The next day, classes went on as usual, though the events of the previous night had sent shockwaves through the school.
The scars from that night were still visible. The body of the vampire had been found in Class C2, a junior classroom. The place was a wreck, desks overturned, blood splattered on the floor and smeared along the wall.
"What happened here?" Pink asked, standing with the others among a crowd of curious students as Mrs. Adams and a few officers investigated the scene.
"From what I can tell, I'd say a vampire was killed," Eska said, her voice low. "And judging by the body, it was a Blue Blood."
"What's a Blue Blood vamp doing in our school?" Summer asked. "Was it hunting someone?"
"I hope not," Eska murmured, her gaze lingering on the decaying body.
Later…
A soft hum from fluorescent lights droned above me. The world tilted slightly as I blinked awake, squinting against the harsh white glow. My head throbbed like I'd been hit with a bat, and something cool was pressed to my forehead.
"She's waking up," a voice said nearby, familiar, a little rough.
Jesse?
I groaned and tried to sit up, but my limbs felt heavy, like they were filled with lead. I turned my head slightly and recognized the sterile, quiet environment of the school infirmary or maybe a hospital room. Blinds were drawn tight, with only slivers of morning light filtering through.
"Hey don't move too fast," Jesse said as he stepped into my view, pulling up a chair beside me. His eyes looked tired, blood smeared faintly across his cheek, and his right arm was tightly bandaged.
"You're… okay?" I croaked.
He gave a half-laugh, the sound dry. "I've been through worse. You, on the other hand, scared the hell out of me."
The memories came rushing back in jagged flashes, the vampire, its snarling face, the blood, the cold bite of terror, the wood sinking in…
"I thought it was going to kill me," I whispered.
"It almost did," Jesse said, looking away for a moment. "If I'd been a second late…"
Silence settled between us like a fog.
"Thanks… for coming," I murmured.
He grinned faintly. "Glad I showed up, or you'd be legend. In a tragic obituary kind of way."
I chuckled softly. It hurt a little, but I needed the laugh.
Just then, the door creaked open. Rejoice entered, her presence both grounding and commanding. Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, and dark circles around her eyes.
"You're awake," she said gently, closing the door behind her.
She walked to the bedside, scanning me with concern. "When I heard what happened, I came straight here. How are you feeling?"
"Okay, I guess," I said, voice cracked.
She nodded slowly. "That's good to hear."
She sat at the edge of the bed, resting a hand lightly over mine. "You're lucky Jesse was there."
I looked away, guilt bubbling up inside. "I should've known better."
Rejoice shook her head. "No one expects to be attacked just walking home. That's not on you."
"Of course it is. I was pass ten, and… I was drunk," I confessed, shame coloring my voice.
"Yeah, totally on you," Jesse said, not missing a beat. I gave him a tired smirk.
Before Rejoice could respond, a nurse entered with a mini clipboard in her hand. "Sorry, I'll need to check her vitals. Can I have the room, please?"
Rejoice and Jesse both nodded, stepping out into the hallway.
Outside in the Hall
The hallway was dimly lit, the sterile glow of fluorescent lights flickering weakly above. The only sounds were the low hum of ventilation and the distant, rhythmic beeping of medical monitors from unseen rooms. The air smelled faintly of antiseptic and something metallic, blood, maybe.
Jesse stood rigidly against the wall, arms folded tightly across his chest, as if holding himself together. Shadows clung to his face, making his expression hard to read. He shifted his gaze to Rejoice, who stood a few feet away, her posture tense but composed.
His voice, when it finally came, was quiet. Cold.
"Is it true?"
Rejoice blinked. "What?"
He didn't look away. "The rumors. You and Raymond."
Her lips parted slightly, but no words came at first. Then she looked away, jaw tightening, her expression suddenly unreadable. "Why does it matter?"
"Is it true?" Jesse asked again, louder this time, each word clipped.
"People talk a lot, you know," she said, her tone low and evasive.
"Just answer the damn question," he snapped.
Rejoice exhaled sharply, as if the fight was draining out of her. She met his gaze again, and her voice cracked ever so slightly. "No, Jesse. It's not true. I didn't sleep with our health teacher."
A beat passed. Jesse stared at her, eyes narrowed, searching her face for lies. The silence that followed was thick, stretching longer than it should have.
Rejoice let out a bitter scoff. "You don't believe me."
"You're always around him," Jesse muttered, not quite accusing, but far from innocent. "So yeah… it's possible."
Her face twisted in disbelief, eyes flashing. "Seriously? You think I'd actually do that?"
"I don't know anymore," he said, voice flat and empty.
She took a step toward him. "So that's it? After everything, I'm just guilty by association now? I've known Raymond for years, he's helped me through more than you know. Doesn't mean I'd screw him."
