Chapter 14: Destiny - One Eighty

Elvirina 

We met up with Illian and Chrystan outside the cafeteria. I wasn't the only one worried about a simple lunch because right beside me, Joshwin was as tense as a rock. I wondered if he could even breathe being so overwrought.

“What's up with you?” Chrystan asked puzzled staring at his younger brother.

“Nothing...” Joshwin deliberated for a second. “Well... er, there is something.” Joshwin paused casting a fleeting glance at me. It was so clear what he was about to do. I threw a hard glare at him while slowly shaking my head. We could handle this. There was no need to publicly announce that I had suffered from a case of instant stupidity. To my great horror, he was about to ignore me.

“No, Joshwin,” I managed to squeeze in, before he spoke up again.

“Someone is fascinated by Elvie,” he said clipped. I was mortified that he would do this. Yes, I had messed up, but that was private. I gaped at him, just shocked that he actually went that far.

“Fascinated?” Chrystan flatly retorted.

“Yes.” Joshwin sucked in a deep breath. I crossed my arms over my chest when he tried to take my hand. My anger was steadily building in to a fire of rage. This was embarrassing on a completely different level than his teasing me.

“Oh,” Illian caught on faster than Chrystan. Illian looked at me for less than a second. “She’s changing.” He mouthed to himself. “Don’t worry. We got your back.” Illian slapped Joshwin's shoulder a few times. He would understand this better than Chrystan. Illian was a soul mate, Chrystan was not.

“Thanks,” Joshwin muttered.

“Same here,” Chrystan announced. All three of them looked comically at me for a moment. Well, they clearly thought that I was incapable of behaving myself. Sure, I had kissed him, but it wasn't like I was planning on doing it again.

Defeated, I hung my head off my shoulders, while rubbing my face with my hands. What the hell was I supposed to do now? Before I had the chance to decide on how to flog the three morons, I could hear their footfalls as they moved towards the cafeteria.

“Is she really mad?” I heard Illian ask Joshwin. It was infuriating that they asked him and not me.

Joshwin sighed. “She’s right here, Illian. Ask her, not me. Talking behind a person’s back is considered to be very rude.” Joshwin answered, clearly feeling more at ease.

“Yes, I’m mad,” I scoffed. I was in no mood for them to tease me now. I felt completely deflated and humiliated by this whole encounter. “Wait up, Joshwin,” I called when they were about to leave me behind.

“What, honey?” He asked softly.

I narrowed my eyes. Honey? I closed my eyes for a moment trying to reel in my anger. “Was that really necessary?” I bit out through my teeth.

“Elvie… I…”

“Did you really think that it was okay for me that you told them about Blake? Yes, I messed up and I kissed him, but that was between us and it’s embarrassing. Why the hell didn’t you just tell them that we kissed too?”

He narrowed his lips. “I don’t want them to know that,” he answered quietly.

I gaped at him. “So now you don’t want them to know? Make up your damn mind, Joshwin. The next time that you want to air my dirty laundry, you could at least have the courtesy to discuss it with me first.”

“Look, I’m sorry that I told them, but we both know that he is going to lunch like the rest of us. I panicked. I need the back up if he comes waltzing in.”

“Joshwin, did it ever occur to you that I can speak for myself and that what happened was a mistake? Yes, but that I need to sort that out with Blake on my own.”

All color from Joshwin’s face vanished. “You’re not talking about being alone with him again, are you?”

I sighed. Was love always this complicated? It was like shoving a square peg into a round hole. “I need to be fair to him, Joshwin.” No matter how many ways that I wanted to deny it, Blake had feeling for me and vice versa. Plus, I felt horrible about ignoring Blake in the hallway earlier.

Joshwin loomed over me. “How about being fair to me?” His blue eyes were like steel.

“I’m trying. What I guess that I am saying is that I want to speak for myself and want Chrystan and Illian left out of this. I am sorry if that’s not your plan, but that’s how I want it done. Blake doesn’t deserve to be treated like an outcast.”

