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Chapter 1
I am here on the balcony of my own room while observing the beauty of the sky.
Unlike the previous nights, the sky was clear today, not cloudy. And it seems that the moon is ready to show itself. Ready to give light in every dark pathway. ready to be someone’s hope in the midst of battle with darkness. Giving my 17th years of existence extra more beautiful.
it is amazing and mesmerizing to witness how the moon smiles in the middle of vastness of nothingness and how the stars wink as if seducing the immortal and mortal creatures of its beauty.
I let myself be under the spell of the full moon and notes for a few moments before I decided to enter the room. I closed and locked the glass door of the balcony then opened the curtain covering the lovely view outside.
I turned off the light in the room and left the lampshade open on the side of the bedside table to serve as light for me to sleep. I’m not used to the dark.
I lay on the bed then pulled my comforter and lifted it up to my waist before finally closing my eyes to fall asleep. But no matter how I closed my eyes, no matter what position I lay down, I couldn’t see myself sleeping. some hours have passed but I still can’t sleep.
I got out of bed backwards and messed up my hair before finally getting up and going down to the kitchen to make some milk. Risking that after I drink it, I will fall asleep.
After I finished the milk, I immediately went back to my room and locked it. When I faced it and was about to head in the direction of the bed, I gasped and my eyes widened in shock at what I saw. I was immediately filled with fear and my heart pounded.
there was a man lying on top of my bed. His right hand rested on the bed while his head rested on it, he was lying on his side while facing me. He was wearing all black, a black turtle neck topped with a black leather jacket. black pants and black combat shoes.
How… Who is it? What is he doing here in my room?
“Hi there, my lady.” He said.
A-What…
“W-Who are you?” I asked with a trembling voice.
He grinned. I almost stopped breathing when he stood up from the bed and in an instant, he was in front of me. My heart beat even faster.
H-How…
I can be sure that I did not take my eyes off him. I can also be sure that there is a big gap between my bedroom door and the bed. so how…
I stopped thinking to see how close we were.
“S-Stay away from me.” I put my two hands between us. Ready to push him in time to occupy the small space that separates the two of us.
but I was so surprised when he suddenly disappeared in front of me. I was about to look around to look for him when I heard him whisper in my right ear.
He’s… He’s at the right side of my back…
“This is not the right time for you to know me, Lady Aivara. but the right time will yet come, and at that time, I will introduce myself to you.” He hisses, giving me goosebumps.
I wanted to scream to ask for help, but I didn’t have the strength to do that. I really want to run, but I seem to be stuck where I am. I couldn’t even distance myself from him.
“W-What are you doing in my room? How did you get in here? And what do you need from me?” I asked one question after another. Thank God, I can speak at this very moment.
“You asked too many. but to answer all your questionnaire, I enter your room through that,” He pointed the… open glass door of my balcony. No… “And I’m here because, I badly wanted to mark you, my lady. ”
I gasped. The fear I feel has doubled. Not because of what he said but because of what he did. he pulled my hair covering my face and the right side of my neck. My body tingled as his fingers touched the skin of my neck. And then, a voltage of electricity ran throughout my body.
He sniffed. “Damn, my lady, your blood smells so good. You’re making me thirsty even more.” he hissed again.
My blood… Thirsty… What the hell…
Is he…
I wanted to speak but it seems like a cat got my tongue. I wanted to move away but it seems like I became a statue. Unable to speak and unable to move.
And then, I felt like I was being injected buy two big needles on my neck. and it hurts like hell! Again, I wanted to move away, I wanted to protest but my body won’t go according to my command!
What is he doing? What the fuck is he?!
I was already panicking inside but inside my outside, my body looked so calm. But my heart’s beating so fast. So damn fast…
and then, from being a statue, I feel like my knees are now turning into jelly. It’s trembling. I feel weak. Until I felt myself rise from the ground. My eyelids are getting heavy. but before completely closing my eyes, in the fading atmosphere I saw golden eyes. It was looking down on me.
