Seamus didn't even hear the lecturer during class, nor did he register a word when his girlfriend Viviane went on about her favorite TV shows in the cafeteria.
His mind was far too consumed by the nightmare, the one where his soon-to-be stepmother turned into a blood-drinking monster. Or was it a vampire? Either way, neither option was good.
"Seamus! Are you even listening to me?"
He finally snapped out of it when Viviane pinched his hand. He flinched and awkwardly answered, "Yes, yes! It's a good show, indeed."
Viviane sighed dramatically and let her head fall onto the table. "I can't believe my boyfriend doesn't give me attention... What a poor, beautiful girl I am."
Her long red hair sprawled across the table and even trailed onto the floor. Her golden eyes stared off into the distance like a heartbroken heroine in a tragic romance.
Seamus laughed softly. "I'm sorry. I just… had a really bad dream this morning."
Viviane turned her gaze toward him, though her head remained on the table. "A nightmare? Did all my horror recommendations finally mess with your head, honey?" she smirked.
"Shit, you're probably right…" he muttered, rubbing his temple. "I… I dreamt my stepmom killed my dad and drank his blood."
Viviane jolted upright, eyes wide. "Stepmom? You never told me about that!"
"Ah… yeah. My dad brought some woman home last night. Says he's getting married tomorrow."
"Oh wow. How is she? Is she beautiful?"
Seamus blinked. He knew too well this was a trap.
"You know how my dad is." He shrugged casually. "But you're still the most beautiful."
"There! That's a lie! I can hear it!" she huffed, crossing her arms.
"Come on, you don't actually think I'd be into my stepmom, do you? She gives off weird vibes."
"Isn't that every man's fantasy?" she said, one brow arched, deadpan.
"No! No way!" He shook his head vigorously, his whole body protesting.
Okay, maybe at first, he had noticed she was hot. But after that dream? Now just seeing her eyes made his spine crawl.
Thankfully, before Viviane could start grilling him with more dangerous questions, a voice came from behind him.
"Umm, Seamus? I found your notebook. I think you left it in class."
He turned to see Maria, his childhood friend. Short black hair, round glasses, and a smile as warm as always.
"Ah, Maria, thank you," he said as he accepted the notebook. "It's been a while since we talked."
She laughed lightly. "Yeah, you've been busy with someone." Her eyes flicked toward Viviane with a teasing grin.
"But we can still catch up over coffee sometime, if you're free." She waved and walked off, leaving the two of them behind.
When Seamus turned back around, Viviane's face was right in front of him.
Her golden eyes, usually full of mischief and warmth, now looked hollow.
"If you dare to cheat," she said, her voice cold and flat, "I'll kill your mistress, and we'll both die in the most horrible way imaginable."
Seamus froze.
Then she burst into laughter, flopping back in her seat. "Of course I'm joking! Did I scare you?" she giggled, sipping her drink like nothing had happened.
Seamus let out a slow breath. That was terrifying.
Sometimes, her words were extreme. But she only did it as a joke, or perhaps as a subtle warning to keep him away from other women.
Viviene was undeniably jealous, even if she never explicitly said so; her actions always spoke volumes.
They continued talking until the next class, Seamus completely forgetting about the surprise she told for him as tomorrow arrived faster than he anticipated.
***
"Sign this and this, and you will officially become husband and wife!"
The man in a button-up shirt beamed with an exaggerated smile, gesturing to the papers in front of him.
The bride and groom didn't look like newlyweds at all just a couple on a casual date. A simple white dress for the bride, and the same kind of shirt for the groom.
"Come here, Seamus! Give us the rings!" Andrew called out with a grin on his face. For the first time in a while, he wasn't drunk.
Seamus just sighed. He was the only one wearing a proper suit, holding a small pillow with two modest rings nestled in the box.
And wedding at night? That was unexpected even from his drunkard father.
He walked toward them slowly, the couple clapping like it was some cheesy party trick.
"You're the ring bearer now! Aren't you happy?"
Andrew said, taking one of the rings. Seamus rolled his eyes in response.
The groom placed the ring on the bride's finger, and the bride did the same. Just like that, they were newlyweds. But as Andrew leaned in to kiss Isolde, she raised a hand to cover his mouth.
"How about saving it for the wedding night?"
"Oh shoot! That'll be hot too! Now let's gooo!"
Seamus sighed again, following behind his "parents" toward the car, already wondering how many days this marriage would survive.
'If she lasts a month with Dad, it'll be a miracle,' he thought.
The car drove smoothly through the outskirts of Bord City, a small town known more for its gloomy scenery than anything else.
All year round it was either humid or cold. Most days the mist rolled down from the nearby mountain. Nights were icy, the sun barely breaking through the thick, suffocating clouds.
Forests taller than cathedrals surrounded the area as if they were in the middle of horror setting movie.
So no, Seamus wasn't surprised when he saw a massive mansion sitting atop a hill in the middle of a dark forest wrapped in fog.
It was just like any other depressing house in Bord.
"Are you nervous about your new home? And meeting your stepsisters, Seamus?" Isolde asked suddenly.
Her hand slid onto his thigh—tight—and moved a little too close to a very forbidden zone. He jolted in place.
"Ye-yes!" he blurted, his body turning cold. Then, after a pause, he added, "Uh… stepsisters?"
"Oh yeah, forgot to tell you," Andrew chimed in from the front seat, still grinning.
"My wife's got two beautiful daughters. I met the younger one, she's your age, and hot as hell!"
And there it was, his father's true colors, once again on full display. And Seamus hated it.
He sat stiffly in the back seat next to Isolde, while Andrew rode up front. It was awkward as hell, but no one seemed to care.
Isolde, for her part, answered casually, "Right? My sister lives in the same house too, but she and my eldest daughter are out of town. They'll be back in a week."
"Hear that, Seamus? This is gonna be fun!" Andrew laughed.
Seamus didn't answer. He sighed and leaned back in the seat, turning to look out the window. For a second, he felt sorry for Isolde.
But then he remembered how freaky she was and decided they probably deserved each other.