The cold ones - In two worlds

Kyan's Pov:

I couldn't wait to get away from here again! As much as I love being with my father and maybe even my brother, it felt like time just stood still here. The same shit every day! Not to mention we couldn't even step outside our territory because of those insufferable humans!

Sure, we had more than enough wildlife for us to feast on and, I'll admit, there were some things about this forest that I liked, but I just didn't feel like there was a real place for me here, it was just too drab.... Too confined with no real reason to be here. Father tried so many times to keep me from disappearing every few weeks, but it was different for him. He had a place, a reason! He was a vampire lord for fuck sake! Even my brother had his little underground gambling ring he seemed to take so much delight in, not to mention, for some warped ass reason, he seemed happy here with that vixen Lyra.

I just couldn't stomach just how many humans my father had allowed to roam our home now. One by one they became intrigued... fascinated by our way of life, then begged the lord to have a place within our walls, to serve us, drink with us and try to pretend they were one of us, when the fact that their very blood ran warm and their short life span proved otherwise. Father knew how much I detested being here, sharing an island with humans, and yet here I am.

Even my brother began mixing with more and more of them... the greedy ones that had as little money as they did brains and still chose to gamble what little wealth they had.

I flashed through the trees after feasting on the now lifeless dear, being sure to stay in the shade, adamant that by tomorrow, I was leaving. I'll stay on Shelter island with Donny and Marina. At least the island they called home wasn't shared or limited like ours was. No, they could go to all ends of their land, wherever they wanted! Not stuck to some stupid boundary that kept us separate and locked in like animals.

I could hear the trickle of the river close by and seeing, as it was one of the only places I liked here, I felt the need to pay it a visit before I left. Maybe remembering the things I do like about being here, might give me a reason to want to come back.

I could see the sparkle of the water in view, but the sudden image of a person sitting there flashed in front of my eyes. I stopped in my tracks, keeping myself hidden behind the trees. A human! What the fuck is a human doing way out here?

But the closer I looked, I began to find myself not wanting to look away. Her long brown hair fell loose over her shoulders and her olive skin shone under the sun. Her pink lips looked seductively sweet and I could smell the red rose that was tucked in her hair, just behind her left ear. She sat with her knees up to her chest, her arms hung loosely around them..

Was she lost? She didn't necessarily look lost.... Just deep in thought and I couldn't help but find my gaze wandering to where her short, cream little sundress fell at her thighs. If the wind blew even just so gently, it would rise enough to see her buttocks! Wait, why am I thinking of that? I don't want to see that. Why am I even looking at her anyway? It's just another human...yet another human that's decided to waltz into our territory!

But for some reason I still didn't move. I just kept myself hidden as I watched her, feeling an urge to get closer, to know her own scent past the rose. She just stared at the river, and when the soft breeze finally came, I didn't look to see if her dress blew back, I was too focused on how beautiful she looked when her hair moved in the wind. Who is she?

Her gaze suddenly looked my way, but not directly at me, her eyes were wandering across the trees, then I saw her body stiffen and I managed to snap out of whatever trance I was in as a snapping of twigs caught my attention, but it wasn't coming from my direction... it was coming from hers, in the swarm of trees behind her and she heard it just as I did. I saw a quick flash of someone moving behind her and all of my senses told me it was someone unfamiliar. She quickly stood up with a panic-stricken look on her face as her head shot from one direction to another, trying to gauge where the constant ruffle of leaves was coming from.

Without even thinking, I shot over to her, grabbed her arm and practically threw her on my back as I rushed through the forest, while her hands clung to my shirt. Even as fast as we were going, I could finally smell her and she smelt delightful, a sweet, warm homely smell. I couldn't tell if it was a soap she used or if it was her own, but whatever it was, had me even more intrigued as I inhaled deeper, like I wanted to remember it or something!

When I finally got her to the safety of the forest boarder, I took her arm and helped her down off of my back, to find we were now face to face with each other, only a few inches stood between us and she looked even more beautiful up close as her blue eyes widened and she gasped in shock and it took whatever willpower I had to not reach out and tuck away the strands of hair that fell against her pink, flushed cheek.

She stepped back as her eyes focused on my face. "Who are you?" She asked and her pretty little voice did little spark things to my stomach, but I don't know what the fuck that was!

"You should go home, where you belong". I told her, but my firm voice didn't seem to startle her as she just stared at me curiously.