Joshwin huffed. “Well, he is an outcast in my book.” He paused. “I can’t believe that you’re defending him.” Joshwin glared at me, before he abruptly turned and headed inside the lunch hall, not bothering with this conversation anymore. I don’t think that I had ever seen him that mad. That was going to be a pickle.

I picked up a bottle of water and nothing else for lunch. I wasn't hungry. I was livid. I had an unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach. Sure, I wanted the guys off my back. I could handle myself, but Blake wasn't the only one with a fascination. It was exactly how I felt about Blake. I was equally spellbound to him and knew that it wasn't healthy or wise, but I just wanted to deal with it on my own.

I didn't notice the tingle until Joshwin tensed up again and nodded his head lightly toward the door. “Guys, that’s him.” I was surprised that I hadn't noticed the humming, but now that it was brought to my attention, it was completely unavoidable. Blake was here. Oh no!

“This should be fun.” I didn't miss an ounce of Chrystan's sarcasm, when he muttered those words. I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Absolutely.” Illian agreed, while trying to hide his grin.

Blake was headed straight for me. That was a pretty bold move, considering that he couldn’t possibly know that Joshwin already knew.  He set his palms against the tabletop and leaned in. Joshwin slowly rose from his seat and the two tall guys looked like they were ready to tear each other apart. I knew that Joshwin would never do something like that because it wasn't in his nature. Though, if anyone thought differently, I wouldn't blame them.

“Elvia, I need to talk to you.” Blake asked low and demandingly, as he threw a wary glance at Joshwin.

“Elvia?!?” Joshwin snorted in disbelief then slowly gazed at me. I shrugged bashfully. Joshwin turned his attention to Blake again.

“No,” Joshwin intervened by answering on my behalf. Apparently he had chosen not to pay attention to anything that I said in the hall.  

It was suddenly eerily quiet in the cafeteria. Taking a fleeting glance around the room, it was abundantly clear why it was so still. Every single student was gawking right at us.

“Elvia, I need to see you,” Blake repeated pointedly. There wasn’t a flicker of hesitation in his voice, nor was there any kind of intimidation. .

I was about to answer when Chrystan and Illian slowly stood up as well. Chrystan rolled his shoulders, while showing of his massive body. The only thing lacking was for him to crack his knuckles. The guy was a mountain and clearly wanted to protect his younger brother. I was suddenly the only one actually sitting down. “I don't think now's the time,” Chrystan’s tone was friendly, but there was no wavering in his words. He even smiled politely.

Jeez, now he was speaking for me too? Was my head spinning or was I just too slow for this kind of game? I had a mouth and I could actually answer for myself, but I was so frazzled by my heart dancing so intensely in my chest.

“So what? You're all her fucking bodyguards?” Blake's eyes flashed between the three of them, before he looked at me.

I noticed several of the other students were throwing timid looks at us, maybe even letting out terrified gasps. I mean, who wouldn't be, the testosterone was thick and the amount of muscle between the guys was even thicker. I opened my mouth once more, but was cut off when Blake decided to play supercilious. 

“What? She's not allowed to speak for herself?” Blake provoked. It sounded like he was actually trying to pick a fight. It probably sounded like that to everyone else too. Close by, someone's thoughts drifted into my hazy mind, which distracted me from answering. “Does Caleb have a death wish? If he’s in such a hurry to die, why doesn’t he just get hit by a car instead? That has to be less painful and quicker than getting beaten to death by three goons.”

“She can,” Joshwin answered. His tone was flat. I glared at Blake for a long moment. Even with the persuasive current running up and down my spine, this throw-down was a bit much.

“So let her,” Blake dared.

I help up my hands, while hoping to capture their attention. “Stop this. All of you.” I swallowed back thickly.

