MARCHE DISTRICT, VENICE IN ITALY; THE VELVET VIPER'S DOMAIN... SHANTE'S ROOM.
"I know you will lead them well." Shante looked at them softly,her eyes looking at them ardently. They became uneasy and almost moved to tears.
In her room with her were Julian,Maema and Gabriella. She told about what happened at THE UMBRA COLLECTIVE.
"I don't know who the next exec will be in the three of you but I know that none of you will fail me, please treat the girls with kindness." She spoke fondly,her eyes earnest.
"No,we don't want the position. Nothing will happen to you,Mrs LaRue will make sure of that , I am so sure." Julian mouth pluckered into a pout,her amber eyes red already,tears are threatening to fall from her eyes. Julian inhaled the fresh scent of jasmine and incense and badly wanted to cry,how will this room smell like if Shante's gone.
Shante tsked her tongue in a click, before staring at her in disbelief. "C'mon July, how can you rule hundreds of people if you are such a crybaby?"
It's like what Shante said triggered their cry button cause small dropplets of water started falling from their eyes.
"Oh gawd,c'mon guys."
"Madam Te,you must not go..." Gaby sniffed. "...this club will never be the same without you."
Shante chuckled slowly. "You're the big backbone of the club, you guys will do so well without me." She looked eyes with them but they all broke it immediately, sobbing softly.
"Shante,if you leave us alone,I promise to hate you forever." Mae's face were already dripping with tears,small snouts coming out of her nose already.
Shante twitched her face in a hurtful manner. "What a bad goodbye gift." She bent slightly so she was on the same level with Mae. "Don't worry,I will always be with you guys, I'll always be here."
Shante stood up back and stared at three of them whose faces were already looking pitiful,like they just got heartbroken by a boy,Shante cringed at the thought of that, scratch that. An heartbreak from a freaking boy isn't worth their facial expression so she can't use it to compare.
"Common guys..." She pushed her disgusting thoughts away,if she's going to die she should as well think of magical and beautiful things;like how there's a possibility she reunites with her parents that's if the gates of heaven opens for her; such things are worth thinking of not...guys. Her face scrouged in disgust.
"...you guys have to stop crying cause it won't fix anything." She looked at them softly before changing her expression to a stern one. "What did I tell you guys about showing your weakness?,you guys are bloody Vixens" She spoke authoratively looking at them sternly.
Assuming it was a normal day, they're cower in slight fear and flinch but today isn't a normal day, hearing that their exec more like a sister is going soon enough,it has made the day abnormal.
"Velvex Vixens." She called out.
"Teeee..." They all broke down and Shante felt a wave of headache rushing into her head.
"You guys are making me think you're hypocrites." Shante jested but it made them cry harder. She had to roll her eyes while looking at them.
"July, ain't you suppose to be happy, you've always wanted my bed,this is the best opportunity."
" Noo, I like only your bed not your room..."
Shante gasped like she was in shock. " Bad words young lady,bad words." She humped. "Why will you say you don't like my paradise?"
"Teee,we may not see you again..." Gaby said and they all started another round of tears. Shante could feel her head banging with intense headache again.
"Yunno what,you guys should leave my room,I need breathing space." She smiles at them raising them up one after the other.
"No,no we're not going,at least lets make use of this last days with you and make many memories." Mae mumbled but Shante kept pushing them softly towards the door.
"The ones we've made over the year is enough, reminisce on those ones."
"But it's..."
Shante had successfully pushed them all outside and she smiled widely at them while mumbling. " Hypocrites." Before slamming the door close.
Alas,they all heard and they started murmuring and banging the door but Shante didn't dare open it.
She rested her back against the door frame,and sat down slowly on the crimson marbled tiles, staring blanking at the ceiling,is she really going to die? But she's not yet ready, you're suppose to die when you're ready right?
She glanced at her room,her mini luxurious room.
The room is a dimly lit, intimate space that reflects the mysterious alluring personality of Shante. The walls are painted a deep,rich crimson, and the air is thick with the scent of incense and jasmine.
The bed, a sturdy, black - framed queen - sized affair, dominates the room,adorned with a tangle of crimson and black sheets, blankets and comforters. The bedding always appears deliberately disheleved, like as if Shante has just risen from a restless slumber.
To one sides of the bed stands a rickety, antique dresser, its surface cluttered with an assortment of curious objects; candles, gemstones, and mysterious leather - bound tomes. A large, ornate mirror hangs above the dresser, its surface etched with strange symbols that seem to dance in the flickering candlelight.
Against another wall, a battered, black armchair sits atop a faded, crimson Persian rug, surrounded by stacks of dog - eared paper backs, scribbled notebooks, scattered hand - drawn tarot cards. This chair is Shante's favorite reading spot, where she used to indulge in her love of dark,obscure literatures...well used to but now, probably not anymore.
Every available surface is adorned with strange, eclectic trinkets; taxidermied insects, antique medical equipment, and macabre, hand - painted figurines. The overall effect is one of deliberate, unsettling chaos,like as if the person staying in the room delights in surrounding herself with the beautiful, the bizarre and the unsettling. And Shante always likes how it affects everyone that just enters her room.
In the shadows, almost imperceptible, lies a subtle network of hidden symbols, etched into the walls,the furnitures, and even the bedding. These symbols seem to pulse with a malevolent energy, hinting at Shante's true nature; a master manipulator, a weaver of dark, seductive spells.
Her room is a sanctuary, a lair, and a temple...all in one.
Who will occupy her room,is it July, or Mae, or Gab...
Her thoughts were interrupted by the loud ringing tone of her phone,she wanted to ignore it but she took a peek and saw Mrs LaRue,she became scared immediately,is it time? Isn't it too soon. She wanted to start crying but she just sniffed before picking the call.
"Madam Viv..." She called out softly.
"Is Drex with you,I have been trying to reach out to him but he's not unavailable,do you have any idea on where he is?"
Drex?, Shante's heart quivered at that,do they want to appoint another exec already,but she hasn't died yet.
"Madam Viv,do you want to appoint another exec now?" She asked shakingly.
Vivian paused for some secs before asking calmly. "What did you do?"
Shante sucked her lower lips and bit the insides of her mouth,hesitating for a while before explaining everything to her.
When Shante was done,she held her breath,moving her phone slightly away from her ear so that Vivian's shout won't affect her eardrum.
"Good girl."
"Ma?" Shante was about to bask in joy when she remembered that Vivian can change her words in the next freaking minutes.
"I'm soooo impressed." Vivian chuckled lightly. "You are a Vixen Te,you are not a pushover."
"You are a Vixen Te,you are not a pushover."
"You are a Vixen Te, you are not a pushover."
"You are a Vixen Te, you are not a pushover."
Those words kept ringing in her ear,does it mean what she's thinking?
She's really not gonna die.
"Are you hearing my words?" Vivian's words brought her back to earth.
"Y...yes...yes...yes ma." She spoke incoherently.
"Look for Drex for me."
"Alright ma." Shante beamed.
The remaining of Vivian's words entered her right ear and went out of her left ear,she wasn't here again,she was on cloud nine.
When the call finally ended,she jumped back on her bed,this time in joy.
She isn't gonna die.
"I AM A VIXEN, I AM NOT A PUSHOVER."
And finally she gave herself the warmest smile she could ever come up with.