Lost In Purple
Chapter 77: Seraphim Part 3
Johnny's POV
"No, John, I-I can't do this right now," Melanie whimpers.
Her claws dig into my suit as she pulls her body as close to me as possible. Her long and luscious hair still floats around, hiding her eyes from the world, and I can see her legs shaking whenever the window in the dress' silhouette reveals her legs. Regardless of how she feels, I try my best to persuade her. "I know you feel vulnerable right now, but to me you're just as beautiful as ever. If there's anybody who thinks otherwise, then I'll k-"
"John, please," Melanie whimpers.
"Come on Mel," I chuckle, "I'm not letting you self agonize in the corner for the rest of the night. What happened to it just being you and I? Don't tell me it's actually just you and your demons."
I feel her claws dig further into my fur, eliciting a painful sting within my torso. Her voice becomes a tad bit raspy and aggressive which shocks me. "Do this and you're dead."
I push her off me a little to see her pupils glowing neon blue, her mouth glowing neon blue as if she's about to spit blue fire, and the veins around her eyes pumping blinding white blood. With her face looking like she's long been dead, this is probably the scariest I've ever seen her look. If I were to be anybody else in the world, they would probably run for the hills, but I get inexplicably excited. "I'd like to see you try princess."
After taking her hand, I drag her onto the dance floor where many couples are swaying side to side with the slow music, and take a spot with enough room for us to breathe. She shoves her head back against my chest, but what I pay attention to is the atmosphere that is mythical enough for everything to feel like a dream. The cool colored lights comfortably change intensity as if they were waves in the ocean during a calm evening being illuminated by the setting sun. Passionately, the music flows into our eardrums as floral patterns are drifting and swirling across the ground. There's even a couple bubble machines letting loose those hovering spheres of soap at us all.
I look down to see Melanie synchronously stepping in time with me, still struggling to control her emotions. She's very unsure of whether to be downcast, vexed, or elated, and I don't blame her. For some reason, life is constantly making things difficult for her regardless of who she knows or what she does. She's doing fine though, and I move her hands onto my shoulders while I throw mine around her waist.
"See, everything's alright…nobody cares, they just see you as yourself," I whisper.
Tilting her head upwards, I finally find her making contact with me, pleading with me non-verbally to not be here.
"Come on Mel…why are you feeling like this? Don't tell me you're sick and decided to do this just so I didn't feel disappointed," I ask soothingly.
Her blue floating hair, which admittedly does have many people staring at us and murmuring amongst themselves, finally moves back and shows everybody the form she's been hiding. Her eyes shift down and off to the side as the ballad changes into a slightly upbeat anthem of the night. The distorted strumming of the guitar paired together with soothing synthesizers, violins, and velvety vocals turns this dance into something I'll remember.
"I-I'm scared…" Melanie whines, "A-and I don't know what to do."
I take my hand and place it underneath her chin. I pull her head upwards so she can look at me at least one more time and say, "Then just follow my lead. If that's how you feel then I'll be brave so you don't have to."
Those beautiful eyes of hers show me the galaxies that reside and effortlessly fly behind her irises. They glimmer and gleam as the lights around the event beam into them, changing constantly with each synchronous step we take together. They're so vibrant that I nearly miss the tiny flood of bright blue liquid collect along her lower eyelid before overflowing and dropping down her face. The tear only makes it half way down her cheek before it begins to act like her hair, lifting up as if gravity inverted, and then vaporizing right before my very eyes. My smile vanishes but then naturally returns because I know that she will be okay.
"Hmm…that's new," I say with a low growl.
She takes one of her hands off of my shoulders and wipes her eyes with her forearm. "…S-Shut up."
I want to be over dramatic and jokingly guilt trip her into taking that back, but I shouldn't be messing with her like that right now. I instead dial it back and mess with her gently. "Aww, but how else will I get you to pay attention to me? Ooo, what if I go to the gym for double the amount of time and th-"
Melanie places her hand on my mouth, making my speak become a muffled for a split second. I can also see her trying to hold back a grand smile. "…Please don't start, John."
I chuckle. "Seriously, is that something new? It looks scary."
Melanie moves her hands up and around my neck before shifting onto her tippy toes and shoving her head underneath my jaw. Her head tilts down towards the ground and she sighs through her nose, making it obvious that she's just simply exhausted.
"I think it's some trait I got from my Dad that I… just recently grew into," Melanie mumbles.
"Your Dad? Does he cry neon blue tears too?" I ask.
"I don't know…I think I just…saw something I wasn't supposed to," Melanie confesses.
I want to laugh because I know who her Dad is. I know that he is one of the most comforting and…blatantly amazing monsters in Monstropolis. There's no way he would deliberately hide something like that from Melanie, especially when he's shown everyone how much he loves her. It does get me thinking though, is he some sort of paranormal Scarer as well?
