《The Beautiful Monster》 Chapter 1 - Break The Mold Returning to Ond University for her sophomore year of college was bittersweet for Alyssa. Her freshman year was a time of exploration and slight panic as she found her footing in the adult world. Everything was so unfamiliar and new, but it was better than being stuck at home. She had her worries abouting back, though. As a Biological Sciences major, the sses were going to only grow harder and their demand for work would be higher. She even watched people drop out in their freshman year because of being overwhelmed and burnt out. If she failed, she''d have to go back home and be just as disappointing as her parents. She wanted to be better, to be more than the example she saw growing up. Fighting her way through this bachelor''s degree to get to medical school was her chance to finally break the mold. If she could handle the pressure. After shutting the door to her single dorm room, Alyssa strode down the hallway of her dorm building to head to her first ss of the day. Psychology was just an elective that she needed to take to reach her course hours, but she found the topic interesting. Even when she was little, school was always her strong suit. It was the only thing that she felt confident in. She was no good at sports, art, or music. She couldn''t sing, dance, or take beautiful photos. Acing her sses and being able to retain information were her only strengths. At least it granted her a full schrship. She wouldn''t have had enough money to go to college without it, and she needed to get out of her parents'' house and make something of herself. Psychology 101 was in a huge lecture hall with around 200 people. It wowed her during her freshman year that a ss could contain so many people. Her high school sses had only 30 people at most. College was a whole differentndscape, one that she was still trying to grasp and navigate. Since it was the first day of ss, Alyssa paused near the top of the staggered auditoriumyout to decide on a seat. She gazed down at a sea of people in theater-style seats. She didn''t like sitting right in the front. That was way too much attention that she wasn''t looking to draw to herself. She didn''t want to sit in the back either with the obnoxious people. She chose the third row near the middle and sat down in front of two chatty girls. She could tell they were from one of the school''s sororities because of their matching pastel green t-shirts with the white swirly letters of "KDP" on them. Sororities weren''t really her thing. Way too many rules and not enough privacy. That was a big reason why she chose a single dorm this year. Alyssa set down her book bag between her white sneakers before fishing out a purple pen and her notebook. She figured she could try to look for an on campus job so that she could buy a smallptop. Everything was moving online nowadays, and she was tired of always having to use theputers in the library to do work. "I heard he''s so hot," one of the sorority girls said from the row behind Alyssa. "He''s like a decade older than you," the other oneughed out. "Plus, he''s our professor." Alyssa hadn''t heard anything about Dr. Pierce, their instructor for this ss. She wasn''t too in tune with Ond yet. The only person she interacted with a lot was her freshman dorm roommate, who decided to live at one of the sorority houses this year. Alyssa figured they wouldn''t be BFFs for life, but it still had been nice to hang out with someone. Now, she was back to square one of not really knowing anyone. Her sses were still a bit introductory, so she saw a lot of people that she would never interact with ever again. Maybe things would get betterter on in college in her smaller, more dedicated sses. Suddenly, one of the side doors leading to the front of the lecture hall near the stage swung open. A man in his mid-thirties strode through the open door with a leather messenger bag on his shoulder. His hair was short and light brown, and his lightly bearded face was adorned with ck-rimmed sses. "Well, hello there," the blonde sorority girl with shimmery pink gloss on her lips purred beneath her breath. Her brte friend giggled behind the thick body of her yellow Hydro sk. "He could teach me a thing or two." Alyssa narrowed her eyes slightly as she watched Dr. Pierce head over to a podium on the stage to set up hisptop. He did look good in his light blue button down and dark jeans, but she wasn''t drooling over him. Once slides for that day''s ss were projected onto arge screen behind Dr. Pierce, the lecture hall started to grow quiet as everyone prepared for today''s opening lecture. Dr. Pierce strode toward the front of the stage with a warm smile. "Wee, everyone, to Psych 101. I''m Dr. Pierce," he introduced himself. Alyssa thought that he already seemed like a pretty friendly andid back teacher. She hoped she learned a good bit in this ss. It would help her when she pursued pediatrics down the line. Being able to read people and make informed decisions about behavior and actions were important. "So, let''s talk about what this semester is going to be all about. What is psychology? Can someone tell me?" Dr. Pierce asked as he gazed around the lecture hall. Either no one knew or everyone was trying to still wake up since this was an early morning ss. Alyssa felt the answer on the tip of her tongue as she nced around to see no one making a move to answer. Her anxiety and her knowledge were shing, but she had one single moment of confidence. Chapter 2 - Teacher’s Pet Alyssa''s hand shot up. Dr. Pierce brightened up at the sight of someone finally wanting to participate. "Yes! You are?" Dr. Pierce asked as he smiled at her. "Alyssa," she said, trying to project her voice so that he could hear her but not sound like she was shouting either. She worried about the least important things. She could thank her anxiety for that, and then thank her parents for that. Her life was an unappealing domino effect. "Alyssa, thank you for being present this morning," Dr. Pierce replied as he gave the rest of the ss a yful re. "What is psychology?" "It''s kind of hard to exin it in simple terms because it''s such aplex area of study," Alyssa exined, internally pleading herself to not stumble over her words. She already felt like she was on the verge of breaking a sweat as everyone turned to look at her. "But it''s basically the study of the mind and of behavior." "''I think that''s a great, to-the-point exnation of this ss," Dr. Pierce said with an enthused nod. "Hope to hear more from you, Alyssa." Alyssa felt her face burn as she nodded and lowered her head a little. Pride flooded through her. She was just d that she didn''t mess up and make herself look like a fool. But all that happiness soon disappeared when she heard whispers behind her. "Teacher''s pet much?" the blonde girl huffed beneath her breath. "Answer the next question. Then, you''ll have his attention," the brte said. Alyssa felt a little stung at thement. She wasn''t a teacher''s pet. No one else would answer the question. She decided to shake thement off. Those girls wouldn''t even be a factor in her life in a few months when the semester was over anyway. Dr. Pierce continued on with his presentation, touching on the details of the course and what the ss would be learning throughout the semester. He paused on a slide about key terms of psychology. The words "behavior" and "mental processes" appeared on the slide. "Who can tell me the difference between these two words?" Dr. Pierce asked. Alyssa had taken psychology during her senior year of high school, so the information was still fairly fresh in her head. She thanked herself for being able to remember information so well. It would definitely help her in these general courses. "Answer," the brte whispered to the blonde. The blonde groaned before throwing her hand up and waving at Dr. Pierce. Dr. Pierce nodded to her. "Yes?" The blonde tossed her hair back behind her shoulder as she shed her white teeth at him. "I''m Kaleigh. I''m so excited for your ss," she said. Alyssa had to keep herself from rolling her eyes. And she was the teacher''s pet? She knew those sorority girls just wanted a private lesson with their teacher. They didn''t care about learning about anything regarding psychology from him. Dr. Pierce cracked an amused smile as he nodded. "Thank you. Do you know the answer?" he asked her. Kaleighughed awkwardly, like she was trying to fill the silence. "Um¡­ well, they''re kind of simr. I think mental processes are like your thoughts. Behavior is like what you do," Kaleigh replied as she fiddled with a piece of her blonde hair. She didn''t sound all that certain. Her friend nced at her warily. Dr. Pierce scratched at the back of his head as he gazed around the lecture hall. "Can anyone add to her point or rify it?" he asked. Alyssa felt another pull deep inside of her. She couldn''t help but feel a little petty for what those girls said earlier, and she knew the answer. But she didn''t want to stoop so low. She was better than that, right? Her hand shot up against her will. Dr. Pierce turned and spotted Alyssa. "Yes, Alyssa?" Dr. Pierce called on her. "We can''t observe mental processes, but we can observe behavior," Alyssa told him. She supposed Kaleigh hadn''t been entirely wrong, but she had given Dr. Pierce the answer that he was looking for. "Good exnation!" Dr. Pierce responded as he turned to tap on his keyboard. The definitions then appeared next to the words. "That bitch¡­" Kaleigh growled under her breath. A frown crossed Alyssa''s face as she lowered her head. She shouldn''t have done that. She was supposed to just be shutting up and listening, not ying into this petty game. She internally chastised herself, wishing she could take it back. She wasn''t trying to make enemies. She had enough of those back in high school, even if she hadn''t done anything to make them. She remained silent for the rest of ss. Thankfully, Dr. Pierce didn''t ask many more questions and other people jumped in to answer. She could hear the girls whispering behind her, but she couldn''t make out the words. She hoped this would blow over. "I''ll see you next ss! Be sure to look over your sybus!" Dr. Pierce announced once ss ended. While others made a beeline to the stage to meet Dr. Pierce, Alyssa hurriedly tucked her things away and slipped her grey and ck book bag on. She hastily yanked out the strands of her red hair that got trapped between her bag and her back. She was ready to get out of here and deal with her next ss. She believed it was general microbiology. She heardughing, prompting her to nce behind her and meet Kaleigh''s eyes. Ice cold blue. She wasn''t a friendly face, especially after being humiliated in front of the professor she was drooling over. Kaleigh sneered at Alyssa before motioning for her friend to follow her out of the row. Alyssa felt a sinking feeling in her stomach as she watched them walk off. She messed with the wrong person. On her first day. It felt like high school all over again. She thought that she had left this all in the past, but some things didn''t change. Some things threatened to haunt her forever. Chapter 3 - First Sight After psychology and general microbiology, organic chemistry was herst ss of the day. Paired with its three-hourb, she dragged herself out of the ssroom at around four o''clock that day. Even if all of her sses just went over the sybus or one little PowerPoint presentation, it was still a lot of information to absorb. She also had two more sses to attend for the first time tomorrow, which was more to add to her workload. She hoped she could find the motivation that she needed to get through this semester and tackle all of the working her way. She couldn''t stumble and fall in her second year. She had many left to go through. Psychology would definitely be a cushion for her GPA because microbiology and organic chemistry threatened to squash it with all of their hard work and exams. She already knew that she would have to study more than she ever had before to pass those sses, but she would be one step closer to getting her bachelor''s. This was nothingpared to the hell that medical school would be, but it was the hell that she preferred, as opposed to going back home. At least she could possibly make a difference going through all of this. Her goal was to be a pediatrician and to help children. She hade to realize how important her childhood years were. They were so formative, so influential. Great care and open conversations were so important, and she got the mediocre version of both. She wanted to be better for other children. Alyssa walked into the main building on campus, which had the bookstore, a few fast food ces, the cafeteria, and a study lounge. Students crisscrossed through the building, rushing to ss or finding something to eat. It was the hub for everyone. She figured she could grab a bite to eat in the cafeteria with her meal n before heading back to her dorm to work on her nner. Keeping organized made her feel as calm as she could possibly make herself. It was a good distraction too as so many other girls on her same hallway hung out with their friends or got ready to go out and have fun. She needed a friend. College was one part of her very long life, and she didn''t want it to be totally miserable. She wanted to tease at the outskirts of herfort zone. A little. Nothing crazy. She just wanted to make memories, and it was hard to do that on her own. If she told her parents this, they would just scoff and tell her to go talk to people. That was how to make friends. Alyssa wished she could make them understand that it was far harder than that. People hardly went out of their way to talk to strangers anymore. It was odd. She wouldn''t be able to exin that to them, though. Alyssa swiped her card at the entrance of therge cafeteria before heading inside. Many tables were full of people who sat with their friends or partners. Smaller tables were against the back wall for people eating alone. That was where she''d be at. There was so much to choose from in the cafeteria that she had a hard time deciding on what to eat. There was pizza,fort food, sd, sushi, vegetarian food, and burgers. She opted for a crab roll at the sushi station. After grabbing a ss of strawberry Fanta to drink, she walked to thest small table along the wall and sat down to get started on her early dinner. That side of the cafeteria was fairly empty. She popped her earbuds into her ears and put some music on while she grappled with her sushi with her chopsticks. At least the food here was good. With the melodic sound of guitar in her ears, she ate alone, not even bothering to notice anything around her until she spotted a sh of ck. Alyssa nced up to see a slightly older guy sit down at one of the small tables a few feet away from her. Usually, she''d go about her business, but something about him captured her attention. Maybe it was because he was incredibly cute. Chapter 4 - The Mysterious Boy His hair was ck and cut short with a slightly shaggy look to it. It fell into his face slightly as he hovered over a te of grilled chicken and vegetables. He wore a ck button down with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and dark, fitted pants. A silver ne hung around his neck. He looked like someone her parents would tell her to avoid at all costs. Even if he was peacefully eating, he had a reckless look to him. Why was it that the things she needed to run from lured her in the most? Maybe she wanted to get back at her parents. Maybe she wanted the risk. The boy suddenly nced up toward her, and his eyes locked onto hers. Alyssa knew that she needed to look away immediately to spare herself some of the embarrassment of getting caught staring at him, but she couldn''t even budge for a few seconds. It was like his brown eyes grasped her, refusing to let go. The side of his mouth curled up in the faintest of smiles as he peered at her. He almost looked amused before he nced away from her. Just like that, the trance felt broken. Alyssa could move again. Her eyes shot down to the few pieces of sushi that she had left. Suddenly, she wasn''t all that hungry anymore. She felt a pull to look up at him again and see if he was looking at her, but she told herself to resist the urge. She didn''t want to seem weird. She almost felt like she had to fan herself. Heat spread across her cheeks as she poked at her sushi, trying to act normal. She could admit that she was awkward, but a single interaction with a stranger had never affected her like this before. It weirded her out, and she decided to abandon her dinner and leave before she did anything else that was awkward. She stood from the table, slung on her book bag, grabbed her te and her cup, and then started walking. Unfortunately, she had to walk past his table to get to the te and garbage disposal. She kept her head down, but she knew that she couldn''t trust herself. Her eyes strayed to his once she got close, and her arms suddenly felt weak. Her grip on her te loosened, and one of her chopsticks rolled off the edge. She gasped as she watched it drop, embarrassment already flooding through her. To her shock, the boy suddenly reached forward and snatched the chopstick out of the air. He did it with such speed and ease that Alyssa thought she imagined seeing him catch it. The boy dropped the chopstick down on her te with a small grin. "Careful now," he said. Alyssa could only stare into his eyes and nod. She did need to be more careful. She could''ve spilled her drink on him by ident or dumped her sushi on the floor. That was a mess that she did not want to clean up. She could only handle so much embarrassment at one time. "Thanks," she said before hurrying away from him before she dropped everything in her hands. Every curse and insult to herself ran through her mind as she put her things up. Did she have to be so awful in public? Yeah, the guy was really cute and a little mysterious, but that didn''t mean she had to freak out. She almost felt like she hardly had any control over her body, like she was weak to him. No other guy had ever caught her eye like him, and she didn''t even know his name. She would probably never see him again either. Alyssa couldn''t help but feel a bit sad at that thought. Everyone else just breezed by her. He was one of the few who stuck out to her, but he was gone in the breeze too. It all happened so fast, but what was she supposed to do? Strike up a conversation after she just embarrassed herself? She wasn''t bold like that. She could tell this year was already going to be a long one. She thought freshman year was tough, but this one was itching to prove itself as a worthy contender. Day one was over, but she felt the exhaustion of a full week. Hopefully, the next day would be better. She counted on that. Chapter 5 - Same Class The next day flew by way faster than Monday. With only two sses on Tuesday, Alyssa had more free time to walk around campus or prepare herself for Wednesday and its three sses. At least she got to start her day off easy with psychology before diving into her harder courses. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, she took world literature and philosophy. At least she was getting her basic electives out of the way. For herst two years, she wanted to mainly focus on her major and preparing herself for medical school. It would arrive before she knew it. Alyssa paused at the door to the ssroom for her psychology ss. She remembered what happened the other day with the sorority girls and winced. Maybe they forgot about her orughed about it over the weekend. Maybe there was nothing to worry about. She walked down the aisle toward the third row, catching a familiar sight of blonde and brown hair. Of course, her luck was rotten. They were already seated behind her, and they soon spotted her. Kaleigh and her friend watched Alyssa sit down before whispering to each other again. All they seemed to know how to do was gossip and make fun of other people. Alyssa felt her seat get kicked from behind, making her jostle a little. She clenched her jaw. Part of her wanted to say something. A bigger part of her told her to not engage them and just ignore them. All they wanted was attention. They wanted a funny story to tell their friends, and she wasn''t going to give them that. She straightened up in her seat and started grabbing her notebook and pen for the day. She would actually have to take detailed notes today since they were diving into the first chapter. Of course, she already read itst night to get brushed up. Deep down, maybe she just wanted to make sure she knew the answer to any question that was asked. But she wasn''t actually that petty. She could just internally act like it. "Who is that?" Kaleigh asked her friend. Alyssa was going to ignore them until she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head and felt her heart nearly drop into her stomach at the sight of the dark-haired boy from yesterday sitting down in the row in front of her. He was only a few seats away. So close. What was he doing here? He hadn''t been in ss the other day. She surely would''ve noticed him like how she had noticed him in the cafeteria. Her heart started racing uncontrobly as she stared at the back of his head. Did he even know she was there? As if he could hear her thoughts, the boy nced over his shoulder toward her. Alyssa actually looked away in time this time, shielding her face behind her notebook as she pretended to look in it. She wasn''t about to act like a fool in front of even more people this time. "I usually don''t like dark haired and brooding, but damn," Kaleigh''s friend muttered. "Olivia!" Kaleighughed out. The boy seemed to smirk before turning back forward. He draped his arm over the top of the seat next to him. He was far more rxed and casual than Alyssa was, like nothing in the world could bother him. Alyssa always wondered how people could be like that. How did they not wrestle with anxiety over the littlest thing? It amazed her, and she was a bit jealous. She lowered her notebook and tried to focus once Dr. Pierce strode into the lecture hall and dove into his lecture. It was fascinating information. She learned way more in that lesson than her entire high school psychology course, but it was also so hard to concentrate with the boy being so close to her. She couldn''t help but want to know his name and why he suddenly enrolled in this ss. She wondered what someone like him would want to major in. "Partner up with the person closest to you! Talk about the contemporary approaches to psychology," Dr. Pierce announced. Alyssa''s eyes shifted to the boy, but another guy sitting next to him already imed him as a partner. She felt a slight pang of disappointment, but she shook it off. Why was she caught up with this guy? He smiled at her once. That was all. Chapter 6 - New Friend Alyssa shook those thoughts away and focused on how much she didn''t like pairing up with partners or groups. It was always so awkward, and she hardly ever had friends in her sses that she could choose. She was always left out. "Hey! You! Let''s group up," a girl''s voice suddenly sounded from Alyssa''s left. Alyssa turned to see a girl with short, purple-tinted hair skipping down a few seats to sit next to her. "Oh, sure," Alyssa replied, feeling relieved that she didn''t have to awkwardly look around for a partner until someone took pity on her. "I''m Zoe," the girl introduced herself. She wore a id ck and grey skirt with a fitted white top. ckbat boots and white tights adorned her feet and legs. She owned her look with a confidence that Alyssa would die for. She really only wore skinny jeans and T-shirts. Fashion wasn''t something she waspletely familiar with, and she was afraid to experiment and look weird. She really liked Zoe''s style. "Alyssa," she replied with a polite smile. "I like your outfit." Zoe brightened up at that and grabbed the ends of her skirt to re it out more. "Thanks! My parents would have a heart attack if they saw me wearing this," sheughed out. Alyssa cracked an amused smile, knowing exactly where Zoe wasing from. Her own parents were strict about things that didn''t even matter. When she did need them to care about something, they hardly showed any interest. "So would mine. They don''t know anything about modern style. I mean, neither do I, though," Alyssa admitted. Zoe''s brown eyes drifted over Alyssa''s figure for a few moments. "You would rock this ck skater dress I have," she replied. Alyssa couldn''t remember thest time she wore a dress. Maybe it was high school graduation under her gown, but it was some thrifted white dress that her mom made her wear. "I need to go shopping," Alyssa said. It had been a while since she treated herself, but she needed to find a job first. She only had so much left over from her summer job. "We should go sometime," Zoe offered with a friendly smile. Alyssa blinked in surprise as she gazed in Zoe. She just met this girl and Zoe already wanted to hang out outside of ss? How did she have the confidence to just ask that? Alyssa couldn''t help but admire her even more for that. "I''d really like that," Alyssa said with a nod. Maybe this year wouldn''t be that bad after all. Her eyes then strayed to the boy when she heard his voice. It was deep and smooth, like a rolling wave. "Do you know Elias?" Zoe asked her. Alyssa turned to give Zoe a confused look. "Who?" she replied. Zoe nodded to the boy. "Elias. You were looking at him like you know him." Alyssa shook her head as she awkwardly pushed a strand of her red hair away from her face. She hadn''t meant to stare like that. Her curiosity got the best of her once again. This guy was making her not trust herself. "I just saw him in the cafeteria the other day," she replied. "Do you know him?" "I had him in my English 101 ssst year," Zoe exined. "Is he a sophomore too?" Alyssa asked. He looked like he was a little older. Zoe shook her head. "He started a yearter than everyone else. I think he said something about dealing with family," Zoe replied. Alyssa wondered if he had family issues too. That could be a rich talking point for them. "He seems¡­ cool," she said. She didn''t even know how to describe him. He just seemed like himself, even if she didn''t know him. It was strange. Zoe cracked a smile and nodded. "You should get to know him," Zoe replied. "I can introduce you." Alyssa immediately shook her head. There would be an awkward moment when they both thought about the other day in the cafeteria, and she didn''t want to add onto that awkwardness. If they were destined to get to know each other, they''d find themselves together again. She was leaving that up to the universe so that she didn''t go out of her way to embarrass herself again. "It''s fine," she assured Zoe. "I''m guessing no one is actually talking about what we''re supposed to." Augh rang out from Zoe. "I think we''re all treating this like a break," she replied. Alyssa didn''t mind that. She was still reeling from the fact that Elias was in her ss. She would have to see him every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the rest of the semester. The thought of that excited her, but it made her nervous too. Chapter 7 - Nosy Alyssa didn''t know what she would do if he actually started talking to her. Though, she doubted that he would want to in the first ce. Who wanted to be friends with that awkward girl? If he talked to her, he would probably just ask for an answer to a question or a pen. Even the thought of that made her heart race, which was sad. "Hey, here''s my number. Feel free to text me when you want to head to the mall," Zoe said, breaking through Alyssa''s thoughts. She ced a torn piece of notebook paper on Alyssa''s writing table attached to her seat. Alyssa was even more shocked at the realization that Zoe was actually serious about shopping together. So many people "made ns" and never acted on them. They made mock ns merely to be kind, but it seemed like Zoe was actually very genuine. "Yeah, definitely. Thanks," Alyssa told her. She meant her gratitude. She would say more, but she didn''t want toe off that desperate. Thest thing that she wanted to do was scare Zoe away. "So, what''s your major? Do you even need this ss?" Zoe asked as she leaned back in her seat. "Biological sciences. It''s just an elective. What about you?" Alyssa replied. It didn''t seem like Zoe was all that interested in the ss, so she guessed that this was an elective for Zoe too. For most people, it was, unless they were psychology majors. "Journalism! I''m nosy," Zoeughed out. Augh broke from Alyssa. That felt good. She hadn''t had such a good conversation with someone in a while. "But you can get paid for being nosy now," Alyssa pointed out. She couldn''t imagine being a journalist and having to ask so many questions to so many people. She knew that she would have to talk a lot as a pediatrician, but her patients would be children. They weren''t intimidating to be around, and she wanted to help them. Her drive to do that overtook her fear of socializing. Plus, she figured she''d get over her awkwardness by then. "Isn''t that awesome? What do you hope to be paid for?" Zoe asked as she nudged Alyssa. "Saving kids'' lives," Alyssa replied with a smile. It felt good to say that. She hoped that she''d be able to do that. Most of the time, it wouldn''t be dire situations, but maybe she could diagnose something important just in time and save that kid''s life. "Dude, that makes mine look some! You''re going to be a doctor?" Zoe asked. Alyssa nodded. When she told her parents that she was going to school to be a doctor, they might as well haveughed in her face. They doubted that she was going to be able to actually make it through college, but she was determined to prove them wrong. She would prove everyone wrong. "I want to make a difference, you know? You can too," Alyssa replied. Zoe''s work was important. She informed the public, and there was nothing more important than information. "You''re right," Zoe said. She perked up. "Alright, let''s regroup and have a discussion," Dr. Pierce announced. "I''m just going to sit here if that''s okay," Zoe told Alyssa as she motioned to the seat that she took. "Of course," Alyssa replied immediately. In case there were any other group assignments or discussions, she could pair with Zoe again instead of some stranger. Having a friend would drastically improve her semester, which was threatening to kill her already. However, she knew that as long as her motivations were stronger than her exhaustion and fear, she would be okay. Every positive thing, even if it was small, gave her a little more motivation to tackle the hardships ahead. She just had no idea about how bad they would be. Chapter 8 - Encounter Thankfully, the library stayed opente. Alyssa had a few assignments she needed to work on using the desktops on the second floor. She didn''t feel so embarrassed about not having aputer of her own since there were a lot of people that used the library''sputers. Theputer section bordered the study area, which was littered with tables for people to sit at and use. Light chatter filled the space, along with the faint sounds of keyboards tapping and mouses clicking. It was a perfect atmosphere for working, and Alyssa was flying through her assignments. Organic chemistry gave her the most homework, which was time consuming and headache inducing, but she was figuring things out fine on her own. She definitely needed to study good at test time, though. These weren''t the kind of sses she could zone out during and expect to pass. She also wanted to get a lot of work done during this week so that she could have a clear schedule for this weekend. Maybe Zoe would want to go shopping then. The thought brought a smile to her face as she continued to flip through her organic chemistry textbook for the answers she needed. As long as she stayed on top of her work, it would be fine to take some time to hang out with any friends she made. She could even look for a club to join and an on campus job to work at. She knew how to be productive. She just didn''t need to overwhelm herself. So many people took on too much during college, wanting to do anything and everything with their newfound freedom. They stressed themselves out and drove themselves to giving up on everything. She didn''t want to get to that point. Things were peaceful and productive until she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Someone was behind her. She tore her eyes away from her book and turned in her seat to see Kaleigh and Olivia standing behind her. They were up to no good. They didn''t even have to say anything for Alyssa to already know that. "Can I help you?" Alyssa forced the words out. She would have rathered to turn back around and ignore them, but she knew that wouldn''t be possible. They obviously had something that they wanted to say to her. "I didn''t appreciate what you did on the first day of ss," Kaleighmented as she chewed on a piece of mint gum. Alyssa nced between them. They had their backpacks and coffee from the caf¨¦ on the first floor in their hands. They were here to study. They must''ve seen her and decided to be bold. They wouldn''t get in trouble if they said anything to her here. "I don''t know what you''re talking about," she said. Maybe she had an idea, but she wasn''t about to add fuel to the fire. It was better to act clueless than to further incite her. She wanted this conversation to be over with as quickly as possible before it escted. "Don''t act dumb. You embarrassed me in front of Dr. Pierce," Kaleigh snapped. Alyssa felt embarrassment flush through her as her eyes shifted around to see some people ncing her way. Kaleigh was making a scene in front of everyone. Couldn''t they have talked about this in private where no one else could listen in? Then again, Kaleigh did seem like an attention seeker. "All I did was answer a question," Alyssa defended herself. At the end of the day, that was all she did. It wasn''t her fault that Kaleigh didn''t know the answer. "You were being a smartass," Olivia joined in with her hand on her hip. Alyssa looked between them helplessly. She knew that she shouldn''t have said anything that day. Now, she was being bombarded with all of these insults, and all she wished she could do was curl up and disappear. "You''re lucky I didn''t call you out in ss," Kaleigh sneered. She was calling her out in the middle of a busy library. Was that any better? Alyssa wished that she would just let this go and move on with her life. They were college students. Their lives were already hard enough. Crushing on a professor shouldn''t have made Kaleigh want to be so difficult. "Look, I''m sorry you got embarrassed, but that''s not my problem," Alyssa said, feeling her heart start to race. Her chest grew tight as she stared at them. Couldn''t they just leave her alone? "What''s going on here?" A deep, familiar voice suddenly sounded behind Kaleigh and Olivia. Alyssa''s eyes widened in shock. It couldn''t possibly be him. A/N: Hy guys thank you for checking out my new book! Really appreciate it! Please if you like it kindly leave a review for me pretty please. Also don''t worry this book will be updating regrly from today! Thank you for your support Chapter 9 - Troublemaker Kaleigh and Olivia whipped around to face none other than Elias. They looked just as surprised as Alyssa to see him standing there with his arms crossed over his chest. "You''re new. Just letting her know that I don''t tolerate disrespect," Kaleigh replied as she turned back toward Alyssa to smirk at her. Alyssa felt her heart start to sink. Kaleigh was going to turn Elias against her. She wouldn''t even be surprised if Elias jumped in on the attack too. He didn''t exactly have the nicest look to him. With his dark eyes and lean muscr build, he looked more like a threat than anything. "You''re the only one being disrespectful," Elias replied, making everyone''s eyes widen. "Excuse me?" Kaleigh said as she narrowed her eyes. Alyssa could hardly hear over the rapid and loud beating of her heart. He actually stood up for her. He didn''t agree with her. She didn''t expect that at all, but then again, she didn''t know this guy. He could be anyone. "Walk away," Elias said in a firm tone. He towered over Kaleigh, and he wasn''t afraid to stare her down. Kaleigh parted her lips to argue, but something made her shut her mouth and hurry away with Olivia right behind her. Elias'' eyes followed the girls until they left the floor. He then turned to face Alyssa. That usual little smile of his quirked up on his lips. "Are you okay?" Elias asked. Alyssa nodded. Gratitude swelled in her chest to a nearly painful point. He didn''t have toe and check on her. He didn''t have to stand up for her. It didn''t benefit him at all, but he still did it. She couldn''t help but wonder why. "Thank you. Sorry if you were studying," she told him, figuring he had been working when all of thatmotion happened. Elias waved his hand dismissively as he moved to sit down in the seat next to her. He rested his backpack next to his ckbat boots. "I was just leaving. I couldn''t help but overhear," he exined. "Sounds like she has it out for you." Alyssa shook her head as she huffed. It was annoying how obsessive Kaleigh was being about this. She just had to prove that she was right. "She didn''t answer something right, and I did. She has the hots for Dr. Pierce," Alyssa replied. A softugh broke from Elias as he nodded his understanding. "Ah, I see. Well, she''ll have topete with like twenty other people," Elias said as he rested his arm against the table and angled his body toward her. Alyssa was surprised that he was still here. She figured he would''ve gone about his day by now, but he seemed like he wanted to stay and chat for a minute. Not that she minded that. "I guess people have their fantasies," she replied. Getting with her professor wasn''t one that she had in mind for herself. She wasn''t all that versed in sex. She hadn''t ever experienced it before. It nearly made her blush that she was thinking about it now while talking to him. "That isn''t one of yours?" Elias teased at her, shing his white teeth. Now, she was really blushing. Alyssa shook her head. Even if she was asked what her fantasies were, she wouldn''t even know what to say. "I''ll get an A the traditional way," she replied as she brushed her fingertips against the open page of her chemistry book. Chemistry was thest thing on her mind right now, especially with him grinning at her like that. The rest of the library seemed to fall away. "Since you actually study and do your work unlike the rest of us ckers, you''ll probably seed at that," Elias said as he nodded to her book. "I''ll let you get back to it." Alyssa knew that she needed to wrap this up, tell him goodbye, and get back to work. That was the responsible thing to do. But that wasn''t what she wanted to do deep down. She wanted to keep talking to him, to get to know him better because she only had a snapshot of who he was. "I''m actually done for the night," she blurted out. She even closed her book for good measure. It wasn''t like she was behind or anything. She could work a little extra tomorrow. Elias brightened up at that. He checked his phone for the time, which was around nine o''clock at night. "Well, if you''re not busy, we could grab some tea and chat," Elias suggested to her as he stood up and slung his backpack on. Alyssa wasn''t sure how he pulled off the cool and casual demeanor so well. He breezed through his movements like effortless air. It was hard not to admire. "Sure. That sounds nice," she told him before shutting off theputer she was using. Her night had taken a huge turn. She went from doing homework to hanging out with the cutest guy that had ever decided to talk to her. She struck luck somehow. Elias waited until she got her things before leading her toward the stairs that led to the first floor. "I''m Elias by the way," he said as he paused near the stairs to hold his hand out to her. Alyssa reached forward and took his hand, noting that his skin was cool to the touch. She wondered if he had an iron deficiency. "Alyssa," she introduced herself. She didn''t bother to mention the fact that she had already sort of gossipped about him with Zoe. Then again, there wasn''t much gossip since not much was known about Elias. Zoe just rmended that Alyssa get to know him since she had her eye on him. "Nice to meet you, troublemaker," Elias chuckled as their hands broke apart. Chapter 10 - Honey Lemon Alyssa rolled her eyes at him in a yful manner. An uncontroble smile tugged at her lips as they headed down the stairs together. He teased her in a way that didn''t make her ufortable or embarrassed. She couldn''t count how many times people had made jokes or teased her because she was quiet or smart. They did it in a way that was almost humiliating to her. He didn''t do that to her, though. He acted lighthearted and kind, but he had a bit of an intimidating edge to him. She saw that when he faced off with Kaleigh and Olivia. She didn''t want to get on his bad side. She enjoyed the side of him that she was seeing now and hoped she would see a lot more of it. "So, tea. Not coffee?" Alyssa asked Elias as they strode into Ond Caf¨¦. It was a small ce with bright golden lights, dark wood ents, and arge chalkboard menu behind the ordering counter. A few students lingered in the round tables scattered around the caf¨¦ as jazz music lightly sounded from the speakers. "Tea is better," Elias replied with a matter-of-fact shrug. "All I''ve had is ck tea," Alyssa said as she gazed at the chalkboard menu. There were all sorts of teas on the menu, including green tea, honey lemon tea, earl grey, and ginger tea. She had no idea which ones were good or not. She wasn''t that big of a tea drinker. Coffee had been her lifesaver during her freshman year. "You''d like the honey lemon. Sweet with a bit of a sharpness. Fitting, yeah?" Elias said as he nudged her. It was nice that he thought she had an edge to her. She wished that she actually had one, but that took boldness that she didn''t have. She was too nervous to always speak her mind. She didn''t know how to tell people off if they were getting on her nerves. She was soft. She was weak. "Fine. I''ll try your tea," Alyssa smirked before walking up to the ordering counter. "Can I have a honey lemon tea, please?" "Earl grey as well," Elias said as he handed the worker his debit card. "I can pay for my own," Alyssa told him. She didn''t want him to think he was obligated to pay for her drink. "You made my night interesting. The least I can do is pay for your tea you might hate," Elias said as he shed her a wink. Warmth flushed across Alyssa''s cheeks as she nodded. It was nice of him to pay for her tea. He was way nicer than he looked. "Thank you," she told him as they walked to the side to wait for their tea to be made. "I remember you from the cafeteria by the way," Elias said. "I''m good at remembering faces." "I was kind of hoping you didn''t," Alyssa replied. "Not a great first impression." Elias chuckled as he peered at her. His brown eyes didn''t seem so dark anymore. They were smooth and deep, luring her in. "Don''t worry. I thought it was cute," Elias assured her before stepping forward to take their teas from the barista. He handed her warm paper cup to her. "Cheers." Alyssa could only manage a smile. She was a bit flustered because he basically called her cute. But that didn''t actually mean anything, right? She was probably overthinking what he said. He just wanted to make her feel less bad about embarrassing herself. "Let''s take a walk," Elias told her as he motioned to the exit of the coffee shop. Alyssa nodded before following him out of the shop and library to walk down the street heading toward the heart of campus. She loved how campus looked at night. It was quiet and softly lit with white streetlights. A perfect, peaceful atmosphere. "Are you a psychology major?" Alyssa asked him. She felt like she had to ask. He seemed like he was good at reading people. "Business. Some sort of science for you?" Elias replied. Alyssa wasn''t expecting business. She wondered what prompted him to choose that major. He didn''t exactly look like the khaki pants or cks type of guy. "Biological sciences with a biomedical focus. Are you wanting to start a business or something?" Alyssa asked him. She figured he guessed right because of the organic chemistry book that she had open. No one would deal with that ss unless it was required of them. Chapter 11 - Open Book Elias shrugged as he tugged on the string to the tea bag in his cup. "Probably so. I''m just not sure yet," Elias replied. "Just going with the flow?" Alyssa asked with a small smile. It seemed like he was unsure of his future ns. Most people were like that, and Alyssa didn''t me them. Life could take them down all sorts of paths. Even if she had a n, who said that would actually pan out for her? "Something like that," Elias said as he returned the expression. He led her over to a lit up fountain near the middle of campus before pausing. Clear water softly gushed in an arc within the stone body of the fountain. He gestured to their tea. "Let''s try it out." Alyssa took a sip of her warm tea. Her eyes then widened at the sweet taste with a lemony undertone. It was delicate and smooth, making for a perfect rxing drink. "Okay, that''s actually good," she admitted before taking a longer sip. "See? The vor is so rich. I have a whole list of teas that you need to try," Elias told her excitedly before sipping on his. Alyssa didn''t expect a night of sipping on tea and chatting about whatever came to mind, but it was really nice. It was better than sitting alone in her dorm room. She couldn''t help but be proud of herself for putting herself out there like this. She had been nervous about it at first, but now she was just having fun. "What other random things are you a fan of?" Alyssa asked him. He seemed intensely passionate about certain things, but she liked that. So many people hardly had any interests or passions. She was d that she found so much passion in learning and pediatrics. She was hoping to develop more interests, though. "Pasta. Haunted houses. Whatever catches my eye," Elias chuckled before nodding to her. "What catches your eye?" The first thing that popped into Alyssa''s head was him, but she didn''t dare say that. He would somehow use that to charm her right back and make her a blushing mess. She was trying to keep her cool for the rest of the night. "I like horror movies," Alyssa said. It took her a moment to think of some random thing she really liked, but she remembered that she was always excited to watch thetest horror movie release. Something about them just made reality not as scary as it usually was to her. Things could always be worse. She could be trapped in a cursed house or antagonized by monsters. "Really? I would''ve guessed mystery or fantasy," Elias replied, seeming surprised at her words. Alyssa supposed she didn''t look much like the typical horror crowd. "I think they''re more therapeutic for me. I''m not into them for the gore and stuff," she exined. A lot of people liked those hardcore horror movies with lots of death and blood. She typically strayed away from those. Those weren''t calming at all. "You keep surprising me," Elias chuckled as they walked away from the fountain and toward the back of campus where the dorms were at. "What kind of girl did you think I was?" Alyssa asked with a curious smile. She hoped that she was more interesting than he expected her to be. "I don''t know. That''s why I wanted to get to know you," Elias pointed out as he lifted his eyebrows at her yfully. Alyssa looked down at her tea bashfully. She had no idea why someone as cute and charming as him would want to spend a second getting to know her. This entire night was great, though. She felt like she was making use of her college experience and getting to know people. "Well, I want to know more about you too," she replied. She knew there was so much more to find out about him below the surface. "I''m an open book," Elias said as he extended his arms out. "You can ask me anything you''d like." Alyssa had free rein to ask him whatever she wanted to. Of course, she wondered about him so much that she had no idea what exactly to ask him. She could ask about his favorite things, his past, his family, or his future. There were so many things to ask about. "That''s tough. You''re a bit mysterious, you know," Alyssaughed. She figured he already knew that, though. He owned that look. Chapter 12 - Hope "Good. That''s my natural state," Elias joked as he ran his fingers through his dark hair, drawing a few strands back from his forehead only for them to fall back. "Do you see yourself making a difference after college?" Alyssa asked him. It was kind of a weighted question, but she wondered what he saw when he thought ahead. When she graduated, she wanted to impact a lot of people in a positive way. Elias gave her a surprised look beforeughing in a nervous manner. "Oh, man. That''s heavy," he said. "Hm. I hope to. I really do." Alyssa smiled and nodded. Even if he didn''t think so, it was a good answer. Hope was good. Hope was strong. As long as they had that, they had a good shot at their goals. "I hope your business pans out," Alyssa told him. She didn''t know what he would be involved in, but she had a feeling it would be something great. He seemed to have the charm and drive to sessfully run a business. What he learned here at college would definitely help too. "Thank you," Elias said sincerely. "So, biomedical? Like bing a doctor?" "Pediatrician hopefully," Alyssa replied as they walked along the brick walkway toward the dorm gates. She knew their time together wasing to an end soon, but she tried not to look sad about that. At least they had a ss together. She didn''t have to worry about never seeing him again. "Wow, kids. That''s amazing," Elias told her. He looked impressed. "You''re literally amazing." "I haven''t done anything amazing yet," Alyssa pointed out. She wanted to make it to that point where she could, but she was starting at the very bottom. The climb to the top was a long one, and she knew that she would feel like quitting at least once on the way there. "But you will," Elias said as his arm brushed hers. "I know you will." Whether he was just being nice or actually had that amount of faith in her, Alyssa deeply appreciated it. She never got this kind of support back at home, but she got it from basically strangers all the time. It was sad they were more supportive than her own parents. "Well, you''ve already done something amazing," Alyssa replied as they stopped in front of the ck gates to her dorm. Her building loomed in the background. She held up her tea that was nearly gone. "You got me to like tea." "I know my stuff," Elias said with a confident smile. He tossed his empty cup away in a nearby trash can. "There''s a whole world out there I can show you." Alyssa couldn''t help butugh. He seemed so wise for his age, like he had so many experiences and memories to share. She hadn''t met anyone else who was like that. Maybe he could show her everything that she had been missing out on in her life. "I''d like that," she told him. She wasn''t sure if he was serious about his offer, but she was down if he was. They could explore and experience so many things together, and she could actually feel like a college student aside from all of the work she had to do. This was supposed to be the most fun time of her life. Elias nodded as he leaned his side against the gate. "Me too. I guess I''ll see you in ss, yeah?" he asked. "Yeah, I''ll see you," she replied. She didn''t want to part ways with him, but she knew that it was gettingte and they needed to get some sleep. Tomorrow was Friday, so she''d get to see him bright and early the next morning. "Thanks for¡­ tonight." "My pleasure," Elias assured her as he tilted his cup toward her. Alyssa smiled at him before turning to swipe herself into the gated area. She watched him open the gate for her before walking inside. She wanted to say more to him, but she figured she could save that for tomorrow. Maybe she could catch him after ss. During the entire walk back to her dorm room, her heart pounded wildly. She actually had a really nice time with him. He was sweet and thoughtful. It made her wonder how he had such a tough edge with Kaleigh and Olivia. Where was he hiding that side of him? She shook her head. It didn''t matter. All she cared about was their time together and how he acted toward her. It made her feel weightless, like she could float. She kicked her shoes off once she reached her dorm and flopped down on her bed with a wide smile on her face. Her hand moved to settle over her heart, feeling its heavy beat. He had such an effect on her. She knew that would only grow stronger the more they were around each other. She warned herself not to get ahead of herself. Just because she was feeling this way didn''t mean he did too, and thest thing she wanted was to break her own heart to kick off this semester. Chapter 13 - Are You Lost Alyssa didn''t even fret about Kaleigh and Olivia as she strode into her psychology ss the next morning. She knew that they wouldn''t dare try to bother her after what happenedst night. If they did decide to, Elias was only two rows down from them. She sat in her usual seat and got set up for ss. Her eyes shifted around every so often to look for Elias and Zoe. It was nice to have people to look forward to seeing. It made her sses far more enjoyable. When she spotted Elias heading to his seat, she lifted her hand in a small wave. Elias cracked a smile and lifted his cup of tea to her before sitting down. "Can''t start my day without it," he said as he turned around in his seat to peer at her. He briefly nced behind her at Kaleigh and Olivia with a smirk. "Are you an addict?" Alyssaughed softly. She knew plenty of people with a caffeine addiction, but she didn''t think she knew anyone that liked tea as much as he did. "Maybe," Elias joked before taking a long sip and turning back around as Dr. Pierce took the stage. Alyssa smiled to herself as she opened her notebook up. Once again, her heart was fluttering just by talking to him. She wondered if that would ever go away, if she would ever get used to him. She had a feeling that wouldn''t happen for a long while. "Let''s get started with the next chapter, folks! This one is one of my favorites," Dr. Pierce announced cheerily as he started his PowerPoint presentation. As Dr. Pierceunched into an exnation about sleep cycles, Alyssa nced around and realized that Zoe wasn''t here today. A frown crossed her face as she tried to focus back on the lecture. She hoped everything was fine with Zoe. Maybe she was sick or maybe she just didn''t feel like going to ss. Thetter was probably the most likely answer. Everything was going fine with the lecture until Dr. Pierce wanted people to partner up and discuss the chapter. He encouraged discussion and coboration. When it came to academics, Alyssa fared better alone. What made it worse was that her usual partner wasn''t in ss today. The thought of having to awkwardly search for another partner made her internally groan. She nced around her to see if anyone needed a partner, but everyone was already talking to someone on her row. She could hearughter from behind her, and she guessed that she was a spectacle to Kaleigh and Olivia right now. They didn''t have to worry about things like this. "Are you lost?" Alyssa turned to look at the row in front of her to see Elias smiling up at her. "My friend isn''t here today," she exined so that she didn''t seem that pathetic. Elias effortlessly stepped over one of the chairs to climb into her row. He settled in the seat next to her with his notes in his hands. "The universe is pulling us back together," he said as he angled his body to face her. That reminded Alyssa to send a silent thank you to the universe for doing so. She must''ve been doing something righttely. "It looks like it," Alyssa replied as she subtly smoothed down her white tank top over her ck shorts. She had woken up a little earlier this morning to add a few waves to her red hair. She felt a little silly for doing so, but it was nice taking the time to actually doll herself up a little. Chapter 14 - Tutoring "So, beta waves when we sleep, right?" Elias asked as he looked down at his scribbled notes. "Beta waves when we''re awake," Alyssa told him as she leaned over to look at his notes. She could hardly make out his scribbled handwriting, and it looked like he missed a few topics. Elias scratched at the back of his neck as he sighed. "I''m just not getting this stuff. Science is definitely my weak area," he said as he corrected his notes. "It''s English for me," Alyssa replied as she gently slid his notes off of his desk so that she could look through them. She made a few corrections, hoping he didn''t mind. She just wanted to help him out. "I would''ve pegged you as a good writer," Elias told her as he gave her an intrigued look. A sheepish look crossed her face. She was alright at writing, but forms and equations were definitely her strong suit. She did a lot of overthinking when it came to essays. "I''m a rambling writer. I get off topic easily," she exined. She was often docked points for that. No matter how much she tried to avoid that, she always veered into other topics or arguments. "I love writing and history. Stories are way more fun than math problems," Elias chuckled. Alyssa couldn''t argue with that. She loved stories, and math problems were pretty difficult. However, she found more use for math problems and scientific equations rather than history or stories. They aligned more with her goals, and she studied them hard, they could lead to amazing, life changing stories that her patients could have because of her. She wanted to craft a story of her own in her own way. It all started with the decisions that she made here. This was the beginning. "I like them both," she told him. They were both useful in different ways. "I take it you''re pretty smart?" Elias asked as he tilted his head slightly. Alyssa shrugged. She knew that she did well in ss, but she didn''t want to boast or anything. She didn''t think she was the smartest, but she did work hard. She made sure that she studied and finished every assignment. That was good enough most of the time. "I do alright," she merely said. She figured that was a suitable answer. She wasn''t denying his words, but she also wasn''t going on and on about her academic achievements. She did have quite a few to harp on. "That means you''re a genius," Eliasughed. "I''m dreading this first test." Alyssa remembered their first test would be here before they knew it. Tests always made her nervous, no matter how much she studied for them. They made up so much of her grade, especially in college. If she messed one up, her grade severely suffered. "If you want, we can always study for it together," she said. She couldn''t believe her own courage, but she figured it could be a good idea. He needed better notes anyway, and she had plenty of them to share. She prided herself on her effective note taking. It was probably why she got the good grades she received. "Do you think you could tutor me? I''m honestly lost," Elias asked her with a sheepish look. He looked pretty cute with his crooked smile. Alyssa couldn''t say no to that look if she tried, and she couldn''t think of a reason to deny him. Tutoring him would help her with the material, and they could spend more time together. It sounded like a win-win situation to her. "Sure," Alyssa said with a nod. "You need new notes. Can you even read these?" "Are you saying my handwriting is bad?" Elias asked as he feigned an offended look. "It''s like a chicken ran over the paper," Alyssaughed softly as she handed his notes back. She liked ying around with him. It shocked her howfortable she already was around him. Something about him made her feel at peace, even if he was still fairly mysterious. Chapter 15 - Her Knight "Well, yours is¡­ great. Of course, it''s great," Elias sighed in defeat as he peered down at the swirly, legible letters on her notes. Alyssa heard a huff and nced behind her to see Kaleigh and Olivia ring down at them. Maybe they were being a little loud, but they were having fun. They were just mad aboutst night. She turned back to Elias, feeling a little bold again. "Want to do some studying tonight? I can get you caught up on everything," Alyssa asked him. She didn''t have any ns tonight, and she wouldn''t mind spending some more time with him. Maybe they could grow to be really great friends. Maybe even something more. But that was just a fantasy. Elias perked up. "Perfect. I can give you my number and we can figure out a time and ce," Elias suggested as he started to scribble his number down on the corner of a piece of paper. "Is that a three?" Alyssa asked as she watched him. She could hardly read what he was writing down. She was surprised any teachers were able to trante his scribbling into actual answers. "That''s a five," Elias chuckled as he went back over the number to better define it. He slipped the paper over to her. "You''re gonna have to work a miracle on me." Alyssa had faith in herself. She had taught herself topics and concepts that she never thought that she''d be able to grasp. She believed she could help him out. It would just take some time and patience on both of their ends. She once considered being a teacher. She could give a lot back to the world by developing children''s minds and teaching them important topics to prepare them for the world. However, she wasn''t sure how well she''d do at the actual teaching part. Science and medicine interested her too much to pick teaching anyway. "I''ll do just that," Alyssa replied as she folded the paper up and stuck it in her pocket. She felt a light shudder of nerves move through her. She hadn''t hung out with a guy so much in a while. "Alright, can anyone tell me about REM?" Dr. Pierce asked from the stage, breaking up the discussion. Elias leaned near Alyssa''s ear. "Are you going to embarrass that poor girl again?" he chuckled. Alyssa stifled augh as she pressed her hand to her mouth. She couldn''t deny the fact that it would be funny to antagonize Kaleigh after the stunt she pulledst night. She felt a little bolder with Elias with her. It felt good. She didn''t feel like cowering all the time now. "I don''t want to be bombarded again," Alyssa whispered back. She didn''t want another embarrassing public situation, though. She didn''t want to be known as a troublemaker when Kaleigh and Olivia started everything. "Oh, I wouldn''t let her do anything to you," Elias promised her. Alyssa turned her head slightly to look at him. She didn''t realize how close they were to each other until her nose nearly brushed his. She drew back a little with a blush. She hadn''t meant to get so close to him. If they had gotten any closer to each other, they would''ve kissed, and the thought of that made her face burn even more. "My knight in shining armor," she murmured before turning back forward with a smile. It warmed her that he wanted to still look out for her. Even if she wasn''t all that strong on her own, she''d do the same for him if it was required of her. The friendships that she made would be infinitely deeper and more meaningful than her rtionship with her family. Her friends chose her. They chose to care and to stick around. It was her family''s duty, and they did the bare minimum for her. They hardly even tried, and she was d to have the opportunity to make meaningful connections. If she was lucky, and she hoped that she was, she would have these friends for years. Maybe forever. She knew most friendships fizzled away after school as everyone went their separate ways, but she wanted to do everything in her power to keep the friends that helped her through this important time in her life. They made her not feel so alone. Dr. Pierce''s voice droned on in the background, but she couldn''t fully focus on him, despite wanting to. Her mind was elsewhere. She couldn''t wait for tonight when her and Elias went off to study. She couldn''t wait for her and Zoe to go shopping. All of the little moments excited her so much. They meant more to her than anyone would ever realize. Chapter 16 - Tutoring Alyssa''s socked feet swung off of the side of her twin size bed. Her thumbs rapidly tapped away on the keyboard of her phone as she texted Elias back about their study session tonight. She figured she could probably head over to his ce. When she did tutoring back in high school, that was what she did. She figured things wouldn''t be that different now. Elias; "Could we do your ce instead? Still waiting for my new apartment to be set up." Alyssa''s eyes widened slightly. He had his own apartment? He hadn''t mentioned any roommates or a job, so she wondered how he could afford that. She would''ve gotten an apartment if she had the money for it. Maybe his parents were rich. Her own parents wouldugh at her if she asked them for help with rent. Alyssa; "Sure! I''m in the south dorm building" Alyssa then froze after she sent the text. Her eyes shifted around her room, which had clothes, papers, and empty snack packagesying around. Her room was a mess, and she was expectingpany soon. She couldn''t let him think she lived in such a messy ce. Alyssa; "See you in 30 mins?" Alyssa read his text and hurriedly jumped off of her bed. She needed to clean now, and she had no idea where to even start. Text me when you get here and I''lle get you! Alyssa sent her text before throwing her phone on top of her light blue sheets. She snatched up a chip bag on her nightstand and then an empty water bottle on her desk. She started darting around her room, picking up trash and loose clothes to put up before he saw them. She had meant to clean this week, but she had gotten so caught up with work and actually socializing that it had slipped her mind. She needed to do a load ofundry and sweep the floor. She was already being a terrible adult, but she''d get better as she got older. She hoped. Once the trash and dirty clothes were scared away, Alyssa grabbed her clean linen scented air freshener and rushed around the entire dorm room, spraying the gentle scent everywhere she could. She didn''t even know where they could study at. She only had one chair for her desk. Wouldn''t it be weird to get him in the bed with her? Her cheeks warmed up at that. It was the only ce they could both sit at besides the wooden floor. She nearly kicked herself for not thinking this through. They could go to the library, but it would be nice to have some time away from other people. Not that she expected them to do anything. Alyssa hurried into her bathroom and peered into the mirror above the bathroom sink. Her cheeks were lightly flushed, nearly matching the shade of her shoulder-length hair. She ran her brush through the strands, taming a few frazzled looking hairs. She still had on her shorts and tank top from earlier that day, and she figured that would have to do. Zoe would have to give her some fashion tips so that she could spruce her closet up a little and not wear the same things over and over again. As she smoothed her hands over her tank top, she heard her phone go off. Had it been thirty minutes already? She had moved as fast as she could, but she had a lot to tidy up, including herself. She headed back over to her bed and picked up her phone to see a text from Elias. Elias; "I''m here" It had been twenty-eight minutes. He was early by two minutes, but that felt like twenty minutes to her. There were still a few things she could put up or move to free the space up a little, but it was toote. What he saw was what he got. Then again, Alyssa had a feeling he wouldn''t judge her for a few misced things. He didn''t seem like the type to judge people for things like that. If they were being awful people, like Kaleigh and Olivia, then he would judge hard. She liked him for that. She liked him for a lot of things. Alyssa; "Coming!" Alyssa sent him the text before giving her hair a light ruffle and then slipping on her ck Converse. She messily tied them before rushing out of her dorm room and to the front door of the dorm building. Students needed swipe ess to enter the dorms, and they only got that if they lived there. She opened the ss door to see him standing on the sidewalk with his hands tucked into the pockets of his dark grey jeans. He wore a white T-shirt, so she could actually make his tattoos out better now. They looked incredible with their delicate ck lines. Chapter 17 - Tutoring (2) "Hey," she greeted him before stepping aside to let him in the lobby of the dorm building. "Hey, thanks again," Elias told her as he walked into the building. He adjusted the strap of his ck book bag that hung on his shoulder as he nced around the quiet area. There was a study lounge connected to the lobby, but hardly anyone ever used it. "Do you have your ID?" Alyssa asked him as she pulled out her student card. It was a tedious check in process for guests. Once she took his ID, she handed the cards over to the girl working the front desk for check in. "Alright, let''s go." Alyssa led him to her dorm room down the right hallway. She could hear muffled chatter from other girls in their dorms. She pondered on having another roommate again, but she was afraid she would get someone horrible and be stuck like that. She preferred to just live on her own for now until she met someone that wouldn''t mind rooming with her. Maybe in an apartment. "You didn''t decorate your door?" Elias asked her before motioning down the hall. Alyssa leaned over to look at the other doors. They were decorated with the girls'' names or other personal touches, like the sports they yed, their majors, or whatever their aesthetic was. She guessed that she never really considered decorating her door. She didn''t know what to put on it. "Mine is kind of nd," she admitted as she looked at her in door. She figured she could at least put her name on it. She didn''t want to stick out that bad. "I''m not that great as art or design." "We''ll figure out something. Don''t worry," Elias told her as she unlocked her door. Alyssa shed him an intrigued look. It was her door, but he was acting like he was going to help her decorate it. She wouldn''t mind that, but she didn''t want him to feel obliged to. "Are you artsy?" Alyssa asked him as she slipped off her shoes and awkwardly nodded to her bed. Elias tilted his hand in an iffy motion as he slipped off his ck sneakers. He then sat on the edge of her bed. "I admire it. I can''t promise anything about my ability to create it, though," Elias chuckled as he rifled through his book bag to pull out of his notebook and a pen. "I''m a terrible artist," Alyssa said as she grabbed her own things before jumping up on the bed next to him. The mattress dipped more than she expected, making her bump into his side by ident. She pulled away with a flushed face. "Sorry." "At least your handwriting is good," Elias pointed out, seeming unfazed by how close they were. Alyssa smiled and shook her head before ncing at him curiously. "So, you''re getting an apartment?" she asked him. She only heard of a handful of sophomores getting apartments, and they usually had roommates. Elias nodded. "It''s time for me to move out of my parents'' house and get my own ce. Way past time," he muttered the part as he flipped through his notes. Alyssa wondered if his rtionship with his parents was rocky too. He seemed eager to have his space. Then again, she had met people who had good rtionships with their family and still wanted some space to themselves. They were all young adults now, venturing down their own paths. They needed space to do that and to lose any hovering eyes. It was a breath of fresh air for her to be here on her own away from her parents and their judging eyes. "That''ll be nice having your own ce. You can decorate however you want," she pointed out. Her dorm wasn''t all that decorated. There were some nice ent pieces on her desk and a poster of her favorite band on the wall. That was about it, though. The rules for decorating in the dorms were fairly strict. They couldn''t even have string lights. "And my own record yer ying the music I want to," Elias said as he clicked his pen. "I''m guessing your parents have different music tastes?" Alyssa asked with an amused smile. She didn''t know that much about her parents, and they didn''t know much about her. When she was back at home, she spent most of her time outside in the front yard or in her room. She could avoid any confrontation better that way. "They have different tastes in everything. They''re¡­ old school," Elias exined as he took her notebook to look at the notes. "Are you close to them?" Alyssa asked. Elias shrugged. "We''re different, so as close as we can be," he replied before breaking out into a smile. "What was functionalism inspired by?" Alyssa forgot that they were there to study. She couldn''t help but be interested in getting to know him more. Even if he acted like an open book, there were so manyyers left to uncover when it came to him. "It was influenced by Charles Darwin''s theory of evolution," she told him as she pointed to her notes. "What did you write down?" "Something about canaries," Elias replied, narrowing his eyes as he read through his notes. He looked confused. Alyssa couldn''t help theugh that broke from her. She shook her head as she scribbled on his notes to correct them. "I think you meant Canary Inds. He collected a lot of data there," she exined to him. It was a lot of information to remember. She didn''t me him for mixing up some facts. When she read the chapters in her psychology book, they were nearly 30 pages each, which was way too much information to try to absorb at one time. "I am hopeless. I can do business and all that stuff, but not science," Elias sighed as he scratched the back of his head. He shed me a grateful look. "Luckily, I have a doctor to help me." "Not a doctor yet," Alyssa smirked as she met his gaze. His eyes looked so deep, so dark. She told herself to look away, but she couldn''t. She felt trapped in a daze. Not too long ago, they were strangers in a cafeteria. Now, she was tutoring him. Alone. In her room. Chapter 18 - Shopping They studied for another two hours. She corrected some of his mistakes, exined some concepts to him, and organized his notes. Strangely, it was the most fun that she had that semester so far. They talked all throughout those hours, whether it was about bands, favorite foods, or things happening around campus. She felt like she had found a good friend in him. She hadn''t told him about her family or any of the darker things that she had affected her life. The mood was still so bright and yful between them that she didn''t want to ruin that now. "I feel like a genius now," Eliasughed as they walked out of the dorm building together. "We still need to get a few concepts nailed down, but we''re getting there," Alyssa told him with a smile. She slowed to a stop and twined her fingers together in front of her as she looked at him. She didn''t want him to leave. There was still so much to talk about. "I''ll talk to you soon," Elias replied before reaching out to brush his fingers along her arm as he walked past her toward the gates. Alyssa felt goosebumps re up along her skin just at his touch. She turned and watched him walk off, the shadows soon swallowing him up. She couldn''t wait to see him again. Hopefully, her tutoring would pay off and he''d do better in ss, but she wouldn''t mind if he still needed some help. With burning cheeks, Alyssa turned and headed back to her dorm. Her room felt so empty and quiet without him in it with her. She was d that she was making rtionships here. She had felt alone back at home with her parents, and she didn''t want to feel that way here. She wanted to feel more, and she felt that with Elias. Alyssa woke up to a text next Saturday that she never expected to wake up to. Wanna go to ADP''s party with me tonight? The text was from Zoe. They had chatted throughout the past week in ss, along with Elias, who jumped into their conversations from time-to-time. He had been by her dorm once that week for another tutoring session. Now, she was faced with a party invitation that she didn''t know how to respond to. She wasn''t really a party person. They were awkward, crowded, and loud. She usually didn''t know anyone there, and she was ignored or pestered by some drunk guy the entire time. Plus, it was at a frat house, which was notorious for being dirty. It wasn''t her ideal environment. But Zoe invited her. She would have a friend there to talk to and be with. Zoe could make anything fun, even a slow lecture day. Besides, it would be good for her to get out of her dorm and try to socialize a little more. Maybe she could even make another friend. She wouldn''t know unless she tried. Alyssa; Sure! I don''t think I have anything to wear tho Alyssa sent the text before heading to her small closet. She shuffled through all of her clothes with an unimpressed look. There were no clothes that looked suitable for a party in there. No cute dresses. No skirts. No tight tops. Nothing. That wouldn''t do. She wanted to somewhat fit in and not stick out so much from the others. That drew too much attention, and nothing good came from that. She had already gone through that too many times. Zoe; I''lle pick you up in 10 mins Alyssa checked Zoe''s text before narrowing her eyes in confusion. Zoe was picking her up? Alyssa; What are we doing? Alyssa hurriedly fixed her hair and changed out of her sleep clothes into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. She had a feeling she wouldn''t know what Zoe was up to until she got in the car. Once she grabbed her phone and her purse, she hurried out of the dorm and to the nearest parking lot. She then realized that she didn''t even know what kind of car Zoe drove. She nced around for any moving car, eventually spotting a red Camry making its way toward her. She squinted her eyes to make out Zoe in the driver''s seat once the car stopped in front of her. Zoe rolled down the window and peered out at Alyssa with a glowing smile. Her hair was in two delicately rolled space buns, and ck sunsses rested high on the bridge of her nose. "Get in!" she said. Alyssa slipped into the passenger''s seat of Zoe''s car before turning to her. "Where are we going?" she asked. Zoe could be kidnapping her and taking her to some deserted ce, and she would have no idea. Zoe rolled up her window and sped out of the parking lot. "To the mall, of course. You need some clothes, girl," sheughed softly. A smile quirked up on Zoe''s face as she nodded. They were finally having their shopping day, and she could add some new choices to her very limited closet. Excitement rushed through her at the thought of having a cute, new outfit to wear to the party tonight. All of these moments were small. She probably wouldn''t even remember half of them in a year, but they all made up the college experience that she wanted to have. She didn''t want to be locked up in her room just studying. She wanted to try new things, whether that was wearing new clothes or doing new activities with new people. "What are you wearing?" Alyssa asked Zoe. Zoe shrugged as she took a right turn down a main road in town. "I think I might buy something new too," Zoe replied. "Maybe we can twin." "Sounds great," Alyssa said, feeling a light flush cross her cheeks. She wasn''t sure if she could pull off the clothes that Zoe wore, but she wanted to try. Maybe she would surprise herself. Chapter 19 - The Party When they arrived at the mall, Alyssa followed Zoe''s lead. She knew where to look for good clothes, and Alyssa wasn''t going to act like she knew anything. She wanted to be shown the ropes. The nd outfit she wore now proved that was the best choice. "Let''s try in here," Zoe said as she led Alyssa into a dimly lit clothing store. Alyssa felt like she already arrived at the party. Club music thumped through the store as they ventured past racks and tables full of different clothes. They looked far different than what she wore. "I don''t even know where to start," she told Zoe as she nced around. She didn''t know how to pair together any of these clothes. Zoe stopped near the back wall of the store and grabbed a pair of ck skinny jeans with tears in the fabric. "Take these," she replied before moving over to a table and grabbing a sequined top piece. She held it up to Alyssa. "Cute, huh?" It almost looked like a ck bra with silver sequins. It looked far better than the boring white and ck bras she had in her dresser. "Yeah! What could I wear over it?" Alyssa asked as she took it from Zoe. Laughter bubbled from Zoe as she shook her head. "You don''t wear anything over it. It''s a crop top," she exined. "It looks like a bra," Alyssa replied with a confused look. It was cute and would look good with the jeans, but she wasn''t sure if she could pull it off. She didn''t have perfect curves in the right ces. She thought that she just had an average body. "Go try it on and you''ll see," Zoe encouraged her as she gave Alyssa a light push toward the dressing room. Alyssa groaned as she entered one of the dressing rooms. She really wasn''t sure about this. If her parents saw her wearing this out in public, they would have a heart attack. She pulled her clothes off and tentatively pulled on the skinny jeans and the sequined top with thin straps. For a moment, she didn''t look in the mirror. She felt too nervous to. She knew she wouldn''t fill out the top right. The jeans wouldn''t sit right on her hips. She would have rolls and marks she couldn''t hide. She wouldn''t look good at all. All of those negative thoughts filled up her head until she finally conjured up the courage to look up at the mirror. Her mouth fell open as she stared at herself. The top fit her perfectly, gripping her curves and dazzling beneath the fluorescent lights of the dressing room. The jeans looked badass too. She looked great. She looked different. Alyssa fluffed her hair out a little, letting it fall against her bare shoulders as she turned every which way in front of the mirror. She couldn''t believe a mere outfit change made her feel so much better about herself. A knock sounded on the door to her dressing room. "Hey! How''s it looking?" Zoe called from the outside. Alyssa turned and opened the door to the dressing room. She nervously shuffled toward the doorway so that Zoe could see her. Zoe gasped as she reached out to grab Alyssa''s upper arms. "You look hot!" she gasped out as she made Alyssa do a turn. Alyssa felt her face burn a little. At least she wasn''t the only one who thought she looked pretty good. That made her feel even more confident about buying the outfit and wearing it that night. "Are you sure? I''ve never worn something like this before," Alyssa asked as she crossed her arms over her chest. Zoe took Alyssa''s hands and led her back in front of the mirror. She pointed at Alyssa''s reflection. "You are killing this outfit, okay? Don''t doubt that for a second," Zoe said. "Guys are going to be drooling over you." Alyssaughed at how ridiculous that sounded. She shook her head. "I doubt that," she replied. Her mind immediately shifted to Elias. She wondered how he would react if he saw her in this outfit. "You''ll see," Zoe smirked before heading out of the dressing room. Alyssa looked over herself in the mirror once more before changing back into her other clothes. She didn''t feel the same. She didn''t feel as great, but at least she found one that made her feel incredible. "Did you find anything?" Alyssa asked Zoe once she left the dressing room. She had been in there for a good minute looking at herself. Zoe held up a ck, mesh long sleeve shirt and ck,cy bralette. "I''m going to pair these with my pink skater skirt," she said. "Oh! And my white boots." "That sounds cute," Alyssa replied as they walked to the checkout counter together. She looked forward to getting ready for the party, but she was still a little nervous about actually attending. She didn''t want to act all awkward in front of everyone. Zoe looped her arm with Alyssa''s and pulled her close to her side. "Tonight is going to be so much fun!" Zoe quietly squealed. Alyssa squeezed back as her heart started to race. Things were finally starting to fall into ce for her. She was trying new things and getting out. As small as it was, she was proud of herself for taking these steps. She hadn''t done them muchst year and regretted that. "Are you dropping me back off now?" Alyssa asked once they walked out of the store with bags in their hands. She didn''t even know when the party was or where exactly the ADP house was on campus. All of the sorority and fraternity houses were shoved together in one corner of campus. "What? No, juste back to my ce! We can do hair and makeup before the party," Zoe replied. Alyssa nodded, liking the sound of that idea. She probably would''ve just hung out around her dorm until the party anyway. At least she could do that with a friend and actually make it a fun time. She secretly hoped Zoe would help her with her hair and makeup too since Zoe''s looked great. Chapter 20 - The Party(2) Zoe always had some sort of curls or braids in her hair that were delicately woven into a beautiful style. Her makeup ranged from a subtle, natural look to something bold with bright colors and shimmer. Alyssa usually just did the bare minimum. She was afraid she''d look like a clown if she tried anything bold. "Let''s get something to eat first, though. I''m starving," Zoe said, suddenly whipping Alyssa around to head in the opposite direction. A surprisedugh broke from Alyssa as she quickly moved her feet to catch up. "You''re giving me whish!" Alyssa said as she bnced herself out. She had nearly tripped over her own feet getting turned around like that. Zoe smirked. "Better keep up. We''ve got so much to do!" Zoe was the opposite of Alyssa. She was quick making a decision and threw all caution to the wind. Alyssa was far more cautious, but she liked being around Zoe. She felt like they leveled each other out, but if she wanted tonight to go well, she''d have to match Zoe''s steps. That meant stepping out of herfort zone. The party was far louder than Alyssa expected it to be. She knew it would be loud, but she thought that she would at least be able to talk normally and be heard over the trap music. She clung to Zoe''s hand tightly as they weaved through all of the people lingering in the frat house. She couldn''t believe how many people had managed to stuff themselves in this one house. Weren''t there other parties they could go to? It seemed like there was always some sort of event happening in the sorority and fraternity houses. They found any reason to party and drink. Since it was so dark and crowded, Alyssa couldn''t see how dirty the ce was. Maybe that was a good thing. She could smell plenty of alcohol, weed, and body odor, though. She tried not to breathe as much as possible as she slipped through moving bodies. Alyssa felt the breath get knocked from her lungs regardless when she spotted Kaleigh and Olivia lingering around in the hallway. Kaleigh had a guy''s arm around her shoulders, while Olivia gave puppy dog eyes to another blonde guy. She ducked her head, trying not to get noticed. "What are you doing?" Zoe asked, noticing Alyssa try to disappear on the spot. "Some girls I don''t like up there," Alyssa replied as her eyes shifted toward Kaleigh and Olivia warily. Elias wasn''t here to back her up now, and she felt far less confrontational now. If she got into it, she would have to weasel her way out, and she didn''t feel like getting embarrassed here. It was their turf, not hers. "Dude, you look hot! Fuck those bitches," Zoe smirked as she gave Alyssa nudge. "Head up." Alyssa drew in a deep breath and nodded before tilting her head up. Zoe was right. She looked great, and she could belong here as much as Kaleigh and Olivia did. She just had to act like she belonged. She put a little sway in her step as she strode down the hallway toward the girls, who looked up at her with distaste. "What is she doing here?" Kaleigh muttered to Olivia. "Excuse me," Zoe quipped before shouldering Kaleigh out of the way. She shed her a sneer before continuing on, leading Alyssa on by the hand. Alyssa met Kaleigh''s re with a sugary sweet smile. Her heart was pounding in her chest, but she wasn''t about to let Kaleigh know how nervous she felt right now. Once they made it farther down the hall away from the girls, Alyssa let out the breath that she had been holding. "Okay, that felt pretty good," sheughed out. Relief flushed through her. Zoe squeezed Alyssa''s hand. "See? Those bitches have no power over you!" she said. Alyssa wished she was more confident on her own. She always needed a push from other people, but she knew that they wouldn''t always be there to help her. "You''re right. They''re just a little intimidating," she admitted. They were pretty and popr, which were the requirements to be in any sorority it seemed like. They had more friends, more influence, and more support. They didn''t seem like the people she wanted to cross, but maybe they were just a walking status. "They''re just girls," Zoe pointed out before motioning for Alyssa to follow her. "What do we do now?" Alyssa asked Zoe. She didn''t even know where to start. Did they get a drink first or try to talk to people? She felt out of her zone, but she knew that Zoe wanted to go. Besides, she had a rocking new outfit, and her hair and makeup looked great. Zoe added a few curls to Alyssa''s hair and did eyeliner and eyeshadow that really made her green eyes pop. Alyssa picked up as many tips as she could, but it would definitely take plenty of practice sessions to get as good as Zoe. "I''m trying to find the kitchen!" Zoe replied over the music as she walked through a door to the left of the hallway. She led Alyssa into a crowded kitchen. Open chip bags and empty red cups littered the counters. Garbage spilled out of a nearby trash can. "Do boys know how to clean?" Alyssa asked as she nced around. From the dorm rooms that she had seen in her dorm building, they were all incredibly clean. The girls decorated them all nicely and sprayed flowery or sweet air freshener in them. She felt like she was on a whole new. "Nope," Zoe smirked as she nced around for where the drinks were at. She soon spotted people surrounding a stic tub full of jungle juice. A few frat boys were scooping juice into red cups and handing them out to people lingering around in the kitchen on the hunt for a drink. Alyssa had an odd feeling about all of this. Maybe she was just being too uptight, though. She wasn''t used to this, so a lot of this felt weird. It was probably the norm, and she was the weird one. Chapter 21 - The Drink Alyssa had an odd feeling about all of this. Maybe she was just being too uptight, though. She wasn''t used to this, so a lot of this felt weird. It was probably the norm, and she was the weird one. "Have you had this stuff before?" she asked Zoe. She figured Zoe knew her way around the party circuit more than she did. "Sometimes it''s good. Sometimes it''s not," Zoe replied with a shrug. "It looks like a pretty good batch, though." Alyssa wasn''t sure how she felt about it being referred to as a "batch," but she also wasn''t sure how she felt about iting out of a stic tub. She hoped that they had washed it at least. Then again, she saw the state of the kitchen. She wasn''t even sure if she could expect that level of cleanliness from these boys. "Want a drink?" A guy''s voice sounded next to them. Zoe and Alyssa turned to face a guy wearing a loose tank top and cargo shorts. He held two cups full of jungle juice in his hands as he grinned at them. "Sure!" Zoe replied as she reached out to take one of the drinks. Alyssa followed her lead and took the other drink. She looked down at the glistening red drink with a wary look. There was no telling how much alcohol was in it. She wasn''t exactly an experienced drinker. "Oh! I love this song! Wanna dance?" Zoe asked as an early 2000s pop beat sounded through the frat house. She abandoned her drink on a nearby counter before motioning for Alyssa to follow her through a nearby door. Alyssa felt a wave of nervousness crash over her. She knew that she would look awkward dancing, but there were so many people here that maybe no one would notice her. She decided to whip up some liquid courage and downed half of her drink in a few heavy sips. With a grimace at the strong taste, she set her drink down before rushing after Zoe. The lounge area of the frat house was now a dance floor. A small light machine made swirls of colorful lights dance around the walls and ceilings. A swarm of people bumped and grinded against each other as the music yed on. Zoe dragged her into the thick of it all and draped her arms around Alyssa''s neck. She swayed her hips and closed her eyes as she moved to the music. Alyssa coaxed herself to rx and follow Zoe''s lead. She was supposed to be having fun, which meant she needed to loosen up a little. She closed her eyes, shutting out the people around her. She moved to the beat, letting her hips do most of the movement and subtly moving her feet. "There you go!" Zoe cheered her on. Alyssa smiled and dragged one of her hands through her hair, feeling the bass rumble in her chest. It actually felt pretty good. She swayed along with Zoe, their hips brushing as they moved close together. It was like no one else was around. "I really like this song!" Alyssa said, recognizing the song from her childhood. She listened to more modern artists now, but she could appreciate some of the things from her past. Only certain things, though. "I love it!" Zoe cheered as she reached her hands up toward the ceiling and added a little hop to her movements. Even when she was just ying around, she moved with experience and finesse. When the song faded into a new hip hop tune, she opened her eyes and stopped moving. Well, she thought that she had stopped moving. For some reason, it still felt like the floor was moving under her. She turned her head to nce around, but her head felt like it was full of lead. The move nearly made her stumble. "I¡­ I''m going to the bathroom," she said to Zoe. It felt like her words were slurred. She wasn''t even sure if they came out correctly. She stumbled through the crowd as the ground beneath her started to tilt. She didn''t know what was happening. She only drank half a cup of the alcohol, and she knew that she couldn''t be that much of a lightweight. It had to be something else making her feel so off. She made it to the edge of the crowd, but she didn''t even know where the bathroom was. Alyssa found the nearest wall and leaned against it. Her vision was doubling up at that point, and the rest of her senses felt so distant. She blinked her eyes, trying to clear up whatever haze wasing over her. It didn''t take long to feel like the floor was sliding out from under her. Thest thing that she caught a glimpse of before her sight went dark was Elias rushing toward her. Maybe this was all a dream. Or a nightmare. Chapter 22 - Rescue The first sensation that Alyssa could fully grasp was a heavy pounding feeling in her head. It thumped like her heart was trapped up there, but she knew that wasn''t the case. She couldn''t fit both her brain and her heart in there. She had to be imagining things. She slowly opened her eyes to stare up at a familiar ceiling. She was in her room. Where was shest? She looked down to see shimmering jewels. Her top looked familiar. Memories soon started flooding back to her. The crop top. The party. The music. The feeling of falling. Elias. Alyssa shot up in her bed. Her head rang in protest, drawing a wince from her as she buried her hands in her face. After a moment, she peered through her fingers to see that her room was dark besides the soft glow of her deskmp. It looked like it was dark outside. She didn''t remember what happened after she felt weird at the party. She must''ve passed out and somehow ended up in her room. She didn''t know how, though. Maybe Zoe somehow got her back here. The whole incident was strange, though. One minute, she felt fine. The next, she was falling out in the middle of the party. All she knew that she was thirsty. She slowly swung herself out of bed, squeezing her eyes close as a headache pierced her. She ced one foot down on the cold wood floor and then the other, but it felt different. It felt alive. Alyssa yelped in surprise as she tripped over a body on her floor. She crashed to her knees and hurriedly crawled out of the way before looking back to see Elias pushing himself to his feet. "Elias! What are you doing here?" she asked him. She then remembered that she had seen him at the party before she cked out. So, she hadn''t imagined him. He had actually been there. Elias rubbed his chest, where she must''ve stepped on him. "I brought you back to your dorm. I wanted to keep an eye on you, but I must''ve dozed off," he exined as he dropped his hand from his ck t-shirt. He looked her up and down. "How are you feeling?" "My head hurts," Alyssa replied as she crossed her arms over her chest. She suddenly felt shy in her outfit. There was no need to since he already saw her passed out in it, but she still felt a little underdressed than normal. "What happened?" Elias'' eyes seemed to darken as he narrowed them. "Someone slipped something in your drink at the party," he said as he walked past her to her fridge. He pulled out a bottle of water before walking into the bathroom. "Medicine in the cab?" "Yes," Alyssa said. She hardly heard what he said. Her mind was racing. Someone drugged her? Why would they do that? She felt her heart race as she thought of all the horrible possibilities that could''ve happened instead of what actually did. Thankfully, she was back in her dorm unharmed. Elias grabbed her a Tylenol and handed it and the water to her. "I saw you copse, so I took you here," he exined. Alyssa nodded after swallowing the Tylenol and multiple sips of water. She was starting to feel a little better now, but she was still shocked. She never expected this to happen to her. She knew that it happened from time-to-time, but why would someone want to drug her? "How did you get me in here? We can''t have guests after eleven," she asked him as she rushed to check her phone. It was almost three in the morning. She would be in so much trouble if she was caught with a guest in her room. "Don''t worry about it. I took care of it. They knew you needed someone to watch over you," Elias assured her as he stepped close to her. He gently ced his hand on her upper arm. "Are you sure you''re okay?" He actually seemed really concerned. It was strange but nice. On the outside, when he didn''t smile, he didn''t look like the most caring person on the. He looked a little dark, nearly mean, but she was pretty sure that was because of his resting face. It almost looked like a frown and a re mixed together. But his smile could light up a room. Alyssa smiled at him and nodded. She was d that everything was okay now, thanks to him. "Did you see Zoe? She must be worried sick," she sighed. Thankfully, she remembered that Zoe had put her drink down before even taking a sip. Hopefully, she hadn''t picked up another one after that. Someone was trying to drug girls at that party. "I let her know that you''ll be okay. I did advise her not to drink anything, though," Elias replied before frowning. "Those frat boys are scum. They''re lucky I don''t know which one did this." "I shouldn''t have taken anything from them," Alyssa said with a shake of her head. She should''ve known better, but she had wanted the encouragement that the alcohol could give her. Instead, it made her pass out in front of everyone. She hoped that she hadn''t made aplete fool of herself. Elias ced his other hand on her other arm, making her look directly at him. "None of this is your fault, okay? They shouldn''t be doing awful things like this. I''ll get it taken care of," he promised her. Alyssa gave him a confused look. She wondered how he was going to go about doing that. The guy that handed her the drink could''ve been the one to do this, but she wasn''t sure. She didn''t want to point any fingers until she was sure. "Thank you for helping me out. Sorry if I ruined your night," she told him sheepishly. She didn''t think that a frat party was his type of scene, but there were still plenty of things to learn about him. Maybe he was a party guy. She was fine with that unless he was also the type to drug people. Chapter 23 - Sneaking Out Elias waved his hand dismissively as he took a step back from her. "Party wasme anyway," he replied as he grinned at her. "Are parties your thing?" Alyssa asked him. She couldn''t help but wonder out loud because she couldn''t think of a reason for why he was even there in the first ce. Then again, it was probably odd for her to be there too. Elias shook his head. "Not really. I was just invited and figured I''d check it out. Free food and drinks," he pointed out. Alyssaughed and nodded. That made more sense. They had enough chips, pizza, and drinks to feed a whole football team in there. It was the perfect ce to steal a bite to eat. She didn''t rmend the drinks, though. "Well, I guess I''m lucky you decided to stop in," she said. She didn''t want to even think about what could''ve happened if he hadn''t been there. Would someone else have jumped in to help her? "You kinda saved me." Elias leaned against the side of her bed. "It was my pleasure," he chuckled. His mood was much lighter than before. The dark tone of his eyes had lightened, like the anger had melted away. She noticed that he did have a darker side to him. It rarely came out, but when it did, it was prominent and intimidating. Alyssa held her bottle of water close to her chest as she watched him. She was still a little nervous to have him in her room with her. Alone. So many scenarios that she knew would never happen shed through her mind. Fantasies. "I''ll make this up to you somehow," she told him. She felt bad about him doing so much for nothing in return. Elias shook his head. "You really don''t have to. I''m just d you''re okay," he assured her. That even made her smile on the inside. He always said the right things. He was smooth and charming, and no wonder he was always on her mind. He drove her crazy in a way that she had never experienced before. "I don''t want to keep you. It''ste," she told him. She didn''t want him to think that he had to stay and babysit her if he wanted to go elsewhere. She wasn''t tired anymore. In fact, she was kind of hungry. "I think I''ll just hunt down some food and then hang around here. No more parties tonight." Elias checked the time before looking back at her. "I could take you somewhere to eat. If you want. There''s a really good diner that''s open 24/7 down the street," he offered. It was like he still wanted to watch over her. It made her heart flutter and her cheeks burn. She had no idea how she caught this boy''s attention, but she wanted to cherish it for as long as she had it. There was no telling when he would get tired of her and move on. "Sure. That sounds nice," she said with a nod. She was already dressed and ready to go, even if she was possibly overdressed for a diner. She started to follow him toward her door before pausing. "I don''t want them to catch you sneaking out of here. We could still get in trouble." "I know a way out," Elias told her as he opened the door for her. He didn''t look the least bit worried. "Trust me?" For some reason, she did. Even if she hadn''t known him long, she had a feeling that he wouldn''t do anything to get her in trouble or hurt her. That was enough for her to let him take the lead. "Yes. Lead the way," she replied before following him down the hallway. Instead of heading to the lobby, he headed toward the side door that led to the staircases that went up the side of the building. To her surprise, there was an exit door behind the stairs. It was almost tucked away, but she guessed that it was an emergency exit. They didn''t go over that during wee week. "How did you know this was here?" she asked him as they walked through the door and outside of the building. She had been living there for a few weeks, and she had no clue that it was there. She didn''t even think that he lived in a dorm right now since he was about to move into an apartment. "All dorm buildings have it," Elias told her as he led her to the parking lot next to the dorm. "Told you that you could trust me." Alyssa smirked and yfully rolled her eyes at him as she walked at his side. "I guess there are some things that you can teach me too," she replied. That came out a little weird, but she smiled through it. She wasn''t exactly wrong. He had taught her about tea too. "You have no idea," Elias smirked as his shoulder brushed hers. He stopped in front of a ck Dodge Challenger and pulled open the passenger''s side door. Alyssa thanked him before slipping inside and admiring the sleek interior. The car looked and smelled brand new, like it was a model from this year or thest. She wondered how he afforded such nice things, like a car and an apartment. She didn''t want to outright ask if he was rich, though. Also she was curious about where hees from since he looked Asian. Maybe his family is Asian? Alyssa had too many questions but she was afraid to ask them, least he felt that she was intruding in his life Chapter 24 - Raging Crush "Nice car," she told him once he got into the driver''s seat. She hoped that he would maybe tell her about how he came to got it. Maybe he had a rich grandmother or something. Maybe he won it from one of those mall sweepstakes. It had to be something along those lines. "Thanks," Elias said as he shed her a smile. Even through the dark, she could make out how white his teeth were. He started the engine, letting it rumble to life. "Ready for breakfast?" "At three in the morning? Sure," Alyssaughed. He could''ve been taking her to the DMV and she would''ve been happy to go along for the ride. With each passing moment that they spent with each other, a thought started to be clearer and clearer to her. She liked him. A lot. And she had no idea how on Earth she was going to contain this raging crush. Annie''s Diner was the passion project of a town local. It started out as a struggling food joint that barely got any business and then turned into a college town hotspot. It was one of the few ces that actually stayed open all night for the college students to grab ate night or very early morning bite. Even at three in the morning, there were a few college students trying to get over their buzz. Theyughed and chatted in the slightly torn red leather booths along the diner''s wall. White and ck tile covered the floor, and a light or two flickered from time-to-time. It showed its age, but it had some great food. Alyssa and Elias sat across from each other in a booth toward the back corner. An old jukebox rumbled quietly from behind them. A forgotten song from the seventies fell deaf on their ears as they talked to one another about the menu. "What do you rmend?" Alyssa asked him. She wasn''t that much of a picky eater. She couldn''t be with how she grew up. Whatever her parents scrounged up for dinner or whatever she managed to make herself from the small amount of items in the pantry or fridge, she learned to eat, no matter how it tasted. "Do you like mushrooms?" Elias asked her as he gazed down at therge menu in his hands. Alyssa shrugged. They were okay, but she never went out of her way to eat them. "Not the biggest fan," she replied. She let herself be a little picky now that she had the opportunity to eat good cooking. It was a nice change of pace. "Onion rings?" Elias asked as his eyes shifted down the menu. "Love them," Alyssa said. She couldn''t remember thest time that she had them, but she could put away a whole box of them easily. "The Blooming Burger is your best bet then. It has onion rings on it," Elias said before shutting his menu. "Pair that with a malt and you''re good to go." It wasn''t a traditional breakfast, but Alyssa didn''t mind. A burger full of onion rings sounded amazing. "Then, I know what I want," Alyssa replied as she closed her menu too. "What are you getting?" "I''m feeling kind of breakfast-y. I like getting this burger with hashbrowns and a fried egg on top," Elias said as he rested back against the booth cushion with a satisfied smile. Alyssa couldn''t help butugh behind her hand. She didn''t know why she suspected something different. He just kept surprising her. "What?" Elias asked as he gave her a curious look. Alyssa shrugged. "You''re just one of the most interesting people I''ve ever met," she admitted. She felt herself blush admitting that, but it was true. No one else had ever captured her interest like he did. He kept her on her toes, slowly revealing bits and pieces of himself to her. Elias looked down in an almost bashful manner. It was the first time she had ever seen him look like that. "That''s nice of you to say," he said. "I think I''m pretty boring." "If you''re boring, I''m aplete snore," Alyssa smirked. She was surprised he thought so less of himself. Elias reached out to gently take her hand. "Stop. You''re not boring," he gently chided her. "Trust me. I''ve met some boring people in my life." Alyssa felt heat flush through her as she stared at their joined hands. She couldn''t believe he was actually holding her hand right now. He could''ve just been being nice to her, but he was touching her. She didn''t even know how to process that. "I was surprised you even noticed me that day in the library. I kind of just float around. Unseen," she said as she finally lifted her eyes to his. That came out a little deeper than she meant it to. Something about him coaxed her to open up way faster and easier than usual. "Why? You should speak up more. I like hearing what you have to say," Elias asked her. Alyssa wondered why he was being so sweet. A brief wonder if he was flirting with her crossed her mind, but she immediately shook it away. That wasn''t likely. This was Elias she was talking about, and she was just¡­ herself. That didn''t mix. Before she could reply, an older waitress approached their table and took their orders. She ordered a chocte malt along with her burger. As much as she was looking forward to her meal, her mind wasn''t on food at the moment. It was far from that. "I guess I''m just used to not being listened to. Why talk if people aren''t going to listen?" she said. She was talked over a lot, and it made her feel like what she said wasn''t important. It stemmed from her parents, but she experienced it in school too. "Only you and Zoe listen." "There''s a lot of shallow people out there. I''ve met people who were so narcissistic that it would make your skin crawl. They''re miserable people not worthy of your time," Elias told her as he gave her hand a squeeze Chapter 25 - Not Special "I''m not that special," Alyssa replied. She didn''t want to think of herself as being better than anyone. She was told plenty of times that she was nothing more than ordinary. "I''m going to prove that you are," Elias told her in a confident tone. He drifted his hand away from hers. "In all my years, I don''t think I''ve met someone so stubborn when it came to admitting they''re better than just normal." "Isn''t that narcissistic?" Alyssa smirked as she crossed her arms and rested them on the surface of the table in front of her. "That''s thinking you''re better than everyone," Elias replied. "You''re not narcissistic. You''re not boring." "You''re really trying to boost my ego, aren''t you?" Alyssaughed a bit awkwardly. She wasn''t used to this much kind attention. He focused on her more than most people, more than her own parents. "Just trying to make you realize that you''re interesting too," Elias replied with a grin. He was sly as well as charming. She wished she could get used to his behavior so that it would stop affecting her so much, but that probably wasn''t going to happen. A mere smile from him made her feel all fluttery on the inside. "What were you like in high school? Were you popr?" Alyssa asked him. She hoped that she wasn''t prying too much, but she was curious. He had the personality and looks of someone popr, but he also acted like an outcast in other instances. He straddled that line, and she wondered if he always had or not. "I kind of stuck to myself during high school. I was a moody teenager," Elias chuckled. He thanked the waitress once she dropped off their malts. "I think I''m still a little moody at times." "Something specific make you moody?" Alyssa asked. She could get grumpy from time-to-time, but it was a rare feeling for her. She had been around plenty of angry people, and nothing good ever came out of their frustration. She tried to avoid it as much as possible. "My family. Some old friends. Too much homework. I think I searched for things to be upset about back then," Elias replied with a shake of his head. "I''ve been trying to change that." "If it makes you feel any better, thest thing I see you as is a mad person," Alyssa replied with a small smile before sipping on her malt. She nearly groaned at how good the sweet taste was. She hadn''t had one of these in a while. The cafeteria only had so many things to try. Elias shed his white teeth at that. He lit up from his eyes to his smile. "Then I''m doing a good job," he said. "You can be a little scary, though," Alyssa replied. She mostly said that as a joke, but part of that was a little serious. He could get all dark and gloomy at times. "That''s part of my nature. That''ll always be there," Elias smirked before sipping on his vani malt. He looked far from threatening now. She felt like being insecure was part of her nature. Thoughts of uncertainty always lingered in her head, even if she tried to be confident and bold. She wondered if she would ever be able to get rid of them or at least quiet them down. "Here you are," the waitress said as she arrived at the table with their burgers. She set them down in front of them before cing the check on the table and then leaving. Alyssa made a grab for it since he had paid for their tea that one night. She figured it was her turn to pick up the bill for them, and she wanted to thank him for saving her skin anyway. Of course, Elias beat her to the punch and swiped the bill away. He was quick. "I can get it," she said, attempting to reason with him. She should''ve known that wouldn''t pan out, though. "I''m a gentleman. I''ll take care of the tab," Elias assured her as he ced his debit card down on the bill. "That sort of mindset is fizzling out," he muttered. Alyssa tilted her head at him curiously. At times, he spoke so strangely or used weird wording. She guessed that he read a lot or heard someone talk in that way. "You''re kind of old-fashioned," she pointed out. Elias shrugged. "I guess my mind is kind of old," he admitted before grabbing his burger and sinking his teeth into it. Alyssa followed suit, feeling an onion ring crunch between her teeth. There were so many bold vors, but they meddled together wonderfully. She didn''t think she ever had such a vorful burger before, and it didn''te from some fancy restaurant. It came from a regr old diner. "That is incredible," she said as she stared at therge mouth-shaped hole in the side of her burger. "I told you, and I''m picky about food," Elias replied before taking another bite. She liked that they were different in many ways. He showed her so many new things and brought her around to new ways of thinking and trying different things. She wouldn''t have gone through a handful of experiences already this year without him, and she hoped that he would stick around to show her more. She surely wouldn''t mind doing more things together. Chapter 26 - Cutest Couple After they ate all they could bring themselves to, they headed out of the diner and back into the night. The sun would be rising soon, but Alyssa nned on sleeping until at least noon. She needed the rest, and she bet that Elias did too. He had been with her for hours now. Elias drove them back to the dorm parking lot and parked near the gate. He turned to her. "I had fun tonight. Well, this morning," he told her. "Me too. Youpletely turned my night around," Alyssa told him. While she was with him, she hadpletely forgotten about the disaster that happened at the party. He often took her mind off of things. It was another reason why she liked being around him. "I''m d. If you ever need a day or night turned around, call me," Elias replied with a yful wink. That single expression nearly knocked all of the air out of her lungs. Alyssa lowered her head as she smiled, trying to hide her blush. She pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear before lifting her head. "I will," she said before undoing her seatbelt and opening the passenger''s door. She slipped out of the car and was about to walk off until she heard his voice again. "You look really nice tonight." Alyssa turned back to him and gave him a grateful look. That was a nice little ego boost. Thepliment weighed heaviering from him because she knew he wouldn''t lie to her. Plus, he was incredibly handsome. She didn''t think that she was anywhere near his level. "Thank you. Good¡­ morning," she said with a lightugh. It was automatic to say goodnight, but they were way past nightfall. "Good morning, Alyssa," Elias replied as he gazed at her. Alyssa shut the door to his car before heading through the gates toward her dorm. A fluttering sensation filled her whole. She reyed hispliment and his wink over and over again in her head. She couldn''t believe that she had already developed a crush so deep that would probably never be reciprocated. It was like she was trying to break her own heart by developing feelings for someone like him. Then again, better she did it than him. That was an ache she didn''t think she''d ever be able to move past. Alyssa smoothed down her white blouse for what felt like the hundredth time as she walked across campus with Zoe at her side. She had an interview for an on campus desk job that she really hoped she got. The extra money and experience would be great for her, and it wouldn''t be that demanding. She would work part time during the week, organizing paperwork and answering phone calls. "If you pull on that blouse anymore, it''s going to rip," Zoe warned her before biting into the slice of pizza she snatched from the cafeteria on their way through campus. "Why did I not n a lunch break between my sses? I''m an idiot." "Maybe you can pack something?" Alyssa suggested. She had gotten a banana to go because her nerves basically ate up her hunger. She just wanted to get this interview over with. Then, she could rx. Luckily, she had already gotten her two sses out of the way this morning. "Do I look like a mom?" Zoe scoffed before stuffing the entire crust of the pizza into her mouth. Augh broke from Alyssa as she shook her head at Zoe. She never thought she''d be close friends with such an extrovert, but a lot of things had taken her by surprise this year. "I''ve been hanging out with Elias a lot this week," shemented. She nced down at the tips of her ck ts, but she knew that Zoe was smiling at her. She might''ve mentioned to Zoe that she had a bit of a crush on Elias. She figured that Zoe would find out one way or another. "You need to make a move on him," Zoe said as she nudged Alyssa''s side with her elbow. "What? No! He''ll reject me, and I''ll just be embarrassed," Alyssa muttered. She knew that he would be nice about it, but it would still crush her. She could avoid that pain if she didn''t even try. "Aw,e on. You guys have chemistry!" Zoe argued. "He''s just being nice," Alyssa replied. He was a nice person. He knew she was socially awkward, so he was just being amodating. That was all there was to it. She''d be a fool to look too deep into it. "He''s not that nice to me or any other person I''ve seen him talk to," Zoe pointed out as she lifted her eyebrows. Alyssa fell silent. She didn''t know how to respond to that. It made a brief flicker of hope spark in her chest, but she pushed it away. It still didn''t prove anything. "He''s really sweet. I just don''t think I''m even close to his league," she sighed. She had seen so many pretty and smart girls around campus. She knew that some of these people were going to go on and do great things. She hoped to achieve the same, but who said she would? Why would he take a chance on her out of all people? "You know, you''re way prettier than you think you are," Zoe replied as she gave Alyssa a pointed look. "You can deny it all you want, but you don''t see yourself how other people do." Alyssa lowered her head again and shrugged. She knew that Zoe had a point, but she didn''t want to get ahead of herself. She didn''t want to march ahead with confidence only to get turned down. It would take forever to recollect that crushed confidence. "I''ll see," Alyssa sighed. "I''ll see if we get closer. Maybe I''ll say something to him then." Zoe brightened up at that. She threw her arm around Alyssa''s shoulders and squeezed her. "That''s my girl! You guys are going to be the cutest couple. I can already see it." Chapter 27 - The Interview Alyssa smirked as her cheeks reddened. That was a fantasy to her right now, but maybe it could be her reality. She would just have to wait and see because she wasn''t going to say anything unless she was absolutely sure her feelings were returned. "What about you?" she asked Zoe. "What about me?" "Got your eye on anyone?" Alyssa asked her. She didn''t remember Zoe ever mentioning having a liking for someone. Zoe shook her head as she wiped a few crumbs off of her fingertips. "I''m open to anyone that catches my eye, though," she replied with a hopeful smile. Alyssa had no doubts that Zoe would find someone incredible. She was gorgeous and funny. Anyone would be lucky to date her. "Well, this is me," Alyssa said once they stopped in front of the library. If she got the job, she would be dealing with book check ins and check outs. It sounded simple enough, and she liked being in the library. Zoe ced her hands on Alyssa''s shoulders. "You''ve got this. Just smile and be confident in your abilities," Zoe pepped her up. Alyssa nodded, thinking back on her answers to the mock interview questions she quizzed herself on. She knew that she had the knowledge and capabilities to do this job sessfully. She just couldn''t overthink things. "Thanks," Alyssa said sincerely. "Have fun in your ss." Zoe snorted as she dropped her hands from Alyssa''s shoulders. "Yeah, sure. Bye!" she called out as she headed the other way toward her ss. Alyssa turned to face the entrance to the library. She drew in aforting breath. She had this. She could do this. She strode inside and walked to the front desk. "Hi, I''m here to see Valorie," she said to a young brte girl. She had received an email earlier telling her to ask for someone named Valorie, who would be conducting the interview. The brte nodded. "I''ll let her know you''re here," she said before standing from her desk and disappearing into the back for a minute. She then returned with an olderdy with short, curly hair and a green cardigan on. "Alyssa, nice to meet you. I''m Valorie. You cane back here to my office and we''ll get started," Valorie invited her. Alyssa nodded and followed Valorie into her small office in the back. She sat down in a chair in front of a wooden desk, crossing her leg over her knee. She squeezed her hands into fists in herp, trying to get them to stop shaking. She couldn''t let herself seem so nervous. "So, tell me about yourself," Valorie said once she sat down and got settled. Alyssa tilted her head up in a more confident look. She remembered Zoe''s words. Now, she had to put them into action. "I''m a Biological Sciences major with an emphasis in Biomedical Sciences. I''ve always loved learning new things, and a lot of that happens here in the library," Alyssa replied with a small smile. She hoped that her tie in with the library helped her answer. "That''s great. Can you tell me a little bit more?" Valorie pushed a little. Alyssa didn''t like getting this question. It was hard to answer. She was still trying to get to know herself. How did she begin to answer this question? Her major was all that she was right now. Outside of being a college student, she was no one. "I want to be a pediatrician. I think the childhood years are incredibly important," Alyssa continued. She was scrabbling at whatever she could get her hands on at this point. She didn''t know how to talk about her hopes and her feelings to strangers. She hardly knew how to talk about them to her friends. "Right. What is your schedule like?" Valorie asked. Alyssa internally sighed in relief when they finally moved on from that question. She doubted that she gave that great of an answer, but she could talk about her schedule. She told Valorie her ss schedule and when she''d be avable to work. Tuesdays and Thursdays worked best for her. "The job is pretty straightforward. You''re a smart girl. Whatever you don''t know, I''m sure you''ll be able to pick up," Valorie said with a casual wave of her hand. Alyssa felt her heartbeat speed up. It sounded like she could possibly get the job. Could it be that easy? She probably overthought all of this. It was a simple campus job, not some higher level corporate position that required multiple interviews. "We''ll be in touch soon. I have another interview to do today," Valorie said as she stood up from her desk. Alyssa felt her confidence crumble. She didn''t like the sound of that. If anyone had a little more experience than her, they would surely get the job over her. Then, she would have to dig around for another campus job to apply to. She needed one soon because her summer money was starting to run out. "Oh, okay. Thank you," she said as she stood up and shook Valorie''s hand. She left the office and paused in the main lobby of the library. Now, she had no clue what to do now. She was feeling a little down after her underwhelming interview. She needed a pick-me-up, and the caf¨¦ was only a few feet away. Alyssa strode inside and got in line, tapping her bottom lip as she gazed at the menu. She couldn''t help but let her eyes be drawn to the tea section. Elias broke into her thoughts so often, even when she didn''t expect him to. How on Earth was she going to manage this crush? "Ginger tea, please," Alyssa said to the barista before handing over her card. She knew that she didn''t need to be spending money right now, but she deserved this after today. Sometimes, she needed to treat herself. She drank tea and took a walk, calming her nerves and taking a moment to just take in everything that had been happening to her this semester. No matter what happened with the job, she was happy with how her life was going right now. She felt like she was blooming, and she hoped nothing stopped that growth. She hoped nothing threatened to cut her down, but hope was only so strong. Chapter 28 - The Call Music filled Alyssa''s dorm room as she nodded her head to the upbeat tune. She cleaned up her bathroom counter as she mouthed the lyrics. Finally, she was getting around to cleaning her room up. Instead of sitting around, waiting, and worrying about her job interview, she decided to make the most of her time and do something productive. She had plenty to do, whether it was cleaning or homework. Her load ofundry should''ve been finishing up soon too. Even doing small things like this made her feel much better and much more productive. She couldn''t stand sitting around and feeling like she was wasting precious time. There was always something for her to do. Alyssa organized the few makeup products she had back into a makeup bag before walking out of the bathroom. She grabbed her broom and started sweeping the floor, searching out any dust bunnies that were hiding under the furniture. Just in case she hadpany again, she wanted her room to be clean. Her movements halted when she thought about her most frequent guest. She never expected that to be a guy, but she never minded when he came over. In fact, she wished that he came over more. They studied in the library most of the time, but she missed having more alone time with him. They could talk about anything without worrying about lingering eyes and ears. Maybe she was also hoping that they would share a special moment together, one not meant for anyone else to see. She fantasized about a kiss that stole her breath, a touch that would burn her up inside. She had never experienced such, but she could imagine it so clearly when she was with him. Her fantasizing was soon cut short when her phone started ringing on her nightstand, cutting off her music. She jogged over to it and picked it up to see that it was her mom calling. She frowned as she stared at the caller ID for a few seconds. She had no idea why her mom was calling her right now. She considered not picking up at all, but there had to be some important reason why she was calling. She wouldn''t call for no reason. She certainly wouldn''t call just to check up on her. With a sigh, she answered the call and brought the phone up to her ear. "Hello?" she answered. Her words nearly got caught in her throat. She wasn''t looking forward to this call. It couldn''t be anything good. She was either being med for something or asked for something. "Alyssa. It''s been a while," her mom''s voice sounded through the phone. It bordered on raspy and was not smooth or calming at all. It grated on Alyssa''s ears. "Yeah," Alyssa said. What else was there to say? Her parents had chosen to make their rtionship rocky. She had nothing to apologize for on that front. She just had to deal with it now until she no longer had to deal with her parents. It was obvious they didn''t want anything to do with her most of the time anyway. "Listen¡­ how much money do you have left from your summer job?" her mom asked. Alyssa''s eyes shot open wide in shock. Her mother actually had the audacity to ask her that. She worked so hard during the summer to save up money for the beginning of this semester. She didn''t want to rely on her parents for anything. Now, they were trying to take her money. She should''ve expected this. Her mom worked as a cashier at a local gas station. Her father didwn care and other odd jobs. She knew that they could work harder, but they werezy. They would rather sit in front of the television or drink beer out on the front porch. They were everything she didn''t want to be. "You can''t have that money. I told you that I needed it for college. It''s already almost gone," Alyssa replied as she paced around her room. She tightened her grip on her phone as she tried to breathe through her frustration. "Already gone? What have you been blowing it on?" her mother snapped. Alyssa froze in her steps. An angry tremor shuddered down her neck and back. She had to clench her jaw for a moment to keep from shouting. Dealing with her parents was the only time she got really mad. She hated feeling this way. She hated seeing her parents in such a negative light. She wanted better parents. She wanted a better childhood. She missed out on so many happy memories that she should''ve shared with them. She didn''t fault them for being poor, but they could''ve tried harder. They could''ve taken her to a park or helped her make mud pies in the backyard. They could''ve made an effort, but they chose not to. "I haven''t been blowing it. I''ve had to buy food and things for school," Alyssa exined as calmly as possible. Truthfully, she didn''t need to exin all of this to her mother. It wasn''t her ce anymore since Alyssa was an adult. However, she tried to keep the arguments to a minimum as much as she possibly could. "Your father and I provided for you for so many years, and you can''t help us out this once?" her mother asked. Alyssa shook her head. She had helped her parents out with money before. She paid electricity bills with her summer job checks. She helped mowwns so that she could buy herself school supplies during high school. She worried about money at way too early of an age. She picked up the ck when they needed her to, but that was when she was under their roof and she wasn''t an adult. She was out here on her own now. She was responsible for herself, not them. They refused to believe that. "I''m sorry. I can''t give you any money," she replied. She didn''t even want to ask what they needed money for. It was probably for ate bill or a new television because they broke another one. They weren''t responsible or considerate of anything other than themselves. They shouldn''t have been parents. "I see," her mom said coldly. "I''ll be sure to remember that whenever you need anything from us." Chapter 29 - A Friend To Talk To Alyssa remained quiet for a few moments, not knowing what to say. She wasn''t going to change her mind and give up her hard earned money or ask them for anything. She was rushing to get a job because she was running out of money in the first ce. Why would she hemorrhage even more money before she got the position? Or be indebted to them? "I have to go," Alyssa finally said. She figured there was nothing else to say. She wasn''t giving them money, and that was the only reason why they called her in the first ce. She knew that this wouldn''t be thest instance of them doing this either. "You''re selfish," her mother hissed. Alyssa hung up and tossed her phone on her bed. She shook her trembling hands, attempting to calm herself down. There was so much that she wanted to pick up the phone and say to them, so many unspoken words she never said. She knew that nothing good woulde out of her saying them, though. She might as well keep them to herself. She drew in a deep breath through her nose and coaxed herself to sit down on her bed and rx. She needed to let all of this go, but it was so hard to. She rarely got angry over things, but something about her parents really dug under her skin. It broke her down from the inside, and she didn''t know how to handle those feelings. She needed an outlet or just someone to talk to so that she didn''t lock everything up. That wouldn''t do her any good. The first person that came to mind was Elias. He always put her mind at ease and helped her refocus. He didn''t judge her. He was the exact opposite of her parents. But she didn''t want to bother him. He had better things to do than to always console her, and he was probably busy anyway. She didn''t need to talk to him. She could get over this herself. Or she wished that she could. Alyssa buried her face in her hands. She felt so hopeless and useless, like she couldn''t even handle herself. At times, she almost convinced herself that her parents were right about her, that she would amount to nothing no matter how hard she worked. Her own mind was her own enemy, and it came down to her. But she didn''t have to be alone. With a sigh, she grabbed her phone and tapped on Elias'' contact. She put her phone up to her ear as it started to ring. She held her breath as she waited for him to answer, hoping that he wasn''t too busy. She forgot if he had a ss right now or not. "Hello?" Elias answered after a few rings. Alyssa froze at first. She was hoping that he would answer, but she hadn''t been sure if he was even going to answer her call. He took her by surprise. She cleared her throat awkwardly and mustered up a greeting. "Hi," she replied before mentally facepalming herself. Her mind was a jumbled mess that she had yet to straighten out. She wondered if she would ever be able to, if things would ever fall calm in her head. "Is everything okay?" Elias asked, sounding concerned. "Oh, yeah!" Alyssa said, feigning a cheerful tone. She then wilted on the spot. That sounded fake, and she didn''t feel like keeping up a lie. "No." "Yeah, I figured," Elias said. "Do you want to walk and talk?" Alyssa felt the side of her mouth curl up in a slight smile. She liked their walks. She didn''t even pay attention to where they were walking to or for how long. She was in her own little world with him, and she didn''t mind escaping for a little while. "That sounds great. Want to meet at the fountain?" she asked, choosing the middle point on campus. "I''ll meet you there in fifteen," Elias replied. "Elias," Alyssa blurted out his name before he could hang up. "Yeah?" "Thank you," Alyssa said sincerely. She wished she could exin to him how much this meant to her. Before him, she didn''t have someone she feltfortable enough to spill these things to. He was a safe haven for her. "It''s no problem," Elias assured her before the call went dead. Alyssa dragged her fingers through her hair to tame the strands before sliding off of her bed. She would talk about her family to him, but she would let it go afterwards. She didn''t want to keep ruining her days because of them. They weren''t worth it. After grabbing her things, she hurried out of her dorm, eager to see him. The closer she got to him, the brighter that she felt, like he was leading her away from darkness. There was no better feeling, and she hoped that he would be around for a long while to light her path. Chapter 30 - His Warmth Alyssa felt like she could properly breathe again when she saw Elias walking her way. She moved off of the fountain''s edge and lifted her hand up in a subtle wave. Elias smiled back at her as he nodded to her. A silver ne hung around his neck, resting above the thin material of his ck button down. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his ck, slim fit pants. "Hey," he said with a sympathetic look. He stepped closer to her than she expected him to, and then her arms were around her. Alyssa''s eyes widened at the sudden hug, but she weed it and wrapped her arms around him. She drew him in close as she rested her cheek against his chest. He never felt all that warm, but he was soft and firm at the same time. He felt perfect against her, and she hated the moment that she had to let go of him and step back. "Thanks foring. I hope you weren''t busy," she told him as she threaded her fingers together in front of her. She would''ve understood if he couldn''te out here and meet her. They both had their own lives, and she couldn''t expect him to turn away from his to attend to hers. "No, it''s fine. I wasn''t," Elias assured her as he stood at her side. He met her eyes. "But you''re not fine." Alyssa sighed softly and shrugged in a dismissive way. Now that she was with him and had taken a few minutes to calm down, the phone call didn''t feel as awful and dramatic as it did in the moment. "I just got off the phone with my mom. It wasn''t that great of a call," she replied. There was a lot of baggage when it came to her parents. She wasn''t sure if he was ready to hear all of it. Maybe they weren''t that close yet. "Are you close to her?" Elias asked as he motioned for them to start walking. Alyssa shook her head as she picked at her fingernails. She hadn''t admitted these things to anyone before. It was strange to actually say the words. "No. I''m not close to either of my parents," she replied. "I don''t think I ever was." "Did something happen?" Elias asked as a concerned look appeared on his face. Alyssa thought back into the early years of her childhood. There wasn''t one incident that caused her family rtionships to be so fractured. There were just a lot of small ones. She was constantly disappointed and let down by them. It became what she expected from them, and that shouldn''t have been the case. They were her parents. She should''ve been able to look up to them. "Not really. They''re just not meant to be parents. I get that not everyone can go above and beyond, but they hardly even did the bare minimum," she exined. They enrolled her in school and showed her where the bus stop was, but they often forgot to pack her lunch or fix her hair in the morning. "I''m sorry you had to deal with that growing up," Elias murmured with a frown. "I couldn''t begin to imagine going through that." Alyssa guessed that his family was the opposite. They were probably overbearing or crowding him too much, which was scaring him off. She would rather have that than parents who rarely showed up when she needed them to. "I''m just d that I''m older now and able to be away from them," she replied. Things could be worse. She could still be a teenager in high school. Not only did she have to deal with mean girls and gross boys at school, but she also had to deal with her parents and a crumbling home life. She was old enough to understand what was happening and feel the full effects of it, but she was still too young to remedy any of it or to get away from it. She had beenpletely stuck. "But they still call you," Elias said, bringing her back to her original point. "I worked a lotst summer to save up money for this semester until I got a part time job. My mom called me today to ask for some of my money," Alyssa told him, watching his eyes gradually narrow. "They want the money you worked for?" Elias asked, sounding shocked. Alyssa nodded, d that he shared her bewilderment. She was still stunned that her mom actually thought that she was going to give them any of her money that she still needed. Though, she made the mistake of giving them money when she was in high school. "If I wasn''t so shocked, I think I would''veughed," she admitted. Her parents could be ridiculous. They had surprised her more than once with their requests. "What did they even want it for?" Elias asked. Alyssa shook her head, wondering that herself. Her mom hadn''t said anything, so it was probably for something she didn''t even want to hear about. "I have no clue. She didn''t tell me," she replied. Something was going on, but she wasn''t going to concern herself with it. It would just pile on unnecessary stress, and she had enough of that to deal with already. "I''m guessing you told her no, right?" Elias said in a hopeful manner. Alyssa scoffed. She wouldn''t give them another cent. It would probably go to something dumb anyway, and she would rather spend her own money on things that she needed, like school supplies or things for her dorm. "I''m never giving her money again. I taught myself that lesson," she muttered. She had to value her time and effort, and her parents just wanted to sabotage all of that. She needed to put as much distance between them and her as possible before they somehow ruined her life. "Hopefully, she leaves you alone now," Elias replied as his arm brushed hers. They walked close at each other''s side as the rest of campus fell away around them. Chapter 31 - Beautiful Friendship "I hope. Like, I feel a little bad because they''re family, but they''ve never acted like it," she sighed. She wished that things were different. She wanted to love her family, but they made it so hard for her to. How could she love someone who disrespected her and didn''t care about her? Elias nodded his understanding. "It''s kind of hardwired in us to love and ept our family, even if they don''t deserve it. It''s a w," he said. Alyssa was d he understood. She couldn''t stand when people imed that family was the most important thing in life, that they couldn''t do any wrong. She didn''t want to feel expected to forgive every bad thing her parents did to her. They were only family by blood. "Right? Family can hurt you so badly. It''s not fair that it''s not encouraged to cut just them off when they do. We''re supposed to look past it or forgive them just because they''re family. If it was anyone else, we could walk away from them," Alyssa said, feeling her anger start to ebb away. She had never ranted like this to someone before. She didn''t like being so negative, but it did feel good to get the words out of her head. She felt lighter, freer. She should''ve never expected herself to bottle all of these things up forever. They would destroy her from the inside. "Is anything really connecting you to them? Can''t you cut them off?" Elias asked her. Alyssa''s shoulders dropped a little. Unfortunately, there were some ties. She was trying to figure out how to cut them, but it was hard to as a full-time college student. She could only support herself on her own so much. "Health insurance. I live there during the summer because I haven''t gotten my own ce off campus yet," Alyssa exined. She couldn''t afford either of them right now, and she wasn''t sure when she would be able to. Elias frowned as he nodded. "At least summer is short," he pointed out. Alyssa cracked a small smile. He wasn''t wrong. Summer usually flew by, especially since she busied herself with work. She didn''t like going home and arguing about something new with her parents, though. She preferred being at work, even if it was tiring and hot. "I like being here," she admitted. College felt like a safe space for her. She didn''t have to walk on eggshells or expect to be yelled at for any little thing that she did wrong. Her parents could only get in contact with her if they called or showed up on campus for some reason. "Me too. It''s an escape," Elias agreed as he gazed around the busy campus. People rushed from ss to ss. Some chatted with friends in the shade or on benches. It was a whole other life here. "You like to escape from your family too?" Alyssa asked him. She was curious about his family. He didn''t speak about them much, but she could tell that he was trying to distance himself from them. Something was going on between them. She was familiar with family drama. Elias shrugged. "I love them, and I know they want the best for me. We just don''t see eye-to-eye on some things," Elias said. "They''re helicopter parents?" Alyssa questioned. It sounded like they made decisions for him, even if he didn''t agree with them. She could somewhat rte to that. Her parents tried to push her in directions that she wasn''t interested in going in. All they cared about was themselves and what they wanted. They couldn''t care less about her dreams. "A bit. They want me to be sessful. In a certain way," Elias exined. "But you want to go about it a different way," Alyssa replied. She figured as much. He needed to pull away so that he could fully spread his wings. He didn''t deserve to be trapped in a small ce when he was meant for so much more and so much bigger. "They didn''t even want me to go to college. They thought it would put distance between us," Elias said. "It seems like it has," Alyssa pointed out. He was trying to move out. If there were no issues with his family, he would''ve stayed with them. It would''ve been cheaper and easier than trying to get a ce on his own. Apartments were ridiculously expensive, and the requirements to even qualify for one were atrocious. She hoped that she could find a good roommate when she made the leap from the dorm to an apartment. Elias drifted his fingers through his hair, drawing the dark strands back from his face. "Yeah, it has. I can just picture more for my own life now," he replied. "Good. You should. No one can dictate your life but yourself," Alyssa said as she brushed her arm against his. They weren''t their parents. They could be anyone they wanted to be. She held onto that belief and let it drive her forward because thest thing that she wanted to do was to move backward. Elias slowed his steps to an eventual stop. He turned to Alyssa with a smile. "I''m supposed to be the one consoling you," he chuckled. Alyssa shrugged as sheughed. She liked being able to help him out too. She didn''t want him to always have to make her feel better. Thest thing that she wanted to be was a weight on her friends. She wanted to offer more than she took from them. "That''s what friends are for, right?" she replied. She was d that they were friends, but she couldn''t help but wish that they were more. She wanted to get closer, but she was afraid of being pushed away. She had already experienced that so much throughout her life. "Right," Elias said warmly. He held her gaze for a few moments, merely looking into her eyes. No words. No interruptions. Chapter 32 - The Hug Alyssa felt her heart start to race. The moment felt so intimate in a way, like he only saw her. She wished that was reality. She wouldn''t mind spending a day with only him with no one else around. The things they could speak into the universe were endless. They could be fearless. "Are you feeling any better?" Elias asked her, breaking his gaze from hers. Alyssa was a little sad at the loss of eye contact. She enjoyed looking into his eyes, connecting with him silently, but she liked talking to him too. His voice was so smooth and lulling but not in a way that bored her. "I am. Thanks to you," she said as they turned to start walking back the way they came. She felt less on edge and like she could think more clearly. Her anger didn''t cloud her head as much anymore, and he did remind her of the sun breaking through storm clouds. They talked about ss on the way back and how they needed to ramp up their studying since midterms were approaching. They really needed to lock in a good grade for that exam to help give their grades padding for the rest of the semester because things would only get harder. Plus, Alyssa didn''t mind hanging out a little more with him throughout the week. They could talk more, and she wanted to learn more about his past and what he hoped to experience in his future. He was so much himself, but he always surprised her. She liked being around someone who kept her on her toes. They reached the gate when Alyssa''s phone suddenly rang. She paused and took her phone out to look at the number. She didn''t recognize it at first, but then she realized that it had to be the library calling about the position she applied for. "I think this is the job I applied for," she told Elias as she looked up at him with wide eyes. She had been waiting for this call for a few days now, and she had no idea what they were going to say to her. Her interview went okay. It could''ve been better. "Answer!" Elias encouraged her. Alyssa nodded fervently before answering the call and bringing her phone up to her ear. "Hello?" "Hi, Alyssa! This is Valorie from the library," Valorie''s voice sounded over the phone. Alyssa drew in a deep breath as she gave her free hand a nervous shake. She almost felt like she was going to break a sweat right then. "Hi!" Alyssa responded. She nced at Elias with a worried look. "I just wanted to give you a call about the front desk position you applied for," Valorie continued. Alyssa suddenly felt Elias take her free hand, prompting her eyes to widen. She realized that he was trying tofort her. In reality, it was making her freak out even more. She gave his hand a squeeze as she waited for Valorie to continue. "We''d love to have you as part of our team! Can you start Monday?" Valorie asked. Alyssa quietly jumped on the spot when she heard the news. She couldn''t believe she actuallynded the job! She knew she shouldn''t have stressed so much about it. She probably did perfectly fine and just thought that she didn''t do good in the interview. "Yes! I''d love to. Thank you so much," she said, rambling slightly. She quickly shut her mouth and beamed at Elias, who gave her a thumbs-up. She had to remind herself to properly breathe because her mind was racing right now. She had to figure out what the dress code was and had to set up her direct deposit information. She had all of these other things to take care of, but at least she got through the scariest part. She finally had a job and more moneying in for this semester. "Great! When youe in, it''ll mostly be paperwork and training," Valorie replied. At least they would show her the ropes. She was hoping that she wouldn''t be thrown at the desk and expected to know what to do. She didn''t want to mess up and lose her job so quickly after scoring it. "Sounds great. I look forward to it," Alyssa said politely as she absentmindedly squeezed Elias'' hand. She wanted to make a good first impression on her first day and learn as much as she could. She typically over prepared far more than she under prepared. "I''ll send you an email with more information and your offer letter, okay?" Valorie replied. "Okay! Thank you so much," Alyssa said before saying goodbye and hanging up the phone. She shared an excited smile with Elias before diving into his arms in a sudden hug. She didn''t know how else to express her excitement, and he was right there. "Congrats! I figured you''d get it," Elias told her as he gave her a tight squeeze. His hands drifted up and down her back slowly as they held onto each other. Chapter 33 - The Kiss He heard about her job interview not too long after she had it, and he had been incredibly supportive. Alyssa noticed how good he smelled, like herbs and wood. She broke away from him before she did anything weird. She lost a lot of hermon sense around him. The perils of having a crush. She was just surprised she made the first move to hug him this time. "Thank you. And I''m not telling my parents," she said with a huff. She could already imagine what they would say. They would im that since she had a job now that she had extra money to send their way. If she said no, they would call her selfish. She had heard it all before. Elias gave her an amused look. "So that they don''t guilt you into giving them money," he said with an understanding nod. "This is my achievement, not theirs," Alyssa murmured as she slipped her phone back into her pocket. She mostly spoke the words to herself. She did something good. She needed to be proud of that because there would be moments in her life when she wouldn''t aplish anything or she would fail. If she remembered these moments, those failures wouldn''t weigh as heavily. "Well, even if you can''t tell them, know that I''m proud of you," Elias told her as he stepped closer to her. He reached out to gently caress her upper arm. Alyssa swallowed hard as she lifted her eyes to his. It was strange having him so close so much. She noticed that the distance between them got less and less with each time they hung out. She didn''t mind that at all. "That means a lot," she said. "I can''t exin how much." She only heard that someone was proud of her so many times in her life. She didn''t hear it from her parents, so she really only heard it from her teachers. It meant a lot when they said that to her, but it didn''t strike her as hard as when Elias said it. He knew her. He didn''t have to tell her that. It just meant all that more to her. "You don''t have to," Elias said gently. "Just know that someone is in your corner." Alyssa had known that she could create great friendships in college, but she never thought that she would be involved in such deep connections like the one she shared with Elias. She told him things she had never spoken aloud. It was so easy to trust him, and she had never felt that for another person. "I''m here for you too, you know," she told him. It went both ways, and she wanted him to feel like he could open up to her. They were at a point in their lives when things were harder than normal. They were out on their own more. They made their own decisions, which meant that they would mess up more and would have to deal with the consequences. It was so much easier to go through all of those daunting motions when she knew that someone had her back. She wanted him to feel that samefort. Elias nodded as he gently rubbed her arm. "I know," he replied warmly. "I should get going." Alyssa nodded, figuring he had things to attend to. She needed to get her things ready for tomorrow anyway. Just because she was hanging out with him didn''t mean she could ignore her tasks and schoolwork. They were thest things on her mind when she was with him, though, even if they were studying. "Bye, Elias," she told him as her eyes locked onto his again. It was so natural to find his eyes, like there was a maic effect between them. She foundfort and excitement in them all at the same time, and it killed her to have to look away. For once, she wanted to not have to. Elias suddenly leaned forward and brushed his lips against her cheek in a faint touch. He pulled back and smiled at her. "Bye, Alyssa," he said before turning and walking off like that kiss had been the most casual thing in the world. Alyssa could only stare after him as her cheek tingled from his lips. That had to mean something. People didn''t just randomly kiss their friends on the cheek. It was a special touch spurred by certain feelings. Kisses were far more intimate than hugs or holding hands. She told herself these things over and over again, trying to make sense of what just happened. It wasn''t like it was her first cheek kiss she had ever experienced, but it felt like it was. She had never obsessed over one like she did with this one, but Elias wasn''t any ordinary guy. Her fingertips graced her cheek as she finally snapped herself out of her daze and headed to the dorm. She reyed that moment over and over again in her head, watching him lean forward and kiss her cheek on a loop. His lips were so soft and warm. She felt like a giddy high schooler. When she got back to her room, she immediately texted Zoe, unable to keep this moment to herself. This was real progress, but that didn''t mean she was going to say anything about her feelings to him yet. Just in case it was just a friendly gesture, she was going to wait for him to take it a step further before saying anything. That was the safer option. Zoe would obviously disagree and push for Alyssa to admit her feelings now, but she didn''t feel ready to do that yet. She just got a job. She wanted to handle one big thing at a time, and she didn''t know if she could juggle the stress of starting a new job and admitting her strong feelings to a guy she really liked. Chapter 34 - Fantasies Elias kissed me on the cheek. I''m making too big a deal of that right? Alyssa sent the text before flopping down on her back on her bed. She could trust Zoe to be honest, even if it was something she didn''t want to hear. She enjoyed having someone to talk about this stuff to. She couldn''t exactly tell Elias everything that was going on in her mind since some of it involved him and her feelings for him. uhhh no! Details! Alyssa smiled to herself as she typed out some of the details of the kiss. She left out some of the things that they talked about because she wanted to keep some things between her and Elias. Those deep conversations meant a lot to her, and she didn''t want to share them with anyone else. Already, she had made so many incredible memories this semester. There was a lot going on in her school life and personal life, but she believed that a busy and productive life was better than never having enough to do or not having the drive to do anything. That sounded miserable to her. That sounded like her parents. Elias had so many traits that she admired. He was the opposite of what she grew up experiencing, and she could see herself growing with him. She didn''t want to get her hopes up, but she could imagine a whole range of experiences and moments for them to create together. She just hoped that her fantasies continued to be her reality. ************* Midterm week arrived faster than anyone expected it to. Students rushed to the caf¨¦ for a caffeine boost before locking themselves up in the library for multiple hours of vigorous studying. It was a madhouse and the most motivated Alyssa had seen people be since the start of the semester. She was also on a roll. She studied with Zoe and Elias frequently to make sure that they were all ready for the psychology exam. Their study time as a group was a st, and Alyssa had never had so much fun studying before. She wasn''t as productive as she usually was when she studied alone, but it was far more entertaining being with friends. Alyssa also cracked down on her studying to block out other things happening in her life. To her surprise, her parents kept trying to call her. She refused to pick up. She already knew that they were just going to ask for money, and she had none to give them. She wasn''t going to give in and open a door that she wouldn''t be able to close back up. She silenced their calls and went on with her life. She knew that was the best thing for her to do, and she wasn''t going to disrupt herself during midterm week. She had a lot of information to pack into her mind, and she didn''t want to fill her head with unnecessary worries. The day of her psychology exam arrived, and she double checked her book bag to make sure that she had everything she needed to take her exam. She made sure she had extra pencils and paper in case she needed them. She didn''t want to worry about anything else other than the material that was on the test, which she had studied over and over again with her friends. She met Zoe and Elias outside of the ssroom fifteen minutes before ss so that they could check in with each other. They all looked a little wary because of how much material they were being tested on, but they had studied about as much as they possibly could. They also had other sses to study for on top of that. "So, how are we feeling?" Alyssa asked them as students moved up and down the hallway past them. "Nervous," Elias admitted as he rocked on his heels with his hands in his pockets. He didn''t have that confident look on his face like he usually did. "I''ve epted my fate," Zoe said with a shrug. She looked unbothered. They were all on varying levels of emotion for this exam. Alyssa knew that she could pass, but she was wary of falling short of an A. It just depended on the type of questions and how close the answers were to each other. She had a habit of overthinking things. "We''re going to do fine. We studied so much," Alyssa pointed out. They spent hours in the library together, going over vocabry and concepts. She even made shcards for them to go through, and they really helped. They just needed to remember what was on them. "My head hurts," Elias muttered as he rubbed his temple. "I have another examter today. How do they expect us to remember this much information?" "Right? They''re setting us up to fail," Zoe agreed as she crossed her arms over her chest. Alyssaughed softly as she looked between them. They weren''t as ready as she was, but this was what she was good at. She put in the time and energy to study, and she believed her test results would reflect that like usual. Hopefully, she would be right about that. "You guys have to rx. You have all of the answers that you need right in here," Alyssa said as she tapped her head with her forefinger. If they panicked and worried, they would forget vital information. She used to have terrible test anxiety, but she learned to breathe through it and focus on what she studied. "Someone is being a little optimist," Zoe quipped as she cocked an eyebrow at Alyssa. Elias smiled. "We should take a page out of her book," he said. Alyssa nced over at Elias and smiled back. Of course, he would have something nice to say. He was always so kind to her. Ever since the kiss a week ago, he hadn''t touched her that way since. They hugged a few times, but they hadn''t gotten that close again. She wondered if the kiss had been a one time thing. She hoped that wasn''t true. Chapter 35 - Believe "Believe in yourselves," she said. She gave Zoe a pointed look since she was still being stubborn. "Come on. We should take our seats," Elias said as he motioned for them to follow him inside the ssroom as more people arrived. Alyssa could feel the nervousness in the room. People hurriedly flipped through their notes and textbooks forst