by Nexus Jones
Mira,
Hey, this is Paul. Sorry, I couldn’t contact you any other way because I didn’t have your number, so please don’t think this is weird.
Anyways, something came up so I won’t be able to do the nine p.m. Meeting that we originally agreed upon. But I’m free at six and will be in the library in the basement doing some research. Please feel free to join me. I really want to help you pass Shadow Physics.
P.S. I feel really bad about what happened between you and Melinda. If you want to talk about it, I’m all ears.
Sincerely,
Paul
My suspicions immediately started to go into overdrive. He’s close with Melinda. Should I trust him?
Wait, don’t be an idiot. You know that they’re friends and she wants to use him to torment me….again.
I shouldn’t go. I must not go. Going would be an incredibly stupid thing to do.
But I’m failing Shadow Physics and really need to pass it. Mr. Blueblood would be furious if I missed out on tutoring.
What to do? I feel like I’m in an impossible situation.
I pull out my cellphone to check the time.
It’s past 4 p.m. Only a couple of hours left until I’m supposed to meet up with him.
Isadora has a bunch of activities she’s involved with and won’t be back until 7. I check my phone’s contact list to see if she’s on there.
Nope. I must’ve deleted it all before I swiped my memory. Damn, I was really trying to leave this life behind after all.
She’d kill me for going without her, but I guess I don’t have much of a choice.
I take a deep breath and wipe the sweat off of my forehead. I grab my hip and lean up against my dresser drawer, giving myself a pep-talk.
“It’s okay Mira, you’re a big girl. You can take care of yourself.”
The thing that I always told myself since I was really young. The thing that I had to tell myself to get through my father’s abuse. My mother’s neglect.
Oh no. Not those memories. Not right now.
I take another deep breath and fight back any of those thoughts from coming to the front of my consciousness.
“Not today. Not today.” I say to myself.
I had to repress those memories, otherwise I would be a continuous wreck. I won’t talk about them. I won’t think about them. As far as I’m concerned, my parents never existed.
I throw myself on the bed to try and force myself to get a nap. I have a couple hours until meeting up at the library with Paul.
Ideally, this time would be used to get some of my homework done, but I’m far too much of a mess right now to even entertain that thought. I’m going to just lay here and try to clear my thoughts.
I open my eyes, and after what felt like a few seconds, I look at my phone. Holy shit. I had been asleep for quite a while. It was five minutes to six.
I stretched my jaw open, letting out an epic yawn while stretching my arms out in all sorts of directions. That nap really did me good.
My hair’s a mess, so I pull out a scrunchy from my backpack and wrap my hair in it.
Checking myself out in the mirror, I certainly don’t look great. But I look good enough at least. Whatever, it will just have to do for now.
I grab my backpack and briskly walk out of the dorm, knowing that I was going to be a few minutes late. I walk across the campus to the great library, and then search for the staircase.
The steps descended down onto a dimly-lit floor, which sent some chills down my spine. There were cobwebs on the railing, and dust on the stone steps going down. A singular flickering light hanging from the ceiling.
It looked pretty scary, like something from a horror movie.
I never cared for going down into basements. Bad things happen down in them.
When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I looked in the distance to see a massive basement that looked like a dungeon. Dark with a mildewy smell. I could hear water dripping from somewhere. The lights were dim, and I could hear tiny creatures scurrying around. There were stacks of books covered in dust, like they haven’t been touched in ages.
I take a few steps forward slowly, my heart beating hard. The clacks of my shoes echoed in the area. My senses started to tense up and I felt uncomfortable.
“Hey, Paul. You here?” I asked
I took a few steps forward. The deeper I got into the room, the more ominous I felt. There was a strong aura here. Something very supernatural.
“Paul?” I said again.
Something tiny scurried behind me. I spun my head around, and nothing was there. I took another deep breath.
Relax, girl. Your mind is playing tricks on you.
“Mira?”
I looked up to see him in brown horn-rimmed glasses, looking sexy as hell.
My body immediately jerked backwards in response to being shocked by his abrupt appearance.
“Oh, you scared me.” I said
“Don’t worry, I don’t bite. Well…not other vampires that is.” He said.
He gestured for me to follow him, and we walked between a stacks of books, where there was a smile pile of books from the ground-up, freshly pulled from the shelves and dusted off.
“Is this your research?” I asked, gesturing towards the books.
“Yeah, I’ve been researching some stuff for a dark magic class I’m taking, but I ran into some really interesting information that I think might be of use to you.”
“Oh…that’s nice, but I thought that we were here to study for my shadow physics final.” I said
“Let’s be honest.” He said, looking at me sternly, “We both know that you aren’t going to understand that material between now and Friday no matter how hard you try.”
I was surprised by how forward he was. I wanted to look offended that he would say such a rude thing, but honestly he was telling the truth. That stuff is way over my head, and I was lost in that class even before I swiped my memory.
