Dark Night

by Stefany Rattles

  “Here.” I got up and she turned around while I got out of my wet clothes. “Sophie and I were looking for you, we didn’t know where you were until Robert told us.” She paused for a second. “Mia, don’t get mad but I was just wondering…do you like Robert?” She asked me.

  “No. I don’t like him or his little girlfriend.” I said without thinking about it. I didn’t like either one, and I’d planned to stay away from both. I put my pajamas on and blow dried my hair. “I hope no one expects me to go back to the ball.”

  “No. It ends at eleven thirty the latest. And the ceremony part is over, they‘re just dancing. Don’t worry about it you should get some rest, you have a long day tomorrow school starts at eight.” She smiled.

  “Don’t remind me.” I told her as we walked out of the bathroom. The room was empty and I was grateful for that. “Umm... I’m sorry I know I made a big fuss over nothing, this was supposed to be your night and I made it about myself.”

  “No. You didn’t, and what are friends for?” She gave me a hug.

  “Right, oh and Congratulations they finally recognized you and Sophie.”

  “Thanks, you are too.” I rolled my eyes when she reminded me.

  “Well, I’m leaving you now, don’t get in the shower again okay?” We laughed.

  “Okay.” I said smiling. “Good night then I’ll see you tomorrow, text me or something.”

  “Yeah, what’s your number?”

  Luckily I remembered and gave it to her.

  “Got it, see ya.” She said as I closed the door. I went to bed and didn’t want to remember what an awful night I had.

  ROBERT

  It was a nightmare from hell, that’s what it was. Mia had witnessed Genevieve’s little scene back in the room, not that I cared. But it was Gene throwing a fit, she wanted to skip her classes tomorrow with some friends to go shopping, and I had told her not to. She tried persuading me that way, she thought she had me but I just didn’t want to deal with her. We continued that conversation in her room.

  “I think you should attend your classes, shopping can wait for after school. Your grades are more important.” I stood by her door while she sat cross legged on her bed patting it, wanting me to go sit by her but I shook my head and she pouted.

  “What are you, my father? Look, screw my grades. It’s not like I have to do the work anyway.” She thought about what she had said. “Ops, don’t freak, ‘kay? I’m just not book smart, so quit looking at me like that.” She stood from the bed and before she could come close to me I gave up.

  “Do whatever you want. I just don’t want your parents questioning me.”

  “They won’t, so you really not gonna tell?” She put her hands on her hips.

  “No, go ahead princess.” I said leaving her to dance around in her room.

  Back in my room, I saw Mia was asleep. I wanted to talk to her but I didn’t want to wake her I knew what a hard day she had and how many more were coming her way. Our talk, would have to wait for tomorrow. Trying to be quiet, is not easy but I tried, I grabbed a book I was reading from the bedside table and turned my lamp light on.

  CHAPTER 10

  MIA

  The next morning I was feeling better, I had made up my mind about many things. First I was going to ignore Robert, and his girlfriend. Second, I was going to get to know Jack better, if he was supposed to be my mate then maybe I would like him a lot more in the future. Third I was going to follow the rules, at least the basics. I got up at six-o’clock. I brushed my teeth then took a warm shower and returned to look in my armoire. Robert was in his bathroom. My uniforms were all different… I went with a flashy outfit. That was another thing, I was going to be more outgoing and if they wanted me to look like a superstar then that was what I was going to do.

  My outfit consisted of a short skirt (short for me anyway) and the tank top with the sweater on top. The sweater was a dark red and the tank top was a navy blue, the skirt was black but instead of my zodiac sign being on the sweater it was on my skirt and it stood out because it was red like the sweater. I chose to wear black stiletto boots, they completed my uniform. I left my hair down and decided to not put anything on it just straight down my back to my waist. I pulled one side over my ear.

  When I was ready I looked for my class schedule that I had not looked at yet. I found it on the kitchen counter and a bag over it that was black with my Virgo sign on it, blue. I found a book for every class except training and most of them were small but two. There was all kinds of school supplies inside it too. I put everything inside the bag, while I looked at my schedule.

