The new school week began and all everyone could talk about was Catalina transferring to an all vampire school. The "official" reason: a family decision to immerse her into vampire society.
"Tsk," Theo sucked at his teeth. What a load of crap. He knew she'd switched schools after their fight the previous week. Catalina was cornered, and Theo was ready to expose her, even if it meant his own arrest.
"Theo, you don't appear particularly upset about Catalina's transfer…" Alexandru sighed and shrugged his shoulders before going on. "Something tells me you know why she split, but I'm not gonna ask. I've seen Catalina do some terrible things, so I prefer not to spoil any good memories I have of her."
Theo's glare and tightened jawline softened up a bit as he exhaled. "It was probably for the best, anyway."
"Yeah…well, now we don't have a girl in the group, so it's about to get really masculine around here…Am I right?" Alexandru chuckled.
Rika took a seat right next to him. She slid her glasses down, judging Alexandru for his comment. "Masculine, huh?"
Alexandru jumped up out of his seat like a startled cat. "What are you doing here?!"
Rika chomped into her apple and talked with her mouth full. "Oh, relax! You act like a wooden stake just took a seat next to you…Or is that even a thing?" Rika chuckled at her own joke and continued, "My lunch period is boring and I have some juicy details to wring out of Theo."
Caught off guard, Theo sat up straight, wondering whether to run.
"Now, now Theo…relax," Rika continued as she took another bite. "Did you tell her?"
"Tell who, what now?" Theo questioned, confused.
Rika stood up, slamming her apple onto the table. "Did you tell her how you feel?! How can you save a girl, setting yourself up for one of the most romantic gestures, and fail to mention how you feel, sir?!"
Theo sank down like a dog with his tail between his legs. "Well...it didn't seem like the right time," Theo mumbled, his gaze darting nervously to Alexandru, a silent plea for escape etched on his face.
"I'm going to have Rika fill me in on the details later, but she's right, bro. You're going to have to tell Colette how you feel… Between how dense she is and how difficult you are, you two will never be an actual couple."
Rika nodded her head in agreement. "Listen Theo, I'll only say this once. If you don't let her know how you feel, someone else might beat you to the punch one of these days," she lectured as she shrugged. "The winter festival is in a few weeks…take advantage of the ambiance," she winked and she stood up from the table. "And for the record, this is my new lunch period, so you can save that masculine energy." Rika gestured with quotation fingers as she walked off.
"What did we get ourselves into?!" Alexandru pressured Theo, "Text the group chat now and make sure you get things settled with your date!"
Theo groaned, "yeah I guess." He drafted the text a few times over before finally hitting the send button. Would it even be a date if all four of us were there?
After school, Theo made his way over to the library to check on Colette. He wanted to make sure she wasn't overdoing it on her first day back at school. He was sure, as usual, that she would go overboard.
A quick glance through the doorway revealed her arranging books, the quiet precision of her movements a familiar sight. In a way that was difficult to explain, her reappearance in the library brought with it an unexpected sense of reassurance and peace. Her cheeks bloomed with a healthy pink, her eyes shone bright and clear, and her usual cheerful demeanor returned.
"Back at it already, huh?" Theo teased as he approached Colette.
"All that trouble would have been in vain if I couldn't go back to what I do best," she contested.
"Well…just don't overdo it," he advised, surveying the books she was returning. To lend a hand, he chose one and lifted it. "This goes up here, right?"
Colette's eyes inadvertently scanned Theo as he smoothly slid the book into the shelf. She knew Theo was attractive, but the incessant thoughts became overwhelming. His crimson red hair, with its vibrant scarlet highlights, contrasted sharply with his pale skin. The more she gazed into his eyes, the more she saw not just redness, but deep hues of ruby and garnet swirling within, each shade a complex depth of color.
What am I even thinking right now? She thought as she inserted a book from the carrier into the space on the shelf.
"Colette…isn't that the wrong spot?" Theo questioned, raising his eyebrow in confusion. "I think that's for this book," he closed the gap between them, reaching into the carrier basket she was using to hold the books.
