Chapter 74 Ch. 44
"Noah King!" The teacher, Miss Penelope said harshly, her lips pressed in a thin grim line. Her frosty glare could have probably frozen hell over. "You can't be late and still be talking in my class."
"So if I'm early, I could ta— ow Zara you don't have to be so violent," Noah hissed, grabbing the portion of his arm that Zara had conveniently decided to stab with her pen.
"Serves you right," Miss Penelope muttered, turning back to the board. She rambled on, which Zara of course was disinterested and paid absolutely no attention to.
"Do you mean you're not interested?" Noah whispered after a few minutes of silence. He was one to be restless if he was bored in class and had no one to talk to.
"Of course I am," Zara whispered. "After class."
"It's crazy. Two murders in the space of—"
"After class Noah," Zara said firmly, shooting Miss Penelope an apologetic glance.
When the bell rang— a shrill sound that always irritated Zara but still managed to install joy in her, she shot yo from her seat and grabbed her books in her hand, trailing out with the rest of the students in class.
Their next class was free, because Mr. Hudson's wife was in labour and he wanted to be there, or at least that was the rumour Sand ridge academy has spread.
"I really hope Principal Morales doesn't miraculously get us a substitute. I'd like dieee—" Zara groaned, leaning against her locker. Ethan and Prunella joined her there and she almost fought the urge to roll her eyes.
"So um..." Prunella started, looking around nervously. "What do you guys do... On un, free periods?" She asked timidly.
"Just hang." Zara pushed herself off her locker door. "I'm pretty bored right now."
"Well, it's the perfect time to talk about murder," Noah grinned.
"I'd rather we talk about your love life," Zara snorted, "But sure."
"So, I was watching the news this morning with my parents... And like Monday? I don't know... Beginning of this week, a woman was found dead in a motel room. No sign of force of anything... Just a neck hickey, but apparently she'd been drained of blood."
Ethan and Prunella looked at each other, and the back at Noah.
How cute, Zara thought to herself, feeling jealousy crawl beneath her skin.
"But you said serial killer?" She commented. "How many others?"
"Well, yesterday a woman died. Journalist at NEON 24... She was looking into the case from Riverbend. She was the first one to get a real story out. Same type of death, same scenario..."
Zara noticed Ethan visibly stiffened.
"Well," Ethan shrugged. "That's... Sad. Really."
"I wonder what the basis of the killings are to be honest," Noah sighed. "But let's not dwell on the sad stuff. Let's talk about more interesting things... Like prom."
"Do you have a date?" Zara questioned, lifting her brows. "And how's prom committee treating you."
"I'm going to quit. Honestly? It's frustrating, boring and they can't even plan shit well. Zara, we need your ever controlling ass on that team."
"Really?" Zara replied, her lips curving. "So who are you taking? Is it..." She tilted her head in the direction of Lea.
"I haven't asked anyone yet. Have you Ethan?"
Ethan looked at Zara for a brief second. Her chest tightened and fluttered at the same time from the eye contact.
"I'm not sure. Probably not."
"If you were going, who would you pick as a date?" Noah asked.
"If I were going, which I'm not," Ethan deadpanned and the turned to Prunella. "Are you going for prom?"
"I'd rather not go to a dance when I don't have a date, and then give those blond head bimbos something to laugh at," Prunella snorted, her eyes shifting around nervously. Zara noticed she never really kept eye contact with anyone except Ethan.
"We could go together," she chimed in nicely. As though niceness would take away the raging jealousy in her chest. "I'll be the perfect man. Just ignore the boobs— I could get something to compress them."
"That'll be... Nice." Prunella smiled, her sharp blue eyes softening as she looked at Zara with so much... Pureness.
Zara felt sick at herself.
"But we could both wear dresses. As long as... I have a... Uh... Friend?"
"I guess."
"You all milling around here is causing... Disruptions to the school environment." A loud and stern voice resonated through the hallways. The loud chatter slowed into murmuring. "You should do something meaningful with your lives... The library is there... There are empty classrooms... Or would you rather me find a teaching substitute?" Principal Morales went silent for a few minutes to determine what the answer was going to be. "I didn't think so."
"Well, we should find an empty classroom," Noah said looking around. "Of somewhere to hang rather than the hallways..." He trailed off, looking in the direction of Lea. "Hey, I'll catch up with y'all..." He hurried away.
"And then, there were three," Prunella said. "I've uh... Got an assignment to finish in the library. I'll catch you guys later, yeah?"
"Sure," Ethan shrugged, then turned to face Zara.
"So um..."
"Park?" Ethan suggested, with a raise of his brows.
"And skip the rest of the day?"
"I mean, if you want to. And I don't know... Drive around?"
"And then back, because I have training today," Zara sighed. "I kinda liked it when I didn't have to worry about training."
"But it sucked knowing you were off the season... You know, I don't think you should be skipping classes... I've done this before, you've not... Let's just... Find somewhere to be."
"Okay," she shrugged, feeling a little downcast.
They walked down the hallway, passing the door of classes which were either in session or already had several friend groups laughing and gossiping.
"Seems like there's no... Empty classroom."
"We don'g have to go to a classroom," Zara said, dragging him to a staircase at the end of the corridor. It was quiet, and relatively empty. She sunk into the floor and patted the space beside her.
Ethan joined her, crossing his long legs. He looked at her briefly, then at the floor.
"You know, this is kind of weird... Just how many months ago, you hated me... And so did I. Now look at us."
"I never hated you. I was just... Pissed at you?" He smirked. "You are unnecessarily nosy, and that could be a huge problem."
"I call it curiosity."
"Curiosity kills the cat."
"Satisfaction always brings it back." She flexed her fingers and straightened her legs out. "So... Do you... I don't know. Aren't you tired of repeating the same drill? You have done highschool how many times because of your slow aging... Doesn't life get boring?"