I needed to put a stop to this before the situation got any worse. I mustered up the courage to speak and ignore the delicious humming that Tingle boy was causing me. I would be a matriarch someday, so I needed to be able to speak up, make crucial decisions and lead my family. It was the nature of my culture that a female was in charge.

So why not start practicing now?

I wrapped my hands firmly around my water bottle before I spoke. I hoped my voice wouldn’t tremble and betray me.

“Boys,” I said sweetly without looking at either of them. I was so nervous. “Sit... please.” All of them stared at me. I knew three of them knew that I meant business by the tone of my voice. They recognized my use of authority, though I'd never practiced it before. Joshwin, Illian and Chrystan all sat down simultaneously, following my direct order. Joshwin's teeth clenched to the point of breaking. I'd never expected to use my authority against him, nor had I ever planned to, but he knew when the ball was out of his court. This moment, it would be an utter lack of respect for him to protest my call. I knew that he would never do that.

Blake just stared at them flabbergasted. “Blake, why don't you have a seat too? There’s no reason to cause further alarm to the other students.” I cocked a brow at him.

He looked around briefly acknowledging the other students’ wary eyes. Blake sat down slowly, while several hundred sets of eyes following his every twitch. They were expecting a fight by the look of it.

“Elvia, I need to talk to you,” Blake pleaded, leaning slightly over the table. He seemed so unnerved, while almost agitated.

I could sense the ‘no’ bubbling up through Joshwin’s throat. I pinned him with a glare. “I told you that I can speak for myself.” I turned back to Blake, ignoring his initial request. “Blake, you know Joshwin and this is Chrystan and Illian. Chrystan is Joshwin's brother and Illian is Serenity's.” I thought that it was best to get formalities in place then maybe everyone would seem a little calmer.

I turned the water bottle between my hands while only gazing at Blake. I was acutely aware that Joshwin’s eyes were on me, almost burning a hole in my head to know what was going on. He could only sense my emotions, but what was going on in my head was an enigma to him. That much was clear.

“I need to talk to you… alone,” Blake urged again, looking desperately at me.

“I will talk to you,” I promised. Before I could even shift my eyes to Joshwin, he groaned and his lips narrowed into a rigid thin line.

“Alone? No bodyguards?” Blake said through his teeth.

“Alone,” I agreed. Joshwin shifted uneasily in his seat and his lips vanished completely.  However, he remained silent, even in my head. I had final say in our business. Though he had warned me, he knew that. “How about after school?” I suggested.

“Okay,” Blake agreed and nodded. He sat quietly for a brief second before he seemed to remember himself. He threw a heedful a look around and suddenly looked dreadfully uncomfortable. “Well... er, I’ll see you… I guess… or whatever,” he stuttered as he stood and turned to leave.

“I'll meet you on the front steps, Blake,” I called after him.

“Right, uhm, thanks.” Blake smiled deviously, as he ran his thumb over his lower lip.

Peering at Joshwin through my lashes, he was beyond pale. The normally rich hue of his skin was awfully matte and his jaw was like iron. “Fucking arrogant asshole,” he muttered through his teeth.

“Joshwin?” I gasped.

The remaining part of lunch was awkward and strained to say the least. Joshwin hardly spoke a word only picked at his half-eaten food. Chrystan and Illian were trying to use humor to lighten the mood, but every single attempt fell hard to the ground much like a dead weight. They eventually gave up. I was all over the place with having to apologize for the kiss to Blake, but also disappointing Joshwin by agreeing to see him. It was a bit of a catch-22. I couldn’t own up to one of them without disappointing or hurting the other and hurting either one of them was the last thing that I wanted to do.

All through the class after lunch, he didn't speak to me at all. I wasn’t used to being ignored when it came to Joshwin. It made me feel so uneasy, but as angry as I was, I decided to let him stew in his anger.

I would just have to deal for a little longer until I had the chance to see Blake and tell him that I would never see him again. I even planned to transfer out of the class that we shared. I owed it to him to do that personally. I could only hope that when it was done, Joshwin would come around and forgive me. The only problem was that telling Blake that we would never speak again absolutely broke my heart.   

