Hello! For this story, I asked a prompt from Soya Beanie (SoyaaaBeanie). This is what she gave me:

You've always thought that your grandmother was odd but then it might have been just because of her age. When she looked at you, you always heard her muttering "Douglas will come" -- but with fear in her eyes.

One day, after her death you hear a knock on your door and upon opening it, you see a man.

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I hope you enjoy reading this. I will be really happy to read your comment/s! 🌷

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It was dusk when they reached the cemetery. Dark, heavy clouds covered the skies as they sprinkle the earth with needle-like drops of heavenly water. The soil quickly became mud under the mourners' feet.

The silver ring on Laura's hand shimmered as she threw a white rose atop the coffin of her grandma. "Rest in peace, old lady," she whispered. She didn't cry nor felt heartbroken. Honestly, the two of them had never been close -- her grandmother and she. The eighteen-year-old had always thought that the elder was quite odd, covering herself in a veil on random days and suddenly wailing at times when they were out with their family.

Although, one day, when she was twelve, she had ran into the arms of her grandmother, in great fear because her tears never seemed to stop. The older woman caressed her head so lovingly, then looked at her with fear in her sunken eyes. "Douglas will come," the grandmother said but the little girl did not understand.

From that moment on, every now and then, her grandmother would utter those words again and again when she looked at her granddaughter: "Douglas will come." "Douglas will come." And there would always be the same fear in her eyes.

Until one time, the elder called unto the little Laura and placed a glittering silver ring on the child's palm. The grandmother gave her a toothless smile and Laura felt her heart get warmer. It was one of the very few moments that she felt close to her grandma.

That is why the silver ring was so important to her.

But Drake, her childhood friend, had thrown his precious scarf in the coffin's pit, saying that it will aid her dead grandmother against the cold on her journey in the afterlife.

"I want to give her something, too," Laura had said. "But I didn't bring anything with me."

"What about that ring? Didn't your grandma give you that?" Drake suggested.

"But wouldn't it be like giving back what she gave me?"

The boy just shrugged. "Not really. It's something that connects the two of you. She might want to have it with her in heaven."

So she threw the silver ring into the pit.

When the mourners went back to their homes, Laura immediately headed to her room, taking off her black dress and putting on an off-shoulder blouse and a tiny skirt. She placed herself in front of her vanity mirror and fixed her makeup.

Tiptoeing down the staircase, Laura descended with stealth. Her parents would be furious if they find out that she'd be hanging out with her friends tonight.

She was about to turn the door's knob silently when three loud knocks were heard from the outside.

"Damn," she swore.

Laura's mother came out of the kitchen and headed to the front door, eyes widening as soon as she saw her daughter. "Why the hell are you dressed like that, young lady?"

"Ugh." Laura rolled her eyes. "I'm going out with Drake."

"Right now? Just after your grandma's wake?" Her mother's voice was laced with dismay but Laura didn't care.

"Yes. 'After'. So it's over, right?" The young woman walked toward the door but the older blocked her way. Laura grunted.

"No, you're not partying. Go back to your room. Now."

"Tsk." Extremely annoyed, Laura walked past her mother, ignoring her command. Nobody would be able to stop her from going out. She needed it after days of mourning with people she didn't even like. "I'm still going," she said. Quickly, she opened the door. "Drake, let's go--" Someone else was behind it. "You're not Drake."

The boy in front of her looked like they were about the same age. Dressed in a simple white tee and blue faded jeans, his smile was easy and charming.

"Who are-- Wait." He seemed familiar to her, but she couldn't recall who he was.

"Hi there Laura." The stranger handed her a bouquet of white chrysanthemums. They smelled earthy and herby, different from the scent of roses she smelled earlier from the cemetery. "Did you forget me?" He asked.

Then, she remembered, one boy when she was in sixth grade years ago would always give her a chrysanthemum or two. Those golden locks and eyes that mirror the deep ocean, there is no mistake -- he's Raven. His name never suited him.

He disappeared when they were in sixth grade.

Now he found her again.

He was her first love.

Blushing, Laura almost lunged at the boy. Her old feelings toward him found their way back into her young heart. "Raven!" She closed the door behind her, not giving her mother a chance to ask who the visitor was. "How are you? Goodness, I never thought I'd see you again."

"I'm fine. I just... needed to be away. Can I come inside?

She shook her head. "Oh. I'm sorry, but you can't." Her mother would shower a million questions upon the poor boy and Laura really wanted to party with her friends tonight.

He didn't seem dejected but she still felt bad that she had to reject his obvious request to spend time with her. So the girl let him when he inched closer to her, close enough that he already invaded her private space. "Oh-kay," he says, "you seem busy. I can see that you're dressed. Are you... going somewhere?"

"Yes." It wasn't Laura who answered, though, but her friend Drake. Placing himself beside her, he had put his arm around her bare shoulders possessively. His grip was strong and solid, pulling her closer to him and farther from the other boy. "With me. You have a problem with that?"

Laura's eyes widened. What the heck is Drake suddenly doing? Immediately, she nudged his side with her elbow. "What are you doing, you prick?"

Drake feigned extreme pain where Laura nudged him. Then, he laughed a little, showing his famous cheshire cat grin. "Relax, relax. I'm just joking." He took back his hand from Laura's shoulder and offered it to Raven. "Nice to see you again, Rave. Laura missed you so much." He earned a light kick from the girl.

