Chapter 1: Jay

In a blink of an eye, ten years have passed since I've been in town. Every time I come back to Mylestown I feel nostalgic. It's the same town but at the time it always seemed different to me. This is my second time coming back to town. The first time was when I was seventeen years old, after my dad and I were banished. I'm only able to come back once every ten years. And I still don't know why. 

   Somehow we met, connected and showed each other a new light. I met the most beautiful girl in town while  I was walking through the woods. We saw each other and we had an inexplicable connection. I was so mesmerized by her beauty that my legs started to betray me and walked towards her.

   I walked in the town that she once walked in. I would be waiting for her at the end of the road. I can see myself walking on this road. She once showed me full of life and green surroundings as if it was yesterday; and the more I walk, the deader things are looking. I’m still walking on this road you once showed me and I'm starting to think you aren’t waiting for me and there is no ending to this lonely road in this wretched town. 

   A core memory, staring at the town walls thinking is this just dead magic and one sided passion? There she was, she saw me walking towards her and she started running away. It was as if she knew me. As if something was wrong. I followed her through the woods where I found a little village.  As soon as I stepped in, people started to come out angry yelling at me to get out. I escaped running out of that village into my town, I didn’t have the chance to see who she was. So now, I’m here, ten years later to look for her. 

   Together with my friends and family, I'm at my mother's castle. My best friend James frequently visits me, making my sister Gina happy to see me. He frequently brings his older sister April, who gets along poorly with mine. I still have no idea why. This time, my mother throws the biggest ball because I'm 27 years old and I’m only staying home for the day. My mother always told me to stay where the sun shines, I met her, and she was the warmth of the sun I never experienced. 

      Suddenly the doors open. And this beautiful girl with a golden dress entered the ballroom with a couple accompanying her, which I could assume are her friends. A mysterious guy and a gorgeous woman. I could replay the memories in my head, all because you remind me of my hometown. The warmth you gave, the way our hearts are intertwined, locked like a special design. The joy I saw inside your eyes, how it made me feel like an undiscovered secret art, let's unfold and create gold. 

      She looked so stunning in that golden dress that no one could stop staring at her, everyone was just as mesmerized as I was by her presence. We paused for a moment just to admire each other’s eyes. They were glowing and the momentum was flowing. Wait just a second, can’t be her! She looks so familiar to me. Is this the same girl I saw into the woods last time I came to town? Oh stop staring at her Jay, I said to myself. She saw me and acted surprised. She walked directly to my mom. 

     Wait! Does she know my mom? What are they talking about? Why do they keep staring at me? Now she’s walking to the library alone, and her friends stayed with us in the ballroom. What is she looking for? Who is she? I’m going to find out. She looked at me like I was meant for her. I looked at her and didn’t know what to do. It was a dangerous time and we both knew. 

     I follow her to the library, and watch her reading a blue book sitting by the big window. Here I am thinking to myself, she will never see me the way I see her. The second we exchanged stares I knew that my life was going to turn upside down and I was somehow okay with it. That book has never been in my mother's library, either. She makes reading look so interesting. Although I didn't want to bother her…

• I know you are following me Jay. I just don't know why. 

     Who is this woman!?! I thought to myself.

• I am so sorry to disturb you. I didn't want to. It's just because you seem so familiar. How do you know my mom? How do you know my name? 
• Let’s just say I’m a good friend of your dad. 
• Wait, you know my dad? How?
• That part is the one I am trying to figure out. 
• What do you mean? 

     She closes the book, stands up, and with the book in her hand she walks away. She stopped by the library’s door and stared at me. Moments later, my heart still raced. It’s almost as if she were looking into my tangled heart. 

• If I were you, I would stop asking questions. - She said and walked away. 

     But in her eyes was a glint of guilt and sadness, or it might have been my imagination. I saw her eyes and saw a place that never had a starting line. Perhaps when we met we were broken, but we didn’t know it. 

     I’m back in the ballroom and my friend James walks towards me with two glasses of Whiskey. 

• I would advise not going there, bro. To us all, she is a mystery. Her two friends and she. Every month, they pay your mother a visit. 

     Cheers! We clink the glasses and sipped some whiskey. I kept thinking about her. She was the only image that kept popping up into my mind all night. We connected, we created an uninvented feeling. You had me and I had you. Then we disconnected. That uninvented feeling we once had was reinvented with something else. 