Just before our last class of the day, Joshwin spoke up.

“You can't see him,” he said. His tone was absolutely arctic.

I stared wide eyed up at him. “Yes, I can,” I fired right back. He had never ever told me what to do and definitely not like that. “You can stop worrying. I’ll never speak to him again after today.” I tried to soothe his obvious discomfort, but I was a little mad that he would presume to tell me whom I could and couldn't see. More so, telling Blake off with Joshwin staring  at me felt like betrayal and it twisted in my stomach. “Besides, what can happen?” I immediately regretted my words. That was definitely the wrong thing to say.

“I can think of a few,” Joshwin muttered with his eyes looking absolutely torn.

“I promise. Nothing will happen.” I wrapped an arm around his waist, while hugging him to me, though I felt more like punching him in the ribs.

“It already happened,” he stated flatly, while looking over my head. More guilt seemed to invade my body when Joshwin said that.

“Yes and I'm sorry. I am so sorry.” I looked up at his face, as we walked slowly toward my next classroom.

“I know that you're sorry because I feel it. However, my point is that it happened once and it can happen again.” He stopped suddenly, while glancing around the hall.

“No. No! It can't! I won't let it.”

He licked his bottom lip, while pondering. “How do I know that?” His gaze finally drifted down to me. “How do I know that he won't try to kiss you again? He clearly has absolutely no respect for me or us as a couple.” He cocked a brow at me and his eyes were fierce and almost defiant.

“You seem so hell bent on blaming Blake, but there were two people in that room. I kissed him as much as he kissed me.” I wasn’t sure phrasing it like this was the wisest idea, but I felt like I needed to defend Blake. He wasn’t the bad guy.

Joshwin cringed. “Fine, if you want it like that. How do I know that you won’t try to kiss him again?”

“I won't let us be that close. I'll only let you get close enough to kiss me.” I put my other arm around his waist and craned my head up, while attempting to sound persuasive. I seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Joshwin started to soften to my bribe. He even smiled a little bit. “How about you stay close, but out of hearing range? Let him see that you’re there, but give us the courtesy of talking in private,” I offered.

“How close?” He tucked my hair behind my ear. His steely blue eyes seemed to thaw and were less frosty.

“As close as you want, but so that you won’t hear.”

He drew in a deep breath. “I don't know.” His face drew up in a concerned grimace.

I hugged him closer. “Trust me.” Joshwin gritted his teeth, while deliberating. He didn’t answer me. “Trust me!” I urged.

“I still don't know. It’s incredibly hard to trust the two of you together after this morning.” He smiled slyly.

“Joshwin, I promise that I am just going to talk to him for five minutes. That's it and that's all.”

He protested with another deep sigh. “Why are you making this so difficult, Elvie?”

“It is not difficult and it will take five minutes.” It was draining that he couldn't just see how simple this was. I would tell Blake to stay away, keep his distance and it would be over before anyone even blinked. There was no reason to make a fuss over this. I was putting an end to it. Wasn’t that what he wanted?

I released the hold that I had around his waist.

“Elvie, just... I er... I worry about you... us really.” He paused, while closing his eyes like he was in agony. “I worry that things are going to happen... bad things.” When he opened his eyes, they were suddenly soft and vulnerable.

“What? Are you talking about what my mom’s forewarning?” How did he hear about that? Oh right, there were no secrets at my house.

“Maybe... maybe this has something to do with it. Maybe this is just the beginning?” He put his hand on my cheeks and cradled my face.

“Seriously! Nothing is going happen. Besides if it does, it won't have anything to do with Blake. Mom doesn't see his kind only ours.” Joshwin cringed when I mentioned his name. “Please, don't blow this out of proportion. Don’t make this into something that it’s not.”

