Monsters & Fairytales Read online

  Rebecca Suzanne

  Monsters

  &

  Fairytales

  A Novel By:

  Rebecca Suzanne

  In Loving Dedication:

  My son, Vincent William - Heaven’s toughest Guardian Angel

  My son, Nathan Daniel - my right hand man

  My puppy, Duchess - happiness in a furry envelope

  Special Thanks:

  A friend that made this grammatically correct -

  Sabrina Bourque

  And Especially:

  My haters – for allowing me to prove you all wrong

  ((just kidding, I love you guys))

  I tried to breathe, I wanted to breathe.

  Someone kept yelling at me to do it, but I couldn’t.

  I didn’t understand.

  I saw her face and I felt my insides scream out.

  I wanted to touch her again.

  Mom, help me. I don’t know what’s happening.

  The voices again, they told me to breathe.

  I wanted to.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue …………………………………………....…... 5

  You’ve Got To Be Kidding Me …………………….…. 26

  What’s Going on ………………….……………….….. 51

  I’ll Make It Up To You ………………………….……. 70

  Okay, Enough Of That ………………………….…….. 86

  What Do You Mean, What Do I Mean ……...….…..... 108

  This Is Awkward ……………………………...….….. 139

  Somebody Pinch Me …………………...……………. 159

  You Have To Be More Specific Than That …....…...... 185

  As You So Wish ……………………….….…......…... 199

  That’s Called Anger ……………...…......……............. 219

  What Else Is There …………....…….....…....……....... 234

  It’s As Good Of A Time As Any ……....….....…..…... 250

  It’s Worth A Shot …………………….….......…...….. 263

  What Do We Do Now ……………….………....…...... 288

  This Is The Way It’s Meant To Be ….….…….…...….. 311

  So It Seems ………………………….…..…..……...... 336

  Who Said Anything About Love ….…...…….....…….. 358

  Just Once ……………………….……………………. 369

  Love Conquers All …………….…………………….. 387

  This Can’t Be It ……………….………………...….... 407

  The End …………………………………………….... 424

  Epilogue ……………………………………...…….... 438

  Prologue

  Of course, yes, it couldn’t get any better. Of course I had to go to the park with Spike and try to meet new people. Of course that cute guy, the one that knew I was watching him and not his four other friends, had to throw the Frisbee towards me to make Spike chase it. Of course it worked and Spike lunged for it, thus knocking me over into the fountain. And of course, alas, poor helpless Mirabelle had to nearly drown in front of the entire park and have an ambulance come to help.

  Today was certainly a perfect day to meet people. I opened my eyes to tons of them staring at me as if I were the crazy one. I guess it didn’t help I had to roll over and throw up in front of all of them. Well, technically, the water was escaping my lungs instead of my stomach. Was it in my stomach? Wherever it came from, it burned.

  The EMTs insisted I went with them in the ambulance to get checked at the hospital. I insisted that I was fine. I didn’t have insurance. Not that I couldn’t afford the coverage, but that was the part I didn’t want to deal with. No one ever believed that a girl like me had the money I claimed in these situations.

  So while I tried to shake the dizziness, everyone at the park had to hear my argument with the EMTs. Why couldn’t they just accept it and leave me alone. They’ve ruined my day. I was never coming back here. What a great fresh new start to my fresh new life.

  When the ambulance left, I rushed off with Spike. My head was hung lower than his. Staring down, I saw the blue drops on my white shirt. That wasn’t really my concern, because after looking at the drops, I realized my bra was showing through. This could only mean everyone else had to have seen it as well. Yes, why wouldn’t I have on a white shirt and a lime green checkered bra that matched my bandana? And now there was teal hair dye dripping all over the shirt. It probably soaked through my bandana, too. This was the best day ever. Now my dog and I were trudging back to our brand new apartment alone, without any new friends, soaking wet and completely embarrassed.

  The people here had to think of me more a freak than they would have ever thought all on their own. It sort of helped that Spike felt guilty, to be honest. I saw that he was walking like he was injured, but I knew he wasn’t hurt. Well he wasn’t physically hurt, just emotionally. He was feeding off of my emotions. I had just nearly died; I couldn’t really be the most positive person for him right now. I should have known better though. This whole idea was a disaster waiting to happen. I deserved this.

  We made it to the streetlight and I pressed the button on the light post for the cross walk. I knew that it wouldn’t help, but I leaned against the pole and constantly clicked the button as fast as I could. I just wanted the light to change and get me as far away from here as possible. No, actually, I just wanted to melt away into the post and disappear.

  It was very cold against my wet cheek. I felt a slight chill. Spike started growling. Maybe my chill wasn’t from the cold? I looked around but couldn’t see anything that would cause Spike to go into protective mode. Was I blind?

  “Hush, Spike.”

  I tugged his leash a little. As much as I wanted him to do his job, I could feel that the people were still staring at us. He was giving them more of an excuse to gawk other than the spectacle they had just witnessed on our behalf.

  I bet none of them had even moved at all, just their heads to follow us. I would even bet that that guy was still there, too. He was the first one I saw when I opened my eyes. I forced my eyes closed instantly to push that image out of my head.

