What You Did in the Dark

For the third time that day, Aleria wrote in her journal. It was a quick, twelve-worded entry that took up only two lines; “Met two boys today. They’re both abundantly sweet. Can’t wait until Halloween.”

She padded down to the living room, where her mother and Kyne were sitting on the couch.

"Hi, Leria," her mother smiled warmly. "Where’ve you been?"

"Lia!" Kyne shouted excitedly. Being only three years of age, he had trouble saying "Aleria", or even just "Leria". So he called her "Lia".

Aleria scooped up her little brother whom she adored so much and sat beside her mother on the couch.

"Next door." She explained. "I met the neighbours’ kids today at the park…brothers. They’re both really nice, one’s my age, and one’s fifteen. They let me inside their house and I met their parents—" she paused, observing her mother’s grin on her face. "They offered to have me over tomorrow, Mom. Instead of going to Mrs. Dorren’s. I think you should walk me over and meet them—all of them. They’re English and their mom and dad are really nice!"

Aleria’s mom absorbed the smile on her daughter’s face. For the first time in four years, her smile was large, bright, and met her eyes. “I’m glad you made friends today, Leria.”

Aleria’s stomach lurched at the word “friends”. It had just occured to her that maybe Oliver and Tom were her friends—she hasn’t made any friends since Marylin committed suicide.

Her mom kept talking. “I think I will walk you over there tomorrow, hun. They sound like nice people. It’ll be nice to have a good relationship with the neighbours, what do you think, Kyne?”

Kyne nodded excitedly and stuck a thumb in his mouth. Aleria sighed contently, resting her cheek against her mother’s shoulder.

Oliver waited anxiously for Aleria to ring the doorbell. He had awoken at 9, and his parents were already downstairs doing their morning routine.

"Aleria’s coming over today, Mum. I hope that’s okay with you," he said.

Carol smiled. “‘Course it is, love. She’s sweet.”

Tom tumbled down the stairs and as soon as his feet his the floor in front of the door, the doorbell rang. While he was there, he answered it.

He heard Aleria greet him while Tom opened up the door wider. Oliver was upset that he wasn’t the one she first saw when she came, but he pushed the thought aside and went to greet her.

"Hi, Oliver," she smiled. "Mom, this is Tom and Oliver. Guys, this is my mother and my little brother Kyne."

The small boy at Aleria’s mother’s feet hid behind her legs nervously. Tom offered a small wave, then turned towards the kitchen. “Our parents are in here, Mrs…?” He trailed off.

"You can just call me Laura, sweety. Kyne’s a bit shy, he’ll get used to you eventually," she offered, following Tom into the kitchen.

Aleria and Oliver were left standing in the foyer, where Oliver smiled nervously at her. “Hello, Aleria.”

She grinned, “Hi, Oliver.”

Once she heard her mother sweetly speaking in the next room, she nudged Oliver by the shoulder and beckoned him to join the bunch with her.

Kyne was happily petting and following Oskar around the kitchen floor. The boys’ parents smiled wide and shook Laura’s hand, offering her a seat at the kitchen table.

"Mom," Aleria said, low enough that only her mother could hear it, "I’m going upstairs now, okay? I’ll see you later."

She kissed her mother and Kyne on the cheek before following Oliver and Tom up to Oliver’s room.

"I like your mum," Tom quipped. "She’s nice. Your brother’s how old?"

"Three."

"Oskar likes him," Oliver chuckled.

They heard the front door shut, and Aleria assumed that her mom had left.

Tom went downstairs to get Oskar. Oliver slipped his sweater off, leaving him in only a t-shirt, surprising Aleria with a tattoo sleeve on his left arm.

"Wow," she breathed. "I didn’t know you had that. I’ve only ever seen you in your sweater…"

Oliver smiled. “Got any?”

She was quick to shake her head. “I don’t think I’d be able to stand the pain.”

He laughed at her response, “It’s actually not as bad as everyone makes it seem. Now on my chest, here,” he pulled his t-shirt up, showing off another master piece. It was a skull with colourful wings, its teeth closed on the head of a coffin. “Getting ink on your chest hurts a bunch. But it’s worth it once it heals. Like them?”

Aleria nodded and tried to train her eyes somewhere other than Oliver’s wrists. The tattoos fascinated her, but as soon as he lifted his shirt she immediately took notice of the rigid cuts and dark scars.

"Are you okay? You’ve look like you’ve seen a ghost," he chided.

Aleria gulped, plastering on a smile and answering him with an, “I’m fine, just a bit of a headache.”

How could someone so kind and gorgeous do something so horrid to themselves, such as slice their skin open like she does?

Oliver gave her a reassuring smile and asked her if she wanted to play video games, to which she sweetly obliged. When Tom came in, Oliver’s smile widened when Oskar curled himself up in Aleria’s lap.