“You said that yesterday and look what happened today, Elvie.” Joshwin countered. The temperature seemed to plummet around us.

“I know, but I learned my lesson,” I snapped. “I’m not going to make any more mistakes.”

Joshwin's lips changed into a hard thin line again and his tone was clipped. “I'm not going to fight with you.”

“Then stop being so possessive and trust me,” I begged. I was barely managing to retain my anger. It was so exasperating to keep bickering like this.

He chewed his lip, while just raking his teeth back and forth over the flesh. His smile was only semi-warm when he spoke. “Fine... I trust you.” He moved his hands from my face and grabbed my wrists putting my hands behind his back again. He tugged me closer, while encasing me in his embrace. His lips were against my forehead when he spoke. “Don't screw this up.” The anguish in his voice was palpable in the air.

“I won't.” I wasn’t able to keep all the ice out if my voice. I wished that I could because he didn’t deserve to be in pain over this.

Joshwin frowned, but otherwise ignored my petulant mood. “I'm going to class now.”

“You should, we're late.” The halls were empty now. The bustling of our fellow students was gone. The hall was utterly silent. Joshwin let me go by kissing my forehead softly. I watched him for a moment as he glided away from me and down the hall. He turned suddenly and smiled.

“Hey Elvie,” he called. “I'll see you at the car.” His tone was absolutely reverent.

“Thank you.” I answered and placed my hand over my heart in respect. I was absolutely relieved that he wouldn't be close when I talked to Blake. “Hey, Joshwin,” I hollered back, while trying to keep my volume partially down. “I love you.”

He stopped, mirrored how I had touched my heart and smiled heartbreakingly. “Thank you.” A few seconds later, he disappeared around the corner.

Joshwin

As I settled in my seat, Mr. Brenner was already droning from the front of the class. He positively had to be the most tired and boring teacher in the entire school. My mind started going through my latest ‘almost’ argument with Elvie. It was so odd. I never had any intentions of ever fighting with her, but during the last two days, it had happened more than once. I didn't mean to rile her up like that, but I was simply so worried about our future. We were in such a precarious place right now, but give me a few more days and there would be nothing to worry about at all. Sure, I struggled with strength of Elvie’s transformation, but I could feel it in my bones that I was almost ready now.

I decided there and then that I wasn’t going to think about what happened this morning between them. I didn’t want to waste my energy like that. I didn’t want to ruin the weekend going over this by obsessing and over thinking everything like I always did. She was sorry and I forgave her. I was prepared for how our life would pan out and the marriages that would come in the future, but having Blake hovering irked me to no end. Step one for us was to make love and after almost having all my ducks in a row, it was bound to happen this weekend. I wanted it to happen now and it would leave us untouchable. We would be in an entirely different stage of our life. We would have our love and commitment cemented, so if she ever kissed that asshole again after this weekend, it wouldn’t matter.

Blake would be an indifferent footnote in our life. He would hold no significance to us whatsoever.

Pushing my crappy mood back, I focused on Mr. Brenner for a moment. I groaned. We had already studied this topic at my old school and my new teacher was hardly able to ramp up the subject. When my mind started flooding with thoughts about Elvie, I was rendered helpless with nothing to pull my attention away from her. I thought about yesterday.

That little event at the riverbank had sort of turned things around for me. Her reaction and having a lot of time to think about it last night made me realize that there probably wasn't anything to be scared of. It wasn’t about me performing, but about us physically embracing our love together. We were perfect for each other and this was what the Earth intended for us. I was instantly hauled deeper into my reverie by images of her face and her possessive hold around my neck on that river bank. I leaned my face into my hand to cover the smile that I couldn't stop revealing. I sat for a few minutes wrapped in my, yet again, improper daydreams.

