The Devil's Bride (Book 1)

Chapter 24- The Dealer

Olive sighed, flicking the cigarette. "Mara and I, well, I was always something of an adviser to her. I'm much older, and so I watched her progress through college, and well, by now you should know I sell drugs, and she was my favourite client." She sighed, weaving her fingers through her hair. "Before changing her name, and here's a clue for you -she has had three- she was much simpler, just a college student in love with the idea of experimenting. Good went bad soon enough and she lost some more." She fluttered her eyelids, and I wanted to know more. She had three names. I knew one. The true mystery is her current name. Olive opened her lips to speak once more. "I want to tell you a story, Reyna. I want to tell you why Mara Ludgate hates me so much." She piped, straightening her midnight black top. It's time to learn about the truth behind the Olive Winters document.

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THIRD PERSON

~Flashback~

The wind twirled through the row of dancing trees, their leaves, brown like chestnuts and orange like the sun, drifted closer to the ageing concrete pathway. The wind wound itself inside through the gaping window, grazing against her cheeks. She sits up, staring out the window as the leaves fell in clusters. Mara returns to her book, flicking the page to one detailing the mythology of Persephone. She smiles, and in her eyes, the world freezes in the cold of the world and she's alone, in the library, and there's no where she'd rather be. The glimmer in her eyes flickered as her eyes darted around the page, and somewhere deep inside, she knew that she had found a purpose. Today, she thought to herself as she turns the creased corner of the library book. The cruel world howls in anguish as she rises to her feet, closing the book and tucking it under her arm. The librarian didn't notice when she slipped out of the building, unnoticed and clutching the stolen book in her fingers.

The adrenaline in her heart beat faster and faster as she ran though campus, leaping with joy. It's as if the whole world froze. Nobody will shatter her happiness. The wild trees twisted their branches as she darts inside her dormitory, searching for a phone number. With no luck on her side of the room, her eyes turn to her roommate's side, crouching down to sort through endless piles of books and rubbish. Then it's there, the small slip of yellow paper, with the one number. One phone number, and no name. The number she needed most desperately, she thought, as she slides her hand into her pocket to grab her phone. The world grows silent as she listens to the dial tone, and finally, she hears those favourite words.

"Mara. What is today's poison?" Her soft voice whispered though the speaker of the mobile phone. Mara doesn't speak for a moment, then answers boldly with her choice and a location for pickup. There's a light knock on the door as her room mate, a tall blonde studying historical studies, wanders inside and collapses onto her bed. She weaves her fingers through strands of hair, flipping through her notepad. Mara had always admired her roommate's sense of fashion, but she herself was too shy to truly appreciate it. The way the blonde girl could perfectly wear the colour peach, for example.

She thought about this all while walking towards her, the dealer. Her dark toned skin, her flowing hazelnut hair, the way she puffed the cigarette smoke in loops, Olive Winters made dealing drugs fashionable. Her relationship with Mara Ludgate began the year before, the first year of college for Mara, and their friendship only blossomed further than what Olive had to offer.

Years passed, and Mara changed her name to Ava Monroe, and with that, she became a new person. She dyed her hair a lighter brown, she straightened her posture, and she moved on with her life, meeting new loves and crushing their hearts, until she met Luke, of course. Olive always thought they were perfect for each other, both angry and madly in love. Slowly, but surely, Olive and Mara, now Ava, lost touch, and their perfect friendship crashed and sunk, like the Titanic. It was all Olive's fault, she knew it. After all, Mara changed her name to escape the murder of her father, which was leaked to the police by- you guessed it- Olive Winters. Mara ran for the longest she could, escaping the police, until she escaped under the name Ava Monroe, and she didn't have to escape until one fateful day in the blistering summer heat, but that's another story.