C H A P T E R • N I N E

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APPLE FESTIVAL DAY: ONE
PART THREE.

THE BLOOD MOON HUNG LOW OVER THE BOOMING BUSTLING CROWDS OF THE APPLE FESTIVAL. Futile noisy chatter, unsettling fair instrumental music and the bracing whip of the wind all fought fiercely for the dominance of Gola's ears. All while a glittering rainbow of flashing brilliant lights, an array of deep fried chow and the overall peculiarly of the diverse people enclosing her brawled mercilessly for her sight.

She couldn't help but feel a bit regretful as the dread in her bones throbbed. Crowds were not for her. She just arrived but already felt painstakingly swamped.

Levi gave her shoulder a small squeeze and she suppressed a shiver at his cool touch. "If you don't want to talk about what happened then just say so. Don't lie and say it's ok."

Gola rolled her eyes at Levi grabbing both of his hands to place in her open scarlet hooded blazer.

"It's really ok." Gola exhaled, stepping closer to Richards. Add unsuitably dressed to her list of regrets for the night. The plaid navy skirt of her school uniform lacked length and the milky collared button down top lacked sleeves.

The two took steps forward in line.

"Don't li"- Levi stopped mid sentence, something off in the distance catching his attention.

Beaumont.

Slowly the edges Levi's lips curled. Without taking his eyes off of beau he effortlessly pulled Gola into his arms. Raising a challenging eye brow at Beau while steadily placing both his hands back into her pockets.

Beau's aesthetic face remained clear of any detectable emotion yet his fist clenched at his sides.

"Adorable." Richards chuckled, throwing back his head.

Click.

Gola snapped a quick picture of her gorgeous golden boy with her polaroid camera. At this Levi made no effort to hide his discontent. Grumbling incoherent slurs under his breath. Now it was Gola's turn to throw her head back in a girlish fit of giggles.

"Don't pout." She laughed, taking his hand and pulling him down into the Ferris wheel seat. "I thought you might come to the festival with one of your boyfriends." She added as the the wobbly cart ascended.

Both of them were on edge about the mounting elevation so the small talk was welcome. Even if it awkward.

"One multiple male companions? Dear Who do you take me for a promiscuous cad?" Levi joked, placing one of his hands across his heart as he pretended to be offended.

" God, Why are you so formal all that time?! And yes I take you as a stone cold playa." Gola replied with a smile tugging at her lips.

"I have only one companion." Levi replied as a matter of factly, scanning down into the crowd.

Gola peered into the crowd as well.

The two tensed at the same time. In result of spotting two different people.

"Who is the lucky guy?" Gola prodded without looking at him. Unfathomably she couldn't help but to let her eyes linger on a female figure down below. Sylvia.

Her hips swaying in a skin tight champagne hued dress as she pulled Dean with one of her well manicured hands through the crowd. She was undeniably stunning. With ivory skin, long soft chocolate hair that fell into even softer curls, forget-me-not blue eyes and pink pouty thin lips.

Dean had dimples bared for the world to see. He looked happy. Although Gola couldn't help but wonder how. Sylvia White opposed Waya Maria smith in every way possible. While Sylvia liked the finer things of life, Waya loved all things in life utterly sentimental.

Whilst Sylvia adored having sex untold times, Waya relished downright savoring intimacy essentially. Although Sylvia favored all things modern, Waya appreciated all things vintage. Where one was hot the other was cold, modest the other bold.

Gola didn't hate Sylvia because she was different from her mother, no she grieved because Sylvia wasn't and could never be her mother. Often this grief poured from her soul, blood and bones in fury. In pettiness, tears and screams.

"You know him." Levi stated simply. His voice distant and cold. Something about the statement unsettled Gola. Perhaps it was that Levi sounded exactly like he did the other night, bitter and distant. Or maybe it was how similar the statement had sounded to another she'd recently heard. "You know him. You love him too."

She shook the thought away, turning to face Levi to find him already starring at her with something unreadable in his eyes. Click. With a soft smile she snapped another photograph to look back on when her Richards were both graying with grandchildren.

"Your awfully pouty today Richards." She laughed, laying her head on his shoulder.

_______________

Levi disappeared. Once Gola had praised God for her safe return to the ground. Blinked and turned around. Her pouty best friend had gone.

She didn't know what to make of it but she did know she was hungry. Without hesitation or contemplation Gola decides that all regrouping will take place after she's stuffed her face.

"Miss." A dirty looking little girl tugged at the bottom of Gola's navy pleaded skirt.

"Uh."Gola found herself speechless looking down at the little girl who wore dirty old tattered colorless dress, her dirty blond hair a filthy birds nest and some crusty dark scarlet smudge streaked from one of her enormous sapphire eyes to her cheek.

"Miss." The little girl repeated, still tugging at her skirt.

"You want some?" Gola offered the little girl her gigantic turkey leg and cherry cola. Can't say she did so happily.

The little girl hesitated. Took the food. But took nor bite or sip. "Miss."

Concerned for the young girls well being Gola took out her cell phone, ready to contact authorities. The younger girl snatched the cell phone, hurrying off into the crowd.

Without thinking Gola scurried after her.

Running through such a tightly packed space remains no easy feat. It wasn't pretty either there was pushing, pulling, panting and cursing. Although the little girl didn't seem to mind it. She giggled like a lunatic. Every now or so jumping out at Gola, yelling 'peak a boo.'

At one point in time Gola was sure the little girl was chasing her instead of the other way around.

"You can't be back here." An elder chocolate skinned woman with emeralds for eyes informed Her. She sounded smug but Gola thought she imagined it.

"That little girl stole my phone and I think she needs help. I think someone might have ha—"

"What little girl?" The woman demanded with her eyebrows furrowed.

The elderly woman seemed familiar. Her eyes could never be overlooked or forgotten.

Behind the woman the little girl danced around in circle, singing, teasing.

Gola scratches her head. "She's right there." She exhaled exasperatedly, pointing at the pretty little heathen.

The emerald eyed woman looked directly at the little girl and smiled. "Where?"

"Right there."

"Do y'all see a little girl?" The silver haired elder asked the impatiently waiting people behind Gola in line knowingly. They all shook there heads no.

It clicked into place then. Who could forget that complacent smirk and outrageously breathtaking emerald eyes? This old bat was the lady who hastily sold her father the candles at a ridiculous bargain.

"You..."Gola hissed scowling at the silver haired lady, slipping behind the vendor, looking ready to pounce.

The emerald eyed woman appeared highly amused.

Before Gola hound the woman with a tsunami of questions the giggle of the little girl brought her back to the present. "Peak a boo, Miss."

If the situation had been different Gola would have found her laughter irresistibly adorable. But now it was irritating and highly unsettling.

The chase was back on.

"I shall return what has been taken from you. You will return what has been taken from the young master." The little demon practically sang, while standing idly in the middle of the road.

"Get out of the road!" Gola hollered in frantically, running purposely to receive the girl.

"Miss, The games have begun." The phone thief laughed, handing Gola the item she clutched in her freezing hands.

It was not her phone instead it was a crimson rose. But Gola didn't notice because she was far to focused on how she missed the see-through hole where the little girls heart should've been. She didn't hear the screams or the see the oncoming headlights either.

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