minute studying. Some just fiddled around on their phone. They were either incredibly confident or didn''t care at all about the test. She wished she could be that chill, but she had always strived for the best grades she could muster. Once Alyssa sat down in her usual seat, she pulled out a mechanical pencil and set it on her desk before drawing in a deep breath. She knew what she needed to do. She had the information to do it. She had been through more tests than she could count, and this was just another one to deal with. The mental pep talk calmed her nerves some as she watched Dr. Pierce and his teaching assistant arrive. It was almost time, and she noticed people shifting nervously in their seats. She ran over the sleep cycles in her head a few times, trying to remember each and every detail that she studied. "Good morning, everyone. Today, we''re taking the midterm exam. I hope you all have gotten a good night''s rest and at least reviewed the material," Dr. Pierce said from the stage as he pulled a stack of papers out of his messenger bag. Elias turned around in his seat and shot Alyssa a quick smile. "Good luck," he said. "Good luck," Alyssa replied with a glowing face. She couldn''t wait to properly talk to him after the test. It only took Dr. Pierce an hour to put the scores into their online gradebook, so her, Zoe, and Elias were all going to wait and read their results together. Alyssa nced over at Zoe, who lifted her eyebrows in a teasing manner. She shook her head as she nced down at her desk. She wished that Elias would make some sort of move so that she knew how he felt about her. It was tiring trying to guess. When Dr. Pierce and his teaching assistant passed out all the tests, Alyssa breathed in deeply before writing her name on the side of the scantron she was using to record her answers. She hoped that there weren''t any discussion questions. Like anyone else, she hated those, and they were always worth way more points than the other questions. Luckily, all of the questions were multiple choice. She figured that was easier for Dr. Pierce to grade quickly. Even teachers were scrambling to get everything done in time. She was looking forward to this week being over and celebrating all of her hard work. Alyssa tapped the end of her mechanical pencil against her chin as she read one of the conditioning questions. She filled in the B bubble on her scantron before moving on. She flew through some parts of the exam. Other parts made her stop and think for a few minutes. All in all, she was one of the first ones out of the ssroom in under forty-five minutes. She breathed out a sigh of relief as she lingered out in the hallway, waiting for Elias and Zoe to get done. She had a feeling that Zoe wouldn''t be far behind her, but Elias would take a little longer. He was the most nervous. He was going to triple check his answers. Like she expected, Zoe came nearly flying out of the ssroom a few minutester. She groaned loudly. Her voice echoed up and down the hallway. "That was so long," she said as she plopped down on one of the benches in the hallway. Alyssa sat down next to her. It was a long test, but at least it was multiple choice. It would''ve taken way longer if there were discussion questions or fill in the nk questions. "How do you think you did?" Alyssa asked her. Zoe shrugged. "I think I passed. I knew at least fifty percent for sure," she replied. "That''s good odds," Alyssa said in aforting manner. She tried to hide a smile. "Oh, shut up," Zoe smirked as she pushed her shoulder against Alyssa''s. "I bet you got an A." Alyssaughed as she steadied herself. "Maybe. I hope so," she replied. She knew a majority of the questions, but some did trip her up a little. It would be close, and she was anxious of the results. "You''ll do just fine," Zoe assured her. The door to the ssroom then swung open as Elias stepped through. He looked slightly flushed as he moved to sit next to Alyssa. "That was not fun," he huffed. "I think I did okay, though. I remembered the shcards." "See? I told you those shcards work," Alyssa told them as she smiled at them. Once she introduced shcards into her studying sessions, her grades went up on her tests. She wanted to pass her tips and tricks on to them. "Yeah, yeah, smarty pants. Let''s go to the caf¨¦ and await our fates," Zoe smirked as she motioned for them to follow her down the hallway toward the exit. Alyssa walked at Elias'' side, ncing at him out of the corner of her eye every so often. He looked like he was calming down more. "I''m sure you did great," she told him encouragingly. He got better and better with each study session, and she had drilled topic after topic into his head until he got it down. She believed in him. "Thanks," Elias told her sincerely. Zoe nced back at them. "Without Alyssa and her persistence, we would''ve failed," she pointed out. Alyssa nced down bashfully. She wasn''t used to being prided on so much, but it felt nice. She had worked hard to get them all prepared for this test, and she hoped that paid off. Chapter 36 - Awkwardness "Alright, alright. Let''s get some drinks," sheughed softly as they left the building and headed toward the library. "You''re making it sound like we''re getting alcohol, which I''m not opposed to," Zoemented. "I think I''m swearing off alcohol for a while," Alyssa smirked. Thest time she had some hadn''t ended well. Unless she saw the drink made from scratch right in front of her eyes, she wasn''t drinking it. "Did you hear that ADP is barred from holding any more parties?" Zoe asked. "What? How?" Alyssa asked as she gave Zoe a confused look. Zoe shrugged. "I guess someone made aint or something," she replied before walking into the library. Elias walked in after her. Alyssa''s eyes trailed him. She remembered how he said that he would "get it taken care of." She couldn''t help but wonder if he had something to do with this. She decided to ask him another time. ADP was known to be full of douchebags. She doubted that she was the only one that had a bad experience with them. Once they got their drinks and took over a table in the corner of the caf¨¦, they all ced their phones in the middle, waiting for the notification for their exam grades. It was almost ritualistic, like they were trying to conjure up good grades. "I just want a C at least," Elias sighed as he tapped his finger on the lid of his ginger mango tea. "I think I got a C at most," Zoe replied before sipping on her cold brew coffee. Her foot tapped rapidly beneath the table. Alyssa stared at her phone, waiting for that notification. It had to being in any minute now. "Even if we don''t score as high as we want to on this one, we still have other assignments to bring our grades up," she reminded them. It was fine to mess up, as long as they could lessen the damage. "You''re right," Elias said as he started to slowly rx in his seat. "Yeah, don''t we have at least two more tests? Those can easily raise this grade," Zoe pitched in, trying to join in on lifting everyone''s spirits. All of that disappeared the moment everyone''s phones started buzzing from a new notification. Exam 1 Graded Alyssa looked at everyone before lunging for her phone at the same time as them. She hurriedly opened the notification, feeling her heart race as she waited for the app to load up her grade. "82! I got an 82," Elias announced as he stared at his phone with wide eyes. "That''s the highest I''ve scored in this ss." Zoe pumped her fist into the air. "75, baby! That''s a C!" she cheered. Alyssa gave her phone a little shake, wanting it to hurry up and load. She couldn''t take the anticipation any longer. Finally, a number popped up on the screen, and she couldn''t breathe for a second. "94," she breathed out as she smiled down at her phone. She got an A. It was a low one, but it was still an A. This would only help her grade, and she wouldn''t have to stress so much about the next exam. "We did it," Zoe beamed as she lifted her cold brew to them. "We passed." Alyssaughed and bumped her cup against Zoe''s and Elias''. Even if they hadn''t been sure of their sess, they still pulled it off. She was happy to share this with them. Usually, she celebrated her own sesses by herself. Now, she didn''t have to feel so alone. It was one of the best feelings in the world. The group decided to celebrate their passing grades by walking through the local downtown area that night after they finished up their other sses. String lights criss-crossed over the streets, glowing through the darkness. Chatter sounded all around as people sat outside at local bars and restaurants or walked down the street with their friends. It was the most alive part of town besides campus. "No, no. Shanahan''s is the best bar here," Zoe said as they all strode down the sidewalk. "I''m the only one here even old enough to drink. How would you know?" Elias smirked at her. Alyssa couldn''t help but like that he was a little older than her. She preferred guys that were at least a little more mature, and he acted his age. He was fun, but he could be serious too. The more time that she spent with him, the more she realized how great of a match he was for her. She hadn''t found anything about him that she didn''t like yet. Of course, she knew that he wasn''t a perfect human being. She wasn''t expecting that from him either. She just hoped that his w wasn''t something huge, like he wasn''t faithful or he wasn''t serious enough for a rtionship. Zoe shrugged with a sly look on her face. "I might''ve been snuck in once," she replied. "Troublemaker," Alyssa lightly teased at her friend. Zoe put on a proud face before throwing her arm over Alyssa''s shoulders and pulling her close. "I''m going to teach you all my tricks. You''ll be causing trouble before you know it," she said. "Don''t be corrupting her," Elias yfully warned Zoe. "I know you like her just how she is," Zoe replied as she lifted an eyebrow at him. Alyssa shot Zoe a warning look. She didn''t even want Elias to have a hint of her true feelings for him, and she didn''t need Zoe selling her out. "How about we get something to eat?" she asked, trying to shift the focus. "Sounds good," Elias merely said as he tucked his hands into his front pockets. A feeling of worry gripped Alyssa as she walked with her friends in near silence. There was some tension now, and she hoped that Elias wasn''t weirded out or anything. Maybe she could y it off as a joke if he asked her anything. Chapter 37 - Date "Don''t worry. I couldn''t be bad if I tried. Anxiety, remember?" Alyssa joked as she nudged Elias. Elias chuckled and nodded. "Even if you were a little bad, everything would be fine. No one is fully good," he pointed out as he stopped in front of a restaurant. He looked through the window before ncing at the girls. "Pizza?" "Hell yeah," Zoe said before yanking open the front door and heading inside. Alyssa shared an amused look with Elias before following Zoe inside. She sat down at a table near the window, feeling her heart flutter a little when Elias sat next to her. "We should do this more often. You know¡­ go out," Alyssa told them. Maybe it wasn''t a big deal to them. They probably did this with their other friends a lot, but she didn''t usually have this. This meant a lot to her. "If there''s food, you know I''ll be there," Zoe quipped as she picked up a menu to have a look at it. "Yeah, this is fun," Elias agreed with a nod. He grabbed a menu and ced it in front of him and Alyssa so that they could share it. It was probably a small and mindless gesture, but it was still sweet to Alyssa. She had to lean a little closer so that she could see everything on the menu. Her arm pressed against his, but he didn''t shift away from her. In fact, it even felt like he was pressing back against her. "Let''s get some breadsticks," Zoe muttered as she read over the appetizers. She was oblivious to the tension across the table. "Yeah, okay," Alyssa forced out before clearing her throat. He was so close. She could feel the warmth of his skin, smell that nearly vintage scent. She wished she could get closer. "How many slices can everyone eat? I think that''s important to know first," Elias asked, acting as casual as ever. Alyssa could only guess that he didn''t have any serious feelings about her since he wasn''t reacting at all. She was a bundle of nerves right now, so she expected him to at least be a little nervous. "Probably three," she said. She was used to two because she had to share with her family, who only got one pizza for the three of them, but she was pretty sure she could put away three. She was nearly starving at this point anyway. "Half a pizza," Zoe replied. "It''ll be safe to do two pizzas then," Elias said. "One cheese and one meat lovers?" "Sounds good to me," Alyssa said. She told herself to calm down before she did anything embarrassing. Once they all ordered their drinks, the breadsticks, and the two pizzas, they dove right back into conversation. Alyssa enjoyed how lighthearted she felt when she was with them. She didn''t feel so weighed down by her own mind, unless she was thinking of the feelings that she was hiding. Zoe held one breadstick up to her mouth to steadily chew away on it, while her other hand held her phone up close to her face. Her eyes then suddenly widened. "Oh! There''s a Halloween partying up next weekend! We should all go," she suggested. "Where at?" Alyssa asked with a slight wary look. She bit into her second slice of cheese pizza. She wasn''t sure about going back to another frat house. "KDP," Zoe replied with a sheepish smile. She knew that Kaleigh and Olivia were from that sorority. "I doubt you''ll see those girls. A lot of people will be there." Alyssa was conflicted. She loved Halloween, but she didn''t want to be anywhere near Kaleigh and Olivia. They would ruin her night somehow, and she didn''t want another party to be a bad memory. "I''m just a little worried after thest party, you know?" Alyssa replied. Elias turned to her. "You don''t have to go," he told her. Alyssa fiddled with the crust left on her te. She didn''t want to be scared away from parties forever. She knew that she could avoid what happenedst time by just not drinking or having someone look out for her. Besides, she had never been to a Halloween party before. "It''s also a costume party," Zoe said. "You can disguise yourself." Alyssaughed a little at that. She didn''t like being around Kaleigh and Olivia, but she wasn''t scared enough to hide from them like that. She believed she would be okay if she stuck close to Zoe and didn''t take anything from anyone. "It could be fun," she admitted as she looked over at Elias, who still looked unconvinced. "Why don''t youe? You can watch out for her," Zoe said to Elias. "Be her date." Alyssa felt heat flush across her cheeks as she looked down at the table. There Zoe went again, nearly throwing her under the bus. "Fine," Elias replied. "I dare a frat boy make a wrong move." Alyssa watched Elias bite into his pizza with wide eyes. Did he seriously agree to being her date to the party? "You don''t have to," she told him, not wanting him to feel forced. Of course, she wanted him toe along with her but only if he wanted to. "I want to. It''ll be fun," Elias replied warmly. "Zoe just saved me the trouble of asking you to go with me." "You''re wee," Zoe said before cramming thest bit of her breadstick into her mouth. She shot Alyssa a wink. Alyssa brushed a strand of her hair out of her face, attempting to rid her cheeks of her blush. She hadn''t expected this to happen, but she couldn''t say she wasn''t happy about it. She didn''t know if she could count it as an actual date, but it would still be nice to go to the party together. "So, costumes? What are you wearing?" Alyssa asked Zoe. She had a feeling that Zoe already had an idea of what she wanted to go as. "You know Raven from Teen Titans?" Zoe asked. Alyssa nodded, remembering the show from her childhood. "My ultimate girl crush. I have to be here," Zoe said with a confident smile. "I think you''ll pull that off great," Alyssa said encouragingly. She believed that Zoe could pull off anything that she set her mind to. "What about you guys?" Zoe asked as she nced between Alyssa and Elias. Chapter 38 - Date(2) Elias shrugged as he gave Alyssa a sheepish look. "I''ve never dressed up before," he admitted. Alyssa''s eyes widened. She had never heard of that before. Even she got to dress up in whatever she found around the house and go trick or treating on Halloween night. That usually meant something along the lines of a white sheet or a towel as a ck cape. She had to be creative as a kid. "Really?" she asked him. Elias shook his head. "My parents don''t really celebrate the holiday," he replied. "I mean, I like it." "They''re like super religious, aren''t they?" Zoe asked as she gave Elias a curious look. Elias chuckled awkwardly before shaking his head. "No, they''re just particr," he said. "We don''t have to dress up if you don''t want to," Alyssa told him. It was probably a little embarrassing to dress up at their age. It just helped that a lot of other people were also dressing up. "No, I want to. You''ll just have to help me out," Elias replied. "There''s a costume shop in town. You guys should go costume shopping together," Zoe suggested with an excited expression. It seemed like Zoe was putting in a lot of work to ensure that Alyssa and Elias were together in some instance. Alyssa appreciated her as a friend, but she knew that she would have to be brave enough to make her own moves eventually. She couldn''t always rely on Zoe to break the ice. "I''m free on Saturday," Alyssa told Elias. It would be after all of her midterms were over with, so she wouldn''t be worrying about those. Costume shopping with him sounded fun. "We can go around noon. I''ll pick you up from the dorms," Elias said with a nod. "Great, thanks," Alyssa replied, feeling her heart race once again. She had another thing nned with Elias. He made up more and more of her schedule, which she didn''t mind. She loved getting to see him. "Awesome. We''re gonna rock this," Zoe said as she shook her fists excitedly. "Now, let''s finish off this pizza. I refuse to let it go to waste." Alyssa smiled and nodded before reaching forward to grab a slice of the meat lovers. She bit into the greasy and cheesy goodness as she thought about what she could possibly dress up as. She could do something silly, but she could also do something a little more grown up. It would be a change of pace for her, but she was trying out new things. She supposed that it would depend on what she found at the costume shop. Hopefully, there were plenty of options for them to choose from so that they could find the perfect choice. "We should match," Eliasmented. Alyssa didn''t know what he meant at first, but she realized that he was talking about their costumes. He actually wanted to look like they were there as a pair. "Yeah, definitely," she said. She somehow felt even more excited now. Maybe he did feel something if he wanted to match too, or maybe he was just being nice. She was determined to somehow find out his feelings at the party. They would be there as dates. If nothing happened between them, she would have to assume that he felt nothing. She hoped there was something. Alyssa smoothed vani scented lotion down her legs past the edges of her ck denim shorts. She was killing time until Elias came and picked her up to go costume shopping for the Halloween party next weekend. Lately, she had been trying to incorporate more things in her getting ready routine. She wanted to look good, smell good, and dress good. She was still steadily working on her clothes, but she''d get fashion down eventually. At least her hair and makeup were looking better than they used to be. She wasn''t only doing this because of Elias. She was also doing this because she was getting older. She was trying to figure herself out. The only way she could do that was to experiment and see what version of herself she liked the best. So far, she liked this version. She tried new things and was less hesitant when new opportunities came up. Alyssa straightened up and checked herself out in the mirror one more time before heading out to the parking lot. She had been enjoying her job so far. It wasidback and simple. College students were easy to deal with, and checking in and out books wasn''t hard at all. She even got to work on homework when she wasn''t talking to people. "Well, hello," a smooth voice rang out. Alyssa snapped out of her thoughts and looked up to see Elias pulling up in his car with his window down. ck sunsses rested on his nose as his lips curled up in a smile beneath them. She felt herself automatically smile back as she approached him. "You''re a few minutes early," she said as she rested her arms on the bottom window frame. "Just couldn''t wait any longer," Elias said as he gazed up at her. That sounded kind of romantic. Alyssa pushed the thought away as she moved to get into the passenger''s seat. She didn''t want to make a big deal out of nothing. That would just be embarrassing for her. "Ready to go shopping?" she quipped. Elias chuckled and nodded. He drove out of the parking lot and down the street. "Do you have a certain theme in mind?" he asked. Alyssa shrugged. She had a few ideas, but she hadn''tmitted to any of them. She wasn''t even sure what the costume shop would have. "We could do something dark or moody. That matches your personality," she suggested. "But you''re not dark and moody. You''re like sunshine," Elias pointed out. His words made Alyssa feel warm on the inside. It was nice that he saw her in such a light. Him not being all cheery and bright all of the time wasn''t an issue for her, though. She liked that he had a mysterious edge to him. In a way, they bnced each other out. Chapter 39 - His Compliments "So, we should do something to match our personalities," she said. She didn''t know what that could be, but she was sure that they could figure it out. They would just have to be creative. "Yeah, dark and light," Elias smirked as he pitched a quick look over at her. "Perfect," Alyssa managed to say. She should''ve thought about that before. The costume shop was small, but there were countless racks full of different costumes and essories to choose from. There were even shelves full of wigs and makeup too. All they had to do was sift through it all until they found something that popped out to them. "Are those salt and pepper shaker costumes?" Elias asked with a confused look. He slightly pulled out a costume that looked like a pepper shaker. Alyssa pulled out the salt shaker andughed. "It''s one of those couples costumes," she exined before letting the costume fall back into ce. She wasn''t going for something that cheesy. She wanted something thatplimented them. "That''s what people dress up as?" Elias asked with a snort. "Some people. I like fantasy costumes a little more than regr upations or joke costumes," Alyssa told him. When she was growing up, she went as all sorts of different monsters and creatures. Those costumes were some of the easiest to make out of scratch. Also, Halloween was a way to escape reality. She didn''t want to dress up as anything that she could possibly be in real life. She wanted to be something extraordinary, and that mindset hadn''t changed even now as she got older. In fact, it strengthened. "Fantasy? You like that kind of stuff?" Elias asked curiously as they walked through the row of costume racks. "Yeah, I think it''s cool," Alyssa replied before pausing in front of a few vampire costumes. She pulled one out with a red vest, a ck cape, and ck pants. "This is perfect for you!" Elias almost looked taken back. "This one? Why?" he asked. "Because you''re all gloomy and dark, like a vampire. You even have the ck hair and pale skin," Alyssa pointed out as she held the costume up. It looked like a perfect fit for him, and he would look pretty hot with fake fangs in. She had to get him to consider this one. Elias took the costume and looked at it. "I mean, it''s not bad. If you think this suits me," he replied. Alyssa figured she wouldn''t get the most excited reaction from anything she showed him. He was a guy in a costume shop, and he was letting her take the lead. This was the one. "You''ll look amazing in it," she assured him. She could already picture him in it, and he''d look badass with it on. Itplimented his darker look, and that was what they were shooting for. Elias cracked a smile. "Amazing, huh?" he asked. Alyssa blushed a little. She probably could''ve said great or good, but she had gone with amazing. It was the truth. He looked amazing. He was amazing. "Yeah, yeah. Now, I have to find something that''s the opposite of a vampire," she said as she moved down the row. She saw angels, but that didn''t call out to her. She didn''t want to be a witch either. She wasn''t sure what exactly she was looking for, but she knew that she would know when she found it. "What about a fairy?" Elias suddenly asked as she sifted through a few costumes. Alyssa screwed her face up. All she thought about was Tinkerbell when she thought of a fairy, and she wasn''t looking to be anything too frilly and childish. She still nced over at the costume he was holding, and surprise overtook her. She wasn''t expecting that. The fairy costume had a light blue, strapless top piece that changed into a white, organza skirt that came down to mid-thigh. It was slightly sultry but not too outright. It even had cute blue wings attached to the back. It definitely felt like the opposite of darkness. "I like it. It''s cute," Alyssa said with a smile. She traced her fingertips along the light material of the skirt. She needed tights to go with this costume because she wasn''t sure about showing off so much of her bare legs. "I need some essories." "You''d look cute in it," Elias said as his eyes drifted up her body to her eyes. Alyssa forgot how to breathe for a second when their eyes met. Hispliment was also making her brain threaten to go into overdrive. She tried to tell herself that they were just words, but that didn''t help at all. He said them. "I think we''re going to look great," she replied. They would be total opposites, but they would still pair well together. She was just happy that she wasn''t going alone. She would have both Zoe and Elias to turn to if she felt awkward or out of her zone. "We already do," Elias pointed out. He shot her a yful wink before walking over to the essories section. It was obvious that he was flirting with her. Why couldn''t she flirt back? Why couldn''t she say what she wanted to? Alyssa was driving herself insane by locking everything up, but she was still too scared to say anything. She didn''t want to mess up or embarrass herself. She could scare him away, and that was thest thing that she wanted. "You should probably get these," she said as she pointed to a pack of fake fangs. They were the ones that he could stick onto his teeth instead of the cheap, stic ones. If they were going to do this, they were going to go big. "I actually already have some at home," Elias replied as he looked through some of the makeup. "Oh, okay," Alyssa said, trying not to look too confused. She wasn''t sure why he would randomly have fake fangs in his house, but maybe he had siblings or young cousins that left some there. People had plenty of random things in their homes. "What essories were you thinking of?" Elias asked her. Chapter 40 - Hot And Fluttery "Tights and some makeup probably," Alyssa replied as she looked through some of the makeup palettes. She grabbed one with glittery, bright colors. She would have to look up a few tutorials to pull off a good fairy look, but she believed that she could pull it off. "White tights?" Elias asked as he pulled a pack off the rack. "Yep. I think that''s it," Alyssa said as she looked down at all of the things they held. She hadn''t expected this to go so easily. She thought that they would be scrounging around for something to wear for at least an hour, but they did a good job finding what they needed. "Want to grab lunch? I don''t want to take you back just yet," Elias asked. "Unless you need to go back." "I''m starving," Alyssa said with a bright smile. She was d that he wanted to spend more time with her. She didn''t want to just go back to her dorm on a Saturday. She wanted to be out doing things with her time. She worked so much and so hard during the week, whether it was her sses or her job. "You get to pick the ce this time," Elias smirked, making her groan. He led her to the checkout counter so that they could buy their costumes. "Aw, a vampire and a fairy. How cute," the olderdy running the cashier said as she handed them their bags. She gave them a warm smile as she looked them over. "Thanks," Elias and Alyssa replied at the same time. They exchanged a smile before walking out of the store and to the car. They threw their bags in the backseat before getting in the front. "Thanks again foring with me. I don''t expect any trouble, but¡­" Alyssa trailed off with a shrug as she put her seatbelt on. At least she hoped there wouldn''t be any trouble. She just wanted to go to a party where there wasn''t any sort of drama. She wanted to have fun with her friends. "Like I said, I dare them to try anything," Elias said. "Did you¡­ the whole ADP party ban. Was that you?" Alyssa asked, stumbling over her words slightly. She was going to keep the question to herself, but she couldn''t help her curiosity. He was the only one she had heard threaten ADP, and then they got in trouble. She couldn''t help but draw connections between those two. Elias remained quiet for a few seconds after he turned on his car. "I might''ve filed aint," he said with a shrug. "They deserve worse." Alyssa blinked in surprise for a few moments before reaching out and giving his hand a squeeze. She couldn''t help but hold him right now. She really wanted to express how grateful she was for everything he had done for her. "Thank you for looking out for me. No one has ever done that for me before," she admitted. Someone would really have to care to do that for her, and she couldn''t believe that was him of all people. She felt like she had hit the jackpot when they came across each other. Elias smiled and squeezed her hand back. "I''ll always look out for you, whether it''s at a party or not," he assured her. Alyssa held onto his hand for a few more moments before they broke apart. The space between them felt so tense, so electric. She couldn''t believe the energy she felt between them, and she hoped that nothing ever made them lose it. "Smile!" Zoe squealed before taking yet another picture of her, Alyssa, and Elias in their costumes. The sh lit them up as they stood outside in the dark down the street from the KDP sorority house. Alyssa rubbed her eyes to try to clear the brightness from her vision. "I think that one is good, right?" she asked, wanting to get the night started. She didn''t mind one or two photos, but she didn''t need aplete photo album of this night. There would only be one or two decent pictures of her anyway. "I just need one of you two," Zoe replied with a devilish smile. She moved away from them in her Raven costume. A purple cape flowed behind her as she moved. Her body piece was form-fitting, hugging her curves in the right ces. She looked incredible and badass Alyssa managed to do a good job with her makeup, adding some glitter and blush to her face to give herself that fairy look. Her costume fit well, and she was d she got the tights because the skirt was a little shorter than she anticipated it to be. She could admit that she looked pretty good, though, and she added waves to her hair. "Come on," Elias chuckled as he tucked Alyssa under his arm. Instead of holding her by his side, he brought her close to his chest. His other hand rested on her elbow as they looked at each other. He shed his fake fangs at her. "Smile." Alyssa couldn''t help butugh, seeing the sh go off in the corner of her eye. She wasn''t ready for the photo, but she didn''t even care. She was pressed up against Elias dressed as a vampire, and he looked incredibly good. He looked so good her stomach felt all hot and fluttery Chapter 41 - The Invitation "You look incredible," she told him. She was pretty sure that she already told him that, but it was worth saying again. He pulled off the vampire look well, and he seemedfortable in his costume. "Not as incredible as you," Elias replied as he yfully twirled her by her hand. "I didn''t even like fairies until now." "Bleh. Come on, nasties," Zoe fake gagged. She motioned for them to follow her down the sidewalk to the KDP sorority house. Alyssa smirked and followed Zoe, yfully tugging on her cape to make herugh. She was far more excited about this party than thest one. Maybe it had something to do with being in costume or being with Elias, but she was ready for this. As they approached therge white house that belonged to KDP, they could hear the music thumping from inside and the lights shing through the windows. Halloween decorations covered the frontwn and porch, where people were hanging out and talking to one another. Elias held out his arm to Alyssa. "Let''s go," he said. Alyssa felt like he was doing that to be encouraging. She wanted to thank him, but she just took his arm instead and let him lead her inside the packed sorority house. She stuck close to Elias'' side, practically gluing herself to him so that she didn''t get separated. "I love this song!" Zoe shouted over the noise. "You always say that," Alyssaughed. "I love music," Zoe replied with a proud look. "I''m going to hunt down a drink. Safely. You''ll be okay?" Alyssa nodded. "Go! Just be careful," she said as she shooed Zoe away. She didn''t want Zoe to feel restricted just because she was there. She looked up at Elias. "I honestly have no clue what to do now." "You''re asking the wrong person," Eliasughed. "I have no clue either." Alyssa yfully hummed beneath her breath as she nced around to see what everyone else was doing. The house was fairly dark besides some decoration lights, so she was only able to make out shes of people. "We could drink, dance, talk, make out, or stare into space," she said. She felt her face burn a little when she let "make out" slip out, but there was a couple shoving their tongues down each other''s throats in the corner of the room. She was merely making an observation. "Let''s get somewhere quieter. I think Zoe is upied," Elias said as he nodded his head toward the next room. Alyssa looked that way to see Zoe ying with her hair and chatting up some guy in a grim reaper costume. She smiled, hoping that Zoe and him hit it off. She wanted to see her friend seed in the dating department. She hoped for that for herself as well. "Yeah, let''s go," she said, letting Elias take her into another room. It looked like a dining room. There were people lingering around in there, but it was much quieter than the living room and foyer. "Any more calls from your parents?" Elias asked her as they leaned against a wall out of the way of other people. "Not for the past week. I didn''t tell them about my job," Alyssa replied. She was touched that he cared to ask her. He knew how rocky her rtionship was with them, and he never said anything about it around other people, including Zoe. "Good, they''d be after your paychecks," Elias said. "Which are kind of measly but enough for me," Alyssaughed. She was only being paid a little bit above minimum wage, but she supposed it was an easy job. It revolved around her hours too, so she couldn''tin about anything else. As long as she was careful with her money, she''d be fine. "The experience will be good for your resume," Elias pointed out. Every step seemed to have some tie to the future. She had to watch her steps. She couldn''t just do whatever anymore. People were watching. Records were being developed. She was in the adult world now, and it seemed like a bad time to make any mistakes. "How''s your apartmenting along?" Alyssa asked. She wondered if he was living in the ones that bordered campus. They weren''t all that nice, but they were affordable. She would probably have to live in those if she decided to do an apartment. "I''m moving in soon. I''m ready," Elias sighed as he rested the back of his head against the wall. "You''ll have toe over when I get settled." Alyssa forced herself to hide her shocked look. She was surprised he wanted her over, but then again, he came over to her dorm. However, an apartment felt different. There was no level of limits or supervision. No sneaking out. No strict hours. No guest rules. They could do anything they wanted. Chapter 42 - The Bullies "That sounds cool," she said. "We can do a housewarming get-together." "Perfect. You''ll be my honorary guest," Elias chuckled as he angled his body toward her more. "How so?" Alyssa asked him as she tilted her head at him. She had a feeling where this was going, but she didn''t want to assume anything. "You''ll be one of the few actually invited over," Elias replied with a warm look. When she first came across him, she thought that he had a lot of friends, like he was popr. He had that charm, and he was incredibly handsome. It seemed like a given. However, the more she got to know him, the more she realized that he kept to himself a lot. She wondered why that was. "You like your quiet time," Alyssa said. Her words came out more as a question than an observation. She could understand him, though. At times, she sought out silence because there was so much noise in the world. Everyone was talking,ughing, and crying. She could hardly get a grip on her own emotions when so many others surrounded her. "My family hovers over me all the time. I don''t think I could handle it outside of my family too," Elias admitted. That made sense to Alyssa. If she had to deal with people who were like her parents at college, she would probably lose her mind. She could only take so much, and being away from home was the only reason why she maintained her sanity for this long. "At least you''re almost free," she told him. "I don''t like that I have to hide from my own family, but gotta do we gotta do," Elias murmured. His eyes seemed to grow distant for a few seconds before they focused back on her. "It''s okay to run and hide sometimes," Alyssa replied. She knew that she would have to endure a big argument with her parents when she tried to fully break away from them. At times, she wished that she could quietly slip away. Then, there would be no confrontation, no fight. There didn''t need to be one. "Like what we''re doing right now?" Elias smirked as he motioned to the room. They were basically hiding out from the main part of the party. Alyssaughed into her hand, not even realizing that they were doing that until he pointed it out. She saw it more as getting out of the way, but he wasn''tpletely wrong. "Exactly. I think we''re doing the right thing. It''s crazy in there," she said as she looked toward the doorway. She could hearughing and shouting throughout the house. There was no telling what was going on, but she was fine not finding out. She sent a text to Zoe to check in before turning back to Elias. "I wonder how Zoe and the grim reaper are doing." "She was ying with her hair. Isn''t that a good sign?" Elias chuckled. "Yeah, definitely. I don''t really see her act nervous like that," Alyssa replied. Zoe was always a bold bundle of energy. It was almost strange seeing her act bashful. Maybe it would be a new norm if Zoe and that guy hit it off, though, and Alyssa wouldn''t mind seeing that. "How do you act when you''re around someone you like?" Elias asked her. Alyssa could only stare at him for a moment. She knew what she wanted to say, but the words were trapped in her throat. What if it was too forward? She cleared her throat and parted her lips to speak, but movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. "Wow. You''re just everywhere, aren''t you?" Kaleigh sneered at Alyssa as she walked into the room. For once, she didn''t have her sidekick with her. She was dressed in a sultry devil costume, which was pretty fitting. "It was an open invite party," Alyssa merely said. She felt annoyance trickle down her spine as she crossed her arms. She was tired of Kaleigh always trying to start something with her. They could''ve just ignored each other and had a good night, but she always had to ruin things. "This is my house, bitch," Kaleigh snapped as she stepped forward. Elias pushed himself off the wall to move in front of Alyssa, but he was stopped. Alyssa lightly pushed him back. As nice as it was for him to stand up for her, she needed to handle this issue. It was between her and Kaleigh, and she didn''t want to drag him into this situation once again. She then took a step forward as well. There was only a few inches of space left between her and Kaleigh, and she refused to be the one to step down. She was tired of being treated this way, and she had to stand up for herself or Kaleigh would keep trying to run her over. "So, you''re going to make me leave? You''re going to cause a scene?" Alyssa asked, squeezing her fists to keep her hands from shaking. She didn''t want to know how far Kaleigh would go, but she had a feeling that she was about to find out anyway. Kaleigh looked past Alyssa at Elias for a brief moment before turning back. She swallowed hard as her jaw clenched. She looked fed up. "I want you to stay the hell away from me. I have a party to host," she gritted out before whirling around and leaving the room. She turned so fast that her hair brushed Alyssa''s cheek. Alyssa watched her walk off with a re. She almost wanted to go after her, to break the tension and get this over with. Maybe if they just had it out this one time then everything would be over with. They would get their anger out and not antagonize each other anymore. But she wasn''t going to do that. She had to be better than that. She couldn''t tease a fire that was already raging on. She had to just step away and let it die on its own. Hopefully, it did, but tensions were still so high, and Alyssa didn''t see a way out of this conflict soon. Kaleigh would want toe out on top, and Alyssa was tired of rolling over for people. Chapter 43 - His Comfort "Are you okay?" Elias asked as he stepped up to Alyssa''s side. He gently ced his hand on the back of her upper arm. Alyssa didn''t even realize that she was crying until he asked her that. She hastily wiped her tears away, feeling embarrassed about crying in front of him. She didn''t mean to. She didn''t even know why she was doing this right now. She was probablyjust frustrated from the incident. "I''m fine," she muttered as she tried to step away from him. She didn''t want him to see her like this. She was supposed to be stronger than this at least. She didn''t want to cry over bullies anymore. She was an adult, not some helpless high school student. Elias didn''t believe her. He took her hand and led her out of the room. "Come on. Let''s get out of here." When the fresh air outside hit Alyssa''s lungs, the fire burning through her diminished slightly. She kept breathing in and out, killing the mes steadily as Elias led her down the sidewalk away from the sorority house. He already texted Zoe to let her know that they were heading out early. To her delight, he didn''t mention anything about the incident with Kaleigh to Zoe. Alyssa nned on telling Zoe about it eventually, but she didn''t want to talk about it to anyone else but Elias right now. He was the one who saw it, who understood it more. She finally stopped crying, but she could still feel more tears sting at her eyes. She quickly blinked them away, refusing to let any more spill. She had already embarrassed herself enough. She wished that she could disappear, but Elias'' grip on her hand kept her grounded there. She couldn''t drift away. "Seriously, I''m fine," she said quietly once they stopped on the sidewalk. They were far away enough from the KDP house to where they couldn''t hear the thump of the music anymore. "No, you''re not," Elias said as he took a step toward her. Alyssa felt herself step back away from him. Usually, she would''ve moved closer to him, but she was embarrassed. She almost caused a scene at the party, and she cried in public over it. She should''ve nevere to this party. What happened at thest one should''ve warned her against that. "I overreacted. I shouldn''t have even talked to her. She just¡­" Alyssa trailed off after rambling with a shake of her head. She wished that she had ignored Kaleigh or just walked away instead of getting involved. She overwhelmed herself and probably made Kaleigh even more mad. Nothing good came out of their interaction. "She upsets you. It''s okay," Elias said in aforting manner as he ced a hand on her shoulder. "She wanted a reaction. I gave it to her," Alyssa said. She felt full of shame. She walked right into the trap. If it wasn''t for Elias being with her, she knew that Kaleigh would''ve continued to threaten her. "You embarrassed her. She hasn''t learned yet that she needs to stay away from you," Elias replied. He was making it seem like she had some sort of upper hand in this situation. She didn''t. She wasn''t any better, but Kaleigh didn''t think like that. She needed to be top dog, which meant dragging Alyssa down in any way that she could. If Alyssa could go back to the first day of school, she wouldn''t say a thing in ss. She wouldn''t answer one question. She would feel bad about leaving Dr. Pierce hanging, but at least she wouldn''t have to deal with Kaleigh. In fact, she would change seats too to be as far away as possible. "I thought bullies only existed in high school," Alyssa sighed. She thought that she had escaped them when she graduated, but she found out that she waspletely wrong. The bullies here were just older. "Unfortunately, bullies exist at every age," Elias said with a slight frown. "I see it a lot." Alyssa nodded. She should''ve figured that, but she didn''t want to believe it. She thought that at least that aspect of life would get easier for her, but it only grew harder. The girls were still mean. They still wanted to be better than her at any cost. "She''s made this year hell," Alyssa said. For the most part, this year was good, but there were still bad parts that she had to deal with. Kaleigh was one of those parts that she couldn''t shake yet. She hoped that this issue would clear up before the end of the semester. There were so many other things that she could focus on instead. "I hate the way she treats you," Elias muttered bitterly. "I want to help you more. I know she doesn''t like me after our first meeting." "I don''t want you to have to always protect me," Alyssa replied as she lowered her eyes. It was nice of him, but it also reminded her how weak she was. She wanted to be stronger, but she didn''t know how. She brought herself to tears standing up for herself because she got so angry with Kaleigh. Chapter 44 - First Kiss And Heartbreak "I told you that I will always look out for you. I meant that, and that includes when Kaleigh decides to be a bitch," Elias said with a shake of his head. He looked serious. Alyssa kept her eyes down. She wanted to look at him, but she was afraid that she would crumble if she did. He made her weak but in a good way. She felt warm andforted, like she could float. She didn''t feel so heavy around him. He took off the unnecessary weight. "Why? I don''t know why you do all of this for me," Alyssa sighed. She wanted to know his motivation because it was crazy for him to be doing all of this for her for no reason. Elias reached out to ce his other hand on her cheek, drawing her eyes up to his. "Because I''m the person you don''t need to run and hide from," he told her. Alyssa drew in a shaky breath as her eyes burned. She felt like crying all over again because his words struck her so deeply. He knew what he needed to be for her, and he didn''t mind being that for her. "I trust you¡­ more than I trust anyone else," Alyssa murmured. It was hard to make the wordse out loud and clearly. She felt them strongly, though. She felt like she could tell him anything, and everything would be just fine. She didn''t feel that with many people. It was easier and safer to lock everything up inside and not take that risk. Opening herself up to people was giving them a chance to either help her or hurt her. She was at her most vulnerable. "I want you to trust me," Elias replied as he stroked her cheek gently. Alyssa wasn''t sure if it was his touch, his words, or abination of both of them, but she felt all of her control start to give away. The boy of her dreams was right there in front of her, so close that she could see the dark flecks in his eyes. She couldn''t let him slip away again. She couldn''t lose him. Without another thought, Alyssa crashed her lips against his. She surprised herself, and the warmth of his lips made her feel like she was floating. But she soon crashed down to the ground when she realized that he wasn''t kissing her back. She quickly pulled away to see him looking at her in surprise. She jumped the gun. She moved too fast for him. She messed everything up. A million thoughts flooded her head as she stared back with wide eyes. She couldn''t be here after messing up like that. She needed to go home and be away from everyone right now. Alyssa pushed past him and hurried down the sidewalk. She even started running when she heard him call out her name. She wasn''t going to stop until she turned the lock on her dorm door. She just had to get away from him, from that shocked and probably horrified look on his face. She thought that was the perfect moment for them. She felt it in her chest. She felt the pull, the incentive to make that leap. She was wrong, so terribly wrong. She must''ve misread something or was too optimistic. How could she be so stupid? Once she shut and locked the door to her dorm room, Alyssa let the tears flow. She didn''t care if she cried now. No one was around to witness her embarrassment. No one knew about these tears, and she wished that no one knew about any of them that she had shed. "What were you thinking?" she whispered to herself. She yanked off her costume, not even wanting to feel or look at the material. It just reminded her of him and his reaction to her kissing him. She didn''t know what she expected from the kiss, but it definitely wasn''t that. She thought he would kiss her back. She expected him to cup her face and draw her close. She imagined so many good things, and she didn''t experience any of them. She fooled herself. She really had it out for herself it seemed like. Alyssa crawled under the nket on her bed once she ripped her costume off. She snuggled under the warmth, trying to findfort in it. It wasn''t like Elias'' warm grip or lips, though. It wasn''t the same, and she knew that everything was going to remind her of that failed kiss. She knew that she should''ve waited. The sign wasn''t clear enough yet. As sheid in the dark, she could hear her phone go off on her nightstand. She didn''t check it, though. She knew that it was Elias. He was probably making up excuses so that she didn''t feel as bad, but nothing could make her feel better about what happened. She saw how he reacted, and that was that. She ruined everything. Alyssa refused to leave her room the next day. She didn''t look at her phone. She didn''t talk to anyone. She just wanted to be left alone. Maybe that wasn''t the best thing for her right now, but it was the only thing she wanted. She obviously didn''t need to interact with anyone because she''d just do the wrong thing. In the moment before she kissed Elias, she thought that the universe was shouting out for her to kiss him, like the stars had aligned. It seemed like the perfect time. They were bonding so closely emotionally and physically. Kissing him seemed like the perfect way to wrap all of those things up in one moment. She jumped too far and too quick. She could feel it when his lips didn''t move against hers. He felt frozen, stunned. She was surprised with herself at first, but she got over it. He didn''t. That meant he didn''t want the kiss. He didn''t want her. She dragged her fingers through her hair as she stared at the ceiling from her bed. She reyed that moment over and over again in her head, unable to get rid of it. It was a constant loop of embarrassment. Typically, she wasn''t the one to make the first move. For her first kiss, the guy had leaned forward and kissed her. For her first hug, the girl threw her arms around Alyssa. She didn''t make the first move. The one time she did, nothing good came out of it. Chapter 45 - Anti-romantic She had a period of time when she huffed and puffed about the universe being unfair to her. She had awful parents, awful social skills, and now awful luck. Having so many things fall short of her expectations was hard. She just wanted things to work out or be easier, but it hardly ever panned out that way. Maybe it wasn''t the universe. Maybe it was just her. She did these things to herself or deserved them somehow. She traced back through her past and tried to find a moment when she did something that could''ve upset the world, but all she found were little mistakes that didn''t mean anything now. Her phone buzzed on her nightstand again. She knew that some of them were Elias and some were Zoe. She didn''t want to talk to Elias. She would hear excuses or things he made up to make her feel better. She didn''t want to hear that. The moment was gone. She didn''t even know if she could still be friends with him after this. When she looked at him, all that she would be able to think about was the kiss. She would think about how he stood still and didn''t respond. That would cloud her memory forever. She couldn''t think of any words he could say that would change that. She hated being this negative, especially when thinking about Elias. He was such a ray of sunshine and hope for her for so long. Now, she just saw darkness when she thought of him. She saw everything that she wanted and couldn''t have, and that killed her. It was like that before the kiss, but now she knew that he didn''t want her. There was no chance for them. Alyssa wanted to try to think of this as a good thing. Maybe they weren''t meant to be together. Maybe she saved herself from worse heartache down the road when she got even closer to him. However, that onlyforted her for a second. She wanted to be right for him. She wanted him to be right for her. It had felt that way for so long. She forced herself to sit up, feeling her head ache from crying so much. She had to stop this. This was helping no one, especially herself. She had grown up locking herself away in her room, and it only hurt her more because she wasn''t the kindest to herself. She needed someone on the outside. Alyssa grimaced at the thought of talking about what happened, but the goal of this year was to grow. She couldn''t let this destroy her progress so early on. Her future self would never forgive her, and she owed it to herself to try to see the good in this. She could think of one person who could see the good in anything no matter what. Strangely, she was also calling right then. Alyssa grabbed the phone off of her nightstand and answered. "Hello," she said. Her voice sounded faint and monotone. "Finally, you pick up! I''ve been trying to get a hold of you sincest night," Zoe sighed into the phone. "I haven''t really wanted to talk to anyone," Alyssa admitted. She was still iffy about it, but she was trying to go against the darker part of her mind. She could do that by talking to a friend instead of herself. "Well, since you actually picked up this time, I''m guessing that changed?" Zoe asked. Alyssa remained quiet for a few seconds, wondering if she really wanted to do this or not. She looked like a mess, but if Zoe was going to be her friend for a while, she would probably see worse. "Can youe over?" she asked. Once she said the words, she felt a bit nervous. She didn''t want Zoe to see her as that girl that cried over boys all the time. It was just this boy that really struck her hard, and she had a feeling that Zoe knew that. Zoe wanted them to be together. "Of course. Be there soon," Zoe replied before hanging up. Alyssa guessed that she was rushing before Alyssa could change her mind. Smart move. She forced herself out of bed and brushed her teeth and hair. She didn''t want to look like aplete monster when Zoe got there. She didn''t worry about her room, though. She hadn''t done anything in it to make it dirty. She pulled on a clean t-shirt and a pair of lounge shorts before slipping on her sneakers. She didn''t care about looking all that great right now. She just needed to fetch Zoe from outside. After opening her door, she slipped out into the quiet hallway. The weekends were always really quiet in the dorms. People either went out to do things, slept, or went home for the weekend. She liked these times. They would''ve felt peaceful to her now if her mind wasn''t going through so much torment. Alyssa turned the corner to see Zoe lingering outside. She opened the door and forced a small smile on her face as Zoe approached her. She didn''t want to lookpletely miserable in public, even if she felt that way. "Thanks foring," she said as she took Zoe''s ID. Zoe gave her a sympathetic look as she nodded. She didn''t say anything in front of the front desk person as she got checked in. She only spoke once they got into Alyssa''s dorm and shut the door. "How are you doing?" she asked. Alyssa figured that would be the first question. She hopped up on her bed and shrugged. She might as well be honest because Zoe would look right through her. She didn''t bring Zoe here to lie to her anyway. "Not too great," she said. She could go on and on about how upset she was about the situation, but that was obvious in her look. She didn''t even need to say it. The answer was obvious. "Elias found mest night after you left. He said you guys kissed," Zoe said. Alyssa nearlyughed at that. She didn''t even know why, but she was sure it was the embarrassment. She couldn''t believe that she had botched something so good. "I kissed him," she corrected Zoe. They didn''t both lean in for some magical moment. She leapt on him and kissed him, and he froze up. There was no magic in that moment. Chapter 46 - Anti-romantic (2) "He said you got upset and ran off," Zoe continued telling Alyssa what she knew. "Because he didn''t kiss me back. He was the one who looked upset," Alyssa replied with a shake of her head. "I messed up. I shouldn''t have kissed him." Zoe frowned as she scooted closer to Alyssa on the bed. "Maybe he was just surprised. Did you give him time to react or say anything?" she asked. Alyssa threaded her fingers through her hair as she stared at her socked feet. She left pretty quickly after the kiss, but she hadn''t felt the need to stick around. It was easier to run. "I didn''t need to. I could tell how he felt," Alyssa replied. He nearly looked horrified when she pulled away, and that face was burned into her memory. She couldn''t unsee it. "Have you talked to him at all?" Zoe asked. Alyssa nced at her phone and shook her head. He had tried to text her and call her more times than she could count, but she couldn''t pick up the phone. She didn''t even read his texts or listen to his voicemails. "He''s just going to try to make me feel better. Nothing he can say is going to make me feel better about what happened," she muttered. "I ruined everything." "Maybe you didn''t. Just talk to him and see," Zoe urged her. "I''m not ready," Alyssa said in a firm tone. She didn''t want to act like that toward Zoe, but she wasn''t ready to cross that boundary. She wouldn''t even know what to say, and she wasn''t ready for what she might hear from him. Zoe nodded and put her arm around Alyssa''s shoulders to draw her close. "Okay. That''s okay. Another time," she replied as she rubbed Alyssa''s arm. "I just wanted to talk to you because I''m not good at talking to myself," Alyssa exined. She told herself the wrong things. She needed to hear actual advice from someone other than herself because she couldn''t trust herself right now. She was hurt. "Well, you know I''m here for you. As long as you need me," Zoe replied as she gave Alyssa a smile. "How about we just eat and watch movies all day? That''s what I do when I''m down." Alyssa felt a small smile tug on her lips as she nodded. That didn''t sound bad. At least she wouldn''t be alone. Maybe this would take her mind off of him because he refused to leave. "Sure. I''d like that," she said as she gave Zoe a grateful look. She couldn''t begin to thank her for all she was doing, but she would pay Zoe back somehow. "Great! You look for a movie. I''m going to order pizza," Zoe said before patting Alyssa''s and then hopping off of the bed. Alyssa grabbed the remote for her small television across from the bed. She turned on the television and started scrolling through the movies as Zoe called the local pizza parlor. She couldn''t find any movies that really caught her eye. They were all romance movies, and that was thest thing that she wanted to watch right now. "Find anything?" Zoe asked once she got off the phone. "Just a bunch of romance movies," Alyssa muttered as she kept scrolling. She knew that she would just see her and Elias in the roles if she watched one of them. They would actually get a happy ending, though. That stung her even more. Zoe scoffed and took the remote from Alyssa. "Hell no. We''re watching something scary," she said before finding an older horror movie to y. She clicked on it and tossed the remote on the bed before hopping on it herself. Alyssa hadn''t told Zoe that she liked horror movies, so it was a nice surprise that she picked one. This was how she could rx. She needed jump scares, danger, and tension. No romance. No love. No heartbreak. ************* When Monday came, Alyssa had no idea what to do. Her psychology ss was in thirty minutes, and she knew that Elias would be looking for her there. He would want to talk, and she still wasn''t ready for that yet. She knew it would be an embarrassing conversation with him letting her down gently and her being reminded of what she did. She didn''t want to deal with that on a Monday morning. She just wanted to get this ss over with and have as little contact with him as possible. She wasn''t sure how she was going to do that, but she would figure it out. Hopefully, he would take a hint and leave her alone. Alyssa pulled on her book bag and lingered in front of the door to her dorm room. She could always skip. She never skipped, though. She knew that the day she skipped, something important would happen, and she would miss it. She needed to suck it up and go, even if she didn''t want to. She wasn''t going to let a guy derail her from her sess. If she wanted good grades, she had to go to ss, even if a guy she could never have was there too. It was torturous but necessary, and that was enough to get her to walk out the door. She did walk to ss slower than usual. She figured that she could get there right on time, and Elias wouldn''t be able to try to talk to her for long because Dr. Pierce would start his lecture. It was the best n that she coulde up with, so she was rolling with that one. Even though her time with Zoe was nice, it didn''t lessen her heartbreak. The horror movies they watched took her mind away for a little, but those memories came flooding back the moment that Zoe left. She was then once again alone with her thoughts. She was still grateful to Zoe, though, who offered toe by throughout the week. Alyssa told her that wasn''t necessary and that she was feeling a little better. Zoe seemed to believe that enough. Chapter 47 - The Confrontation She hoped that getting out and going to ss would be good for her, though. It had to be better than sitting around in her room all day, staring at her phone as it continued to go off. Anything was better than that. When she arrived at the ssroom a minute before ss started, she looked down at the sea of students and immediately saw Elias in his seat. He was ncing around, looking confused. She knew that he was looking for her. She didn''t move from the doorway until she saw Dr. Pierce walk onto the stage. That was her cue. She hurried to her seat, hoping that Elias somehow wouldn''t notice her. That was pretty far-fetched, though, since she was sitting in the row right behind him. She sat in her seat the moment he turned around in his own. Their eyes shed for a second before she hurriedly looked away. "Alyssa," he said, trying to subtly get her attention. Alyssa ignored him, even if it slightly hurt to do so. It was even more painful being around him again in person, seeing his handsome face and listening to his smooth voice. She shouldn''t havee here, but she knew that she couldn''t run away from a whole ss because of a boy. She pulled her things out of her book bag for ss, doing everything in her power not to look up at him. She could feel his eyes on her, sense his sadness. She couldn''t believe that they were so close only a few days ago. Then, she torched everything. "Alyssa, please. We really need to talk," Elias said in a hushed voice. Alyssa wanted Dr. Pierce to hurry up and start his lecture, but he was taking his sweet time this morning for some reason. She nced to her left to see that Zoe wasn''t in ss today. It honestly didn''t surprise her anymore. Zoe missed as much ss as she attended. She heard light giggling behind her, but she ignored it. She needed to ignore it. Thest thing that she wanted to worry about on top of Elias was Kaleigh. She wrote down the day''s date on her notes, trying to find anything to capture her attention until Dr. Pierce started his lecture. "Alyssa," Elias tried again. Alyssa looked up at him sharply. "No," she whispered. She needed him to stop. She couldn''t begin to concentrate when he was saying her name and trying to get her attention. "Uh oh, lover''s quarrel," Kaleigh smirked. Alyssa rolled her eyes as she stared back down at her notes. She could feel annoyance burn through her, and she wished that she would''ve just skipped. She obviously needed more time to cool down from everything, and she had thrown herself right into the danger zone. Elias gave Kaleigh a re. "We''ll talk after ss," he told Alyssa. Alyssa hoped he didn''t think that was actually going to happen. Once ss ended, she was going to bolt, and she didn''t want him to follow her. It was easier this way. She wished that he could understand that they didn''t need to talk about anything right now. It wouldn''t change anything. "What are you guys fighting about?" Kaleigh asked. Her voice nearly shook withughter. Alyssa whirled around in her seat to face Kaleigh. "Back off," she snapped. She could feel eyes shift to her, but she didn''t care. She wanted Kaleigh to hear her words and hopefully abide by them. It was in her best interest. Kaleigh looked taken back at first, but she narrowed her eyes and leaned forward toward Alyssa. "Just because your boyfriend made you sad doesn''t mean you should take it out on others," Kaleigh fake pouted, inly mocking Alyssa. "Just because you''re miserable with yourself doesn''t mean you can be a bitch to others!" Alyssa replied as she stood from her seat. Her chest lifted and fell heavily as she red down at Kaleigh. She meant her words, and she hoped that Kaleigh felt them. Kaleigh''s jaw dropped as she stared up at Alyssa. She couldn''t even get any words out to retaliate. Alyssa nced around to see everyone staring at her in shock. She ducked her head and hastily grabbed her things. She couldn''t be here. She messed up once again. She wasn''t even sure if she could show her face in this ss again. It didn''t matter, though. She just needed to leave. She rushed out of the row and toward the exit. Her eyes burned, but she willed herself not to cry. It wasn''t worth it to cry all over again. That was what got her in this awful situation with Elias to begin with. She showed too much of herself. She let her guard down, and she got hurt. "Alyssa!" Elias'' voice sounded from behind her. Alyssa didn''t slow her pace as she shoved open the ssroom door and hurried away. Alyssa rushed down the empty hallway away from her psychology ss. Her mind was running on overdrive right now. What just happened yed in her head over and over. She couldn''t believe that she made a scene like that in ss. Something inside of her just snapped, and she hadn''t cared who was around her. She had never been like that before, and she hoped that didn''t happen to her again. She didn''t want to lose control or be seen in such a way. She could probably get in trouble too for her outburst, and the thought of that made her internally groan. She was ruining her school year. Alyssa suddenly heard quick footsteps behind her. Before she could even turn around, she felt a hand on her wrist, stopping her in her steps. She spun around to see Elias behind her. She had no clue how he got to her that fast, but she didn''t want him here. "I don''t want to talk about it, Elias. I already know what you''re going to say," she tried to tell him. Chapter 48 - The Kiss Suddenly, Elias cupped her face and pressed his lips against hers. He backed her up against the nearest wall, pressing her body back against it with his own. Alyssa''s first instinct was to jerk away in surprise, but his hands were so warm and inviting on her face. His lips were so soft as they pressed soft touches to her own. She was confused, but she also felt like she was floating. She rested her hands on his wrists, holding them tightly as she returned the kiss. She had only experienced a few kisses in her life, and they were mostly pecks. They weren''t anything as intense as this one, and she didn''t want it to stop. She could do this forever. Elias lightly dragged his teeth along her bottom lip before diving back into the kiss, stifling her surprised moan. He smiled against her lips as his thumbs stroked her cheeks. He gave her a few more pecks before resting his forehead against hers. Alyssa had to catch her breath. She had forgotten how to breathe while kissing him, and he had stolen each and every breath left. She slowly opened her eyes to meet his, falling into their dark depths. "What was that?" she asked. She didn''t know how they got from her trying to avoid him to them kissing in the hallway. She missed a few steps, and her mind was a hazy mess. She couldn''t believe a kiss had dazed her so much, but it was an incredible kiss. It was the best one that she had ever experienced. "A kiss," Elias chuckled as he pulled his forehead back from hers. His hands dropped from her cheeks and glided down her arms, rubbing them gently. "I don''t understand," Alyssa said with a shake of her head. He didn''t even react when she kissed him, so why would he kiss her now? She hoped that he hadn''t done it out of pity. "This isn''t some pity kiss, right?" Eliasughed a little before shaking his head. "It wasn''t a pity kiss. I kissed you because I wanted to," he replied as he gazed at her warmly. "You didn''t seem to like it when I kissed you," Alyssa pointed out. She had reacted far better than he did, and she was stunned. He had pushed her up against a wall and everything. The thought of that made something flutter in the depths of her stomach. She had never been touched like that before. "I was just surprised. I wanted to kiss you back. I swear," Elias told her sincerely. He took her hand and stroked his thumb over her knuckles. "I just didn''t think I even deserved to kiss you." Alyssa gave him a confused look. She didn''t understand what he was saying. She expected apletely different exnation than him putting himself down. "What? What do you mean?" she asked. She didn''t think that anyone didn''t deserve to kiss her. That was an odd way of thinking about a kiss. If she wanted anyone to kiss her, it was him. He was the one who showed so much care for her, more than anyone else. Elias shrugged. "I''m not exactly the nicest guy. I feel like you deserve so much better than me," Elias said. He actually looked insecure. Alyssa had no idea where he got that mindset from. He was incredible in so many ways, and she didn''t need him to be the nicest guy on the. He was nice to her and harder on others who weren''t nice. That suited her. "I like you¡­ for you. You more than deserve me," Alyssa replied before lowering her eyes slightly. "It''s not like I''m all that great." Alyssa didn''t see herself as such a great catch. She had her issues that she dealt with. He knew about most of them, and she didn''t want him to deal with all of that. She didn''t want to bring him down. He deserved better than that. Elias tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, encouraging her to look back up at him. "You have no idea how amazing you actually are," he murmured. "There''s no one else I could ever want." Alyssa had no idea how she found herself in this position. The boy that she had the deepest crush on actually liked her back. It felt like fantasy. Maybe she was dreaming. She almost wanted to pinch herself just to make sure. "I''ve honestly had my eye on you since we met," she admitted. Ever since she firstid eyes on him, she couldn''t look away. She didn''t want to, and then he kept showing up, like fate was egging her on. "We were dancing around the inevitable," Elias smirked. It sounded like he had liked her for a while too. That made her heart skip a little. All this time, she could''ve made a move or said something, and he would''ve felt the same way. She had no idea. He was good at hiding his feelings. "I guess I should''ve just talked to you instead of running away," she sighed with a sheepish look on her face. She had just been scared of what she could''ve heard from him. She had nothing to be afraid of the whole time. She had just wasted time she could''ve spent with him. "I get running away. It''s okay," Elias assured her with a warm smile. He always made her feel so much better, no matter what. It had been torture not talking to him, not having him in her life. It felt like they didn''t belong separated from each other, and she didn''t want to waste another day apart from him. "I hope I didn''t ruin anything," Alyssa replied. She wouldn''t be surprised if she seemed ky to him now. No one wanted to be with someone who ran at the first sign of trouble. She really needed to get a hold on that before it really cost her. She got that because of her parents. It was easier to run and hide from their nagging rather than to face it. Now, she applied that to any trouble in her life. She hated getting in trouble or dealing with trouble, so the obvious solution was to avoid it at all cost. "You never could," Elias assured her with a shake of his head. "I''m just d that everything is fine now between us." Chapter 49 - Better Than Fine "Better than fine," Alyssa told him with a smile. Her eyes fell to his lips, and she found herself leaning forward to gently kiss him again. She felt her heart flutter when she felt him kiss her back. That was all she wanted to feel. "I want to do something special with you," Elias suddenly said as he pulled back from her. "What''s that?" Alyssa asked him as she tilted her head. She was a mixture of excited and nervous to find out. "Go on a date," Elias replied. His eyes seemed to search hers, waiting for her reaction. Alyssa''s eyes widened. She definitely wanted to go on a date with him. Spending any time with him was fun, and now they got to add a little romance into the mix. She couldn''t think of anything better, and she wished they could go now. "I''d love that," she told him. "Where would we go?" Elias thought for a second before a wicked smile crossed his lips. "It''s a surprise," he replied as he crossed his arms. He wasn''t going to budge at all either. "Can I have a hint?" Alyssa asked with a hopeful look. She only knew so many things they could do around town, so maybe she could guess based off of a hint. Elias shook his head. "That''ll ruin the surprise," he replied. Alyssa yfully huffed. She wished that she could at least have a clue, but she would let him have his surprise. She bet it would be a great one. "You''re lucky I actually like surprises," she told him. As impatient as she could get, she still liked the concept of surprises, even if she didn''t get good ones a lot. She usually got bad ones, and she didn''t care at all for those. If something awful was going to happen, she would rather have some sort of warning. "You''ll love mine," Elias replied with a confident smile. "You won''t expect it at all." It sounded like he was going to show her incredible things and give her amazing experiences. He was exactly the type of person that she wanted to be with, and she couldn''t wait to have him wow her. He already had plenty of times. "I can''t wait," she said. She wondered if it would be exciting or romantic. Maybe it would be both. She honestly didn''t know what to expect from him date-wise, but she knew that he knew her enough to n something extraordinary. "Friday?" Elias asked her. "Perfect," she replied. It would be a perfect way to end her week. She was so d that they were close again. It felt like the world was back in rotation. Things were how they were supposed to be. For a moment there, she was worried that things would never get back to normal. She had liked their form of normal. Elias pressed a kiss against her forehead. "I promise that I''ll make you the happiest girl on the," he told her. Alyssa wished he knew how happy he already made her. He somehow made her heart feel happy, and that didn''t even make any sense to her. It just felt that way, and she treasured that feeling. "You already have," she assured him. He didn''t have to change to make her happy because he already made her feel warm through and through with how sweet and charming he was now. "Well, since we skipped out, we have some time to kill. Tea?" he suggested as he held his arm out to her. Alyssa felt a light blush cross her cheeks as she nodded. Maybe it wouldn''t be so bad to skip ss. She could catch herself up by reading the textbook, and she taught herself most of the time anyway. Missing one ss to reconnect with Elias wouldn''t be the end of the world. Zoe skipped all the time and was fine. "Sounds good," she said as she took his arm. She had ss in a few hours, and she almost wanted to skip that one too. However, she knew that she couldn''t put her schoolwork aside for anyone. She still needed to focus. "A quick one." "A quick one," Elias promised as he smiled at her. He then led her down the hallway toward the exit of the building. He pressed a kiss to her temple, and she felt warm all over. Alyssa didn''t know what their future together would look like, but she liked their present. She liked how they were now, and she hoped that they continued to bloom. There was so much left to learn, so much left to experience, and she wanted to do it all with him and no one else. ************** The rest of the week, the only thing that Alyssa could think about was the date that Elias promised to take her on. She tried not to bring it up, but it was so hard to refrain from doing so because she looked forward to it so much. When she did conjure up the courage to mention it, Elias refused to give her any hints as to when and what the date would be. It drove her crazy. Then, she finally received a text around noon on Friday. She paused near the fountain on campus, cutting into her lunch break, but she didn''t care. Elias; Free around 5? Alyssa stared at the text for a few moments, feeling her heart race when she realized that this was finally it. The date was happening tonight. He didn''t give her much notice, but she knew that he wanted it to be aplete surprise. Alyssa; Yes, where are we going? Alyssa sent the text, seeing the message bubbles pop up almost immediately. She waited impatiently for him to text back. When he did, she brought the phone screen up even closer to her face to read what he said. Elias; It''s a surprise. Pick you up in the dorm parking lot at 5 A grumble left Alyssa as she texted her confirmation back. She wondered what he was up to. It had to be something cool since it took him so long to n it. Now, she had to get through the rest of her day before finally being freed at 4:00. That would give her an hour to get ready for their date. Chapter 50 - The Date She felt a little tremor of nervousness shake her. She hadn''t been on a date in forever. How did she dress up? How did she act? She wished she knew where they were going so that she could better prepare for tonight, but she would just have to think on her feet. Regardless, she knew that she would have fun with him. The rest of the lectures she had to sit through during that day seemed to pass right through her ears. She hadn''t been able to focus muchtely since things were finally getting good again with Elias. She didn''t want them to go down a dark path again because that wasn''t fun at all. Being without him was painful, and she didn''t want to ever go through that again. It made her want to enjoy these good times even more. When herb ended, she nearly ran to her dorm, dodging around other students as she crossed campus. She had an outfit in mind at least, but she had to fix up her hair and makeup too. She wanted to look as good as she possibly could. Tonight was special, and it was one that she would remember for a while. She just hoped it turned out as well as she pictured it would in her head. The door to her dorm didn''t even shut before she started yanking off her backpack and tearing her clothes off. She pulled open her closet and reached inside to grab a maroon dress that she bought the other day. It wasn''t anything special. It was on sale, but it did look cute. It came down to her knees and red out at her hips while remaining fitted up top. She paired it with ck boots and put on a silver ne to add a little ir. After ncing at the time, she hurried to the bathroom counter and started working on her hair and makeup. She hated having to rush while working on her face. It was the one thing she needed to take her time with so that she didn''t mess up. Thankfully, she only messed up her eyeliner once and had to fix it. Practice definitely made perfect. She was far from looking as good as Zoe, but she did look a lot better than she did weeks ago. At least she could do simple eyeliner and eyeshadow now. All of that contouring stuff was way out of her league still, though. After doing a few paces and turns in front of the mirror, Alyssa convinced herself that she had done all that she could for herself for tonight. It was time to head out to the parking lot anyway. She grabbed her phone and purse before leaving, trying to breathe as calmly as possible as she strode to the parking lot. She counted this as her first date. This was the first rtionship that she put her heart and soul into, and she hoped tonight would tell her if that was a good idea or not. She didn''t want her heart broken, especially by Elias, who could do far more damage than any other boy she had ever known. "I am one lucky bastard." Alyssa snapped out of her thoughts and looked up to see Elias peering out of his driver''s side window at her. He rested his elbow on the bottom ledge, leaning back casually. Of course, he still looked so calm and collected. "I don''t think being stuck with me is something to be considered as lucky," Alyssamented before walking over to the passenger''s door and getting in the car. She looked over at him to find him admiring her once more, causing a blush to re up across her cheeks. "Stop it." "You should get used to being ogled at," Elias replied as he took her hand in his, resting it on herp. He sped out of the parking lot. "You''re beautiful." Alyssa wanted to hide behind her hair, but she coaxed herself to push it back from her face instead. There were some things that she needed to own, and she wanted to think more highly of herself. "You look pretty dashing yourself," she said as her eyes swept over his dark, ripped jeans and ck button down. She liked seeing such clothes on him. Their fitted nature appealed to her eyes. The ck belt on his hips also made her feel warm in certain "Thanks, sweetheart," Elias smirked, shing her a smile before turning back to the road as he drove away from campus. Alyssa knew that he was inly teasing her to make her bashful, and it was working. She smoothed down the end of her dress with her free hand, catching his eyes admiring the sh of bare skin of her thigh. The sight of that made heat flush through her. "I''m guessing I still have to wait to see where we''re going?" she asked as she nced out the window. She had no idea how far out they were going to go. "You''d be correct," Elias replied as he turned down a back road that took them away from the center of town. Alyssa didn''t recognize this area. She looked over at him. "You''re not taking me out to the middle of nowhere to murder me, right?" She couldn''t help but joke. He was lucky that she trusted him, or she would be very wary right now. Instead, she was just impatiently excited to see what he had in store for them tonight. The sun would be setting in about an hour. "Not my style," Elias replied in a serious tone before cracking a smile. He gave her hand a squeeze. "I''ll let you know when we''re close." Alyssa nodded and smiled to herself, watching the town give away to more nature and forest. She suspected they weren''t going to the movies or a restaurant. They probably drove for a good thirty minutes when Elias finally said something to her. Chapter 51 - The Date(2) "Alright, getting there," Elias said before pulling off the road onto a patch of dirt that was a makeshift parking lot. Forest surrounded them on either side, but Elias acted like they weren''t really in the middle of nowhere. "Let''s go." Alyssa slipped out of the car, looking confused until she saw a trail leading through the trees up ahead. She nced over at him with a curious look. "How''d youe across this?" she asked. "Through a whisper," Elias replied with a wink before offering his hand to her. Once she took it, he led her down the path and farther into the words. Alyssa hadn''t been out in nature like this in a while. She definitely overdressed, but the surprise stillid ahead. She ventured down the dirt path, passing by vibrant greenery and tall trees. Soon, she heard a light roaring sound up ahead. "What''s that?" she asked. She was almost nervous to find out because anything could be deep in this forest. Elias nced back at her with a smile. "You''ll see," he said before picking up his pace slightly. He rounded a bend, the sound growing louder and louder. There was a clearing up ahead through the trees. When they finally stepped out of the green growth, Alyssa''s jaw nearly dropped open at the sight of a small waterfall crashing into a glistening spring. She had never seen a waterfall before. "It''s beautiful," she breathed out as she approached the edge of the water. She peered down at her reflection, soon seeing Elias join her side. "Very beautiful," Elias said as he gazed down at her reflection. He put his arm around her shoulders and pressed a soft kiss against her temple. Alyssa leaned into the touch, not wanting to be anywhere else in the world right now. She ced her arm around his waist, anchoring them close as they admired the waterfall. "I was going to take you somewhere in town, but I used to visit this ce growing up. It always brought mefort and peace. I wanted to share it with you," Elias said as he turned his head to gaze at her. Alyssa was touched at that. It wasn''t a conventional date, but she liked that. He went out of the way to bring her somewhere special. "Thank you for bringing me here," she told him sincerely. She knew that this meant a lot to him, so it meant a lot to her too. She liked that they were so close that they could share such personal things with each other. If she had a special spot, she''d bring him there too. Elias seemed to search her eyes before dropping his eyes to her lips. He waited a moment before leaning forward and slowly kissing her. Alyssa let her eyes flutter shut as she sank into the feeling. She angled her body more toward him, feeling his hand cup her cheek. She tentatively lifted her hand to rest it on the back of his neck. Everything felt so new to her. She just didn''t want to mess up. "I''m gonna take a swim," Elias murmured against her lips. Alyssa gave him a surprised look. "A swim? You don''t even have swim trunks," she said. She didn''t exactlye prepared either. The water did look pretty inviting, though. It was crystal clear, so she could see all the way to the bottom. Elias shrugged as he started unbuttoning his button down. His eyes rested on hers the entire time as his fingers worked down the buttons. A smile slowly crossed his lips as he noticed her watching him. Alyssa swallowed hard as she watched him. She felt entranced, watching more and more skin be revealed. She felt mostly fine when he pulled off his shirt, but she really started blushing when he started undoing his belt and jeans. She watched him kick them off, leaving him in ck briefs. "I''ll wait for you," Elias said as he shot her a smile before jumping into the spring. Alyssa''s eyes widened as she watched him go with no hesitation. He was crazy! She stepped closer to the edge to watch him emerge from under the water. A part of her held her back, but another part wanted to feel that rush and jump in after him. She could choose what part to listen to, and this moment would only happen once in her life. Steadily, she reached behind her to unzip her dress. She slid off her boots before pulling the dress off, leaving her in a ck bra and ck panties withce trim. Nervousness shuddered through her, especially when Elias turned her way to admire her. She forged past her anxiety and slid into the spring, shivering at the cold water. Elias swam closer to her, reaching his arm out to wrap around her waist. He pulled her against his chest as they waded in the spring together. "Hey there," he greeted her cheekily. An amused smile crossed Alyssa''s lips as she hooked an arm around the back of his neck. Heat flowed through her in waves as her body pressed against his. She felt so close to him, which nearly sent her mind into overdrive. "You''re quite the romantic, aren''t you?" Alyssa lightly teased him. She liked that about him, though. It was better than being taken to some bar or something. He did this for her, and she hoped he knew how much she appreciated this. Elias shrugged a little as he twirled them around in the water. "I am for you," he admitted. Alyssa felt her heart skip a little. It still amazed her that he went out of his way for her. She never had anyone she was with do that for her. Then again, they were young. Rtionships in high school hardly counted to her, and she knew that she was involved in the real deal now. "This is really nice," she told him. The spring water didn''t feel so cold anymore as it gentlypped at her skin. Pressed up against him, she felt warm enough. "It can get even better," Elias murmured as their eyes roamed over each other''s faces. Chapter 52 - Falling Alyssa felt that familiar pulling sensation deep inside of her. Even if she was close to him, she still didn''t feel like she was close enough. She leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. The momentum and intensity gradually picked up with each passing moment and each subtle movement of their lips. Elias leaned more into the kiss, amping up the pressure as his hands held her close to his body. Alyssa drifted one hand up into the back of his hair, sifting through the wet strands. She lightly curled her fingers around them as his teeth scraped her bottom lip. She breathed in deeply through her nose, trying to quell her rapid heartbeat. She couldn''t believe they were making out in a spring. How did she go from being so shy and cautious in the beginning of the semester to this person? Elias brought his hands lower, grabbing at the back of her thighs to draw her legs around his waist. His lips didn''t part from hers as they moved and pressed. Alyssa felt the lightest dash of his tongue against hers, prompting a soft moan from her that she couldn''t control. So many sensations were lighting up throughout her body. She wanted him so badly, but she wasn''t used to this. She didn''t want to mess up. Maybe she wasn''t ready. "Wait. Stop," she breathed out as she pulled away from him. "Are you okay?" Elias asked her as a concerned look appeared on his face. Alyssa looked down as she rested her hands on his shoulders. "I just¡­ don''t know if I''m ready yet¡­ it would be my first time," she murmured quietly. She didn''t know why she felt embarrassed telling him that, but she just felt steps behind so many other people her age. She didn''t have as many experiences as them, and she didn''t want to be a disappointment. Elias'' eyes widened slightly when he realized what she was talking about. "I''d never make you do anything you''re not ready to do, Alyssa," he told her. "I didn''t know." Alyssa shook her head. "I was nervous to tell you," she admitted. She knew that was silly. This was Elias she was talking about. She could tell him anything and findfort in his reactions. He had never done anything to purposely hurt her. Elias lightly nudged her forehead with his, making her meet his gaze. "I''m not in this for the sex. I just want to be with you. We''ll go at your pace," he told her with aforting smile. A rush of relief flooded through Alyssa. He didn''t seem bothered at all. She knew that he was a good guy. She should''ve known he wouldn''t have minded. "Thank you," she said sincerely. She felt like she could breathe again, and her body physically rxed in his hold. "There''s no need to thank me. I just want you to be happy," Elias replied. Alyssa ced her hand on his cheek, stroking his clean shaven face. She really got lucky meeting him. She could''ve gotten with some jerk, who only cared about her body. Instead, she got with someone who cared about everything. "I¡­ can see myself being with you¡­ for my first time," she admitted. She had never gotten close enough with someone or trusted anyone enough to have her first time with them. But things felt different with Elias. She felt like he would actually take care of her. Elias gave her a light squeeze. "And I''ll make it perfect for you," he assured her. "I know you will," Alyssa murmured as she shared a smile with him. She knew that he would pull out all the stops to make the moment special for her, and she couldn''t wait for it. She just needed to get over her anxiety about it first. "How are you liking the date so far?" Elias asked her with a hopeful look on his face. Alyssa yfully shrugged. Deep down, she loved being here with him. They were in their own little world here, and she didn''t want to leave anytime soon. Reality was no fun. With him, she felt like she was in a dream far away. Elias'' sweet smile then turned wicked before he tossed her into the water. A gasp rang from Alyssa before she was submerged underwater. She swam her way back to the surface to see Eliasughing. Her jaw dropped open in shock before she sshed water at him. Elias recoiled back from the stter of water in his face. His eyes then narrowed. "Oh, you''re asking for it now," he said before sshing water back at her. Alyssa cried out as water drops rained down on her. She wasn''t about to back down from his challenge, though. As they sshed around in the spring and pushed each other into the water, all of her stress from earlier melted away. He so easily put her in a calm state, and it became obvious to Alyssa that she was falling for him. There was no turning back now. *************** Alyssaid out all of her things at her usualputer station in the library. Honestly, her mind wasn''t all that focused on homework right then, but she knew that she needed to catch up. She had been ckingtely because her and Elias had been going out and hanging out so much. Seeing him felt like an addiction at that point. She loved being around him, getting to talk about anything and everything that was on her mind. She felt like she didn''t have to hide anything from him and like her life was more than just school. He showed her that there could be so much more. After she told him that she was a virgin, there was no awkwardness or hesitation between them. Things went back to normalpletely, which was a relief to Alyssa. She didn''t want that messing anything up for them. When she was ready, they could take the next step. Nothing about him was keeping her from taking that next step. In fact, he really encouraged her to want to, but her own nervousness held her back. What if it didn''t feel good? What if she panicked? She wanted that moment to be perfect, and she knew that he would do everything to make it that way, but could she keep up her end of the deal? Chapter 53 - Failing She knew that worrying about it wouldn''t help her prepare, though. She knew that when the moment was right, she would feel it and wee it. She just didn''t want to be so nervous when that time came. Her anxiety had a habit of ruining things, while Elias tended to help her back to the mindset she needed to be at. He really was a miracle worker. With a faint smile, Alyssa signed into the desktop and brought up her online gradebook and coursework. She had gotten used to everything being online. With the money that she was saving up from her on campus job, she would be able to afford a cheapptop soon. Then, she wouldn''t have to trap herself in the library so much. She scrolled down to see her grades, and her eyes immediately widened in shock. How did she have two B''s in her organic chemistry ss andb? She just had A''s not too long ago. Then again, she hadn''t checked her grades in a moment. Something must have happened to lower them so much. She brought up hertest assignments and had to do a double take. She got a C on oneb assignment, failed another, and got multiple low B''s on a few regr ss assignments. What happened? She remembered doing the work and not having that much of an issue. The work was hard, but she didn''t think she''d score so low. She looked through her answers that were marked wrong and nearly facepalmed. She literally messed up the easiest things. She mixed up a few numbers and terms, like she hadn''t been paying attention. What was on her mind? Alyssa checked the dates and realized she had turned in all of those messed up assignments during the period of time she had been spending a lot of time with Elias. It was so easy to get distracted when she was with him. Even when they were studying or doing homework for psychology, thest thing on her mind was work. She couldn''t let her grades slip! She had a schrship riding on them, and if they got too low, she''d lose her schrship and have to drop out. That meant that she would have to move back home, and she couldn''t do that. She had to fix this, and the only thing that she could think to do was to limit her time with Elias. The thought of that saddened her. She loved spending time with him, but she had to keep an eye on her future. She couldn''t throw it away for him, and she knew that he wouldn''t want her to either. It would just be hard to take a step back from him. She would have to do it gradually until she found a happy medium where she could be with him and still keep her grades up. She buried her face in her hands with a sigh. She couldn''t believe she had let her grades slip so much. She only had so much time left in the semester to turn them back around, which meant she couldn''t drop the ball now. She couldn''t risk it. It was great finally having a social life, but she needed to stay at college. She needed to be away from her family, who only contacted her when they needed something from her or wanted to chew her out for something. She loved being with Elias, but she couldn''t sacrifice her sanity to be with him. She hated having to give up one for the other. At that moment, her phone buzzed on the table. She looked over at it to see that Elias had texted her. Her heart automatically skipped, but she frowned this time instead of smiled. She had a feeling about what he texted, and she couldn''t respond how she wanted to. Elias; Tea time, honey? ;) For a second, a smile broke out across her face at the yful nickname. He always tried to get her to smile, even through text, and it always worked. But it only worked for a second this time. Then, she remembered the dilemma she faced. She wanted to go to the caf¨¦ with him, but she needed to catch up on her work. She couldn''t push it off any longer. Alyssa; I have to do homework :( another time! Alyssa sent the text before shutting her phone off. It was hard blowing him off, but she knew she had to do it. As much as she loved being close to him, she had shut out everything else, including the things that she needed to focus on. Besides, what if things didn''t work out between them? What if she gave up so much for him, and he left her? She would have nothing. No degree. No love of her life. No nned future. She doubted someone like her could actually keep someone like him for long term. He would find someone else and move on. Alyssa didn''t want to be discouraging to herself, but she had to look at the facts. She hadn''t been in many rtionships at all in her life, and they were nothing special. Now, out of nowhere, she got to be with one of the most charming boys she had ever met? It didn''t make any sense. Elias; Hope you get it all done! :) Alyssa read Elias'' text and nearly groaned. Of course, he was so sweet and supportive. That made it hurt even more to push him away. Things were so perfect not too long ago. Now, reality hit her full swing, and she was out of her fantasy world. She wanted back in, but she knew she was stuck on the outside for the foreseeable future. ****** A few dayster, Alyssa still continued to avoid Elias. She had so much work to catch up on and so much studying to do. She saw him in ss for brief moments, but she whisked herself away afterwards to go to her next ss. She wanted to spend her free time with him, but her grades needed to be lifted before finals arrived. If she bombed finals, it was over for her, so she needed to study as soon as she got the materials together. In case she got lower than she hoped for her scores, at least she would have some padding if she worked hard now to raise her grades. She was basically doing damage control. Or maybe she was just panicking. Chapter 54 - Her Fears She could tell that Elias was a bit sad over her being so distant, but she could tell that he wanted to be supportive of her too. He never asked her to put aside her work for him or to cut into her studying time to spend time with him instead. Maybe his care was actually ack of care, though. Maybe he was fine with her continuously blowing him off because he didn''t want to hang out with her that bad. Maybe he liked the growing distance between them. That thought saddened her. Were they already breaking apart? "Alyssa! Hey!" Alyssa looked up from her daze as she walked through campus to her next ss. She saw Zoe waving from down the sidewalk, prompting her to lift her hand as well. "Hey," she said, trying to conjure up as much enthusiasm as she could. Her voice still fell t, though. She just didn''t have much spirit in her right now. Zoe immediately frowned and crossed her arms over her chest when she came to a stop in front of Alyssa. "What''s the matter?" she asked. Alyssa sighed and lowered her eyes. She knew that she couldn''t lie to Zoe. The truth would be forced out of her one way or another, and it would be nice to talk to someone about what was going on. It wasn''t like she could talk to Elias about it. "Elias and I have been a little distanttely. I mean¡­ it''s my fault," she sighed. Zoe gave her a confused look. "How is it your fault?" Alyssa motioned for Zoe to walk with her. She still had to get to ss on time. "My grades have been slipping. Bad. I keep hanging out with him instead of studying," she exined. "So, I''ve been blowing him offtely to get my work done. He''s been totally fine with it, but¡­ what if he''s fine with the distance?" Zoe gave Alyssa a pointed look. "You sound ridiculous. You''re making a problem out of nothing," she said. Alyssa frowned as she listened. Maybe Zoe was right, but she couldn''t help it! She hadn''t been in this situation before, and she expected Elias to pitch more of a fit about them not seeing each othertely. Then again, she wanted him to be supportive of her. She didn''t know what she wanted! She just didn''t know what was going through his head. "I want to be with him, but I can''t lose my schrship and drop out. That would ruin me," Alyssa said. She could only imagine how her parents would rub her failure in her face. They never believed in her desire to go to college, and she knew that they were just waiting for her to mess up and drop out. "I think you''re stressing yourself out. You can organize your schedule better so that you can have both. You don''t have to choose," Zoe told her. Those wordsforted Alyssa. She always thought that she had a choice to make, that things were ck and white. She wasn''t the most flexible person in the world, but she needed to learn how to bend to amodate all of the different things in her life. As she grew older, she would have more and more things in her life to deal with. When she first started college, she was awful at juggling the new things in her life. Now, she was getting better, but she easily got intimidated. One little slip nearly sent her spiraling when that didn''t need to be the case. "I''m just afraid to ck a little when ites to school for a rtionship that might not work out in the end. I want it to be forever. I¡­ feel so much for him, but I can''t say the same for him. What if he just drops me one day?" Alyssa asked Zoe. She knew that her friend didn''t have all the answers, but she neededfort. She needed to stop overthinking. Zoe slowed her pace so that she could take Alyssa''s arm, drawing her closer to her side. "I know it''s scary, but you guys are so good together. I believe in you two," she said with a warm smile. Alyssa felt the side of her mouth curl up slightly. She hoped that things turned out well on all fronts for her. She wanted her grades to soar, and she also wanted her rtionship to seed. She had never bnced so many things in her life before, but she also felt far happier and more fulfilled than ever before. That had to be a sign that she was moving in the right direction. "I just needed some time to catch up on my work and think things through. I hope I haven''t ruined things," Alyssa murmured. Once again, her own fear threatened to take things away from her. She was still wary of the future, but she tried to remain optimistic. That was all that she could do. "Talk to him. Stop running away," Zoe told her pointedly. Alyssa knew that Zoe had a point. She needed to be honest with Elias. Maybe they could work something out so that they had time for themselves and for each other. They both had so much to juggle, and she didn''t want either of them to fall behind on anything. "I''ll text himter and see if he wants to meet up. After I get my homework done," she said. She had to prioritize her time, even if it was a bit tedious. She wished that she could brush her work off and just do what she wanted instead of what she had to do. "Good. I bet he''s dying to see you," Zoe said as she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Oh, quit," Alyssa smirked as she nudged Zoe. She was the one dying to see Elias. It had been torture not being with himtely, but at least she caught up on her work. Maybe she could spare some time to hang out with him. "I love you." Zoe beamed at that. "I love you. There''s someone else you should be saying that to," she said. Chapter 55 - Loving Boyfriend Alyssa bumped Zoe with her shoulder. "We''re taking things slow. You know what that means, right?" Alyssa teased. Zoe was the type to go, go, go. She knew what she wanted, and she didn''t stop until she got it. Alyssa wanted to be like that in some instances. In others, especially circumstances that she wasn''t used to or didn''t want to mess up, she was going to take a slower approach. It was safer. She hadn''t fully abandoned her cautious mindset yet. Zoe yfully rolled her eyes at Alyssa. "Yeah, yeah. Love doesn''t know time, though, and it refuses to be silenced," she replied. That was oddly philosophical of Zoe to say. She did have a point, though. Alyssa and Elias could go as slow as they wanted to physically, but they had no control over their feelings and how quickly they developed. She just hoped hers didn''t outpace Elias'' feelings that much. She wanted them to be on the same page. "Alright, Socrates. I''ll keep that in mind," Alyssa replied as they shared an amused smile. Once Alyssa reached her building for her ss, her and Zoe parted ways. Alyssa wished she could better express her gratitude to Zoe for helping her through this. Her friends were so incredible. They made up for the gap in her life that was supposed to be for her family. Somehow, she had gotten lucky enough to find two people who made her life feel so full. She just hoped that she never lost them. ***************** Elias; Come outside. Alyssa narrowed her eyes slightly at the text she had just received from Elias. She had been sitting in her dorm room, looking over some notes as final week approached. She nned to study as much as possible during the weeks ahead so that she could finish this semester strong. She couldn''t ignore Elias when he called, though. She slipped on her sneakers, pairing them with the grey tank top and ck shorts that she had been lounging in. She headed out of her room and to the entrance of the dorm building to see Elias standing outside of the ss doors with a bundle of white roses in his hand. With wide eyes, Alyssa opened the door and stepped outside to meet him. "What are you doing?" she asked him as he moved closer to her. "Giving my girl flowers," Elias said in a matter-of-fact manner. He handed them to her with a smile. "You''ve been working so hardtely. I wanted to bring you a pick-me-up." Alyssa brought the white roses up closer to her nose to take in their subtle scent. She couldn''t believe that he had gone out of his way to get her flowers just to lift her spirits, even after all the time they had been spending apart. "You''re so sweet," she told him sincerely as she smiled at him. She had missed him so much. It felt like every part of her longed for him. Elias shook his head. "Nah, I just really like you," he said before leaning forward to press a soft kiss against her lips. When he pulled away, he smiled. "Studying for psychology?" "I was about to get to it," Alyssa told him. She was brushing up on her microbiology notes, but she was ready to move on to a new subject. She had a lot of material to cover before finals week arrived, which was right after Thanksgiving break. She nearly cringed at the thought of Thanksgiving break. If she was going to stay in the dorms, she had to let her resident assistant know ahead of time. She didn''t think that going home was a good decision for her, but it would suck to spend the holiday all by herself. "Me too. I was about to head to the library. I just wanted to stop by real quick," Elias replied as he motioned to his backpack. Alyssa perked up slightly when she heard that he was about to study too. She really needed to study, but she also really wanted to hang out with him. Maybe she could do both if they actually focused on studying and didn''t get distracted by anything else. That was easier said than done, though. "Want toe study with me in the dorm?" she asked him. Maybe that wasn''t the best thing to do right now when she was really trying to concentrate, but she didn''t want him to go. Besides, they were studying the same thing, and she was his tutor when he needed her help. Maybe he would need help with something. Elias looked surprised at her offer. "Are you sure? I know you''ve been buckling downtely," he asked. Alyssa nodded as she tilted her head toward the dorm building. It was nice of him to check, but she had already made up her mind. She wanted him to stay. "Come on. We can run through some shcards together," she replied. She was going to focus hard. Even his charming smile or nice body couldn''t distract her from doing what she needed to do. "That sounds great," Elias replied, looking excited. He handed his license off to her as they breezed through check-in before heading to her dorm room. Once the door shut behind them, he turned to her. "I promise I won''t try to distract you." "You always distract me," Alyssaughed softly. He didn''t even have to do anything, and she would feel entranced by him. She ced the flowers on her desk, drifting her fingers along their soft petals momentarily. She needed a vase for them. "Just don''t look at me," Elias chuckled as he slid his backpack off of his shoulders. He hopped up on her bed with his psychology book in hisp. "Why would I want to do that?" Alyssa asked as she sat beside him. Her eyes roamed over him, taking him in. She still couldn''t get over how cute he was, how bright his smile glowed. She had a hot guy in her bed, and she had to study. She internally groaned. Elias wagged his finger at her. "We''re here to study. Nothing else," he told her. Chapter 56 - Study Session Alyssa nearly snorted at that. She was the one who had been putting up boundaries. Now, he wasying down the rules. She grabbed her shcards off of her nightstand and started shuffling through them, studying quietly as Elias read through his textbook. It didn''t take long for them to nce over at each other with smiles. Of course, it was hard to fully concentrate when they were around each other. Elias moved toy his head down on her pillow, holding his arm out to encourage her toy down next to him. "Quiz me," he told her. Alyssa smiled to herself. At least they were trying to multitask and still study a little. She thought of a question. "What are imaginary sensory perceptions?" Alyssa asked him, pulling the definition from one of thest shcards she studied. Elias narrowed his eyes slightly as he stared at the ceiling and thought. "Wait¡­ I know this one," he murmured before he brightened up. "Hallucinations." "Look at you. Psychology major," Alyssa teased at him as she cuddled up against his side. She was proud of him, especially since science wasn''t his strong suit. She knew how hard it was to learn something that didn''t click naturally. She was thankful math and science came naturally to her, or she''d have a lot of trouble passing her major. Elias chuckled and shook his head. "The only reason I''m passing this ss is because of you," he said as he turned his head to smile at her. Alyssa felt warmth bloom inside of her. She loved when he looked at her like that. Once again, studying was thest thing on her mind. "You''ve been working really hard on studying. Give yourself some credit," she told him. She had only pushed him. Elias leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers. "Best study session ever," he chuckled. Alyssa smirked and nudged him a little. She reached over and grabbed her shcards. "Come on. We actually have to study," she told him. As much as she wanted to justy around and talk, they had finalsing up. "Fine. Fine," Elias sighed as he took the shcards from her. They went over her entire deck of shcards before taking a break. Their break consisted of cuddling up together. Elias ran his fingers through Alyssa''s hair as they casually talked about the rest of the semester. Time had flown by so fast, but they had a whole other semester left before the school year was over. Alyssa let her eyes flutter shut for what she thought was just for a few seconds. She only got a little sleepy from all the studying, but she must''ve been more tired than she thought. Before she knew it, she slipped into darkness. ***************** Alyssa stirred what felt like a few minutester, lifting her head off of Elias'' chest to see that he was waking up too. "We must''ve dozed off," she murmured as she reached over to grab her phone off of the nightstand. She checked the time and nearly dropped her phone. "It''s midnight!" Elias'' eyes widened. "We slept for that long?" he asked. Alyssa stumbled out of bed, feeling her heart race. It was past curfew! That meant his ID was locked up in the front, and she was going to get in trouble. Thest thing that she needed was to get kicked out of the dorm. "I''m so screwed. They still have your ID. When they get back in the morning and see you didn''t check out in time, I''m going to get written up," Alyssa told him. She was worried about her grades getting her kicked out. Now, it could be this situation. Elias got out of bed and grabbed her arms to steady her. "Hey, don''t worry about a thing. I''ll take care of it, okay?" he said. Alyssa shook her head, not knowing how he''d be able to do that. He''d have to somehow grab his ID out of the locked office in the front. The only person who had a key was the front desk manager, and they wouldn''t arrive until the morning. She couldn''t believe she actually fell asleep! "I can''t get in trouble. If I get kicked out of the dorms, I''ll have nowhere to stay. I''ll have to drop out and go back home," she rambled anxiously. She could already hear what her parents had to say about that. They would call her irresponsible and childish, despite her working so hard to prove herself as anything but that. Maybe they were right. Maybe she wasn''t ready for this. Elias cupped her face this time, forcing her eyes on his. "Alyssa, breathe. I won''t let you get in trouble," he told her in a firm tone. Alyssa grabbed his wrists, using the grip to calm herself somewhat. He seemed so confident for some reason. "How?" she asked him. She didn''t know what he had in mind, but she didn''t want him to do something that would get them in even more trouble. Elias didn''t say anything for a few moments before smiling at her. "I''ll get my ID back without them knowing. I know my way around dorms, remember?" Elias pointed out to her. "I just need you to trust me. Do you trust me?" Alyssa automatically knew the answer to that question. She didn''t even need to think about it. "Of course. I just don''t know how you''re going to pull this off," she replied. It wasn''t like he had a key or a way to con someone to open the office. Elias chuckled as he stroked her cheeks. "I have my ways. Just rx and get some rest. I''ll see you soon," he told her before leaning forward to press a soft kiss against her forehead. Alyssa couldn''t do anything but watch him step away and gather his things. It wasn''t like she could do anything about the ID. If he seemed confident enough to get it back, she just had to trust him. She did wonder how he was going to do it, though. Chapter 57 - Their Goals "Just be careful," she sighed, not wanting him to be caught. Thankfully, it waste at night, so maybe no one would be lingering around the front of the dorm to see him. Elias waved his hand dismissively. "I''ve got this," he told her as he slipped his backpack onto his shoulders. He walked with her to her dorm door before pausing. "I had a nice study session with you." Alyssa couldn''t help but crack a smile. Even if they only got a little bit of studying done, she did have a good time with him too. It was really nice sleeping with him. Innocently. "Let''s go to the library next time," sheughed softly. They couldn''t be together alone and expect to get any serious work done. Elias fake pouted as he ced his hand on the doorknob. "You''re no fun," he said before opening the door and stepping out into the hallway. "Goodnight." "Night," Alyssa said. She couldn''t help herself and leaned out of her room to press a soft kiss against his lips. She wished she could drag him back into the room, but she needed to get some sleep for tomorrow. Besides, she would see him soon. She watched him walk down the hallway toward the front of the dorm before forcing herself to shut the door. He had this, so she just needed to rx and go to sleep. That was easier said than done of course. Sheid awake in her bed until she heard her phone buzz on her nightstand. It was a photo of Elias holding his ID. His tongue was stuck out to the side yfully as he grinned at the camera. Augh broke from her as she shook her head. Alyssa; You must be a magician She held her phone against her chest as she waited for him to text back. Thanks to him, she didn''t have to worry about getting in trouble now. He always looked out for her. She wished she could do more for him to bnce out the scales. Elias; Something like that Alyssa smirked at his text. He was certainly special. Even if they had gotten really closetely, she still felt like he had this mysterious air around him. How he answered some of her questions made her wonder if he was actually joking or not. Maybe she was overthinking things. She didn''t exactly have much luck in the best friend or boyfriend department, so being so close to someone was new. It was nice, though. Eventually, all of the nerves and excitement wore off, and Alyssa found herself growing more and more tired by the minute. She put her phone up after texting Elias goodnight and turned over. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she drifted off into a deep sleep with a faint smile on her face. Maybe things would work out. ************ Alyssa, Elias, and Zoe set up shop in study room 202 a few days before Thanksgiving break. It was thest time they could all get together before the break. Once they returned, it was finals week, which meant crunch time. Zoe nned to just cram the weekend before finals week and Elias was going to read over the major points of the material over break, but Alyssa rallied them both to put in a little more study time. She wanted them all to pass, and she knew that finals week was a huge deal. Their grades depended on these tests. "I''m seriously reconsidering my degree," Zoe muttered as she rested her head on her hand. Her free hand drifted along a page in her textbook as she ran her finger under the line she was reading. "Like I get I need to know the history behind journalism, but I expected projects, not exams." Alyssa reached out and rubbed her back in aforting manner. "You''ll get it," she said before going back to her intensive reading of her organic chemistry textbook. All she had were exams, and there was so much information that she had to absorb and maintain that her head hurt. She had no idea how she was going to pull all of these exams off, but all she knew to do was to keep studying and hope she remembered the information. For her, there was never an option to just give up. She had too many people watching her and waiting for her to fail. She didn''t want to hear thements or the snide attitudes. She wanted to prove them wrong. No matter what. That meant she had to push herself toward the only path thatid ahead of her. "My major isn''t too bad. The information is pretty straightforward," Eliasmented as he looked over his own textbook. It was far less bulkier than either Alyssa''s or Zoe''s. Alyssa and Zoe gave him a pointed look. "Doesn''t your major only matter if youe up with some awesome business idea?" Zoe asked as she reached for her cup of coffee to down the rest of it. Elias smirked and shook his head. "You can do a lot with a business degree. But going the entrepreneur route might get you a lot of money and sess," he said. "You have to write a business proposal for your capstone, right?" Alyssa asked him. She wasn''t too familiar with what they did in his major, but she did remember hearing that somewhere. Elias nodded. "I have to think of a business idea," he told her. "What''s it going to be? Tea shop?" Alyssa teased him. She felt his ankle rub against hers under the table as they sat across from each other, making her face burn slightly. It was hard not acting affectionate toward him, but she wasn''t about to make Zoe feel like a third wheel. Elias chuckled and shrugged. "I''m not sure. Maybe something in tech. I want to look toward the future, not the past," he replied. To Alyssa''s surprise, his answer was deeper than she expected it to be. She wondered if he was trying to get away from something in his past. Or maybe he just liked technology. "That sounds really cool," she told him encouragingly. He was so supportive of her goals, so she wanted to be supportive of him too. She believed that he could do anything that he set his mind to. He managed to be maintaining good grades in psychology. Chapter 58 - Thanksgiving "We''ll see," Elias replied before winking at her. Alyssa looked back down at her book as she smiled to herself. She had really been trying hard to split up her timetely. She studied by herself most of the time, but she allowed some study sessions with Elias and Zoe too. It made studying way more fun. "I''m so d that break is soon. I''m running on empty at this point," Zoe sighed as she leaned back in her wooden chair. Alyssa nodded her agreement. Her ns for Thanksgiving break were still up in the air at this point. She had to let her resident assistant know by tomorrow if she was staying at the dorm or not for break. "Christmas break will be better. Nothing to study for," she pointed out. Thanksgiving break was so short, and it was right before exams. The timing was off for her. She would rather plow through her exams, and then enjoy Thanksgiving break and Christmas breakbined instead of separated by a week. Zoe scoffed. "Like I''m gonna be studying while stuffing my face," she said. Elias chuckled as he listened to them. "Don''t eat yourself into a fooda," he warned her. "Maybe I won''t have to take my exams then," Zoe pointed out with a shrug. "My dad cooks the best turkey. I''m so ready to eat a home-cooked meal not made by me." Elias nodded his agreement. "My family cooks enough to feed a vige," he replies. Zoe then nudged Alyssa. "What''s Thanksgiving usually like with your family?" she asked. Alyssa''s smile wavered at the question. Her eyes shifted over to Elias, who gave her aforting smile. He knew that it would be hard for her to answer this question. If regr days were awful with her family, then he knew how rocky holidays were. All that she could think about was all of the fights and awkward silences at the dinner table. Any happy moment was always ruined by some snidement or back-handedpliment. She hated holidays. Her mom would always make her help cook, but she would turn around and get angry at Alyssa for messing something up. Then, her dad would get mad at her too. It was a never ending cycle of fighting, but Alyssa couldn''t help but feel a little jealous hearing about Zoe and Elias'' holidays with their families. She wanted normal holidays with her family. She wanted to look forward to going home and spending time with her parents. Why did she have to draw such a bad card? It wasn''t fair. She wondered if she tried to put in a little more effort that things might change. Maybe her parents would try to be nicer too. Maybe they could just tolerate each other. That was as close to normal as her family could get. She would take that so that she didn''t have to spend holidays alone and sad, while her friends got to have a good time with their families. "Alyssa?" Zoe''s voice broke through Alyssa''s thoughts. "Oh¡­ it''s fine. Kind of boring," Alyssa replied with a shrug. She loved Zoe, but she didn''t want to get into her family stuff with her. She only feltfortable talking to Elias about it. Maybe one day she would tell Zoe, but that would have to beter when she felt morefortable opening up more about her family. It was a heavy topic for her to talk about. She had a feeling that it always would be. So much of her anxiety and insecurities came from her parents and how they treated her. It was something she couldn''t ignore, but she was trying to move past it. She wanted to grow from her pain. "Oh, maybe you''ll have a better Thanksgiving this year," Zoe said with a bright smile. She nudged Alyssa yfully before flipping the page of her textbook to continue studying. Alyssa looked over at Elias, sharing a quiet look with him before going back to normal. There was no need to dwell on the holiday now. She could figure out what she wanted to do after they finished studying. "I''ll miss you guys over break. It''ll be the longest period of time we''ve ever been away from each other," Alyssa told them as she looked between them. Here, they were her family. They gave her all thefort and support that she needed to get through the days. She wished that they could spend the holidays together, but she knew that their families came first. Hers never did because they never put her first. Elias smiled at her as he reached across the table to hold her hand. "We''ll be back together before you know it," he assured her. "I''m not going to be that cheesy, but I''ll miss you lovebirds too," Zoe smirked. Alyssa would take that. She wrapped her other arm around Zoe''s shoulders, drawing her close in a half hug. She really hoped that they still got to see each other next semester. They were going to try to get sses together, but they would still try to hang out if that didn''t work out. Alyssa couldn''t imagine drifting apart from either of them. "We''ll have to have a get together before Christmas break," Alyssa told them. She was sure that they''d be apart for Christmas break too, which was about a month long. She wanted a proper goodbye with them before they finally saw each other next semester. "We can drink and bake cookies!" Zoe said excitedly. "Why do all of your ns involve alcohol?" Elias smirked. Zoe shrugged. "Easiest way to have fun doing anything," she pointed out before tossing her hair behind her shoulder. "Well, alcohol or not, I want to do it," Alyssa replied. She wasn''t a big drinker, but she could stand a drink or two to celebrate. She knew that Elias was there to watch her if things started to spiral too. "I''ll find a spiked eggnog recipe," Zoe said. "I''ll cook something," Elias said. Alyssa sped her hands together eagerly. "I can''t wait," she said. She couldn''t remember if she had ever had a good Christmas celebration. There was always drama or awkwardness. It would be nice to finally feel the holiday spirit, and what better way to celebrate than with the people closest to her? Chapter 59 - Mother’s Love "We just have to survive finals first," Zoe muttered before yawning. Alyssa felt that same exhaustion. Studying wore her down so much. She constantly needed a pick-me-up to keep her going. "I think I need another coffee. Anybody want anything?" Alyssa asked, figuring they all needed a little boost to finish off their study session. It was starting to gette, but they still had so much left to do. She looked between them. "Latte? Green tea?" "You know me so well," Elias said warmly. "Make that an iced mhiato," Zoe replied. "You got it," Alyssa replied before standing and leaving the small study room. She walked down the steps toward the caf¨¦, but she paused before she walked inside. She couldn''t stop thinking about her parents and Thanksgiving. If she didn''t go home and try for a peaceful holiday, she would be in her room all alone. It was crazy, but Alyssa stepped off to the side and pulled out her phone. She tapped her mom''s contact and lifted the phone to her ear as it started to ring. She almost thought it was going to go to voicemail until she heard her mom''s voice. "Hello?" "Hi," Alyssa managed to say. Her throat closed up after that word left her. What else was there to say? She knew that she called for a reason, but she just couldn''t find the words to say. "What do you want? I''m busy," her mom snapped. Alyssa flinched slightly. She almost hung up right then, but she stood her ground. Maybe she could get her mom to calm down. "I was wondering what you''re doing for Thanksgiving?" Alyssa asked. Typically, it was just her, her mother, and her father. They were closed off from the rest of the family because of drama that had been circting for years. She honestly couldn''t me her other rtives for not wanting to spend the holidays with her parents. "Thanksgiving? After everything that''s going on, you just care about a damn dinner?" Alyssa''s mom spat out. Alyssa narrowed her eyes slightly. She wondered what was going on that was making her mom so upset. Then again, there was always family drama going on. It was probably something petty, and her mom was probably just taking her anger out on her. "My break is next week, so I was just wondering," Alyssa replied. Calling her mom was probably a bad idea. She was silly to think that she could actually have a civil conversation with her mom. "Unless you have something to actually contribute to this family, don''t bother," her mom said before hanging up. Alyssa stared at the space ahead of her with wide eyes. She knew that the call could possibly be bad, but she hadn''t expected it to turn that bad. She needed to contribute something to be able toe home and see her family? She could only guess that meant money that she didn''t have. Now, she felt stupid. She actually thought something was going toe out of that phone call. She was blinded by hope, but she knew what her parents were like deep down. They weren''t kind and supportive under all of those harshments. She needed to move on. Shaking herself off, she strode into the caf¨¦ and grabbed all three of their drinks, opting for a cappino for herself. She definitely needed more coffee to get her through this night because she had countless pages left to read and plenty of terms left to learn. At least she had her actual family at her side through this. She knew where true love and loyalty lied. ******************* "I''ll be back before you know it." A wistful sigh broke from Alyssa as she lingered around Elias'' car in the dorm parking lot. It was the first day of Thanksgiving break, and Elias came by to say goodbye to Alyssa before he headed back to his parents'' house for the rest of the week. It was nice to him because Alyssa wasn''t looking forward to the next five days by herself. It was only five days, but it would feel like an eternity until she could see him again. She wanted him to have time with his family, though. "I know," she said as his arm wrapped around her shoulders to draw her close to his side. She nestled close to him, enjoying his warmth as a cool breeze blew past them. She couldn''t wait to cuddle him again, to not have to say goodbye to him. It sucked more and more each time. "You cane by my apartment after break. It''ll fully be set up," Elias told her with an excited smile. "Really? I can''t wait to see it!" Alyssa gasped, nearly forgetting that he had an apartment now. She couldn''t wait to hang out with him there instead of her dorm room. She was tired of having to abide by the curfews and rules. It always cut into how much time they could spend together. "I''m not the best at decorating, so maybe you can give me some tips," Elias said with a sheepish smile. He rubbed her arm gently as they stood close together. Alyssa didn''t mind theck of distance between them at all. It was nice being so close to someone mentally and physically. "I''d be happy to," she replied. She wasn''t exactly an interior decorator, but it would be fun helping him decorate his apartment. She couldn''t help but feel like that was a fairly intimate thing to do with someone, and the thought made her heart flutter briefly. "It''ll also be nice because you can stay over aste as you want," Elias pointed as he lifted his eyebrows at her suggestively. Alyssa''s cheeks warmed up as she rested her hand on his chest. "It''ll be prettyte," she told him as she smiled at him. It was torture having to kick him out of her dorm room. It''ll be even harder to convince herself to leave his ce since there were no rules in ce there. However, she didn''t want to crowd his space. He did get it to have some space away from his family, and she didn''t want topromise that. "Theter the better," Elias replied before leaning forward to capture her lips. His touch was warm and longing. It would be thest kiss they would share for the rest of the week, so they were going to make it count. Chapter 60 - All Alone Alyssa reached up to grab the back of his neck, holding him close as their lips slotted together perfectly. She closed her eyes, focusing on how good he tasted. She could kiss him forever if she had the choice to. Elias cupped her cheek before moving to press her up against the side of his car. His other hand roamed up her side as the world seemed to fall away around them. It was just them and no one else. Alyssa could feel any sense of control she had start to burn away as his hands and lips graced her body. It was so easy to fall into the sensations, to let them consume her whole. She felt that familiar feeling of his teeth tugging on her bottom lip. He knew that drove her crazy. "You''re making it very hard for me to leave," Elias murmured against her lips. His hands grabbed her hips, pulling them against his as they tangled together against his car. Alyssa smiled as she curled her arms around his neck. "Maybe that''s the point," she replied as she opened her eyes to gaze at him. She felt like a teenager making out with him in a parking lot. She felt like she was catching up on all of the experiences she should''ve had by now at this age. Elias chuckled before teasingly kissing her neck. He leaned near her ear. "Just wait until I get back from break," he told her. Alyssa nearly shuddered at the whisper. She could only imagine what he nned to do. Now, that would be all that she would be able to think about until he got back. He was determined to torture her before he left. "You''re cruel," she said as they wrapped their arms around each other. They were both having trouble letting go and parting ways. "No, I''m not," Elias smirked. Alyssa sighed, knowing he was right. He was the kindest person she had evere to know. "I hope you have a good time with your family," she told him. She knew that his rtionship with them wasn''t the absolute best, but it was better than hers. He could stomach going back home and seeing them for the holiday. "As much as I can," Elias replied as he brushed his fingers through her hair. "I''m sorry you have to stay here by yourself." Alyssa shrugged, not wanting him to worry about her. She was a bit bummed, but it was better than going home and dealing with her parents. "I''ll be able to get some good studying done," she told him, which was true. She was going to make sure that she knew everything for her exams so that she didn''t have to worry about her grades or her schrship. She was intent on making up for those bad grades she had gotten. "You better get something good to eat on Thanksgiving," Elias told her pointedly. Alyssaughed softly, finding it cute that he was worrying about such a small thing. She actually hadn''t thought about what she was going to eat on Thanksgiving, but she was sure she''d figure something out. It would probably depend on what she was craving that day, which could range from sushi to pizza. "Maybe the cafeteria will have something," she replied. She didn''t even know if they were going to be open or not, but she didn''t want him to fret over her getting something to eat on Thanksgiving when he could be focused on visiting with his family. "I''ll text you when I can, okay?" Elias told her. Alyssa knew that he had to leave now, which saddened her, but she forced herself to draw her arms away from him. "Drive safe," she replied. Her eyes fluttered shut briefly as he pressed his lips against her forehead. She stepped away from his car and watched him open his driver''s side door to get into his car. She waved at him as he smiled at her through his window. Elias gave her a wave before turning on his car and pulling out of the parking spot. Alyssa watched him drive away, feeling her heart steadily grow heavier with each passing second. Now, she was all alone.She used to be somewhat fine with being alone. She had gotten used to it. Now, she had gotten spoiled by thepany of her friends, so it was hard being without him. It was going to be a long week. ********** When Thanksgiving arrived, Alyssa managed to exchange a few texts with Elias in the morning before he went radio silent. She suspected that he had to do family things. As much as she wanted to sulk in bed that day, she forced herself to get up. She couldn''t have such a bad attitude all the time when she was alone. She pulled on a pair of leggings and a t-shirt, refusing to dress any fancier. Who was she dressing for? She brushed her hair and made herself look presentable before heading to the cafeteria to see what they had to eat. Of course, the cafeteria was closed. Everything was closed on Thanksgiving. She had to look up what happened to be open, and the only ces that were open that were close by were fast food ces. That would have to do. It matched the energy of her week. She had gotten some decent studying done, but it was so hard to be motivated. She kept thinking of her parents and how everyone else was having a good holiday with their families. She couldn''t help but wallow a little in self pity. It just wasn''t fair. Then, she felt guilty about her feelings because other people had it worse. It was a rollercoaster of a week for her. Mentally. On the outside, it was fairly slow and boring. She studied, ate fast food or whatever was leftover in her mini fridge, and texted Elias when he wasn''t busy. Alyssa actually couldn''t wait for break to be over with. That was a bit crazy since that would mean going back to school and taking exams, but at least she wouldn''t be all by herself. She could go out and at least grab a coffee with someone instead of being holed up in her room by herself. Chapter 61 - The Call The highlight of her week was ate night phone call with Elias on thest night of break. The week was finally over, and she felt as prepared as she could be for exams. She didn''t think she could stomach reading over the material again. "How was seeing your family?" she asked him. "They wanted to y 20 questions. They''re pretty nosy," Elias replied. Alyssaughed lightly. At least his family cared enough to want to know about his life. She hoped that maybe he could get closer to his parents as he got older. They were probably just overprotective right now. Then again, she didn''t really know much about his family still. "Maybe they just care," she said. She couldn''t remember a time when her parents bothered to try to care for her grades, unless they were trying to make her feel bad about something. Most of the time, they didn''t genuinely care to ask about anything going on in her life. Maybe that was for the best. When they did start asking questions, it was only for their benefit and never for hers. "They care a little too much for the wrong reasons," Elias told her. "They try to advance their own agenda." "What''s their agenda?" Alyssa asked him. She could understand where he wasing from, but she wondered what pressure they were putting on him. Elias was quiet for a few moments. "Oh, well, my family thinks I''m too cold and not carefree. They think I should enjoy life more.," he replied. "How was your Thanksgiving?" Alyssa was a bit surprised at the rapid change of subject, but she supposed that he was like her and didn''t care to talk about family all that much. She had to respect that because she acted the same way and wanted others to respect her privacy. "It was fine. I took the day off and watched Netflix," she told him. It was nice taking a break from studying and catching up on some shows. It could''ve been a worse day. "At least you finally rxed. You''re always working so hard," Elias said, sounding slightly concerned. "It''s all I know," Alyssaughed. She knew that probably wasn''t something tough about. She was sure there were issues with that behavior, but she couldn''t help it. Working all the time took her mind off of things and made her feel productive. She couldn''t justy around and watch Netflix all the time. That would drive her crazy. "Well, I''m going to teach you more about fun because that''s better than work," Elias replied. Alyssa smiled as sheid in her bed. She knew that he was right. Her life didn''t need to revolve around work, even though it currently did. It was something that she had to work on, but it wasn''t something that would happen overnight, not even with Elias'' help. "We''ll have plenty of fun when you get back," Alyssa told him. "Oh, really?" Elias said, sounding suggestive. Alyssa bit her bottom lip briefly as certain thoughts crossed her mind. Her worries concerning sex were certainly fading the more heated she got with Elias. She knew it would feel good to be with him, and it was hard finding reasons to keep putting her first time off. The only obstacle that stood in her way was a ce. She really didn''t want her first time to be on her small dorm bed. However, his apartment was about to be avable. "We''ll see," she said teasingly. "Now, you''re being the cruel one," Elias sighed. "I''m going to wait as long as you want us to, but I want you so bad." Alyssa''s eyes widened at the drop in his tone. She crossed her legs at her thighs beneath her sheets as she drew in a deep breath through her nose. She hadn''t expected the conversation to take this turn, but she wasn''tining. She was just nervous about ruining the mood. "Really?" she asked. He wanted her out of all people? "Of course, baby," Elias said. "I can''t tell you how crazy you drive me." Alyssa closed her eyes briefly, feeling heat roll through her in waves. No one else had made her feel this way before. Truthfully, she wanted him badly as well. "Why can''t you be here now?" Alyssa sighed, wishing they weren''t apart right now. They could put some of these words into action. It was torturousying in her bed all alone with these thoughts in her head. She didn''t want them to just be thoughts anymore. "I wish I was," Elias murmured. "But I''ll make it up to you when I see you." "How?" Alyssa asked him, wanting details. Her fantasies were threatening to run wild at that point. It would be nice to have something specific to picture. Elias chuckled. "Well, I wouldn''t want to ruin the surprise," he told her. Alyssa groaned as she threw her head back against her pillow. Of course, he was going to tease her. It only made her want him more, but she would have to wait to see him. "Mood killer," she told him. She expected him to keep going, but she should''ve known that he wasn''t going to give her that satisfaction. He liked to y games. "Well, I wouldn''t want you to start without me," Elias smirked. Alyssa felt herself blush at the thought of having a little alone time with her head full of thoughts of him. It had crossed her mind more than once, but she wanted to base her fantasies on fact, not fiction. She wanted to see what he would actually do to her because it would blow her mind more than anything she could conjure up in her mind with no experience. "Yeah, yeah. I hope you know finals week is the biggest mood killer. I''ll be in bed with my books, not with you," she warned him. As much as she wanted to jump him the second he got back, she knew that they wouldn''t have much time for alone time until the end of the week. "Lucky books," Elias replied. "Finals week better fly by." "I hope so," Alyssa sighed. It was already hard to focus on finals week because she missed him, but now it was going to be even harder because she knew that she had something to look forward to afterwards. Chapter 62 - Finals "It''ll be fine, though. We''ve got this," Elias said encouragingly. Alyssaughed as she shook her head. They were engaged in a mental battle. Desires were hard to ignore, but at least she didn''t have to ignore them forever. Just a week. "Maybe we should just avoid each other to make it easier on us," she said jokingly. Honestly, that would just make things worse. At least getting to see him briefly would push her over until the end of the week. "Absolutely not," Elias replied, prompting moreughter from her. They were on the same page about this. They chatted on the phone for another fifteen minutes before they hung up to go to sleep. The week ahead was about to be tiring and rough, and they needed all of the rest they could get. Alyssa just couldn''t wait to get it over with and finally be able to take a breath and focus on Elias. Her attention had been so splittely, and she was ready to focus on the moments they could share together. They were certainly going to be explosive. **************** Day one of finals week finally arrived, and it was raining. Actually, it was storming outside. Wind whipped through campus, making the rain pelt down sideways as thunder rumbled throughout the sky. Dark clouds killed any chance of sunlight gracing the campus as everyone hurried to their exams. Alyssa looked out of the ss door of the dorm entrance warily. She had an umbre, a rain jacket, and rain boots, but she still didn''t feel prepared enough to brave the weather and go across campus to take her psychology exam. The wind looked so strong that she feared it would blow her away! Of course, the school didn''t postpone exams or do the students any favors. It wasn''t bad enough for a tornado, so the students were expected to brave the conditions and get to ss to take their exams. She wished that the school would take mercy on them, but that wasn''t happening. She drew in a steadying breath before opening her umbre up. She had to go now, or she''d bete for ss, which was thest thing that she wanted right now. She pushed open the door to the dorm building and hurried outside. Immediately, a heavy gust of wind nearly blew her umbre inside out. Alyssa angled her body to face her umbre against the wind, trying to block herself from the cold rain pelting down. No matter where she faced her umbre, she still got wet. All that she could think to do was to rush across campus as fast as she could. Her rain jacket would have to do most of the work because her umbre wasn''t doing its job. She hurried down the sidewalk toward the middle of campus, building-hopping where she could. Her rain boots squeaked as she shuffled down the hallways, a trail of water following her. She couldn''t think of a worse way to start her finals week, but she had to react to what was thrown her way. She wasn''t about to let a little storm put her off track after she studied so hard. Before leaving thest building she could run through, she checked her phone to see that she had ten minutes left. She needed to hurry up because she had a whole stretch of sidewalk left to run down to get to the building she needed to get to. After doing a quick countdown in her head, she pushed the door to the building open and ran back out into the rain and wind. Water droplets littered her face as she darted down the sidewalk as fast as she could without slipping. She was reduced to an awkward shuffle, but she was getting to where she needed to go as she ran along a street that went through campus. Suddenly, a car roared past her. Its tires struck arge puddle of water, sshing her from head to toe. A shocked cry broke from Alyssa as she stumbled to a stop. Cold water dripped off of her as she stared ahead in bewilderment. Of course that would happen! She waved her hands, trying to dry herself off as much as she could as rain continued to pour down on her. Her umbre hadn''t protected her at all. As much as she wanted to stand there and fume over that happening, she knew that she still needed to get moving. She could feel water sloshing in the bottom of her rain boots as she shuffled up to the building she needed to be in. She stumbled inside, water dripping off of her as she made her way to her ssroom. If she wasn''t having to take a final today, she would''ve given up and gone home. Today was not her day, and it was still so early in the morning. She closed her umbre and walked into her ssroom, ignoring the lingering eyes on her as she headed to her seat. "What happened?" Elias asked as he stared at her with wide eyes. "Car. Puddle," Alyssa merely said as she shed her wet rain jacket. She brushed her wet hair back from her face, trying to get her head back in the game. Sure, this morning sucked so far, but she could turn things around if she aced these finals. "Girl, I would''ve chased them down," Zoe replied as she shook her head. Alyssa smirked a little as she grabbed her pen out of her backpack. "Crossed my mind," she said as she got settled in her seat. It probably wouldn''t have mattered anyway. It wasn''t like the driver did it on purpose. Kaleigh was behind herughing, so she knew that it wasn''t her. She didn''t even have the strength to shoot a re at Kaleigh right now. She just wanted to get this final over with. Dr. Pierce then strode into the room with his teaching assistant at his side. "Good morning, everyone. Thank you for fighting the rain to get here on time," he announced as he got situated on stage. Alyssa nced over at Elias. "Good luck," she told him. She knew that he was a bit nervous. She could tell by how he was tapping his pen against his desk. But she believed in him. She had drilled everything that they learned in this ss into his head. Elias smiled at her as he gave her a grateful look. "You too. You got this," he replied. Chapter 63 - The Test Elias smiled at her as he gave her a grateful look. "You too. You got this," he replied. Alyssa nodded as the teaching assistant started passing out tests. She straightened up andunched right into her test once it was on her desk. She didn''t want to forget anything that she had worked so hard to study and remember. Luckily, the final exam looked a lot like the regr exams with the majority of the questions being multiple choice. The only thing that was different was there were a few discussion questions at the end. She decided to answer those first since they were more points and were more difficult than the multiple choice questions. She had to exin the criticisms of various types of therapies, the functions of different parts of the brain, and the effect of different styles of parenting. Luckily, she actually knew the answers to all of the discussion questions. For the most part, she knew the answers on the exam. She had only gone over the terms and concepts more times than she could count. There were a few questions that she had some difficulty with, but she went with her gut and answered what made the most sense. Once she felt like she did all that she could, she turned in her exam and stepped out into the hallway. She told Elias that she would wait for him so that they could talk before she went to her next exam. She hoped that he was doing alright. It looked like he was almost done when she walked past him to go turn in her exam. Thankfully, she was finally starting to dry off. Her clothes were still damp, but it was better than being soaking wet. She hoped that the rain had died down at least a little because she didn''t feel like battling what felt like a tropical storm to head to her next ss. Elias strode out of the ssroom a few minutester. He didn''t look too worried, but he didn''t look all that chipper either. "That test was so long," he said as he moved mto her side. "Did those discussion questions get you?" Alyssa asked. They mostly studied terms, but she did go over all of the concepts with him. She just hoped that they touched on them enough for him to handle the discussion questions. Elias shrugged. "I think I did alright on them. I''m just d it''s finally over with," he sighed. "I made it through." Alyssa smiled as she took his hand. She wanted to hug him, but she didn''t want to get him wet. "You did it," she said. This ss was a struggle for him, but he put in the work and got through it. She was happy for him, and she was d that this ss brought them together. "With your help. If you hadn''t pushed me to study so much, I wouldn''t have done as well," Elias admitted as he nudged her with his shoulder. He then recoiled when he felt how damp her shirt was. "I bet you still aced that exam, even while drenched." "I think I did alright," Alyssa replied. She could''ve done a little better, but she believed she did good enough to get the grade that she needed. Elias gave her a pointed look. "Give yourself credit," he told her. Alyssa smirked and shrugged. She didn''t like bragging about herself. It made her feel weird, but Elias was adamant on getting her to ept her worth. She did well today, given the circumstances she had been put through earlier. "I worked hard. I think it paid off," she said, allowing herself to admit that. That was as far as she was going, though. She still had more exams to get through, and she didn''t want to jinx herself. Elias smiled, looking satisfied. He pecked her on the forehead before ncing toward the ssroom. "Are you waiting on Zoe before you go to your next ss?" he asked. Alyssa shook her head. "We''re going to catch upter," she replied. She needed to head out soon anyway so that she could look over her notes one more time before her exam. Her eyes shifted over to the ssroom door when it swung open and Kaleigh walked through it. Kaleigh looked over at Alyssa and Elias. Her face immediately wrinkled in distaste. Alyssa automatically sneered at her, refusing to shy away any longer. She didn''t care if Kaleigh didn''t like her. The feeling was mutual. She turned back to Elias once Kaleigh left the building. "She''s been quiettely," she said. She was relieved about Kaleigh''sck of snidements. She could actually concentrate more in ss without worrying about Kaleigh pulling some sort of petty stunt. "She doesn''t want to mess with you as much anymore," Elias pointed out. Alyssa figured he had a point. She had gone off on Kaleighst time they interacted, and she suspected that Kaleigh wouldn''t forget that for a while. She was still proud of herself for standing up to Kaleigh, even if she acted a little bit like a mean girl. She had to bring the attitude. "Good. I don''t have time to deal with her anymore," Alyssa muttered before checking her phone for the time. She had to get to her next ss soon. "Speaking of not having time. I should get going." Elias motioned for her to follow him. "I''ll walk you to your next ss," he offered. "Are you sure? You don''t have anywhere to be?" Alyssa asked him as they walked down the hallway toward the exit of the building. As she got closer, she could see out of the ss doors and tell that the rain had lightened up. That was a relief. She wasn''t going to get another shower on her way to her next ss. "Not for another hour," Elias replied as he waited for her to open her umbre. He took it from her before opening the door and holding the umbre above her head. When she walked out, he followed close behind her, shielding them from the rain. "Just a few more days," Alyssamented as they walked down the sidewalk to the main science building. She could be vague because there was something particr that they were looking forward to at the end of finals week. She wasn''t going to bring it up to spare them, but she couldn''t help but mess with him, even if it affected her too. It was a worthy sacrifice. Elias pitched her an intrigued look. He knew what she was hinting at. He didn''t need any sort of exnation. "Feels like an eternity," he replied. His arm rubbed against hers as they walked at each other''s sides. Alyssa wished she had more time to tease him, but her next exam was calling. She walked into the main science building and took her umbre back once Elias folded it back up. "Stay strong," she teased him as they walked down the hallway. She was giving him advice that she needed to give herself. She was doing fine until she started talking to him. He had an instant effect on her. "Easier said than done. Just looking at you tests me," Elias murmured lowly as students passed by them. Alyssa gave him a pointed look. She didn''t need to be turned on before her exam. Her brain would start malfunctioning, which was thest thing she needed right now. She needed to be sharp and concentrated, not imagining him with no clothes on. His lips on hers. His hands running all over her body. Stop! "I need to concentrate on microbiology," she told him once she escaped her own head. "Not your biology." "You can study me anytime, baby," Elias smirked before shooting her a wink. "Okay, goodbye," Alyssaughed as she shook her head at him. He was the one testing her now. She was near her ssroom anyway. Elias pressed his lips against her temple before stepping back from her. "Good luck," he said in a sing-song voice before walking down the hallway away from her. Alyssa watched him walk away longingly. Deep down, she didn''t want him to go, but she had some studying to do. She could fantasize after her exam. For now, she had to fantasize about microscopic organisms. Sexy. I I Chapter 64 - Hot And Bothered Alyssa wasn''t too worried about her world literature and philosophy exams. Since they were general sses, they didn''t have as much weight as the sses involved in her actual major. She still studied hard for them, but she didn''t pay half as much attention as she did to her science sses. She was ready to finish this exam week off and get to the good part of the week. She grabbed her things and headed out of the dorm. She told Elias that she would meet him for a few minutes before her world literature exam. She didn''t feel the need to cram any more before this exam. It was nice to rx a bit. Her other two exams, microbiology and organic chemistry, went fairly well. She had studied hard and did what she could on the exams. She hoped for low A''s at the lowest, but she wouldn''t know any of her exam grades until the end of the week. Then, she would know where she stood with her schrship. Alyssa walked into the liberal arts building and saw Elias lingering down at the bottom of the quiet hall. She smiled to herself and continued down the hall to meet him. "We''ve almost made it," she told him. It was at least Wednesday. This week felt so long, like it was dragging by. Elias turned his head to smile at her as he leaned against the wall. He pushed himself off and embraced her, enjoying the sweet smell of her hair. "So close," he said as they held each other. Alyssa sank into his arms for a few seconds, taking the moment to enjoy being so close to him. The days felt so long without him. She wished they had more than one ss together, but they''d be lucky to even have one ss together next semester since their majors were so different. "Do you have any exams today?" she asked him as they drifted apart. They still stood close to one another. Elias nodded as he pushed his fingers into his hair to draw the strands back. "For one of my business sses. I''m not worried about it, though. I bet you could do this world lit exam with your eyes closed," he mused as he nudged her. Alyssa shrugged with a coy smile. "Maybe so," she replied. She liked that he saw her as intelligent. It was one of the few aspects about herself that she was proud of. She worked so hard to know as much as she could, to be one of the smartest people in the room. It was nice for that to be acknowledged, especially by someone who meant a lot to her. Elias put his arm around her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her temple. "My girl is a genius," he said adoringly before leaning close to her ear. "Intelligence is so sexy." Alyssa felt herself blush as she ced her hand on his chest. He so easily got her fired up, like striking a match. She wondered if she had the same effect on him. "No flirting until the end of the week. I don''t need to be hot and bothered during my exam," she warned him. She could already see herself squirming in her seat at the thought of him. She used to never have such a problem until she met him. "Oh, I get you hot and bothered?" Elias teased her as he ran his hands up her sides. He backed her up against the wall, gazing at her with a glint in his eyes. Alyssa nced up and down the hallway. No one was around. They were all in the ssrooms taking their exams. It was just them. Heat pulsed through her heavily as his chest pressed against hers. She crossed her arms and tilted her head up, trying not to look as affected as she actually felt. "Just a tiny bit," she replied. Obviously, that was a lie. He affected her in more ways than she could count to an intense degree. She just wanted to y a little because it was too fun not to. Elias smirked down at her as he ced his hand on the wall next to her head. His free hand roamed up her side. "Really? Just a little?" Elias teased her as he rested his forehead against hers. Alyssa''s eyes flickered down to his lips as he came close to her. She could feel his breath lightly fanning against her lips, and there was nothing she wanted to do more than to kiss him. "Unless you can prove me otherwise," she responded. She could hardly believe her own boldness, but something about the way he made her feel just made her anxieties start to fall away. She felt bolder and sexier under his gaze than at any other time. Elias surged forward and crashed his lips against hers. He cupped her face as he pressed her against the wall. Alyssa gasped into his mouth, but she soon caught up. Her lips pushed and glided against his. Their movements were hungry and chaotic, tasting and feeling. They were catching up on so much wasted time. She parted her lips and felt the softsh of his tongue against hers. The sensation nearly made her moan aloud. Elias grabbed her hips, pulling them against his own. It felt like he was everywhere, touching all over her body. He started to kiss along her jaw to her neck when he heard noise from down the hallway as students started to pour out of the ssroom. He stepped away from her with a devilish smile. "You got lucky. I wanted to do so much more to you," he murmured. Alyssa brushed her hair back from her face as she caught her breath. Her heart was hammering in her chest as she tried topose herself and not act like she just got done making out with him in the hallway. "Guess I''ll just have to fantasize while answering questions about The Great Gatsby," Chapter 65 - Happy Moments Alyssa brushed her hair back from her face as she caught her breath. Her heart was hammering in her chest as she tried topose herself and not act like she just got done making out with him in the hallway. "Guess I''ll just have to fantasize while answering questions about The Great Gatsby," Alyssa smirked as she stepped away from the wall. Luckily, she had read that book multiple times before even stepping foot in college, so she wasn''t too worried about forgetting what happened in the book. Elias chuckled as he tilted his head at her. "I bet you can multitask well," he said. Alyssa pressed her teeth into her bottom lip to try to conceal her smile. She had a feeling that he wasn''t talking about taking a test. "I guess we''ll see," she replied. She was nervous about her first time with him, but she was also excited. It would be an experience unlike any other, and she trusted him. She had never trusted another guy like this before. He gave her no reason not to trust him. "I can''t wait," Elias said with a bold smile as they gazed at each other. It was unfortunate they were surrounded by other people. The things that they wanted to do were not public friendly. "Good luck on your business exam," she told him. She wasn''t worried about him, though. She knew that he would nail it. His mind was business-oriented, while hers was science-oriented. "It''s not for a few more hours, so I still have some time to study a little more," he replied with a casual smile. He was far more focused on her than her exam. "Good luck on yours, smarty pants." Alyssa yfully rolled her eyes at him. "Speaking of which, I''m about to bete," she said as she checked the time on her phone. She had to go back down the hall to her ssroom. She leaned forward and pecked him on the cheek in a teasing manner before walking down the hallway. She didn''t even have to look back to know that his eyes were on her. She felt warm all over as she hurried to ss to get to her seat and get ready for her exam. Her lips and skin still tingled from his touch, and she wanted to be pressed up against the wall by him all over again. He was so addicting, and she couldn''t remember a time when she felt so happy. Her life had certainly taken quite the turn. ~*~ A whole hourter, Alyssa finally got to step out of her ssroom. Her hand was cramping from writing so much because there were so many discussion questions that she had to answer on that exam. The questions were pretty easy, though. The test was just so time-consuming. At least she was finally done, though, and there was only one exam left for her to take. She was so close to the finish line. To her surprise, she saw Elias waiting outside with a white paper bag in his hand. She gave him a confused look as she stepped up to him. "What are you doing here? I thought you''d be studying," sheughed softly. She expected him to be in the library right now, and she didn''t expect to see him for the rest of the day. Elias cracked a smile and shrugged. "I still have time. I just figured you''d be hungry after your exam," he said before reaching into the bag and pulling out a wrapped up grilled chicken sandwich. "No tomatoes, of course." Alyssa''s eyes widened as she took the sandwich. She couldn''t believe he was so nice to go out of his way to pick her up an early dinner. He was right. She was hungry. "Thank you so much," she told him sincerely. "I can help you study." Elias shook his head as he rubbed her arm with his other hand. "Go home and rest. You have one more exam left," he told her. Alyssa felt her heart skip a little as she smiled at him. She really was falling for him. Everything he did made her adore him even more, and she doubted there was a limit on that. "I''ll see you soon, right?" she asked him. She didn''t like being apart, but she did need to study a little more for her philosophy exam. Some of the concepts were fairlyplex. "Of course," Elias replied before leaning forward to kiss her softly. Alyssa''s lips curled up against his own in a happy expression. He made her feel like she was on top of the world. Nothing could touch her. Except him. She wouldn''t mind that at all. "I can''t wait," she replied once they pulled away from each other. She knew that she probably needed to go back to her dorm anyway because they wouldn''t be doing much studying if they stuck around each other. "I''ll text you after my exam and let you know how I aced it," Elias chuckled. "I bet you will," Alyssa smirked. She liked his boldness. He wasn''t overly cocky like some people she knew, but he had faith in himself. It was honestly an attractive trait, but he had plenty of those. Elias nodded his head toward the end of the hall. "Go on," he said warmly. "Enjoy the rest of your night." Alyssa felt his hand gently pop her hip in a yful manner. Sheughed and walked away from him, pitching one more look at him over her shoulder. She didn''t know how he could get any sweeter. She unwrapped the sandwich and bit into it, sighing to herself blissfully. Could this semester end any better? It wasn''t over yet, but she had a good feeling. She hadn''t felt this optimistic in a while, and she was so d to finally be out from under the storm cloud that had trailed her for so long. Finally, there was sunshine and hope and love. There was so much out there for her to experience, and she found the perfect person to show her everything she could ever want to see. Chapter 66 - Level Of Joy "I bombed everything. I just know it." Alyssa reached out to gently nudge Zoe as they and Elias sat at a small table in the university''s caf¨¦. It was finally Friday. All exams were done with, and they were waiting on their final grades to drop. They were due to be posted in the next ten minutes, and the group waited anxiously to see their scores. "You did just fine. We all passed," she told them firmly. There was a lot of anxiety and negativity going around, and she was trying to reel it in as best as she could before it got out of control. She believed in all of them because they put so much hard work into studying and preparing for their exams. "We''ll see soon enough," Elias said as his knee bounced rapidly under the table. He kept refreshing the page on his phone with his current grades before the exam scores went in, waiting for them to change. Alyssa chewed on her bottom lip as she watched her own phone. She was hoping for the best. They all were. This past semester was busy with so many changes and developments. At the start of this semester, she never would''ve expected her semester to end up like this, but she was grateful for that. It ended way better than she expected it to. She wasn''t all alone waiting for her exam scores this time. She was surrounded by her friends. "Regardless of what happens¡­ I think we should drink tonight, whether it''s to drown our sorrows or celebrate," Zoe said as she looked between Alyssa and Elias. "I actually agree," Alyssa said with a nod, drawing surprised looks from the others. She shrugged in response, standing by her words. If they did well, they had a great reason to celebrate the end of the semester. They deserved a fun night. If they didn''t do well, at least the pain would be curbed a little. "Well, happy drinking is way more fun than sad drinking," Elias replied. "The result is the same," Zoe pointed out. As they chatted, Alyssa continued to watch her phone. She was mostly worried about her science sses. She spent the most time taking those exams and had to use the most of her brain power. Some of the concepts were soplex and confusing. She couldn''t count how many times she questioned her major while sitting in those ssrooms taking her exams. Suddenly, the numbers on her phone changed. She abruptly leaned forward in her seat as she read the numbers, her forefinger tapping the screen to bring up hertest scores. Her eyes were wide and focused as they scanned her screen. "95¡­ 98¡­ 92¡­ 90¡­ 97," she read the scores of her exams out loud. When Zoe and Elias heard Alyssa read the numbers, they hurriedly refreshed their phones and started to read their own scores to themselves. The air was quiet besides their hushed whispering. Then, they all looked up at each other. "I actually didn''t fail anything," Zoe said before breaking out intoughter. "I mean, I got a C on one, but I didn''t fail." "A''s and B''s," Elias replied with a matching smile. He then turned to Alyssa with a proud look. "I heard all A''s for you. Not that I''m surprised." Alyssa felt her face heat up as she smiled and nodded. She wasn''t going to boast. They all did amazing and pulled off what they needed to. "We all passed!" she said excitedly. Those fifteen seconds were incredibly intense and nerve wracking, but everything was okay. Everything was more than okay. She should''ve known not to be so scared of failing. "Finally, something to celebrate," Zoe sighed in relief as she ced her phone down on the table. She waved her hands as she shook her head. "I''m done worrying about school for a whole month. I don''t even want to talk about it anymore." Alyssaughed and nodded, agreeing with Zoe. She had worried and worked hard enough this semester. It was finally time to rx and enjoy her freetime now that sses were over. They''d have to get right back to work in January, but that was a little while off from now. "Let''s talk about what we''re going to do tonight then," she replied before ncing over at Elias with a sly smile. She knew that they wanted to make ns for themselves soon. They had waited all week to have some alone time, to experience something new together. She was ready to get to that part because she had thought about it all week. She was finally ready. "We have to eat before we drink," Elias told Zoe pointedly. "I don''t want to be carrying you back home immediately." Zoe waved her hand dismissively. "I am not that much of a lightweight. It''s this one you''re going to have to look out for," she said as she pointed at Alyssa. Alyssa scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest, despite Zoe being right. She wasn''t going to admit it, though. She could hold her own alright, and she wasn''t going to overdue it tonight. She was just going to have a dash of fun to take her mind off of the stress of the week. "Oh, don''t worry. I''ll have my eyes on her all night," Elias said before winking at Alyssa. "Gross," Zoe smirked as she covered her own eyes. Alyssa and Elias shared augh. She then turned to Zoe. "Have you still been talking to Cole?" she asked. She learned that the grim reaper that Zoe had been hitting it off with at the Halloween party was named Cole. Zoe mentioned that they were texting a little, and Alyssa hoped it bloomed into something more. Zoe shrugged as she grabbed her phone. "A little," she said as a small smile crossed her lips. "We might see each other over Christmas break." "That''s great!" Alyssa said as she wrapped her arms around Zoe and squeezed her. She wanted Zoe to feel the same happiness that she felt with Elias. It was a level of joy that she had never known before. Chapter 67 - Not In A Million Years "That''s great!" Alyssa said as she wrapped her arms around Zoe and squeezed her. She wanted Zoe to feel the same happiness that she felt with Elias. It was a level of joy that she had never known before. "Yeah, yeah," Zoe murmured, actually looking a bit bashful. "Anyway, let''s head to downtown and grab a bite to eat." Alyssa nced down at herself. She was wearing leggings and a shirt. She had updated her wardrobe, but she still dressed pretty casually during the week when she had to do a lot of roaming around. She liked to befortable. However, she didn''t want to go out looking like this. "Can I go to my dorm and get dressed first?" she asked. It was only five o''clock, so they had some time to spare before the nightlife really started booming. Elias nodded. "Let''s go," he replied before standing up. Alyssa watched them both trail her. "Oh, you''re bothing into the dorm with me?" she asked as they headed out of the caf¨¦. She thought that they would linger around here until she got done. She didn''t want to have to drag them around campus. "Where else are we supposed to go?" Zoe smirked as she sped up to walk at Zoe''s side. Elias moved to the other side. He gave Alyssa a yful bump with his shoulder. "You can give us a show," he teased. Alyssa yfully rolled her eyes at them. They were ridiculous, but she was lucky to have them. She wouldn''t trade them for anything in the world. "If you two don''t behave, I''ll leave you outside," she warned them as they walked out of the library and through campus toward the dorms. They were lucky that she was allowed two guests at a time. Zoe and Elias shared a fake shocked look. "Ouch," Zoe pouted. Once they reached the dorm, Alyssa signed them both in before leading them into her dorm room. She walked toward her closet, but Zoe beat her to it and started going through her clothes. "I can dress myself, Mom," Alyssa smirked as she crossed her arms. "Not until you met me, honey," Zoe replied sweetly before pulling out a maroon skirt and a ck tank top with thin straps. She handed them over to Alyssa. Alyssa couldn''t exactly disagree with her. Zoe did help her with fashion a lot over this semester and helped her find her own style. She would''ve still been wearing the same boring clothes fromst semester if it wasn''t for Zoe. She shed a smile at Elias, who sat on the edge of her bed, before walking into the bathroom to change. She turned a few times in front of the mirror to admire the outfit before opening the door to let Zoe take a look at her. "Hot!" Zoe said as she pped her hands. She turned toward Elias. "You better not do anything stupid and lose this one." Elias smiled warmly at Alyssa as he admired her. "Not in a million years," he replied. His tone didn''t hold that usual humor of his. He sounded serious. Warmth bloomed in Alyssa''s chest as she nced down shyly. A few strands of her hair fell in her face, prompting her to push them back. She felt so beautiful in his eyes. A thought then crossed her mind that made her blush. She walked over to her bed and leaned down to pull out her drawer with her socks and panties. She grabbed her nicest ck pair before shifting her eyes up to meet Elias'' as he gazed down at her. Elias grinned faintly, knowing what she was up to. "Might not need thoseter," hemented lowly so that Zoe couldn''t hear. Alyssa shrugged as she hid the panties in her hands as she stood up. "We''ll see," she said teasingly before walking into the bathroom to change into them. She was being bold, but she couldn''t help herself. She wanted him, needed him. There had been a time in her life not too long ago when sex was never on her mind. She didn''t care for it really until she met Elias. Then, it was like the floodgates opened. All of these desires struck her all at once, and she hardly knew how to control them or handle them. Maybe she didn''t want to any longer. When she left the bathroom, Zoe was on her about her hair, spraying her with hair spray and texture spray until Alyssa was coughing from all the fumes. She gave Alyssa''s hair a light fluff to let the strands drop down around her bare shoulders. "Perfect," Zoe quipped as she stepped back to admire her work. Alyssa thanked her before turning to Elias. "Ready to go?" she asked him. She was ready to have some fun tonight, and she felt pretty dolled up. It was nice not having to spend another night studying. Finally, she could do something fun instead. It had been a long timeing. Elias hopped off of her bed and took her hands as his eyes swept over her. "Absolutely. You look beautiful," he told her. "Stop," sheughed as she shook her head. She was tired of blushing so much. He always knew what to say to make her bashful, even if she had already heard it more than once. Something about the way he looked at her just made her feel so shy. Maybe it was because no one had ever looked at her like that before. Elias kissed the crown of her head before holding the small of her back and motioning toward the door. "The night is ours," he said with a smile. Alyssa leaned into his side with a happy expression. He made her feel like she had so much control over her life. She could take hold, change course, if she wanted to. It gave her morefort than nearly anything else. "Let''s go," she said before grabbing Zoe''s hand and leading them both to the door. She didn''t want to waste another second. Chapter 68 - The Teasing "One more!" "No!" Alyssaughed out as she dragged Zoe away from the bar. She had already had a vodka cranberry and a shot of tequ. She was trying to slow down before things got out of control, but Zoe kept pushing the line, as expected. "No more shots." "Boo! Boring," Zoe grumbled as she let Alyssa lead her back to their table in the lounge area of the club and bar. She sat on the high chair next to Elias, who was steadily sipping on a Jack and Coke as he watched the situation with an amused look. "You''re killing the party mood," Elias teased Alyssa once she sat back down. Alyssa smirked as she reached out to take Elias'' arm. "I''m saving you from having to carry her back home," she pointed out. It was nice seeing everyone have a good time, though. They deserved it after a long, hard semester. The drinks she had so far gave her a nice buzz, but she was fine staying at that level. She didn''t feel the need to push it any farther because she was feeling good already. "True," Elias chuckled. "Will I have to carry you too?" "We''ll see," Alyssa murmured as she yfully wiggled her eyebrows at him, making himugh. She wouldn''t mind being carried to his bedroom, but that was forter. They had to be patient for just a little while longer, but that was asking a lot after this long week. "Should I invite Cole?" Zoe suddenly asked as she peered at them from behind her phone. "He said he''s free tonight." Alyssa shared a small smile with Elias before nodding. Zoe didn''t even have to ask, but she felt like Zoe needed a little push of courage that Alyssa was happy to give her. "Why not?" she asked. She wanted Zoe to spend time with her crush. Plus, there was plenty of room for more people and more fun. Zoe broke out into a wide smile before grabbing her phone and excusing herself to call Cole from outside of the loud club. Alyssa turned to Elias. "I hope they end up together. She never acts like this," she told him. They could even go on double dates if things worked out. It would be nice to do more group activities. She wasn''t used to hanging out with more than one person, but she wanted to getfortable with it. Elias nodded his agreement. "Me too. It''s weird seeing her shy," he chuckled as they leaned close to one another to hear each other above the club music. "It''s hard not being shy around someone who makes your heart skip," Alyssa pointed out as her eyes shifted up to his. It was a sensation that she was quite familiar with. "Do I make your heart skip?" Elias murmured as he smiled at her. "You make it skip¡­ flutter¡­ glow," Alyssa replied as she reached up to gently trail her fingers along his cheek. She felt everything when she was with him. There was no shortage of feelings or sensations. It was a type of overwhelming that she didn''t mind experiencing. "I can make you feel that elsewhere too," Elias murmured near her ear. His hand moved to rest on her thigh under the table. Alyssa bit into her bottom lip as she felt heat pulse between her thighs. Just his touch and his whisper already made her feel hot all over. The fire was instant, and she weed the burn. "I have no doubt about that," she replied as she slowly blinked at him. She wished they weren''t in this busy, loud club. She wanted to be somewhere quieter and more private with him. Elias let his lips brush the shell of her ear teasingly as he spoke. "Once Cole whisks Zoe away, I''m taking you back to my apartment," he told her. Alyssa felt her heart jolt a little in excitement. She liked the sound of that. She liked spending time with all three of them, but she couldn''t wait for Cole to show up so that her and Elias could sneak away. "You better hope he hurries and shows up," she replied as she turned her head to brush her nose against his. "Oh, I do," Elias chuckled as his lips grazed hers. Alyssaughed softly before pulling back slightly, not letting him kiss her just yet. In fact, she had a good idea to tease him even more. She usually wouldn''t do this, but she felt bolder than usual. Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was her desire for him. "Let''s dance," she told him before taking his hand and leading him to the packed dance floor. She didn''t really know how to dance to an upbeat club song, but she just knew she wanted to feel his body against hers. She also just had to feel the music. Elias grabbed her hips and pulled her close. "I know what you''re up to," he said over the music. He leaned close to her. "Don''t act innocent." "I wouldn''t bother," Alyssa smirked at him as she ran her hands up his arms. Her fingertips traced the grooves of his biceps through his thin button down. She wanted his shirt off, but that wouldeter. For now, this was a tease, a taste ofter. Elias ran his hands up her sides, grabbing her curves as they moved to the music together. They adopted a simple rhythm, letting the music lead them as they indulged in each other''s bodies. "You''re driving me crazy already," he murmured lowly. Alyssa leaned close to his ear. "Good," she purred before turning around and pressing back against him. She grinded against him as he guided her hips with his strong hands. She leaned her head back against his shoulder, watching the strobe lights flicker above her. She couldn''t describe the feelings overtaking her. They were so chaotic, so intense. She felt on edge in a good way. Elias turned his head to kiss her neck, drawing a soft moan from her. He smiled against her skin as his hands settled on her waist. He didn''t stop his teasing, though. His lips trailed along her neck, teasing behind her ear. Chapter 69 - Ready For It Elias turned his head to kiss her neck, drawing a soft moan from her. He smiled against her skin as his hands settled on her waist. He didn''t stop his teasing, though. His lips trailed along her neck, teasing behind her ear. Alyssa closed her eyes, focusing on how good his lips felt against her neck. He knew exactly where to tease and touch, and that was only her neck. She couldn''t imagine how good he''d be with other ces on her body. The thought made her rub her thighs together. Elias chuckled as he gripped her hips hard. "Getting a little restless there?" Elias asked her before he turned her back around to face him. Maybe it was the lighting in the club, but his eyes looked darker than usual. The sight made her throb. Of course, he figured her out that quick. He knew her so well, and he already knew her body like it was his own. She couldn''t wait to let him do what he had in mind to it. "Just a little," she replied before teasingly slipping her leg between his. She could distinctively feel something hard against her thigh, prompting a coy smile to cross her lips. "Seems like you are too." Elias chuckled as he slipped his hand under her hair to rest on the back of her neck. He pressed his forehead against hers. "Just wait until I get you alone," he murmured. Alyssa''s next breath came out shakily. She then heard her name being called. She turned to see Zoe waving at her from their table. There was also a tall, blonde guy standing next to her that Alyssa guessed was Cole. She turned back to Elias. "We''ll have to resume thister," she replied before stepping away from him and weaving through the crowd to get back to Zoe. She smiled politely at Cole as she shook his hand. "You must be Cole." Cole grinned and nodded. "And you''re Alyssa. Zoe''s told me a lot about you," he said as he nced over at Zoe, who smiled at him with a starry look. "She''s harped on you too," Alyssa said before shooting Zoe a yful wink. If Zoe could mess with her in front of Elias. She could mess with Zoe in front of her crush too. It was fair ording to their friend rules. Alyssa then nced behind her to see Elias finally catching up. She figured he needed a moment to cool down from their heated exchange on the dance floor. Honestly, she wished she could''ve taken a minute to calm down too because she had a feeling her face was still red. Thankfully, the club was fairly dark. "This is my boyfriend, Elias," she said as she stepped aside so that Elias could shake Cole''s hand. She knew they would get to get to know each other more at a different time. For now, an introduction was enough before they went their separate ways. "Nice to meet you," Cole replied before turning to Zoe. "Can I get you a drink?" "Vodka cranberry would be nice," Zoe said in a grateful tone. Once Cole left, she looked over at Alyssa. "I''m taking it easy for the rest of the night." "Good. Smart choices," Alyssa said, taking on her mom tone. It was rare for her to do so, but she cared about her friends. She wanted Zoe to be safe and mindful. "Are you nning on going home with him?" The side of Zoe''s mouth curled up into a smirk. "Do you see him? What do you think?" Zoe replied before her eyes darted to Elias and then back to Alyssa. "I''m guessing you''re going to go check out his new apartment." Alyssa smiled a little before shrugging. "Maybe sooner rather thanter," she said, hinting to Zoe that she''d probably be slipping out of here soon. She usually wasn''t like this, but desire was calling to her. For once, she was going to answer. She couldn''t believe how much she changed over the course of this semester. She started out as someone she didn''t really like. She wanted to be so much more, to experience so much more. Now, she was someone that she liked way more. There were things she still wanted to improve upon in her life, but at least she was one step closer to the person she wanted to be. Zoe ced her hands on Alyssa''s shoulders. "I am so proud of you," she said. Alyssa gave Zoe a pointed look. "It''s not a big deal," she said. Maybe it was, but she was trying to be cool and casual about this. It helped her stay calm and not overthink things. She had a tendency of doing that, and she had already thought about this moment from every angle and perspective a thousand times. It was time to stop thinking and start doing. Zoe gave Alyssa a serious look. "Yes, it is, and you found a great guy to do it with. Text me all the details," she replied before kissing Alyssa on the forehead and then making a beeline to the bar to see Cole. Alyssa smiled, feeling so thankful for her friend. It was nice having another girl to talk about certain things to. Now, she wanted to put some of the things they talked about into action. She walked back over to Elias and took his hand. "Ready to go? Or do you want to dance some more?" Alyssa asked as she cocked her eyebrow at him. She already knew his answer by the way he was looking at her. He didn''t want to waste another second in that club. "I think it''s time I show you my apartment," Elias replied as he pulled her closer to him. "Lead the way," Alyssa told him without missing a beat. She didn''t need to think on her decision any longer. She didn''t feel the need to hesitate. She was ready. Ready for him. Ready for it all. Chapter 70 - First Time ** Warning: Mature content ahead Elias'' apartment was one of the nicer ones by campus. It would take Alyssa multiple roommates to afford a one-bedroom there with the job she had. She knew he didn''t have a job or anything, so she couldn''t help but wonder how he could even afford to live in this ce with its hardwood floors, stainless steel kitchen appliances, and balcony. She could only suspect he came from a well off family. Alyssa walked through the connected living room and kitchen, admiring the modern look of the apartment. She did notice there were hardly any decorations in sight, though. There was only furniture, like a leather couch and a coffee table in the living room. She was pretty sure that she only saw a toaster in the kitchen. "Nice ce," she told him as she shed him a smile. It was still far nicer than her dorm. Elias smirked as he stood near a door. "You haven''t seen the best part yet," he replied. Alyssa had a feeling she knew where that door led to, which would make him right. She left behind the fancy kitchen and living room and stepped into the bedroom just as he flicked the light on. His bedroom looked far different from the rest of his apartment. There was a bookshelf full of old books, a record yer, ck sheets on the bed, and candles on the dresser. "Did I go back in time?" Alyssaughed softly as she nced around. The look of the room surprised her, but she also really liked it. It suited him. "Some of my tastes are¡­ old school," Elias admitted as he walked into the room. He stood near his dresser and watched her as she nced at his books. He leaned over and lit the few candles that were there on the surface of the dresser. "I like that," Alyssa said as she admired a very old copy of Romeo and Juliet. The cover was worn and faded, but there was no dust. She guessed that he was an avid reader, which made her smile. She liked learning new things about him. She turned and walked over to him, figuring she could admire his apartmentter and admire something else for right now. She slid her hand down his arm to grab his hand. "Your bed is really nice too," shemented, which was the truth. It was a queen, so it was way bigger than the twin bed in her room. She also really liked the ck sheets. She wondered how soft they were. "Wanna give it a try?" Elias asked as he tilted his head at her. A sly look crossed his face. Alyssa bit into her bottom lip and nodded. Her heart was hammering against her chest, but she didn''t feel overwhelmed or scared. She felt excited. She watched him switch off the light, leaving only the candlelight to fill the room in a soft glow. Elias suddenly grabbed the back of her thighs and picked her up, making her wrap her legs around his waist. He carried her to the bed before dropping her down onto it. He crawled over her body and captured her lips in a searing kiss. Alyssa looped her arms around his neck, keeping him close as her mind raced to catch up. She felt like she was moving so fast, but they actually weren''t in reality. She knew it was just the little bit of nerves she had left making her feel that way. She focused on his lips and how they perfectly caressed hers. Elias ran his hand up her side under her tank top. He paused when his fingertips grazed thecy material of her ck bra. He broke the kiss to meet her gaze. "If you want to stop at any time, just let me know, okay?" Elias told her in a gentle voice. Alyssa was touched. He didn''t have tofort her like that, but he did just to make her feel better. She nodded and gently took his hand, bringing it up to caress her breast through her bra. The touch sent a wave of heat through her. No one had ever touched her like this before, but she already loved the feeling of his hands on her. Elias kissed her deeply as he squeezed and gripped her appreciatively. He slid his hand out from under her tank top and helped her take her top and bra off before diving right back into the kiss. His fingertips brushed up her ribs teasingly, making her shudder at the touch. He traced the swell of her breast before rolling her nipple between his fingertips. Alyssa arched up into his touch, gasping softly into his mouth. She ran one hand up into his hair, tugging on the strands with each twist of her nipple. Her body felt like it was on fire, and she didn''t want him to stop. Elias broke from her lips and kissed down her neck to her corbones. He went even lower and wrapped his lips around her other nipple, sucking gently to make her moan. He smiled against her skin at the sound. His other hand continued to caress her other breast. Alyssa gripped his hair tightly, riding out the sensations. She liked how slow he was being with her, taking his time with each thing he did to her. She felt like she was getting the full experience. Elias kissed his way down her stomach and stopped at her skirt. He peered up at her. "Good?" he asked, checking in on her. Alyssa gave him a pointed look. "How could I be bad when you have a mouth like that?" she said. His touches were the perfect mixture of gentle and firm, and his lips were warm. It was like she was being kissed by fire. "You have no idea what my mouth can do yet," Elias murmured as he pushed her skirt up her thighs. He slipped a hand between her legs and gently rubbed her clit through the thin fabric of her panties. Chapter 71 - First Time (2)** Warning: Mature content ahead "You have no idea what my mouth can do yet," Elias murmured as he pushed her skirt up her thighs. He slipped a hand between her legs and gently rubbed her clit through the thin fabric of her panties. Alyssa didn''t feel fire anymore. She felt electricity. With each rub of his fingers, pleasure crackled through her like sparks. She tilted her head back against the mattress and closed her eyes, reveling in the sensations. "Oh, wow," she breathed out, digging her heels into the mattress. Elias kissed her inner thigh before grabbing the waist of her panties and pulling them down and off of her. He settled himself between her thighs and ducked his head under her skirt. His tongue gently traced her clit, making her hips push up against his mouth. He grabbed her thighs and held her still as he went to work. Alyssa couldn''t help the moans that poured from her. She had never felt something so good before. She gripped his hair, holding on for dear life as his tongue kept circling her clit. She breathed in deeply, feeling heat settle over her entire body. Elias slipped two fingers into his mouth and wetted them before sliding them below his tongue. He gently pushed them inside of her, one at a time. His eyes flickered up to gauge her reaction before he slowly curled them. A gasp rang from Alyssa as the sudden pressure. It felt so tight, so good. She threw her head back as he thrusted his fingers and continued the delicate circles on her clit. There was so much being done to her body that she could hardly register the movements, but she could feel everything. Elias didn''t hold back at all. He was determined to push her over the edge. His pace quickened. His thrusts deepened. He was everywhere but right where she needed him to be at the same time. He could feel her body shuddering. Alyssa couldn''t stop her body from shaking as heat swallowed her whole. She pulled on his hair as she arched, sumbing to all of the pressure and heat. It felt like it ebbed on forever, making her body tingle as she slowly started toe down from the rush of pleasure. "Oh¡­ woah¡­" she managed to breathe out. She watched him crawl back up her body with a bold smile on his face. "That was¡­ I''ve never¡­" Elias gave her a confused look as he peered down at her. "You''ve never had an orgasm before?" he asked her. Alyssa shook her head. Her face felt hot all over again. She was d that he gave her the first one, though. It was incredible and hot, and it was one that she would always remember. "No, but it was amazing," she told him. She felt fine stroking his ego a little. He deserved it after what he just made her feel. Elias smiled and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "Good," he murmured. Alyssa already felt a spark when his lips touched hers. She had felt boneless for a moment there, but she felt ready all over again because she knew there was more to experience. "But I want more," she whispered against his lips. "I want you." "Say no more," Elias replied before leaning back to pull her skirt off. He pulled off the rest of his clothes, revealing a lean, muscr body that had Alyssa staring hard. She especially stared when his ck boxer briefs came off. She couldn''t help but get a little nervous and shy as he moved between her legs. She didn''t want it to hurt that bad. He definitely had some length to him. "Just¡­ go slow," she said as she gave him a sheepish smile. Elias kissed her on the forehead sweetly. "Of course," he said warmly as he brought her thighs around his waist. He leaned over and opened the drawer of his nightstand, grabbing a condom from inside. He ripped the edge of the packaging with his teeth before rolling the condom on. His eyes shifted up to hers. "Good?" Alyssa drew in a deep breath and nodded. She let her eyes flutter shut as his lips pressed to hers. She felt him move and then push in slowly. She winced a little at first, getting used to the feeling. It took a few moments, but when he bottomed out, she breathed through the stretch before nodding. "I''m okay," she told him, wanting him to move now. Elias was slow with his motions. He rocked his hips against hers in patient thrusts, building her up. He ran his hands down her thighs gently, caressing them and stroking her heated skin. "You feel so good," he murmured as he gazed down at her. That made the coil in Alyssa''s stomach tighten a notch. She started to notice that this felt good. Really good. The pressure and friction kept building up more and more, and she found herself wanting more. "Faster," she breathed out with a smile. "Yeah?" Elias replied before picking up his pace, rolling his hips against hers. He reached down to grab her hips, holding her in ce as he drove into her a little harder, a little deeper. Alyssa''s eyes nearly rolled back at the feeling. She grabbed his upper arms, digging her nails into his muscles as he moved. She couldn''t get enough of him. "Feels so good," she moaned as she tilted her head back. Heat was spreading everywhere, and the pressure kept tightening. She felt like she could snap soon. Could she have another orgasm already? Elias grinned as he leaned down to kiss her neck. He seemed to breathe her in, his teeth grazing her skin. A low noise sounded from him, bordering on a growl as he abruptly sat up. He dug his fingertips into her waist and continued his movements. Alyssa arched, gasping at the new angle and how deep he felt. "I think I''m close," she said. The pressure felt nearly overwhelming at this point, and she just needed a little push. She had a feeling he knew what she needed, though. Elias slipped a hand between her thighs and rubbed her clit as he moved. He watched her writhe a little beneath him. The sheets were tangled and messy beneath them. "Come on, baby," he purred as he rubbed the pad of his thumb in circles. Alyssa closed her eyes tightly as the coil snapped. Heat overtook her once again as she shuddered beneath him with his name ringing from her. Elias was close behind. He snapped his hips against hers a few more times before wilting over her, grabbing her shoulders as she dug her nails in his back. He painted against her neck, catching his breath as they bothid therepletely winded. "You tired me out," he chuckled against her warm skin. "I can''t feel my toes," Alyssa mumbled sleepily. She was so tired, so spent, but she felt so happy. She held him close, not wanting to let go. She loved being pressed up against him like this. Elias lifted his head to look down at her. "I''ll carry you then," he replied before moving off of her. Before she could reply, he picked her up and carried her to the bathroom connected to his bedroom. "Let''s get cleaned up." Chapter 72 - Breakfast After S*x Alyssa rested her arm around his shoulders as he gently set her down in front of the bathroom mirror above the sink. She watched him grab a rag and soap it up before handing it to her with a smile. "You should stay tonight," Elias told her as he started cleaning himself up. Alyssa gave him a surprised look as she gently drew the rag between her thighs. "Really? You''d be okay with that?" she asked him. She thought that he would drive her back to the dorm after they had their fun. She didn''t pack any extra clothes or anything to stay over. She wasn''t sure if he was ready for that yet, but it was nice to hear that he wasfortable with her sleeping over. Elias nodded as he rinsed off his rag. "Of course. I want you to stay," he told her as he took her rag from her once she finished. Alyssa didn''t know he could be any more perfect. She actually ended up with a clean guy. She had seen how dirty the frat boys were, but Elias was theplete opposite. He took care of her in more ways than one. "Thank you. For everything. You made this so special for me," she told him sincerely. He took his time with her. He focused on her pleasure. He made the night memorable. She couldn''t ask for any more than that. Elias ced his hand on the small of her back and pulled her close to him. He kissed her forehead. "I want to make every moment special for you. You deserve it," he told her gently. Alyssa leaned forward to hug him tightly. Her eyes burned slightly, but she shut them. She didn''t want to cry, but she felt like it because his words meant so much to her. She knew that she loved him. She just wished that she had the courage to tell him. She didn''t know if he felt the same. Elias stroked his fingers through her hair as they stood there in a tight embrace. His skin still felt so warm against hers. It was torture to break apart, but it was time for bed. It had been quite the night, and they were both visibly tired. Alyssa slid under the covers and waited for Elias to get settled on his back beforeying her head on his chest. She felt his arm wrap around her, holding her close as they cuddled together. There was nowhere else in the world that she wanted to be right now. "Goodnight, Elias," she murmured into the darkness. Elias leaned his head against hers. She swore she could feel his smile. "Goodnight, Alyssa." ********* Alyssa woke up to sunlight gently stroking her eyelids. She blinked her eyes open slowly, getting used to the soft glow of morning. She moved a little, feeling something solid next to her. She turned her head to see Elias snoozing next to her, prompting a bright smile to cross her face. Memories fromst night flooded back to her, making her feel warm all over. Last night was better than she could''ve ever imagined it being. She already missed feeling his lips and hands all over her. She rolled onto her stomach toy closer to him, her bare body moving under the sheets. Alyssa trailed her fingertips up his bare chest, feeling the light grooves of muscle. He looked perfect. He was perfect. She couldn''t think of anything that could break them apart or push them away from each other. "Good morning," Elias mumbled sleepily as his eyes slowly opened. He gazed over at her with a grin. "You look cute with your hair messed up like that." Alyssa gaped at him before hurriedly trying to fix her bedhead. She didn''t even notice that her hair was sticking up funny. She must''ve slept really goodst night, and she had a feeling that had something to do with being next to him. "Not funny," she told him as shebed her fingers through the slightly tangled strands of her hair. Eliasughed as he grabbed her and pulled her close to him. He stroked her cheek as their eyes met. "I''m serious. You always look beautiful," he told her. Alyssa gave him a thankful look. Even when she felt like she looked like a gremlin in the morning, he made her feel beautiful. "Last night was amazing," she said. She couldn''t stop thinking about it. She didn''t think that she would ever be able to stop. She discovered a new side to herst night. She wasn''t so nervous. She was bold and open, propelling herself into a new experience. She was trusting of someone. She really hade so far. "Yeah, it was. We''re going to have plenty of amazing nights together," Elias promised her. Alyssa knew that he would keep that promise. He never fell short or disappointed her. Even if she saw him as perfect in her eyes, she didn''t expect him to actually be perfect. They were human. They were wed. She just hoped that they would be able to work out any kinks that came up between them. "What are you doing today?" she asked. She didn''t have any ns today since it was Saturday. There was no homework or studying to do. She could do anything that she wanted. Truthfully, she wanted to spend the day with him if he was okay with that. "Spending it with you, right?" Elias replied as he gave her a hopeful look. "Unless you''re busy." "Just busy with you," Alyssa said with a bright smile. They always seemed to be on the same page. "Did you have anything specific in mind?" Elias hummed under his breath as he thought for a few moments. "Let''s have breakfast. Then, we can go to the mall, take a hike. Whatever you want," he said. An intrigued look crossed Alyssa''s face. At least he was open to a variety of things. She was sure that they would figure something out. Anything they did would be fun because they were together. Breakfast did sound nice now, though. Chapter 73 - Breakfast After S*x (2) An intrigued look crossed Alyssa''s face. At least he was open to a variety of things. She was sure that they would figure something out. Anything they did would be fun because they were together. Breakfast did sound nice now, though. "Are we making something? Do you cook?" Alyssa asked him as they got out of bed to pull on their clothes. She would just have to deal with her clothes fromst night for now. Maybe she could swing by the dorm after breakfast and change her clothes. Eliasughed as he led her out of the bedroom. "Why do you sound so surprised?" he asked her as they walked to the open kitchen together. Alyssa followed him around the marble ind to the fridge. "A lot of guys at this age don''t cook," she replied with a shrug. Then again, she didn''t cook much either. All she had was a microwave in her room, and there was only so much she could cook with only that and a mini fridge. The dorm rules wouldn''t let her have anything fancier than that. "I''m not like a lot of guys. My dad taught me how to cook. He said a man should know how to cook to make sure his love is never hungry. Plus my mom is a horrible cook so I learned that in case my dad isn''t around I can take care of her." Elias said with a smirk as he opened the fridge. He nced at her. "Pancakes and bacon?" "Sounds perfect," Alyssa replied, looking impressed. She got a man who could cook too. She just kept racking up points. "I''ll make the batter if you cook the bacon." "Deal," Elias said before beginning to pull out all the ingredients they would need. "It''s okay if you get a little messy. I''ll clean you off." Laughter broke from Alyssa as she shook her head at him and his ridiculousness. She would be sure to remember that. It honestly didn''t sound like a bad time, but she was focused on breakfast right now. She had a different type of hunger to sate than the one he was hinting at. They worked alongside each other and together,pletely in sync. It felt like a normal day, and Alyssa liked that feeling. It was so easy just to exist with him, and that solidified her thought that he was possibly the one for her. It was harder to fit with anyone else. It took more effort and drained her in ways. She never felt drained around him. She didn''t feel like she needed space from him or that he was overwhelming. He charged her up, and she liked being around someone who made her feel more like herself. They ate at his ind, talking andughing about things that happened during the semester. They had so many memories together to reflect on just in that short amount of time, and they could make so many more in the semesters toe. These moments felt perfect. There was no tension, no worries. They were just having fun being themselves over crispy bacon and fluffy pancakes. When she thought about spending time over at Elias'' apartment, this scenario hadn''t popped up in her head. She thought they would mostly tumble around in the sheets, which they did, but she hadn''t really thought of what else they would do. Maybe they would watch television. Then again, she wasn''t all that familiar with what couples did together in their own homes. All they really did was study and cuddle in her dorm because the rules were so strict and her dorm was so small. They weren''t limited here. They could do nearly anything they wanted to, and they chose moments like this. "This feels¡­ domestic," Alyssamented before biting into her bacon. She felt like there was another word for this, but she couldn''t think of it. She was just in a new environment. Elias snorted a little as he gave her an amused look. "That''s how you describe this?" he asked. Alyssamented with a sheepish look. "I''m not used to moments like this. My parents fight over everything, so we didn''t exactly have family breakfasts together," she exined. "I like this with you." Elias'' face softened as he reached out to take her hand. He gave it a squeeze. "I like this with you too. You can always have breakfast with me," he told her. Alyssaughed softly, feeling warm to her core just from that small sentiment. "That sounds nice," she said before leaning forward to press her lips against his. "You taste like syrup." "Still not as sweet as you tastedst night," Elias murmured as he grinned. Like a snap, heat red through Alyssa as she thought about all the things he did to her. She couldn''t help but want to experience them all over again. She popped thest bite of her bacon into her mouth before wiping her hands and then hopping off of the high chair. She extended her hand out to him. Elias gave her a perplexed look as he took her hand and let her lead him out of the kitchen. "Where are we going?" he asked her. Alyssa led him through the bedroom and into the bathroom. She turned and slowly peeled off her tank top, keeping her eyes on his the entire time. She felt goosebumps raise all along her skin. She already felt so sensitive. "What are you up to?" Elias asked as he watched her with a glint in his eyes. Alyssa shrugged as she unsped her bra and then slid her skirt and panties off of her hips. She was being bold, but she kind of liked it. He seemed to like it too. She found it so sexy how confident he was during sex. She wanted to be that way too. Trying it out was nerve wracking, but she flowed with what felt natural to her. "Wanna hop in the shower?" Alyssa asked him as she nodded her head toward the shower. She ran her hand into her hair as the other trailed down her side. She loved feeling so warm, so on edge already. He showed her a new side to herself. "Is all we''re doing is showering?" Elias replied as his eyes followed her hands. He stepped closer to her. Alyssa cracked a smile as she briefly turned to turn on the shower. The water hissed from behind her as it shot out of the showerhead. She hoped it was hot enough, but she had a feeling that wouldn''t be a concern of theirs once they got into the shower. "You''ll just have to find out," she said as he reached her. Her breath nearly hitched as she felt his hands roam over her body. She could never get enough of that feeling. Elias pressed his lips against hers as his hands moved over her hips to grab her ass, drawing her against him. "Let''s not waste another second," he replied. Alyssa wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her up and carried her into the shower. Herughter echoed against the shower walls. The hot water beat against her back as they indulged in each other. Things were about to get hot and steamy, and it had nothing to do with the shower. Chapter 74 - Parent’s Opinion Alyssa and Elias spent the entire weekend together. They walked around the mall together, browsing through various stores and getting a few things. They even bought each other Christmas presents, but they wouldn''t let each other see. They wouldn''t be together on Christmas because Elias had to go home to see his family over break, but they would have their own Christmas another day. They hiked on Sunday, venturing through the forest near the waterfall again to admire nature. They even had a small pic near the waterfall. Every moment was romantic. Every moment would stay with Alyssa forever. She felt like she was living a lifetime just in the moments she spent with him. They met up with Zoe for a quick Christmas celebration, which consisted of spiked eggnogs and a great pasta dish that Elias whipped up. Even if it was short because Zoe had to leave to go home and Elias had to pack to leave, it was still nice to have everyone together one more time before they went their separate ways on break. Alyssa had to arrange to stay on campus over break because there was no way she was going back home for Christmas. She got the worst response when she attempted to be civil and try toe home for Thanksgiving, so she expected a simr response if she tried again this time. She spared herself that pain and went ahead and made ns to hang around campus. It would be lonely and boring, but at least she could prepare for next semester in peace. She would really miss her friends, though. That would be the hardest part about being stuck on campus by herself. Elias hauled his suitcase over to the front door of his apartment with a huff. "I just got this ce, and I already have to go back," he sighed. Alyssa smiled gently at him as she joined him at the door. She didn''t want to leave this ce, but she would be back eventually. She just had to find what patience she had left. Thanksgiving break sapped a lot of that out of her. "I''m sure it won''t be too bad. Do you have a big family?" she asked him. Elias shrugged. "I guess so, but my immediate family mostly sticks to ourselves," Elias exined to her. He switched the lights off in his apartment, taking one more look before walking out the door. "There tends to be drama." "I know what you mean. Family always leads to drama," Alyssa muttered as she watched him lock the door. She was d that she didn''t have to sit through any family drama herself. She was tired of being caught in the middle. She couldn''t defend her parents because they were usually in the wrong, but she couldn''t go against them because they would yell at her. Elias held his free hand out to her. "Well, I see you as family at this point. You don''t cause any drama," he said warmly. Alyssa squeezed his hand. She was d that he saw her as family because that was how she saw him and Zoe. They filled the gap that her family should''ve filled. They helped her not feel so empty. "I''m not a drama starter," she reminded him. She tried to avoid it at all costs, even if it came searching for her. Kaleigh was a source of drama that she didn''t go looking for and still found herself tangled with. She was so d that she didn''t have ss with Kaleigh anymore. She did notice that Kaleigh seemed really uneasy around Eliastely. Maybe she knew not to mess with him. Elias led her out to the parking garage where his car was parked at. "My parents think I am," he chuckled. He opened the passenger door for her and then shut it behind her once she got situated in her seat. Once he put his suitcase up and got in his seat, he turned to her. "I cause drama by not doing what they ask." A thought came to Alyssa''s mind that she couldn''t help. His parents sounded a little old school, so the thought came with the territory. "Do your parents know about me? Am I the type of girl they''d be okay with you dating?" she asked him. She didn''t want to pry or anything in his family life, but she wondered if his family even knew that she existed. Elias scratched the back of his neck. "They know we''re¡­ friends," he said before wincing. "I''m sorry." "Oh, you haven''t told them we''re together," Alyssa murmured. She didn''t think that she felt hurt, but she was a little surprised. She wondered why he hadn''t told them about her. Was he ashamed of her? Would they not approve of her? Elias sighed as he turned his body to face her better. "I just know that the moment I tell them we''re dating that they''re going to pry into our business. They already do that with me. I don''t want them doing that with you," he exined to her. Alyssa nodded after a moment. She could understand his concern. His parents did seem slightly overwhelming, and she wasn''t sure how well she would do under pressure like that. She wanted them to like her, but she would crack under the pressure if they asked her a million things or tested her. "I got it. Would they want you dating someone high in society or something?" she asked him. It was the other question she couldn''t shake. What kind of girl did they want their son dating? He seemed toe from a well off family, and they usually liked to pair up with simr families. She was far from that category. She was a poor college student with no rtionship with her family, who was also poor. Elias gave her a perplexed look. "High in society?" he questioned. Alyssa shrugged, not trying to assume anything, but she didn''t know that much about his childhood or his family. He was still pretty mysterious about those things for some reason, but she tried not to pry in case there were sensitive topics he was trying to avoid. She didn''t want to make him ufortable. Chapter 75 - Christmas Break Alyssa shrugged, not trying to assume anything, but she didn''t know that much about his childhood or his family. He was still pretty mysterious about those things for some reason, but she tried not to pry in case there were sensitive topics he was trying to avoid. She didn''t want to make him ufortable. "It''s just¡­ your car and your apartment¡­ I just thought you came from a rich family," she admitted. She hadn''t brought this up before, but she supposed she should''ve expected it toe out eventually. It was hard to ignore when he had such nice things. Elias nodded after a moment. "My family¡­ does have money. It''s been in the family for decades," he replied. "I don''t think my parents have someone specific in mind for me, and I wouldn''t care if they did. I want you." A small wave of relief crashed through Alyssa as she listened to him. At least he would choose her no matter what. She didn''t want the chance of his parents swaying his opinion on being with her or not. "I want you too. Obviously, my parents don''t care who I do or don''t date. They just care about what''s in my bank ount," Alyssa smirked with a shake of her head. His parents were too controlling, and her parents didn''t care enough. They were on two different ends of the spectrum, but they still understood where they wereing from. Elias reached out and gently gripped her thigh. "I already can''t wait toe back to you," he told her. "We''re each other''s family." Alyssa smiled at him as she nodded. She liked that thought. When they couldn''t rely on their actual families, they could always turn to each other. They never had to worry about being alone. "Hurry back," she told him. She knew that he had no control over the time, but she couldn''t wait to be with him again. She wanted to cuddle in his bed or cook breakfast with him again. She wanted to do it all with him because she was tired of being alone. "Of course," Elias promised her before starting his car. He had to drop her off at the dorm before driving to his parent''s house about an hour away. Alyssa held his hand the entire way there. They had a little bit of casual conversation, but the ride back to the dorm was mainly quiet. Her eyes stared out of the passenger side window, watching the town streak on by. She wondered where she would go after she was done with this ce. She hoped that she got to go somewhere great, and she hoped that Elias was with her. Obviously, that wouldn''t happen for a while because she had so much school left to go through, but it was a nice thought. She wanted big things for herself. She wanted to help people, to grow so much from where her roots were at. She just hoped she was able to do the things in her mind, especially since there were people rooting against her. When Elias pulled into the empty parking lot of the dorm and parked near the front, they didn''t jump to get out of the car and say goodbye. They took off their seatbelts and turned to look at each other instead. "Drive safe," Alyssa told him, hoping everything turned out well. She knew that her contact with him would be minimal since he would be busy, but she wanted him to at least let her know that he made it there in one piece. "I will. Don''t stay locked up in your room the whole time," Elias told her with a pointed look. Alyssa nodded, promising him that she would try to get out more, even if it was just to take a small walk. She didn''t want a repeat of Thanksgiving break. She wanted to make better use of her time. "I won''t," she replied. "Just let me know when you get there." Elias gently cupped her face and kissed her forehead. "I''m going to miss you so much," he murmured. "I''m going to miss you too," Alyssa told him. She knew they were being that cheesy couple, but she felt grateful to have that experience. So many people didn''t. They didn''t get to feel the rush of emotions that she felt in each moment she shared with Elias. She wouldn''t change how she felt for the world. Elias smiled at her. "Breaks always fly by. I''ll be back before you know it," he pointed out. Alyssa knew that he was right, but she also knew that it wouldn''t feel fast to her. She needed to figure out how to fill her days so that they didn''t crawl by. She reached up to rest her hands on his wrists. "Text me when you can," she told him. Elias nodded and pressed a deep kiss against her lips. He only kissed her for a few seconds before pulling away with a lightugh. "I can''t tempt myself," he said as he leaned away from her. "I''d never leave." "I wouldn''tin," Alyssa replied before opening the door. She was slow to get out, but she forced herself out. It was time to get break underway. She closed the door and waved at him through the window as he backed out of the parking spot. Her eyes trailed his car as it headed down the road. She wanted to sigh, but she kept it in. She was going to do better this time. She didn''t want to mope and ruin her break. She couldn''t always be like this. If she wanted to change, now was the time to try. A new year was approaching, and she wanted to be better. She wanted to take risks and live her life to the fullest while she was young and still could. She only had so much time on this. She wanted to be a step closer to the person she had always wanted to be. Chapter 76 - Surprise Christmas break wasn''t too terrible on her own. Alyssa tried to fill her time with activities for herself to do. She didn''t think about next semester for the first week. She just decorated her dorm with cheap Christmas decorations and watched Christmas movies. It wasn''t the holliest and jolliest way to spend the holiday, but at least she was keeping busy. She didn''t start having such a hard time being alone until she became surrounded by people she loved being around. Being without them was hard, but she was working on making it not unbearable. She had to find her independence again because Elias or Zoe wouldn''t be with her all the time. She texted them both throughout the week and sent pictures back and forth. It was nice to keep in touch. It helped her feel less isted on campus. There was hardly anyone here. When she went on walks, she was lucky to see more than one other person roaming around. Campus was really nice and peaceful when it was empty, though. She didn''t have to hurry around. She actually got to take the time to admire the fountain and greenery surrounding the walking paths. She liked this ce. Eventually, she would have to decide if she wanted to continue her education here after she got her bachelor''s degree or not. That was way in the future, though. When the second week rolled around, which was the week of Christmas, she got a little antsier. She couldn''t me herself, though. The holiday spirit was so strong everywhere else but where she was at. She heard less and less from her friends too because they were probably engaged in so many holiday activities. Maybe she was jealous, but she wasn''t upset with anyone but her parents. They were the ones at fault for making their family so divided. They were the reason why she didn''t feelfortable enough to go back home during the holidays. But none of that mattered. Soon, she would get to see her friends, her real family. When Christmas Eve arrived, Elias was radio silent. She suspected this was a big celebration day for his family. A lot of families had traditions they did on this day. She wondered what his family''s traditions were. She wondered which ones she wanted for herself. She hadn''t gotten a chance to try any out yet. She decided to bundle up in a jacket, leggings, and a beanie and then head out to walk on campus. She didn''t want to spend Christmas Eve locked in her room all day. Elias wouldn''t want her to do that, and she needed the fresh air, which was cold. Her breath puffed out in a cloud in front of her as she walked away from the dorm. Alyssa made ap around campus. She didn''t see anyone out today. She suspected they were with other people or doing things in their dorms. It almost felt like she had the whole ce to herself. It would''ve been cooler if most of the buildings weren''t locked. The cold air soon got to her, and she decided to go back to her room and make a cup of hot chocte. It was microwave hot chocte, so it obviously wasn''t the best, but it would do for today. She strode back across campus, hugging her army green jacket close to her body to fight off the light wind. "Why don''t you have a thicker jacket on?" Alyssa''s head snapped up at the sound of Elias'' voice. She stared at him in shock as he stood in front of her dorm building. She had to blink because she almost thought that she was seeing things at first. He couldn''t possibly be here right now. "What are you doing here?" she asked. Elias walked toward her with a smile on his face. A ck trench coat covered his figure, whipping lightly in the wind. "I couldn''t let you spend Christmas Eve by yourself," he told her. Alyssa shook her head. "I just don''t understand. You should be with your family," she said. She still felt like she was in shock. She didn''t expect this at all. She expected to go inside, make hot chocte, and watch a Christmas movie in bed. That was going to be her Christmas Eve. Now, Elias was in front of her. Elias shrugged. "As long as I''m there on Christmas, it''ll be fine. I want to be with you tonight," he told her as he walked toward her. He took her hands and squeezed them. "If that''s okay with you." All of the emotions that had been dulled by her shock suddenly exploded. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "I can''t believe you''re actually here," she gasped out as she crushed him against her. She didn''t want to let go because she was afraid he would up and disappear. She was so happy to have him here with her, even if it was only for tonight. "I wanted to surprise you," Elias murmured into her hair. "I mean, I just made the ns this morning, so it was a surprise for me too." Alyssa looked up at him with a wide smile. "Thank you," she told him sincerely. She couldn''t begin to exin to him how much this meant to her. Elias kissed her on her temple before taking her hand and motioning to the parking lot. "Want to go to my apartment? I can drop you back off in the morning," he said. Alyssa nodded before putting a hand up. "Just a second. I need to grab some things," she told him before running into the dorm building to go to her room. She grabbed a change of clothes, a few things from her bathroom, and his presents before tossing them all in her empty backpack. She darted back outside to join his side. "Ready." Elias led her to his car. "I''ll have a better n of things to do next year. I just wanted to at least be in the same room as you this year," he told her as they got in his car. Chapter 77 - Tea Lover Alyssa nudged him affectionately, not wanting him to worry about the details. She was just d that he was here with her. She didn''t even care about what they did. As long as they were together, she was happy. "I just want to be with you," she told him, hearing his car rumble to life. That was the thing that she was sure of the most. He didn''t have to worry about anything else. "You''ve got me," Elias assured her as he pulled out of the parking lot. He nced over at her. "Next year, we''ll have to decorate my ce." Alyssa perked up at that. That would be so fun! She could hang gand and lights, and they could put up a Christmas tree. Probably just a small one, though. Those things were insanely expensive for some reason. "I''d love that," she told him. "We''ll just pretend it''s decorated this year." Elias chuckled as he nodded. "Sounds like a n. I should''ve picked up some stuff, like cookie dough or a gingerbread house," he muttered thest part to himself. Alyssa liked that he was thoughtful, but they could always n and do that stuff next year. They only had tonight, so she wanted to spend it being as close to him as possible. "Next year. We can just watch movies and cuddle tonight," she said before bringing her hand over to rest on his thigh. "Maybe something more." Elias'' eyes widened slightly as he nced down at her hand and then at her. "Wow. What happened to that sweet, shy girl?" Elias teased her as he held her hand. Alyssa shrugged with a bold smile. "She met you," she replied. It was pretty much the truth. A lot changed when she met him. She faced life more instead of shying away from it so much. She liked that about herself now, and she was d that she liked herself more in general. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Elias smirked as he turned down the road leading to his apartment. "It''s a good thing," Alyssa assured him. "I''ve never felt more like myself than when I''m with you." Elias'' face softened as he listened to her. "Well, I really like you for who you are," he replied as he pulled through the gates to his apartmentplex. "This is the perfect age to learn who you are." Alyssa agreed with him. They were in the midst of early adulthood. They would make so many mistakes and have so many new experiences. It was the perfect time to test the waters and find her limits. "Do you think you''re done figuring yourself out yet?" she asked him as he parked. Elias took a few moments to answer. "I hope not. I want there to be more to me," he replied before getting out of the car. He reached into the back and grabbed her backpack before leading her toward his apartment. "I really like who you are so far," Alyssa said, jumping on hispliment from earlier. She meant the words, though. There were so manyyers to him, and there were some that she hadn''t even revealed yet. She had faith that he would grow into an amazing man, though. He was already on his way there. Elias put his arm around her shoulders as they walked down the hallway toward his door. "If I change, I hope it''s for the better," he replied. Alyssa hoped that was the same for her too. She worked so hard to get to this point. She didn''t want to regress or head down the wrong path. She worked too hard to fall back now. "Right now¡­ are you naughty or nice?" Alyssa asked him as she lifted her eyebrows at him yfully. Eliasughed softly as he unlocked his door. He let her inside his apartment before following her. "Depends," he murmured as he came up behind her. His hands grabbed her hips to pull her back against him. "What do you want me to be?" Alyssa didn''t even have to answer that question. She whipped around to face him, reaching out to grab the back of his neck and pull his lips to hers. She reveled in the warmth of his mouth. This was way better than drinking microwave hot chocte in her dorm. This was way sweeter. Elias backed her up toward the kitchen before pulling away with a loose smile. "I didn''t onlye back for sex, but if that''s on your Christmas list¡­" Elias trailed off with a chuckle. Alyssa smirked and shrugged. "It may be one of the things," she replied before reaching into her backpack that he was still holding. She pulled out two wrapped gift boxes and handed them to him. "I don''t know if these were on your Christmas list, but I hope you like them." She was a bit worried when it came to gifts. She didn''t have much experience giving them or getting them, so her expertise was low. She hoped that she did okay. She picked things that she had a good feeling he would like, but she could always be wrong. She kept the receipts just in case because she was that paranoid. Elias unwrapped the first box, which was the smallest one. He slid off the lid and reached inside to pull out a silver ring in the shape of a snake. "That is so cool," he said, looking awed as he slipped the ring onto his finger. He nced down at his hand and admired how it looked. "That''s badass, baby." "Open the other," Alyssa coaxed him with a warm smile. Her stomach and heart felt all fluttery as she watched him open the next gift. She liked doing things for him. He seemed genuinely grateful. Elias tore off the red wrapping paper to reveal a wooden box. He lifted the top to reveal four rows of different tea bags. "No way. Where did you find this?" he asked her. "There''s a little tea shop in the mall. They had this box as a holiday special so that you can sample all kinds of different teas," Alyssa replied with a proud smile. She thought she did really good with that one. It was the perfect gift for a tea lover. Chapter 78 - X’mas Gift Elias set the gifts down before drawing her into a tight hug. "You''re the best," he murmured into her soft hair. "Thank you so much." Alyssa rubbed his back as her eyes fluttered shut for a few moments. She wanted more of these moments. She liked seeing him smile like this. "Merry Christmas," she quipped as they broke apart. "Stay here," Elias replied before walking off toward his bedroom. Alyssa suspected that they were doing their Christmas now since they were together on Christmas Eve. She didn''t mind pushing up their celebration. It felt like the perfect time. She waited a minute until Elias walked out of his bedroom with a big bag full of white tissue paper in his hand. Elias smiled and handed it over to her. "Merry Christmas," he said as he watched her start to pull out the tissue paper. Alyssa honestly had no idea what to expect. The mall in town was pretty big, and theypletely separated when they went shopping for each other''s gifts. He could''ve gotten anything from any store in the mall. Her fingers struck the first item, prompting her to pull it out of the depths of the bag. "This is probably the best thing you could''ve given me," sheughed out as she held up a thick nner for the new year. It wasn''t just any regr nner, though. It was the advanced one with stickers, bookmarks, tabs, and all sorts of different page designs inside. It was a good student''s wet dream. "I don''t know how you can get even more organized than you already are, but this could be a start," Elias smirked as he nodded to the ck, leather nner. Alyssa leaned forward to peck him on the lips thankfully before digging around in the bag for her next gift. She felt something solid and then pulled out a small box. It had to be jewelry. It looked just like the box that his snake ring came in. She popped open the lid to reveal a silver ne with a star charm. "A star," she murmured as she looked up at him. "I don''t know anyone else who shoots for the stars as much as you do. You''ll have the greatest chance of actuallynding among them," Elias exined with a warm look. Alyssa felt her heart skip a little as she held the ne close to her chest. She didn''t think that he could get any sweeter than he already was. "Can you put it on me?" she asked him. She didn''t want to put it up. She wanted to feel it on her upper chest, to always know how much he believed in her. No one else believed in her like he did. She didn''t take that lightly at all. Elias nodded and moved behind her. He took the ne from her and hooked it around her neck. He kissed the back of her head. "There''s no one else I want to be with right now," he told her. Alyssa turned around as she held the star charm between her fingertips. She was still awed at his thoughtfulness. Everything that he had gotten her was so perfect and thoughtful. He really did know her, and he saw her in such a beautiful life. "I''m not going anywhere," she replied. The night was theirs. They could do anything they wanted to, but she had an idea about how they wanted to spend it. She stepped close to him and kissed him, feeling his lips gently glide against hers. Elias rubbed his hands down her arms over the sleeves of her jacket. He tilted his head slightly, perfectly lining his lips with hers. Alyssa gripped the back of his neck, not wanting him to part from her. It felt too good to be connected, but she knew that she wanted more. She wanted him. The sensations were so sharp, so sensitive. It was like her body knew what wasing, and she was more than ready for it. "Want to go to the bedroom?" Alyssa whispered against his lips. Elias nodded immediately. He picked her up easily and carried her to the bedroom without any hesitation. There was just desire, and it was something that they could no longer ignore. Not that they wanted to in the first ce. ********* Alyssa couldn''t believe how quickly they got their clothes off. They were far quicker and more chaotic thanst time, but she supposed that was because they were actually going at the pace their desire was set at. They didn''t have to slow down for her. She was already ready for him. She straddled his waist, feeling his hard length slid between her thighs and grate against her clit. A moan sounded from her that was hushed by Elias'' lips. She ced one hand beside his head and one on his upper arm to give her some leverage. She rocked her hips down against him, grinding slowly at first to get used to the feeling. "Woah¡­" she breathed out at the crackling friction. She felt his hands grab her hips, helping her move as she grinded down on him. She dropped her head to capture his lips, kissing him deeply as she moved against him. She parted her lips, feeling the slow stroke of his tongue against hers. The feeling nearly dizzied her. Elias pushed his fingers into her hair, gripping the strands lightly as she moved. He tightened his grip with each roll of her hips. "Damn, baby," Elias gritted out. He leaned his head back as he drew in a deep breath to steady himself. Alyssa smiled down at him as she ced her hands on his chest. She rolled her hips quicker, but she didn''t get to maintain that pace for long. She gasped as Elias grabbed her hips and pulled her up his body until she straddled his face. Elias leaned up and dragged his tongue against her clit. He grabbed her thighs to keep her steady, feeling her jerk a little against his tongue. Chapter 79 - Merry Christmas Alyssa''s eyes widened at first. She gripped his hair as she rode out the sensations. She couldn''t believe they were in this position, but she loved the feeling of his tongue. She couldn''t get enough. Her head leaned back as she grinded down on him. Elias dug his fingertips into her skin. His soft moans rumbled against her as she pulled on his hair. He moved one hand beneath her and pushed two fingers inside of her. He thrusted and curled them, hitting that spot deep inside of her that made a moan break from her. Alyssa reached back and stroked his cock, feeling him push up into her hand. She breathed in deeply through her nose, trying not to topple off of him because the heat and friction were so overwhelming at that point. "I need you," she breathed out. She climbed off of him and reached into his nightstand''s drawer to grab another condom. She handed it to him andid beneath him as he hovered above her. She smiled up at him, feeling her heart hammer in her chest. "Someone''s eager," Elias teased as he rolled the condom on. "I''ve been missing out on this for a while," Alyssa pointed out. She felt like she was making up for so much lost time. She was happy that she waited for him, but she wanted to get her fill. She just hoped that he was prepared for the ride. "I am so damn lucky," Elias murmured as he grabbed her thighs and pulled her closer to him across the mattress. He leaned down and pushed into her slowly, gritting his teeth at the feeling. "So damn lucky." Alyssa felt like the lucky one right now. That nice stretch nearly made her see stars as she adjusted to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close as he slowly rocked his hips. She liked lying chest to chest with him. Their lips were so close. Their eyes were close. Everything was so close. "Ready," she breathed out, wanting him to go. She didn''t need him to be so cautious anymore. She knew that he wouldn''t hurt her. He would only take care of her how she needed him to. Elias grabbed the underside of one of her knees and pushed it up, giving him more room for his thrusts. He got that much deeper, hitting that spot that made her eyes roll back. He rested his forehead against hers as they moaned together. Alyssa scratched his back, digging her nails in with each deep thrust. This somehow felt better than the first time. She could tell that he wasn''t holding back now. She wrapped her other leg around his waist, drawing him close as he continued to move. "Don''t stop," she gasped out. Elias shook his head. "Hell no," he said before leaning up. His thrusts got faster, their skin colliding. Red flushed across their bodies. They were growing tired, but they weren''t going to stop. He rubbed her clit in quick circles, knowing how to take her over the edge. Alyssa''s hips lifted up to press against his thumb, chasing the friction. It felt so good and intense. She closed her eyes and focused on all of the sensations between his rubbing and thrusting. He felt so good. No wonder she could neverst long with him. "So close," she told him, wanting him to maintain everything. Elias kept up with his motions, doing what he needed to bring her to orgasm. He watched her writhe and arch beneath him. The sight pushed him over the edge, and he gripped her hard as he sumbed to the pleasure. His thrusts slowly came to a stop before he copsed beside her. He rested his hand on his chest, chasing its drastic rise and fall. "Merry Christmas," he chuckled. Elias lightly batted him on the shoulder as sheughed. "Merry Christmas," she replied. She hadn''t originally counted this as holiday spirit, but she sure was feeling joy right now. She turned her head to smile at him adoringly. Once again, that was incredible. She couldn''t describe how good and warm she felt right now. "I could do that forever." "I wish," Elias sighed wistfully as his arm touches hers. "I''d make youe over and over again." "You already do," Alyssa pointed out with a smirk. He was that good. Even from that one orgasm, she felt tired. However, she wasn''t spending this Christmas Eve asleep when she could be spending it awake with him. Elias slowly sat up in bed and nced around. "Want to watch a movie?" he asked her. "Sure," Alyssa replied with a cheeky smile. She had felt the holiday spirit in an unorthodox way. Now, she was ready to get back to the ssic way with him at her side. She hopped out of the bed and headed to the bathroom to clean up while he chose a movie. She looked into the mirror and admired herself for a moment. It looked like she was glowing. Honestly, it felt like she was glowing too. Elias switched ces with her, shing her a smile as he went into the bathroom to clean up and she headed to the bed to get situated for the movie. He had picked a ssic one that she hadn''t seen in a while. "Be there soon, babe," he told her. Alyssa smiled and nodded before pulling on her panties and crawling in bed. She snuggled up against the pillows and watched the beginning of the movie start. Once again, this just felt so normal. She didn''t experience these moments a lot, but she knew that they were everyday things with couples. She couldn''t wait to experience them more because they made her feel so warm and safe. Elias soon joined her in the bed. He put his arm around her as they propped up and watched the movie together. There weren''t decorations or a tree or cookies, but it still felt like Christmas Eve to them. The holiday feeling was still strong. "I think this is the best Christmas Eve I''ve ever had," Alyssa told him truthfully. Chapter 80 - Fast She didn''t have many happy memories on Christmas Eve at home with her parents. They always fought over theck of presents or some family drama. Something always made them unhappy. Usually, it was her. She was d to be with someone who didn''t ce all the me on her. "Me too. And it''s not just because of the sex," Elias added as he rubbed her arm. "It''s just you. You''ve made it so much better than usual." Alyssa agreed with him, but it was because of him. He brought her so much joy and spirit that she would''ve never gotten from anywhere else. She was grateful to have met someone with such a glow to them. Most people didn''t have that. They let negativity rule them, and she was guilty of that. Before him, she had a lot of negativity in her heart and mind. She always felt alone and scared. It was hard for her to find a silver lining, the encouragement to go on and try again. Now, she didn''t have that problem. She always wanted to forge on. She admired that about herself. "Next year is going to be even better," she pointed out. They would actually do some nning, decorating, and baking. It would be a fun time, and she hoped that they were as happy or happier together a year from now. She wished that she could look into the future, but she wouldn''t mind a happy surprise. "I don''t want to leave you tomorrow," Elias told her with a frown. "I wish I could stay." Alyssa leaned her head against his. She was fine with sacrificing this Christmas if they could have so many more together. She hoped that they would be a part of each other''s lives for the rest of her years. When she thought about them, she didn''t see something temporary. She saw a permanent connection. Hopefully, he saw the same. "I know, but we''ll have our Christmas together eventually," she assured him with a small smile. She didn''t want him to be upset on the holidays, even if they were going to be apart. She didn''t even know what she was going to do tomorrow, but she was going to make it as enjoyable as possible. Her optimism seemed to rub off on him because Elias smiled too and gave her a squeeze. They fell back into silence as the movie droned on. Nothing else needed to be said. This moment was what they had, and all they wanted to do for the rest of the night was feel it. *********** Elias had to leave early Christmas morning, but that didn''t stop them from waking up an hour earlier than he had to leave so that they could spend some time together. Christmas music echoed throughout the apartment asughter sounded from the kitchen. They couldn''t have a Christmas dinner, but they could have a Christmas breakfast. Elias pulled Alyssa close to him as they yfully danced together to Rockin'' Around the Christmas Tree. He stepped to the music, bursting intoughter when Alyssa stepped on his foot. "You''re being a terrible dance partner," he teased her as they tried to find a rhythm with each other. "I only know how to club dance," Alyssaughed out as she gripped his hand and his shoulder. She matched his steps and his sway, soon falling into the correct rhythm with the song. "There we go!" Elias smiled as their eyes met. "Perfect," heplimented as they moved together. He gave her a twirl before bringing her back into ce. "I think I''ll keep you as my dance partner." "Oh, I''ve proven myself worthy?" Alyssa smirked as she wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling his hands settle on her hips as they just swayed. Elias nodded as he winked at her teasingly. "You haven''t stepped on my foot again," he said. Alyssa couldn''t help but want to y around. She stepped on his foot lightly before darting around the ind to get away from him. Elias'' eyes widened at the retaliation. He followed her around the ind, going in circles as she darted away. "You really think I won''t catch you?" Elias smirked. Alyssa shrugged yfully as she mirrored his movements. When he started to round the corner, she tore her eyes from him and started to hurriedly rush around her corner. To her shock, she mmed right into his body. She gazed up at him in confusion, wondering how he got there so fast. Elias wrapped his arms around her and threw her over his shoulder, making a surprised gasp break from her. "Told you I''d catch you," he told her as he carried her to the fridge. "How did you do that?" Alyssa asked as she shook her head in shock. She could''ve sworn he had been on the opposite side of the ind. She didn''t even see him double back. Elias gently set Alyssa down on the floor with a bold smile. "I''m fast, baby," he replied casually before opening the fridge. He reached inside and grabbed a carton of eggs and the rest of the package of bacon. He brought them over to the stove and started grabbing the pans he would need. Alyssa eyed him for a few moments before letting it go. She wanted to help him cook. She walked up to his side and took over the eggs, while he cooked the bacon again. "I''m d we at least have one ss together next semester," she told them. They finally got their schedules secured for next semester. Since they were getting deeper into their majors and primarily taking sses about their majors, it was harder to find a general course that they could take together. She wasn''t even sure if they could pull off having a ss together next year, but she was sure that they would go out of their way to see each other. They already did even with the one ss they had together. "It''s some sort of history ss, right?" Elias asked her as the bacon sizzled. Alyssa nodded. It was the only one they could find that lined up with both of their schedules. Besides, the general courses didn''t really matter much to her. She was just focused on making sure she took all the right sses for her major. Chapter 81 - Competition "Good. I''m great at history," Elias replied with a grin. "Me too," Alyssa quipped. She shed him a smile as they stood next to her. She liked history. It wasn''t her best subject, but it was easy for her to study and remember. She retained it really well. Elias cocked an eyebrow at her. "Maybe we should have a littlepetition," hemented. Alyssa was intrigued as she turned toward him. She crossed her arms over her chest with a spat in one hand. "Really?" she asked. Elias nodded, looking confident. "Let''s see who can finish the course with the highest grade," he replied. This was Alyssa''s type ofpetition. She already tried to get the highest grade she possibly could by default, but the thrill ofpetition would only make her try even harder. She smiled coyly. "I like the sound of that. Are you a worthypetitor?" Alyssa teased him. He had gotten good grades this semester too. She flipped their eggs in the pan before looking back at him. It was hard acting tough when they were standing there making breakfast. "This is nothing like psychology," Elias said pointedly as he leaned close to her face. "I''m going to blow you out of the water." Alyssa liked that he was confident. That would make him try all that much harder, and she wanted topete. It would be good for them anyway. They would hold each other ountable since they were inpetition. "Is there a prize?" she asked. Competitions usually had prizes. Though, she''d be fine just knowing she won and got a good grade in the ss. Elias'' eyes widened in realization. "Oh, right. We should probably have one of those," he murmured before sinking into thought. He then brightened up. "Loser has to treat the other to a date." Alyssa smiled and nodded. She liked the sound of that. Plus, she was d that he didn''t pick something that would break her bank. She only had so much extra money, but she''d dly spend some of that on a nice date if she happened to lose. She wouldn''t, though. "Deal," she said as she stuck her hand out to him. Elias reached forward and shook her hand. "Deal," he replied before checking on the bacon under the paper towels he stuck them under. "And we''re done here." "Me too," Alyssa said as she started distributing the eggs to their respective tes. She checked the time and grimaced. "We''ll have to be a little fast eating." Elias nodded and distributed the bacon before they headed to the ind to eat. Alyssa wished they could take their time, but she didn''t want him to be getting backte and making his parents upset. They exchanged smiles as they ate, saving the conversation for the car ride back to the dorm. She didn''t like having to say goodbye all again, but she was so happy that she got to see him for a little bit. It would help tide her over until January when the new semester started. Once they finished and cleaned up, they grabbed their things and headed out to his car. They were on the road in under a minute, no matter how much Alyssa wished time would slow down for a moment. She squeezed his hand. "Again, please drive safe," she told him. She knew that the roads wouldn''t be busy early this morning, but she still wanted him to be aware. The thought of something bad happening to him made her stomach twist. She didn''t think that was a pain that she could stand to bear. "I won''t do anything that''ll keep me from seeing you again," Elias promised her. "I really enjoyed our time together." Alyssa smiled, warmth filling her at the thought of this morning andst night. They fit into each other''s lives so easily. Being with him caused no sort of strain or stress. He filled her with a life that she didn''t even know she had. "Me too, and we''re going to make next semester even better than this one," she said. She not only wanted to improve herself next year, but she also wanted to develop what they had. It was time to grow. Elias pulled into the dorm parking lot and parked before reaching over to pull her into a tight hug. "I''ll text you tonight," he said. "Do you want to FaceTime sometime this break?" Alyssa asked him. She figured they could have a short FaceTime session and actually see and hear each other instead of texting. Elias seemed to stiffen in her hold. He pulled away from her with a sheepish look. "I''d love to, but the reception at my parents'' house is awful. Our call would keep dropping," he exined to her. Alyssa could imagine some huge mansion out in the middle of nowhere. She wondered about where his parents lived, how nice of a ce they had. She wasn''t going to be nosy, though, so she just smiled and nodded. "That''s fine. We can just text," she replied. She didn''t want him to worry about it. He couldn''t control the reception, and they wouldn''t have been able to call or FaceTime for long anyway. There wasn''t much of a point to doing it then. Elias brushed his fingers through her hair, looking relieved. "Have a good Christmas, Alyssa," he told her gently. "You too," Alyssa said. She felt like she already had a good Christmas, though. Even if she only spent a portion of it with him, it still made up for the rest of the day. She pressed a gentle kiss to his lips before forcing herself to get out. She wanted to linger, but she couldn''t. She waved goodbye to him before carrying her backpack to the dorm and shutting herself inside her room. If she was honest, she didn''t know what to do now. No one was around on campus. Nothing was open. She decided to just spend today inside, watching movies and eating whatever she had in her dorm room. More of the same, but at least she had a small smile on her face this time. Chapter 82 - New Goals A few weekster Alyssa huffed as the breath was knocked out of her. She hugged Zoe close to her as they finally reunited in the hallway of the liberal arts building after weeks of not seeing each other. "You got your hair done!" Alyssa eximed once they broke apart. She admired the new red tint to Zoe''s hair instead of the old purple. She liked this look on Zoe, and her hair was growing out longer to reach her shoulders too. "Yeah! It was time for a change. I mean, I change my hair every year," Zoe exined with a shrug. She then lifted her eyebrow at Alyssa. "So, how are you and Elias?" Alyssa smiled as she shifted her backpack straps higher on her shoulders. "We''re good. We have ss together soon," she told Zoe. She was bummed that she couldn''t get a ss with Zoe this semester, but they swore to try to see each other as much as they could outside of ss, whether that was grabbing coffee at the caf¨¦ or doing homework together in the library. They didn''t want to lose what they builtst semester. "Nice! I have some of the coolest writing sses this semester," Zoe told her. Alyssa was happy for her. They were all steadily moving up in the world, trying to grow up but not too fast. They had their whole lives ahead of them, and the steps they made now mattered in the future. "You''ll have to show me some of your articles," Alyssa told her. She bet that Zoe was a great journalist. She certainly had a way with expressing herself. "If you show me what creatures you conjure up in yourbs," Zoe smirked as she yfully nudged Alyssa with her elbow. Alyssaughed as she shook her head at Zoe. "You act like I''m a witch or something," she replied. She would be working with organisms, but they weren''t the kind that would interest Zoe all that much. She was excited about diving into a deeper scientific curriculum, though. There was so much for her to learn before she graduated. "More like a mad scientist," Zoe said. She then checked her phone for the time. "Oh, it''s time to go. I''ll text you!" Alyssa was swept into another tight hug before Zoe hurried away to get to her ss on time. Luckily, Alyssa''s history ss with Elias was right upstairs, and she suspected that he was already there waiting for her. She walked up the stairs and down the hall, searching for room 204. It was easy to find since a familiar guy was standing right next to it. "I see you''re here bright and early. Trying to be a better student than me?" Alyssa teased him. Her heart was racing at finally being able to see him again, but she had to y around with him first. They had apetition at their hands. Elias turned to face her with a smirk. "Someone is cking this morning," he pointed out as he tapped his wrist. "You were almostte." Alyssaughed and reached forward to hug him tightly. After Christmas, break was alright. She spent a lot of time getting ready for the new semester and new year. She wrote out some goals, bought some things that she needed, and sent out an email to see if she could keep her on campus job for this semester too. All in all, she was fairly productive. There were a lot of things she wanted to do this year. "I missed you. And Zoe. That was why I was almostte," she told him. Elias kissed her temple before pulling away. "I missed you too," he said. "How''s Zoe?" "She''s got red hair now," Alyssa replied. Elias chuckled and nodded. He opened the door to the auditorium for her. "Sounds like Zoe. I think she had white hair when I first had a ss with her," Elias said as he followed Alyssa inside. "I wish I could''ve seen that," Alyssa replied as they found a seat toward the top middle of therge auditorium. It felt like they were back in their psychology ss. She settled in beside him. There was only one other person on their row, and he was nearly snoozing in the aisle seat. Elias pulled out hisptop to take notes on. "How close are you to yourptop goal?" he asked her. "Just a few hundred short. I have my eye on a nice one in the campus library," Alyssa told him. Then, she would be able to take expert level notes. She was taking mercy on him right now by just being limited to a pen and paper. Elias nodded, holding her gaze for a few moments. Alyssa had a feeling he was thinking about offering her the rest of the money. She didn''t want him to. He knew that she liked to work hard for her own things. Thankfully, he smiled and looked down at hisptop to type the date on his document. She was relieved. He knew her that well to know not to offer the money. Of course, it would be nice to suddenly have the few hundred dors that she needed to get theptop. Her life would be a lot easier because she wouldn''t have to rely on the library so much. However, she would feel so much better knowing that she had worked hard to get that money herself. She had invested in herself. She was so close anyway. "Have you started on your new year goals yet?" Elias asked her. Alyssa nodded as a sigh drifted from her. Thinking about and nning her goals was one thing, but actually putting them into action was another thing. The year just started, and she was already struggling with a few. "Yeah, I''ve been going to the gym to do some running. I''ve always wanted to get healthier. You know, healthy body, healthy mind," she said. It was hard throwing herself into exercising, but she knew that it would be habit eventually. She just had to stick with it. Chapter 83 - Spoil Me Elias bumped her with his shoulder. "You''re doing great," he encouraged her. Alyssa gave him a thankful look just as the professor walked across the lower section of the auditorium. She sat up in her seat, preparing herself for ss. She knew that it was just sybus day, so she wouldn''t have to take many notes, but she wanted to take note of all the deadlines. Thest thing that she needed was to lose to Elias because she missed a deadline for an assignment. "Wee to World Civilizations 102. I''m Dr. Hammond," the tall, blonde professor announced to the ss as she walked onto the stage. She set up herptop to bring up her introductory PowerPoint. All Alyssa could think about was her first day in psychology and all of the events that transpired after that. She nced around the crowd, searching for Kaleigh''s familiar face. Thankfully, she didn''t see her. She could answer questions without being sneered at. "Looking for Kaleigh?" Elias whispered to her. Alyssa cracked a smile and nodded. Of course, he would know who she was looking for. Kaleigh had only tormented her for a whole semester. Thankfully, she had stepped off toward the end there before real trouble brewed. "Nowhere in sight," she said. She focused back on the professor, listening to all of the learning objectives for the ss. They would be learning about history after the year 1500. She preferred that time period. Her first history ss was a tough bite to swallow. The events before 1500 weren''t as interesting as the ones after 1500 to her. "Four tests," Elias muttered as he shook his head. "Is that going to be a problem for you?" Alyssa teased at him. She knew that they were inpetition for the best grade, but they were still going to help each other study. She didn''t want either of them to fail a mere general ss. That would annoy her as much as it would upset her. Elias put on a smile and shook his head. "Of course not," he replied. He reached out and patted her thigh. Instead of taking his hand away, he left it there. Alyssa eyed his hand, wondering what he was up to. She shifted her eyes back up as the slide changed. She wrote down the due dates for the two papers that they would also have to write for the ss. She wondered why general sses felt like they had to give so much work. Elias slowly stroked circles against her thigh with his thumb. With each circle, his thumb moved closer to her inner thigh. He looked straight ahead, not looking at her slightly wide eyes. He was ying a game with her. Alyssa shifted slightly in her seat. His hand followed her movements. She couldn''t believe that he was actually trying to tease her in ss. Wait, no. He was trying to distract her! She shot him a re, realizing his n of sabotage. She had to give it to him for being creative, though. She moved her foot to trail up the back of his calf. Through the corner of her eye, she watched him stiffen in his seat. A smirk crossed her face as she kept going higher. He eventually pulled his hand away as a truce was drawn. They could only get so bold in ss. There were way too many people around them. "Just wait until we''re alone," Elias murmured beneath his breath. Alyssa smiled to herself as she wrote down a few notes on her paper. She honestly couldn''t wait, but she had this ss and another to get through today until they could hang out at his apartment. She wondered how much she would actually use the dorm this semester. Elias had assured her that he didn''t mind hering over a lot. Once the entire sybus was gone over, the ss was dismissed early to Alyssa''s relief. She would be working hard this semester. She had so many science sses, but she was excited for everything that she was going to learn. She just had to keep focused and to stay on top of everything. As long as she did that, she wasn''t going to worry about failing or not. "That ss is going to make us have a lot of long, hard study sessions," Elias said to her as they walked out of the ssroom together. His wording made Alyssaugh. She shook her head at him as they walked down the hallway. He wasn''t entirely wrong, though. They would have a lot of dates and events to study in this ss, and they could help each other with their paper topics too. She was d to have a partner in this because this ss was just going to be a pest for her. "I can''t wait," she said as she lifted her eyebrows at him. They could help keep each other motivated, and she could think of a few ways for them to do that. "You''ve got two hours, right?" Elias asked her as he took her hand. Their fingersced together. Alyssa nodded, grateful to have a break between her sses. She hated having to rush from ss to ss without being able to take a breath. This way, she could grab something to eat or go to the library if she needed to before her other ss. "Just one for you?" Alyssa asked him. She hadn''t fully memorized his schedule yet. Hers was engrained in her brain already. She waste to her sses so much her first week of her freshman year because she kept forgetting her schedule and where all of the buildings were at. "Yep. Enough time to hit the caf¨¦," Eliasmented with a sly smile. "You in?" Alyssa gave him a pointed look. "Of course, I''ll feed your tea addiction," she said as she squeezed his hand. He had already used up all of the tea she had given him for Christmas. She was d that he liked his gifts, though, because she thoroughly enjoyed her own. Her nner was going to be marked up tonight once she put down all of her deadlines, and she wore her ne every day. She noticed that he wore his ring every day as well. "You spoil me," Elias chuckled as they walked out of the liberal arts building and headed toward the library. Alyssa was pretty sure it was the other way around. He always paid when they went out to eat, even when she tried to beat him to the punch and put her own card down. He drove her wherever she needed to go. He always checked in on her. She felt like she was his world, but she didn''t mind that feeling at all. She just hoped he felt adored too. "I''m just getting close to the enemy," she pointed out teasingly. "Smart and sweet," Elias smirked. Alyssa yfully rolled her eyes at him. She could already tell that this semester was going to be great. She had who she believed to be the love of her life at her side. She had a good te of sses. She would get to see Zoe again. Things were getting locked into ce, and she couldn''t wait to see where this semester took her. Chapter 84 - Lurking Around Alyssa leaned down to touch the front of her tennis shoes. Unfortunately, she couldn''t quite reach without bending her knees. That was fine. She would get there eventually. That was why she had this as one of her goals for the new year. She didn''t have many other goals. She wanted to have more new experiences and deepen her rtionships. She just didn''t want to overwhelm herself. She knew that she would fall short at times and mess up, but she just wanted herself to get back on track if that happened. She wanted to be more forgiving to herself too. There were holes in her life. She had endured pain throughout her life because of her parents and bullies in school. She was still healing and bing a stronger version of herself. She just hoped something good came out of exercising because it sure did hurt. She straightened back up and stretched her arms above her head. She decided not to run in the gym tonight. It felt good outside on campus, so she decided to run on the outdoor trail that winded along the outskirts of campus. It was around nine at night. She found that running at night helped her sleep better at night. Plus, she got done with her homework around eight, so the time lined up perfectly. If she wanted to spend the night at Elias'' ce, he picked her up afterwards. He said he was busy tonight, so she''d just be going back to the dorm to shower and then go to sleep after her run. She started with a light jog down the trail, enjoying the quietness on campus. She also liked working out at night because hardly anyone was out and about. Being here on break really showed her how nice campus was when it wasn''t so busy. She veered along the winding path, feeling a light burn in her calves. She liked the burning feeling up to a point. When it reached her lungs, she didn''t like it at all. She just hoped her body got limated to all this movement soon. Alyssa jogged deeper down the path, entering an area that was full of shadows. The campus'' emergency lights didn''t reach this area. She decided to just run through it, even if it did look eerie. She ran into the shadows, looking on each side as she moved. It was quiet on this side of campus too. Right when she broke through the shadows and entered a lit area, she almost ran into someone. A surprised gasp rang from her as she stumbled to a stop. She turned to look at who she almost knocked over, and a shocked look crossed her face. "Elias?" Alyssa breathed out as she stared at him. She almost thought she was making things up in her mind, but he was right there. She didn''t expect to see him here. Elias stared back in shock, like he didn''t expect to see her there either. "Alyssa," he said as he took a subtle step back. "I thought you were at the gym." "I decided to run on the trail," Alyssa replied as her eyes narrowed slightly. She saw something on his lower lip that looked weird. She stepped closer to him as she tried to get a better look. "Are you bleeding?" Elias'' eyes widened as he hastily wiped his bottom lip. "No. I was¡­ eating," he replied. "Sorry." It looked like blood on his bottom lip. Did he get hurt? Concern gripped Alyssa, but she was also confused. He said that he was busy tonight. What was he doing out on campus sote at night? "Are you okay? You''re acting¡­ weird," she asked him as she took another step closer to him. She hadn''t seen him act so off before. Sure, he sometimes acted awkward or uneasy, but he seemedpletely on edge. Elias nodded as he ran his hand through his hair. "I''m good. Just tired. I was about to head home," he told her. Alyssa''s fingers twined together in front of her as she awkwardly shifted on the spot. "Did you have something to do on campus tonight?" she asked him. She didn''t want to be that person that pried into his business, but something was up. Why would he randomly be on campus when he was supposed to be busy elsewhere? Was she missing something obvious? She didn''t want to jump to any conclusions and suspect that he was cheating or anything. It looked more like he got hit or something because of the blood on his bottom lip. However, maybe it was just something he ate, like pizza sauce. She hoped that it was nothing and that she was just making things up in her head. "There was a meeting for business students. It rante," Elias exined. He drew in a deep breath through his nose, and his shoulders visibly he rxed. That usual smile of his crossed his lips as he took a step toward her. "But I''m d it did so that I could see you." Alyssa was relieved that he was acting like normal now, but a part of her was still slightly suspicious. He switched behaviors so quickly, like flipping a switch. It was too purposeful to be natural, but she didn''t say anything. She just wanted to look past it because it waste, and she was tired. "Me too. So, you''re heading home now?" Alyssa asked. She didn''t mean to sound so suspicious, but she wanted to double check before she went on her way. What if he just arrived on campus after doing something? Elias seemed to search her eyes before nodding. "Are you going to finish your run?" he asked. Alyssa didn''t like this feeling. It was like they were walking on eggshells around each other. Maybe there wasn''t even a reason to. They both startled each other and didn''t expect to see each other. She nodded as she nced down the path. "I''ll just finish the trail and then go to sleep," she replied. She almost wondered if she should follow him. Then, she internally shook her head at herself. That was crazy of her to think. She just wanted to make sure that he was telling her the truth! She didn''t want to be lied to by the person that she trusted the most. That would break her. "Be careful, okay? No telling what''s lurking out there," Elias replied as the corner of his mouth curled up slightly. Chapter 85 - Suspicion Alyssa narrowed her eyes slightly, wondering if he was messing with her or being serious. Maybe she just wasn''t in the joking mood right now. She tightened her ponytail and merely nodded. "I''ll keep an eye out," she replied evenly. "I''ll let you get to it," Elias said before leaning forward and kissing her cheek. He then turned and walked down the path into the ovepping shadows that she just ran out of. Alyssa let out a sigh and started walking down the path. She still felt uneasy. He was being totally weird, and why wouldn''t he have mentioned a business meeting earlier? He talked about his sses with her. It just seemed like something he would''ve told her. Instead, he just said that he was busy. She shook her head, willing herself not to overthink. She was so close to him that she sensed the slightest off behavior from him. Maybe he was taking a walk to think, and she interrupted him. Maybe he wanted a moment alone. She hoped it was something like that. Anything else made her nervous. There were some big scenarios in her head that she wanted to get rid of. She knew that she loved him, and she trusted him. There was no reason for her not to, so she wasn''t going to worry. She wasn''t going to think anything differently. With a deep breath, Alyssa picked up her pace and headed down the path toward the dorm. She was ready to shower and end this day. Hopefully, tomorrow would be better. Hopefully, it would be far less confusing because this was a type of stress that she didn''t know how to handle. *********** Of course, Alyssa lied to herself. She couldn''t stop thinking about Elias and his odd behaviorst night. They texted a little this morning, but she hadn''t seen him since then. She was nning on eating lunch with Zoe in a few minutes, so she hoped that would take her mind off of what happened. Alyssa walked into the small sandwich shop right on the border of campus. She ordered a grilled chicken club with a lemonade before sitting down by the window and waiting for Zoe to arrive. She didn''t want to be like this. She didn''t want to doubt her boyfriend. Thankfully, Zoe walked in five minutester before her thoughts strayed too far again. She waved at Alyssa before going up to the ordering counter and buying her food. She strode over to Alyssa and sat down across from her. "How''s it going?" Zoe asked casually as she leaned back in her seat. Alyssa wanted to ster a smile on her face and tell Zoe that she was doing great and that everything was fine, but she couldn''t. She just didn''t have it in her to lie right now, and she could talk to Zoe. Besides, she probably needed to talk to someone about this so that they could drill some sense into her brain. "Do you think Elias gets in fights?" she asks. She didn''t mean to blurt out the words like that, but she couldn''t stop them. There was blood, so she automatically thought of him fighting for some reason. Did he have enemies that she didn''t know about? Zoe stared at Alyssa in confusion, not expecting the random question. "I don''t think so. He doesn''t seem like the type. Why?" she asked. Alyssa sighed as she buried her face in her hands for a few moments. She didn''t want to get into this, but she felt like she had to for her own sake. Maybe Zoe could calm her down or show herself that she didn''t see before. "I was runningtest night and ran into him. He told me he was busy, but he was on campus randomly. He also had blood on his lip," Alyssa exined in a rush of words. That probably didn''t make any sense, but that was what was on her mind. Zoe blinked a few times as she tried to process what Alyssa just told her. "Blood on his lip? Did you ask him?" she asked. Alyssa nodded. She wished that it was as easy as that. She asked a question. He gave her a believable answer, but that hadn''t been the case. Instead, everything got all weird and twisted up. She thought about the situation in ten different ways with a million different exnations and theories. "He said he ate something. I know what blood looks like," she huffed slightly. She knew what she saw, but he told her otherwise. She just didn''t believe that. "You said that you were outte, right? Maybe it was something he ate, and it was just dark and hard to see," Zoe suggested. Alyssa gave her a pointed look. She knew that she wanted Zoe to talk some sense into her, but she also kind of wanted her worries to be validated by someone else. She wanted Zoe to agree with her that it was weird. On the other hand, she wanted Zoe to calm her down and make her feel fine about the situation. She didn''t know what she wanted at this point. Maybe just the truth. "I mean, do you think he was out with someone else or something?" Zoe asked as she lifted an eyebrow. Alyssa''s shoulders wilted as she shook her head slowly. "I don''t think so, but¡­ I don''t know. He acted on edge. It was weird," she sighed. She didn''t see him as a cheater. She didn''t want to see him like that. She had never been cheated on before, but she really didn''t want to find out what that felt like now. "Maybe he was just surprised to see you. I don''t think he''d ever hurt you or anything," Zoe replied with a softer expression. Alyssa gave her a small smile. She didn''t think that he would either. It just wasn''t like him, and she wanted to think that she somewhat knew him pretty well. They were incredibly close. Sure, there were some mysterious things about him, but they weren''t rming or anything. At least she hadn''t previously thought so. Now, she was overthinking those things too. Chapter 86 - Love Worthy She felt like she was in a never ending cycle of confusion. She was thinking about him in such a different light than she did a day ago. It gave her whish almost. It made her want to question things that she didn''t need to question. She believed that he was loyal to her. She believed that he wouldn''t do anything to hurt her. Wasn''t that enough to put her mind at ease? "Yeah, I don''t think so either. I''m just not used to him acting that way," she exined. Zoe nodded as she listened. "Well, isn''t this the longest and most serious rtionship you''ve been in?" Zoe asked. Alyssa nodded. She was experiencing things for the first time with Elias. She wasn''t used to being so close with a guy before. Maybe she was just finding out little ticks that she hadn''t noticed about guys before. She hoped that was the case. "Yeah, I mean, I''m around him a lot. I''m sure I''ll see him out of his element eventually," she said. Eventually, he would see her when she was really down or really stressed. Zoe smiled and nodded. "See? It''s okay. You guys aren''t going to bepletely happy all the time. There will be some weird moments. People are weird," Zoeughed softly. Alyssa cracked a smile. She supposed Zoe was right. She had weird moments. She was sure that Elias did too, and she just experienced onest night. She caught him off guard, and then she overreacted. She really needed to add that to her goals for the new year. She wanted to stop overreacting to things that she wasn''t used to. "Thanks. I don''t know why I freaked out like that," she sighed with a shake of her head. She felt pretty silly now. Zoe waved her hand dismissively. "You''re going to overthink things when you''re in a rtionship. When you''re so close to someone, you notice every little thing that seems off. You just have to not let it get to you," she replied as the server brought their food and drinks. Alyssa thanked the server before sipping on her lemonade. She then smirked at Zoe. "Look at you, rtionship expert. How are things with Cole?" she asked. Last she heard, Zoe and Cole hung out a few times over Christmas break. Zoeughed softly. "They''re pretty good. It''s definitely getting serious," she replied. Alyssa reached out and squeezed Zoe''s hand happily. She was d to hear that. Seeing Zoe glow like that was something she always wanted to see. She wanted the best for her friend. "Good! I can tell he makes you really happy," she said. No one else made Zoe act all shy like that. "Very happy. I don''t think I''ve ever liked a guy this much before," Zoe said wistfully before biting into her French dip sandwich. "Me too," Alyssa said warmly. She was d they got to share this feeling with each other. She hated making Zoe feel like a third wheel with Elias, but now they could all hang out together. It would be fun, and Alyssa wanted to make it a point to get out more this year. There was so much to experience, so many people to meet. "You have a really good thing with Elias," Zoe told Alyssa, taking on a serious tone. "Don''t search for trouble if it''s not there to begin with." Alyssa knew that Zoe was right. That was good advice to abide by, and she told herself to stay out of Elias'' business. If he wanted to tell her something, he would. He was open with her a majority of the time about what was going on in his life, and she was grateful for that. She didn''t want to mess that up and make him regret trusting her. "You''re right. Sheesh. Why weren''t you therest night to talk some sense into me?" Alyssaughed before biting into the corner of her grilled chicken club. Zoe smirked and shook her head. "Because I don''t run. Especially at night. I was in my bed, all cozy," Zoe replied as she rubbed her hands over her arms. "You''reing to the gym with me eventually. It''ll be fun!" Alyssa said. She had been trying to get Zoe to tag along just so that she would have somepany at the gym. It wasn''t all that fun by herself. She mostly just listened to music and stayed quiet until she left. "You''ll have to do a lot of begging or a lot of bribing," Zoe said before going back to eating her sandwich. "I will buy you coffee once a month," Alyssa replied, putting down her first bribe. She knew that it wasn''t that much, but Zoe knew how much money she had to spare every month. It was all that she could put down for now. Zoe hummed beneath her breath as she considered Alyssa''s offer. "A free icedtte every month? You make apelling offer. Fine, I''ll try it and see if I can bear it," she said, giving in. Alyssa pped her hands excitedly. She knew that it was just a trial run, but it was better than Zoe giving her a t out no. She had a chance to loop Zoe into the working out craze. She just knew that having a friend with her would encourage her to go more too. "Great! I was nning on going on the treadmill tonight," she told Zoe. She had a schedule that she was working with. It was cardio three times a week and strength training two times a week. She was working up to it. Zoe leaned her head back with a groan. "So soon? Fine," she grumbled. "I''ll break out my one pair of yoga pants." Alyssaughed behind her hand, knowing that Zoe probably didn''t like workout attire all that much. She didn''t even think that she had seen Zoe wear a pair of leggings or tennis shoes since they met. It wasn''t the area of fashion that Zoe had any interest in. "I''m so excited!" Alyssa said. She could see them chatting andughing as they jogged on the treadmill or did stretches together. She knew those weren''t exactly fun activities, but anything could be fun with the right people. She had found the right people for her. Zoe pointed her finger at Alyssa. "You''re lucky that I love you. That''s the only reason why I''m doing this," she said. "I know. I love you too," Alyssa said as she gave Zoe a grateful look. Friends certainly did sacrifice things for each other, but at least working out would be good for Zoe too. She finished up her lunch, chatting with Zoe about their schedules and professors. It seemed like it was going to be a good but busy semester for the both of them. They would have to make time for each other, but Alyssa knew that they would. They had a friendship that neither of them ever wanted to lose. Alyssa saw Zoe as a sister at that point. They were beyond just friends. They had a bond that Alyssa had never shared with another girl before. Growing up, she always wished that she had a ceiling. Given the circumstances with her parents, she was very d to be the only child, but she could just imagine helping her imaginary sibling braid her hair, letting her borrow clothes, or giving her advice. She just had that in a different form. Once they parted ways, Alyssa headed to her next ss, feeling much better and much lighter than she did before she had lunch with Zoe. Her head also felt much clearer. Lunch with Zoe definitely did her a lot of good, and she was determined to keep feeling like this. She didn''t want to ruin her good mood right now. She had spent so much of her time in college feeling down in some sort of way. She didn''t want to waste any more time feeling anything other than happy or hopeful. Her future was so big and wide. She didn''t want to limit it with her own emotions and overthinking. She wouldn''t be able to forgive herself if she missed out on too many things because of it. Elias; Miss you honey Alyssa smiled at the text that Elias just sent her. No matter what, she loved him. She didn''t think that could ever change. He had affected her on such a deep level, imprinted himself on her soul. She was d that he did, though, even if that put him in a position where he could hurt her more than others. Alyssa; Miss you babe Love was worth any sort of pain. She didn''t like how she felt before she fell for him. She felt so empty on the inside, so lost. She hadn''t known what she was looking for until she met him. Then, things became so much clearer to her. She could see what she wanted, feel what she needed. She just hoped she never lost any of that. Chapter 87 - Outcome The first month of sses went by fairly well for Alyssa. She had to work hard and keep focused, but she was on her way through herst semester as a sophomore in college. She couldn''t believe she had gotten this far already. It seemed like she was a freshman just yesterday. Yet, here she was. Time flew by so fast. It made her want to cherish each and every moment because they sped by. She was d she found people to make such great memories with. In the future, she knew that she would look back on this year fondly. She would remember herughter, her experiences, her struggles. She would remember it all and be grateful for each moment. It soon came to Alyssa''s attention that things were really going to start going full speed ahead once she reached her junior year. She could try for research opportunities at that level and really prove herself to be a valuable asset in her program. She had to start building her skills now so that she could sell herselfter. She had to jump through so many rings until she could finally be a doctor, and the road was long and hard ahead. She was ready for it, though. She knew what she had gotten herself into. She knew that this wasn''t going to be easy, but that hadn''t scared her away when she chose her major. That wouldn''t scare her away now that she was two years in. She wasn''t going to quit. She wasn''t going to fail. She had too much riding on this. She had too many goals and dreams. Plus, she had some great people backing her, and she didn''t want to let any of them down either. She had to keep pushing forward, no matter what pushed back. What pushed back first was a bad grade on a reading assignment in history. Of course, it would be history of all courses. Granted, Alyssa did sort of put that ss on the back burner. It didn''t matter to her as much as her other sses for her major. The only thing that made history ss relevant to her was her bet with Elias. Things finally went back to normal between them. It took a few days, but they just didn''t talk about what happened. They pretended it didn''t even happen, and they fell back into their old groove. Alyssa didn''t want to waste time wondering about the past anyway. She wanted to move forward and have fun. She had goals to achieve this year, and she didn''t want petty feelings getting in the way of that. She spent a lot of time at his apartment, lounging in his bed and cooking breakfast with him on the weekends. She loved their little mock domestic life. She could see herself doing that with him when they grew old. Hopefully, she would''ve just retired as a doctor, and he would''ve retired as some rich businessman. They would live out their retirement in peace and fun. They would travel but also rx at home. She had so many thoughts about the future. Sometimes, she wondered if she lived in her own head too much. She needed to focus on the present too. She had a lot riding on it. If she didn''t seed in the present, she couldn''t live the future that she wanted to. As Alyssa left the liberal arts building one day, her eyesnded on someone very familiar. Dread filled her at first at seeing Kaleigh again, but she pushed it down. She smirked instead as she brushed past Kaleigh. Her head was tilted high, and she radiated a confidence that she did not have at the beginning of her sophomore year. Kaleigh rolled her eyes, but she didn''t say a word. There was nothing to say. They still didn''t like each other, and they never would. At least they didn''t have any sses together anymore. Alyssa smiled to herself as she walked to the library to meet Elias. She was going to go over to his apartment tonight and stay there. She loved those nights. There was no fun in staying by herself in her dorm. She got spoiled with cuddling him, so she didn''t sleep as well when she was sleeping by herself. She couldn''t believe how many things rtionships changed in one person''s life. Some of her habits or ticks were changed when she met Elias. She thought of sleeping and showering differently. He was all over her personal life now, but she didn''t mind that. He was where she wanted him to be. "Hey there." Alyssa looked over once she entered the library to see Elias standing off to the side with two cups in his hands. She smiled as she kissed him softly. It was so nice getting to see him throughout her days on campus. He was basically a portable ray of sunshine for her. He lit her up in ways that others didn''t, no matter what they did. "This is for me?" she asked as she pointed to one of the cups of tea. He always surprised her with tea, which was incredibly sweet of him. He was so thoughtful naturally. It wasn''t something forced or something he feltpelled to do. It was just in his nature to check in on other people, and she really admired that about him. "Of course. Earl grey," Elias replied as he handed it to her. "You look nice today." Alyssa looked down at her ck skirt and white tank topbo. She had been trying to dress up moretely. It was nice that he noticed. "Thank you," she told him as his arm went around her shoulders. "How was ss?" "A bit slow. It''s always like that starting out," Elias said with a shrug. "I''m just d I''m finally taking an entrepreneurship ss. That''s the one I really need to focus on." Alyssa smiled at him as she nodded. She hoped that he got something out of that ss. She knew that he was really trying to figure out what kind of business he wanted to get into before his junior year. She hoped that he figured it out. There were so many things that he could look into. However, having that many choices also made it that much harder to pick one. "I bet you''ll be the best at whatever you decide to do," she told him. She believed in him. She had seen how his work ethic bloomed. It would only keep growing once he settled on an idea andmitted to it. Elias gave her a thankful squeeze. "I want to try to, but I want to do it for me. Not for my parents," he said. "They''re probably going to try to take credit if I do seed. But if I fail, it''ll be all on me." "You won''t fail," Alyssa told him firmly. He wanted to seed outside of his family so badly, and she knew that passion and motivation gave way to sess. He just needed to keep that devotion, and it would take him wherever he needed to go. She hoped for the same oue for her too. Chapter 88 - Reward "I don''t think I can with you by my side," Elias replied as he gave her a soft look. "You push me forward." "You push me forward too. I feel like I would''ve still been so stuck if I hadn''t met you. I was really trapped in my ways," Alyssa sighed as she thought back to her past self. She was d that she had grown fromst semester. She didn''t want to be that sad person any longer. She enjoyed being so happy and adventurous now. Elias kissed her on the head before leading her out of the library. "We all get like that sometimes. The good thing is that we''re there for each other," Elias pointed out. Alyssa nodded as she listened to him. He had a point. Even if they went back to their old ways or got caught in a bad rut, at least they weren''t in that situation alone. The other person could always pull them out. Thatforted her. He would be there for her if she slipped up. "Did you want to cook tonight or order take out?" she asked him. She loved making dinner ns with him. There was great food around town, or they cooked together and made something amazing. "I have everything we need to make a mean eggnt parmesan," Elias told her, looking at her to see if she was interested at all in making that. Alyssa''s stomach nearly rumbled at the mere thought of that. She hadn''t had a good pasta dish in a minute, and she was tired of eating at the cafeteria on campus. It wasn''t anywhere as good as what they cooked together. Plus, it was pretty attractive to sit there and watch him cook. "That sounds perfect. Ugh, I''m starving," she muttered. She was so hungry after her sses. It was torture having to wait to get something to eat finally. Elias chuckled as they headed toward the parking lot where his car was parked at. "Don''t worry. I''ll feed you," he assured her. Alyssa smiled and hurried along with him. "Some of the professors are going to be talking about their research opportunities this week. I really hope I''m able to get in one for next year," she told him. She was pretty nervous. Being able to do research alongside a professor would really help her when it came to applying to medical school. It set the stage for her and helped separate her from the rest of the pack. She wanted to stand out, and her doing great research would help her do that. Elias gave her an encouraging smile. "I bet you''ll be able to. Do you have any idea about what you want to do?" Elias asked her. Alyssa hummed beneath her breath. "Well, my focus will be pediatricster on, but I need a strong biology base. I''m hoping one of the professors are doing something with stem cell research. I can look into how stem cell-based treatments affect certain pediatric diseases," Alyssa replied. She had thought on it a little, but it would be up to what research the professors were doing. Things could change. Elias had wide eyes. "Woah. I didn''t understand some of that, but that sounds really cool," he said warmly. "You''re so smart." Alyssa lifted her chin a little with a proud smile on her face. She liked being called smart. She worked really hard so that she could be called that, and it was actually true. "So are you," she told him. They were smart in different ways. In fact, there were a few things where they were different, but they still fit together well. They were two different puzzle pieces that still locked together. "Look at us. A couple of smarties," Elias smirked as he opened his passenger side door for her. Alyssa got inside so that he could shut the door after her. Once he got in the driver''s seat, she looked over at him. "Let''s keep it that way. I can''t believe I failed that reading assignment," she muttered. The questions were weird and theoretical for some reason. She got the wrong idea about the context of the reading because she thought too hard about it, and she failed. It was ridiculous. The text could''ve been taken five different ways. Was there really a right way? How did they know? "Someone is being a sore loser," Elias chuckled as he leered at her. Alyssa rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest. She was not being a sore loser. She was just confused on how she failed an assignment that was seemingly so easy. She already didn''t like this ss. Her grade was lower than Elias'' grade already! Okay, maybe she was being a bit of a sore loser. "I''m not a loser yet. The semester isn''t over," she pointed out. "Plus, I''m going to rock this first exam." "Are we studying together or is that giving away too much to the enemy?" Elias asked her as he started his car. His engine rumbled loudly. Alyssa shrugged as she eyed him. She didn''t know if he deserved to use her shcards. Then again, it didn''t matter. They learned the same information. It wasn''t like she was able to keep any secrets from him. "I suppose we can study together. I''m not taking it easy on you with my shcards, though. They''re in depth," she warned him. Usually, she didn''t have to go so hard with her shcards, but her professor didn''t teach anything straightforward it seemed like. There was so much interpretation of text and photos. It drove Alyssa crazy. She liked looking at cold, hard facts. She wasn''t all that creative-minded. Elias excelled in that department. "Bring it," Elias replied with a bold look. He drove out of the parking lot toward his apartment. "You asked for it. I just hope they even help us. I can''t figure out how thisdy wants us to think," Alyssa muttered. She kept overthinking things. Elias chuckled as he nced over at her. "Just put yourself into the time period. Think about how they would''ve thought," Elias replied before shrugging. "That''s what I do." Alyssa didn''t want to admit it because they were rivals, but he had a good point. She would use that strategy from now on. Hopefully, she got better scores from it because she couldn''t be failing these little reading assignments. They still made up a big chunk of her grade. In case she didn''t do too hot on the tests or papers, the homework would help pad her grade. "When do you want to have our study session? The test is next week," she reminded him. She couldn''t believe they were already getting around the time for their first tests. She had to kick it into gear before she got left behind. "How about tomorrow night?" Elias asked her. "Sounds like a n," Alyssa replied. She didn''t feel like studying tonight. She felt like cooking and maybe having a little fun in the bedroom. She could hardly control herself around him, especially since she knew how good he could make her feel. "Maybe we can reward ourselves for working so hard afterwards." "You''re speaking mynguage," Elias chuckled. "Who says we have to wait until tomorrow, though?" "Absolutely no one," Alyssa replied, liking where this was going. After their weird encounter the other day, it was nice to get back to normal, to desire each other like this without any oddness. She kept her eyes forward, not wanting to pay much attention to the past. Elias smiled, and Alyssa noticed that the car sped down the street just a little bit faster. Chapter 89 - The Research Alyssa tapped her pen against her notepad impatiently as she waited for the research conference to begin. She couldn''t wait to hear what kind of research the various professors were working on. She wanted to get in on something pivotal and exciting. She wanted to make a difference, and this was a good ce to start. Other students sat among the seats in the auditorium with her, chatting among themselves as they waited for the professors to show up and talk about their research projects that they were working on. A certain number of students would be allowed to work on those projects with them after an application process. Her eyes shifted to the side door as a few professors started to walk inside. Her heart started to race slightly. She was excited and nervous all at the same time. These people were so smart and aplished, and it would help her a lot to be able to learn from one of them directly. They could give her the knowledge and resources she needed to help her get into medical school. "Good afternoon and thank you foring. I''m Dr. Hahn from the Biomedical Sciences department," one of the middle-aged professors said into a microphone. His hair was short and ck, and he had a stout body under his ck zer. His eyes had a soft look, but the rest of his face looked more serious. Alyssa sat up more when she heard he was from the Biomedical Sciences department, which was her department. She hadn''t had him as a professor yet, but she suspected that he only taught the higher level courses that she had yet to reach. She scribbled his name down in her notes before looking back up at him. "Tonight, my colleagues and I will be sharing information about our research projects. As you know, we''re all looking for new undergraduates to assist us with these projects. At the end, they will walk you through the application process," Dr. Hahn said, his voice booming throughout the auditorium. Alyssa heard the application process was pretty rigorous, but she wasn''t swayed away. Whatever she had to do, whether it was an interview or a paper, she was going to nail it and get that research opportunity. It would also help her when she did her own independent research project. She would''ve already gone through the steps with someone who was way more experienced than her. "For thest few years, I have been working on stem cell research," Dr. Hahn started his speech. A PowerPoint yed behind him. Alyssa''s eyes widened as she listened to him. He was doing exactly what she wanted to be involved with. Stem cell research was the new hot thing in the scientific field, and it could be used to help children too. She wanted to learn more about it so that she could contribute to its development. Maybe by the time she became a doctor, she could actually work with stem cells and save lives. More and more new methods and technologies were being used in the medical field, and she knew that being knowledgeable about them would give her an edge above thepetition. She didn''t want to be stuck in old ways. She wanted to advance. "New treatments and methods are being developed as we speak. I want to add to that constant stream of discovery," Dr. Hahn continued. His visions seemed to line up with Alyssa''s. She really wanted him to be her research mentor. She could see herself learning so much under him, and she wanted to learn more about his project. She hardly listened to the other research projects because as great and interesting as they were, they didn''t line up as well with her goals. She knew what she wanted. But how did she get it? She hoped that she was even qualified to apply to be a research assistant. She would have to put a lot of time and effort into her research, which was more work piled on top of her sswork. It was a bit daunting to think about, but she had to learn how to juggle all of that work. It would get even worse in medical school. This was like a trial run. "If you''re still interested in being a research assistant for one of these research projects, there is an online form for you to fill out with questions from the professors. Take your time. Be honest. If they feel like you''re a good fit, they will contact you about an opportunity," the host of the event announced to everyone. "Thank you and have a great night." Alyssa scribbled down the ce the online form could be found at on the university website. She wasn''t going to waste any time. There were a lot of students here, and she knew that there was a lot of interest in Dr. Hahn''s project. A few students could be research assistants, but she wanted to be at the top of the pack still. "Dr. Hahn is a genius. Did you read the paper he published about stem cells and strokes?" A student behind Alyssa asked someone else. Alyssa needed to read his papers and get brushed up on him, especially if she chose her to be one of his research assistants. She wanted to be caught up on what he knew and what he already researched. That way, she didn''t have to waste so much time asking basic questions. She could skip right to the juicy material. Some people lingered around to talk to the professors, but she skipped that and went straight to the library. She was probably jumping the gun a little since the forms weren''t due until two weeks from today, but she felt the inspiration to do it now, so she wasn''t going to waste that feeling. Once again, she really wished that she had aptop so that she could sit in her dorm and brainstorm aloud. It helped her think when she heard her thoughts out loud. She had to quietly murmur to herself in the library as she read over the form. Some of those questions required some particrly long answers. She was going to be here for at least an hour just to fill this form out. Chapter 90 - Best Partners However, if she had to be here for the rest of the night to at least have a chance at Dr. Hahn''s research project, then she would be here all night. She had to work for what she wanted. There were so many great opportunities at this campus, but there was also a lot ofpetition that she had to battle with. She was far from the smartest or most aplished student on this campus. She had to work all that much harder to score opportunities like these. Some of the questions were easy, like what research would she want to do or what she saw herself doing in so many years. The professors wanted a feel for the goals and drive of their research assistants, and she was going to show Dr. Hahn that she was one of the most driven students on this campus. She reached the question: what do you hope to gain from this research opportunity? She tapped her fingers against her desk as she thought about that. The answer was in her head, but sometimes it was hard for her to pull out what was in her head and put it in actual words. She could see herself gaining a lot from this research opportunity. Not only would she be able to learn and study under someone aplished and gifted in her field, but she would also be able to practice research methods to prepare for her own research. This was the trial run that she needed. However, she could also possibly discover something groundbreaking with this project. She had read about it happening before, and she would be honored to be involved in something extraordinary like that. She wanted to push medical practices forward, to save more lives. This put her on the right path. She tried not to write anything too dramatic or emotional. At the end of the day, this was scientific and serious. No fooling around. She got her point across as best as she could. She felt like some feelings and hopes couldn''t be properly exined in words, though. Dr. Hahn would just have to infer a little. She wrote down some general information, like her GPA and major. Luckily, those lined up with the qualifications for the research project assistantship. She hoped that she heard back soon about whether or not she got the position or not. She had to n next year''s schedule around it so that she had time to work in theb with Dr. Hahn. The thought of actually working in ab and doing actual scientific research and work made her heart jolt a little. She didn''t count herbs for her sses. Those were so closely monitored and set up. What she did with Dr. Hahn would be far more real world. She had to be precise and careful. She had to be like who she wanted to be in the future. Alyssa read over her form at least five more times before feelingfortable enough to hit the send button. She sat back in her seat and let out a quiet breath. That was done. All that she had to do now was wait and see if she got epted. The waiting period would be the most torturous part for her. She shut off the schoolputer before grabbing her things and finally dragging herself back to her dorm room. It had been a long day, but at least it was exciting. She felt like she made a big step toward her future. Hopefully, this shotnded, but she would just have to see. ********** Alyssa and Elias sat across from each other on Elias'' bed with heavy stares. It was time. They knew it would be soon, but Alyssa wasn''t sure if they were ready or not, despite them looking forward to this for a few days now. "Are you sure? At the same time?" Alyssa asked him as she grabbed her phone. She knew that there was a notification on her phone screen that she hadn''t looked at yet. She was honestly nervous too. Elias sighed before nodding. "I mean, we have to look eventually, right?" Elias pointed out. He grabbed his own phone and prepared to unlock it. "Want to count down?" Alyssa nodded as she put her thumb on her phone screen. "One," she said, feeling her heart race slightly. "Two." "Three!" Alyssa unlocked her phone and went into her school app, pulling up her grade for the first history test that she took a few days ago. She read the grade over and over before her eyes shifted up to look at him. "Count down?" Alyssaughed softly. She wasn''t sure if she was going to win this round, but she had a little bit of faith. That had to be enough. "One," Elias replied. "Two." "Three!" Alyssa said before shouting her grade. "92!" "92!" Elias said at the same time. Laughter broke from both of them as they smiled at each other. It was a tie. Elias'' grade was still slightly higher because of Alyssa''s reading assignment mishap, but at least they were tied on the test scores. "We didn''t do too bad," she said. She wished she could''ve done better, but the test questions were a bit tricky. She had to make a lot of inferences and read lots of passages. This history ss was going to be the death of her. However, she had the best study partner and motivator. As long as they both stayed on top of everything, she believed that she could turn her grades around, beat him at theirpetition, and still learn something from this ss that he would take with her throughout her years. Elias nodded. "Not too bad at all, but I''m going to beat you next time. I know how the tests are now," he told her with a bold look. Alyssa scoffed at his confidence. She knew how the tests worked now too, and she was going to adjust how she studied to fit that. She had it in the bag for the next tests. "You can try," she replied with sass in her voice. She wasn''t afraid to face off with him when it came to academics. This was her ying field. She had to show her dominance. Unfortunately, she was off to a rocky start. Elias tilted his head at her as a wicked smile crossed his lips. He then grabbed her and pulled her into hisp, making her straddle his waist. "I think we should celebrate since we did so well," he pointed out. His eyes glinted slightly as they roamed over her body. Chapter 91 - Hotter And Hotter Alyssa swallowed hard as she rested her hands on his shoulders. She wouldn''t mind doing that at all. Besides, they did good on the test. They might as well celebrate that together, even if they werepeting. "I think so too," Alyssa murmured as she leaned forward. She teasingly brushed her lips against his, not fully kissing him. When he tried to lean forward to properly kiss her, she gripped the back of his hair, keeping him in ce. She continued to flutter her lips against the corner of his, not giving him what he wanted. Elias groaned as he dug his fingertips into her hips. "You tease," he muttered. He tried to turn his head and chase her lips, but she didn''t let him. Eventually, he grew tired of the game and mmed her down on the mattress. He hovered above her and captured her lips in a searing kiss, making her moan into the touch. He ran his hands up her body, caressing her curves through her t-shirt. Alyssa wrapped her legs around his waist, helping him grind down against her as they tangled up together. She meshed her lips with his, feeling the soft caress of his tongue against hers. She couldn''t get enough of his taste and warmth. She never wanted the kiss to end. Elias grabbed the end of her shirt and pulled it up and off of her body. He caressed her breasts through her grey bra as he kissed at her neck, daring to leave marks but not. He seemed frustrated at that and forced himself to move on. Once her bra was off, his lips caressed her nipples. Alyssa tugged on his hair as she tilted her head back in bliss. Everysh of his tongue or pull from his lips nearly dizzied her. It all felt so good. She breathed in deeply through her nose, steadying herself as she rode out the sensations. "I love that mouth of yours," she breathed out. She was just now getting morefortable with dirty talk. She didn''t want to be awkward or too mouthy. She just loved telling him what she liked or what felt good. There was a lot for her to talk about in that regard. "I love tasting you," Elias replied as he grinned up at her. He yfully tugged on one of her nipples with his teeth, making her squeal. He chuckled before kissing his way down her stomach. He pulled his shirt off before pulling down her shorts and panties, leaving her bare in front of him. "Damn." Alyssa smiled as she leaned up, reaching out to squeeze his hard length through his ck joggers. She could feel how ready he already was, and that drove her even wilder. It felt good to be so desired by him. Elias gently pushed her back down on the bed before wagging his finger at her. "Not yet," he chastised her before settling between her legs. He peered up at her with darkening eyes. "Patience." Alyssa wanted to pout. How could she possibly have patience right now? She wanted to feel him, to touch him. She watched him ce her legs over his shoulders. Her body tensed as his breath lightly fanned against her center. She wanted him to touch her, but she knew that he was going to tease her like how she teased him earlier. "Please," she said, resorting to pleading. She didn''t care what she had to do. She needed him, and she knew that he knew that. It drove her crazy knowing that he was dancing around her like this on purpose. Elias smirked up at her before teasingly kissing the inside of her thigh. He drifted his finger up and down through her folds, purposely missing her clit and entrance. He kept reying the motion, making her squirm to try to chase his finger. "You want it bad, huh?" Elias murmured. Alyssa nodded fervently. She reached down to run her fingers through his short hair. She loved how soft the strands felt as they brushed through her fingers. "Yes," she said, hoping he would finally do something. She could hardly take this any longer because she felt so heated and sensitive. She felt like a bomb about to explode. Elias surged forward and drifted his tongue up through her folds. He ran the t of it against her clit, making her hips jolt in response. He chased her motions, circling his tongue around her clit as he pushed two fingers inside of her. He thrusted them and curled them, falling back on the motions that he knew always brought her to the edge so easily. Moans constantly drifted from her as she reveled in the sensations. She tugged on his hair as her thighs threatened to tighten around his head. She felt his hands pull them apart so that he had the room to work her toward the edge. She swore it was like he was working magic on her. "Elias¡­" she breathed out as her eyes fluttered shut. She squeezed them as ripples of heat and pleasure moved through her. Her body tensed and tightened. Each time he moved, she moved in response, following his motions or sumbing to the heat and pleasure. Elias kept up with his motions, not slowing down or switching up his pace. He knew exactly what she liked, and he was going to give it to her over and over again. He rubbed his fingertips against that spot that made her toes curl. "Yes! Right there," Alyssa moaned out as her back arched. She felt him keep with the pressure, and the coil in her stomach tightened and tightened. She was so close. Right there. She gritted her teeth as a st of white hot heat overtook her. She shook and gasped, grabbing his hair tightly for stability. Elias pulled away when she got overly sensitive. He crawled up her body and gazed down at her with a bold smile. "That gets hotter and hotter every time you do it," Elias murmured. Chapter 92 - Sex Education Alyssa smiled up at him. She was d that it was good for him too because it was amazing for her. She was d that he was the one doing the moving right now because she still felt pretty boneless from what he did to her. "It feels like I''m in an oven. Wow," she said as she fanned herself. She could hardly handle the heat, but it also felt so good at the same time. She breathed in deeply to catch her breath. It took her a minute to recover after feeling so much pleasure. She liked reveling in it for a moment, taking it in. "I can turn the air on," Elias offered with an amused look. Alyssa shook her head, not wanting him to bother. She liked the heat. She wanted it to only get hotter and hotter from here on out. She had an idea that kepting to mind, and she believed that she had just enough courage to put it into motion. "Lay down," she said, motioning for him toy on his back next to her. She wasn''t a hundred percent sure of what she was doing, but she knew that she could figure it out. She just had to listen to her body and the noises that he made. If they both felt good, then she was doing something right. Eliasid on his back, looking eager. He watched her grab a condom and then straddle him. He held her hips to hold her steady. "Got it?" he asked her, checking in on her as she got situated above him and slipped the condom on carefully. Alyssa was a bit nervous about trying this position, but she had imagined it multiple times and thought it''d be really sexy. She wanted to feel his hands on her as she moved against him. She just had to get used to doing the work. She grabbed his length and pressed it against her entrance before sinking down on it slowly. Elias'' eyes nearly rolled back at the feeling. He moaned softly as he watched her settle on top of him. "That''s so good," he murmured as he strokedforting circles into her soft skin. Alyssa smiled at him as she took a moment to get adjusted. Once she felt good to go, she slowly started to lift herself and then lower herself. She found a slow, gentle rhythm, getting used to the motion. Elias held her hips, easing her along, but mostly just riding out her motions. His eyes were glued to her body, and he looked starstruck. She loved when he looked at her like that. "You''re so damn beautiful," he breathed out in awe. Alyssa felt herself blush. She almost wanted to cover her own face, but she didn''t do that. Instead, she smiled warmly and kept moving. She wanted to own this moment, and that meant not shying away from it. She ced her hands on his chest for better support and started going faster. Now, the pressure and friction felt even better. Just the slightest change in angle could do that to her. She dropped her head slightly, enjoying the bliss that throbbed through her as she rode him. She felt his grip start toe into y more as he brought her down on him. This was even hotter than she imagined. She loved trying new positions, finding new ways to pleasure each other. Sex was such a far away, foreign thing to her before she met him. Now, she was learning all sorts of new things, and she wanted to put them all into y. She wanted to get better and better, to make him moan and explode. Elias started thrusting up against her with each bounce. He tilted his head back with a pleased sigh, enjoying how good she felt. "So good," he said. Alyssa started rocking her hips, making him nearly lose his breath. The friction made her nearly double over on top of him. She never felt her body do that before, but everything was so intense and overwhelming. It was like her body had a mind of its own at this point. "Woah," she murmured, realizing she found the spot. She started rocking back and forth faster, and his hands on her hips helped her along. She leaned back, switching the angle slightly, and it felt like he was deeper. "I''m close." Elias nodded as his lips parted slightly in bliss. His fingernails pressed crescent marks into her skin as he gripped her. He pushed and pulled her, helping her along until she nearly seized on top of him. Alyssa''s moans echoed throughout the bedroom as she shuddered on top of him. Heat swallowed her whole, and she felt him thrust up into her one more time. She could only wilt on top of him, feeling her energy bepletely sapped. "Woah," she breathed out. She felt like she was melting. Elias wrapped his arms around her body, holding her close as he chuckled. "Damn. That was the best yet," he told her as he rubbed his hands up and down her back in aforting motion. Alyssa could only wordlessly nod. She could hardly remember any words. She just knew that felt amazing. She never had such an intense orgasm before, and each and every one she ever had was thanks to Elias. "You really hit the spot," sheughed softly once she managed to remember her