The End of Innocence: Book 3 of the Kinstone series
Chapter 17: A fateful encounter

I run outside, down from the dancefloor, onto the grass, and out to the lake. I quickly drop to my knees, throwing up everything in my stomach. I hold my hand to my mouth, only to let out another round of vomit.

I pant heavily, tasting heavily amounts of bile and acid, with the insides of my teeth feeling like coarse sandpaper. There’s a difference between simply eating a meal, gorging oneself, and just eating to show off. I just couldn’t handle the sight of food being devoured in such a way.

My hair drapes over my shoulder, now dipping in the water. I feel my stomach churn up once more. I heave, but fight it back down. My eyes feel puffy and face hot. My stomach is completely empty, and body weaker. I stare at myself in the water, watching it ripple.

I can still hear the sounds of cheering coming from the restaurant, if only fainter now. This is going to be something interesting to tell Rachel when I see her later, if she hasn’t already been told.

I feel a hand stroking my back, moving gently along my spine. A small smile forms on my lips, “Hey Marron.”

“Who’s Marron?”

I turn to see a young girl, about my age with shoulder length brown hair with it being parted to the right.

I lean onto the backs of my legs, getting a better look at her. She smiles, seeing the light shifting slightly off of her fair skin, which caused me to stare into her eyes. They were different colors, with the left being hazel and the right a shade of green.

I tilt my head, “Umm…thanks.”

She smiles, “You’re welcome. What happened?”

I sigh, holding my head, “Just got a little sick, that’s all.”

The girl peers up towards the restaurant, “So what’s going on in there? Are you with family or something?”

I bobble my head slightly, “You could say that. We get together like this twice a year. Just can’t handle watching boys knee-deep in eating contests.”

The girl scoots a bit closer, seeing her eyes shimmering through my hair. I didn’t show it, but I knew that there was something…familiar about this girl, something I couldn’t explain.

“Who are you?”

She smiles, “I’m Diana, Diana Elliston. You?”

I take a short deep breath, “Aria, Aria Edge.”

Her smile grows slightly, “It’s a pleasure to meet you Aria.”

I tilt my head back, taking another breath, “Likewise.” Her hand moves away from my back and out in front of me.

I smile, taking it, letting her hoist me back to my feet. I brush off any grass from my skirt. I turned to look at her again, seeing that she stood just slightly taller than me by at least a few inches.

She smirks, “You’re on the tiny side aren’t you? Are you a kid?”

I giggle, straining the water from my hair, “Believe or not I’m actually fifteen. But you’re right; I am on the small side. Been that way for a long time.” Her face twitches subtly, but it was so faint and fast that the dim lighting helped to obscure it.

A phone then goes off, watching her pull out from behind her waist.

“Yeah,” seeing her talk into it, “I’m out here on the other side of the lake…not yet. I just met someone… No it’s a girl…Just her…Okay. I’ll see you soon mother.”

For a split-second there, I could’ve sworn when she said “mother”, Diana grimaced slightly. She then turns to me, “Sorry I have to cut this short, my mom is waiting for me on the north side of the lake. Think we can meet again?”

I cross my arms and think for a moment, “Sure, I’ll be at Crawford Park tomorrow morning and will be there most of the day.”

She smiles, “Okay then. See you tomorrow.”

I uncross my arms, “See you then.”

Diana then take a few steps back, waving to me, “Later…Aria.”

I wave back, “Seeya Diana.” She then turns and disappears into the dark.

“Aria!”

I spin around to see Marron, my knights, Fenris, and the rest of the group all running out to me. I walk over to them, “Hey guys.”

Marron quickly pulls me into her arms, “Alexis told me you just ran out of the dining hall. Are you all right?”

I look at her, “Yeah, just got a little sick, that’s all.”

She looked me over, glimpsing the little “pool” by the water’s edge. She let out a heavy sigh, glaring back at the restaurant, “That tears it. I am going to put an end to this before something really stupid happens,” looking up at Orga, “you have her?”

The knight bows his head, “I do.”

“Good.” Marron then runs off towards the restaurant.

Jenn looks me over, “Lost it didn’t you?”

I drop my head, “Yeah, not sure how my mom is going to react to this.”

She bobs her head nervously, “Heh, no kidding. If mine were here she’d go apocalyptic on them.”

I giggle, “Knowing both our moms, there’d be zero survivors.” She chuckles.

I feel Fenris slipping behind me, gently brushing my butt. I lean up against him, letting myself relax if just for a moment.

Kateryna hands me a water bottle, “Are you sure you’re feeling all right Your Highness?”

I unscrew the top and down it, feeling the water easily pass straight down into my stomach, gasping once finished, “Better than I was a few minutes ago that’s for sure.” I then cough for a moment, feeling the water churning in my stomach.

Heather rubs my back, “We saw you talking to someone. Who was that?”

I shake my head, “No idea, possibly a local or something. She just appeared out of nowhere.” I turn and gaze out along the lakeshore, what was that I felt from her?

Jenn leans in and takes my hand, “Come on. I’m sure the DJ is about to start up the music.”

I smirk, “Sure.”

She pulls me off of my bonded and led me back towards the deck. I still have no idea who the girl was. But I couldn’t get that sense of familiarity out of my head. Just who was that girl?