I raised my right hand and touched his cheek. As the contact, I feel like my hand freezes as I touch his cheeks. It’s so cold. but I didn’t get my hand off his cheek, instead, I caressed it.
“My lady…” I heard him murmur.
“What are you?” I will ask. I don’t know if he heard my voice because even I didn’t hear myself. It’s like I just whispered it to the wind.
My hand that was holding his cheek dropped spontaneously as he closed his eyes. But before the darkness shallowed me, I heard his answer.
“Soon, my lady. You’ll know who and what am I soon. When your eighteenth birthday comes. I promise you that.”
‘I’ll hold on to that.’ I replied on my mind before the vastness of nothingness shallows me.
“A vampire is a creature from folklore that subsists by feeding on the vital essence – generally in the form of blood – of the living. in European Folklore, vampires are undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mischief or death in the neighborhoods they inhabited while they were alive. they wore shrouds and were often described as bloated and of ruddy or dark countenance, markedly different from today’s gaunt, pale vampires which dates from the early 19th century––”
“You’re reading that weird book again?”
I stopped reading because of the sudden arrival of Kaila and Cristel; my two best friends.
“I told you she’s a vampire. And she’s now thinking of ways how to get rid of Barbie and company.” Kaila said and then laughed at her own words afterwards.
“You bet. Barbie don’t have brains, Kailie.” Cristel commented that made Kaila stop from laughing.
Kaila frowned. “Wait, do vampires eat brains?” She asked, looking totally confused.
Cristel shrugged. “Dunno. Ask Vara, she’s the vampire here not me.” Cristel said and focused on her phone. And after that, Kaila’s attention turned into me.
“Ahm, Vara, do you eat brain?” She asked innocently.
I heard Cristel chuckle from her seat next to mine. Maybe having fun in Kaila’s innocence.
Sighing, I closed the book I was reading which is The Vampires Origin. I’m distracted from reading, it’s hard to focus again, you’ll just go back to the beginning.
I just faced Kaila to answer her question. “I am not a vampire, Kaila, so I don’t eat brain. And to answer your question, based on one of the books I’ve read, not all vampires eat brain, but some do. the rest only sipped blood from their victim. Commonly, werewolves are the one whose brain is eaten. However, if I were to be a vampire or werewolf, I don’t think I would do that. Barbie doesn’t just lack brains, but also blood.”
“Oh,” Cristel uttered, clearly amazed by the information I shared. “That’s why Myline and her company’s face are so white.”
Wait-what? I didn’t know she was referring to the Barbie bitches. I thought we’re talking about the literal Barbie.
“Pfft… Kailie, honey, that’s not because of that.” Cristel laughed enough. I sighed in relief. Thanks to her, I don’t need to explain anymore because she will do that for me. “Why Myline and friends face are so white? That’s because  they’re face look like full of  flour.” Cristel said then laughed her ass off, so as the listener. While Kaila just looked at her questioningly. My expectation seems wrong.
“Huh? Why would they go to do such a thing?” She asked again. Cristel stopped laughing when she was tortured.
“Talk to your hands, Kailie. don’t wanna go nuts yet.” Cristel in surrender and focused again on her phone. Pretending to be busy. Kaila just pout.
I heard the soft laughter of another student at a table not far from us. We were in the cafeteria, it was vacant so we hung out here.
I shook my head and took out my earphones and put them in my own ears even though the music wasn’t on. Nothing, I just want to shut the world up and enter a new world by reopening my book again. I continued what I was reading earlier.
when our vacant time ran out, we part ways to go to our respective classes. We are not in the same class but we have the same class and vacant hours. How did that happen? Simple, money.
when all the classes were over for the day, as usual, the three of us met at the locker. We just put our books and other stuff in there and then we went to the parking lot together to meet our pick up. the two of them, they only ride in the same car, since they are going to the same village, so Cristel always drops by. Because their house is ahead of Kaila’s.
When I got home, I found mommy in the living room facing the stack of papers on the mini glass table in the middle.
“Hi, baby.” She greeted when she saw me.
