a gardener and a person to keep an eye at her - who they said was more of a security person for the house.

Of course she didn't need any of them, but it was as if her parents turned a deaf ear whenever she told them about it.

She couldn't believe just how many times she'd told her parents that keeping Tim to have a track on her whereabouts was too much, but they always brushed her off by saying that he was just there to look out for her.

It was confusing and it was frustrating, but at least he wasn't following her around. For that, she was very grateful. She was also grateful for the fact that Tim was the only 'security person' her Dad had hired for the sake of her.

What more, was confusing, was that she couldn't decide which book to read. She had Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in one hand, and an Encyclopedia in the other.

She was only deciding what book to read when a loud bang startled her, making her jump out of her seat, heartbeat picking up pace.

What was that sound? her brain immediately questioned.

Putting the books down she stood up hastily. Her brown eyes looked for the clock hanging on the wall right in front of her. Half past eight.

Who could be coming home now?

Deciding it best to finally just go there and find the answers herself, she stood up. Taking a deep breath, she started walking, brushing her long, wavy brown locks behind her ears with her long fingers.

Another loud knock on the door had her halting in her tracks.

Should she just go and swing the door open? Just like that?

No, that would be stupid.

Her eyes frantically looked for an object then, any object, that could come of use in her situation. Spotting a metal vase that was just beside the door she began moving again.

With one of her hands on the neck of the vase and the other on the door knob she hesitated before opening it and peaked through the peephole instead. All she saw was the back of a head, and as if on instinct, her hand simultaneously twisted the door knob. The hand that had been holding the vase freed its grip as she pulled the door open.

She was exposed to the cool air of November, her hands folding in front of her chest as if they had a mind of their own which said to protect her body from the cold - all she had on was a loose night dress.

Taking a step outside she called out to the retreating figure she recognised to be of - "Derek?"

She realised what she'd called him and began to correct her slip-up.

"I- I'm sorry, Mr. Adams, but, what are you doing here?" she asked him when he still hadn't faced her. No sound emitted him either.

She stood there, brows furrowed in confusion, her mind working reasons for which he could've come to her house at this hour.

She had been thinking of asking once again but stopped when he mumbled something to himself.

"Pardon?" she asked when she couldn't make anything of what he'd said.

"He's gone!" He suddenly said, voice raised and Nova almost took a step back. "He won't be back, he lied..." his voice became softer at the end as he trailed off.

She was still as confused as she was when she had first seen him standing at her door. Because she needed answers, she walked ahead, closer towards him to turn him around and face her but she stopped in her movements when he stiffened - as if sensing her presence closing in behind him.

"Mr. Adams?" Nova tried once more but this time it had an effect.

But not quite in her favour because the next thing she knew he had stormed off to his house, as if he were just brought out of a trance.

But what was all of that? Nova couldn't help but wonder.