Nocte(A One Direction fanfic)

Chapter 1

“Marceline, Marceline!”

“Huh?!” I was taken out of my reverie by Jack who was glaring at me from the other side of the counter.

“Last minute studying I take it,” I nodded, “you know if Deena catches you she’ll have your head.” Jack laughed at himself. “You’ll be next Tuesday’s lunch special!”

This made me laugh and I quickly put away my article that my Psychology professor gave us and took the empty tray from Jack’s outstretched hands. “Table 4 is waiting for you my dear,” he said and walked away to grab the coffee pot. When I had all the plates stacked onto the tray I went to deliver the food. I gave our customers my best smile and told them to enjoy their meals, as I was walking toward the counter Deena yelled at me, in her high-pitched annoying voice, “Marceline, table 7 needs drinks!.” I let out a sigh and walked towards table 7, a water pitcher in my hand.

This job was one of the three that I, as a struggling college student, had. Unfortunately, this was probably the worst job I’ve ever had. Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm were spent here at Lucille’s Diner or what I liked to call Hell on Earth. Lucille the original owner was a sweet old lady that hired me the moment she met me, she said she liked my spunk. This confused me because I had barely spoken two words to the woman but she treated me like if she’d known me her whole life. Sadly, she died suddenly and her daughter-in-law, Deena, took over her. While most of the other staff called her Deena, Jack and I called her Satan. I don’t know what I did but for some reason she hates me with such a passion that all I can do is hate her right back. My other job was at an organic coffee shop on Sundays from 9:00 to 3:00. The owner, Will, was a total hippy and spent most of his time out in the forest with his dog and didn’t come down too much. He also hired me on the spot. I had told him ‘good morning’ and before I could even introduce myself he said, “You’re hired,” and placed a daisy crown on my head. He was wearing a daisy chain around his neck and his dog had a matching one. “Lori will teach you how to use the machines,” he said and with that he was gone leaving me alone in an empty coffee shop. Soon Lori showed up and was pretty nice to me. I had learned that she too was a struggling college student but she didn’t go to the same school as me, she beat me at the I-have-to-many-jobs game with five part time jobs. My last job was probably the most controversial. It was on Fridays from 9 o’clock at night to 3 o’clock in the morning. I worked at the bar closest to campus so I saw a lot of underage drinking and drunken college kids grinding on each other. Nevertheless, I always walked out of there wanting to bathe in hand sanitizer; those small bottles just weren’t enough, but it paid well enough and all I really did was serve drinks.

My shift was finally over and the sun was slowly making its descent down, only to be replaced by the moon. Of course Deena made me stay later to help clean up the kitchen but would she give me over time? NO, because she is literally the devil. As I walked out of the diner, grumbling curses underneath my breath, I looked up at the purple sky. The moon was coming out and I saw the stars slowly starting to peak out. I always thought that once the moon came out the stars just sort of woke up, glowing one by one as if to say good morning or at least for them. Silly I know but come on this was a thought ingrained in my brain since kindergarten.

I always took the long way home which was through a little park and dimly lit streets, dangerous I know, but what can I say I walk on the wild side. I continued walking, my hair lifting in the slight breeze. I watched the leaves shifting in the trees and I felt oddly at peace like everything was right in the world. I continued walking and I started getting into the more creepy part of the park, the trees had grown close together blocking out the moon and leaving the only source of illumination to the lonely street lamp at the end of the path, next to it was an empty bench. I quickened my pace, all of sudden I felt like I had to get out of there and fast. I watched my feet go from a normal walk to a, what some might consider, slow jog, as I neared the lamp I looked up and the bench was no longer empty.

