8 An Ironic realization.

Vasilis.

She was breathtaking.

I had thought it was Roman when she first bumped into me.

I had thought he was back again after only just leaving seconds ago, to drive a stake in my heart for dislocating his jaw. But I turned around as she let out a string of curses, and I realized it was not Roman.

No.

It was this...divine being that made my heart stop.

Ironic, because my heart had already stopped a year ago. And yet, the sight of her made me feel as though I still had a mortal heart, and she had caused it to cease...again.

I had been out in the woods behind the school because Roman had dragged me there for another one of his mindless lectures and empty threats, and this time I'd been so angry that I'd raised a fist to him.

A stupid move, considering he was my sire, and also a century older than I was.

But somehow, the fight hadn't escalated like I had thought it would after I punched his jaw so hard, I heard it dislocate. He simply had this weird, triumphant look in his eyes as he pushed the bone in his jaw back into place, and then he left.

Left feeling confused and a bit scared, I realized I had lost my ring. The ring of Herisea. The only thing that made it possible for me to walk about in the sun.

Panic flared to life in my chest as I began looking through the shrubbery for it. Luckily for me, the oak trees towering above were tall enough to block out the sun in this part of the woods, so I was safe.

It was then she ran into me.

Jade.

Jade Eadwald.

And now I was walking her home.

We walked along the long, winding road that led to Highgate where she apparently lived, and I couldn't stop myself from stealing glances at her every other second, despite how hard I was trying not to.

Though a cold mist hung in the air, the afternoon sun was out and vibrant, and its golden rays melted and melded into her dark skin so beautifully, it was all I could to not openly gape at her.

Her nose was held as high as her shoulders were, and she had this effortless grace about her that obviously came from wealth.

It wasn't arrogance, no. But it was the grace of someone who had never had to worry about money a day in their life. The grace of someone who could hold the world in their palm if they wanted. But also the grace of someone whose mind was far older than their age.

Her hair was put up into two low afro ponytails, and a few stray strands framed her face beautifully. She had a silver set of headphones like mine hanging around her neck, and I felt my fingers twitch as strings of curiosity bloomed in my mind.

I found myself wondering about her music taste, her playlists, whether she played any instruments...

I was wondering a lot, in fact. And all of my thoughts and curiosities orbited around her. She was like a mystery puzzle set, and this strange, feverish feeling of wanting to know had awakened itself within me.

I'd never been that curious about anything or anyone ever before.

Her eyes were pools of hazel brown turned honey in the sun, and her smile was brief and hesitant, as if she was unsure whether she should smile at me or not.

She had this air of indifference about her. Again, not arrogance, but perhaps...tiredness? She seemed tired, and it was not of the physical type. She seemed...bored even. Like someone who didn't care about anything of the world anymore.

Like someone who had given up on caring.

"Do you have any siblings?" She suddenly asked as we rounded a corner bend and walked by the cemetery. I quickly looked away from the rusting wrought iron gates that held nothing but evil memories for me.

Her question had taken me aback a bit, because it was personal. But I didn't think she realized that. She had asked it so casually, like a normal conversation between close friends. Not a stranger you just met minutes ago.

"No," I answered. "What about you?"

She shook her head in response. "Same,"

That explained it then. The distant look of longing in her eyes. She was one of those who knew what loneliness truly was.

"Where in Highgate do you live? We're almost at the town center," I told her after we left the cemetery several blocks behind.

I could finally breathe again.

Cell reception had returned to my phone immediately after we left the woods, and I ought to be in class. But somehow, I enjoyed walking with this...stranger more than I'd ever enjoyed anything in my wretched life, both before and after it was taken from me.

"Heathfield," She answered, and I led her across the road, towards the street that led to Heathfield park.

I was right after all. She was wealthy. And not just regular wealthy, but like wealthy WEALTHY.

I could deduce that much because Heathfield park held only one property and it was the most expensive property in all of Highgate.

