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“And you’re the only one who saw her, hmm?” he questions me.
“Yes.” I say again, confidently. “I watched Auden Wilder jump off the cliff.”
Halloween Night - One Year Earlier
“MIKAELA,” I HEAR EDWARD’S DEEP rumble from behind me, “I was wondering when you were going to get here.” A smile is stretched across his lips when I turn to face him.
Noah’s father looks down right sinister. He wears a black tux, perfectly tailored and wrinkle-free. From the neck down he looks every bit his charming self, but on the crown of his head rests a black mask with grooves and creases making his face look distorted. The top of the mask stretches out into two large ram horns. In his hand, he holds a matte black pitch fork, long enough that the bottom rests on the ground when he stands.
“The devil?” I ask, looking over his perverse form.
Edward gives me a toothy grin. “Yes,” he says, there's a wicked gleam in his eyes. Noah’s dad is unlike my own in many ways, money only being one of them. It’s funny when I think about how they work together, a man as confident and commanding as Edward working with a former artist turned businessman like my father.
“Fitting,” Noah chuckles under his breath.
“Ah, but this is the devil's night, so it’s only fitting that he rules over this party, hmm?” The grin is still plastered on his face while he talks. “Don’t you agree?” His deep brown eyes move to mine. “My dark angel?” He reaches forward, stroking a hand against my wings.
I bark out a laugh. “Very fitting.” I smile.
“All right, Dad, that’s enough,” Noah chuckles. “Besides, Mik needs a drink.” He tugs on my hand pulling me away from his father.
“Bye Mr. Bancroft,” I smile as I begin to follow Noah. “Talk to you later.” I try my best to sound polite as Noah drags me away. The last thing I need is for his father to hate me. I already know I don’t fit in here, in this crowd, the only thing I have going for me is that for some reason Noah’s parents like me.
“I have something for you,” Noah leads me away from the other partygoers, toward the french doors at the back of the house. “Let’s get some air.” He pushes open the doors, pulling us out into the crisp October air.
The trees have already turned, the leaves coating them with shades of orange and red. The Bancroft backyard is completely cleared of them, I’m sure they had someone picking them up as they fell.
The backyard is its own Halloween wonderland. Decorated with string lights hung from the trellis, creating a cozy atmosphere that contradicts with the fake skulls and vases of black roses scattered around the area. Everywhere I look, every corner is decorated with blacks and muted oranges, roses and skulls.
The creepy aesthetic has chills running up my arms, I love everything about it, the dark and scary.
“You’re not dressed up,” I say to Noah, once we’re outside and I see him fully. He’s attractive as always, but his costume is nothing but a simple t-shirt and fitted jeans.
He runs a hand through his dark hair and gives me a quick smile. “Yeah, I guess I just wanted to be myself tonight.” He pauses, sucking in a breath of air. “Can we go to our spot?”
It’s freezing outside, even for late October and I rub my hands over my bare arms. “Sure,” I tell him.
He takes my hand, leading me back toward our spot. The cliff is the first place Noah took me, it’s the spot he showed me that first time we met. We trek to the back of the property where the cliff is overlooking the dark water. The moon is bright, tinted with an orange glow as it sits above the water’s surface, casting its lights over the lake.
It’s beautiful, and fitting for Halloween.
We come here often, whenever we’re at his parents house, and each time I’m stunned by the beauty of this view.
Noah looks nervous, shifting his weight from side to side as we look out at the water.
“Mik,” he finally says, running a hand through his hair and pausing to scratch the back of his neck. “I want to ask you something.”
“Okay,” I smile hesitantly, “Why are you being weird?” It’s out of the norm for Noah, he’s normally cool and collected. He doesn’t sweat about anything, but the man in front of me is definitely nervous about something.
He exhales a rush of air and then drops to one knee. “Mikaela Wilder,” he starts. “I know we’re young, but I really love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I like the way I feel when I’m with you, I love seeing you laugh, and grow. I love everything about you Mikaela, and I want everyday with you. I want all your love and all your pain. I want everything you have to give. Mik, will you marry me?”
He looks up at me with glossy eyes as he pulls a small velvet box from his pocket, opening it up in front of me. My heart is racing watching the scene unfold. I’m only nineteen years old and even though I know I want to spend my life with Noah, I’m shocked. We’ve talked about marriage, but not this soon.
“Noah,” I whisper, not sure what words to say.
The ring in the box in front of me is huge, a large sparkling diamond that looks like it might be the price of a house.
“Say yes, Mik,” he says.
