Chapter 20 - Xander.

Hope eventually got better while Daniel was still in his coma. Gabriela updated him on everything that happened when he was absent from school.

"Soooo you're telling me that there was no homework or tests since I left?" Hope asked to which Gabriela nodded her head.

"Why do the good things happen while I'm absent??" Hope whined while sitting up and placing his chin on his palm.

"It's not fair.~" He added while pouting making Gabriela giggle. She got up and took her bag waving goodbye to him.

"See you at school~" She waved as she left his room. The stars illuminated the room Hope was recovering in, he turned to Daniel. Still asleep, makes sense as he had a whole lot of blood loss.

"I wonder who's taking notes for him at his school." Hope thought as he was in a different school than Daniel, Angelina and Jane. He heard Jane went to a private school at the other side of the city. In fact she lives far from Professor Maxwell's library which is why she's always late for meetings. Hope slumped his body on the bed, the last events playing in his mind. Michelle turned, Janeta too. Why is it only girls who are turning??? Are these demons seducing them? Hope thought. He started dozing off, listening to the harp playing down stairs must be Jophiel he thought. He actually felt excited to go back to school, maybe it's because he'll see Gabriela more.

He was not expecting to see him. He thought the first person he would meet would be Noah or Gabriela. Not Xander. Xander happily greeted Hope, Hope just nodded his head. It actually sort of made sense for Xander to greet him first. He was the captain of the basketball team and Hope is part of the team. He never wanted to admit it but he was actually jealous of Xander, how could he just join like three months ago and is the most popular person in their school and the basketball captain when he's been around for a year and still doesn't feel welcomed. Frustrated he slammed his locker door.

"What's wrong?" Gabriela's voice said, Hope jumped back startled to see Gabriela leaning on a locker door, her arms behind her head. Seeing her just like that, being perfectly calm just made him feel fuzzy inside.

"Gabriela don't startle me like that!" Hope screamed while his cheeks went pink. Gabriela looked at him before giving him a playful grin making his heart beat faster. She adjusted her body of the locker and turned to look at Hope.

"You haven't answered my question~ what's wrong? Cute guys like you don't get upset easily." Gabriela teased making Hope blush even harder, he looked at her, her amber eyes gleaming with mischief. Then he realised she was wearing an oversized white hoodie with a big X on it.

"Nice hoodie" Hope commented hoping to change the topic. It worked like a charm as Gabriela suddenly looked down at her hoodie.

"Thanks. Xander gave it to me." Gabriela replied smiling. That just pissed Hope off. He turned to leave.

"Of course he did." Hope said dryly as he turned to leave, suddenly Gabriela cornered him between two lockers with her leg. Her gaze turned serious.

"What's wrong? You just came back and you're grumpy. I hate seeing my bestie angry." Gabriela asked him, Hope didn't want to tell her anything so he raised her leg up and left. Leaving Gabriela confused.

"Can't believe she actually ditched us for her boyfriend." Jasmine said while slurping her noodles and staring at Gabriela from their lunch table. She was with Xander at his lunch table playing with his jet black hair. Hope could tell she was sitting on Xander's lap. She was laughing at everything Xander said.

"I don't trust him. He just seems off." Hope admitted while playing with his fries. His friend Noah looked at him, his purple eyes reflecting confusion. Jasmine on the other hand sort of understood what Hope meant.

"Yea. Xander gives me vampire vibes. With his red eyes and pale skin. Like ew brother ew." Jasmine stated. Noah brushed his fingers through his pale blonde hair.

"Don't be rude Jasmine. Xander is perfectly human." Noah said. Jasmine and Noah changed the topic to milkshake and boba tea but Hope wasn't listening. He was staring at Gabriela and Xander, feeling his own blood boil in the process.

"Xander isn't human." Hope thought as he clenched his fists.

"I just know it".