  1st Vamp. Environ. & History-Elder Abel-Room 400

  2nd Vamp. Sociology-Elder Carden-Room 208

  3rd AP History & AP Science-Elder Kern-Room 512

  4th AP Calculus-Elder Nebula-Room 420

  Lunch/V2-Cafeteria/Private-Room 100

  5th Astrology-Elder Tariq-Room 380

  6th AP Languages-Elder Braeden-Room 256

  7th Basic Training-Instructor Lord Robert Townsend-Main Gym

  (8th Optional see training instructor) Extra training-Study hall-Early leave

  8th Extra Training-Elder Abi-Main Gym

  I grabbed my cell phone and put it in the bag I didn’t want to carry two bags so I just figured that was all I would need. Robert was not in the room and he had left the key on the counter so I took it too. When I walked out of the room he was behind me.

  “Can I talk to you?” He asked as I started walking. “Wait, please.” He touched my arm and I looked down then he pulled it back, I looked away.

  “What do you want?”

  “To talk to you about what you saw last night.” He reminded me of the scene that I had walked in on.

  “I didn’t see anything, none of my business.” I told him and kept walking. He followed.

  “It is your business. Look, I’m trying to do the right thing here. I don’t want to be with her but I have to, just like you have to be with Jack and in time you’ll learn to like him.” I could hear it in his voice that he didn’t even believe what he was saying.

  “You knew about him and you didn’t tell me?” It was all clear now, how everyone knows everything, except for me.

  “I tried but forget that. We at least need to try to break this bond while the King and Queen return, that is if Mylian has not told them yet. Only they will decide, until then we need to keep distance.”

  “I couldn’t agree more, why don’t you start by changing the class that I have with you?” I threw at his face, he probably knew about that too.

  “There’s nothing we can do about the classes. That’s something we’re going to have to deal with even if we don’t like each other.” He said flatly.

  “Whatever then,” We walked down the stairs and I saw Isabelle standing by the wall.

  “Hello, Mia.” She bowed, and I bowed back. “How was the ball?” She asked.

  “It was full of surprises.” I smiled and looked at Robert who was standing by me.

  “I’m glad to hear you have become part of the royalty.” She really seemed pleased.

  “That makes one of us.” I said under my breath. “It’s great.” I said to her face, knowing that was what she wanted to hear.

  “Have you looked at the package yet?” Crap. The package I had last night, I had left on the table and I had forgotten completely about it until now. So I lied.

  “Not yet. But I will later it’s in my room.” Robert looked with a smirk on his face and I glared at him.

  “Well, when you get the chance to look at it you need to come by and see me. My office is right down there.” She pointed towards the main entrance. “Just ask Robert if you need anything. I trust you have been helping her?” She asked him.

  “Of course,” Was all he could say.

  “There is something I need to speak with both of you about in private later in the afternoon... If you could please, come see me?” I nodded.

  “Yes. We will.” He said. I knew what it was
about. Milyan had told her about our bond and now we were going to get lectured about it.

  “Till’ then I’ll see you, get to class.” She said as she waved.

  I walked through the doors that led outside. It was nice and warm, about seventy degrees. Robert was still behind me, but he wasn’t following me he was just going to class too. I skipped breakfast, I wasn’t hungry. My stomach was aching a little.

  My phone rang.

  I picked it up and didn’t even look at the number but I answered it.

  “Hello?” I waited.

  “Mia, it’s me. Tell Robert to take you to the cafeteria from there I’ll meet you and show you the class rooms,” Mereily said.

  “Alright,” I hung up. I wasn’t happy about the idea of asking Robert for anything anymore but I had to. “Can you show me where the cafeteria is?”

