SETH'S Point of View
I've been texting Melody a lot lately but she doesn't reply my texts, did I do something wrong? Again?
Oh come on, we've been going out for over two months now, she can't just dump me like that. Can she?
Sigh, maybe I'm just overthinking again, that's why communication is vital in a relationship. I groaned. It's a Sunday, which means if we don't hang out or something I might not get to talk to her till Monday. I totally do not get girls.
I think I have to make it clear to her that she can tell me anything and I won't judge, she should just be straight and tell me what's bothering her sometimes, watching the changes of emotion in her eyes is still far from whatever she's thinking.
"You look depressed."
Reichert glanced at me, stroking his beard. He was teaching me how to channel my energy to affect things positively. I blinked, focusing on the colourless flowers in the flowerpot just at my fingertips.
"I'm not."
It's not like you can help me anyway, so why should I bother telling you my problems? He arched an eyebrow at me, certainly not buying my response at all.
"Are you sure?"
He asked again, his eyes moving from me to the flowers and back again. The flowers were slowly turning to ashes. What's he trying to say, my emotions can evade my will.
I wanted their pigmentation to return, but I wasn't happy. My emotion cancelled out the command I gave to my power. I ran my left hand threw my hair and leaned back against the pillar, she's just all I could think about right now.
"I'm sorry."
He reached over and patted my head. What am I? Seven?
"I'm not angry Seth, but you have to learn how to control your emotions, if you don't it'll feed the darkness inside of you, at that point you'll no longer be able to command it at will."
I regarded him. He should just say I'm a ticking time bomb already. He continued.
"There are three things that boost your power beyond imagination . Diligent practice, mutation and loss of virgini—"
I blinked.
"Wait, sorry to interrupt but how does loss of virginity boost power?"
I mean I was just curious. Reichert on the other hand looked at me like I had some mischievous idea in my head. Well, sorry to burst your bubble but I'm just curious.
"In both Kings and Queens of darkness or let me put it this way, your power is an egg."
Reichert swirled his first three fingers, folding the other two at the centre of his palm, a holographic image of an egg appearing betwixt them.
"Losing your virginity is the process that breaks the egg."
The golden egg wiggled and cracked up.
"And unleashes your power to the fullest."
The egg burst open and a dragon almost thrice as big burst out of it, Reichert folded his hand into a fist and the image wafted away.
"What a weird way."
***
Finally, it's Monday. Now to get some questions from Melody. She was at her locker. The baggy clothes she wore somehow managed to enhance her slender curves rather than detract from them. Two bright golden tassels peeked out from underneath the yellow bandanna tied around her head. She must have sensed I was nearby, she almost ran off.
"Melody!"
She came to an abrupt halt, I was too close to escape this time around.
"I'm late gotta run."
I flashed right to the front of her, blocking her way entirely.
"I think you forgot I'm a vampire," She did not meet my gaze.
"Seth, the exams are close, I need to go."
She said bluntly, once again her eyes darting to everything else but me. The first semester was almost over. Okay, she's busy. But she should have told me that, right? Not just leaving my messages on read. She pressed out a smile, checking her watch every two seconds apart.
"I've gotta go, babe I'll call you, okay?"
She leaned in and pecked me. She sauntered off afterward, one hand cushioning her books against her body, the other tucked away in her back pocket.
I texted her to meet up at the cafe off campus, I learned she usually hung out there to study whenever it was midterms but she texted me that something came up when I'd already got there. She didn't call either. Only sent a goodnight text at half past twelve. Did she stay up till that late studying?
So many unanswered questions.
***
The exams commenced, it just seemed like she was avoiding me over the passed week now. My sisters and I were outside on the castle grounds with Hero, Serena's pup.
"If you don't come play with Hero right now, I'll water your phone."
Sage threatened. I quickly tucked it into my pocket and as soon as I looked up I saw a huge mass of water she had projected with magic, just above my head.
"You always like showing off, if only your blood bending was just as good."
"I'm not so great at it, it mostly works best when It's a full moon."
The thought of the red moon night flashed my mind, it was about eight weeks away. I walked up to them.
I jumped back as Hero streaked passed me, tail slashing the air like a windshield wiper set on high. Sage let the water fall all around us like a drizzle.
"What's the use of having powers if you won't use them."
I rolled my eyes, I knew sooner or later Soteria would attack my comment about showing off. She smiled as she threw the ball.
"Fetch Hero, fetch boy!"
Skipper howled but Hero didn't move.
"Doesn't he like the ball?"
Serena asked.
"Hero."
Mother called from the gates to the grounds, it immediately ran to her accompanied by a series of short, staccato barks that peppered through the air, shooting holes into her call.
"Hero's just thirsty, you've all been playing with him all afternoon."
Mum rubbed his tummy.
"I'd almost forgotten that Mum can understand pets."
Soteria tried to catch her breath as she jogged over to where Mum stood. Sage bended water from the sprinklers, Skipper snapped her fingers to open Hero's mouth allowing Sage to feed it some water.
"Seth, are you okay?"
I tipped my head up.
"Of course Mom, why'd you ask?"
She had this dissatisfied look on her face.
"Hero just told me, you've been lovesick."
I visibly flinched sending a glare to the cute mutt, it quickly hid behind Mom. That dog should better mind its own business.
***
Melody had succeeded in avoiding me for 2 weeks.
She barely replied to my texts. Only called when she was about to sleep. And didn't show up for any of our dates, she'd just send a last-minute text to cancel. I'm not letting her out of my sight today. I cornered her after lunch.
"Are you avoiding me?"
"No, of course not."
"I'm not buying it."
She tipped her head back, she looked exhausted, has she been getting enough sleep? I'm worried about her.
"So what now? do you take me for a liar? I don't keep things from you."
My elusive grin disappeared, I just stared at her. She looked away. It's hard to lie to someone when you're looking at them right in the eye.
"Well, you uh keep things from me too."
"No, I don't."
"I notice you wear gloves a lot, what's up with that? You even wore gloves to the premiere."
I hesitated, I didn't want her to notice me trying to maintain a calm expression.
"Anything I touch turns to ashes."
I muttered.
"Really now?"
Melody swiftly pulled off one of my gloves.
"What—" I tossed the word down like a gauntlet "—do you think you're doing?"
She looked up at me, eyes sparkling despite the fact she'd been ignoring him all week.
"What does it look like I'm doing?"
She raised my arm towards her cheek, I recoiled, withdrawing it but she leaned forward purposely brushing my palm with her shoulder.
Nothing happened. She rose a quizzical brow at me.
I reached into my back pocket and brought out a mechanical pencil with my exposed hand, she flinched when it began to melt like I was made of magma, it soon morphed to ashes and dematerialized.
She gasped. I'm sure people who caught a glimpse of that probably thought I was a phoenix or fire bender.
"What a neat trick?"
She said but with the way she wore my glove back on my left hand, she knew better than anyone that, that could have been her shoulder. I smiled, I didn't want her to think I was dangerous or anything.
"It's not a trick, it's darkness."
She perked her head like she'd heard about that before, which is not a surprise.
"Look, I'm getting taller."
She said measuring.
She was obviously trying to shift the topic since things were fast becoming awkward. I looked down.
"You're wearing platform boots."
She ignored my snide comment, I don't think she planned on telling me why she's putting me at a distance just yet.
I swooped in for a kiss.
She pulled away after a few seconds and scampered off.
I caught a glimpse of her eyes, they were indeed violet.
The color change raised more unanswered questions.