CHAPTER EIGHT

I bounced around, dragging Tate along with me. This was my first real date and although it seemed rather late with everything that we had already done, I was a ball of excited energy.

My vision was still a bit off, but compared to what it had been, I was actually able to clearly see a quarter of the people I had passed by. I didn't know how it worked, but as long as I was able to see Tate, I was happy.

"In here! In here!" I pulled him into a fabric store with numerous Hallowe'en costumes on display.

As I picked through the articles of clothing, my vision faltered and all the items blended into a large mass of shadows. "Tate, can you… Can you help me find something for Addie?"

He looked at me with concern, but I waved him off. "I want something pretty and sexy for her. Maybe a princess or… or… Lil' Red Riding Hood! Go find me that!" I told him, pushing his back towards a random direction.

He laughed and directed me elsewhere. I was going to have to trust him.

Several times, he described an outfit, but each time, I had rejected them. They didn't sound like what I had in mind. I huffed in frustration. This wasn't going as smoothly as I had hoped. I thumped my forehead against Tate's back.

Seeing my frustration, one of the other customers came over. She smoothly complimented on both of our costumes before offering to help us look.

I smiled appreciatively at her and with her help, we finally selected something that I liked.

The dress was described as the classic colour scheme of red and white. The fabric was soft with some spandex to conform to the body. It was perfect.

I paid for the costume and asked Tate for the time. He didn't know. I sighed and told him to pull my phone out from my bra. He happily complied and after taking longer than necessary to get the hidden device, he announced that it was nearly three in the afternoon.

We made our way back to the house where Addie was… nowhere in sight. I didn't want to stay here too long in case Ben was going to come out.

Just as I was going to leave, a figure jumped out from nowhere and startled me. The world flicked from colour to black and white, making me nauseated.

"Addie!" Tate scolded his sister with an amused look on his face. "You're gonna give her a heart attack."

I took the bag from Tate and gave it to Addie. "Try it on!" I happily exclaimed, forgetting about the scare once my vision stabilised.

"What is it?" She looked down into the bag before gasping. "Thanks, Madi! Stay here!" She raced to her house.

"I hope she likes it," I told Tate.

He grinned at me. "I'm sure she does. No one's really given her anything before."

My eyes widened. Nothing at all? Mom had spoiled Violet and I rotten when we were young. It was terrible to think that a mother would be that negligent of her children.

I was silently pondering when Addie came back. I wished that I could see her, especially when she was exclaiming her joy. "Look how it fits me! Will you do my makeup, again? Please, Madi?"

I smiled and nodded. We made our ways into my room quietly and unnoticed. When the makeup was done, we walked back out.

"I'm so beautiful, Madi!" Addie hugged me.

I hugged her back. "But you've always been beautiful."

She giggled and whispered. "Don't do anything that I wouldn't do in public!"

I flushed a deep red and whacked her in the arm, too embarrassed to say anything.

Tate and I left the house and began to walk towards the mall where events were being held. There were costume contests, pumpkin carving contests, chocolate eating contests, and face-painting contests.

He wanted me to enter the costume contest, but since I couldn't see the other contestants' outfits, I was reluctant. He reassured me that it would be alright and that I looked pretty. After a while of nagging from him, I finally complied, but only if he entered with me.

He was hesitant, but agreed as long as he got his face painted first. His request was odd. However, I took it as him being shy and that a mask would help him.

While we waited for the events to start, we walked into dozens of little shops. There wasn't anything in particular that we wanted, but Tate managed to convince me to buy a couple of items from the lingerie store. I'd definitely have to sneak them into the house. Imagine what mom would think… First date with Tate and he's already getting me to buy skimpy clothing.

With Tate's face creatively painted, or perhaps not so creatively, we made our way to the crowd around a small makeshift stage.

We were given numbers and lined up in two rows. I held on to his hand as I waited nervously for our group to go up.

Time passed at snail's pace before the entire ordeal was over. I was practically trembling with adrenaline when I got on stage. I never knew that I was so frightened of the public until now. Some may think that it was a blessing being blind because one cannot see the expressions on their faces, but I found the unknown to be even worse. If I could see, I'd at least know and stop wondering what they were thinking.

