Free of family

20

"Rise and shine!" Rebekah stormed into Arkyn's room, early the next morning.
"What are you doing, Rebekah?"
"Well, since you made me promise not to bring humans to feed on into the house, I am taking you out to get some blood in you. You seriously look like crap."
"I'm fine, now go away." He moaned.
"You're moping, aren't you?" She crossed her arms, before walking over to his window and opening the curtains. He groaned and pulled his duvet over him. "You have a daylight ring. The sun is not going to burn you. And even if it did, it wouldn't kill you."
"Rebekah, leave me alone."
"I wasn't there for you for your first heartbreak, seeing as you, you know, ran away. But I'm here now, and I'm going to get you to forget all about your little witch, if it's the last thing I do." She vowed.
"Bex, I'm fine." He said.
"You were ready to fight Nik for her honour. You expect me to believe you're over her? Just like that?"
"I'm not over her." He rolled his eyes.
"So come on. Up and at 'em."
"I'm okay. I just need to figure out what to say when I see her."
"So you're going to grovel?"
"Ish." He shrugged. "Now please get out so I can get changed."
"Okay," she grinned and sped out. He sighed at her antics and sped around the room, pulling on pants and a hoodie. He made his way downstairs where Alexis, Xavier and Rebekah sat at the dining table eating freshly made breakfast.
"Uh oh." He said. "What happened?"
"What do you mean, what happened?" Xavier asked.
"We don't do breakfast like this, unless bad news accompanies, remember?"
"Maybe we just want to have breakfast? It'll be one of the last few times we'll get to do this, before I leave."
"Spill." He said.
"Well..." Alexis started. "We heard about you and Bonnie."
"Oh my god." He groaned. "We are not doing this."
"Look, Ark, it's okay." Alexis started.
"Aren't you supposed to be volunteering to help out at the illumination ceremony thing? You know, hanging up lanterns, help make up the stage."
"No, I'm fine with not going."
"Lex, you're not going to stop hanging out with Bonnie and co. because of me."
"But-"
"Grab your jacket and go." He said.
"I'd rather stay here."
"Go!" He pressed and she sighed.
"Fine."
"And be your normal, lovely self." Xavier snorted. "Just act normal, Lex. She's your friend."
"Why did she break up with you?" Alexis asked.
"Um-"
"What happened after we got home? Because the ride home was fine. You two were good. I mean, you were her hero, you saved her best friend."
"We just had a disagreement."
"About what?"
"Just leave it, Lex." Arkyn said. "Now head on out. Xave'll walk you."
"I will?"
"I know where the town square is." She rolled her eyes.
"Okay fine, now come on." He said and she got up.
"Why do you keep forcing me to go places I don't wanna go?"
"When you've made a commitment, you have to follow through. You said you'd help out today, so you're going to help out."
"This is the last time I sign up for any town events." She groaned.
"That's up to you." He said.
"Bye." She left.
"Okay, you finish your breakfast." Arkyn pointed at Xavier then at Rebekah. "And you go get some. No killing."
"You take the fun out of things."
"Murder is not fun." He sighed. She rolled her eyes.
"Come on, boy scout." She sighed.
"Uh, no thanks."
"What, you don't drink from people now?"
"No, I do not."
"Arkyn, I know you like being a saint and whatever but you're an original vampire. You have to at least drink from people."
"He has a phobia of drinking from actual humans." Xavier chimed in.
"I do not have a phobia. I just prefer to drink from blood bags."
"I know it. Lex knows it. Mom knew it."
"You been reading her journal again?"
"Already did." Xavier said, and turned to Rebekah. "My mom used to have a journal on all things Ark. Juicy secrets, some observations..."
"What kind of secrets?"
"Oh, you know. Ark stuff." Xavier shrugged.
"He's exaggerating. I don't really have much secrets."
"Ruby still doesn't know you're an original. You might have let this town get to you, but you're pretty much an enigma to everyone else."
"Who's Ruby?"
"His grandmother."
"Only by blood."
"They're going through a bit of a rough patch."
"Oh yeah. Totally a rough patch. It's only been, what, twenty years?"
"Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit."
"But the highest form of intelligence."
"Your mom did not raise you to be intelligent and not witty."
"Touché." He shrugged.
"Why did she break up with you?" Rebekah asked.
"It's a long story."
"We have time."
"Bex, please leave it." He begged. Xavier's phone chimed.
"Huh, I gotta go." He said, looking down at his phone.
"Alright, have fun." Xavier walked out.
"It's me and you. Are you seriously not gonna tell me why you and the witch broke up?"
"Does it matter?"
"Yes, it matters. If I'm not going to kill her, I should at least know why."
"You're not going to kill her because killing is wrong. Now you have a reason."
"This is the second girl you've ever loved in your thousand years of existence."
"I know, Bex." He told her. "I lied to her, okay? I lied to her and she caught me out on it, and that's why she broke up with me."
"What did you lie to her about?"
"Rebekah, please. Enough is enough."
"Fine. We're coming back to this later."