A melancholic night with 'John'

Melissa and I followed Minh outside. I didn't speak, walking almost mindlessly behind him.

I looked down, staring at what would now be my new body... I felt completely empty. I was dreading going back to my apartment, knowing that Ashley would be there, wearing Elise's boyfriend. And I also dreaded coming back to see Claire and Dahlia tomorrow, to explain everything that happened... I had a hard time holding back tears, but I didn't want to cry with Minh and Melissa around.

Melissa held my hand, clearly noticing my pitiful state. "Is... Is there anything I can do to help you feel better?"

"I don't think so..."

Minh unlocked his car and chuckled. "Give it time, I'm sure you'll learn to love being Elise."

I didn't reply. Minh's car was a fairly luxurious Subaru, he clearly didn't mind flaunting his wealth. I sat at the front, next to him, while Melissa went at the back.

"It's been a while since I last saw Aga so excited." Minh said, giggling. "She really missed you, Edward."

"Did she? She didn't seem to care much about my sister and I when we were still living here." I replied in a dry tone, trying to not let anger overtake me.

He chuckled. "Well, she's the kind of skinwalker who tries not to get too attached to humans due to our different lifestyles."

"What do you mean?"

"If you grow too close to a human, it only hurts more if you're suddenly **** to change your identity. Imagine settling down, making good friends, falling in love with a human and having a kid, but then having to urgently change lives and give up on all of that. How would you feel?" He asked while glancing at me.

I looked down. I didn't know what to reply to that. It would indeed be extremely painful to be separated from those I loved...

Minh continued, smiling. "Despite that, though, she still somehow found herself taking a liking to you and your sister. She may have seemed cold, but you weren't forbidden anything, right?"

"Right..."

It was true, Mother never refused to pay for what Claire and I wanted. She helped me pay for my boxing practices and for some of the comics and games Claire and I wanted, even if my father wasn't fond of that. She allowed us to do as we pleased.

"Also, Aga has always been pretty bad at properly showing her emotions. She is a natural-born leader, and tries not to let her own emotions influence her." He looked away, his face becoming more serious, and somewhat melancholic. "Apart from that one time where she got blinded by rage after one of her children and our mentor were killed by a group of hunters, but she wasn't the only one feeling this way that day..."

"One of her children?" I asked.

I remembered Mother mentioning their mentor dying seventeen years ago, but she didn't elaborate yesterday.

"Well, Aisha and I aren't the only ones Aga turned. She's been a skinwalker for more than a century, after all. She had six more children. Her first one died fairly early, killed by hunters due to her carelessness, three went their own ways, one left but stays in touch from time to time, and one stuck around and kept following her. She was really close to Aga, Oliver, and our mentor, having a blind faith in them. She was a bit naive, and fell into a trap laid by hunters, leading to her and our mentor's deaths."

"I see..."

He then smiled at me. "Anyway, trust me, Aga really loves your sister and you, even if she didn't show it much. Now that she doesn't have to hide anything anymore, you'll be able to see the real her."

I glanced at my petite feminine hands and sighed. "Why... Why did she **** me to take Elise's life, then?"

"Probably so you could get used to your new nature, since you're still fairly naive. Live as Elise would and it won't be a problem for her once you decide to find another skin to settle into. Of course, if you do things Elise wouldn't, just tweak these memories out of her soul. Like if you ever want to take me on the offer I made earlier~" He said with a flirtatious smile. "I wouldn't mind initiating you to the pleasure of lesbian sex~"

I looked away, blushing slightly. Even in the depressed state I was in, my imagination was still working. A small part of me wondered how it'd feel...

We stopped by the cafe so I could grab my belongings, and then went to Melissa's flat.

"Before we get there, you two should exchange numbers, Edward."

I nodded, noting Melissa's number on my own phone. Minh parked shortly after in front of a building.

"Thank you, Minh. And I... I hope you'll get better, Edward." Melissa timidly said as she got out. "Have a good evening."

"You too, cutie~" Minh replied, smiling more warmly.

"Thanks, Melissa." I simply spoke.

Minh took a piece of paper and wrote a number on it. "Here's my number too. Give me a call if you need anything, I'd be glad to help however I can. You're part of the family now, your problems are our problems."

I hesitantly grabbed the paper and slid it in my phone case. "Thanks..."

He drove a bit longer before reaching Elise's... no, my apartment. I could see 'John' in front of the building, holding March with a leash and giving him a walk.

"Have fun with Ashley, Edward." He said, smiling. "Or I should say Elise now."

I took a deep breath and tried to sink back into Elise's persona. Mainly for the dog, though.

"Thank you for driving me home, Minh. Have a good evening."

"See ya~"

I left the car and walked towards 'John'. Ashley most likely had already replaced him, but it wasn't certain yet, I had to keep acting like Elise until I could confirm it.

I smiled warmly at him. "Hey darling~"

March immediately tried to rush towards me after noticing me, dragging John behind him.

"Hey Elise, how was your day?" John asked as I crouched to pet March.

"It was alright, nothing special." I lied, cuddling the small energetic dog. "What about you?"