Slowly, in my mind, her face began to change. Her eyes morphed and the smile in them starting dulling. The life and twinkle in them was gone. Inside of my chest, something started throbbing like a troubled heartbeat working too hard to send the blood rushing through the veins. I realized quickly that it wasn’t my heart that ailed, it was Elvie. Something was wrong, I was sure of it. I adjusted and sharpened all my attention to where I felt her inside of me. She was scared, perhaps terrified even. I deliberated for a split second before everything went black. Cold. Empty. She blocked me.

Fuck!

I couldn't speak to her when she did this. She wasn’t supposed to do this. She promised me that she wouldn't. A swarm of profanities swelled in my head. This simply couldn't be good.

I evaluated for a split second before I rashly left my seat and bolted out of Mr. Brenner’s class. He called something after me, but I didn't listen and I didn’t care. I had to find her.

Though I swore to myself that I wasn’t going to think about it, I remembered this morning with a startling clarity. It was a black spot in my mind when she blocked me. The first class today had been extremely unpleasant. I remembered her titillated feelings too vividly, just before everything went completely black and void. Just like now. However, this time I knew that she was scared and that ingrate moron wasn't around. I hadn't sensed him when I had picked up on her seething fear.

I tried hard not to slam my fist against the door to her class, but just give it a gentle and polite rap. “Yes,” sounded from inside. I creaked the door open and poked my head in. I didn't have an exact plan what to say, because I would just make sure that she was here and that she was okay. I was sure she would be here... right? I quickly scanned the room and found two seats empty and no Elvirina. My heart thundered in my chest. If she wasn't here, then were was she?

“Can I help you?” A teacher asked. Her tone was brisk.

“I need to talk to Elvirina.” I tried to keep the rising panic from betraying me.

“You just missed her. She was called off to Headmistress Quellan's office about five minutes ago.”

“Oh,” I gasped surprised. “Thanks,” I muttered. I was totally overreacting. There was nothing to worry about at all. I closed the door and let relief wash over me. Now I had resorted to stalking her? Not one of my shiny pride-filled moments as I turned in the direction of the main office. I knew that she would be there, but I was unable to subdue the stalker inside me. I wanted to make absolutely sure.

The long halls were empty, except for a small skinny boy stuffing something into his pocket. Quellan's office was at the far end of the building. It would take me a few minutes to get there. I was calmer now. She was blocking me, but I almost convinced myself that she had a good reason.

Close to the office, I picked up a familiar fragrance lingering in the air. It was a scent that I knew very well. Elvie had been here not too long ago. It was like I could sense her in the air. My pace quickened toward the office. Though I'd just seen her before class, I couldn't wait to see her again. Turning the last corner before the last stretch of hallway leading to the office, her smell was obscured by something that terrified me deeply. It wasn't strong at all, but it was certainly there. As sure as I knew that Elvirina was my heart and soul, I smelled her fresh scent mixed in with someone else’s. It was the same stench that I had sensed on her face this morning after her slip up with HIM.

Oh fucking no!!! The words tumbled through my head, while trying to find some crazy loophole that would explain how this was just a bizarre nightmare that went astray. My hand smashed loudly against the lockers lining the wall. I fucking trusted her.

I bolted for the office at the end of the hall where my final flicker of hope lay. The receptionist informed me of what I already knew. Elvirina hadn't been called to speak to Quellan because the headmistress wasn't even here this afternoon. The receptionist locked the door behind me when I left. She was closing up for the weekend.

Panic set in and I frantically ran for the auditorium. Perhaps she was there? I had to keep my mind on the fact that I needed to believe in her strength to say no to whatever was going on between them. She had to. Abruptly, I stopped the train of thoughts because it ended at the unthinkable. That couldn't happen. It would destroy us. A feral shudder ran through my body.

The auditorium was dead silent and completely dark, just as every other corner that I searched for her. She was nowhere to be found. She was gone.

Where the hell was she?

A feeling of dread ripped at me with ferocious force and my knees gave out under me in the empty hall. I had no way of finding her. I couldn't feel her. I was lost. My breath came with increasing speed when I fought the wave of anxiety that rolled in on me. I compelled myself to cling to the hope that this might not be as bad as I thought.