vocabry. That was so intense and hot. She could still feel her skin vibrating, like it was humming with bliss. "I sure did," Elias smirked as he gently rolled them over. He pulled away from her before gently helping her off the bed. "And I''ll hit it again and again and again." "I didn''t even know that I could finish like that," Alyssa said with a shy tone to her voice. She wasn''t really used to talking about sex, but she felt morefortable talking to him about it. He obviously wasn''t an expert in thedies'' department, but he was more versed when it came to sex in general. "It''s a bit different than when I''m also rubbing your clit," Elias said with a nod. "They both seem pretty powerful." "Like explosions," Alyssa breathed out. Some of them were harder to exin. Some felt like fire. Some felt like electricity. All she knew was that they swallowed her whole, and she always wanted another one. Elias stepped closer to her and nudged her nose with his yfully. Chapter 93 - Birthday "Boom," he replied, prompting her tough. "Thanks for being so patient with me. I''m trying to learn as fast as I can," she told him sincerely. She wanted sex to be great for both of them, so she was trying to pick up as many tips as she could from each of their sessions.?? Elias gave her a pointed look. "You don''t have to rush learning anything. You do amazing every single time. As long as you feel good, I feel good," Elias pointed out. "Really?" Alyssa asked shyly. She hoped that was true because that would put so much pressure off of her. At times, she wasn''t sure if she was doing all that great or not. "Of course," Elias replied before bumping his hip against hers. Alyssaughed as they walked to the bathroom together. "Want to take a shower?" she asked. She wanted to cuddle up against him as they stood under the hot stream. She hardly even liked taking showers by herself now because she enjoyed the ones that she took with him so much. "Good idea," Elias replied before switching on the hot water. He pecked her on the cheek before pulling back the shower curtain so that she could step inside. He followed her and ducked his head under the hot spray. "I know you like it scalding hot." "I like to boil, like a lobster," Alyssa replied as she got under the spray with him. Something about hot showers was soforting to her. It melted her stress away. Not that she felt any stress now, though. She felt perfectly at peace. Eliasughed at that. "I know you''ve been avoiding bringing it up, but we need to figure out what to do for your birthday next week," he told her. Alyssa grimaced at that. Some people loved their birthdays. She was not one of those people. Unfortunately, she had too many birthdays ruined by her parents to want to celebrate any other ones. It just left a bad taste in her mouth. Of course, Zoe bbered to Elias, so they wanted to n something for her. She couldn''t exactly stop them. "I don''t even want to know," she murmured. She didn''t want any part in nning. She would just get upset and shut everything down. It was hard celebrating herself because of the bad memories she had, whether it was awful fights, her cake being thrown in the trash, or her parents embarrassing her in front of her friends. She couldn''t bear it. "We''ll surprise you then," Elias replied warmly. He then ced a hand on the back of her head gently. "We''re going to make up for all of those bad birthdays. I promise." Alyssa couldn''t help but smile. That meant a lot to her, and she believed him. She knew that him and Zoe were going to n something great for her, and she really appreciated that. It was more effort than anyone else had ever put in. "Thank you," she told him sincerely. She was a little excited, but she had to get over the bad taste first. That would take time. "As long as you''re with me, we''re celebrating anything. I''ve found that you should always look for excuses to celebrate. Things are so much more fun," Elias pointed out. Even if she didn''t have that same mindset with birthdays, Alyssa liked his optimism and positivity. She needed to think like that more. She let her past and trauma get in the way of too much. She was ready to move forward and focus on her goals. They''ve been with her through everything, and she wasn''t about to abandon them. "I can get with that," she told him. She was willing to change some of her ways, especially if they were a bit negative. Her attitude toward birthdays was cold, and she wanted to change that for the both of them. She nned to work on it. Elias pulled her against his chest, holding her as they let the water pound down on them. He leaned his head against hers with a smile. "I like when you''re here," he told her. Alyssa smiled as she lightly dragged her nails along his lower back. She liked being here too. It honestly felt more like home than anywhere else. She wanted to tell him that, but she didn''t want to overstep and make him feel like she was trying to invade his space. She just liked being anywhere with him. However, at his apartment, she felt like they could act more like themselves. They could do anything they wanted without anyone seeing or forcing them to abide by certain rules. It was like they were in their own little world here, and it was one that she didn''t want to leave anytime soon. If she did have to, she hoped that Elias woulde with her. So much emotion suddenly struck Alyssa. She felt so safe in his arms, and there was no one else that she wanted to be with. If she wanted things, she had to take risks, right? He was worth any risk, and she had words in her mind that she needed to say to him. "I love you," she blurted out before looking up at him. Anxiety gripped her, but she kept her eyes on his as they widened. "It''s okay if you don''t." Elias shook his head, which made her heart drop at first. "Of course I love you," he said before breaking out into a smile. "I have for a while now." Alyssa let out a relieved breath. That was good to hear. At least she wasn''t alone in her feelings. She hugged him tightly, not ever wanting to let him go. She had never loved someone like this before. She held tightly to the feeling. "I should''ve told you sooner, but I was scared," she admitted. She wished she stopped listening to her fear so much. All it did was hold her back from doing the things that she wanted to do. Elias rested his chin on the top of her head. "I know. Me too," he said. "But at least she finally said it now." Alyssaughed softly and nodded. Betterte than never. She continued to hold on to him as they stood under the warm spray of water. No moment felt more peaceful than this one. If she could stay in it forever, she would, but reality lurked just outside, and it refused to be ignored. Chapter 94 - Birthday (2) "Happy Birthday!" Alyssa felt a hot blush cross her cheeks as Zoe and Elias hugged her tightly. She hugged them back as they stood in the middle of arge trampoline park. ?? They had to drive a whole town over to go to it, and Alyssa would''ve never guessed that they were going to bring her here. At first, she thought this ce was only for kids, but there was plenty of people their age there too. She watched people y dodgeball, stumble through an obstacle course, jump from trampoline to trampoline, and battle with jousts above a foam pit. There was so much going on. "This ce is wild," she said as she looked around. It looked really fun, though. She had never been to a ce like this, which is the reason she suspected as to why they brought her here. They knew she wanted to experience new things. She didn''t even know where to start first, though. "It''s so fun, though. Let''s joust!" Zoe said as she grabbed Alyssa''s hand and dragged her toward the jousting area. "You guys go first so that I can see," Alyssa told them. Honestly, she just wanted to see them battle it out because it would be hrious. Elias would try to go easy on Zoe, and then Zoe would knock him clean off the beam. Zoe climbed onto the beam and held her joust at her side as Elias got situated. She eyed him before ramming the end of the joust into his stomach. "Oof!" Elias gasped out as the breath was knocked from him. He stumbled a little, but he maintained his bnce. He thrusted the joust at her, but she blocked it with her own. Alyssa watched with her arms crossed over her chest. They were actually matching up pretty well. It was fun to watch, but she wanted someone to get knocked off. "Aw,e on, guys. This is mild stuff," shemented, trying to rile them up. Zoe smirked before swinging the joust at Elias'' head. Elias leaned back just in time, watching the joust swing right in front of his face. He retaliated by mming the end of his joust into her knee, making her stumble. Zoe iled and swung her joust one more time, knocking Elias in the shoulder. They both fell into the foam pit with augh. Alyssa doubled over, holding her stomach as sheughed. Now, that was entertainment. She nced over toward the obstacle course, which immediately piqued her interest. The jousting looked fun, but she really wanted to try the obstacle course. "Come on, guys," she told them before walking toward the obstacle course. Zoe and Elias stumbled out of the foam pit after her. "It''s okay if you''re too scared to face us," Eliasmented. "Not everyone is strong enough to brave the beam," Zoe added with a smirk. Alyssa rolled her eyes at them. "Ha! How about let''s see who makes it across the obstacle course?" Alyssa replied as she pointed to it. There was a rope swing, hanging rings, tilted tforms, and thin beams. A foam pit was beneath it all, and she could understand why. It would be impossible for her to get through this without falling. "Let''s do it," Zoe said, refusing to back down from any challenge. She darted ahead of them all, jumping from tilted tform to tilted tform until she made it to the safe zone before the hanging rings. "Wow. I actually didn''t expect her to do that so well," Alyssamented as she watched Zoe prepare to climb across the hanging rings. "She''s feisty," Elias smirked before motioning for Alyssa to go ahead. "Go on, birthday girl." Alyssa leapt to the first tilted tform and held onto it for dear life. She could already feel her socks slipping against its padded surface. She tried to leap to the next one, but her feet slipped and she plummeted into the foam pit. Eliasughed as he watched her fall. He jumped to the first tilted tform and held on with ease as he reached down to help her wedge herself out of the foam pit. "Nice try," he told her in a sweet voice. Alyssa yfully sneered at him before climbing onto the next tilted tform. She ced her feet on the top edge and then leapt to the next one sessfully. Now, she got the hang of this course. She hopped until she made it to the safe zone. She had no idea how she was going to do the rings. She hadn''t done much strength trainingtely. It had all been cardio. "Can I skip?" Alyssaughed. "Nope. Try and fail," Elias replied as he nodded to the rings. Alyssa yfully shoved him into the foam pit before jumping for the first ring. Unfortunately, she miscalcted the distance and ended up falling into the foam pit right next to Elias, who busted outughing. "I need to put you on my back for this entire thing," Elias teased her as theyid in the foam pit next to each other. Alyssa tossed a foam block at him before grabbing his hand. They helped each other fight their way out of the foam pit. Getting out of the clutches of all those foam blocks was just as hard as getting through this obstacle course. "This is my exercise for the next week," she huffed once she reached the next safe tform leading to a thin beam they had to cross. She didn''t think that she would feel this much of a burn. "Come one, slowpokes!" Zoe called from the next tform, which led to a rope that had to be climbed to the other side. "Alright, spider monkey," Alyssa smirked before hurrying across the beam. She put her hands up victoriously. "I actually did that one without falling!" Elias and Zoeughed and gave her high fives once they were all on thest tform. They had to swing on a rope to thest tform. Once again, arm strength wasn''t Alyssa''s thing. Yet, this entire obstacle course seemed to require exactly that. "This is impossible, right?" Alyssa muttered as she stared at the obstacle. Who could actually hold themselves up on a thick rope like that? Getting a grip would be nearly impossible with the small hands that she had. She felt like she was out of luck, but she certainly wasn''t going to give up. Chapter 95 - Weak "To the weak," Zoemented with a smug smile. She received a push from Alyssa because of thatment. "I think she means to someone who doesn''t strength train at all," Elias hopped on the joke with augh.?? Alyssa snorted at that as she shook her head. Of course, they still wanted to y around. She thought that they were all adults, but they still acted so young. "You guys go first," Alyssa told them. She didn''t know the first thing about swinging on a rope. Did she try to hold on with her feet too? Was that even possible? She gave the rope a confused look. "I''ll do the honors," Zoe said, taking it upon herself to lead the group once again. She had already done well on the rest of the course. She might as well finish it off. She wrapped her hands around the thick rope before stepping off the edge. She swung over the foam pit to the tform before letting go so that she could jump down on it. Perfect form. Alyssa and Elias pped encouragingly for her. Honestly, it was pretty impressive. Elias went next, letting himself down on the tform with ease. He turned back as the rope swung back up to Alyssa, who grabbed it and held it close to her chest. Alyssa drew in a deep breath before holding tight and letting herself swing down. She felt her grip loosen slightly just fromck of strength, but her feet hit the tform. She stumbled slightly, but Zoe and Elias caught her and stabilized her before she could fall t on her face. "Thanks," sheughed softly as she grabbed at them. She turned and looked at the obstacle course with a proud face. "We totally schooled that." "I can school you guys with some dodgeball," Zoemented as she lifted her eyebrows at them, seeing if they were interested. "You''re asking to be hit," Alyssa smirked before heading toward one of the dodgeball arenas. She shared a quick smile with Elias when they walked inside. She knew where she usually stood when it came to birthdays, but she was really d that her friends did this for her. It was a lot of thought, and they were having a lot of fun. She couldn''t be more grateful for them. They tired themselves out with dodgeball, jumping, and some more jousting. It was an unexpected way for Alyssa to spend the day, but she had so much fun. She knew that she could count on her friends to take her somewhere she would like for her birthday. They could''ve tried to take her to a fancy restaurant or some club, but that wouldn''t have made her have so much fun. That wasn''t her scene. But having silly fun and being in a ce where they could mess around was exactly the ce that she wanted to be at with them. There was no other ce that she wanted to be. She was even sad when the day came to an end. They shared a small cake and some fruity drunks in Elias'' apartment. She even blew out a candle for them. She wished for a sessful and happy future. She hoped that she got that because that was what she had always wanted. That was what she had always wished for. She felt closer to that than ever before, though. Before she went to bed at Elias'' ce, she got an email. She picked up her phone once she walked out of the bathroom after brushing her teeth. She read the subject line and realized that it had something to do with her research assistant application. As Elias brushed his teeth in the next room, she opened the email and read through its contents. Gradually, her eyes widened more and more in disbelief. She nearly dropped her phone because she was in such shock. "I got in," she breathed out before raising her voice. "I got in!" Elias rushed out of the bathroom with his toothbrush still in his mouth. "What''s going on?" he asked, looking confused. Alyssa turned to him as she held her phone up. "I''m going to be Dr. Hahn''s research assistant next year!" Alyssa eximed. Even after saying it out loud, she could hardly believe that it was true. He must''ve liked her answers. She had worked really hard on them. Now, all that hard work paid off. It usually did. "Congrats, baby!" Elias told her warmly before sweeping her into a tight hug. He was careful not to get any toothpaste on her as he rested his head against hers. "Thank you," she said as she squeezed him. She then looked up at him with a bright smile. "This is the best birthday ever." He had beenpletely right earlier. This birthday did knock all of her other ones out of the water. She didn''t even care about them anymore because she was so happy with the one that she experienced today. They showed her how birthdays were supposed to be celebrated and how happy she was supposed to be on a day like this. She hated that it had to end already. Elias ran his fingers through her hair adoringly. "I''m d you think so," he told her sincerely. "I''m so proud of you." Alyssa broke away from him to ce her hand over her heart. Thatment really hit her deep. "I love you," she told him. It was the only thing she could think of to say. It was the only thing that also hit as deep. She was just so happy right now. She had no idea how things could get any better. It was like she was on a rollercoaster only headed up, and she didn''t mind the ride at all. "I love you," Elias said as he rubbed her arm affectionately. "You''re going to do amazing things." His words sunk so deep, deeper than anyone else''s. Something about the words from someone she loved struck her so deeply. She knew that he wouldn''t lie to her. She knew that he would tell her what she needed to hear instead of what she wanted to hear. That let her trust him, and she was d that he believed in her. She needed that support because she didn''t get it from many other sources. "We both will. Together," she told him. They would affect the world in different ways, but they would be big ways. She could already see it. She would save kids'' lives, and he would contribute to the tech world to help the advancement of society. She couldn''t believe how much of a power couple they already seemed like. "No other way," Elias said with a smile. "When do you start?" "Next semester. It''s for my junior year, but he might keep me on if he likes me for my senior year," Alyssa exined. She hoped that would be the case. That meant she had to prove herself worry to work in hisb on his research project. She had to contribute things, which meant that she had to work super hard and keep her brains sharp. "He''ll love you. You''re the smartest girl I know," Elias said with a confident wave of his hand. He had no doubts in his mind when it came to her. "There''s just so much I get to do," Alyssa breathed out in awe. This was like a wet dream for her. She would get to do so many new things. Of course, this was a serious offer, so she was going to do what he wanted her to. Most of the time. "Let me finish up, and you can tell me all about the email, okay?" Elias said with a warm expression. Alyssa nodded before crawling into the bed to wait for him. She read the email over and over again, letting the news finally sink in. She did it. She was going to be on a research project. She was one more step closer to where she wanted to be. She had no idea how many steps were left, but that was one less step she had to worry about taking now. She was getting closer. As long as she was moving forward, she didn''t care how many steps were in front of her. The journey was what mattered, and she knew that it was going to be an interesting one. She just didn''t realize in what way. Chapter 96 - The Bad News The trio upied their usual table in the university''s caf¨¦ after a long day of sses. They just wanted to take the time to catch up, rx, and sip on something warm. It was still so cold outside. Theirughter echoed throughout the small space as they reflected on Alyssa''s birthday celebration.?? "I hit you behind the head, and you went down," Zoe taunted Elias. Alyssa was smiling so much that her face was hurting. She was d that her boyfriend and best friend got along well. It made these hangouts that much more fun. She couldn''t imagine how awkward it would be if they didn''t get along. "I think you''re exaggerating a little. I literally just lost my bnce. Right, Alyssa?" Elias replied as he turned to her for support. Alyssa put her hands up innocently. "I''m not taking sides. You both had some wins and losses," she pointed out. It was pretty even. She had knocked them both down too. Zoe was definitely the most aggressive one. Her and Elias both tried strategic maneuvers. Sometimes they worked. Sometimes they didn''t. It was hard to predict against concentrated rage. "Traitor," Elias muttered before clicking his tongue at her. "I''ll remember that." "Pfft. What are you going to do?" Alyssa smirked at him in a defiant manner. He could make threats all he wanted, but it was down to if he would actually do them or not. He was all talk and no bite. "You''ll see," Elias merely said, not giving her any hints. "He''s probably going to spank you," Zoe whispered, making Eliasugh and Alyssa blush. "Alright, alright. Let''s reel it in," Alyssa chastised them, trying not tough herself. Her phone then suddenly rang. She brought it closer to her so that she could read the caller ID. It was her mom. She immediately put the call on silent. She was probably wanting more money to recover from blowing all of hers during the holiday. "You know, we should probably show some school spirit next year. Like see a football game or something," Zoemented. Elias wrinkled his nose slightly at that. "Football games are kind of boring," he replied. Zoe shrugged. "Most people leave during halftime," she replied. Alyssa knew where Zoe wasing from. College was basically their home during the year. She liked this ce, but she wasn''t all that involved. She was so busy attending sses or doing homework that she didn''t have much extra time to spare. She usually gave it to her friends. "Maybe we can do a volunteer club or something," she suggested. She wanted to get involved, but she wanted to do it in a way that mattered. "That''s not a bad idea," Elias replied. "But you have your research work. You''re going to be swamped." Alyssa nodded, knowing he had a point. She was d to be busy with that, though. She would be doing important work that could possibly help people in the future. She would rather spend her time doing something important than going to a football game just to say that she went. She was getting to a point in her life where she really needed to prioritize her time. "I''ll figure something out," she said. Volunteering still sounded like fun whenever she had the chance to. "I hope you still make time for little old me," Zoe teased her lightly. Alyssa nudged Zoe with her elbow. "Of course," she promised. She could never leave them behind. She believed that they had helped her get to this point by believing in her and supporting her. They never left her side, and she would never leave theirs either. She hoped they would never have to, even in the far future. She heard of college friends splitting apart as everyone went their separate ways after graduation. She knew that was part of life. People faded apart, but she hoped that she got spend as much time with them as she possibly could. Maybe they would be one of the rare cases and always remain friends. "Babe, your phone is ringing again," Elias told her. His eyes shifted to the screen to see the caller ID. A concerned look crossed his face. Alyssa waved her hand dismissively. She wished her mom would stop calling to bother her. She just didn''t know how to take a hint. She didn''t understand how her mom could think that it was right to keep badgering her for money. She was their kid. They were supposed to provide for her, not the other way around. "It''s nothing," she assured him, not wanting to make something out of nothing. She knew better than to feed into her parents'' drama. Once she did, it took forever to detach herself. They always tried to suck her into their trouble, but she was gone. They all got back to talking about their grades and possible ns for Spring Break. They all agreed that Miami sounded like fun. They all wanted to go to the beach andy under the warm sun, to leave this ce behind for a little while. Alyssa hoped they were able to actually put that n into action. She knew it involved nning and money, but she loved nning things and could save up enough money for the trip by the time Spring Break arrived. Alyssa parted her lips toment on something when her mom called her a third time. A third time. That was unheard of. Usually, her mom stopped after the second call. Something told Alyssa to pick up the phone this time. She just didn''t know what could be so important that would make her mom feel the need to call her three times. She felt a sense of unease as she grabbed her phone and answered it. She brought it up to her ear as Zoe and Elias quieted down so that she could hear. "Hello?" she said. She heard silence at first, and then she heard her mom crying. She felt confused. Her mom hardly ever cried. "What''s going on?" "Your dad¡­" Alyssa narrowed her eyes as she listened to her mom break out into a sob, cutting herself off. She didn''t know what was going on, but a heavy feeling started to settle in her chest. She guessed that maybe her mom caught her dad cheating on her. They had fought over her dad checking out another woman before. It wouldn''t be the craziest thing in the world. "He died." Chapter 97 - Bad News(2) Alyssa felt like all of the air was knocked out of her lungs. She blinked a few times, having to run her mom''s words through her head a few more times to grasp them. She didn''t understand. "Died? What do you mean?" Alyssa asked. She wondered if she was just hearing things wrong or if she wasn''t understanding properly. That had to be it. ?? It couldn''t be anything else. She ignored Zoe and Elias'' shocked looks. They didn''t know what was going. She didn''t know what was going on. Maybe even her mom didn''t know what was going on. "Pancreatic cancer," her mom sniffled. "Took him away from me." Alyssa tried to recover her breath, but it was elsewhere. It felt like there was a hole in her lungs. She couldn''t hold in enough air. It kept escaping her like a punch. Over and over. "When?" Alyssa managed to ask. How did this happen? She didn''t even know that her dad was sick. No one said anything to her! "This morning," her mom replied. "His funeral is at the end of the week." Alyssa stared at the space in front of her. Truthfully, she didn''t even really register what was right in front of her eyes. She just heard her mom''s words and felt a dull ache in her chest. Reality was starting to hit her, and it ached. She wasn''t close to her parents, and they were issues with their rtionship, but she didn''t want them¡­ dead. She didn''t want this to be happening! She couldn''t believe that he was gone. Just like that. She didn''t even remember herst words to him or hisst words to her. They probably weren''t all that nice. "We couldn''t afford treatment," her mom continued. That blow hit Alyssa extra hard. Her mom hadn''t said anything about needing the money for cancer treatments! She didn''t tell her a word. She didn''t even know how long they had known he was sick for. Each and every thought that passed through her brain made her more and more nauseous. She didn''t think she could handle this. How could she? There were plenty of moments when she was sure that she hated her dad. Now, he was gone, and there was no sort of closure between them. They never had a chance. All she had to remember him by was a bunch of bad memories that she wished she could forget in a heartbeat. "I''m so sorry," Alyssa found herself saying. She wished that they hadn''t kept this from her. She could''ve helped at least a little bit sense they needed the money. She didn''t even know how to feel. She wished that someone could tell her because it would be so much simpler. "Yeah," her mom merely said. "I have to go. Family is here." Alyssa looked stunned as the call went dead. It had to be real if family was there. Family would only evere around if someone died. Maybe not even then. She swallowed hard as her eyes stung. She felt almost blinded, but she had to move. She couldn''t stay here. "Hey, are you okay?" Elias asked her as he scooted his chair closer to her. He looked incredibly concerned for her and so did Zoe. They only heard bits and pieces, but they knew that the news wasn''t good. Alyssa kept staring straight ahead. "My dad died," she managed to say. Before anyone could say anything, she stood up from her chair and walked out of the caf¨¦. She didn''t want anyone catching up with her, so she started running. She didn''t even care that people were staring at her. She just needed to run, to not just sit there. It felt like ants were crawling all over her skin. She could hear her phone ringing, but she couldn''t pick up. She didn''t even want to look at her phone right now. She kept hearing her mom''s voice in her head, and it wouldn''t stop. It wouldn''t quiet down. Was there any way to get rid of the noise? Once Alyssa reached her dorm room, she started throwing things in her backpack. She didn''t even know if she was packing the right things. She just knew that she needed to leave. She had to go home. She never thought she''d find herself thinking that, but it was the only ce she could think to go right now. She knew that she left Zoe and Elias confused, but they would understandter. They just didn''t understand what was going through her head right now. They didn''t understand that she had to leave now. She hurried out to her car, threw her things inside, and then got in the passenger seat. She had a little bit of a drive ahead of her, but she didn''t care. She just needed to go forward, and this was the fastest way. She didn''t even care about missing her sses or saying goodbye to anyone. At the end of one''s life, did that even matter? Did anything even matter? ************* There was a sea of darkness in front of Alyssa. She blinked a few times to clear her blurry vision, and she watched the fuzzy blobs turn into mourners in ck clothing. Her eyes shifted around the small church as she sat in one of the back pews. She couldn''t bring herself to get any closer to her father as heid in his wooden casket at the front of the church. Even if he was her father, she still felt like she didn''t even belong here. All of her family members that she hadn''t seen in years gave her funny looks, and she couldn''t even be bothered to try to talk to them. Of course, she told her grandmother and grandfather that she was sorry for the loss of their son, but they hardly even acknowledged her. Maybe they just didn''t recognize her. She didn''t know why she came back here. She just felt like she needed to. He was still her dad at the end of the day. She felt like she needed to see him off, to watch him go. Then, she felt like she would be split apart from the family once again. They only came together for this moment. Once it was over, things would go back to normal for the most part. Chapter 98 - The Lie It was strange how sad she felt over someone she wasn''t even close to. Maybe she was just sad by nature. Someone in her family passed away. It was a sad thing. Maybe she was sad because she never got a chance to be close to her dad.?? They never had a chance to get over their differences and try to bond with the time they had left. She doubted that would ever happen, but now there was zero chance of that happening. Now, all that was left of her father was bad memories. She didn''t have any hope for what the future could''ve been for them. She didn''t have any warm moments to reflect on. There was just darkness and coldness, and that made her feel even more alone right now, despite her being surrounded by family on all sides. She hadn''t talked to Elias since she abruptly left campus a few days ago. Well, she texted him that she had gone back home so that he wasn''t worried sick about her, but she hadn''t responded to any of his texts or calls. She just didn''t have it in her to really talk to anyone right now. She felt like she needed to recover first, to see this go through. Her eyes shifted around as she watched various family members pass by the pews to get to their seats or to visit with her dad before the service began. She felt bad, but she wished that it would hurry up and get started. She needed to go through this. She hoped that she would feel better afterwards, like she had gotten some closure. Maybe she never would, though. "I don''t know why you bothered toe." Alyssa heard the familiar, cold voice of her mom. She turned her head to see her mom at the end of the pew in a flowy, ck dress. Alyssa only had a ck skirt and a ck top that she had packed. It would have to do. "What?" she asked. Her mom shook her head. A few of her brown strands fell against her round shoulders. "You didn''t even care about him. About us. I don''t know why you''re here like you care," her mom replied with sharpness in her tone. Alyssa knew that her mom was just upset and wanted to take her feelings out on someone. She decided that her mom could do that to her today because she didn''t ever want toe back to this ce after today. She just needed to do this, and then this chapter of her life was over with. She couldn''t take the pain, the constant disappointment. She would figure out somewhere else to live when school was out for the summer. "I wanted to care about you. You just never cared about me," Alyssa said evenly. She didn''t want to start drama today. It wasn''t about her. It wasn''t about her bad rtionship with her parents. It was just about her dad. She could respect that. She needed her mom to as well. However, she was also going to be honest. She wasn''t going to walk on eggshells any longer. Her mom scoffed at her. "You brat. It''s just all about you, isn''t it? Your father would be ashamed," she spat before stomping away to her seat. "He already was," Alyssa murmured quietly. She couldn''t remember a point in her life when it seemed like her dad was proud of her. That didn''t matter, though. Now, he certainly never would be. He would never see her graduate. He would never see her be a doctor or achieve her dreams. He would never know. Alyssa settled back in the pew as the priest walked onto the stage to start the service. She listened to his words echo throughout the church. They passed right through her ears mostly. She just stared at her dad''s casket and wondered what hisst moments were like. She wasn''t going to ask her mom for any details. She didn''t need them for closure. They would just torture her. "Ann would like to say a few words," the priest said before stepping aside to let her grandmother talk into the microphone. "Oh, our George. He was such a wonderful man. A wonderful husband. A wonderful father," Alyssa''s grandmother sighed. Alyssa didn''t even realize that she was tearing up until she felt a single tear streak down her cheek. She wasn''t crying because she was mourning. She was crying because of how much of a lie that was. Everyone here was lying to themselves about what kind of person her dad was. They knew he was a bad husband and father, but they had to find something nice to say. It was sad. She lowered her head as she listened to the rest of her grandmother''s speech. Being here was painful. She wished that Elias was with her, holding her in his arms. She shouldn''t have expected herself to be fine going through this alone. No one could go through this alone without breaking apart. "Let us pray," the priest said. At least her head was already down. She didn''t think about religion much. Her parents never really went to church. It was strange to be here at the end of her dad''s life. She wondered if he even wanted to be sent off like this. She didn''t even know why she was thinking of these things. She believed she was just trying to ignore the cold, empty feeling that she felt inside of her. She didn''t know when it was going to go away. She stayed near the back for the burial too. She almost didn''t go, but she knew that she needed to stay for the whole thing. She needed to watch him be lowered into the ground. This was the end of her rtionship with her dad. She hadn''t experienced many endings in her life. She wasn''t sure how to properly handle them. How did she walk away from this? She wondered if there was anything that she needed to say to anyone before she stepped away and never came back. Would they even wonder about her? She felt like she was in the middle of some sort of mental tug of war. She was ripping herself in half, but she knew where to go to get mended. Without a word, she walked away from the crowd as they quietly mourned together. She didn''t slow her steps. She didn''t turn and look. She just walked to her car, got inside, and drove away. That was the best thing that she could do for herself. Chapter 99 - His Comfort Alyssa looked up at her dorm building for a few moments. It was almost hard to believe that she was back here. She could''ve sworn that just a few minutes ago she was at her dad''s funeral. She nced around, making sure that she was actually back on campus. She didn''t remember much of the drive back.?? Her mind was so busy but so focused at the same time. She ran her fingers through her hair, drawing the strands back from her face. She needed to change her clothes, take a shower, get something to eat. She needed to breathe life back into herself again. Not to be ironic, but she felt pretty dead on the inside. She hadn''t felt so out of ce and empty in a long time. Her whole world had gotten rocked, and she didn''t know how to make it stop tilting. She was ready to nt her feet, but she needed help. She knew who could help her, but she wasn''t even sure that she deserved his help. She up and ran off without notice. She probably scared the hell out of him. She could still try, though. She was in no condition to be alone right now. Slowly, she reached into her back pocket and pulled out her phone. She tapped on Elias'' contact and hit the call button. It only rang once before he picked up the phone. "Alyssa? Are you okay? Where are you?" Elias reeled off the questions one after the other, sounding worried. "Meet me at my dorm," Alyssa told him. Once he acknowledged that, she hung up. She didn''t do it to be mean. She just knew that they would talk about what needed to be talked about in person. She lingered around the front of the building until she spotted him hurrying toward her. Elias swept her into a tight hug. "I''m so d you''re back. Are you okay?" he asked her once they broke apart. He cupped her cheek to draw her eyes to his. Alyssa shook her head. "Not now," she said. She was being honest. She was a mess right now, and she wasn''t sure how much time she needed to heal. She just wanted him to know that it had nothing to do with him, that he did nothing wrong. "But I will be." Elias held her gaze for a few moments before nodding. "I''m sorry about your dad," he told her sincerely. "I know you weren''t close, but he was still your dad." Alyssa nodded as she listened to him. He was right. She was d that he understood that. She didn''t want to have to exin why she was so sad over someone she had no connection with other than gics. She ced her hands over his. "I''m sorry for leaving like that. I¡­ panicked," she said. That was as best as she could describe her actions. She wasn''t really thinking. She was just reacting to what she was told, and it made her leave town and go back home. She hoped that wasn''t her gut reaction for anything else because she never wanted to go back there. It was her dad''s funeral, and she still didn''t feel like she belonged there. Elias shook his head as he stroked her cheeks. "Don''t apologize. You did nothing wrong. I''m just d you''re okay," he told her. Alyssa smiled slightly at that. No matter what, he seemed to care deeply about her. She cared about him on that level too. Itforted her that she had someone like him in her corner. She needed him right now. She would need him in the future. "I love you. I really do. I don''t think I''ll be able to get through this properly without you," Alyssa told him, beingpletely honest. She felt like if she didn''t have him, she wouldn''t heal from this in the proper way. She would use other methods that wouldn''t be so good for her. Anything to numb how she felt. She didn''t want to turn into that person. "I''m right here with you. I''m not going anywhere," Elias assured her before pressing a soft kiss against her forehead. "Is there anything I can do to help you right now?" "Just be with me. Hold me," Alyssa told him. That was all that she wanted from him right now. That was all she craved when she was gone. She would have to handle the rest. It was her own healing process, but he could certainly be there to support her. "I can do that," Elias replied before pulling her into another warm embrace. He rubbed his hands up and down her back. "It''s okay to hurt like this." Alyssa buried her face in his chest, feeling her eyes start to burn. She had been trying to avoid such heavy and dark feelings for so long now. She didn''t want to feel them anymore, but she couldn''t ignore them right now. They were basically all that she felt. "I know," she said. Her voice came out shakily. "Why don''t you stay with me tonight? I don''t want you to be alone," Elias suggested. "That''s probably a good idea," Alyssa murmured. She didn''t need to be alone. She would just overthink, and that never led to anything good. She let him lead her across campus to his car. They went to his apartment, and he got her settled andfortable in his bed. He even put on a movie for her. Once again, he proved himself to be as close to perfect as possible. She was grateful for him. She wished that she could properly express that right now, but she wasn''t all that great at expressing anything right now. She still felt a little numb. Elias came andid next to her that night. He let hery her head on his chest as the movie droned on in the background. Truthfully, neither of them were really focused on what was happening on the screen. Alyssa was more than relieved when sleep finally captured her. She hadn''t been able to sleep well since she received the news that her dad had passed away. Being with Elias finally calmed her enough to help her sleep. Thankfully, she didn''t dream. She would''ve been afraid of what would''vee up. The next morning, she stirred slowly, easing herself out of her deep slumber. She nestled her cheek against his chest, reveling in his warmth. She didn''t want to leave this bed ever. This was the only ce where she felt somewhat content. She didn''t want to go to ss. She didn''t want to do anything buty here with him. She knew that life was going on without her out there, but she didn''t care right now, no matter how much she wanted to. Maybe she would again one day, but that wasn''t today. For now, all she cared about was the boy that was steadily dragging her out of the darkness. "Good morning," Elias softly murmured as he stroked his fingers through her hair. Alyssa closed her eyes and leaned into the touch, enjoying how softly he touched her. "Morning," she said just as quietly. It was like they were sharing secrets. Maybe they were. She didn''t want to talk to another soul right now but him. Elias kissed her on the temple before gazing down at her. "Are you doing okay?" he asked her. Alyssa had the same answer for him as before. Some things had changed since she came back, but so much hadn''t yet. It would take time. Maybe a miracle. Maybe something more. "Not yet but eventually." Chapter 100 - Decisions 2 YEARS LATER, The entirety of Ond University seemed to breathe out a collective breath of relief as thest day before spring break finally ended. ?? Students in theirst sses of the day rushed out of the buildings in waves, hurrying to go back to their homes to prepare for theing week of fun and rxation. It was exactly what they needed after a long, hard school year. Alyssa didn''t rush all the way off campus, though. She lingered around the fountain in the center, peering down at her reflection and realizing that this was herst spring break at Ond University. She was a senior now. So much had happened these past two years. She turned her head slightly as she watched her reflection, smiling at the red glow of her hair and the new highlights that Zoe convinced her to get. It made her hair look like fire. She flipped her hair back as she straightened up, adjusting the thin material of her white and ck striped crop top. She needed to get going. Someone was waiting on her. Alyssa ventured through campus, letting her eyes sweep over the buildings that she used to have sses in and the benches she sat on with her friends. She couldn''t believe that she was graduating in a few months. Time had flown by so fast, but the past two years were exciting, stressful, and full of lessons. It was time for the next chapter now. She walked to a parking lot on the edge of campus, soon seeing a familiar ck Challenger roll toward her. She smiled as the passenger side window rolled down, and Elias pushed his sunsses down to peer at her. "Hey, beautiful," he greeted her with that usual charming smile of his. Even to this day after years of being together, he still made her blush. She opened the door and got into the passenger seat, not skipping a beat as she leaned forward to kiss him. Her fingers brushed through his dark hair, drawing the short strands back from his forehead. Elias gently caressed her arm as his eyes briefly fell shut. He slipped into the kiss, his lips pressing and moving against hers until they broke apart. "I''m so d break is here," he murmured as he grinned at her. "We''re going to have so much fun," Alyssa replied with a bright smile. She no longer spent her breaks cooped up in her dorm room. When she had the chance to get out and go somewhere, she took it. She wanted to explore the world, to see what she hadn''t seen yet. She was only twenty-two once. "I just have a few more things to pack," Elias told her as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed to his apartment. Alyssa gave him a pointed look. Her bags were already packed and ready to go. They were leaving for their trip tomorrow and had been nning this for two months now. How was he not ready? "What?" Elias asked when he noticed her looking at him. "We''re only going to be out of town for a few days. I don''t have to pack that much." "You''re such a cker," Alyssa teased him. Honestly, he was the opposite of a cker. He had worked just as hard as her thesest two years. As he took on more business courses, his grades soared, and she couldn''t wait to watch him seed after college. After college. As excited as Alyssa was for graduation, life was going to look a lot different after that. She shook the thoughts from her head, not wanting to dwell on them right now. She wanted to focus on the Summer Jam Music Festival that they were going to for spring break. It was a few cities away, so it was a perfect escape for a little while. "But you love me," Elias pointed out as he winked at her. Alyssaughed lightly as she nodded. He certainly was right. She loved him with everything she had, and she owed so much of the happiness and fun she had experienced thesest two years to him. He helped her discover so much of herself, and she knew there was still more to find out because she grew with him. They bloomed together. "Yeah, yeah," she replied teasingly before settling back in her seat and enjoying the ride as rock music murmured from the radio. When they arrived at Elias'' apartment, Alyssa copsed on the couch, sprawling out casually. She was here as much as she was in her own dorm room. She didn''t expect to be in a dorm room as a senior, but it helped her save money. She needed plenty of it for when she went to medical school next fall. After years of research work, shadowing, volunteering, actual work, and studying, she was finally epted into NYU''s medical school. It was her number one choice, and they had a ster pediatrics department. It was perfect, but not everything about the situation was actually perfect. There were some difficult things that Alyssa had to figure out. She had to move to New York, which was across the country, and that was going to happen soon. She had to figure out where to live before medical school started, but she couldn''t bring herself to make a decision yet because of Elias. They hadn''t talked about what they were going to do after graduation. They had their own separate goals. She wanted to go to medical school, and he wanted to start his tech consulting business. New York would be a great ce for him to do that, but she didn''t want to push him to go anywhere that he didn''t want to. She just didn''t know what to do because he hadn''t even asked her to move in with him in the few years they had been dating. If he wasn''t ready to live with her now, she doubted that he would be ready to move across the country with her and live with her there. She couldn''t help but wonder why he hadn''t asked her to move in with him yet. Maybe he liked his space. Maybe he didn''t love her that much. None of the reasons that she thought of made her feel any better, but she didn''t have the courage to ask him. Maybe he was waiting to surprise her after graduation, but she couldn''t wait that long. She had to figure things out soon! Chapter 101 - Decisions(2) "How about this for the festival?" Elias asked as he walked into the living room from his bedroom. He held a ck, short sleeve button down in his hand. "Don''t you have a tank top or something?" Alyssaughed as she turned her head to look at him.?? She had only seen him in so many casual clothes. He loved his button downs, and she loved seeing them on him. It would be nice to see him in a tank top and shorts, though. She wanted him to befortable out there in the heat. Elias scoffed as he shook his head. "I don''t believe in tank tops," he replied as he gazed at her. An amused smile then crossed his face. "You look prettyfortable." "I like being here," Alyssa replied as she held his gaze. Maybe she was doing a little bit of hinting right now, bute on! She knew that she loved him and wanted to be with him. She wanted him with her during medical school and beyond. She just wished that he would ask her to live with him, to take that next step in their rtionship. Elias walked over to her and pressed a soft kiss against her head before straightening back up. "Gotta go pack my toothbrush and stuff," he said before walking back into his bedroom. Alyssa held in a sigh until he disappeared. She rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling, wondering if he was ever going to ask her. She supposed that she could ask him too, but that was basically asking him to move to New York with her. That was a huge thing of her to ask, but she wanted to be with him. If he said no and didn''t want to move to New York, she wouldn''t know what to do. He didn''t seem to have any strong ties to his ce except for his family, who she still hadn''t met. He assured her that they weren''t greatpany, and she had experienced enough trauma when it came to family. She hadn''t spoken to her mom since her dad''s funeral. She just hoped to hear good news soon. She hated feeling so lost, especially as all of her deadlines were starting to approach. The clock was ticking, and she had to start making some decisions soon. She wanted to make some with Elias, but if she had to make them without him, then she would. **************** "There she is!" An excited smile broke out across Alyssa''s face as she swung herself out of Elias'' car. She rushed into Zoe''s arms, hugging her tightly. Even if they didn''t have any sses together anymore, they tried to catch up whenever they could. "I''m so d you guys coulde with us," Alyssa said as she nced past Zoe''s now dark brown hair at Cole, who was carrying his and Zoe''s bags to Elias'' car. "Thanks for the invitation," Cole replied warmly before greeting Elias. "The lineup at this festival seems really good," Alyssamented as she turned back to Zoe. "Hell yeah, and you know that we''re gonna dress up," Zoe said excitedly as she yed with a strand of Alyssa''s hair. "I brought glitter!" Alyssa smirked as she shook her head at Zoe. "I bet you did, along with a bunch of other crazy things," she said before leading Zoe to the car. Being around Zoe for two years had definitely helped her crawl out of her shell a little more. She tried new looks and things. Some things worked for her, like her highlights and crop tops, and some things didn''t. She cringed at the thought of her colored contacts phase. Zoe climbed into the backseat of Elias'' car, settling next to her boyfriend. They had been going strong since they started hanging out after the party they met at. Alyssa couldn''t be happier that her best friend finally met her match. "Alright, everyone ready?" Elias asked once he got into the driver seat. He turned to look at everyone, making sure everyone was ready for a drive that was going to take a few hours. "Ready!" Zoe quipped before happily pping. "Get me away from this campus." Cole chuckled as he put his arm around her shoulders. "But you''reing right back next semester for grad school," he reminded her. "I don''t know what I''m doing," Zoe groaned as she tilted her head back. "But at least I''m not going to school even longer. Alyssa." Alyssa smiled to herself as everyone elseughed. She would be in school longer than anyone else in this car, but she knew that she would learn a lot. For what she wanted to do, she needed to learn everything that she could. She would be dealing with kids, so she wanted to be as perfect and knowledgeable as possible. She didn''t care how long she had to go to school for. "Well, I''ll probably need a bunch of therapy by the time I get done with everything," Alyssa replied. "I''ll give you a discount," Zoeughed. "How generous," Elias smirked as he pulled onto the highway. He reached over and took Alyssa''s hand, shooting her a quick smile before looking back at the road. Alyssa smiled back, feeling warmth bloom through her. She was so excited for this trip, even if it was short and not too far away from campus. It was an escape, and that was what she needed most before all of the stress came raining down on her. "So, are you guys doing anything the night of graduation?" Cole asked. Alyssa nced over at Elias, who shook his head. They didn''t have any ns set yet. It wasn''t like she had any family to attend to after the ceremony. Deep down, it made her a little sad, but she knew that any family that came would just ruin the day for her. She would rather spend her time with people who actually supported her. "Nope. Are you guys doing anything?" Alyssa asked, figuring that was why he asked. If anyone was going to n something fun, it would be Zoe and Cole. They hosted small parties all the time at Zoe''s apartment. "Graduation party! It''s going to be our best party yet," Zoe eximed as she sat up in our seat. "It might be thest party we''ll all be at for a while." Sadness washed over Alyssa as she nodded. Chapter 102 - His Decision When she moved to New York, she would be leaving behind her best friend. Just thinking about it pained her, but she was also happy for Zoe. She was pursuing her master''s in psychology, and she had a great boyfriend. Alyssa hoped that they stayed in contact when she left.?? She also hoped that she didn''t lose Elias too. Losing them both would be too painful. They were the only family that she had left. Medical school would be the hardest chapter of her life so far, and she wasn''t sure if she would be able to get through it alone. "That sounds really fun," Alyssa said with a nod. If they were all going to be together one more time for a long while, they might as well go out with a bang. "Let us know if you need any help." "Really? That''d be great! You can help me decorate," Zoe said as she reached out to shake Alyssa''s shoulder. "I can cook something," Elias offered with a sheepish smile. "Make that cheese dip you did that one time," Cole said. "That stuff was amazing." "Yeah! You should do that," Alyssa agreed as she turned to smile at Elias. She gave his hand a squeeze. "My chef." Elias chuckled as he shook his head at her. "I''m not a chef," he rified. "I can just follow a recipe." "Compared to me, you''re like Gordon Ramsey," Alyssa pointed out. She had no idea how to cook. Granted, she lived in a dorm and didn''t have that much ess to a kitchen so that she could practice. She couldn''t wait to live in an actual apartment. Hopefully, she would be sharing it with Elias. If they didn''t share a ce, she would have to live on campus again or take out loans for housing. All of that was such a hassle, but she hoped that she wouldn''t have to deal with it. It would be so much easier to apply for an apartment with Elias. Plus, they could cook together. He could teach her some tricks. They could wake up to each other and fall asleep with each other every morning and night. They could decorate together. There were so many things that they could do, and she wanted to share her New York experience with the love of her life. Elias nced up at the rearview mirror to look at Cole. "What are you doing after graduation? Are you staying around the university?" he asked. Cole nodded as he smiled at Zoe. "Yeah, I have a good chance at a job at the local news station. They need a weather boy," he chuckled. "What about you?" Alyssa looked over at Elias, feeling her heart jolt slightly as she waited for his answer. Maybe he would answer the questions that she had been too nervous to ask him. Elias kept his eyes on the road. "I''m still thinking some things over," he merely said. Alyssa''s heart sank into her stomach. That was it? There were only a few months left until graduation, and he was still thinking things over. What was he so conflicted about? She wished that he would talk to her. "Cutting it pretty close," Zoe said with a weakugh. Alyssa knew that Zoe was saying that for her. She knew that Alyssa was waiting for Elias to finally give her an answer about their future because she was the only soul on the who knew about Alyssa''s predicament. Unfortunately, that didn''t work either. "It''ll be fine. Besides, we''re on vacation. Let''s focus on the fun stuff!" Elias replied as he nced around with a smile. "Yeah, I''m tired of talking about school," Cole agreed. "I can''t wait to see Circus Society''s set." Alyssa lowered her eyes to stare into herp. She noticed that Zoe grew a bit quiet too as the boys talked. She didn''t get the answer that she was hoping to get at all. It was like he was dodging around the discussion, but why was he doing that? She decided to drop this for now. She didn''t want to ruin the mood for the trip, and it was a private discussion. As hard as it was to let it go, it was even harder to ignore Zoe''s infectiousughter, Cole''s optimism, and Elias'' jokes. She soon slipped back into the conversation, focusing on the week ahead but not beyond it. ******* Alyssa stared up at the hotel that they would be staying at in the city with wide eyes. Where they came from was fairly small. Going to an actual city with tall buildings and attractions was a whole new thing, and she loved it. Soon, she would live in one of the greatest cities in the world. She followed everyone inside the Ivy Hotel and Suites, feeling a st of air conditioning flow over her as they walked into the lobby to get checked in. They got two rooms across the hall from each other so that each couple had some privacy. She was excited to have some time with Elias. "I''m beat. How about we rest for a few hours and then we can grab dinner?" Elias suggested as everyone walked to the elevator. "Sounds good to me!" Zoe quipped before Cole also nodded. She turned to Alyssa. "Text me if you need anything." Alyssa knew that look. Zoe was basically asking her if she needed to talk. She did want to talk but at ater time. She was supposed to be rxing and having fun on this trip. When they all returned, things were going to speed on by until graduation. She needed this break. "Okay. I should be fine for now," she replied, giving Zoe a look to tell her that she was okay. Zoe nodded before they all boarded the elevator to go up to the fourth floor. Alyssa couldn''t remember thest time that she stayed in a hotel. Or if she even had before. Her parents didn''t exactly make it a habit to take her on any trips. She hadn''t been able to afford them during her first few years of college. Now, she was finally at a point where this wouldn''t kill her bank ount. She had a way better job now than she did back in her sophomore year. Though, she did miss the simplicity and easiness of that job. Chapter 103 - Proud Alyssa couldn''t remember thest time that she stayed in a hotel. Or if she even had before. Her parents didn''t exactly make it a habit to take her on any trips. She hadn''t been able to afford them during her first few years of college. Now, she was finally at a point where this wouldn''t kill her bank ount. ?? She had a way better job now than she did back in her sophomore year. Though, she did miss the simplicity and easiness of that job. "455," Elias murmured as he looked down at the key card in his hand. Once the elevator opened, he walked out and took a left down a long hallway, ncing at the doors to try to find their room. Alyssa followed behind, her ck sneakers thudding against the blue carpeted floor. She couldn''t wait for the festival tomorrow, but she was also excited for some quiet time tonight. She only really got to rx with Elias on the weekends because they were both so busy. Now, they were far away from Ond, and she wanted to make the most of their time here. "Here we are," Elias said as he stopped between two doors on either side of the hallway. He pointed to the one on his left. "This is ours." "We''ll see you guys soon," Alyssa told Zoe and Cole, who nodded before disappearing into their own room. She turned back to Elias just as he unlocked the door and pushed it open. She stepped inside with a look of wonder. There was a queen-sized bed, a desk, a nice bathroom, a mini fridge and bar, and a small sofa. She headed over to the tall window in the room, peering out at the small city. She could see all of the cars and people moving on the streets and sidewalk down below. She couldn''t wait for more great views like this. She saw so much life as it happened. "This is amazing," she said as she turned back to Elias. Elias set their bags down before walking over to her. He put his hands on her waist, pulling her close. "We''re going to have an amazing time," he told her as he smiled at her. "I''ve loved every single one of our adventures together." Alyssa felt her heart beat rapidly as she gazed up into his eyes. From little tea dates to long hikes in beautiful parts of the forest, she couldn''t count how many things they experienced together. She hoped that they got to experience so much more. She felt alive with him. "I love you," she murmured as she ced her hands on his upper arms, feeling the shift of muscle when he tightened his grip on her waist. Elias rested his forehead against hers. "I love you. I''m proud of you too," he told her. "I''ve loved watching you be this beautiful, intelligent, stubborn woman." Alyssaughed softly as she rolled her eyes at him. He imed that she was stubborn, but she only felt that she was under certain circumstances. Then again, wasn''t she stubborn for denying that she was stubborn? "You''ve helped me be her. Without you¡­ I wouldn''t have tried half the things I did. I wouldn''t have ever felt this happy," she told him. He changed her life. "Let me make you feel really happy right now," Elias smirked before he pressed his lips against hers. Alyssa wrapped her arms around his neck as she melted under the kiss. He was so warm, so soft. She let him lead her to the recently made bed. A gasp left her when she was pushed onto her back. She peered up at him with a smile as he crawled over her. "What a good way to start our vacation," shemented as she grabbed the end of his ck shirt, tugging it off his body. Her eyes fell to the lean muscle of his chest and arms, making her feel warm all over at the sight. Elias chuckled as he pulled her shirt off. "It''s going to be one you''re never going to forget," he told her before tugging off her jean shorts. "So damn beautiful." Alyssa blushed as she sat up a little. She undid his belt and jeans, helping him push them off. She pulled him back down, kissing him heatedly as their hands roamed over each other''s bodies. She ran her fingers through his hair, holding tight as he cupped her breasts through her bra. Elias unsped her bra, unable to take the bra being in the way any longer. He broke from her lips and tilted his head down to take one of her hard nipples into his mouth. He sucked steadily, while he caressed her other breast with his hand. Alyssa arched up into his touch, sighing blissfully at how warm his mouth felt. She closed her eyes, reveling in the sensations as he switched to the other nipple. She wrapped her legs around him, drawing him close. "I need you," she breathed out. As much as she loved teasing, she wanted him. It had been days since thest time they slept together because they had been so busy. This was their first chance to, and she didn''t want to take a chance and miss it. "Someone''s impatient," Elias said as he felt her tugging on his hair. He lifted his head to smirk at her. "What do you want?" "You," Alyssa told him, feeling his fingertips drift up her thighs teasingly. "How bad?" Elias asked as he pushed her panties aside. "So bad," Alyssa breathed out, feeling her words nearly get caught in her throat when she felt his fingers brush through her folds. She was already wet and ready for him. Elias grinned as he circled her clit a few times with his fingers before pushing them inside of her. He captured her lips to quiet her moan, curling his fingers inside of her to hit that spot that made her nearly see stars. Alyssa pushed her hips up against his hand, enjoying the pressure as he thrust them inside of her. It still wasn''t what she wanted, though. He was still teasing her. "Please," she said as she reached forward to grip his hard length through his ck briefs. Elias chuckled lowly as he shook his head at her. "Naughty, aren''t you?" he murmured before pulling his fingers out. He suddenly grabbed her hips and flipped her over onto her stomach. A moan broke from her as he pulled her up onto her knees with her upper body angled down toward the bed. She turned her head to look back at him just as he shoved his briefs down and pushed inside of her. Elias dropped his head as he reveled in the feeling of her. He dug his fingertips into her hips, holding tight as they both adjusted. He then started thrusting into her, drawing moan after moan from her. Alyssa rested her forehead on the mattress as the heat and pressure started to overtake her. It felt so good, and she knew that he wouldn''t stop until she was falling apart. She parted her legs more, gasping in bliss at the change in angle. It felt like he was going so deep. "So good," Elias gritted out as his hands drifted over her thighs and ass. He increased his pace, driving into her hard and fast. Alyssa squeezed her eyes shut, feeling her legs threaten to shake. Heat and pleasure filled her to the brim, and she felt so close to exploding already. He still worked her body so well. He knew what spots to hit, what angles to do. He knew everything about how to please her. "I''m so close, Elias," she breathed out. Her back arched as he pulled her back against him. Elias knew exactly what she needed. He reached around to slip his hand between her legs, rubbing at her clit to make her legs tremble. "Come on, baby," he encouraged her as he leaned near her ear, not stopping his thrusts. He was intent on bringing her over the edge. Alyssa finally sumbed to the pleasure, nearly toppling over as the wave of heat overtook her. She managed to stay upright just long enough for him to finish before they both copsed onto the mattress next to each other. She breathed in deeply, trying to catch her breath. "Woah," she breathed out beforeughing. "We need to take more vacations." Elias turned his head to grin at her. A few strands of his dark hair stuck against his forehead. "We have some more time left to wreck this hotel room," he pointed out. Alyssa turned onto her side to face him. She lifted an eyebrow at him. "Are you willing to pay for those damages?" she asked. "Hell yeah," Elias smirked before pulling her close to him. He captured her lips in a sultry kiss, letting his hand travel up the curve of her body. Alyssa smiled into the kiss, sensing that they were going to spend a little more time in the bed before getting ready for dinner. They had one kind of hunger on their minds right now, and it wasn''t for food. Chapter 104 - Best Year The Summer Jam Music Festival was jam-packed with people. It was almost like trying to walk through campus on the first day. People moved all over the ce, whether they were in groups or going solo. However, no one was stressing about exams or downing coffee to try to get an ounce of motivation. ?? Here, everyone was high on music, fun, or¡­ something else. Alyssa held Elias'' hand as the four of them ventured through therge fairground. There were two big stages set up for various acts to perform at, whether they were pop, EDM, or alternative. There were also tons of vendors selling merch, local art, and food. Even with the sun beating down on them, it was a good time. "If I didn''t have to buy a dress for graduation, I would buy all of this merch," Zoe sighed wistfully as she admired all of the shirts, bags, hoodies, and other items for sale. "You just like to buy things," Alyssa smirked, knowing of Zoe''spulsive shopping habit. Zoe dragged Alyssa out to shop with her whenever she had the chance to. Alyssa had far more control over her money, but she ended up breaking down a lot and buying things too. "She has so many clothes that they''re somehow finding their way into my closet," Cole said as he gave Zoe a pointed look. "Well, you don''t mind, right?" Zoe asked, looking hopeful. "Of course not. You know that you''re wee to keep anything over at my ce," Cole replied with a smile. He leaned over to kiss Zoe. Alyssa nced away, feeling happy for her friend but upset for herself. She had maybe a few things over at Elias'' ce. She didn''t want to ask to keep things there. Whenever she identally left something there, like a shirt or her hairbrush, he always brought it back to her. She tried not to overthink that, though. Maybe he was just being nice and thinking she needed her things back. "Most of the big acts are after sunset," Cole said as they walked by the vendors, admiring some of the merch for sale. "Let''s just try to stay cool until then," Alyssa said, not wanting anyone to get dehydrated. She spotted a ck tank top hanging up in one of the merch booths. It had the festival name across the front in white letters. She turned to Elias as she stopped him from walking. "I see a tank top that would look good on you." Elias smirked as he looked at the tank top that she was referring to. "What is your obsession with seeing me in a tank top?" he asked her, looking at her curiously. Alyssa pulled him down so that she could murmur next to his ear. "More for me to admire," she replied. She loved how he looked, so she wouldn''t mind seeing more of it out there for her to admire. Plus, it was burning up today. His button down had to make him feel miserable. Her and Zoe went with cute crop tops and jean shorts. Zoe also fixed their hair into delicate braids and did their makeup. She wasn''t lying about the glitter. Alyssa had no idea if it was ever going toe off her face, but she hoped the sweat would just get it to run off eventually. "Fine," Elias replied before stepping up to the booth and buying one of the tank tops. He led her off to the side and unbuttoned his shirt, ncing up at her once some skin was exposed. "Don''t make me drag you back to the hotel." Alyssa felt heat re across her cheeks as she smiled at him. She liked when he talked to her like that. "What? I can''t admire my boyfriend?" she asked innocently as she watched him take his shirt off. She let her eyes roam over his chest and arms, momentarily wishing they were back at the hotel right now. Elias slipped the tank top on, pairing it with his dark, fitted jeans. He gestured to himself. "How about this?" he asked, looking unsure. "You look so hot," Alyssa told him before leaning up to kiss him. She ced her hands on his sides as he cupped her face, letting the rest of the world slip away for a few moments. She pulled away with a smile, feeling her lips tingle. "Thank you," Eliasughed as he rubbed her arm affectionately. "You look gorgeous today." "Thanks," Alyssa replied shyly, ying with a loose strand of her hair that had broken free from her braid. She nced the way that they came from before sighing. "Come on. Before they think we snuck off." "We almost did," Eliasmented before taking her hand and leading her back to Zoe and Cole. "Hey! That looks good!" Zoe said once she saw Elias. "I don''t think I''ve ever seen your shoulders before." Elias rolled his eyes yfully as everyone elseughed. "Yeah, yeah. Let''s grab something to eat. NFNITI''s set is in like an hour," he replied. Alyssa and Zoe shared an excited look. "This is going to be awesome," Zoe said before leading the group toward the food vendors. The day flew by way faster than Alyssa expected it to. After looking at all the vendors, eating, and watching a few acts, it was already sunset. The big acts were getting ready to perform, so the group decided to try to get as close to the stage as possible. Alyssa walked through a sea of people just lingering around, talking and drinking. She checked the time and saw it was pretty close to the time for the headliner to y. As if on cue, people started to speed toward the main stage. She flinched when someone almost ran into her. "These people need to slow down," Zoe muttered as she tried to catch up to Alyssa. Alyssa nced around for Elias as the crowd started to surge around her. She caught a glimpse of him, but he was a few feet away. She turned around to try to find Zoe, but arge man came into her sight as he barreled toward her. She wasn''t even sure if he even saw her, but he was about to run right into her. She closed her eyes and prepared herself since it was toote to get out of the way. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her back push her out the way. She stumbled forward, immediately whipping around to see Elias right next to her. She gave him a confused look. "You were way over there," she said. He couldn''t have possibly gotten to her that quickly. "I''m fast," Elias replied with a chuckle. He put his arm around her shoulders and guided her back to the group as they settled in a spot about ten feet away from the stage. Alyssa supposed that he was, but she didn''t know anyone that fast. Maybe she just miscalcted the distance. She pushed the thought away, focusing instead on the stage lights that just came on. Cheers rose from the crowd as the band walked onto the stage, lifting their hands to the crowd in greeting. When the opening riff echoed through the fairground, the crowd started jumping. Alyssa locked her arms with Elias and Zoe, not wanting to get separated. Zoe cried out excitedly as the song picked up. She jumped around, holding tight to Cole''s arm too. "Yeah!" she cheered with everyone else. Laughter bubbled from Alyssa as she jumped too. She nced at Elias, sharing a warm smile with him. She was d they did this trip. She was d for every moment that they spent together. These were some of the best years of her life, and she hoped that didn''t end with this year. Chapter 105 - Conflicted Alyssa knew that the trip was short, but she wished that it hadn''t flown by so fast. The day after the festival, they all went out to explore the city. They went to a local aquarium during the day and went to a nice bar that night to drink and listen to more music. ?? Every second felt fun, even when Alyssa knew that the trip was sooning to an end. She loved the nights that she got to spend with Elias in the hotel room. When they weren''t blowing each other''s minds, they talked and cuddled. Of course, they didn''t talk about what Alyssa desperately needed to talk to him about. But they talked about everything else. Everyone was pretty tired when they checked out of the hotel and got situated in Elias'' car. No one wanted to leave just yet, but everyone had responsibilities at home. People still had work and assignments to catch up on. Life couldn''t be ignored for that long. "I don''t want to go back," Zoe whined from the backseat before sipping on her coffee. Alyssa chewed steadily on a muffin she swiped from the breakfast area in the hotel. She blinked her eyes a few times, still trying to fully wake up. She stayed uptest night with Elias, talking about some of their best memories from the past two years. He liked talking about their past. He seemed to avoid the future, which was what she needed him to focus on. "Maybe we can go on one more trip during the summer," she said. She wouldn''t have to leave until August at thetest, so she could stick around for one more trip with everyone. Elias didn''t say anything as he drove down the highway. Alyssa figured that he was tired. She sunk back into her seat as her eyes shifted away from him. When she got back home, things were going to move fast again. She had to start making decisions because she was going to be living a whole new life in New York. She had to know if Elias was going to be a part of that soon. She was going to ask him soon. She had to. As much as she wanted to, she couldn''t run from her troubles forever. She was an adult now, which sucked most of the time, but this was her life. She wanted to be a doctor, but she also wanted to be happy with Elias. She hoped that she could have both. "We should visit Alyssa all the way in New York one day," Cole told Zoe. "She can be our tour guide," Zoeughed lightly. I smiled a little, thinking about how fun it would be to show them around my new home. By the time they came to visit, I would be pretty familiar with the area. I could show them the less known spots that tourists missed. Hopefully, Elias would be at my side to show them around too. "You know that I''ll hook you guys up," I told them warmly. I hoped that in a year that things were good for all of us. I hoped that we were all thriving and happy with our lives because things were going to look different for all of us. I wanted that to be a good thing. I needed it to be. "That''s what I''m talking about," Zoe said excitedly. I was d that they were keeping the optimism up. It seemed kind of grim up in the front seat. I wondered what was on Elias'' mind. He seemed quiet for the most part, but it was a lot of driving for him. He was probably trying to rx. "Where do you guys want to stop for lunch?" Elias asked once silence filled the car. Of course, he didn''t have anything to say about New York. He hardly ever said anything about New York. He had told her that he was proud of her for getting epted into medical school, but that was about it. It worried Alyssa. Why would he bother talking about a ce that he didn''t n to even visit? A feeling of dread steadily filled Alyssa, and the voices of her friends fell deaf on her ears. What if they were doing all of this fun stuff now because he was nning to break up with her before she left? He didn''t say anything about breaking up, but he didn''t exactly say anything about how they were supposed to stay together after graduation. She hoped that she was just overthinking things. "Babe?" Alyssa snapped out of her daze when she heard Elias'' voice. She turned to look at him with a confused expression. "What?" she asked, not hearing what they were talking about. "Are you fine with getting something quick on the way back? Like fast food?" Elias asked her as he nced at her. He gave her a perplexed look. "Oh. Sure," Alyssa said with a nod. She didn''t care about where they ate. She had bigger things on her mind right now, like losing the people closest to her and possibly regretting every decision she ever made down the line. It was great that Zoe wanted toe visit her and see her in New York, but they wouldn''t get to shop together on weekends or gossip over coffee some mornings. It would take weeks of nning just to see each other, and that killed her. She hated that she was going to be so far away, but she loved the idea of going to New York too. She needed to grow, and she needed to get away for a while. The weight of everything involving her family still haunted her, and she didn''t even want to be in the same state as them anymore. She wanted to build her own life far away, but she also didn''t want to be alone. Everything conflicted. Nothing was easy. Adulthood sucked. I I I I Chapter 106 - Volunteering Every Tuesday and Thursday around 3:00 to 4:00 p.m., Alyssa volunteered at the local Boys and Girls Club. She had always liked the idea of volunteering, and she learned that it looked good for her too when she was applying to medical schools.?? Since her junior year, she volunteered here. She didn''t want to boast, but the kids did like her a lot. She mostly helped them with their homework or yed with them until their parents picked up them up. They were all different ages. Most of them were sweet. Some of them were terrors. Alyssa liked looking after all of them. Part of her wished that she had a sibling. A little one preferably. She liked kids, so it would''ve been great to grow up with a sister or brother of her own. She could help them learn all sorts of things, give them advice, and just be friends with them. But she knew that it was best for her to be an only child. She was the only child that her parents could hurt and neglect. She didn''t want any other child going through that. "Alyssa!" Alyssa looked up from helping a young boy named Landon with his math homework. She saw a fifth grader named Maya hurry toward her with a sheet of paper in her hand. "Whatcha got for me?" Alyssa asked with a smile. She took the sheet of paper to see that it was English homework. "Remember what I said about the difference between adjectives and adverbs?" Maya thought for a second, tugging on the end of one of her dark braids. "Adjectives are for¡­ nouns, right? And adverbs are for verbs," she said. "Perfect! See? You know this stuff," Alyssa said before nodding to the seat across the table from her. "Let me help Landon finish these problems up and then I''ll help you, okay?" Maya nodded and sat across from Alyssa before getting to work on the questions. Alyssa was going to miss all of these kids when she moved. She really wanted to keep volunteering over in New York because Boys and Girls Clubs were all over the country, but she knew that she would hardly have the time. She would be so busy and sucked into her studies. However, she was grateful to have even been epted. Getting into medical school was hard. She studied for the MCAT for months before she took the test. She managed a score of 523, which seemed to be enough for NYU. Now, she could learn and train to be a good doctor for kids who needed care, and a lot of them did. "Alright, good job," Alyssa said as she gently patted Landon on the back. "I think it''s almost movie time." A look of excitement broke across Landon''s face before he grabbed his things and rushed into the next room where the kids who had finished their homework were waiting to watch a movie. Alyssa checked the time. Parents would being to pick up their kids soon. She stood and moved to sit next to Maya. She checked over her work so far and nodded. "You''re so smart," she told her. "I want to be smart like you," Maya said with a smile. Alyssaughed softly. "Well, you''re smarter than I was at your age," she told her. She struggled when she was younger because her parents didn''t help her at all with her homework. She had to teach herself whenever she learned to. "Do you think I could be a doctor too?" Maya asked as she wrote down an answer on her paper. "Do you want to be a doctor?" Alyssa asked her. A lot of people said that they wanted to be doctors. They liked the idea of helping people. Some just liked the idea of the money. But most didn''t even make it to medical school. It was a tough field, and she was determined to reach the end. Maya nodded as she looked up at Alyssa. "I want to cure cancer one day," she said in a bright tone. Alyssa smiled at her. She also liked working with kids because they were so hopeful and optimistic for the future. They saw everything in bright colors, and she missed seeing things that way. She wasn''t going to be that person to tell them that things got harder, and that the world was dark. She wasn''t going to take their spark away from them because who knew what they would be able to do with it? Maybe they could change the world. "I bet you could. Just learn as much as you can and always try your hardest," she told Maya. With a determined look, Maya nodded and got back to work. Alyssa helped her and a few other kids finish up before preparing for pick up. She had some homework to do tonight, but other than that, she could finally rx for a little bit. Finals would be here before she knew it, along with all of her other graduation responsibilities. She was grateful for her brief break with Elias, Zoe, and Cole. Most of the kids went home around the same time, but there were a few stragglers as time went on. Alyssa usually stayed until thest kid left so that she could help clean up before she went home. She watched thest three y in the main room of the building. Eventually, two of them left, leaving one. It was two hours past the usual pick-up time. Alyssa usually was going home at this time. She walked over to the girl, who had to only be in third or fourth grade. "Hey, you''re Karly, right?" Alyssa asked her as she knelt down next to her. Karly sat on the floor, ying with a puzzle of a forest scene. A few strands of her blonde hair fell in her face as she worked. Alyssa moved closer, sensing that she was shy. "Is your moming to get you?" she asked. Chapter 107 - Surprise Karly finally looked up at her before ncing around. "Yes," she said, looking upset.?? Alyssa called in Tana, the person who ran the local organization. "Can you call Karly''s mom and see if she''s close?" she asked. Tana nodded before walking back into the office. Alyssa turned back to Karly, moving to put one puzzle piece in ce. She decided to just keep Karlypany until her mom showed up. Parents werete sometimes. It usually wasn''t a big deal. "She''s supposed to be here," Karly said quietly. "Oh, it''s okay. Maybe it''s just traffic," Alyssa said in aforting voice. She didn''t want Karly to worry. Tana walked back into the room a few minutester. She motioned for Alyssa toe to her. "I''ll be right back," Alyssa said before standing and walking over to Tana. "Is everything alright?" Tana sighed as she nodded. "Her mom overslept. She''ll be here in thirty minutes," she said. "That''s the fifth time this month." Alyssa frowned, not realizing this was a pattern. She felt bad for Karly, especially since this incident brought back memories from her own childhood. She couldn''t count how many times her parents forgot to pick her up from afterschool care. The longer she got, the more embarrassing it was to have felt forgotten like that by her own parents. "I''ll stay with her until her mom gets here," she said. Tana nodded before walking back to her office. Alyssa sat back down near Karly. "Your mom is on her way," she said. "Was she asleep again?" Karly asked quietly as she looked down at the puzzle pieces. Alyssa didn''t know how to answer that. She wanted to be honest, but she also didn''t want Karly to be upset. She thought about what she would''ve wanted herself to hear as a kid. "Yes. But that doesn''t mean she doesn''t love you," she told Karly. "Some people make mistakes." Karly looked up at Alyssa. "Everyone makes mistakes," she said. Alyssa nodded. "Yeah, we all do. And it''s okay to be upset if someone''s mistake hurts you," she told Karly. It was important to feel things, especially as a kid. It made things way less confusing and easier to deal withter on. Alyssa stayed with Karly until her mom rushed in. Her hair was matted from sleep, and her makeup was slightly smeared. "I''m so sorry. I set my rm and everything," she said as she swept Karly into a hug. She looked up at Alyssa. "I promise I''ll try not to do it again. Alyssa nodded after a moment. She seemed genuinely upset at herself. Some people were in tough situations. She could be working two jobs that left her exhausted. Alyssa didn''t know her. She just knew her own, and she knew that her parents just didn''t care about her. "Bye, Karly," she said as she smiled at the little girl. Karly faintly smiled back before taking her mom''s hand and walking out of the building. Alyssa sighed once the door swung shut. She was ready to get out of here. As she gathered her things, her phone buzzed with a new text message notification. She grabbed it and looked at her screen. Come over. Got a surprise for you ;) Alyssa read the text a few times, trying to figure out what the surprise could be. Maybe he would surprise her with a key to his ce or something that told her that he wanted to move with her. She hoped for that so dearly, but she wouldn''t know unless she went to him. "I''m leaving, Tana!" Alyssa called out before heading to the door. Her heart rate sped up as she walked out of the building and to her car. She hoped so deeply and so hard that it made her chest ache. Since she already got into medical school, this was the only thing that she was asking for. She just wanted the love of her life to stay by her side. She didn''t know if she could handle leaving him behind. ************** Alyssa stopped at Elias'' apartment door and drew in a deep breath to steady herself. Things could possibly change when she walked through this door. She knocked on the door and waited, hearing shuffling from the inside. A few secondster, Elias pulled the door open. He wore a white shirt under a ck zer, paired with his dark pants. His hair was freshly fixed, and the smell of his cologne teased her. "Hey, baby," Elias quipped sweetly as he reached out to hug her. He kissed her on the cheek before leading her inside his apartment. Alyssa looked around in shock. Dinner was freshly made and set up on his kitchen ind, along with wine. There was a wrapped present too. His apartment was tidier than normal. She could smell the cleaner that he used. He had done all of this for her. But why? "What is all this?" Alyssa asked him, feeling her heart thud wildly. This felt like a special asion, but she didn''t know the reasoning behind it. He had to be celebrating something. Did it have something to do with their future? Elias smiled as he led her over to the kitchen ind. He pulled her barstool out before moving to sit across from her. "Do you like it?" he asked. "I love it. Is there something happening?" Alyssa asked him as she smiled at him. She didn''t want to seem ungrateful. She thoroughly appreciated all of the effort that he went through to do this for her, but she just didn''t understand why he did it. It wasn''t any of their anniversaries or anything. Elias shrugged as he reached across the table to take her hand. He ced the small, wrapped box in it. "Open this," he said. Alyssa breathed in deeply before nodding. She tore off the silver paper to reveal a jewelry box. She slid off the lid to reveal a silver ne inside with a heart pendant. "It''s beautiful," she murmured as she admired it. "I just wanted to do something sweet for you. You''re my entire heart," Elias told her. Alyssa gently set the box down as she looked up at him. "So, nothing is happening?" she asked. Chapter 108 - The Future Alyssa breathed in deeply before nodding. She tore off the silver paper to reveal a jewelry box. She slid off the lid to reveal a silver ne inside with a heart pendant. "It''s beautiful," she murmured as she admired it.?? "I just wanted to do something sweet for you. You''re my entire heart," Elias told her. Alyssa gently set the box down as she looked up at him. "So, nothing is happening?" she asked. Elias gave her a confused look. "No. Are you expecting something to happen?" he asked her. Alyssa sighed as she sat up, knowing that she couldn''t keep dodging around the topic. They had to have this talk now. "I''m moving to New York in a few months," she told him. Elias smiled faintly. "I know that," he replied. Alyssa put her hands together on the surface of the ind as she lowered her eyes. "I love you. I always want to be with you," she said before lifting her eyes. "But I have to make a decision about housing soon. I need to know where you stand about our future." Elias nodded when he realized what was on her mind. "I want to move to New York with you. I just have to figure a few things out first," he told her. Alyssa''s eyes widened slightly. "Really? You want toe with me?" she asked, her voice sounding full of disbelief. Elias took her hand and smiled. "Of course. I love you," he said. "I love you so much," Alyssa said, feeling relief flush through her. He did want to be with her. She couldn''t believe that she thought that he didn''t want to have a future with her. She leaned across the ind and pressed a soft kiss against his lips. Elias kissed her back, cupping her cheek. When they broke apart, Alyssa settled back in her seat and looked down at her te, which was full of pasta and garlic bread. "Thank you for doing all of this," she said sincerely. He was always so thoughtful. "Of course," Elias replied before sipping on his wine. "So, what do you have to take care of? We''ll have to figure out where to live and stuff soon," Alyssa asked him. She didn''t want to pressure him, but finding a ce to live took time, and they didn''t have much of that left. She didn''t want to best minute with anything, or they would have to settle. Elias shrugged as he poked around at his pasta. "Just some family stuff," he said in a casual manner. Alyssa frowned slightly. She wished that she knew more about his family. She could talk to him a little easier if she had more information. "Would they be upset if you moved?" she asked him. She hoped that they wouldn''t be, but he was an adult. He could do whatever he wanted to, whether they liked it or not. Elias twirled some of his fettucine noodles around his fork. "I''ll have to see," he said before taking a bite. Internally, Alyssa wanted to throw her hands up. He could be open and talkative, but he could also be quiet and vague. She wished that he would just talk to her instead of giving her vague answers. She knew that his family business wasn''t her business, but he had to give her something. She had to know what she was working with. Should she expect an answer in a week or a month? "How''s your business proposaling along?" Alyssa asked him, deciding to switch subjects and see how much he talked then. "It''s great. A lot of people are interested to see how it turns out," Elias said with a bright smile. "I''m hoping to get some sponsors eventually." "That''s amazing. You''re going to be so sessful," Alyssa told him warmly. Elias smiled at her. "You are too. You''re going to save so many lives. I feel like I''m already with a hero," he said as he gazed at her adoringly. Alyssa felt so conflicted. She was frustrated with him because he wouldn''t give her a good answer to any of her important questions, but he was still so sweet and supportive of her. He gave her so much motivation when it came to her studies. She wouldn''t have done so well these past few years without his support. "I''m just really excited for the future," she told him. "Our future." "Everything is going to be perfect, baby. Don''t worry," Elias said as he lifted his ss of wine to her. Alyssa smiled, feeling more at peace. She clinked her ss against his before taking a sip. Actually, she took a few sips just to make sure that she was rxed. The days were growing more and more stressful, but at least some of the nights were good. She wished that she could spend every night with him, but some nights he gently nudged her out to go back to her own ce. She guessed that he liked his space. "We should take graduation photos together," Alyssamented. She wanted to take more pictures during thesest few months. She wanted to remember as many moments and people as she possibly could. She thought that if she got enough of those good moments in her head that they would drown out the bad ones. Elias nodded as he twisted his fork around in his noodles. "Just let me know when and what to wear," he replied cheekily. "No tank tops, right?" Alyssa smirked and shook her head. She did like seeing him in a tank top, but she wanted them to wear nice clothes when they took pictures. Maybe she could think of a nice theme or color pattern. Zoe woulde in handy in that department. "I like you in this zer," shemented. "Maybe you can just wear that and nothing underneath." "Dessert isn''t untilter, sugar," Elias told her as he clicked his tongue at her. "So bad." A lightugh broke from Alyssa as she went back to eating. She couldn''t help but tease him. He teased her just by looking as good as he did. Even how good he smelled turned her on. Maybe it was her hormones, but she had a feeling it was because of him and his charm. He could get her worked up with a snap of his fingers. "I do like my sugar," she murmured as she peered up at him. Elias hummed beneath his breath as he smiled to himself. "Some people eat dessert first," he replied as he looked up at her. "Are we some of those people?" "Why not?" Alyssa pointed out as she raised her eyebrow at him. She wanted to taunt him, to work him up. Then, he would know what it felt like to be her. It was quite torturous, but she had a feeling that he already knew. He could sense how frustrated she got. Elias wiped his mouth with a napkin before standing up. "Come on. Gotta satisfy that sweet tooth," he said as he extended his hand out to her. Alyssa''s eyes widened slightly. She hadn''t expected to work him up that soon, but she wasn''tining. She hopped off the barstool and took his hand, letting him whisk her away to the bedroom and leaving dinner and her worries behind. For now. Chapter 109 - The Mistake Alyssa adjusted her dark blue scrubs as she walked through the hallways of Lake Haven General, a local hospital. She had been working here as a medical assistant for a little more than a year now. She enjoyed the job because she learned a lot, but it was a bit stressful at times. It was her first introduction into actually doing medical tasks on people on her own.?? She didn''t want to mess up, even though she knew that she would. Everyone messed up. She walked into one of the patient rooms and put on a big smile once the patient lying in bed saw her. "Hi, Mrs. Grady. I''m Alyssa. I''m just going to draw some blood from you," she said as she pulled a tray full of her needed equipment closer to the hospital bed. Mrs. Grady was a woman in her mid-forties. She arrived at the hospital a few days ago for a minor surgery and was scheduled to leave soon. She just needed to be checked over to make sure that everything was alright first. Alyssa wished that she could work with more children, but it was easier to do small tasks, like draw blood, on adults who would sit still. The more experience she got, the more that she would be allowed to work on children. She couldn''t wait to start. "Aright," Mrs. Grady said warily. "Even after all this time in the hospital and getting cut open, needles still make me nervous." Alyssa smiled sympathetically, understanding Mrs. Grady''s concern. A lot of people were nervous of needles or blood. Alyssa didn''t mind either, but she was always considerate of people who were. "I''ll be as gentle and quick as can be," Alyssa assured her as she slipped some gloves on. She grabbed the torniquet from the tray and wrapped it around Mrs. Grady''s arm above her elbow before disinfecting the area. She couldn''t help but let her thoughts slip back to what happenedst night at Elias'' ce. She felt like she was so close to being able to make ns for New York, but she also felt so far away from being able to do that. Elias had to figure things out. Whatever that meant. He was always so weird when it came to his family. She didn''t want it to continue being an issue. Hopefully, he would figure things out and get back to her soon because she couldn''t wait around that much longer. Waitlists were so long over in New York. She wanted to jump on things as soon as possible to make sure that they were ready. "Ouch!" Mrs. Grady winced. Alyssa focused back in on what she was actually doing. Shepletely missed the vein. "Sorry about that," she apologized. She steadied her hands before trying again, feeling Mrs. Grady flinch again. She just couldn''t get it for some reason! She was about to try one more time when Dr. Shields, her supervising physician, walked into the room. "How''s everything going in here?" Dr. Shields asked as he walked up to Mrs. Grady''s bedside. He saw the irritation on her arm from her mistakes before looking at her. "I''ll do it." Alyssa could tell that he was irritated. He was constantly busy, and making him do petty tasks like drawing blood wasted his time. She lowered her head and left the room, waiting out in the hallway. She had a feeling that he would want to talk to her afterwards. She usually didn''t mess up that bad. She was always concentrated and precise when she worked. Usually, drawing blood was simple for her because she had done it numerous times. Today, everything felt nearly impossible. Her mind was so overloaded with thoughts that it was hard to concentrate. A few minutester, Dr. Shields walked out of the room and crossed his arms as he stood in front of her. He was a tall man with thinning, dark hair. He had been doing his job for years, and he had trained countless students. He even wrote her a glowing rmendation letter for medical school. "What''s going on? Were you trying to poke her to death?" Dr. Shields asked, looking disappointed. Alyssa swallowed hard, trying to breathe steadily as he stared down at her. She hated getting in trouble. She knew that it was going to happen a lot when she was in medical school, but it was still a tough pill to swallow. She tried to do everything right, even if that was impossible. "I''m sorry. I was having trouble finding her vein," she said. "I know that. You seem distracted today," Dr. Shields said as he put his hands on his waist. "It''s hard enough keeping an eye on focused students and making sure they''re doing what they''re supposed to be doing. I can''t deal with distracted students." Alyssa nodded, feeling her eyes sting slightly. She felt so embarrassed, especially since she admired him. He thought that she had potential, but she was really dropping the ball right now. She couldn''t do this so much in medical school. She would only have so many chances, so she needed to learn a lot now. "It won''t happen again," she assured him. "Yeah, it won''t. Go see if the receptionist needs some help," Dr. Shields said before walking off. Alyssa lowered her head, gathering herself so that she didn''t break down right there in the hallway. She heard snickering down the hall, prompting her to look to the right to see another medical assistant from her school smirking at her. She believed his name was Jackson, and he thought he was some hotshot. She didn''t deal with bullies anymore. She had dealt with Kayleigh enough in her sophomore year. After that whole ordeal, she swore that she wouldn''t let anyone else walk all over her, unless they were professors or mentors. They kind of had the right to do that, as long as they were teaching her something in the process. Alyssa rolled her eyes at him before whipping back around and heading to where the receptionist was. Some of her work was dealing with paperwork. It was a good skill to have, and she supposed that she didn''t need to be around many patients or needles today. It just wasn''t her day. "Dr. Shields said toe help," she said once she reached the receptionist''s desk. The receptionist, an older woman named Gina, looked up at Alyssa with a small smile. "What did you do?" she asked as she handed Alyssa some paperwork. "Help me organize some paperwork." "I didn''t do all that well drawing a patient''s blood," Alyssa sighed as she walked behind the desk to sit down and get to work. She didn''t want to be trapped behind the receptionist''s desk. She wanted to be with patients, doing actual medical work. She felt like she was being grounded, but she supposed that was the point of Dr. Shields sending her here. "You''ll get it. Everyone starts out a little rough. Even Dr. Shields," Gina pointed out as she patted Alyssa''s back in aforting manner. Alyssa gave Gina a grateful smile, feeling a little better. She knew that she would never be perfect. No matter how much studying or learning she did, she would make mistakes. She was only human. She could only try her best. She got to work on the paperwork, determined to try to focus enough to at least do the paperwork correctly. She couldn''t let her entire day be derailed. Things were only going to get harder. She had to learn how to bounce back. She had to learn how to handle defeats because plenty wereing her way. Chapter 110 - Friend’s Comfort Alyssa carried her white chocte mochatte over to a table that Zoe was sitting at in the caf¨¦. She hated how long the coffee names were. It was so much easier to order tea. She sat down across from Zoe and took a sip of her iced coffee. ?? Damn, it was good, though. It was hard toin after the fact. "Girl, you look tired," Zoemented as she peered at Alyssa. Alyssa nodded, figuring she didn''t look her best. She had been doing a lot of worktely, and the stress she felt over everythinging up wasn''t helping. She scratched her head, careful not to mess up her messy bun anymore. It was just messy enough to be eptable in public but not too messy. "I was at the hospitalte," she said. Luckily, she hadn''t been jabbing patients with needlestely. She got a handle on that quickly, and Dr. Shields eventually ungrounded her. "At least it''ll all pay off, right?" Zoe pointed out. "One day, you''re going to have this big, nice house and a happy family of your own." Alyssa smiled a little as she nodded. She hoped for that. She wanted to have a better family than the one she grew up in. A big part of her motivation to work in pediatrics was her awful childhood. As a doctor, she could be an advocate for the wellbeing of children in all sorts of different avenues. She just wanted to help, even when no one helped her. "That''s the dream. If I can survive all this first," she muttered before sipping on her coffee. She needed the caffeine boost to get some studying done tonight. That meant not seeing Elias tonight. She was upset, but she would try to see him tomorrow. She was trying to prioritize things and also give him some space to figure things out. "Grind, girl," Zoe said encouragingly as she nudged Alyssa''s arm. "How about you? Wasn''t there something you wanted to tell me?" Alyssa asked her as she rubbed her eyes. She could fall asleep right now. Zoe wasn''t boring her or anything, but she could be in some loud sports stadium and still feel tired enough to doze off. Zoe nodded with an excited smile. She sat up in her seat more, like she was readying herself. "Cole asked me to move in with him!" she said. Alyssa''s eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, really?" she asked, trying to process her shock. Cole and Zoe had been together for a few years now. It was definitely time, especially with graduationing up. It was just surprising to hear, especially since her and Elias had been together longer and weren''t living together. Zoe rested her chin on her hands as she nodded. "He askedst night. It was so cute. He gave me a key and had a little wee party in his apartment when I got there," she told Alyssa. "I''m so happy for you," Alyssa said as she reached out to squeeze Zoe''s hands. She was really happy for Zoe. She deserved every ounce of happiness possible, and Alyssa knew that Cole was the right guy for her. She just couldn''t help but feel a little jealous. She wanted a moment like this too. She wanted Elias to ask her to move in with him in New York. She hoped that would be the case eventually, but he hadn''t said a word about it since their dinner. She tried to hint at it, but he never acknowledged it. She felt like she was talking to herself at this point. He certainly wasn''t talking to her. About that. Besides that, they got along just fine. Everything else felt perfect. She just wanted to feel the happiness that Zoe felt right now. "Thanks," Zoe said warmly. "When are you moving in?" Alyssa asked, trying to keep light and cheery. She felt bad for feeling this way when her friend was so excited. She didn''t want to take this moment away from Zoe. It was just hard to ignore the sadness that had been looming over her for weeks now. "As soon as I can. My lease doesn''t end until May, but I''ll still move my stuff in soon," Zoe exined. "Let me know if I can help you pack or something," Alyssa told her, wanting to help and be there for her friend. No matter how she was feeling, she always tried to be a good friend. Zoe was there for her when she needed her, and she wanted to return the favor. "Totally! We can drink and have a packing party," Zoeughed softly before their hands broke apart. She sipped on her coffee, peering at Alyssa over the top. Alyssa smiled before sipping on her own, silence falling between them. Maybe she could tell Elias that Zoe and Cole were living together and that would encourage him to make a decision. She told him it was time sensitive. "Has Elias said anything?" Zoe asked. Alyssa shook her head with a soft look. "We don''t have to talk about this now. I want to talk about you! You''re moving in with Cole," she said excitedly. She didn''t want to bring the mood down with her own drama. Zoe shook her head. "I want to talk about you. We''re here to talk about each other," she pointed out. "Has he said anything?" Alyssa''s smile dropped as she lowered her head. "Not yet. I keep hoping he will, but he just talks about anything else. When I try to hint at him, he ignores me," she said. "It''s driving me crazy." "Can you think of any reason why he would be hesitant to move?" Zoe asked her. Alyssa thought for a second before shrugging. "Maybe his family. That''s the only reason that I can think of. Unless he has some random hatred for New York," she replied. He hadn''t mentioned anything that seemed like a reason for why he wouldn''t want to go. Zoe hummed under her breath thoughtfully. "Family can be tricky. But you know that," she said with a sympathetic look. "Yeah, I do. I just don''t really know where he stands with his. He has an okay rtionship with them, but he said he wants to break away from them. Not permanently. He just wants more independence," Alyssa exined. He told that to her a while ago, but she supposed that still applied today. "Maybe he''s just experiencing some guilt over leaving them. That''ll take a little time for him to get over," Zoe suggested. Chapter 111 - New Guy Alyssa sighed as she nodded. She rubbed the back of her neck, feeling the tension back there and in her shoulders. She really needed to rx somehow. "He just can''t take that much time, you know? If he doesn''te with me, I''ll have to do student housing, which means I need to turn an application in soon. ?? If he doese with me, we have to try to find an apartment. These things take time," she said. Zoe reached across the table to take Alyssa''s hands. "Hey, breathe. I know you''re freaking out, but you still have a few more weeks of leeway left. Just spend time with him and show him how great it will be for you guys to live together," she said. "He might be nervous of that next big step." Alyssa nodded as she squeezed Zoe''s hands, using the grip for stability. Zoe was probably right. He needed a little push. It was a huge thing to ask of him. He probably didn''t expect to move to New York right after graduation. "What am I going to do without you? I''m going to fall apart," Alyssa fretted. She needed Zoe too. "It''ll be okay. I''ll be a phone call away," Zoe said with a sad smile. "I am going to miss stuff like this, though." "Me too. Everything is going to be so different," Alyssa sighed. She was excited for some things, but other things seemed like they would be so hard to get used to. She would be starting over from scratch. New environment. New ce. New friends. It was another reason why she wanted Elias toe. At least they would have each other as they adjusted to a new ce and new life. "But it''ll be good. We''re chasing our dreams. We found our dream guys," Zoe pointed out with a happier look. "We did good." "We did good," Alyssa repeated with a nod. They came far since they met, and she was grateful for that. When she met Zoe, there was so much that she wanted to change about herself. Now, there were only a few things because she was actually happy with herself and who she had be. She wanted to do some more growing, but she had a great foundation. She had put in the work. "Just try not to panic so much. I don''t want you to spiral and run off again," Zoe said in a soft voice. Alyssa thought back to when she found out that her dad passed away. Shepletely lost it and left campus to go to a funeral that she wasn''t even wee at. She just felt like she needed to say goodbye, and she did. She said goodbye to her entire family that day and hadn''t been back since. "I won''t. I have no ce to run off to," Alyssa pointed out. She wasn''t going to go back to her parents'' house, and there was no other family that she would go to. The only ce she had was her dorm. Zoe gave her a stern look. "That''s not the point," she said. Alyssa cracked an amused smile. "Yeah, yeah. I promise I won''t run off," she swore. There was no point in running. She had a life to live. She couldn''t just up and leave it behind when she had so much to do. "Good. Because I will hunt you down this time," Zoe said as she pointed at Alyssa, promptingughter from the both of them. Alyssa liked these moments. All of her worries seemed to melt away, and she felt like she didn''t have a care in the world. She felt so much lighter, but then reality always came crashing right back down on her. It neversted long, but she was going to try to make this momentst as long as she could. "So, let''s talk about this graduation party." *********** It seemed like the professors were having apetition on who could give the most papers or assignments. Alyssa had her ownptop now after working hard to earn the money for it, but she still found herself in the library when she really needed to focus. Right now, she needed to grind to get everything done in time. It was hard juggling all that she had to, but she knew that it was good practice for medical school. She would have to juggle way more there and beyond, so she might as well get used to it now. She flipped through her textbook as she sat at one of the tables in the library, trying to finish one of her two papers due this week. She texted Elias earlier that she would call him before bed. It was another night that they couldn''t see each other. She still hadn''t heard anything yet, but he had been in a good moodtely, so maybe that was a good sign. She didn''t know what to think anymore, though. She managed to finish up her essay within an hour. It wasn''t her best work, but it would get her the A that she needed. She unplugged her sh drive from herptop and stood to walk over to the printing stations. A gasp broke from her when she almost ran into someone. "Oh, sorry," she said before looking up into the stark golden brown eyes of a man who looked like a student. His hair was a dark brown color with a side part. He wore a white cored shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and ck cks. He looked fairly business-like but with a slightly boyish face. "It''s okay, dear," the man said with a small smirk. His eyes swept over her as he tilted his head at her. "We haven''t met yet. That''s unfortunate." Alyssaughed awkwardly, feeling heat flush through her face. Some social interactions still left her a bit flustered. She didn''t think that was ever going to go away. "How''s that unfortunate?" she asked him, not knowing what he meant. Chapter 112 - Sneaky "Because you''re beautiful, of course," the man said before sticking his hand out. "I''m Scott." Alyssa shook his hand, wanting to be polite. She didn''t care to be flirted with, but she would try to wrap up this conversation soon. She had things to do.?? "Alyssa," she introduced herself. "Let me guess¡­ biology major?" Scott guessed as he peered at her with slightly narrowed eyes. Alyssa''s widened slightly. "Yeah, how did you know?" she asked him, wondering if there was something obvious that stood out to him that she didn''t know about. Scott shrugged as he ced his finger against his lips. "Just a good guess. What do you think I am?" he asked. Alyssa looked up and down his tall body. Telling from how he carried himself and how he dressed, the answer seemed to jump out at her. "Business?" she asked. It was the first thing that came to her mind, and she had learned to trust her gut. "Bingo," Scott chuckled as he smiled at her. "I figured you were smart." "Thanks," Alyssa said, shifting awkwardly on her feet. He was nice at least, so she could stand to be nice back and carry on the conversation. She didn''t want to be rude or anything to him. Some people were just naturally social. "Are you a senior?" Scott shook his head. "Not yet. I just transferred here," he said. "Prettyte in the year," Alyssaughed softly. She wondered why he came here. He made a good choice. Scott shrugged. "I''m a fast learner," he said as he kept his eyes on her. "And a good observer." Alyssa smiled as she nced away, still feeling her face burn slightly. He was definitely a flirt. Some other girl would like that, but she was happy with Elias. There was no other guy on the who could make her as happy as he could. "Well, I hope you like it here. This is a great school," she told him. She would miss this ce when she left, but it would always be here for her to visitter on. She would rmend this ce to anyone. However, she was excited to go to NYU. That would be a whole new experience and a whole new adventure. "I''m liking it already," Scottmented. Alyssa parted her lips to speak, but she heard someone call her name. She turned to see Elias storming toward her. She gave him a confused look, wondering why he was here. He hardly ever came to the library. "I''ve been texting you," Elias said as he stopped near Alyssa. He gave Scott a re as he took Alyssa''s hand. "Oh, I left my phone on silent on the table," Alyssa exined as she pointed to the table. She forgot to check her messages, but she didn''t think that he would message her. She looked between Elias and Scott, noting the tension between them. She wondered if Elias was being protective over her or something. "Let''s go," Elias said sternly before pulling Alyssa away from Scott. He brought her over to the library table and started packing up her stuff for her. "I have to print out my paper," Alyssa said as she held up her sh drive. She couldn''t just pick up her things and leave. She had stuff to do before she could go to bed tonight. Elias shoved his hand in his pocket and took out his keys. He ced them in her hand before giving Alyssa her backpack. "Go wait in my car," he said. Alyssa gave him a strange look. "Why? I can go print out my own paper," she said, wondering why he was suddenly acting so weird. He didn''t boss her around so much. "I''ll do it for you," Elias said firmly. He met her gaze for a few seconds, not budging. Alyssa could tell that he wouldn''t take no for an answer. She sighed and walked out of the library, ncing behind her every so often to try to catch a glimpse of Elias or Scott. She waspletely weirded out. She found his car in the parking lot across the street from the library. Once she unlocked it, she sat in the passenger seat and waited for him to get back, peering out of the windshield. When she saw him walking back to the car with her paper in his hand, she crossed her arms over her chest. He owed her an exnation. Elias swung himself into the car and handed her paper to her before starting the car. "Wait. What was that about?" Alyssa asked him. He had never acted like that before when he saw her talking to a guy. There was something about Scott that seemed to set him off, or he was randomly having a bad night. Elias shook his head, remaining quiet as he pulled out onto the road. "Elias," Alyssa said sternly. "Do you know him or something?" Elias nced over at her before sighing, remaining tense. "I don''t want you talking to him, okay? He''s not a good person," he replied. "Who is he?" Alyssa asked, trying to pry for more answers. She was tired of the vague ones he always gave her. She always felt in the dark, and she was tired of not knowing anything about him or what was going through his head. "He''s¡­ nothing. We''re just not friends, okay? Just leave it at that," Elias said as he watched the road. "He didn''t seem bad. He was just being nice," Alyssa said, still not understanding why he was so upset. Did they have a falling out or something? She didn''t understand the attitude from him. He never acted like this. Elias scoffed as he shook his head. "He''s not nice. He''s sneaky. Just¡­ please don''t talk to him, okay? He''s bad news," he replied. Alyssa stared at him before nodding. He seemed to genuinely not like Scott for some reason, so maybe she needed to avoid him. She hadn''t gotten a bad feeling from him, but maybe she missed something. She couldn''t be sure, and Elias seemed very sure. "Sure," she merely said as she sank back in her seat, still feeling upset. "Where are we going?" "I''m taking you back to my ce," Elias said. Alyssa lifted an eyebrow at him. "Why?" she asked. She expected him to drop her off at her dorm with how he was acting. "I just want you with me. We can watch that movie you were talking about," Elias said as he reached over to hold her hand like usual. It was hard to stay upset at him. He was always thoughtful and sweet, even when he had an attitude. Alyssa rxed a little and twined her fingers with his. "That sounds nice," she replied as she nced at him. "Are you going to be in a better mood?" Elias smirked as he looked at her. "Hush," he teasingly chastised her. "Or I''ll make you." Alyssaughed as she shook her head at him. She didn''t mind the sound of that, but he would have to work for it tonight. She had a feeling that he wouldn''t mind that at all. Chapter 113 - Weird Alyssa woke up to pressure between her thighs. She blinked her eyes open slowly, letting them adjust to the sunlight pouring through a nearby window in Elias'' bedroom. She soon felt a jolt of pleasure, prompting a moan from her. She looked down to see movement beneath the nket. ?? She felt a soft tongue on her clit, making her eyes nearly roll back at the feeling. Elias grabbed her thighs tightly, using his forefinger to pull her panties to the side. He stroked his tongue over her clit, moving in lines and circles. Alyssa ced her hand on his head over the nket, riding out his movements. This was certainly a nice thing to wake up to. She bit her lip as she tilted her head back in bliss. She didn''t want him to stop. "Elias," she moaned out, feeling him suck on her clit. She couldn''t get enough of this. Elias pulled her panties off of her before pushing her legs farther apart. He went back to work between her thighs, dragging his tongue over her clit at a steady rhythm. Alyssa gritted her teeth briefly, feeling heat spread all over her body at a rapid rate. He was going to finish her off so quickly. "So close," she breathed out, needing him to push her over the edge. She felt so tense all over, ready to snap. Elias kept up with his pace, not changing it as he felt her start to tremble. Alyssa sumbed to the pleasure, letting it take over her entire body. She shuddered and shook through her orgasm, feeling fire wash all over her. Soft moans broke from her until she settled down against the pillows. "Woah," she breathed out, catching her breath. She watched Elias crawl out from under the covers with a pleased grin on his face. "And you say that I''m the bad one." Elias shrugged as heid on his back next to her, bringing the covers up to his waist. "I just wanted to tell you good morning," he said, acting innocent. "With your tongue," Alyssa smirked. She liked when he acted naughty, though. She was so new to this sex stuff when they first met. Now, it was a regr urrence. She loved being intimate with him. She felt close to him, and she felt more pleasure than she ever had before. He worked her body with so much ease, so much practice. "You like my tongue," Elias said as he yfully wiggled his eyebrows at her. "I do," Alyssa admitted with augh. She liked his tongue a lot. She swore that it worked magic sometimes. Last night was simple after the whole library ordeal. They watched a movie together and then went to bed. It was simple, but it was nice. It felt like something they could do any day together, like it was something natural or routine. She wanted to have a routine with him, to do normal things with him. She wanted to see him after school or after work every day. She wanted to catch a glimpse of him in the morning before she left. Those small moments meant a lot to her. She was tired of only getting to see him whenever they were both free and had hours to spare. She wanted to see him in the little moments too. "Want breakfast?" Elias asked her as he turned his head to look at her. "You''re still hungry?" Alyssa teased him. Honestly, she was pretty hungry. They woke up a bitte since they went to bedtest night after the movie was over. "Starved," Elias chuckled. "We can make some breakfast." "You mean you cook, and I watch with the spat in my hand?" Alyssa asked him. That was usually how cooking together went. He always took charge, while she helped with small tasks. The best meals were created that way. "Exactly that," Elias replied with a warm smile. "You''re my little cooking assistant." "They have very tiny kitchens in New York apartments. I''ll have to ride on your back or something," Alyssa joked with a bright smile. She watched his expression waver a little, which killed the spark that was burning inside of her. Eliasughed a bit awkwardly before getting out of bed. He stretched his arms over his head as he turned away from her, falling silent for a few moments. "What are you up to today?" he asked as he pulled on his lounge pants. Alyssa brushed her hair back from her face, trying to hide her frown. He acted so weird when she mentioned New York. He either didn''t want to go, or he was too nervous to talk about it. She wanted to ask him, but she was afraid of what he would say. "Just rx. We can watch another movie tonight if you want? I can stay over," she said. She figured she could get him to rx throughout the day. Maybe she could show him how nice it would be for them to live together, to do regr couple things on a daily basis. "I actually have something to do tonight," Elias said with a sheepish look as he turned to face her. "Another night, though." Alyssa felt a bit stung. She kept getting shot down left and right. What was going on with them? She wanted to talk to him, but she felt too defeated to even try. She just wanted to go home at this point to spare her any more embarrassment. She got out of bed and started pulling on her clothes. "What do you want to make for breakfast?" Elias asked her as he pulled on his shirt. "I''m actually going to head back to my dorm. I have some homework to catch up on that I didn''t get to dost night," she said as she grabbed her things. She knew it looked weird for her to leave so abruptly, but he was acting weird too. I I I Chapter 114 - Issues Elias gave her a strange look. "Are you sure? I can drop you off after breakfast," he offered.?? "I''m fine. I''ll talk to youter," Alyssa replied before kissing him on the cheek. It was a bit faint, but it would do for now. She loved him, but there was something weird going on between them that she didn''t like. She hoped that it was resolved eventually. She walked out of his apartment, feeling grateful that campus was a short five-minute walk away. She walked down the sidewalk that led toward campus, reflecting back on his shift in attitude when she mentioned the New York apartment. He almost looked ufortable, like she put him in a weird position. She didn''t want to keep dropping hints and bringing New York up, but she felt like she had to so that he would give her an answer. It wasn''t something that she could just drop. Alyssa ran her fingers through her hair, feeling her eyes burn slightly. She was feelingpletely overwhelmed at this point with no idea what to do. She felt like bringing it up would start some sort of argument or make him go silent. She didn''t want either, so she was trying to be patient and wait for him to start the conversation. But he wasn''t doing that! She considered calling Zoe, but she decided to just drop the issue for today. She had things to do, and she suspected that she wasn''t going to talk to Elias much today. Maybe that was a good thing. Maybe they needed some space. She never thought that would be a good thing, but she found out new things all the time. She just wished more of those things were actually good things. ********** Alyssa walked through the halls of the science building, dragging her feet slightly. It was two dayster, and things were still weird between her and Elias. They barely talked, but she figured a little more space would be fine. She was so busy with work, volunteering, and school anyway. She wished that she could catch her breath soon. She told Zoe that she wanted to talk soon. She always broke down so easily when it came to talking to her best friend. Zoe always made her feel better because she talked sense into her. Alyssa had a habit of blowing things up in her head. She couldn''t help it, but Zoe always made her see the true picture. New York was going to be hard to venture without herpass, but Alyssa would have to figure things out on her own. It would be tough, but everything would be hard. It wouldn''t be anything that Alyssa already wasn''t used to. For some reason, that was slightlyforting to her. If things were too easy, they wouldn''t even feel real. She didn''t know what she was going to do for the rest of the day. She mostly caught up on her work, but there were some future assignments that she could get a jump on. She also had to purchase a cord for her graduation attire. She would have to go dress shopping with Zoe soon. Her parents didn''t even go to her high school graduation, so this one would be no different. At least she was already used to it and prepared for it. Her real family, Elias and Zoe, would be there, and that was all that mattered. They would make the day special for her because it was a great day. It was her step closer to her dream. Alyssa was so deep in her head that she almost didn''t hear her name being called. She turned around to see Dr. Hahn waving at her from the door of his office. She immediately smiled and walked over to him, feeling d to see him since it had been a minute. She had been Dr. Hahn''s research assistant for a little while and had learned so much under him. She worked on various research projects that involved stem cell research, which she included in her capstone project with an emphasis on child development. He really exposed the world of science to her, and he wrote her a rmendation letter for medical school too. "Hi, Dr. Hahn. It''s good to see you," she greeted him politely. She chatted with him every once in a while, even after she stopped being his research assistant. She wanted to continue to do research with him, but she had to make time for actual medical work. He was understanding. "It''s good to see you. Congrats on NYU. I had no doubt they would take you," he said with a warm smile. "Thank you. I''m really excited," Alyssa replied with a nod. "And a bit nervous." "Good. That means you care," Dr. Hahn pointed out. "That''s the most important thing." Alyssa wondered if she cared too much sometimes. When she feltfortable enough to, she put her heart out. Maybe that still wasn''t safe enough. She could still get hurt, even if the people she trusted didn''t mean to hurt her. Elias was hurting her right now. "I have big ns," she told him, but she knew that he already knew that. "Are you preparing for your big move?" Dr. Hahn asked her with a curious look. Alyssa shrugged as she looked down at her feet. She needed to be doing more than what she was doing, but she was a bit stuck at the moment. She hated feeling stuck. She had felt stuck for so long. Then, she met Zoe and Elias, and her life started moving again. She didn''t want it toe to a stop again. "A little," she murmured. That wasn''t aplete lie. She had started going through her things and tossing what she didn''t care to keep. That was a start, and that was better than doing nothing. "That doesn''t seem so certain," Dr. Hahnughed softly. "You don''t have much time left." Alyssa didn''t need to be reminded of that. She was well aware that she was running out of time, but Elias didn''t seem to care about that. Did he even care at all that he was causing her stress? It didn''t seem that way since he was basically ignoring her. It irritated her. "Just dealing with some personal stuff right now," she admitted. Chapter 115 - Issues(2) Dr. Hahn hummed beneath his breath as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I know it''s hard making this big step at your age, but you can''t let things distract you like that. The rest of your life depends on what you do now," Dr. Hahn told her.?? Alyssa wished that wasn''t the case. She hated how one decision led to a whole domino effect. It put so much more pressure on her now to do the right thing, but she still felt like a kid sometimes. How was she supposed to know what the right thing was? "Yeah, I''m just trying to get everything together. It''s a lot to juggle," Alyssa exined. She had piled a lot on her te, but NYU wanted the best students. She had to go above and beyond to impress them. Now, she was just tired and stressed. It sapped some of her excitement away. "You''re one of the sharpest students that I''ve ever had. I know you''ll figure it out," Dr. Hahn said in an encouraging voice. Alyssa smiled gratefully at him. It helped to have someone like him tell her that he believed in her. At times, she lost faith in herself and her abilities, despite her aplishments. She knew that she was doubting herself for no reason, but she didn''t grow up with many people telling her that she was smart or capable. It meant a lot when anyone told her those things. "Thank you. I''ll figure it out one way or another," she said. No matter what, she figured things out, even if they were hard. What other choice did she have? She couldn''t just give up. That wasn''t in her nature. That was why she was pushing Elias so much. She didn''t want to give up on them. Doing nothing felt like giving up. "I know you will," Dr. Hahn said before patting her shoulder. "Give me any updates or let me know if you need any help with anything." "I will. Thank you, Dr. Hahn," Alyssa said as she watched him disappear back into his office. At times, she missed the old days of just being a research assistant. Things felt simpler back then, but she knew that right now would feel simple to her in a year or so. It was all about perspective. Maybe she needed to change her perspective. Alyssa walked out of the science building and back to her dorm. Seniors didn''t get the nice dorms that the freshmen and sophomores did. She had amunal bathroom and a small room, but it would do for the rest of the semester. She didn''t really do much in her room but sleep. The walls were bare. Her desk was busy. She wondered what kind of person she would be during medical school. She would certainly change. It would be a whole new life for her. She would be a doctor at the end of it all, and she couldn''t wait for that white coat to be ced on her. When she reached the middle of her dorm room, she stopped and closed her eyes, hoping that things turned out okay. She hade so far and done so much. Things couldn''t fall apart now, right? That wouldn''t make sense. With a sigh, she dropped her backpack on the ground and plopped down in her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Silence surrounded her. It was peaceful in a way. There was so much noise going on in her head, so this was a nice change. She hoped things changed with her and Elias because things weren''t great right now. Things were worse than they had ever been, and that didn''t settle well with her at all. The world felt like it was off its axis or something. She needed to fix this, but she didn''t have the energy to. Right now, she just wanted to close her eyes and block out the noise in her head. ******* Alyssa decided to take ate night walk that night to clear her head. It wasn''t good for her to just lock herself up in her room and think. She had done too much of that during her sophomore year. She was trying to be a different, better person this year, which meant less moping around and more being productive, even if she was feeling sad. She pulled on her tennis shoes, a pair of ck leggings, and a shirt before walking out of her dorm room and down the stairs to the first floor of the dorm building. It was almost 9:00 at night, so not many people would be on campus. It would be peaceful and still, which was exactly what she wanted and needed. Once she reached the sidewalk outside, she headed for the outskirts of campus, watching the cars fly down the nearby road. She missed taking her nightly runs, but she had gotten too busy to continue them. This was a rare night when she actually had the time. However, she was too tired to run. She just wanted to walk and enjoy the fresh air. She knew a walk wouldn''t change anything or fix anything, but she needed distractionstely. They preserved whatever sanity she had left, and she would need that for graduation and beyond. Or for whenever Elias decided to talk to her about New York. She just had this bad feeling that he was going to tell her something that she didn''t want to hear. What if he didn''t want to go and they had to break up? She grimaced at the thought of that. She never thought that they would face the possibility of breaking up. They had been so strong and so in love for years. Now, this huge problem was facing them, and she wasn''t sure if they were going to be able to survive it or not. She hoped that they did. "You''re not going to get run off again, are you?" A familiar voice sounded from behind her. Chapter 116 - Family Alyssa whipped around to see Scott standing behind her about five feet away. She hadn''t even heard him until he spoke. Where did he evene from? She hadn''t seen anyone in thest ten minutes. "Run off?" she questioned him as she tried to get her heartbeat to calm down. He had spooked her.?? She wondered what he was doing on campus sote at night. Then again, she was on campuste at night. She couldn''t exactly point fingers. "Elias ran you off," Scott said with a chuckle. So, they did know each other. Alyssa knew that Elias didn''t want her talking to him, but he wouldn''t even talk to her right now! Plus, she was curious about how they knew each other and what happened between them since there was bad blood between them. Scott didn''t seem so bothered about Elias, though. "He doesn''t seem to like you that much," Alyssamented as she watched him walk closer to her. She hoped that she could get some answers out of him since Elias wouldn''t tell her anything. Scottughed hard at that. He ced his hand on his stomach to steady himself. "I figured that. He can have an attitude," he said as he shook his head. "I''m sure you saw that, though." Alyssa sighed as she shook her head, her eyes growing distant as she thought of that night. "I''ve never seen him act that way before," she admitted. "I guess I got under his skin," Scott said with a shrug. "I''m sure me talking to you would get under his skin too." "He said that you''re bad news and that I shouldn''t talk to you," Alyssa replied, wondering why Elias was so intent on warning her to stay away from Scott. He didn''t seem all that bad. He seemed a bit sneaky, but he didn''t seem malicious or anything. "Do you think he''s right?" Scott asked as he tilted his head at her curiously. Alyssa shrugged. "I mean¡­ you seem nice, but I don''t really know you. He seems to know you well," she replied. She didn''t want to pry too much into a stranger''s personal business, but it did have something to do with her boyfriend, who was acting weird. "We''ve known each other for a long time. Since we were kids," Scott told her with a nod. "He was a bratty kid." Alyssa didn''t want to put her boyfriend down. No matter what, she stood by his side. She didn''t care if he was a bratty kid or not. She cared about who he was now as an adult, and he didn''t act bratty all the time. Just that one time. "Or did you antagonize him? Were you friends?" Alyssa asked Scott, trying to pry slightly more to get more information. Scott chuckled as he shrugged. "I yed just a little. We were more than friends. We''re family," he replied. Alyssa''s eyes widened at the word "family." Did he actually mean family, or was he just bluffing? "You''re rted to him?" she asked, trying to get some rification. Scott smiled and nodded. "We''re cousins," he said. "I guess I''m not surprised that he hasn''t mentioned me." Alyssa couldn''t believe that she was finally meeting someone from his family. She thought that she never would, but here he was. She wondered if Elias had beef with any other person in his family since he was so reluctant for her to meet them. "He doesn''t talk about his family much," she said. "How long have you two been together?" Scott asked her with an amused look. "Two years," Alyssa said. She knew how ridiculous that sounded. She hadn''t met his family in the two years they had been together. It seemed suspicious, but she tried to be respectful of his privacy concerning his family since she would''ve been the same way. She didn''t want him to meet her mom. That wouldn''t turn out well, so she thought that he was going through the same thing with his parents. "He tends to be secretive," Scott smirked with a shake of his head. Alyssa nodded, remaining quiet for a few moments. She thought that his mysteriousness was charming at first, but now it just mademunication and understanding more difficult. She wanted to know him, and she wanted him to know her. That meant they needed tomunicate. They couldn''t keep so many things hidden from each other, especially big things like family. "He''s always been like that?" Alyssa asked him. "For the most part. He''s open with some people," Scott said as he stepped closer. "Like who?" Alyssa asked before she could stop herself. She just couldn''t help but wonder who he was open with if he wasn''t open with her. She revealed so much of herself to Elias, including the dark parts of her. She wanted him to feelfortable enough to do the same with her too. "People close to him. There was one girl a while ago. Maybe he''s still warming up to you," Scott smirked as he looked her up and down. That stung. She wondered what girl he was so close to that he told her things that he hadn''t told to Alyssa. How long had they known each other? She felt kicked right now, especially since he was hardly talking to her right now. It was like they were drifting apart. "Yeah," she merely said. What else could she say? She didn''t want to tell this guy about their issues. "I''m surprised you''re not with him tonight," Scottmented. "Where is he at?" "I don''t know. I''m just taking a walk," Alyssa said as she gestured to the sidewalk that she was walking down. She cleared her throat as she looked around. "I should probably get going. It''ste." Scott fake pouted. "Aw. I hope I didn''t upset you. I just want to be honest with you since he''s holding some stuff back," he said as he gave her a sympathetic look. She couldn''t tell if it was genuine or not. Chapter 117 - Fire Alyssa wished he would just leave her alone now. She felt like he was ying with her and ying with Elias, despite him not even being here right now. This guy was tricky, and he seemed to be looking for trouble.?? "It''s fine. Nice seeing you," she said, even though it wasn''t nice seeing him at all. He made her even more upset than she already was. For all she knew, he could be lying about everything, but what would he even gain from lying? She felt like he was being honest. "Night, dear," Scott replied, watching her go with a smile on his face. Alyssa turned away from him and walked down the path. Once she got about twenty feet away, she turned to look over her shoulder just to see that he was gone. She narrowed her eyes in confusion, wondering where he had gone. Did he just run off? He was kind of weird. She turned back forward and kept walking. She had so many questions now. Even more than she had before. It was awful having so much go on in her head. She came out here for peace. All she was given was more confusion and more doubt that things were going to turn out okay for her. ******* After all of her sses were over with the next day and she got done with work, Alyssa dragged herself back to her dorm. She was relieved to finally get back home. She was going to light a candle and have a bath. That was her way of rxing since the walk hadn''t panned out that well. She tried not to think about what happenedst night too much throughout the day. Luckily, she had so much work to do that it was almost impossible to sit there and listen to her thoughts. So, the day wasn''t entirely awful because she couldn''t think about how awful her life was right now. She shed off her backpack once she got to her dorm and put her hair up into a bun. Even just doing that made her sigh in relief. Her body was nearly sore because she had been running around so much today at work, but she learned a lot. That was what counted. Alyssa grabbed her candle from the drawer of her desk and set it down on top of it. She only brought the sugar cookie scented candle out for special asions. Rxing was a special asion to her at this point in her life. She found her lighter and lit the candle, watching the me dance in front of her eyes. She was just about to go into the bathroom to turn on the water for her bath when she heard a knock on her door. She narrowed her eyes in confusion, wondering who could possibly be at her door right now. She opened the door to see Elias standing outside with a re on his face and a leather jacket on his body. Dangerousbination. "What are you doing here?" she asked him. He shouldn''t even be here because he needed to check in first. "You can get me in trouble being here." "They won''t find out," Elias merely said before walking inside the room. He shut the door behind him, keeping his gaze level on her. "I told you not to talk to Scott." How did he even find out? She guessed that Scott said something and tattled on her. That snake. She crossed her arms over her chest as she stood near her desk. "I ran into him," she merely said. He couldn''t control who she did and didn''t talk to. He wouldn''t even talk to her. Elias scoffed and shook his head. "It sounded like you bbered a lot to him. I told you that he''s bad news," he said. Alyssa wanted to throw her hands up. She couldn''t win with him. "You should''ve told me more! You should''ve told me that he was your cousin. Why don''t you ever tell me things?" she asked him with a shake of her head. She felt so in the dark all the time, and she was sick of it. Of course, she was going to be curious and ask Scott questions when her own boyfriend never told her anything. It was the only way she could find anything out. "Because I don''t consider him family. I didn''t even want you to meet him in the first ce!" Elias said sternly. "When ites to my family, you have to trust me." "What''s so wrong with them? If it''s family drama, I know all about that. I can handle it!" Alyssa said. Even if she was arguing with him, she still sounded like she was pleading with him. She just wanted him to be honest with her and to stop hiding things from her. "It''s more than family drama," Elias muttered as he shook his head. He clenched his jaw angrily. "What is it? You have to talk to me. If we''re going to work, we have to be honest with each other," Alyssa told him. Didn''t he know this? Did he think that he could hide things from her forever and they be okay? She hoped that he didn''t expect that. "There are some things that I want to keep to myself," Elias replied as he shook his head. "Fine. What about Scott? What happened between you two? Can you at least tell me that?" Alyssa asked, trying to find something that he could tell her about. She felt like he was shutting her out. She couldn''t be with someone who shut her out. Elias tightened his hands into fists. "No, Alyssa," he said sternly. "Tell me something!" Alyssa said. "I can''t!" Elias shouted as his eyes seemed to re in the light. Alyssa stumbled to the side as the candle me next to her suddenly red wildly. It grew so big that it caught the edge of one of her papers, setting it aze. She gasped and tried to pat it out with a notebook. Her hands trembled as she killed the fire. Elias stepped back, looking down at the floor. "What the hell was that?" Alyssa asked as she turned to look at him. She couldn''t even exin what happened. The fire just randomly grew big and then died back down. Maybe a gust of air hit it, and she saw something that wasn''t actually there? Did she imagine it? She was so confused and overwhelmed right now that she couldn''t even think of a good exnation for what happened. Chapter 118 - Respect Elias shook his head as he took a step back from her. He looked tense. "Forget it. I have to go," he said as he started to make his way toward the door of her dorm.?? Alyssa reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him in ce. He couldn''t just leave like that. They were having a conversation. Well, more like an argument, but they weren''t finished yet. "Why won''t you tell me anything?" she asked him. Her words came out quieter than she meant for them to. She was faced with the issue of her own boyfriend, the person who she loved, gradually shutting her out of his life. She was worried that he would shut her out altogether. Elias'' face softened for a mere second, like the curtain came down at that moment, but the vulnerability didn''tst. He narrowed his eyes at her. "Because it doesn''t concern you. I respect your privacy. Can you please respect mine?" he asked. His expression shifted into a pleading one. Alyssa lowered her eyes, wondering if she had pushed him too far. At the end of the day, he was right. It was his privacy that she was trying to invade, and she wouldn''t want anyone pressuring her to reveal things that she wasn''tfortable with talking about. Just because he was her boyfriend didn''t change that situation. "Yes. Sorry," she said with a nod. She had to back off of him. He was obviously stressed about Scott and his family. Just because she becamefortable enough to talk to him about her own family drama early on didn''t mean that it would be the same for him. She couldn''t expect that of him. Elias nodded back before sighing. "I love you. I have to go," he said. He stepped forward and pressed a faint kiss against her forehead before leaving her alone in her dorm. The sound of the door closing behind him echoed throughout the room as Alyssa turned to stare at the candle. She still couldn''t shake the thought of how weird it was for the candle to re so wildly. No rational idea came to mind, but she couldn''t think of anything irrational either. But why worry about a candle when the real issue was the tension between her and Eliastely? Themunication between them had been awful, and she wanted to fix that before it negatively affected their rtionship even more. If she wanted him, which she did, she had to try harder and fight harder for them. With a sigh, she walked to the bathroom with a lingering frown on her face. She would still take her bath and try to rx after everything that had been happeningtely, but she had a feeling that she wouldn''t light another candle for quite a while. *********** Every move of Alyssa''s was nearly robotic as she prepared the exam room for the next patient. She walked over to the cab near the examination table and checked all of the supplies, ensuring there was enough of everything. When she got to medical school, she wouldn''t have to do so much administrative and busy work. She would be far more involved with the patients, but she knew that she had to pay her due diligence. Everyone had to start somewhere. Alyssa wasn''t thinking about medical school, though. She was thinking about seeing Elias tonight. He still had been a little distant since he confronted her about Scott, but he did text her and ask her toe over to his ce tonight. Maybe things would go back to normal soon. She only had so much of her undergraduate college career left, and she wanted to enjoy every day that she had left as much as she could. She wouldn''t be able to get this time back. So far, thest semester of her senior year had been mostly stressful, but she wanted to look back on this time fondly one day. So, she would go over to Elias'' ce tonight and try to get them back on track. Then, everything else would gradually fall into ce. She just had to have a lot of patience. As she grew older, that came harder and harder toe by. She wanted things to work out as soon as possible so that she didn''t have to worry about them any longer. Worrying was torture. Alyssa checked the time, seeing that it was almost the end of her shift. A relieved sigh drifted from her as she closed her eyes for a second. Truthfully, she was exhausted. Some days, she didn''t know how she juggled it all, but she was determined on getting where she wanted to go. After all of the loneliness and disappointment that she experienced growing up, she figured that getting to achieve her dreams would make up for all of that. Why would she focus on how bad her past was when her future was so bright? She would be everything that her parents thought that she could never be, and she could be everything that she ever wanted for herself. That was why she kept going, despite everything that threatened to crush her. Alyssa rolled her neck a few times, rubbing at the tension in the back of it before walking out of the examination room. She headed down the hall toward Dr. Shields as he walked and read a chart. "Exam room 2 is prepped and ready," she told him as she stopped in front of him. Dr. Shields stopped and looked up from the chart at her. "Good. Got your groove back? I don''t want to waste your potential for too much longer on mediocre tasks," he said as he eyed her. Alyssa lifted her chin and nodded, feeling relieved to hear that he finally wanted to let her back near the patients again. He had basically grounded her this week after she jabbed that patient''s arm over and over. She never wanted to keep messing up like that again. "I''m ready," she assured him. She already felt like she was behind the other students learning here, who got to work with the patients. It was embarrassing having to be left behind to do little tasks. She needed to be out on the front lines with the patients if she wanted to learn what she needed to. Dr. Shields offered her a faint smile before nodding. "See you on Monday," he told her before walking off down the hallway. Chapter 119 - Shadow And Blood Alyssa turned and watched him go and disappear into an exam room before smiling brightly to herself. Things were already starting to look up at work. Now, she needed that same energy to spread to the other parts of her life. She checked the time and saw that she was finally free to go. She typed a message to send to Elias.?? Alyssa; About to leave the hospital. Be there soon Alyssa lowered her phone and walked into the locker room to grab her backpack, stuffing her things inside before walking out of the room. She nced around the hospital, taking in the stark white walls and flooring and the light chatter from workers and patients. She was willing to dedicate her to life to an environment like this, but she wouldn''t change her dream for the world. She knew that she would experience devasting things. She would want to quit at times, but she had to focus on the reason for why she wanted to be a doctor in the first ce. The development of medicine and the preservation of precious lives coaxed her on. The future was so bright and full of potential. She just had to reach it. Her smile immediately turned to a frown when she stepped outside of the hospital, though. A heavy torrent of rain thundered down all around the hospital and as far as she could see. Thunder rumbled up above in the darkness of the night sky, and it was obvious that this storm wasn''t going to stop anytime soon. "Are you serious?" she muttered as she looked at the parking lot in front of her. Her car, which was a junk box that she managed to scrape enough cash together for, was in the sea of cars just ahead of her. She was going to get soaked, though. Alyssa knew that she couldn''t just keep standing there. She gripped the straps of her backpack tightly before charging into the downpour of rain. It soaked her backpack, hair, and scrubs as she dodged around the cars, looking for her own. It was hard to see through the rain and darkness, but she caught a glimpse of its red body. She cut to the right to try to sneak through a row, but her sneaker skidded across the ground. She gasped as she slipped and fell to the ground,nding hard on her right side. Her arm and knee took the brunt of the fall. A burning sensation red across her arm as the asphalt scraped it. Alyssa winced as she rolled onto her stomach, pain pulsing through her from the nasty fall. She moved her arm slowly, feeling it ache with each movement. Once she brought it into view, she could see the blood washing away from her wound due to the rain. She couldn''t see how bad it was, but it hurt. She pushed herself into her feet, hobbling slightly from the pain in her knee. Even the pants leg of her scrub was ripped slightly. A faint grumble left her as she looked up, trying to find her car again. Instead, her eyesnded on a figure across the lot. Well, she believed it was a person. It looked more like a shadow, and it was staring right at her. An uneasy feeling filled her as she stepped back. Maybe it was just a person checking to see if she was okay. But why was he just staring? She swallowed hard before hurrying to her car, wanting to get out of there. She was fine enough to get to Elias'' ce. She didn''t want to go back into the hospital. Her rushing into the downpour and falling would''ve been for nothing. Without looking back to see if the shadow was still there, she turned her car on and sped off to Elias'' apartment. But her uneasiness wasn''t left behind. It followed. ******* Alyssa knocked on Elias'' door before pressing her hand against the outer part of her forearm, trying to dull the ache echoing through it and stop the blood from steadily leaking out. She didn''t think that she broke it, or she hoped that she didn''t. It hurt to move it, but she needed to take care of the bleeding first. She bled all over the right side of her scrubs while driving. Elias opened the door a few momentster. He parted his lips to speak, but his eyes immediately zeroed in on the blood. He took a step back from her. "What happened?" he asked, looking uneasy and startled. Alyssa almost gave him a strange look. She expected him toe closer and check on her, but she seemed to be freaking him out. Maybe he was afraid of blood. "I fell in the parking lot," she exined to him as she stood in front of his doorway. She wondered if he was going to let her in or not. He didn''t seem to have that much of an inviting presence to him right now. Elias didn''t even look at her face while she was talking. He couldn''t take his eyes off the blood. After a few moments, he finally seemed to snap out of his shock. He motioned for her toe inside as he stepped away from the door. Alyssa walked inside slowly, almost afraid that she would spook him more if she moved too fast. She had never seen him act so strange before. "Are you okay?" she asked him as she watched him step around her to close the door behind her. Elias nodded. "It''s just¡­ a lot of blood," he said, seeming to force the words out. He led her to the bathroom and gestured to the cab beneath the sink. "I might have some bandages." Alyssa stopped at the sink and started washing the blood off her arm. "Sorry for the mess," she said, knowing that she walked inside dripping wet. "It''s fine. I''ll grab you some clothes," Elias replied before heading out of the bathroom. He almost seemed to rush from the room, like he couldn''t wait to get out of there. Chapter 120 - War Zone "It''s fine. I''ll grab you some clothes," Elias replied before heading out of the bathroom. He almost seemed to rush from the room, like he couldn''t wait to get out of there. Alyssa turned back to her arm, looking at where the asphalt tore at her skin. Her skin was red and a bit inmed. ?? She would have to watch it and see how bad the injury was. She turned when she heard a light knock on the bathroom door, seeing Elias stick his hand inside with clothes gripped in his grasp. "Thank you," she replied as she took them. She didn''t even question how weird he was acting. He had to have some sort of phobia to blood. She worked in a hospital, so she had seen it plenty of times in other people. She just didn''t peg him as the type. Once she put a few bandages on her arm over the biggest cuts and changed her clothes, she walked out of the bathroom to find Elias sitting on the couch. He was sitting upright, almost tense. She approached him and sat down next to him. "Are you okay?" he asked, seeming to settle down as his eyes swept over her. "I think so," Alyssa said as she gingerly rested her arm on her leg. Elias carefully reached over her to grab a pillow. He set it beside her before gently guiding her arm over to rest on it. "You said you fell?" he asked her as he settled back down near her side. Alyssa nodded with a faintugh. "I was trying to run to my car in the rain," she told him. She knew better than to run in the rain. Elias chuckled softly as he took her left hand, holding it on his thigh. "I could''ve picked you up," he said. Alyssa smiled and shook her head, feeling d that he seemed normal again. She suspected it was because the blood was out of sight. "It''s fine. I didn''t know you were so scared of blood," shemented as she gave him a curious look. She supposed that she hadn''t found out until now because she hadn''t gotten hurt like this in a while. Elias shrugged as he nced away from her. "It''s just¡­ the smell," he said. He almost sounded awkward. Alyssa hoped that he wasn''t embarrassed admitting