Chapter Three

They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for. Right now I had neither.

My last relationship ended 3 months ago, let me tell you it was not a pretty breakup; as for something to do? I plan on locking my sorry excuse of a freak body in my room for the rest of my life, is suicide an option? No what am I saying, of course it isn’t! Hope? Hope went down the smelly drain when I saw a freaking unicorn horn in the middle of my forehead, which tends to really hit someone’s hopes and dreams where it hurts.

Beep!

I was pulled out of my thoughts by an obnoxiously loud car horn belonging to a sleek black Lamborghini, seriously whoever that car belonged to needed an ego check because it was way too high from the looks of things. They overtook my small white beetle, which by the way was slowly falling apart. I tried to sneak a peek inside the Lamborghini as it passed me, but to my dismay all the windows were fully tinted to a dark black. 

Now that the disruptions were removed from around me I was fully aware of the tingling sensation in my hands, glancing down at them clasped tightly around the steering wheel causing my knuckles to go a deathly white. It wasn’t the intolerable driver of the amazing sports car that strung me on a high wire, oh no, it was the fact I was almost home, where my parents would be to see my mess of hair. I did what I had been avoiding the whole car journey, I looked up into my rear view mirror, removed my beanie from my head and released the lilac curls. Returning my gaze back to the road ahead I fought back tears which threatened to fall from my eyes, I would not break my image, not until I was in the confines of my own home.

Pulling up into my driveway, I parked but didn’t get out instantly, I sat in the car for a good 20 minutes before I mustered up the courage to open the door. Stepping inside my home, immediately met with warmth and the smell of freshly baked cookies, my mother was always one to cook and would always have newly baked goods on the kitchen table. I followed the delightful scent straight to the kitchen where my mum was bent down in front of the oven and pulling out a batch of scrumptious looking cookies, she placed them down on the stove top which is when I made myself known with a simple clearing of my throat. My mum whizzed around with a smile on her face, when her eyes landed on my hair that smile faded away into a confused frown.

“Your hair!” She near enough screamed. “Why Lux? Why would you do this to your beautiful locks?” She was by my side in seconds tugging at a curl as if checking for a wig.

“Mum, can I tal-“I was cut off by one of my mother’s angry rants.

“First you run off at early hours in the morning to get to school, of all the things to use to avoid talking about your problems Lux, that was not expected. Secondly you come home from school almost 3 hours later with purple hair!” She looked to the ground and I noticed droplets hitting the tiles below her, tears, I’d made my own mother cry. “What’s going on with you? Also please explain last night to me!”

I knew all of this was coming, I just had no clue on what I was going to say.

Yeah mum well, I am seeing magical Unicorns in my mind who basically told me I am changing, she didn’t specify on that though. Oh yeah the Unicorn is a girl if you didn’t quite catch that, plus she can talk through my mind now! If you already forgot last night I healed you, but don’t freak It’s a natural way of life.

 Not too sure about you, but I don’t think sarcasm and lies would go down so well right now. Settling to just tell my mum how it was and not beat around the bush, I sat down on one of the bar stools situated against the marble counter and signalled my mum to take the stool next to mine. Once she was sat down and waiting I began.

“You remember what I told you about that Unicorn last night right?” I asked, patiently waiting for my mum to respond through her sobs.

“Of course I remember! I would never forget something like that.” Her response started off high pitched but toned down to a whisper by the end.

“At school I barged out of my classroom in a rage, a student commented on my eyes changing so I ran. When I reached the schools bathroom my hair was like this, how it happened? I don’t know, I really wish I did, but I don’t. I panicked upon seeing my hair this colour then the next thing I knew I had a Unicorn horn on my forehead, a real horn that was protruding from my own head.” By now my mum was staring at me eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights, her tears had stopped completely now but the dry salty water still stained her cheeks. She started shaking her head from side to side before letting out an ear piercing scream which caused me to reach over and slap my hand over her mouth.

“Please don’t scream! I’m still your daughter, I swear!” I was starting to panic big time now, I didn’t want my own mum, the very person who brought me into this world, to hate me. “I’m removing my hand now, so I beg you do not scream, okay?” She slowly nodded her head and I followed by removing my hand as promised.

“He said he didn’t want anything in return…” My mum whispered the same words she said to me last night. “This is all our fault, me and your father are to blame for this! You shouldn’t have to go through this!”

“No!” I threw myself off the stool standing in front of my mum placing my hands into hers. “You are not going to blame yourself or dad for any of this, and you know why?” She shook her head no with a look of utter confusion on her face. “Because you two did what any other couple would have done in your position, you saved your child. You gave me a second chance at life.”

