Eternity | Xavier Thorpe

Chapter Five

Lara avoided Xavier like the plague. He was a distraction she could not afford, no matter how charming he was.

No matter how much she had wanted to kiss him.

There were so many reasons they shouldn't be together. So many things could go wrong. Vampires and mortals weren't meant to mix.

That thought didn't seem to have occurred to Xavier, though. He hunted her down, chasing her across corridors until she managed to outrun him or hide. He wasn't giving up, though. It had been days since they last spoke.

Fortunately for Xavier, Lara mistakenly dropped her guard after class one day, her mind so preoccupied she didn't see him approaching her; she didn't have it in her to avoid him for much longer anyway so she allowed him to catch her this time.

He grabbed her arms to hold her in place. "Lara, I know you're avoiding me."

'"Brilliant deduction."

"Why?"

"You know why."

"Because we almost kissed?"

She avoided his eye, feeling blood rush to her cheeks. She couldn't fathom how after years and years of life, a stupid boy managed to make her blush.

" I don't see what's so terrible about that." He shook her arms. "I like you, Lara. I like you a lot."

"That's a mistake." She tried to push him away but he wouldn't budge. "You'll get over it."

"I know I won't. I've liked you since the first time I dreamt about you."

"Excuse me?"

"Not like that. I... My dreams are more like predictions, visions..."

"And what was that dream about?"

"You killed yourself." Lara felt pale, all the blood drained from her face. "I don't think I dreamt that for nothing, I thought it might have been my job to save you or something. I didn't know - I was so confused but I couldn't let you do that, so I became your friend the next day. I don't want you to die." He grabbed her hands. "I don't know if I'll be able to handle it if you do." His eyes met hers, they held a quality that revealed how vulnerable he was; how, if she wanted, she could do anything and he would accept it. She didn't like that he looked at her like that.

"You're only telling me this now? What did you think was going to happen, Xavier? You tell me that and then I fall into your arms because you're my hero?" She pushed him away from her.

Lara wasn't mad at him but she was angry about something.

And when she was mad she tended to push everyone away. She didn't want to push Xavier away because whether she admitted to it or not, she did feel something whenever he was nearby.

"I'm only trying to save you, Lara."

"I don't want to be saved." She freed herself from his grip. "You can't change my mind." Lara stormed past him.

Xavier had it all wrong - Lara didn't need saving. She wasn't planning on killing herself because she was depressed or suicidal. No, she just did not want to live forever. Her time was coming, she could feel it and she didn't need some mortal who could never understand what she felt telling her to stop.

Lara stormed into her room and drew the curtains, blocking out all the light before she collapsed on her bed. She needed to sleep to be able to work out her feelings.

She tried not to think about Xavier's confession - he simply should not have feelings for her. Vampires and mortals shouldn't be together; she needed to make that clear to him before it was too late.

And if she didn't hurry, it would be.