Hostage

Chapter one - Normality

The Dabank family that resided in number thirty two Maple Drive were completely normal. That was what they wanted you to believe, anyway. Demitri was the man of the house, towering over everyone else with a skinny, tall figure. He owned a head of jet black hair, which was always neatly combed. His eyes were two deep pools of green, which he also gave to his daughter, Robyn. She as quite a bit shorter than her father, her hair was lighter than his, longer, too.

Her mother, Demitri's wife, was dead. She died during a fatal car accident a few months ago. It was only the father and daughter that attended her funeral, they had cut connections with the rest of the family for one reason or another. The two bore the same traits, both were very charming and charismatic. The neighbours would poke and judge them for not being overly upset at Mrs.Dabank's death. But everybody experiences grief differently, the neighbours didn't know anything of Demitri or his daughter past the front door of their house.

Our story begins at the school Robyn attends, Swan Academy. It was once a seminary that'd since been tossed to provide public education for the children in the area. The town used to be quite religious. The once elegant hallways had been stuffed with lockers, the pristine floors now caked with dirt from teenage shoes.

"so...are you going to the dance or not?". Robyn looked up from arranging her books in the locker. "Oh, yeah" she responded "beats staying home with my dad" Her locker door swung further open by a red gloved hand. "Cool" the voice bounced back. It belonged to a boy, he had long, curly platinum blonde hair and dull blue eyes. He was goth, his face was completely white apart from his intricate eyeliner and jet black lipstick. Nobody knew his real name, he was known only as 'Spike'. "Wanna come with me, I mean, as friends, obviously" He said shortly after. Robyn smiled up at him "Sure" she replied. "Look, it's loser one and two" came an irritatingly high voice, echoing down the hallway. "Look" Robyn responded "It's the pig wearing makeup!" Spike laughed a little at this.

"What do you want, Cherry" Robyn continued "as you're so clearly obsessed with me" Cherry's brow lowered over her eyes "you wish" she responded. Cherry was Spike's ex-girlfriend. She had tanned skin and dyed red hair. "Well, I'm just surprised anyone would ask you to the harvest dance, even if it is...him". Cherry wasn't alone, she was surrounded by her little crowd of cult followers. She shoved a flyer into Robyn's hands 'Vote Cherry For Harvest Queen' it read in bold. "And you better, or you don't even wanna know what I'm gonna do with you" She said, before giving one of her signature evil smiles and walking off.

"The devil wears a pink top and denim miniskirt apparently" Spike said, half minded. Robyn slammed the flyer into the top shelf of her locker and shut the door. "Don't let her get to you, that's exactly what she wants...your rage" Spike said, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder, which made Robyn's cheeks turn slightly red. "How the hell did you go out with...that" She said. "Dunno" Spike responded "suppose I was tryna fit in with the popular crowd. Wasn't made for me, clearly" He paused "Gotta go, Mr. Clay's already annoyed at me for skipping yesterday". He smiled at her, despite his otherwise terrifying looks, you could tell he meant well...he was just very troubled.

The sound of his belt chains colliding followed him around the corner, out of sight. Robyn promptly walked off in the other direction. By the time school was over, the sun was already setting. It was October so the days grew shorter. The afternoon sun bathed the surroundings in a golden orange. Robyn found Spike leant against the front of the school, smoking. "Took your time" he said. "Sorry" she said "The tampon machine in the bathroom went up in price and I didn't have another quarter, it was a whole thing" Spike pushed the cigar into his neck, burning himself. There was no point in this, nor did he react, he simply threw it down afterward and stomped on it, picking it back up and throwing it in the trashcan.

"Why did you do that?" Robyn asked him, half in fear. "So I could make you feel less embarrassed about the hickey I gave you when I was drunk last week" he said, walking on.  Not much was said between them as they walked. Just the occasional 'sorry' when one's hand brushed against the others.

"so...how's your dad holding up, with your mom's death and all" Spike said, finally. "fine...well, as fine as he can be" Robyn said. "Actually, Byn" Spike said, after pausing for a second "I was thinking about the dance, uh..."His cheeks glowed slightly red from under his white foundation. "I thought it would be like, so totally crazy if we went together, like not as friends but like...together together" Robyn looked up at him. "Real smooth, Romeo" she said. "Like as a crazy prank, just showing up together like we were on a serious date, that would be so funny" Spike continued, wanting the earth to swallow him.

"Is this your way of asking a girl on a date" Robyn smirked, slightly "Suppose I'm more of a Paris than a Romeo" he said, shrugging. "You idiot...fine" She replied "also you don't normally put that much blush on" 

"Well...this is my stop, as always" Robyn said as they drew closer to her house. Spike always walked her home, he lived a short walk away from her. "So, you're for real about the dance, then?" He said, looking down at her. "You're literally my only friend, dude" She responded "even if you can be an annoying jerk, you mean a lot" she smiled softly at him "See you tomorrow"

Spike watched her walk up the steps to the house and unlock the door, she looked back at him and he put a hand up, waving it a little. The last sound Robyn heard of her friend was his heavy black boots kicking an empty soda can as he gradually walked away from her house.

"Welcome home, darling" a deep voice rang out, as she took her shoes off "how was your day at school?" Robyn paused, before answering "Pretty normal"