The house itself, including the grounds was at least two acres wide, and the woods that surrounded it was over an acre wide.

The entire place was constantly crawling with security all year round.

I knew that because Roman and the others had tried to break in one summer night. Just for fun, they had said. They had ended up killing six of the security personnel, and we'd fled just seconds before police arrived.

I was surprised the incident didn't make it to the news, but no one knew who owned the property and why the incident had been hushed up.

Who knew I'd end up here at this moment, walking the daughter of the owners home.

How ironic.

Guilt washed over me as we walked down the street. We were almost at the gates. I wanted to turn back and take back our meeting. We never should have met. I never should have spoken to her or asked to walk her home.

I'd never be able to live with myself knowing her parents were the owners of the property my...friends and I had almost vandalized.

Although I hadn't done anything, but stand by and watch as Roman and Charlotte took the lead and ripped out those security's throats because they had refused to invite us in.

I could have stopped them. Even if it would have resulted in me being pummeled to death, which I would awaken from again, I should have said something at least.

But I'd just stood there and watched.

My fingers curled as she turned to look at me.

"Are you okay? You suddenly seem paler than before," her voice held a note of tease to it, but slight worry shone in her eyes.

I looked away from her, unable to hold her gaze.

"If you're worried about my parents, then it's fine. You should be worried. My mom can be a bit crazy sometimes." She threw me a lopsided smile that didn't reach her eyes, and I still couldn't bring myself to speak.

"Alright, we're here. I can handle myself from here," we stopped a few feet away from the steel gates. I was surprised there weren't any security out here, but then I saw the drones.

"I'll...uh, see you at school tomorrow?" I said and scratched my head, still unable to meet her eyes.

She nodded. "Yeah, thank you for walking me home, Vasilis."

My name on her lips sent a jet of lightning through my spine, forcing me to look her in the eye, and once again, I was lost. Drowning in those orbs of honey that seemed to suck me in like a whirlpool.

"It's no problem," I mouthed breathlessly. I couldn't even hear my own voice.

She smiled. "I hope you don't get into trouble for skipping class," she said, and I almost rolled my eyes because school was the last thing on my mind right now.

I opened my mouth to speak, but the gates swung open at that moment and a woman, an almost exact replica of Jade, walked out with fury seething in her lifeless eyes, flanked by two bodyguards.

Wait, is that...

Is she...

"JADEANA ANASTASIA EADWALD! HOW DARE YOU RUN AWAY LIKE THAT!" She thundered, and Jade sighed beside me.

"You should go," she turned to me. "Thanks again," she gave me a small smile before walking towards the woman who was still yelling at the top of her lungs.

Yikes.

I didn't want to leave. It didn't look like her mother was physically abusive or anything, but I was still worried.

But it was not my place to interfere in a family issue, so I turned around and made to leave.

"Who the hell is that?!" I heard as I headed back up the street, and I didn't want to, but my feet halted in the hopes of hearing a response.

"A friend," Jade drawled in that bored, indifferent tone. "You know, one of those things you forbid me from ever having?"

My ears grew hot and I decided I'd heard enough, so I removed myself from there after getting a safe distance from the house.

No one was around to see me anyway. And in a few minutes, I was back at the school gates.

It was one of the only things I'd come to appreciate about my wretched brand new existence. The superspeed, super strength and mind reading/telepathic abilities.

And it was then I realized it.

I hadn't been able to hear Jade's thoughts. Not that I'd been trying to, but I usually I didn't have to try.

And yet, her mind had been obstructed from mine.

And her mom. She was...

No. Impossible.

I shook my head to rid my mind of the atrocious thoughts plaguing it as I settled down in AP Calculus class, after getting a stare down from Mr. Binns.

But somehow, she kept walking back into my mind the more I tried to pry her from it.

Jade.

And for the first time in my life, I couldn't wait for tomorrow.