When the emcee finally called us down, I buried my face into Tate's shoulder. I had already forgotten what had happened. It was as if I was observing myself in third person perspective.

Tate kissed the top of my head. "You did great."

I blushed and smiled at him. "No more."

"Not if you don't want to ," he agreed.

Judging was swift. I couldn't see the actual costume when the winner walked up, but her silhouette was a complicated blob of shapes and angles. Everyone cheered as she received her prize – a hundred dollars gift card to the mall.

I was shocked, however, when the announcer said my name as the runner up. Tate helped me on to the stage as the crowed clapped. I knew that I was blushing furiously. "You're beautiful, Madi," Tate whispered into my ear as I was handed a soft plush toy. From the shape, I assumed that it was a teddy bear holding a heart.

The emcee congratulated me one more time before I made my quick escape. We scurried out of the building giggling and laughing.

He pulled me over to the field nearby and we laid on the grass overlooking the beach. "You've gotten my costume dirty."

He nuzzled the side of my neck and muttered," I'll get you a new one for next year."

"Madi loves Tate." I moved the teddy bear around, trying to simulate it talking. "Go give Madi a kiss."

He grinned and complied without hesitation.

I sighed happily against his lips. As his hands began to wander, I whacked them away. "There are people here," I mumbled.

He frowned and laid his head on my chest. "I love you, Madi." His eyes closed as I stroked his hair. "I want to spend every second of every day with you."

"Are you proposing?" I smirked at him.

His cheeks flushed red. "N-not yet…"

"I was just teasing." I was also blushing from the thought. It would be nice being able to spend eternity with him, but mom seemed determined to leave soon. I really didn't want to think about life without being by his side.

We stayed in this position until the sun had long set and everyone on the beach had disappeared.

"Madi…" Tate lifted his head and looked at me with a serious expression on his face. "I… There's something that I have to tell y – "

"Well… Look who we've found." A group of teenagers were approaching us. They looked to be in nineties clothes with fake blood splattered on them. "If it isn't the little asshole and his girlfriend." It was a male who had said that. He had short brown hair with a typical jock sweater that read, "Westfield Wolverines."

We scrambled to our feet, while Tate quickly pushed me behind him in a protective manner. "Who are you?"

"What did we ever do to you?" the girl dressed in a cheerleader's outfit asked. "Why us? What had we ever done to you?"

"Go away!" Tate shouted. 'I don't know who you are."

One of them suddenly grabbed my arm and I screamed. "Tell us or you're not getting her back." A hand touched my cheek. "She's pretty, isn't she? Does she know what you did?"

"Let her go!" Tate's eyes were wide with confusion and fear. "Whatever happened, it has nothing to do with her. She's innocent. Let her go and I'll tell you what you want to hear."

Hesitantly, the male holding me let go. Tate took the opportunity to grab my hand and we bolted away down the street.

We didn't stop even after running passed the black iron gates. My trembling hands were making it difficult to slide the key into the hole, so Tate took it from me. The door was quickly closed from behind us and we slid to the floor, panting.

"Who were they?" Were they one of the reasons why he dropped out of school?

Tate shook his head. "I don't know. I don't know." He looked so puzzled. "Someone from my school, I think…"

"Madi?" I looked up into the darkness of the house and saw the dark outline of my sister. "Are you okay?"

"I… Why is it so dark? Where's mom?" I asked, slowly getting to my feet.

"They went to the hospital. Something might be wrong with the baby." She sounded a bit concerned, but also rather alarmed.

I turned on the lights and squinted. "Tate, can you stand beside Violet?" He seemed confused, but complied without a word. Extending two feet away from him was an aura of colours and clarity. I was able to see my sister. "I – "

Bang! Bang!

I jumped an twirled around in shock. The door shook slightly from the sheer force of the knock.

"I'm here for my payment!" A male voice growled from the other side. "I know you're in there!"

I took a step back. Tate's eyes darkened as he glared at the door. "Do you know him?" I asked

"No one you have to worry about," he murmured before yanking the door open.

The man was facially deformed. He was slouched over to one side like someone who had had a stroke.