that to her. It didn''t make him seem less manly or whatever to her. Everyone was scared of something. She gave his hand a squeeze. "Anything else you''re afraid of?" she asked him with a small smile. Her voice sounded yful, but she also meant it as a genuine question. Elias held her gaze for a few moments as his expression softened. "Losing you," he said before sitting up more. "I''m sorry about how things have been between ustely." Alyssa moved closer to him, feeling her heart rate pick up slightly when she realized that he actually wanted to talk. He was far more level-headed than he was when she talked to him the other day in her dorm room. "Me too. Your business is your business. I''m sorry for pushing. There''s just so much going on, and I''m so stressed out about it all," she exined to him. In short, she was overwhelmed, and she didn''t do well when she felt overwhelmed. She panicked. She pushed too hard. Elias sighed gently as he looked at her. "Look, my family are old school. They''re specific about who they''re friends with, who we associate with. They''re very¡­ uptight," he said. Elias knew they wanted to protect him but it was ruining his life. "And they wouldn''t like me," Alyssa replied. She knew how some families could be. She didn''t me him for that, but she wished that his parents would be more epting of her. They hadn''t even met her. Things would be so much easier for everyone if they would just give her a chance to prove that she was good for their son. "One day, I want to distance myself from them. I just can''t right now," Elias said. "So, I probably won''t ever meet them?" Alyssa asked him. They were his parents. It was his boundary that she had to respect. "I hope you don''t have to. Like I''ve told you, they want everything to bend to their will. I don''t want them to make you bend," Elias murmured quietly. Alyssa narrowed her eyes slightly, wondering what he meant by that. It sounded like his parents were tough people. If he thought it was better for her not to meet them, maybe he was right. She didn''t want him meeting her mom. Family drama was something that she didn''t want to drag into their rtionship, and that could include his too. "Alright. I''ll try to steer clear of Scott too," she told him, knowing he probably had that on his mind too. Elias gave her a grateful look before pressing his forehead against hers. "Thank you. It''s for the best. I promise," he said. Alyssa trusted him. He would only act this odd and protective if there was a good reason for it, so she would steer clear and just focus on them. Hopefully, his family didn''t pose a problem for them in the future. Then, she would be forced to step into his family drama. And from his words of warning, she didn''t want to find herself in the middle of that warzone. ********** The next morning, Alyssa woke up in pain. She rolled away from Elias in his bed, grasping her aching arm with a wince. She thought that it would feel better by now, but she was obviously wrong. She heard Elias stir behind her before sitting up in bed. "Are you okay?" he asked her as he ced his hand on her shoulder, peering over at her with a concerned look on his face. Alyssa shook her head as she pushed herself up int a sitting position. She looked down at her arm, which was still slightly inmed. "It hurts to move it," she told him. She gingerly turned her arm, flexing it and wincing when pain shot through her. Chapter 121 - Ungrateful Brat "You need to make sure you don''t have a fracture," Elias told her as he rubbed her back gently. Alyssa sighed as she hung her head. Thankfully, it was the weekend, so she didn''t have to worry about missing ss or work.?? But she didn''t exactly want to spend her weekend like this. She hadn''t gone to the doctor''s office in a while. She was usually more careful than this. "I guess you''re right," she said. She gave him a faint smile. "Look at you. Giving me medical advice." Elias smirked before kissing her on the cheek. "Come on, Doctor. I''ll drive you to the urgent care," he told her before getting out of bed. "Thank you," Alyssa said sincerely as she followed him to get dressed. She knew that driving in her condition probably wouldn''t be the smartest thing right now. She pulled on her clothes, slipping her hurt arm through the sleeve of her t-shirt carefully. Even little things were difficult to do. Elias shook his head dismissively. "Don''t thank me. I want to make sure you''re okay," he replied as he smoothed down his cored shirt. He grabbed his phone and walked out of the bedroom with her. "Need to pick up anything from the door?" Alyssa grabbed her purse and rifled around inside of it until she found her insurance card. She turned to him and shook her head. "I have everything I need," she told him. At least she didn''t have to worry about a hefty payment when she went to the urgent care clinic. Once they left his apartment and got in his car, Elias drove her to the closest urgent care clinic, which happened to be a mile down the road from the campus. He walked into the clinic with her before cing his hand on her back and leaning close to her. "I''m going to take a seat," he told her. Alyssa nodded, watching him walk off to find a seat in the waiting room. Luckily, there were only a few other people there. She hoped that she wouldn''t have to wait for that long. Her arm felt so ufortable. She couldn''t go on like this for too much longer. She needed to be able to move around well for work. "Hi, I fell and hurt my armst night. I just want to make sure that it''s not broken," she told the woman at the front desk. The receptionist nodded before handing her a clipboard with a few papers clipped on top. "Fill these out, and then the doctor will see you," she replied. Alyssa walked over to sit near Elias, sighing when she read over all the information that she had to fill out about herself. Being an adult never seemed to get any easier or less tedious, but things were worse when she was younger and stuck in her parents'' house. She would take this over that any day. "You don''t have to stay here and wait. I''m sure you have better things to do than sit in a waiting room," Alyssa said as she gingerly picked up the pen off the top of the clipboard. She winced a little as she started to write down her information. Elias shook his head as he leaned his shoulder against hers. "I''ll be waiting right here when you get out," he promised her. Alyssa hoped that he would always be there waiting for her. Her life would be taken up by medical school and residency for a while. She hoped that he would be okay with getting through these hard years with her until she finally became a doctor. Then, things would be easier for them. She hoped that he stuck around for her. "Hopefully, they get me in soon," she replied before finishing up the paperwork and putting down her insurance information. She still hardly knew how any of it worked, but one day she would. She would have to figure out almost everything that confused her about adulthood eventually. Alyssa took the clipboard up to the front desk and handed it over to the receptionist. "Let me just run your insurance information," the receptionist replied before turning to herputer. Alyssa nodded and lingered at the counter, figuring that she would have to pay at least $25 or something for the visit. She had just over $100 in her bank ount until her next paycheck, so she was covered. "You''re not part of this policy," the receptionist told her. Alyssa gave her a confused look, not understanding what she was saying. "It''s my family''s policy. I''m on it until I''m 26," she said. The receptionist shook her head with a shrug. "You were dropped from the policy. You could talk to whoever is the policyholder and see if that was an error," she suggested. "Just a second," Alyssa replied before turning away from the desk. She lifted a finger to signal to Elias that she would be gone for a minute before walking out of the clinic. She lingered on the sidewalk as she dialed her mom''s number. She hadn''t spoken to her since the funeral, and she didn''t want to talk to her now, but she had to. She couldn''t afford the urgent care bill without insurance. "Hello?" her mom answered after a few rings. Alyssa felt her throat tighten slightly at the sound of her mom''s voice. It still made her uneasy to this day, but she pushed past the feeling. "It''s Alyssa," she said, pushing out the words as loud and clearly as she could. She had grown a lot in thest few years, and the biggest thing that she tried to work on was not letting people push her around or step all over her. She had to be stronger than that. "What do you want?" her mom questioned with a sharp tone. Alyssa clenched her jaw briefly as she nced around the parking lot in front of the clinic. She wished that she could handle this insurance issue without having to call her mom. "I''m at the clinic, and they''re telling me that I''m not on your insurance. Is that a mistake on their end?" she asked, figuring that had to be it. "No, I removed you from my policy," her mom replied with a slight sneer to her voice. Alyssa''s eyes widened in shock. She couldn''t believe that her mom actually dropped her from the policy. Her mom knew that Alyssa couldn''t afford her own insurance. "What? Why? You know that I need it!" Alyssa replied with a voice full of disbelief. It was a low blow, and it was one that she didn''t even consider her mom being capable of. "You don''t deserve anything from me, you ungrateful little brat," her mom spat before hanging up the phone. Alyssa lowered her phone and stared at it for a few seconds, trying to wrap her mind around everything. She had no health insurance, and it was a requirement to have it before she started medical school. She had no idea what she was going to do now. Once again, her family had figured out a way to ruin things for her. If Elias'' parents pulled the same thing, she didn''t me him for not wanting her to meet them. Chapter 122 - Boyfriend Duties Once she gathered herself, she walked back into the clinic and over to the receptionist. "I''m not on the policy. How much would it be to get an x-ray done?" Alyssa asked her. Maybe the price wouldn''t be as bad she thought it would be.?? "Around $300 for the entire visit," the receptionist replied with a sheepish look. Alyssa lowered her eyes as she nodded. That seemed about right. She hated how expensive healthcare was. It was one of the biggest ws of the healthcare system, and she would be knee deep in the system soon. She hoped that someone found a way to fix all the issues. They would save a lot of lives too. "Oh," she said as she started to step back. She gasped lightly when her back hit a body. She turned around to see Elias behind her. She hadn''t even heard him or noticed that he got out of his chair. "My mom kicked me off our insurance. I can''t pay $300 for an x-ray." Elias frowned. "That''s sickening of her," he said as he narrowed his eyes. Alyssa shrugged. Honestly, she should''ve expected her mom to pull something like this. She thought that the distance from her family for all these years would''ve kept them from negatively affecting her life, but that didn''t seem to be the case. Her mom still found a way to hurt her. "Let''s go," she said. She didn''t know what she was going to do now, but she couldn''t afford to be seen here. Elias shook his head as he gently took her good arm, keeping her from walking away. "I''ll pay for the visit. You need to have your arm looked at," he told her. Alyssa''s eyes widened in shock. "It''s a lot of money, Elias. This isn''t lunch money. I can''t let you do that," she replied. She couldn''t ask him to do that for her. It was way too much. Elias gave her a gentle smile before stepping closer to the counter and grabbing his wallet. He pulled out a few hundred-dor bills, which weren''t the only ones in his wallet, and handed them over to the receptionist. "Please, tell the doctor that she''s in pain," he said before leading Alyssa back to their seats in the waiting room. "I can pay you back when I get my paycheck," Alyssa told him once they sat down. She couldn''t let him pay for all of that and not return the favor or pay him back somehow. She wouldn''t feel right. Elias shook his head as he took her hand. "I promise you that it''s okay. I just want to check on you," he said. Alyssa felt warmth flush across her cheeks. It was nice of him to be so protective over her. It made her feel safe, even if the only personing after her was her own mom and hours away. She didn''t feel alone and helpless, and that meant the world to her. "I love you," she told him. Elias smiled at her. "I love you." Alyssa could''ve kissed him, but the doctor called her back before she could. She squeezed Elias'' hand before standing and heading into the back with the doctor, letting him lead her to an exam room. She let him check out her arm and run an x-ray, eliminating the possibility of her arm being broken. It was relieving news because she knew that she couldn''t afford getting a cast put on. Instead, she received a ck sling for her arm. "Make sure to rest it," the doctor told her as they walked toward the front of the clinic. "Rest. No strenuous activity," Alyssa noted with a nod. It sucked that she would be limited for another week, but at least her arm wasn''t broken. Then, she would be limited for a month or more. That sounded like a nightmare. Elias immediately stood up when Alyssa walked back through the door and over to him. "Is it broken?" he asked her. Alyssa shook her head. "Just a bad sprain. It''ll be fine in about a week or so," she told him. She got lucky. If it was a break, that was a longer period of recovery and more money. She didn''t have much time or money to spare as the semester started to approach the end. Elias nodded and ced his hand on her back, leading her out of the clinic and to his car. "Take it easy until then," he said. Alyssa sighed as she nodded. She didn''t know how she was going to handle work this week, but she certainly wasn''t going to sit it out and let the other students working at the hospital get so far ahead of her. "I''ll try." **************** Luckily, Dr. Shields still let Alyssa work that week, even while wearing a brace. She wasn''t allowed to do much touching when it came to patients, but she could still watch and learn when he did examinations. It was good enough for her since she was still able to learn something. In the meantime, she did paperwork. Her arm was gradually healing, but it was a slow process. She took a hard fall, and the blunt force hadn''t been kind to her. Twisting her arm ached, so even typing or writing with her right hand was ufortable. She stocked up on Tylenol to get her through the week. Elias had been nice enough to offer to drive her wherever she needed to go if he wasn''t in ss. She assured him that he didn''t have to go out of his way to do that for her, but he was insistent. She felt like they were over the worst of their issues after finally talking. Hopefully, the rest of her life simmered down too. "Alyssa,e join us," Dr. Shields'' voice sounded ahead of Alyssa. Alyssa looked up from the receptionist desk that she sat behind, spotting Dr. Shields and Jackson looking over at her. She hurriedly stood and moved out from behind the desk to join them, feeling relieved to finally get in on some action. Hanging out with the receptionist was nice, but dealing with patients was thrilling. Chapter 123 - Competition "Thank you," she told Dr. Shields as she fell in step with Jackson behind him. Dr. Shields nodded.?? "Jackson, fill her in," he said. Alyssa looked over at Jackson with a grimace. He was some blond guy from a wealthy family. His eyes were a light blue color, and his blue scrubs hugged the lean muscles of his arms and chests. She had seen him around school too, and he always had some sorority girl on his arm. Jackson looked her up and down with a smirk. "Maybe you should be in one of these rooms," hemented as he looked at her brace. Alyssa rolled her eyes, figuring he would make ament about her arm. "Maybe you should just tell me about the patient," she retorted. She didn''t y games when it came to work, and she wasn''t going to let Jackson think that he had anything over her. Injured or not, she was going toe out on top. "I''m just saying that if you need some help, you can always ask," Jackson replied. Alyssa eyed him with narrowed eyes. She knew that his words sounded like genuine kindness, but she knew what his motives were. She had seen him be sly with the other students, and some had even believed him. He used everyone as a stepping stone, but she wasn''t about to be one for him. "I''d rather ask someone who knows what they''re talking about," she replied. He was a student just as much as her. Their level of knowledge was about the same, and she wouldn''t put her trust in him. His narcissism blinded him. Jackson ced his hand over his heart, feigning a hurt expression. "When did you get so mean, Alyssa? I thought quiet people were sweet," he said. Alyssa rolled her eyes as she nced away from him. Ever since they both started out as medical assistants at this hospital, he had been a thorn in her side, making snidements and trying to outdo her. She was defiant. "If only you were quiet," she muttered beneath her breath. "I''m guessing you forgot the information about the patient." Jackson screwed up his face at her. "No, I didn''t," he said. Alyssa gave him a pointed look. "Well?" she replied. "Mr. Neal. He''s being prepped for an appendectomy," Jackson told her as they walked down the hallway to the patient''s room. Alyssa nodded, having read up on appendicitis before. She didn''t know everything about it, but she knew enough to know what was going on. This patient was being prepared for surgery, but it was amon one. "Was that so hard?" she asked Jackson before stepping in front of him to follow Dr. Shields into the room. Jacksonughed beneath his breath as he followed her. He stood at her side as they faced the patient, whoid in bed, watching television. "Are we ready to go yet or what? I''m gonna miss the game tonight," Mr. Neal, an older man, groaned as he gestured to the sports channel ying on the television. Dr. Shields smiled as he stepped closer to Mr. Neal. "We''re just about ready for you, Mr. Neal. How are you feeling?" he asked. "Ufortable," Mr. Neal replied. Dr. Shields turned to Alyssa and Jackson. "What is the mostmon symptom of appendicitis?" he asked them. Alyssa waited for him to call on either one of them, but Jackson blurted the answer right out before she had a chance to realize that Dr. Shields was waiting on either one of them. "Lower right abdomen pain," Jackson said. He then looked at Alyssa with a smirk. "Gotta be faster than that." Alyssa gritted her teeth as she turned back to Dr. Shields, preparing for the next question. She was going to be ready this time. "Good. What could happen if Mr. Neal didn''te in for surgery?" Dr. Shields asked. "Ruptured appendix!" Alyssa blurted out before Jackson could even draw in a breath. She gave him a wicked smile, feeling proud of herself for being so quick on the spot. If she was going to be a doctor in a hospital environment, she would have to be. Jackson rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Students of yours?" Mr. Neal asked Dr. Shields. "Gotta learn at some point," Dr. Shields chuckled before turning back to Alyssa and Jackson. "Whoever answers this question right can assist in preparing Mr. Neal for surgery." Alyssa felt her heart jump a little, making her tense up to get ready. She wanted to help in any way that she could because that was another important lesson for her to learn. Plus, it would be nice to rub it in Jackson''s face for acting like a snob. "Why would the pain from appendicitis ur in the upper abdomen as opposed to the lower abdomen like normal?" Dr. Shields asked as he cocked an eyebrow at them. Alyssa narrowed her eyes as she thought. She could''ve sworn that she had read about this somewhere, but it was some little detail at the end of the text or off to the side where most people didn''t bother to read in their readings. What was the answer? Jackson seemed to be struggling just as much. He shook his head, looking lost. "Maybe if you''re younger?" he asked. Dr. Shields shook his head. Alyssa''s eyes widened slightly as she connected a few dots. Jackson''s wrong answer gave her a clue that she would''ve never thought of. "If they''re pregnant. The appendix''s position is higher during pregnancy," she said. Dr. Shields grinned and nodded. "Stand by for prep. Jackson, go see if any of the nurses need your help," he replied. Alyssa turned to smirk at Jackson. "Have fun with scut," she said. She knew that she didn''t need to be talking all big and bad. She could mess up tomorrow and have to do scut too. Mistakes were going to happen no matter what. It didn''t matter how smart they were. "It won''t be this easy for you at NYU. I''ll be sure to put the pressure on you," Jackson said with a matching smirk. He hardly seemed fazed by his defeat. Alyssa gave him a confused look. That didn''t mean what she thought it did. Right? "You''re going to NYU?" she asked him. "Go Violets," Jackson replied before walking out of the room with a smug look on his face. Alyssa stared after him with a look of shock. She couldn''t believe that she would have to deal with him there too. Admittedly, he was a good student. He was smart, and he made sure that people knew that. Now, she would have to hear all about it at medical school too. At least thepetition would keep her motivated. There was only one thing more motivating than the fear of failure, and that was the spirit ofpetition. Chapter 124 - An Issue Campus life swarmed around Alyssa as she made her way to the coffee shop in the university''s library to meet up with Zoe. There was a lot to catch up on between the two. Alyssa hated how hard it was to coordinate their schedules this year, but they were preparing to start new lives. ?? They were moving in different directions, which made Alyssa sad, but she was also happy for them. They were doing what they wanted to do in their sophomore year when they met each other. That was cause for celebration, not sadness. She pulled open the door to the library, gasping when she almost ran into Scott. She stared at him with wide eyes for a second before ducking her head and trying to move past him. She told Elias that she wouldn''t talk to him, and she didn''t feel like getting mixed into the drama anyway. "Woah. Where are you running off to, honey?" Scott asked as he reached out to grab her left wrist. He pulled on her until they were out of the way of the door. He gave her a curious look. "Trying to escape me?" Alyssa looked up at him, feeling ufortable as he continued to grip her wrist. She didn''t understand why he always had to talk to her whenever they saw each other. They weren''t friends, and he knew that Elias would be pissed off if he found out that they were talking. Then, the answer became clear to her. He was trying to get a rise out of Elias through her. She didn''t like being used like that. "I''m meeting up with someone," she said, hoping that he would take a hint and let her go. "Elias?" Scott asked as he turned her wrist over, gazing down at the inside of it and running his thumb along her fair skin. Alyssa gave him a perplexed look, wondering why he was acting so strange. Then again, he was a weird guy. She pulled harder on her wrist until he finally let her go. She took a step back from him. "No," she replied, not giving him any other details. Her ns weren''t any of his business anyway. She wished that he would just go on and leave her alone. Every time she saw him, it left a bad taste in her mouth and reminded her of the tension that used to be between her and Elias. She didn''t want to feel that again. Scott looked over at her brace on her right forearm. "How''d that happen?" he asked, almost looking amused. "Clumsy?" "Something like that," Alyssa said evenly. He thought that he was sly and charming, but she knew that he was just a jerk deep down. She nced over at the coffee shop, wishing that Zoe would see her ande rescue her. Zoe was still far more brash than she was. Scott followed her eyes. "You seem tense, honey," he murmured. His voice was silky and sweet, dripping and warm. It made her almost shudder but not in a good way. "Elias doesn''t want us to talk, and I know why," Alyssa replied. She gave him a look of warning. Scott chuckled as he tilted his head at her. "What''s the reason?" he asked, seeming to test her. "You''re just causing more family drama," Alyssa said. She didn''t understand why he would want to throw more fuel on the fire. What would he gain from that? Was he trying to win the family''s approval? "That''s why you told him that we talked." "Our family is close. We don''t keep secrets from each other, especially if there''s an issue," Scott said. Alyssa narrowed her eyes at his cryptic words. She had no idea what he meant by that. "What issue?" she questioned him, beginning to feel a sinking feeling in her stomach. Scott met her eyes with a cold smile on his face. "You." Alyssa''s eyes widened in shock. She didn''t understand how she was an issue to a family that she had never met before. What did they even know about her? Maybe Scott was just lying and trying to mess with her. Something told her that wasn''t the case, though. "How?" she asked. Scott ced his finger on his lips. "Probably something to talk to your boyfriend too," he replied before walking away from her. Alyssa stared after him, feeling confused about what to do. She couldn''t tell if he was bluffing or not. If she wanted to talk to Elias about what Scott meant, which could''ve been a lie in the first ce, she had to admit to Elias that she talked to Scott. It would just get him fired up all over again, and Alyssa didn''t want that. Scott surely did, though. She couldn''t shake what Scott said, though. She didn''t want to be a problem to anyone, and if she could fix that or set things straight to make things easier for Elias, then she wanted to do that. She would talk to him about itter. Scott had basically cornered her after she tried to get away, so Elias would understand. She just hoped that things didn''t go bad again. She walked to the coffee shop, spotting Zoe at a table with her coffee already. She headed over to Zoe, not even caring about getting a coffee anymore. She just needed to talk. "Sorry," she apologized once she sat down. She knew that Scott had made her a few minuteste. "Finally, you''re the one who''ste. Not me," Zoe said with a smirk. She then eyed Alyssa. "What happened?" Alyssa sighed as she shook her head. "Drama is following me these days for some reason," she said. She didn''t understand when she became such a ma for it, but it was annoying. She missed how boring her life used to be sometimes. At least it was peaceful. Zoe straightened up in her seat as she grasped her coffee cup in two hands. "Tell me all about it," she said. She feasted on drama. "Elias has this weird cousin that he doesn''t like that keeps trying to start drama," Alyssa exined. She trusted Zoe not to say anything to anyone. They were best friends, which meant they were steel vaults when it came to gossip. Besides, Alyssa needed another voice besides Elias''. Chapter 125 - An Issue(2) "What is this weird cousin doing?" Zoe asked with an intrigued look. "He keeps talking to me, and Elias doesn''t like that. He doesn''t want me to meet his family or get involved with them. He''s not too close with them," Alyssa exined. Honestly, if his whole family was like Scott, she didn''t want to be anywhere near them. She didn''t like drama starters. Zoe grimaced. "Creepy cousin keeps talking to you? What''s he even saying?" she asked. "Well, he just told me that I was an issue for the family," Alyssa replied with a shake of her head. That didn''t sound like good news to her. Zoe''s eyes widened. "An issue? What the hell does that mean?" she asked. Alyssa shrugged. "He told me to ask Elias, but I think he''s just trying to make Elias mad because we talked again. I''m still going to ask Elias, though. Just in case there is something going on," she sighed. Just when she thought that things were going back to normal, Scott messed things up again. She was starting to get tired of him. Zoe leaned back in her seat, looking thoughtful. "This guy sounds like aplete ass," she muttered. "No wonder Elias doesn''t like him." Alyssa nodded before chewing on the inside of her cheek. "The cousin is the only one I''ve met. Yet, I''m still caught up in some sort of family drama. I''m just scared it''s going to cause problems for Elias and me," she admitted. There were so many stressful things going on in their lives with graduation and jobs after the fact. She didn''t need another factor putting more pressure on them. Zoe gave Alyssa a sympathetic look. "You can either ignore his family and focus on your rtionship, or you can try to push to meet his family and clear up things," Zoe suggested. "Or meeting his family might make things worse," Alyssa pointed out. She could meet his family and be everything that they didn''t want for their son. Elias had told her that they had high expectations, and she was pretty sure that she was the type of person not to meet those, no matter how much she tried to. Zoe frowned and nodded. "It''s just a decision that you have to make for you and Elias. You should talk it through with him. It''s his family," she said. Alyssa nodded. She was d to have Zoe as her friend. Her advice was usually pretty insightful. Or it was insane. There was no in between. "What about you? Do Cole''s parents like you?" she asked, hoping that Zoe wasn''t being treated poorly by her future inws. She could already see Zoe and Cole getting married. They were meant for each other. "They''re nice to me, so I think so. I don''t think they were expecting him to get with someone like me," Zoe said with a sheepishugh. Alyssaughed softly. "As long as they see that he''s happy, there''s no reason for them not to like you," she replied. That should be the only requirement because it was their rtionship at the end of the day. Zoe smiled and nodded. "Things will turn out okay. It''s just one little hurdle to get over," she told Alyssa in aforting tone. Alyssa nodded as she listened. Unfortunately, that hurdle looked like a mountain to Alyssa. She hoped that she could get over it, even if it seemed daunting to her. Paradise and peace were on the other side, and she wanted them so badly. "Everything will be fine. I just need to talk to him," she said. She was mostly talking to herself, encouraging herself to be an adult and talk about the problem. Trying to hide from it or run from it didn''t solve anything, even if it seemed like the easy solution. "There you go. Now, go get a coffee and rx. We have so much to talk about," Zoe told her as she pointed to the order counter. Alyssa smiled before leaving her seat to get in line. She couldn''t let issues put a hold on the rest of her life. Whether she was ready for it or not, her life was going to keep moving forward. She was either going to be left behind, or she could follow the motion and find her way out of this mess. ********** When Alyssa arrived at Elias'' apartment that night, she didn''te right out and tell him about talking to Scott. Or being forced to talk to Scott. She held onto how normal everything felt for just a little while as they talked about school and some of the graduation preparation that they would have to do soon. "I just don''t understand why we have to pay for our own caps and gowns after all of the tuition we''ve paid. And we can''t even keep the gown," Alyssa muttered as they sat on the couch together. The television yed a movie that droned on in the background of their conversation. "They''re going to suck as much money out of you as possible before you graduate," Elias replied as he ced his arm around her shoulders, coaxing her to lean against his side. "If you want¡­." "No, you can''t pay for my cap and gown," Alyssa broke in before he could even finish his sentence. She gave him a smirk as she leaned her head against his shoulder, peering up at him. "But thank you." "I''ll always try to help," Elias said with a small smile. He seemed to search her eyes as he gazed in them. "How was your day today? Anything happen?" Alyssa kept her feeling of surprise from showing on her face. It was strange how he seemed to sense that something was on her mind. She thought that she had been acting normal, but she supposed that she was a bit off from normal. She straightened up and turned to face him, trying to think of where to start. She knew that this wasn''t going to be a fun conversation, and she was afraid of what she might hear or find out. "Am I an issue for you or your family?" ********** A/N: Hy guys just wanted to say that we are done with volume 1. The rest of the chapters are under privilege for a cheap price 20coins for 15 chapters plus 99 discount! But don''t worry if you can''t afford. I will set the book asplete on the 15th of this month and WN will release the chapters 1 a day. Lastly Volume 2 will start on next month October 1. Thank you for your support. Any questions? Comment below Chapter 126 - Eavesdropping Alyssa asked him, deciding to skip the part about talking to Scott for now. She was more interested in seeing if Scott was telling the truth about her being a problem or not. Elias gave her a confused look as angled his body more toward her. "An issue? Why would you think that?" he asked her, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Am I?" Alyssa asked, pushing for him to answer her question first. She didn''t want him to just dodge around it. Elias held her gaze for a few moments before finally speaking. "You''re not an issue," he told her. Alyssa didn''t say anything at first, wondering if he was actually telling her the truth or not. She hoped that he wasn''t lying to her. There was already a lot of drama surrounding them. She didn''t also want it in their rtionship when it came to the two of them. "Okay," she said. "You would tell me if I became one or if your family said that about me, right?" Elias nodded, his jaw tightening slightly. "I''m guessing someone said something to you?" he questioned her. Alyssa realized that she had been found out. Then again, who else from his family would talk to her and cause drama? She sighed as she crossed her legs. "He basically cornered me in the library when I went to see Zoe," she exined. She didn''t want to talk to him, but he was insistent that she did. He would''ve just chased her down if she tried to get away. Elias shook his head as he stood up from the couch. He started pacing in front of the coffee table, muttering to himself. "He just keeps prodding me," he grumbled. "He''s never going to learn." Alyssa watched him with a frown, wondering exactly what he meant about Scott learning something. Learn what? It sounded like a threat. "He told me that I was an issue. Is he right?" Alyssa asked again now that he knew the full story. She didn''t want him hiding that from her. Elias stopped pacing and walked over to her. He looked down at her with a small frown. "He''s trying to get under my skin. Making you upset gets under my skin," he replied. Alyssa nodded as she listened. She figured that was the case, but she had to be sure. There was so much mystery that surrounded his family that she didn''t know what was true and what was not. "I really tried not to talk to him," she said. She wished that Scott hadn''t put her in that position. Elias shook his head as he reached down to caress her cheek. "I''m not upset with you. I''m mad at him for bothering you. He knows that he can piss me off through you," he said quietly. Alyssa didn''t like being a pawn in this game. She didn''t sign up for this, and she hoped that Scott eventually got the clue that she wasn''t going to y any longer. "He''s really set on making you mad," she said. She was worried about the lengths that Scott would possibly go to just to get under Elias'' skin. She was also worried about her involvement in that. Elias nodded as he pulled his hand away. "It''s nothing new. He''s my family''s pet. Always trying to be the best and most submissive," he muttered. "Does your family treat him better because of that?" Alyssa asked, wondering if there was some sort of hierarchy in his family. She also wondered where he was at within that. It seemed like he was ced above Scott, who kept trying to pull him down. Elias shook his head as he turned away from her. "He thinks it does, but he just shows how weak he is," he replied. He stared off into space for a moment before clearing his throat. "I''m not trying to please anyone. I''m just trying to make a clean break." Alyssa nodded, kind of understanding where he wasing from. There was a lot going on in his family, and he was ready to get out. Honestly, that seemed to be the best decision for him to make. If he stayed near them, there was no telling what pressure or corruption they would enforce upon him. They were already stressing him out. "Let me know if I can help," she told him. She doubted that she actually could, but she wanted him to know that there was someone in his corner. She had been exiled from her blood family, but she found a new one at college. Elias smiled at her, parting his lips to speak until his phone started ringing. He pulled it out of his pocket, reading the number and frowning. "Just a second," he said before pressing a kiss to her forehead and then disappearing into the bedroom. He shut the door behind him. Alyssa chewed on the inside of her cheek as she remained seated on the couch. Silence filled the apartment for the most part, but she could hear a little bit from the bedroom, even with the door being closed. She didn''t mean to totally eavesdrop, but she did hear a few words from him through the door. "Stop¡­ in the dark¡­ before she¡­ you better¡­." Alyssa frowned, wondering who he was talking to and what he was talking about. She couldn''t help but think that he was talking about her, but she just wasn''t sure. She hated being in the dark like this, but maybe it was for the best. She didn''t want to be caught up in his family''s mess more than she already was. "Okay. Don''t¡­ whatever," Elias'' voice sounded before the door opened. He walked out and pocketed his phone before smiling faintly at her. "I''m starving. Want to get some dinner?" Alyssa nodded as she stood up from the couch. He seemed to be okay, but she just wasn''t sure nowadays. He was good at hiding his emotions, which made it hard for her to know if he was okay or not.. She needed to get better at reading him. Chapter 127 - Not Alone Alyssa nodded as she stood up from the couch. He seemed to be okay, but she just wasn''t sure nowadays. He was good at hiding his emotions, which made it hard for her to know if he was okay or not. She needed to get better at reading him. "Everything okay?" she asked as she watched him grab his car keys. Elias turned to her and gave her an intrigued look. "Yes. Why do you ask?" he questioned her, searching her face with his eyes. Alyssa didn''t want him to think that she tried to eavesdrop when he was on the phone, so she smiled and shrugged. "Just checking because of all the Scott stuff. Maybe he''ll back off eventually," she said. She tried to be optimistic, but it was hard to feel that way when Scott showed no sign of backing off anytime soon. They would have to weather this storm or force Scott to back off. She preferred the drama free way. "He should for his sake," Elias replied, his expression turning dark for a second. Alyssa was caught off guard by his switch in tone. That sounded like a threat, and it didn''t seem like an empty one. Lately, she had been noticing how dark he could get, bordering on aggressive. She didn''t see this side to him a lot, and she hoped that it didn''t be a regr thing. She didn''t want him to be so angry and stressed. "Come on," Elias said, his voice snapping her out of her thoughts. He took her hand and led her out of the apartment. Alyssa looked down at their joined hands, noting how gentle his grip was on her hand. At least he was gentle toward her. When he was protective was when he became dark. She supposed that it was for a good reason, but she didn''t want him to think that he always had to protect her. She knew that she needed to stick up for herself when she could. She had been trying to teach herself that since her sophomore year of college. The world was rough, and people could be cruel. She had seen that firsthand. ************ Alyssa hurried into the hospital, trying not to bete for her shift. She had to stay behind after a ss to ask a professor a question, and that turned into a fifteen conversation that she didn''t expect to have. At least she had plenty of information about herst paper for that ss. She couldn''t believe that she was about to start working on the final assignments for her sses in her undergraduate career. The end wasing fast. She honestly couldn''t wait for summer break. It wouldn''t be much of a break because she would be preparing to move across the country and getting ready for medical school. There wouldn''t be that much time left for her to rx, but it was a whole new adventure. And she was happy about that. She was just d that there would be a break from homework and tests for a few months. Her sneakers thumped against the hard, white flooring of the hospital as she rushed for the elevator. Thest thing that she needed to do was leave a bad impression during herst few weeks at work. She wasn''t one to bete, and she didn''t want Jackson jeering at her for getting in trouble and being sent to do paperwork or scut. She wanted this to be a good day. Once she reached the elevator at the end of the hallway on the first floor of the hospital, she pressed the up arrow, shifting impatiently in front of the closed doors. Of course, the elevator wasing from a few floors above her. She hated how slow it moved. She thought that elevators in hospitals would move with a little more urgency. When the elevator doors finally slid open, she hurried inside and hit the button for the third floor, which was where she typically worked. She turned to face the doors when there were a few inches left between them. A sh of ck moved past the doors, like a gliding shadow. Alyssa narrowed her eyes in confusion once the doors slid shut. She didn''t know what she saw, but it was weird how it just showed up like that. For a split second, she thought that it was a person trying to get into the elevator at thest second, but it was far too dark and quick to be a person. Maybe she was just imagining things. She coaxed herself to rx as she felt the elevator start to glide up the elevator shaft. She nced up as the light above her started to flicker. She blinked her eyes a few times, wondering if she was imagining it, but it kept flickering until it went out. The second it went out, the elevator shook slightly beforeing to a sudden stop. Alyssa gasped as she tumbled to the floor, being knocked over by the jolt of the elevator. She ced her hands on the floor in front of her, unable to see through the darkness. Her heart threatened to pound out of her chest as she nced around, trying to find the emergency button on the panel to get her out of there. She swore that she was in a nightmare right now. "Come on. Come on," she whispered frantically as she tried to find the button. She needed the lights toe on now, or she would start panicking. It was taking everything in her to not start screaming at the top of her lungs for help. Suddenly, a light gust of air brushed against the back of her neck, making the hairs on the back of it re up. She flinched and scrambled away, cowering into a corner to try to get as far away from whatever touched her as possible.. She stared into the darkness in front of her, and she could''ve sworn that she wasn''t alone in that elevator. Chapter 128 - Weird Incidents A few secondster, the lights flickered back on, and the elevator moved back up the shaft. It was like nothing had happened, and she sat there and questioned herself for a second, wondering if she had imagined the entire thing. She lifted her hand to her neck, rubbing at the goosebumps as her eyes investigated the elevator. Nothing was in there. It made no sense. When the elevator doors opened, she peered out into the hallway. People were moving along like normal, like the elevator hadn''t just shut down for no reason. She had no idea why the elevator did that. The power didn''t go out anywhere else. Was she just that unlucky, or was something else going on? "What are you doing?" Alyssa looked up to see Jackson standing in front of the elevator, holding the doors closed with his hand. She realized that she was still huddled in the back corner of the elevator, prompting her to hastily push herself to her feet. She brushed herself off, feeling her face burn. "Nothing," she said quietly as she walked out of the elevator. She nced around, still feeling spooked. What made her the most nervous was that she thought someone was in the elevator with her. But that was impossible, right? No one could''ve snuck onto the elevator and then snuck out before the lights turned back on. They would''ve gotten crushed in the shaft. It was impossible. "What''s wrong?" Jackson asked her, stopping her from walking off. If she wasn''t so on edge, she would''ve been amused that he actually seemed to show her genuine concern. That was a first. She shook her head, not wanting to tell him anything. He would just think that she was crazy. If she was honest, she thought that she was going a little crazy too. She didn''t know what just happened to her. "Nothing," she repeated before walking away from him. Alyssa considered going off to the side and calling Elias to tell him what happened. It was hard to keep something like that to herself because she couldn''t make sense of it. Maybe someone else could. Maybe they could exin to her what made the elevator stop and what that gust of air was. But maybe it was nothing. She was stressed. That had to be it, so she didn''t need to bother anyone else about what happened. Elias was dealing with his own things, and she needed to get to work and focus on that. It was a weird incident and nothing more. But why had there been so many weird incidentstely? There was the ming candle, the shadow in the parking lot, and now the elevator incident. She couldn''t think of any logical exnation for all of these weird happenings, and she didn''t think that the supernatural had any ce in the real world. It must''ve been her own mind ying tricks on her. She was sure that stress could do that to people. Hallucinations were a real thing. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts as she approached Dr. Shields. "What do you have for me today?" she asked him, hoping that he gave her something to focus on. Thest thing that she needed to do right now was to let her mind roam. She would think of even crazier things and spook herself even more. Dr. Shields looked up from the file folder in his hands. "Want to assist me with a tissue biopsy?" he asked her as he tucked the folder under his arm. An excited look immediately crossed Alyssa''s face,pletely clearing the elevator incident from her mind. "Really?" she asked him, feeling grateful that he asked her to assist. It was a minor procedure, but it was as close to surgery as she could get right now. She would take anything that she could get at this point. Medical assistants were given scraps, but she understood why. They didn''t know hardly anything and weren''t the best to rely on so early in their education, especially when it came to people''s health and lives. Dr. Shields nodded and handed her the file. "Come on. We have to take the elevator to the third floor," he said as he started to walk down the hallway. Alyssa found that she couldn''t move from the spot as she turned her head to look at the elevator at the end of the hallway. The elevator incident was back in her mind, and it wasn''t leaving for a while. What if it happened again? She was almost worried about it not happening again with Dr. Shields in there with her. Did that mean the incident happened because of her being in there? She didn''t want to think that anything weird happened just because of her. She already had plenty of things in the real and normal world to deal with. She didn''t also want to deal with things that she couldn''t begin to exin. "Coming?" Dr. Shields asked when he realized that she wasn''t following him to the elevator. Alyssa nodded, tightening her fists to give herself an extra boost of confidence. She couldn''t avoid elevators forever. What happened was an isted assistant, and she was done letting fear get in the way of her progress, whether she was facing real life or fantasy. ********* "ss of 2021!" Zoe cheered before clinking her shot ss full of tequ against Alyssa''s. Alyssa brought the edge of the ss to her lips and downed the shot, feeling the liquid burn down her throat and into her chest. She coughed as her face screwed up at the taste. She could never get used to the punch that tequ dealt. She could go her entire life without drinking tequ and be perfectly content, but it was Zoe''s shot of choice. "ss of 2021," she wheezed out as she recovered from the bold taste. She pushed the empty shot ss away across the surface of the wooden bar that she was sat at with Zoe. With the end of the semester looming in front of them, they decided to take a night and celebrate the end of their undergraduate career. They had made it so far, despite the hard sses, hard assignments, and hard times. Alyssa hoped that they were all worth it. Zoe grinned at Alyssa, donning an amused expression on her face. She knew that Alyssa couldn''t handle tequ. "We''re graduating soon. I can''t wait!" she said as she pped her hands excitedly. "We''re going to be masters of health.. Well, mental health for me." Chapter 129 - Weird Incidents(2) "That''s still an important part of health," Alyssa replied with a smile. They would both go on to help many people. She could feel it. They were crazy college kids now, but they were about to be professionals. It would be a whole new world for them both. Zoe nodded, looking proud. "And this all started in a little psychology ss," she said with a warm look. She threw her arm around Alyssa''s shoulders and squeezed her to her side tightly, almost dragging Alyssa off her barstool. Alyssaughed in surprise and ced her arm around Zoe''s back, hugging her close. She tried not to think about how sad she would be when she moved away and left Zoe behind in this college town. This moment and this night weren''t meant for sadness. It was meant for celebration. There were so many thingsing to an end soon. Endings usually led to sadness, and Alyssa could already feel the onset of that, but she tried to focus on the good of it all. When one thing ended, another began, and she was about to experience a lot of new beginnings. She would be a doctor one day, and this next step was one of the most important. She had to make all of the moments surrounding it count. "And it''ll end with the best graduation party ever," Zoe finished as she let go of Alyssa. Alyssa was excited for the party. It would be the perfect thing to wrap thest four years up into one night. She had experienced so much, learned so much. She wouldn''t take back those four years for nothing, no matter the bad times or hard times that she endured. They were all part of the experience. "We have so much to do," she groaned as she leaned against the bar. She didn''t know how they were going to get everything done for graduation and the party in time. There never seemed to be enough time. Zoe waved her hand dismissively before hopping off the barstool. She grabbed Alyssa''s hand and dragged her with her. "The only thing that we need to worry about doing right now is dancing," she replied before leading Alyssa to the busy dance floor of the club. Music thumped throughout the space as bodies upon bodies moved against each other to the beat. It was rhythmic chaos. Alyssa smiled and followed, feeling ready to move and give herself over to the music. The dance floor was an escape, and she desperately needed that right now. She walked through the sea of dancing people, feeling them sway and grind near her as she and Zoe found an open spot to dance in. "It feels like we haven''t done this in forever!" Zoe shouted over the music as she put her hands up, swaying to the beat. Alyssa nodded her agreement. They spent a lot more time studying and working than dancing nowadays, but she supposed that was adulthood. The older she got, it seemed like the more work that she did. But at least she would be passionate about her work. She fell into the thump and tremble of the music that surrounded her, letting her eyes fall shut as she moved. She let her head sway side to side, taking in the electronic noises. She felt like she was on a whole other. But reality always snuck back in. Alyssa felt someone brush against her back. Usually when she felt someonee up close to her, she brushed it off. It was a packed dance floor, so it was impossible to not touch anyone while moving through it. For some reason, she feltpelled to look this time. She opened her eyes and nced over her shoulder, catching a glimpse of something dark moving behind her out of the corner of her eye. A shadow. Her heart lurched in her chest as she spun around, trying to peer through the crowd and spot the shadow that she swore that she saw behind her. With the shing lights flickering through the dark club and all the people around her, it would''ve been easy to mistake someone or empty space as a shadow, but she swore that she saw it move. Why did she keep seeing a shadow? She turned back around to face Zoe and ask her if she had seen anyone behind her, but a sudden pain in her wrist made her flinch. She lifted her wrist in front of her eyes, seeing two cuts about an inch apart on her skin. A look of confusion appeared on her face as she nced around, trying to see what had cut her. Maybe someone''s jewelry or nails hit her. The two little cuts burned slightly. They almost looked like two little holes. She grimaced at the pain before moving closer to Zoe. She grabbed Zoe''s arm and pulled her close. "I''m going to the restroom real quick," she said, wanting to see the cuts in better lighting without so many people around her and bumping into her. She couldn''t concentrate out here. Zoe nodded before going back to dancing, not knowing that anything was wrong. Alyssa guessed that Zoe hadn''t seen anything weird happen. Maybe nothing weird happened. She wasn''t sure. She didn''t feel sure about anything anymore. She hurried out of the crowd and to the bathroom, letting the bright light wash over her as the music became muted in the background. She moved to the sink and looked down at the small cuts, feeling the pain pulse beneath her skin. She hadn''t ever experienced a cut feeling so weird before. She inspected it closely, wondering what had hurt her. Why did so many weird things keep happening to her? She was starting to reach her capacity for odd happenings, especially since she didn''t want to talk about them to anyone else. Plus, there seemed to be some sort of shadow popping up everywhere. She had to be hallucinating it for some reason. How could a shadow follow her? It moved quickly and slyly, always sticking to the corners of her vision or staying far away so that she couldn''t get a great look at it. It was frustrating at this point because it kept showing up, like it was taunting and tormenting her for some reason. Why her? A few secondster, the bathroom door swung open. Zoe stepped inside and gave Alyssa a concerned look. "Are you okay? Do you feel sick?" she asked as she ced a hand on Alyssa''s back. Alyssa realized that Zoe probably thought the tequ made her rush to the bathroom to throw up. She wished that was the reason. It was much easier to go through and exin than a shadow figure and two cuts on her wrist. She didn''t even know where to begin with all of that. "I''m okay. Just needed some air," she replied, which she knew was a sorry excuse. They had only been out on the dance floor for two songs. They were usually fine for five before they had to take a break. "If you want to call the night early, we can," Zoe said, looking understanding. "I know they''ve been working you hard at the hospital." It was nice of Zoe to offer, but Alyssa didn''t want to ruin her night. If it wasn''t for the weird cuts and shadow figure, she would still be out on the dance floor right now. She wanted to try to ignore all of these weird things as long as she could.. She was sure that they wouldn''t follow her all the way to New York, but she hoped that they didn''t keep happening until graduation. Chapter 130 - Lovely Couple She was sure that they wouldn''t follow her all the way to New York, but she hoped that they didn''t keep happening until graduation. "I''m fine. I''m actually ready to go back out now," Alyssa said with a smile. Zoe eyed her, not believing her just yet. "Are you sure? Don''t push yourself too much," she warned Alyssa. "I can''t carry you out of here." Alyssa smirked and motioned for Zoe to follow her out of the bathroom. "Don''t make me carry you out to the dance floor," she replied casually, trying to get back into the party mood. What happened out on the dance floor was a mood killer, but she was determined to revive it. The night was young, and so were they. She wanted to act like that was the case and not that she was cursed or something. "Pfft. You know that you don''t have to do that with me. I''ll beat you there!" Zoe teased before hurrying toward the crowd. Alyssa hurried after her, hearing theirughter mingle with the music. Maybe the night hit a rough patch, but she wasn''t going to let anything stop her from having fun with Zoe in one of their final celebrations. There was plenty of good left to remember. She had to keep the weird and dark in the back where they belonged. Hopefully, they stared there, but how much power and control did she actually have? *********** Sunset painted the sky above campus as Alyssa and Elias rounded the fountain and continued on their walk. It was a peaceful time that Alyssa basked in. No shadows popped up today. She didn''t like having to wish for no strange urrences each and every day. She didn''t want to deal with them in the first ce. "Do you believe in ghosts? Or like anything supernatural?" Alyssa asked as she nced at Elias. She knew that it was a random question, but she was curious. Elias gave her a strange look before shrugging. "I''m not sure. Probably not," he replied. "Why?" Alyssa shook her head, stopping the conversation there. She still didn''t want to bring up all the weird things that had been happening to her. She didn''t want anyone to think that she was losing it, which she might''ve been. She wasn''t entirely sure yet. "Just curious," she merely said. Elias nodded as he looked away from her. He was quiet for a moment before speaking. "I''m going to miss this ce and all the memories we''ve shared here," Eliasmented as they walked away from the fountain. It''s light sshing faded into the background. Alyssa turned to smile at him and nodded, giving his arm a squeeze as she held it. "Me too. I can''t believe we spent so many years here. Now, we have to leave it behind. This ce is like home to me," Alyssa admitted. She foundfort here, and this ce made her never want to go back to her parents'' ce. She never felt weed there, even if she had grown up there. She felt like she had actually grown into who she was here at Ond University. She owed so much to this ce and the people that shaped her and guided her. "We can always visit," Elias pointed out. "Goodbyes don''t have to be final." Alyssa liked that sentiment. She did want to visit this ce from time to time once she moved to New York. If she ever felt lost or confused, she would think about this ce and everything that she guided herself through here. If she could survive undergraduate, she could keep on through medical school. It was just the next step. "So, have you given New York more thought?" Alyssa asked him. Her voice came out a bit quietly. The topic was still one that she approached with gentleness. She hadn''t brought it up in a while because they had been dealing with other things. It was about time for them to make concrete decisions, though. The future wouldn''t wait on them much longer. Elias nodded after a moment. "I really want to make the move with you. I don''t want to be so far away from you, and I can try to make some business contacts over there to help with my business," he said to her. A smile crossed Alyssa''s face as she nodded. It was a relief finally hearing him consider New York. He was picturing it in his head, and that was a good start. He was headed in the right direction. Of course, she wanted him to make sure that it was the right decision for him, but she hoped that he saw the benefit in moving. It would be great for him professionally and personally in multiple ways. "You''d really thrive there. It''s the best ce for business," she agreed as they passed by building after building. She didn''t even know where they were walking to. They were just moving, not standing in one ce. She preferred that. Elias nced at her with a small smile. "Maybe we can look at apartments when we get back to my ce tonight," he suggested. "I''d want it to be close to campus for you." Alyssa pulled him close to her side, feeling her heart flutter in her chest. She was so happy to be talking about this with him. The future was so daunting, but some parts of it were exciting, and talking about those parts with someone else just made her that much more excited. "It''ll probably be a small ce. New York City is kind of known for its small apartments," Alyssa told him with a sheepish look. She hoped that wasn''t a dealbreaker for him. It would be a while before she made great money, but when she finally did, it would be great money. "As long as we''re together, I don''t care about how big or small our ce is," Elias assured her. "We''ll find something that works for us." Alyssa nodded, knowing that something would speak to them out of the hundreds of apartments in the city. She knew that their first apartment together wouldn''t be their dream home, but it would be enough to get them there. The journey mattered as much as the finish line. "This is going to be great," she told him. She knew that finding a ce and applying would be a hassle, but it was all paperwork and details. It wouldn''t matter in a few months when they would finally be settled in their new ce. Elias pressed a soft kiss against her forehead. "We''re almost there," he told her. It felt so close but so far at the same time. She still had so much work to get through, but there also wasn''t that much time left. She was torn. Before she could reply to him, she heard an all too familiar voice from behind them. "Well, isn''t it the lovely couple?" Alyssa turned around to see Scott smirking at them. She tended up at the sight of him, immediately looking over at Elias to see him already ring at Scott with fire in his eyes. Of course, Scott had to go and ruin things all over again. They were having such a good moment! Chapter 131 - The Fight "What do you want, Scott?" Elias asked. His voice sounded snappy and sharp. His fingers curled into tight fists as he kept his eyes level on Scott. He wasn''t about to back down. He knew that this was a challenge from Scott. Why else would he approach them? "I''m just a middle man, Elias. You know what you should be doing. Yet, you''re not doing it," Scott sneered before eyeing Alyssa. "And she''s still lingering around." Elias stepped forward, moving to stand between Scott and Alyssa. "Drop it.. We''re not doing this here," he nearly growled the words. Alyssa''s eyes narrowed as she tried to peer over Elias'' shoulder at Scott. She hated how they were speaking so cryptically. They were obviously keeping her in the fake, despite her being part of this argument for some reason. What did Scott mean by her lingering around? Something about his tone and Elias'' reaction made her stomach twist. Scott chuckled as he shook his head at Elias. "I knew you''d be the one to crack. You were always too emotional, too ignorant of the rules. We have them for a reason," Scott scoffed. "I wish they''d see you for how weak you truly are." Elias clenched his jaw as he stared Scott down. He took a moment to draw a few deep breaths through his nose, attempting to calm himself down as much as he possibly could. However, Scott kept poking and prodding. He could only take so much before he snapped. Alyssa wished she knew what they were talking about. She wanted to know about the rules and why Scott thought Elias was so weak. A part of her wanted to ignore all of the drama and stay far away from it, but another part of her wanted to know all about what was going on and what was being said since she was involved. She thought that she deserved that at least. "Shut up, Scott! I''m not the only who rolls over to everymand barked at me! That''s weak," Elias spat at his cousin. He took a step closer to Scott. "I suggest you leave us alone." Scott stepped forward too, matching Elias'' threatening move. "Oh really? What are you going to do, lover boy?" Scott sneered, inly challenging Elias. Alyssa didn''t want them to fight in the middle of campus. She didn''t want them to fight like this at all! She couldn''t believe they were still at such odds after so many years, but she had no idea what had gone on with his family during that time. She reached out and grabbed Elias'' hand. "We should go," she said quietly, hoping to stop the argument from escting even more. The tension was so high between them, and she didn''t see that getting any better the longer they all stood there. Scott approached them to get a reaction from Elias, and Elias was giving him exactly what he wanted. Elias nodded, starting to slowly back away until Scott spoke again. "They''ll make sure it''s over with. Permanently," Scott said. Elias narrowed his eyes as he stopped moving. "What did you just say?" he asked, sounding even more pissed off than before. Scott shrugged. "You know what I''m talking about. You think they''ll let you have the chance to make this mistake again? You must not know your own family," Scott replied. A feeling of dread steadily filled Alyssa as she listened to them talk. She still didn''t understand what they were talking about, but it sounded like consequences were nowing into y. And they sounded grave. She was worried for Elias, who looked more angry than nervous. He looked like he wanted to rip Scott''s head off. "Stay out of my business, or there''s going to be a problem," Elias warned Scott. "I promise I''ll make you regret it." Scottughed as he shook his head. "What you''ll regret is not heeding their warning. I''m sure they''ll be delighted to hear about your little sunset stroll," he replied as he looked over at Alyssa. Alyssa felt the air get trapped in her lungs. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t properly breathe with him looking at her like that. She turned to Elias to tell him toe on, but a gasp of shock broke from her instead when Elias rushed forward and punched Scott in the face. ************ Alyssa stumbled back when Elias and Scott engaged in a ruthless fight. They swung at each other and grappled, trying to outdo the other. Her heart raced as she watched, feeling helpless as she just stood there. She wanted to help or stop the fight, but she didn''t want to get caught in it and get hurt also. She just managed to remove her brace the other day. "Guys, stop!" she shouted, but her words fell on deaf ears. Scott wrapped his arms around Elias'' torso, trying to take him down to the ground. Elias dug his feet into the ground and wrapped his arms around Scott instead. With what looked like little difficulty, he flung Scott over his head, mming him down to the ground. A grunt left him from the exertion as he looked down at Scott with narrowed eyes. Alyssa stared at Elias in shock. She couldn''t believe how easily Elias threw Scott, like he weighed nothing. She knew that Elias was strong, but that was a whole other level of strong that she hadn''t expected from him. Scott pushed himself to his feet, driving his fist against Elias'' stomach to make him buckle. He raised his knee, mming it against Elias'' face to make him fall to the ground. "Elias!" Alyssa cried out as fear rushed through her. Elias had been doing fine until now. She found what courage she had left and rushed over to Scott, attempting to shove him, but it felt like trying to shove a brick wall. Scott looked at her with a smirk before gently pushing her. I I Chapter 132 - Don’t Panic The force was still enough to send Alyssa stumbling to the ground. A huff left her as the breath was knocked from her. How were they so strong? It wasn''t like either of them looked like bodybuilders, but they had the strength of one somehow. She watched Elias get to his feet. Scott didn''t waste a second. He drove his foot against Elias'' stomach, shoving him back against a nearby light pole. Alyssa flinched when a loud ng sounded upon the impact. Her eyes then widened when Elias stumbled away from the light pole. He made a dent in the pole. That had to be impossible. The force from that couldn''te from a body! None of this made any sense.. Elias lunged at Scott, taking him down to the ground. He hovered above Scott and drove punch after punch to Scott''s face. His eyes looked dark, merciless. Alyssa could only stare at him, feeling like she was seeing a person that she didn''t recognize. She had never seen him this violent before. "Elias, he''s done. Elias! Stop!" she shouted. Scott''s face was so bloody that she couldn''t even make out his features any longer. She didn''t want Elias to kill him. He definitely had the strength to. Elias lifted his fist another time, but he didn''t bring it down. Slowly, he uncurled his fingers, breathing heavily as he red down at Scott. "It''ll be ten times worse if you say anything," he murmured before climbing off Scott. He walked over to Alyssa, holding his stomach with a painful grimace. "I''m sorry." "Are you okay?" Alyssa asked as she looked over him. His cheek was slightly swollen, and it seemed like his stomach hurt. But he seemed okay for the most part. She wanted an exnation for his conversation with Scott and him snapping, but she wanted to make sure that he was okay first. Elias nodded before ncing back at Scott. "Yeah, I hope so," he said quietly. Alyssa nodded as she put her arm around his back gently. She figured that his back had to hurt from hitting that pole so hard that he bent the material. That still seemed insane to her, but she tried to look past it for now and focus on getting out of here. "Let''s go back to your ce," she told him, wanting to take care of him there. She also wanted to talk if he was up to it. "You know what will happen. You know," Scott grunted as he pushed himself to his feet. He wiped some of the blood off his face before spitting on the ground at Elias'' face. "And I can''t wait to watch it happen." Elias narrowed his eyes as he watched Scott limp off away from them. He put his arm around Alyssa''s shoulders and guided her the opposite way, remaining quiet. Alyssa''s mind kept racing, trying to think of exnations for Scott''s cryptic words. What was going to happen, and why did it sound so bad? She was ovee with worry. "What was all that about?" she asked him. Elias shook his head, grimacing slightly as he gripped his stomach. "He''s just trying to get me in trouble," he replied. "With who? Your family?" Alyssa asked, knowing that had to be it. Who else would threaten Elias? She felt bad that he was in such a bad position with his own family. She could understand that a lot, but her family drama hadn''t been asplicated as this. Elias nodded. "It doesn''t matter. He''s always been a tattler," he muttered. "Just ignore him." Alyssa wished that she could turn her head to this whole situation. It would be so much easier to pretend that none of the drama existed, but she couldn''t. It was there, and it wasn''t going away anytime soon. That was what it seemed like. "You attacked him," she said. Something about what Scott said triggered him so much that he hit him first. How was she supposed to be calm and ignore Scott if Elias reacted like that? It was obviously a big deal. Elias sighed as he lowered his head. "I shouldn''t have done that. I¡­ just got so angry. He gets under my skin every single time," he said. "I don''t like when he brings you into things." "But I am part of this. It has something to do with me," Alyssa said as they came to a stop. She turned to look at him. "Should I be worried? About you? Myself? Us?" Elias held her gaze for a few moments before shaking his head. "You don''t need to worry about anything. I''ll take care of it," he replied before coaxing her to keep walking toward the parking lot his car was in. As much as she wanted to be, Alyssa wasn''t convinced. This wasn''t something that she believed he could just take care of. It was far moreplicated than that, but she didn''t know how to help because he wouldn''t tell her anything. All she heard was a bunch of cryptic words, and she knew that she was a part of this issue. It stressed her out. "I just worry, you know? So much has been going on, and it seems like it won''t stop," she admitted. She was nearing capacity when it came to mental energy. She could only handle so much at one time, and his family drama was pushing her to the brink. Once they reached Elias'' car, he pulled the passenger door open for her. "We''re almost done with this year. Everything will be okay," he assured her before closing the door behind her. He climbed in on his side and turned to face her. "Just don''t panic, and don''t talk to Scott." **Authors Note To thank you guys for buying privilege I released 3 extra chapters. Thank you all for buying privilege and helping me reach one of the goals. I hope you enjoyed the story. I just want to say it''s left with only 8 chapters then we are done with volume 1! Volume 2 will sadly start on October 1 rather instead of September. I will set the book asplete so that those WN will release the privilege chapters 1 a day. I will add 5 chapters to the privilege but I will price the 15 chapters as 20coins with 99 discount so that you can read the extra 5 chapters. Because I want WN to automatically release the chapters that''s why I didn''t delete the privilege. If you want you can also wait for chapters to be released. Sorry for the long paragraphs and thank you for your support Chapter 133 - Shopping For Graduation Alyssa wished that she could take his advice, but it was easier said than done. She had way too much anxiety to not panic over everything, and it was hard to avoid Scott when he found her everywhere and cornered her. She would try to take his advice as much as she possibly could, though. She didn''t want to be frazzled when graduation arrived. "Okay," she merely said, trying to lock her thoughts up for now. She was sure that Elias was done talking about what happened too. Maybe it woulde up at another time, but she was sure that Elias would try to bury what happened like all the other incidents. She was quiet on the drive back to his ce, while Elias tried to fill the silence by talking about things happening in his business leaders club. She listened to what he said, but she couldn''t help but think that he was just trying to distract her.. She wished that distractions actually worked. "I''m tired," Elias sighed as they walked into his apartment. He stripped his shirt off, gingerly touching the t ne of his abdomen. He turned to her and motioned for her to follow him to the bedroom. Alyssa nodded and followed after kicking off her shoes at the front door. She walked into the bedroom, reaching out to take his hand when he extended it to her. She fell onto the bed with him, letting him pull her into his arms. She held him tightly, closing her eyes and focusing on the feeling of his body against hers. This was the best way to try to shut everything else out. She imagined that it was just her and Elias in the world. No one else. "I hope everything will be okay," she murmured. Her words faded away in the dimness of the room. She wasn''t sure how much power her hope held. She liked to think that her hope was powerful and actually nudged her in the right direction, but at times, it felt like it meant nothing. It was merely empty words. Elias gave her a squeeze. "Me too," he said before falling back into silence. His response worried her. Instead of assuring her that it would be, he hoped that everything would be okay too. Maybe she was overthinking things, but it worried her that he was worrying too. That meant there was something to worry about. She internally shook her head at herself, trying to clear the thoughts from her mind. She was driving herself insane. "Do you just want to go to sleep?" Alyssa asked, her voice nearlying out in a whisper. Maybe if she fell asleep, she could finally rx. She couldn''t worry if she wasn''t conscious. She didn''t like having to sleep to calm down, though. She needed to be awake, to face the world. "Let''s justy here for a little while," Elias replied. Alyssa nodded before letting her eyes fall shut. Darkness swept over her in an instant, and it felt like she wasn''t even in the room anymore. Her mind buzzed with noise, but as the time went on, the silence in the room bled into her mind, hushing her thoughts. The feeling of Elias'' arms around her faded away. Sleepiness gradually took over her, and she was asleep before she could even process her exhaustion. ********* "This one or this one?" Alyssa asked as she held up two different white dresses. She stood in front of the dressing room in one of the clothing stores in the mall. Elias looked between them before narrowing his eyes. "There''s not much of a difference between them," he pointed out as he sat on a bench outside of the dressing room. Alyssa gave him a pointed look and stepped closer to him so that he could see. "Yes, there is. This one has a higher neckline, and this one has a ruffled bottom piece," she replied. "Focus." Elias smirked at her before pointing to the one with the higher neckline. "I liked that one on you the best. It showed your hips," hemented as he cocked an eyebrow at her. Alyssaughed and shook her head at him. She yfully swatted at his arm before turning and handing the other dress to the dressing room attendant. She then walked back over to Elias, tucking the winning dress over her arm. This would be the dress that she would wear under her graduation gown. "Alright. Do you need a suit or anything? New shoes?" Alyssa asked him. She dragged him to the mall to do some graduation shopping. They had to look their best, especially when it came time to go to Zoe and Cole''s party. She was excited for that day toe. She pretty much forgot all about the fight and Scott, who she hadn''t seen in a minute. She thought that she saw him on the way to the library, but no one ever approached her. She believed that she had imagined it. Lately, things felt normal again. No shadows. No drama. Elias was super sweet. She hoped that things stayed this way. Elias shook his head as he stood from the bench. "I don''t need anything," he replied. Alyssa frowned a little. "Are you sure? It''s graduation. It''s a big deal," she asked him. It wasn''t like he didn''t have the money to shop or anything. They made ns to shop together, so she just thought that he would also buy something. She felt bad for dragging him out to just shop for her. Elias nodded with a small smile. "Don''t you need new heels?" he asked as he nodded to the shoe section of the store. "Yeah," Alyssa replied before walking in that direction. She was a little sad that he didn''t want to shop for himself. She wanted to help him pick out what to wear, but that wasn''t going to happen today. At least he was a good shoppingpanion and gave his opinion when she asked. Zoe was too busy to shop. She looked at all of the white heels, trying on four different kinds. She nearly stumbled as she tried to walk in one pair. She wasn''t used to wearing heels, and she hoped that she didn''t stumble and fall when walking to get her diploma. Thest thing that she needed was to embarrass herself in front of her graduating ss. Chapter 134 - Bittersweet Love "Gosh, these are hard to walk in," she muttered as she stumbled again. Elias chuckled as he watched her. "They look good, though. I''m sure if you practice, you''ll be fine," he pointed out. Alyssa figured that he had a point. She would have to break these in before graduation, which meant walking back and forth across her apartment over and over again. Her feet were going to be so sore, but she preferred that than falling on the steps heading up to the stage. She had to pick her battles. "Yeah, I like these," she said with a smile. She liked shopping, which was mostly thanks to Zoe for showing her the way.. Elias moved close to her to lean near her ear. "I think we should bring this little fashion show to an end," he told her. Alyssa turned to look at him, her eyes widening when she realized he was worked up. "That''s all it takes? Watching me try on dresses and heels?" she asked him with augh. Elias shrugged as his eyes moved over her. "You''re sexy when you do anything," he replied as he took her hand. He pulled her close and leaned down to kiss her gently. Their lips moved and pressed for a few moments before he pulled away. "Need anything else?" "You," Alyssa replied, feeling heat re through her. Whenever he wanted her like this, she couldn''t help but feel hot all over. She knew how good he treated her in bed, and that was all that was on her mind right now. If she forgot to get something, she would get it another day. Elias grinned before taking her to the checkout counter. Once they got her stuff, they rushed out of the store and through the mall to head toward the parking lot. Laughter bubbled from Alyssa as they hurried. She liked spontaneous moments like these. They kept her on her toes. They made her feel alive. She rushed through the doors that led out to the parking lot, hopping in his car when they reached it. "Let''s go," she said once he started his car. She could hardly wait for him. They crashed through his apartment when they arrived, grabbing hold of each other and exchanging heated kissed. Their hands roamed everywhere, touching and feeling like they hadn''t ever gotten the chance to before. The desire was all around them. Elias leaned down and grabbed the back of Alyssa''s thighs, picking her up and carrying her to the bedroom. Once he dropped her down onto the mattress, he unbuttoned and unzipped her jean shorts before yanking them down her legs, along with her panties. Alyssa tugged her shirt off, while he did the same. Clothes were tossed all over the bedroom as they hurriedly got undressed, not wanting to waste another second. She reached out and grabbed him once he kicked off the rest of his clothes. Her legs wrapped around his waist as he crawled on top of her. Her lips met his in a searing kiss. Elias caressed her breasts, drifting his fingertips over her hard nipples in a teasing manner. He trailed his hands down, feeling her curves. He dipped one hand between her thighs and rubbed her clit, feeling her jerk at the sensitivity. "You''re already wet for me," he smirked. Alyssa ran her fingers through his hair as she smiled up at him. "Only for you," she replied as she parted her thighs more, giving him more room to rub her sensitive clit. Every motion felt so good, sending heat throbbing through her entire body. She couldn''t help but react to what he was doing to her. His actions demanded a reaction, and she was going to give him one, to show him how good he was making her feel. Elias grinned before leaning back down to kiss her. He moved his fingers down her slit before pushing two inside of her. He curled and thrusted them in a steady rhythm, working her closer and closer to orgasm with each motion. Alyssa breathed in shakily, feeling the knot in her stomach tighten as he kept thrusting his fingers inside of her. He yed her body so well, like an instrument he had mastered for years. She couldn''t get enough of this, of him. "I need you," she whispered against his lips, wanting to feel all of him. The forey was amazing, but she felt closest to him when he was inside of her. Elias nodded and stroked his length before pushing inside of her in one smooth stroke. He pulled her hips closer to him, burying himself inside of her with a low groan. He rubbed her thighs with his hands, letting her adjust before he started gently thrusting in and out of her. Alyssa tilted her head back in bliss, riding out the motions as he gradually started to go faster and faster. She reached down to grip the bedsheets, holding on tight as his thrusts grew harder. "Yes¡­ that''s it," she breathed out, feeling the tight feeling in her stomach again. He would get her to orgasm in no time. He knew exactly what to do. He even knew what to do during the first time they slept together. He could read her body better than she could. Elias put her legs over his shoulders, switching up the angle and driving deeper. He dug his nails into her skin, holding tight as he went faster. Alyssa''s lips parted with blissful noises. She could feel herself getting even wetter. He hit the new angle perfectly, and she got even closer to the peak. She wouldn''tst long at all, but she never did when she was with him. He made sure of that. "So close," she moaned, feeling her legs start to tremble slightly. That tingling feeling started to move all over her body. Elias pounded into her, not holding anything back. He was determined to push her over the edge. When he felt her start to tremble, he kept going, pushing her through her orgasm until he reached his own. He held her thighs tightly, using the stability as the intense feeling overtook him. "Damn," he breathed out once he settled, breathing heavily. "You''re so damn perfect." Alyssaughed breathlessly as she moved her legs off his shoulders. She pulled him down toy against her, wrapping her arms around his warm body. "That''s all you," she murmured as they cuddled up close. She loved these moments. They didn''t happen as often as they used to, but she treasured them when they did happen. Each one still felt so magical to her, like their souls were colliding. Elias leaned up so that he could gaze down at her. He took a few moments just to admire her. Her eyes seemed to sketch her face, trailing along the details. He cupped her cheek, gently stroking her flushed skin. "I love you. I will always love you, okay?" he said quietly. Alyssa smiled up at him, feeling warmth bloom through her again. She loved when he looked right at her and told her that. It made her feel so special, so loved. "I love you, Elias. That won''t ever change," she assured him. She knew that there was no other person on the that she could ever love as much as she loved him. There were no limits to her love when it came to him. Elias'' smile seemed to appear almost bittersweet for a moment, but he leaned down and captured her lips. Chapter 135 - Past The Storm Alyssa sank into the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck to hold him close. She wished that this moment wouldst forever, but she knew that she would remember it forever. Whenever she felt lonely or lost, she would remember this moment and how she was held and caressed so dearly by the boy that she loved so much. She had learned a lot during her years at college, but the most important lessons that she learned hadn''t been taught in the ssroom. She learned so much from her life experiences and rtionships. Emotional sess meant more than academic sess. Being in love and having a healthy rtionship with people would make her happier than getting a good grade in ss. Elias taught her so much, and she was grateful for every single little lesson, even if he didn''t realize that he taught it to her. He showed her how worthy she was of love because her parents made her think that she didn''t deserve it in the first ce.. He taught her how to open up her heart to someone that she could trust and to ept help from others. He taught her all the important things, and he was one of the most important things to her. He always would be. *************** Alyssa knocked on the door to Cole and Zoe''s apartment before taking a step back. She had been invited over by Zoe toe check the ce out and chat. She had been to Cole''s ce a few times, so she was interested to see what Zoe had done to the ce since she moved in. She could only imagine all of the interesting decorations now in ce. Zoe flung the door open a few momentster and smiled at Alyssa. "Hey!" she greeted her friend before throwing her arms around Alyssa. Alyssa smiled and hugged Zoe back, squeezing her tightly. She took advantage of any opportunity to see Zoe since the semester was ending in a week. She would linger around for the rest of the month to get her things together, but she was moving during June or July for sure. She wanted to get settled in New York and get used to the atmosphere before medical school started. "Give me a tour," she told Zoe once they walked into the apartment. With an excited look, Zoe showed Alyssa around the apartment, pointing out some of the paintings on the wall and little pieces of dec¨®r that she ced around the apartment. She went all out when it came to decorating the ce. It was a little witchy, a little pastel, and everything in between. It all meddled together well, though. "Cole has been so great about letting me decorate. This ce was so bare when I moved in," Zoe said as they moved to sit on the beige sofa in the living room. "Where is Cole?" Alyssa asked, realizing that it was just them. "At work," Zoe sighed before reaching forward to grab a notepad off the coffee table in front of the couch. "We need to n the party." Alyssa nodded, knowing they had a lot of work to do. "We can handle the drinks and food. Elias likes to cook," she said with a lightugh. She was so lucky to havended the guy that liked to cook. He made masterpieces every single time he went into the kitchen. Zoe cracked a smile and nodded. "That sounds great. Is he busy? He cane over and help us n," she suggested. "I''ll see. He doesn''t have ss right now," Alyssa replied before grabbing her phone and clicking on his contact to call him. She lifted the phone to her ear, listening to it ring a few times before Elias picked up. "Hello?" Elias answered. His voice was almost hushed. "Hey. Are you busy? Zoe and I are nning the graduation party if you want toe over and help," Alyssa replied in a hopeful voice. It would be fun to go over ideas together. "I''m busy. I¡­ I''ll talk to youter," Elias said. Alyssa frowned slightly, wondering what he was doing. He didn''t say anything about having something to do today. "Oh. Okay," she said, managing to get those words out before the call ended. She stared at her phone in confusion, wondering what that was about. She hoped that everything was alright, but she told herself not to stress and worry over what was possibly nothing. "Everything okay?" Zoe asked as she gave Alyssa a concerned look. "Yeah, he''s just busy," Alyssa replied as she put her phone down. She was sure that she would be able to talk to himter and figure out what was going on. For now, she wanted to focus on the party. If she could. "Is everything going okay with you two?" Zoe asked as she crossed her legs. Alyssa nodded with a small smile. "Yeah, it''s been a lot better. I feel like we''re getting past the storm finally," she replied. Besides the phone call, he had been acting normal, so she was holding onto the hope that things were finally settling down right before graduation. Zoe smiled at Alyssa as she nodded. "That''s great. I''m happy for you guys," she said as she reached out to take Alyssa''s hands. "I''m happy for you and Cole too. Your ce is amazing," Alyssa replied as she looked around at the openyout of the apartment. The space was truly theirs. She could feel it. "I can''t wait to see your ce with Elias too," Zoe said. Alyssa wondered what their ce in New York City would look like. It would probably be small, so the decorations and furniture would be limited, but she was determined to make the ce look like only theirs. She wanted influence from both of them, so he would have to tolerate a little more shopping. She was sure that he didn''t mind, though. "We''re no longer going to be seniors next week," she said with a look of disbelief. How did that happen so fast? Zoe drew in a deep breath as she nodded. "Where did the time go?" she said with a lightugh. "This party has to be the best party to happen since we got to college. No exceptions." A/N; Hy guys long time! Hope you''re all fine! please add my entry to the werewolf contest to your library. The Taste of Seduction Even if you won''t read yet hehehe. Thank you! It''s a more mature and spicy book I want to try something new^^ Chapter 136 - Bad Energy Alyssa nodded with a determined look. She wanted to wrap the year up with a bang. She wanted to remember herst day as a student at Ond University, and she knew that the graduation ceremony and the graduation party afterwards would help her do just that. "We can''t hold back. Let''s do balloons and a karaoke machine," she suggested. The key to a good party was entertainment. If people were entertained, they were having fun. "Yes! Good idea!" Zoe gasped as she scribbled down Alyssa''s idea on her notepad. "I want party games too. Drinking games." Alyssa nced around, hoping that this party didn''t destroy their apartment.. "How many people are we inviting?" she asked Zoe. "The entire graduating ss," Zoe said with an excited smile. "I mean, not everyone will show up." "That''s still a lot of people. Are they even going to fit in here?" Alyssa asked. The apartment was spacious, but people would mostly be in the kitchen and living room. That was only so much space for more than a hundred people. "Oh! Maybe we could get a bouncer at the door, like it''s a club," Zoeughed as she scribbled away on her notepad. Alyssaughed and shook her head at Zoe. Honestly, maybe it wasn''t that bad of an idea. Things could get out of hand, especially when alcohol was involved. "This is crazy. We''re crazy," she said as she looked back over at Zoe. The cops could be called on them if people got too loud and crazy. People could fight. All sorts of things could happen. "What better way to end our undergraduate career?" Zoe pointed out. Alyssa knew that she was right. This wasn''t something to half-ass. They had to go all out for it to be worth it, and she wanted that night to be worth it because reality was going to hit her hard the next day. The fun would be over, and she would have to prepare for the next big step in her life. "We have to take a lot of pictures. I want to remember things, and I have a feeling I won''t after the party," she said. There would be a lot of alcohol, and she suspected that she would drink a decent bit to dull her worries for the next day. Zoeughed for a few moments before nodding. "We will. We''ll take so many pictures that you won''t have any more room in your camera roll," she promised. Alyssa smiled and nodded. That was exactly what she wanted. She wanted so many memories to look back on when she moved to New York because she didn''t want to forget her time here. This ce and the people she met here meant too much for her to forget, and the photos and videos would help bring her back to those moments so that she could relive them all over again. "Alright, let''s get an inventory going," Alyssa said. They had a lot of nning to do, and there was no time left to waste. A big party meant a lot of nning, and to make it a great party, it took a lot of spirit too. They couldn''t ck on either front, or it would all be a bust. It would suck to spend so much money and spend so much time preparing, and no one showed up. "I think we need multiple bottles of tequ," Zoe said with a sly smile. "Absolutely not." ********** Alyssa was worried. As many times as she told herself to calm down and not stress too much, she couldn''t help herself. Ever since she called Elias toe over to Zoe''s ce yesterday, she hadn''t heard from him. They always texted each other at night before they went to bed and in the morning when they woke up. She didn''t get either of those texts. She lingered outside of the hospital, wishing that she didn''t have to go to work right now. She couldn''t even begin to concentrate on anything medical-rted right now. She wanted to know why Elias hadn''t responded to any of her texts or calls after so long. Was he okay? Was he hurt? The worst possible scenarios kept forcing their way into her mind, and she couldn''t shake them no matter how hard she tried to. She dialed Elias'' number again and lifted the phone to her ear. She listened to it ring over and over again, feeling her heart pound quickly. She quietly pleaded for him to pick up the phone and to let her know that he was alright. She couldn''t bear the thought of something bad happening to him. She didn''t know what she would do. When the call went to voicemail, she sighed, feeling her eyes start to burn. She was really worried. This wasn''t like him. He never forgot to text her. Something had to be going on but what? She tried to think of a scenario that wasn''t bad. Maybe his phone broke. Maybe his phone died, and he couldn''t find his charger. But those didn''t seem likely either. He would''ve found a way to reach out to her because he would''ve known that she would worry. She decided to send one more text before she went into work. She was already five minuteste, but she didn''t even care right now. She wanted to know if Elias was okay or not. Are you okay? I tried calling and texting, but I haven''t heard from you. I''m starting to worry. Just please reach out to me when you can so that I know you''re okay. Alyssa sent the text before forcing herself to pocket her phone and then go inside the hospital. She headed to the stairwell, refusing to take the stairs right now. Bad energy seemed to surround her and follow her, and she didn''t want to deal with some weird incident right now. She was afraid that she would crumble if she did. She walked out of the stairwell onto the second floor, immediately seeing Jackson lingering in the hallway. She kept her head down, not wanting to deal with him today. She had too much on her mind to coax herself to be nice to him right now. Chapter 137 - Goodbye "What''s this? The overachiever iste for work?" Jackson said as he moved to walk beside her. "Forget your textbooks or something?" Alyssa kept her eyes forward, ignoring him. She didn''t want to y his games today, but he refused to take a hint. He thought that he was so funny, so charming. He wasn''t. Not to her. "Back off," she snapped at him as she turned to face him. She red at him, warning him to go on somewhere before she got really pissed. Jackson gave her a strange look. "What''s your problem? Can''t take a joke?" he asked.. "I can''t take you right now," Alyssa replied before turning back around and continuing to walk down the hall. Jackson didn''t let the conversation die there. He followed her. "You don''t have to be such a bitch," he said. Alyssa turned and got in his face, hardly able to hold herself back any longer. "I said to back off! I won''t tell you again!" she snapped. Jackson stared at her in shock, not expecting her to snap like that. "Alyssa! Jackson! What''s going on?" Dr. Shields'' voice echoed down the hallway from them. He hurried toward them, narrowing his eyes as he looked between them. "I won''t tolerate fighting." "We weren''t fighting. Just a misunderstanding," Jackson muttered. Alyssa didn''t say anything. She was afraid that if she opened her mouth, she would say something that she wouldter regret. She just wanted to be put to work so that her shift flew by faster. "Go check on the patient in 245," Dr. Shields told Jackson. Jackson nodded. His eyes lingered on Alyssa as he started to walk away. Dr. Shields turned to Alyssa and crossed his arms over his chest. "What''s going on? I''ve never heard you raise your voice like that," he asked her. Alyssa didn''t meet his eyes. She couldn''t. She didn''t want to look at him and be ovee with the desire to spill to him all that she feared right now. She wished that she could talk to someone, but the only person that she wanted to talk to right now was Elias. And he wouldn''t pick up the phone for some reason. She felt so alone. So lost. "I''m just¡­ dealing with stuff," she said. She knew that Dr. Shields wouldn''t let her go about her shift without an answer, and that was the best one that she could give him right now. She didn''t need to delve into her personal troubles with her boss anyway. It wasn''t professional. Dr. Shields sighed. "Just stay away from Jackson then. I needbs from the patient in 219. No jabbing," he warned her before walking off. At least she had something to do. She wasn''t stoked about something that took so much concentration, but at least her mind would be forced off Elias for a few moments. Maybe she would experience some peace and rity in those moments and figure out what might be going on. She needed answers, but she wouldn''t get them just sitting around and waiting for a phone call. ******** Alyssa managed to get through work without making any mistakes. She was as careful and precise as could be when she was with patients. She knew that she had to learn how to put her personal matters aside when she was with a patient. It was all about them when she was with them. It would take a little while to properly adapt that mindset, but she was starting to get the hang of it. It was definitely hard. When she checked her phone after work, she saw that she got no calls or texts from Elias. Radio silence. That made a whole day of not hearing from him. Not even once. Now, she was really worried, and she needed to find answers. She decided to go by his apartment and see if he was there. She got into her car and made the drive there, feeling her heartbeat quicken as she got closer and closer to his ce. She was scared of what she would find. What if he was ignoring her on purpose? Had she done something wrong? Going to his apartment would force him to face her and talk to her. At least she would have answers. She went up to his apartment floor and walked down the hallway until she reached his unit. Her heart slowly sunk into her stomach when she saw that the door to his apartment was cracked. She pressed her fingertips against the wood and pushed it slightly, watching the door creak open. She stepped inside of the apartment, and she swore she couldn''t breathe. The apartment was empty. There was no furniture. The fridge was cleaned out. There wasn''t anything left behind at all. It almost looked like no one had ever been there in the first ce. She moved from room to room, trying to search for him or any clue of where he went. Why did he leave? Why didn''t he say anything? Panic rose in her chest, feeling like fire as she rushed around frantically. She had to gasp to breathe, and each breath was so painful. Seeing his apartment empty killed her, and her knowing that she had no way of finding him or reaching out to him hurt her even more. Where had he gone? Why did he leave? She found one thing on the floor of the bedroom. She knelt down to see a small piece of paper. It looked ripped off the original page, and it had dark ink scribbled across it. She held it closer to her face to read it. Goodbye. A sob broke from Alyssa as she crumbled to the floor, holding the note in her hand. That was it? Goodbye? He didn''t give her any sort of exnation or warning that he was leaving just like that. What about their ns? What about them? She hadn''t experienced being broken up with before, but she didn''t think that it was supposed to hurt this bad. This was agony. Chapter 138 - Left Behind She grabbed her phone and called him again, feeling hot tears roll down her cheeks as she cried. She needed to hear from him. She needed him to tell her that this wasn''t real. When his phone went to voicemail, she waited for the beep. "Elias? Where did you go? Your apartment is empty, and you won''t talk to me. Did I do something wrong? Please call me. Please¡­" she cried into the phone before hanging up. She couldn''t stop the sobs that racked her body. She hadn''t ever felt so alone before, and she knew the feeling would never go away until she saw Elias again. If she ever did.. *********** Tomorrow was graduation day. There would be parties and celebrations. There would be pride and joy. There would be happiness. Now, all of that seemed so far away, so impossible to Alyssa as sheid on her bed in her dorm room. She stared up at the ceiling. Her eyes were sore from crying so much. She couldn''t count how times she called and texted Elias. She filled up his voicemail box already. She wondered if he was even reading her messages or listening to her voicemails. Was he even thinking about her and the pain that he caused her by doing this to her? She still couldn''t think of a reason why. Nothing made sense to her now. They were happy. They wereing out of the storm and approaching a new horizon. Things were going to get better for them. She knew that they were, but he jumped ship. If he stayed away, he was even going to miss graduation. She wondered if he just fell out of love with her and had been faking it. All of the excitement that she felt for tomorrow was gone. Now, there was a hole in her chest, and she didn''t know how to fill it. Maybe she would never be able to. Elias had ripped her apart from the inside with a single word. Goodbye. It seemed unlike him to just grab his things and run without a word to her. If he actually wanted to break up with her, he would''ve sat her down and talked to her. That seemed like more of his style, but maybe she didn''t know him at all. He was secretive. Maybe he was the type to run without a word. Maybe he was a coward. A knock sounded on Alyssa''s door, and she already knew who it was. She had gone through this before, and there was only one person who could help her through the pain until she was okay again. She just wasn''t convinced that she would actually be okay again after all of this. She wasn''t even sure if she would be okay if Elias dide back after what he did. How could she trust him when he just abandoned her like that? She crawled out of bed slowly, feeling like bricks were weighing her down. Everything felt so hard to do, even getting out of bed. She wouldn''t mind just lying there and rotting. She knew that she told herself she wouldn''t do that again back in her sophomore year, but she wasn''t strong enough to act like everything was fine and go about her normal life. It felt like she wasn''t strong enough for anything. Alyssa opened her door to see Zoe standing there with a bottle of wine in one hand and a pizza box in the other. "I shouldn''t keep making you do this," she muttered as she stepped aside for Zoe toe again. "Maybe I should''ve learned from the first time he broke my heart." Zoe frowned as she set the bottle of wine and pizza box down on Alyssa''s desk. She turned to Alyssa with a sigh. "I''m¡­ still in shock. I have no idea why he would just pack his things up and leave," she said as she shook her head. Even Zoe had no words of advice because she was just as stumped by Elias'' strange behavior. "I''m really sorry, Alyssa." Alyssa nodded, offering a faint smile to Zoe. It was all she could muster right now. She twisted off the cap on the bottle of wine and brought it to her lips, taking a few deep sips to try to numb the pain that she felt. She didn''t know what else to do to make it go away. Zoe watched her with wide eyes before stepping forward and taking the bottle from her. "Let''s start with a ss," she said before walking over to Alyssa''s cab and grabbing a cup. She poured Alyssa a decent amount of mine before handing the cup over to her. She then grabbed a slice of the cheese pizza and handed it to Alyssa on a napkin. Alyssa turned away from the pizza, not feeling hungry. She hadn''t felt anything but pain since Elias left. "No, you''re eating. Then, you''re talking," Zoe told her with a demanding tone. She put the pizza in Alyssa''s had before guiding her over to sit on her bed. She sat beside Alyssa, making her eat the entire slice. "I know it''s hard, but you have to take care of yourself." "What''s the point?" Alyssa muttered. It was hard to see a point to anything right not because she was so down. All of the optimism and happiness that she had for the future were gone now. She thought that she had a life partner. She thought that she didn''t have to brave New York City and medical school by herself. Now, all of her ns blew up in her face, and she had to figure things out all over again. It sounded like hell. "The point is that you still have a life to live. You still have lives to save. You have a diploma to ept tomorrow that you worked hard on. You did that," Zoe said as she looped her arm with Alyssa''s. "He doesn''t make up your worth in the slightest." Alyssa knew that Zoe was right, but everything still hurt. It was hard to see the logic and truth when things were so dark to her. The person that she trusted the most abandoned her, and maybe nothing in her life was as it seemed. Maybe even Zoe would abandon her one day. She didn''t know. She didn''t know anything. "I know. I just had this whole view of my lifeing up, and it''s all gone. Everything is gone," she murmured. Chapter 139 - Graduation Zoe sighed and pushed the cup up toward Alyssa''s mouth so that she could sip on her wine. "Not everything is gone. You are still going to New York and going to medical school. You''ll regret not making that step, even if it is alone. You won''t be the only one," Zoe assured her. "What about love? I don''t even think I want to be with anyone ever again," Alyssa scoffed. Elias had ruined that for her. He ruined everything, and she was starting to not even like him. She was so sad and so angry, and the feelings shed painfully inside of her. She sniffled as her heart ached, prompting her to drink some more.. Zoe gave her arm a light squeeze. "That will take more time to heal than anything else. You might not date for a few months. Or a whole year. It doesn''t matter. You will know when the time is right. You''ll have plenty of other things to focus on," she said. Alyssa nodded, knowing that she would be far too upied with medical school to have a boyfriend in the first ce. Maybe her and Elias would''ve broken up anyway because she would hardly have any free time. She wouldn''t ever know now. Maybe he ran off because he was too afraid to tell her that he didn''t want to move to New York with her. She would''ve rather him tell her straight to her face. It would''ve been painful, but she would''ve been appreciative of his honesty. "I''m losing everyone," she whispered as she looked down into her cup, which was almost empty. Zoe shook her head as she leaned close to Alyssa. "You''re not losing me," she reminded Alyssa. "But you''ll be across the country from me, living your own life. It''ll just be me out there," Alyssa said, feeling her eyes burn. She wished that she had wanted to go to medical school around here, but NYU was her dream school. When she got epted by them, she couldn''t bring herself to turn them down just because of the distance. She thought that she would at least have Elias with her. One out of two wasn''t as bad as none out of two. "I''m a phone call away. You never know who you''ll meet out there too," Zoe pointed out. "It''s a fresh start for you, and it''s exactly what you need to move on from him." Alyssa nced over at Zoe. She wished that starting over wasn''t so hard, but Zoe was right. It was exactly what she needed. If she lingered around here, she would constantly be reminded of Elias and all of their memories here. She couldn''t stay here any longer. She needed to go before it hurt her even more. "Thank you foring to see me," she said gratefully. "I''ve always been able to count on you." A sad smile crossed Zoe''s face as she nodded. She leaned her head against Alyssa, holding her close as silence fell on the room. There was nothing more to say, but there was plenty to feel. And Alyssa felt it all. *********** Alyssa stared at herself in the bathroom mirror in her dorm, letting her eyes float over the ck graduation gown that adorned her body. The dress that she bought with Elias was hidden underneath. She almost considered tossing the dress and shoes away, but she couldn''t bring herself to do it. She didn''t have anything else good enough to wear. She brushed her fingers through her hair, working through some of the tangles that she didn''t have the energy to brush out. She didn''t even care how she looked at this point. She just wanted to get this graduation ceremony out of the way so that she could n her move to New York. She wanted to get away from this ce as quickly as she could. Her mind had taken aplete 180 degree turn from her original mindset. She used to love this ce. She used to want to visit this ce all the time. Now, she wanted to be away from it. Possibly forever. Zoe would have to fly to see her in New York until she wasfortable enough toe back here. She wasn''t sure when that would be or if that would ever happen. A lot of things were uncertain right now. She had to figure out housing and hope that the applications for housing at the university were still being epted. Elias made a mess of her life by leaving so suddenly, and she had to clean it up. She had to fix everything that he destroyed, but she knew that was impossible. Not everything could be repaired. She was pretty sure that her heart was done for. Alyssa looked down at her phone when it buzzed. She used to hurriedly check her phone to see if it was Elias, but she didn''t even bother to anymore. She knew that he wasn''ting back, so she didn''t bother to get her hopes up. That just made her hurt that much more. The text was from Zoe anyway. Zoe; Meet in front of the arena? Alyssa sighed, wishing that the graduation ceremony was already over with. She already had to deal with going to the party tonight, which she didn''t want to go to. There wasn''t much left to celebrate, but she tried to put on a smile for Zoe, who had been an incredible help to her. She just had to get through this day. Alyssa; Coming Alyssa sent the text before grabbing her things and leaving her dorm. Luckily, she could stay in her dorm until she was ready to move. She was trying her best not to be homeless at some point. Elias just made that even harder for her. Everything was harder now. Once she got to the arena, she had to slip past all of the other graduates waiting to go inside for the ceremony to reach Zoe and Cole. She epted a hug from both of them. "It''s finally here," Chapter 140 - Highest Honors "It''s finally here," she said as she nced around at all the other graduates. She hated how this day felt ruined to her. She worked so hard to make it here, but everything went down the drain at thest second. She wasn''t prepared to feel this way today. She thought that things would be different. "And we''re going to party hard tonight," Zoe said with a bright smile. She handed Cole her phone. "Can you take some pictures of us, babe?" Cole smiled and nodded as he lifted her phone up. Zoe leaned near Alyssa''s ear.. "Smile. When you''re happy and sessful in the future, you don''t want to look back and see how much he ruined this for you," she whispered. Alyssa met Zoe''s gaze for a moment and nodded. She didn''t need to let Elias ruin anything else for her. She smiled at the camera. It was a fake one, but it was a smile, and she wouldn''t be able to tell the difference years from now. Hopefully, this would feel like a small problem in the future. Right now, it felt like a catastrophe. "Alright. Got some good ones," Cole said before handing the phone back to Zoe. Zoe thanked him before turning back to Alyssa. "Hanging in okay?" she asked. Alyssa shrugged. "Just trying to make it through," she admitted. She couldn''tpletely lie to Zoe. She would see right through her fake smiles and empty words. She was trying, though. Zoe nodded as she reached up to adjust Alyssa''s cap on her head. "It''ll get easier with time. Even now, you''re healing. Even if it doesn''t feel like it," she replied. Alyssa nodded, hoping that was true. She was starting to feel numb to the pain that she felt, and maybe that was for the best. She didn''t need to let her emotions ruin more things for her. She had a lot of business to take care of soon. "I think we can go inside," she said as she nodded to the door that graduates were starting to walk through to get into the arena. Zoe motioned for everyone to follow her inside. Alyssa nced around as they walked on the floor of the arena. The seats all around them were filled with proud families. For a second, her heart ached because no one was up there for her, but she expected that. She knew that would happen the moment she enrolled in college. At least she had Zoe and Cole. She had someone. She walked to her seat, which was away from Zoe and Cole. She promised to meet them after the ceremony for more pictures. Taking more photos sounded torturous, but she would push through for her future self. She had to learn how to handle pain better because there would be a lot in her life. She had learned that early on. Once she found her seat, she sat down and nced around, watching all of the other graduates rush to find their seats before the ceremony started. She was ready to get this over with. She wanted this day to end. She wanted to get out of this town and away from this university. She was ready to start over. ******* "Go forth with bravery and passion. There is no one stopping you but yourself," the President of the university announced, making his speech before the diplomas were awarded. "Remember to be kind, to bepassionate. You never know what someone is going through. How you treat others will circle back to you in due time." Alyssa couldn''t help but wonder what Elias was doing right now. Was he at his parents'' house? Was he thinking about her, knowing that she was at graduation right now? She just wanted to know what was going on in his mind because she obviously didn''t understand him and who he was. She spent a few years with him, and she still felt like she didn''t truly get to know him. He kept her in the dark, keeping her just close enough to satisfy her. Then, he pushed her away, and she fell. She had certainly hit the bottom, and she wasn''t sure how she would make her way back up. The top seemed so far away, but she had to make it there. She couldn''t stay on the bottom forever. "Will those epting the bureate degree of science pleasee to the stage?" the President asked, prompting the crowd of families to cheer in excitement. It was finally time. After four years, it was time. Alyssa was a few rows back from Zoe, so she would get to see Zoe ept her diploma. She stood with the rest of her row, slowly shuffling forward as everyone moved to line up. She expected to feel her heart start to race, but she still didn''t feel anything. She just moved and went with the motions. At least she had broken her heels in. She lined up along the side of the arena, seeing a photo booth up ahead where they were having students pose with a fake diploma. She grimaced, already feeling tired of taking photos. She didn''t need more memories of this day. She was sure that she would remember it quite well. Once she approached the photo booth, a man with a camera came up to her and escorted her in front of the white backdrop. He handed her the fake diploma and motioned for her to pose. "Alright, smile!" he said as he lifted his camera. Alyssa forced herself to smile for the camera. The sh filled her vision with light, making her blink her eyes a few times as she stumbled back into the line. That was unpleasant. She rubbed her eyes and looked toward the stage as Zoe got prepared to make the walk. "Zoe Kline." Alyssa smiled a little and pped from where she stood in line as she watched Zoe strut across the stage to ept her diploma. It was exactly how she pictured Zoe getting her diploma, which actually made her feel a little better. At least some things were happening as she expected them to. Gradually, Alyssa crept forward in the line. She pictured this moment for so long. Of course, the ceremony that would matter the most was when she was given her white coat. Then, she would really know that she was achieving her dreams. That was still a little ways off, but this diploma was the stepping stone to that point. Deep down, past the pain, she was proud of herself. Despite everything that happened to her, she was still here, receiving her diploma. Her hard work had paid off, and even if things were different than how she imagined them to be, she was still here. She supposed that was the only thing that mattered at the end of the day. She carefully stepped up on the steps that led to the stage, being mindful of her footing. She broke in the heels, but she still wasn''t the best at walking in them. She just hoped that she didn''t wipe out when she crossed that stage to get her diploma. She didn''t need to regret another thing about this day. It was already haunted enough. Alyssa handed her name card to the person reading the names off and waited, drawing in a deep breath through her nose. These next steps were meaningful, and they were also difficult. She was walking into her new life by herself, but at least she was moving forward. At least she was still fighting for the life she wanted. She would just have to deal with the gaping hole in her heart along the way. "Alyssa Morgan. Highest honors." End of Volume 1. Volume 2 will start on October 1. Chapter 141 - New Beginnings Endings might mean new beginnings, but there was still pain in the end. There was still sadness that Alyssa couldn''t shake as she watched the two movers that she hired hauling her things in the back of a moving truck. She chewed on her bottom lip, trying to keep it from quivering. Against her own will, her eyes shifted left and right, looking all around her as she stood in front of her dorm building for thest time. She knew that she shouldn''t look for Elias. He abandoned her without any warning. Just a stupid little note that meant nothing to her. She must''ve meant the same to him. Alyssa directed her eyes back to the movers, who were carrying thest two boxes of what she owned into the back of the moving truck. . She was about to be on her way to New York City, and she wasn''t going to look back. She already said goodbye to Zoe, and she had said goodbye to everything else when Elias left her behind. As much as she tried to push herself forward or act like she didn''t care, her heart was crushed. She felt so detached and numb to everything around her, and she wondered if she would ever be able to grow attached to anything or anyone ever again. The thought of love left a bad taste in her mouth. What if she couldn''t get herself to love her new life in New York? What if she didn''t enjoy her studies? She didn''t want to put herself through hell and back if it wouldn''t feel worth it to her. Honestly, she was afraid that she wouldn''t ever feel happy again, like Elias had cut out her heart and took off running with it. "Alright, we''re ready to go," one of the movers told her as he walked over to her, sporting a bright orange shirt with the movingpany''s logo on the left chest area. Alyssa forced a smile onto her face. She hated how she had to fake everything all the time now. It was torture saying goodbye to Zoe because she tried to act like she was going to be okay as to not worry her friend. She even had to lie to strangers. Eventually, she would have to lie very well to herself so that she didn''t let her life pass her by. "Thank you. I guess I''ll see you in New York," she said as she nced at her own car parked nearby. She would meet them at her new dorm. Luckily, she managed to snag ast minute spot. She couldn''t believe that Elias nearly left herpletely out of luck when it came to housing. It could''ve cost her the education that she worked so hard to get! "Will do," the man said before getting into his truck with his partner. The truck soon rumbled to life with a loud grumble. Alyssa moved out of the way to stand on the sidewalk, watching the moving truck pull out of the parking lot of her old dorm and head out onto the street to drive away. She turned to nce back at the dorm building, feeling her chest and throat tighten painfully just at the sight of it. She spent four years of her life here. Some of that time had been the best times of her life. There were memories in that time that she would treasure forever. However, on the flip side of that, some of that time had been the worst times of her life. Pain echoed through her when she thought of some of those dark moments. She knew that they would be nearly impossible to shake. Tearing her eyes away, Alyssa forced herself to walk to her car. She couldn''t stay here any longer. She had to move on if that was even possible. A piece of her heart and soul would always be here in the ce that she met the only boy that she ever loved. And this town was the ce where her heart was shattered beyond repair. A whole new life awaited her in New York as she ventured down the path of bing a doctor, but the motivation and drive that she used to have was hardly there any longer. She could hardly even celebrate her achievements that she earned during her undergraduate career. Elias left, and he took so much of her with him. She wondered if he knew that. She wondered if he even cared. Obviously, he didn''t since he ditched her, not even bothering to tell her in person. He was a coward, and she was convinced that he never loved her. That wasn''t love. Alyssa got into her car and turned it on, hearing it steadily rumble to life. She stared at her steering wheel, trying to find the strength and motivation to leave this ce. She wanted to, but there was something that wouldn''t let go of her. Maybe it was all the memories that she had here. Maybe it was the nervousness that she felt about going to a new ce and starting a new life. Or maybe it was the fact that it would be her final goodbye to Elias. Maybe some goodbyes were necessary. She hoped that this pain meant something good for herter on. If her time with Elias was the peak of her happiness in life, she didn''t know what she was going to do. She supposed that she could try to find happiness again, but that was a long, dark road. It would be a miracle if she made it to the end of it. But Alyssa wasn''t even sure if she believed in miracles anymore. She didn''t even know if she believed in anything anymore. What was the point if those things never stuck around? With that darkness lingering in the back of her mind, she pulled out onto the street and tried to leave the past behind her. A/N: Thank you all for waiting! Chapter 142 - Dr. Morgan *Eight yearster* The sound of phones ringing and people chatting echoed throughout the lobby and stark white halls of the Bernd Children''s Hospital. The atmosphere of the hospital or any hospital was typically tense, but Alyssa strode into one of her patient''s rooms with a smile on her face. "How is she, Dr. Morgan? Did the surgery work?" a young mother with stress crinkles in her face asked Alyssa. . She held onto the strong arm of her equally worried husband. They both stood at the bedside of their young daughter, Aubrey, who was only thirteen and still asleep from the surgery. Alyssa brushed her hair away from her face, which now only came down to her shoulders. She adjusted her ck-framed sses as one of her interns handed her the chart with thetest test results. "It is my pleasure to inform you that the surgery was indeed sessful in removing the tumor from her leg," Alyssa told the parents as she lowered the clipboard. "Oh, thank God!" the mother gasped out before throwing her arms around her husband, embracing him tightly as they tried to fight back their tears. Alyssa smiled to herself as she looked over at Aubrey, who would soon be feeling much better than she used to be. Osteosaa was tough on anyone, but it was awful seeing children go through awful cancers and diseases. However, it was her job that she was incredibly fortunate to have. Some days were incredibly hard for her. There were losses that hit the entire pediatrics department hard, but they also had many wins. She was one of the most popr and sought after pediatric doctors in the entire state of New York and the East Coast in general. She earned that title by having a high sess rate. Aubrey was one of many. "She''s still under from the anesthesia, but she''ll wake up soon. We''ll do some monitoring and then she can go home. We''ll schedule follow up visits to make sure the cancer doesn''t grow back," Alyssa informed the parents, making sure they know everything. If she was a parent, she would want to know everything too, so she tried to be as open and informative as possible. "Do you think the cancer will grow back?" the father asked with a worried look on his face. He tucked his wife under his arm, holding her close. Alyssa handed the chart back to her intern and then folded her hands together in front of her. One of the things that bothered her about her job was the unknown. Medical mysteries and tragedies happened all the time that people didn''t understand. It made her job that much harder, but she still did tons of research to try to get to the bottom of these mysteries. "There''s a very low chance. Our surgery team made sure to even remove some of the healthy tissue around the tumor to lower the chance of the cancering back. Of course, we''ll continue to monitor her just in case so that we can immediately attack it if it decides to return," Alyssa exined to them. The parents sighed in relief before looking at their healing daughter lovingly. The tension originally in the room was nearly gone at that point. Alyssa loved delivering good news. It was the best part of her job besides doing the actual life saving things. She was taught and trained by the very best in the city, and she had more mentors than she could count that helped her get to this point. She was everything that she wanted to be when she was younger and more. "If you have any questions, feel free to ask Sam," Alyssa told the parents as she gestured to her young intern. She bid the parents farewell before walking out of the room, adjusting her white coat. Even now, it was an honor wearing it. "Hey, Morgan. Heard about that osteosaa surgery," Dr. Micah Lennon called to Alyssa from down the hallway as he walked toward her. He was a tall, well-built man with dark hair and a smooth, light brown tone to his skin. His stubble was dark and outlined the sharp edge of his jaw. He only had two more years of experience than Alyssa and had a speciality in neurology. Alyssa yfully shrugged as she smiled at Micah. He had been a great friend to her once she was ced at this hospital for her residency. He even got to boss her around a little when she was just a resident and he was an attending doctor. However, she was sure to push him around some now that they were on equal grounding. "That''s what I do," she said as she stopped in the middle of the hallway to chat with him. She acted confident and did have confidence in her skills, but she wasn''t going to be cocky when it came to the lives of children. She cared for them like they were her own children, even if she wasn''t sure that she would ever have any. Ever since getting into medical school, she didn''t care about dating or sleeping around. She focused on her studies until she became an intern and then a resident. Then, she had no time to do anything but to work. She hardly had time to eat or sleep then. Now, in the depths of her career, she didn''t see herself settling down anytime soon, and she was perfectly fine with that. She loved doing what she did. "Well, I have a pretty nasty brain abscess," Micah told her as he crossed his arms, smirking down at her. Alyssa gave him a pointed look. He always made everything apetition, but she didn''t mind ying along. She had done some amazing surgeries in her time here. She didn''t even decide on the surgery track until she got deep into medical school. It seemed like the best way for her to directly help children. "Is he bragging about that brain abscess?" another voice sounded from behind Alyssa. Chapter 143 - Control Of Her Life "Is he bragging about that brain abscess?" another voice sounded from behind Alyssa. "What do you think?" Alyssa smirked as she nced over her shoulder at Eva, a specialist in cardiology. They were in the same resident group and had be quite close over the years. In fact, she had made a lot of great connections during her time here in New York. "That''s just wrong, Micah," Eva scoffed as she shook her head at the other doctor. She slipped a hair clip out of the pocket of her white coat and pinned her blonde hair up before stopping at Alyssa''s side. "We should go out and celebrate your sessful surgery." "If we celebrated every single one of Alyssa''s sessful surgeries, we would be alcoholics in liver failure," Micah said as he nudged Alyssa with his shoulder.. Alyssa smiled to herself as she shook her head. She still wasn''t that great at takingpliments from her fellow doctors, but everything that they said meant a lot. She didn''t float right through medical school or residency. She fought and wed through each and every day, ss, and test. They were the hardest eight years of her life, but at least her hard work was finally paying off. "No one said you had to drink," Eva said pointedly. She looked over at Alyssa. "What do you say?" Alyssa checked the time on her watch just as a yawn broke from her. It was already almost midnight. She basically lived in this hospital, despite having an apartment of her own in the city. She worked so much that she spent more time here than her own ce. But she would rather be here at the hospital than alone in her apartment. "I really need to get some sleep," she told them, earning groans from them. She put her hands up in an innocent manner,ughing softly. She knew that it wasn''t what they wanted to hear, but she was reaching the point of being exhausted. She actually considered sleeping here at the hospital, but she knew that she needed to suck it up and go sleep in her actual bed. She was paying an outrageous amount of rent to never even be there. She just didn''t like how uneasy she felt when she was in her apartment alone. Maybe it was just the exhaustion from working so much affecting her brain, but she felt as uneasy as she did back in college, like someone was always right behind her. She never really saw anyone. Sometimes, she thought that she saw a shadow every once in a while that got closer and closer, but she tried to convince herself that she was just experiencing sleep exhaustion. It couldn''t be anything else. It couldn''t be anything from her past, which she desperately tried not to think about. She hade so far from that low point in her life, and she didn''t want to rpse into that crushing feeling of sadness that took her so long to distance herself from. She wasn''t that girl anymore. She was Dr. Alyssa Morgan, a talented pediatric surgeon. No one could take that away from her. "Fine. Get some sleep, but we''re celebrating another time," Eva said, and it was obvious that nothing was going to change her mind. Her pager then beeped. She checked it before sighing. "Gotta run. No celebrating without me." "Wouldn''t dream of it," Alyssa said as she watched Eva hurry down the hallway to get to one of her patients. She turned back to Micah. "I guess I''ll see you tomorrow." "Bright and early," Micah said as he drifted his hand through his hair sleepily. Everyone always seemed to be so tired until something came up and snatched their attention. "You should get some rest," Alyssa told him. Thest thing that needed to happen was for him to get too tired before dealing with a brain abscess. She had faith in her fellow doctors, though. They had spent years training and learning to get to this point in their careers. So many people relied on them, and they were sure not to let those people down. "Aren''t you sweet?" Micah teased her, stepping closer to her where their arms almost brushed. Alyssa yfully rolled her eyes at him, taking a step back to match his movement. "I''m not," she joked. Well, it was a partial joke. She had lost a lot of her sweetness and fluffiness when she got into medical school. But that wasn''t only because of how hardcore medical school was. She spent all of that kindness on a boy who didn''t even care about her in the end. But enough about him. "Well, I think you are," Micah said, his tone taking a softer edge. His eyes were the shade of dark chocte, warm and sweet, as they rested on hers. He was nice to everyone, but he was especially nice to her, and Alyssa didn''t want to delve into why that was. Alyssa could feel the moment growing deeper. Instinctively, she mentally jerked away from that, not wanting to get caught up in emotions or any of that messy stuff. She knew what the result of messing with that could be, and she wasn''t interested in splitting apart at the seams again. "Goodnight," she told him before turning and heading down the hallway to go grab her things from her locker and change into normal clothes. She didn''t have much to tote around. She changed into a long sleeve shirt, jeans, and sneakers, preparing for the chilly weather of October outside. Once she grabbed her purse, she walked out of the locker room. Part of her wished that she could just stay here. The hospital was everything that she knew right now. It was a source offort for her, even if bad things did happen. However, she had more control of things here than she did when she was alone. That was when things took a turn for the worst. Chapter 144 - Attacked Immediately after Alyssa stepped foot outside of the hospital, she cursed herself for not bringing a jacket to wear. She should''ve known that it would be colder at midnight than it was in thete morning when shest arrived at the hospital. She wrapped her arms around herself as she shuffled away from the front of the hospital toward the staff parking lot. Tall streetmps illuminated her way with a white glow, cutting through the quiet darkness that surrounded her on all sides. However, the light provided her no sense offort. She always felt so uneasy at night. She didn''t like seeing her surroundings because there was no telling what was lurking where she couldn''t see. Typically, she looked every which way as she walked, but she just wanted to get to her car before she froze to death. The chilly wind whipping across her face wasn''t helping either. She hurriedly walked to the parking lot, passing under the beams of light from themps. She was moving so fast that she didn''t see that the shadow passing under themps wasn''t her own. Alyssa just reached the parking lot a little ways from the hospital when she heard the lightest thud behind her. It was so quiet that it typically wasn''t a sound she would even bother checking out. However, the hairs on the back of her neck shot up, and something told her to turn around. A voice in the back of her head. She whipped around just as the lights from themps suddenly shut off. Darkness surrounded her, and she suddenly couldn''t breathe. Something was wrong, but she couldn''t see anything! She tried to step back or start running, but her body refused to move. She just stared into the darkness as she heard another thud sound from in front of her. Then, there was silence. She didn''t believe it, though. She couldn''t trust what was in the dark. She couldn''t trust anything. She nced around, but she still couldn''t see anything that was around her. It was just her and the darkness. Or so she thought. Suddenly, a heavy force crashed into her right side, sending her straight to the ground. Her shoulder took the brunt of the fall, making her cry out in pain. She still felt someone on top of her, grabbing her and trying to pin her. She thrashed around on the asphalt, trying to escape, but whoever was on top of her was too strong. She felt the weight on top of her shift slightly, and she could feel something light brush her teeth. She turned her head to see teeth right next to her face. Through the darkness, that was all that she could make out. But there was something wrong with the teeth. The canines were extended and sharp at the ends. Almost like¡­ fangs. A scream broke from her as she tried to scramble away from whatever creature was on top of her. She managed to roll over and crawl a foot away before her leg was grabbed and she was dragged back toward the creature. She could feel hands that felt like a human''s, but that thing wasn''t human. She nced over her shoulder just to see a dark figure in a ck trenchcoat tackle the creature. Through the darkness, all that she could see were shadows flitting in and out of the darkness. She took that opportunity to push herself to her feet and sprint to her car, hearing shouts and grunts of pain behind her. Alyssa fumbled through her purse once she reached her car, desperately trying to find her keys. She didn''t want to be in the middle of that fight. The adrenaline kept her from feeling all of the pain, but she knew that would wear off soon. She needed to get out of here. She unlocked her car and threw herself inside it once she found her keys. She backed out of the spot and sped toward the exit of the parking lot. Just before she was about to pull out onto the road, the streetmps turned back on, flooding the area with light. She looked up into her rearview mirror and caught a glimpse of the figure in the trenchcoat under one of the lights. She only saw a sh of dark hair and fair skin before the figure ducked into the nearby shadows. But that second of looking was enough for Alyssa to feel her heart threaten to burst right out of her chest. That shadow looked familiar. It almost looked like¡­ him. Alyssa couldn''t even bring herself to think of his name or picture his face, but it looked like him. That couldn''t be, though. There were plenty of guys with dark hair and a nice build. Besides, why would hee back now after all these years? It didn''t make any sense. Nothing about what just happened made sense to her. She pulled out onto the road and hurried back to her apartment, wanting to get as far away from the hospital as possible for the night, which was a strange thing for her. She was usually rushing to the hospital instead of away from it. But she had never been attacked like that in her eight years here. She had always been afraid of that shadow getting too close and being too real. She couldn''t deny that someone had indeed been watching her all these years. But who and why? There was no reason for anyone to be following her or attacking her. It almost seemed like whatever attacked her wanted to seriously hurt her. What was up with those teeth? She wished that she could''ve seen the rest of the face, but all she saw were those fangsing right for her. She shuddered at the thought, feeling her erratic pulse refuse to slow down. She doubted that she would feel that much better when she got to her own ce. I 1 Chapter 145 - New Guy What could calm her after that? She considered calling the police, but she suspected that the creature was long gone after that dark figure attacked it. She was grateful that she was saved, but why was the dark figure there in the first ce? All of the questions piling up in her mind made her head hurt. She didn''t have any answers for any of them. Frustration soon struck her. Things were going so well for her, and then that happened. She didn''t even know if this was an isted incident. What if this happened again? She didn''t even want to begin to think about what could happen if she was attacked again, but the dark figure wasn''t around to help her. She didn''t know if the creature''s intent was to kill her, but it certainly wasn''t friendly. It was safe to say that she didn''t get much sleep that night, and she suspected that wouldn''t change for the rest of the week.. ********** One step in front of the other. That was what Alyssa kept telling herself as she edged closer and closer to the entrance of the hospital the next morning. When she woke up an hour earlier after a night of restfulness and minimal sleep, she considered calling in because she was so wary about stepping foot on the hospital''s property again after what happened to herst night. She had a long shift ahead of her, but what would happen when she eventually left to go home? Would that creature be waiting for her again? She tensed up at the thought of that as she nced around every which way, searching the area as the morning sun glowed from up above. There were hardly any shadows for her to peer at warily, but that didn''t lessen her concern. Once she finally made it inside of the hospital, she let out the breath that she had been holding. She felt somewhat at ease now, but she knew that worried feeling woulde back around soon. She could only hope that her guardian angel popped up if danger struck again. Speaking of her guardian angel, she was halfway convinced that it was Elias. The hair and the body looked like his, and she would be lying if she hadn''t always found him a bit mysterious. Coming out of the shadows like that didn''t seem too far out of his element. However, caring for her didn''t seem like his nature after what he did to her all those years ago. It didn''t make sense for him to abandon her like that if he wanted to look out for her too. He left her out in the open for anyone to approach her, even monsters. Did he know about those monsters? She felt her heart start to race. It was all too much. If she came face to face with Elias again, she wouldn''t know what she would do. She didn''t want to be near him. Just the thought of seeing him again made her stomach twist into tight knots. She would be looking into the face of a man who lied to her and tossed her aside like she was nothing to him. She spent years working to get over him and leave even the thought of him in the past, and he was messing all of that hard work up! She couldn''t have an off day because of him. She had the lives of precious children to save. She wouldn''t let him drag her down once more. "Get that sleep you needed?" Alyssa looked up from her daze, not even realizing how far into the hospital she had walked. She saw Micah grinning at her with a fresh cup of coffee in his hand. "Yeah. Kind of," she murmured, letting the lie easily slip from her lips. She hardly sleptst night. She kept thinking about the incident¡­ the fangs¡­ Elias. It was a constant loop in her mind that she couldn''t escape from until the early hours of the morning when she finally passed out for an hour or two from exhaustion. "Here. You need this more than I do," Micah said as he handed her his cup of coffee. Alyssa tried to shake her head to deny him, but the cup ended up in her hands anyway. Micah could be a bit stubborn like that, but at least he was kind. "Thanks," she replied. She wanted to say more, not wanting toe off as acting strange, but she couldn''t even think about what to say. Her brain was scrambled at that point. Micah smiled and nodded. He stepped closer to her. "I promise getting a drink with me would be way more interesting," he chuckled. Micah''s words sounded muffled in Alyssa''s head. She just couldn''t focus right now. She gave him a confused look when he peered at her hopefully. "Sorry. What was that?" she asked him, giving him a sheepish look. Micah''s expression wavered slightly, but he cleared his throat and grinned regardless. "We should grab a drink one night. I know you''re busy and stuff, but I think it would be fun," he suggested to her. Alyssa felt her face burn slightly as she shifted awkwardly on the spot. She liked Micah, but she liked him as a friend. She desperately wanted to like him more than that. He would be the perfect boyfriend. He was sweet, cute, funny, and attentive. He would put her first and romance her in all the right ways. But he wasn''t the guy that she held in the depths of her heart. Despite everything she had gone through during these past eight years, there was still an inkling of love left for the man who shattered her heart into pieces. She hated herself for still loving Elias, but those feelings wouldn''t go away. The memories of their happy times, of his lips on hers, of his arms around her, wouldn''t leave her mind. Sometimes, she even dreamed about him, but she tried to ignore any traces of him as much as she could. Chapter 146 - The Gala Unfortunately, she couldn''t permanently erase him from her mind. Now, he was possibly in her reality, and that scared her. "I''ll get back to you about that. I have to go get ready," Alyssa said, giving him the friendliest smile that she could possibly muster. She touched his arm gently before heading to the locker room to change into her scrubs and white coat. She felt bad about leaving him behind like that, but she didn''t want to put him down right then. She just wanted to get her day started. After greeting some of the other doctors and nurses, she walked to an office to check her emails. She hoped that she didn''t have anything urgent to attend to right now. She didn''t want to deal with any paperwork or clerical work right now.. She wanted to dive into her medical work and focus on something that made sense to her. Luckily, she didn''t have much to check out in her inbox. The only thing that caught her eye was an email titled: Albritten Foundation Charity G. She recognized the name since the foundation was a huge sponsor of the hospital''s. Anything with their name on it was important. She opened the email to read it. The 10th Annual Abritten Foundation Charity G is being held this Friday at 7:00 p.m. at the Hillgarden Ballroom. Come out and join us for music, food, and auctions to support a great cause! Please RSVP. Alyssa checked her schedule, seeing that she got off work at a decent time on Friday. She could make the g. They weren''t her usual type of events, but the foundation did a lot for the hospital that she was proud to work for. She could stand to get out and donate to the foundation that helped so many people. She sent an email back, reserving her spot for the event. She had a dress or two that she could pick between that she had worn to other fancy events. She surely didn''t have the time to shop before the g because of her busy schedule, which she needed to attend to. Alyssa signed out of her email and walked out of the office, nearly running into one of the many interns stumbling through the hallways of the hospital. Even if they got in the way and made a lot of mistakes, she took mercy on them because she had been in their ce not too long ago. "Sorry, Dr. Morgan. You have a new patient today," Gina, a short brte, told her as she smoothed down her slightly wrinkled scrubs. She looked like she hardly got any sleep, but that was everyone in this hospital. "Lead the way," Alyssa replied, motioning for Gina to lead her to the patient''s room. She drew in a slow breath through her nose, preparing herself. She always had to prepare herself any time that she got a new patient. She had no idea what kind of pain and sadness she was about to experience. At times, she felt like she was purposely torturing herself by surrounding herself with sick and dying kids. It weighed on her soul, but saving them made her feel more alive than ever. She just focused on the oue that she wanted to have. Alyssa walked into one of the many hospital rooms, seeing a young boy with a pale face and a thin frameying in bed with his worried parents at his side. It was a sight that she saw all too often. Kids shouldn''t have to fight for their lives, but she was there to fight alongside them. "Hey, buddy. What''s your name?" she asked as she gently ced her hand on the little boy''s arm. He was hot to the touch, which already wasn''t a good sign. She had a feeling about what was going on, but she didn''t say anything. Years of experience gave her a good sense of intuition. "H-Hayden," the boy said, trying to muster up a smile, but it seemed to tire him out. "Hayden Fayard. Age 10. Diagnosed with acute lymphostic leukaemia," Gina said as she read from the boy''s chart. It was going to be a long, hard day. ********* The Hillgarden Ballroom was filled from top to bottom with ck and gold decorations, ranging from tinsel to tablecloths to balloons. The Albritten family never spared any expense when it came to celebrating or raising money. The floor was full of New York''s richest and finest. Alyssa couldn''t believe that she was considered one of them, but she had worked hard to get to this point. She made a name for herself, leaving that sad, pathetic girl that she used to be back in her small hometown. She didn''t even know her any longer. A ck cocktail dress flowed down her body all the way to her ck heels. Subtle, elegant bracelets and a silver ne adorned her wrists and neck, while her hair was fixed up into a high ponytail. Everyone was dressed in their finest attire, showing off just how much money they could donate tonight if their hearts were in the right ce. She had met a lot of great people here, but there were always a few selfish people mixed among the crowd. She tried to avoid them as much as she could, which was why she spent so much time around Micah and Eva, who were in their field to help people and not just for the money. It was nice not beingpletely broke, though. Alyssa made her way to the bar in the back, figuring a drink could help her get limated. She still wasn''t the best when it came to social situations, but she could make it through a conversation without internallybusting. All she had to do was talk about some medical miracle or case she had worked. "Cosmopolitan," she told the bartender as she leaned her upper body against the sleek wood of the bar. The bartender nodded before turning away to make her drink. "I pegged you for a vodka cranberry girl," a voice said from behind her. Alyssa felt her heart stop when that voice reached her ears. She knew that voice. But it couldn''t be. Chapter 147 - Meeting Again "Cosmopolitan," she told the bartender as she leaned her upper body against the sleek wood of the bar. The bartender nodded before turning away to make her drink. "I pegged you for a vodka cranberry girl," a voice said from behind her. Alyssa felt her heart stop when that voice reached her ears. She knew that voice. But it couldn''t be. She only heard that voice in her dreams, which she should''ve considered to be nightmares. She slowly turned around to face none other than Elias, who looked like he hardly aged during the past eight years. Now, he was slightly taller and more built in his upper body.. She could tell through his ck suit jacket and the dark grey button down that he had on underneath. Silver rings adorned his fingers, and his ck hair was pushed back and slightly shaved down on the sides. Dark stubble outlined his jaw. Those blue eyes of his were just as vibrant as before, and she swore it felt like they were staring right into her soul. Alyssapletely forgot the words that he just told her. She just couldn''t believe that he was suddenly here in front of her. The shock onlysted so long, though. All of the rage, pain, and sadness that she had felt over the years because of his sudden disappearance came flooding back to her. She didn''t even care about her drink that was still being made. She turned away from Elias abruptly and hurried toward the exit of the ballroom. She had nothing to say to him. Actually, she had plenty to say to him, but he didn''t deserve to hear a single word from her after what he did to her. She just needed to get away from him. "Alyssa, wait!" Elias called out as he chased after her, slipping through the crowd of rich people to try to reach her. Alyssa made it right outside of the ballroom when she felt Elias'' hand grab her wrist. She whirled around with a re. "What are you doing here? Are you stalking me or something?" she snapped at him. She didn''t bring up the attack the other night, but he found her somehow. He had to be tracking her or something, which was weird. Elias sighed, his shoulders loosening slightly. "I was invited. Albritten is a sponsor of mypany," he replied. Alyssa felt her words get caught in her throat for a second. She remembered how he wanted to start his own techpany and forge his own path. It seemed like his ns came true too. Deep down, a part of her was d for that, but all of her other more vtile emotions were far louder. "You have no right to be talking to me right now," she gritted out, wondering what made him think that any of this was okay. He couldn''t just pop up out of nowhere and act like they could be friends again. Elias frowned, his eyes searching hers. He tried to step closer to her, but she matched him by stepping back. "I''m really sorry about leaving, Alyssa. I just¡­ had to," he told her. Alyssaughed dryly, shaking her head at him. She felt her eyes start to burn, and she internally cursed herself, not wanting to shed even more tears over him. She shouldn''t have even cried once over him. He obviously wasn''t worth it. "Wow. What a great excuse," she huffed. She was tired of his whole mysterious act. She deserved answers. Actual answers! Elias looked lost as he gazed at her. "It was the best thing for you. I''ve always had your best interest in mind," he said. Alyssa didn''t believe his serious tone or his puppy dog look. How could she believe any of it when he betrayed her? It made her nauseous just being around him right now. The least that he could do was answer her questions, but he couldn''t even do that. Maybe them breaking up was for the best. She couldn''t always live her life in shadows. "No, you didn''t. You abandoned me without warning. You let me build a life for us in my head and almost cost me my entire future because I thought you were going to be in it! You said you were!" Alyssa snapped, unable to hold back her anger. She wasn''t as emotional nowadays as she used to be, but something about Elias dug so deep under her skin. Elias put his hands up in an innocent manner, trying to get her to calm down. "I know I hurt you. I hate myself for hurting you and leaving you, but I only did it because staying with you would''ve just hurt you more," he said. Alyssa shook her head at him. She was tired of all these riddles. They exined nothing to her. He was just making excuses for his idiotic actions, and she wasn''t going to ept a single one of them. "Take your excuses and shove them up your ass," she spat at him, her words seething with venom. Elias'' eyes widened at her tone and words. He then seemed to wilt on the spot. "I really did hurt you," he whispered. "Alyssa, I never stopped loving you." Alyssa felt like he was just shoving the knife deeper and deeper into her heart. Pain echoed through her, nearly bringing her to the point of tears. Why would he say something like that to her? It didn''t make her feel any better. It actually made her feel worse. "What you did to me¡­ that wasn''t love. That was cowardice. I suggest you learn the difference before you hurt someone else," Alyssa said coldly before turning away from him. She started to walk away, but a question in the back of her mind kept bugging her. She stopped, but she didn''t look at him. "You were there at the hospital the other night. In the parking lot." I I I I Chapter 148 - Take A Guess Elias didn''t say anything for a few moments. "Yes," he finally said. Alyssa let out a shaky breath, realizing that she was right. He did save her, but what did he save her from? Knowing that he was there that night answered one of her questions, but it made tons more pop up in her head. "What happened that night?" she asked him, needing to know what she was up against. "I can''t tell you," Elias sighed. Alyssa closed her eyes for a second, feeling more pain and disappointment seep deep into her body. She felt weighed down by it all at this point.. He hadn''t changed. He didn''t truly love her. She knew these things, but it still hurt her to be reminded of them. "Goodbye, Elias," she muttered before walking away from him, leaving him standing there on the spot with a broken look on his face. ******* Trying to get on with her life like normal was borderline torture for Alyssa. She had her life finally smoothed out and figured out, and then Elias came thrashing through, destroying everything in sight. How could he do that to her? She felt like he was trying to hurt her on purpose at this point. He had hurt her enough eight years ago. Two days after the g, Alyssa tried to make use of her day off. She didn''t get many, and she didn''t want to spend it sulking in the apartment, even if that was what a part of her wanted to do. The outside world was scary and cruel. Why would she want to go out there? Alyssa pulled her jacket off before grabbing her things and leaving her apartment. First stop, she wanted to get coffee to put a little boost in her system. She surely needed it. Elias kept breaking into her mind, and she felt heavy all over when she thought about him. She hoped that he would disappear again so that she could try to move on again. Something told her that things weren''t going to work out for her that easily, though. They never did. She just had to prepare for what she didn''t want to deal with. She walked into a local coffee shop, venturing to the ordering counter to buy a cappino and a muffin. Maybe the sugar would help her feel a little better. Honestly, she was searching for anything to make her feel a little better at this point. Her life had been flipped upside down with no warning once again. She didn''t think that she could take the whish of that again. She just managed to find her footing after it happenedst time. Once she got her cup of coffee and her muffin, she sat at a small table near the front of the shop, wanting to take a moment and try to rx. She wasn''t even sure if she knew how to do that even more, and that didn''t even have to fully do with Elias. She was always on call for the hospital. Alyssa suddenly heard light footsteps sound from behind her. They sounded like they came from boots. If she had to guess, ck boots, and she knew who wore them. She turned to look over her shoulder, seeing Elias approach her slowly, like he was trying not to startle her. She shook her head at him and went to stand up and leave. Elias moved to block her way, towering over her. "I want to talk," he told her. He wasn''t budging. Alyssa red up at him, wishing that he wasn''t so damn intimidating. She knew that she could shove him aside and leave, but it seemed like he really wanted to talk. Maybe he would actually tell her something that she wanted to hear. "Fine," she muttered before turning around and taking a seat. She took a sip of her coffee as she watched him sit down in front of her. Elias pulled his jacket off. His ck button down was unbuttoned a few buttons at the top, shing some of the smooth, pale skin that Alyssa was familiar with. Alyssa swallowed hard and bit into her muffin hastily, trying to distract herself. Thest thing that she needed to be doing was admiring this man. He looked as good as ever, but that didn''t make up for the trauma he left her with. "How do you keep finding me?" she asked him. It couldn''t be a coincidence all of the time. Elias held her gaze evenly as he folded his hands together in front of him on the table. "I''ve