It has been a month since that magical Disneyland vacation, and things were still going great for Laney. She was no longer shy about herself, feeling more comfortable wearing dresses in public. But despite her outer changes, she was still the same girl.
But unfortunately, her whole life changed. At school, she couldn't walk down the hallway without having everyone clear a path for her and occasionally complimenting her. She became the most popular girl in her grade, guys politely flirting with her and girls trying to copy her look. Even when school was done, everyone still treated her as if she was the prettiest girl in the world. So what if she stopped wearing too much makeup, ditched t-shirts and jeans for dresses, and wore her hair longer? Other girls probably got the same treatment when they start looking pretty.
Then one night, she decided to attend the school dance with a plan: show up looking plain and boring to see if this was all just about her appearance. After all, there was no way she would get the princess treatment if she looked like a commoner.
Right?
"Okay Laney, just hold still for a bit longer," Kin said, applying a black makeup pencil to the red-haired girl's eyelids.
"You sure you want to do this?" Kon asked as he continued to style her hair.
"I'm sure," Laney answered. "I'm sick of everyone at school treating me like a goddess. I want to show up and not be the center of attention for once."
"But Laney-" Kin began.
"No buts," Laney said. "I'm going to enjoy tonight without everyone staring at me, and nothing will interfere with that."
At the dance, everyone was amazed with what Laney wore. Even in just a plain white sundress and white sandals with her hair curled and pulled back in a ponytail and black eyeliner on her eyelids, she was still the prettiest girl in the room. She could hear people whispering about her, and she didn't like it.
"How does she do it?"
"I have the same dress, but she looks better in it than me."
"Corey's lucky to be dating such a beauty."
Laney clenched her fists, trying very hard not to loose her cool. It wasn't because she didn't want to ruin the dance. It was her genetics. Long story short, Mira happened to be a carrier of the Super gene...
"You okay, Lanes?" Corey asked.
"They're doing it again," Laney sadly replied.
"Why shouldn't they?" Corey asked. "Everyone now knows you're a beautiful girl. Isn't it what you wanted?"
"Yeah, but I didn't ask for constant attention," Laney explained. She sighed. "I just wish someone else would be the center of attention."
Corey frowned. He didn't like seeing his princess unhappy. But she was right. For the past month, everyone at school wouldn't stop talking about her. Yet it wasn't her fault she was the prettiest girl in all of Peaceville. Not even Trina could compete with her natural beauty.
So what was wrong with Laney Penn?
Later that night, Laney got home from the dance looking disappointed. She walked over to the living room and sat on the couch, letting out a huge groan. "Back so soon?" Mira asked from the kitchen.
"Everyone wouldn't stop talking about me," Laney said. "It was great for a few weeks, but now it's getting annoying."
Mira entered the living room with a letter. "Maybe there's a good reason why," she said.
"What do you mean?" Laney asked.
"I just got this," Mira answered, handing the letter over to Laney. "It should explain everything."
Laney proceeded to read the letter. As she did, her disappointed expression slowly turned into one of shock. By the time she was done, she looked up at her widowed mother. "Is this true?"
"I'm afraid so," Mira replied. "Personally, I didn't about it either. Your father never really said anything about it."
Laney looked back at the letter. "But...is he really..."
"At least it explains why he wanted you to believe in fairy tale fantasies," Mira said.
"But what about my friends?" Laney asked, looking back up at Mira. "They can't assume I disappeared tomorrow!"
"You can worry about it when the time comes," Mira said. "For now, go get ready for bed."
Laney got up. "Okay mom," she said, heading for the stairs. "See you tomorrow morning."
When Laney was out if sight, Mira took out her Smart Phone and dialed a number. A few seconds later, someone answered it.
"Mira?"
"Hey Amethyst," Mira said. "I know it's late, but this is important."
At the Riffin household, Corey got out of the shower wearing a dark blue tank top and black shorts, all while he had a huge smile on his face. He couldn't stop thinking about Laney. She was absolutely perfect and he loved everything about her. Her cute smile, her graceful movements, her dark green eyes, her voluminous bright red hair that felt so soft to the touch... He knew he was in love with this beauty.
That's what made Corey different from other demons. Unlike Trina, he could express true love. He was passionate, gentle, and caring. This was from his dominant human side, the more natural side. He was the only existing demon who was special like that. While he was mocked for being gentle and kind in the Underworld, he was accepted by his human friends. But he knew he could never tell them about his demonic heritage. He didn't want to lose his only friends. But enough of that. Let's get back to the story.
"Corey, can you come down here?" a voice called from downstairs.