  With my eyes closed, I could hear Spike was still barking. Didn’t he get that I really didn’t want any more attention. I get it, you’re intimidating. Whatever is causing you to feel threatened, it got the hint. Stop, please. I yanked one more time and hissed at him. He obeyed finally and cowered back to his whimpering stance.

  Satisfied, I looked up to check the status of the cross walk. It had changed on us. The orange hand was flashing, counting down the seconds we had left to cross. I must have missed the white, ‘okay’ while Spike was playing guard dog. I looked both ways then rushed us across the street. As we stepped back onto the sidewalk, Spike really lost it. He was going crazy. It was hard to contain him enough when I was feeling well, but now he was practically dragging me. Really? What was with him?

  “Spike! C’mon!” I pleaded.

  He was trying to scour the wall like a ninja or something. I looked up to where he was trying to get at, but I saw nothing. There was nothing there. No human. No big giant monster. No thief. There were some black feathers falling down from the ledge a few levels up; must’ve been birds. He wouldn’t go that ballistic over birds, though. Maybe the birds scattered from him but he was after something else?

  To be sure our lives weren’t honestly in danger from something three levels up, I stepped back a couple of steps and poked my head around the back of the building. The morning sun blinded me. I couldn’t see anything in the
seconds between vision and black. There were just tons of spots in my eyes now. I tried to blink them away so I could see.

  I started laughing. That was not the smartest thing I had done this morning. It helped that Spike was staring at me as if I were the crazy one. This dog was really something else. At least he was calm. Whatever it was, it wasn’t anything I needed to worry about anymore.

  We carried on around to the front of the apartment building like two peas in a pod about to get boiled in a pot. Well, at least I was, since I was dripping wet. He was just the unripened pea, or something else that goes along with what I was saying. I sucked at metaphors.

  At least the streets were empty so no one could see me pondering my thoughts and not paying attention to where I was going. I managed not to fall though, somehow. I guess it was irony. God would never put me in an embarrassing situation with no one to witness it.

  Maybe I was in for less now. This side of town was less populated than I was used to. It was different, quiet. I didn’t mind quiet really. It allowed me to not have to bump into anyone and force conversations. All my old neighbors just wanted to talk about my mom, Rida.

  Her face flashed in my head. I felt my heart drop. I reached for the handle to the building’s lobby and turned it. I wanted to get inside and cry in the middle of my bed, all dramatic like. The door wasn’t moving, though. Spike sat down and started looking around. Did he know something I didn’t? I fiddled with the door a bit more, begging for it to just open. I pushed and pulled, but it wasn’t moving an inch. What was I forgetting? The handle was moving in complete rotation. Was I turning it the wrong way?

  Please, I just wanted to go inside and disappear from the world. I was feeling light headed. I really should have gone to the hospital. I rested my head against the frosted glass center of the door and closed my eyes. Can something just go right today? Please? There was release on the door, and then I was falling... on my face. Was this really happening? Did someone really yank the door open while I was hoping for a better day?

  I tried to get a grip, but my shoes slipped in the puddle I had created below me. I fell completely through the now open doorway like jelly. Spike scampered away to avoid going down with me. I was alone. It was only perfect. It seems as though there were more perfect places for perfect opportunities to make a perfect fool of myself. Thanks, God. You’re the best.

  I hit the floor and it echoed with a sickening thud up the lobby. Holding myself stiff on my forearms, it went silent. The only sound I could hear was the person behind me, still standing there, breathing heavily. Either they were in a hurry or they were staring at me with such awe that they weren’t focused on their breathing.

  The sound of a car driving closely by outside answered my question. They were definitely doing that whole staring-at-me-in-awe thing. Who could blame them? I didn’t blame them. I mean what were the odds that I would be leaning against the door at the same moment they were rushing out?

  My nerves finally faded and I took a deep breath to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. I wasn’t. The adrenaline would wear off soon and my arms were going to hurt. I hoped they weren’t broken. I wiggled my fingers to make sure everything was in its working place. That was the easy part. My wrists could still be shattered. I was terrified to move them only to scream out in pain with this stranger watching me. I had had enough of falling down and people staring at me while I was in pain.

  Something brushed up against my side. A huge, warm tongue licked my cold, sticky cheek. Spike, my hero. I nudged him away and carefully rested on an elbow. My wrists were fine. The only thing that seemed to come close to shattering were my glasses. They were just hanging from the tip of my nose. Falling into the fountain must’ve really loosened them up. I pushed them back where they belonged, realizing how lucky I was that not only did they stay on, but that my wrists caught me. It could have been very nasty if my face had hit the floor, crushing my glasses through my eyes. Wait, why was I thinking about that?

  I saw a stranger's hand out of the corner of my well intact eye. Spike stepped back some for the person to bend down. I wasn’t prepared for further human interaction. I wished I never had to have human interaction again. I wish I never had to have human interaction again.

  “Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. Please, let me help you up!” A very melodic voice echoed in the lobby.

  Despite the obvious hurry in his voice, it still managed to make me feel better. There was something about him, I just couldn’t quite place it.