“So then what am I here for?” I asked
“I have a much better idea to help you.” He said with a mischievous grin.
A lump formed in my throat and my heart skipped a beat. He had the look of someone that was up to no good. And given my history with him, this would likely not end up good for me.
“Whatever you’re thinking…I want no part of it.”
His expression did not change. It was almost as if he knew exactly what I was going to say, and he had a perfect counter.
“Are you sure?” he said in a slightly sultry tone
I hesitated for a bit. “Yes.” I managed to force out of my mouth.
There was something about him that was so primal and intense. So raw and authentic. His physical presence towered over me, and I could feel him breath on me as he got a little closer.
“So you want to fail then? What will everyone think?”
God damn it. He knew exactly how to manipulate my emotions.
I hate it, but every time he speaks, pleasure runs down my spine. I find myself becoming more attracted to him the longer I stay around him.
But I can’t. That would be stupid. He and his friends are dangerous and potentially hurt me.
Besides, that’s not even getting to the big elephant in the room.
“You’re friends with Melinda…I don’t trust you, Paul.”
He took a few steps closer to me, leaning down, propping his hand on the bookcase behind me. I could feel his breath on my neck as he whispered in my ear.
“Just give me a chance.” He said
A chill went down my spine and I moved my back to reposition.
Before I could respond, he pulled away. I could feel myself redden. He was so incredibly hot, and it felt so good to have his body so close to mine.
A lump formed in my throat, as I wanted more. I wanted to feel his chest pressed against mine.
But wait, that would be stupid. Because I can’t trust him. I must not allow that to happen.
“What is your idea?” I s
aid skeptically.
His grin widens, knowing that he has me wrapped around his finger. Perhaps I’m a total idiot for still staying in this basement. A smart girl probably would’ve gotten the fuck out of here by now.
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a vial filled with a shining purple potion. The shining was so bright in this dark room that I had to turn my head slightly to the side to avoid hurting my eyes.
“What is that?”
“It’s a memory potion?”
I had an interested look on my face, one eyebrow in the air. I wanted to know more.
“What the hell is that?”
“It’s a potion that allows one to comprehend things much easier. Think of it as putting your brain on steroids. It enhances its performance.”
“You’re out of your mind if you think I would even drink anything that you gave me.” I said in a snarky tone.
There was no way on Earth that I could trust him to give me something to consume. Why would I? I’m sure this is a plot that he and Melinda made together.
That potion would probably turn me into a toad or give me uncontrollable farts.
“But I thought you’d trust me?” he said, leaning in closer again.
My heart accelerates as I can feel the heat between us. I was both in fear and deeply aroused.
His lips looked so soft from here. I fought the urge to lean in and plant a kiss.
I could feel my subconscious want to slap me.
What the hell are you doing, girl? Focus.
He took the potion and slid it into the breast pocket of my dress shirt while biting his lower lip. I could tell that he wanted me to drink it.
But there had to be more to this potion than some simple magic to help fix my memory. He was trying way too hard to get me to drink it, and my instincts told me so.
“I think you’d regret it if you didn’t.” He said in such a deeply sexy tone that I could feel panties get wet.
My heart was beating through my chest, and it’s a miracle that I didn’t submit to my primal urges right then and there.
Miraculously, I managed to back away from him. In a moment of sense, I said something smart.
“I know you’re plotting with Melinda to humiliate me, just like you did the first time. You’re the reason why I ran away from here, and why I wiped my memory.”
I could feel the frustration in me finally start to release in a state of pure catharsis. My memories were gone, and they were taking what felt like forever to return to my brain. I barely knew who I was, let alone the people around me and my surroundings.
“You wanted to be a different person, to let go of the past, that’s understandable.” He said, stepping towards me again, “But this is your new chance. This is your chance to begin anew, and to let the past go.”
“But what about Melinda and-”
“Forget about her.” He said, cutting me off, “This isn’t about her. This is about you and me. Right here and right now. Let the past go. Give in and become who you were meant to be.”
He made sense, in a way. I had left vampire academy to become someone different, to start a new life. Upon my return, I certainly felt different.
Maybe he is a different guy than he was before. I can barely remember what he was like before, so I have no point of comparison to go by.
It was all so confusing.
“Do you promise that you aren’t working with her?” I asked
He grinned. I probably shouldn’t believe him and be so naive, but it’s hard not to. He’s great at convincing me and breaking down all of my guards.
“I promise.” He said in a husky tone.
I reached into my breast pocket and pulled out the vial. I took a second to examine it, taking in all of its magnificent shininess. Tiny little sparkles danced within.
It certainly didn’t look like it was a hex, jinx, or anything created with dark magic.
I got all the vibes that it was created of pure goodness.
My heartbeat stabilized.
“I need to pass this exam.” I said in a meek tone.
