The reeds were well known, that much I knew. The Neighbours'd seemed at least willing and happy enough to actually lead me there with smiles that set her off a little. All the tour guides I'd read'd been extremely accurate. Charlestonians were nice. Real nice and homely. And the town had a certain decor to it, with its old buildings and artifacts centuries old. It had a homely feel to it, different from the crampiness Florida had, as nice and warm it'd been there. Charleston felt like a town you could hide in, in all its dark trees and peaceful woods. Photographic material boozed all around me. I ached to get my hands on a canvas after settling down with the Reeds. And speaking of the reeds, I'd done an in-depth research on them, on Facebook at least, once I'd figured out what my account name was. All I got was an old page sporting their pictures. They had three kids, two daughters and a son. They were all blondes but for the one who seemed older and had the grumpiest smile complete with bright red hair and braces. There was the blonde girl with a nice smile and bright twinkly eyes. I could tell from her goofy grin that she'd be outgoing, including Mrs. Reed, her mother. I let out a sigh. Boy, oh boy as though I was ready for that.
Hunching against the old barely there doorbell, I knocked, convinced that my ringing was doing no good. I took one more look at the directions an old friendly Neighbour'd scribbled against an old note, doubtful. was this the right house? Damn, the Californian foster service!
I knocked once more.
" Is anyone home?!" I yelled through the silence. I knocked once more, sighing and tucking stray strands of my hair back into the messy bun I'd had going on for days. " Hello? Is anyone home?!" I heaved. The wind brushed more agonizing tendrils into my face and I tilted slightly to brush them back when the sweetest scent washed on all over me. I'm no connoisseur but I knew it had to be the best scent I'd ever felt, digging and clawing its way through my nose and right into my heart. I spun around instinctively and then I saw him, leaning just a little over the edge ten feet away from me. Hard chills ran down the length of my spine and I shivered, head spinning. His face was hidden in the shadows, his hair the only visible extension of him. Yet it felt as though my heart'd been carved out and filled with jittery butterflies. I leaned in for one glimpse of his face. I couldn't tear my eyes off him, whatever it was I could see of him. How could someone in the darkness make my heart thump out of rhythm? How could seeing someone whom I couldn't really see send shivers running down my spine?
Why couldn't I stop watching him?
" Uh... hey?" A voice boomed from behind and I spun round reluctantly to stare into the eyes of the boy from the family picture, the tall lanky one with ash blonde hair and bright brown eyes. He tucked his hands into his faded jeans pocket and quirked a brow " Are you looking for someone?" The sudden sound of a car pulling into the driveway made me shudder and I shook, brushing my hair back and trying to find words. God Mira say something before he calls the shrink!
" um...I Humm... I umm" I paused to catch my breath, one I didn't know was holding, and leaned back " I'm Miranda. The foster daughter." His eyes crinkled in doubt and I gulped. I was definitely in the wrong house. Yikes!
Desperate, I made a last attempt. " From Florida. Miranda Coleman?" slowly his eyes unquirked and he stared at me, letting out a gasp.
" Oh, I know you! We've been expecting you for a while." He leaned into me and grabbed my suitcase from behind. " Sorry, we're home late. We went camping.
" Oh, it's no bother. I haven't been out long. And you don't have to carry that please..."
" Let me" He smiled, fitting the key into the lock with his free hand. " the shuttle from Florida to South Carolina's really long. You must be exhausted..."
" Are you talking to yourself again Ian?" A voice called from the dark " You know we're always here to listen right? At least when you're not yapping on and on about Marie" Ian flushed and pushed the door open while I stared at the figure slithering in through the dark. A skinny small pixie like girl emerged from the darkness, sporting dressy cotton pants and a large leather sweater that clung to every curve of her skin. She was skinny no doubt but had wide hips, at least through the pants she wore. Her hair was held in a ponytail, bobbing through her hood and down her shoulder. She did a double take when she saw me and I kicked my feet against the other awkwardly.
" Hi. I'm Mira. Miranda Coleman" She let out a gasp that I wasn't sure what it meant and literally skipped up to me, beaming brightly.
" Yeah. We've been waiting all week for you." She drew me in for a hug and shocked, I stood ramrod straight, not sure what to do. She drew back and gazed deep into my eyes, the brown in hers a tad deeper than her brother's. " Not a hugger are you? Got that." She held out a hand " I'm Stacey." She leaned in and gasped " You've got blue eyes? Well that's nice and rare. And I like your hair" She ran her hand through each unruly tendril popping out of my bun, eyes twinkling " They're pretty and wild and so black. What's the name of your Hair wash?"
" Uh..."
" Let her breathe Stacey," Mrs. Reed said, walking up to us. That trademark pool of brown bore into mine and having her standing so close, I noticed how much alike mother and daughter were " You must be tired Miranda, is that right?"