"Pretty much the same. Do you want to walk March with me?"

"Sure."

As I got back up, he came closer and gave me a kiss. It was something normal for John, but considering that it was most likely Ashley underneath, it made me a tad uncomfortable. Still, we were in public, I had to maintain Elise and John's image, so I tiptoed and returned the kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"I missed you." He said, smiling warmly at me.

"Me too." I lied again.

The two of us walked March for a dozen minutes before returning home. If Ashley had already replaced John, she was imitating him perfectly, I couldn't spot anything strange in his behaviour. It made me feel uneasy, but I tried to not show it.

After removing my heels, I went to sit on the couch with March to watch TV.

"Are you alright, Edward?" 'John' asked as he sat next to me, appearing more sheepish and breaking his facade now that we were in private.

"You're Ashley, then?"

She nodded. "Y-yeah."

"You would have fooled me had I not known... You acted just like him."

"W-well, I had to, since we were in public. You did the same thing, too..."

I couldn't refute it. "Right... To answer your question, no, I'm not alright. Yesterday, I learnt that my mother has been a skinwalker all along, that a lot of things in my life were just lies... And today, more parts of me crumbled as I learnt about this coven... and was **** to take Elise's life..." I clenched my fists and grit my teeth. "I never wanted that..."

Ashley put her hand on my thigh, a guilty look on her borrowed face. "E-Edward, I'm sorry..."

I sighed. "You're not the one responsible for this situation..." March went to lick my fingers, making me smile weakly. "You're a good boy, always caring for your mistress."

"You still love animals, I see." Ashley commented.

Her comment took me off-guard. "How do you know?"

She acted more shy and looked away. "Hmm... Do you remember Mr. Becker...?"

Obviously I remembered Mr. Becker. He was a nice older man taking care of a bookstore in the city center. He hosted me for a while after my father kicked me out, until I managed to get enough money to leave the city. He had a cute dog I liked to play with, too.

Realisation hit me. "Wait... Were you... Mr. Becker...?"

She timidly nodded. "When I heard what happened to you, I-I couldn't leave you on your own... so I tried to help you..."

"Why?"

"Because you saved me... I-I wouldn't have been able to finish high-school if not for you... I owe my life to you, so I wanted to repay you somehow. And I still want to help you."

"I see..."

I didn't know what to feel. I had been lied to yet again, but she did save me back then...

"My mother didn't protest?"

Ashley shook her head. "No. When I told her that I wanted to help you, she let me do it... a-as long as I didn't try to skin you, at least..." She added while avoiding my gaze, blushing like crazy.

Elise had never seen John act so bashful before, it was such a contrast with the man from her memories.

"A-anyway, I... I am glad to see you again, and to be able to be with you." She declared, trying to change the subject. "I-I love you, Edward..."

I kept caressing March, unsure of what to say in this situation. She just confessed to me, but my mind was such a mess that it barely registered.

"It's getting late, I'm going to prepare dinner." I finally said as I noticed the clock, using Elise's persona again.

"Do you need any help?" Ashley asked.

"No, thank you. Just keep playing with March." I replied, smiling as Elise would.

Ashley seemed nervous, but nodded. I started to cook some vegetables, pasta, and beef, humming a song and letting Elise's personality guide me like last time. It was something I'd do a lot more from now on...

I tried to grab the salt shaker from a high shelf, only for Ashley to help me, grabbing it for me.

"There, Elise." She said, smiling at me and acting like John again.

"Thank you."

She stayed next to me, observing me with loving eyes as I cooked. I wasn't sure if it was her own feelings or John's, maybe both. While everything was cooking, I filled March's bowl and prepared the table, with Ashley's help. We ate dinner mostly in silence, it was clear that things were awkward between us.

When we went to our bedroom, Ashley spoke again. "Did I... Did I weird you out, Edward?"

I shook my head. "No... It's just... These last two days have been too much to take in... I don't know what to think anymore, what to believe in anymore..."

Ashley hugged me from behind. "I-I can imagine... Take your time..." She was using John's knowledge again, he sometimes did that when Elise was feeling down. "And if you need someone to talk to, I'm here."

I placed a hand on her arm, smiling weakly. "Thanks..."

I was completely drained, so I quickly got changed into a pair of pajamas and went to bed, with Ashley doing the same. I laid on my side, facing away from Ashley, and observing these petite hands that would now be mine for the foreseeable future. Tears were running along my face as I broke down, unable to repress my emotions anymore. I hated this situation so much...

Ashley pulled me closer and hugged me again, more tightly this time. "Let it all out."

I kept crying for a while, to the point of my eyes becoming dry. Ashley brought me a water bottle and tended to me as I calmed down, a headache slowly appearing now that the tears had stopped. March was snuggled close to me, worried for his mistress.

"Thank you, Ashley..." I muttered as I closed my eyes and caressed March.

She smiled shyly. "I-it's nothing."

"I should try to sleep, I need to wake up early tomorrow..."

"Good night, Edward."

I fell asleep only a few minutes later.