The rest of the evening went rather smoothly, if not hilariously. Marron gave the contestants one hell of a tongue-lashing, not even sparing the adults who just allowed it to happen. I swear that woman can be just as frightening as my mother when pushed. She then forced the teens to not only clean up their table but to furthermore help clean dishes for an hour. She profusely apologized to the restaurant staff.

I simply retreated to the deck and sat down for a moment. The DJ then started the night’s music, playing club music at first before mixing in techno, and to my bleeding ears, dubstep. Why that “genre” of music is popular is beyond me. If I have to really equate this night to anything, it possibly could be like prom or something along those lines.

When the music did become more amicable for me, I joined the rest of my friends out on the dancefloor. We swayed and bobbled to every beat, letting our bodies and hands just fling about.

I’d glance over to Orga and Kateryna, who understandably cover their ears during certain songs. Even Fenris lied on the floor trying to drown out the noise. I laughed, bouncing around the floor. Given how screwed up my stomach was just while ago, it felt really good to get my heartrate up.

Marron and I twirled and stomped on the floor, grinning as our skirts flew through the air. I would swirl and move between her and my friends. Henry by far was the funniest to watch. His “moves”, if you really wanted call them that, could only be described as heavy stomping mixed with the constant flaying of arms. He means well, but the poor guy could stand to learn how to dance.

When the music shifted towards a slower pace, it was the signal for couples dancing. I retreated to a table, watching as everyone started to pair up, and dance. I think even my knights finally found something they liked as I watched the both of them perform a version of the waltz.

The chaperones after recovering for the verbal smackdown handed to them by Marron, (which I should’ve seriously recorded) all joined and danced to the music.

It was then I really wished that Kenji was here. Oh he’d practically get mauled to death by the girls, and have to face Marron, there’s no question in my mind about that. But at least he would be here and I’d have someone to dance with.

I slump over on the table and close my eyes, imagining the two of us dancing together. It’s funny how the only way I can see either of us in the same frame is as kitsune. Probably due the fact that it was the form either of us was in the most, apart from the few instances.

I then thought of the crazy, if not bat-shit insane idea, that somehow Titania could possibly bring him here. Granted…by this point I think the both of us are close friends, so it wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibly for her to do something like this for me. Although not without something in return.

I still smile at how often I would discover little gifts from her, often containing comforting and reassuring notes, I…can’t help but like her and how close we are. Not in the same way how Rachel and I have bonded, yet I replace actual solace and dare I say happiness to know she was there.

My cheeks blush softly, somehow thinking that I turn around and he’d magically be standing there, with the fairy queen at his side. I glance around the dance floor, senses tuned to anything and everything. But when neither is to be found, I let out a heavy sigh. I close my eyes, listening to the music softly play.

I feel a soft nudging on my shoulder. One eye then opens halfway, seeing Marron kneeling in front of me. She reaches up and cups my cheek, smoothing it over with her thumb.

“Tired sweetie?”

I really didn’t want to move and let alone respond. She leaned in closer, “Maybe I should pick you up and carry you like an infant over to your mother,” grinning deviously, “I’m certain that if I did, I wouldn’t be the only one to ‘baby’ you.” I roll my eyes and grumble, lifting my body from the table.

My eyes pan around, seeing the floor slowly being deserted, “Is it over?” asking in a near whisper.

She stands up and pulls me with her, “Yep. I will never figure out how you can manage to sleep through music like that.”

I smirk, feeling my hair frizzle around my shoulders, “I listen to power metal, sometimes even fall asleep to it. So slow dance music can easily put me out.”

She sighs, shaking her head and straightening out my hair. I then glance out into the parking lot, seeing my car. Marron pulls me close and walks me off the floor.

I wrap my arms around her, seeing people climbing into their cars. Jenn and Mandy both have hopped into Henry’s jeep, with Heather in the front. They all wave to me as their “chauffeur” peels out of the parking lot. I chuckle, waving back to them.

Rachel steps out of the car, gently pulls me into her arms, stroking my hair, “Did you have a good time my darling?”

I bury my head into her chest, “For the most part I did.”

She leans over and plants a kiss onto the top of my head, “Marron informed me of what happened. Rest assured that their parents were equally horrified.” I give a short nod.

I turn back to Marron and fold back into her arms, “See you tomorrow?”

She squeezes me tightly, rubbing my shoulders, “I’ll be there sweetie. I love you.”

I tiredly bury my face into her, “Love you too Marron.”

She plants my kiss onto my cheek, “Have a good night.”

I pull back and smile to her. She taps my nose and gives my mother a soft bow before turning for her car.

Rachel gently directs me into the car, followed by her, Fenris, and finally my knights. I plop myself into a seat and sink into the leather. I want to just fade away in my seat. Apart from throwing up because of an idiotic eating contest, the night was a lot of fun.

I glance back out onto the lake, still wondering who that girl was and why she felt so…familiar. There were also the almost negligible looks she gave while talking to me. I guess if I do see her tomorrow, I could gleam a few more answers. But that was issue for tomorrow, and right now I wanted sleep. I buried myself into the upholstery, feeling it envelope my skin.

The car then lurches forward slightly as we finally pull out of the parking lot and onward to the hotel. My body shifted slightly landing right up against my mother’s arm. My eyes close slowly, feeling her draping an arm around me, holding me close.

“Sleep my darling. May the spirits whisk you away to worlds unknown.” I smile softly, drifting off completely.