"Shut up, Drake," the girl said, annoyed but blushing.

Raven shook the hand in front of him. "Nice to see you again too, Drei. Hey, is it cool if I go with you guys? I'll feel lonely if you leave me alone here. The town's been changed so much it makes me feel like I am lost."

Drake looked at Laura and then smiled at the young man. "Of course."

Raven had brought his car with him -- a sparkling red Ferrari. Laura and Drake almost dropped their jaws when they first saw it. Riding it was like a dream for the two.

They didn't know that Raven was rich. Actually, they didn't know much about him at all.

As soon as they reached their destination, they searched for their other friends who were waiting for them. They found them in one corner, drinks already set on their tables.

Laura introduced Raven to them. Some already know him while, for the others, it was the first time that they saw him. Some of her single girl friends looked at Raven intently, obviously attracted by his charms.

She felt a quiet pang inside her chest.

To avoid the unpleasant feeling, Laura concentrated on the music that was blaring from the speakers surrounding the whole room. It was a bit dark, with different colored lights twinkling in various directions. The dance floor was full of raving partygoers, their bodies jiving and swaying and jumping with the rhythm.

Drake was suddenly beside her. "You wanna dance?"

"Yeah," she answered back and followed him to the middle of the room after giving one last glance at Raven who was talking to and chuckling with some of her girl friends.

It took them quite a while before they could find a perfect spot, constantly being stopped by partygoers who were eager to chat with them.

When they settled at one spot at last, Laura heard someone cough behind her.

"May I have a dance with you?" It was Raven, looking cute as he always was.

Enchanted, she paused at the sight of him. Then she replied, "It's a fast song, Rave. You could dance with us,"

The boy seemed to signal something to the club's DJ. Suddenly, the song was changed into a slow one -- "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran.

The sweet music seemed to be a spell that changed the mood of the whole room. The twinkling lights in the dark club were all changed into red and pink and the dancers on the floor started to dance in pairs.

"Now it's slow." Raven's playful slight bow earned a giggle from Laura. In return, she curtsied at him.

The boy placed his hands on the girl's tiny waist while she put hers around his neck. He smelled different, a scent she could not name.

They swayed with the music.

"It's an old song," Laura attempted a casual conversation.

"It's only a few years back. And it's good."

"Yeah." Too shy, the girl couldn't even look at her partner's dazzling eyes. She spoke again to prolong their conversation. "So, where have you been? In all of these years."

"Here and there."

It was actually odd that even after all their years of friendship in elementary school, Raven remained a mystery. Until now he still is.

"You're different from others," Laura said after a short time of silence. But Raven just answered with a short "Yeah", so she continued. "You've always given me chrysanthemums."

"They suit you, don't they?" was the boy's reply.

It made Laura's heart grow warm. "I don't know. They're too beautiful."

"But you are beautiful."

Laura's heartbeat had settled to a fast pit-pat pit-pat. She felt the tip of Raven's nose touch her head. It stayed there for a while.

Did he just smell her?

The young woman's heart beat even faster at the knowledge that the one she had feelings for could be intoxicated with her scent.

"Laura," the boy called her. He pulled her closer to him. Now the gap between them feels like it was thinner than a thread. "Come with me--"

"Yes," she answered, nodding her head enthusiastically.

She felt the boy laugh, his body shaking. "I'm not even finished with my sentence."

Laura didn't care. She loved him and she'd do whatever he wanted her to do. "I'll do anything for you."

A deep breath.

Did he smell her again?

"Laura, come with me. To my home," he said and the young woman nodded her head once more.

"Okay. After our dance."

But they didn't finish the dance, for just when the music was about to end, Laura felt a strong sting from inside her eyes. Tears started falling from her sockets like endless streams. Another, then another, then another. They flowed through her cheeks until they reached the floor.

Then, she started wailing, the bawling seemed to come from deep within her -- strong and unending.

She couldn't stop even how much she wanted to.

The partygoers stopped dancing. The DJ even turned the music off. Everyone was staring at her, some curious some confused some amused.

A vision flashed in her mind: a lady dressed in gold and blue crossed the street as a black car approached.

But the flashing lights in the club blurred her vision.

Raven, Raven, Laura called her love's name inside her head. Between her wailing, she saw him, her beau.

Through her new eyes, she saw Raven very differently. He was so skinny, like he had eaten only a few meals all his life. His mouth has no lips and his eyes glowed with red light.

He looked like a monster -- a terrifying blood thirsty monster.

Another vision: the woman in gold and blue reached the middle of the street only to be run over by the black car.

Laura wailed even louder.

"You!" She pointed her finger at the lady behind her, she looked exactly as the woman in her vision. "You!" was the only word she could say.

The scrawny and frightening Raven offered his hand to her, signaling that she come to him. He was smiling, showing his dark sharp teeth.

Laura panicked.

She was afraid of him.

Just who is he? Or what is he? Why did he look like a monster?

Why does he look like that in her eyes?

"Laura, my love," Raven-- no, the creature walked towards her. "I'll take you home."

No way.

She gave a long shriek then proceeded with her wails.

The vision replayed in her mind again and again that she felt like the room is spinning. Everyone's eyes were on her, gaping or talking about her. Raven was trying to take her.

She didn't know what to do.

And when she was too petrified that she almost fainted, she felt something warm cover her from behind.

(To be continued...)