     Now I’m locked in her eyes, lost in trying to find myself in someone else. Her beauty, her strong mind but most of all, the mystery about her and the fact that she knows my dad and visits my mom once a month. It’s been some time now, how can I escape her when the only thing I think about is her. Forcing myself to starve my heart when the only thing it craves is her. 

     I need to know more. I walked toward her and her friends. Her guy friend jumped in the middle. 

• Just stop. Didn’t she tell you to stop bothering her? 
• Leave him alone Elliot, he’s just curious about how Coraline knows his father. - Said the mysterious woman accompanying the girl in the golden dress. - He doesn't know what’s going on. He doesn’t even know why he and his father were banished. - She laughed. 
• Stop Maribel! - Coraline said. - don’t start something you cannot stop. 
• Jay, we know. - Maribel said, looking at April and Gina at the same time. - but we can’t tell you. - she started laughing again but this time there was a glint of mischaviness in her laughter. 

     Gina and James overheard what was being said to Jay and were offended. They started walking with anger to defend Jay when Elliot and Maribel showed their fangs in defense. 

     Alright, the party is over - said my mom. - Everyone out! Coraline is the last time you and your friends set foot in this castle. Get out! 

     I saw everyone get out but I was surprised that my mom and even my friends were acting normal while discovering that we had three vampires in our home. I cannot believe vampires exist at first. 

• Why am I the only one who’s freaking out! Haven’t you seen their teeth? What's going on?
• Jay calm down, there’s a lot we need to tell you. - Said Jay’s mom.
• There’s a lot I don’t know. - I said. 
• Your dad got blamed for a murder that he didn’t commit, son. 
• And he and I got banished? Why me? I didn’t kill no one. I couldn’t have killed anyone. 

     The issue with me is that I search for peace in this town full of hate and I'm constantly looking at a place that looks like heaven but inside of it is hell. How did I keep coming to this town that doesn’t want me?  

    I walked away to my room. I had belly aches and headaches and these dark thoughts and my stomach in twisted knots all caused by an individual. My mind is in a permanent flashback, sinking staring long enough you can find the demon lying beneath the angel’s eyes. 

     I was so over with what just happened. I was already packing my stuff to get out of this town. But then I overheard my mom having a conversation with James right outside my room. I stepped behind my door to eavesdrop. 

• No James. I cannot tell you. 
• He needs to know, Magaret. 
• He’s not ready yet. 
• He’s started to talk with her. Now he’s going to ask for more. I need to know how to help him, how to help You, my love. - he tried to kiss her but she didn’t let him. 
• No James. Not now. He’s here and I don’t want him to find out. You must go home NOW!. 
• I’m going home. But I still need to know who killed her, if it wasn't his father. 
• It was her… 

     What 's going on? My bestfriend is with my mom? I thought he had something with my sister. Even worse, who are they referring to as ‘her’? Who killed the person? Was it my best friend's sister April? She was suspiciously quiet the whole time, or my sister Gina, trying to defend herself from not being caught. Or maybe Maribel,  Coraline’s friend, who was acting so devilish… 

     Maybe she means Coraline. But I cannot think it was her. She looks so angelical. Couldn't be her. Then who my mom referred to as ‘it was her?’ Couldn’t be her, but she did have this mysterious touch to her eyes, that slowly but surely caused me to lose myself. Ah, my favorite nightmare.

    After hearing everything that I just heard and seeing everything that I experienced tonight, it was going to be a long night. I have so much to process and try to figure out what was happening. There are so many things that I'm trying to wrap my head around it, yet I do not understand. Everything I thought I knew, just disappeared in a blink of an eye. 

   How does Coraline know my dad? How come she’s a monster? A legendary one who sucks blood and poisonous your soul. A Bitter Vampire hiding into a sweet innocent heart. Why didn’t anyone tell me? What more are they hiding? Who was killed? Why did my dad have to get punished and take me along with it? I have all these questions and more and  I deserve answers.  Ah, definitely a long night, that I don't think I'll forget anytime soon.

I took my bags and walked out of my room, then walked down the stairs to the front door. I overheard steps inside the big dark living room. 

“Wait, don’t go yet.” - From the shadows, Gina walked towards me wearing the same blue dress she was wearing in the ballroom later this evening. Her hair and makeup was all over the place as if she were crying for a long time. She was holding a Glass of Red Wine from our dad's Vineyard. “You can’t go without talking with your lovely sister.”- Gina said with a smirk on her face.