"Get out!" Tate snarled.

I wasn't able to gauge the man's expression from only one side of his face, which seemed immobile. His lips, however, slowly quirked upward as his eyes fell on my sister and I. "Alright, but put in a good word to your mother for me, will you?"

...

Tate glowered at the pathetic excuse for a man in front of him. He had never met a more irritating person in life nor death, but Tate had to give the poor fool credit for being so persistent.

He shut the door on Larry's face before he could even hobble off and made sure that the door was locked. "Don't worry about him." He lamented on the fact that he wasn't able to kill the bastard all those years ago.

"Who is he?" Violet asked. She sounded nonchalant, but he knew that it was only a mask. He had seen how she screamed and ran to her sister. The bitch told Madi even after promising that she wouldn't. If it hadn't been for the fact that she was Madi's sister, he wouldn't have bothered with troubling himself and risking exposure.

He turned Madi around and began to lead her upstairs, but the blonde girl followed them.

"Who is he, Tate?" she shouted.

Madi was rubbing her temples. Her face was scrunched up in pain.

He quickly ushered her into her room. After he sat her down on the bed, he knelt in front of her. "Are you okay?"

She opened her eyes. "I'm fine. I think it might just be fatigue. Probably having some kind of adrenaline crash, right now."

He turned to Violet who was still standing by the door. "Don't worry about it, okay? If he comes again, I'll be here." And if he saw the bastard so much as touch Madi, he'd kill him. "Don't go out or open the door for anyone."

She looked at him with annoyance. "I'm not a child, Tate." I'm not as trusting as Madi and I don't trust you." With that, she stomped away.

"Let's just go to bed, Tate," Madi's soft voice pleaded. It broke his heart to see her so worn down.

He crawled in and pulled her down with him. "I'll keep you safe, Madi. I promise."

She snuggled close to him. "I know you will." She left a warm kiss on his cold lips and slowly fell asleep in his arms.

The day had its ups and downs, but at night, she was still his. His.

He smiled with satisfaction and closed his eyes. The dead dint' sleep, but they were able to lay comfortable and do nothing.

As the night progressed, he noticed that she was moving around more than usual. He brushed it off as an after effect from the events, but half an hour later, her movements had grown frantic. She was thrashing around as if someone was after her.

"Stop…" she muttered. "Stop! Let me go! Let me go!"

He sat up and shook her. "Madi, wake up! It's only a dream. Madi!"

Suddenly, her entire body stilled. Her eyes popped open and she let out a shrill scream.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I absolutely love writing about Madi and Tate together, even if he does end up doing some stupid things along the way.

I ended the chapter this way and really not sure how I'm going to continue with it, yet. Hopefully, it's not going to lead me to a writer's block. I'm already hitting it with a couple of my other stories.

Thank you NameWithNoMeaning, PorcelainPuppeyLady, meangirl8, bittersweetDELUSI0NS, Carrera, and guest (anonymouscsifan) for reviewing! And thank you for your series suggestion as well!

I haven't really been watching any of the new series because I really, really like Evan Peters with his curly hair. Kit Walker didn't have it and I actually haven't googled any of his other characters. What hair do you like best on him? (What an odd question for me to ask…) I never thought I'd ever be fixated on someone's hair before.

NameWithNoMeaning: Murder House will probably also have a special place in my heart no matter how many of the other stories I watch.

PorcelainPuppetLady: I'll definitely try to get one to them. It's going to be difficult after everything that's happened, but I'll try my best!

meangirl8: I'm so conflicted. You guys have been suggesting all different stories!

Anonymouscsifan: I had a love-hate relationship with Violet. At first, I did hope for her to end up with Tate because it made him happy, but I completely agree with you that she just likes to find a reason to be unhappy.

bittersweetDELUSI0NS: Oh, good luck with your new job! I've been trying to find one myself. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. I hope you enjoy this one as well!

Carrera: It's no problem! I was just a bit confused, but now that I know what happened, I'm quite amused.

Thank you as well to everyone who has favourited and followed this story! It means a lot to me to see people like something I've created.

I've also finally posted a cover image. What do you guys think of it? Is it appropriate for the story?