1.The Surprise Announcement

Mia

First, they were boys with their eyes full of mischief and taunting me. I knew that naughty look. I had seen it before. The look in their eyes made my skin crawl.

I inched backwards, moving away from them till my back hit the locker. I gasped as the three of them stepped forward, forming an arc around me. I felt my back against the hard wood of my locker and groaned as I stared at them, knowing that I was trapped. 

There was no way for me to escape. I had learned from previous episodes that they were stronger than I was and I couldn't run past them. I was at a deadend and I hated it.

They seemed to know that as their eyes twinkled with mirth.

"Stop fighting this, Mia." One of them chuckled, his voice grating on my nerves. "You are ours.  You can't escape unless we let you."

"And we don't intend to." Another laughed.

I snorted. I belonged to no one and certainly not to bullies like them. I told them exactly that.

I spat at them, my eyes scanning around for a weakness in their formation that I could use to escape. 

"I'm not yours."

The three of them started laughing, a deep belly one that sent shivers through me. I swallowed the fear pooling in my mouth and kept my face blank. I wasn't going to let them see that I was afraid. I knew enough of bullies to know that they fed on fear. I wasn't going to let them thrive on mine.

The first one who had spoken moved closer to me, his eyes peering deep into mine. "It seems like we are going to make you believe how serious we are."

They transformed into wolves and approached me. They looked wild and suddenly opened their mouths, revealing sharp fangs. Wild beast-like growls echoed, leaving me shivering against the locker.

I woke up, breathing a sigh of relief as I realized that I was in my room.

I hissed as I got up from bed. I was tired of having the same dream over and over. This nightmare had been haunting me for the past four years.

I checked the clock by my bedside and noticed that I had just five minutes before my alarm would ring. There was no need to stay in bed any longer. I moved downstairs to where my mother was, already awake and making breakfast.

It was a big day for me and more for my mum. I pushed the chills of the horrible nightmare from my mind. I wasn't going to let it ruin my day. 

It was my graduation ceremony from college and I must confess that I was excited. It hadn't been easy but here I was. My father had died five years ago while I was in high school and I had thought that the end of the world for me. My mother had never worked in her life and wasn't the best at pulling the financial baggage.

I hadn't found it easy to get through high school. Everything had suddenly changed and I was on the brink of an edge. 

My mother was from a noble family though they had lost their status and wealth now. She had been pampered as a child and never had to do, work or worry about anything. She was a liability but it didn't feel like that because my dad was doing well. He doted on his wife and didn't let not even her fingernails get a scratch.

Things were hard when dad died. My mum and I were thrown into a harsh reality. She didn't know what to do with herself and it took her a while to accept that life was no longer as she used to know it. She spent all the inheritance left by my dad and I didn't have to be told to know that I had to grow up quickly.

I had to support both of us and also work to get myself through high school and college. I was glad I had finally achieved my dream and not even a repeating nightmare could ruin my day.

"Good morning, mum." I said as I made my way to the kitchen where my mum was.

Thank goodness dad owned the house and it wasn't rented or we would have been homeless when he died. I looked around, feeling memories rush into my brain and blinked back the tears threatening to fall off my face.

I missed dad and wished he was here with us. I pretended to be strong for my mum's sake. She was fragile and could start crying if she noticed the sheen of tears in my eyes. She was the reason I couldn't stay far away for college. I didn't want to study, deal with all my part-time jobs and still worry if she was getting herself in trouble.

"Morning, my darling." She smiled as she set a plate of pancakes before me.

I sat at the table, smiling at her. "Thanks, mum." 

She had grown over the years. She didn't work much but she had learned to cook when we couldn't afford a maid like before. 

"Let's get ready. You don't want to be late for your own graduation."

I scanned the hall for my mum as I stepped up the podium when my name was called. I saw my mum chatting with a man beside her and didn't seem bothered by it. She was a beautiful woman with a lively personality and men were naturally drawn to her but she didn't seem interested in her. I couldn't count the number of men who were trying to get closer to her that she had rejected over the years. I didn't blame her. I doubted that there was another man who could be like my dad to her.

I marched straight towards my bedroom as we got back home at five in the evening. I was tired and needed a break. I was a graduate and I had to start thinking of where I would like to work. I already had two offers already and the interviews were the following week.

An hour later, I heard a knock on my bedroom door. "Come in." I said to my mum.

I was relieved to see her. I was just about to go to her.

"What are we having for dinner, mum?" I asked her. 

I had some change on me and I could make a quick run to the market if we didn't have it at home.

"We are not cooking dinner tonight."

I smiled. "Are you giving me a graduation treat?" I blushed. "You didn't have to, mum."

She shook her head and smiled at me. "I am getting married."

I sat there for a while in stunned silence. "What!" I gasped after some minutes. Was she kidding me?

"Mum?" I stared at her in disbelief.

"Yes, my dear. I want you to meet him. He wants to meet you too. I have been with him for months now but I wanted you to be done with your program before I tell you."

I couldn't believe what she was telling me. I thought I knew everything about my mum. I didn't know she would keep a secret like that from me.

She continued. "We are having dinner at his house. Be ready be in an hour." She said and walked away.

Just like that? I stared at her retreating figure in disbelief. After she was out, I became nervous, fretting over what I had to wear. Was there a tip on what to wear when one had to meet their mother's lover?

I was nervous all the way to the meeting place. I wondered what he was like. I never saw this coming and didn't prepare myself for it emotionally. The one hour notice mum gave me was too short, maybe I needed a year.

A man waved and walked up to us as we walked into the restaurant and I gasped as I saw him. He was the same man my mum was laughing with earlier at my graduation. She had invited him. I couldn't believe it was right there in front of me and I didn't know.

He seemed sturdy with a rough-looking face and I wasn't surprised. Mum had eventually told me on the way here that he was a retired soldier. He was tall, with muscles ripping off his body and had an aura around him that commanded authority. 

I swallowed. That was not helping my nerves. I was intimidated by his presence and I glanced at my mum, wondering how she wasn't. She looked delicate compared to his rugged appearance.

"Hey, sweetness." He smiled as he saw my mum, giving her a brief kiss on the lips.

I couldn't deny that he was handsome and he seemed to like her. His eyes shone the way my dad's used to when he looked at mum.

He turned to me. "You must be Mia. It's nice to see you."

I nodded. "Good evening, sir."

He laughed. "Sir? Oh, don't make me feel old. You can call me Albert if calling me dad is too much for you." He said with a wink.

I relaxed. He seemed warm despite his strong appearance. I could see why my mum liked him. As the night progressed and I observed him and mother, I couldn't deny that they were deeply in love.

I was happy for her. He seemed like someone I could like as well. I was glad she wasn't going to get lonely when I start working and got busier with life.