"You're a vampire, aren't you?"

"Well, do you know any humans that could run that fast?" I replied sarcastically and to my surprise she just snickered as a little smile formed on her face and there went my stomach again, but this time, twisting in little knots.

"No, I suppose I don't. Why did you bring me back here?"

I found myself just staring at her, amused that even though I could see a slight fear in her eyes, she was still standing here asking me questions! But she was doing something to me... something I couldn't quite understand. I felt this strange and fucking bizarre attraction towards her, like I just wanted to look at her a bit longer, feeling this pull to stay and talk with her. But she was a human! A pathetic, greedy human... what the fuck am I thinking? Before she could utter another word, I dashed away from her, leaving her standing alone at the edge of the forest among the throng of trees and grass that separated their land from ours where her human-infested hometown was.

Mentally kicking myself in the head, I went straight back to the palace as I reprimanded myself for being so close to one of them, but it baffled me, how I even allowed myself to be like that with her in the first place. It was as if I was under a spell! She definitely didn't look or smell like a witch or someone that might be involved in magical spells, they usually reeked of herbs and stale potions. Not to mention, in all my years I've never once come across a witch that looked as clean and pretty as she was! NO! she wasn't pretty she was nothing, just a mere, weak human! Now pull yourself together and stop thinking about it!

"Brother!" Zekan called the moment I stepped inside the doors. "Father tells me you're going away again. Why do you never stay?"

"Maybe he just needs more of a reason to stay!" Lyra purred as her eyes near enough undressed me as she sauntered over, click clacking in her black stiletto's. "I think you need to loosen up Kyan, learn to have a bit of fun, like you used to". She grinned as she bit her lip.

I could never understand why Zekan wasted his time with her. She was sexy and could be very seductive... that's probably why she's bedded most male vampires I know, myself and my brother included! I messed about with her once many years ago, but as attractive as she was, there was something dark in her eyes, unpredictable and rough. She clawed the crap out of me when we fucked. It was as if she had this profound desire to dominate me, but all that accomplished was the regret of bedding her in the first place. There was something calculating about her, not to mention she was just plain fucking annoying, causing problems at every opportunity. Even though Zekan beds her most nights, she still seems to want to get her claws in me again... but not a fucking chance!

"Think I'll pass on that Lyra". I told her with a stern look. "I'm leaving in a few days, Zekan, but I'll return".

"In what, Kyan?.... weeks... years? We never know when you're going to come back and father needs us both now more than ever".

I sighed. "Zekan, I can't just roam around here waiting to take my place, a status I don't even know I want. I know father is weakening but I promise I will not be gone too long". I reassured him as I clasped his shoulder.

"Maybe we should let him go on his adventures. We can hold the fort here". Lyra droned as she linked her arms through Zekan's. Her long as nails clutching at him. Of course, she'd be happy about my leaving and not coming back. A woman like her thirsts for the status of being the lord's lady and, in my absence, Zekan would become the lord and no doubt be stupid enough to rise her up with him. Hell only knows what she'd do with a status like that!

"Please brother, just stay a few more weeks". Zekan asked with eyes full of concern.

"I'll see father now and I'll think on it but if I want to leave by the end of the week... I will be going".



"Of course, brother". He grasped my hand to shake, then off he walked, no doubt to attend to his gambling ring with the vixen strutting next to him, already acting like she owned the fucking place.

Ellie's POV:

I rode my bicycle through the mundane hustle and bustle of the town, on my way to work... or as I like to call it, my one peaceful sanctuary that I immerse myself in to escape the boredom of my life. I pushed open the heavy wooden door that led into the town's library. It had been one of the first places to have been built and has been around for generations with stacks and rows of books from floor to ceiling. It used to be wildly popular according to my mum, but most days I'm here, the only ones that seem to come in now are kids and teenagers that still attend school. They come to us to know more about our history, our land or poetry and for most girls...homemaking.

Apart from me and Andrea Collins, the energetic and hopeless romantic who oversaw everything within these walls, no one else seemed to have a passion for this place anymore. When I was still attending school, as soon as the bell rang for home time, this is where I'd spend most of my evenings, reading book after book and not just to learn on a certain subject, but stories of adventure, love, inspiring stories of bold, headstrong women, like Cleopatra, Joan or arc or Aphrodite the Greek goddess. So as soon as I was old enough to leave school, this was the first place I had come to find a job and while I was here, whether I was working or reading, it helped me to forget the reality of my life outside these doors... the role that was expected of me.

