Dinner

I get up when I hear someone barge into my room and it's Skaii

"Hey, I know it's a little early and I didn't knock but I really need to know, how did it go with Grayson?" she says

"Well I'm eating dinner with his family tonight, that's how it went." Skaii looks like she got shocking news and ran out.

Well, that was weird, I get out of bed and go take a shower and I get a strange feeling when I'm in the shower like déjà vu and by now we've established my flashbacks are caused by triggers I'm always expecting flashbacks in the shower.

When I get out of the bathroom, I am taken back by the scene of all the girls looking at me expectantly,

"Uh hi, everyone" I say confused

"Hi Aria, we heard about your dinner and after work, we're going to help you get ready"

"Aw thank you guys I look forward to it."

I arrive at the office and head straight to my workspace. I need to get done with the work so I can get home quickly.

While I am working my mind can’t help but wonder.

Who is Lucy to me, was that the 'promise me' girl? All these questions and no sign of answers. I felt some type of way during that flashback.

I think she was someone I was in love with, but I was in school uniform, and she wasn't anywhere near the flashback about my recent life, so maybe a high-school sweetheart?

Anyway, that is the least of my problems now. I have to worry about the dinner with Grayson’s family

I'm trying to focus on my work but I keep thinking of Grayson.

At first I thought I was imagining him but I see Grayson in front of me with flowers. The flowers are red and pink roses.

"Hello my princess."

I get up from my desk to hug him and take the flowers and he tries to kiss me.

"We're in public and at work we can't show that much PDA"

"Who says we can't? Who's here being the PDA police officer. Huh?"

"No one but it's unprofession-"

"Oh please, that's your excuse look now I'm sad. Give me a Kissy please."

"Fine." I give him a kiss on the cheek and try to turn around but he grabs my hips and dives into a kiss.

His lips on mine puts stars in my universe. I have no choice but to reciprocate. I want to be in his arms for eternity.

"Let's go."

"Where?"

"I'm taking you out."

Where to this time?"

"Somewhere you'll like."

We arrive at the nearest restaurant.

"What are you going to order, princess?"

"The chicken salad. You?"

"You with some whipped cream."

"

"Coming right up, sir."

We both giggle but the tension is high.

"How was your morning?"

"Uneventful until someone made me skip work."

"Oh really? Who is this someone?"

"A dashingly handsome someone."

"Well that someone is the boss so his girlfriend can do anything she likes."

"No. I don't want to get special treatment so I can't do anything I like."

The food came and we both ate our respective meals, payed the bill and went back to the office.

I've rushed through my work and finished quickly. I speedily pack my stuff and rush out. Skaii has picked me up, we get home, and everyone has been ready for us; they have everything ready nails, makeup, and all kinds of dresses for me to try on.

I'm practically dragged to my bedroom, and I'm told to take another shower, then time to choose a dress

"We've picked a handful of dresses, that will be most appropriate for the dinner, hence the red and black theme.

I chose a black knee-length dress. It is a V-neck dress with long, lace sleeves.

I sit down to get my makeup done by Gaia

"Aria, you look great already" Anika says, and I smile at her not wanting to disturb Gaia by talking.

I’ve noticed Anika radiates peaceful energy; it shows in everything; her voice is the most soothing thing you'll ever hear

"Are you sure you don't want Anika to do the binding it's just to make sure you are safe" Skaii asks Anika offered to attach herself to my brain to make sure I'm safe, but I told her I trusted Grayson

"Thank you guys but I'm sure"

"Whatever you decide I'll stand beside your decision and that applies to everything just always know we're here for you"

"Yes, even though we didn't approve of Grayson at first it's your decision and we'll stand by you" Gaia says.

"Thank you for trusting me," I say to them. I've never felt so supported in my life, again with these feelings. I just know feelings; the more flashbacks I have, the stronger these feelings get.

"I know how exciting young love is, I’ve had my dalliance with it as well," Gaia says

"What? You've never told us about this" Skaii says

"Well you guys have never fallen for anyone so there was no need" Skaii shrugs and gives a that's true face

"May you please tell us about it Gaia" Anika asks

"Well, a long time ago I fell in love with a boy he was a menace, always in trouble the humour of a fox but he swept me off my feet the first time I met him I tried to deny it but the connection was too strong, we hated each other at first then we could not keep away from each other" Gaia moves onto my hair as she's speaking, the smile on her face saying a lot

"So what happened?" Skaii asks

"Well duty happened; the death of love is duty" Gaia says

"Aw I'm sorry Gaia" I say. I can't imagine having to leave Grayson

"Oh no it's okay darling I wouldn't have met the likes of you if it hadn't happened"

Once I'm done with my hair and makeup, I look at myself in the mirror and I love it.

My makeup is an elegant Gothic look with a wing eyeliner. Dark red lips, and brown eyeshadow, and my hair is braided in a crown with black flowers in it.

I wear the heels and I'm officially done.

There is a knock on the door and it's Grayson I can never get used to his face and his smile; he's brought flowers

"You look so amazing, I'm really proud to present you to my family" he says

"Thank you so much" I say and kiss him on the cheek.

We get to Grayson's house, it’s a big black castle, the outside of the house looks like a graveyard at night.

There are no plants in this area, just dead trees; the only colour I see is the red curtains I see from the balconies, the cawing of the crows disturbing the eerie silence. We get inside and I'm overwhelmed by bronze, red and black.

The floors are black marble, and the lights are candles, all held by a bronze stand, with the deep red curtains. By the doorway there are two black statues of a bat-like creature with prominent teeth.

To say the house was intimidating would be an understatement.

He leads me to the dining room and his family is sitting on this long dining table with his mother at the end and she looks extremely intimidating, his father sitting next to her, and he looks like he's never smiled in his life and his aunt and uncle sitting on the left and his sister and her husband on the right, the atmosphere feels very tense.

"Mother, father this is Aria, Mary-Lyn and Roderick, Aria and uncle James and Aunt Jocasta, Aria" he introduces me to his family, and we sit next to each other; a blanket of awkward silence covers the room which is interrupted by Estelle picking up a knife and toying with it. Grayson's family looks very vampiric. I thought Grayson was pale; they top it off and their fangs are very prominent while Grayson's are almost non-existent