" Yes"
" Ian be done with the lights will you?" Mrs. Reed yelled. " You're keeping us all out!"
" Coming mum!"
" Hope you haven't been waiting too long."
" No. I just got in" She beamed and grabbed my carry-on bag. I opened my mouth to protest when Stacey grabbed the last suitcase.
" Please," I said, laughing nervously " You don't have to. Really"
" Of course we do silly," Stacey said, bopping me on the head. " You're our guest soon-to-be sister. You need to be treated like a princess that you look like. Now come on in." She headed out before me and I followed, taking each step awkwardly. Mom nudged me forward lightly, giving me a smile that immediately put me at ease.
" Go on in. The house won't bite..."
" Yet" A low grumbly voice mumbled from behind, scaring the lights off me. I jumped and stared into the palest face I'd ever seen. Complete with scrawny old denim pants and a ripped oversized shirt, she was the obvious black sheep of the family, dull, grumpy and sour. Her lips were puckered up in a frown and her hair a bright glowing red that seemed to shine out in the bright night light. I stared at her, too shaken to mutter a word.
" That's English for get out of the way boo zoo" She yelled in a low scary baritone. I shuddered my way out and she glared, walking right past Mrs. Reed and Stacey. Stacey made faces at her and gave me a smile.
" That's Mona, by the way, the grumpiest goat you'd ever see. Don't mind her though. Nobody pays attention to her...."
" Yeah. Big deal" She yelled from within the house. I listened to the loud thumps up the stairs that were hers, wondering why she was so different from the rest of the family.
" Come on in Mira. Come on" I walked into the brightly lit living room with a wide antique dinning by the right, complete with old mahogany chairs and a large oak desk. The kitchen was just a little way left with a nice view of the woods and the bright city lights litting the night sky. The living room was a wide space, decked with a three- seater arm chair and three plush velvet sofas, matching the interior decor of brown and lught tints of white. The stairs were wooden, oak like the dinning table and I ran my hands through the banister, lettiing the soft polished sheen wash through my fingers. Styled in that classic vintage, The Reeds had a lovely home. I took one whiff at the air around me. sweet oranges. Mixed with the Reed's certain distint flowery scent.
Ian walked up to me, holding out a glass of juice. My tummy rumbled.
" Hydrate for a while. We'll have dinner ready in no time"
" You cook?" I blurted, taking the glass. A brief smile crossed his face.
" Whenever I can. Mom's tired and dad's away on a business trip. Stacey and I fend for ourselves most of the time" I looked around. Mrs. Reed was nowhere there.
" Where's she?"
" Who?" I tucked my hands in my back pocket.
" Your mom?"
" Oh, she's upstairs. She's got the morning shift tomorrow"
" She's a nurse?"
" Sure. The best in Charleston" I nodded, bereft of what to say.
"What are you two yapping on about?" Stacey said, coming up from behind us. " Are you boring her to death with the epic tales of the great Marie?"
" Slip on a banana peel Stace," Ian said. She laughed and draped her hands around me.
" Yeah. Right after you do a ballad about Marie"
" Yeah that'll happen when pigs fly" He said, grabbing a rag off the banister. Stacey let out a loud dramatic sigh, I had to look up.
" Look! I think one just fly past!" She yelled, doing a clap " Ballad time!" Ian sighed and did a little wiggle and silly break dance moves that had Stacey tearing up in laughter. I watched on, amused. " You want to know about Marie, Ian's one and only precious baby?..."
" Stacey stop!" Ian yelled, eyes popping. She laughed and drew me aside, running backward. I stumbled along, confused.
" So. There's this time Ian was so madly in love with Nat Geo wild..."
" Stacey for fuck's sake!"
" And he went crazy about some neighbor's chicken?"
" So your neighbor's Marie?" I deduced and she laughed.
" Of course not. Dig this. He kidnapped the chicken and named her Marie after a pig he watched in a movie" I stared, shocked. Say what now?
" Your brother likes chickens?"
" Course he does. He's a chicken-sexual. Not that he fucks chickens I mean that will be so eew. He just likes them. Don't know why" She did a little jump up a stair and I stared.
" Come on. Let me show you to your room" She sang. I followed, listening to her consistent chatter.
" So dig this too. We did some decor all over the place, if you wouldn't mind and Ian left a chicken sticker on your floorboards. He said you wouldn't notice 'cause chickens are supposed to protect us or something..."
" Will you stop lying to her Stace?!" Ian yelled from below and she giggled, brushing her hair out of her ponytail.
"It's the truth chicka-holic" She grabbed my hand and half ran me up. " So, your room's got like the most amazing view of the chestnut tree in the backyard. Ian and I used to sneak out of the house through it and if you dig parties like I do, you'll find that a useful resource. " She leaned in and I leaned back " So tell me, do you dig parties?"
Her question threw me off balance I spluttered " What?"