At the ripe old age of twenty, it was now that we had to think and go out in search of our so called 'partner for life'. Which in my generation was a joke in itself! I knew every guy my age that lived here and every girl too. Men had it so much easier, they had more freedom to do as they pleased, but us girls... it was a role we had to play, to settle with whoever we chose to marry, have kids and look after that man in our lives. Don't get me wrong, I knew maybe one day I wanted kids, maybe even get married, but I didn't want to give up the freedom to work where I loved or go for a long walk or run along the foothills that ran far behind the houses in the quiet fields. I knew every guy and most of them were either immature sex pests or so set on finding a girl that would wait on him hand and foot, that he could call mama! The only nice guys my age, who were far and few between, were either already in love or just didn't get me... we just didn't click, the way I wanted, the way that I would fantasise when I finally decided to take that step. But every day I felt the clock ticking, the pressure to just 'choose' someone and make do.

Just as I was stacking the books away in their rightful place, a certain face kept popping into my mind, even interrupting my constant worries of my own future. I had barely slept a wink last night, I still couldn't believe that, for the first time in my life, I finally met a vampire. It was the strangest and most curious moment of my life. He wasn't anything like I had pictured them to be. I had imagined them to be terrifying to look at... blood red eyes, purple veins streaming across their white skin, I even considered them having horns on their heads!

But he was.... Surprisingly handsome! . I was so taken aback that even though I knew he was a vampire. It didn't occur to me to run away. I always thought if I ever came across one, I'd probably die right where I stood, or wet myself from pure terror. But all I could do was look at him, he was unlike any man I had ever seen. He looked strong, manly, he even smelt incredible, like whatever fragrance he was wearing was to purposely make you want to throw your arms around him and kiss him until your lips went red raw.

Even the two scars that ran down along his right cheek didn't scare me, I somehow didn't feel scared or intimidated in his presence. That thought alone I couldn't understand! How was I stood alone with a vampire and still be alive to tell the tale... not that I did tell anyone, especially my parents, they'd be furious to know I went past our boarder, let alone walking deep into the forest, just so I could sit by a lake!

The only person I know that had been in the company of a vampire and wasn't harmed was our mayor, and that was only due to the fact that both he and the vampire lord had decided on declaring peace between them and us.

I walked over to the history part of our floor and scoped out one of the books that was filled with details on our history with what we like to call 'the cold ones'. From the moment our ancestors came here, they were preyed upon by the vampires that lived deep within the forest, living their immortal lives in their enormous palace, as black and cold as their hearts. Over the centuries, vampires had slain many of our people, and in return, our people would retaliate and kill as many of them as they could, with silver bullets and silver speared arrows. The attacks went back and forth, with both sides losing too many of their kind. Until one day a new vampire lord came into power and both he and our mayor came together and struck a deal, and it was a pretty simple deal at that... they'd leave us alone and never set foot in the town if we stayed away from the forest. That was their domain, and this was ours. This was all just a year before I was born, so for only twenty one years had we finally lived separately in peace.

The pictures of them were, of course, dramatized by whichever artist was assigned to draw them. I remember reading these books when I was a child and now I know why I believed them to look a certain way, because everything I pictured them to be, was exactly like the drawings in the book. Oh, how wrong the artist was! The man I saw definitely didn't have horns on his head, rotting scales on his face or extra long fingers and claws.

I put the book back and carried on with my work as a million questions frazzled my mind... How? Why? And... what was his name? Why did he bring me home safely? And how was he so incredibly handsome? And why is his face constantly flashing in my mind, even when I wasn't thinking about what happened yesterday?

When all our work for the day was done and Andrea had already gone home, I locked the main doors then fished around in my pocket for the key to my bike lock. Shit! I mumbled to myself, remembering I left it in our office on the desk. I stared at the main door, contemplating if I could be bothered to unlock it all, switch on all the lights again, unlock the office door, just for a key! Screw it, I'll get it tomorrow! I shrugged, then made my way down the dimly lit, quiet road to go home. During the week, it was always quiet this time of the evening, with everyone already at home having their dinner or in the local tavern house. Just as I was walking past an empty car park to the closed supermarket, a sudden grasp at my arm made me jump out of my skin and I quickly turned around to see Danny standing in front of me.

