The next mayoral candidate

 Another two years had passed relatively quietly.

There was success for Edward as he managed to stay sober. After a time, he was even able to get a job at Sunset Valley High as its guidance counsellor.



Aria too had career success. She undertook training to become a security guard at Stanley’s store.



Saraya’s confidence grew with her new friends.



The triplets and Charon remained utterly unfazed by anti-alien sentiment and were as close as ever. But neither Roxxi nor Ellis changed much, not yet ready to make serious changes in their lives.

On the whole, you could presume things were well.

Things never stay that way.



‘I’m home!’



‘Hey. How did it go?’



‘They’ve chosen me! I’ve been officially selected as the next mayoral candidate!’

‘Oh my God! Tate, that’s wonderful!’

‘Thank you!’



‘Congratulations. That’ll be really big if you win.’

‘Absolutely. And I think I have a great chance. All of the usual people are up for backing me, and I shouldn’t have much trouble finding more.’

‘Wow… I never thought I might end up a mayor’s wife.’



‘It’ll be fantastic for the kids, too. It’ll really work out in their favour. It’ll get them more opportunities.’

‘You’re right. Oh, I really hope this works out.’

‘I’ll certainly do my best. I can’t wait to tell everyone.’



‘They’ll be really proud of you. My parents are gonna be so pleased.’

‘We’ll have to get together soon and celebrate.’

‘I’ll call them and give them the good news in a bit.’

‘Thank you. Where are the kids? I’d like to tell them, too.’

‘They’re out with the others. They shouldn’t be long, now.’

‘Okay, good.’

A little while later…



‘Hey, Roxxi.’



‘Hi. Did you have a good time?’

‘Yeah, we did.’



‘I got the top high score on one of the arcade games!’

‘Oh, wow. Well done, honey!’



‘Ah, there you all are. I’ve got some good news for you. You know there’s going to be an election in a few months?’



‘Yeah?’



‘Well, I’ve been picked to be a candidate to run for mayor!’



‘…’



‘Father, that’s brilliant!’

‘So you might be the next mayor?! Wow!’

‘That’s so cool!’



‘…Congrats.’



‘Thank you!’



‘I’d better get back, anyway. See you all later.’





‘Y’know, Raya… Lately I’ve been thinking about the past.’

‘What about?’

‘All the stuff that happened in Bridgeport, everything with Tate and Olivia and the money. How we ended up here in the first place. Sometimes I still wonder about the full story. We have the gist of what happened, but the story is still full of gaps, don’t you think?’

‘I guess so…’



‘I know Edward told us everything he knew. Not like I’d go bothering him about it again, not now he’s coping much better. For one thing, how was Miles able to trap them both like that? How did he break into Edward’s place and our places and set up some kind of complex video feed? And just how was he able to overcome Olivia? She might’ve been old, but she was still a vampire. How would a regular human force her to bankrupt herself?’

‘When you put it like that, it doesn’t make much sense.’

‘The whole thing is crazy. He just wreaked utter chaos then seemingly disappeared without a trace. I just don’t get how one man could do that to Tate and Olivia. They could’ve easily killed him.’



‘We’re never gonna find out.’

‘Yeah… It’s not like I’m gonna ask Tate about it. Doubt he’d say anything even if I did.’

‘I don’t suppose it really matters now. We haven’t seen Olivia in years. Where do you think she even is?’



‘Who knows? We don’t even know if she’s still in Sunset Valley. Damn it.’

‘Would you actually want to see her?’

‘Not really. I just want the truth. The mess they all created fucked up our lives. We didn’t deserve any of it. None of us. Especially Edward. Why did he have to suffer through all that?’



‘It was never about us. We were just caught in the crossfire.’

‘And how.’

‘But we should be trying to move on. That’s why we went to counselling.’



‘And I’ve come to terms with what happened. It just doesn’t stop me from wondering.’

‘Some things probably aren’t worth worrying about. I get it, I still have questions too. But you’ll never be happy if this is still on your mind.’

‘Raya, for me to ever be truly happy, Tate would have to drop dead first. He isn’t old or sick enough for that to be the case, unfortunately. So I don’t think you have to worry about my happiness.’



‘…I want you to be happy, though.’

‘Hey, I’m fine. Things are better than they ever have been! I’ve got a cool job, and I live with you guys. I’m not after much else.’

‘Good… Because the best thing we have is each other.’

‘Couldn’t agree more. We make a good team, all of us.’



‘Oh, boy… I’ve got some news.’



‘From the look on your face I’m assuming it’s not good news.’

‘No, not really.’

‘Go on, Ellis. Hit us with the not good news.’



‘…Tate’s going to be a mayoral candidate.’



‘…Really? What the hell?’

‘Oh God…’



‘Yeah… he told me himself.’



‘Don’t they have processes you have to go through to get selected? Did they really have no-one better?’

‘Maybe he bribed them.’

‘Probably. Ugh. I think it goes without saying that I’m voting against him.’

‘I would too, if I could…’



‘Damn, yeah, you won’t be old enough…’

‘My friends will be. I’ll tell them to make sure they vote. They’re not the type who’d vote for him, anyway.’



‘They’re not twats, so obviously not.’



‘We live in a swing area, so it could go either way. We can only do our part.’



‘Let’s hope it’s enough, because I do not want to live in a Sunset Valley run by Tate. I’ll fucking move.’

‘You’ll uproot your whole life?’

‘Honestly, I’m stubborn enough. Are you telling me you could cope with his smug fucking face being everywhere?’



‘It will be anyway. There’ll be even more campaign posters than when he ran for city council.’

‘Then I’ll draw moustaches on them all.’



‘Please don’t do anything to make me arrest you.’

‘Fine, if I must.’