Passing would mean failure. Failure would likely mean getting on the bad side of the headmaster. The headmaster who already gave me a break once, and would be unlikely to do it again. If he wanted to, he could certainly just get me expelled from the Academy altogether and report me to the Vampire Police.
“You don’t want to make the headmaster mad, right?” he said in a purring tone, leaning into my ear, “Running away from the Academy is a ten year prison sentence.”
A lump formed in my throat.
Supernatural prisons aren’t anything to play with. They’re like human prisons but far worse and more torturous. Imagine being in a jail with all the worst criminals on Earth, but intensify their awfulness by a hundred. That’s what supernatural prison would be like.
Before I could convince myself to stall even further, I decided to consume the potion, all in one big swig.
The liquid was cold and tasted like bubblegum and peppermint. I covered my mouth as I burped.
“Sorry.” I said, humiliated.
“No problem.” He said, lifting his eyebrow and biting his lip.
I could start to feel a tingling sensation in my stomach. I felt a surge of energy run through me, my eyes popped wide open and the hair on my body stood up in the air.
I didn’t feel the same. It wasn’t bad. But I can’t describe what I felt.
I look up at him, and he places his hand on my shoulder. My knees become weak, and he does his best to help support me from falling.
“What…what’s going on?” I said, starting to feel light headed.
“Just relax. Everything will turn out fine.”
My vision turned to black as I could feel my consciousness start to fade away. I was trying to fight it, but I couldn’t.
Everything around me became a blur as I lost control of my body, crashing against the ground.
PART TWO
Chapter Three
I had to be the biggest idiot in the world for ingesting that potion. What the hell did he do to me?
My eyes flutter open, and it’s the daytime. Sunlight peers through my window, and I wake up in my bed. My head still pounds from last night and I can feel my back aching.
I have a headache and feel like I was in a car crash. “What the hell happened?” I asked myself.
Isadora was brushing her hair in the mirror, getting ready for school.
“Good morning sleepy head. I hope you got a good rest.” She said
“How…how did I get here last night?”
“What do you mean?”
“The last thing I remember I was in the library.”
She shrugged her shoulders, “You were here by the time I got back from my meetings. Wait…you went to the library to meet Paul?”
“Yeah, I visited him.” I said, knowing that I was in for a verbal beatdown.
She looked like she was upset and wanted to say a lot, but instead of freaking out, she took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down.
“What exactly happened?”
“He gave me this potion. It looked fine. But it knocked me out completely.”
She tensed up. She looked like she had just seen a ghost or something.
“But I think I’m fine.” I said quickly to reassure her.
She was right. I shouldn’t have gone there alone, but I did anyways. What was I thinking? I certainly did not know what I was up against.
Paul took advantage. He never would’ve pulled that shit if Isadora was there. He did that because he knew he could get away with it.
Crafty bastard.
“Are you sure? Perhaps you should go to the school nurse?” she said
“No. I think I’ll be fine. Going to the nurse isn’t necessary.” I said.
I got up from the bed and quickly got dressed and made myself look presentable for the day. Beneath my glossy exterior, there was a deep sense of brokenness in me.
What had I ju
st drunk? What happened?
These questions were eating at me, but I pushed them aside and tried to silence them as I got out the door.
I’m not hungry. I don’t want breakfast today. I scurry across the campus as quickly as I can and climb into the cafeteria. But not for food.
I scan the surroundings. Got him.
I walk up to Paul’s table, brimming with anger. He takes a look at me and grins again. It took all the restraint in the world to not smack that smug look off his face.
“Paul, can I get a moment with you?” I ask
He and his friends look at each other and snicker.
“What are you two bozos laughing about?” I ask
“Nothing, sweet cakes. Did you enjoy your fall?” George asked
George was the typical hot douchebag. He thought that he was everything and that everyone was beneath him. His looks gave him the pass to treat people any way he wanted to, and boy did he take advantage of that.
My memory, starting to come back, revealed some not-so-nice things about him. He would convince girls into dating him and then dump them as soon as he got bored. Sometimes he would openly cheat on them and not care at all about the consequences. He was rich and good looking after all. What’s the worst that could happen to a guy like him?
“George, don’t you have another one of your bimbos to screw?” I said, rolling my eyes
“I’m sure you’d like to be one of them, wouldn’t you?” he said, lifting an eyebrow at me suggestively.
“Please. Not in a million years.” I said.
That wasn’t entirely the truth. George is insanely handsome, blonde, and fit. But there’s no way I’d date a womanizing douchebag like him. He’s the worst type of guy.
All three of them are terrible, actually. Their entire existence is a testament to the dangers of concentrated wealth, celebrity, and impunity.
Paul rose up from the table, still looking at me with his smug and satisfied face.
“You lead the way.” he said
He followed me as we walked out of the cafeteria, descended the stairs towards the main school area, and then tucked into a secluded hallway.
“What the hell did you do to me last night? What was that?”