Vampires were once believed to be a myth by many humans, as they kept a low profile, avoided killing humans, and lived in the shadows, following instructions from their leader.
However, this changed when a college student named Brian was bitten by...
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August 29th, 1997
As Yelan entered the classroom, she noticed that Brian's seat was empty, which made her worried. She looked towards Mike, who was seated at the back of the class, knowing that he might have information about Brian's absence. However, she decided to wait until the break to talk to him. In the meantime, she took her seat since the class had already started.
At the beginning of the break, while the professor was still in the classroom, Omar, a first-year MBBS student from class A, waited for Yelan outside. He noticed how Yelan repeatedly glanced at Brian's empty chair.
When the professor finally dismissed the class, Yelan calmly approached Mike and asked, "Hey Mike, have you seen Brian? I haven't seen him since yesterday when he suddenly left in a hurry. Our classmates told me that he collapsed at the girl's hostel. Do you know if he's alright? How's his health?"
Mike sat in his chair with a look of anger as Yelan approached him. "Why do you even care about what happens to him, Yelan?" he asked, his voice laced with frustration. Standing up from his chair, he continued, "You never even wanted to talk to him, so why do you suddenly seem to care about him?"
Feeling guilty, Yelan looked down without saying a word. However, Omar, who had been waiting outside the classroom, stepped in to defend her. "She just wants to know if he's alright or not, that's all," he said. "And your friend is the one who's been following her, which is why she's been avoiding him in the first place."
Mike was skeptical and asked, "And who the hell are you?"
"I'm like a brother to her," Omar replied, "and we just want to know if Brian is doing okay or not."
As Mike and Omar exchanged glances, Mike spoke up, "Well, he seemed fine yesterday. But when I went to his house today, his sister told me he wouldn't be coming to college. That's all I know, Yelan, and I'm sorry for what I said earlier."
Yelan nodded, understanding Mike's apology. "It's okay, Mike. But before he left yesterday, Brian wanted to talk to me about something. Do you have any idea what that could be about?"
Mike shook his head. "No, I'm not sure. But you could ask him yourself when he comes back to college."
Yelan nodded in understanding and thanked Mike for the information. As they walked out of the classroom, she turned to Omar and said, "Thank you for standing up for me, Omar. I really appreciate it."
Omar replied, "No need to thank me, Princess. It's my duty to always defend you."
Feeling uneasy, Yelan responded, "Omar, when we were surrounded by the people, could you please refer to me as Yelan instead of a princess? We don't want anyone to know about us."
"Of course, Yelan. But, there's something I need to talk to you about," Omar said, his expression showing concern.
"What is it, Omar?" Yelan asked, sensing his unease.
"Not here, Yelan. We should talk about it somewhere else," Omar replied, gesturing to the busy hallway.
Yelan and Omar made their way to the terrace of the academic block, away from the prying eyes of their classmates. Yelan turned to Omar and asked, "Now that we're alone, what would you like to talk about?"
With a sense of responsibility, Omar replied, "Yesterday, when I was talking about Brian, you seemed uninterested. However, today, I noticed you repeatedly glancing at his empty chair and looking worried. I don't want to overstep, Princess, but I want to clarify if you have any feelings for him. Loving a human is something your father will never approve of."
Yelan looked at Omar with uncertainty and replied, "I was just concerned about Brian, Omar. Nothing more. And I would never allow myself to fall in love with him, knowing that it would only bring misery to our lives."
Omar asked Yelan, "Are you sure you don't love him, Princess? Your words say one thing but your face tells a different story."
Yelan replied with a serious tone, "I've already said it, I don't love him. If that's all you want to talk about, then we're done here."
Omar's tone softened as he continued, "Actually, there is one more thing that has been on my mind, Princess. It's about Tara Grever. I couldn't help but notice that even after all this time, you still haven't become her friend. Is there a reason for that?"
Yelan explained with a hint of hesitation, "I've tried talking to Tara a few times, but she always seems to be surrounded by her clique. They give off an air of superiority, thinking that they know everything better than anyone else."
"Most of the time, they are busy showing off their knowledge and belittling others," Yelan continued, "It makes me uncomfortable to be around them, which is why I find it challenging to form a friendship with Tara, even though I would like to."
Omar asked with curiosity, "So, Princess, have you thought about how you're going to befriend Tara?"
Yelan replied thoughtfully, "I haven't come up with a specific plan yet, but I'm determined to keep trying. Giving up is not an option. Perhaps I could find an opportunity to strike up a conversation with her and see where it goes. I'm hopeful that I can make her my friend."
Just as Yelan was about to continue, the bell rang, signaling the end of their break. Omar and Yelan exchanged a quick glance before heading towards their respective classes.
Omar said, "We'll have to continue this conversation later, Princess."
With that, they parted ways, each lost in their own thoughts as they made their way to their classes.