Pathetically, I kept wondering if Elvirina would really do what would hurt us more than anything in this world. My Elvirina was changing with such incredible force that she hardly comprehended what was happening to her. Would she have the strength to keep denying what I already knew was between them?

My vision blurred and my head swam. I was horribly woozy when I was interrupted by the bell. I clenched my teeth and tried to control my agonized face.

Through my panic, I remembered that Chrystan and Illian would be waiting for us. They would expect Elvie to meet him on the front step. Blindly, I moved towards the exit, and then for the car. I had to get rid of them. They couldn't know that I'd lost her or know that she was with him.

Chrystan and Illian were waiting for me at the car already. I hoped my face was composed enough to persuade them that I wasn't lying through my teeth. “Hey guys,” I called when I was close. I continued before they even had a chance to respond. “Would you mind if I took the car home? Elvie has a project that she wants done before the weekend.” Surprisingly, I sounded morbidly convincing.

“Can you take us home first?” Chrystan groaned with displeasure.

“Wasn't she supposed to meet up with that guy?” Illian continued, obliviously shooting holes in my defense.

I swallowed. “Er... no, she decided against it. Can you call Luam or Dad to come get you?” My heart pounded while I waited the seconds that it took for them to answer. “I don't want her to be alone,” I threw in, while adding shrug for effect.

“Fine,” Chrystan finally grunted. He fished out his phone and called home. Illian gave me the keys and I was off before any of them could ask anything else that I would have to lie about.

Once inside, I walked the halls a while pondering and searching for where the hell she was. It proved to be fruitless. With every second step that I took, a new idea to where she might be surfaced, only to be shot down with the next step.

It took me a while to accept that my search was pointless, that she wasn't here. I went back to Mr. Brenner's class. The room was empty like the rest of the school. I dropped into my chair with the weight of the world on my shoulders. Vacantly, I stared at my book that was still open and on my table from Mr. Brenner’s lecture. I slowly closed the laminated cover of the volume.

I started waiting because I couldn't do anything else. She would come to me. She had to. I couldn't go to her. She had blocked me out.

I started chewing my lip repeatedly. Where would she go… and with him?

I suddenly laughed cynically. It was so freaking obvious. I instantly fished my phone out and typed in his name into the search engine. No matter how many different ways that I tried, the result was always the same. Both his number and address were unlisted.

After that, I gave up.

I tried to control how many times I stared at the clock on my phone. Every time, I waited as long as I could possible bear, but every time nothing more than two or three minutes had passed. That short time span that I would normally never notice seemed like an eternity now.

What happened to her?

Where was she?

What was she doing?

All these questions made me hyperventilate.

I tried to stay calm by working and focusing on math issues that I found complicated, just anything to occupy the mass amount of time that I had on my hand. I didn’t want to sit here imagining the worst possible scenario.

I stuffed my phone in my pocket again to avoid checking the time every single minute. I waited and waited. I waited for the longest time in my life.

I sat frozen in my seat and stared into nothing. The blackboard had shadows of today's lessons and chairs were asymmetrically shoved under the worn tables. Once, I felt a flicker of something emotional, but it was gone before I could really concentrate and isolate it.  I wasn't even sure that it was her.

Something finally vibrated in my pocket. I didn’t want to pin my hope on it being Elvie because it was probably just Chrystan wondering what the hold up was? Rashly, I checked the caller ID and it wasn't Chrystan or any other number that I recognized.

My heart thundered and my hand trembled. I pressed the green button.

“Hello.” My voice quivered. I wished that it didn’t and that I didn’t come off so weak. I could hear someone breathing on the other end of the line, but no one spoke. “Elvie?” Her name fled my lips when hope and longing to hear her voice became too much to bear.

“No... it's, er… Caleb. Caleb Blake... well Blake.” I listened to the husky voice that I'd heard a few times before.

