Chapter 31 PROJECT

Chapter 31 PROJECT
Lily’s POV

The next day, we met at Jake’s house after school.

His parents were away again, some fancy business trip that left the large mansion feeling empty. Jake had gone all out with the food, steaming pasta with herbs and cheese for me, blood-infused smoothies and rare steaks arranged like a mini feast for the vampires.

Caitlyn arrived first, looking effortlessly flawless in a white sweater and jeans that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe. She dropped her bag dramatically and claimed the spot right next to Alexander on the couch, tossing her long blond hair over one shoulder.

Damien showed up last, carrying a literal tower of ancient-looking books.. He dumped them on the floor near the window with a heavy thud and sat, already flipping one open.

“So,” Jake started, grabbing a notebook and clicking his pen. “Vampire-human integration. We could focus on historical mate bonds between species. That’s rare but documented, right? There are those old scrolls from the 1700s or whenever about mixed pairs who actually made it work for a while. Could be solid for the cultural section, show that it’s not always doom and gloom.”

Caitlyn leaned toward Alexander, her hand resting casually on his arm. “Or we could talk about modern relationships.”

Damien turned a page slowly. “Modern relationships are irrelevant,” he said. “They’re just repackaged versions of the same old power imbalance.

The implications of forced bonds are more interesting. Historical cases where humans were claimed against their will, turned into little more than pretty accessories because the vampire ‘felt the pull’.”

The room went quiet for a moment.

I glanced at him, genuinely curious.“You’ve researched this a lot?”

He finally looked up. His eyes were dark. “Most groups will just put together surface-level stuff like, ‘vampires and humans can be friends if we all get along,’” he said. “But the real issues goes deeper than that. It’s about control, blood, and the fact that humans often ended up broken.”

Jake laughed lightly, trying to keep the energy up. “Whoa, okay, that’s a lot for a school project. You’re intense, man. We’re doing a school project, not writing a thesis on existential dread.”

Damien gave a small, dry smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Better intense than failing because we romanticized compulsion. This is forty percent of the grade. I don’t plan on carrying dead weight.”

Caitlyn rolled her eyes, flipping her hair again. “Lighten up, Vale. Not everything has to be a tragedy. Some bonds are mutual and… exciting.” She squeezed Alexander’s arm lightly. “Right, Alex?”

Alexander shifted in his seat, finally speaking. “We should split the sections properly so nobody’s carrying anyone. Lily takes the human perspective. Jake and I can handle athletic and social integration, how mixed groups function in teams, school life, that kind of thing. Caitlyn does cultural history. Damien… whatever he wants. The uncomfortable truths, apparently.”

“I’ll take the uncomfortable truths. Glad someone’s paying attention instead of pretending this is all sunshine and mate-bond fairytales.”

We spent the next hour diving deeper, at one point Jake passed me a plate of still-warm pasta, grinning. “Figured you’d appreciate this after all the soggy disasters from home. No cold noodles on my watch.”

I smiled back, genuinely this time. “Thanks. You’re actually remembering my lifelong pasta trauma. That’s… sweet.”

“Hard to forget when you complain about it every single lunch,” he teased, bumping my shoulder gently. “But seriously, eat up. You need the energy after everything.”

Caitlyn let out a soft, almost mocking laugh from across the table. “How adorable. Does he cut your food for you too, Lily?”

I ignored her, but the bond twisted sharply. Alexander’s eyes looked up.

By the time we wrapped up, the sun had fully set and my head was spinning from the mix of academic debate, unspoken jealousy, and the bond’s unstable pulses.

Jake stood and stretched, rolling his shoulders. “Alright, that was actually productive. Good work, team.” He turned to me with a smile. “I’ll drive you home, Lily.”

He grabbed his car keys from the small table near the entrance as we walked toward the front door. I adjusted my bag on my shoulder, suddenly feeling the full weight of the day pressing down.

“It’s okay,” I said quietly. “I kind of want to walk.”

Jake stopped short, keys jingling in his hand. He frowned. “Walk?”

“Yeah. I’m not really in the mood to sit in another car right now. The fresh air might help clear my head after all that project stuff and… everything else.”

He stared at me like I’d suggested something impossible. “You walked home alone last time and someone literally tried to run you over. With a car. On purpose. You still have bruises, Lily.”

“I know,” I said, keeping my voice steady even as guilt twisted in my gut. “But I’ll be fine. It’s not that far, the streets are well-lit, and I just… I want some air. Alone. To think.”

“I can give you air,” he said with a small laugh trying to keep it light. “We can roll all the windows down the whole way. Blast whatever music you want. Sing badly together. Whatever makes it better.”

I smiled weakly, but it felt forced. “Jake…”

His expression changed. “Lily, come on. What’s going on with you lately? You’ve been a bit off since the hospital, and now you don’t even want a ride?”

“I’m not acting weird,” I insisted, though I knew I was. “I just need to walk... process everything. The project, the accident, my head’s still a mess from the painkillers and… all of it. I need five minutes where nobody’s worrying about me or trying to fix things.”

He exhaled through his nose, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “I’m your boyfriend. You got hit by a car like some days ago. You still have bruises on your ribs and that wrist is wrapped. Why wouldn’t I take you home? I want to make sure you get there safe. I need to. It’s not even about being overprotective, it’s about not wanting to lose you again.”

Because I want space.

Because everything feels too loud, your kindness, Caitlyn’s constant jabs, Alexander’s silence that says more than words ever could.

Because being around anyone right now feels exhausting, and the bond is glitching like it’s trying to scream something.

I swallowed hard. “I appreciate it, Jake. Really. More than you know, but I need this. Just twenty minutes of walking by myself. I’ll text you the second I’m home, I promise.”

He looked at me for a long moment,eyes searching my face. Finally, he sighed and pulled me into a gentle hug. “Okay. But if anything feels even a little off
any car, any weird feeling you call me immediately. No heroics, no ‘I’m fine.’ Got it?”

“I will,” I whispered against his chest.

He kissed my forehead, staying a second longer than usual. “Be safe. Text me.”

I nodded and stepped outside.

The walk home was longer than usual. By the time I reached my street, my phone buzzed.

Jake: Made it home okay? Miss you already. Don’t forget to ice that wrist.
I pressed a hand to my chest.