"Before I left my parents house this morning, I saw him sitting on their bed and…he had these tendrils sticking out of his back while his fur turned black and had these…eye patterns in them…it scared me. And then he had this aqua blue goo come out of him when he sneezed and salivated… It burned the carpet too…," Melanie explains.
"Well then maybe it's a good idea to talk to him about it. It's making you afraid to be yourself after all," I state soothingly.
A couple more tears leak out of her eyes as she blinks, but she's wipes them, giving me confirmation that she's calmed down enough to not cry anymore. "But what if he just gets more upset than he already is? I-I don't think he has the strength to deal with that too."
"Oh Mel," I say with my eyes closed while shaking my head, "Do you even know your father? Because from what I've seen, he'll take your words to heart before he even thinks about lashing out."
Melanie groans and she lowers down firmly onto her heels, moving her head back onto my chest. Even after all of this, drama still resides within her life and has somehow inched its way into her family. This drama does sound like it's something that started before either of us were even born though, considering that Melanie said she's never seen him look or act like that.
"Well, whatever happens, just know that I'll be there for you no matter what," I reassure.
I feel the heat from her breath conduct heat on my chest. "I know…"
"Oh? You do? Cause I feel like this is the tenth time I've told you that. You also always make it obvious that you can't talk about your problems," I laugh.
With the fastest decision making I've ever seen, she pushes herself off me and begins to turn her body away from me, attempting to walk away and probably never speak to me again. I catch her before she's completely unreachable and trap her be giving her a genuinely apologetic hug. Her body pushes up against mine and I have to keep myself from getting too excited even though I caused this. She doesn't feel the same though. All I see is a fed up expression and serious composure that's followed up by a couple punches and scratches to my shoulders.
"Oh come on, you know I don't mean that!" I say with a loud whisper.
"Yes you do! You always mean what you say!" She replies at the same volume.
"That's what happens though! You always feel like it's better to hide those feelings of yours from me. I thought you knew that I don't want you to ever feel isolated when you're around me," I exclaim.
Melanie rolls her eyes, giving up on struggling and putting her arms back around my neck. "Ugh! You're the one to talk!"
"Ooo, got me there. Then how about I tell you everything I'm feeling right now?" I grin with a playful growl.
"Ok fine, let's also see how fast I give you a nose bleed," Melanie growls back but does so aggressively instead of playfully.
I feel my grin grow wider, and I begin moving us around in circles with bigger steps to the side. Melanie's anger subsides and visibly becomes self conscious, looking at the ground below us while simultaneously looking at everybody else around us from time to time. Additionally, she's extra cautious, trying her best to not expose her leg that occasionally shows itself from the ripped section of her dress. She successfully keeps up with my pace though, and shows the entire campus that she's capable of romantically and sophisticatedly dancing with me.
"I feel lucky. Lucky to have you listen to what I have to say. Lucky to have you look at me like a normal monster. Most importantly, I'm lucky to have such an alluring, intelligent, and hardcore monster to call my own," I disclose.
Our feet intertwine with each other as the music peaks to a romantic and uplifting climax. Our hearts beat endlessly and our smiles never fade away as the glamor of the night continues unfolding before us. Melanie becomes overwhelmed again, but there's a hint of gratitude that I can see behind those eyes of hers that are trying their best to avoid me. I can tell that she doesn't want this moment between us to end and neither do I, because everything ended up being perfect. Even if a certain someone tried to ruin the night, I would find a way to make up for it.
"Now what was that about socking me right here in front of everyone?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.
With lowered ears and a remaining banshee like state, she responds with, "I-I wasn't serious…"
"Good," I chuckle, "I wouldn't be able to keep looking at you like this if you did."
I feel her body loosen up a bit more. She leans more into our turns, and moves at the same pace and distance as I do with each step, clearly not trying to maintain her balance anymore. She trusts me enough to fully allow her to arch her back and legs in ways that make all the guys around us wish they could experience something like this.
She's a ghostly princess lost in the confines of the world, who finally found a way to suppress her haunting echoing wails. No longer will she be drifting in the shadows of the scorching sunlight, and instead be liberated from the darkness so that she can learn to glow brilliantly under the day's glow. Nothing makes me happier than to see her so relaxed, and I'm sure she can say the same about me.
Everyone that remains at the Formal once again can't take their eyes off of us. They observe every detail, becoming entranced by our movements. At least that's what I would say if it were true. In reality, they can't take their eyes off of Melanie. They're unable to comprehend how such a seemingly not scary and harmless looking monster can be so tormenting in several differing ways. The uncomfortably slow yet smooth movements she makes while twirling her dress, the paradoxical expressions of a motherly smile and tilted down head that is occasionally hidden by her fluid-like hair, the mind-bending thinking process that comes with the lack of sound from her steps…they've never seen anything like it.