The younger demon headed downstairs and entered the living room, where his mother Amethyst was waiting for him. She was rather slender with dark blue hair that was styled in a bob, sapphire blue eyes the same shade as Corey's, and tanned skin. Her outfit of choice was a black and white zebra-striped long-sleeved shirt, light blue jeans, and light grey sneakers.
"What is it, mom?" Corey asked.
"I just got off the phone with Mrs. Penn," Amethyst explained. "It was about Laney."
Corey looked worried. "What about her?"
"She has to move to a faraway land," Amethyst continued. "And she's not coming back."
At that point, Corey was greatly upset. He started heaving, his hands covering his head. "No..." he whimpered. "She's...?"
"I'm afraid so," Amethyst said. "But it's okay, dear. Maybe you're meant to fall in love with another girl."
That's when Corey snapped. "There is no other girl!" he snarled, tugging on his own hair.
"Honey, it's okay to feel this way," Amethyst said, trying to comfort the young hybrid. "Even while he stays in the Underworld, your father still burns guys who try to flirt with me. Being protective of someone is a natural demon instinct."
Corey let go of his head, his fists tightly clenched. "Lanes can't go!" he insisted. "I love her! No other girl can take her place!" He started heaving, tears starting to pour from his eyes.
Amethyst could tell Corey was going to cry, so she pulled him in for a hug. "Cornelius Trevor Riffin, I refuse to let you be greedy," she said, stroking the young demon's light blue locks. "Laney is meant for greater things."
"I love her," Corey repeated, his voice cracking with sadness. "Laneabella Penn is the most perfect human female I ever met. She's beautiful, kind, graceful, t-t-talented..."
"But she's not the only girl out there," Amethyst said.
Corey looked up at his mother. "But she's special, mom," he said. "I know there are other girls in town, and I often flirt with them. But Laneabella Penn stole my heart the second I laid my eyes on her! She's the only girl who has accepted me. She has always been kind to me, even when I came up with crazy plans. She likes me for who I was."
"But does she know who you really are?" Amethyst asked.
Corey knew what Amethyst meant. He never told Laney he's half-demon. Pulling away from the hug, he looked at the ground. "No," he whispered.
"I thought so," Amethyst said.
Corey looked back at his human mother. "But I need her," he insisted, letting his demon instincts speak for him. "I need Laney Penn in my life. She's the only thing that makes sense in this messed-up world and I would give her anything if I could."
"But Corey..." Amethyst began.
"I love her," Corey begged. "I can't let her leave me." He blinked, a stray tear dripping from his right eye. "I wouldn't be who I am today without her."
Amethyst thought it over, looking at her younger demon child. He looked so sure of his words, and it seemed he meant what he said. Then again, he could have been suffering from typical demonic instincts to cling onto that which gives them happiness and never let go. Did he really love this human girl? Or was his heritage kicking in? Regardless, she knew what to say to the young child.
"Tell me Corey," Amethyst said. "Do you really love this girl, or is it because she helped you get over the monster cat stage?"
"Why are you even asking that?" Corey asked, looking offended. "Of course I love Laney."
"But this could only be demonic obsession," Amethyst pointed out. "Just look at your sister. Her walls are filled with posters of this Nick Mallory guy."
"That's only because she thinks his DNA can cure 'ugliness' in the Underworld," Corey recalled. "What does it have to do with me?"
"It could be the same thing," Amethyst answered. "You had a hard time getting used to the surface world. It wasn't until you met Laney that you started to behave properly."
Corey was getting frustrated about this. He truly loved Laney! He could tell this was true love, not just some demon behavior. "Can't you just accept that I can express genuine love?" he asked. "Just because Trina wants to use Nick Mallory as a science experiment and dad wanted to use you to make heirs, it doesn't mean I'm just like them! I'm mostly human, not mostly demon!"
"But Corey, we humans have a saying," Amethyst said, knowing her son insists on taking human sayings seriously. "If you love something, set it free."
Upon hearing that, Corey was finally getting it. "Are you saying that the best thing to make Laney happy is to let her live a happy life?" She asked.
Amethyst nodded in response. "That's what your father did with me," she said. "He let me live on the surface world instead of making me stay in the Underworld with him. While he's the creator of the seven deadly sins, he knows what's better for me. So can you please do the same for Laney?"
Corey slowly realized acceptance. He knew that even though he loved Laney, he had to let her be happy. While he was greatly saddened, he sighed in defeat. "Yes, mom," he said. "I'll set her free."
But little did he know that fate had other plans...