"Scared Ellie?" He asked with a smarmy grin.

"Uhh well I didn't know someone was behind me, did I?" I shot back, already irritated by him.

There was not one thing I liked about Danny, he was a typical well-thought of guy, my age and everyone kissed his arse because he was so good at sports and had this 'I'm cool and confident' demeanour and so many mums wanted their daughters to be picked by him. Many girls my age used to fancy the pants off of him, but as we got older, we started to see how much of a tool he was and shuddered at the thought of being stuck with him for life! But unfortunately, there were still some naïve girls that would fall at his feet because of his looks and charm, only to find themselves bedded and used by him. The amount of parties and dances we used to go to, where he would always leave with a different girl every time. She would always be smiling from ear to ear like she'd just hit the jackpot, stupidly choosing to believe she was the one for him and not just another number on his fuck It list.

"You want me to walk you home?" He asked as he attempted to put his arm around my shoulders.

I quickly moved out of the way and turned away from him. "No thanks, I'd rather walk by myself".

"Wohh, what's with the attitude El? Only want to make sure you get home safely".

"Oh, is that right?" I said as I rolled my eyes. "Well, I'll be fine, now goodnight". I told him as I kept walking.

He stopped in his tracks and grabbed hold of my arm, his fingers digging into my skin as he pulled me away from the light of the street- lamps and into the dark, deserted parking lot. Then pushing me until my back hit against the brick wall of the building.

"What's your fucking problem, Ellie? Huh?" He asked angrily as he leered at me, with one hand squeezing my arm and the other against the wall, so I was trapped between the two.

"Leave me alone Danny, back off!" I told him as I pushed at his chest to give me enough space to get away, but he barely moved and had me trapped again as his hand went from the wall to gripping my jaw.

"I have waited long enough for you Ellie, it's about time you stopped playing the fucking prude and give in! You know you want me just as much as I want you. Don't worry, I don't plan on having you just the once El, like the rest of them, Na, I want to be fucking you every day". He grinned as his breath and his lips started lingering on my face, trailing them from my ear to my cheek.

"What the fuck Danny? I don't want you, and I never will, so let me fucking go!"

"What? You think you're better than me, do you, huh?" He said bitterly as his fingers began to squeeze my face even harder and I automatically groaned in pain.

"Ahh, get off Danny, you're hurting me!". I tried pulling his hand away, digging my nails into his skin as I gripped at his fingers. When his other hand suddenly landed on my breast as he tried to fondle it over my clothes.

"GET THE FUCK OFF!" I screeched in anger as I started thumping at him and trying to push his hand off of my breast. "GET OFF DANNY, GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF OF ME!" I kept screaming, trying to wriggle and push him away, but his whole body was pressed against me as I was squished between him and the wall.

Just as I raised my hand to slap him across the face, he suddenly flew away from me in a flash and landed with a thump on the floor. I blinked in shock at him moving so quickly, only to see him lying on his back on the floor, breathing, but his eyes closed. The same vampire from yesterday was standing over him, panting with his fangs on show.

It's you!". I breathed out as I took a step toward him.

"You have a knack for nearly getting yourself into trouble!"

"What? This isn't my fault! He wouldn't take no for an answer!"

"So, I saw".

"You were spying on me?" I asked him inquisitively.

"I was passing, I heard you shouting".

"Why did you help me?"

"Would you rather I didn't?"

"Do you have to be so vague?"

"And do you have to ask so many questions?"

I huffed in annoyance. "You know you..." I stopped midsentence as we both looked at the path along the car park, when the sound of voices and footsteps started to approach.

"You need to leave, if they see you, they'll think you wanted to attack us!" I quickly rambled as my heart began to pound even more.

"But they'll see you with him...I think they'll wonder how you managed to knock a guy bigger than you to the floor!!"

"I'll run, my house is right next to the border of the forest, just go!" I urged him, but he rushed over to me, grabbed my arm and swung me onto his back, just as he had yesterday, then took off into the trees as he ran along the border. A journey that would have taken me at least twenty minutes to run took him half that. Before I knew it, I was pointing to my house. He stopped just outside the fenced gate to the rear garden, and I got down from his back, still feeling the coolness of his hard chest on my hands. I had been gulping the whole way, trying to stop my heart from thumping like a hammer.

"Thanks". I whispered.