H-He's too close!, she thought as she gasped, tripping backwards, grabbing onto his wrist to prevent the fall. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for impact as she fell backward, the resounding thud of the books hitting the floor shaking the room. As she opened her eyes, Theo knelt before her, his own eyes wide and filled with a mixture of shock and concern from the sudden drop. To lessen the impact of her fall, his hands cushioned her back and thighs.
Ba-dump, Ba-dump, Ba-dump. The sound of her racing heart was like thunder in Theo's ears; her cheeks, burning with a fierce heat, bloomed with a mix of red and pink. She habitually held her breath in these situations, but her reaction changed. With a deep breath, she moved closer, as if beckoning him to do the same.
Theo, flustered by her actions, wondered if she was serious. He inched closer, testing the waters, but she played along. Oh…she's being serious, he thought. Just as his lips were about to touch hers, a group of boisterous students burst through the doors shattering the hushed silence of the library.
In a flash, they sprang up, snatching the books with a flurry of motion before anyone could see them. Throughout the aisles, a recognizable voice rang out.
"Hey, Colette! We have a book report to work on!" A roar escaped Rika before she stopped when they encountered each other. Despite the chaos of scattered books, she noticed their faces; beet red and slightly sweaty from the exertion of picking up the books. She quietly went to help with the books, then said to Theo, "You didn't waste any time, huh?"
"What's that supposed to mean?," Colette interrogated, annoyed.
"All in due time," Rika snickered. "So, are we all going to the Winter festival, or what?"
"Didn't you just say you needed a book for the report?"
"Yeah, yeah…my classmates will choose on our behalf." She retorted, waving her hand in dismissal. "Besides, priorities Colette."
Colette sighed, "My parents are under this assumption that I'll spontaneously combust at any moment so, they might give me a hard time about going…But, I'll ask."
"Just say you knight in shining armor is going…I'm sure they'll sign the permission slip right away." Rika exaggerated poking fun at the pair.
"Okay, okay. Enough out of you," Colette balked as she guided Rika to the check-out desk. "I'll take that book so you can head out," she said to Theo with a blush. "I'll fill you in on what my folks say later."
The insistent fluttering of Colette's heart was impossible to ignore on her walk home. She tried to convince herself that the recent events clouded her judgment. But she knew better. Her feelings for him were becoming real.
She let out a sharp exhale in frustration when she reached the entrance of her house. What about the retirement planning? …It's not like I can ask an immortal being to retire with me. With apprehension, she pictured her eighty-year-old self enjoying retirement, cared for by Theo. This wasn't exactly her idea of a long-term romance. With a defeatist attitude, she compared herself to Catalina. Despite her wicked personality, the gorgeous vampire likely had more to offer him.
As Colette approached her home, she swiftly adjusted her mental state. She wanted a clear head to persuade her parents to let her attend the festival. Colette scanned the area and saw that only her mom was home. Apparently, her father was going to be working a late shift.
She considered the probability of getting her mom's permission to go. Plopping herself onto the couch, she landed next to her mother. She gently laid her head to rest on her mother's shoulder and asked, "So, how was your day, mom?"
"Oh, you know…just another day. How was school?"
"It was good. Uneventful," she muttered hesitantly, remembering the events in the library. Suddenly, her heart raced again. Ignoring her racing heart, she asked her mother, "Mom, could I go to the winter festival in a few weeks? I know I just got out of the hospital, but I promise I'll do my schoolwork and stay out of trouble!"
She couldn't help but hold her breath, worried that her mom would say no.
Natalie raised her eyebrow and smirked. "Is your boyfriend going to be there with you?"
Flabbergasted, Colette almost choked on her own spit. "W-What?! Who are you talking about?"
Natalie chortled. "Who else? Theo, of course."
Colette was utterly dumbfounded. As she regained her wits, she responded, "Mom, he's not my boyfriend…Besides, he's a vampire and I'm a human…"
"And?" Natalie countered. "You can say what you want, but I approve of your boyfriend." She smiled devilishly and continued, "You can go to the festival with Theo."
Colette sprang up off the couch. "For the record, I'm going to the festival with Rika, Alexandru, and Theo!"
"Sure thing…" Natalie winked and shifted her attention to the television.
"Thanks mom!" Colette ran off, launching herself onto her bed. With a mix of excitement and mortification, she texted the group: Permission slip signed!