Evils of the Night-Chapter 8

A flash from the past

Sylvia was laughing. So was her Mom. Sylvia had been reading a funny story Brett had written. It was her 11^th birthday, and Mom had taken her out for dinner and a movie. They were on the way home now, snow falling from the sky. It was a beautiful January night. Perfect for hot cocoa and time with Mom. Well, perfect for eleven year old Sylvia.

Derek Grayson wasn't having a perfect night. He'd gone to the Blue Dragon to drown his troubles in whiskey, and hadn't listened to his friends' warnings about driving home. He was going ten under the speed limit, staying in his lane. He was doing fine.

“Mom look out!” Sylvia shouted. But the oncoming headlights were coming too fast. Her mom swerved, but the truck barreled right into their little car, sending it flipping into the snow-filled ditch.

A man that smelled funny came tumbling down the side of the road. He came to the smashed passenger window first.

“Lil gurl? Er you okayy?” his speech was slurred and the last thing Sylvia heard before the sirens. Red and orange lights flashed like Christmas lights, washing the snow in their fiery light.

“Momma?” Sylvia moaned.

“You're gonna be alright. Just keep still and don't talk.” a sweet-faced woman in a black coat said.

Sylvia knew no more. She awoke in a hospital room surrounded by colorful balloons and a few flowers. There was her Dad, head in his hands, kneeling by her bed and crying. She couldn't move her arm to touch him, and her leg was held up in the air and wrapped in a purple cast. Her favorite color. Her arm had a cast in purple as well.

“Daddy?”

He looked up. Tears still ran down his face and he reached up and touched her face.

“Where's Mommy?”

“Mommy's not here anymore, sweet Sylvia. Mommy went to heaven.”

“Mommy died?”

Her father couldn't answer. He only held the hand attached to the broken arm and buried his face in the blanket. His shoulders shook with suppressed sobs.

Sylvia was numb. Her Mom was gone. No more birthday treats with her. No more hugs. No more dancing around the living room in Mom's high heels. It was all gone. It was gone because of the funny man that smelled weird and talked strange. Then the tears flowed.

“Sylvia!” It was Jake. “There you are.”

She'd come to sit alone on the front porch while everyone else was in the back around the pool. “Hi Jake.” she said, quickly wiping away a stray tear.

“You OK?”

“I don't know why, but everything here reminds me of her. The pictures of Jenny and her mom. The smiles. The laughter. Jenny's constant happiness.”

“Do you want to go? I mean, Jenny and Brett are setting up the stereo and we're gonna do some dancing, but if you want to go, I totally understand.”

“No. All I have to go home to is a dark, empty house. I might as well stay here and socialize, huh?”

Jake smiled. “Then come dance with me, Sylv.”

She cleaned up her face a little more, and took Jake's outstretched hand.

“Twist my arm. I hear you're becoming quite the dancer.”

“Ha! No way in heck am I gonna be as good as you, but yeah.”

Sylvia smiled. “C'mon and show me some moves, boy.”

She let Jake bring her to where everyone was already dancing. Jenny had a huge deck, then down some steps was the pool. She saw Jayden look at her when she came in, but Jake had led her to the center of the deck, where everyone was dancing.

“Show me what you got.” Sylvia challenged.

Jake tossed her a flirty grin and did some fancy spin, then held out his hand to her. She accepted it, and he pulled her around then flung her back out, then grabbed her other hand and spun her around.

They danced like crazy for the rest of the song, when Brett grabbed the mic attached to the little soundboard they were using and turned on his DJ voice.

“Allllright everybody! Let's slow it down a bit now. Grab yourself a partner and take it easy.” he turned off the mic and asked Jenny to dance with him. Jake already had Sylvia in his arms. Her arms rested on his shoulders, his hands on her waist. Jayden still sat on the railing, just watching. He watched no one but Sylvia.

“Glad I made you come dance.” Jake said. “You've gotten better.”

“Mmm you're not too shabby yourself.” Sylvia said, smiling a little. She looked over at Brett and Jenny. “I think we have a future couple over there.” she said.

Jake looked at them. Jenny had one arm over his shoulder, the other hand in his. He had one arm around her waist, and his chin rested on the top of her head. She had her head on his chest, and a happy smile played on her lips. “I think you might be right.” he said. “I'd like to see you be that happy.”

Sylvia smiled. “It can never be, Jake.” she said. “Jenny hasn't had half the hardships I have.”

“You deserve happiness more then.” Jake protested.

“Thanks Jake.” she said, laying her head on his shoulder. She felt him rest his head on hers.

Jayden was feeling things he'd never felt before. Who was that guy, and why was Sylvia with him? Didn't she know that she was meant to be with him, Jayden? Never had anything been so clear to him. But now, there she was, in Jake's arms, cuddled up to him, talking in low voices. His Sylvia was falling in love with someone else.

The song ended. Crazy music was cued up again, but Jake and Sylvia didn't dance that one. Instead, Jayden stood up and marched over to her.

“Sylvia.”

“Oh hey Jayden! Isn't this a great party?”

“Sylvia, what's wrong with you?”

“What are you talking about?” she felt his blue eyes probing into hers.

“That mystery? I know what yours is, and I want you to tell me what the solution is.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.” she said.

He grabbed her arm. “I know you do. C'mon Sylvia, we all know it's that wistful, sad look in your eyes whenever you're around anything happy. What's going on?”

“Nothing.” she said, pulling away.

“Sylv—”

“Jayden.” her eyes met his and locked. Then suddenly Jayden heard her voice in his head. “I won't tell you the solution to my mystery. Don't push it.” then she walked away.

It was 11:30 when Jake and Sylvia returned to her house. She invited him in for something to drink before he went home, and he accepted.

“I had fun tonight.” she said, getting two glasses from the cupboard and putting ice in them. “Thanks for taking me.”

“No problem. It was great hanging out. I've always liked you.”

Sylvia smiled and hoped she wasn't blushing. She pulled two cans of Coke from the fridge and poured them out into the glasses. She handed one to Jake.

They went into the living room and sat down on the couch. After a few minutes of silence, Jake spoke. “You know somethin'?”

“What?” Sylvia asked.

“We should go out dancing sometime. The little high school club in town is trying to pull in more business, so they're doing dancing on Friday nights.”

“That'd be fun. I'd love to.” she said.

Jake set his drink down. “Let's dance again.”

“Right now?”

“Right now.”

Sylvia smiled and grabbed her phone. “Can't dance without music.” she said, plugging it into the speaker system. She played the same slow song they'd danced to at the dance. Jake pulled the curtains shut and turned toward her.

This time, the dance was a little more intricate. Since they had more room, they were able to dance freely instead of just holding each other and swaying back and forth. Jake and Sylvia were unofficially voted the best dancers in school, but neither of them would ever admit to it. The song ended, and another one began. Still slow and delicate.

Finally, they got a little tired, and reverted to traditional slow dancing.

“You know, Sylvia?”

“Hmm?”

“I really like you. And not just as a friend. I'm thinking like more than friends and more towards girlfriend.”

She looked up at him. “I like you too, Jake. And as more than friends.” she smiled.

He looked down and smiled a little. Slowly they got closer and closer until their lips met. For the first time since her mom's death, Sylvia felt happy and loved. Jake had been crushing on her for a couple of years, but she and Brett were so close that everyone thought they were only a step away from dating, so he'd stayed quiet.

If Sylvia knew that only a few miles away, Jayden was in his room, in complete helpless fury, she may not have told Jake she'd be his girlfriend. However, she did, and when Jake went home, there were at least two happy people in the world.