He just nodded, but his eyes lingered on me, and I felt my whole body melt in his gaze. He was just about to step closer to me, then hesitated and before I could even blink, he turned away and was gone, disappearing into the darkness of the forest. I quickly snuck through my garden, slid open the double glass doors that led to the living area, glad that my parents weren't home, they'd only ask questions and I never found it easy to lie to them.

Without even having any dinner, I got dressed and into bed, just lying there, staring at the ceiling as I thought over what happened tonight... as I thought about his face, my hands holding onto his chest, while his hands held my arm and my thigh. It was as if I could still feel him on my skin... and his smell..... ohh his smell! It literally had me moaning to myself as I tried to subtly inhale it every few seconds. What are you doing? He's a VAMPIRE! A vampire! You can't like a vampire! That's just crazy... you're actually attracted to a vampire! Jeez Ellie, you really need get a grip! I told myself over and over in my head, pulling my foolish thoughts out of the clouds and realising the predicament I was getting myself into. But why did he save me twice? How did he know? No Ellie, stop it! It doesn't matter, none of it does, he's a vampire! Now get it out of your head and go to sleep! I turned over and nestled into my pillow. Forcing my eyes shut, trying to block out any thoughts of the last two days and trying to erase the image of his face.

It has been two weeks since I saw the mysterious vampire and I had started to think maybe I had just dreamt it all because as much as I didn't want to, it all kept replaying in my head. No matter what I was doing or how engrossed in a book I was, his face would appear in my head and the more I thought on it, the more it felt too bizarre to be real. The only thing that confirmed it was how different Danny was whenever he saw me. Of course, he said nothing to anyone about that night.

He never saw what knocked him down and seeing as how he man-handled me, I couldn't see him admitting to anything any time soon. But he had never backed off from me before, for years he always tried to get my attention or sleaze his way over to me at a party.

It had taken days for me to feel like I was normal, just like everyone else here. Me speak to a vampire?.... Nooo never! I was just like everybody else, not that I really wanted to be, and what happened will be my little secret, never to tell a soul.

As much as I felt so bored with my life here, I couldn't believe the situation I had gotten myself into. I could never let my parents know that I had been in the company of a vampire and that I had stupidly told him where I lived and, in hindsight, I also put their lives at risk by doing so. For all I knew, he was picking the weakest out of the herd to pick off for the sake of my blood, hoping to lure me for the taking! I mentally scolded myself a few times for potentially putting them in harms way and a knot in my stomach made me hope and pray that whoever he was, was long gone and wasn't devising a plan to drink us dry in the middle of the night while we slept. But every little noise outside the house had me lying awake at night in fear, hoping it was just the wind or a cat making the bins clatter or the tree outside my bedroom window rustle and creek.

I checked in the last of our new books and set them ready in the book trolly to be shelved tomorrow. Grabbing my jacket and my bag, I headed out of the office to say goodbye to Andrea before I left.

"I'm off now Andrea". I called over to her as she was organising a new children's book display.

"Ok El's, are you still ok to lock up tomorrow?"

"Of course!". I smiled as we both waved to each other.

I left the library and got on my bicycle to ride over to the old, abandoned warehouse several streets away from the rest of the town. Many of the guys and girls around my age would retreat here for the occasional party, it was the only place we could drink, boom out our music and do whatever we wanted without our over-baring parents knowing a thing about it. I only ever went to hang out with my friends, but even that was becoming sparse now. Since we left school, they either had serious boyfriends that they'd spend most of the night snogging and grinding on each other and my other friends had given in to the temptation of one- night stands that happened in the old office rooms on a dirty floor or dust covered desks.

The parties here used to be just about the fun of drinking without our parents knowing, while we all danced and laughed about the hangover we'd have the next day. But as I walked into the warehouse, it was just as it was the last time I came, it looked more like an orgy now or a misfit of horny, sex crazed teenagers. You wouldn't think we were actually supposed to be considered as adults. I cracked open a bottle of beer as I walked around people dry humping as they tried to dance together, or couples tonging each other's mouths dry and some were just too drunk to barely stand, not to mention the ones barfing in whatever corner was available.

I didn't know if it was me, that maybe I was just a prude and too boring to get any enjoyment out of this. I had already kissed most of these guys when I was younger and it was either a sloppy mess or just a fun game we played for the sake of entertainment, but none of them I actually had the desire to kiss again or even sleep with. That was something me and my friends used to have in common. None of us had slept around, or slept with anyone, in fact! But I was the last of my group, still just grazing through life, not much different to how I was when we first left school.

