ALEXIS' POV
This day was bad. No, it was the absolute worst. In a stretch of twelve hours, I've had reasons to regret my decision a thousand times. Not that it was my decision though, but it would be a lie if I said a part of me didn't want this — which I now regretted. Waltzing admist them was one thing — pretending to be regular and battling to urge to dip my fangs into their tender necks — was another fairly bearable thing, but getting insulted and disresprected by a diminutive mundane girl was an happening that never crossed my mind.
Her audacity was alarming despite having bumped into me, she was one of the fearless ones I've seen in a while — I was still stunned. Despite the height and size disparity, she stood her ground, a rather pointless one I'd say.
Never have I had someone swing a bag or anything else at me but it happened today. Not only did she do that, she somehow twirled to my position knocking both of us down — the most discomfiting thing that happened to me in centuries. I had an effect on people, especially those with a frail mindset, it was easy to intimidate them with just a glare; just a glare and some would freak out running or go on apologising for things they did even do. But this, this was unusual, I could hear her heart rate pick a faster pace, still, it didn't go as fast as I wanted it to thereby nulling my effect. She wasn't as terrified of me as they usually are. Something about it made me comfortable, even though my ego was hurt, badly.
"I have a roommate," Selene's voice interrupted my thoughts. I hadn't noticed her presence till she talked, and her tone depicted discomfort.
Oh, hell.
I repositioned myself, facing her.
"How is that possible?" I paused before asking a more pressing question. "Wait, how did you get into Brownston?"
"I made a few calls, dulled a couple of people mundanes and signed a few documents, now help me get rid of it."
"Oh, that's why. You must have missed something...as always"
"Tame your prudence, brother," she rolled her eyes before sitting. "This one has an annoying streak of confidence that would make me end her fast."
"Well, we have plenty of those running around. I'd have to remind you that we have a house a few blocks away from school that is empty of roommates," I said to her.
Selene looked around assessing the entire room. "You mean this? I do not wish to share a house with you. It ruins all the fun"
"Then I guess you have to deal with this on your own. I'm tired of cleaning up after you," I admitted. It was true that I was.
"Are you though? It seems like the cleaning up you do is your idea of fun, that's what keeps your wretched soul alive."
Okay, maybe she was right, The only change of routine I got was all thanks to her chaotic impacts, both negatively and positively. Apart from the adverse effects of her intentions on mundanes, I sometimes got a taste of her idea of "fun" It wasn't always so bad, sometimes it helped me remember how long I've been alive and how little I had done.
"Hm."
She chewed the inside of her cheek as she caught the flame of a candle that was mounted on a silver tray, rubbing it with her thumb and index finger. "You don't happen to have seen Matthias, have you?"
"Selene, are you here for Matthias?"
"Maybe, maybe not. I just yearned for pleasure, this could be how I obtain it."
We both knew that was a lie.
"It's been so long, do you still harbour against him so much hate?"
She shrugged, "I don't know, I guess I want to see what he looks like in a coffin"
This answered my question. Yes, she still loathed him, she has for two centuries and she had no intention of stopping ever since the incident.
"Even after the series of events that happened, he's like family. That remains indisputable," I held back all I couldn't say.
Matthias deserved her attempts at making him miserable, as frivolous as they appeared. She once found love, but in the wrong place, we were never to be with mundanes. It wasn't a rule, just a product of calamities that happened when a vampire found love in a mundane — but Selene did, however, it was short-lived by Matthias' decision to feed off the human she fell in love with.
I remember the look she wore as she held his lifeless body and vowed to get her revenge, she still hasn't, but she didn't give up.
Or maybe she already has, I remember standing over his lifeless body a couple of times before he breathed back to life, but it wasn't enough.
It broke her, and all I did was watch her become a vile creature as she was drained of all the affection. She became a thing that had no regard for life, as her love was snatched from her grip.
How then do I tell her that father ordered it? That father ordered Matthias' action in the name of her not losing sight of what we were and the unfortunate fate we were bonded by.
How do I tell her that her own father was the one who requested the demise of a creature she so dearly adored and sought a future with? She already despised him, I won't be the reason she hurts herself in the process of trying to end him.
My father disgusted me.
I swallowed hard, this was one of the perks of being alive for too long, I guess.
"How long would this go on?" I asked with a sigh.
"For as long as possible, brace yourself, brother. Also, he isn't family, just an unfortunate soul sired by our even more unfortunate father," she rose abruptly which I took as a cue for her leaving.
"Selene..." I called out and she paused. "when you see Matthias, let me be first to know"
"Oh, you will"
I watched as she slammed the door behind her, her footstep lessened as she walked farther. I had to be the first to meet Matthias, and threaten him if I had to, so he leaves. These two were ticking bombs that could blow up at the most unpleasant of times, I had to intervene with the hopes of actually changing something.
Boy, do I hate all these? I didn't want them and I most certainly didn't ask to live forever; it'd be a joy to know what it felt like to die or to live knowing a day would come where your heart stops beating — not that it does though.
I let out a sigh before grabbing my cellphone, this was outrageous, probably the most ridiculous thing I've done all ages but never have I once regretted it. The time was seven pm already, this was my idea of fun.
~~
I wandered to a quiet place a few feet away from the school's main building, it was within its premises but secluded. I liked secluded. I found a place for my peace and quiet after a long day of watching Selene mess around with Mundanes, she didn't do anything reckless, yet, probably because she was aware of my presence.
Well, I deserved a break and here I was, sitting on a rock in the middle of a wild patch of land contained by trees, flowers and grass. It was nice till my peace was soon interrupted.
Someone was here and it was...
Matthias!
My head shot to the side where the sound of rustling from, it indeed was Matthias, his scent made that clear.
"Been a while, brother," his voice rang from behind me.
I turned and there he stood, Matthias and that smug grin I had always wanted to knock off his face.
"I could say the same, Brother", I bit on the last word, my detest for him resurfacing by the second.
"I had missed your delightful countenance...and Selene's. Oh Selene," he threw his head backwards before his hands found their way out of his pocket and lunged towards me.
I ignored his outstretched arm, raising my head as he stood before me, he was here because he had something to say. He better gets started.
"I know why she's here, brother. I won't end her but I can't say I won't retrain her rigorously if I have to," Matthias said.
I chuckled, Matthias, cocky as ever. That was his strength, and undoubtedly his weakness.
"You should leave Brownston, for our sake and theirs,"
"I've never been one to run from a fight, and I plan on staying that way," He retorted as expected. Predictable Matthias, if only he knew what he was up against. Actually, he did, he only seemed to have forgotten.
He struts closer, his face barely an inch from mine.
"You should leave instead," He said to my face.
My anger level spiked as I balled my fist, I wanted nothing more than to send a punch across his face but I held it in, I wasn't one to make trouble, although it found ways to come crawling.
A voice sent us drifting apart, I was too preoccupied with my Matthias to hear a person arriving. I neither heard the heartbeat nor did I perceive the scent.
"No one is allowed to fight on the school premises, you could get rusticated," The voice hollered, it was that of a female, a mundane.
We turned in the direction of the voice, it indeed was a female mundane, clutching a bag to her chest, that bag — I knew that bag. A longer look and I recognised her, it was that same girl— the one who bumped into me.
Why was she here? Most importantly, why on earth would she interfere? Was this stupidity or bravery?
A familiar smell washes over me, Matthias recognised it too, the sweet smell of blood. The mundane was here and she had blood on her, again. I don't see the possibility of this going well.
"Well, what's a family reunion without a snack," Matthias mumbled before letting out a low growl.
Oh, no.