“I promise you Lux, I will find a way to remove this terrible curse from you!” My mum wrapped her arms around my neck bringing me into a warm embrace, I let my walls drop and let the tears flow onto her blouse as I rested my head against her shoulder. “You should go to your room, I’ll explain all of this to your father when he gets home.” I started to walk away towards the stairs when my mother spoke up once more. “Lux everything will be fine.” Sending a smile my way followed by a hand blown kiss, a small gesture but filled to the brim with love and affection. I turned and ran up the stairs to my bedroom, softly closing the door and throwing myself onto my bed.

That went better than I expected, sure she freaked completely at first, but I think everything will be fine just as my mum had said.

Somewhere in between my thoughts and worries I must have slipped into a sleep because before I knew it I was waking up with a start and seeing it was dark in my room with the only faint light coming from the moon outside. Pulling myself into a sitting position I looked at my alarm clock to see its bright blue light flashing 00:00, midnight on the dot. Falling back down into my previous position I attempted to drift back off to sleep, but miserably failed, I was too awake now.

Standing up from my bed I made the decision I was going out for a walk, I know what you’re thinking: At this hour? You are insane! If this town wasn’t as quiet as a mouse with the only murder being that of an ant being burnt by a child and his magnifying glass then I would be thinking the same thing. So since that is the case a lovely walk in the brisk cold air of the night will do me some good. Getting changed into a pair of grey sweatpants and a tank top, my usual bedtime attire, I pulled on my thick combat boots and my favourite Enjoi brand hoodie, which used to belong to my ex but he was never getting this bad boy back any time soon.

Sneaking out at odd hours at night came naturally to me, being the rebel that I am I did it on a regular basis and it was rare that I got caught. The house was in a peaceful silence but despite that serenity I had goose bumps all over my skin and an unnerving sensation washed over me. Ignoring all of those signs I ventured out into the fresh air of nightfall and just walked, I never planned where I would go on these adventures, I simply allowed my feet to take me wherever they wanted.

I had been walking for roughly half an hour and found myself in a clearing surrounded by large trees which under the moons light looked menacing but enchanting. I noticed a large rock sitting on its own nearer the centre of the clearing so I proceeded towards it, leaping up onto its surface, finding a comfy spot and sitting with my knees pressed up against my chest and my chin gently resting in the dip between them. These are the places I loved to find during my times exploring, places full of tranquillity and beauty that left you wanting to uncover more of the areas secrets. These were the perfect thinking places, where you can come to escape the manic of the world and all the problems you have to face, and I sure as hell needed that right now.

Snap.

I quickly turned around, facing the direction in which the sound of a twig snapping came from. Nothing, just darkness. I wasn’t going to be one of those foolish teens in a horror movie that went into said darkness for the monster to eat them, nope instead I sat still on my rock ignoring it. It’s normally the chill, unfazed one in the movie that lives in the end, normally to everyone’s disappointment, so I was taking that advice and rolling with it.

Snap. Snap. Snap.

The snaps were getting closer together and closer to my position, I was still staring into the same area they were coming from. My hands became sweaty and I was contemplating diving from this rock in a ninja move and running for my life, which could well be at stake here. Just as I was about to make a move for it a dark shadow came into view, this shadow then changed into a tall, handsome man the closer they got to the clearing.

“If it isn’t the pastel beauty from the beat up Beetle! What brings such a fragile young woman, like yourself, out here in the big bad dark?” His voice was like a slice of heaven, reminding me of a delicious cheesecake which you just need more and more of.

“Pastel beauty?” I questioned, raising a brow and tilting my head slightly to the side. “Wait! How do you know what car I drive?”

“Earlier, the Lambo that cut you off. That amazing piece of metal is mine.” My eyes went wide with shock.

“Ah, so you are the d****e canoe then. Just as egotistic as I expected.” I sent a smirk in his direction that he returned followed by a slight chuckle which, had I not been perched on top of my rock, would have made my knees go weak and leave me in a heap on the ground.

“I’m handsome, one shouldn’t hide that, and they should flaunt it. Take yourself for example, you are beauty personified in this moonlight. Absolutely breathe taking if I must say so, even in sweatpants.” Mystery Lamborghini man was now in front of me resting one of his soft looking hands against the rock while he looked me straight in the eyes. “You should flaunt all that you have.”

“What’s your nam-“My question was cut off when he placed the hand which was on the rock onto my cheek, blood rushing to that very area and the question leaving my mind completely. Before I could re ask my question he had turned and started to walk back in the direction he came.

“Especially flaunt that hair and those emeralds you call eyes.” With that he was gone. He had disappeared into the darkness in which he had come, leaving me stunned into silence, mouth wide open, cheeks burning red.

What the hell just happened?