We climbed down our bikes when we got to the house and removed our helmets.I picked up my bags and then I looked at out two bedrooms and two bathrooms bungalow. We only had one living room, which was fine I thought and then I glanced at Maia before asking,
''Are you glad to be back?'' hoping that she would be.
''I guess so'' she said and didn't say much after, which made me think she either missed Damien or didn't want to stay here.
''You miss him'' I said more as a statement than a question
''Yeah. I do'' she said
''You know you can always go back'' hoping I wasn't the one holding her back
''I know but I can't just leave you here, you know that'' she said looking at me with a sad smile. It was my fault.
''I'm sorry Maia'' saying the only thing I could think of.
''It's ok'' she said and picked up her bag
I walked into the house and the first thing I saw made me hold my breath;
''Maia!'' I shouted short of breath caused by the shocking view I had
''What?'' She said running in like she was expecting a troll there but then after seeing what I saw, she said ''Oh no''
That would be the exact choice of words I would use...Oh no.
We walked around the rooms occasionally having to avoid piles of our things that had been dumped on the floor by someone who seemed to have been searching for something.
I knew the person didn't rob us because nothing was missing, so it was a good thing I kept all my valuabe stuff at my dad's place.
''Can you guess what he was looking for?'' Maia asked
''I have no idea'' I replied truthfully
''Do you think we should call the police?'' She asked.
''Most definitely not. The person may have been looking for something related to us being vampires and we can't let the police dig that up.'' I said worried and then continued, ''Let's just clean it up''
So we were able to clean up and put things where they belonged.
When we were done,
''Did you remember to keep the drink in the fridge?'' I asked making sure
''Yeah, of course I did. We don't want it spoiling'' she said as I went into my room to get ready for class.
I put on a peach flair knee length skirt and a lack ruched front chifon top. I left my hair in the ponytail and put on a few bracelets and still left my black studs in. I packed my books and wore a casual blue denim canvas. I put on a touch of lip gloss and then went to check if Maia was ready.
''Hey, you ready?'' I asked knocking on her door but got no reply
''Maia?'' I called again but there was no reply which made me get goosebumps and made my hair stand at length.
''Maia!'' I shouted opening the door as I couldn't wait any longer.
I opened the door to a heart wrenching scene. Laid sprawled face down on the floor was the body of Maia, I couldn't believe my eyes. She had a stake in her back and the window was wide open.
''Maia!'' I bawled and hoped with every part of me that this was a dream or a prank. I ran over to her and slipped on the floor and hurt my knee but I didn't care. I rushed over to her and pulled out the stake from her back and wept as I saw the blood on the wooden stake.
I rolled her over so that I could see her face. It was the worst sight I would have ever seen in my life. She was very pale and had lines on her face.I cried and held her close as I imagined my life without her there. Without her trying to always help or defend me, or to cheer me up or to reprimand me when I was wrong.
''Maia'' I called one last time hoping dearly that she would answer me but knowing that it wasn't possible.
If only she hadn't been friends with me or lived with me, maybe if she had stayed with Damien this wouldn't have happened to her. I was the one who pressed for her to come here with me because I was too selfish to think about what she wanted, I thought as I moved hair away from her face, hoping the lines would disappear and her color would come back.
''I'm so sorry Maia, I couldn't be there for you'' I cried and wondered what I would tell her dad and Damien.
I carried her body on to the couch and then called my dad
''Hey baby'' he said still sounding cheerful and I tried to summon a voice but I couldn't.
''Are you there?'' he asked from the other side of the phone
''Da-dad'' I said, my voice breaking
''What's wrong, I'm here'' he said and I could hear the worry in his voice.
'Its Maya dad'' I said bursting into tears again
''What's wrong with her?'' he asked
''She's dead dad.'' I said crying and then added ''someonebrokeinwedidn'tknowhewasinthehouse-''
but my dad couldn't hear my rambling so he said, "I can't hear you honey. I will send a car to get you and Maia's body. You can tell me what happened when you get here." he said and then I ended the call in tears.
I had the urge to drink but I had to control it for the memory of Maia. I couldn't help it so I decided to take only one glass.
I poured a glass of the blood and put in a few drops of vodka. I was drinking it with my hand shaking vigorously and uncontrollably when I dropped the glass with half of the blood still in it and rushed to pick at it with my fingers, ending up cutting myself. I started weeping and thinking of how foolish I am.
I had cleaned up the mess and my hands by the time the car came. I was expecing it to be just the driver but I was shocked when my dad came out from the back seat. And I could see from inside the house, that he had a straight face.
I hugged him and wept on his shirt immediately I came in,he didn't mind. I guess that was what fathers were for and that thought made me cry more because Anthony won't have a daughter to catch when she fell, or to allow her cry on his shirt.
''I'm sorry sweetie, that you have to experience that'' he said as he pet my hair. I looked at him sadly but thankful that he was here.
I turned to face the body and noticed the driver trying to carry her and then I exclaimed, ''No! Stop''
''Are you ok?'' my dad asked worried
''Yes, I just want to carry her myself'' I said lost in thoughts and memories
''Are you sure?'' he said looking sympathetic.