The only thing I really had going for me was my job at the library and six months ago I had started working six days a week to help out my parents. I didn't know if they were aware that I heard every argument they had when it came to money, their savings gone, almost losing the house, my college fund completely wiped out. Their last argument was what made me increase my hours. In all their arguments about money, the last one was by far the worst. So, with more than half my wages going to them, I could barely afford to save for my own place.

But looking around, I still didn't want to trade places with any of these people and started to realise how much we'd grown apart. Gone are the days when me and my friends would go to the pub on a Friday night, or go to any of the town dances, call each other almost daily. Maybe, in our own way, we were all trying to hold onto whatever piece we had left of our youth, before we all took the plunge into what was expected. They all came here, perhaps in hopes of meeting their 'partner', but I refused to settle for someone I didn't love or barely even liked.

I made my way over to the only sensible friend I had left. She was the only one I believed was actually happy. She started dating our childhood friend Joel when we were seventeen and they've been inseparable since. Turns out they had crushed on each other when we all started high school. They lived together and she still kept her job at the local vets to pursue her love for animals. He was one of the sweet guys and, luckily, their crush had steered them right. They were completely smitten after their first date and, to me, they suited each other... the couple of all couples.

"Hey Ellie". She smiled innocently as I sat next to her on the old musty couch, and I could feel the springs almost popping through the cushion.

"Hey Han, where's Joel?"

"Oh, he's gone to get us another beer. I'm surprised you came. I know this isn't really your scene".

"Well... I suppose I wanted to see everyone, though now I'm here, I can see they're all a bit pre-occupied".

"Yea, I dread to think how many people will be swapping body fluids tonight!"

"Ewww Hannah! That's gross". I nudged her on the arm in amusement.

"It's true!" She chuckled as we both looked around at all the sexually heightened couples and noticed some of them were missing some of their clothes. Bras and boxers were on show as they walked away together hand in hand to a different, more private room.

"Is it just me, or has it gotten worse every year?"

"Oh, it's worse, for sure. Me and Joel have already said this is the last time we come. It's nice to see and hang out with everyone, but it doesn't seem to be about that anymore. The only person I've spoken to since I got here is Joel, so we may as well be at home talking instead".

"Home sounds like a good idea, I'm going to go, but why don't we meet up for coffee, when we both have our next day off?"

"I'd love that, Ellie. I miss not seeing you as much".

"Yea, me too". I agreed as we both gave each other a tight hug. "Give my love to Joel".

"I will".

I left Hannah, headed out of the warehouse and peddled fast on my bike the whole way home. The last thing I wanted was to 'find' myself in another situation. I wanted to avoid it just as much as I avoided stepping foot in the forest again.

When I got home, the house was quiet, not a peep from any of the rooms. It wasn't until I walked past the doorway that I saw my mum sitting on the edge of her bed, with her head down just staring at her hands placed in her lap.

"Mum, are you ok?" I asked softly as I walked in and sat next to her.

"Oh, yes I'm fine darling, nothing to worry about".

"Then why are you just sitting here by yourself? Where's dad?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, maybe he's at the Tavern".

"Mum, he never goes to the Tavern, why would he be there now?"

"He went there last night, so I'm assuming that is where he is again".

"Well, that's weird... but maybe he just wanted to do something different. You could always join him, you know!"

"No, I'm much too tired to go there now, I'll let him enjoy his night".

"Okaaaay, but that doesn't explain why you look like you've got the world on your shoulders".

"Oh it's complicated honey, but I'm fine".

"Mum, are you?" I asked, raising my brows at her for confirmation.

"Yes, I am". She smiled as she held my hand. "Are you off to bed?"

"Yes, that's where I was headed".

"Ok dear, goodnight then". She said as she pecked my cheek.

"Goodnight mum". I replied, standing and giving her a little kiss on her forehead, before retreating to my own room, but something tells me, things between her and my dad, were not ok and they hadn't seemed like it for some time now. I just wish she trusted me enough to tell me what was going on. Something had been bothering her for months now, but whatever it was, she didn't spill a word of it, no matter how many times I asked. Although I couldn't quite accuse her of being so secretive when I had one of my own... One I couldn't shake.