  “Yes.” He said flatly and slightly smiled. I ignored that and kept walking, we went into the building and it looked just like a school. There were stairs leading down, and stairs leading up. We were in the middle level, we walked straight down the hall until the cafeteria came into view. Students sat there while they ate their breakfast I spotted Mereily easily, she was standing by the main door.

  “Thanks” She told him. I didn’t even look at him, and he didn’t say anything either he just went into the cafeteria. It wasn’t as big as the dining area by the dorms or as nice. But it was to be expected of a school that made me feel like I was in a real school (which it was), I think I confused myself__ “Not covering up much today?” She noticed. I shook my head. “Let me see your schedule.” I dug through my bag, when I found it I gave it to her. She looked at it, for a minute or two. “You have three classes with me.” She pointed at them. We had 1st, 2nd and 6th hours together. That was good to know.

  “That’s cool. So where’s our first class?” I asked.

  “Follow me.” She said and I followed. We went back through the hall and down the stairs to the first floor. “These are the four hundreds and five hundreds. I think some of your classes will be down here.” She kept walking straight. “Here.” We stopped in front of a door, it was closed but the room number was big enough for everyone to see. “Room 400, this is our first class, your third class is all the way down the hall and that would be room 512, on your left. Also for room 420 that’s right over there.” She pointed at the right side of the hall. “I’ll show you the rest after class. Confused yet?”

  “No. it’s pretty easy.” I wasn’t lying, I had thought it would be hard, but it wasn’t, yet. The door to our first class opened, a man greeted us.

  “Good morning Mereily, early to class?” He asked her.

  “Yes, actually you have a new student. This is Mia Dawney.” She introduced me.

  “Nice to meet you Miss. Dawney, I am Elder Abel. And you may call me Elder Abel.” He was awkwardly funny looking. I guessed he also tried to be verbally.

  “Nice meeting you too.” I said. The classroom was still empty but he let us in.

  “I have a sit for you Miss. Dawney.” Elder Abel wasn’t old he was around thirty and he wore glasses, his hair was long I could tell because he had it pulled back. “ You may sit right there.” He said pointing at a spot on a table. There were three large squared tables and there were chairs around them. I went to sit at the chair he pointed.

  Mereily sat next to me, “This is my seat.” She said and I smiled, glad to have her in a class. A bell rang. We sat quietly while the students arrived in the room. I saw some that I had met last night, others I didn’t know. A girl that I had not seen before sat next to me, she smiled.

  “Hi. I’m Delilah, are you new?” She asked me, she was cute. She reminded me of a Barbie with her pretty blonde hair straightened and it wasn’t as long as mine, but still long. She had a black headband with a hot pink bow on her head. Her uniform was a hot pink skirt with black top and sweater. She had high cheek bones, and pretty skin. Her eyes were emerald green.

  “Yeah, this is my first day. I’m Mia, by the way.” I shook her hand.

  “As in… Mia Dawney?” Nice to know there wasn’t a person in the school who didn’t know who I was.

  “Exactly, that one,” I said. Mereily said hi to her and apparently they knew each other.

  “She’s Robert’s little sister. Lady Delilah, but she doesn’t like to be called that, just Delilah,” Mereily said.

  “Really?” I had no idea Robert had a sister. But it shouldn't have surprised me I didn’t know he was Mereily’s cousin which made Delilah her cousin too.

  Hmm, “Yeah, I’m not that little I’m seventeen, he’s the old one. Just call me Delilah, or lilah.” She said. Now I was curious to know how old he was. I had thought he was about nineteen.

  “How old is he?” I asked her hoping she didn’t mind.

  She didn’t. “Twenty. Well almost, he turns twenty this weekend so basically he’s an adult. But he‘ll be graduating with you, so I guess it’s a good age.” She shrugged. “I’m kind of half junior half senior, it’s really dumb but they won’t allow siblings to be in the same grade or classes for fear of cheating and that kind of goes for everyone. See I’m too smart for my own good and Robby is too but he refuses to get ahead of everyone else so I’m stuck in this weird grade thing.” She rolled her eyes. Elder Abel closed the door and walked in front of the class. He started talking about something I didn’t pay attention. Delilah left me with some thoughts about what she had said. I was wondering off, which I shouldn’t have because when the class was dismissed by the bell I was lost.

