Book 1: Awakening (The VIth Element Series)

Chapter 33: Alex

I was desperate to tell Jasmine about what I had discovered. However, when she bounded up to me, her face flushed in happiness and delight, I focused my attentions on listening to what she wanted to tell me.

"Oh Alex," she giggled like a besotted lover. "I'm so happy. Raphael's literally just asked me to be his date for the Halloween Ball and obviously, I said yes."

At hearing her words, my heart abruptly plummeted. Nonetheless, I knew I couldn't show these negative emotions. Therefore, I forced a smile on my face and hugged her.

"Aww Jazz," I replied, trying my best to sound happy for her, which I thankfully seemed to pull off. "That's great news."

She giggled again.

"I know right," she answered, clutching her hands together in glee. Her next words were like a horrific, painful punch to my stomach. "Still," she added, "I'm surprised he asked me. I generally thought that he would've asked you to go with him instead." She frowned, before concluding her train of thoughts. "Did he ask you at all?"

Great, I thought. This was the one thing I had hoped would not happen.

I did a fantastic result at lying.

"No," I replied, feeling awful inside as I lied. "No, he hasn't brought that topic up with me at all."

As soon as I had answered her, I saw relief flood through her veins.

"Well, thank god for that," she said, sighing. "Otherwise, if he had, it would be seriously awkward between us right now." I thought it better not to answer her. She soldiered on, oblivious. "However, we now need to get you a date for the evening. After all, it's not really very nice going to these events on your own is it?" She giggled again, clearly ecstatic. "Has anyone here taken your fancy?"

At hearing her question, I blushed, wishing the ground could swallow me up for the umpteenth time. Thankfully, Jasmine answered her own question for me, as she continued to babble.

"I suppose Vince from our History class is quite cute - the one who's amazing at running, although he does have help from his speedy powers. Or there's Harry from Geography?" she added. "He took a liking to you the other day when you offered to help him with his diagram on volcanoes. I could read it all over his face." Realising that I wasn't replying to her suggestions and correctly thinking that I was finding this topic uncomfortable (although not for the reasons she believed) she changed direction."But, moving on from all of that," she now said, "you seemed like you wanted to say something to me before I blurted out my good news. What was it about?"

I shrugged, now feeling cold and numb inside but relieved that she had stopped going on about the Halloween Ball.

"Oh that," I answered. "It doesn't matter. It wasn't important."

At hearing my reply, she looked at me funnily and in the same way she had done yesterday, before we both had gone to bed. Nonetheless, taking my arm, she suddenly pulled me towards the dining hall, for the bell had just gone for lunch.

"God I'm starving," she said. "I hope they've cooked some more of those yummy hot-dogs."

However, I had switched off.

I tried to distract myself with what I had found out about Vladimir and my great grandfather. Somehow, although this sounded an obvious statement, there was more to what I had read than met the eye. What's more, even though I had no way of knowing how to go about it, I was determined to find out as much about both of them as I could, albeit this meant delving into dark waters. 

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AN:

Oh no! Jasmine really hasn't got a clue about what is going on between Raphael and Alex. How will events play out?