“Yes,” I answered slowly. My heart that had been frantically thrashing in my chest went absolutely still. I waited for him to speak again. It was like the silent petrifying moment just before your swift execution.

“I er... uhm… I think, er... that Elvirina needs help. She’s in… trouble.” The voice on the phone was teetering on the verge of panic himself. That much was clear.

Air escaped my iron tight chest. On one side, I was relieved, but on the other, I was absolutely terrified. I knew with certainty that she was with him.

“Where is she?” I managed to press out through my closed throat.

“She's at my place.” He paused for a long moment before giving me the address. After that, there was more silence.

“Is she okay?” I tried breathing through the fierce terror.

He didn't answer.

“Is she okay?” I asked again. I didn't want to plead with him, but I was staggering along the knife’s edge of self-control. I was losing it. What the hell would I do if my Elvie wasn't in perfect pristine condition? I would have no accountability over my own actions.

“You might want to hurry.” I didn’t miss the fact that he didn’t answer my question.

I spoke before my throat closed off completely. “I'm on my way.” I pressed the red button and adrenaline spiced anxiety made me move faster than I ever thought possible. I revved the engine and floored the accelerator. At this moment, I hated the old, slow piece of crap that we drove to school. I couldn't make it go fast enough.

I slowed down when I entered the northern part of town. It was the insanely rich suburb just off of downtown. The houses were insanely big and flashy. To my luck, the address that he had given me was easy to find. I checked the number on the wall again. It was right and it was the biggest house on the street. The house was an architectural marvel and super modern with all squared lines. The front entrance was surprisingly not decadent compared to the rest of the house.

I pressed the bell, but I felt more like charging through the door in brutal rage. He had no right to take her here. Between the turmoil of my thoughts, I made no effort to linger on what I might find here. I listened hard. Just before I was about to announce my arrival for the second time, I heard rushed footfalls behind the door.

I'd promised myself that I wouldn't make any assumptions before I had spoken to Elvie. However, when I saw Blake, it was unbelievably hard not to. The uncomfortable look on his face was one thing, his messy hair, his t-shirt on inside out, a pair of shorts that he definitely did not wear to school and the fact that he was bare footed really showed the same thing as his face did. They were not playing board games or discussing family values. This was everything that I feared.

Instinctively, I breathed though my nose. I couldn't smell any blood.

There was hope.

I didn't say anything as I glared at him. What could I say? It’s nice to see you again?

“She's in my room,” he said carefully after several shallow breaths.

My hands automatically fisted and my heart throbbed in rage and betrayal. Walking down the long hall, I followed silently, while fighting the urge to sucker punch him from behind. We passed through big and brightly lit rooms and then climbed a few flights of stairs before he stopped down a hall.

“She's in here,” his tone was uncharacteristically frazzled.

“What happened?” I asked foolishly, while trying to keep my voice strong and even. I could feel the hatred seeping into it.

He swallowed and his hand tightened around the elegant silver knob. “I'm sorry, but you'll.... understand.”

“What did you do to her?” My revulsion was strong, and shaped oddly in my mouth. I had never loathed anyone, but now I was learning that feeling first hand.

He didn't answer. He just turned the knob. I thought that I already did understand, but before I saw the evidence, there was a tiny flicker of hope left... right?

The door opened and everything that I wished wouldn't be true just shattered around me. There, sitting on his bed, wrapped in a sheet of his was my soul mate. She was staring into nothing. Her eyes were just horribly void.

Something lingered in the air in the room. I'd smelled it on her earlier and again in the hall this afternoon. It was her smell twisted into his, but now it was mixed in with something else. Something much too close to what Serenity had smelled like last night. It was suddenly eating up the oxygen becoming overwhelming. Blood.

“Oh no! Please no. Please don't let this be true,” I pleaded. I couldn’t deny it any longer. It was there right in front of me, looking like death and all his friends. We were doomed.