There sat a girl with long blonde hair, wearing a white tank top and purple maxi skirt. The air grew colder and I wrapped my sweater tighter around me, this doesn’t feel right, I thought to myself. There was something about this girl, she was different somehow but I couldn’t decipher what my gut was trying to tell me. As I got closer, I noticed her eyes were closed and she looked like she was meditating, I was just about to pass her by when her eyes fluttered open and she stood up so fast that her skirt billowed around her. This made me jump in surprise, I was not expecting that. She looked at me, her eyes trailing up and down, and then smiled. I stared back a little freaked out, she was smiling at me like if she knew me and I definitely did not know her.

I turned around ready to book it the heck out of there. Before I could make my escape she grabbed me by the wrist, I tried to shake her off but she was surprisingly strong despite her dainty figure. I gasped in shock, my eyes traveling from her fingers, ensnaring around my wrist, all the way up to her face that still held that friendly smile. Nope this is not happening.  My heart was pounding in my chest. I opened my mouth to scream but before I could she held her fingers up to her mouth signaling me to keep quiet. I frantically looked around wondering if there was someone hiding amongst the thick foliage but I couldn’t see a thing. When I didn’t scream she smiled again and said, “hi there” in a cheery voice. I just stared at her in astonishment, who is this chick? “My name is Skylar. Skylar Sol, pleasure to meet you,” she said smoothly, completely unfazed, like if this was completely normal. “You must be Marceline, right?” How the fuck did she know my name?    “I’ve heard great things about you,” she said, matter-of-factly, she nodded and continued, “yup, great things.” I finally found my voice.

“H-h-how do you know my name and what the hell are you talking about? I don’t even know you.” I looked down to find that she was still holding my wrist and I wrenched it away from her, clutching it to my chest.

“Hmmm… well I uh… it’s kind of hard to explain, you might not believe me but hear me out. ‘Kay?” She let out a deep breath and continued, “I’m special, gifted I guess is what most normal people call it, and so are you. Now I don’t know exactly what it is that makes you so special but I’ve been getting strong visions about you as of late so I just had to come and find you.” She gave me a reassuring smile. I heard a rustling in the bushes and all of a sudden out popped a black cat who took a seat right next to the girl. She looked down at it and said, rather sarcastically, “glad you could make it.” The cat just stared up at her. “Well better late than never I suppose.”

My head was spinning. This girl had literally come out of nowhere and now she was talking about seeing visions about me and talking to a cat. I had never seen this chick before in my life, why was she having visions about me of all people? Normal people don’t have visions, but she did say that she wasn’t normal, wait what am I saying. “I think I’m going to pass out,” I mumbled.  

Her eyes filled with panic. “Oh my goodness! Please sit down,” she motioned towards the bench. When I didn’t budge she took me gently by the forearm and led me to the bench were she pushed down on my shoulders getting me to sit. “I’ll fix you up, ‘kay?” She kneeled down so she was down on my level and brought her palm to my forehead. I flinched a little at the cold touch but then sat up stiffly as I felt a tingling sensation on my temple. I looked up and saw that her hand was glowing a pale blue and she had her eyes closed, her eyebrows drawn together in concentration. I yelped in terror and tried to scoot away but I found myself fixed to the bench. After a few more seconds she took her palm away and I could see an outline of a crescent moon on her palm. When the glowing subsided the crescent moon was gone and she got to her feet.

“There, feel better,” she asked, with a smirk. I did feel better but what the hell just happened? I just stared at her in bewilderment. “Told you I was special,” she said letting out a chuckle, “we should probably start heading back to a safer location,” she said as she scanned the dark bushes and trees. I got the feeling she saw things that I couldn’t, but what she said brought me back.

“Whoa, what do you mean it’s not safe? Is there someone trying to hurt me,” I asked.

“Well not exactly… it’s hard to tell but I feel a strong presence in this town and it’s definitely not you. I think it’s best if we go somewhere more private. You never know what weirdos might be lurking about.”

I looked at her my eyes wide, weirdos lurking around kinda like you, I thought to myself, but she didn’t see my eye roll as she started walking down the dimly lit path. I jogged to catch up to her and took the lead walking in the direction of my apartment.