1 ??PROLOGUE??

LEIA

The low rumble of an engine burning down had me awake. Of course, that was just an excuse. My parents had been fighting again and when they fought, they were loud. I lay trembling in bed, trying hard not to hear anything.

On shaky legs, I got up and managed to walk around. From my bedroom window, I peeked at the new neighbours as they brought down boxes from a huge van. There was a man and what I assumed was his son.

They looked like they'd stepped out of a GQ Magazine. Even the boy, who seemed around my age. I put my little feet on the wall in hopes of getting a better look.

I realised two things; one, the boy had the most beautiful almond-coloured eyes and the second, his mother didn't seem to be anywhere.

You can't blame me for noticing the colour of his eyes first. If you were me, you'd do the same. You would've taken in his ruffled raven hair and his dress-to-impress clothing. Not to forget those haunted dark eyes.

That were fixed on me.

He gave me a questioning glare and I quietly tiptoed down the wall. Mummy had warned me never to make friends with boys. They're all animals, she had told me.

But I liked animals. I couldn't understand why she said that about them then.

Soon, Mummy called my name from downstairs. I quickly draped a shawl around my neck and ran down, knowing the fight must've been over by now.

"Your father went out for some business," She said with a forced smile. "He'll be back soon."

I nodded. Dad occasionally went out at night but I had no idea when he came home since my bedtime was eight.

"Why aren't you already sleeping, young lady?" Mummy narrowed her eyes at me.

I giggled, grabbing her hand and trying to drag her. "We have new neighbours, did you know that?"

She didn't budge from her spot. "Leia, what have I told you about people? You can't trust anyone."

I lowered my eyes to the ground. "I just wanted to meet them once. But if you say . . ."

Mummy smacked a kiss on my cheek. "You little drama queen, you're going to sweep a man off his feet one day with that attitude."

I didn't know what she meant, so I just smiled, eyes on the main door. "So can we go meet them?"

She sighed. "Leia . . ."

That usually meant I had won, so I hopped over to the counter and grabbed a pack of chocolates. "Let's go!"

Outside, the air was humid and I had to fix my shawl a thousand times so I wouldn't feel like I was being suffocated. I bounced down the three steps and walked to where the boy was standing.

His father must be on the other side of the van because I couldn't see him. Again, the boy shot me a very unfriendly look, arms folded over his chest.

With a shy smile, I tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "Hi, I'm Leia. We live next door to your house."

"That's not my house." The boy clipped, words laced with fury and voice sounding unlike the voice of any of the boys at my school. His was deep and heavy and just like the rest of him, dark.

"You're moving in, aren't you?"

He didn't say anything, warily eyeing my pigtails. "How old are you? Three?"

"Seven," I gritted out, feeling the unexpected need to punch him the way men punched each other in wrestling.

I watched it on TV every night with Dad.

He huffed, looking back at the van. That's when I remembered why I was here in the first place. I quickly jutted out the box of chocolates.

"These are for you,"

Something changed in his expression and when his eyes met mine, they looked kind. That was, before his Dad shouted out to him.

"Zayn, are you going to help me or what?"

Zayn. For some reason, the name was meant for him. He was all dark and enigmatic, like an artist or . . . someone with burdensome problems.

"I hate chocolates," Zayn said and my heart sank.

I looked at the ground, feeling hurt. I think I heard him mutter a low curse but I couldn't be sure. He quickly snatched the box from my hands.

I beamed at him. Opened my mouth to speak but a hard voice cut me off.

"Zayn," His father looked angry. "What are you—"

He trailed off when his eyes fell on my mother. He whispered her name and mummy's head shot up from her phone. Her eyes widened.

Zayn and I exchanged a look. They were acting so weird.

"Leia," Mummy murmured, making an attempt to grab my arm, eyes still fixed on that man. "Let's go inside. There are monsters lurking in the shadows at night."

I looked helplessly back to Zayn, wanting to talk more to him for some reason. "I just—"

"Leia. Inside, now." Mummy was getting angry, so I quickly bid goodbye and stepped inside our house.

"You're never going to speak to these people again, understood?"

"But I—"

"Never again, Leia."

I nodded my head in a truce.

But I was a moth attracted to the flame because I didn't withhold my promise.