“Hi, mom,” I kissed her on her right cheek then sat next to her. “What are you doing?” I asked.
“Oh, these,” she motioned the so many scattered cards on the table. “These are the invitations for your eighteenth birthday coming up next, baby.” She said smiling widely.
My eyes widen. “That?!” I asked in pure disbelief.
Her smile goes wider even more, enjoying my reaction. “Uh-huh.”
“But, mom!” I groaned. “I said I want to celebrate my birthday simply.”
“Yeah? And I told you also that I am not agree with that.” He looked at me intently.
“But, mom…” I stuttered like a child.
“Baby, give it to mommy. It’s your debut. It’s your last promise.” he said softly then hugged me.
“You also said those exact words last year.” I snorted.
“Because your birthday never lasted, baby. But what do we know? I might not be able to do this on your next birthday.” My eyebrows met because of what he said.
“What are you saying, mom?” I will ask.
“The what if, baby. So please, give it to me?” He said tenderly and rested his chin on my shoulder.
I just held my breath. Can I tolerate my mommy?
I leaned towards him then hugged him back. “Everything seems to be ready, eh. What else can I do?” pretending to be my harvest.
“Baby, it’s just happen once in a blue moon. And your daddy won’t allow us to have a simple celebration. You’re my only princess, baby.” The tone of her voice didn’t change, it was still soft.
“Okay, mom. You got me.” I give up.
“Thanks, baby expect the unexpected, okay?” She said, gleefully. The excitement was obvious in her voice.
“Yeah, right, mom.” I stood up from my seat and grabbed my bag and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek again. “I’ll be up now, mom. I feel so sticky.”
“Okay, baby. I’ll call when your dad’s arrives, okay? we’ll eat all together.”
I smiled at her and nodded. But before completely turning away, my eyes searched for something, and when I didn’t see it, I turned to mommy again. “Where’s Von, mom?”
“He’s upstairs, doing his assignment.” She answered.
I just nodded and headed upstairs; to my room.
After I put down my things, I immediately faced the mirror and took off my black contact lenses. Then, I immediately went to the bathroom to take a shower. Then, I came out wearing only a bathrobe and went straight to my walk in closet and put on my pajamas.
I sat in front of my mirror in the room, where all my body lipsticks were placed. I stared at myself in the mirror, I’m still not used to seeing the color of my eyes. It’s still strange for me. My eyes were once black, now they are golden. I don’t know how it happened, I just woke up one day and it was like this.
I didn’t touch the right side of my neck, there are two small scars there that I don’t know where I got them from. as soon as my 18th birthday is over, it’s here. It has been quiet for a long time but in the past few months, I often feel its pain.
I was blow-drying my hair when I felt fresh air kiss my skin. It’s not the air from the air conditioner because I already memorized the smell of those two as well as the feeling.
I looked at the possible source of the wind and it did not disappoint me, the glass door on the balcony was slightly ajar. The curtain has not yet been drawn. that’s why I stood up and first lowered the blower on the table in front of the mirror then headed for the glass door. I was about to pull it off when suddenly the wind blew. But that didn’t stop me from seeing the movement of a shadow in a corner of the balcony.
my heart was beating fast, but I didn’t show the fear. My heart is full as the gap of the glass door widens even more. Even though it’s dark here, I can clearly see all around. I’m used to that t’wing I let my eye color stay gold, when there are no contact lenses that hide the original color of my eyes.
I wandered all over the balcony with my eyes but I didn’t see anything but my cat Finikin. I blew out the air that I didn’t realize I had surpassed.
“Finikin, what are you doing here?” I asked the cat as if I could get an answer.
When I got close to him, he was just looking away, so I picked him up.
and when I faced the glass door of the balcony, what I saw made my heart pump like it was about to jump out of my ribcage.
‘LADY AIVARA, AM I NOT INVITED TO YOUR UPCOMING BIRTHDAY PARTY?’
It was written on the glass door with a red ink and a terrible penmanship.
To be Continue…