“I smell my lovely sister drunk a lot from dad’s bottles.” - I said with a little smile on my face, holding her and directing her through her room. 

• Don’t talk to me like that brother. I know things. And I saw your shiny eyes when Coraline entered the ball room.-  She said. So that’s her name; I thought to myself. Coraline. - I said to myself.
• I don’t know what you are talking about. 
• I saw you following her to the library. She finally got what she was looking for. - she paused- I just hope you don’t… For you own good. 
• You are tired Gina. You don’t know what you are saying. - I opened her room door and guided her inside. - Come, let’s get you to your bed. You need to get some sleep. 

   After I helped her set up to go to sleep, she held my hand and told me; “You should go. And never return. I know it’s complicated to understand but, what you are feeling is not what you are thinking it is. And what you've been told It’s not true. What you have known your entire life is a lie. But you should continue living it. Because no one can survive your true story. Now walk far away from here. Tell dad I will pay him a visit this week.” - I kissed her forehead and walked away from her room. 

 Once I was in the front door, my mom grabbed my hand.

“Son.” - She kissed me, placed my sun pendant she gave me when I was born into my blazer and let me go. I walked outside to start my journey while my mom gave me blessings and closed the door. I started walking back to my dad's home. 

     Walking through the windy night, I looked up to the shining moon. For some reason ever since I was a kid, the moon has always soothed me and relaxed me. Tonight it's no different, with the moon up I was able to relax a bit but not enough. It’s never enough.

     Her beautiful face keeps appearing in my mind and thoughts. She truly is someone that 's beyond my reach. Ever since I met her back 10 years ago, I haven't been able to forget about her. I have never had eyes for anybody else except for her. I never forgot her beautiful hazel eyes that shone like the full moon at night. I've had girls just throw themselves at me and though they may look attractive, for me the only one in my eyes it's her, it's Coraline. Ever since then I started having dreams about her, about us.  

   Those dreams consist of the same things repeatedly. As if they are trying to deliver a warning. As if my life depends on them. I should start paying more attention to the things I thought were impossible. They feel so real. They all start in the same place, and old well outside of town, playing hide and seek with my best friend James and his little sister April, we were all hiding from this beautiful glowing girl, that today I’m mostly convinced, her name is Coraline. 

 Since the very first day I saw her running away from me into the woods through an old village I had this feeling of protecting her no matter what she is and what she does. I knew she’s the girl I see in my dreams. That is why I need to find her. I need to know more about her. 

She’s the girl I see in my dreams laughing until we can't anymore and writing our initials in a tree. Promising our eternal love. And here I am, in front of a tree. Why don't I just do it? I grabbed a stone and wrote C&J in this big old tree. My mom always said to me: “hope is the very last thing we lose.” So here I am, hoping fate can bring her back to me. 

    This dream makes me wish for an amazing future with her. I see myself protecting her and she; making me the happiest man in the entire world. Our eternal love was imprinted in that old tree we both named our special place.  Our beautiful journey was about to start and  I watched the full moon shining extra bright straight to her hazel eyes looking more beautiful than she already is. “Do you know how gorgeous you look?” - I asked her with a smile on my face.

   She smiled and that just made the night that much more bright. “Thank you! You always know what to say don't you?” - she said with a smile on her face while she was blushing and I smirked. 

    That pink dress she was wearing seduced me. In a way that I would not like others to see her.  I had closed the distance between us with my arms when I grabbed her by the waist. We locked eyes and I desired her luscious lips. I became undone. I kissed her slowly and passionately. She responded to my kiss the sweetest way no other woman can. Leaving more questions to my world with no answers. Her smell was unforgettable, like the beginning, when everything was perfect. 

   Our bodies were acting as if they were one. Turning the place on fire. The wind was hunger of desperate desire. Her sounds were like bells in the doors of heaven. It was like our hunger was eternally unstoppable. She needed me and I needed her. The most beautiful moments were always at nights, under the full moon. We would always meet at night, in the woods, under the tree where we once promised our eternal love. 

   There in my dreams, Coraline looked so fragile as if she might break at any moment. But  in real life, I still have the same feeling. Even though she's a vampire who’s very well does not need my protection. And over all, have her family’s support. I still feel she needs me. But most of all, I need her. That is why I need to know more about her. I won’t wait 10 more years. I will make this dream come true. I will be back soon, Coraline. I will protect you.