"Then why didn't you deny it sooner?" he asked, not yelling, but sharp enough to cut.
Rejoice's fists clenched at her sides. "Do I owe an explanation to every idiot who buys into hallway gossip? Or just to the people who pretend to care?"
Jesse's expression shifted, just slightly. His voice softened, reluctant. "I do care. That's why I'm asking."
Her anger wavered. She dropped her gaze to the floor, a flicker of something raw passing over her face. "I'm sorry," she murmured.
The silence returned, this time heavier. The door beside them creaked open, and the nurse peeked out, clipboard in hand. "Jesse?"
He straightened up. "Yeah?"
"She wants to see you."
Jesse hesitated, then turned back to Rejoice, his eyes lingering for just a second longer. "We're not done with this conversation."
Without waiting for a response, he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.
Rejoice stood alone in the hallway, blinking slowly, her reflection dim in the glossy tile floor beneath her feet.
Later that day, the west wing of the hospital was quiet, almost unnaturally so. No footsteps, no idle chatter just the soft murmur of distant machines and the occasional creak of old pipes echoing through the pale green corridor. I moved slowly, still groggy but able to walk without the nurses hovering over me.
The hallway signs were faded and confusing, but eventually I found the bathroom door tucked between two supply closets. I slipped inside, relieved myself, then stepped out to wash my hands.
The faucet squeaked when I turned it. The cold water shocked me fully awake. As I glanced up into the mirror, my heart nearly jumped out of my chest.
Rivon was perched on the sink beside mine, legs crossed like she owned the place, grinning like a devil in detention.
"God!" I gasped, clutching my chest. "You scared me half to death!"
She burst into giggles, her laughter echoing around the tiled room. "You should've seen your face last night," she said between snorts.
I narrowed my eyes. "Wait… you were there?"
Rivon nodded, brushing invisible dust from her black jeans, still smiling.
"You were there and you did nothing? Rivon... I could've died!"
She waved a hand like I was overreacting. "But you didn't. Chillax, Terra."
"Chillax?" I stared at her, incredulous. "I was this close to being a bloodstain on the sidewalk!"
She tilted her head. "Well… Jesse came just in time, didn't he?"
Her flippant tone made me want to scream, but something flickered in the back of my mind, something cold and eerie.
"Wait…" I turned off the tap and wiped my hands. "I think I… I foresaw this."
Rivon's smile faltered. "What do you mean?"
"There was this vision… I was being chased. It felt just like last night. And before that, I saw..." I hesitated. "I saw Resa, Alexa, and Charles dying. I thought it was a dream, but it felt real."
Rivon slid off the sink, her expression suddenly unreadable. "Didn't I tell you? You're a dark witch."
I shook my head, uneasy. "One or two freaky dreams doesn't mean I'm a witch. And what even is a dark witch, anyway?"
She glanced at the bathroom door, her demeanor changing like a switch had flipped. "That's a conversation for another day."
Before I could say another word, she vanished like a shadow pulled back into the wall.
Back in my room, the familiar hum of machines greeted me as I settled into the stiff hospital bed. The blankets were itchy and the air was too cold, but then the door creaked open.
Eska stepped in first, graceful as ever, carrying a bouquet of wildflowers. Summer followed close behind, holding a small gift bag and wearing a hoodie two sizes too big.
I blinked in surprise. "What are you guys doing here? Don't you have, like… class or something?"
Eska placed the flowers on the side table, her usually sharp eyes soft with concern. "Jesse told us what happened. We ditched the second half of the day."
Summer rushed to my side and threw her arms around me, hugging me so tightly I almost winced.
"I'm so, so glad you're okay," she said into my shoulder.
"Me too," I whispered, leaning into the warmth of her hug.
For a moment, the weight of fear lifted, just enough to breathe.
Meanwhile, in the Girls' restroom at school, Pink stood at the mirror, applying her lip gloss with robotic precision, her phone in the other hand.
Clary walked in, stopping when she saw her. "Hey… aren't you going to see Terra? Jesse said she almost died last night."
Pink didn't look up. "Good."
Clary froze. "Wait... what?"
"I said good." Pink finally met her gaze, a wicked smile tugging at her lips. "Maybe next time she won't be so lucky."
"You don't mean that."
Pink turned, eyes sharp and disdain "Honestly, I wish that vampire had sunk its teeth in deeper. Maybe then, I wouldn't have to see her face again."
Clary's voice dropped, filled with quiet disbelief. "Seriously, Pink? She messed up, yeah, but she's still our friend. And this? All over Jesse?"
Pink stiffened. "What did you just say?"
"I… I mean, come on," Clary said carefully.
Pink narrowed her eyes, stepped closer.
"Jesse is mine." She hissed "And no one, I mean no one is going to take him away from me."
Then she turned and stormed out, leaving the air charged with jealousy.