''Yeah'' and then I went over to carry her before saying, ''Let's go''
I then went to the car and laid Maia on the back seat and put her head on my lap while my dad sat at the front with the driver.
The whole ride was filled with silence. Nobody was ready to talk, not even my dad who always had something to say.
When we reached the castle the first person who caught my eye was Damien. His face brightened up the moment he saw me because he expected to see Maia but the brightness disappeared as he dropped his shovel and a tear rolled down my cheek and brought Maia's body out onto a stretcher my dad had brought.
''Wait, what happened?'' Damien asked as he went to the body
My dad was about to stop him but I mouthed to him, 'Its ok' and he didn't do anything.
''I don't honestly know. We both went to our rooms to get ready for school but when I was done, I knocked on her door to see if she was ready but when she didn't reply, I opened the door and found her staked.'' I said trying so hard to keep my voice steady and not to cry but my eyes brimmed with tears which clouded my eyes and I couldn't see properly.
I could see that he wanted to tell me something but he couldn't because of the presence of my dad as two vamps came and carried the stretcher away.
My dad and I walked upstairs in silence and I was filled with dread because I was about to tell Anthony that his one and only daughter, his dearest treasure is dead.
My dad knocked on Anthony's door because my hands were trembling uncontrollably and I couldn't do it. When Anthony opened the door, he looked at the two of us expecting Maia to come because I never came here without him and then he noticed the gloom on our face and let us in before asking;
''Where's Maia? Why isn't she with you?''
''I have something to tell you'' I said and then took a deep breath before continuing ''Maia is dead''
I saw the look of shock on Anthony's face as he slumped down on his bed in disbelief that broke my heart and I knew he would want to know how she died so I continued,
''Someone had broken into our house by the time we got there. We cleaned up and discovered that the person had not stolen anything and there was no one else in the house apart from us. We both went to our different rooms to get ready for school and when I was done, I went to her room to check if she was also done. When I knocked and she didn't answer, I went in and found her dead and her windows open.''
''You are lying, Maia is not dead and this is just a trick'' he said standing up and glaring at me.
''I'm sorry, but its true and I wish it wasn't'' I said summoning up all the courage I could as Anthony's eyes glowed red and he moved towards me.
He outstretched one hand and pointed at me threatingly and shouted, ''Give me back my daughter you fool. She can't be dead!'' and I burst into tears as he smashed a glass of blood with his palms as he walked towards me while I slowly retreated backwards.
My dad then held Anthony and mouthed to me to 'leave' so I ran out to my own room in a hurry. As I walked into my room, I saw a picture of myself and Maia and I burst into tears as I held it and crouched on the floor leaning on my bed in a heap of sorrow. I remembered all the good times we had like on my eighth birthday, where there was this bully and I nearly vamped out on her but Maia knew the rules and instead she ruined the girls dress with cake icing and we had a fun food fight after that. Then there was when my crush told me he didn't like me when I was thirteen and instead of me wallowing in sorrow alone, Maia kind of threw a pity party and we munched on snacks while watching a horror movie...and that was like the best pity party I have ever had.
I heard a bell ring downstairs and I knew it meant that we were burying Maia now so I stood up painfully and as I walked to my wardrobe to get a white dress and cloak, I wished I was walking on broken glass, because trust me, that isn't as painful as losing a best friend.
I wore my dress and cloak and white boots and then I looked at myself in the mirror. I got angry at myself as I saw all the tear marks on my face and my swollen eyes from crying and I thought that I deserved the pain I was feeling because I wasn't there to protect her.
As I walked outside onto the lawn where her burial was to take place, I saw Maia's pale but beautiful face in the coffin which couldn't help but make me shed a few tears. I saw Anthony come out with my dad and walked to the coffin. I saw Anthony tear up as he stroke her cheek before going to stand a little distance away from me with my dad and then I noticed Damien come and stand near me, he looked like he had been crying for hours
''Damien, I'm sorry'' I said softly to him as I looked at Maia
''I know, and it's not your fault...you aren't the one who killed her. I was originally going to blame you for her death because she didn't want to go with you but she didn't want to hurt your feelings so she went with you anyway but then Maia wouldn't want to tell you that'' he said
''You didn't have to tell me that. I feel that way already and I am putting enough blame on myself already'' I said and then there was silence but it wasn't the awkward kind, it was the kind you appreciated.
A man walked to the front of all of us and near the coffin and said a short prayer for her. Then he asked friends and family to say a few words about the deceased. My heart broke as each person cae out to talk about Maia, especially Anthony. When it was my turn, I looked at everyones face and panicked and then I remembered that I was doing this for Maia. So I looked at her and said,
''Maia was someone who could make your day in a matter of seconds. She had an angelic smile and all her emotions reflected on her face. She was an open book, she was a true friend and daughter. She never let anyone go into danger alone. She never let you be truly sad, and even if she couldn't cheer you up she would meet you at whatever mood you were which will force you to cheer up. She was a true angel and the world didn't deserve her but she deserved the world. I hope she finds peace'' as I burst into tears and walked back to my position next to Damien.
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