Her eyes went all wide and extremely twinkly " Do you dig parties? We could hang out together. I know the bestest spots! Once, Lucy and I..."
" Oh no, no I don't really do parties" I said and she pouted, holding her waist.
" You don't? So what do you spend your nights doing?" I shrugged, thinking of one fun thing. My mind went blank.
" Ho... Homework? " I blurted, wanting to bite back my cheek. Stacey's face twisted into a look of sheer horror.
" Homework? Is that even a thing?" She laughed and headed up " You've got to be kidding" Desperate, I tried to think of one fun thing.
" I paint sometimes though."
" Hmmh... Now that's interesting" She said, making a face " The teenage life is to be enjoyed not endured!" She yelled, going all in my face so suddenly I staggered back " No kid should be made to do homework on school nights! Your last family must have been very evil for even thinking that!"
" No... they didn't. I just..."
" Hush hush baby girl" She leaned close and bounced my hair " You've been saved babe and I shall be the master of your salvation, your little fairy princess!"
" Ok?" She pushed the door open and danced into an antique room, complete with wooden floorboards and panels made out of shiny real oak. Wide and spacious, it held a large wooden bed hoisted far right into the room, a wide wooden table and lights and a high boy dresser, anchored by three chest drawers and something that looked like a vanity table. Not that I'd ever need it.
" That one's from me" Stacey said, dancing up to it. She patted the white exterior that was so out of place and I drew close. It was filled to the brim with cosmetics I never knew existed, everything way beyond the necessities of someone prim and plain like me. I stared at Stacey, not sure how to react.
" Yeah I know" She did a little dance " I'm so amazing, don't tell me how. All your needs in one table. How awesome is that?" She hugged her chest tight and bounced up dreamily " I'm the bestest sister in the whole world..."
" Stacey I don't really..."
" I know, I know. Its too much but you'll thank me later"
" I don't do make-up" Her look of horror had me rephrasing " I mean I don't do too much make-up. I'm afraid this is too much for me and I don't want to take something I won't use"
" But mom and I went shopping all week to get these" She pouted and drew on a face " You're really not going to reject something so heartfelt from me to you are you?"
" No Stacey but..."
" So that's settled then!" She drew me into a breath taking hug " Thanks Mira. I swear you won't regret it!"
" Really hoping on that" I muttered when I caught my breath. She danced around the room, killing me with all her incessant chatter till dinner when I was pretty sure having to endure it all'd left me a little deaf. We had pasta for dinner and after a brief excursion and tour of the place, I settled in for a warm relaxing bath, exhausted. I changed into my PJs and settled into my warm soft bed with smooth quilts and pillows that I could literally sink my head into. The Southern feel of Charleston was welcoming and though my new room wasn't as plush as the one I'd had in Florida, it was just what I liked. Antique, fresh and natural. The floorboards were literally made of oak! And with the window right by my bed having a premuim view of the coastline ahead and the wonderful scents of chestnuts wafting in, I turned on the lights and grabbed my coziest copy of Twilight, the rather old battered one I'd gotten for my tenth birthday. It was first edition and inspired my crazed thirst for all things goth and vampire and though I'd read it a thousand times before, every re-read felt new.
Arched against the inky night sky, I watched a red-gold autumn leaf flutter down the large chestnut tree.
******* *********
Landing softly on Alexander's feet, he watched her, perched high on the tree overlooking her attic room window with a massive feeling of disgust and disdain at himself. He knew watching her this way was wrong, goddammit it was God damn messed up but he couldn't stop, hard as he tried. Even beneath all those closed doors and walls, her scent drew him to her even stronger than before. He heard everything. every sigh, every heave, every moan. He watched her pat those wild locks he so wanted to run his hands through it made his fingers ache. Gulping for air, he tried to keep his head steady and straight. Tough luck. He ran his hand through his hair. Damn what the hell was wrong with him? He couldn't covet her, or want her. Everything about his feeling screamed wrong but there he was, drooling all over her through her very roof. She was human after all, a sweet innocent human. She didn't need him in her life. But God knew how much he darn wanted her. Right through barricades of her room he could so easily destroy he wanted her like the air he needed to breathe.
He could hear everything. The slow steady thrum of her heart, her long heavy breaths that clogged to his mind so effortlessly. He growled, mad at himself. Get a grip Alex! What was he doing? He wasn't some crazed stalker or some obessed idiot who walked around, watching girls in pretty pjs. If that wasn't just utterly REVOLTING! And his thirst for her, so harsh and burning, it burned down his throat and clogged his belly, shooting a thousand crazed daggers down his pit. He could quench this insatiable taste for her and he would if it were the last thing he'd do. A bear would do and a lion was even better. Anything big and strong enough to keep him occupied, to send those crazed thoughts of her off his mind. He snarled, ganging up for a long strength filled night as he bent into a low crouch and shot through the woods in one sharp breath.
It couldn't happen. It just couldn't.