  “No, thanks. I got it.”

  I panicked. How was I supposed to show weakness in front of a stranger? I carefully climbed up my arms and rolled on my back to get up easier. When I looked up, I sort of wished I had kept acting weak and fragile. He was an angel. He was honestly, insanely, breathtakingly gorgeous. It wasn’t fair how good he looked. He made that guy from the park look like, well, someone unattractive. Hell, he made every guy I had ever thought to be attractive look like... someone unattractive.

  I watched him bend down some more to get to eye level with me. He moved a perfect blonde curly lock of hair back behind his ear ((it must’ve fallen out of his perfect pony tail)). As close as he was now, I could tell he was blushing.

  “Are you sure?” He stuttered the sentence almost, holding his hand out again for me.

  He was nervous, too. Oh God, he knew I was staring at him and judging his every feature. Wait, why would that make him nervous? I bet he got this all the time, what with being so beautiful and all.

  “Yeah. I’m okay. Thanks.”

  I finally managed to break my eyes from his. That’s when I remembered everyone could see my bra through my shirt. I was still soaking wet. I had completely forgotten. That meant he could see through my shirt, too. I jumped up and nearly fell again. This was a nightmare.

  “Careful! Are you really sure you’re okay?”

  He reached his free hand out to catch me. My shoes skidded a bit and squeaked in the empty lobby. I grasped his hand on instinct and tried to steady myself. Spike scurried around to try to stay out of the way of another catastrophe. He seemed confused as to where was safe exactly, though. I didn’t blame him.

  “Yes. Thank you.”

  I went to let go of his hand but he wouldn’t let me. I looked at him curiously.

  “Really. You don’t have to feel bad or anything, I’m fine. Besides, I was the idiot leaning against the door.” I teased, smirking. Why did I say that?

  He let go of my hand and I reached for Spike's leash. My hands were shaking. I was nervous. I could feel my chest was tight with butterflies, or maybe it was still recovering from my near death experience. Either way, it was difficult to focus around this guy. I took a step and my shoe squeaked from the puddle I had made on the floor. Mr. Perfect threw his hands out, prepared to catch me again.

  “Well, hey now! And for your information, I do feel pretty bad. You may’ve been the one leaning against it, but I was the idiot rushing through. I mean, there is glass there for a reason. All I had to do was look.”

  He seemed to be honestly beating himself up over this. How ever a guy of his standards thought a girl of mine was worth beating themselves up over, was beyond me. Not saying my physical appearance was all that low, but it was oddly flattering. This guy was taking more thought into me than I ever imagined. Maybe there was hope left in the world?

  “Then we’re even.” I stuttered.

  Standing there next to the door, the breeze found its way in from the overhead window. Just the wind and no sun on my wet clothes sent a shiver down my arms. I tried to hide it. Now I was standing there in front of this guy, awkward, freezing, and trying not to stare into his eyes. I was making it worse. I needed to look over at him and smile to be polite. When I saw his face, I found the smile came rather easily and made me all giddy inside. Everything about him had this funny glow that lifted me off the floor. I was walking on air. He met my eyes and then returned the smile. I felt my chest tightening up again.

  “Right.”
/>   I was blushing. I had to look away as soon as possible. That left me standing there again, awkward and quiet. My eyes weren’t wandering the room anymore though, so at least it seemed I was paying attention to him. Even if it was because we were both waiting for some reason to walk away, we weren’t doing it rudely and oblivious to the other's existence.

  When he sucked in his bottom lip, I took that as my cue to leave. Finally. I nodded my head and turned to walk up the stairs without another look at him.

  Focus; I had to be very careful not to fall and cause more of a reason for him to stay. The last thing I needed was for him to stay. He needed to leave. I didn’t want him to, but it was for the best. It was hard enough focusing on my feet and not allowing my eyes to wander, thus getting lost in that smile of his that made me crumble inside. He knew he had that effect. I could tell. Focus; I can’t fall again.

  Spike jumped a few steps to get ahead of me just in time for me to keep walking safely. I was sort of glad he preferred to lead the way. It was as if he knew better, that walking that close to me would be the best scenario for danger. Or I was just too slow for him. I kind of hoped he knew better. With him walking in front of me, he was sort of my support to stay upright. Not to mention it’d be nice to know he and I had that type of a connection.

  I heard Spike’s paw click on something. It was my complete utter demise of these steps, the one thing I was focusing so hard not to get caught up in, the tricky step. I fell the first time I walked up these stairs and the realtor just laughed at me. She did have the decency to explain I’d eventually get used to it and subconsciously avoid it. I wasn’t ready yet, but I had heard it. No, I would not let it get me again. Not today.

  I looked up to Spike real fast to check if I could see the step coming, and in that second felt my mistake. I was so dumb. I should have kept to myself, watching my feet. The toes on my right foot caught it instantly. There were cracking noises, gasps, and then silence as my knee landed on the step below me. My hand slipped from the railing and both of my hands immediately wrapped around my knee. I applied as much pressure as I could muster. Somehow pressure was always the first response to numb the pain. However I was in so much pain it didn’t seem squeezing it affected any amount of intensity.