"The world is changing. That's interesting."
She hummed. "Insightful. So you uh... Were alive for the second world war?"
"I was."
"You're old. It's crazy."
"Old is contextual. I think I've told you before, but I'll say I'm like 18 or 19 years...if you're looking at my maturity... That's how I'm regarded in our clan. But I'm way older than that."
"Like what, 100 years?"
He snorted. "I'm not a baby."
"I don't even know how to look at you anymore," she laughed, throwing her head back in laughter. She would have hit it on the wall behind her, but Ethan's hand was there and stopped it.
"So what? You're like a thousand?"
Ethan shrugged.
"No way!"
"I didn't say I was... And I don't think school is the right place to talk about this."
"Right... Eavesdroppers."
"Hm."
"Have you... Have you noticed anything strange around you lately?" Ethan has been meaning to ask the question, not knowing when exactly his father was going to strike. He still wasn't sure what he could do to protect her, or if it was possible he would be able to be around her everyday to prevent anything that was going to happen.
"Not that I know of..." She said slowly.
"I'm scared," he admitted. "You might... I don't know, be a target."
"And why exactly would I be one?"
"I don't know," he lied. "It's just that after the other day... And you know, I killed that rogue. Another vampire could have seen it... They'd be after you, and me."
"Has anyone been after you?" She adjusted her position again, feeling slightly uncomfortable.
"No," he replied. "But that doesn't mean they won't be after you. They might go after you first."
"I'll be fine Ethan. Don't scare me, okay?" She said softly, and the gently squeezed his thigh. It felt weird for both of them... But nic. "Oh yeah... What'd you mean by rogue?" She removed her hands from his thigh and swallowed hard, her hand suddenly feeling heavy.
"What do humans call someone mentally deranged and has not control of their actions?" He questioned.
"I see."
This time, when the bell rang, there was no joy in Zara. She groaned and sighed, watching Ethan as he stood up. He stretched out his arms to her, and she took it, feeling electricity jolt through her. He pulled her like she weighed nothing, and she was so close to hitting him— their faces mere inches apart.
What if I lose her? Ethan thought, staring into her eyes.
I should just do what uge always wanted right? What if I lose her before I get the chance to... He swallowed hard and slowly lifted one hand to her face... Then almost immediately, put them down like they burned.
"We should get to class," he said hoarsely.
"Yes, we should."
+++++
Prunella hated school and every single soul in it.
Yet, she found herself in the hallways every morning, wishing her parents wouldn't say, "be normal. School is what normal people did. Fit right in."
She wasn't normal, she never fit in.
Friendships has never come easy especially because of her size. She had lost 18 pounds already after months of starvation and exercise, but still her body wasn't toned enough. She was still pale, pasty... And worst of all... Fat.
School had ended and luckily, it was better than other days because Ethan has stood up for her. But she knew it wasn't because that was his kind of person— it was because he was heir to their clan. Protecting a member was his duty.
She smiled and thought of Zara. Zara didn't know he relationship with Ethan, and thinking about it— she was the one who pushed Ethan into action.
She trudged on, her shoes kicking up dirt on the road. She was hungry, but couldn't afford the risk that came with food, and sun was scorching hot and she felt like going crazy as she looked at her skin turn red.
Sometimes, it was tempting... Take of the daylight ring and allow herself to spontaneously combust.
At least Zara was nice to her, so maybe school would be worth it eventually. Or maybe Zara was nice because she felt pity and not because she liked her...
A car honked to her left, and the parked in such a way it blocked her exit. She rolled her eyes and turned to take a step back, but the driver found a way to still make her trapped.
"Hello fattie. What did you think you were doing letting Ethan humiliate me?" Yvette called out.
"Get lost," Prunella hissed, feeling annoyed. Whenever she saw Yvette— who had taken her from being the most ignored person last year, into the schools favourite person to pick on— she felt like ripping her to shreds until there was nothing left.
Life would have been better if Yvette didn't exist.
She parked, and then stepped out, wallking around the car, just to have Prunella's forehead. "Look how red and miserable you are," she snickered, pulling out her phone to record.
Prunella wanted to retreat, but she was flanked by Yvette's friends.
"Aww guys," Yvette cooed as she began recording.
"You guys, listen to me," Prunella said, looking straight into Yvette's eyes and then to her friends. "You would stop recording this instant."
"Of course," Yvette said softly, eyes hazy as she pulled away her phone.
Prunella nodded, swallowing hard and feeling satisfied. She could leave now, and she was glad this wasn't within school grounds or she wouldn't have been able to compel them without exposing anything about herself... Or the clan.
She was to lay low as instructed.
But still, a part of her was eager to teach Yvette a lesson.
"Get in the car, and drive where I tell you to."
Yvette nodded, getting in with her two friends who followed like zombies under a spell. Prunella stayed in the backseat with one of them, and the gave instructions to a tiny street if abandoned buildings a little far off from the public library.
Yvette parked, and then stepped out with her friends, Prunella following.
"What the fuck are we doing here?" Yvette questioned, suddenly blinking.
Hrr friends blinked too. "Yeah, what the fuck?"
Shit. She wasn't strong enough to hold active compulsion. She wasn't from the original line, so her skills were limited.
Nonetheless, compulsion was secondary now.
"We're here because I want to teach you a lesson to never mess with me," Prunella hissed, grabbing Yvette roughly. She sank her teeth into her neck, feeling the blood gush out into her mouth.
It was so refreshing that the screams of Yvette's friends were secondary to her. She hadn't had a proper meal in days, and heavens knew this was filling the emptiness in her stomach...
Until the blood stopped.
And Yvette went limp, falling to the ground beneath her.