Crimson

Chapter 34: A Legend Returns

I don't know when she left, but thank god she did. She's as dangerous to us as we are to her. And yet-

Last night in her room, I caught a flicker of something I hadn't seen before in her eyes. Was it... remorse? Understanding? My fangs ache, my head throbs, trying to figure it out. Trying to figure her out. Breath shaking with unprecedented anger... maybe at her, maybe not- I can't believe she consumes so much of my mind.

"You know, I thought we were better friends than that," I heard a voice from behind me. Whipping around I found myself face to face with the shorter but nevertheless unpredictable Avery.

"If this is about the other night I'm sorry." I said with a blank expression. Avery was the last thing on my mind.

"Come now Roman, you accuse me of stealing, dishonour my good name and then expect me to be satisfied?" He said with the subtlest of grins.

"What good name?" I asked. "And you were gone you asshole, who else was I supposed to think took it?"

My eyes widened as Avery leaned forward and whispered in my ear before I could turn away.

"Maybe the one you're thinking about."

"Fuck off Avery." I said, glaring at him.

"She reminds you of her, doesn't she?" Avery mused through hooded eyes. "I wonder which of us will taste her first..."

"SHUT UP!" I shouted, gripping Avery by the neck only to watch in dismay as he faded away with a smirk. An illusion.

This is him getting me back, it means nothing, he wants this, just let it go Roman-

"For the record, I didn't go anywhere." Avery's voice playfully carried throughout different parts of the room. "Who knows, I might even have been y/n..."

Having had enough of Avery's childish tricks, I fought the urge to light up every inch of the room by walking away instead, my knuckles white.

But one thing stuck in my head... was y/n really like Helena?

~
"What were you doing in Delwood?" Eleanor asked.

After walking with Dimitri, he told you it was best you spent the rest of the day back home. Retrieving your things, half eaten snow plum and all, you couldn't agree more.

"Just visiting and shopping," you lied. The common room was surprisingly empty, save for you, Eleanor, and Theodore. "Where's Simone?"

"Upstairs," Theodore said, nodding upwards.

"You should have told us," Said Eleanor with a disheartened sigh. "We went to the Lair and you said you'd meet us there and didn't."

"Yeah- sorry," you apologized. "I didn't mean to worry you, I just... I wasn't really planning on going to Delwood, it was sort of last minute."

Eleanor shrugged. Was he really bothered by this? You thought you'd probably feel the same.

"Yeah, you should have told us," repeated Theodore. "Maybe we wanted some cakes from Delwood."

You rolled your eyes.

"It'll be supper soon actually," Eleanor said, glancing at his watch before his eyes lit up. "Which reminds me!"

"What?" You asked.

"It's a surprise, go get Simone and let's go."

When you returned to the day class dorm, you didn't run into Simone at first. But entering the room again now, you found her lying unmoving atop her bed.

"Simone?"

"Y/n?" She said, sitting up. Upon seeing your face she lept out at once and embraced you from all sides.

"Simone- what the hell..." you uttered through a face full of jet black hair.

"I'm so sorry for everything," she said through short inconsistent breaths.

"What for?" You asked. Simone was surprisingly strong. You took a large breath of air when she finally let go, still holding your shoulders.

"Everything." She answered. "I should never have snapped at you or- or walked away. Especially after..."

"It's okay," you said. Simone rubbed her eyes with her sleeve. "Hey I'm sorry for being so invasive. I didn't mean to upset you- ow!"

You rubbed the arm Simone had just punched.

"Don't disappear like that again," she said, her eyes still wet and lips still pouty.

"Okay, geez- I'm sorry."

Simone rubbed her eyes once more, chuckling to your surprise.

"I- I almost thought the note you left was fake!" She said in relief. "I know it sounds dumb but- I don't know! I'm just glad you're back."

"Me too," you said. "Let's go get supper."

~
The dining hall was much warmer than the dining room at the night class dormitory. You nearly mentioned it before you remembered that you swore to Dimitri and the others their secret was safe.

And a massively world changing secret it was. Never before had you been entrusted with something so powerful. Your potatoes and vegetables had no flavour because all you could think about was the other world that lived over the lake across your dormitory.

"So, Delwood..." Theodore mentioned to your dismay.

"You were there too, weren't you Theo?" Simone asked. She was much calmer now.

Theodore held up a finger as he finished chugging his glass of orange juice before nodding.

"I had never really been there, but my friend was in town so I stayed with them," you lied through your teeth. "It's a beautiful town."

"I was really hoping we could go there sometime," Eleanor said, looking at you. "All of us, of course," he added.

"I think it's a bit overrated, personally," said Simone.

"Not to me, anywhere Cadere isn't telling me what to do is paradise," Theodore said cooly. "Besides, tons of night girls go there. It reminds me of-"

Suddenly Theodore drifted off as everyone's attention turned to the laughter and clapping coming from the corner of the room, by the archway.

"Speak of the fucking devil." Theodore said, staring in awe.

Someone was getting pat on the back, seemingly welcomed by different students- and very loud ones at that. A lot of students just didn't know what was going on. You were one of them.

"Finally," said Eleanor.

You looked Simone's way but she was staring at the stranger too. Turning your attention to the chaos, you saw the someone was a boy, and he was making his way towards your table- blowing a kiss at someone who whistled while he passed.

He was tall, with dark hair you'd seen from behind a tree, warm eyes you'd seen from behind frames, and a boyish smile you'd seen light up somewhere you shouldn't have been.

"Simone, y/n -you already know Theo-" Eleanor gestured, "I'd like you to meet my brother, Maurice."

~
So it's two in the morning, and I just published the last chapter (33) but was like, heck I want to keep writing. Wouldn't it be fun to be surprised with a chapter and then get ANOTHER chapter? Yeah this one is probably the shortest one I've written, but I don't feel there's anything to add to it. It's meant to lead up. Hope now you can start OVER SPECULATING

Told ya I'd be seeing you soon! What do you make of Maurice?

Night folks, all the love
~Your number one Fan <3