Chapter 15

They want to kill me, I want to kill them. I guess it’s all a matter of who gets there first.

I started walking to the library after dinner. When I got there, I could have sworn the book collection had grown. I walked straight back to the history section and there, sitting at the table, was none other than Scarlett. Smiling politely at her, I shuffled towards the bookcase, trying to find the book I had previously. Usually Scarlett would never hang out in the library so it was a first. Then she spoke.

“Hey, Avril,” she smiled calm and relaxed, “What ya looking for?” I shrugged and joined her - I could spare a few moments. It was bad manners to not give somebody your full, undivided attention when they were trying to talk to you. Jake and I learnt that the hard way. Sister Bernadette was insistent upon it. Bernadette was a stone-cold nun, alright. Of course, not to freak Scarlett out, I didn’t intensely focus on her like the nun had taught us. Even my people skills are better than that.

“I’m just trying to find something out. Think of it as an extra activity.” I explained, hoping she’d by it. For a moment, she looked fazed but then she smiled politely,

“Ah. Hey, I’m not going to be coming back to the dorm tonight. I have to be uh... elsewhere.” I nodded slowly. This was certainly intriguing. What would be so important as to risk like a month’s worth of detentions? My expression probably betrayed me because she told me a snippet but it wasn’t much and like a picture, it said one thousand words - except it was only three. “There’s this guy...”

“Say no more, Scar.” She smiled and murmured something in audible. I thought nothing of it as I went to resume my studies of this Rayne Valeska chick I found out that I had to kill. It was a very studious session. Oh, who am I kidding? I played bejewelled for hours, not really noticing time fly by. They really ought to remove that game for people who get distracted by things like that.

I started wandering back up to my dormitory three minutes before the library was going to close. When I got upstairs, Chase had just gotten out of the bathroom and was drying off his black hair with a white towel. He smiled as I walked in and I smiled in return. That was our greeting. All I wanted to do was have a nice hot shower and so, that was exactly what I did. Taking my pyjamas and towel up to the bathroom, I was cautious on walking up the creaky, narrow stairs. I would never ever get used to the uncleanness of this bathroom; especially not after the spotless mansion’s one, but I suppose beggars can’t be choosers. The water was at the perfect temperature - just below burning. As I washed my hair, I thought about what tactics and strategies this Valeska girl might have up her sleeve. Apparently, she was a VVN - Valeska Vampire Ninja, get with it! When I got out, it was definitely time for relaxation. Whatever homework I had was going to have to be put on hold. At least until tomorrow because my brain was officially off for the day. Chase was sitting on the end of his bed, cross-legged, looking very contemplative, but when I closed the door to announce my presence, he smiled, grabbed his book and then - in a more relaxed position - began to read. When I had put my clothes back in the drawers and was sitting on my bed, he finally looked over the top of his book. Biting his lip and smiling again, he put his book down. I went to get my diary from my bedside drawer but when I looked back up, he was gone. Then I felt his cool breath in my ear,

“I’m your boyfriend now, am I?” He smiled facetiously. I knew he would mention that at some stage, I just didn’t know when. Rolling my eyes, I couldn’t help but smile. For some reason, I hadn’t really thought about it. Chase was just my roommate. When I pulled my diary closer to me, I felt a cold hand on mine and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. “Am I making you nervous, Avril?” I rolled my eyes and turned to face him,

“Oh, please; don’t flatter yourself.” I kept my tone light to ease some of the density in the atmosphere surrounding us. He lowered his voice and then murmured,

“You know I’m right” and I didn’t respond because it would encourage him to do some more facetious digging. He went back to his book with a smug smile on his face and I ever so desperately wanted to wipe it off. That was just my instinct; when people were smug, it was my duty to be a killjoy. But I didn’t react because that would make him smugger. The world works in mysterious ways. I wrote in my diary.

