Black And Blue

Chapter 12

Between writing songs, performing live and actually trying to get a proper education i was left, most times, so tired i couldn't move a limb. I was almost always asleep by nine pm and awake again early for school. My timetable was doing me no favours at all.

That didn't change the fact, however, that i had to pitch up for my mum's little birthday celebration a few kilometers out of town, after school. Little probably wasn't the ideal description. She always planned something a touch grand on her birthdays. For someone who worked from home, she sure had many friends - friends that i sometimes didn't believe really knew her.

I packed my stuff and bid Han farewell. I had to leave early if i was going to catch the train out of town. It was a few miles but i liked to be early.

The train ride never dissappointed. It was always quiet and tranquil and i won't even start on the scenery. It calmed my nerves and got me sleeping halfway through the trip. I got off at my stop and took a moment to compose myself. i had everything i needed but there was always the nagging feeling I'd forgotten something.

I used google maps for directions to the venue. It was a house a bit out of town. I allowed myself to stare at the grand building in awe of the beauty of the architecture. I dabbled in many things and architecture wasn't one of them but the way the house was built was a depiction of a victorian mansion. It sung history.

I made for the grand birch doors that were, dramatically enough, opened by a doorman in fancy dressing. I could almost swear he gave a little bow too. I smiled politely and went straight towards the classical music. I found my mum chatting away with two other women in dressing that sang expensive. One of the women particularly held my gaze. The asian looking woman stood poised with amazing posture. Her brown eyes were complimented immensely by the small necklace that hung on her neck. Her hair was tyed back giving the necklace more room to shine. It was small and barely noticeable but absolutely the most beautiful piece of jewelry i had ever seen. The small, almost pink gem being an entrancing piece.

I shuffled over to them swiftly and smiled big. Believe it or not that was my most common reaction with adults. I felt my smile made me seem a touch more polite. "Good evening.", i began formally. Being around my mother's friends felt like an obligation of formality. There was no room for a casual 'hi' here.

They all smiled as my mum cocooned me in a hug. "Mwanangu, hey. How was school?", she questioned as the other women acknowledged me with smiles and nods.

"School was fine. Though i really I need to change.", i said. My mum pulled away and looked me up and down.

"Oh, definitely. You cannot spend the night in that.", she laughed lightly. "There's a room down the hall to your left, you can change in there."

I took my leave just then in search of said room. Typically enough it took me a while to figure out which room it was but after a few minutes of contemplating and peering into doors awkwardly, i found it. I made quick work of changing and pulled on my long silk dress.

The dark green material fell graciously over my body, holding all the right curves in place before pooling at my feet. I slipped on my silver strapped heels and got to fixing my hair.

Events like these didn't really cater for a beam of blue hair in the middle of the room. I had, in turn, to cover my hair by wearing a wig. Of course i looked amazing in the artificial hair but the fact that the hair wasn't mine made me feel a touch insecure. How many people would notice my attempts at hiding it?

I put on a light layer of make up and some lipgloss. I packed up and went back to the grand hall. There a few more new faces, mostly women but some accompanied by their husbands, or so i assumed. I got to finding somewhere to leave my satchel and after thirty minutes, i had located my mum's car and tossed it in.

It was way past my not-so-voluntary sleeping time of nine by then but the music still remained slow and sophisticated whilst the attendees swayed lightly to it or chatted away. My mum was probably down her third glass of champagne by then. She seemed happy too.

I went over to the food buffet. There wasn't much to fill my stomach, just little finger foods and some drinks, most of which were alcoholic. I reached for a sausage roll. It was the only thing on there that seemed remotely like actual food and it was the last one. Talk about luck.

Or not.

Just as i was about to grab it, my hand, instead, grabbed onto someone else's hand. I was mortified. I pulled my hand away swiftly and looked away, readying myself to leave. It's unfortunate however that in the midst of my departure i was stopped. A hand to my wrist and a slight twirl. I stared into his dark eyes. No, i swam in them. I only averted my gaze to look at his lips that curled slightly in a smirk.

"Storm.", i began out of breath.

He smiled now. "Tanaka. Pleasant surprise, isn't it?"

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, yes. Real Pleasant. Quick question: what are you doing here?" An eyebrow was raised in question.

He let go of my wrist and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I live here."

It took a moment to absorb that information. He lived here. Storm lived in the victorian mansion my mum was hosting her birthday party in?

He continued. "Well most times. I do prefer staying at school. Boarding school, to be more specific."

I nodded still star struck. I took a breath. "That is a lot to unpack."

"What can i say, I'm a man of mystery.", that smirk again. "You seem a touch unwell, are you okay?"

I chuckled nervously. "Kinda going through the motions right now. Clearly, i don't do so well with new information."

"We can go outside if you'd like, i know a good place to clear your mind."

I just nodded my agreement and we were on our way. We shimmied past expensively dressed party goers and made for the door. The night looked a bit brighter now that the moon was out. And the stars - god the stars were mesmerizing. We ducked into a corner and walked a few meters into the woods. A step out of rhe woods revealed a small patch of land with a little, worn bench right in the middle. The air was thinner here, i could breathe better.

"I don't often sit on the bench, i like to look at the stars.", he said lying down on the grass.

I sat on the bench. An attempt at keeping my dress clean, he seemed not to mind dirtying his suit, however. He settled with ease and stared up at the sky and then his gaze shifted to me.

I smiled some. "What happened to star gazing?", i asked lowly.

He was silent for what felt like ages. The birds, crickets and rustling of leaves the only sound around us.

"I couldn't help but gaze at the brightest star.", he said finally. My breath hitched as his eyes tore through me. He unraveled my heart, my soul and the very essence of my being in that moment. I slid down from the bench and lay next to him in silence. His gaze never once left mine within that period.

"You look marvelous by the way. ", he stated then, looking away. That was my breaking point. All i craved was the comfort his presence held. I could only thank the darkness for hiding the heat that rushed to my cheeks at his words.

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This is a chapter that i wanted to be longer but i figured I'd save the rest for the next one. How do you like the story so far?

TTMN🖤