been keeping an eye on you for a minute," he admitted. Alyssa narrowed her eyes as she leaned back in her seat. She had a feeling that was the case, but it didn''t make her feel any better that she was right. "That''s kind of weird, don''t you think?" she asked him pointedly. It was weird to stalk people. Elias cracked a wry grin as he nced around. He then lowered his eyes slightly as he peered at her. "It''s a bit necessary given the circumstances," he said quietly. Now, they were actually getting somewhere. Alyssa sat up a little more, curling her fingers around her coffee cup. She wanted to know more about these circumstances, especially since she was involved in them. "I''ve felt like I''ve been followed for a while now," Alyssa admitted to him. "Was that you?" Elias frowned slightly and shook his head. "I never got too close to you," he told her. Alyssa tapped her fingertips against her coffee cup as she thought. "So, it must''ve been that thing that attacked me that night," she said. She had a feeling it was that creature since she always felt so uneasy. Even if she was upset with Elias, she wouldn''t feel that scared if it was him. She felt like she would''ve sensed it was him in a way. Elias nodded after a moment. Now, he seemed uneasy. Alyssa guessed that she was nearing the territory where he would start giving her riddles instead of actual answers. She knew that she still needed to push, though. Maybe she could at least get him to give her a clue. "What was it? It had¡­ fangs," she said. She felt silly saying that, and she almost questioned what she saw for a moment. However, she knew what she saw. They were right near her face! "Take a guess," Elias merely said as he lowered his eyes to the table. Chapter 149 - Ignored "Take a guess," Elias merely said as he lowered his eyes to the table. Alyssa didn''t know why he was so timid. She supposed that part of him wanted to tell her and part of him didn''t. If her safety was on the line, she needed to know. "I don''t know. I mean¡­ the only thing that I can think of that has fangs is a vampire," she said with a scoff. That was impossible, though. Those didn''t even exist. Elias didn''t say anything. Alyssa narrowed her eyes as she leaned closer to him.. "Wait. Are you saying that I was attacked by a vampire the other night?" she asked him quietly. She felt her heart start to race as she pondered on the possibility. Vampires couldn''t possibly be real. Wouldn''t there be more evidence or something? Elias finally looked up at her and nodded. Alyssa sunk back into her seat out of disbelief, shaking her head. That didn''t make any sense. Why would a vampire track her and try to bite her in such a public ce? It was risky. "I don''t understand. Did it want to kill me or drink my blood or something?" she asked him, trying to get some sort of answer for why the other night happened in the first ce. Elias scratched at the back of his neck as he sighed. "The intentions aren''t the greatest. I don''t think they were trying to kill you, though," he exined to her. Alyssa narrowed her eyes slightly as she stared at him. It seemed to her like he wasn''t telling her everything that he knew, which bothered her. How could he still keep her in the dark after all this happened? Plus, he was the one watching over her and barging his way back into her life. "Why did you really approach me, Elias?" she asked him. "And why have you been watching me?" Elias leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest. "I can''t tell you everything, Alyssa. This stuff is¡­ sensitive," he replied. Alyssa scoffed at him. "Sensitive? I''m in danger!" she said. Elias looked torn. His face started to soften, and he started to say something, but another person came into Alyssa''s view. "Elias! It''s been so long," a tall, slim redhead cooed as she strutted up to Elias'' side. She wore a white blouse tucked into a ck skirt with ck sunsses on. Alyssa stared up at her in confusion, watching the redhead hug Elias, which was basically pressing his face against her chest. She felt a prickle of anger crackle through her at the sight. Who was this girl? "Ste," Elias said as he pulled back from the redhead. "What are you doing here?" "Came into town for a little visit. I heard you were around, Mr. Business Man," Ste purred as she stroked her fingers through his hair. Alyssa gritted her teeth slightly, feeling purposely ignored. Ste wasn''t even looking at her, putting all of her focus on Elias. She knew that she had no right to feel jealous or anything. Her rtionship with Elias was over. If he wanted to get with this touchy girl, he could. "I should go," she said as she grabbed her things. "Alyssa, wait," Elias said, trying to lean away from Ste to look at Alyssa. "You guys catch up," Alyssa replied, not even looking their way. She hurriedly walked away, tossing her half-eaten muffin away since she didn''t feel hungry any longer. She wished that she had gotten more information from Elias this morning, but that didn''t work out. She walked past the front of the coffee shop to head back to her apartment. Her eyes shifted to the side to peer through the window, seeing that Ste had taken her seat. Elias and she were talking animatedly, and Alyssa felt worse than she had in a long time. It seemed like Elias was right back to work when it came to breaking her heart. ********** The next day after her shift, Alyssa decided to talk to an old friend. After what happened yesterday at the coffee shop with Elias and Ste, along with every other disastrous thing that had happened to her, Alyssa really needed some advice. She grabbed her phone and walked out of the hospital to sit on a small bench outside. The sun was steadily setting behind her, casting shadows all around her. She nced around warily, but there were still plenty of people roaming around the hospital grounds and she could still see the hospital entrance. She felt alright enough to make a quick call. Alyssa tapped on the familiar contact before bringing the phone to her ear, listening to it ring and ring until a crackling noise sounded over the phone. "Hello?" a familiar voice spoke. "Hey, Zoe," Alyssa said with a small smile. "Hey! How''s it going?" Zoe asked, sounding cheerful. Over the course of eight years, Alyssa only got to see Zoe three times when Zoe came to visit and when she went to Zoe and Cole''s destination wedding in Hawaii. However, they did keep in contact through texting and phone calls. Zoe''s friendship was one that Alyssa didn''t ever want to lose. "It''s¡­ going," Alyssa said with a sheepishugh. She had so much to tell Zoe. "What happened?" Zoe asked, her voice turning more serious. "I ran into Elias the other day," Alyssa said, hearing Zoe audibly gasp. "Shut up. What did he say?" Zoe asked. Alyssa paused. There were some things that she didn''t want to bring up. Elias'' behavior was strange, and she still wanted to figure out why. Now, she was supposedly dealing with vampires too. She didn''t know which problem to try to handle first. "He said that he believed leaving was the best thing for me," Alyssa replied. Zoe scoffed over the phone. "Sounds like a liar," she muttered. "He might be. I still have a lot of questions," Alyssa admitted. "Can you get into contact with him?" Zoe asked her. Chapter 150 - Talk Alyssa paused. There were some things that she didn''t want to bring up. Elias'' behavior was strange, and she still wanted to figure out why. Now, she was supposedly dealing with vampires too. She didn''t know which problem to try to handle first. "He said that he believed leaving was the best thing for me," Alyssa replied. Zoe scoffed over the phone. "Sounds like a liar," she muttered. "He might be. I still have a lot of questions," Alyssa admitted. "Can you get into contact with him?" Zoe asked her. Alyssa grimaced when she realized that she had no way to find Elias. Maybe that was a good thing, but she knew that he could easily find her. "Maybe," she replied. "Then, try to talk to him and get answers. You deserve them. Refuse to leave until he tells you," Zoe said. Alyssa figured she could try to push a little harder. Elias could be intimidating, but she could get angry. She was going to demand answers whenever she saw him again, and she was going to try to forget about Ste. She didn''t need to get caught up with Elias besides the information that she deserved to know. "Thank you, Zoe. Damn, I miss you," Alyssa sighed. She was happy for her friend, who was a great psychologist that helped a lot of people. She just wished they weren''t on two different sides of the country. "I miss you! Keep me in the loop!" Zoe said warmly. Alyssa bid her friend goodbye before heading back into the hospital to grab her things, feeling a bit more motivated than before. This was her life. She refused to let Elias storm in and take it over. He had no right. She was going to figure out how to protect herself, and then he didn''t have to worry about looking after her. He could go back to his fancy techpany. She didn''t want to admit it, but she did look him up the other day. He didn''t say anything about it to her, but he was on his way to being a billionaire due to the sess of hispany. Hispany was innovative and had a huge grasp on the future of tech and business. He did well for himself. But so did she. They obviously did well for themselves when they weren''t together. Maybe they needed to keep it that way, and she had no problem continuing on with the life that she had worked so hard to build after he nearly destroyed it. "There she is! Coming to the bar?" Micah called to her as he walked down the hallway with Eva and a few other doctors at his side. Usually, Alyssa would pass and go do some research or head home, but she didn''t need to hole herself up. She needed to get out there and live her life without letting Elias always distract her or derail her. That wasn''t fair to her. "Let me grab my things," she told them. "Yay!" Eva cheered, pping her hands excitedly. Alyssa smiled and grabbed her things before joining the group. Since the hospital was in the city, there were plenty of ces that were walking distance to them. They walked down the sidewalk and across the street to a busy bar, taking their seats at the wooden bar. "Cosmopolitan," she said to the bartender. "My girl is partying tonight!" Eva teased her as she nudged her. "Like two drinks," Alyssa said pointedly, not wanting topletely lose her mind tonight. She just wanted to forget about her worries and have a good time. Also, she didn''t feel like dealing with a hangover tomorrow. She needed to be somewhat on her game. "Boo. At least three!" Micah said from her other side. "You guys have to stop instigating," Alyssa smirked at them. Once they all got their drinks, they clinked their sses together and got to drinking. There was no better way to end a long day. "I''ve been trying for so long to get you to have a drink with me," Micah said as he leaned close to Alyssa''s ear. Alyssaughed awkwardly. Technically, she was getting a drink with the group, but she didn''t say that. He was just being nice and trying to flirt a little. Eventually, he would get the hint that she wasn''t interested. Maybe. "Guess you got me at the right time," she replied before turning to Eva. "How was that procedure you did today?" "No, no! No work talk," Micah chuckled as he hopped off the stool. He downed his beer before cing the bottle back down on the bar. "Let''s dance or something." "Oh, I''m good," Alyssa said sheepishly, not wanting to dance. She just wanted to drink and chat, but she didn''t want to hurt Micah''s feelings either. She felt so torn. "Nah,e on!" Micah said, taking her hand and trying to pull her off the stool. "She said no," a voice boomed from behind Micah. Alyssa peered past Micah with wide eyes, staring right at Elias, who was ring at Micah. She hopped off the stool to get between them, not wanting any drama to get started. She came here to rx! "It''s fine," she said, narrowing her eyes at Elias. Elias looked down at her before grabbing her hand. "Come on," he said firmly. "What?" Alyssa asked, giving him a confused look. She didn''t expect him to show up at all. Now, he was whisking her away without an exnation. She was tired of always being so confused. When she wasn''t with him, she was so clear about what she needed or wanted to do. "We need to talk," Elias said, dragging her away from the bar. Alyssa waved her friends off, letting them know that she was fine. She didn''t like being dragged off like this, but her curiosity got the best of her. She wanted to know what was on his mind, but she still hated how she let him just drag her along. She had no idea where she was going to end up. Chapter 151 - The Secret "Are you insane?" Alyssa snapped as Elias continued to drag her down the sidewalk away from the bar. She nted her feet and yanked her hand away, stumbling back and nearly falling on the sidewalk. She maintained her bnce and red at him. "You can''t just drag me away from my friends." "The guy pressuring you was your friend?" Elias asked with a displeased look on his face. He looked like he had a lot to say, but he steeled his jaw and merely crossed his arms over his chest. Alyssa rolled her eyes at him. Of course, he would make some huge deal over something not even worth talking about. She needed him to back off because he wasn''t her boyfriend anymore.. He couldn''t be possessive or jealous toward her. He gave up the ability to be that way a long time ago. "You pressured me to leave when I didn''t want to!" she told him. Elias'' face fell a little when she said that. He nced away from her, sighing. "I''m sorry, okay? He just wouldn''t stop," he murmured, looking bothered. Alyssa felt the mes of her annoyance start to die down slightly as she watched him. She didn''t understand how he could care so much for her and still hurt her so much. She needed information because her feelings had been so hard to sort throughtely. "Why are you here?" she asked him, wondering why he came into the bar in the first ce. Unless he was stalking her and saw what was happening with Micah. Elias looked up and down the sidewalk with night as their backdrop. He rubbed the back of his neck, seeming on edge now. "I''m worried about you," he admitted as he moved to sit down on a nearby bench. He stared down at his ck boots, his eyes darkening. Alyssa gave him a confused look, feeling nervousness fill her. That didn''t sound good. "Why? Is something going on?" she asked him, moving to stand in front of him. Elias looked up at her with a frown. He nced at the spot on the bench next to him and then back up at her. Alyssa sighed and moved to sit next to him, keeping a few inches of distance between them. "A while ago, there was some¡­ family drama. I had this huge fight with Scott. We made some threats, and he left pretty pissed off," Elias told her. "Okay," Alyssa said, nodding for him to continue. "Well, evidently, he''s been missing for a while. Hepletely fell off the grid. No one knows where he''s at or what he''s up to. I just have a bad feeling," Elias admitted to her. "Scott always feels like he has to win. He has to have the final say, and I don''t think our fight ended when he stormed out." Alyssa took his words in, letting them go round and round in her head as she pondered on them. If she could think of anyone that would probably attack her, it would be Scott because she knew how odd he was. If he wanted to get back at Elias, she was a good target, but they had also been broken up for a while. "Why would he attack me now?" she asked. "Wouldn''t he attack someone actually close to you?" Elias almost looked a little stung by her words. "Well¡­ he still had a feeling that I still loved you. Everyone knows that I still do," he told her. "Who is everyone?" Alyssa asked him. She felt like she was on the outside trying to look in, but the window was fogged up. He needed to provide some rity for her. "My family," Elias replied, looking down at the concrete. Alyssa sighed and leaned back against the bench, taking a moment to process everything. There was new informationing at her from all sides, and she didn''t even know what to ask about first. She decided to pick the craziest topic. "So, Scott is a vampire? But if he wanted to hurt you, why didn''t he kill me?" she asked him,yering on another question that confused her. Elias kept staring at the ground, avoiding her eyes. "I don''t know. He can be unpredictable. Maybe it was a warning," he replied. "You didn''t answer my first question," Alyssa told him. When he remained quiet, she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled until he was facing her. "Is Scott a vampire?" Elias nced down at her hand tangled in his shirt before looking up into her eyes. They were close. Closer than they had been in years. "Yes," he breathed out. Alyssa stared at him for a second, feeling her heart start to uncontrobly race when she realized how close she had pulled him. She swallowed hard before letting him go and leaning back. She didn''t need to be that close to him. "Okay. Vampire cousin. Does your family know what he is?" Alyssa asked him, trying to fit more pieces together so that she had somewhat of a full picture. Elias rested his elbows on his knees, seeming tense. "Elias," Alyssa said, making him look over at her. "I think I deserve to know." Elias sighed and nodded. "I know¡­ I know. I''m just not supposed to tell anyone this stuff. It''s highly forbidden," he exined to her. "I''m not going to rat you out or anything. I just need to know what I''m up against," Alyssa said in a gentler voice. She could tell that he was conflicted, but she had to push him. Maybe if they talked about this, they could work through this issue together. Elias angled his body so that he faced her. "My family knows what he is because they''re¡­supernatural beings too," Elias said, having to force out thest part. Alyssa kept her eyes from widening. She didn''t want to spook him or anything because she had more questions to act. In fact, she had a huge question to ask him. Her heart was racing just thinking about it, but she didn''t feel afraid. Just curious. Chapter 152 - His Secret "Which means that you''re a supernatural being too, aren''t you?" she asked him. It was strange hearing herself say that. Years ago, she would''veughed at herself for asking such a weird question, but she was listening to her gut. After everything that had been happening and all of the information avable to her, she couldn''t ignore the thought. Elias lowered his eyes from hers, almost looking ashamed. "I would never hurt you," he promised her. That was a good enough answer for Alyssa. If he wasn''t a supernatural being, he would tell her no. She believed that they were past the point of hiding things from each other. When he wouldn''t look back up at her, she ced a hand on his shoulder, drawing his eyes to hers. "Care to tell me what you''re? What type of supernatural being are you? A werewolf?" Elias chuckled a little when he heard her. She was taking this information much better than he had expected. "No-I''m something more powerful. It''s kindaplicated." Alyssa frowned. Something more powerful? She was now more curious than ever. "Care to tell me what you''re?" Elias looked at her eyes filled with curiosity instead of fear and sighed. "Long time ago, the devil fell in love with a beautiful Asian woman. In order to get her he disguised himself as an ordinary man and went to work for her as her bodyguard. They fell in love but the woman''s father didn''t want his daughter to be with a mere bodyguard so he got rid of the bodyguard. Heartbroken, the woman ran away from home. Unbeknownst to her she was pregnant." Alyssa raised her eyebrows in disbelief.The devil? Wait was he talking about the guy downstairs? "Wait-What? So you''re the child she was carrying? And how was the woman''s father able to get rid of the de-bodyguard?" It felt weird to uttered the word devil. She believed certain forces existed in this world but to be this close to the devil''s rtive? Gosh no. Elias lips curled into a smallforting smile while he shook his head. "No I wasn''t the child the woman was carrying. It''s my mother. And yes the bodyguard disappeared because he didn''t want to put the woman he loved in trouble." Alyssa bite her lips as questions kept gnawing at her. "So¡­.your mother is the daughter of the de-bodyguard. That means you''re that''s man grandson?" Elias nodded. His girl was smart. "Yeah. Like I said-it''s kindaplicated. My parents had to fake their death and create a new identity for us after we found out my father''s family is a family of powerful witches who fights against evil. So my parents love is kinda forbidden love. Even though they found out at thest minute after my mom was pregnant with us." Elias ced his hands in his pocket waiting for the information to sink in. He knew it was a lot to take him. "So¡­.if your mom is the devil''s daughter and your father is a witch. Where from the vampires?" Alyssa asked as she looked at him with furrowed brows. "My dad isn''t a witch though. Only the females in the family gets that power but I''m an exception. The vampires were created by my grandfather to protect and serve us." Alyssa opened her mouth and closed it. "Oh¡­.but if they''re technically your servants how can Scott defy you?" Elias shrugged, "Actually they listen to only my parents and in order to protect the people around me my parents kinda ced a seal on my abilities. I''m a mixture of darkness and lightness at times I lose control. You know-" Silence fell between them. For what seems like an enternity Alyssa finally spoke. "I''m not scared of you or anything. You were still a supernatural being back when we dated, right? You never hurt me then either," she told him, trying tofort him. It was strange, but she wanted him to know that he didn''t frighten her. But wow, her ex-boyfriend was a powerful supernatural being. No-no he was literally the devil''s grandson. So many crazy things had happened to her since she met him that the news didn''t knock her off her feet like it probably should''ve. Honestly, it made sense the more that she thought about it. He had always been secretive, always kept her at an arm''s length. He was harboring a huge secret from her. "I wanted to tell you, but my family would''ve flipped out. My parents really look out for me, but I didn''t want them to force me away from you," Elias sighed as he shook his head. "Is that what happened in the end? They made you break up with me?" Alyssa asked, feeling her breathing nearly stop once she asked him that question. It made sense to her more than him just getting up and leaving her behind like she was nothing. She truly believed that he loved her back then, so him leaving was cold and out of the blue. Elias gave her a sad look as he nodded faintly. "They were afraid that I would hurt you or expose our secret, and I ended up doing both anyway," he said before turning back to the front. "I was young. They thought I would lose control. As much as I hate to admit it, they''re had my best interest in mind. I wouldn''t have forgiven myself if I had hurt you." Alyssa frowned as she watched him. He seemed torn up about it, while she felt a little lighter. She finally had a reason for why he left that made sense. It was awful that it happened, but he had to break up with her to keep her safe. "Are they fine with you being around me now?" she asked him. She knew that it was yearster, and he was an adult, but did his control change in that amount of time? She didn''t even know how all of that worked. At one time, did he want to hurt her? She almost felt like that was too personal of a question to ask him. Elias nodded. "I''m older now. I''ve shown them how much control I have over myself," he told her before looking over at her.. "I''m back." Chapter 153 - Second Chance "Are they fine with you being around me now?" she asked him. She knew that it was yearster, and he was an adult, but did his control change in that amount of time? She didn''t even know how all of that worked. At a time, did he want to drink from her? She almost felt like that was too personal of a question to ask him. Elias nodded. "I''m older now. I''ve shown them how much control I have over myself," he told her before looking over at her. "I''m back." His words made Alyssa''s heart pound heavily. She realized that they were free to get back together if they both wanted to. But did she want that? Did she need that? Deep down, she had feelings for him that refused to go away, but she had created a new life for herself here that didn''t involve him. She didn''t know what to do. "Well¡­ thank you for telling me everything," Alyssa told him, trying to gather herself as she stood up from the bench. She needed to get away from him before she did something stupid. Because she would now that she realized he hadn''t been some jerk that dumped her out of the blue. She wished that she had notice, but he couldn''t exactly tell her why he had to leave. Elias gave her a surprised look, not expecting her to hurry off the bench. "Of course. You''re right. You deserve to know," he said as he stood up. Alyssa nodded, giving him a faint smile. She felt a little bad about trying to skip out so fast when he was being kind, but she felt emotionally vulnerable right now. He had been right when he told her that leaving was the best decision for them at the time. Everything was flipped upside down, and she didn''t want to get too close as they spilled their truths to one another. "I should go. There''s a lot to think about," she said. "Can I give you my number in case you want to reach out again?" Elias asked her. Alyssa handed him her phone, feeling her nerves soar again at the thought of seeing him again. There had been a shift between them, but she still didn''t want to get too close. She was terrified of losing the great life that she had worked so hard to achieve. She wanted to move forward, not back. Elias typed his number into her contacts before handing her phone back. "Call me anytime," he told her with a hopeful look on his face. Alyssa nodded again before turning and heading back the way that they came. She wanted to look back at him so badly. Unable to help herself, she nced over her shoulder, but he was nowhere to be seen. ********* Once Alyssa reached her apartment, she tried everything in her power not to panic over everything that she just learned. Every thought that she used to have about Elias and their breakup was flipped upside down. It only took one piece of information to change everything, and it gave her a bit of whish. She went from being so angry with him and being so sad about their breakup to understanding the circumstances and not hating him anymore. How could she hate him when things were out of their control? His parents wanted to make sure that he didn''t tear her throat out. He was young, and she didn''t know how much he struggled with controlling himself. Maybe that was the right call. Maybe that saved her life. There was still a lot that she didn''t know, especially about his family, but his parents didn''t seem too bad. They just seemed protective over their son and indirectly protective over her safety too. She wondered how they felt about Elias being around her now. It was certainly a shock to her. She had gotten used to not having him in her life. Now, he was back, as he said. She didn''t know how to process that. She didn''t know how to deal with that! She didn''t want to dive into dating anyone, even him, because her life was crazy busy already. Plus, he came with a lot of danger and drama, which was thest thing that she needed on top of her busy schedule. It just wouldn''t work out, right? Their lives couldn''t collide again. They had moved on, built their lives into what they wanted them to be. It would be a shock to both of their systems to try to bring back what they had in the past. Alyssa sank down on her couch, pulling out her phone and looking at his contact. It had been so long since she had his number back in her phone. Granted, it was a new number. She felt like she was flirting with the past, and she didn''t know how she felt about that. Her past was messy and chaotic. She was so young, so in love, so sensitive. She felt things so strongly back then, whether it had something to do with her dreams, her parents, or Elias. Everything hit her so hard. Now, she had developed a hard outer shell, and she felt like she had her life in order until all those weird things started happening. She was afraid that everything would fall apart now like it did back then. She wasn''t sure if she could handle going through all of that again. It nearly killed her spirit the first time. But things certainly were different. Elias was more open with her, more emotional, which was nice to see. She hadn''t really seen that side of him before, but she could see his different sides now. He could be as dark as the night, but he could also be gentle and kind. He could be anything that she wanted, which made her nervous. Elias still had so many attributes that appealed to her. He was alluring and charming, and she had always been so weak to him, like he put her under a spell. She wondered if that was some freaky supernatural power or something, but she doubted that he would manipte her like that. She believed that he was a good person, but he had a lot of darkness surrounding him. She was afraid to get close to that darkness. She tapped on Elias'' contact and started to type a message, telling him thank you for talking to her tonight. All of the new information helped put her mind to ease somewhat. She felt better about him being around her. She stopped typing as she stared at her message. She felt like she was staring down into a deep pool, wondering whether to jump in or not. Alyssa sighed and shut off her phone before sending the message. She needed to think things through better. Maybe she could just be friends with him and figure out this whole angry cousin situation first. Then, she could see if they were stillpatible. Baby steps. She stood up and headed to her bedroom to get ready to go to bed, wanting to sleep on everything that she learned. It would hopefully help her process everything. She changed clothes and got in bed, trying to hush her mind enough to fall into a deep sleep. Chapter 154 - The Visit That deep sleep was interrupted early the next morning by a knock on the door. Alyssa shot up in bed, looking around in confusion. She wondered if she had just imagined the knock. Maybe she dreamed about it. All she heard was silence for a few seconds until it was broken by another knock. Someone was there. But why? Who would be knocking on her door so early in the morning. She checked her phone for any messages to see if someone from the hospital had tried to reach her. There was nothing. No calls. No messages. Someone was just there for some reason. She crawled out of bed quietly and headed out of the bedroom to look at the front door. Usually, someone knocking on her door wouldn''t put her on edge, but a lot of craziness had happenedtely. She had to be wary about everything possible, and a random knock on her door sent up a red g. Alyssa considered texting Elias to ask him if he was at her door for some reason, but she didn''t. She stared at the door for a few seconds longer, wondering if someone just had the wrong ce and left. Then, another knock sounded, more demanding this time. She let out a shaky breath before slowly walking over to the door. She unlocked it and cracked it, peering through a small space between the door and doorframe. To her shock and confusion, Ste stood outside of her apartment. ************* Alyssa opened the door fully as she faced Ste, feeling all sorts of confusion about why she was here. How did she even find Alyssa''s ce? Did she follow her home some time? She really needed to start paying attention to her surroundings more. People were following her around way too easily for her liking. "Ste. Are you looking for Elias? He isn''t here," Alyssa told her, figuring that was why Ste was here. Nothing else made sense to her, especially since Alyssa didn''t even know Ste. Ste smiled, her lips coated with red lipstick. Her smile didn''t seem warm, though. It was stiff, drawn tight across her face like it was forced. "No, I''m here to see you," she replied in her sweet voice. Alyssa still felt wary. She didn''t know why Ste was here for her. She knew that Ste was Elias'' friend, but that didn''t mean that they were friends. She forced herself to be polite and motioned for Ste toe inside. "Is something wrong?" she asked, wondering if this was about Elias or not. Now, she was starting to worry about him again. The wall that she had put up between them was starting to crumble at this point. She wasn''t sure if she was d about that or not. The wall had protected her for years. Now, she was vulnerable and out in the open all over again. "No, I just wanted to introduce myself and talk to you," Ste said with a ringingugh. She sat on Alyssa''s couch, her eyes trailing every single one of Alyssa''s moves. "Oh, okay," Alyssa said as she sat down on the other end of the couch from Ste. She wasn''t sure if Ste was being genuine or not, but she would let her talk. "I''m Ste. I''m¡­ an old friend of Elias," Ste said as she smiled at Alyssa. "I''m Alyssa. I dated Elias in college," Alyssa replied. Steughed softly. "Aw, how cute," she said. Her voice was too sweet for Alyssa''s liking. Alyssa didn''t know how to respond to that, so she merely smiled and nodded. She wished that this wasn''t happening right now. She would rather be anywhere else than here. This conversation felt so off, and she was weirded out that Ste randomly came here. "What happened?" Ste asked, tilting her head curiously. Alyssa didn''t think that her past rtionship with Elias was any of her business. She shifted on the couch in an ufortable manner, shrugging her shoulders. "We just grew up and grew apart, like people do," she merely said, keeping her exnation as vague as possible. She didn''t want to give Ste too much information because there was no telling what she would do with it. "What a shame," Ste said, resting her cheek against her hand. For some reason, Alyssa felt like she wasn''t that sad about that. "What happened with you two?" Alyssa asked, flipping the question right back to her. They were old friends, so they obviously grew apart or something happened. Elias had been shocked to see her when Ste barged into their meeting at the coffee shop. She wondered if things ended weird between them back in the past or not. Ste lifted an eyebrow at Alyssa, seeming surprised that she asked. "He went off to college, and our lives went down two different paths," she said. Alyssa nodded slowly, holding Ste''s gaze. She felt like they were at odds for some reason. She wasn''t possessive over Elias, but something about Ste grated on her nerves. She didn''t know what it was. Maybe it was because Ste seemed fake and sneaky. "Was there something specific that you wanted to talk to me about?" Alyssa asked her, wanting to cut to the chase. She didn''t want to sit around and do small talk. She had other things to do and other things to worry about. Ste straightened up a little. "Well, Elias and I have gotten pretty closetely. He said that he opened up to you about some stuff," Stemented. Alyssa felt her blood run cold. She told herself not to be jealous of Ste and Elias getting close. It didn''t matter. Maybe she wasn''t even meant to be with Elias, and she wasn''t going to keep him from being with anyone. She just wasn''t sure how she felt about Elias talking to Ste about them. "We had a conversation," she merely said. "He told you about who he is," Ste said, pushing a little more. A/N: Hy guys hope you''re all good. Please I have entered the werewolf contest with my book. The Taste of Seduction. Please add it to your library. Even if you won''t read yet? ^^ Thank you! Chapter 155 - Trouble Alyssa felt her blood run cold. She told herself not to be jealous of Ste and Elias getting close. It didn''t matter. Maybe she wasn''t even meant to be with Elias, and she wasn''t going to keep him from being with anyone. She just wasn''t sure how she felt about Elias talking to Ste about them. "We had a conversation," she merely said. "He told you about who he is," Ste said, pushing a little more. Alyssa felt her jaw tighten slightly when she realized that Ste knew that Elias was a vampire too. Did that mean that Ste was a vampire too? It wouldn''t surprise her. "You know who he is?" Alyssa asked her. Ste smiled and shrugged. "We were very close friends," she replied. "I''m d we''re starting to get back to that point now." Alyssa almost rolled her eyes. It was obvious that Ste was trying to rub all of this in Alyssa''s face, but she wasn''t going to take the bait and act upset. She was going to be calm and figure out why Ste was really here. "Yes, he told me who he is. What about it?" Alyssa asked, wondering what point Ste was trying to make by bringing all of this up. "Well, I care a lot about Elias, and I just wanted to make sure that you wouldn''t repeat what he told you. His parents wouldn''t be happy," Ste replied. Alyssa wanted to scoff so badly. She would never repeat anything that Elias told her, but it looked like Elias ran his mouth a little. Had he told Ste about her. She hoped that he hadn''t. She didn''t want Ste knowing anything about her. "I would never say anything. I don''t want him to get in trouble or get hurt," Alyssa replied as she shook her head. Ste lifted her eyebrows out of interest. "Oh, good. Sounds like you care about him too," she said, poking around some more. Alyssa didn''t know how to answer that. She did care about Elias, but she didn''t want to say it in a way that made Ste think that she waspeting. Alyssa wasn''tpeting. Elias could have whoever he wanted, and Alyssa might not want him anyway. She felt her face heat up. "We just have history," she merely said. "So do we. A lot. I can''t tell you all the things we''ve done together," Ste said with a lightugh. "You''ll have to ask him about us sometime. He can tell you all our best stories." There was no way in hell that Alyssa was going to do that. She wanted to avoid the topic of Elias and Ste''s friendship as much as she could. "Yeah, totally," Alyssa said with a faintugh. There were so many people and factors involved in her life right now. She didn''t know how she was going to juggle all of them. She had to look out for Scott, figure things out with Elias, avoid Ste, and still keep her job and life afloat. It was already bing overwhelming for her. Ste scooted closer to Alyssa, adopting that sweet expression again. "You know, if you need a friend, I''m here. Elias told me so much about you," she said. There it was. So, Elias had been running his mouth about her. Alyssa withheld a sigh. She would have to talk to him about that. She wanted her life to be her own, and he could have his life. He didn''t need to drag her into anything because she was already in a bad situation just for being associated with him. "Oh, he hadn''t told me anything about you," Alyssa said. Then again, Elias hadn''t mentioned anyone from his past to her. He kept all of that secret, along with almost everything else about her life. She should''ve known that he was hiding something huge, but she had been so in love that she hardly questioned it. Ste shrugged. "Well, you guys were together. It might''ve been weird for him to talk about me," she replied with an almost sly look. "Why''s that? I thought you two were just friends," Alyssa asked, narrowing her eyes slightly in confusion. It seemed like Ste was hinting at the possibility of there being more history between her and Elias. Steughed faintly. "I guess we were a little more than that. We were really close," she said. It seemed like Ste was teasing her with the details, but Alyssa wasn''t going to fall for that and pry. She had to act as uninterested as possible. Then, Ste would back off of this whole act. It was starting to get annoying. "Well, at least you guys are back to being friends again," Alyssa said, stering a fake smile of her own onto her face. She decided to take matters into her own hands to end this conversation. She looked at her phone and faked a wince. "Oh, shoot. I need to head to work soon." Luckily, Ste took a hint and stood up. "Well, it was nice talking to you. I''m sure we''ll see each other soon," Ste said as she walked over to the door. "Yeah," Alyssa said, hoping that wasn''t true. She could go her whole life without seeing Ste again, and she would be happy. She knew that she was thinking a bit mean, but something about Ste didn''t feel right. Something about her really dug under Alyssa''s skin. After all these years, she finally started listening to her gut. Ste paused at the door and turned to face her. "Your silence is appreciated," she said before heading out of the apartment. Alyssa narrowed her eyes as she watched Ste walk out. She wondered what Ste meant by that. She quickly shut her door and locked it, sighing as she shook her head. She wished that her life could be normal for once. She didn''t want to deal with vampires and old friends. She just wanted to be a doctor and live her life, but it looked like things weren''t going to be that simple anymore. Elias was back, which meant trouble was back too. Chapter 156 - The Conversations It only took a day for Alyssa to cave and ask Elias to meet her at the coffee shop again. She needed to know more about what all was going on. It was a bit weird that Ste decided toe out of the shadows now when all this stuff was going on. If she wanted topete with Alyssa, she would bepeting with herself instead. All that Alyssa wanted was information so that she knew how to handle Ste if she came around again. Alyssa sat in the back corner of the coffee shop, holding atte close to her as she stared at the lid. She didn''t even know how to start the conversation when Elias got here. She didn''t want to sound jealous or anything. There were so many people from Elias'' lifeing into her life, and she didn''t know anything about them. Elias never told her anything, so he owed her an exnation now. A few minutester, Elias walked over to her, immediately sitting down without even bothering to get a coffee for himself. "I''m really sorry about Ste," he said. "What are you talking about?" Alyssa asked him, feigning a curious look. It was funny that happened to be the first thing that he said because she hadn''t even brought up Ste when she asked him toe meet her for coffee. She just told him that she had some more questions and wanted to talk. Elias sighed as he rested his hands on the table. "She went to your house to talk to you. I don''t know why she did that," he muttered, looking annoyed. That made Alyssa feel a little better. At least Ste went behind his back and not because he wanted her to go meet Alyssa. She straightened up a little. "So, she told you that she went?" Alyssa asked. It was an interesting move on Ste''s part. Alyssa wanted to know why Ste was suddenly hanging around Elias again. Did she want to get back with him again? If so, why would she engage with his ex-girlfriend? She felt like a game was being yed here. Elias nodded. "I told her that she shouldn''t have done that. It was weird and unnecessary. I know that you would never say anything to anyone," he said as he gave Alyssa a softened look. "What else do you tell her?" Alyssa asked, unable to stop the sharpness from showing up in her voice. She just didn''t like the thought of Elias spilling all of their memories and moments to Ste when she was up to something. Alyssa didn''t want to be put at a disadvantage because Ste knew everything about her, but she didn''t know anything about Ste. "What do you mean?" Elias asked, narrowing his eyes slightly. Alyssa shrugged, trying to find the right words and the right tone for her voice for this. She didn''t want toe off the wrong way, but she wanted to know. "She said that you guys are really close now, and that you talk about me a lot," she replied, keeping her answer short so that he would fill in the nks himself. Elias shook his head a little, seeming confused. "Yeah, I''ve mentioned you because she asked who you were when she saw us herest time. I told her that you were my ex-girlfriend from college," he said. "And that''s it? That''s all you told her about me?" Alyssa asked him, prying a little more to make sure that she got the full truth from him. Either he was lying, or Ste was lying. She trusted Elias more, but he had lied to her before too. She had to explore both sides before choosing who to believe. Elias gave her a confused look. "Was I supposed to tell her more?" he asked Alyssa. Alyssa leaned back in her seat and shook her head, feeling relieved that he hadn''t bbered about them to Ste. "No. I don''t want you to. I just like keeping our business to ourselves," she replied before sipping on her coffee. "I didn''t tell her about us," Elias said, assuring her that nothing was said. Alyssa nodded. She believed him so far. "Okay. She just made it seem like you guys talk about anything and everything, and I just didn''t want her to know all about me when I don''t even know her," she said. She figured that was reasonable. A stranger showed up at her door and asked a bunch of questions. It threw her off. Elias scoffed a little as he shook his head. "We''re not that close. We used to date a little, but that''s over now," he said before leaning closer to her. "I''m not interested in her." Warmth flooded across Alyssa''s face as her eyes met his. She didn''t think that he would say that, but deep down, she was d that he did. With him saying all that, it proved to her that Ste was ying around with her, spouting lies. Why would she do that? "It''s fine if you are. I don''t care. It was just weird for her toe to my ce and ask a bunch of questions and tell a bunch of lies," Alyssa replied with a shrug, adopting a casual look. Elias seemed to study her for a second before cracking a half smile. "Well, you don''t have to worry about her. That''s all in the past," he told her. "We were in the past too," Alyssa pointed out. She could tell that he was getting a little bold, thinking that she was jealous and being possessive over him. She was going to shut that down quickly. Elias nodded before smiling a degree more. "But here we are," he said. Alyssa felt her heart skip slightly, and she mentally cursed herself. She wanted to melt when she was around him like she used to, but she couldn''t do that. She was so naive when she was younger. She put herself in situations that she didn''t need to be in. Now that she was older, she had to make better decisions for herself. All Elias brought into her life was trouble and danger. The proof was in their history. When she was with him, weird things happened and she got hurt. When he wasn''t in her life, she thrived and went about her own life. She had to start facing facts and stop paying attention to her fantasies. Those weren''t real! "Why did you two break up? Did your parents not want you to hurt her either?" Chapter 157 - Fantasies "Why did you two break up? Did your parents not want you to hurt her either?" Alyssa asked him, curious about their history. If they were so close, why did they break up? She also wondered who broke up with who. Even if Ste broke up with him the first time, that didn''t mean that she didn''t get feelings again and wanted to try again with him. Elias leaned back in his seat, realizing that Alyssa meant business. "My parents liked her. She''s¡­ a vampire," Elias said quietly. Alyssa felt her blood run cold. A vampire that she didn''t know was in her apartment alone with her. Something terrible could''ve happened! She sighed and brushed her fingers through her hair. "She needs to stay away from me. I know she''s your friend, but I don''t want vampires and whatever in my life. I don''t want to have to deal with this," she sighed. She hated sounding whiny, but she just didn''t feel like it was fair. She had such a good streak that got ruined in a blink of an eye. She hadn''t even been able to prepare. Elias looked a bit hurt by that. "I''m really sorry, Alyssa," he said, sounding sincere. If he truly cared about her, he would leave her alone and take all of this danger away from her. Alyssa didn''t know what to say to him. She felt herself drawing away from him again. She was worried about her future, and what consequences woulde from Elias trying to be a part of it. There was still that glimmer of hope inside of her that things might be able to work out between them, but its glow was getting duller and duller. "Things are just a mess right now. I worked so hard to get where I am now, and I just don''t want that taken away," she said as she stared at the table. She couldn''t look at him right now. He looked too torn up about everything. Why couldn''t he just be a jerk so that this would be easy for her? Elias reached across the table and took her hand. "I would never try to mess your life up. I''m so proud of you for achieving your dreams. I never doubted you," he told her gently. That was why it was hard for Alyssa to push him away. Because he would say the perfect thing to her that made all the bad thoughts go away. She stared down at their joined hands, admiring how well they fit together, even all these yearster. She missed the feeling of holding his hand. She missed a lot of things. "You achieved your dreams too," Alyssa told him. She was proud of what he did for himself too. Just because they had a rocky breakup didn''t mean that she feltplete ill will toward him. She had grown up a lot since then, and he had too. "I didn''t doubt you either." Elias smiled warmly at her, stroking her knuckles with his thumb. "I never stopped thinking about you when I left. I wanted to reach out so badly, but I wanted to keep you safe too, especially with all of the turmoil going on in my family," he told her. Alyssa wondered what all went on in his family life. He had been bringing them up a lot since he started opening up to her, and she believed that a lot of the things that he had to deal with came from that. His family was at odds, and that put pressure on him. She knew all about family drama, but she was grateful that she didn''t have to deal with it anymore. She hadn''t spoken to her mother in years, and she preferred to keep it that way. She wasn''t going to rub her sess in anyone''s face. She just wanted to live a happy life. "I thought about you a lot too, but I also tried to forget you," Alyssa admitted. She used to wish for amnesia because she couldn''t stand the thought of him and how he hurt her. It would''ve been easier to forget everything. "Did it work?" Elias asked. "No," Alyssa breathed out, meeting his eyes. It was so easy to get lost in them, to fall into their endless depths and forget about everything else. If only things were that easy. If only she could escape like that. "Maybe that was for a reason," Elias suggested. Alyssa shrugged, not knowing the answer. She was clueless about a lot, and she just tried to figure things out as she went along. She messed up a lot. She made mistakes and overanalyzed things, but she was human. She was supposed to mess up and then try to do better. She just wished that she knew what to do more often. "What happened back then doesn''t have to be the end of our story," Elias told her. Alyssa wasn''t sure if he was hinting at them dating or not, but it was something that she didn''t feel strong enough to talk about right now. Of course, she wanted the fantasy of them being back together, but she knew how cruel life was. She knew that fantasies hardly ever became reality, and she wasn''t going to throw away her life and hard work for a fantasy. "Let''s deal with this Scott stuff first," she told him. She could hardly focus on her personal life when she knew that a dangerous vampire was possibly out to get her. She hated not knowing everything, but the truth woulde to light. It always did. Elias'' smile faltered a little, but he nodded. "I''ll get to the bottom of this," he promised her. Alyssa hoped that he did before it was toote. She didn''t want to die now. She was still young, still striving for more hopes and dreams. Her future could be bright, but there were a lot of shadows lingering around right now. "He''s choking! Help! He''s choking!" And the darkness of life always made itself known. Chapter 158 - Save Him Alyssa''s instincts kicked in, and she immediately rose from the table. She looked around for who needed help, feeling her adrenaline start racing through her. This was what she was trained to do for so many years. She didn''t shy away from a crisis. She ran toward it. "My son! He''s choking!" Alyssa followed the woman''s voice to the other side of the coffee shop. She saw a small crowd around a young boy on the ground. He was grabbing at his throat and heaving on the ground, trying to breathe. "Move!" Alyssa said to the crowd, having to push her way through so that she could hover above the boy. It had been a while since she had dealt with a choking patient, but the information was in her head somewhere to ess. Elias came up to Alyssa''s side. "I can save him. I have powers," he told her in a hushed voice as he went to move toward the boy. Alyssa pushed him out of the way, not wanting him to interfere with his supernatural abilities. She was a doctor. She could handle this, and she didn''t need him barging into every part of her life. "So do I," she said before kneeling next to the boy. "What was he eating?" "A sandwich," the frightened mother cried. Alyssa tried to peer into the boy''s mouth and down his throat, attempting to see where the blockage was. She couldn''t see it. She grabbed the boy and turned him over, pressing his back against her chest. She positioned her hands and started to perform abdominal thrusts, hoping to dislodge what was stuck in the boy''s throat. The boy grimaced with each motion. His face was starting to turn a different shade, losing its pinkish vibrancy. Alyssa felt frustration creep up on her when she realized that the abdominal thrusts weren''t working. She had to try something else because he wasn''t breathing. If he stopped breathing for too long, there would be brain damage, and she had to prevent that from happening at all costs. "Move back," she told everyone as she gentlyid the boy down on his back on the floor. She started CPR, hoping that the pressure would free the boy''s airway. She started a rhythm, pushing against his chest over and over again and then periodically giving him breaths. The mother started sobbing. Alyssa refused to give up. She knew that the ambnce wouldn''t get here in time. It was down to her. She gave him a few morepressions before the boy started to cough, spitting out the piece of sandwich that had been lodged in his throat. She gently turned the boy onto his side, patting his back to help him spit up anything else remaining in his throat. "Oh my God!" The mother cried out as she ced her hands on her son, crying tears of joy now when she realized that her son was okay. She turned to Alyssa. "Thank you so much. You saved my son." Apuse broke out through the entire coffee shop as people congratted Alyssa for her heroic efforts. Alyssa gave the mother a tired smile, feeling her arms ache from all the movement. Relief washed over her as she stood up, giving the mother some space to check on her son. She was d that she saved the boy. Sometimes, the oues weren''t always the best. She turned and nearly ran into Elias, making her feel a sh of annoyance. He only brought trouble and distractions into her life. She had fared fine on her own, and she didn''t need him anymore. She thought that she did when she was younger, but she had fared fine. She could do this without him. "Our story was meant to end in the past. We don''t need each other anymore," she told him before brushing past him and walking out of the coffee shop, leaving him there to stare after her. She knew those were harsh words, but they were true. They had achieved great things without each other. Why mess that up? She got in her car and headed to her apartment, wanting to rx and wind down after saving that boy. Saving lives was exhausting, but it was the most rewarding thing ever. It was the main reason why she became a doctor. Kids needed heroes, and she wanted to be that for them. She could stand on her own now and be of help for someone else instead of relying on anyone. That was one of the best feelings. She wasn''t sure if she would hear from Elias again after what she said to him, but maybe that was for the best. They had a great, intense romance back in the day, but some people were only meant to be in other people''s lives for a limited amount of time. Maybe their story had ended, and she didn''t think that they needed to force it to start back up again. Alyssa pushed open the door to her apartment and walked inside, yawning as the exhaustion hit her. She could use a nap right now, and the day wasn''t even over yet. A lot had already happened today, but she was d that she was in that coffee shop at that time. Maybe things did happen for a reason. She sat down on the couch and went to turn on the television when she froze. She didn''t remember putting the television remote on the coffee table. She remembered throwing it on the couch this morning before she left to go meet with Elias. It was such a small detail, but it stuck out to her. She got up and ventured around the house, noticing that her jewelry box had been shifted over and her nightstand drawer was cracked slightly. Things were out of ce, and she knew that she didn''t move those things in that way. Someone had been in here, but who? The problem with that question was that there were multiple answers that came to her mind. She could think of a few people who could''ve snuck in here to take a look around. Maybe it was even someone that she didn''t know yet.. The possibilities were endless, and the anxiety was unmatched. Chapter 159 - Seeing Him She drew in a shaky breath, deciding to take another look around to make sure that no one was hiding out in her apartment. She didn''t know why someone was snooping around. She didn''t have anything in her apartment that had something to do with Elias or that she knew about vampires. Her ce was clean. She sat on the edge of her bed, unsure of what to do. She couldn''t call the police because they would just say that they would keep an eye out for anyone suspicious. Nothing had been stolen, so she couldn''t report that. She didn''t want to tell Elias. She was on her own with this, and she didn''t even want to be here right now. She felt freaked out in her own ce! No ce was safe anymore, which made her sad. She didn''t want to live in fear all the time. She wanted to enjoy her life and feel safe in her own ce. Why did these things have to happen? She grabbed her phone and texted some of her friends from the hospital, asking if they wanted to go out tonight. She didn''t want to be here, especially at night. What if who came snooping around came back? She couldn''t fight against a vampire! Let''s drink! I''m down! There''s a new wine bar we should visit! Alyssa breathed out a sigh of relief when she saw that her friends were willing to hang out tonight. She could get out of here and get her mind taken off all this craziness and danger. Her life had been turned upside down all over again, and all she could do was deal with it. Alcohol would certainly help with that. ********* The Avenue''s strobe lights flickered along the walls and floor of the bustling club. Bodies moved to the EDM song that pounded through the space from huge speakers. Alyssa and her friends were caught in the middle of the crowd, dancing andughing together as the rum they just drank shot through their systems. This was the distraction that Alyssa needed. This club was her new home for the next few hours, and Alyssa didn''t want to go back to her ce for a while. Someone could be waiting for her back there, and she didn''t feel like getting hurt or killed tonight. She felt like she was living her life on the line between life and death. While she was still alive, she was going to try to enjoy what time she had left. Elias put an extra timer on her life when he came back into it. She could''ve been going on like normal, doing her job and developing her life like nned, but Elias had to storm in with his vampires, his ex-girlfriend, and his charm. It was the perfect storm. "I''m gonna get another drink!" Eva shouted to Alyssa over the music. "Want another?" "Just one more!" Alyssa replied, reaching out to give Eva''s hand a thankful squeeze before she snuck through the crowd. She swayed to the beat with her other friends, closing her eyes and falling back into the thumping, crowded atmosphere. She felt safe here with her friends. Feeling safe was rare these days, and she ate up moments like these, wishing that they couldst longer. When she stepped out of this club, she was at mercy to whoever was out there waiting for her, and she was pretty sure that they had fangs. Once the song finished, Alyssa leaned close to her two other friends so that they could hear her. "Going to the bathroom!" Alyssa told them, receiving nods from them. She turned and pushed her way through the crowd, stumbling through bodies. She almost made it to the edge when she saw a sh of a familiar face. Scott. Alyssa stopped right in her steps, blinking once for the face to disappear. She swallowed hard, getting a few weird stares as she stood in people''s ways. She tried to figure out if she actually saw Scott or if the alcohol and the spinning she was doing while dancing was taking effect. She rushed out of the crowd on the other side, hurrying to the bar to join Eva, who was getting their drinks. She looked all around the bar, looking for any sign of Scott or anyone who even looked like him. She couldn''t find him. Maybe he wasn''t even here. Maybe she was paranoid. "Hey, you okay? You look like you just saw a ghost," Eva asked her as she ced Alyssa''s drink in front of her. Alyssa didn''t see a ghost, but she might''ve seen a vampire. It still sent her reeling a little that vampires existed. She couldn''t believe they just existed alongside humans. Why did she have to get caught up with some bad ones? "I''m okay," Alyssa said. Her voice came out weak, but she forced a smile onto her face. She looked down into her rum punch warily, wondering if another drink was a good idea or not. She didn''t want to be too drunk for a fight if it came to one. "Drink up! We''re having fun tonight!" Eva said before taking a huge sip of her drink. She swayed her hips to the new song that started ying. Even with the dim lighting of the club, Alyssa could tell that her face was flushed from the alcohol. "Pace yourself," Alyssa warned her. She didn''t want to have to drag anyone out of here. She already had to watch her own back, and that might not even be enough to protect herself from Scott if he was lurking around here. She didn''t understand what his problem with her was. "I''m going back out there!" Eva said before disappearing back into the crowd on the dance floor. Alyssa parted her lips to protest because she didn''t want to be alone, but Eva was already gone. She looked around warily before grabbing her phone. She went to Elias'' contact and had her finger poised over the call button. She paused, shaking her head at herself. She couldn''t call him just because she didn''t want to be alone. She had to somehow face this herself, but she didn''t know how. She couldn''t fight actual vampires! She wasn''t trained for this. She was trained to save lives, not look out for her own 24/7. She clicked to their messages, reading a few from him that he sent that she hadn''t replied to. She left things pretty cold and hardst time that they talked. Maybe he deserved it. Maybe he didn''t. Things weren''t clear to her now because she was upset at him for throwing her life off track. Then again, he wasn''t the one attacking her. A part of her wanted to talk to him and clear the air. She didn''t like being upset with anyone. It wore down on her, and it was hard for her to stop thinking about. Plus, with everything going on, he could be a good friend to have right now in case she needed help. But what if she turned her back on him? Maybe all of this strangeness would go away. But the future was unknown. No one had given her a schedule of the possible break-ins or murder attempts that wereing up for her. All that she could do was try to brace herself for the next moment of danger, which could be lurking around any corner. Chapter 160 - The Patient After a fitful night of rest back at her ce, Alyssa was called to the hospital. She looked forward to going to work and trying to get her life back to normal. She wanted the distraction of her work too since she would be at it for hours. Saving lives always put her in a good mood too. Once she got to the hospital, she headed to the locker room to get changed into her scrubs and white coat. She fixed her hair back, drawing in a deep breath through her nose. Last night was a little rough. She had a little too much to drink, which put her to sleep, but it didn''t keep her asleep. "Hey, Morgan. Heard you were up partyingst night," Micah''s voice came from the door of the locker room as he strode inside. Alyssa turned to him with a shrug. "Just a little," she said with a sheepish look. She knew that she looked a bit rough this morning. She was about to inhale a cup of coffee before seeing her first patient. Hopefully, she could get enough caffeine in her to get her through her shift. "Everything good? I haven''t really seen you much since that guy dragged you away from the bar," Micah said as he walked over to her, leaning against one of the lockers. Alyssa didn''t really feel up to talking about Elias. She just wanted to get to work, but she figured that she owed Micah at least a hint of an exnation for rushing out so fast the other night. "Sorry about that. He had something important to tell me," she replied. She didn''t want to say too much. She wasn''t supposed to reveal the existence of vampires to anyone. Honestly, she wished that she didn''t know that they existed. Ignorance truly was bliss. She took it for granted. Micah held her gaze for a moment before nodding. "Just checking in. Let me know if you want to talk or anything," he told her before opening his locker to change out of his scrubs. Alyssa nodded, feeling d that he was satisfied enough. She walked past him and to the nearest coffee pot. She poured herself a cup of coffee, adding some cream in before downing half of it in one good. She tilted her head back, hoping that the caffeine kicked in soon. She searched around the halls until she found Sam, one of the interns. "Fill me in," she said. "The patients in 205, 206, and 207 have been checked on. There is a new patient in 210, but I haven''t made it there yet," Sam told her as he handed her a binder full of the patient files. Alyssa flipped through them, checking everything over until she got to the new patient in 210. There wasn''t much information. She would have to go find out what was going on herself. "I''ll go check out the patient in 210. I needbs on 202," Alyssa told him before handing the binder back to him. She walked down the hallway to thest room on the left, smoothing down her coat before stepping inside and shutting the door behind her. To her confusion, the curtain was drawn to hide the bed from sight. "Hi, Christopher. I''m Dr. Morgan," she called out just in case the boy was shy. She grabbed the edge of the curtain and pulled it back, but there wasn''t a young, sickly boy on the bed. There was a grown man with stringy, dark hair and dark eyes. She stepped back, giving him a confused look. "Who are you?" The man stood up from the bed as a sly smile crossed his face. He stepped closer to Alyssa. "I''ve been waiting for you, Doc," he said in a low voice that struck Alyssa to her core. A chill shot down Alyssa''s spine as she backed away. She had a feeling that she needed to run. She needed to get out of here fast. "You need to leave, or I''m calling security," she warned him as she backed herself toward the door. She wished that she hadn''t closed the door. She didn''t have a clean escape now, and she knew that vampires could be fast. "You''re not calling anyone," the man said. As he spoke, she could see shes of his fangs. Alyssa almost wanted to cry when she realized that he was a vampire. How could she escape him? He could tear her throat out in an instant. "Please¡­ don''t hurt me," she said, feeling her bottom lip threaten to tremble. She didn''t know what else to do but to beg for her life. It was terrifying that she had been brought to this point. The manughed before lunging at her, grabbing her arms and shoving her against the door. A scream tore from Alyssa as she tried tosh out, fighting against the vampire with all her might. She couldn''t move her arms at all, but she could move her legs. She thrusted one knee up, striking him in the groin to make him double over. She felt his grip on her arms lessen, and she saw her chance. She pushed him away from her. The vampire tumbled onto the ground, gripping himself as he tried to get back on his feet. As his teeth bared, his fangs protruded, looking sharp and deadly. Alyssa whirled around, her hands fumbling with the doorknob because her hands were shaking so much. By the time, she cracked the door open, the vampire got to his feet and shoved the door closed with a hand above Alyssa''s head. "You''re not going anywhere," the vampire growled from right behind her. Alyssa knew that she had to fight her way out, but she didn''t have a weapon. She shoved her hand into the pocket of her coat, her fingers curling around a ballpoint pen. She clicked out the tip before whirling around and stabbing the vampire in the eye. The vampire cried out in pain, wing at his bleeding eye as he stumbled away from her. Chapter 161 - Call For Help Alyssa knew that she had to fight her way out, but she didn''t have a weapon. She shoved her hand into the pocket of her coat, her fingers curling around a ballpoint pen. She clicked out the tip before whirling around and stabbing the vampire in the eye. The vampire cried out in pain, wing at his bleeding eye as he stumbled away from her. Alyssa threw open the door and ran into the hallway, nearly knocking Sam over. She panted from the adrenaline thundering through her. "Get security," she told him, not wanting the vampire to try to kill her again. She didn''t know if security could do much, but they could at least buy her some time. Sam scrambled away, sprinting down the hall to find a guard. Alyssa backed away from the room, feeling her heart pound heavily in her chest. She managed to escape with her life this time, but what about next time or the next? How many times would this happen? She was attacked in her ce of work of all ces! "What happened?" Alyssa whirled around to see two security guards behind her. She pointed down the hall. "Room 210. A man snuck in there and attacked me," she told them. Her voice was shaking slightly. The security guards nodded before hurrying down the hall to the room. Alyssa waited in the hallway, holding her breath the entire time the security guards were in the room. What if the vampire was killing them? She chewed on her bottom lip, unsure of what to do. She felt so scared, so lost. None of this was supposed to happen. A few minutester, the security guards walked out of the room. They lookedpletely fine, like they didn''t even struggle or fight, but they were walking out alone. They didn''t have the vampire with them. Alyssa stared at them in confusion as they approached, unsure of what was happening. They should''ve been dragging him out of the room in handcuffs or something. She wasn''t sure how strong vampires were, but she was sure an injured one could probably be detained at least. "Where is he?" she asked them. "No one was in there, ma''am," one of the security guards told her. Alyssa''s eyes widened as she looked up and down the hallway, wondering how the vampire escaped so quickly. She turned back to the security guards, feeling tears form in her eyes out of fright and frustration. "I swear he was. I''m not making it up," she told them, not wanting them to think that she was crazy. She knew what she saw, what she felt. He was real. He just escaped somehow. "We believe you. We saw traces of blood on the ground. We''ll run through the security footage and find him," the other security guard told her, giving her a sympathetic look. Alyssa nodded, knowing that was all that they could do. She thanked them quietly, watching them walk off down the hallway. She looked back at the room warily before hurrying off down the hall. She eventually saw Sam and waved him over. "Are you okay, Dr. Morgan?" Sam asked her. Alyssa nodded, even though telling him that she was fine was aplete lie. She was far from fine right now, and even thinking about staying in this hospital made her stomach churn. She needed some time. "Can you ask one of the other doctors working to take over for me today? I need to run," Alyssa told him. She felt bad about leaving as soon as she got here, but she was so frazzled right now. There was no way that she could calm down and work after what just happened. "Of course," Sam told her with a nod. He then rushed off down the hall. Alyssa thanked him quietly, watching him run off. She needed to get somewhere private. She didn''t like being so exposed in the middle of the hallway right now. She hated feeling so unsafe in ces where she originally felt safe. The locker room would have to do for now. Once she got into the locker room, she turned and shut the door, making sure that no one else was in there with her. She sat on a bench and breathed in deep, trying to calm herself. She fought for her life in there, and the vampire was still out there! What if he came back? He would certainly be pissed off that she stabbed him. Alyssa grabbed her phone and stared at it. She was backed into a corner. She couldn''t keep fighting off these vampires by herself. She needed a vampire by her side to help her, or she wasn''t going to survive beyond this month. She had too much that she wanted to do with her life to just not get help. She had to stomach her pride and ego. She clicked on Elias'' contact and then the call button, lifting the phone to her ear to listen to it ring and ring. When she heard him pick up the phone, she took in a breath and spoke. "I need your help." *********** Alyssa agreed to meet Elias at a local park. She wanted to meet somewhere discreet but also where people could see her in case the vampire tried to attack her again. It was getting harder and harder finding ces where she felt safe. She hoped that Elias could help her out and not make things any worse than they already were. She soon saw Elias heading down the walking path toward her with a concerned look on his face. She hadn''t told him exactly what happened, but she did tell him that they needed to talk because she felt like she was in danger. He immediately agreed toe see her. "Are you okay? Did something happen?" Elias asked her as he sat on the bench beside her.. He looked her over, like he was looking for injuries or bite marks. Chapter 162 - [Bonus ]Meeting Parents Alyssa turned toward him and nodded. "I went to work this morning and was told I had a new patient. I walked into the room, and a vampire attacked me. I managed to stab him in the eye with a pen and escape, but he managed to escape too before security could get to him," she told him. She wished that there was a better oue, but she was just grateful to be alive. Elias stared at her with wide eyes. "Did he look familiar?" he asked her. Alyssa shook her head when she thought back to the vampire. He could''ve been the one that attacked her in the parking lot, but she hadn''t gotten a good look then. She just knew that he wasn''t Scott. "No. I thought I saw Scottst night, but I think I just imagined it," she told him. Elias nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don''t think Scott is the one attacking you," he admitted. Alyssa gave him a confused look, wondering how he came to that conclusion. "Why do you think that?" she asked him. Maybe he found out something. Elias stretched his arm out across the back of the bench. "I feel like I would''ve found him by now. I look for him every day, and I haven''t even found a trace of him. If he is doing this, then he''s just staying behind the curtain and sending vampires your way," he exined to her. "Why would he do this? I''m just a human. I''m not going to be able to do anything," Alyssa sighed as she shook her head. She would stay out of the way if that was what Scott wanted. She didn''t want any part of this. She wanted to be left alone to live her life. "It''s just because you''re associated with me. I''m sorry," Elias told her sincerely. Alyssa frowned as she gazed at him. She could tell that he was really sorry. It made her feel bad about trying to shut him out of her life when he was so kind to her. However, it looked like she was going to have to let him back in so that he could watch her back. "I need help figuring out for sure who is doing this to me. I have to get them to stop," she told him, hoping that he would be able to help her out. She needed to figure this out before it was toote. "Of course, I''ll help you," Elias told her. Alyssa smiled faintly and nodded, feeling relieved to hear that. She didn''t know how he was going to protect her. She supposed that they would have to spend a lot of time together, which she wasn''t sure how she felt about that. It would be good for her safety, though. "Thanks. Do you have any guesses if it''s not Scott?" Alyssa asked him. She was open to all suggestions at that point. Elias thought for a second before sighing and shaking his head. "I''m really not sure. He''s the one that I have the most problems with because he''s so damn stubborn and set in his ways," he muttered. "I don''t think he''d kill you, though." Alyssa gave him an unsure look. "That vampire seemed like he wanted to kill me. He wasn''t gentle at all," she told him. If he just wanted to scare her off, he sure was handsy. She had a feeling that the vampire was sent there to kill her. Elias looked off with a perplexed look on his face. He really looked stumped, which worried Alyssa. They had no idea what they were dealing with right now, which made the situation all that more dangerous. How could they even begin to prepare? "I think we should start by ruling Scott out," he told her. "How can we do that? You can''t even find him," Alyssa pointed out. She didn''t even know where to start. Elias'' eyes narrowed in thought for a few seconds before his shoulders hung slightly. "I have an idea. I don''t know if it''s the best one, but it could be our next move," he told her. Alyssa straightened up a little, feeling d that he at least had an idea. That was a start, which was all they needed. "What is it?" she asked him, leaning closer slightly. "Come with me to visit my parents," Elias told her. Alyssa gave him a surprised look. She would''ve never expected him to ask her to do that. Ever. He had been so adamant on her not meeting them before. Then, they were a big reason why they split up. It would be weird to meet them now. "Why?" she asked, wondering what they could get out of visiting his parents. "They might''ve heard something about Scott and where he might be," Elias told her with a small shrug. "It''s a long shot, but we won''t know if we don''t try." Alyssa figured that he had a point. They needed to try anything to get any kind of answers that they possibly could. Even if they were reaching around in the dark, they still might find something that could help them. "Is it okay that I go?" she asked him, feeling nervous about going. Elias gave her a small smile and nodded. "Yeah, they actually want to meet you. They never hated you or anything. They were just worried that I''d¡­ you know¡­ kill you," he said with a sheepish look. Alyssa couldn''t help butugh lightly at that. It did make her feel a little better knowing that they didn''t hate her or anything. Things would probably still be awkward, but meeting anyone''s parents was awkward. Besides, it wasn''t like they were dating or anything. They just needed information that his parents could hopefully give them. "Alright, we can do that and give it a try," she told him with a nod. "When are you free from work? I don''t want to uproot your life too much," Elias asked her. Alyssa almost wanted to reach out and take his hand. She could tell that he felt bad about everything going on. It was easy to be mad at him when she wasn''t with him. However, when she was with him, she was reminded of how nice he was, how he never wanted anything bad to happen to her. Chapter 163 - Meeting Parents(2) "I''m free this weekend," she told him. "I''ll book our flights for then," Elias told her. "So, we''re taking a trip together," Alyssa said, feeling a little nervous about that. When she was alone with him, she tended to almost do things that she couldter regret. She had to control herself. It was just hard when there was still a dash of chemistry and so much history between them. "Yep," Elias said with a warm smile. "Hopefully, we learn what we need to." Alyssa breathed in deeply as she nodded, sharing that hope. She was ready to not be scared all the time. She wanted to sleep well, to go to work, to live her life. She felt like she was losing time because she was spending so much time stressing out about not dying. She needed things to change soon. "Thanks foring to meet me and helping me. I really need this," she told him sincerely. Her expression then turned sheepish. "And sorry for being meanst time." Elias waved his hand dismissively. "I deserved it. I got in your way. I never want to do that when you''re more than capable," he told her. Alyssa smiled at him, feeling warmth bloom inside of her. He always said the best thing possible. She believed that he truly believed in her, and she believed that he could help her if they worked together on this. "Well, we''re a team now. We''re going to figure this out. We just have to," she told him. There was no other option. She couldn''t just roll over, or she would be killed. Elias nodded, looking determined. He reached out to take her hand. "I''ll be right there with you. I won''t let them hurt you," he told her. Alyssa met his gaze and nodded, hoping that they could look out for each other. There was no telling what they would find out or what wasing for them. However, the only direction was forward, and Alyssa wasn''t going to stop trying to put her life back on track. ********** The taxi that picked Elias and Alyssa up from the airport slowly rolled to a stop at the end of a winding driveway. Up ahead was a two-story brick house with argewn and wide windows with white trim. There was definitely a lot of money in that house. "That''s where your parents live?" Alyssa asked Elias as she gazed out of the back window of the taxi in awe. It was a beautiful house, and now Elias had a nice ce of his own too. Money flowed through that family. Elias nodded before paying and thanking the driver. He got out of the taxi and grabbed their bags from the trunk, standing at the end of the driveway. He gazed up at the house for a few seconds, taking the sight in. "I haven''t talked to my parents in a little while. Hopefully, there''s some new information," he said to her. Alyssa moved to stand at his side, drawing in a steadying breath. She hoped that this meeting went well. She knew that she should''ve only been worried about getting information about Scott, but she was also worried about meeting his parents because she didn''t want to make a bad impression. It was weird, but she couldn''t help it. "I think we''ll learn at least one helpful thing. Maybe they''ve heard something from Scott''s parents," Alyssa pointed out. Someone in the family had to know something about him. He couldn''t just be a ghost after so long. Elias brushed his fingers through his hair before turning to her. "Are you okay? How are you feeling?" he asked her, checking in with her. Alyssa couldn''t help but smirk a little, able to sense his nerves. "I should be asking you that. They''re your parents. Why are you so nervous?" she asked him, wondering why he was so uptight. Elias shrugged. "It''s just weird being around family again. You know¡­ I''ve always felt a bit out of ce. I don''t know," he said before shaking his head at himself, like he said something stupid. Alyssa ced her hand on his arm, getting him to focus back on her. "I get it. It''s okay," she told him, knowing how he felt. She feltpletely out of ce with her own family, and she hadn''t seen them in forever. They didn''t even act like family to her. They hardly took care of her. At least his parents seemed like decent people. Elias nodded and gave her a thankful look. "They''ll be happy to see us, though," he said before motioning for her to follow him up the driveway toward the looming house. Alyssa followed him closely, sticking right by his side. She had done that as much as possibletely. She felt safer with him, and that was the feeling that she had sought after the mosttely. Thankfully, things had been quiet so far, but she didn''t know how long that was going tost for. Elias stopped at the wooden front door and turned to look at her, like he was seeking encouragement. "Ready?" he asked her. Alyssa nodded, giving him a warm smile. She wanted to do this. They needed to do this. A lot was at stake, and if they could figure this out, maybe there was hope for them to get as close as they used to be. Maybe their future could be bright if they casted out all of this darkness. "I''m ready." Elias nodded before turning back to the door and knocking. A few momentster, the door swung open. An Asian woman who looked like she was in her thirties opened the door. Her ck hair fell against her thin shoulders, and her figure was petite beneath a ck cardigan and floral dress. "Oh, Elias, what a nice surprise," she said with a warm smile. Shen then looked at Alyssa. "You must be Alyssa." Alyssa smiled and nodded, reaching her hand out for a polite handshake. "It''s nice to meet you," she said. "I''m Yan Mei but call me Nora. Elias has told me so much about you. You''re a doctor, right?" Nora asked, looking at Alyssa with an intrigued look. "Yes, I''m in pediatrics," Alyssa said, feeling her face warm up slightly.. She was used to being praised for her job, but it meant a loting from Elias'' mother, who she still wanted to impress for some reason. Chapter 164 - His Parents "Wonderful. Come inside. Your father is in his study," Nora told Elias. "I didn''t expect him to be anywhere else," Elias smirked before ncing at Alyssa. "My father is a workaholic." "It''s definitely paid off," Alyssa said, admiring the expansive foyer as she stepped into the house. A lot of the d¨¦cor was red and gold Oriental designs, adorning the walls and various shelves. There was an old air to the house, which Alyssa chalked up to Elias'' parents probably being vampires too and being on the for a while. "Sit. I''ll make some tea and get your father," Nora told them as she gestured to the leather couch in therge living room. Alyssa thanked her before sitting down next to Elias, wiping her damp palms against her ck skirt. She almost still felt underdressed here because the house was so fancy and clean. It was also quiet, but she heard soft music ying from somewhere in the house. "Thanks foring along. I know this is kind of weird for you. It''s weird for me too." "Your mom seems really nice," Alyssa replied. "She is. My parents can just be a little strict sometimes, like they''re always trying to keep an eye on me. Maybe they don''t trust me or something," Elias said with a shrug. "Maybe they just care about you a lot," Alyssa told him. She wasn''t used to helicopter parents. She was used to parents who didn''t even care what she did. She would''ve preferred parents who were involved with her childhood. "Maybe," Elias said, but he didn''t lookpletely sure. A few minutester, Nora walked in with a tray full of tea and cookies and with an older man at her side. Elias'' father had matching ck hair that came down over his forehead and ears. He was dressed in a light blue button down and cks, like he just left the office. He was tall and lean as well, looking a lot like Elias. "Daniel. Nice to finally meet you," Elias'' father said as he reached forward to shake Alyssa''s hand. He still seemed kind, but he definitely meant business. He sat down on the loveseat adjacent to the leather couch, shing his wife a grateful look as she handed him a cup of tea. "How''s the business, son?" "It''s good, Dad. Everything''s good¡­ with that," Elias replied, his knee bouncing a bit anxiously. "What''s the reason for this surprise visit?" Daniel asked, cocking an eyebrow. He quickly figured out that Alyssa and Elias weren''t just stopping by to say hi. "I was wondering if you had heard anything about Scott''s whereabouts," Elias asked them, looking between his parents as he held his cup of tea untouched in his hands. Daniel and Nora shared a brief look before shaking their heads. "We haven''t heard anything from his mother. He took off a while ago. She thought that he went up north. The kid is a bit bratty. We figured he pitched a fit and ran off. We expected him to be back by now," Daniel replied with a shrug. "Why are you asking?" Nora asked Elias, looking concerned. Elias nced at Alyssa and nodded. "I''ve had a vampire or vampires trying to attack me for a minute now. I think it might be Scott, but I can never get a good look at him," Alyssa told Elias'' parents, feeling a bit nervous to involve herself even more into Elias'' family drama. Nora''s eyes widened in surprise. "Really? But why would Scott attack you?" she asked. "The boys have always been inpetition. Scott is probably jealous," Daniel said, waving his hand dismissively as he leaned back. "Elias needs to stand his ground and scare him off." "He won''t face me. I''ve looked for him for months! Now, someone is threatening to Alyssa. I thought it was Scott because we got in a spat," Elias replied as he shook his head. "Is there anyone else that you''re having spats with?" Daniel asked. "No," Elias said quickly. "I just want to clear Scott''s name before trying to look at other suspects." "I''m not sure that it''s Scott," Nora replied. "I don''t see him attacking Alyssa like that." Elias shared an unsure look with Alyssa. "I don''t know. I have no idea who else it could be," he admitted to her, looking defeated. Alyssa was d that they at least tried. Maybe she just imagined Scott''s face back at the club. Someone else was tracking her, or maybe it was more than one person. All she saw was shadows. "It''s okay. We''ll figure it out," she told him, briefly cing her hand on his arm to let him know that she wasn''t upset with him. Eventually, whoever was tracking her would have to reveal themselves, or they would mess up and leave a clue. She just hoped that she didn''t get hurt before that happened. "You two look like a good pair," Nora said with a warm look. "Pretty and smart. You did good, son," Daniel added with a nod. Alyssa felt herself blush as she looked at Elias. She was going to say that they weren''t together, but with how Elias was smiling at her, she felt the words get caught in her throat. She couldn''t say them for some reason. Maybe it was best that she didn''t say anything. "Thank you," she told them. "You should stay the night," Nora said as she jumped to her feet. "I can fix a nice roast for tonight." Elias nced at Alyssa. "Are you okay with that?" he asked her. "Sure," Alyssa said with a nod. Honestly, she didn''t mind being away from her ce right now. She felt safer way over here in another state than back at home. "Great! I''ll start dinner," Nora said excitedly before patting her husband on the shoulder. "Give Alyssa a tour of the house. Elias, your room is all ready for you two." Alyssa''s eyes widened when she realized that they expected she and Elias to share a bed. She wasn''t sure how she felt about that. She hadn''t shared a bed with him in forever, but she wasn''t going to say anything andplicate things. Then again, when was thest time that her life wasn''tplicated? "Alright. If you''ll follow me," Daniel said as he hauled himself to his feet. Alyssa shared a small smile with Elias, nodding to him to let him know that she was fine. They were only staying for a night, and she got to see what a somewhat functioning family was like. It was a learning experience, but most importantly, it was an escape.. Just the thing that she needed. Chapter 165 - Have Got You Alyssa stared at herself in the bathroom mirror one room away from Elias, who was getting ready for bed. Dinner with his family went well. They talked about how he was a hyper troublemaker in his youth but how he mellowed out with age. He was an only child, so he had to figure out ways to entertain himself. Once he reached his teenage years, he turned into a driven, smart person. Now, he was a sessful businessman just like his father. She told them about her time at the hospital and all the schooling that she went through. They seemed thoroughly impressed by her and promised to rmend her if they knew anyone''s child who needed help. She could tell that they cared about Elias, and they showed that by keeping a close eye on him. A particrly close eye. She wondered if he did something when he was younger that prompted them to watch him so closely. Even if there was some tension between them, Alyssa was impressed with the man that Elias had be. He handled his business and also his personal business to the best of his ability. She knew that he was dealing with a lot. So was she. They were too frazzled, busy people, who kept finding their way back to each other. It was strange how their paths kept crossing. She wondered if that was a sign for something. She was afraid to think that it was because it would just make everything even moreplicated than it already was. She felt so drawn to him, but a part of her tried to push him away. She was afraid of more bad things happening to her because of her ties to him, but it was so hard topletely pull away from him. He had been a part of her heart and soul once. That wasn''t a hole that was easy to patch. Alyssa turned away from the mirror, adjusting herrge t-shirt and sleep shorts before walking back into Elias'' bedroom. It was twice the size of her old childhood bedroom. His walls were painted a dark grey color. His queen-sized bed had dark red sheets, while his desk and dresser were ck. He also had a walk-in closet. What really caught her eye was the old books on a shelf nailed above his desk. He had a lot of old trinkets that she suspected his parents gifted him. "You have a nice room," she told him as she stood by the bed awkwardly. Elias looked over from hooking his phone up to a charger at his desk. "Thanks. A little goth in here," he chuckled as he nced around at his old d¨¦cor. "I think it''s fitting," Alyssa replied. She had always saw him as the dark, mysterious type. Finding out that he was a supernatural being just proved her point even more. She moved to sit on the edge of the right side of the bed, deciding that she could take that side. She used to sleep on his right. Elias smirked at her, shaking his head as he lifted the dark red covers before slipping under them. Heid on his back, propping his upper half up on a few pillows. He turned his head to gaze at her. "Are you okay? Is this too weird?" he asked her, looking concerned. Alyssa told herself to get over herself. She could sleep in the same bed as him and be fine. She was making too big of a deal out of this. "It''s fine," she assured him before getting under the covers too. She made sure toy closer to her side so that half a foot of distance was between their bodies. It was dangerous getting any closer. She didn''t want to feel¡­ old feelings. The ones that lingered in the back of her mind still. "So, your parents think we''re back together?" A sheepish look crossed his face. "Well¡­ I told them that I wanted you back, that I missed you," Elias exined to her. "I guess they assumed that I asked you out." "You didn''t," Alyssa said. She mentally shook her head at herself. She didn''t know why she said that. Maybe she was wanting to know more of his thoughts. Why hadn''t he asked yet if he still had feelings for her? Then again, she hadn''t been the friendliest toward him. Elias'' face softened a little as his eyes met hers. "There''s been a lot going on. You have your whole life ahead of you. I would just slow you down. My drama is already doing that," Elias said with a faint smile. "I want you to seed like you were doing before we found each other again." For some reason, his words made Alyssa sad. It sounded like he was giving up on the possibility of them being together again. Maybe she didn''t want him to give up. Maybe it would be best if he did. She wasn''t sure. Nothing was clear to her before her feelings were twisted up in knots. "The vampire attacking me might not even have anything to do with you," Alyssa said. Now, she was defending him, trying to shift the me. Even if her attacker was linked to Elias, it wasn''t like he was ordering her attacker around. He had as much control over the situation as she did. Elias gave her a pointed look. "It has something to do with me. I just don''t know what," he said as he tucked his hands under his head. A soft sigh drifted from Alyssa as she stared up at the ceiling of Elias'' old bedroom. She felt safe here. There were two vampires in this house that would protect her if anyone went wrong. She missed feeling this way, like someone had her back. She always felt that with Elias. "Are you okay?" Elias asked her as he turned onto his side to face her. Alyssa blinked her eyes a few times, realizing that they were burning. She hadn''t even realized that she was on the verge of tears. She shook her head at herself,ughing pitifully. "Sorry. I just¡­ I actually feel safe here. Like someone won''t attack me here," she told him. Elias moved closer to her, reaching out to take her hand. "I''ve got you, okay? I won''t let you out of my sight," he promised her. Chapter 166 - Final Warning A/N: Hy! So someone brought it to my attention that I have repeated two chapters because of that I have made some changes. Before reading this chapter kindly go back and reread the previous chapter. The current title is have got you. If you can''t see just clear cache at settings. Thank you! Alyssa felt her heart start racing as she gazed at him. Her eyes threatened to flicker down to his lips, but she stopped herself. She couldn''t do that. She couldn''t cross that line. She was just feeling lonely. "Thank you," she told him. Elias smiled at her. "You don''t have to thank me. I owe you," he told her. "I hate how I hurt you." Alyssa shook her head, not wanting to get into their past. They had grown up a lot since then. They both took the paths that they were meant to take, so it wasn''t anyone''s fault. "That''s in the past. Let''s just focus on surviving for the future," she said with a hint of a smile. Elias trailed his fingertips up her arm. "It''s hard to stay away from you," he admitted, watching his fingertips move over her shoulder. Alyssa nearly shuddered at his touch. She hadn''t felt him touch her like that in so long. She used to dream about it. "Well, I kind of don''t want you to. You have to protect me," she pointed out, feeling his knees brush hers as they huddled closer together. She couldn''t believe how close they were. This was dangerous, but she couldn''t get herself to pull away. Elias'' fingertips found her cheek, drifting along her jaw. "I''m not going anywhere unless you tell me to go away," he said. Alyssa could hardly breathe. This was a perfect moment to sumb to her hidden feelings and kiss him, but her life was soplicated. Did she really want to add fuel to the fire right now? She needed to take a pause, but she couldn''t pull herself away fully. "I hope we make it out of this okay," she murmured as she ced her on his side, halfway cuddling him as theyid close to each other. "We will. I''ll make sure of it," Elias said as he leaned his forehead against hers. Alyssa closed her eyes, reveling in the moment and in the feeling of having him right next to her once again. It was like old times, but their lives were way moreplicated. Hopefully, they didn''t get any moreplicated. She wouldn''t mind a moment of peace, and she wouldn''t mind spending it with him. Just like things used to be. *********** After saying goodbye to Elias'' parents and enduring another flight, Alyssa and Elias found their way back to New York City. It was obvious that they weren''t too happy about being back. All of their problems seemed to be there, but at least they had each other. "I''ll take you back to your apartment and check it out before going to the office," Elias told Alyssa as they waited for their Uber in the pick-up area of the airport. "Thank you," Alyssa told him sincerely. It made her feel better knowing that he would check her apartment out before she got settled back in her ce. She wanted to make sure no vampire was hiding in her closet or something, waiting for her to return. She wanted to be as safe as possible until they figured everything out, which meant having Elias around a lot. Elias shed her a grin, tilting his head at her. "I guess I''m like your bodyguard or something," he chuckled. Alyssa rolled her eyes yfully, nudging him as a ck sedan stopped in front of them. She watched Elias greet their Uber driver before throwing their things in the trunk. She got into the backseat, soon feeling him sit right beside her. They didn''t have a great sense of personal space when they were around each other. "So, we should coordinate our schedules so that I can check up on you," Elias told her. "Oh, right. You''re a bigtime billionaire. An important man," Alyssa said as she lifted her eyebrows at him. He hardly acted like he was. He acted normal, like how he did when they first met in college. She admired that about him. He didn''t let the money get to his head. "And you''re a hotshot doctor," Elias replied. "Emphasis on hot." Alyssa scoffed, knowing that he was messing with her to make her blush. It worked, but she did start the joke. "I''ll text you my schedule once I know it. We can get dinner or coffee or something," she said, figuring that they would fall into a rhythm with each other. They had at one point. "We should do dinner tomorrow night. If you''re free," Elias suggested. Alyssa felt a tremor of nervousness when she thought about them going out together in public a lot. It sounded like a date, even if it actually wasn''t. "I''ll let you know," she told him with a nod. They talked about work for the car ride, telling each other stories about crazy days or great aplishments. They hade far from the clueless college kids that they used to be. Maybe they weren''t actually so clueless since they set out and actually achieved their goals. Things weren''t exactly as they imagined them to be, but life was never clear cut like that. Once the Uber dropped them off at Alyssa''s apartment, they went up to her floor. Elias carried her bag, walking beside her as they ventured down the hallway. He then slowed his pace, narrowing his eyes slightly. "What''s wrong?" Alyssa asked him, feeling her anxiety spike. Elias didn''t answer before hurrying over to Alyssa''s apartment. He stopped when he saw that her door was cracked. He turned to her, putting his hand out to make her stop in her tracks. "Stay here," he told her before bursting into her apartment. Alyssa stared after him with wide eyes, not knowing what was going on. She had a bad feeling since her apartment door was left open. She knew that she locked her door before going with Elias on their trip. She always locked her door. She edged closer to her apartment, peeking through the crack in the entrance to watch Elias hurry around inside to look around. She then saw that the coffee table in her living room was knocked over. She started to notice other things, like broken ss on the floor and broken window blinds. Someone didn''t just break into her ce. It looked like they destroyed it. She pushed open the door and strode inside, ignoring Elias'' words. Her heart dropped as she looked at all of the damage done to her apartment. Lightbulbs were busted. Dishes were shattered. Furniture was broken or ripped. Someone purposely tore apart her apartment. But who? Who would do something like this? This was hundreds of dors'' worth of damage! Elias walked out of her bedroom with a piece of paper in his hand. He had a grim look on his face as he handed her the paper. "I found this on your bed, which is covered in blood. Probably just an animal," he told her. Alyssa felt sick to her stomach as she read over the note. FINAL WARNING Chapter 167 - Never Again That was it. She was getting a warning for something that she didn''t even know. She had no idea what was going on or who was doing this to her. She was growing sick and tired of it. Now, all of her belongings were destroyed. "I''m going to take this person down. I swear," Elias growled beneath his breath as he paced through the apartment. His cold eyes darted around, searching for any other clues that were left behind. "What do I do? I don''t know what to do," Alyssa fretted as she put her hands behind her head. She looked around hopelessly. She didn''t have the energy or the time to repair her apartment. She didn''t even feel safe here anymore since someone could break in so easily. Elias stopped his angry pacing immediately and strode over to her. He took her trembling hands, giving them aforting squeeze. "Hey, it''s okay. Let''s grab some of your things, and you can stay with me for now," Elias told her. Alyssa looked up into his eyes, finding a sliver offort in his gaze. At least she wasn''t here alone. There was no telling where her attacker was at. "Okay," she said with a nod, letting him guide her into her bedroom. She watched him rummage through her closet, which had a broken door now, to find some more of her clothes. She couldn''t stop thinking about the note. She didn''t even know what she needed to stop doing to not aggravate her attacker. "Alright, I got some clothes for you. I''ll just buy you a new toothbrush and stuff," Elias said as he shoved her things in her bag that he carried into the apartment. He reached out and took her hand, leading her out of her apartment. "Do you know what that warning was about?" Alyssa asked him with a worried look. She felt like she was going to mess up and piss off her attacker again to make them go after her again. Elias shook his head with a frown as they headed down the hallway. "I''m sure we''ll figure it out, though. We just need to get you somewhere safe," he said, leading her to the elevator. He hit the down button before turning to face her. "They''ll probably make another move soon, but they''ll have me to face." Alyssa swallowed hard and nodded, knowing that she had a better chance against her attacker now that Elias would be with her more. Maybe he could catch them and reveal their identity. "Just don''t leave me," she found herself saying. She was tired of being alone. The only time that she felt safe was when she was with him. It was like old times. Elias'' face softened before he leaned forward and pressed his lips against her forehead in a tender kiss. He cupped the back of her head as he gazed at her. "Never again." ************** The next few days were an adjustment for Alyssa. It was strange living with Elias, waking up this sleepy morning face and saying goodnight to him every night. They didn''t sleep in the same bed since he had a guest room in his massive loft in the city. It was even nicer than her ce, but that would change whenever she paid off all her student loans. She enjoyed spending downtime with him, whether they were eating dinner together in the kitchen or lounging on the couch together. She couldn''t help but be reminded of the old days when they were so in love, wanting to spend every second with each other. They had both grown up a lot, but she still felt some of those butterflies that she felt from before. She wasn''t sure what was going to happen between them. The tension between them grew stronger and stronger each day because they spent more time with each other. There were so many unspoken words and missed opportunities, but Alyssa was scared of making a move on him. What if that wasn''t the best decision for either of them? She didn''t even know what she wanted anymore! What made things even more overwhelming was the constant feeling of dread that she felt any time that she left his loft. She could hardly focus at work because she kept feeling the need to look over her shoulder to make sure that no one was sneaking up on her or following her. She waspletely paranoid, and she just felt like something bad was going to happen. She talked to Elias, and he suggested that she take some time off of work. She agreed, believing that it was the best thing for her right now. She hated letting her attacker derail her life so much to even scare her away from doing her job, which she loved doing, but she had to look out for herself. If she wanted her life to go back to normal, she had to stay alive. Alyssa strode through the hospital after reporting to her boss that she needed to take some leave. She gave herself two weeks of leave to figure everything out. Hopefully, she and Elias were able to pull that off in that amount of time. There was no telling what could happen in two weeks. "Hey! Starting your shift?" Eva called out to Alyssa from down the hallway. She walked alongside Micah, who brightened up at the sight of Alyssa. Alyssa shook her head as she stopped in front of them. She wished that she could be working with them right now and saving lives, but she had to look out for her own life right now. "I''m actually going to be out for two weeks. I just need a break," she told them. They were her friends, but she couldn''t tell them what she was going through right now. She couldn''t even tell Zoe, who she only spoke to over texttely because she had been so busy and overwhelmed. "What? Why?" Eva asked, looking concerned. "Are you okay?" Chapter 168 - Drama Queen Alyssa nodded, trying to look casual and nonchnt about everything. She didn''t want them to be suspicious. "Yeah, I just haven''t taken a break in a while," she replied. "You''re acting weird," Eva said as she cocked an eyebrow at Alyssa. "I don''t remember thest time that you willingly took a break from working." "You''ve been acting weird since that guy showed up," Micah said, not looking all that pleased. Alyssa realized that he was talking about Elias. "He''s a close friend of mine," she said in a defensive tone. She blinked at herself, surprised by her behavior. She didn''t like people saying anything bad about Elias. She guessed that she was still protective over him. Eva''s eyes widened slightly. She tried to hide a smile, but it still crossed her face. "Just a friend?" she asked. Micah narrowed his eyes slightly. Alyssa shrugged. Her rtionship with Elias right now was hard to describe. He was mainly her bodyguard right now, but there were feelings involved. "He was my college boyfriend. We''re just talking," she replied. So far, they were just talking. And cuddling. And kissing foreheads. Maybe they were doing a little more than just talking, but it wasn''t like they were making out or anything. It was just harmless affection. "There''s still a spark, huh?" Eva asked, looking intrigued. "Maybe," Alyssa said, feeling her face warm up slightly. There was still something crackling between them. She didn''t know what would be of that feeling. Maybe nothing. Maybe something. "Well, he seems kinda pushy," Micahmented as he crossed his arms over his chest. "And you seem kinda jealous," Eva smirked at him, nudging him in a yful manner. Alyssa smiled a bit sheepishly. Micah did seem a bit jealous, and she couldn''t me him. He liked her a lot and tried to get closer to her. Then, Elias swooped in and stole her full attention. Elias just had that effect on her. "Anyway, I''ll miss you guys. It''s just two weeks," she told them. She would miss working with them, but two weeks could pass by quickly. She just had to survive them and hope that her life went back to normal or as normal as possible. "Have fun," Eva said, shooting Alyssa a wink. Alyssa cracked a smile, shaking her head. She received a weak smile and nod from Micah before he and Eva walked off. She watched them go, wondering if things would ever go back to how they used to be. She had a feeling that they wouldn''t now that Elias was back in her life. Everything was changing and would continue to change. She just hoped that it was for the better. She had worked so hard to drag herself out of the pits. She didn''t want to end back up there. She walked out of the hospital and back to her car, looking every which way as she moved. She hated having to be so paranoid, but it kept her safe. Ignorance and carelessness would get her killed, and she didn''t feel like dying so young. She had a lot of things that she wanted to figure out first. Alyssa made the drive back to Elias'' loft, which was at the top of a tall building in the depths of the city. She parked in the private parking garage, locking her car behind her. She didn''t want anything else of hers broken into or destroyed. She nned to go back to her apartment soon to clean it up and see what she could salvage, but that would be a chore for another day. She entered the building and walked to Elias'' door, dragging her feet slightly from exhaustion. She was ready to sit down and maybe watch a movie with Elias. She knew that he was working from home today, so she didn''t have to wait for him to get home from work. She was kind of d that she could see him immediately. Hispany was one that she always enjoyed, even if it was deep down. "I''m back!" she called once she walked into the loft, shutting the door behind her. She turned and stopped dead in her tracks, nearly losing her breath at the sight of Elias and Ste sitting together in the living room. *********** Alyssa hated the feeling of jealousy, and she wished that she could stop feeling it every time that she saw Ste. There was just something off about Ste to her, and she had a feeling that it had something to do with Ste''s obvious crush on Elias. She forced a smile on her face as she walked over to them. Elias stood from the couch, reaching out to hug Alyssa in greeting. "She came by unannounced," he murmured in her ear before pulling away and motioning for her to sit down on the couch. He sat beside her, while Ste remained in the loveseat. "Alyssa, how nice to see you again," Ste said with that usual sugary sweet smile of hers that made Alyssa feel uneasy. "You too," Alyssa said with a faint nod. She wasn''t going to be rude to Ste or anything, but she wasn''t going to act overly friendly like what Ste was doing. She had a feeling that it was fake. It had to be. "So, you just swung by?" Ste nodded as she crossed her legs at her knee, letting the bottom of her green dress slide up her thigh slightly. She smiled in Elias'' direction. "Just wanted to check in on Elias. I haven''t heard from him in a minute," she said. Elias looked awkward as he sat between the two as they peered at him. He was caught in the middle of a tense situation. "Yeah, I''ve just been busy with work and stuff," he replied with a casual shrug. Alyssa was d that he wasn''t spilling their business to Ste. She didn''t want anyone in their business, especially her. She seemed like the type to pry and spread rumors. She was a drama queen in high school. Guaranteed. "Such a busy man. Did you know that hispany is one of the top techpanies in the Northeast?" Ste asked Alyssa. Alyssa was worried that if she clenched her jaw any tighter that her teeth would crack. She smiled faintly and nodded. At least she didn''t have to act proud.. She was automatically proud of Elias and all that he had made himself to be. Chapter 169 - Jealous Alyssa was worried that if she clenched her jaw any tighter that her teeth would crack. She smiled faintly and nodded. At least she didn''t have to act proud. She was automatically proud of Elias and all that he had made himself to be. "I believe I read something about hispany in the newspaper. He''s certainly made a name for himself," she replied as she shed Elias a warm look. She felt bad that he was so tense, but his friend was making things weird by popping up all the time for random reasons. "I''m no doctor, though," Elias said as he ced his hand on her knee briefly to squeeze it. Alyssa felt herself blush as she shook her head at him, sharing a warm moment with him. "Elias was always so humble growing up. He''s one of the best guys that I know," Ste spoke up, breaking into their moment, and Alyssa swore that it was on purpose. "I''m d to know him." "You guys are too nice. Anyone want something to drink?" Elias asked as he tugged on the cor of his in ck shirt. He looked a bit flustered as he started to raise himself off the couch. "No," Alyssa and Ste replied at the same time. Alyssa didn''t want him running off anywhere because she knew that he was trying to escape. She didn''t want to be left alone with Ste. Elias sank back down against the couch, looking slightly disappointed by their response. "I guess I won''t take up too much of your time. It was nice catching up with you, Elias. You shouldn''t be such a stranger," Stemented as she stood up from the loveseat. She flipped her red hair over her shoulder, shing him a flirty smile. Elias stood up, wiping his palms against his ck jeans. "Yeah, sorry about that," he replied, shifting on the spot as he waited for her to make the move to leave. Alyssa didn''t bother to stand up. She knew that Ste didn''t care to talk to her. She wanted to talk to Elias and flirt him up. She crossed her arms over her chest, trying not to look as bothered as she felt. She didn''t like feeling this way, especially since Elias wasn''t even her boyfriend anymore. She had no right to be so jealous and possessive of him. She wasn''t going to force him to not be with other girls just because she had some lingering feelings for him. "See you, Alyssa," Ste said, eyeing Alyssa for a few seconds before turning to walk toward the door of the loft. Her ck heels clicked against the wooden floor as Elias followed her to the door to let her out. Elias murmured a quick goodbye, holding the door open for her until she stepped out of the loft. He shut the door behind her with a sigh. "I''m sorry about that. She just knocked on the door and came in," he told Alyssa as he walked back over to her. "She doesn''t really know boundaries," Alyssamented as she tapped her foot against the rug in front of the couch. She knew that she sounded possessive, but she couldn''t even help it at this point. Ste always just showed up unannounced. That was a bit rude in these times. Elias sat down beside her, giving her an apologetic look. "She''s just¡­ forward," he replied. "But she''s nice." "It''s weird how she keeps popping up," Alyssa said, deciding to bring her concerns to light. She couldn''t stop wondering about Ste, who stuck out to Alyssa for some reason. Maybe it was just because she got under Alyssa''s skin when it came to Elias, but what if it was someone else? She did have a history with Elias. "What are you saying?" Elias questioned her, giving her a confused look. Alyssa shrugged, wondering if she should back off of the subject or not. It could be a little touchy for him since Ste was his ex-girlfriend. She didn''t want to dredge up any drama, but they had to consider all possibilities. "It''s just weird. I think she still likes you, which will probably make her not like me much," she pointed out. Maybe it was a stretch, but she still felt like she should bring it up just in case it made sense to him. It didn''t. Elias shook his head with a faintugh. "Ste isn''t the one doing this to you. She''s not vicious or sneaky like that. I''ve known her for most of my life," he told Alyssa. Alyssa narrowed her eyes slightly, wondering if Elias was right or if he was blinded by his history with her. She couldn''t be sure, so she was going to go with her gut feeling. Something was up with Ste, whether it was just a little crush and jealousy or something bigger. "Are you sure about that?" she asked him. She needed him to really think about his old friend and see if there were any red gs that he noticed about her. She didn''t want to turn him against his friend, but she had to if Ste was up to something shady. They were supposed to look out for each other. Elias narrowed his eyes slightly, realizing that she was set on her opinion. "Yeah, she isn''t that type of person. Besides, we broke up so long ago. She doesn''t have feelings for me. She just wants to be friends again," he replied with a shrug. Alyssa stared at him nkly, wishing that guys weren''t so clueless. She sighed and shook her head, still not feeling right about Ste. However, it seemed like Elias wasn''t going to budge on his opinion of his ex-girlfriend. Maybe Alyssa was overthinking things, but she was going to stand by her gut feeling until it was proven wrong. "Okay," she merely said before standing up, knowing that this conversation wasn''t going to get any further than that. They stated their opinions, which weren''t going to change any time soon. "Where are you going?" Elias asked her, watching her walk away from the couch with a confused look on his face. "To my room," Alyssa replied. She didn''t feel like watching a movie with him anymore. She couldn''t help but feel frustrated with him. Couldn''t he sense the tension in the room? Couldn''t he tell how odd Ste was acting toward her? Something was up, and she stood by that, even if he didn''t stand with her. "You don''t want to order dinner or talk about your day?" Elias asked her, looking almost a little hurt. They always talked about their day with each other and ate dinner together. It was part of the routine that they had fallen into with each other since she started staying at his ce. Alyssa wanted to do all those things, but she knew that her mood was ruined for today. She just wanted to be alone with her thoughts. Maybe she would feel betterter after she thought over everything. "I''m just tired," she told him before heading to the guest bedroom. She shut the door behind her before plopping down on the queen-sized bed, rippling the dark grey sheets. She stared up at the ceiling, wondering who was right in this situation. She didn''t want to be right, but maybe she did.. Only time would tell. Chapter 170 - Sacrifice Alyssa finally found the motivation that she needed to go back to her old ce and go through the aftermath. Elias was at work, and she didn''t feel like lingering around the penthouse by herself. If she wasn''t going to go to work, she needed to make herself useful in some way. If she just stayed at the penthouse, she would keep thinking about Ste and how her life kept going downhill. Once she reached her apartment, she unlocked the door, which she didn''t even know why she locked it in the first ce. Obviously, if someone wanted to get into her apartment, they would be able to find a way in, whether the door was locked or not. She shut her door behind her and locked it before facing the mess that was once her apartment. It looked like a bear ripped everything apart. A lot of things weren''t even worth saving, so she would have to toss a lot of her stuff, which she wasn''t happy about. This was a lot of money wasted, but at least her apartment was torn apart instead of her. She supposed that things could''ve been worse. She ventured into the living room, staring down at the ripped-up sofa with a sigh. She knew that all of this was supposed to send her a message, but she didn''t even understand the message that they left for her. She felt lost, like she was wandering through a minefield. At any second, her life could blow up. She sank down to the floor, looking around at all of the destruction. She didn''t even know where to start. Everything was ruined. She didn''t know how her neighbors didn''t hear all of this happening. She wished that they would''ve called someone toe check her apartment out, but the attacker got away with what they did. They would keep getting away with things until Alyssa could figure out who they were. She needed to get a handle on her life because she was tired of letting it spiral out of control. She knew that she only had so much control over her life because life was chaotic, but she could figure out a way to have control over this issue. She needed to do something risky if she wanted to draw the attacker out again. Alyssa knew that dangling herself like bait was stupid and reckless, but what other choice did she have? Steadily, her life was being torn to pieces, and she didn''t have much left to her name. Her apartment was in shambles. She had to temporarily step away from her job. What was next? She didn''t want to find out, which meant that she had to do something before something else happened that side-swiped her. She couldn''t afford it right now. Plus, she had Elias by her side, so she needed to make use of him. She knew that he would help her with whatever she needed, even if it was a little crazy. Maybe they needed to fight crazy with crazy. Alyssa pulled her phone out of her back pocket of her jeans and called Elias, listening to the phone ring a few times until he picked up. "When are you going to be home tonight?" she asked him, skipping right past the greeting. She didn''t mean to be rude, but she needed to get to the point. They were running out of time. She could feel it in her bones, and she refused to not listen to her gut feeling. It would be foolish of her to ignore it. "Oh, hello. Probably around six. Why?" Elias asked her, sounding surprised and confused at the same time. She rarely called him when he was at work. "We need to sit down and talk," Alyssa told him. She sounded as serious as she felt about this. She wasn''t talking about chatting while they ate dinner. She needed to have a business-like conversation with him about their next move because they needed to figure out something fast. "Is everything okay? Did something happen?" Elias asked her, starting to sound worried by her words. "Not yet, but I just have this bad feeling," Alyssa sighed. She hadn''t mentioned it to him yet, but she figured that now was a good time. A dark feeling lingered in all throughout her body, whether it was in the pit of her stomach or in the back of her head. Her attacker was probably going to make a move soon, so she needed to beat them to the punch somehow. "What do you mean?" Elias questioned her. "Don''t you ever have bad feelings that you can''t exin?" Alyssa asked him. Everyone had good and bad feelings. "Yeah. It just makes me nervous when you say that considering our situation," Elias sighed over the phone. Alyssa didn''t feel all that much at ease either. She would be paranoid just leaving her apartment to go back to his ce, and she knew that her fear would eventuallye true. She would be stopped by her attacker. "That''s why we need to talk. We have to figure out what to do next because just waiting around is killing me," she said as her eyes swept around her apartment. She didn''t even care about her apartment anymore or about any of the things in it. The important things were ruined, and she got her important papers and clothes. The rest could be reced, and she didn''t want any reminders of this horrid time in her life. "Yeah, okay. I''ll see about getting off early today. Are you at the loft?" Elias asked her. "I''m actually at my ce," she told him, already knowing how he was going to react to that. "By yourself? You should''ve waited for me, Alyssa. You don''t need to be out and about by yourself," Elias told her. It was nice that he cared, but she couldn''t always revolve her life around him. If she had to take some risks to get things done, then she was going to do that. She couldn''tpletely put her life on hold. That just didn''t work. "I know. I''m about to head back to your ce," she sighed, not wanting to linger around here any longer. There was nothing here for her. "Alright. Text me when you leave and when you arrive," Elias told her. Alyssa smirked slightly as she shook her head. She already did that whenever she left his loft, even if it was to just walk to a coffee shop down the street from his ce. "Okay, mother hen," she replied. He was just as paranoid as she was, but she supposed that was for the best. If they looked out for each other so closely, then nothing could sneak up on them. "Be careful," Elias told her sternly. Alyssa promised him that she would before bidding him goodbye and hanging up the phone. She sighed as she pushed herself to her feet, standing in the middle of what used to be a ce that she feltfortable and safe at. Now, it was a reminder of the horrors going on in her life.. She was ready to get past this chapter, and that called for a sacrifice. Chapter 171 - Bait Alyssa waited for Elias on the couch, tapping her foot against the rug impatiently. She was ready to have this important discussion with him. She had an idea in mind that waspletely crazy, but she was going to convince him that it was a good idea. Maybe even the best idea. He wouldn''t like it, but he would have to agree with her. Close to six o''clock, the door to the loft was unlocked and pushed open as Elias arrived home. He shed off his suit jacket and crossed over to her, copsing onto the couch. He stretched his arm out across the back of the couch as he angled his body to face her. "I got here as fast as I could," he told her. "Sorry to spring this on you, but I just need to get all of this off my chest," Alyssa said to him as she turned to face him, crossing her legs. They were due to have this talk anyway. She couldn''t keep hiding in his loft, waiting for her life to suddenly go back to normal. She had to take matters into her own hands, even if that was going to be dangerous. Elias nodded, his eyebrows knitting together slightly as he peered at her. "What''s on your mind?" Elias asked her, listening intently. Alyssa breathed in deeply through her nose before starting to talk. "I think we need to be a little more proactive when ites to figuring out who is attacking me," Alyssa told him. She was tired of sitting around. Obviously, that wasn''t working so well since no other clues hade to light. She didn''t feel right just waiting around for something to happen. What if something went terribly wrong? "Okay, what are you thinking?" Elias replied, tilting his head at her curiously. This was the part that Alyssa knew Elias wouldn''t be too thrilled to hear. However, she couldn''t let him persuade her otherwise. She was sure that she wanted to do this, but she needed him to help her. She couldn''t do this alone, or she was just asking to have her throat torn out. "I want to act as bait," Alyssa told him. Elias'' eyes widened in shock. He then shook his head. "That''s crazy. That''s dangerous! Why?" he asked, the words flooding from him. "If I act as bait and the vampire tries to attack me, you can be hiding and thene and save me. You''re a good fighter, right? Maybe you can capture the vampire, and we can question them," Alyssa exined the rest of her n. She hadn''t thought every single part of it through yet because she wanted to get his take on it, but she believed that it could work if they took it seriously. Elias could only stare at Alyssa for a few seconds. Silence filled the room as they gazed at each other. "I don''t want you to get hurt. What if I''m not fast enough? Or strong enough? I can''t have you just serve yourself up on a silver tter like that," he said, shaking his head. He seemed overwhelmed. Alyssa frowned and reached out, taking his hand and making him focus back on her. She knew that he was scared. She was too, but she was willing to at least try if there was a possibility of stopping all of this. She needed her life back. What she was doing now wasn''t how she wanted to live the rest of her life. She was tired of always being scared. "It''s okay. I trust you. You have to trust me," she told him firmly. "Of course, I trust you," Elias immediately said as he ced his hand over hers, holding tight. "I do. I just can''t let you get hurt." "Then, you need to be watching, and you need to be fast when theye after me," Alyssa told him, standing her ground. She wasn''t going to abandon this n because she knew that it could work. She believed in it, even if it was crazy, but she needed him to believe in it too. She was relying on him. Elias sighed as he gazed at her, still looking conflicted about the whole thing. "How are you going to be bait?" he asked her. Alyssa smiled a little when she realized that he was starting toe around to his n. She hadn''t gotten the full approval yet, but she knew that she could get it from him if she exined things more. "They like when I''m alone and when it''s night. I''ll just walk alone at night until theye for me. I''ll be in a general area so that you can hide and watch," Alyssa told him. "I think a park could be a good area." Elias nodded. "Yeah, a park would work," he said. "Look, it''s risky, but it''s easy. I can defend myself until you reach me," she said. "I''ve fought off a vampire before." Elias grinned a little. "Yeah, you''re a tough little human," he teased her. Alyssaughed softly before looking down to see that their hands were still joined. She liked feeling his hands over hers. She feltforted like this, and she needed all of thefort that she could get right now as she prepared to possibly sacrifice herself. "I believe in us. We could end all of this if the n works," she told him. "I know. It''s a good n. I just wish that you didn''t have to be bait," Elias admitted to her. He stroked his thumbs over her knuckles. "I''m willing to do this to put a stop to all of this. It''ll be nice to live a normal life again," Alyssa told him. She was willing to put her life on the line for that. "I feel like you can only have a normal life if I''m not in it," Elias replied. He almost looked sad. "I think we can work out our own form of normal," Alyssa told him. She didn''t want to banish him from her life. She believed that maybe they could coexist again. They could have dinner together, watch movies, and be friends. Or more.. The potential was there. Chapter 172 - Bait(2) "I think we can work out our own form of normal," Alyssa told him. She didn''t want to banish him from her life. She believed that maybe they could coexist again. They could have dinner together, watch movies, and be friends. Or more. The potential was there. Elias seemed to visibly brighten up at that. "Yeah, I''d like that," he told her. Alyssa held his gaze for a few minutes, smiling at him. "So, are we doing this n or what?" she asked him, wanting to confirm that he was onboard. They had to set up a time and a ce, and she wanted to do this soon. The sooner that she could get this over with, the better that she would feel. Elias took in a deep breath before finally nodding. "There''s a park about three miles from here. We can do it there whenever you''re ready to," he told her, giving in. Alyssa would''ve jumped for joy if she wasn''t agreeing to a possible sacrifice. She was d that he was going to help her, though. She would need all the help that she could get to pull this off as safely and effectively as she could. Hopefully, she didn''t get hurt in the process, but there were no guarantees when it came to a n that was this risky. "As soon as possible," she replied. She wanted to get it over with. Plus, she had a feeling that her attacker was going to strike again soon. "How about tomorrow night then?" Elias asked her. He still seemed wary, but he was also determined. He wouldn''t let them fail. Too much was at stake. "Perfect," Alyssa said with a nod. She felt her heart start to race when she realized what she was actually doing. She was giving herself up to her attacker for a few seconds. Those seconds would feel like the longest seconds ever until Elias saved her. She hoped that those few seconds would count for something. Elias moved closer to her until their legs touched. "You''re really brave," he told her. Alyssa gave him a grateful look. It meant a lot hearing that from him. She wanted to be brave. She hoped that she could still be brave when the time came to put the n in action. She knew that she would be scared, but she knew that she could be scared and brave at the same time. She just had to put one foot in front of the other and pay attention to her surroundings. "So are you. This could be dangerous for you too," she pointed out. He would be fighting the vampire, which could lead to injuries or maybe even something worse if he wasn''t careful. Elias shrugged. "I''d do anything for you," he told her. Alyssa felt a warm feeling bloom through her. She had heard him say that to her before, but it still struck her deep. She knew that he meant it. Every decision that he made was one that kept her safety in mind. No other person looked out for her like that. "I know. You might be a bit foolish for that," she lightly teased him with a yful smile. She didn''t want him putting himself in bad situations for her, but she knew that she couldn''t stop him. He was one of the most determined people that she had evere to know. "Worth it," Elias replied with a cheeky smile. "I hope so," Alyssa said as her face softened slightly. She gripped his hands tighter. She was worried about him. She didn''t want anything bad to happen to him because she didn''t know what she would do if she lost him. She already had once, and it nearly destroyed her. Another time would certainly do the trick. Elias reached up and brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. "What can I say? You drive me mad," he murmured as his eyes searched hers. Alyssa''s heart was pounding so loudly that she could hear it in her head. She could feel her nerves ringing, but she pushed past the feeling, focusing on his smile and his touch. She was right where she wanted to be, but she was still too scared to move. Why did she still have to be so scared? "Mad enough to risk everything for me," Alyssa breathed out. "And I''d do it again and again," Elias said, holding her gaze for a few tense moments before smiling. He leaned forward and brushed his lips against her cheek before pulling back. "But let''s not put you in danger all the time." Alyssaughed weakly as she nodded. She could feel her cheek tingling from where his lips had been at. She wished that he had kissed her properly because she didn''t have the courage to do it herself. She felt like she was trying to conjure up the courage to enact their first kiss, even if it would be closer to the hundredth. "Agreed," she said. Elias patted her thigh before standing up from the couch. "I''m gonna take a shower. Want to order dinner when I get out? We can go over the n some more," he suggested. Alyssa nodded again, hardly able to say a single word to him because she was still reeling over the kiss. "Sounds good," she managed to say. She hardly processed his words, but she knew that he said something about food. They ordered food a lot, so she figured that he said something about that. "Good," Elias quipped, shooting her a wink before heading off to the master bathroom. Alyssa watched him go, feeling the desire to follow him, but she stopped herself. She didn''t need to be making any rash decisions now. She was already making a crazy decision by giving herself up as bait. Now, she had to wait and see how that turned out. She was either going to get her life back, or she was going to get an early funeral. A/N: Hy guys! Hope we are all good. So I''m disappearing for a few days for an emergency will be back prolly Monday orter I don''t know. Please while waiting kindly add my new book to your library. If we reach 500 colls for my new book by 25th November I will do mass release for this book^^. Just read 10 chapters and decide if you want to continue or not! Pleaaseee thank you for your support though. lots of love, chichii. Chapter 173 - Fight Is On Tonight was the night. Alyssa wasn''t sure how this n was going to go, but she held onto her optimism. It made her brave enough to approach the park that she would be walking around for a while. She put her earbuds in, but she didn''t turn on any music. She just wanted to look distracted, like she was taking a walk and listening to music to rx. It was a ploy. This entire thing was. She hoped that the attacker happened to be tracking her tonight. She didn''t know what their schedule was, but she needed them to be free tonight because she wanted to get this over with. She would feel dumb walking around the walking path surrounding the park for an hour, and then the attacker never showed up. She had a strong feeling about tonight, though. Unfortunately, she couldn''t tell if that strong feeling was a good one or a bad one. She supposed that she would find out soon. She started her walk, putting one foot in front of the other. Alyssa wasn''t sure exactly where Elias was hiding, but she knew that he was well-hidden and ready to jump to her defense at any moment. She felt safer knowing that he was close to her, so she walked on, ncing every which way for any strange movements or shadows. The first fifteen minutes passed by, and Alyssa was already getting impatient and anxious. The more time that passed, the more nervous that she felt for some reason. She felt like the attacker could jump out at her at any moment. Part of her felt ready to fight, and the other part of her wanted to run back to the loft and hide. It was hard to bepletely brave when her life was at stake. She wanted to make it out of this alive, and she knew that Elias would do everything in his power to make that happen. She wished that she could text him or talk to him real quick, but the n was already in action. The attacker might already have her in their sights. She couldn''t stop now. Alyssa rounded a corner, walking past an empty park bench and a group of oak trees. She moved her eyes to the track in front of her, keeping a casual pace and even nodding her head a little to act like she was listening to music. She didn''t want to try to act too much because the attacker would soon figure out that this was all a setup. So much could go wrong, but if this n went right, everything would change for the better. Alyssa kept that in mind as she kept walking. She maintained that confidence until she heard a light thud from behind her. Then, there was a tiny crunch. She almost froze, but she forced herself to keep walking. Someone was close to her. She didn''t think that it was Elias because he wouldn''t dare make any noise or movement to give away his hiding location. It had to be someone else. She hadn''t seen any other people in the park since it was sote at night, so it had to be the attacker. Who else would be out here sneaking around behind her? She wanted to tense up so badly, but she kept herself loose. If she was actually listening to music, she wouldn''t have heard those light sounds. She breathed in steadily through her nose, trying to control her racing heart. She wondered if vampires could hear heartbeats from far away. If they did, she was out of luck because hers was going a million miles an hour,pletely giving her away. Suddenly, something that felt like a gust of wind brushed against her neck. Unable to help herself, Alyssa whipped around, expecting toe face to face with her attacker. However, she didn''t see anyone. She was alone. She started to turn back around, but someone grabbed her from behind. A shocked gasp rang from Alyssa as she struggled in the person''s arms. Whoever was grabbing her was incredibly strong, nearly crushing her on the spot. She kicked and cried out, trying to escape and use up those few seconds that she had to keep herself alive. She felt the person''s breath on her neck, making her panic. She was about to be bitten. "No!" she cried out, trying to writhe away. If she was bitten, the game was over. She wouldn''t stand a chance, and this all would''ve been for nothing. Suddenly, the person was yanked back from her. Alyssa whipped around to see Elias standing next to her. The fight was on. *************** Alyssa scrambled back as Elias moved closer to the vampire to get a better look at him. She watched with wide eyes, trying to see if she knew who attacked her. She only had a few guesses in mind, and to her shock, all of them were wrong. The vampire got to his feet and turned to face Elias with a re. He was a stocky man with rough stubble and a shaved head. He didn''t look familiar at all. Elias rushed at the vampire, knocking him down to the concrete with a grunt. He hovered over the vampire, trying to pin his arms down as the vampire tried to fight him off. Alyssa watched with a racing heart, wishing that she could help Elias. She was petrified of him getting hurt, but she also had faith in him. She believed that he could win this fight. He had to because she didn''t know what she would do if he didn''t. They would both be doomed, and that wasn''t how she nned to end this night. Tonight was supposed to be the end to the problem, not to their lives. The vampire shoved his knee up against Elias'' stomach, knocking the breath out of him. He grabbed Elias'' shoulders and rolled them over so that he was on top. He dealt a heavy punch to Elias'' cheek, making his head snap to the side. Blood welled up in Elias'' mouth, prompting him to spit some out on the sidewalk. He put his hands up, defending his face as the vampire continued to strike him over and over again.. Each hit made him wince or groan. Chapter 174 - Caught Alyssa couldn''t bring herself to just stand there and watch Elias get beat to a pulp. She had to help somehow! She looked around, trying to find some sort of weapon. That was how she beat that other vampire back in the hospital, but she didn''t have a pen to jab in this vampire''s eye. She had to find something else. Her eyes scanned the surrounding area until she spotted a stone que by a nearby bench. It had some person''s name engraved. She felt bad about this, but she picked up the heavy que off the ground. She felt her arms threaten to shake, but she gripped the que tighter as she stumbled over toward the vampire and Elias. She lifted the que above her head as high as she could before bringing it down on top of the vampire''s head. A shout of pain rang from the vampire as he tumbled to the ground, grabbing his bleeding head as he curled up in agony. Alyssa rushed over to Elias'' side. She inspected his face, seeing a few cuts that were bleeding slightly. He had taken a bit of a beating, but he wasn''t out of the fight yet. Neither was she. She was terrified of fighting a vampire, but she would if that meant keeping Elias and her safe. "Are you okay?" she asked him as she helped him sit up. She had to get him to his feet soon because the vampire wouldn''t be down for long. Elias seemed a little dazed, but he nodded. He put his arm around her shoulders, letting her help him to his feet. He swayed a little at first, but he eventually grounded himself, ring at the vampire as he got to his feet too. Alyssa hurried out of the way as the two lunged at each other again. They were both stunned from head trauma, so it was still an even fight. She was d that she had been able to help, but there were only so many stone ques that she could drop on this vampire''s head. She hoped that Elias could finish off the fight soon so that they could get some information out of this guy. Elias punched the vampire in the stomach and then in the face, dodging out of the way of the vampire''s strikes. He was light on his face, moving around quickly to deal blows and then dodge some. Hended a heavy uppercut that made the vampire sprawl out on the ground. "Don''t get up. I promise that you''ll regret it," Elias snapped at the vampire as he hovered over him. He reached down to grab the vampire''s cor, forcing him to sit up slightly. "Who are you?" Elias asked because he could sense the vampire wasn''t a pure one. Someone had created him to do his bedding. When the vampire didn''t answer, Elias gave him a rough shake. "Who are you?" he asked again in a more demanding tone. "Eric," the vampire finally broke down and said. He grimaced as pain shot through him. Elias pointed at Alyssa. "Why are you trying to attack her?" he asked Eric. Eric nced over at Alyssa before looking back down at the ground, remaining quiet. "Oh, no. You''re not going to give me the silent treatment," Elias said sternly. He gave Eric another violent shake. "Why are you attacking her?" Eric grunted in pain, squeezing his eyes shut. Alyssa grimaced at the sight. She hated this. She wished that Eric would just talk. She needed some answers because this didn''t make any sense. She hadn''t seen Eric ever before. "Now!" Elias shouted in Eric''s face. "I was ordered to attack her!" Eric finally shouted. His shoulders slumped afterwards as he lookedpletely defeated. Alyssa''s eyes widened as she stared at Eric. Now, that made sense. Someone else was pulling the strings for this whole situation, which meant that anyone could be behind this. All of the vampires and shadows that she had seen were Eric or someone else that was ordered to attack her. "Who ordered you?" she asked Eric as she approached him. She wasn''t afraid of him any longer. Elias had him under control. Eric shook his head. "I can''t say," he said, sounding firm. "No, you will say. You owe us aplete exnation," Elias demanded, refusing to step down now that they had a chance at actual information. Information was power, and they were ready to stop being so powerless. Eric kept his mouth in a straight line. He wasn''t budging either. Alyssa sighed as she ced her hands on her hips. She didn''t understand why Eric wouldn''t give up his boss. He had already been caught and exposed. There was nothing left to do but to tell the truth about what was going on, and she was ready to finally hear it after all of this time. "Talk! Your boss can''t protect you now," Elias snapped at Eric, burying both of his hands in Eric''s shirt to shake him around. He red down at Eric, looking like he was about to snap Eric in half. "I''ll get killed," Eric growled out. "You should''ve thought about that before you started tormenting her," Elias replied, sounding incredibly angry. Alyssa hadn''t ever heard him act so angry before. He was so protective over her, which made her feel warm inside. Eric lowered his eyes, avoiding Elias'' gaze. "Look, I didn''t want to do this at first, but I couldn''t say no to the money. It''s the only way for me to be able to afford blood from the ck market.," Eric said, trying to exin his side of the story that Elias had no interest in. Elias shook his head, looking disappointed and disgusted. "You agreed to torment someone for money? How sick are you?" Elias asked Eric. Eric nced away from Elias, almost looking ashamed. He sighed and shook his head. "Everyone has to do things that they''llter regret. This is my one thing. Just let go!" Eric said. "I won''t do it again!" Elias scoffed. "How can I trust you not to lie?" he replied. Eric didn''t have an answer for Elias. Alyssa looked between them, feeling impatient and confused. She was more confused now than she was before the n even started. Every single time that they took one step forward, it felt like they always took two steps back. She was tired of not moving forward. "You need to tell me! I''ve been enduring this hell for weeks!" she snapped at Eric, letting her own frustrations show. She didn''t like being angry or yelling at people, but she had gotten to the end of her patience. She couldn''t do it anymore. Eric actually flinched at her loud voice, not expecting her to yell. He looked around nervously, seeming on edge. "You can''t say anything. You can''t," he said in a hushed voice. Alyssa and Elias leaned closer, feeling more ready than ever to finally find out who was behind all of the attacks and break-ins. Eric swallowed hard before finally saying one word that changed everything. Chapter 175 - Leech Eric swallowed hard before finally saying one word that changed everything. "Ste." Alyssa blinked a few times in shock, still processing Eric''s response as she stepped away from him. She knew that she had a terrible feeling about Ste! She felt it in her very bones, even when Elias tried to convince her that Ste wasn''t behind all of this. She had a gut feeling that was right. "I knew it," she breathed out, trying to ground herself after such shocking news. Now, she finally knew who was behind all of this. She could take action against Ste, and her chance came sooner than she expected. "Way to keep a secret," a familiar voice sounded from a nearby cluster of oak trees. Alyssa spun around to see Ste emerging from behind one of the thick trees. She wore ck pants, a white top, andbat boots. She wasn''t in a usual dress, so Alyssa suspected that Ste came here to fight. She looked at Elias, who still looked stunned. Shepletely forgot that Elias used to be close to Ste until she saw his face. She felt bad for him, knowing that it probably hurt him to find out that his ex-girlfriend was trying to hurt her. She didn''twant to be right, but she was d that the truth was finally revealed. The mystery of it all had been slowly killing her. "I''m sorry," Eric said, looking nervous. Ste waved her hand dismissively, rolling her eyes. "You''re not even worth the trouble. Get out of my sight," she snapped at him as she approached them. Elias let go of Eric, watching him scramble off down the walking path before turning to Ste with a hurt and confused look. "I don''t understand," he said as he shook his head. "Why are you doing this?" Ste scoffed as she gestured to Alyssa. "You think that you belong with her?" she said, almost sounding angry. Alyssa stood her ground. She didn''t know if a fight would actually break out, but she had to be ready for one just in case. She couldn''t let her guard down. Not until Ste was taken down. She doubted that Ste would just roll over and give up. She didn''t seem like that type of girl. "What do you mean by that?" Elias asked Ste as he moved to stand at Alyssa''s side. He positioned himself slightly in front of her. Alyssa felt better now that Elias was closer. She had been nervous around Eric, but it seemed like Ste could be a whole other threat. She didn''t want to underestimate Ste like Elias did. "You''re Elias. You''re powerful and sessful. You deserve someone of simr caliber at your side. You can''t lower your status with scum," Ste spat at Alyssa. Alyssa gritted her teeth, wanting to defend herself, but she kept her mouth shut. She didn''t want to provoke a fight. She wanted to get Ste to back off so that they could go on with their lives. "Don''t say that," Elias said in a low tone. "Don''t you dare speak about her that way." Ste threw her hands up as sheughed coldly. "You''re so brainwashed by her! You broke up years ago! You rose to power, and now you''re willing to ruin that over a measly human," she said, looking disappointed. Alyssa guessed the vampires saw themselves as better beings than humans. With their powers, she supposed that she couldn''t me them for thinking that way. They were certainly stronger and faster, but were they better than humans in a moral sense? She wasn''t sure if that was the case or not. "I''m not brainwashed! I love her!" Elias snapped at Ste, taking a step closer to her. Alyssa felt her heart nearly jump up into her throat at the sound of those words. She hadn''t heard those words in a while, and they still knocked the breath out of her. If she was honest with herself, she still loved him too, even after all of these years. Some things never changed. "Seriously! You could''ve had me again! We could''ve rose to power together! Can you imagine all of the things that we could''ve done together?" Ste replied, raising her voice. Alyssa felt a bit down by that. Was she holding Elias back? Elias always talked like he was holding her back, but what if things were actually the other way around? She didn''t see herself as keeping him from doing anything, but maybe she was. She was human. She didn''t know everything about vampires. "I don''t want you! We broke up for a reason! You thought that you were better than everyone else and wouldn''t let me talk to anyone!" Elias shouted back at Ste, refusing to just stand there and take her anger when he had plenty of his own to express. Alyssa was grateful that Elias was sticking up for her and for himself. It was about time that he finally saw Ste''s true colors. She had only been able to see Ste''s true colors before him because he was blinded by their history. It was hard to see Ste for the person that she actually was when all he saw was the old version of her. "You''ve grown weak, Elias. No one wanted you to be with her because she would make you weak!" Ste said pointedly. She turned her head to sneer at Alyssa. "Good job. You got what you wanted." "I never wanted to make him weak, and he isn''t even weak! You''re the one who''s weak, bullying a human because you can''t be with Elias!" Alyssa snapped, feeling a flood of emotion rush through her. She wasn''t used to being so snappy, but she didn''t like Ste at all. It actually felt kind of good to yell at her because she had been holding a lot back. Ste stared at Alyssa in bewilderment. "I should''ve just killed you! I thought the attacks would drive you away,like it drove Elias away from you eight years ago but you''re like a leech," she spat. Chapter 176 - Back Again Alyssa looked taken back by that, but at least she had another answer for all of this craziness. Ste had been behind the attacks all along, sendingckies to try to scare Alyssa away from Elias. She couldn''t believe that Ste was such a coward to not face Alyssa herself. She had to send others to do her dirty work so that Elias didn''t see how awful of a person she truly was. "I said don''t talk to her like that!" Elias told Ste firmly as he stepped closer to her. "I should''ve never dated you in the first ce. You''ve always been cold and selfish." Ste''s eyes widened before they narrowed into a deep re. "You''re pathetic!" she shouted at him before lunging at him, wing at his face. Elias grunted as she knocked him to the ground. He tried to pry her off of him, but she kept pulling on his hair and scratching at his face. "Get off!" he snapped, grabbing her sides to try to push her off. Alyssa wasn''t afraid of Ste right now. She was just pissed off after all Ste said to Elias. She came up behind Ste and grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking her back away from Elias. She pulled hard, dragging Ste across the ground. She didn''t have the upper hand for long. Ste pulled herself away before lunging at Alyssa, grabbing her arms and trying to bite her. Her fangs snapped right next to Alyssa''s neck. Alyssa leaned back as much as she could, feeling panic pound through her as she tried to avoid getting bit. She dug her nails into Ste''s arms, pushing in deep enough to draw blood. She wasn''t going down without a fight. Elias pushed himself to his feet and hurried over to help Alyssa. He wrapped his arms around Ste, pulling her back. With a shout, he flipped Ste over her shoulder, mming her body against the sidewalk so hard that the concrete cracked from the impact. Steid there in stunned, gasping for breath. She tried to move, but she couldn''t without grimacing in pain. She red up at Elias. "She''ll be the death of you. Just watch," she hissed. "She makes me feel alive, and you hate that. Get over yourself," Elias spat at her. He reached down and grabbed her arm, yanking her to her feet before shoving her. Ste stumbled down the sidewalk, managing to find her bnce before she ate concrete. She looked over her shoulder at them with a re. Without another word, she hurried off before she was taken down once again. Alyssa watched Ste take off, breathing a sigh of relief. Her body ached from being grabbed so much, but her spirit and her life were still intact. That was the only thing that mattered. She turned to Elias. "Thank you," she told him sincerely. As she expected he came through for her. He protected her, stood by her, and defended her from Ste and Eric. She was okay because of him, and he was okay because of her. They were a team. They were meant to be. Elias smiled at her as he moved close to her. His face was scratched up, but he was still in high spirits. He reached out and ced a hand on the small of her back, pulling her body against his. "I will always have your back. Just like you have mine," he told her. Alyssa''s eyes flickered down to his lips. Suddenly, they moved closer until they pressed against her own. Her eyes fluttered shut as she leaned into the touch, feeling her heart race as she finally kissed Elias again after so many years. She reached up and pushed her fingers through his hair, pulling him closer and indulging in a sensation that she had missed so badly. Elias held her back with one hand and cupped her cheek with the other, keeping her as close as possible. He wasn''t letting go anytime soon, and Alyssa didn''t mind that at all. The kiss steadily deepened as their lips pressed and moved in a rhythm that was all their own. Alyssa felt so many emotions at once that she couldn''t pinpoint all of them. They rushed over her like a wave, crashing through her as his lips crashed against hers. She kissed him until she ran out of breath, forcing herself to pull away to breathe. She smiled at him breathlessly. "That was a long timeing," she told him. She had been dying to kiss him again, to feel his soft lips against hers where they belonged. "Yeah, it was," Elias said warmly as he cupped both sides of her face. "Damn, I missed you so much." Alyssa leaned into the touch, reveling in the warmth of his hands. She missed being kissed and held by him. She couldn''t believe that she had gone so long without those things. It certainly hadn''t been easy, but all of that waiting paid off in the end. They weren''t meant to be apart. Things got messed up, which drove them apart, but they were young. They had so much time left to be together. A few years didn''t even matter in the grand scheme of things because they would make them up starting now. "I missed you. Even when I didn''t want to, I missed you," Alyssa admitted to him. She remembered being so disappointed with herself when she missed him after he left her. She wanted to forget her feelings for him so badly, but she knew that wasn''t possible. He had left a mark on her heart that would never go away. She was grateful for that now, even if she had felt like that was a curse in the past. Elias brushed his fingers through her soft hair as they stood under the gentle glow of the moon together. "I think you''ve got your life back, Doctor.. I doubt that Ste will show her face again," he told her. Chapter 177 - [Bonus ]Stronger Than Ever A feeling of relief washed over Alyssa as she nodded. She was d that Ste was exposed and finally out of the picture now. She didn''t ever want to see Ste again, and she hoped that Ste was too embarrassed to show her face after that fight. Alyssa was afraid of what she might do if Ste came lurking around back here again. "Good. I never liked her," she admitted with a lightugh. She was pretty sure that was obvious, though. Then again, Elias was a guy, so he probably hadn''t even noticed that at first until Alyssa started using Ste of being weird. "I''m very aware of that. Looks like it was for a good reason