Day 3 or something,

Today, I went to an extra strategy class with Jake and we took out some programmed vampires. I have no idea how Anton - my strategy teacher - made them but he is a genius and a little annoying for making the robots smarter than the actual vampires. My arm hardly gave me any grief at all today. I don’t know why. I was kicking butt and everything I would normally do, but it wasn’t even slightly painful. That was just weird. Chase and Tikaye had to help Chelsea-B***h on the organising committee for the Masquerade Ball thing. I know, I was like, “ew, dancing.” Oh and she, Chelsea-B***h just randomly came up to Chase and kissed him and it was kind of disgusting to watch and so, naturally, I stepped in. Like a dipstick, I told her to back away from my boyfriend - even though Chase and I aren’t even like that and that scared her off. I was kind of happy because she was taken to the cleaners. Nothing seemed to be going her way lately. I wish Charlie and Jake would go out already and put all of us out of our misery. But then, if they did go out, Ashley Jackson would be disheartened. He has a bit of a thing for Charlie. It’s kind of cute the way he always hangs on everything she says. Jake is the one for her though. It has been what Tegan and I have said all along but no-one dared listened to us because who listens to the youngest family members anyway? Not those two. I’d better go now, though. Sorry it’s such a short entry tonight. I honestly can’t be bothered with anything else. so bye! love Avril xoxox - why did I just write that? I don’t usually sign off my diary entries, but hey, there’s a first time for everything, isn’t there? I know one thing for sure; this isn’t going to become a habit.

With that, I put my pen down and went to bed.

The next day, I didn’t wake up. I slept through the siren, which was really weird. Instead, I woke up to the sound of the school bell, which only went before a class had started and after a class had ended... Quickly jolting upright in my bed, I looked at the time and I had missed lycanthrope culture. What was I going to tell Samson? I was going to have to contemplate that at the breakfast table. When I got there, I saw Chase. He was the only one there and everyone else seemed to have vanished. Smiling, he gestured for me to sit down,

“Good sleep-in, Avril?” I glared but then that soon faded as I wondered out loud,

“How did I sleep through that siren? I always wake up to a loud noise,” either I was wearing earphones or I was really asleep. He shrugged and smiled again,

“Paul and Sav said you didn’t miss much, so it’s okay. You’re gonna have a bit of a hard time explaining that to Angel Gabrielle,” he added venomously. So, I wasn’t the only one who thought he was a character from the bible... props to Chase. I looked around the hall and everyone was looking at flyers for the masquerade and then, Chase got given one. Naturally, he screwed it up instantly, “Ugh, so not going to that. I’m sick of it and it hasn’t even happened yet.” He muttered under his breath. I took the opportunity to get back at him from last night when he started mocking me for defending him yesterday. He needed it or he would be in one hell of a rut right now. Chelsea-B***h �" or CB for short �" never made it to the breakfast hall, I noticed. She was probably too busy schmoosing and becoming BFFs with the teachers so that they’d back her up at all times. I’m not bitter, by the way. My stomach was close to rumbling, I could feel it and so I went and got my breakfast. There’s nothing like a good old PBJ in the morning to get ya going for your next few classes. I had vampire tactics and then an extra-curricular strategy class. Sounds pretty exciting, huh? Yeah... Not the vampire tactics side of things.  I went straight after breakfast up and down so many stairs. I swear they put them there just to torture us. Of course, CB, when I got into the classroom, was talking to the teacher and they were laughing and I heard her slip in a few compliments here and there. She really had to get a life. Tikaye and I rolled our eyes at each other as she was allowed to speak in front of the class and then Tikaye murmured something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like, “Barbie’s really getting into this,” I nodded and laughed. It’s funny because it’s true! I thought.

“Today, we’re going to be put into pairs and we are going to discuss the vampire tactic of using mercury.” CB rolled her eyes at the request. It was according to legend that werewolves were able to be killed by mercury because it is a very good electricity conductor. There’s been some debate about silver vs. Mercury but just to be safe, we try and avoid them both. Apparently a different name for mercury is quicksilver but that’s just a myth. Hey, could it be? We actually learnt something in that lesson! CB and I had to complete a quiz about vampire tactics and that didn’t go down too well. I called her a b***h a few times and then she called me one and then s**t went down... a.k.a. She told me Adam was right about me and so I punched her because I hate it when people call a pathetic orphan. The teacher came up to us and frowned,

“May someone explain to me what is going on?” he asked, outraged. He was a tall man, with thinning hair and wrinkles. His half-moon spectacles didn’t help his age, but he was definitely looking at me because, well, I started everything.

“Oh, Avril punched me for no reason!” She exclaimed, turning on the tears.

“Yeah, I punched her because I wanted to start a fight.” I told him darkly and sarcastically, but he ignored the tone.

“Detention after this, Mavra.” I was the one in the wrong because I made her cry. When the bell went, I didn’t move and then, like Jesus, Anton walked into the room.

“Mr. Fulton; you’re making Miss. Mavra late for her class. Can she come back and do her detention some other time please? This is a vital extra-curricular lesson.” There was a look of warning in his eyes telling Fulton to obey him.