Subtle

Chapter 1

Tess set her book down on the coffee table in front of her, taking one last sip from the mug she held in her left hand. She was tired but nowhere near done. She still had a project to finish before tomorrow and the caffeine really wasn't helping her case, at all. Yuen wouldn't take any excuses from her, Tess knew that well enough to not try anything. But, once more reminding herself the project would never be completed in time, she picked up the book once more, flicked to the 100th page and inspected the inkings and writing.

It was very hard to read in the dark, even with the aid of a flashlight. Even if she were to turn the lights on, she wouldn't just be waking up herself. Nope. Her mother would be mad cranky at her for not finishing the homework any earlier. "Damn you, Yuen..." Tess mumbled as she shut the book, hopefully for the last time. Small particles of dust sprayed into the air and her vision became hazy for a split second. All she could see... was light.

"What are you doing up this late?" Her mother snapped at the sight of her daughter, in the mess she was, the blankets wrapped around her, the half-full mug of coffee on the table and the oversized book that sat in Tess's lap. "Mom... I can explain!" she was shaking, an angry mother or an angry parent is never a good sight. Scary, even.

"Fine then, explain Tessa," this was... not new. The young teen wishes she could say it was normal, or rare even, but it was really unpredictable. Her mother never called her 'Tessa' or even 'Tess'. It was just honey or darling, that's all. "Yuen gave us homework..." Tess mumbled under her breath, trying to control her voice tone and not squeal like the scared girl she was. "And when was this? A month? Two months ago? And you have barely started?" 

Knock Knock

That same moment, Tess was saved by an unusual sight. A visitor... at midnight? That's not something you see every day, or rather, not something you see every night. Probably for good reason, too. Most people should be sleeping.

Knock Knock

Tess looked at her mother, her mother looked back at her. "Expecting anyone?" they both asked each other in perfect unison. Then, they stared at one another for what felt like hours. Or was it minutes? Or only even a few seconds? No one was even their to confirm, just the single mother and her daughter, just a widow and her spiderling.

Tess got up to answer the door, the blankets she had bundled herself in a few hours ago finally leaving her behind. Then her mother stopped her only to go to the door herself. She peeked through the keyhole. No one was there. However, there was a small, white box that had been left on the ground. Her mother opened the door to reach out for the box, what could be inside?

Bringing the medium-sized package into the living room, where Tess had been 'studying', she opened it cautiously, SHe was disgusted at what she saw, Tess surely remembers vividly the face her mother made.

"Dead flowers?" Her mother queried, astonished by the 'gift'. "Dead Flowers," Tess recited, in the very same shocked tone of voice. There was a small note, stamped neatly with parchment, on the very top of the box, it almost blended in with the ugly colour of the box. Interested now, Tess's mother picked up the letter in her small, petite hands and read aloud; "From Liam Charoit to Mai and Tess Charoit."