Finally…someone to share the spotlight with. Someone who can take those preying eyes away from me. Someone that can be just as vain as me even if it's only for a short and unintentional period of time. Someone that…really did meet the expectations and requirements of a future Worthington. They all know it, they all sense it with their insignificant eyes, and they can't do a single thing about it. I can especially tell when some of the males on the dance floor aren't even looking at their dates as we twirl by them. The envious fires in their eyes are suffocated as soon as they see me effortlessly dancing with this phantom. They could never not be afraid of her and they know it… they're peasants who feel the need to bow in her presence even if they've seen her like this during the Scare Games and know everything that she can do. I even find that hideous dark pink monster with spikes all over her head, jealous and unsure of what to do, watch as her date refuses to give her even an iota of attention to her. All she can do is seethe as Melanie siphons all that attention she seeks so desperately. I catch her eventually looking at me, and all I do is give her a menacing smile that makes her visibly shiver in fear.
It's all so perfect. So perfect that it lasts for another hour. Most couples have exited the dance floor, leaving the two of us and a couple unimportant others left to live among the night's song. Even after all of that, Melanie maintains her sapphire blue aura, graciously swirling with the flow of the wind in her aqua blue dress. Her hair floats, her eyes glow, her teeth shine, and her mouth radiates a soft white. Her chest cavity has done the same thing it did back during the Avoid The Parent event in the library. It caves in, letting the upper part of her dress wrap around her ribs and wave around like the end of a flag. Her dress seemed to wear down a little too, and some of the strings of the silhouette of her dress have torn further. It's like she died, laid in a coffin for a few centuries, and awoke from an eternal slumber for the sake of redemption…The redemption of Carina Kennedy.
The music finally comes to an end, trailing off into the trees and bushes around us, leaving only a memory that won't ever be forgotten. It was the one who heralds death and the one who heralds evil that once danced here…and they were no longer lost in the warren of purple.
The sound of the music has become deafening again, and the dance floor has been flooded with monsters who only wish to party. However, I've dragged Melanie away from it all and escaped from the life that I once thought I wanted. I've picked her up and held her like a knight in shining armor does while saving a princess locked away in a tower. There's only one thing I want right now, and that's to be alone with Melanie.
"We're not going to say goodbye to Javier or Chip?" She asks as I power walk back to the house with her dangling I've my arms.
"Grrr…I don't want to see them again until tomorrow," I quietly growl.
"But John, won't they wa-," Melanie adds before I interrupt her.
"They can go one night without me. However, I can't go another without you," I divulge while stepping underneath the archway to Frat Row.
Melanie tries to find the right words to say but ultimately fails. I don't want her to say anything anyways. I'm too focused on bringing her back to the house so that I can make her feel the way I feel; To release the overflowing catharsis I have after seeing her look and act like she did tonight.
Within less than fifteen seconds, I'm able to climb the cement steps up to the front door, swing it open, and slam it shut before repositioning Melanie towards the front door and pushing her up against it. With there being not a single soul to witness what we do in this house, I plant my lips firmly onto Melanie's and hear her gasp as I lift her legs up to caress her thighs. With my eyes closed, I notice that she doesn't know what to do for a few seconds, but eventually puts her hands on the sides of my head. I feel her claws work their way up my face and onto the top of my head, making my spine quake the moment they round the base of my horns. I've never leaned into a kiss which such force before, and I think Melanie is in the same boat.
I don't know how long we stayed like that. My memory became a blur and we somehow ended up in my room. My tie found its way onto the floor followed by the rest of my suit, paving the way for Melanie's claws to graze across my back. When I feel her pull my fur upwards, my memory becomes a blur all over again. Her dress ends up on the floor alongside my suit, giving me the ability to throw her onto the bed. Even amidst my excitement, I have to keep myself from going too far so that I don't destroy Melanie's perfect ending to the perfect night. For the first time in my life I keep myself from taking total control and willingly let Melanie go at her own pace, which is surprisingly better than what I have normally done. It's like a suspenseful movie that has no end, constantly building and building with each second that passes. She makes me feel familiar feelings with greater intensity along with new things that I never knew existed, and I can't help but crave more of it.
Before I know it, the distance between us hits zero. Both of us no longer wish to hold back, allowing these feelings to boil over to the point where our most primal instincts are unleashed. Our claws dig into the headboard of my bed and the sheets that drape over my mattress, our blood rushes and concentrates in places that cannot simply be ignored, and our voices aren't silenced by the walls any longer. Hearing her speak to me in such a desperately satisfied tone only makes it harder for me to calm down, and so we relive it all for a second, third, and fourth time, all the way until the sky outside my window begins to slightly shine orange and pink.
Out of breath and out of energy, I flip over on my back, feeling Melanie position herself so that she can lay on top of me. Feeling the same thing I am, we both close our eyes and bask in the limelight of the night we had together, blissfully aware that nothing will be what it was between us ever again. And I mean that in the best way possible, because I don't want to experience anything like that with anyone else for as long as I live.