  “Mia, did you get the assignment?” Mereily asked.

  “No. I don’t think I heard anything, I mean I wasn’t paying much attention… What was the assignment?” She looked at her cousin and then back at me.

  “Are you alright?” I heard Mereily’s concerned voice.

  “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

  “Just checking,” Mereily and Delilah exchanged another look and we left the room. “Hey, I’ll see you later.” She told Delilah. Delilah nodded.

  We walked up the stairs as students were going to their second hour class. “Will you tell me why you were both exchanging weird looks?”

  “I knew you noticed, it’s about the other vampires but it’s not important right now, we can talk about it on lunch.” She said trying to change the subject. “You really didn’t know she was my cousin?”

  “No idea.” I said.

  “You know where the cafeteria is? Well, the Library is right beside it. And the one hundreds are on the same floor.” We walked up to the third floor. “This is where you’ll find the two hundreds and three hundreds. It’s smaller, so you won’t get lost. There is two more floors, but that’s the college credit classes only. We won’t need to go there until next year.” We stopped in a classroom that was smaller than the first. “There are only fifteen students in this class. You’ll know everybody once class is over.” She said smiling. “Elder Carden.” She called her.

  “Yes. Oh.. I see Mia is joining our class.” I was gonna have to get use to the idea of everybody knowing me. “I’m Carden. You’ll get in trouble for calling me Carden, but I’m Elder Carden. We have fun in this class, so please take a seat where you like.” She told me.

  “Thank you Elder Carden.” I was being polite, I liked her. She was young and pretty. I didn’t know what an Elder was exactly but so far Elder Abel and Carden were good looking Elders. “I have a question.”

  “I bet I have the answer to your question.” She smiled widely. I smiled back.

  “Um, what is Sociology? Is it like socializing with people and things like that?” She wasn’t surprised by my question.

  “Don’t worry about that. I’ll cover that today, and you’ll see what it is.” She said. Mereily told me to sit by her and I did. The last bell rang and the Elder closed the door behind her. “Good morning class, today we’re going to discuss Sociology, it is not a normal class day. No word puzzles or anything like that. Charles, give me your definition
of Sociology.” She told a kid that looked just like a kid.

  “The study of classification of different societies...” The boy said.

  “Yes. That’s the general definition. But our definition is the study of society, human, vampires, gods or goddesses, and Elder’s social interaction, and the rules & processes that bind and separate people not only as individual, but as members of associations, groups and institutions.” I took my note book out and wrote down the definition. “Humans, they are just like animals in a way they stick to their own race. Vampires in the other hand, don’t. Only the evil mortals and immortals are banned from our society. Other than that, we live at peace with each other. We also have good mortals and immortals. The immortals are the goddesses and elders, which I am one. You are all mortals even after you fully become a vampire. I have lived a very long time and I can tell you that not all is good out there. This is why it’s important for you to know the differences between our worlds. Goddesses or gods are also picked to become one. They have their own schools where they learn and train for one. They are very much like humans. The difference is that they are immortal. To become one, they take an oath, drink from a special wine and stay that certain age forever. Elders, we are different from all three groups. We are not trained to become one, most of the time we are already born that way. Elders come from the mixture of humans and vampires. We are immortal as well. We take on more from the vampires but we have our human in us. That said we can continue with the classification of each.” She spoke as she walked around the class room.

  Everything she said had me excited to learn more, I had no idea about the types of groups and how they were made. Now I had a basic idea. What I wanted to learn was about bonds and things like that. Just so I would know how to break one, I would wait until the end of the day to see if anyone discussed it in a class. Elder Carden assigned us to research one of the groups in detail. The class went by fast because I was fascinated with the topic, I learned so much in one hour. Then the bell rang and class was over.