"She's looking," Nora whispered to herself, sharply turning to another direction. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
It wasn't just the way Adel had looked at her, it was what was behind Adel's gaze. They looked very calculating as if she were sizing her up, deciding something.
Jaytee had left that moment the bell rang, his movements stiff, his shoulders tense. He hadn't looked back, hadn't even acknowledged Adel's presence. But Adel had watched him. He moved before he could stop himself. His focus was sharp, locked on Adel.
She had barely taken three steps out of the classroom when he reached her. Without hesitation, he grabbed her arm, dragging her into the nearest empty hallway.
She didn't resist. She didn't shake.
"I was wondering how long it would take you." she let him push her against the wall, her eyes were with amusement like she knew he was coming.
Jaytee's jaw clenched. "Why are you here?"
"Is this how you welcome your mom?... come on, give me a hug… it has been ages already" she said, opening her arms like a welcome way to embrace his hug but then he shoved her off, his red eyes showing in anger.
"Ok…ok.. you already know why," Adel stated.
His fingers tightened around her wrist before he forced himself to let go. "You don't belong here."
"And you do?" she shot back, smoothing the nonexistent wrinkles from her sleeve. "Look at you, Mateo… oops, Jaytee" she playfully stated, "Playing pretends. High school? Class projects? Do you think this is your life?"
Jaytee's teeth ground together.
This was exactly why he didn't want her here.
She was a ghost from a past he was trying to run away from. A reminder of everything he had buried years ago, of self-control and discipline.
Adel sighed, crossing her arms as she leaned against the wall, unbothered by his glare. "We both know you're running. But you can't run forever. You have responsibilities, Mateo."
"I don't need a reminder," he said sharply.
Adel's smirked angrily "Clearly, you do. You've spent too much time pretending to be human. You're starting to believe your lie."
His hands curled into fists at his sides. "What do you want from me?"
Her expression darkened, the amusement fading into something more serious. "I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to protect you."
Jaytee let out a humorless laugh. "Protect me?" He took a step closer, lowering his voice to a dangerous whisper. "You're the last person I need protection from."
Adel's eyes flickered. "You still don't get it, do you?" He didn't respond.
Adel exhaled, shaking her head. "They're looking for you, Mateo. We need you, your father needs you, you can't stay hidden forever."
Something cold slithered down his spine, but he didn't let it show. "Who?"
She leaned in slightly, her voice barely above a whisper. "You already know who."
Jaytee remained silent.
Adel studied him for a moment before sighing. "Like it or not, I'm staying. And sooner or later, you'll have to remember who you are. Sooner you'll be left with no choice but to come with me"
With that, she pushed past him, disappearing into the crowd of students.
Jaytee stood frozen for a moment, his thoughts were tangled and twisted.
He had spent years building this life, building out a fragile existence where no one knew who, or what he really was.
But now, his mother was here.
And everything was about to come crashing down.
Emma had stood all this while, listening to their conversation, she had never been one to pry.
Okay, that was a lie. She loved drama.
So when she overheard Jaytee and Adel's conversation from the other side of the hallway, she didn't even feel guilty about staying hidden and listening.
She barely understood half of what they were saying, but one thing was clear, there was history between them. And not the good kind.
Jaytee, who barely showed emotion, had been furious.
Adel, on the other hand, had been… in control. Funny thing, she was a new student.
Like she knew exactly what buttons to push.
Emma knew she had to tell Nora.
Emma couldn't sit still. She practically dragged Nora to their usual table, leaning in as she whispered, "I have tea."
Nora arched an eyebrow, chewing her food lazily. "I'm listening."
Emma glanced around dramatically before lowering her voice. "I heard Jaytee and Adel talking. And it wasn't normal."
Nora put down her fork, suddenly more interested. "What do you mean?"
"I mean they know each other. Like, know each other. And whatever their history is, it's bad."
Nora turned to where Jaytee sat at the far end of the cafeteria. He wasn't eating, just staring out the window with a distant look in his eyes. Adel, on the other hand, was sitting across the room, surrounded by people but somehow still separate from them.
Nora's gut told her Emma wasn't wrong. "You were eavesdropping in some discussions again Emma!" Nora scolded Emma who looked very settled and unbothered by her actions.
Something was going on. And she was going to find out what.
The scent of blood filled the air. The night was cold, the moon a sliver of silver above him.
Matteo's small feet barely made a sound as he walked through the woods.
"Faster. Keep going." his father said. Behind him, voices. Shouting.
He had been running for years. Hiding. Fighting the instincts that clawed at his mind.
His father had told him that control was everything. That they weren't monsters. That they didn't have to be.
But the hunger burned. It always burned.
He stumbled, his knees hitting the forest floor. A sharp pain shot through his leg, but he forced himself up. His mother had been different.
She had loved him despite it all, whispering lullabies in a language he barely remembered. She had smoothed his hair and kissed his forehead, telling him he was not a monster.
But love hadn't saved her. They had been caught. His father had fought.
Matteo had to run, he had to run to Jaytee, different persons, different centuries.
And he had never stopped running since.
Now, standing in a high school hallway, surrounded by humans who had no idea what he was, Matteo realized he had spent his entire life pretending to be something he wasn't.
Was he Matteo anymore? For him, He was Jaytee.
Jaytee was ready to fight anyone who tried to bring back his past.
But was he ready to fight his mom?