too," Elias chuckled, letting his hands trail down her arms until they reached her hands so that he could hold them. "I''m sorry that I didn''t believe you." Alyssa shook her head dismissively. She could understand his reluctance to believe her at first. He thought that he knew Ste, and he was lied to. She called him weak and pathetic on top of it all too, so it was obvious that she had no respect for him either, which irked Alyssa. Then again, a lot of things about Ste made Alyssa pissed off. "It''s okay. I''m just d she revealed her true colors to you," she replied. She didn''t want Elias to be tricked by Ste any longer. That could just lead to maniption and who knew what else. She didn''t want Elias to fall victim to that. She had to look out for him like he looked out for her. Elias nodded as he sighed. "You''re the only person that Ipletely trust," he admitted to her. That meant a lot to Alyssa because trust weighed heavily for her. She didn''t trust many people at all still, but she did trust him, especially now. He proved to her that she could always count on him to have her back, and that meant more to her than nearly anything else that he could do for her. "I can say the same about you. I''m d I lowered my guard because I really didn''t want to let you in," Alyssa admitted. She tried to push him away so many times, but none of those attempts worked. Maybe that was for a reason. She was stuck to him, and he was stuck to her. Nothing could tear them apart, and that gave her a sense offort. They would always have each other. "Because I hurt you. It''s warranted," Elias replied, giving her an understanding look. "But I want you to know that I won''t ever hurt you again. Just protect you." "I know," Alyssa said, giving him a bright smile. "It''s been nice having you as my bodyguard." "You should stay close to me. Just in case," Elias said with a sly smile. Alyssaughed, giving him an intrigued look. "What do you mean?" she asked him, Elias breathed in deeply through his nose beforeughing in a nervous manner. "I''m going to ask you something that I should''ve asked you a long time ago," he said. "Will you move in with me?" Alyssa stared at him in shock. She hadn''t expected to be asked that tonight. "Really?" she asked him, making sure that he understood what he was asking her. They hadn''t even lived together back when they were in college. Now, after just getting back together, he was finally going to ask her to move in with him? It was crazy! But Alyssa wanted to say yes. The more that she thought about it, the more appealing that it sounded to her. Her old ce was already trashed, and she lost all of her things basically. What she had left was already at Elias'' ce. Plus, she had been crashing with him for a minute now anyway, and things had been great. Her final point was that she loved him and wanted to be near him again. "Yes, I''ll move in with you," Alyssa replied with an unbelievingugh. "I can''t believe this is happening." "I want you with me," Elias told her as he pulled her into a tight hug. He rubbed her back. "I hate being without you." It was torture not being with him. When they broke up, she had always felt like there was a missing piece to her life. She didn''t want to admit that it was him back then, but she definitely knew now that he was that missing piece. She wouldn''t ever feelplete unless he was in her life. "I''m ready to go home," she told him as she rested her chin on his shoulder. She was exhausted from tonight, and she wanted toy down with him in his bed. Whether they cuddled or more, she just wanted to feel his body against hers once more. It was her favorite feeling. "I''d be happy to take you there," Elias said with a bright smile. He turned and pecked her affectionately on the temple before letting her go. He held his arm out for her to take. Alyssa gripped his arm, letting him lead her down the sidewalk to his parked car. Her n actually worked, and things turned out so much better than she ever imagined them to be. She took a risk, and it paid off. He took a risk and kissed her, and it paid off. She was so d that they both decided to be brave tonight. ************** Things were peaceful for the next week. They went as close to back to normal as they could possibly get. They were a human and a supernatural couple, so they could only be normal to an extent. Alyssa didn''t mind, though. It was their own form of normal, and it was perfect for them. Everything felt perfect, but she was pretty sure that was her lovey dovey feelings filling her head. It didn''t take her long at all to fully move into Elias'' ce. She gave up her old apartment trashed most of her things since they were broken. It was a tiring day, but at least she didn''t have to worry about a ransacked, unsafe apartment anymore. Elias'' loft had plenty of room for both of them. She tried to pay rent, but Elias refused, telling her to focus on paying off her student loans. Being with Elias now that they were grown up was like being in a whole new rtionship. They had matured so much. They didn''t storm off, give each other the silent treatment, keep secrets, or make rash decisions. They talked to each other. They supported each other. They were a stronger team than they were before. Alyssa hadn''t ever felt so happy before in her life. She took herst week of leave to spend time with Elias. They mostly cuddled and caught up on a lot of lost moments of intimacy, but they also explored the city together, showing each other their favorite spots to go. They were steadily melding their lives together, and it was seamless. "I think we should get frozen yogurt after this," Elias said as they walked through a local park together. It wasn''t the same park as the one they used for their n to expose Ste. They hadn''t been back to that one since, and they hadn''t heard from Ste since then either. The attacks had stopped thankfully. "Frozen yogurt? Why would we get that when there''s ice cream that''s way better?" Alyssa asked him, giving him a strange look. Chapter 178 - Shock A shockugh broke from Elias. "You''re the doctor. Aren''t you supposed to rmend healthier choices?" Elias pointed out. Alyssa scoffed and waved her hand dismissively. He couldn''t use her doctor card against her. She would find a way to flip it back around. "Frozen yogurt pretty much has the same amount of sugar as ice cream. Try again," she told him, smirking at him and his wasted effort. Plus, she was craving cookies and cream ice cream. Ice cream and happiness went hand-in-hand, and she had been so incredibly happytely with him. "Wow. What a betrayal," Elias said, shaking his head yfully. He took her hand, pulling her closer to his side as they walked down the walking path back toward the parking lot where his car was parked. "I guess we can get ice cream." "That''s what I''m talking about," Alyssa said with a victorious look. She leaned up and pecked Elias on the cheek, feeling happiness radiate throughout her entire body. She felt like things were finally falling into ce. Next week, she got to go back to work and see her friends. She knew that Micah wouldn''t be happy about the news of her getting back with Elias and also moving into his loft, but he would have to get over it and move on. They weren''t meant to be. She had found her soulmate back in college. She wasn''t sure what her next step with Elias would be, but she wasn''t rushing into anything. She wanted to enjoy being with him again, making a routine of their own. They still had some catching up to do, but she knew that he was an incredible man that she couldn''t wait to get close to again. Their rtionship had been given a second chance, and they weren''t about to let that chance go to waste. "Have you been sleeping goodtely?" Elias asked her, giving her a hopeful look. Right after the whole spat with Ste, Alyssa faced intense nightmares for a few nights. She believed that it was her body and mind getting rid of the excess stress that whole situation caused her. She felt a lot better now, and her anxiety regarding going out and about alone was so much lower than before. She was able to fall back into her old routine without freaking out over little suspicious things happening around her. "Like a baby. You''ve been tiring me out at night too," Alyssa said, wiggling her eyebrows at him yfully. They had been having a lot of funtely, whether they were in the bedroom or not. They were intent on enjoying each other''spany as much as they could this week before they had to go on with their normal lives. At least they liked their jobs. "We have a lot of lost time to make up for," Elias pointed out with a bold smirk. He knew how crazy he had been driving hertely, and she had been having the same effect on him. "Yeah, we do," Alyssa replied warmly. That was why they were constantly doing things together. They wanted to catch up with themselves. Their timeline had been messed up, but that didn''t mean that they couldn''t pick up where they left off so many years ago. Elias shed her a grin before looking forward as they approached the parking lot. His steps immediately stopped, and Alyssa would''ve kept going without noticing unless she felt his grip on her hand tighten. Alyssa gave him a confused look before following his gaze and feeling her heart threaten to drop down into her stomach. Right in front of them was Scott with a white polo shirt and khaki pants. He looked well-groomed and cleaned, like hadn''t been on the run fighting for his life or anything. It looked like he took a vacation more. "What is he doing here?" she whispered, managing to find enough breath to force the words out. Even if he wasn''t the one that had been attacking her, she still felt incredibly uneasy around him because he had beef with Elias. Elias tightened his jaw as he stared at Scott for a few more seconds before speaking. "What are you doing here?" he asked. He looked like he wanted to punch Scott in the face, but he was restraining himself to the best of his ability. Scott tucked his hands into his pants as he shrugged. "I figured that I should pay you a visit. I heard about Ste," he said, tilting his head slightly. His eyes shifted over to Alyssa, and he almost looked amused. "Sorry about that." "Sorry about what? Did you have something to do with the attacks on Alyssa?" Elias snapped as he stepped closer to Scott, who was a few feet away and standing right outside the edge of the parking lot. Alyssa quickly reached out and grabbed Elias'' arm, keeping him from getting too close to Scott. She didn''t want another fight to break out. They needed to learn how to talk and express their feelings. Without fists. "Don''t," she warned Elias, not wanting him to get mixed up with Scott. They were doing just fine without him. "I might''ve told Ste that you were interested in Alyssa again. That was my fault. I was mad at you," Scott said with a sheepish grin. "I guess she took things too far." "Seriously? Can we be done with causing havoc just because we want to be jerks to each other?" Elias sighed as he shook his head, looking fed up with everything. Alyssa couldn''t me him. Scott was a loose cannon, and he wasn''t fun to be around. He stressed her out, and she didn''t want to get too close to him just in case. She didn''t trust him, and she didn''t think that she would ever be able to trust him because he was so shady. "Look, I was just upset because you were possibly sabotaging yourself by getting with a human. Obviously, she''s not just any human. Maybe I was wrong, and you won''t grow weak by building some domestic life with her," Scott said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Why is everyone so afraid that I''ll grow weaker? What do I need to be strong for besides survival?" Elias asked as he threw his hands up in an aggravated manner. "You don''t even know what you''re capable of. You have no clue," Scott said as he shook his head. "What are you talking about? Can you stop being so damn cryptic?" Elias groaned as he tilted his head back. "Your family hasn''t told you everything. You''re more powerful than you think," Scott said. "They told me not to say anything, but I can''t keep quiet any longer." Alyssa shared a confused look with Elias, not knowing what Scott was rambling on about. It made her nervous, though, because it had something to do with Elias. She couldn''t help but be protective over him, not wanting anything to hurt him, whether it was something physical or a piece of information. Knowledge could hurt more than a punch sometimes. "I have no idea what you''re talking about. You''re a liar anyway, so I don''t believe you," Elias muttered as he shook his head, starting to back away from Scott to go on with his day with Alyssa by his side. "I brought someone that might be able to answer some of your questions," Scott said, looking a hint sly. He knew that he had yed a powerful card. Elias didn''t move or say anything for a few seconds. He was contemting on how to respond. He turned to nce at Alyssa, silently asking her for her opinion. Alyssa wanted his questions to be answered, so she smiled at him and nodded. It wouldn''t hurt to hear this person out. If they were lying, no harm was done. If they weren''t, at least they learned something new. Scott turned around to face his ck car with tinted windows. He waved his hand in its general direction, making a e here" motion. He then turned back to Elias, almost looking excited. Elias looked past Scott as a slim woman got out of Scott''s passenger side. She wore a ck dress that went down to her ankles, and her hair was ck and long, looking as straight and sleek as could be. She wore colorful rings on her fingers and had gems on her ne that she wore. She stared right at Elias as she slowly approached. "Who is she?" Elias asked Scott, not recognizing the woman, who looked to be around his age. But even a stranger could tell she looked exactly like his mom. Except for her eyes color which seems to be his dad''s. Scott grinned at Elias as he turned to gesture to the woman. "That''s your twin sister, Elias." Elias looked like he got struck in the face, making him lean against Alyssa for support. Whether Scott was lying or not, this woman would change everything for Alyssa and Elias.. They just had to figure out if it was for better or worse. Chapter 179 - Melina Vol 3 All that Elias could feel was disbelief as he stared at the woman that was supposedly his twin sister. His eyes swept over her face, studying her features and trying to find any sort of simrities that backed up Scott''s im. She had the same eye color as him and his father, but he knew a lot of people had brown eyes. A lot of people had ck hair. Yes she might resemble his mother but now there were stic surgeries to look like someone. That wasn''t enough to prove that Scott was right. "I don''t believe you," Elias said as he shook his head. He steadied himself, feeling Alyssa grab onto his arm for support. He felt an unsettling energy inside of him as he stood near the woman. It was a sort of tension that he couldn''t describe or shake. He didn''t know what it was. Scott smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. "Yeah, I figured. It''s the truth," he replied as he looked over at the woman. The woman drew in a deep breath through her nose, looking a bit nervous. She stepped closer to Elias. "I''m Melina. We were separated at birth," she told Elias. Elias stared at her for a few seconds. It was so hard to figure out what was the truth and what wasn''t. It didn''t make any sense for him to have a secret twin sister. What would his parents have gained from hiding her from him? "Why? My parents are good people. They wouldn''t just separate us if they had twins. They certainly had enough money and space for the two of us," he replied. His tone was a bit stern, but he was too on edge to be nice to this stranger. Alyssa dug her nails into his arms slightly, which was probably a warning for him to rx, but that wasn''t going to happen any time soon. Melina frowned slightly as she gazed up at Elias. She brushed her fingers through her hair, busting her hands. "It''splicated, but they had their reasons. They wanted to protect us," she told him. "From what?" Elias asked. The world was dangerous to anyone. That was no reason to separate twins from each other. He thought that people were stronger in numbers rather than when they were alone. Melina''s eyes shifted around before redirecting themselves back to Elias. "You have no idea what danger lurks out there, especially for people like us," she said in a quieter voice. "What are you even talking about? People like us?" Elias asked, now starting to grow frustrated. He didn''t like how everyone was talking in riddles around him and not giving him straight answers. Where did all of these secrets suddenlye from? "Mom is a half demon and half human. Dades from a bloodline of witches. Did you ever think about how that affected you?" Melina asked him as she narrowed her eyes slightly in confusion. Alyssa stared at the two of them in shock, but she remained quiet. Elias shook his head quietly, trying to piece some things together in his head. He knew what his parents were, but he didn''t give it much thought. He was a supernatural being through and through, even if he acted like a human a majority of the time. He didn''t care for the drama and consequences of being a creature of darkness. His desires and dreams were simr to human ones: be sessful, make deep connections and rtionships, and be happy with his life. "No, I''m a half demon and half human like my mom. I never had any witch powers," Elias replied. He vaguely remembered his grandfather trying to teach him when he was younger, but he didn''t have the power to be a witch. He only had demon abilities, so his grandfatherswitched to teaching him how to hide and maintain his true nature. He helped him control his bloodlust thirst and blend in with the outside world. "Well, I did. I''m a witch. You''re a hybrid. Together, we''re two parts of a powerful whole," Melina continued her exnation as she gestured to herself with her hand. A few ck symbols were tattooed on her fingers and hands. "If we''re supposedly so good together, it was a stupid idea to separate us. Do you hear how crazy all of this sounds?" Elias asked her. "She''s telling the truth if you would just shut up and listen," Scott snapped at Elias, stepping closer to him. Elias turned on Scott, refusing to take any lip from someone who kept sneaking in and out of his life. Scott was a snake, and if Scott was behind this whole charade, he wasn''t going to believe a word of it. Scott was trying to trick him somehow. "What are you doing? I know you''re up to something! Who is she really?" he asked. Scott had to be lying. Nothing else made sense. He couldn''t possibly have a twin sister that he had never known about. His parents never mentioned anything about another sibling or anything along those lines to hint at him having a twin sister. "He''s telling the truth!" Melina said, trying to break her way between Scott and Elias. "You''re not my sister!" Elias shouted at her. As soon as the words left his mouth, Elias suddenly felt a strong force on his chest. He was knocked back away from Melina and into the ground with a pained huff. He gasped in a deep breath to try to catch his breath, feeling a tight sensation in his chest as he stared up fromying on the ground. Alyssa rushed over to his side, kneeling down to take his hand. Her eyes swept over him to check on him. "Are you okay?" she asked him. Elias wasn''t entirely sure about how to answer that. His body ached from whatever hit him.. He lifted his head to look over at Melina, seeing a tall, built man next to her in a leather jacket with short dirty blonde hair. Chapter 180 - Tired "Who is that?" he muttered, still feeling out of breath. He let Alyssa help him to his feet, but he kept his distance from the man. He didn''t feel like having the breath knocked from him again. The new man moved to stand in front of Melina, ring at Elias as he came closer. "I''d advise you to not yell at her again," he said in a cold tone. Melina grabbed his arm, moving to stand at his side. She tugged on his jacket, onlying up to the man''s shoulder. "It''s okay, Tyler," she assured the man. "We''re just talking." Tyler looked down at her before putting his arm around her shoulders, drawing her smaller body close to his side. Elias looked between the two, realizing that they were probably a couple. However, telling from the man''s strength, he had to be a vampire. He wasn''t going to hurt Melina, but he felt like he couldn''t even argue with her when her boyfriend was giving him a warning look. "I don''t know what you''re trying to gain by iming to be my sister, but I don''t want any part of this. I just had to deal with a crazy ex-girlfriend. I don''t want to deal with this too," Elias said to Melina. He guessed that Scott promised Melina something, but he didn''t know what that was or why. He had too many questions going around and around in his brain to answer, but something had to be up. There had to be a game being yed, and he was the destined loser. He refused to let Scotte out on top, though. He was going to figure this out. Melina parted her lips to speak, but she looked discouraged and closed her mouth. She turned to Scott for help. Scott scoffed and shook his head at Elias. "Hasn''t your naivety gotten you in enough trouble?" he asked Elias. "I''m trying to help you here." "All you have done is caused trouble! You terrorize my girlfriend. You taunt and bother me. Now, you''re making up lies about my family," Elias snapped. He was tired of Scott thinking that it was okay to mess with him and his life. Scott tightened his jaw, staring Elias down as the tension doubled. Alyssa looked between the two before grabbing Elias'' arm. "Let''s just sleep on it, okay? This is going nowhere," she said as she tugged on him to step back away from Scott. "We can just talk tomorrow," Melina added as she looked at everyone. "Please." Elias stared at Scott hard before finally looking away and nodding. He wasn''t looking forward to continuing this craziness tomorrow, but he knew that he needed to get away from Scott before hemitted murder. "Sure," he replied before turning away from the others. He couldn''t help but feel down now. He had been so ready for his life to settle back down, for there to be peace so that he could focus on joining his life with Alyssa''s. They couldn''t seem to catch a break. Whenever they took a step closer to one another, they were knocked back two steps. He was tired of being pushed away from his own life. Eventually, he would lose sight of it, and he would be lost all over again. ********** Silence followed Elias and Alyssa all the way back to his penthouse. There was so much to say, but where would they even start? Elias was endlessly confused and frustrated over what just happened, and he didn''t even know what emotion to express more. Scott always seemed jealous of Elias. He tried to outdo him at every move, whether it was in strength or knowledge. Elias didn''t even care topete, but Scott made everything apetition no matter what. He couldn''t help but think that Scott was trying to sidetrack Elias for some reason. Pretending that some random witch was Elias'' twin sister was certainly a huge distraction. Maybe Elias just couldn''t trust anyone anymore. He actually thought that Ste wanted to genuinely catch up, but he should''ve realized how na?ve that was. He had been trying so hard to surround himself with good people and to refresh old connections that he let a few bad ones slip in unnoticed. He regretted letting Ste get away with what she did. What he felt the worst about was dragging Alyssa into all of this. She was a doctor, and she was a damn good one too. He had read all the rave about her. If he was honest, he had never lost sight of her. He read her published research, articles about her, and even chatted with some of the parents of her former patients. It made him feel close to her until he could no longer keep himself away from her. He was so proud of her, and he hated that his drama was dragging her down. If she wanted to walk away from him, he would let her. It wasn''t fair to force her through all of this. However, he would always cherish herpany and prefer to have her by his side. She made him feel whole, and he had felt empty all of these years without her, despite all of the sess that he had. He had put his entire heart and soul into his business, building it from the ground up. It was the only thing that distracted him from the pain of not having her in his life. He wanted to make something of himself, to prove to himself and everyone that he could live a normal life, that he could have a normal rtionship. He wanted to prove to everyone that Alyssa could be safe with him. More and more, it seemed like he was wrong. "Hey,e here," Alyssa''s voice broke through his thoughts. Then, he could feel her hand take his. Elias looked over at her as she led him over to his couch to sit down. He sank down into the cushion with a sigh, trying to dete and rx, but he couldn''t. He felt on edge, like something big could happen at any moment. His life had been like that for a minute now, and he longed for the day that he could just hold Alyssa and rx. "I¡­ don''t even know what to say. Or think.. Or do," he said as he stared ahead nkly, feeling her lean against his side. Chapter 181 - Torn Elias looked over at her as she led him over to his couch to sit down. He sank down into the cushion with a sigh, trying to dete and rx, but he couldn''t. He felt on edge, like something big could happen at any moment. His life had been like that for a minute now, and he longed for the day that he could just hold Alyssa and rx. "I¡­ don''t even know what to say. Or think. Or do," he said as he stared ahead nkly, feeling her lean against his side. "You don''t have to know. This came out of nowhere," Alyssa said as she gave his hand a squeeze. "She can''t possibly be my twin sister. How could my parents hide a whole person from me? And why?" Elias asked. He knew that she didn''t have the answers, but it was better to ask the air than to keep asking himself in his head. He was already starting to drive himself crazy. "It just seems like a strange and specific thing to lie about," Alyssa pointed out. She looked concerned as she peered at him. Elias lowered his gaze, staring at his knees. He knew that she had a point, but she also didn''t know how deceiving Scott could be. He was torn, but he was standing his ground for now. Scott had to be lying, trying to find something to gain from this. Besides, there would''ve been some sort of clue that his parents identally let slip that he had a long lost twin sister. How could they hide a whole person from him that he supposedly shared a womb with? It was too crazy, and he wasn''t about to throw himself into another insane period of his life. He was done with all of that. "I just want them all to leave. I don''t want to deal with it," Elias sighed as he leaned his back against the back cushion of the couch. He tilted his head back slightly to peer up at the ceiling. Alyssa remained quiet for a few seconds before scooting closer to him. "I think you should hear Melina out," she told him. "What if she just lies to my face?" Elias asked her. He didn''t want his or Alyssa''s time wasted, and sitting around and listening to lies seemed like a bad use of their time. "Maybe she won''t," Alyssa said, holding a straight face. "You think they aren''t lying?" Elias asked her as he turned his head to look at her. Alyssa shrugged. "I don''t know, and you don''t know either. You need to figure it out before you make any big decisions," she pointed out to him. Elias sighed as he lowered his gaze. Again, he knew that she was right. She was hismon sense, and he knew that it would be wise of him to hear the whole story and then decide what to do. There was no telling what he would learn, and maybe he could figure out what Scott could stand to gain from bringing Melina here. "I guess. I''m just nervous about what I might hear," Elias admitted to her. If his parents lied to him about something as huge as him having a twin sister, what else could they have possibly lied to him about? Why did Melina know more than him? He had so many questions that needed answering. Alyssa lightly drifted her nails along his arm in aforting manner. She gave him a small smile. "It''s okay to be nervous. Just don''t let yourself be ignorant," she said. Elias leaned his forehead against hers, letting his eyes flutter shut. He breathed in deeply, settling against her warmth and trying to let go of his confused thoughts. It was harder than he expected. "I''m sorry that this keeps happening. I know you just want to go back to how your life used to be," he said quietly. He couldn''t begin to apologize enough for how much he had derailed her life since he stepped into it. Alyssa reached up and cupped his cheek with a soft sigh. "You can''t help this stuff. We just have to deal with it," she said. Elias was tired of always dealing with stuff. When it came to work, he had a whole team of people to deal with problems. When it came to his personal life, it was all down to him to work out the kinks, and these problems were way bigger than the ones that he had to deal with at work. "If you wanted to leave¡­ I wouldpletely understand," he told her. He didn''t want her to leave, but he felt like it was only fair for him to give her an out if she wanted one. He couldn''t force her to stay and help him deal with his issues. The threat against her was gone, so she could live her own life away from him. He couldn''t even me her if she chose to do that. Alyssa peered up at him, her nose brushing his. "I don''t want to leave. You''re worth it," she told him. Elias felt his heart ache as his eyes met hers. He couldn''t believe that she was willing to go through all of this for her. He would do the same for her in a heartbeat, and it just proved to him that the feelings that they had for each other in the past were still present. They had never truly gone away. "I''ll keep you safe," he told her as he brushed his fingers through her hair. If she was going to stick by his side, he was going to make sure that she was safe. "I know," Alyssa said with a nod. She leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss against his lips, holding the touch for a few seconds before pulling away. "We should get some rest. We have a big day tomorrow." Elias nodded, expecting a message from Scott soon about when and where to meet up tomorrow so that they could continue their talk. He was going to try to not get so frustrated like he did today, but he couldn''t promise anything when it came to his reactions. They were going to tell him a lot of information that he probably didn''t want to hear. He was going to react ordingly. Hopefully, Melina''s boyfriend didn''t beat him down for that. "You don''t have toe if you don''t want to," he told her. Of course, he wanted her to be there, but it had gotten fairly intensest time. Alyssa gave him a pointed look as she got to her feet. She reached her hand out to him. "Of course, I''ming," she told him, like he should''ve expected that answer. Elias shared a faint smile with her as he took her hand, hoping she could feel his gratitude. He let her lead him to his bedroom, but he had a feeling that he wasn''t going to sleep deeply tonight. There was too much noise in his head, and even feeling Alyssa''s warm body against his wouldn''t block out the chaos. I I I I I I I Chapter 182 - Shadows The bell on top of the ss door of Nick''s Diner dinged shrilly as Elias and Alyssa strode inside. Despite the heat flowing through the diner, it felt cold and still inside. Elias was pretty sure that was just his nerves. He already felt ufortable being here, but there was no turning back now. The bell had announced their arrival. He nced to the left to see Scott, Tyler, and Melina seated in a booth toward the back corner. He nced at Alyssa, who nodded to him, motioning for him to start walking their way. It felt like his feet were weighed down by bricks, but he continued to move despite the feeling. He sat down with Alyssa across from the other three. "Thanks foring," Melina said, giving the two of them a polite smile. She looked relieved that they even showed up. "What a surprise," Scott muttered, making Elias roll his eyes. "Well, I have a lot of questions that need answers," Elias replied as he joined his hands together in front of him. He wanted to get right down to business. He wasn''t interested in greetings or small talk. "I''m willing to answer anything," Melina replied as she sat up more. Her hair had been braided back, only letting a few strands loose to frame her face. The soft look of her face differed from the sharper look of his, but he was looking for any proof that they weren''t rted. "If you''re my twin, where were you all these years? Did my parents ship you off or something?" Elias asked, wondering where she had been in the world when he was living with his parents. "I was raised by our uncle. I was sent to a boarding school for most of my childhood until I graduated at eighteen. Then, I traveled around and met Tyler," Melina said, running through the high points. "You knew about me all this time?" Elias asked her, narrowing his eyes slightly. If he had known about her, he would''ve tried to find her immediately instead of way down the line at a random time. It was a bit suspicious to him. "I only knew about you around the time when I met Tyler. Something happened¡­ and I met my parents. Our parents. They exined everything to me and sent Tyler to me to protect me," Melina replied. "They said that I should only reach out to you when I absolutely needed to." Elias pressed his fingertips against one of his temples, feeling tension in his head as he took in all of the new information. So, she was all over the ce being raised by someone that he had never heard of. He had never heard his parents even mention that he had an uncle but he was starting to get used to hearing information that he had never heard of before. "I''ve never heard about having an uncle." he replied as he shook his head. "None of this sounds like anything that they would do." "Look, you knew one version of your parents. I knew the other," Melina replied. "They did what they had to do to protect us." "From what? You keep saying we needed protecting," Elias asked. Frustration seeped into his tone. Alyssa ced her hand on his knee, squeezing gently to make him force himself to rx and stop leaning so far across the table. Plus, Tyler was starting to look aggravated. "Our parents didn''t want people to know about us and how powerful we could be. They were so scared of people finding out that they even kept that information from us," Melina said. "I think people somehow found out that we exist, that we have witch and vampire blood in us." "So?" Elias asked. "That''s dangerous! People will want to kill us. They already almost killed me!" Melina said, raising her voice slightly. She then lowered her eyes, leaning against Tyler, who murmured something in her ear. She took a deep breath and looked back over at Elias. "People are threatened by power, which we have a lot of." "I''m just a normal hybrid. My powers are even sealed." Elias replied as he crossed his arms in front of his chest and leaned back against the booth. He didn''t feel like some sort of special hybrid with grand powers. She didn''t seem more powerful than any other witch out there. "You haven''t tried to harness your powers or break the seal. You have to exercise them like a muscle," Melina exined to him. "Plus, we''re stronger when we''re closer together. I know you can feel the energy between us." Elias looked away from her. He had felt a weird energy inside of him since she came around. He hadn''t known what it was, but it was still prominent. He didn''t know how he felt about it. "If we''re weaker apart, it made no sense for them to separate us. They couldn''t trust us to keep a secret?" Elias replied. "They kept us separate because our power together would''ve been impossible to hide from others," Melina said. Her patience seemed to be seeping away. "They were looking out for us." "And you''re not angry at them for keeping such a big secret from you for so long? For choosing to ship you off and keep me?" Elias asked. He knew that it was a harsh question, but he wanted to know her thoughts on that. Why was he the one that was kept? "Low blow, man. They didn''t keep you because you were any more special than her," Scott said, breaking into the conversation. "Your uncle was closer to your grandmother and if anything she could help her sharpened her skills.You had your mother." "Butt out," Elias snapped at Scott. He was tired of Scott acting like he had anything to do with this situation besides stirring the pot. Melina put her hand up to stop the bickering between the two. "I know you don''t like each other, but Scott helped me find you," she said as she looked between them. "He found me when I needed help and brought me to you." "Why? Is something happening?" Elias asked as a feeling of dread steadily started to fill him. There always had to be something going on, and of course, he would be dragged into it. "I have a bad feeling. I keep seeing shadows, and they keep getting closer and closer," Melina replied. "They''ve been watching me for a while. I''ve already been attacked by one of them once.. I''m afraid they''ll try again." Chapter 183 - Closer "Can''t you fight them off? You have your bodyguard here," Elias asked as he motioned to Tyler. He didn''t understand why she was trying to get his help when she could probably deal with the situation on her own. "Because I sense that it''s something that I can''t defeat on my own. I need your help. I need my brother," Melina said, almost looking fearful. Elias stared at her for a few seconds, unsure of what to say. He still wasn''t even sure if he believed her. His life was so different from hers. How could they be two halves of a whole? He needed someone else''s word on this besides Scott''s, who he still didn''t trust. "I want to talk to my parents. They''ll tell me the truth," he replied. He needed the full story, which meant talking to the other people involved. Melina nodded after a moment. "Let''s go see them. They''ll back up everything that I''ve told you," she said, looking sure of herself. Elias uncrossed his arms, hoping that this trip went well and went in the direction that he wanted it to. It would be so much easier if his parents said that Scott was lying and that they had never seen Melina before in their life. Then, he could go home and leave all of this behind. He hoped for that so badly because the alternative didn''t make him feel all that rxed. "Fine. We''ll leave tomorrow," he said before getting out of the booth. He didn''t have anything else to say to them for now. He just wanted to hear what his parents would say. Alyssa followed him out of the booth, giving the others a sheepish look. She took Elias'' arm, letting him lead her out of the diner. "Are you sure you don''t want to talk to them more?" she asked him as they walked to the parking lot to get to his car. Elias shook his head as he unlocked his car. "I know my parents. They wouldn''t keep me in the dark like this. They''ll set everything straight," he told her before getting in his car. He hoped that he was right. The rest of his life depended on the answer. *********** Elias didn''t expect to be going back home to see his parents again so soon, but life was tricky and unexpected like that. Something was always lurking around the corner, but he still couldn''t prepare himself. He had to leave behind his life in New York again for answers. Everything pointed back to where he came from. "Did you pack your toothbrush?" Alyssa''s voice came from his walk-in closet attached to his bedroom, where he was sulking currently. "I did," he replied as he looked down at his open suitcase on his bed. Steadily, his things were filling the inside. He didn''t want to leave New York. He wanted to keep building his life here, but so many things kept threatening to tear down all that he had worked so hard to build. He didn''t know when there was going to be an end to the destruction. Alyssa walked out of his closet with one of his jackets in her hand. She folded it up and ced it in his suitcase. She was about to walk back off when he grabbed her wrist and guided her to sit on hisp as he sat on the edge of the bed. "You don''t have to pack for me, babe," Elias sighed as he stroked her lower thigh affectionately. It meant a lot to him, but he didn''t want to inconvenience her anymore. "But thank you." Alyssa wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning against his torso as she gazed down at him. "I''m worried about you," she admitted. Elias gave her a soft smile as he rubbed her back with his other hand. "It''s okay," he assured her. He didn''t feel all that great, but he didn''t want her to worry about him. This was just another one of his problems that he had to get through. He should''ve been used to all of the chaos by now, but he was still na?ve enough to think that he could find some sort of peace in his life. Alyssa gave him a pointed look. "Don''t give me that. Be honest with me. We''re in this together," she told him. It meant a great deal to Elias that Alyssa wanted to remain by his side through this, but he hoped that she was keeping her own self in mind. He didn''t want her to lose everything because of him. "You don''t have toe on this trip if you don''t want to. It''s just going to be more of the same," Elias replied. He didn''t know exactly what to expect, but someone wasn''t going to be happy with the end result. "I would never leave you during this. Things are¡­ intense," Alyssa said with a soft sigh. She gently brushed her fingers up into the back of his hair, petting him in aforting manner. "What if my parents back her up?" Elias asked her. He didn''t know how much of a possibility that was, but he knew that it could happen. Melina seemed confident enough to agree to the trip, so she believed that his parents would agree with her. That made him nervous, but it didn''t erase his suspicion. He refused to let his guard down until he heard every side to the story. "Then, you''ll figure out your next step. It won''t be what you want to hear, but you have to make the best of whatever happens to you. You can''t let it stop you," Alyssa told him. Elias leaned his head against her shoulder, taking in her words. He didn''t know what he would do without her. She kept him mended together when everything around him was trying to tear him apart. He grabbed her hips and lifted her, gently setting her down on the bed so that he couldy beside her. "I love you," he murmured as he pulled her closer to cuddle against his side. He didn''t want a single inch of distance between their bodies right now. Alyssa nuzzled her cheek against his chest. "I love you," she said before peering up at him with a small smile.. "We''re supposed to be packing." Chapter 184 - [Bonus ] The Tattoo Elias dipped his head and pressed a soft kiss against the pale skin of Alyssa''s neck. She gasped, her body trembling. She whimpered, the sound making his cock throbbed. "Alyssa¡­. can we? I mean¡­I know it''s been a long time but I really want you." Elias rasped, his voice hard and strained. Alyssa drew in a shaky breath and pressed her forehead against his. "" Of course, I want you too." Elias groaned and kissed her softly but the next thing he knew, they were kissing hungrily. Elias missed her touch, missed the sounds of her moans. God knows how hard he has been restricting himself from not touching her since they met. Yes, she allowed him to kiss her and cuddle her but Elias wanted more. He wanted to bury himself inside her. He wanted her to writhe with pleasure under him. To hear her cry out his name. Alyssa moaned into his mouth and sucked on his tongue pulling him closer. Elias trailed kisses from her mouth to her neck until he found the sweet spot between her shoulder and ears. He nibbled at it and sucked hard with want causing Alyssa to shudder. "I miss you¡­" He said in a hoarse whisper. Alyssa just moaned in response as his hands snaked under her shirt cupping her breast. She was not wearing any bra so Elias caressed her breasts, squeezed it and pinched her nipples causing her to let out a moan. "Elias¡­oh¡­" The sound of her moaning his name hardened his already aching cock. "Remove your dress." He murmured pressing his lips to her neck, enjoying the rapid beat of her pulse. He was happy that after all these years he still had an effect on her. Alyssa removed her dress and stared at Elias unbuckled his belt. He removed his trousers, followed by his top next. Elias watched her eyes widened at the sight of his bare chest and he smirked with satisfaction. "Like what you see?" Alyssa widened her eyes, her fingers trailed over the tattoo across his chest. "You.." Her eyes began to watered as she looked up at him. "Did you tattoo my name across your chest?" She muttered underneath her breath. "Yes, I did. If I can''t have you. At least I will have your name imprinted across my chest forever." Elias spoke looking straight into her eyes. He watched as a tear slide across her cheeks. Elias kissed her tears away. They belonged together and he was determined to prove it, He crushed his lips against her and kissed her, putting all the words and emotions he had buckled all these years into it. He had loved her at first sight, without shame and without regret. He might not be the best at showing how he really felt but he loved this woman in his arms more than anything. He broke the kiss and trailed his kisses along her jaws, her neck until he finally reached her breasts. Elias wanted to make love to her. He wanted her to feel his love. Elias cupped her breast. His fingertips brushing softly over her nipples. A gasp let out Alyssa''s mouth. She pressed her breast harder into hands. Elias dropped his head and licked the peaks of her breasts. "Oh¡­" Alyssa cried out as he licked, sucked and nibbled her breasts like a hungry man. "You''re so beautiful." Elias whispered. While he moved his fingers down her stomach. "I want to taste you."His fingertips pressed beneath the red silk of her panties and dipped between her thighs. "Y-yes" Alyssa''s eyes were closed as his fingers rubbed her clit. He pulled her panties off. Elias slowly opened her legs. His fingers stroked along the inside of her thighs causing her to shiver. He ran his tongue slowly along the wet folds before he drew her opened. He flickered the tip of her tongue against her clit. Alyssa couldn''t help but cried out. She rocked against his face, clenching the sheets for dear life. "Oh..my..yes" She gasped. Her voice nearly made him cum in his boxes. Elias watched the rise and fall of her chest as pleasure shuddered through her body. He inserted a finger inside her and rubbed the wall just behind her clit while he sucked on her clit. Alyssa grabbed his hair and pushed his face into her as her pussy throbbed. "I''m so close Elias¡­I-I" She didn''t finish her words as her body convulsed and thrashed on the bed as she hit her orgasm. Elias licked her clean before he pressed his lips to hers making her taste herself. "You taste sweeter than I remember." Alyssa blushed and avoided his gaze. Elias removed his boxers. His erection sprang free. His cock was painfully hard. All he wanted was to fill inside her. "Ready?" He asked when he saw Alyssa staring down at his shaft. Her cheeks zed with heat and Elias smiled. "Did you get bigger?" Alyssa whispered. Elias kissed her lips, "Don''t worry, you can take it." Elias stared into her eyes as he slid into her slowly, inch by inch. Alyssa trembled underneath him, her cheeks flushed and her lips parted. "Fuck, you''re so tight!" Elias groaned out. "It''s been eight years what do you expect?!" Alyssa cried out. Elias stiffened as his eyes roamed her face. He didn''t think that she had never slept with anyone for the past eight years. She had been waiting for him. His heart thudded in his chest. He pulled out slowly and push back in even slower. "I love you." He whispered as he kissed her forehead. He rocked his hips slowly as her face morphed into pleasure and pain. Elias controlled his movements until she started moaning with pleasure. He lowered his mouth to hers and caressed her nipples with his thumb. He felt her clenching against his cock. Elias reached between them and rubbed her clit while he started thrusting faster. She threw her head back and cried out. "Oh my..yes¡­good.." Elias increased the speed of his fingers and his thrust as she moaned and whimpered. She looked so beautiful he couldn''t look away. Her tight walls clenched around his cock as her body shuddered with orgasm. Elias thrusted a few more times before he released inside her with a groan. "I love you." He whispered while he softly kissed her ears causing her to shudder more. "I love you.." She replied giving him a tired smile. Chapter 185 - The Truth Alyssa ran her hand up his shirt, stroking his side. "Everything might not change. You might be worrying too much," she pointed out. Of course, Alyssa could read him easily. She was one of the only people that was able to do that with him. He put a wall up when it came to most people, but she could usually see right over it. Not that he minded. "I just wanted us to finally start our lives together. I wanted to go on dates and show you off to my work friends," Elias said with a sad smile. He knew that those things were smallpared to the big picture, but they meant a lot to him. They brought him even closer to the normal life that he wished that he could live. He didn''t care to live a life full of vampires, demons and witches. He was happy just being himself and building a life around the people he cared about and the work that he enjoyed doing. However, he knew that he couldn''t fully ignore his nature. There was at times that he wanted to see blood. The thought of killing someone excited him but he always managed his bloodlust. Like eight years ago when he saw Alyssa bleeding. Seeing the blood has sparked the bloodlust inside of him. He was stronger and faster than humans, so he had to be mindful of his motions. He would never be human, but he could act like one. "We can do that once all of this is settled. There''s always an end to these issues," Alyssa told him. "They neverst forever." Some of those issues felt like theysted forever, though. He had to be without Alyssa for years, and he didn''t want another problem of his tost that long. At some point, he had to be able to enjoy his life. He couldn''t jump bounce from problem to problem. Life couldn''t possibly be like that. "I know. I''m just tired of waiting. I have what I want in my arms, but I can''t enjoy it like I want to," Elias replied, watching her lean her head up to peer down at him. He reached up to push her hair behind her ear. "Instead of going to my parents'' ce, I just want to stay in this bedroom with you." Alyssa smiled down at him, tilting her head to lean her cheek against his palm. She then turned her head to kiss his hand. "We can get to that when we get back," she told him with a yful wink. Elias chuckled softly, feeling the tension in his body fade away slightly. Even if it was only for a few seconds, Alyssa was the only person that was able to make him feel at least a little better about what was going on. She was the perfect distraction for his wrecked mind. "What a tease," he murmured as he cupped her face. His thumb caressed the curve of her bottom lip. He wanted to kiss her and indulge in her so badly again, but he knew that now wasn''t the time. "You have no idea," Alyssaughed softly before pecking him on the lips. She then leaned down to curl up against him again, sighing softly into the air as he held her close. "Everything is going to be okay, Elias." Elias wanted to believe her. He didn''t want to always be pessimistic when bad things happened in his life. He had to see past the darkness where the sunshine finally broke through. Alyssa could help him see that. "As long as I have you," he told her. He needed her, whether he was going through a good time or a bad time in his life. She kept him steady and focused on his next step, and he had no idea what awaited him tomorrow. The future was daunting, but it wasing, whether he was ready for it or not. ********** "I''m not ready." Alyssa nced over at Elias, frowning slightly when she heard him speak. She moved closer to him, wrapping her hand around his bicep as they stood in front of his parents'' house. They were waiting for the others to arrive before they went inside. "I know, but you need to know the truth," Alyssa told him. Elias looked down into her big eyes, sinking down into theirforting hue. She was right. He needed to know the truth, no matter how nervous he was to hear it. He kissed her on the forehead just as he heard a car drive up behind him. He turned to see Scott, Melina, and Tyler climbing out of a ck jeep, prompting him to draw in a steadying breath. It was showtime. "Good. We all made it here okay," Melina said with a small smile. She tended to be the one sliver of sunlight through this hazy situation. Elias merely nodded before ncing at therge house. It seemed to loom over him even more than it usually did. "Let''s go," he said, wanting to get this over with. He led everyone up the walkway to the porch, lifting his hand to knock his knuckles against the front door. After a few moments, the door unlocked and swung open. His mom peeked through the doorway, spotting Elias and Alyssa first. "Oh! What a nice¡­" She trailed of once her eyes shifted over tond on Melina, Tyler, and Scott. Elias nced between his mother and Melina feeling a sinking sensation fill him. It didn''t look like two strangers were seeing each other for the first time. They recognized each other. "We need to talk," he said before walking inside of the house. An almost numb sensation was spreading throughout his body, making his fingertips tingle as he sat down on the couch. He didn''t trust himself to remain standing, and he hardly felt Alyssa as she sat down beside him. "Lei Zhao!" His mom called her husband not bothering to call him by his English name. They was no point in lying now. Melina, Tyler, and Scott spread out throughout the living room, sitting on the other couch or standing along the outskirts of the room. Melina looked at Elias in an anxious manner, leaning into Tyler''s side as he put his arm around her shoulders. Lei Zhaoheaded out of his office and to the living room. His look of curiosity soon turned into one of shock when he saw his full te of guests. "Oh, boy," he sighed as he looked at his wife.. "I knew this day woulde eventually." Chapter 186 - Darkness Coming "What day is that?" Elias asked pointedly. His mother moved to stand in front of the group, leading her husband along with her. "Elias, please. Just hear us out," she said gently. Elias looked over at Melina. "So, it''s true. She''s my twin sister that you never thought to tell me about," he said, his voice growing sharper by the second. He could feel shock and frustration sh, making his volume heighten uncontrobly. He didn''t want to believe this. "Watch your tone around your mother," his father replied sternly. His shoulders then dropped slightly. "Yes, Melina is your sister." "Got any proof?" Elias asked, figuring he should ask for that before rolling with this ridiculous scenario that was his life. After more than twenty years, he was just now finding out that he shared a womb with someone that he hadn''t met until now. His mother nodded quietly before approaching a wooden cab near the television stand. She opened the doors and reached inside to pull out a dusty scrapbook. She wiped the dust off before opening it and handing it over to Elias. Elias looked down at the pictures, feeling his heart stop. There were pictures of two babies in his parents'' arms. They looked exactly the same, and their names were written under the pictures: Elias and Melina. At around age two, there was only one baby left that was him. He closed the scrapbook and handed it back quietly. "I only came to him because I''m starting to get nervous. A bad feeling keeps following me," Melina told Nora and Daniel. Nora looked at her daughter and nodded. "I feared as much. I feel something dark too," she replied. Elias put his face in his hands briefly, trying to soak all of this information in without exploding. He had a twin sister. His parents lied to him for years. Something bad wasing. He could feel Alyssa''s hand on his back, but it didn''t helpfort him. Nothing helped. "You all lied to me," he said before standing up abruptly. He red at his parents. "How could you do that to me?" "It was for your own protection. People would''ve hurt the two of you for being so powerful, so different," Nora said with a sad look on her face. "Who is more powerful alone? We could''ve protected each other!" Elias replied, unable to keep himself from snapping. "You could''ve been kidnapped! Killed! Separating the two of you was the hardest decision of our lives!" Daniel shouted at his son as he stepped close. He grabbed Elias'' shoulders firmly. "We did what we had to do to protect you." Elias gritted his teeth, feeling anger rush through him. "You sent your own daughter away. You lied to me my entire life. You were just being selfish," he spat before stepping away from his father. They could''ve revealed the truth to him when he turned eighteen. He was an adult. He could handle news like this, but they still kept him in the dark. "Elias, it''s okay," Melina said as she stood up. She stepped toward him, but he matched her movement by stepping back. She froze in ce with a frown. "I''m not mad at them. You shouldn''t be either." "Don''t tell me how to feel," Elias replied, his voice bordering on a growl. "I don''t even know who I am, or who my own family is." "There is a lot you don''t know, but we''re willing to tell you if you just sit down and listen," Daniel told him, giving him a pointed look. Elias red at his father, wondering if he should listen or not. He felt like he was just going to get more upset, but he was already mad. He might as well sit through this too. He moved to sit back down, keeping his jaw clenched. Nora took her husband''s arm, using him for stability. "You know your grandfather is the devil and I''m a hybrid, half human, half demon. When I gave birth to you, we realized you and sister were powerful together Elias. People fear the unknown and they would have haunted you guys for the rest of your life. We had to change our whole identity, even fake our deaths because we wanted to protect you. Also, my father has many children who want to rule the underworld and create chaos on earth. Even though you''re half human you''re still more powerful than some of them. With your sister by your side you will be unstoppable. They see you as a threat and they won''t stop until they have eradicated you and your sister. Elias felt his heartbeat pause briefly as he stared at his mother in shock. That meant that he was involved in a war he had no idea about. He didn''t feel evil, but there was darkness flowing through him. "That''s insane," he managed to breathe out. "That''s the truth, Elias.Your sister''s power is a threat to evil forces. You and her are thest surviving member of our family who possesses this power and they won''t stop until both of you are dead. That''s why your grandfather created the vampires to protect us. Once the war starts, we will summoned them and they will be under yourmand" Daniel said as he looked between Elias and Melina. "What the hell?" Elias sighed as he shook his head. He was finding out too much. It was too much right now. Alyssa rubbed his back. "Maybe we can continue this conversation tomorrow. We should sleep on this," she suggested, noticing that even Melina looked shocked at the new information. "You two can take the bedroom you hadst time," Nora said before turning to Scott, who had been surprisingly quiet. "You need to pay your mother a visit. She''s worried sick." Scott grumbled but nodded. "I''ll go see her," he said before ncing at Elias. "Don''t have a mental break." "Just go, Scott," Melina sighed, sounding agitated. "Leave him alone." Scott scoffed and walked out of the living room, shutting the front door behind him as he exited. Elias nced at Melina, but he didn''t say anything. Maybe they were family, but he didn''t know her. She was still a stranger to him. He took Alyssa''s hand, letting her lead him to his old bedroom away from everyone. He didn''t even know what to say to her. Alyssa shut the bedroom door behind them, turning to watch him copse on his bed. "Are you okay?" she asked him as she moved toy beside him, cing her hand on his chest and riding out the slow lifts and falls. "I haven''t been okay since Melina showed up," Elias admitted. His world had been flippedpletely upside down, and he had no idea how to level himself out. "At least she''s nice. She could be some sort of monster," Alyssa pointed out, trying to expose the silver lining. "Evidently, we are monsters since our grandfather is the Devil," Elias muttered. He felt tainted now, like he was infected with evil. It made his skin crawl. Maybe that was why his parents kept such a close eye on him.. They feared that he would act like his grandfather and wreak havoc and chaos. Chapter 187 - Beautiful Monster "Hey, you''re not a monster," Alyssa told him sternly as she leaned up to gaze down at him. Her eyes were even narrowed. "I know your family and your past is confusing, but I know who you are. You''re strong, sweet, and caring. You look out for those you care about. You know how to get things done. You''re mine. My beautiful monster." Elias gazed up at her, letting her words sink in. They were exactly what he needed to hear. "Damn, I love you," he sighed, feeling some tension fade away. He was still upset, but as long as he had Alyssa by his side, things wouldn''t be as bad as they could be. "I love you," Alyssa said. "Don''t let all of this make you lose sight of who you are." Elias knew that was the best advice that he could get. He needed to keep it in mind, especially as things started to develop more and more. Secrets were being revealed, and his bloodline ran deeper than he ever could''ve imagined. ************* Elias suddenly woke up to the smell of smoke. His senses were sharper than even most vampires, jolting him awake just at the hint of that scent. He sat up in his bed, looking around and wondering if he was just imagining things. However, that smell still lingered, and it was growing stronger and stronger by the second. He reached out and shook Alyssa awake as she snoozed beside him. He didn''t stop until she stirred, giving him a slightly annoyed look at the random wake-up call. "Wake up. I smell smoke," he told her as he climbed out of bed. "I don''t smell anything," Alyssa said, giving him a confused look. Elias threw open the bedroom door, able to smell the smoke even more. He could also hear movement from downstairs. Other people were starting to wake up. He reached his hand out to Alyssa. "Come on," he said, coaxing her to just listen to him. He knew that he wasn''t going crazy or anything. He trusted his senses, and they were telling him that a fire had started somewhere close to them. Alyssa gave him a worried look before taking his hand, letting him lead her downstairs. Elias could already see an orange glowing from the kitchen. He hurried over to the doorway to see a fire growing in the middle of the kitchen. He had no idea where it came from, but it was growing abnormally fast. "Fire! Get out of the house!" Elias shouted, waking the rest of the house up if they weren''t already awake. He coughed as the smoke started to pour out of the kitchen. "Go outside and wait for me!" Alyssa looked hesitant, but she gave in and ran out of the house. Elias rushed back up the stairs, almost running into Melina as she came out of her room with Tyler. "There''s a fire downstairs," he told her, figuring that she hadn''t been able to smell it. Her senses weren''t as sharp as his. Melina gave him a bewildered look. "What? How?" she asked him. Elias shook his head. "I don''t know, but I need to find Mom and Dad," he said, letting his instincts take over. "Go outside with Alyssa!" Tyler took Melina''s hand and whisked her down the stairs as smoke filled the entire bottom floor of the house. The fire started to crawl outside of the kitchen already, making its way toward the living room and foyer. Elias hurried down the stairs and past the kitchen and living room to beat on his parents'' door. He only knocked a few times before the door was thrown open, and his half-awake parents came into view. "We have to get out now!" he said, turning to see that the fire blocked him from the front door. He cursed beneath his breath as he led his parents closer. Something spoke to him in the back of his mind, and he focused on the fire, centering all of his energy on it. He narrowed his eyes, watching the fire slowly die down enough to clear a small path. "Go!" Nora and Daniel hurried through the path and outside of the house. Elias grunted as pain filled his head. He let go of the energy, letting the fire re back up. The messhed out at him, burning his arms as he stumbled back. He could feel the heat everywhere, and the smoke stung his eyes. He blinked back the tears forming in his eyes, trying to see so that he could figure a way out. "Melinda, don''t!" Tyler''s voice sounded from outside of the house. Suddenly, Melina ran into the foyer, facing the fire. She put her hand out toward the fire, making it die down again to create a hole for Elias to jump through. "Come on!" she shouted at him, sounding like she was struggling as she kept the fire at bay for him. Elias backed up before charging at the fire, jumping through the hole. The mes stillpped at his arms and legs, burning him slightly, but he made it out on the other side. He stumbled through the door after Melina, leaving the burning house behind him. Tyler and Alyssa rushed forward to grab Melina and Elias, helping them away from the house and the smoke pouring from it. Nora and Daniel huddled together, watching their house give away to smoke and fire with a devastated look on their faces. "Are you okay?" Alyssa asked Elias, grabbing the frame of his face to check on him. She could see ck marks on his face and red burns on his arms. Elias nodded, coughing slightly from the smoke in his lungs. He leaned against Alyssa, turning to watch the mes eat the house up steadily. His childhood home was being destroyed right in front of his eyes. "Elias," Alyssa suddenly murmured, tugging at the sleeve of his shirt. Elias turned, following her intense gaze to see a shadow across the street on the border of the nearby woods. He felt his heart stop, a dark feeling taking over his entire body. He blinked once, and then the figure was suddenly gone. "Who was that?" Alyssa asked as she turned to give Elias a worried look. Elias shook his head, unsure of how to even answer that question. He had a bad feeling about that figure across the street. Who would be watching their house burn? Maybe they started the fire.. All that he knew for sure was that something bad wasing, and he had no idea how to prepare for it. Chapter 188 - Alaric The group went to a hotel in the city to get off the streets at night. If someone was daring enough to light the house on fire while they were sleeping, there was no telling what else they were willing to do. The group needed to get somewhere safe to talk about their next step. Someone had waged war on them. "What was what?" Elias asked once the door to the hotel room swung shut. Adrenaline still thundered through him at a rapid pace, and he couldn''t get his heart rate to slow down if he tried. They all could''ve been killed tonight! Melina nced at her father. "Remember that demon I mentioned?" she asked him with a grave look on her face. Daniel sighed as he sat down on the small couch in front of the two beds. "How could I forget?" he asked. Elias walked over to them, looking between them with a confused look. "What demon?" he asked. He had never encountered a demon before. He had only been around witches and vampires, and they were dangerous enough. He couldn''t imagine facing off with a demon. They were incredibly powerful. Melina turned to Elias. "When I was attacked, I knew that whoever attacked me wasn''t a witch or a vampire. He had some of the darkest energy that I''ve ever sensed before. I felt that again tonight," she exined to him. "I saw someone across the street from the house tonight. Do you think that was him? He was the one who lit the house on fire?" Elias asked her. He hoped that wasn''t the case. He hoped that something less terrible had happened, but the house had been burned down. How could things actually get any better? "Most likely," Daniel answered, cing his hand on Nora''s knee as she sat down beside him. He looked up at Elias. "There''s a demon that''s been garnering more and more power for a while now. I fear that he''s found out about you two." Elias brushed his hand through his hair, shaking his head. This was the worst thing that he could hear right now. He didn''t want to fight against a demon! He didn''t even know if he was strong enough. "He wants to kill us or something?" Elias asked, trying to gauge just how bad this situation was. The fact that there was a demon involved already made the situation horribly bad. They were dealing with something incredibly dark and merciless, which he wasn''t used to. He didn''t even know how to fight a demon effectively. "He wants to be the most powerful being on the. Together, you and I can be stronger than him. We''re a threat," Melina replied with a frown. Elias sank down on one of the beds, feeling overwhelmed all over again. Just when he got his footing, something else knocked his feet out right from under him. He didn''t know how to take this news. Some powerful demon wanted his head. "Can''t you guys fight him? Or at least scare him off?" Alyssa asked, looking worried. Melina shrugged, looking lost. "Maybe, but we would have to team up and grow stronger together," she replied. "Like prepare for battle?" Elias asked as he lifted his head to gaze at Melina. It sounded like they had to gear up for a fight that he didn''t think he would ever be prepared for. He could fight vampires and maybe even witches, but demons were some of the darkest creatures on the. "It''s time for you two to be a unit. You have to fight this demon before he can wreak havoc on the world," Nora spoke up. Elias scoffed as he stood up, pacing around the room. "Do you hear yourselves? How are we supposed to suddenly team up and fight a demon?" he asked them. They were asking a lot of them, and they weren''t even a hundred percent sure if he and Melina would even be strong enough together to battle the demon. "Do we even have a name or know anything about him?" "I believe his name is ric," Melina replied. "He''s been around for years, but he just started gaining power and supporters." "Supporters? So, he would be backed up," Elias asked. Things just kept getting worse and worse. Melina nodded. "We can''t just give up, Elias. He''s going toe after us regardless," she said as she stepped toward him. Elias turned away from her. He already knew that, but he didn''t want to ept that. He was basically signing a death sentence by agreeing to fight ric. Maybe he was already as good as dead if ric was determined to kill them both. "I don''t know what to do," he admitted. He couldn''t run forever. He didn''t feel strong enough to fight. He felt trapped by a demon that he hadn''t even met yet. He felt like some sort of cruel joke was being yed on him. He didn''t want to y this game any longer. Melina ced her hand on his shoulder, feeling him flinch in response. "Just help me. We''re stronger than we think," she assured him. Elias looked over at Alyssa, needing her input. She was always his guiding light, and he really needed help right now. He had never felt so lost before in his life, but he knew that he could always find his way back through her. "You can''t fight him alone," Alyssa pointed out. Elias sighed and nodded, knowing that he would have a better chance at survival if he teamed up with Melina. He still didn''t know how that would work, but they would have to figure it out. And soon. He doubted that ric was going to give them much of a recovery period before attacking them again. "Fine. I''ll help you," he said. He didn''t really have much of a choice at this point. He also knew that Alyssa would be safer if they were all a team. He didn''t want to risk ric going after Alyssa because she was connected to him.. If ric was twisted enough to set his childhood home on fire, he was twisted enough to go after the love of his life. Chapter 189 - Sacrifices "This will be dangerous, but you two will be nearly unstoppable together," Daniel told his children. Elias wasn''tpletely sure about that, but he didn''t say anything. He just hoped that he and Melina would be as powerful as everyone imed that they would be together. They needed any sliver of a chance that they could get to take down ric before they were killed first. "We need toe up with some sort of n," he said before yawning. The adrenaline was starting to wear off, and the exhaustion that he felt was starting to kick in. "I want Scott to be here. We cane up with a n in the morning," Melina replied before sitting on the other bed. "We have the room across the hallway. Tell us if you need anything," Nora told her children before leading Daniel out of the hotel room that Tyler, Melina, Alyssa, and Elias were sharing for the night. Elias looked away from Melina, wishing that she wasn''t so insistent on Scott being there. She must''ve not known how sneaky Scott could be. Then again, she hadn''t grown up with him. He crawled into the free bed with Alyssa, silence falling over the room for a few minutes. "Hey, it''ll be okay. We''ll figure out everything in the morning," Alyssa assured him with aforting smile. Elias was infinitely grateful for her and her constant support. He knew that he would go insane without her grounding him. He slipped under the covers and pulled her close to his body, wishing that they were alone. He would talk to her more tomorrow when people couldn''t hear them. "I know," he told her with a nod. Someday, maybe things would actually be okay. For now, things were a mess, but maybe there was a slight chance that they could clean all of this up without losing their lives. ******* "I thought of a n." The first thing that Elias felt when he heard those words from Melina was worry. He still didn''t know much about her, so there was no telling what she would suggest. They had a whole night to sleep on ideas for their next move, and now they were all huddled in one of the hotel rooms, including Scott. "Already?" Elias asked her. He thought that they were all going to brainstorm together. Melina shrugged with a sheepish look. "I couldn''t really sleepst night. My brain wouldn''t turn off," she replied. "Just keep an open mind." Elias felt Alyssa ce her hand on his shoulder as they all stood scattered throughout the room. He knew that was her silently telling him to hear Melina out, which he was willing to. "Alright," he said. Melina nodded and folded her fingers together in front of her, struck with a light dash of nerves as everyone turned to look at her. "I think we should go on the run for a little while," she said. Elias'' eyes grew wide in surprise, not expecting to hear that from her. He thought that they woulde up with some sort of battle n or something to face off with ric. He didn''t understand how running would solve anything. "Why? And who is we?" Elias asked her. "Slow your roll, man. She''s not even finished," Scottmented from between Melina and Daniel. He gave Elias a pointed look. Elias tightened his jaw, wondering why Scott was always defending Melina. Then again, defending Melina meant going against Elias. It was another way for Scott to dig under Elias'' skin. "Go on," Elias said. Melina nced between Elias and Scott before continuing. "Look, the only way that we can beat ric and his followers is if we team up and work together. We each have our own powers, but we need to learn how to use them together. That''ll take time that we don''t have unless we''re constantly moving," she told him. Elias tilted his head at her, trying to wrap his mind around everything. "You want us to pretty much live on the road so that we can train together?" he asked her, making sure that they were on the same page. "I know it sounds crazy, but if we keep moving, ric will have a harder time finding us. We''ll be safer," Melina told him. She had a hopeful look on her face that wavered every time Elias spoke. "I can''t just leave everything behind to go on the road. I have Alyssa, my job, my ce," Elias replied as he shook his head. He had too many things in his life to just up and leave them behind, especially on such short notice. "You''re letting your little girlfriend and your fancy job and home put everyone at risk?" Scott spoke up as he crossed his arms over his chest. "How selfish are you?" Elias red at Scott. "What are you even doing here? This has nothing to do with you," he spat. "I was the one who brought Melina to you!" Scott snapped. "How did you even know about her?" Elias asked. Scott had been around him since they were kids. He had never mentioned anything about Melina back then. "I overheard one little conversation from your parents and did a little digging," Scott said with a shrug. "What can I say? I''m resourceful. "You''re nosy," Elias replied pointedly before looking at his parents. "Do you think this is a good n?" "The two of you need to work together. You also have to get along," Nora said as she looked at her children. "Buying yourselves some time could be a good idea." "You have to make sacrifices, Elias," Daniel added. Elias dragged his fingers through his hair with a sigh. He didn''t expect to make these sacrifices, though. He didn''t expect to make them now either. His life was finally about to go back to normal, and then the sky fell. "It''s not going to work for me. I can''t leave Alyssa behind because she''s already been attacked before because of me," Elias replied. She was always toward the front of his mind, and he couldn''t bring himself to take her away from her life and her job that she loved.. It would be selfish of him. Chapter 190 - Her Support "She cane," Melina said. "Tyler will be with me." "And I''ming too," Scott said with a bold grin. "Gotta have someone around to moderate." Elias rolled his eyes. He should''ve expected Scott to try to force his way into any situation possible. "She''s a doctor. She can''t just leave everything behind toe with me," he said sternly. He would never ask that of her. Alyssa suddenly came up to his side, taking his arm. "I''lle with you," she told him. Elias looked at her in shock. She couldn''t possibly be serious. She had too much back in New York to just leave it behind. He didn''t want her to feel obliged toe along. "You don''t have to. I''m fine with us staying in New York together," he told her as he turned to face her, cing his hands on her upper arms. "But what if ric attacks? What if something bad happens?" Alyssa asked, looking worried. "You need to be ready. I can''t lose you." Elias frowned as he gazed at her. He hadn''t seen her look this tense in a while, and he didn''t want her to be ovee with worry for him. He cupped her face and pressed a gentle kiss against her forehead. "You won''t lose me. I just can''t ask you to leave your job behind for me," Elias said. Alyssa peered at him for a moment before shrugging. "I''m great in my field. I can always get another job or go back to my old one after everything settles," she replied. "I would rather be alive and jobless than dead." "Huh. I guess I was wrong about you," Scottmented. Elias immediately turned on Scott, getting in his space. "What does that mean?" he snapped. "I always thought that she would hold you back. Distract you," Scott replied evenly. He nced over at Alyssa with a smirk. "Sorry about that." "Guys, stop," Melina sighed as she stepped closer to them. "I know this isn''t ideal, but ric will kill all of us. We have to do this to even have a chance against him." "She''s right," Alyssa spoke up. She grabbed Elias'' hand, tugging him away from Scott. "We have bigger issues to deal with. Your parents'' house war burned down. That had to be a warning for what''s toe." Elias rubbed the back of his neck, calming himself down. If Alyssa supported the n, then there had to be something good about it. It would be a hassle leaving his life behind, but he also didn''t want to die. It was a sacrifice that he had to make. "Fine. We can try it," he said. They could always stop if things didn''t work out. He wasn''t actively rooting against the n, but he wasn''t sure how well it would work. He didn''t even know how to go about training with Melina. Melina brightened up a little. "Great. Tyler and I will figure out travel arrangements," she said. "No, no. We''ll take care of it," Daniel said, waving his hand dismissively. "You just lost your house. You have enough to worry about," Melina said, shaking her head. "We want to make sure that you''re well taken care of on the road," Nora replied as she looked between Elias and Melina with a hint of a smile on her face. "I''ve been waiting for you two to be reunited for so long." Elias didn''t say anything. He had a whole list of snarky replies to that, but his mom looked so happy right now that he couldn''t bring himself to speak his thoughts. He would let his mom have this moment. He had things to go take care of. "Well, we have to go to New York to take care of some things. When are we leaving?" Elias asked Melina. He would rather the ns go through her than through Scott. "On Friday," Melina said before ncing at Tyler and Scott. "If that''s okay." "I''m ready," Scott said as he rubbed his hands together. Elias turned to Alyssa. "Are you sure you want toe?" he asked her. He would drop everything for her in a heartbeat if she wanted him to. Her safety was more important to him than his own. That was what it was like for him to be in love, but he wouldn''t trade that for the world. "I''m right by your side the whole way," Alyssa reminded him. Elias breathed in slowly and nodded. It looked like they were about to take an extended road trip. He still wasn''t sure how he felt about that, but he had made his mind up. They were going, and he could only hope that ric didn''t quickly catch up. ********** "Just send me any important reports. I can look over them and send back anyments," Elias said as he spoke on the phone with one of his assistants. He paced through his penthouse, rubbing the back of his head as he moved. He was lucky that he could trust his staff to take care of hispany while he was gone, but it still felt weird handing over control. Hispany had been his baby for a long time. It had been his saving grace in a way because it kept him focused on his future instead of the pain that he felt from the breakup. Without hispany, he would''ve surely fallen apart. Now, he had something that he made that he could be proud of, and it allowed him to livefortably. He didn''t want to lose all of that hard work. "I want all of the meetings recorded so that I can look back on them too," Elias added. He wanted to be kept in the loop as much as possible. He had no idea how long he was going to be gone for, so he didn''t want to be set too far behind. It made him feel better to know that he would be able to catch up once things settled.. If they ever did.allnovelfull Chapter 191 - One Night He had no idea how long he was going to be gone for, so he didn''t want to be set too far behind. It made him feel better to know that he would be able to catch up once things settled. If they ever did. "Alright. Okay. Thank you," Elias murmured before hanging up. He sighed and tossed his phone on the couch, continuing to pace. Soon, he would leave New York behind and head all over the country, trying to outpace ric and his followers. He hardly knew anything about his enemy, but he knew that ric was real. He had seen him. Elias turned when he heard the front door unlock and then swing open. He watched Alyssa walk inside with a slight slump to her shoulders that she tried to shake off before he saw. He frowned and walked over to her. "How did it go?" he asked her. He had been regretting this day, but he couldn''t stop it froming. Neither could she. "I''m officially jobless," Alyssa said with a faint smile on her face, trying to make light of the situation. She reached out and took his hand. "But I''m fine. I''m sure some hospital will hire me." "You''re incredible at what you do. I feel terrible about taking you away from all those kids," Elias told her. So many people needed her because she was so good at what she did. She was talented and caring, and he was stealing all of her attention away. It didn''t make him feel right. "If we do this, lives will be saved. That''s all I care about," Alyssa replied, giving his hand aforting squeeze. "Life will be waiting for us when we return." Elias hoped that they got the chance to return. He didn''t want to be stuck on the run forever. Part of him wanted to face ric now, but he had a feeling that he would lose. He couldn''t risk losing his life and leaving Alyssa all alone. He had to be smart about this, and Melina''s n gave him the best chance at survival. "Thank you foring with me. I''ll make it up to you," Elias promised her. He didn''t know how he was going to do that yet, but he would figure out something to make this fair. He had to do a huge favor, though. "You don''t have to apologize or make anything up to me, Elias," Alyssa assured him as she wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing them closer to each other. "We''re safer together." Elias rested his hands on her back, caressing her. He was d that they were a team because he couldn''t go through all of this alone. She was his rock. "I just hope everything goes well. If that''s even possible," he told her. It was hard to imagine a good oue because he hardly knew what that looked like. Did he and Mnie be so ultra-powerful duo and take down ric and his followers with ease in one big battle? Was this a one and done deal? Or would thisst for months? Years? "It is possible. Everyone is working together toe out of this alive. You have to do your part," Alyssa said as she peered up at him. Elias nodded, realizing how right she was. He had been pouting andining so much, but he was a part of this problem whether he liked it or not. He had a part to y, and if he wanted everyone in his life to be safe, he had to y it. "I will," he promised her. "And¡­ I''ll try to get to know my sister." Alyssa smiled at him. "You should. She couldn''t help that you guys were separated, and she seems nice," she pointed out. Elias lowered his eyes. He knew that he shouldn''t be so much of a jerk to Melina, but it was jarring having a stranger suddenlye into his life and im that she''s his twin sister. It took him a while to adjust. He was still trying to adjust. "She seems kind of different from me," he murmured. Melina was soft-spoken, almost a little shy. However, he had seen her use her powers, and she was definitely strong underneath that soft exterior. "You two grew up in different environments. I bet you guys have some things inmon, though," Alyssa told him as she stroked her fingers through his hair. Elias rested his forehead against hers, closing his eyes and enjoying how close they were. He wasn''t ready to leave this ce. He wanted to do so many things here with her, but danger was lurking nearby. He had to get moving tomorrow. "We''ll see," he said. That was all that he could promise her. Maybe he and Melina would get along, or maybe they wouldn''t have a single thing inmon. Only time would tell, and they would have to spend a lot of time together on the road. Alyssa cupped his cheek, drawing his eyes to hers. "I''m proud of you for doing this," she told him. Elias felt his throat tighten. He couldn''t get any words out. He turned his head and kissed her palm gently to show his gratitude. His lips then trailed to her wrist, drawing a soft gasp from her at the sensitive touch. He turned his head to gaze at her. "We have one more night in this ce. We should enjoy it," he told her, giving her a suggestive smile. He didn''t know when they would have the time or privacy to fully enjoy each other''spany either, so he needed to take advantage of this time now. Alyssa smiled at him and nodded. "Now, you''re talking," she said as she drifted one hand down his chest. Elias wanted to tear her clothes off right there in the foyer, but he wanted to do things right tonight. He wanted to take his time and appreciate every single inch of her. He took her hand and backed up toward his bedroom. "Then, let''s go," he said, coaxing her to pick up her pace as they made their way to the bedroom for one more night of bliss. Chapter 192 - Beautiful Love Elias wasted no time in pulling Alyssa on top of him once they made it to the bed. He leaned back against his pillows, guiding her so that she could straddle his waist. Even the light friction of their hips grating made heat re through him. He dug his fingertips into her waist, holding her tightly as their lips joined together. Alyssa grabbed at the bottom of his shirt, making quick work of yanking it off. She went for the waist of his joggers before Elias grabbed her hands to stop her. "Slow down," Elias breathed out against her lips. As much as he wanted to get to the best part, he wanted to enjoy the entire journey there. Teasing her could be just as pleasurable to him. He moved her hands to rest on his chest, letting them feel the grooves of his muscles. Alyssa nodded and resumed kissing him, letting her lips mold with his. They were a perfect fit. Every single time they kissed proved that even more. She rocked her hips down against him, making him push his hips up against her. Elias gritted his teeth briefly, already feeling himself harden due to the friction. She knew exactly what she was doing to him, and he couldn''t bring himself to stop her. The grinding felt too good. He gripped the back of her neck, holding her steady as they kissed and grinded. Alyssa pushed her hand into his hair, curling her fingers around the soft strands to gently pull. She parted her lips, letting the faintest sh of her tongue caress his bottom lip. Elias nearly groaned at the sensation. He pressed an open-mouthed kiss against her lips, feeling the soft warmth of her tongue against his. He felt his restraint start to wear away with each heated kiss. She was driving him crazy already, but he couldn''t think of a time when she didn''t. "Damn, you drive me crazy," he murmured as he leaned back slightly to peer at her. His eyes swept up her body, prompting him to tug off her shirt so that he could see her bare skin. His fingertips traced the outline of her bra, teasing her. Alyssa writhed slightly on hisp, shuddering from his touch. "Stop teasing," she whined, beginning to reach back to undo her bra herself. Elias reached out and caught her hands again, stopping her. "That''s for me to do when I want," he told her, cing her hands back on his chest. "Patience." "But I want you now," Alyssa said as she ran her fingers up and down his chest and abdomen. "Who knows when we''ll get to do this again?" "I don''t care if we''re all crowded together. I''ll find a way," Elias replied as he gripped her waist, squeezing her curves appreciatively. He didn''t know how he was going to act on his words, but he was sure that he would find a way. He was pretty sure that he would eventually be determined enough. He couldn''t resist her for long. Elias shared a grin with her before unsping her bra and tossing it. He caressed her breasts in his hands, squeezing them as he leaned forward to take her hard nipples into his mouth. He sucked on them, letting his tongue circle them. He wanted to taste every inch of her. Alyssa tilted her head back in bliss, gripping his hair as he put his tongue and lips to work. He knew her body better than anyone, even after all of these years. She rolled her hips down against his, feeling how hard he was under her. Elias grabbed her hips and flipped them over,ying her down on her back under him. He yanked her pants and panties off, leaving her bare and needy beneath him. He would give her anything that she wanted. "You''re so beautiful," he said as he admired the sight of her. He pulled off the rest of his clothes beforeying down between her legs and burying his face between her thighs to stroke his tongue over her clit. He couldn''t even wait to tease her. He had to taste her and please her like he used to. He gripped her thighs tightly, keeping them parted so that he had room to move. Alyssa arched her back with a moan. She pushed her hips up against his mouth, chasing the smooth motions of his tongue. "Don''t stop," she pleaded. Her body was already tensing up. Elias had no ns to stop just yet. He flicked his tongue over her clit before dragging it through her folds. He explored every inch, leaving her wet and yearning for more. He could spend an eternity between her perfect thighs. Alyssa gripped the bedsheets, pulling on them with each stroke of his tongue. She breathed in and out heavily, like she couldn''t get enough air. His name broke from her lips as she writhed beneath him. Elias could tell that she was getting close. He circled his tongue around her clit a few more times before suddenly sitting up. She didn''t even get a singleint out before he buried himself inside of her, pulling her legs around his waist. He watched her arch, parting her lips in shock and pleasure. "I missed this," he told her as he stroked her thighs, letting her adjust. He couldn''t believe that he managed to survive so long without her. "Me too," Alyssa said once she found her voice. She ced her hands over his and nodded. "Make me yours again." There was nothing else that Elias wanted to do more. He tightened his hold on her hips and started to slowly thrust into her, pacing himself at first. She felt so good, so warm. His pace started to quicken as his thrusts went deeper. Light moans broke from Alyssa as the pacing changed. She let go of his hands and grabbed the sheets again, using them for stability as he rocked against her. Elias ran his hands up her body, caressing her breasts and curves. He wanted to touch all over her perfect body, but he focused on his movements. He leaned over slightly, grabbing the small of her back to lift her hips and shift the angle. "Right there!" Alyssa gasped out. Her eyes nearly rolled back as heat took over her entire body. She was close. Elias pushed into her harder and faster, determined to make her fall apart. He could feel how tense her body was under his. He dug his fingertips into her back, holding her steady as he kept moving. His own control was starting to crack, and he knew that he wasn''t far behind her. Alyssa suddenly threw her head back as her body shuddered and shook. She yanked on the sheets so hard that Elias thought that they were going to tear. Watching her fall apart sent him rushing off the edge right after her. A st of pleasure struck him, making him wilt over her a few secondster. He breathed in and out deeply, feeling winded after all of the intensity. "So good," he murmured, hardly able to form any other words. He grinned down at her, brushing her hair out of her face. "Beautiful." "You are all about thepliments tonight," Alyssaughed as she gazed up at him. "Because I love you and you need to know that," Elias replied. She deserved every singlepliment and more. He was sure that he could think up a million others to give her. Alyssa smiled at him, reaching up to wind her arms around his neck. "I do know that. You''re very good at reminding me," she said as she nestled her warm body against his. Elias smirked, shaking his head at her teasing. She needed to watch herself, or there would be a round two. That honestly didn''t sound like a bad idea right now, but they needed to rest first. "I just never want you to forget," he said, his voiceing out softer. No matter what, he wanted her to know that he loved her. "Hey, everything is going to be okay. We''re going to be back in this bed together before you know it," she said. Elias gave her a grateful look and nodded. He was d that she was so positive. It helped him stop being so negative. He needed to change his way of thinking before it severely impacted him. Even worse, it could affect her. He never wanted to bring her down with his attitude. "Well, I can''t wait," he told her. "There are quite a few more things that I''d like to do in this bed with you." "We have years of sex to catch up on," Alyssaughed as she stroked the hair on the back of his head. Elias chuckled and nodded. They still had a lot of things to catch up on, and they had new memories to make too. He didn''t like putting this part of his life on pause, but he would if that meant preserving it. He didn''t want to lose everything to ric. "That''s one night out of hundreds that we need to make up," he told her. He didn''t mind ying a game of catch-up, though. He could mess around with her all night long. "Bring it on," Alyssa said, lifting an eyebrow at him in a suggestive manner. Elias leaned down and kissed her deeply, unable to put in words how much he adored her. A big reason why he was doing this n was because of her. He wanted to keep her safe and make sure that they had a happy future together.. Anything was worth that to him, and he refused to let anyone take that away. Chapter 193 - Nothing Worse "This? This is how we''re traveling?" Elias asked as he stared ahead at a ck luxury RV. It was huge, so it could fit the five of them. "What else did you expect?" Scott smirked. "We had to get creative for life on the road." Elias looked over at Alyssa, who smiled and shrugged. Laughter suddenly broke from him as he shook his head. He couldn''t believe his life right now. He would be stuck in a RV with the love of his life, the cousin he despised, and his secret sister and her boyfriend. It seemed like a bad joke, but he had to roll with it. "Alright, fine," he said before walking up to the side door of the RV. He pulled it open and stepped inside, peering around the interior. It was as nice as it looked on the outside. There was a sofa that pulled out into a bed, two extra seats, a television, a kitchte, a bathroom with a shower, and a bedroom in the back with a closet. It had almost everything that they would need for life on the road except space. "Cozy." Melina moved to stand at my side, ncing around with a sheepish smile. "We''ll stay in motels some nights just so that everyone can get some time away from each other," she assured me. I looked at her and smiled a little. She read my mind. "Yeah, that sounds good," I told her before lugging my bags and Alyssa''s bags on board. Everyone got situated, cing their things out of the way in the RV before all gathering in the main area. "Who is driving?" Alyssa asked curiously. "I figured we could do shifts, but Tyler is fine driving a good bit of the time. He was my driver for a while," Melina said with a lightugh as she ced her hand on Tyler''s muscr arm. Tyler shed her a smile. "I couldn''t keep you out of my sight," he replied. Melina rolled her eyes yfully. "Yeah, that turned from a business sense to a romantic sense. You couldn''t keep your eyes off me," she said before turning back to the others. "Five people can sleep in here. There''s a bed in the back. We can rotate that too." "I call the bed tonight," Scott said, starting to make his way toward the hallway that led to the master bedroom. Melina reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him. "The bed is for couples. Four people can''t fit on the sofa bed and the chairs out here," she told him. She motioned to the two extra chairs. "You''ll have to put the chairs together for your bed. The cushions are soft." Scott scoffed and copsed in one of the two chairs. "Whatever," he muttered, gettingfy in the soft cushion. Elias couldn''t help but grin to himself. At least Melina didn''t mindlessly follow Scott''s every demand or move. He turned to Alyssa. "You okay with that?" he asked. He didn''t mind alternating the sofa bed and the master bed with Melina and Tyler. At least he would have a little alone time with Alyssa every other night. Maybe things wouldn''t be too bad if they threw in a few nights at a hotel every once in a while. "Yeah, definitely," Alyssa said with a nod. She nudged his arm with hers. "It''ll all be fine." Elias could hear the reassurance in her tone. He pressed a gentle kiss against her temple. He was d to have her by his side for this. She would keep him sane and focused. "Well, I''m ready to go when you guys are," he told them. If they were going to do this, he wanted to go ahead and start so that they could get it over with as soon as possible. "Let''s go," Tyler said before heading for the driver''s seat of the RV. "I''m taking the bed during the day," Scottmented before heading to the master bedroom toy down. Melina watched him go before sitting down in his old seat. She messed with the hem of her ck jean jacket as she settled in for the ride. Alyssa and Elias sat across from her on the sofa, trying to get rxed. They were in this now. They couldn''t back out. That would ruin all of the progress that they would make. Elias nced toward Tyler as he drove the RV out of the parking lot and to the road. "So, he was your bodyguard?" Elias asked Melina. Melina smiled and shrugged, visibly rxing at the sound of her boyfriend''s name. "Something like that. Our parents sent him to me when I needed him the most. He was just there to protect me, but we ended up falling for each other," Melina told him. "You can''t help who you fall in love with," Elias said with a hint of a smile. He nced at Alyssa, who smiled back at him. Both couples were a mix of beings. Human and vampire. Vampire and witch. "Agreed," Melina replied warmly. She motioned to the two of them. "What about you guys? How did you meet?" "We met at college. We were in the same psychology ss," Elias exined as he took Alyssa''s hand. "I was not doing so hot, and she helped me study." Melina gazed at them with an awed expression. "That''s sweet. So, you''re college sweethearts," she said. Elias and Alyssa nced at each other with a sheepish look. "Well, kind of. We broke up at the end of college and just recently got back together," Elias replied. "What? Why?" Melina asked, her eyes widening. "Our parents actually. They were afraid that I would hurt her because she''s human. I had to prove to them and myself that I was strong enough to control my urges and my strength around her," Elias said. "I never believed that he would hurt me, but I understand where they wereing from," Alyssa added. Melina nodded as she listened. "You seem pretty in control of yourself. I guess they didn''t want anything identally happening and you being torn up about it.. There''s nothing worse than hurting the people that you love," Melina said. Chapter 194 - Bonding Elias couldn''t agree more. Breaking up with Alyssa and just leaving her behind crushed him, but he knew that it hurt Alyssa more. He would never forgive himself for how he went about breaking up with her, but he had been too weak to say a proper goodbye. He knew that it would''ve killed him. Now, he swore to never hurt her like that again. "Or watching them get hurt and not being able to do anything about it," Elias added. "That''s why we''re doing this. I want to protect the people around me," Melina said. Elias nodded, giving Alyssa''s hand a squeeze. "I just hope this works. I don''t really know how to go about training with you," Elias admitted. "Well, we have to get to know each other first. Our strengths. Our weaknesses. I have to be strong where you''re weak and vice versa," Melina replied. "It''s more about strategy than anything." "He can be incredibly stubborn. That''s one of his weaknesses," Alyssa said, coaxing a lightugh from Melina. She gave Elias a sweet smile. "You know that it''s true." "Yeah, yeah. You can be just as stubborn too," Elias fired back before turning to Melina. "How powerful are you?" "Hmm I haven''t fully developed yet but I have some that are unique to me. My healing capabilities are better," Melina exined. "I can also control some elements ." "Like fire and stuff?" Alyssa asked with a curious look. Melina smiled and nodded. "Witches can specialize in certain powers, but we can always learn new ones too. It just takes a lot of time and patience," she replied. "Demons are more clear cut. We''re born with the powers that we''ll have, but we can strengthen them throughout time," Elias added. "I have human healing capabilities," Alyssa said with a lightugh. "Which is a power in its own. She''s one of the best pediatric surgeons," Elias told Melina. "That''s incredible. You have power in your hands and in your mind," Melina told Alyssa. Alyssa smiled brightly. "Thanks," she told them. Elias turned to Melina. "There''s one element that I can control," he told her. "I haven''t told our parents." "What is it?" Melina asked with an intrigued look. It''s rare for demons to be able to control elements." "Maybe it''s where the witch and demon blood mingle in me. I can control fire. Sort of. I can start it, but I don''t have a lot of control over it," Elias exined to her. He didn''t try to mess with it much besides lighting candles because he didn''t want it to rage out of control. Too much fire could even kill him. Melina''s eyes widened. "We might be able to do something with that. I think we finally have somewhere to start." ******* Elias stirred faintly, sliding open one eye to peer across the sofa from where he wasying. He vaguely rememberedying down for a nap since road life was already wearing him down a little. There was nothing to do but to talk and sleep right now. When they got farther away from New York, they could make more stops. For now, they had to put more distance between them and ric. When his vision sharpened, he saw Melina and Alyssa talking to each other in the chairs across from him. He closed his eye, listening to them instead as he tried to fully wake up from his deep nap. He didn''t even know how long he had been sleeping for. "I personally love healing magic. I not only draw it from within me, but I can also conjure it through spells and herbs," Melina exined to Alyssa. "Really? Herbs?" Alyssa asked, sounding surprised. Melina nodded. "There are so many healing herbs. If you mix them right, you can create powerful poultices to heal all sorts of ailments and injuries. Mixing spells with herbs can help too," she told Alyssa. "But only witches can use those things," Alyssa said. "Not necessarily. If you believe in your ability to heal and the power of the Earth, you can use spells and herbs that work," Melina replied. "But ites from spiritual energy. You have to believe in what you''re doing." Alyssa nodded her understanding. "Wow. I had no idea that it worked like that. I mean, I''ve heard of people using herbs and spiritual forms of healing, but people write them off as crazy or something," she exined. Melinaughed softly. "Some of them are, but there are true healers that are human. I''ve met them before, and I''ve even learned some things from them," Melina told her. "As long as you''re open to learning and believing, you can use that form of magic." "That sounds really interesting. All I know is the scientific ways of healing. Stuff I learned in medical school and in textbooks," Alyssa said. "That''s a good form of healing too. It works. As long as it works, nothing else matters," Melina replied. "I''d be happy to show you some of the herbs and spells sometime." "You brought some with you?" Alyssa asked her with wide eyes. Melina cracked an amused smile. "I''m a witch. I always have my things with me. They give me reassurance and strength," she replied as she motioned to one of her bags. "That''s so cool," Alyssa said with an excitedugh. Elias couldn''t help but smile slightly to himself. It was nice hearing Alyssa get giddy over learning something new. It would be really interesting to see if she could hear in a spiritual way as well as in her usual way. He knew how smart she was, so he had no doubt that she could figure it out. He decided that it was time to wake up and stop eavesdropping. He stretched his arms out above his head before slowly sitting up, blinking his eyes open. "How long have I been asleep?" he asked them. "A few hours," Melina told him. "It''s night already." I I I I Chapter 195 - Trust Elias rubbed his eyes and nodded. He still felt a little tired, but he could feel a pang of hunger in his stomach. "I''m hungry." Melina nodded, "Let me ask Tyler if he wants to grab a bite too." "Ty, are you hungry?" Melina called to him. "Yeah, I''m going to pull over at a rest stop soon for the rest of the night," Tyler called back. "Should we wake Scott?" Melina asked. Elias shook his head. "I take it that you guys don''t really like each other," Melinamented, lifting an eyebrow. "He''s always beenpetitive with me. He always has to be better. He always has to prove a point against mine," Elias muttered as he shook his head. "And he hasn''t exactly been the biggest supporter of my rtionship." "He''s not the easiest person to be around, but I do owe him," Melina exined. Elias sighed and nodded, knowing where she wasing from. He didn''t want to argue with her or have tension with her either. They needed to work together, and that started with them actually liking each other. He didn''t mind her. He thought that she was kind and smart. It was just hard for him to jump the hurdle of her being a stranger to him. She was his sister, but it would take some time for him to see her as such. Hopefully, he was given that time, and it wouldn''t be toote for all of them. There was no telling how close ric was to them. They wouldn''t know until he made himself known. "Just don''t trust himpletely," Elias said. He had never trusted Scottpletely in his life, and it was for good reason. Someone as narcissistic as Scott could betray him in an instant if there was something in it for Scott. "The only person I trustpletely is Tyler," Melina said as she nced his way. "He''s proven his loyalty to me more times than I can count. I''d be dead without him." "Well, he definitely loves you enough to put his life on the line for you. I can tell," Elias told her with a hint of a smile on his face. He had already gotten plenty of hard stares from Tyler when he raised his voice at Melina, so he knew that Tyler would crush anyone that tried to threaten Melina. Melina smiled warmly and nodded. "I would do the same for him," she said. Elias nced at Alyssa. He would die for her in an instant. No questions asked. He wanted her to live a happy, full life, whether that was with him or not. Of course, he preferred for them to be together forever, but he knew how harsh life could be at times. They had to make it as far as they could. "I love you," he whispered to her. He didn''t know what was going to happen to them on this trip, but he wanted them to make it out alive. They had a whole wonderful life awaiting them back in New York that he didn''t want them to miss out on. "I love you," Alyssa whispered back with that glowing smile on her face. He didn''t know what he would do if he never saw that smile again. After another thirty minutes, the RV finally came to a stop in a rest stop off the interstate. Everyone got something to eat and settled for a little while before getting ready for bed. They had another long day of driving ahead of them tomorrow. With each passing day, the chance of running into ric became stronger and stronger. They had to be ready because danger wasing whether they were prepared or not. ******* Soft sunlight flooded the inside of the RV through its various windows, coaxing Elias awake slowly. He stirred on the pullout couch next to Alyssa, who continued to doze soundly. He had offered the bed to Melina and Tylerst night since Tyler had driven so much. Surprisingly, the pullout couch was prettyfortable. Elias quietly slipped off the pullout couch, trying not to wake Alyssa or Scott, who slept in a makeshift bed of the two lounge chairs. He peered down the hallway toward the bedroom to see that the door to the bedroom was open for some reason. With a confused expression, he edged closer to the bedroom until he could see the bed. Only Tyler was sleeping. Where was Melina at? Elias nced all around the RV, even checking the front seats to see if she had snoozed there for some reason. She was gone. He felt a jolt of worry as he opened the door to the RV and slipped out, the sun nearly blinding him. He held his hand over his eyes, peering around the rest stop. Elias saw truckers, lone travelers, and families venturing to and from the rest stop building. He figured that maybe Melina took a walk or got a snack from one of the vending machines. What if she took off, though? He then shook his head. Melina would never leave Tyler behind like that. She had to be around here somewhere. He walked around the rest stop, passing by the vending machines and restrooms until he reached a grassy field in the back. Some people were walking their dogs. Some were lounging on wooden benches. His eyes stopped roaming when he saw someone sitting at the base of a small oak tree in the near distance. Elias walked over to Melina, seeing that her legs were crossed and her eyes were closed. He tried to quiet his steps, but her eyes popped open. "Sorry. I couldn''t find you for a second," he said. He hadn''t meant to disturb whatever she was doing. An amused look crossed Melina''s face. "What? You thought I ran off or something?" she asked him. Elias shrugged sheepishly. "I knew you wouldn''t leave Tyler, but you were just gone," he told her. "What are you doing out here?" "Meditating," Melina replied before patting the ground next to her. "It''s important that I stay connected to the Earth." "For your magic?" Elias questioned as he sat next to her. "And my soul. It''s good for you," Melina told him. "How did you learn all this stuff?" Elias asked. No one had ever talked to him about the Earth or helping his soul or whatever. Maybe it was just a witch thing. Demons were seen as parasites to the Earth.. He didn''t want to be a parasite, but he couldn''t deny his nature. Chapter 196 - Hanging In There "Adide , she was my guardian"Melina replied. Her expression wavered for a moment. She almost looked sad, but she forced a smile on her face as she looked at him. "She was a witch too." "Did you like her? Was she good at raising you?" Elias asked, unable to help his curiosity. His parents had done a good job raising him. Melina seemed to have herself together fairly well, so he could only imagine that Adide was a good guardian for her. At least his parents made sure that Melina was in good hands. "She was incredible. In a sense, she was also my mom," Melina replied. Elias peered at Melina curiously as she suddenly fell silent. He could sense some tension in their conversation that hadn''t been there before Adide had been brought up. Something had happened, especially since Melina kept referring to her in the past tense. "You said that you went to boarding school?" he asked her, switching the conversation up. He didn''t want to make her upset if something bad had happened. He just wanted to learn more about her. That was important for this trip. Melina nodded, brightening slightly. "I started going when I was twelve. It was a special type of boarding school,that''s where I met Adide." she said with a sly smile. "There are schools for witches?" Elias asked her with a look of disbelief on his face. "For any supernatural beings," Melina replied as she tilted her head at him. "You didn''t go to a special school?" Elias shook his head. "I was in school with humans. I guess my parents wanted me to get better integrated with them at an early age," he said, pondering on that. He hadn''t even known that there were schools where people like him attended. "That''s smart. It''s easier for witches to act like humans than demons," Melina pointed out. "They did you a favor. A lot of the demons there had issues with being around humans. They were put in the boarding school to learn how to control their powers." Elias nodded as he listened. He was d that he had gotten control of himself fairly quickly. He couldn''t imagine being unable to control his thirst. Going too long without spilling blood was painful and exhausting. It drove demonsto do crazy, dangerous things to get rid of that awful feeling. After all, they were created to kill and destroy. "And you learned how to use your powers," he inferred. Melina smiled and nodded. She nced down at a few stray leaves on the ground near them, gently waving her hand to make the leaves suddenly float and drift away. "I wouldn''t be me without my powers," she murmured. "I actually just wanted to be human for a while," Elias admitted to her. It felt easier to deny his nature as much as possible since he was surrounded by humans. Even the love of his life was human, and all of his problems came from supernatural sources. "You haven''t taken full advantage of your powers yet. That''ll change your mind," Melina told him. "Just keep an open mind." Elias figured that she had a point. He needed to be epting of his powers since a huge threat wasing their way. His powers would keep him and those around him alive, and that was his goal at the end of all this. He just wanted everyone to be alive. "There you two are," Scott''s voice sounded from behind them. He trudged up to them. "I thought you two took off or something." "He thought the same when he couldn''t find me," Melina smirked as she got to her feet, dusting off her ck jeans. She extended a hand out to Elias. Elias took her hand, letting her pull him to his feet. "We''re safer together than alone," he pointed out. He knew that Melina hadn''t gone far from the RV, but danger lurked in the ces that they least expected it to. "We''re about to head out. Don''t need to stay in one ce for too long," Scott told them, motioning for them to follow him back to the RV. Elias sighed softly, taking a moment to breathe in the fresh air. It was nice being outside and getting to stretch his legs for a moment. There was no telling how long they would be trapped in that RV for. However, he knew that staying in one ce for too long wasn''t safe. They had no idea where ric was or how close he could be getting to them. It was better to keep moving. "Maybe one of our powers is time travel and we can skip all this," Melina joked as she started to walk back to the RV. Elias smirked and shook his head, wishing that could actually be true. They had a long journey ahead of them to endure, and they had only just gotten started. So far, trouble hadn''t caught up with them yet, but it was only a matter of time. ******* A few days of driving across the country in the RV had passed. So far, there had been no signs of ric or his followers, but everyone waited with bated breath. Eventually, something was going to happen. It was torturous not knowing exactly what and when that would happen. Scott took over driving for thete afternoon. Melina and Tyler retired to the pullout couch to take a nap, while Elias and Alyssa went to the bedroom together. Elias shut the door behind them and crawled onto the queen-sized bed, flopping down near Alyssa''s side. Alyssa turned onto her side to face him, giving him a soft smile. "Hanging in there?" she asked him. Elias shrugged his shoulders, unsure of how to answer that. He was d that he was getting to know Melina more, but having to wait for something to happen was driving him crazy. He felt like he was on edge all the time, and it exhausted him. However, he didn''t want to sleep too long in case something did happen. "Just tired," he told her. He didn''t want to worry her even more. He could tell that she was stressed too, but she tried not to show it so much. "Yeah," Alyssa agreed as she drifted her fingers through his hair, watching his eyes flutter shut. "Traveling and seeing new things is nice, though." A hint of a smile crossed Elias'' lips. She was still trying to find silver linings. He admired her for that.. He admired her endlessly. Chapter 197 - Nightmare/Future "I wish we could enjoy it more," he told her. This was far from a vacation for them. They were essentially running for their lives, trying to buy themselves time to get stronger. They blew past cities and sights that he would''ve loved to stop and explore with her. Maybe they could one day. They just had to make it out of this alive first. "I''m just d that we''re together," Alyssa said, brushing her fingertips along the frame of his face as their eyes met. That was the biggest silver lining out of this entire situation. He didn''t know how he would handle all of this stress and uncertainty without her. She kept him from falling apart at the seams, and he hoped that he was bringing her some form offort. "How are you doing?" he asked her. "I''m scared, but it''s nice seeing you and Melina get along. That gives me hope," Alyssa said with a soft smile. Elias nodded, knowing that everyone was relying on him and Melina to get along and bond so that they were stronger. "We''re different, but I can see how we''re simr in some ways," he told Alyssa. He still had a lot to learn, but he was d that Melina was easy to get along with. He knew that he hadn''t exactly been like that at the start, but he was warming up to her. "A lot of siblings are different from each other. Doesn''t make them any less rted to each other," Alyssa pointed out. "She''s been showing me some herbs and spells." Elias chuckled, cocking an eyebrow at her. "Are you trying to be a witch or something?" he teased her. He liked that Melina and Alyssa were getting along too. Alyssa smirked and shook her head. "I can''t be a witch, but I wouldn''t mind learning a few extra healing techniques. I''m technically a healer after all," Alyssa pointed out with a proud smile. "Yeah, you are," Elias said before leaning forward to kiss her on the forehead. He was happy that she got to learn more about healing while on the road. He knew that she missed helping people. A yawn soon broke from Alyssa as she cuddled up close to his chest. "I''m so tired," she murmured. Elias put his arm around her, holding her close. His eyes had been feeling heavy for a while now. He rested his head against hers. "Let''s just take a quick nap," he told her, finally letting his eyes close. ******** A jolt of lightning broke through the sky above Elias'' head. He jerked his head up, staring up at pitch ck. He couldn''t see any stars or clouds. There was just darkness and the full moon, beaming down on the grassy field that he stood in. Elias felt something drip down the side of his face. He lifted his hand, touching his fingertips to the trail that it left behind. He brought his hand into view and felt his stomach lurch at the sight of blood. Panic thundered through him as he looked down at his clothes, seeing that they were tattered and covered with blood too. With a gasp, Elias stepped back. The back of his foot struck something solid, making him stumble backwards and fall to the ground. His back struck the ground, making a painful huff leave him as the breath was knocked from him. He slowly lifted his head, trying to see what he had tripped over. At his feet, covered in blood, was Alyssa with her eyes staring up lifelessly at the full moon. Her face was paler than before, washed out by moonlight. He had never seen her so still before. Elias'' eyes burned as he got to his knees, crawling over to her. He gently put his hands on her, giving her a shake. "Alyssa? Alyssa?" he said. His voice gradually turned into sobs. He pulled her limp body against his, brushing her hair back from her bloodstained face. "What happened? What happened?" He couldn''t stop muttering to himself, his mind racing. He didn''t understand what was going on. He didn''t even know where he was at. He looked up from Alyssa and felt his heart drop into his stomach. Out in the field were the bodies of Melina, Tyler, and Scott. They were bloody. Mangled. Elias'' chest grew tight, so tight that he couldn''t breathe. He gripped his chest, feeling himself panic even more than he already was. Theck of air was starting to make him dizzy. As his head started to ache, he heardughter boom from behind him. He didn''t even have to turn around to know who it came from. Before he could even turn his head to look, ck dots filled his vision, and he copsed onto the ground. ****** "Elias? Elias!" Alyssa''s voice jolted Elias awake from his nightmare. Elias sat up straight in bed, turning to see Alyssa, who peered at him in shock and worry. Before he could say anything to her, Tyler''s voice sounded from the other part of the RV beyond the bedroom door. "Melina! Wake up!" "What''s going on?" Elias asked, feeling mmy all over. He pressed his hand against his forehead, realizing that he had broken out into a cold sweat. He felt hot and cold at the same time. "You were having a nightmare. I think Melina is too," Alyssa said, her tone full of worry. Elias stumbled out of bed, his knees threatening to give out, but he kept going. He threw open the bedroom door to see Melina gasping for breath on the edge of the pullout bed. Tears streaked her cheeks as Tyler rubbed her back, checking in on her. "You saw what I did?" Elias asked as he stood in front of Melina. Melina lifted her head to peer up at Elias. She held his gaze for a few moments before nodding. "The field. The blood," she murmured. "What the hell is going on back there?" Scott called from the driver''s seat. "What does it mean?" Elias asked Melina. He felt more than spooked right now that they had the same terrible nightmare. He only heard ric''sughter, but he knew that ric killed everyone in his nightmare. He caused all of that blood and death. Melina shook her head as she lowered her eyes. "He wants us to lose hope, to feel isted," she said. "I don''t know how he managed to break into our dreams." Elias frowned, feeling Alyssae up to his side. He wished that they had some clue about what was going on. He put his arm around Alyssa, letting her know that he was somewhat alright. He was just d that he was out of that nightmare. "Was that a look at the future or something?" he asked Melina. "I hope not," Melina breathed out. "What did you two see?" Alyssa asked, peering between the both of them. "She said bodies when she woke up," Tyler said, giving Melina a worried look. "Everyone but me was dead in some field. I heard ric''sughter," Elias replied. He would never forget that nightmare. It wasn''t like he had never had bad dreams before, but that felt a little too real. Melina nodded as she pushed her hand through her hair. The roots were damp from sweat. "That''s what happened with me too," she replied. "That''s it. I''m pulling into the next town," Scott called from the front. Elias didn''t even argue. Maybe that was for the best. He could certainly use some fresh air right about now. He sat down in one of the lounge chairs, taking a moment to breathe and settle down. It was just a nightmare. ric was toying with him. But if ric could mess with his dreams, what else could he do? "Hey, it''s okay," Alyssa said as she sat next to Elias. She took his hand, stroking his knuckles to calm him down. Elias looked over at her, and all he could see was herying in that field, gazing up at the moon with still eyes. It nearly made him nauseous. She couldn''t ever die. He wouldn''t be able to survive that. For her sake, he smiled faintly and nodded. "I know," he said, but no one believed his words. They didn''t know what exactly loomed ahead, but they knew that it wasn''t pretty. There would be blood, and if they weren''t careful enough, there would be plenty of bodies too. Chapter 198 - Future Once Elias walked into the motel room that he and Alyssa would be sharing for the night, relief flooded through him. He was d to be off that RV for at least a little while, especially after that awful nightmare that he had. The tension was really wearing down on him and having some space would really help. "I''m going to take a shower," Elias told Alyssa before heading into the bathroom. He shut the door behind him with a sigh, feeling weight all throughout his body. Tomorrow would be a big day for him and Melina. They would show each other the limits of their powers and then figure out how tobine them. Deep down, he was nervous. What if he wasn''t powerful enough? What if they weren''t powerful enough together to take down ric? He had no idea what they would do then. ric would wreak havoc and eventually kill all of them once he overpowered them. There wasn''t a happy ending to that version of the story. Elias turned on the shower before stripping off his clothes, ncing at himself in the mirror before stepping under the hot stream of water. He had looked better, but he couldn''t me himself for looking a little rough. He had been stuck in an RV. He dragged his hands over his head, smoothing back his wet hair as the hot water thundered down on him. All he could hear was the rush of the water, and it actually rxed him a little. He kept his eyes closed, slipping into the lull of the noise all around him. He could''ve fallen asleep, but hands touching his back made him made him pull his head out of the spray. "Sorry. I just wanted to check on you," Alyssa said as he turned around to face her. She ced her hands on his chest as she stepped closer to him. "Are you okay?" Elias breathed in and out steadily, leaning into her touch and reveling in it. He was d that she was here. Even when he needed space, he didn''t need to be away from her. They were one person, one team. He couldn''t go on without her, and he was going to keep his nightmare froming true. "I am now," he replied as he reached out to hold her hips, feeling how warm her bare skin felt under his hands. He pulled her closer until their bodies touched. This was their first true moment of alone time since they left New York. Perhaps, he needed to take advantage of that. Alyssa''s breath hitched slightly as their noses brushed. Her eyes flickered up to his as she rested her hands on his strong arms. "Elias¡­" she breathed out before his lips captured hers, silencing her. She leaned into the kiss, pushing her hand into his hair as they stood under the water. Elias cupped her face, feeling warm water glide down his face and between their moving lips. He could stand there and kiss her forever, tasting her sweetness. He had been wanting to do this since they left. "I''ve missed you," he whispered to her as he let his hands move downward, drifting his fingers along the curves of her breasts and stomach. He couldn''t wait to touch her all over. He didn''t know when his next opportunity would be. "I''ve been with you the whole time," Alyssaughed. "You know what I mean," Elias smirked as his hand trailed lower, slipping between her legs. His fingers brushed through her wet folds, seeking out her clit to rub steady circles. He felt her thighs threaten to tighten around his hand, but he kept her legs parted. Alyssa squirmed on the spot, moaning softly as she dug her nails into his shoulders. She wrapped her fingers around his hard length, gently squeezing and stroking. Elias tightened his jaw slightly, heat and bliss crashing over him. He couldn''t take the teasing for too much longer. He wanted to be inside her, to have her feel every inch of him. His lips found the side of her neck, leaving heated kiss and teasing bites against her exposed skin. Even when he was so close to her jugr, the thought of hurting her never crossed his mind. He would make her scream, but it would be for a whole other reason. "Hold on tight," he murmured near her ear. He grabbed the back of her thighs and lifted her up. Alyssa gasped and wrapped her arms and legs around him. Her nose brushed his as she looked into his eyes. "I can''t believe we''re doing this," she said with a sly smile. "Believe it," Elias replied before pushing into her. He spun them around, pressing her up against the shower wall. Once he adjusted his grip on the back of her thighs, he started thrusting into her, hearing her moans echo throughout the bathroom. Scott was staying next door to them, and there was no telling how paper thin the walls were. Alyssa dug her nails into his shoulders as he continued to move, pinning her against the wall. She tilted her head back in bliss, her eyes fluttering shut. "Oh¡­ Elias," she gasped out. Elias drank in her moans, tightening his grip on her as he rocked against her harder. He couldn''t get enough of how incredible she felt. He could tell that neither of them wouldst long tonight, but he didn''t care. He just wanted to enjoy this moment while they still had it. Alyssa gripped the back of his neck, drawing his lips to hers for a heated kiss. Her tongue brushed his as their lips parted, coaxing moans from both of them. She strengthened her grip on him as he drove into her harder and faster, getting her closer and closer to the edge. "Don''t stop. I''m so close," she pleaded him. Elias meshed their lips back together, kissing her hard and deep. He drove her back against the wall even more, not slowing his pace. His fingers dug into the soft skin of her thighs, leaving bruising pressure. He was intent on finishing her off, and he could tell that she was close. Her body was so tense against his. "I want you toe for me," he murmured against her lips. He wanted to feel here apart. Alyssa tensed up in his hold, arching her back as much as she possibly could against the wall. Elias'' name rang from her lips, echoing throughout the bathroom as she sumbed to the pleasure. Heavy breaths left her as the waves of bliss kepting. Elias managed to thrust into her a few more times before his orgasm struck him hard. He buried himself inside of her, holding her close as he let the pleasure gradually simmer down to a warm buzz. He panted against her shoulder, nearly feeling dizzy from the intensity and the steam building up in the bathroom. "Damn¡­ I really missed you," he chuckled as he shook his head in disbelief. He gently set her down, steadying her as her legs shook slightly. "Just for the sex?" Alyssa teased him, cocking an eyebrow at him. "And everything else," Elias said as he pulled them under the spray. He hugged her close, not wanting there to be any distance between them. He felt so close to her.. He couldn''t imagine ever losing her, which made him wonder about the future. Chapter 199 - Future(2) He would live for a very long time because demonsim slowed the aging process. He could probably live for another couple hundred years if he took care of himself, but Alyssa was human. She only had so many years left. "What''s wrong?" Alyssa asked him as she pulled them out of the spray. Elias realized that they hadn''t had this talk yet. He hadn''t brought it up earlier because their rtionship had been so fresh in college, and then they just got back together not too long ago. It was a heavy topic, but he was ready to bring it up. "It''s just¡­ you know that vampires and demons can live for hundreds of years, right?" he asked her. Alyssa nodded. "I figured. Why?" she asked him. Elias took her hands and shrugged. "I just wondered how that would affect us. I want to be with you for as long as possible," he told her. He didn''t want to pressure her into anything, but he wanted her to know that he was in this forever. Her lifespan didn''t feel like long enough for him. Even his own wasn''t long enough, but it would give him more time with her. Alyssa''s eyes widened slightly when she realized what he was talking about. "Oh, because I''ll die sooner than you," she said. She looked away from him, thinking to herself. "I''m not pushing you to do anything. I just think it''s something that we should talk about," Elias told her. If she chose to live the rest of her life as a human, he would support that and make the most out of the years that they had left. Alyssa nodded before giving him a small smile. "I''ve never really thought about being a vampire. You don''t even really talk about it much, so I don''t know much about it," she pointed out. Elias realized that she had a good point. If bing a vampire was a possible option for her, she had to be informed. He was the best person to inform her since he was a demon and knew much about vampires. "I''ll show you the ropes tomorrow. I have to show Melina my powers tomorrow anyway," he pointed out. Two birds, one stone. Alyssa looked a little nervous, but she kept her smile on her face and nodded. "Sounds like a n," she said. Elias ced his hand on the small of her back and pulled her closer to him, pressing his lips against her forehead. He knew what he wanted her to choose, but he wasn''t going to voice that. The decision was hers, and he would always be happy with her, no matter how much time they had left together. "We should head to bed," he told her. He didn''t want to fall asleep just yet, but he wanted to hold her close under the warmth of the covers. Alyssa nodded and moved to shut the water off. She watched him reach past the shower curtain to grab a towel and hand it to her. She smiled at him warmly and wrapped the towel around herself, drying herself off as he grabbed himself a towel. "When you picture our future, what do you see?" she asked him curiously. Elias nced over at her, feeling a little surprised by her question. "The picture isn''t too clear because things are always changing, but I know that we''ll be happy together. We''ll have a beautiful house. We''ll be sessful in our jobs. We''ll spend our free time doing things that rx us or excite us," he said as he dried off his body with his towel. He imagined a lot of different things for them, but there wasn''t one clear image in mind. Plus, the age thing did y a factor in that. She would age far quicker than him, which would alter their future. He didn''t bring that up, though. That would only put more pressure on her. He would be happy with her no matter what, but he did want as many years together as possible because he loved her. Losing her would be absolute hell. "How about pets? Or¡­ kids?" Alyssa asked. Thest question came out far quieter than the first one. She lowered her eyes, seeming shy as she dried off her hair. Elias smiled a little as he peered at her. He realized they hadn''t had that conversation yet. He didn''t me them for that either. They just recently got back together, and they had been so young back in college. They hadn''t been ready for that talk. Maybe it was time to mention it. "I''d be happy with both," he told her. He would love to have kids with her, but there were dangers to a human mother carrying a hybrid child. He didn''t want her to get hurt, so it was something that they had to consider. There were risks, but the reward was huge. They would have a child of their own, and they would finally have a family. Alyssa looked up at him and smiled brightly. "Of course, I don''t mean right now. I''m still so deep in my career, but I just wanted to see your take on it," she exined to him. "I''m in the same boat," Elias replied as he nodded. He had so much going on in his life. He wouldn''t n to have a child until the world was at least safer than it was now. He couldn''t imagine the pain that they would feel if they lost their child. He wasn''t ready for that possibility. He would never be ready for that. "Good. I''m d we''re on the same page," Alyssa said as he opened the shower curtain. She stepped out of the shower, hanging her towel up and leaving her body bare. She shed a yful wink at him over her shoulder before heading to the bedroom. Heat stirred inside of Elias as he watched her go, admiring the smooth sway of her perfect hips. If he wasn''t so tired, he would make use of the bed for something besides sleeping. He hung his towel up and followed her, crawling into bed with her. "Aren''t you missing something?" he asked her as he cocked an eyebrow at her. "What?" Alyssa questioned him sweetly as she snuggled under the covers. "Clothes," Elias smirked as he got under the covers with her, pulling her bare body against his. He honestly didn''t mind this at all. He enjoyed feeling her warm skin against his. She was so soft, so perfect to the touch. "Are they necessary?" Alyssa asked him as sheid on her side to face him, cing her hand on his bicep. "Certainly not," Elias replied as he let his hand glide up her side, appreciating her curves. He would take her any way because he loved her for who she was. He had fallen in love with her when they were younger, and he somehow loved her even more all of these yearster. Their love grew with them, even if it hadn''t exactly been actively expressed. It had always been there. Alyssa gazed at him adoringly. "I love you," she told him. "We''re going to make it through this." "I know. I love you too," Elias replied, letting his pessimism go for the time being. He couldn''t promise to always keep it away, but it was gone for now. He felt perfect with her in his arms, and he focused on that feeling. This was what he was fighting for, and he wasn''t going to lose the love of his life.. No matter what. Chapter 200 - Practice The entire group met in arge grassy area behind the motel around eleven in the morning. The town that Scott had pulled into was small, so there weren''t many people lingering around to spectate the power show-off that was about to happen. Luckily, the motel building gave them cover. "Alright. Let''s see who''s stronger!" Scott smirked as he sped his hands together. Elias rolled his eyes as the five of them stood in a circle in the field. He wasn''t here for apetition. He and Melina were here to see what powers they had to work with. Melina had helped cracked his seal a little so now he could perform some slight magic. "We''re notpeting," he told Scott pointedly. He wasn''t here for Scott''s entertainment. He hardly even knew why Scott was here besides wanting to im that he helped and was a hero. This was a chance at bragging rights for him, especially since he brought Elias and Melina together. Scott shrugged, still looking amused as he leaned toward Tyler. "My money is on your girl," he whispered. Tyler merely rolled his eyes, prompting a small smile from Elias. "Alright! Do you want to go first?" Melina asked Elias, looking a mix of excited and nervous. She faced him in the field in front of everyone else, who kept a good amount of distance from them. Elias nodded, ncing around for something he could use as a prop. The field bordered a patch of woods with sprawled out trees and bushes, and an idea then came to his mind. He walked toward one of the smaller trees, not wanting to push himself too hard. He pressed his palms on the trunk and pushed upward, utilizing all of the strength in his body. Alyssa watched with wide eyes as the tree started to lean and the roots started to groan from the pressure. Elias gritted his teeth and gave the tree onest push, making it topple and pulling the deep roots right out of the ground. He stepped back with a heavy breath, feeling a warm ache fill his arms from the exertion. "That was it? I could do that in my sleep," Scott called to Elias. Elias'' head snapped to the side so that he could re at Elias. A secondter, he was right in front of him, dashing back across the field so fast that no one saw him until he stopped in front of Scott. "Your strength doesn''t matter if you can''t catch me," Elias pointed out. There had always beenpetition between them. Someone had to be the strongest or the fastest. Elias knew that he was better when it came to speed, and it worked well against Scott''s strength if he used it properly. Scott narrowed his eyes at Elias before striking at him. Elias quickly ducked to the side, moving so fast that his body seemed to blur to the naked eye. He pushed Scott back, knocking him to the ground with a lowugh. Melina moved to Elias'' side, cing a hand on his chest as Scott got to his feet. "I''m going to go ahead and put a stop to this before you two kill each other. You''re extra strong and fast, but I''m also interested in seeing your fire ability," Melina told Elias with an intrigued look on her face. Elias nced around before shaking his head. "I need fire to work with," he told her. "You can''t conjure it yet?" Melina asked with a frown. "I don''t think so. I didn''t think that I could," Elias replied. He thought that he could only manipte existing fire, but he hadn''t exactly tried. Melina hummed under her breath. "Well, you should try practicing that. It''lle in handy," she told him before digging through her bag. "I think I have a lighter in here somewhere." Elias nced over at Alyssa a bit warily, hoping that she wasn''t freaking out right now. To his surprise, she looked incredibly interested and even impressed. He shed a smile at her, which she returned. "You''ve got this," Alyssa told him. Elias felt a warm feeling swell in his chest. It meant the world to him to have Alyssa''s support. If she had been weirded out by all of this, he would''ve felt more nervous about exploring his powers. "Here it is!" Melina said before flicking the lighter on, producing a tiny me. "Do something with it." "Hold on," Tyler broke in as he walked over to Melina. He gave her a pointed look as he took the lighter from her. "I''ll do it. Don''t want that pretty face of yours getting scorched." Melinaughed and lifted up on her toes to press a soft kiss against his cheek. "Right," she said before backing up to stand next to Alyssa. "Okay, do something now." Elias turned his attention to the small me, watching it sway back in forth as it reflected in the dark of his eyes. He imagined it growing bigger. With that thought in his mind, he focused all of his energy in his mind instead of anywhere else in his body like he did with his other powers. Suddenly, the me red, growing a few inchesrger before dying back down to its original size. "That''s good! Now, do it again, but hold it," Melina told him. Elias nodded, focusing back on the me. He wasn''t too familiar with his fire ability, but he wanted to explore it more. He narrowed his eyes, putting that image of the me growing bigger back in his mind. When the me red up again, he clenched his jaw, straining slightly as he held that power. It felt like intense pressure in his head that he held onto for dear life. "You have to learn how to breathe and control it. Don''t strain too hard," Melina said. Elias let out a shaky breath, still maintaining the me. He breathed in and out steadily, feeling that pressure start to grow less intense.. He could feel his strength draining slightly the more that he held the me. Chapter 201 - Practice (2) "You have to learn how to breathe and control it. Don''t strain too hard," Melina said. Elias let out a shaky breath, still maintaining the me. He breathed in and out steadily, feeling that pressure start to grow less intense. He could feel his strength draining slightly the more that he held the me. Melina must''ve been able to tell because she moved her hand in a swiping motion. The me suddenly cut offpletely, dying right then and there. She walked over to Elias with a smile on her face. "That was great. We can definitely work with that," she told him before ncing at Tyler. "Pretty cool for a first time, huh?" Tyler chuckled and bumped his shoulder against hers yfully. "Not as cool as what you can do," he replied. Elias gave Melina a grateful look for herpliment. It was the boost of confidence that he needed because he was still a little nervous to use his fire ability. He didn''t want it getting out of control and then someone getting hurt. "You can control the air or something?" he asked her. He was curious about Tyler''sment. "I can manipte gravity a little," Melina replied before turning toward Scott. She put her hand up toward him. "Sorry, Scott." Scott was suddenly knocked back a few feet. Laughter broke from Elias as he watched Scott fly through the air and then hit the ground with a huff. He turned to Melina. "Wow. That''ll definitelye in handy," he told her. He could see her using that move against ric. If he could figure out his fire ability better, that would be a good move to use against ric too. He was worried to find out about ric''s abilities, though. Demons were mystery creatures. There weren''t many of them. There wasn''t much known about them besides them being evil and powerful. They were the most wretched form of supernatural creature. A demon who wanted to control the earth. Elias wasn''t looking forward to fighting that nightmare. Melina smiled before grimacing a little, cing her hand on her temple. "It takes a little out of me, but I can get stronger," she replied. "I know some spells too." "Like what?" Elias asked her. He had seen his momperform spells, but they weren''t anything too serious. "They''re maniption spells. They make people think something is happening to them when nothing is happening," Melina exined. "I didn''t learn the spells that actually hurt people. Dark magic isn''t something to fool around with." "Use one of the maniption spells on me," Elias told her as he took a step back from her. "Are you sure?" Melina asked with a wary look on her face. "It doesn''t feel good." Elias nodded, giving her a reassuring smile. He believed that he could handle it. "I''ll know that it''s fake," he pointed out. Melina still looked unsure, but she focused on him. Latin words that Elias couldn''t understand sounded from her, and the next second, it felt like a hand was around his throat. Elias ced his hand on his throat with slightly widened eyes. He couldn''t believe how real that spell felt. Then, it started feeling even more real as the pressure on his throat tightened until he couldn''t even draw in a single breath. He couldn''t breathe. His body jolted as he tried to fight for air. Melina waved her hand once Elias was brought to his knees, stopping the spell. "Are you okay?" she asked him. "Are you sure it doesn''t do anything? I couldn''t breathe," Elias asked her as he breathed in steadily. He felt like normal now, but he felt like he almost died just a few seconds ago. "I heard you breathing normally," Alyssa spoke up. "It was all in your head." Elias'' eyes widened as he looked back at Melina. He had no idea just how powerful she was. Shepletely took over his mind, making him think that something real was happening to his body. "I think if we keep practicing, we might have a shot," he told her. He wanted to be optimistic, and they were more powerful than he thought that they were. Melina smiled at him in agreement. "I think you''re right. If you can get stronger with your fire ability, I can figure out a way to mix it with my magic. We''ll give them hell," Melina said with a determined glint in her eyes. It was the first time that Elias realized how dangerous Melina could be. She always acted so kind and patient, but she could be lethal if she chose to be. She held back a lot, but then again, so did he. They could do an immense amount of damage, but their consciences held them back. Maybe it was time to loosen up. Their lives could depend on it. "I''m done being the punching bag," Scott grumbled as he approached them, wiping dust off his clothes. "Well, we''re not done just yet. You brought us together to do this. You have to endure it," Elias told him, feelingpletely amused. He didn''t mind these training sessions at all, especially if they got to throw Scott around. Scott gave Elias a pointed look. "Bring it." Elias nced at Melina and smirked as a surge of determination took him by force. "With pleasure." ********** The group decided to stay an extra day in town to keep practicing out in the field. Elias and Melina tried to figure out ways tobine their skills, to be one team. Even if some of their ideas didn''t work out, Elias was d that they were figuring out how to work together. He honestly didn''t expect them toe this far so quickly, but he believed their determination got them to where they were at. Elias enjoyed onest night in the motel room with Alyssa, cuddling her close as they shared a bottle of wine that he hade across in town. He kissed her on the forehead as they lounged in the motel bed together.. The television droned on with some sort ofte night informercial. Chapter 202 - The Weird Accident "You know¡­ your powers are kind of sexy," Alyssamented as she lifted an eyebrow at him. "Oh, really? They didn''t make you think that I''m some sort of monster?" Elias smirked as he leaned his head against hers. He was d that she wasn''t freaked out. He had promised to show her what being a vampire was like using Scott, and the powers made up a big portion of that. Having to feed was a whole other thing. Alyssa smiled softly and shook her head. "Nothing can make me think that you''re a monster. I know you''re a good person," she told him. "It must be cool to have powers, though. Tell me more about being a vampire." Elias nodded a little. He was awed by herment. He never wanted to be a monster. He didn''t want toe close to being anything like ric, to wanting to hurt innocent people. That wasn''t who he was. That wasn''t who his family was, and he could see that in Melina as well. "It''s cool and helpful when I need them, but vampirism has its drawbacks," he replied. Some things were hard, but he could see that being human was hard too. "Like drinking blood?" Alyssa asked him quietly. Elias sighed and nodded. That was the big drawback. He was d that he could eat human food, which he believed was because he wasn''t a vampire. Both of his parents weren''t vampires. The older he grew, the more grateful he was for that. He didn''t want to be a ve to his feeding. "You don''t have to drink from the source. There are blood bags and even suppliers for vampires that provide blood in other ways. I''ve seen blood in what looked like a bottle of soda," he told her. Vampires were more widespread than she realized, and a lot of them didn''t like drinking right from humans. Plus, that was messy andplicated. It was easier to drink it in more discrete, normal ways. Alyssa seemed to rx a little as she nodded. "Well, that''s good," she said. "Any other drawbacks?" "People finding out what you are," Elias replied. "It can be easy to get carried away with your powers when you think no one is watching. You always have to be careful." Alyssa nodded. "I''m just curious," she said with a shrug. Elias smiled a little. He was d that she was asking questions. It expressed interest. He wasn''t going to try to sway her. He was going to tell her the truth and let her make the decision on her own. Nothing good woulde out of her being ill informed. "Well, your mind is sharper during intense situations, and your senses are amplified," he added. He figured that she would like those things. As a demon, he felt more alive than he probably ever could as a human, but everything had consequences. He wanted her to be aware of that. That meant being human had consequences too that she had to consider. "That would help during surgery," Alyssa murmured. Elias stroked her cheek gently, drawing her eyes to his. "You have plenty of time to think things through. Don''t decide now," he told her. He didn''t want her making a decision out of pressure when there didn''t need to be any. She was still young. They still had time, and he wanted them to take the time to think and prepare. It was a huge decision. Alyssa shed him a grateful look before kissing him on the lips. Elias pushed his hand into her hair, holding her close as their lips moved. His teeth caressed her bottom lip in a light caress, coaxing a sigh from her that made heat course through him. He wasn''t sure if they could handle a round three tonight, though. "Do you want any more wine?" he asked her. Alyssa shook her head. "I think I''ve had enough," sheughed softly. Elias nodded his agreement before rolling out of bed. He walked over to the table where the bottle of wine was in a bucket of melted ice. He wanted it to stay chilled throughout the night. "I''m going to grab more ice," he told her as he took the bottle of wine out. He dumped the melted ice in the sink before pulling on his clothes and heading out of their motel room. Elias nced up and down the row of motel rooms that surrounded his. He headed to the left, venturing to the ice machine tucked into a corner with a broken vending machine. It wasn''t the fanciest ce that they could''ve ended up in, but it was good enough for another night before they went back on the road. He walked up to the ice machine and filled the bucket back up with ice, a yawn soon breaking from him. As much as he wanted to enjoy what alone time he had left with Alyssa, he was pretty exhausted after training with Melina so much. Using his powers so much drained him, but it felt good to actually be using them. Elias walked away from the ice machine and headed back toward his motel room, stuck in his own thoughts. He didn''t notice a weird gust of air behind him. He didn''t notice anything weird until he felt a light sting on the back of his neck and then ended up on the ground. Ice scattered all across the sidewalk. He looked around as he got to his hands and knees, feeling stunned and confused. There was no one in sight. Did he just trip without knowing it? He had quite a bit of wine and was tired. He blinked a few times before getting to his feet, feeling a little dizzy. He grabbed the ice bucket and hurried back to the motel room. "Hey. Did they not have any ice?" Alyssa asked from the bed as she snuggled under the covers. Elias looked down into his empty bucket, remembering how he spilled all of the ice when he fell. He thought about mentioning his random fall, but he then decided against it.. He didn''t want her to worry over nothing. Chapter 203 - Meeting The Enemy "Yeah, the machine was out," he told her as he set the ice bucket down, forgetting about the wine. He was tired. He honestly just needed to go to bed. He crawled under the covers andid close to Alyssa, letting her crawl into his arms andy on his chest. "You feel tense. Are you okay?" Alyssa asked him as she rubbed his chest softly. Elias nodded, forcing himself to rx. He just fell. It wasn''t a big deal. It was certainly odd, but weird things happened all of the time. He lived his life with one foot in the human world and one foot in the supernatural world. Nothing was normal about his life, no matter how much he tried to make it that way. "Yeah. I''m just tired," he replied. "Not ready to get back on the RV tomorrow." Alyssa nodded her understanding. "This will all be over before we know it," she told him before letting her eyes flutter shut. Elias rubbed her back as he stared up at the ceiling. He hoped that she was right. It was hard to rx when he knew what wasing for them. He liked lingering around in this town but staying in one ce was dangerous. They had to practice on the move. "Night," he whispered to her, holding her close and not letting go. He trained to get stronger so that he could protect her. He also wanted to have Melina''s back. If she fought for him, he would fight for her too. They were family after all, even if that fact was still something that he was getting used to. "Night," Alyssa said, her body growing heavier as she gave herself up to sleep. Elias closed his eyes, hoping that he could quiet his mind down and get to sleep himself. He was tired of restless nights, of not knowing what tomorrow held. He wanted rity and peace again, but that wouldn''t happen for a long while. He was at war. ********* Elias was back in the bloody field of bodies. He looked around with a confused look on his face, wondering why he was back here. He knew that this was a dream, that this couldn''t be real. He didn''t know what was going on. "Atst, we meet," a deep voice suddenly sounded behind him. Elias whipped around to face a tall man that stood about ten feet away from him. He wore a ck jacket, ck jeans, and a grey shirt underneath. His facial hair was thin and light brown stubble, covering his sharp jaw. His hair was short and the same shade of brown, pushed back from his face. He looked like a normal guy, but Elias knew exactly who he was. "ric." ric smirked and took a step closer, stopping near Melina''s body. He used his foot to nudge her head, turning her face to peer up at the sky. "Your sister is pretty," hemented before looking up at Elias. Elias tightened his jaw, knowing that ric was trying to get under his skin. It was already working. "What''s going on?" he asked, not understanding his situation. He had to be in a dream, but ric was here with him. It was unlike anything that he had ever experienced before. "I decided to pay you a visit. Open a line ofmunication," ric replied as he tilted his head at Elias. "It was about time that we met." "Melina and I don''t want anything to do with you," Elias said, attempting to diffuse the entire situation right here and right now. If he could avoid a deadly fight, he would. He didn''t want to go out that way. He didn''t want to lose anyone in his group. "There are big things that I want to do in this world. It makes me wary when there are two other powerful yers on the board that could decide to stop me," ric replied as he narrowed his eyes. "It''ll give me peace of mind if I wipe both of you out." Elias felt his heart pound heavily as he stared at ric, keeping himself tense and ready. He didn''t think that anything could actually happen to him in a dream, but he wanted to be prepared just in case. "You can''t just wreak havoc on the world. Humans and the supernatural have maintained a bnce with each other for years," he said. Things weren''t perfect, but they were peaceful for the most part. ric scoffed and shook his head. "The supernatural have limited themselves when they could''ve taken over the world! We could have anything we want. Vampires would have endless walking blood bags. Witches could practice any kind of magic they wanted!" "And a demon like you can rule us all. I don''t think so," Elias snapped, feeling anger pulse through him. He wished that this could''ve been resolved peacefully, but he could tell that ric was on a power trip, thinking that he could change the world for the worse just to satisfy himself. ricughed lowly. "And you think you can stop me?" he asked. "I can with my friends," Elias replied evenly. Somehow, they had to stop ric before he began terrorizing the world. Things would be thrown out of bnce. Awful supernatural beings would harm, use, or kill humans. Humans would try to fight back, and the world would erupt into war. ric would try to rule what was left of the carnage. "I''d like to see you try," ric replied, his voice sounding cold. Elias swallowed hard, pressure weighing down on him. The world relied on him and Melina to take this guy down before he put his n into motion. He didn''t realize the magnitude of this issue until now. He couldn''t fail. He just couldn''t. "We''ll see each other soon. For real," ric promised before ncing around at all of the bodies, including Alyssa''s that was at Elias'' feet. "Say hi to your girl for me." Elias parted his lips to tell ric off and warn him not to even think about Alyssa, but he felt pressure on his ankle. He looked down to see Alyssa''s hand wrapped around his ankle as she stared up at him with her lifeless eyes. Panic jolted through Elias as he tried to stumble away, but he ended up tripping.. He fell back, knocking his head against the ground and making everything go ck. Chapter 204 - Connection "Elias!" Alyssa''s voice echoed throughout Elias'' head over and over again until his eyes opened. He was back in the hotel room, panting and sweating in bed once again as another nightmare ravaged his sleep. He felt Alyssa''s hands on him, and he automatically flinched away, remembering how her corpse grabbed him. "Elias, it''s me!" Alyssa said, frowning at him. Elias drew in a deep breath through his nose, calming himself as he stared at her. She was real. The nightmare was just another nightmare, or was it? It seemed so real, and he remembered every single detail of it. ric had reached out to him somehow. "Sorry. I''m sorry," he said, knowing that he had freaked Alyssa out once again. He was tired of having these nightmares that kept growing worse and worse. He couldn''t even find peace in his sleep. "It''s okay. What happened?" Alyssa asked him, looking worried as she stroked her fingers through his hair. "ric talked to me through my dream," Elias told her. He knew how crazy that sounded, but it was the truth. It wasn''t a normal nightmare. He wished that it was. Alyssa stared at him in shock. "How could he do that?" she asked him. Elias didn''t know the answer to that, but he had a feeling maybe Melina might know. Things had been going so well for the past two days. Now, things were bad again. If ric could reach him through his dreams, he could possibly be close to them. That meant that they needed to move now. "I have to tell Melina," he said, standing up from the bed. He took Alyssa''s hand and whisked her out of the room, preparing to give everyone a very unwanted wake up call. ********* Elias banged on both motel room doors that the rest of the group were behind. He looked all around as he stood outside with Alyssa, feeling wary. What if something knocked him down earlier? He didn''t feel safe here any longer. He was actually looking forward to getting back on the RV. Tyler opened the door to the room that he and Melina were staying in. "What''s going on?" he asked, already seeming alert. "I think we need to leave," Elias said. He didn''t want to stand there and exin right now. He wanted to get on the RV and go. Tyler didn''t even question Elias. He nodded. "I''ll get our things and head to the RV. Meet you there," he said before disappearing back into the motel room. Elias grabbed Alyssa''s hand just as Scott threw open his door. "Get your things. We''re leaving," Elias told him before leading Alyssa away from the motel and to the RV. He waited for the others since Tyler had the key. "It''ll be okay. We''ll be away from here soon," Alyssa said as she grabbed his arm, pulling herself close to his side. Elias nodded as he looked over at her. "I''m just confused¡­ and nervous," he admitted. There were a lot of questions left unanswered, and he hoped that Melina could clear things up for him. He turned when he heard the others hurrying toward him with their things. "What''s going on?" Melina asked, looking like she had just woken up. Some of her dark hair was loose from her braid, and her eyes were slightly red. "I''ll tell you on the RV," Elias replied as he moved out of the way so that Tyler could unlock the side door. He immediately climbed into the RV once the door was open, tossing his things in a corner. He waited for everyone to pile in and for the RV to start moving before he spoke. "I had another nightmare." Melina narrowed her eyes in confusion as she sat next to Alyssa on the sofa. "I didn''t," she replied. "I think it was meant for me. ric used it to talk to me," Elias exined. "You talked to ric?" Scott asked. Even he looked rmed. Elias nodded as he paced slightly between them. He hardly even knew where to start. The nightmare seemed like a fever dream at that point. "He basically wants to take over humankind, let the supernatural reign free. He''ll control what''s left behind after everyone tries to kill each other," he replied as he shook his head. He couldn''t let his nightmarese true because everyone that he cared about would be dead. "Yeah, we knew he was up to no good," Scott said from one of the lounge chairs. "What else?" "He''s ready to fight us," Elias said as he turned to look at Melina. "He''s not scared." "I didn''t expect him to be. We''ll have to prove him wrong," Melina replied as she rose to her feet. "He said that he''ll see us soon," Elias added, which was probably one of the most anxiety-inducing things that ric had said. How soon? Was ric right around the corner, or did he just say that to make Elias nervous? "Might want to step on the gas, Tyler," Scott sighed as he shook his head. "We''re screwed." "No, we''re not. He''s just trying to scare us," Melina said pointedly. She looked over at Elias. "He made a connection with you somehow. That was the only way he could''ve gotten into your dreams." "A connection? How could he do that?" Elias asked. He didn''t like the thought of having a connection to ric. If he could get rid of it, he would do so. "There are multiple ways. Did anything weird happen before you went to bed?" Melina asked him as she eyed him. Elias'' thoughts immediately shifted to when he fell outside before bed. That had to be it. Somehow, that had to be connected to ric and the nightmare, but he didn''t know how. "I think something knocked me down outside of my room before I went to bed. I don''t know what happened. I felt something weird on my neck, and then I fell and was dizzy," Elias exined to Melina, hoping that she could somehow make sense of it. Chapter 205 - Marked "You didn''t tell me that you fell," Alyssa spoke up, giving him a confused look. "I didn''t want to worry you. I didn''t think that it was important at the time," Elias replied. Maybe he had been wrong about that. He should''ve said something earlier, but they still wouldn''t have thought anything of it. Melina suddenly grabbed Elias'' arm and turned him around. She grabbed the back of the neck of his shirt and tugged it down. "You were marked," she said. "What is it?" Elias asked, not knowing what she was seeing. Melina grabbed her phone and took a picture of the lower section of the back of his neck. She handed him her phone with a grave look on her face. Elias looked at the picture, seeing a ck line down the middle of his neck. Chills erupted over his skin as he stared at the mark. He had no idea that was what happened when he felt his neck sting. He thought a bug had bit him or something. "What does that mean?" he asked her. "Your mind is typically locked off from other people. That mark is the key. It opens your mind up, and if someone is powerful enough, they can walk right in and do what they want," Melina replied. Elias breathed in deeply, steadying himself. He didn''t like the sound of that. It was like ric could stroll in and out of his mind whenever he wanted. "How did that happen?" he asked her. He knew that he hadn''t agreed to this, so it was brought upon him at some point somehow. "It''s a witch thing," Melina said as she slumped back down on the sofa. "What does that mean?" Alyssa asked, looking worried. Melina looked up at Elias, and he could immediately tell that something was very wrong. "He has a witch," she replied. Elias had to sit down as well. He sat in the other lounge chair, feeling the quick thump of his heart in his chest. He couldn''t imagine trying to fight a witch and ric. That sounded like a dangerous duo. "I''m guessing this is very bad news for us," he murmured. If someone told him that he had to fight against Melina, he would be pretty nervous because of how strong she was. There was no telling what kind of threat this witch was, but she was able to mark him with ease, which made him incredibly nervous. Melina shrugged. "It depends on how strong she is. He has followers. We should''ve seen thising," she replied. "So, what do we do?" Elias asked her. He felt lost. Could they really defeat ric when he was backed by a witch and other followers? He felt like he and Melina were in over their heads. They had Tyler and Scott to help too, but he wasn''t sure if even that was enough. He knew that Alyssa could help with healing, but he wanted her to be as far away from the fight as possible. He refused to stand by and let her get hurt. "We get stronger," Melina replied. "That''s all we can do. We can''t give up." Elias nodded his agreement after a moment. He supposed that she was right. Just because circumstances were slightly different didn''t mean that their n had to change. They just had to work toward it harder. "I say we drive for a little while and then stop to train again. I''m worried about how close he might be," Elias said. Melina brushed her fingers through her hair, pulling more strands out from her loose braid. "Yeah, that''ll be for the best. I need to remove the mark and cut the connection, though. He''ll keep messing with you if I don''t," she told him. Elias'' eyes widened slightly. He didn''t want ric to ruin another night of his sleep, and he was worried about what all ric could do if he kept treating Elias'' brain like a yground. "Yeah, okay. Let''s do it," he replied. He didn''t want to waste any time. He had too many important things in his brain to let ric hang out in there. Melina grabbed her bag and motioned for him to follow her to the bedroom. "It''s not going to feel all that great," she warned him. Elias paused and looked over at Alyssa, who looked worried out of her mind. He didn''t want her to watch this, but he wanted her to know that he would be okay. This was for the best, and he was looking forward to cutting the connection that had been made between him and ric. "I''ll be right back, okay?" he told her with a small smile. Alyssa forced a smile on her face and nodded. She reached out and took his hand, giving it a quick squeeze until she had to let go to let him follow Melina to the back. Elias took in a deep breath and shut the bedroom door behind him, preparing himself for the rest of this awful night. ********* Melina rummaged around in her bag, bringing out her lighter and a needle. She looked over at Elias and then nodded to the bed. "Lay on your stomach. Maybe bite into a pillow," she replied. Elias eyed the lighter and needle warily. He knew that she said that it wouldn''t feel great, but it seemed like it was going to hurt a lot. He pulled his shirt off so that she could get to the mark beforeying down on his back. He grabbed a pillow and hugged it close to him, trying to slow his heart rate as much as he could. He was mostly nervous because he didn''t know what to expect. "How do you remove these marks?" he asked her. "Have you done it before?" "I learned in school," Melina replied as she lit the lighter and ced the tip of the needle in the me. "I have to burn it off." Elias'' eyes widened. He didn''t like the sound of that, but he didn''t exactly have a choice. He either endured this or let ric hang around in his mind. One of those things was far worse than the other. He could deal with some pain to cut the connection.. It would be worth it. Chapter 206 - Breaking The Connection "Okay," he breathed out, hearing her mutter Latin beneath her breath. He really needed to learn Latin. He distinctly remembered his parents trying to give him lessons, but he had never been interested in learning. He should''ve given it another chance. Melina stopped talking and set the lighter down on the bed. She ced her hand on Elias'' shoulder, steadying herself as she brought the end of the needle to the top of the ck line on his neck. She dug in slightly, a faint sizzling noise sounding. Elias gritted his teeth, grunting in pain at the burning sensation. He closed his eyes, trying to fight through the sensation as Melina slowly dragged the needle across his skin. He knew that it would hurt, but it felt like his skin was on fire. Melina tightened her grip on Elias'' shoulder, keeping him still as he tried to shift. "Stop moving," she said as she continued moving the needle. The skin left behind was scarred, but it was better than him still being marked. Elias gripped the pillow tightly, wishing that this would hurry up and be over with. He didn''t know how much longer he could take this. How could one little needle cause so much pain? It was like the mark didn''t want to be removed, holding tight to his skin. "Almost done," Melina told him, digging in a little deeper to remove any remnants of the mark on his skin. She put the needle up before standing up with a sigh. "Okay, it''s gone." Elias grimaced and sat up, rubbing the back of his neck, which felt burning hot. "Ouch," he said pointedly as he turned to look at Melina. Melina shrugged sheepishly. "I told you that it wouldn''t feel good," she reminded him. Elias sat down on the edge of the bed. "So, that''s it? I''m not connected to him anymore?" he asked her. He wanted to be as far away from ric as possible, and he meant that mentally as well as physically. After all of this was over, he didn''t even want to think about ric ever again because he had been on Elias'' mind ever since this whole situation started. Melina shook her head as she moved to sit beside him. "You''re free. Let''s keep it that way," she said. Elias sighed, hoping that ric couldn''t get to him again. He wanted his sleep and his mind to be free. "It was so fast. So easy," he said as he shook his head. He hoped that he could handle this. He didn''t want to take his group down with him because he wasn''t vignt enough. "We really have to start looking out for each other," Melina told him with a serious expression on her face. "If they iste us, they''ll win. I know we''ve spent years apart, but I believe that we''re stronger together." Elias met her gaze, letting her words soak in. He knew that she was right. They hade this far and splitting apart would be the worst thing to do right now. They could only get to their strongest point together. "I know. We have to try harder," he replied. He was willing to put in the work. He wanted to survive. He wanted the world to survive. "We should stay on the road for a little while. I don''t want anyone catching up to us," Melina said before standing up and grabbing her bag. She then reached out and grabbed her lighter before tossing it to him. "You need to practice." Elias caught the lighter and nodded. When Melina opened the bedroom door and disappeared through it, he flicked the lighter on, watching the me dance in front of his eyes. He felt like the me. Small. Weak. He had to be bigger, stronger. He had to be as much of a threat as ric was. Clenching his jaw, Elias focused on the me, watching it re up. He held the power, making the me burn brighter. That was what he had to do. He had a feeling that he didn''t have much time to do it, but he was going to put his all into his training. He had no other choice because ric was on the move. If he could take over Elias'' mind, there was no telling just how much damage he could do to the rest of the world. ******** Elias, Melina, Scott, and Alyssa joined together in the main section of the RV to have a discussion. One was clearly needed because the threat that they were facing was bing even more prominent. This wasn''t some trip. They were running for their lives now. "Does he have any known weaknesses? Anything?" Elias asked them, hoping that they could figure out some weak spot of ric''s. Otherwise, he was going to be nearly impossible to defeat. Every being had to have some sort of weak spot. That was nature, but what if ric defied thews of nature? That thought made Elias'' chest grow tight, but he breathed through the sensation, focusing on the conversation instead. He couldn''t freak out. That wasn''t going to help anyone. What would help was brainstorming a way to take ric down before he killed every single one of them. "Not a lot is known about demons," Scottmented with a shrug. "But they can be killed." "There''s one thing that kills everything," Melina spoke up, lifting her eyes to Elias as they sat across from each other. "What?" Elias questioned her, leaning forward slightly. "Fire," Melina said. "It''s the most destructive force." "You have your fire ability. You can use it to defeat him!" Alyssa told Elias as she nudged his shoulder. She had a hopeful look on her face. Elias felt terrible crushing her hope, but he had to. He had to face facts, and the fact of the matter was that he wasn''t powerful enough to take down ric. "I''m not strong enough," he said as he shook his head.. "He would outpower me." Chapter 207 - Following "Maybe not if we work together. I''ll figure out some sort of spell that I can use to maximize your fire ability," Melina said as she motioned to her bag. "I have some books I can look through." "I''m willing to be a distraction if you guys actually act fast and kill that son of a bitch," Scott sighed as he sat back in the lounge chair. Elias gave Scott a surprised look. He never thought that he would ever hear Scott not be selfish. He was actually willing to put his life on the line and help them defeat ric. "You''re actually going to help us?" he asked. "Why do you think I''m here? I could''ve gone into hiding instead," Scott scoffed as he crossed his legs at his knee. He nced over at Melina. "You better find that spell." Melina nodded and rummaged through her bag to grab her books. She looked at Alyssa and handed her a book. "I trust your mind. If anything pops out at you, just let me know," she said. Alyssa immediately nodded and flipped open the old spell book to the first page to start reading. Elias breathed in deeply, figuring he could continue talking to Scott while the girls read through the spell books. He hoped that they could find something because that would really help their cause. His abilities mixed with Melina''s magic could make them a match for ric, but they all had to work together. "Do you think we''ll be strong enough?" he asked Scott. Scott thought for a moment before answering. "I think when ites down to life or death, we''ll find the strength to be strong enough. Nothing is more powerful than a man about to die that doesn''t want to die," he pointed out. Elias preferred not being on the brink of death, but he understood where Scott wasing from. They would have to fight for their lives, and they would have to fight as hard as they possibly could to make it out of this alive. "Well, thanks for offering to help," he murmured. It felt weird thanking Scott, but he was grateful to have another person around to help them. They could use all the help that they could get, but he knew that most people would be too scared to stand up to ric. He supposed that he couldn''t me them. "I''ll end up dying anyway if I don''t help you," Scott said with a shrug. "I might as well die honorably, right?" Elias smirked, figuring as much from Scott. However, he didn''t care about Scott''s reasoning. He just needed Scott to be there to help them. "If you could act as a distraction, Melina and I might be able to catch him off guard," he said. It wasn''t a solid n, but it was a start to one. That was more than they had prepared earlier, so at least there was some progress. It was hard to n an attack against ric, who was as unpredictable as he was dangerous. There was no telling what he was going to do next. "Don''t take too long on the whole surprise attack. He can probably kill me pretty quickly," Scott added. Before Elias could answer, Tyler''s voice was heard from the front. "Guys, I think someone is following us." Panic shot through Elias as he stood. He moved closer to the front of the RV, peering at the rearview and side mirrors to see a ck car following close behind them. "How long have they been behind us?" he asked. "For thest five miles. When I switchnes, they follow," Tyler replied with a grave look on his face. He knew that something bad was going on. Elias turned to the others. "We might be getting trailed. It could be ric," he said. He had no idea what to do, but he knew that he wanted to be as far away from that car as possible. "Speed up and try to lose them." Everyone braced themselves as Tyler pressed on the gas, sending the RV throttling down the highway. They held onto their seats as Tyler rapidly switchednes, swerving between cars to try to outpace the ck sedan following them. Elias checked the mirrors again and cursed under his breath when he saw the ck car behind them again. There wasn''t a doubt in his mind that the car was following them now. He didn''t want the car following them all the way to their next stop. They had to stop whoever was following them, and a car chase probably wasn''t going to work. "We might have to stop," he said. "Stop?" Melina questioned him. "And do what?" "Fight whoever is following us. We can''t let them keep following us. What if they''re reporting back to ric?" Elias pointed out. They had to stay under the radar if they wanted to keep surviving. Sneaking around was what was keeping them alive. If ric constantly knew where they were, he would have the upper hand even more than he already did by being more powerful. "What if that is ric?" Alyssa asked, looking fearful. "It''s not. He would''ve flipped our RV or something. He wouldn''t just follow us," Elias replied. He had an idea about how ric thought, and he doubted that ric would take this approach. "We have to stop and take a stand. I know we haven''t practiced much, but I don''t think we have any other choice." "I think he''s right. As much as I don''t want to admit that," Scott sighed. Elias was shocked that Scott agreed with him and didn''t choose to argue with him. However, he was thankful for the support. He needed Melina to fight by his side. He couldn''t do this without her. This was part of the reason why they were brought together in the first ce. They had to take down evil. Melina stared at him for a few seconds, weighing their options before sighing. "Fine. Let''s do this," she said before rummaging around in her bag. "Are you sure about this?" Alyssa asked Elias as she took his hand, giving it a squeeze. Elias turned to her, taking both of her hands tofort her. He knew that this was scary for her, but she had to trust him. He was going with his gut right now. He hoped that it wouldn''t let him down. "Yes. Just stay out of sight, okay?" he asked her. If she was in harm''s way, he would get distracted, which was thest thing that he needed. He had to focus as much as he could, and he had to work together with Melina. This was their test. If they failed, they didn''t have a chance at defeating ric. Alyssa nodded, leaning forward to press a quick kiss to his lips. "There''s a rest stop up ahead. Should I pull into it?" Tyler asked from the front. Elias held the kiss for a moment before pulling away to answer Tyler. "Yes. Everyone, get ready," he said as he felt the RV pull off the highway and head down the service road that led to the rest stop. They were in the middle of nowhere, so he suspected that there wouldn''t be many people around. If they were around, he hoped that they would scatter quickly because things were about to get ugly. Chapter 208 - Breaking The Seal Elias shoved open the side door to the RV the second that it stopped in the back parking lot of the rest stop. He looked around, not seeing a single soul in sight. Faint security lights broke through the darkness, providing enough light to see the expanse of concrete. "Here theye," Elias told Melina as they stood beside each other. He turned to look at the door of the RV, seeing Scott and Alyssa standing in the doorway. "Scott, watch over Alyssa." Scott nodded and shooed Alyssa aside, despite her protesting. He shut the door behind them. Elias swallowed hard as he turned back forward, watching the ck car stop across the parking lot from them. He nced over at Melina, seeing a small pouch attached to the belt loop of her ck jeans. "I don''t even know what to do," he admitted, feeling nervousness creep up his spine. He wasn''t a fighter. He had his basic abilities, but his fire ability was so limited. Something was blocking him from achieving his true power, but he didn''t know what that was. Probably the seal. "Survive," Melina told him as they watched two men exit the car and head their way. "Vampires." Elias tightened his fingers into fists as he watched the two vampires break out into a run toward them. They moved so fast that Elias could only catch a glimpse of them until he felt hands around his throat. He grunted as he was shoved back against the RV with a heavy thud. The vampire smirked at Elias, tightening his grip on Elias'' throat. "ric said you would be weak, but not this weak," he said, starting to crush Elias'' throat. Elias gasped for air before his mind finally snapped into fighting mode. He mmed his hands against the vampire''s chest, knocking him back before tackling him to the ground with a grunt. The vampire was slightly stronger than him, but Elias moved fast, dealing blow after blow to the vampire''s face. Suddenly, Melina cried out in pain. Elias snapped his head to the side, seeing Melina put her hand up to her nose as blood dripped from it. He started to move to help her, but he watched her reach into her pouch. Melina threw what looked like red sand into the vampire''s face as he approached her. She watched the vampire cry out in pain, wing at his face as the grainy material started to crackle and spark on his skin. It reminded Elias of fire. Melina turned to look at Elias, nodding to him. Elias pinned down the vampire beneath him with a hand on his throat before focusing on the sparks of fire emitting from the other vampire''s face. Whatever material it was, it was highly mmable. Within a few seconds, a huge me erupted, engulfing the vampire''s head and then body. The vampire beneath Elias took advantage of him being distracted. He struck Elias in the stomach before flipping them over, putting himself on top. He punched Elias in the face, his fangs protruding. He wrenched Elias'' head to the side by his hair, starting to lean down to rip out Elias'' throat. Out of nowhere, Melina leapt onto the vampire''s back, yanking his head back away from Elias. She dug her nails into the vampire''s face, wing at him as the vampire struggled to get her off. Elias caught his breath and reached up to grab at the vampire to keep him from throwing Melina. His hand instead graced hers, and he felt a jolt of energy echo throughout him, starting from his chest and moving all over his body. He looked up at her in shock, wondering what just happened. Melina looked equally as confused. She then gasped as the vampire threw her off and turned on her. She tried to hurry up and crawl away, but the vampire pinned her to the ground. She tried to fumble for her pouch, but her hands were pinned. "Elias!" Elias looked over at her in panic, that echo of energy still residing in his body. All of the fear and anger that he felt seemed to join together in one strong sensation, and it was all directed toward the vampire about to kill his sister. "No!" he shouted, putting his hand up. To his shock, his palm heated up to a burning temperature. By the time his eyes shifted up to look at thest vampire, he was already screaming and fighting against mes eating him alive. Melina shoved the burning vampire off of her, her clothes being singed slightly. She rolled out of the way, jumping to her feet to keep from being burned alive too. She watched the vampire copse onto the ground in a burning pile, shock outlining her face. "You¡­ you conjured that on your own," she said as she turned to look at Elias. Elias looked down at his own hands, breathing heavily as he adjusted to the feeling of power surging through him. Something had clicked. When he touched Melina during the fight of their lives, something happened inside of him, granting him the power that he thought he would never achieve. "Did you feel that?" he asked her as she approached him. He saw her look of shock when he felt that surge of power. She had to have felt something too in that moment. Melina nodded, her lips curling up into a smile. "I think our powers linked. My magic helped you find the rest of yours," she said. "I''ve never felt like this before," Elias murmured as he lowered his hands, which felt like they were back to their normal temperature. His mind was blown, but he would be lying if he said that he didn''t feel great right now. He felt alive, knowing that the full extent of his fire ability was finally avable for him to use. He wished that they didn''t almost have to die for that to happen, but at least he would have it to fight against ric. "Your demon side is powerful, but your witch side makes it even more powerful," Melina pointed out. Chapter 209 - Turn On "What in the world was that?" Scott''s voice sounded from the door of the RV. He hopped out, followed by Alyssa and Tyler. "I found my powers. I guess I needed Melina all of this time," Elias replied as he nced over at her. They were two parts to one whole. People kept telling him that, but he didn''t feel what they were talking about until they actually fought together and relied on each other to survive. "I''ve never felt so powerful in a fight before. I think it''s you," Melina admitted. "I think we''re meant to fight together." "You think? That''s why I teamed you guys together. You were born together. Now, you''ll fight together," Scott pointed out. Elias nodded his agreement, feeling connected to his sister in a way that he had never experienced before. They fed off of each other''s energy and powers, making each other stronger in the process. He nced over at Alyssa, who was quiet in shock. He felt like he needed to talk to her alone. He took her hand before turning to the others. "We''ll be right back," he said before leading Alyssa away, feeling her hand tremble in his. ********* "Are you okay?" Elias asked once they were on the other side of the rest stop building away from everyone. Shadows cloaked them as they stood near the wall, huddled close together to talk. His heart was still racing from the fight, his adrenaline soaring. He couldn''t get a handle on it yet. Alyssa nodded before finally speaking. "I''ve just never seen you like that before. You were so¡­ strong and brave," she said before drawing in a deep breath. "It was intense." "It felt intense. It still feels intense," Elias replied as he cupped her cheek in his hands, bringing her eyes to his. "I feel stronger now. I feel like¡­ we actually have a chance." A hint of a smile crossed Alyssa''s face as she nodded. "Me too. I knew you had it in you. It was nice seeing it finallye out," she told him as she ced her hands on his wrists. "Your pulse is so fast." "I just feel so good," Elias breathed out with a faintugh. "I''m more powerful than I ever thought I could be." Alyssa peered up into his dark eyes, her cheeks seeming to flush a pink color. "Watching you¡­ it was kind of hot," she admitted with a shy look. "Oh, you like me being all powerful?" Elias smirked as he took a step closer to her. He liked feeling this way. He felt like he could actually protect her from danger, and that was all that he wanted to be able to do. Keeping her safe was his priority. Alyssa''s back touched the side of the rest stop building as her breath hitched. "Yes," she managed to say, her eyes not moving from his. Elias couldn''t deny the fact that the adrenaline was working him up a little. Knowing that Alyssa got worked up just watching him prompted him to cup her chin, lifting her head as he leaned close to her. "You need to stay quiet," he told her, his voiceing out in a whisper. Upon her nod, he surged forward and kissed her deeply, letting his hands roam over her hips and curves. He felt hungry for her, needing to feel her and be close to her. Alyssa pushed her fingers into his hair, gripping tight as they just short of devoured each other. She slid her free hand up his shirt, feeling the grooves of his muscles. Elias knew that they didn''t have a lot of time to hide back here before someone wondered what they were doing. He undid her shorts and slipped his hand past her panties, sinking two fingers inside of her and feeling how wet she already was for him. "Someone was turned on," he smirked against her lips. Alyssa gripped his arms tightly as she felt his fingers curl deep inside of her. A whimper left her lips as she tried to stay quiet. "This is crazy," she breathed out. Maybe they were doing something insane, but Elias didn''t care. He felt great, and he wanted to help Alyssa wind down from her being so worked up. He pressed his palm against her sensitive clit, coaxing a soft moan from her that he had to muffle with his lips. "Shh," he whispered, needing her to stay quiet. He loved hearing her noises, though. Alyssa hurriedly undid his pants, tugging his briefs off his hips as they fumbled with each other''s clothes. She kicked off her shorts before gasping when he suddenly lifted her up by the back of her thighs. She threw her arms around his neck, anchoring herself close. Elias pushed her up against the wall before pushing her panties aside and guiding himself inside of her. He buried his face into her shoulder, quieting himself down as he reveled in how good she felt. He gathered himself before starting to thrust into her. "Oh¡­ Elias," Alyssa gasped faintly as she dug her nails into his shoulders. She rested her forehead against his, gazing down at him lovingly as they moved together. Elias leaned closer and kissed her, muffling their quiet noises. He rocked against her, feeling her legs tighten around his waist. He closed his eyes, sinking into the sensation of her warmth. He hadn''t felt anything so good before. "I can''t get enough of you, baby," he murmured, letting his lips trail along her jaw to her neck. He gently sucked on her neck, trying not to leave marks, even if he really wanted to. She was his. Now and forever. A breathy moan escaped Alyssa as she tilted her head back. She wed at his back, her body tensing up as he kept driving her into the wall. "I''m not going tost," she gasped. Elias was right there with her. He was already on edge before they started to tangle together. Now, he was hanging on by a thread, feeling the warmth and softness of her body against his. It was too much to handle, but he was going to make her fall apart.. He mped a hand over her mouth before thrusting into her harder and faster, finishing her off. Chapter 210 - Powerful Alyssa Alyssa''s moans were muffled against his hand. She shuddered against him, tightening her legs around his waist as he finished inside of her. She mewled softly at the feeling, eventually going nearly limp against him as her energy left her. Elias gently nuzzled his face against the crook of her neck, breathing her in. He carefully set her back down on the ground with a softugh. "That was good," he said, ncing around to make sure that no one was still around. Luckily, it was just them and darkness. He would never hear the end of it if they were caught messing around. "That was crazy," Alyssa smirked as she pulled her shorts back on. Elias adjusted his jeans before leaning forward to press a soft kiss against her lips. He smiled into the kiss, feeling her copy him. This was a good moment after a surprising victory. He wanted to keep the momentum up. "Crazy good," he said as he pulled away. Alyssaughed and shook her head at him. She fixed her hair and clothes, trying not to look like they just hooked up. "We should get back to the others," he told her, figuring that they had been gone long enough. He was d that they snuck away, though. He jumped on any opportunity that he could to spend some time alone with her. "What are we even going to say?" she asked. "I wasforting you. You were scared for me, even if you were actually turned on," Elias smirked, teasing her. He took her hand and led her back around the building to the RV, feeling his heart still racing. He was on a high, and he wanted to ride it out and get even stronger. ric wasing, and he was going to be ready. ******* The next few days were all about training, even if it was a little cramped doing it on the RV. It was better for them to keep moving but to keep practicing as well. They just had to make do with what they had so that they could all stay safe. If ric''sckies were catching up to them, then ric couldn''t be far behind. "Okay, you''re being a showoff!" Melinaughed as Elias created a small, controlled me in his hand. Elias shrugged with a smirk on his face. Melina muttered something in Latin beneath her breath before rubbing her hands together. She grabbed his hand, extinguishing the me with ease. "Ouch! That''s cold!" Elias grimaced as he yanked his hand away, shaking it. "What did you do?" "I know some element spells. If you''re going to fight with fire, I have ice up my sleeve," Melina replied with a bold look. Elias grinned and nodded, feeling impressed. She always had some sort of trick up her sleeve. She knew a lot about magic and used it to her advantage. They both had their own strengths to add, which made them more of a threat to ric. He wanted to be as much of a threat as possible. He didn''t believe that ric would ever back down, no matter how powerful they became. However, it gave them a better advantage to beating him. "Can you show Alyssa that healing spell again?" Tyler spoke up from the sofa. He grimaced as he looked down at small cuts on his forearms. Alyssa looked over with a sheepish look. She had a spell book on herp, and a bowl of herbs next to her. "I''m saying the right words and mixing the right herbs. I don''t know why I can''t heal these tiny cuts," she sighed. Melina smiled and leaned closer to Alyssa. "You have to really believe in what you''re doing. Not everyone can be as powerful as a born witch, but people who believe can practice low level magic. It''s all about connecting with the world around you," she replied. "That''s easier said than done," Alyssa sighed as she looked over at Tyler. "Sorry." "It''s fine. Just remember that you''re already a healer," Tyler pointed out before offering his forearm to her again. "You''ve got this," Elias told Alyssa. He had watched her recite spells and study herbs since the trip began, and she certainly seemed passionate about learning low level healing magic. He was d for her. She got to practice healing even away from her job. Alyssa nodded and read over the spell one more time before breathing in deeply and closing her eyes. She reached her hand into the bowl, collecting a small amount of the poultice on her fingertips as she recited the passage in Latin. She pressed her fingertips over one of Tyler''s cuts, narrowing her eyes as she focused. Melina''s smile steadily grew across her face as she watched. When Alyssa pulled her fingers away and the cut had turned into a small white line of a healed cut, she nodded her head in a proud motion. "See? You just have to believe that you can heal them. You''ve healed way worse than that!" Melina said. "Yeah, with modern surgical procedures and medicine," Alyssa said with a shrug. She still looked happy, though. She released Tyler''s arm and cleaned off her hands. "It''s just another form of healing," Melina said as she nced over at her brother. "Your girl is very powerful in her own way." "I know," Elias replied as he peered at Alyssa lovingly. "I don''t know what I''d do without her." Alyssa blushed and moved to sit in hisp, curling her arms around his neck as he hugged her close. "We''ve already been without each other. Not too fun," she reminded him. "Not at all," Elias said as he rubbed her back. He was practicing so hard so that they weren''t ever separated again, especially by death. Their love story had a while left to go. He nced back toward the front of the RV. "Scott, how are you holding up?" "I''m getting tired. I''ll pull over in a few hours and switch with Tyler," Scott replied, mumbling through his response. "Well, pull over before you fall asleep. I doubt any of us wants to die that way," Elias said, prompting a scoff from Scott.. He looked back over at Melina. "Do you think we''re ready to fight ric?" Chapter 211 - In Town "I think we''re getting close. We were only tested once," Melina pointed out. Elias knew that she had a point. As confident in their abilities as he wanted to be, they had only fought together once against two vampires. ric had the strength of at least ten vampires, which meant that they had to up their game even more if they wanted a chance at destroying him. "We could always try to face him," Elias replied. "When we feel ready." He wasn''t sure how great that n was, but they could only run for so long. They were either going to get tracked down, or they would stand and fight. He wanted to catch ric off guard, but he knew that would be hard since they were constantly trying to be tracked. They would have to make the best decision that they could in the moment and hoped that it worked. The worst part of all this was the uncertainty of everything. He never knew what was going to happen next. "Maybe. I feel like he''ll catch up to us before that happens, though," Melina said. "He''s obviously making hisckies do all of the work tracking us so that he can pop up when he''s ready." "I think we''re in the clear so far. There hasn''t been any weird activity," Tylermented. "I''ve been watching to make sure that no one has been following us." "I think it''s a good idea to keep moving for at least another day. We can rest soon," Alyssa suggested. "A rest does sound nice. We only have to stay a night in some random town," Melina agreed. "I''m tired of sleeping in something that moves." "You''re not used to the bed moving when we''re in it?" Tyler murmured near her ear. Melina rolled her eyes and swatted at him yfully. She sat next to him, murmuring to him as they smiled at each other and fell into their own conversation. "Are you okay with stopping somewhere soon?" Alyssa asked Elias, her expression softening. Elias was wary after what happenedst time, but he knew that everyone needed a break. They couldn''t be on the road 24/7. They were already feeling cramped up in here. He smiled at her and nodded, willing to take the risk. If it came to a fight, he and Melina would just have to be ready. They wouldn''t have any other choice. ******** As Tyler and the girls snoozed, Elias stayed up with Scott, who was tiredly searching for the nearest town to pull into for the night. Elias sat in the passenger seat of the RV, looking into the darkness as they flew down the road. He didn''t have to stay up with Scott, but he didn''t want Scott to fall asleep and kill them all. "There. Fulton in five miles," Elias said as he pointed to an approaching road sign. "Finally," Scott muttered as he blinked his eyes a few times. "I don''t see how Tyler does this so much. It''s torture." "It''s nice of you to give him a break," Elias pointed out. Scott grunted and sat up more in his seat to help himself stay awake. "So, you''re finally discovering your powers," hemented. Elias nced over at him, surprised that he even wanted to talk. They didn''t exactly have small talk with each other. "Yeah. It''s a long timeing. I didn''t even know I could do all of that stuff," he admitted. "There was a missing piece," Scott pointed out before ncing at Elias. "Melina." "Well, thanks for bringing us together," Elias said, having to force his gratitude a little. He felt like Scott would use it against him or something. They didn''t have a track record of being kind to each other without some sort of string attached. Scott nodded. "I knew something bad wasing. If there was a chance to end it, I was going to take it before I ended up dead," he replied. "Plus, it was about time that you met your sister." Elias was still surprised at Scott''s behavior, but he decided to roll with it. He didn''t like fighting with Scott, but it was their usual state. They always found something to argue about, and it usually stemmed from Scott''spetitiveness. "I''m d that I met her," he admitted. It took him a while to warm up to her, but that was mostly because it was such a shock having here into his life so suddenly. The more he adjusted, the more grateful he was that he finally met her. She was a missing piece in his life. "Even after we barged into your perfect life?" Scott asked as he pulled off the main road onto the uing exit that led to a small town. Elias frowned slightly, remembering how happy he and Alyssa were before Scott and Melina showed up. He missed that short period of time, but he believed that he could get back to that time after all of this passed. Melina was his key to defeating ric and getting to that point. "Yeah, I am," he said, seeing the lights from some businesses appear ahead of the RV. "I''m going to wake them." Scott nodded, looking surprised as he kept his eyes peeled for a motel to pull into. Elias made his way to the couch where Alyssa was sleeping. He brushed his fingers through her hair until she stirred. He smiled as he knelt down next to her, caressing her cheek. "Hey, we''re in town," he said gently. Alyssa rubbed her eyes sleepily before sitting up. "Great," she said with a tired smile. Elias pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead before walking toward the bedroom. He lightly knocked on the door to wake up Melina and Tyler. "We''re in town," he called to them, feeling the RVe to a stop. He walked back over to Alyssa. "Stay here while I scope out the ce." Alyssa grabbed his hand, stopping him in ce. "You know, you can''t always expect me to stay behind. I came with you to help, not to hide," Alyssa reminded him. Elias met her eyes, seeing that she was serious. He knew that she was strong, but he knew that he wouldn''t be able to handle it if she was hurt. He made her stay behind for that reason, but he knew that she was right.. He couldn''t ask her to always hide. Chapter 212 - Double Date That pained him a little because he just wanted her to stay safe, but she survived just fine without him for a long time. She kept herself together, watched out for herself, and made something of herself. He would never deny her intellect and determination, and he knew that she would use it to survive if danger came her way. He just wanted to give her more of a fighting chance against the supernatural, which did not y fair. "Fine. You cane with me, but you stay right by my side," he told her sternly. He needed her to stay close just in case. Alyssa perked up and jumped to her feet to follow him out of the RV. She ced her hand on his back, moving with him as they approached the motel, which looked a lot like thest one. Not much creativity was put into their designs. "Do you see anything weird?" she asked him. Elias smirked and nced at her. "Not yet," he said before venturing closer to the office. He looked up and down the street, not seeing any cars approaching with their lights turned off or anything else strange along those lines. He believed that they were in the clear for now. "Let''s get checked in." Alyssa took his hand, letting him lead her into the office so that they could get three rooms for the night. Elias fought multiple yawns as he grabbed the motel room keys. He had been up for way too long, but at least they could all rest now. When he left the office, the others were waiting for him outside of the RV. He handed Scott and Melina a room key. "Let''s get some rest. Mel, we can find a ce to practice tomorrow," he told her. He wanted to take advantage of them being in town to practice. Melina smiled and nodded, but she didn''t dart off to the motel room just yet. "I was also thinking that maybe we could go on a double date or something," she suggested. Elias gave her a confused look. "A double date?" he questioned her, wondering where that random idea came from. He hadn''t even thought to take Alyssa out on a date during this trip because it seemedpletely out of ce. They were still running for their lives. Melina shrugged as she held Tyler''s hand. "Ever since the trip started, I haven''t really spent much quality time with Tyler, and we want to get to know you guys better. We''re family," she exined. "I know it''s weird timing, but I figured we could have a quick dinner while we''re here in town." Elias wasn''t sure how to respond to that. He nced at Alyssa, who seemed excited by the prospect. He wasn''t entirely surprised by that, and he knew right then that they were going to go. He would do anything to make her happy, including going on a date with his sister and her boyfriend. Alyssa turned to look Elias. "We should. Just in case we don''t get the chance to," she told him. Elias felt his heart sink slightly when he realized what she meant. They should go on the double date just in case they died during the next fight. Their lives were on a strict timer with ric still kicking, and there was no telling how this would end. While they were still alive, they should live. "Sure. Why not? I''m sure there''s somewhere decent to eat around here," he said as he nced up and down the road. He saw two fast food ces and what looked like a local bar and grill. Something would have to do. They couldn''t exactly be picky. "Well, I''ll just stay in my motel room and order pizza," Scott spoke up. "You cane along if you want," Elias invited him, surprising himself. Usually, he wouldn''t even think about inviting Scott and would prefer for Scott to leave them alone for the night. However, Scott hadn''t been going out of his way to annoy Elias, so Elias found himself softening up a little. Just a little. Scott smirked and shook his head. "I don''t feel like being the fifth wheel. Having a little alone time sounds like a dream right now," he replied before heading to his motel room. Elias looked at Melina and Tyler with a small smile. "Well, I guess we''ll do that dinner date around six o''clock tomorrow. We still have to train," he told Melina. He didn''t see a grassy area for them to practice at likest time, but he was sure that they could find something. If he was going to be messing with fire, he didn''t want to be around anything that he could catch on fire. "We will. Bring it tomorrow," Melina told him firmly. "Always," Elias replied as he nced at Alyssa with a smile. With her by his side, he would always give a hundred percent. He wanted to try to push himself even further tomorrow since he wouldn''t be stuck in an RV. Practicing his fire abilities had to be very contained in there. Melina gave Tyler''s hand a squeeze. "I can''t wait for tomorrow night. We haven''t been on a date in forever," she told him excitedly. "Doesn''t mean we''re not romantic," Tyler smirked before suddenly picking her up bridal style. He nodded a goodbye to Elias and Alyssa before carrying Melina to their shared room. "They''re cute together," Alyssa said as she watched them walk off with a smile on her face. "Not as cute as us," Elias replied, shooting her a wink before putting his arm around her shoulders. He led her to their shared room, holding her close to his side. He wasn''t sure how the double date was going to go tomorrow, but he knew that spending quality time with those closest to him was important. He didn''t know how much time that they all had left, even if that was a morbid thought. It was the truth, which would always be daunting to face. Once Elias shut the door behind them, Alyssa lifted up on her toes to press a kiss against his lips. "I can''t wait for the date, but I wouldn''t mind spending some alone time with you tonight," Alyssa told him, lifting an eyebrow at him suggestively. Elias smirked and easily picked her up to toss her onto the bed. He crawled over her, pinning her down to the mattress. In the privacy of their motel room, he could let his worries fade away. He could ignore the danger that could possibly be right outside.. With Alyssa, he was in a whole different world, one that he hoped to live in after all of this was finally over. Chapter 213 - Best Of Both World Elias dragged himself back to the motel after an intense training session with Melina. He managed to turn that little me in his hand into something much bigger and harder to control. He had been focusing so hard that his head started to hurt. When he set an entire dumpster on fire, his nose decided to start bleeding. That meant that they were done for the day. "You did good," Melina told him as she walked by his side. "The whole nose thing happened to me too when I started using magic a lot in a short period of time. It''s hard on your body." Elias wiped his nose, still seeing a small trace of blood. He tried to clean it all up so that Alyssa wouldn''t worry about him. He felt a little better now, but he was definitely tired. Magic took a lot out of him, while Melina had way more stamina. "How do you not tire yourself out?" he asked her. "I''m just used to it. You only just started to really use your magic," she pointed out to him. "Just keep using it and letting your body get used to it." Elias sighed and nodded, figuring that she was right. He would have to be patient. At least he was getting stronger, even if it was taking a toll on his body. He looked over at Melina. "Does it look like my nose was bleeding?" he asked her. "You might as well tell her. Next time you fight, it''ll probably bleed again. She''ll see it," Melina replied with a soft look. "She can handle it." "I know. I just don''t want her to worry," Elias told her. Things were already stressful enough. He didn''t want Alyssa to think that using magic was really hurting him, even if it seemed that way. "She''ll always worry about you. She''s your girl. Even if Tyler doesn''t show it, he''s constantly worried about me too," Melina said as they walked side-by-side back to the motel. "He doesn''t seem worried about anything," Elias smirked. Then again, it was his job. Tyler had to keep his fear in check to protect Melina. If he let his fear get into his head too much, he was going to fail at protecting the person that he loved the most. "He''s even a little nervous about tonight," Melina admitted. "He''s a teddy bear." "That can crush anyone that dares toy a hand on you," Elias replied, giving her a pointed look. He couldn''t picture Tyler like she could, but she did know him better. "Best of both worlds," Melina said with a proud look on her face. She stopped in front of their neighboring motel rooms. "So, we can meet at the restaurant around five." "Sounds good with me," Elias told her with a nod. He said goodbye to her and walked into the motel room that he and Alyssa were sharing. Alyssa looked away from the television to smile at Elias from the bed. "Hey, how was it?" she asked him as she hopped off the bed to approach him. It only took her a few seconds to notice a trace of blood right under his nose. Panic broke across her face as she stepped closer to him. "You''re bleeding! What happened?" "Nothing. I just pushed hard while practicing. Melina said it''s normal," Elias told her, trying to get her to calm down. He knew that it looked concerning, but at the end of the day, it was just a bloody nose. He had experienced worse injuries, and she had seen worse injuries too. He could survive this. "Are you sure? You can''t overdo it," Alyssa sighed as she dropped her hands from his face. "It''s perfectly fine. I have to train hard," Elias reminded her. He had to save his energy, but he also had to push himself so that he could get stronger. It was a delicate line that he had to walk. If he tilted too far one way, he would regret it in some way. Now wasn''t the time to do actions that he wouldter regret. He had to be mindful of everything because he knew that ric could turn any mishap into a weakness. "Please be careful," Alyssa told him. "I will. Breathe," Elias chuckled. It was cute when she fawned over him, but he wasn''t in any danger when it came to training. It made him more resilient against actual danger. "We have to get ready for dinner soon." "Are you ready?" Alyssa asked him, lifting an eyebrow at him. "After I shower," Elias said, pecking her on the cheek before heading to the bathroom to clean himself up. For a moment, his life felt somewhat normal. He was getting ready for a date and ignoring everything else going on in his life. It was a brief moment of peace that he rolled with. He didn''t know when he would feel like this again. After showering and getting dressed, Elias met Alyssa at the door of their motel room, admiring her ck skirt and fitted white shirtbo. "You look beautiful," he told her. Honestly, she looked beautiful in anything. She looked great in nothing at all too. He mentally shook his head at himself, telling himself not to think like that now, or they wouldn''t be going anywhere tonight. Even with everything going on, his desire for her hadn''t faded in the slightest. "Thanks. I didn''t really pack any date clothes," Alyssa said with a sheepish look as she nced down at herself. "Well, expect a date every night when this is all over with," Elias told her as he put his hands on her hips, pulling her close. Everything that had happened made him want to cherish the time that he spent with her more. He didn''t know when it would be taken away. "You don''t think that''s overkill?" Alyssa smirked as she looped her arms around his neck. "For you? Never," Elias said as he rested his forehead against hers.. He wouldn''t mind spending the night here with her, familiarizing himself with her pleased sounds and perfect body, but he knew that Melina and Tyler were waiting for them at the restaurant. Chapter 214 - Double Date(2) Alyssa shared a smile with him. She then took his hand and led him out of the motel room, looking down the street where the bar and grill was. "Come on. I don''t want to bete," she told him, hurrying him along down the sidewalk toward the small bar and grill. Modern rock music red from speakers inside as they neared the entrance. Tacky beach and sports decorations lined the walls, and high wooden tables filled the interior. "Wee to Davie''s! Just two?" a young waitress greeted them. "We''re with them," Alyssa said, pointing to Melina and Tyler, who sat a table in the middle of the restaurant. There were only a few other groups of people in the bar and grill. "Okay!" the waitress chirped. Alyssa led Elias over to Tyler and Melina''s table. "Hi!" she greeted them as she sat across from them. "Hey," Melina replied cheerfully. "I''m so happy we''re doing this." Elias was d that everyone was trying to have fun and forget about what was going on. However, there was a bit of a somber tone to this double date. There was a possibility that they would never get to do this again. He didn''t want to think like that, but he knew that was a real possibility. "You''ll have toe over to our ce for dinner one night," Elias invited them. Even after all of this, he wanted Melina to have a ce in his life. She was family after all, and he had mostly gotten over his anger with his parents for keeping such a huge secret from him. Everything happened for some good reason, and he just had to take advantage of the time that he could spend with Melina now. "I''m guessing steak and lobster? Something fancy, Mr. Businessman?" Melina smirked as she raised an eyebrow at him, holding Tyler''s hand after the table. Elias scoffed, sparkingughter around the table. Steak and lobster did sound good right now, but he didn''t eat as many fancy dinners as she probably expected he did. He mostly liked to try to cook with Alyssa at home. "I was thinking shrimp alfredo. That''s a dish we''re pretty good at," he said as he smiled at Alyssa. He remembered all the times that they cooked that dish together. Then, they would curl up on the couch and watch a movie together, makingments about how good the dish tasted or what they could do better next time. He missed simple moments like that. They felt like they happened so long ago. "If we don''t mess up the sauce," Alyssa replied with a pointed look. "I overcooked it one time. One time," Elias said pointedly, but he couldn''t stop his smile from crossing his face. It was his fault, but at least he learned from his mistake. Even when he messed up a dish, it was still fun spending time with her. Those little things just proved to him how in love with her he was. He would always love her like that. "You guys are good together," Melinamented, looking at them warmly. "You know, I wasn''t interested in dating at all, even when Tyler first came around." "I wore you down," Tyler chuckled as he nudged her shoulder with his own. "Something like that," Melinaughed softly. "From bodyguard to boyfriend," Alyssa said with an amused smile. "I knew I was in trouble the moment I saw her," Tyler said, giving Melina''s hand an affectionate squeeze. "It was hard to do my job when I couldn''t take my eyes off her." Elias was happy for his sister. He was d that she was happy with Tyler because they were a good match. Their happiness reminded him of what he shared with Alyssa, which was still something unique and special to just them. Their love story was one for the ages, one that he would never forget. "Hi, folks. I''m Adam. I''ll be your server. What can I get you to drink?" a waiter said once he strolled up to their table. Everyone ordered water and some sort of cocktail to ease their nerves. They didn''t want to drink too much in case they needed to be sharp, but they wanted to rx too. This was a night of rxation and fun for them. They could ignore everything for one night. Just one. For two hours, they let go, drinking, eating, and talking about their pasts. They didn''t talk about the present or the future. What they were sure about was their good memories that they wanted to share with each other. They chatted like old friends, and it was a breath of fresh air for all of them. It was exactly what they needed. "I can''t eat another bite," Alyssa breathed out as she pushed away the te of torti chips and spinach artichoke dip. She leaned against Elias with a tired smile. "So much better than fast food or motel food." Elias chuckled and nodded his agreement. Their diet hadn''t been all that greattely. It was hard to eat good on the road, and this was the first time that they actually sat down and ate somewhere. He wished that they could do it more. He wanted more breaks, but he also wanted to end this. "Ugh. Don''t remind me. We''ll be back to that tomorrow," he muttered before popping one of the small torti chips in his mouth. "I don''t want to leave here. Life on the road is hard," Melina sighed as she rested her chin on her hand. "But I didn''t know what other n to put into action." "It was a good n. Anything would''ve been hard," Elias assured her. They all went into this knowing that this would be hard. It was a sacrifice that they all made, abandoning their lives to save their lives. Hopefully, it all worked out and was worth it in the end. Melina gave him a grateful smile. "Yeah, you''re right. I just hope we''re doing the right thing," she replied. "We are," Elias said, knowing that she was worrying too much. Honestly, it was hard not to worry. They hardly knew what they were doing. They were just trying to buy themselves time. "We''ve made it this far." Melinaughed softly and nodded. "Yeah, I guess you''re right. And we''ve gotten stronger," she added. "I think this trip was good for you guys. You''ve really bonded," Alyssa spoke up, smiling between them. Elias nodded his agreement, feeling something warm burn inside of his chest. If he was honest with himself, he didn''t think that he and Melina would get to this point. He thought that he would always feel off toward her and wouldn''t be able to separate her from what his parents did. "Guess she isn''t so bad," he smirked at Melina yfully. Melina rolled her eyes, leaning into Tyler''s embrace as he put his arm around her shoulders. Elias chuckled, feeling that warm sensation gradually spread. This was a good moment. It was one that he would remember for a while. Through all of the darkness surrounding them, they had finally found a little bit of light. He hoped that they continued to find those moments of light.. They would need them when things became even darker. Chapter 215 - Danger Elias nodded his agreement, feeling something warm burn inside of his chest. If he was honest with himself, he didn''t think that he and Melina would get to this point. He thought that he would always feel off toward her and wouldn''t be able to separate her from what his parents did. "Guess she isn''t so bad," he smirked at Melina yfully. Melina rolled her eyes, leaning into Tyler''s embrace as he put his arm around her shoulders. Elias chuckled, feeling that warm sensation gradually spread. This was a good moment. It was one that he would remember for a while. Through all of the darkness surrounding them, they had finally found a little bit of light. He hoped that they continued to find those moments of light. They would need them when things became even darker. After paying the bill, the group wandered out of the restaurant, chatting andughing over one of Melina''s old boarding school tales. She had a crazy time in school, especially when Tyler came along. Elias could''ve listened to her recount her entire time in boarding school. It was so different from how he grew up. It was crazy to him that they were rted, but they had such different backgrounds. Yet, they paired up well still. All of that time apart and different upbringings didn''t keep them from bing a good team, which he was grateful for. Everyone relied on them to work, and they were going above and beyond. "I wonder what Scott has been up to," Melinamented, ncing at Elias curiously. "Probably watching trash tv and eating pizza," Elias smirked. "Not much else to do in a motel room by yourself." "You two have been getting along bettertely," Alyssa spoke up, lifting an eyebrow out of curiosity. Elias shrugged, not wanting to make a big deal out of it, especially if Scott was going to turn around and act like a jerk again tomorrow. It had been nice not fighting with him, though. It was for the best if they at least tried to get along. It mighte down to them saving each other''s lives, and he didn''t want any bad blood to be between them during those tense times. "A little. I think he''s juste to terms with the fact that we can all die at any moment," he replied. "Sheesh," Tyler muttered. Elias grimaced, realizing how dark his words sounded. He didn''t mean it toe out so dark, but his words were true. That was a possible reality, and maybe it had simmered Scott down a little, which Elias didn''t mind. He could deal with this Scott much easier. "I just mean that he''s realizing that fighting is so dumb in the grand scheme of things," he said. "I get it. I think he can actually not be too bad of a guy," Melina said with a sheepish look as everyone turned to look at her in surprise. "I mean, I know how he is, but he can be helpful." "He''s a smart guy. He just uses it to his advantage all the time," Elias told her. He had been around Scott for way longer than Melina, so he knew the little things that she didn''t. Scott could be a master maniptor, but he hadn''t even acted like that in a while. Maybe something had definitely changed. "Well, we should still check in with him. He can have the rest of my mozzare sticks," Melina replied as she held up her to-go box. Elias smiled to himself as they continued walking. Melina was such a kind soul. He wondered where she got that from. He admired that about her, though, along with a bunch of other things. She was perceptive, patient, and encouraging. At times, he wished that he could pick up a few more of her qualities that he wascking in. "Yeah, we can see him," he agreed, figuring it wouldn''t hurt. Scott would probably take the mozzare sticks and then shoo them out of his room. Alyssa grabbed Elias'' arm, giving it a proud squeeze as she smiled at him. Elias grinned at her, knowing that she was happy that he was being more mellow toward Scott. She liked peace, and he couldn''t me her. She had always been around chaos, including her own family. If that made her morefortable, then he was going to try for her. When they arrived at Scott''s room, they all froze in ce, realizing that the door was cracked open for some reason. Knowing Scott, he would never keep his door open like he was inviting anyone inside. They all looked at each other before Tyler took the lead and barged inside of the room. Elias followed right behind him, freezing again when he saw that the room was a mess. It looked like a fight had gone down, leaving the television broken, the desk cracked, and the bathroom mirror shattered all over the floor. He nced around, feeling his heart threaten to pound right out of his chest. "Where''s Scott?" he asked, feeling panicked. He didn''t see a trace of Scott. "Here," Tyler called out as he looked down at the space on the other side of the bed. Elias rushed over and looked down to see Scott knocked unconscious. He had a gash on the side of his head, blood coating the side of his face. He knelt down and gently shook Scott, who didn''t stir. "He''s alive, but he''s knocked out," he said. He didn''t feel any better, though. Someone hade in here and attacked him, but why? Who? He looked over at Melina. "Whoever did this has to be nearby." Melina let out a shaky breath and nodded. She shut the door behind them, locking it with a click. "We need to find out what happened," she said. Elias nodded and looked back down at Scott, feeling his heart start to sink. Tonight had started so great. Now, it was a horrific disaster that remained a mystery for now.. Danger lurked outside the motel, and he had no idea what wasing for them. Chapter 216 - Attacked (2) Another ten minutes passed before Scott finally returned to consciousness. Everyone helped him onto the bed to sit down and gather himself, soon surrounding him with concerned faces. They knew that this meant bad news for all of them. One of their own was attacked, leaving the rest of them vulnerable to whatever wasing next. Elias doubted that this was the end. Scott was lucky to even still be alive. "Are you okay?" Melina asked Scott as she peered down at him with a worried expression. Scott rubbed his head gingerly before scoffing. "Am I okay? I got attacked while the lot of you were on a date!" he said with a bite to his words. Melina looked over at Elias, motioning for him to talk to Scott with her expression. Elias crossed his arms over his chest as he looked down at Scott. "Do you remember anything?" he asked him. If he had any clues to share with them, they could use them to their advantage. They needed all of the help that they could get to point them in the right direction. Scott thought for a second, grimacing when he thought too hard. "Kind of. I was watching television when I heard a knock on the door. She said she was housekeeping. I told her to go away, but she kept knocking," he muttered before continuing. "I answered the door, but no one was there." Elias narrowed his eyes slightly as he listened. A heavy sensation started to form in the pit of his stomach. He felt uneasy just still being in the motel room where the attack happened. "Then, something was blown into my eyes. Some sort of powder. I couldn''t hardly see anything, and I was thrown back against the wall," Scott said as he nodded to the wall that they found him slumped over near. "You didn''t see who attacked you?" Tyler questioned him. Scott shrugged, looking unsure. "I mean, I saw two sets of legs. One was wearing ck pants and the other was wearing a ck dress that came down to her ankles. I don''t think ric was there, but I''m pretty sure they work for him," he replied. "I don''t understand why they didn''t kill you," Elias spoke up as he eyed Scott. From what he knew about ric, he didn''t seem to express much mercy. "It''s a warning probably. We made the mistake of splitting up once, and they took advantage of that," Melina pointed out with a frown on her face. Elias felt Alyssa''s hands wrap around his arm as she anchored herself close to his side. He looked down at her, seeing the concern in her eyes. He didn''t want her to be worried, but how could hefort her when he felt just as nervous? "We can''t do that again," he replied. "No shit," Scott muttered as he rolled his eyes. "ric will deal even worse damage to us." Elias rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand, trying not to get too stressed out, but that was easier said than done. They managed to escape their reality for a little while, but it came back with force. They couldn''t ignore the situation that they were in any longer. "It sounds like that girl used magic on him," he said to Melina with slightly lifted eyebrows. It sounded like a y in the witch''s ybook, which they knew all about. They had to tread carefully. "So, ric has a witch. Great," Melina sighed before chewing on her bottom lip nervously. "I think ric didn''t have Scott killed because he wants to kill us all himself," Alyssa spoke up with a grim look on her face. "It sounds like he has an ego to stroke." Elias nodded his agreement. That made sense to him. Elias wanted the privilege of getting to kill them personally. He wouldn''t waste such an opportunity on one of his followers. They just told him where the group was. "Well, let''s not give him anything to brag about. He''s probably on his way," he replied as he nced toward the door of the motel room warily. He felt like ric could burst in and kill them all at any second. He didn''t intend to die any time soon, so that meant that they needed to get moving. "Let''s get back to the RV," Melina agreed. She turned to Scott. "I''m d you''re not dead." Scott''s eyes widened faintly, but he didn''t say anything until Melina dragged Tyler out of the motel room. He nced over at Elias. "I bet you don''t wish the same thing," he said. Elias'' face softened slightly as he peered at Scott, noting the heaviness in his shoulders. He had to be in pain from the attack. "I''m d you''re not dead too," he replied. "Besides, I''m the only one who gets to throw you around." Scott smirked and shook his head before slowly rising to his feet. He put his back to Elias and started to gather his things at his own pace. Elias took Alyssa''s hand and led her out of Scott''s room to go to their room. He shut the door behind them and turned to Alyssa. "If ric ever does show up, please tell me that you''ll listen to me when I tell you to run," he said as their eyes shed. He needed to hear it from her because he was so afraid that she would get herself in trouble by trying to help him. It would kill him to watch her get hurt, and he would rather her flee from a fight than get killed. They weren''t messing around with some random vampire. They were dealing with a demon, who also had a witch at his disposal. They were in dangerous territory, and he needed thefort of her agreeing to follow his orders. He didn''t want to boss her around, but he did want to keep her alive. Alyssa gave him a gentle smile before shaking her head. "I go where you go, Elias. I chose this. I can make decisions for myself and take care of myself," she reminded him. "You don''t always have to protect me." "I want to," Elias blurted out before hanging his head slightly. "I know that''s impossible, but if I can keep you safe, I want to be able to." "I will never forgive myself if I run from a fight when you need help," Alyssa replied. Chapter 217 - Close "We''re supposed to be there for each other." Elias understood where she wasing from. He wanted to always be by her side, but if he went down, he didn''t want to drag her down with him. They faced a dangerous situation ahead of them, and there was no guarantee that they were going to make it out alive. All that Elias could do was to try to raise their chances of survival. Maybe sticking together would help them make it through this. "I''ll always be there for you. I just want you to be safe," he exined to her. He didn''t mean to be overprotective, but that was just how he was with her. Nothing would ever be able to change that. She could be ten times more powerful than him, and he would act the same way toward her. Alyssa nodded and gave him a gentle smile. "I get that. I''m not going to be fighting on the front lines. I just want to be nearby in case I can help," she told him. Elias didn''t underestimate her. She was stronger and smarter than she expected from herself, but he could see her strength and intelligence each and every day. There was no one else that he wanted in his corner more than her. "Alright. Just don''t do anything crazy," he replied, asking that of her. They had to be mindful and careful of their actions. ric was cruel and would use any mistake to his own advantage. He didn''t want them to suffer because one of them made the wrong move out of impulse. They couldn''t afford to make mistakes like that right now. "Well, you should go crazy. You have ess to all these powers now. Use them," Alyssa encouraged him as she reached out to grab his hands. Elias grinned as he looked down at their joined hands. Maybe she had a point. He was more powerful now than he had ever been. Only she could make him see a silver lining in the darkness that surrounded them. It was one of the many reasons why he loved her. He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. "I will. Let''s get our stuff," he told her, knowing that they needed to leave. They could talk on the road, and he was sure that the others were already ready and heading to the RV. He didn''t want to slow them down when they needed to be hitting the road. Whoever attacked Scott was still in the area likely. They could be watching Elias and the group right now, and Elias wouldn''t even know where to look for them. Movement meant survival, and he knew that this town waspromised. They already spent too much time here since ric''s followers were closer than they expected. Alyssa nodded and hurried to the bathroom to grab their things on the bathroom counter and in the shower. Elias tossed their clothes into his bag, feeling adrenaline pump through him. A strange sensation kept tickling the back of his mind, like there was somethinging. It was so close that he could almost feel it. It wasn''t aforting feeling. "Ready," he called to her, tapping his foot impatiently. He felt like he needed to leave this motel room. Soon. Alyssa carried their things to the bag, dumping them inside before nodding. "Okay, let''s go," she said, seeming to notice his urgency. Elias carried his bag out of the motel room, seeing the others already piling into the RV. He quickened his pace, climbing up the stairs to the inside of the RV before tossing his bag down. He shut the door behind Alyssa and took a seat on the sofa. "We need to hurry," he said, hearing the RV''s engine rumble to life as Tyler twisted the key in the ignition. Once he felt the RV start moving, a relieved breath left him, but it was thest feeling of relief that he would feel for a while. ********* Elias noticed that Melina was eerily quiet as they raced away from town in the RV. He could still feel an unsettling feeling deep inside of him, prompting him to wonder if she was experiencing the same thing. The more time they spent together, the more linked to her that he felt. They were together and connected in the womb. Even after years of separation, they were starting to be one again. "What''s wrong?" he asked Melina, leaning forward toward her as she sat across from him in one of the lounge chairs. Alyssa and Scott''s eyes immediately darted over to Melina, wondering the same thing. Melina drew in a weak breath and shook her head. "I think he''s close," she said quietly. She rubbed the back of her neck, looking ufortable as she shifted in her seat. "I can feel a big source of power nearby." Elias knew that she wasn''t feeling that from anyone in the RV. It had to be ric, and it nearly made him break out into a cold sweat when he realized that he could feel what she was feeling. It felt like he constantly had to check behind him, like ric was somehow there. He was certainly close. "What do we do?" Alyssa asked, looking between them. "We run until we can''t anymore," Elias spoke up, knowing that was the only thing that they could do besides stopping and fighting right then. They were more powerful than before, but could they really take on ric now? Were they actually that strong enough? He figured that he wouldn''t know the answer to that until they had to fight ric. That could likely be soon. Scott sighed as he rubbed the back of his head, grimacing at the ache. "If he wants to catch up to us, he will," he replied. "He''s just toying with us." Elias had a feeling that Scott was right. ric was a maniptor, and he was egotistical. He thought that Elias and Melina could be wiped off the face of the easily, so toying with them was a game to him. He got his kicks, and he could remove his enemies from the equation as well. Chapter 218 - Tire Blown Elias didn''t like being toyed with. He had lost so much sleep over this, and he had to leave behind his own life to deal with ric. If they fought tonight, he wanted this all toe to an end finally. He didn''t know how much longer he could take all of this because this wasn''t living! This was torture. It was a nightmare while awake. "Tyler, pick up the pace," Elias called to him. They couldn''t begging behind, especially if ric had his followers on them as well. They had to disappear once again until the followers picked up their trail again. He didn''t know how they found them so fast. It was getting irritating. "Got it," Tyler replied, putting more weight on the gas pedal to edge the RV faster down the highway. Elias breathed in deeply, trying to prepare himself for what could possiblye next. He knew that he would eventually have to face ric, but he hadn''t been prepared for that to happen tonight. Then again, he probably would''ve never felt fully prepared to fight ric. "Do you think he''ll bring the witch in to right with him?" he asked Melina. It was bad enough that they had to fight a demon, but now a witch was also in the mix. Melina shook her head with a frown. "I have no idea. I hope not. A witch and a demon are a powerfulbination," she said as she raised her eyebrows at him. Elias nced away, lowering his eyes to the floor. Even if he was both of those things, he didn''t think that he was more powerful than a demon and a witch partnership. He had only just unlocked his powers. It would take time for them to fully mature, and that was time that he obviously didn''t have. "We have to be more powerful," he replied. Before Melina could reply, one of the RV''s tires suddenly popped. The RV swerved from the impact, skidding between thenes. Elias immediately reached for Alyssa, pinning her to the sofa to keep her from being thrown around. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, bracing for impact as Tyler pulled the wheel to try to straighten them out. Melina and Scott held onto their chairs, their bodies tensing. "I got it! I got it," Tyler called out as he straightened the RV out and let it roll to a stop on the side of the highway. He let out a heavy breath, steadying himself before turning to check on everyone. "You guys okay?" Elias nodded as he stepped back from Alyssa, looking down at her and checking her over for injuries. "Are you okay?" he asked her, reaching out to rub her arms in aforting manner. She looked shaken up, but he couldn''t me her. He felt the same way. He couldn''t believe that their tire randomly popped. Of course, it had to happen at the worst time possible. It was just their luck. Alyssa breathed in and out deeply, calming herself as she nodded. "I thought we were going to crash," she admitted, ncing down at her shaky hands. "It happened so fast." Melina walked closer to Tyler, leaning forward to wrap her arms around his neck. "I''m so d you have good reflexes," she sighed in relief. Tyler smiled a little, leaning his head against hers. "It was what I was trained to do," he reminded her. Elias gently helped Alyssa to her feet, a sigh soon breaking from him. Now, they only had three tires intact. He didn''t even think that they had been going fast enough on four tires. "We have a spare tire, right?" he asked Tyler. Thest thing that he wanted right now was to be stranded on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. They would be even more vulnerable than before. "Yeah, it''s in the back," Tyler said before peering at his mirrors. "I don''t see anyone behind us. I think we''re good." Elias hoped that he was right. That didn''t mean that ric was close, but maybe they had a little bit of time to spare. They couldn''t travel on three tires. They had to rece the blown one before they could continue running for their lives. He nudged Scott. "Let''s help him get the RV back up and running," he said. He didn''t want Tyler to deal with the tire alone. Things would go faster if he had a little help. Scott nodded and stood up, heading to the side door of the RV to leave. "I''m guessing you two want toe too," Eliasmented, watching Alyssa and Melina prepare to follow. Melina gave Elias a pointed look before following Scott outside. Elias expected that response. It wasn''t that he thought that they couldn''t help, but only so many people could work on one tire at a time. Even he would just be standing there while Tyler took over. Besides, it was no fun standing on the side of the highway in the dark anyway. "Let''s be quick about this," he said before motioning for Alyssa to follow him. They were dead in the water right now, and sharks wereing. ******* Darkness flooded the area as the group lingered on the side of the highway. Woods surrounded them on either side, chirps and buzzes sounding in the air. The only light they had was from the moon up above and a single shlight that they found in the RV. Tyler and Elias crouched near the blown tire, inspecting it closely. "Do you think it was a nail or some sharp metal piece that we ran over?" Elias questioned Tyler. Admittedly, he wasn''t much of a car buff. He didn''t know a lot about car repairs. He just had one of his assistants take his car to the shop routinely to avoid any issues. Tyler scratched the back of his head, looking confused. "Scott, move the light over here more," he said, motioning to the tattered remains of the tire. "Woah.. That doesn''t look good," Scott said as he shifted the shlight beam. Chapter 219 - Run "It doesn''t look like we ran over something. It''s like the tire blew up from the inside," Tyler told us as he looked over at us. "What does that mean? We had too much air in the tire or something?" Elias questioned him, wondering what he was getting at. There hadn''t been a problem with the tires before, so he didn''t know why there was suddenly a problem now. "No, the tires were fine. Something was done to them," Tyler said as he nced at Scott warily. "Like someone used some sort of power on it to make it blow?" Elias asked. "Yes," Melina suddenly said from behind the guys. She shook her head as she looked around. "I have a bad feeling, Elias." Elias stood up straight and leaned closer to Scott. "Can you help Tyler fix up the tire while I talk to her?" he asked quietly. Scott nodded and crouched near Tyler to help him switch out the tire. Elias motioned for Melina to follow him to the back of the RV so that they could talk among themselves. He didn''t want to rm the others while they reced the blown tire. "What''s wrong?" he asked her. He sort of already had an idea, though. The tense feeling hadn''t left him. "They stopped us for a reason. They want to fight tonight," Melina told him. She swallowed hard as she looked up and down the highway. "I''m scared." Elias frowned and ced his hands on her shoulders, forcing her gaze to focus on his. He couldn''t let her panic now. They had to be focused. They had to be a team. If she wasn''t there with him, he would lose. He was powerful, but he was more powerful with her. That was the whole reason for this trip that they spent together. "It''s okay to be scared, but I need you here with me. I can''t take him alone," he told her. Melina nodded, brushing her fingers through her hair to draw the strands back from her face. "I wasn''t ready for this tonight," she said. Elias gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze before letting go of her. He understood her. He knew all about the fear and uncertainty that she felt. They could likely die tonight, but at least they went down fighting. It was the biggestfort that he could give himself. He wouldn''t die for nothing. But he didn''t want to leave Alyssa or Melina behind. He wanted to build a life with Alyssa. Maybe they could start a family of their own down the road, but he also wanted to marry her. They had so many things left to do. With Melina, he wanted to get to know her more, to see her as much as siblings should. He hadn''t gotten the opportunity to appreciate having a sibling in a normal setting. He at least wanted that chance. He didn''t want this fear to be the rest of his life. There was so much more that he wanted to experience before he died, but he couldn''t control his timeline. If ric was going to kill them, he was going to do it tonight, whether they were ready to go or not. He just had to be strong until the very end. "I''ll be right there with you the entire time," he reminded her. They wouldn''t ever be alone. He couldn''t think of anything more frightening than facing his worst fear by himself. He wasn''t sure if he was strong enough to do that, but Melina gave him strength. He gave her courage. They were meant to do this together. "I know. I''m d," Melina said with a hint of a smile. "It''s been nice getting to know you. I just wish that it was because of another circumstance." Elias couldn''t agree more. They were brought together at the worst time, but it was when they needed each other the most. He hoped that they got some normalcy after all of this, though. He didn''t only want to know his sister through this dangerous time in their lives. He didn''t want to always associate Melina with ric. "Me too," he told her as they shared a smile. Their moment was shattered when they saw headlights approaching them from down the road. They stared at the lights with wide eyes, freezing in ce for a few seconds. It could''ve been any person heading down the highway, but something seemed off to them. A sense. "Elias¡­" Melina murmured. Her voice was so soft that it sounded like a whisper. She couldn''t take her eyes off the lights, which were so bright that they couldn''t even see the car. "I know," Elias said, tightening his fingers into fists. He knew what she was feeling. It was hitting him full force now, and he had the urge to get as far away from the car as he could. "We should tell the others." Melina nodded, finally tearing her gaze away from the car as it slowed down. It was definitely going to stop behind them. They didn''t even have to wait and see if it did or not. They just had a feeling. She led Elias back to the others. "There''s a caring," she told them. Scott nced up at her. "Likeing to help oring to kill us?" he asked her with a grim look on his face. "What do you think?" Melina replied before looking at Tyler. "We ran out of time." "I''m almost done," Tyler said, turning back to finish putting the extra tire on. Melina grabbed his shirt sleeve and shook her head. "Ty. We''re out of time," she said. Her voice sounded grave, and everyone knew what she meant. They were toote fixing the RV. They were stranded with the enemy right next to them. Elias grabbed Alyssa''s hand as he turned back toward the rear of the RV, watching the car pull over to the side of the road about ten feet away. When the lights shut off, he could make out a ck car. It was always a ck car. No one got out of it right away. "I think it''s him," he told Melina, feeling his chest tighten. He almost felt suffocated as he stared at the car, waiting for one of the doors to fly open. He didn''t get this feelingst time they faced off with their enemies. This was a whole new threat. This was the ultimate threat. "What do we do?" Alyssa asked in a weak voice. She stared at the dark car with wide eyes, frozen to the spot in a stand-off. Elias knew that there was only one thing for them to do if they wanted to buy themselves time. He didn''t know if it was the best choice, but he had to make a decision now. "Run." Chapter 220 - Meeting The Enemies The group crashed into the nearby woods, darting through the darkness away from the car. They didn''t stop to see if anyone got out or if anyone was following them. They just ran. It felt like their best shot at survival, and none of them wanted to start a fire in the middle of the highway. No one was ready. Elias felt his heart threaten to beat right out of his chest as he dodged around trees and through bushes, dragging Alyssa along with him. He moved faster than her, able to hear her huffing and panting as she tried to keep up. He knew that she was ufortable right now, but she had to keep going. They couldn''t stop now. Melina ran at Alyssa''s side as Tyler took the lead of the group, leading them deeper and deeper into the woods. There wasn''t a nned location for them to go. They were just running, hoping that they got away from whoever was in the car before they caught them. Running was their way of fighting for now. Suddenly, Alyssa tripped over a root growing out of the ground. She hit the ground on her side with a painful huff, her hand moving to cup her rib. Elias stopped in his tracks, but he waved the others on. "I got her. Just keep going!" he called to them, knowing that he could eventually catch up to them. He had to make sure that Alyssa was okay first. He knelt beside her, seeing her eyes water slightly. She took a hard fall. "Are you okay?" "Yeah. Just knocked the breath out of myself," Alyssa replied, trying to keep her voice steady as she caught her breath. She pushed herself to her feet, stumbling slightly. Elias grabbed her arm, keeping her upright and giving her a moment to collect herself. "I can carry you," he offered, not wanting her to push herself too hard. They all had to stay in one piece. Scott was already hurt. He didn''t want to add anyone else to that list, even if that was inevitable at this point. Bad things were happening to them left and right. Alyssa shook her head as she straightened up. She grabbed his hand and broke into a jog, tugging him along as they started to speed up together. She was determined, not letting the fall slow her down. Elias stayed by her side for a moment before taking the lead, having her follow his steps so that she didn''t trip again. It was hard making their way through the dark forest, but the moonlight helped guide them forward. They just had to be mindful of the shadows. He ran for another few minutes, wondering where the others were. He didn''t hear noise up ahead, which was strange. He thought that he would''ve heard them running through the forest. After another minute, he broke through the trees and jogged into a clearing where there were no trees. There was a small area of grass under the light of the moon, and he could see the group standing a few feet away from him. He walked up to Melina. "Why did we stop?" he asked her nearly breathlessly. Melina didn''t say anything. She stared ahead and then nodded. Elias followed her gaze, seeing darkness at the other side of the clearing. He was about to ask her what she was looking at, but he could see the darkness start to move. There were shadows mingled within the trees. Then, those shadows finally stepped out under the light of the moon. ric and another woman with a ck dress slowly approached them, walking side-by-side. Elias froze, feeling his heart momentarily stop at the sight of ric in person. He had only seen ric in his dreams, but this was even more real. He couldn''t just wake up from this. He had to face ric in reality, which meant that he could actually die too. "That''s the witch," Scott said under his breath, staring at the woman, who had long, blonde hair and a slender, tall figure. Even Scott seemed tense as he watched theme closer. Tyler immediately moved to stand halfway in front of Melina, ring at their enemies. ric smirked a little and stopped about ten feet away, waving his hand to motion for the witch to stop as well. He tilted his head, letting his eyes sweep over the entire group. "Look at what we have here. The whole circus has arrived," he chuckled, looking amused. He didn''t seem the least bit nervous as he stood before them. He was outnumbered, but he didn''t seem threatened at all. He either thought that he was that powerful, or he was great at bluffing. Elias kept his eyes on ric. He was worried about facing off with the witch too, but his prime focus was ric. If he could kill ric, his followers would split too. They only joined under him because they thought that he would rule the world and give them whatever they wanted for being loyal to him. "Nice to see you again, Melina," ricmented as he looked at Melina. Melina narrowed her eyes, balling her fists up. She looked like she was ready tobust, but she kept herself steady as she red at ric from around Tyler''s arm. ric switched his gaze to Elias. "Elias," he greeted him. "We finally meet in person this time." Elias felt a chill race down his spine at hearing his namee out of ric''s mouth. He wanted to be anywhere but here right now, but he knew that he couldn''t escape this. They were all trapped here. "I suggest that you back down and drop this rule the world n of yours. It won''t end well for you," he said in a firm voice. ric was intimidating, but someone had to stand up to him. If no one did, the world would fall at ric''s feet, which was thest thing that all of them wanted. ric clicked his tongue as he shook his head at Elias. "Well, that''s not very nice. We all have dreams. What are yours?" ric asked as he took a single step forward.. He looked at Alyssa with a sly smile. "Marry this one and have a bunch of kids?" Chapter 221 - The Fight Elias felt his entire body lock up as ric set his sights on Alyssa. He didn''t want ric to look at Alyssa or even have her as a thought in his mind. His eyes gradually narrowed as he took a step forward too, capturing ric''s attention again. "She''s not your concern," he replied with a bite to his tone. "Trying to take over the entire world isn''t your concern either. We''ve all lived a bnce life for years. You can''t just mess that up." "I can do whatever I want to. Right, Helena?" ric replied as he nced at the blonde witch. "This is Helena. She''s been helping me keep tabs on you." Melina grimaced as she shook her head subtly. "You shouldn''t support him," she told Helena as she stepped out from behind Tyler to join Elias'' side. "You''d be a fool not to," Helena replied as the corner of her mouth curled up slightly. She was set in her ways, brainwashed by ric. So many of them were. Elias nced at Melina, sharing her frustrated look. They couldn''t let people like ric or Helena decide on the fate of the world. Innocent people would be caught in the chaos and killed. It wasn''t right. "We''re not going to let you do this," Elias said, feeling his palms start to heat up. ric chuckled, looking amused. "And you think that you guys can stop me? Have you practiced enough?" he asked, inly taunting them. Elias tried not to let his firm expression waver. It shouldn''t surprise him that ric knew what they were up to. Even if he did or didn''t know, it didn''t matter. They were here together now, and they weren''t going to go their separate ways peacefully. That was never an option. "Find out," he replied. ric tossed his head back andughed, his voice echoing throughout the clearing. "You''re funny. Bold. I like that," he said. "It''ll be even more rewarding killing you." Elias clenched his jaw tightly, breathing in deeply through his nose. He turned and looked at Alyssa, who looked frightened. In fact, she looked more scared than he had ever seen her before. This could be thest time that they saw each other. He couldn''t even remember theirst kiss, but he wished that he had kissed her a little longer, a little deeper. He had regrets, but he didn''t regret any moment that he had spent with her. "Get back," he mouthed to her, giving her a pleading look. He knew how ric was, and if ric got the opportunity to use her against Elias, he would. Alyssa swallowed hard before taking a few steps back toward their edge of the forest. Elias nced over at Melina, who looked a mix of angry and worried. "We''ve got this," he murmured to her, seeing a look of determination fill her face instead. They had to be ready. They didn''t have any other choice at this point. ric came here to fight, and they were going to give him the best fight that they could muster. At least they had Scott and Tyler around to help with the witch, who would certainly be a thorn in their side. "I''ve waited a while for this. You kept running around and around in circles, thinking I wouldn''t catch you," ric said as he shrugged off his ck leather jacket. He rolled his neck around a few times, his eyes shing ck briefly. "Now, I get to have some fun with you." Elias tried to ignore the rapid beating of his heart. His nerves were shot, but he couldn''t focus on his feelings right now. There wasn''t time or room for that. He had to focus on what came next, and he had to keep himself from dying as best as he possibly could. "Then, what are you waiting for?" ********* The tension between the two groups continued to build as they red at one another, waiting for the other to make the first move. Once the fight started, there was no telling when it would finally end. Elias was just d that Alyssa was waiting in the cover of the trees behind them. He didn''t want her to get caught in the crossfire. Elias nced to his left to see that Scott had moved to his side. They were closest to ric, while Melina and Tyler were closer to Helena. They would work in teams. Hopefully, they could take someone down in the process without being taken down themselves, but that was just a hope. That wasn''t a guarantee. Helena moved first, generating what looked like a bundle of electric blue energy in her hands. She shot it toward Elias and Melina, who both dove in different directions to avoid being struck. Elias hurriedly pushed himself to his feet. When he looked up, ric was right in front of him somehow. He gasped as he was thrown back, hitting the ground with a pained huff. Pain echoed throughout his body as he watched Scott try to take a swing at ric. ric ducked out of the way, moving incredibly fast. He shouldered Scott, knocking him back with ease. He packed so much power in his hits, proving to be twice as strong as a vampire. Melina and Tyler faced off with Helena, dodging beams of crippling energy. She swiped her hand to the left, knocking Helena off her feet. Tyler jumped onto Helena, his fangs snapping an inch from her neck. Helena ced her hands on Tyler''s chest, sending a painful surge of energy through him to make him fall off her. Elias got back into the fight, knowing that he needed to step it up or risk getting killed before he could evennd a hit. He felt his palm heat up as he ran at ric, tackling him to the ground. They tussled, trying toe out on top of each other. ric smashed his elbow against Elias'' nose, blood already spilling. He pinned Elias to the ground, his eyes growing dark. Elias struggled beneath ric, starting to feel a crushing pressure on his body. It wasn''ting from Elias'' hand, so it had to being from his powers. Elias had to break free. This wasn''t a simtion like what Melina showed him.. He managed to shove his hands up, watching mes re up from his palms before he grabbed ric''s face. Chapter 222 - Hurt ric cried out in pain as his face was severely burned. He stumbled away from Elias, grabbing at his face as it turned red and started to blister from the heat. He gritted his teeth angrily, fighting through the pain. Elias hurried to his feet, ncing down at his hands as the mes died down. He was endlessly d for his fire ability, but he would have to pull moves better than that. ric would be hard to take down. While ric was distracted, Scott dealt a hefty punch to his stomach, knocking the breath out of him. He lifted his knee rapidly, knocking ric upside the chin. "Not so tough now, huh?" Scott spat at ric as he dropped down to his knees. ric''s head suddenly snapped up as he red at Scott. He reached up and ced his hand on Scott''s side, his eyes shing dark. A shrill cry of pain broke from Scott as that side of his rib cage suddenly broke. He fell to the ground, panting in pain as he grabbed his side. Elias knew that he had to step in before ric finished Scott off. As much as they fought, he didn''t want Scott to die in this fight. He needed Scott''s help. He started to rush toward Scott, but Melina beat him to the punch. Melina jumped on ric from behind, tightening her arms around his neck andbining her powers to cut his air off. She wrapped her legs around him, trying to hold on as ric thrashed around to try to throw her off. Elias watched with wide eyes, wanting to help but also trying not to get in the way. He heard a grunt from his right. He turned just to see a ball of energy roar at him. It struck him full force, knocking him into the ground as electricity crackled through him. He gasped in pain, enduring the shocks. He looked up to see Helena running at him. Scott and Tyler wereid out from her attacks already, while Melina was still hanging on for dear life. Elias scrambled to his feet, but Helena still managed to knock him right over. She wed at his face with her nails, a burning sensation spreading throughout his face. Even his eyes stung. Helena mmed her hands against Elias'' head, making a ringing sound fill his head. Elias'' head snapped to the side from a heavy blow. Blood welled up in his mouth as he grimaced painfully. Through his hazy vision, he saw ric m Melina against the ground. Panic shot through Elias as he watched ric put his hands around Melina''s throat, preparing to kill her. That couldn''t happen. He couldn''t watch his own sister die. His panic mingled with his determination, and he turned to Helena, feeling his hands heat up again. He didn''t cap his power. He conjured all of it until mes nearly burst from his hands. He grabbed Helena tightly, letting the mes eat at her body and clothes. Helena screamed in pain, thrashing about as she tried to free herself. Surprisingly, the fire didn''t hurt Elias. He held onto Helena, waiting until the mes reached her hair and were spreading all over her body. He tossed Helena aside with a grunt, pushing himself to his feet. He charged at ric, knocking him off Melina with a shout. Melina gasped for air, grabbing at her throat as it ached from the crushing pressure that ric put on it. Elias prepared to charge at ric again, feeling fired up off his anger. However, ric was gone when he looked up. He looked around, blood dripping off his face from Helena''s scratches. "Where is he? Where did he go?" he asked the others. He needed to finish this fight now! ric couldn''t have gotten away so quickly. "He''s gone, but you burnt her to a crisp," Scott replied from the ground. His forehead was full of sweat as he grabbed his side, his breathing sounding like faint wheezing. "I think he broke every rib on this side of my body." "I can try to help," Alyssa said as she ran up to his side. She had Melina''s bag with her. She dug around, creating a poultice for Scott to try out. Elias nodded, d to see that Alyssa was fine. He turned to Melina, who was still on the ground with Tyler by her side. "Are you okay?" he asked her, feeling his body ache and sting all over. He was surprised that they all made it out of that fight alive, but it had been a close one. If they hadn''t protected each other, they all would''ve been dead at this point. "I''d be dead without you," Melina replied as she slowly sat up. She grabbed Tyler''s hand, letting him pull her up to her feet. She ced her hand on her chest, wincing as her body ached. "We have to look out for each other," Elias said with a gentle smile. He turned to see Alyssa helping Scott to his feet. He was grateful for this group, and he didn''t want anything bad to ever happen to any of them. However, the threat wasn''t over yet. ric had escaped, and Elias doubted that he was going to stop. He would attack the group again and again until he was finally killed. They managed to hurt ric, but did they have the strength to kill him? He could be destroyed, but that would take twice more effort on the group''s part. "He almost had us," Melina said with a frown on her face. "We have to be stronger." "At least we have an idea of what we''re up again," Elias said. He hadn''t known what to expect from fighting ric before, but he had a good idea of ric''s power now. He felt more prepared, but he still felt nervous about the next fight because there would be a next fight. This struggle didn''t end here. It was only just beginning. "I told you that he''s awful," Melina murmured, lowering her eyes. She didn''t say anything else before walking away, even leaving Tyler behind. "Is she okay?" Elias asked Tyler, looking confused by Melina''s odd behavior. He thought that Melina would be more optimistic since they all survived this fight and killed a witch in the process. They ended up being stronger than he thought they were, which gave him a little more hope for the next fight. Chapter 223 - Hurt(2) "It''s been a while since shest saw ric. He''s really hurt her in the past," Tyler said before walking after Melina. Elias watched them go, frowning to himself. He knew that Melina and ric had past encounters, but he didn''t know much about them. He decided to askter. For now, it seemed like Melina needed her space. He wanted to check in with Alyssa anyway. He just hoped that Melina got her head back in the game soon. He couldn''t fight ric if she was distracted. She was a big source of power for Elias in her own way. They yed off of each other''s abilities, and he would''ve died without her help too. They needed each other. "Thanks, Alyssa," Scott said, nodding to her before following Tyler and Melina back into the woods to head back to the RV. Elias approached Alyssa, watching her tuck Melina''s supplies back into her bag. "Did your poultice work?" he asked her. He saw Scott walking off, so he must''ve felt a little better after what Alyssa did to him. Maybe Alyssa had a little magic in her as well. She already had the power and skill of healing. Alyssa smiled a little and shrugged. "A little. It''ll be enough to curve the pain and difort a bit," she told him as she hung Melina''s bag on her shoulder. She stepped closer to him, inspecting the wounds on his face. "You could probably use a little." Elias smiled and nodded. He was d that she was putting her healing skills to use. He could tell that it made her happy and proud. As soon as he could, he would have her back in the hospital so that she could save more lives. She didn''t deserve to be running for her life all the time. That wasn''t her calling, and that wasn''t what he wanted for either of them. "I wouldn''t mind that. I took a beating," he said as he gingerly touched one of the scratches on his face. He needed to recover for a little bit before they ran into ric again. Hopefully, ric didn''t bring in another witch. Even if he defeated Helena, she had still been a tough match and had dealt some damage to him and the others in the group. Alyssa gently took his hand as she gazed up at him. "I was so worried about you. I wanted to step in so many times, but I knew that I''d just get myself killed," she said. Elias twined their fingers together, pulling her closer to him. It warmed him that she wanted to try to help save him, but he was d that she kept herself out of harm''s way. He needed her in one piece for when all of this was finally over. "I''m just d that everyone is okay," he said before pulling her into a soft hug. He would''ve held her tighter, but he ached all over. He hoped that ric wouldn''t try anything in the next few days. ric had gotten decently injured too, so even he needed to rest. Alyssa rested her cheek against his chest, breathing in deep. "I hope things stay that way," she said, sinking into his arms. Elias hoped for that too. He knew that they needed to get back on the road soon, but he stood there for a few minutes and just held her. He was d that he had the opportunity to, and he cherished that moment with her. He wasn''t sure when he would get another moment like this because the future was uncertain. However, they fought and lived to see another day. Now, they had to fight twice as hard to see the next one. *********** Everyone needed to rest after the fight. Once the tire was reced and they drove for the next day, they stopped at a rest stop for the night. It was a temporary stop just so that everyone could get some much-needed sleep. They were also too nervous to stay in one ce for too long in case ric tried to attack again. None of them were ready for that. Elias and Alyssaid in the bed in the back,ying on their sides as they gazed at each other. The scratches on Elias'' face were healing a little faster than normal thanks to Alyssa trying out a new poultice. Things were settling down for the most part, but he hadn''t talked to Melina in a minute. She seemed closed off, choosing to sit in the passenger seat to be close to Tyler while he drove. She mostly stared out of the window, hardly even talking to Tyler. When she did talk, it was short answers, but Tyler seemed to get the gist of what she was saying. Whenever, Elias tried to ask Tyler what was going on, Tyler merely shook his head and told Elias to wait for Melina to tell him herself. It worried Elias. He didn''t want Melina to lose her spirit, especially now when they needed it the most. He felt so in tune with her, but she seemed like a shell of her usual self. It didn''t help that she wouldn''t even let him talk to her hardly. "What''s wrong?" Alyssa asked him with a concerned look on her face. Elias rxed his brow, realizing that he had been frowning. He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "I''m worried about Melina," he admitted to her. He didn''t like seeing Melina like this. It just wasn''t her, and he could tell that something was bothering her. It had to do with ric. He wanted to ask her, but he also didn''t want to push her and make her even more upset. He relied on her. Everyone did. Alyssa nodded as her face softened slightly. "I am too. She''s been so quiettely," she replied. At least Elias wasn''t the only one who noticed how off Melina was actingtely. He reached out to take Alyssa''s hand, threading their fingers together forfort. "Tyler said that ric really hurt her in the past," he told her. Chapter 224 Losing someone 224 Losing someone "I wouldn''t be surprised. He''s an awful person," Alyssa replied with a frown. "Maybe you should really try to go talk to her." "I feel like if she wanted to talk to me, she would have already. Maybe she isn''t ready to tell me," Elias said as he shook his head. He did care about Melina. He didn''t like seeing her like this, and it made him even angrier at ric for the effect that he had on Melina. He did something terrible to her to make her like this. "Maybe not. You should still try to talk to her and at least let her know that you''re there for her," Alyssa pointed out as she lifted her eyebrows at him. Elias figured that Alyssa was right. He had to at least try. If Melina blew him off, then she blew him off. He would continue to give her space until she felt like talking. Hopefully, that would be soon. It was odd not talking to her. He was used to at least strategizing with her, and she didn''t even want to do that. "I will. We''vee so far. I just don''t want to lose that," he told her. Alyssa smiled at him and nodded. "I know. You won''t lose that. Just go see if she needs anything," she replied. Elias drew in a steadying breath and nodded. He was honestly a bit nervous about approaching Melina because he didn''t want her to turn him away. He wanted her to open up to him because he wanted to be there for her. That was what siblings did, right? He didn''t have much experience being a brother, but he did want to be there for Melina. He knew that was part of it. He would figure out the rest along the way. For now, he wanted to make sure that she was okay because something was definitely off with her. "I''ll be back," he told her. He leaned forward and kissed her deeply before getting out of bed. He walked out of the bedroom, expecting to see Melina cuddled up with Tyler on the couch. However, she wasn''t there. "Where''s Melina?" Elias asked Tyler, who wasying down with a book in his hands. "She went outside to get some air. She''s probably walking around the rest stop," Tyler said, looking a bit wary. "Could you check on her?" Elias nodded, d that Tyler didn''t tell him to just leave her alone out there. No one needed to be outside on their own. It was too dangerous. He guessed that Melina ordered Tyler to stay put and not bother her, which made him wary for what she was going to say to him. He headed out of the RV, ncing around the rest stop for Melina. He didn''t see her at first, which made his heart rate spike. He couldn''t help but think the worst. What if ric took her? He broke out into a jog, looking around the bathrooms until he found he spotted someone sitting on a bench near the truck area of the rest stop. Elias paused and frowned, watching Melina sit by herself in the dark. He approached her quietly but not too quietly, not wanting to startle her. He walked up to her side, cing his hand on her shoulder to draw her eyes to his. "Hey," he said. Melina peered up at him, her body''s tension fading. "Hey," she replied before looking back forward. "Can I sit?" Elias asked her, not wanting to intrude if she wanted to be left alone. Melina merely nodded, not looking at him. Elias sat down next to her, putting a foot of space between them. At least she let him sit down. He tried to rx back against the bench, trying to figure out what to say first. He felt like he had to tread lightly. "How are you doing?" he asked her, his voiceing out gently. Melina lowered her eyes as she shook her head. "Not too well," she replied. "Do you want to talk about anything? You know that I''m here for you," Elias told her as he moved a little bit closer to her. He wanted her to feelfortable talking to him about anything. He wouldn''t judge her or berate her. He just wanted to be there for her. Melina nced at him briefly, her frown softening. "It was just jarring being around ric again," she replied. "I hadn''t seen him for a minute." Elias nodded as he listened to her. He knew that it had something to do with ric. However, there was more to the story and a deeper meaning to her words. "What happened when youst saw him?" he asked. Melina sighed as she nced around, her knee bouncing as she thought. She finally looked at him and spoke. "He killed Adide and then tried to kill me," she replied, her voice wavering slightly. She quickly looked away from him, blinking her eyes rapidly to keep her tears at bay. Elias frowned as he moved closer to her, wanting tofort her as best as he could. He couldn''t imagine how much pain she felt when she lost Adide. He didn''t know much about Adideand had never met her, but he knew that she meant a lot to Melina. For the longest time, Adide was Melina''s version of parents. She raised her and took care of her until she was old enough to take care of herself. Now, she was gone, and it left a gap in her soul. Nothing would ever fill that gap. Elias would feel the same way if his parents passed. "I''m so sorry," Elias told her sincerely. He knew that nothing he could say would make her feel better about Adide passing, but he wanted her to know that he was there if she wanted to talk. Melina offered him a small smile. "Thanks. I wish you could''ve met her. She was great," she said wistfully. Chapter 225 Missing home Chapter 225 Missing home Elias smiled back and nodded. He wished that he had met Adide too. They had lived two different lives, and he wanted to know more about hers. They very easily could''ve been switched. She could''ve lived his life, and he could''ve gone through boarding school. It shocked him how different his life could''ve been. "It sounds like she was," he replied warmly. Melina''s smile then faded. "She didn''t deserve to die. ric was trying to hurt me, and he seeded. I don''t want him to keep hurting me. I can''t lose anyone else," she sighed as she looked down at the ground. Elias ced his hand on the back of her shoulder, rubbing gently tofort her. He understood where she wasing from. He didn''t want to lose anyone either. That was a pain that he wasn''t sure if he could deal with. "He won''t hurt you like that again. We''re all going to take care of each other," he promised her. He didn''t want her to worry too much. She wouldn''t be focused, and he needed her to be mindful of everything going on around her. That was how they would be able to survive. "You can''t promise me that. I can''t promise you that we''re going to beat him," Melina said as she turned to look at him. Her frown was prominent, creating lines in her face. Elias'' lips parted to speak, but no words came out. He sighed and pulled his hand away from her back. She was right. He couldn''t promise her that, but he could give her his word that he would fight as hard as he possibly could. "I know, but we have to try. You have to try to avenge Benjamin," he told her. Melina''s eyes darkened slightly as she stared ahead of her. She remained quiet for a few seconds before speaking. "You''re right. I should try to avenge him. ric deserves to go down for all the pain he''s caused," Melina murmured quietly. "We can talk to the others ande up with a n, okay?" Elias told her, seeing her start to get her spark back. That was what he was looking for. Their sparksbined were powerful, and he was ready to take ric back on soon. He was ready to get back to his life. Melina took in a deep breath before nodding. "Okay," she said before loosening up her body, trying to get less tense. "Thank you foring out here." Elias smiled at her. He was d that he hadn''t been sent away. Things were better now that they talked. He felt the connection with her again, and it was a relief. He didn''t like feeling distant from his own twin. He had already dealt with enough distance from her. He didn''t want to do it anymore. "Of course. I wanted to make sure that you were okay," he said. "That''s something siblings do, right?" Melinaughed and nodded. "Yeah, I believe so. Look at us," she said, brightening up. Elias nudged her with his shoulder. "We''vee far. Now, we just have to finish this," he told her. He didn''t expect things to be easy in the end, but he was ready to get to the finish line. He knew that it had to be close. They could only fight so much until one side lost. He just hoped that it wasn''t their side. Then, the rest of the world would lose. Melina leaned back against the bench. "Do you think we''ll actually be able to do it? Beat him?" Melina asked him. Elias knew that she was asking a serious question. She wanted a serious answer. She didn''t want hopeful or optimistic. She wanted the truth. He couldn''t predict the future, but he could give her his actual thoughts. "I think we can, but it''ll be hard. It''ll be close. People will get hurt," he told her. That was what he thought. He didn''t expect an easy victory. He predicted the opposite. He couldn''t get his hopes up or expect them to win easily. That would tamper with his mind. He could get cocky or careless. That was what could cost him his life. Melina lowered her eyes as she nodded. "Yeah, that''s what I figured too. I''m just nervous," she replied. "As long as we''re prepared, we''ll be okay," Elias told her. Maybe that was optimistic, but he needed her to believe in that. They needed to keep their spirits up. Half of this fight was a mind game, and they had to win on all fronts. "We''ll be okay," Melina repeated his words. Elias gave her aforting smile before standing up. He nodded his head toward the RV. "Come on. We should get back into the RV," he told her, not wanting to stay outside away from the group for too long. They were stronger together. That had been proven time and time again. Melina stood up, joining him for the walk back to the RV. Elias nced up at the night sky, the stars twinkling above him. He hoped to feel peace again. He wanted to wake up and fall asleep without worry. At least for a day. But he knew that day wasn''t today or even the next day. For now, he was still at war without a clear end in sight. ***** The next morning, the RV pulled off the highway and into the parking lot of an old diner. Like the group needed to sleep, they also had to eat. They also needed to talk, and a new environment would do good for their minds and spirits. Breakfast food always helped too. They all crowded into a curved booth, ordering coffee all around to help their low levels of energy. It seemed like no matter how much they slept that they were still tired. The stress of fighting and running for their lives didn''t help them rx, even in their sleep. They were haunted and tormented every minute, but the nightmare had to end soon. Elias hoped to end all of this after this conversation with the group. "I''m actually ready to cook for myself again. I hate cooking for myself, and I miss it," Scott muttered as he poked around at his two fried eggs and side of bacon. "I just miss being home." Chapter 226 Make a move Chapter 226 Make a move "I miss our bed," Tylermented as he nced at Melina. "Our patio we sit out on." Elias nced over at Alyssa, sharing a faint smile with her. There were plenty of things that he missed too, which was why he wanted to have this conversation with everyone. It was time that they actually came up with a n to take ric down. They had bought up enough time, and he was tired of running. He felt recharged. He got Melina back on board. He was ready to face off with ric and roll the dice. Running around forever and fearing every time they stopped for an hour in one ce was no way to live. He would rather die fighting than live the rest of his life that way, and he knew that the group had to feel the same way. They were all homesick and missing their old lives. "This will be over soon," he promised Alyssa. He hadn''t told her what was on his mind yet. He wanted everyone to hear it from him at once. He expected a long conversation and some possible arguments in response, but he would hear everyone out as long as they heard him out too. Alyssa gave him a confused look. Elias looked away from her to address the whole group. "I think we should make a n to end this and defeat ric," he announced to them, making all of the chatter die down around the table. "Got any ideas?" Scott asked before sipping on his ck coffee. This was the part where he expected people to argue with him. He cleared his throat and straightened up a little, folding his hands together in front of him. "I think we should go after him instead," he replied, watching everyone''s eyes widen." "Confront him?" Tyler questioned ric. "Are you insane? Do you want to die?" Scott asked with a sharp tone. Elias shook his head. He didn''t suggest that out of carelessness. In fact, he had thought about this a lot before he went to bed this morning. They had to do something! They couldn''t just keep running when ric was so close to them anyway. They had a chance to stand and fight, and maybe they should take it. "He''ll catch up with us again and catch us off guard. If we bring the fight to him, we''ll catch him off guard and we''ll have the advantage!" Elias pointed out. He knew that he would have to give more reasons than that to convince them that this was a good idea, but he was willing to sit there and talk things out with them. "How do we catch him off guard?" Alyssa asked him. Elias wasn''t sure how to answer that. ric always seemed to have eyes on them so that he knew where to find them. They didn''t have that privilege, but he was sure that they could figure something out between all of them. Two of them had witch blood and two of them were vampires. Someone had to figure something out. "We figure out a way to track his location. Then, we catch him off guard and attack him with everything that we got," Elias replied as his eyes swept over everyone. "He doesn''t have that witch around anymore to help him." Tyler didn''t argue. He merely nodded and listened, while Melina also stayed quiet. "This still sounds like a suicide mission. He almost killed usst time," Scott replied as he shook his head. "You''re setting us up for failure if we do this." "Maybe not. We have to have some sort of n," Elias said, trying not to fully argue with Scott. He didn''t want to start a shouting match in the diner. He wanted to calmly talk things out until they all reached some sort of solution. He didn''t want to drag anyone into a situation that they were ufortable with. Their n would fail if that happened. "Yeah, like save up our strength or find people to help us," Scott scoffed. "No one will help us," Melina sighed. "Everyone is scared of ric, and he''s only interested in us." "We''re all scared of ric and still fighting him!" Scott said before sinking back into the booth. "This isn''t the right move." Elias tightened his jaw slightly, keeping his sharp words to himself. He didn''t want the group to fight among themselves when they needed to be a united front. "Well, if you think of an actual n, let me know. For now, this is all that we have," Elias replied before looking at the others. "Anyone else have a n?" Gradually, everyone else shook their heads. His n was the only hope that they had so far besides continuing to run, which no one wanted to do. Taking a stand was their next move, whether they felt ready for it or not. ric was stilling to get them regardless. "I''m not trying to risk our lives, but I''m tired of going around in circles. I''m ready to take a stand," Elias told them. He didn''t want to risk any of their lives. He wanted all of them to live, but they were running on fumes at this point. All of this running around was draining their energy by the day, and he didn''t want to waste any more time or energy when he could possibly be done with all of this. "I''ll stand with you. You know that," Melina told him with a gentle smile. "I think we should stand up to him. I''m tired of him scaring me away." Tyler put his arm around Melina''s shoulders. "I''m with her," he said, sharing a grin with her. They looked as determined as Elias felt. "Alyssa?" Elias asked her as he peered at her. He didn''t want to worry her too much, but she had to understand that this was what they needed to do next. Any decision that they made was risky, but this one could end of all this sooner rather thanter. Alyssa stared at him for a few seconds, looking wary. Her face then softened, and then she nodded to him. Chapter 227 Old friend Chapter 227 Old friend "Alyssa?" Elias asked her as he peered at her. He didn''t want to worry her too much, but she had to understand that this was what they needed to do next. Any decision that they made was risky, but this one could end of all this sooner rather thanter. Alyssa stared at him for a few seconds, looking wary. Her face then softened, and then she nodded to him. "Okay. Let''s go with your n," she told him. Elias smiled gratefully at her. Her opinion mattered the most to him. It always would because they were two parts to a whole. He refused to do this without her. "Thank you," he told her. He needed her support for this. With her having his back, he felt like he could do anything. Plus, he didn''t want to let her down. He looked over at Scott, knowing that he would never fully win him over. Scott was too stubborn and set in his own ways. Scott eyed Elias for a few seconds before clenching his jaw and shaking his head. "Whatever," he said before going back to eating his breakfast. Elias felt a small smile tug at his lips. It was the best response that he could hope for, and that was good enough for him. He didn''t want to argue anyway. If they were all somewhat on the same page, they could move forward. He was tired of going in circles. "Then, it''s settled. We''ll go after ric. We''ll bring the fight to him," he told the group. "I might have a way to locate ric," Melinamented. "But I''ll have to bring in an old friend." "An old friend?" Elias questioned with a surprised look. He didn''t expect to bring any outsiders in. He didn''t think that anyone would want to risk that. Even just being associated with them could possiblynd them in some sort of trouble. "From boarding school. She''ll be able to help us," Melina exined. "We can trust her." Elias nodded, figuring it wouldn''t hurt to have a little help. If they could figure out ric''s location, they could track him down and catch him off guard. Maybe the element of surprise would be enough to help them win. It wasn''t a guarantee, but there was a chance. He wanted to take that chance. "Alright, call her up. Let''s get this started," he said with a determined nod. Even if he had a grin on his face, he was silently panicking on the inside. This was his n that he put into ce. If anything went terribly wrong, it felt like the me came down to him, and he didn''t want his friends'' blood on his hands. That was a level of guilt that he would never be able to get over. ******** After a day of travel, the group stopped in a state park to meet Melina''s old friend from her boarding school days. While the others stayed inside, Melina and Elias lingered outside of the RV, peering out at a nearbyke and enjoying the brief moment of peace. Their nerves were still high, though. Melina''s friend was the next step to their n, and Elias wanted everything to run as smoothly as possible. "So, tell me more about this friend," Elias said as he sat with Mnie at a pic table near the RV. He wanted to know what he was getting into and who he was dragging into all of this. He didn''t want Melina''s friend to get burned just because she helped them out. "She was a few years older than me. She was about to graduate once I got to know her, so we didn''t get to spend much time in school together. We kept in contact, though. She''s the smartest witch that I know," Melina exined. "How do you think she''ll be able to help?" Elias asked her. Between him and Melina, he figured that they had enough magical know-how to track ric down. That wasn''t the case, but he didn''t know how her friend coulde up with a solution and pull it off on her own. "She knows more spells than anyone I know, and she can master a lot of them. If anyone knows a spell and can pull it off to track down ric, it''ll be her," Melina replied as she sat across from Elias. She shifted on the bench impatiently, waiting for her friend to finally show up. "And you think that she''ll actually help us? Even if that''s risky for her?" Elias asked her. He wanted her friend to know what she was getting into first before helping them. None of this came without risk. That was why they were so careful with everything that they did. Melina thought for a second before nodding. "I believe she will. She''s always had my back," she said before rubbing her hands together nervously. "It''s been a while since I''ve seen her. I''m d she agreed to meet us." "Me too. It''s nice of her to even hear us out. I wouldn''t me her if she turned us down, though," Elias replied with a small shrug. He understood people looking out for themselves, especially when faced with danger. "Yeah, I let her know that things are pretty intense," Melina sighed as she dragged her fingers through her hair. "But she isn''t scared of anything." A smile crossed Elias as he peered at Melina. "Really? I envy her," he replied. He wished that he could get rid of his fear, but it would always be a part of him. He had too much to lose to not be fearful of things. "I''ve always looked up to her," Melina told him before looking past him as a white car pulled up behind the RV. A nervous smile broke out across her face. "She''s here." Elias turned as Melina rose to her feet and walked over to the car. He stood from the table, but he remained there as he watched Melina hug a brte who was a few years older than them. She wore a pink and yellow floral dress and brown ankle boots. "This is Elias, my brother," Melina said as she led her friend over to him. "Elias, this is Lily." Elias reached out to politely shake Lily''s hand. "It''s nice to meet you," Elias greeted her. "Thank you foring." Lily smiled as her eyes swept over Elias. "So, you''re the twin brother. I can''t believe you actually have a brother," she said as she looked over at Melina. "It''s definitely an adjustment," Melinaughed softly before gesturing for them to sit down. She sat next to Elias as they sat across from Lily. "He''s a good brother, though." Elias felt a warm sensation bloom in his chest as he smiled at Melina. Her words meant a lot to him, and he thought that she was a good sister too. They were new to the whole sibling thing, but they got along well now. It just took some time to get to know each other. "Thanks," he told her before looking at Lily. "Melina said you''re the smartest witch that she knows." Lilyughed softly as she joined her hands together in front of her. "I know a thing or two. She''s too kind, though," she said as she shed a smile at Melina. "What are you trying to do?" "We want to locate ric so that we can attack him," Melina blurted out the words before looking sheepish. Lily''s eyes widened as she stared at Melina. "Really? You''re going after him?" she asked. "It''s crazy, but we''re ready to face him. We know what to expect from him. We just have to find him first," Elias exined. Lily nodded after a moment. "I know a location spell," Lily replied. "I have to get some ingredients, though." Melina leaned forward slightly. "I have some on the RV. If you need anything else, we''ll go into town to look," she said. "It''ll let you know his general vicinity, so you''ll still have to do some searching," Lily exined as she looked between the two. "You two better be careful." "We will," Elias assured her. They were always careful. They wanted to make it out of this alive. "Thank you for helping us," Melina told her sincerely. She reached out to take Lily''s hand and give it a gentle squeeze. "I need to stop ric before he hurts more people." Lily''s face turned more serious as she nodded. "You''re right. I''m behind you. I hate what''s he done," Lily replied. Chapter 228 The fight (1) Chapter 228 The fight (1) Elias nced over at Melina, thinking back to the fight that they already had with ric. Maybe if Helena hadn''t been there, they could''ve taken ric down, but he couldn''t confirm that now. Who knew what would''ve happened? Maybe they would''ve gotten lucky and beaten him, or maybe ric would''ve destroyed all of them. "We have a chance. If we can find out where ric is, maybe we can get the jump on him and catch him off guard," Elias exined. He wasn''t sure if that n would totally work, but it gave them a chance. That was all they needed. They could turn a chance into a victory. Lily turned to Melina. "I didn''t think that you would ever face him again. Last time¡­ you were a mess," she said with a soft tone to her voice. Melina lowered her eyes slightly as she nodded. "I was, but I''m stronger now. I can take him," she replied before looking over at me. "With Elias'' help." Elias realized how much of a personal mission this was for Melina. ric had scarred her, taking away someone incredibly important to her. She was on the path of revenge, and this was her way of finding closure for the loss that she experienced. He wasn''t sure if killing ric would help her with her grief, but he was sure that it would benefit her in some way. Melina had dealt with ric longer than Elias, but ric was quickly making himself a personal issue to Elias as well. Even hearing ric mention Alyssa made anger re through him. He knew that ric had the means to seriously hurt Alyssa or even kill her. That kept him awake at night. He wanted to do everything that he could to eliminate that possibility from ever happening. "We need to do this," Elias said with a nod. They both needed ric to be dead before they could find peace in their lives. ric would never stop trying to make their lives hell until he was dead. Truthfully, the entire world would benefit from ric being dead. Lily looked between the two with a smile. "I''d be happy to help you. Shall we get started?" she asked them. Elias didn''t waste any time. He nodded and stood from the table, feeling his adrenaline spike. They were moving onto the next step. Soon, they would figure out where ric was, and then they had to make their move. ********* Everyone huddled in the RV once Lilybined various ingredients for her spell with a mortar and pestle and one quick errand was made to pick up one more piece for the spell. Before they knew it, they were ready. They converted the pull out couch back to the table that it originally was, clearing away the nkets, cushions, and pillows. "Here is the map you wanted," Scott said as heid out a detailed map of Colorado, which was the state that they had traveled all the way to since their trip began. They were all a long way from home, but maybe they had a chance to go back home soon if everything worked out how they were supposed to. "Thank you," Lily said with a polite smile. She continued to crush a red powder in the mortar. "We''re really doing this," Scott sighed as he crossed his arms over his chest. He looked at the others, waiting for someone to tell him otherwise. "It''s the best move," Tyler replied as he shrugged. "We can''t keep running forever. Eventually, he''ll catch us anyway." Elias nodded, d that most of the group agreed with his n. They needed to take a risk, and they were too far in now to go back. He wasn''t going to send Lily home after she came all this way and already started preparing the spell. They were doing this, whether Scott was ready for it or not. "Let''s do this," he said as he turned to Lily. He felt Alyssa''s hand slip in his, prompting him to squeeze her hand in aforting manner. Having her there by his side helped his nerves. Lily looked over at Melina. "Ready?" she asked with a small smile. "You should learn this spell. It''lle in handy." Melina nodded. "I''m ready," she said as she moved to Lily''s side to observe closely. Lily picked up a handful of the red powder and held it above the map of Colorado, speaking Latin as she closed her eyes. Elias held his breath as he waited for Lily to finish her incantation. He hoped that ric was even in the state of Colorado. Since they were in Colorado, he just figured that ric had to be there too. If he wasn''t, the spell would fail. Then, they would have to either wait for ric toe to Colorado or track down what state he was in. He didn''t like either of those options. When Lily finished her incantation, she let go of the powder, letting it fall onto the map. Instead of spreading everywhere, the powder formed a small circle in one ce on the map. Elias leaned closer, seeing that the small circle was around a tiny town called Crowley. He breathed in deeply, realizing that wasn''t too far from where they were at. There was maybe an hour of distance between them and ric. "He''s close," he replied. He didn''t know if he liked how close they were or not. They could drop in on ric as soon as they wanted to since he was so close, but ric could do the same thing to them too. It was all about who made the first move. Lily stepped back, cing her hand on Melina''s shoulder. "Are you okay?" she asked quietly. Melina drew in a steadying breath and nodded. "I''m okay. Thank you for helping," she said before taking Lily''s hands. "Now, you need to leave. us. Take a vacation for a week and let us deal with this. I don''t want ric finding out that you helped Chapter 229 The fight(2) Chapter 229 The fight(2) Lily gave Melina''s hands a squeeze. "I can stay and help if you want me to," Lily offered. "I don''t want to just leave." "I don''t want you to be in danger. Please. I can''t lose someone else that I care about," Melina begged her. Lily frowned, but she nodded her understanding. She pulled Melina into a tight hug. "I''ll see you again, okay? Soon," she said with a hopeful look on her face. Melina forced a smile on her face and nodded. "Of course," she replied. Elias felt an ache echo through his chest as he watched Melina say goodbye to Lily. It felt like a final goodbye in a way, but they didn''t want to admit that. He thanked Lily before she left the RV and hurried to her car. He hoped that ric didn''t track her down. "I can''t lose her. Did I make a mistake by calling her here?" Melina asked Tyler, quietly fretting. Tyler cupped her face and shook his head, leaning close to her. "You didn''t make a mistake. She''s going to be okay," he assured her. He brushed his fingers into her hair, caressing her gently. Elias turned to Scott, knowing that he was going to be the one to push back the most. "We need to go to Crowley," he said. He didn''t want ric to move positions and leave them in the dust. If they were going to get the jump on him, they needed to move now. "Right now?" Scott asked, looking at him like he was insane. Elias nodded, not wanting to wait too long. If they did, dragging Lily all the way here was for nothing. He refused to let her risking her life for them go to waste, so they were going to jump on this opportunity before it went away. "We have to. I don''t want ric to move locations and we lose him again," he replied. "We''re not going to take any time to even prepare? This is suicide!" Scott snapped. "We have been preparing! We agreed to catch him by surprise," Elias replied, starting to feel irritated by Scott pushing back so much. He understood that Scott felt unsure and nervous to go after ric, but they agreed to do this. They had to take this chance. "I didn''t actually think that you were insane enough to follow through!" Scott scoffed, throwing his hands up as he turned away from Elias. "We can''t catch someone like him off guard." "We have to. We will," Elias said with a determined look on his face. Maybe this n was insane, but every n that they woulde up with was insane because they were fighting an insane enemy. At some point, they had to take a risk. Elias was willing to roll the dice on this n. "How are you going to find one person in that whole town?" Scott asked pointedly, trying to poke as many holes in Elias'' n as he possibly could. "He''s not just a person. He''s a demon. We''ll feel his presence," Melina spoke up as she stepped toward Elias and Scott, breaking into their conversation. Elias shed her a grateful look, d that she was there to have his back. Honestly, her opinion mattered the most because they were partners in this. If she wasn''t ready, he wasn''t fully ready either. "It''s the darkest thing that I''ve ever felt," Elias said. It was a heavy, consuming feeling, and he wasn''t looking forward to feeling it again. It was hard to gather his confidence for the fight when he was facing one of the darkest forces on the. He felt lucky that he didn''t have to fight alone. "I believe you guys can do this," Alyssa told them. "I''m behind whatever you want to do." Elias turned to Tyler. "Let''s head to Crowley," he said. The others were looking to his, so he was going to make the official call. Scott could push back as much as he wanted, but Elias was going to push back twice as hard. He was ready to face ric. "Start nning the funeral," Scott muttered before disappearing into the bedroom. Elias turned to Alyssa, not wanting her to take Scott''s words seriously. If Scott wanted to be negative, he needed to keep it to himself. The others didn''t need to listen to that in preparation for the fight. Optimism was key. "Don''t listen to him. Everything is going to be fine," he told her as he reached out to take her hand. Alyssa smiled a little and nodded. Maybe it was forced, but she was ying it off well. "I know. I believe in you," she said. Elias felt the RV start to move, making nervousness flush through him. They were really doing this. He felt himself automatically sink down into one of the lounge chairs, pulling Alyssa into hisp. He wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her close. "I''m ready to be home with you," he said. He focused on the end goal. That was one of the many things that he was fighting for. He wanted to live his life with her in peace. Peace could only exist if ric was killed. "Soon," Alyssa said as she wrapped her arms around his neck, not allowing an inch of space between them. During the ride, Elias continued to hold Alyssa tight. He didn''t want to let her go, relying on her warmth andfort to keep him somewhat calm. There wasn''t much nning to do with Melina. They were going to seek ric out as quietly and as carefully as they could, and then they would attack without holding back. That was the n. It wasn''tplex. It wasn''t over the top. It was direct. Maybe that was what they needed. They didn''t need toplicate things when the mission was simple: kill ric. He wasn''t going to make it easy, so they had to hit him hard and fast before he could fully react and retaliate. "Elias, we''re here," Melina''s voice broke through his thoughts. Chapter 230 Fight(3) Chapter 230 Fight(3) Elias looked over at Melina, letting go of Alyssa so that she could stand from hisp. He pushed himself up to his feet, feeling like his heart was about to burst out of his chest. He followed everyone off the RV, immediately getting hit with a strong feeling in his chest. "Do you feel it?" Melina asked him as she paused, ncing around the small, bare town. The buildings were old, the street was quiet, and the tension was overwhelming. Elias looked down the street, letting his eyes sweep over the buildings. The feeling was calling to him, and it was ringing from a specific spot. When his eyes fell on an old church with chipped white paint, his heart stopped for a second. "The church," he said. Melina followed his gaze and then nodded. "That has to be it," she replied. Scott scoffed. "A church? What kind of sick joke is that?" he asked. Elias ignored Scott. Nothing about this was a joke. ric was just down the street from them, and there was no turning back now. Elias led his group to the church, running off adrenaline. He tried to ignore any other sensation because it would just cloud his focus. "We should split up. Melina and I will go through the front. Tyler and Scott can go through the back. Alyssa, be nearby," he said. He didn''t know what was going to go down in the church. He didn''t want Alyssa to be too far away, but he didn''t want her caught in the chaos either. "What is he doing in a church?" Melina muttered as she walked by Elias'' side. "He''s a demon. It''s in his nature to be sphemous," Elias replied, warming his palms up. He would have to use as much of his abilities as he possibly could. He couldn''t hold back, even if that meant identally burning the church down. Elias stopped at the front doors of the church, staring at the scratched up wood. He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. He couldn''t back out now, though. He gave Tyler and Scott enough time to go around to the back of the church before looking at Melina. "Ready?" he asked her. "I don''t really have a choice," Melina replied before nodding. Elias breathed in deeply before throwing the church door open and storming inside. He came to a stop when he saw bodies littering the aisle of the church, leading all the way to the stage. He shifted his eyes up farther up to see ric hovering over a man with his back to Elias and Melina. The man was twitching, but there was hardly any life in his movements. "What is he doing?" Elias whispered with wide eyes. "Consuming his soul," Melina breathed out. Elias grimaced at the thought, but he pushed past it. ric took all of these people''s souls, killing them in the end. There were so many people to avenge, and there were many more to save. They had to end this now. "ric!" Elias shouted, making ric whip around just as Elias cast a shot of fire his way. ric was knocked back into the piano on the church''s stage, crying out as the fire burned his skin and clothes. He patted himself down, mbering to his feet as Elias and Melina ran down the aisle toward him. With narrowed eyes, he swept his hand to the side, sending one of the pews hurtling toward Elias and Melina. "Elias, duck!" Melina shouted, throwing herself down on the ground as the wooden pew soared toward them. Elias registered her words a little toote. The pew struck him in the side, knocking him into another one on the opposite side of the aisle. Pain radiated throughout his body as he shoved the heavy pew off his body. By the time Melina reached the stage, Scott and Tyler burst through a back door beside the stage. They ran onto the stage toward ric, attempting to surround him. ric grabbed Melina and threw her into Tyler, knocking them both to the ground. He faced Scott with a smirk, waving his hand to send a nearby podium into Scott''s back to knock him over. "Is that all you got?" he asked, his voice booming through the church. Elias jumped up on the stage only for ric to send a bookshelf full of bibles his way. He stared at the bookshelf, putting all of his focus on it and centering his energy on protecting himself. He stopped the bookshelf in mid-air, watching it crash to the ground in front of him. He was so shocked at his own power that he didn''t see ric lunging at him until ric tackled him to the ground. ric dealt a heavy punch to Elias'' face, looking amused. He pinned Elias down, swinging his fists at any exposed spot. Elias generated heat all throughout his body, burning ric every time that hended a blow. He started to hit back, punching upward to knock ric off him. Tyler and Scott came up and grabbed ric''s arms, trying to immobilize him, but ric put up a fight. "Do it! Kill him!" Scott shouted. Melina appeared at Elias'' side, her eyes gleaming with anger. She reached for ric''s face, intent on ending this. ric narrowed his eyes as he focused on Melina. Suddenly, Melina cried out, grabbing her head as her knees buckled. She submitted to ric''s demonic powers, feeling an intense, ringing pain in her head. It was so loud and painful that she couldn''t even stand. "Mel!" Tyler said, losing his focus enough for ric to break free from his hold. ric sent Tyler flying into the pews with a wave of his hand, and Scott soon followed him. He reached down and grabbed Melina by the hair, pulling her across the stage before yanking her to her feet. He pulled her body against his, grabbing her throat as Elias took a step forward. "You stay right there," ric hissed. Elias froze, staring at Melina with pure worry in his eyes. How did things go wrong so quickly? He thought that they were about to finish things. Now, it looked like ric was preparing to finish Melina. He couldn''t let that happen, but Elias felt helpless as he stared ahead. Melina''s eyes started to flutter shut as the pressure on her throat grew worse. "Stop!" Elias shouted, fear crackling through him like electricity. ric tilted his head at Elias with a smirk on his face. Chapter 231 Fight(4) Chapter 231 Fight(4) "You''re getting cocky. You tried to jump me? And you thought that it would work?" ricughed as he shook his head. He looked down at Melina. "I could snap your neck, but I bet that soul of yours is delicious." Melina tried to struggle, but her strength was sapping. She weakly reached up toward him, managing to brush her forefinger against his forehead. ric gave her a confused look before he coughed. He acted like he was wheezing, fighting for breath. "What is this?" he gasped out, his grip on her loosening. Melina mmed her hand against the arm holding her captive, knocking his grippletely loose so that she could jump away from him. She turned, lifting her hands to conjure up another spell, but ric was ready for her. ric waved his hand, tossing her back into a wall. The back of Melina''s head struck the wall before she slumped to the ground, not moving. As everyone else ran at ric, he mmed his fist against the ground, sending a ripple through the air that threw everyone back. He took that opportunity to dart out of the side door, escaping the fight. Elias could only breathe through his pain for a few moments. He stared up at the ceiling, which slowly spun ahead of him. He blinked a few times before lifting his head, seeing that ric was gone. He cursed beneath his breath, wondering how they lost another fight just like that. ric was so powerful, and it was so hard to have his headpletely in the game when he was worrying about losing his friends. "Mel? Mel!" Tyler''s voice sounded somewhere nearby. Elias pushed himself up into a sitting position, looking around until he saw Tyler hovering over Melina, who still wasn''t moving. Fear struck him in his heart, prompting him to stumble to his feet and hurry over to Tyler and Melina. "What''s wrong? Why isn''t she awake?" he asked. Tyler shook his head, reaching out to cup the back of Melina''s head. He drew his hand back to see blood on his fingertips. "She hit the wall so hard," he said. His voice shook slightly as he cupped Melina''s face, gently patting her cheek. "Come on, Mel." "Alyssa!" Elias shouted, needing her toe help. He didn''t know any healing spells, but Alyssa knew a little bit. He watched Alyssa burst through the church doors and hurry over. He grabbed her hand and pulled her closer. "She hit her head. Now, she won''t wake up." Alyssa nodded and leaned down near Melina as she grabbed one of Melina''s wrists. "She''s breathing. Steady pulse," she said. "Tyler, move over here." Elias forgot that she did this for a living. Alyssa didn''t even need magic to deal with this. He stood out of the way, trying not to panic as he watched Alyssa ce Tyler''s hands on the side of Melina''s head. "Keep her still and stable," Alyssa told him before grabbing her phone and turning on the shlight. She opened one of Melina''s eyes, checking her pupil. "Just give her a little bit." Elias put his hands behind his head, breathing as steadily as he could. He nced behind him to see Scott sitting in one of the pews that hadn''t been thrown around. He frowned, wondering why Scott wasn''t here checking in on Melina. "Melina? Can you hear me?" Alyssa spoke, staying close to her friend. When she saw Melina''s eyes flutter, she let out a sigh of relief and leaned closer. "Melina, it''s Alyssa. You hit your head." Melina grimaced as pain throbbed in her head. She reached for her head, but Alyssa gently took her hand and ced it back down. "I need to look at your wound. Do you know what day it is?" Alyssa asked her. Melina thought for a second before nodding. "Thursday. We''re in some town in the middle of nowhere called Crowley," she said before ncing around. "And ric beat us again." Alyssa frowned slightly, but she didn''t let the expression stay long. "I''m d you''re okay. Let''s sit you up," she said, motioning for Tyler to help her move Melina into a sitting position. Elias moved to crouch near Alyssa. He reached out and ced a hand on Melina''s shoulder, feeling relief flood through him when he realized that she would probably be alright. It would take more than a bump on her head to stop Melina, especially when it came to ric. She was devoted to this fight more than anyone else that he knew. "Hey, how are you feeling?" he asked her. He felt disappointed about what happened, but he was just d that Melina was okay. For a moment there, he thought that he lost her. He didn''t know what he would do if he lost Melina. He wasn''t sure if he could continue the fight, but he knew that he would have to for her. That would be what she would want him to do, and she would do the same thing if he was killed first. "My head hurts," Melina murmured, looking weak and tired. "ric escaped?" Elias frowned slightly and nodded. "Yeah, he''s gone," he replied. They would have to try to find him all over again, and he wasn''t looking forward to their next confrontation. He was tired of being beaten and pushed around by one guy, but that guy just happened to be a powerful demon. There wasn''t much that he could do. "Thanks to Elias and his genius n. Good job almost getting your sister killed," Scott spoke up from the pew. He gave Elias a disgusted look before storming out of the church. The others fell silent as they looked between the church door and Elias, waiting for the tension to finally break or settle. Elias tightened his jaw, anger ring through him. He couldn''t believe that Scott had the nerve to talk to him like that. He wasn''t going to get away with it. They were supposed to be a team, and he was tired of letting Scott steamroll him in front of the others. He deserved at least an ounce of respect for trying to help the world, whether Scott agreed with his methods or not. "I''ll be right back," he replied before storming after Scott, expecting anything but a pleasant chat. Chapter 232 - Fight(5) Elias threw the church doors open and stormed outside, finding Scott waiting a few feet away. He didn''t hold himself back,ing close to Scott with a re on his face. "So, it''s my fault that Melina was almost killed?" he snapped, fury ring through him. He refused to let Scott pin all the me on him. He couldn''t take that me. It would crush him if Melina had been killed, and he thought that he was responsible. "It was your stupid n that almost got us all killed!" Scott replied sharply, standing his ground. Maybe it wasn''t the best n in the world, but Elias didn''t know what else to do. They had to take some sort of action. He thought that they could catch ric off guard, overwhelm him, and then kill him. But things went wrong like normal. ric kept surprising them with his powers, throwing everything he could at them. Literally. "What else could we have done?" Elias asked, throwing his hands up. Scott always tried to tear him down no matter what, but Scott never stepped up. He never assumed responsibility, while Elias stepped up. Someone had to rally the group, or they would fall apart. "Not try to catch a demon off guard! What the hell were you thinking?" Scott spat, shaking his head as he turned away from Elias. Elias grabbed Scott''s shoulder and yanked him around so that they could face each other again. He wasn''t letting Scott run from this fight that he started. They were going to finish this now. "I was thinking about the group! We''re tired. We want to go home. We had to take action," Elias said, defending his decision. They couldn''t go on like this forever. They were already losing steam, and he knew that they would be obliterated if they kept running and using up all their energy and strength. "You almost sent us home in a body bag," Scott replied in a cold voice. "Just admit it. You have no idea what you''re doing. You tossed us to the sharks!" Elias scoffed as he looked away from Scott. What stung was that Scott was right. Elias had no idea what he was doing. He was trying to do what he could with what he had. So far, it hadn''t worked out all that well, but Scott wasn''t pitching any great ideas either. "Fine. What do you want to do now? You lead us," Elias said. If Scott wanted to be so judgmental, he could put the group on what he thought was the right path. Elias was tired of Scott ripping into every n that he proposed. Nothing would ever be good enough. "Not go on a suicide mission. How about that?" Scott replied with snark in his voice. He crossed his arms over his chest as Elias stepped closer to him. "You''ve always thought that you''re so much better than me. You''re wrong. You''re a failure, and you''re about to let the world down. You already let all of us down." Elias wanted to yell. He wanted to throw Scott through the nearest wall. He wanted to defend himself. However, he couldn''t do any of those things. All that he could do was stare at Scott as his own blood tore him to shreds. Now, Elias felt guilty, being weighed down by the me. Maybe Scott was right. Maybe he was letting everyone down, even if he didn''t want to believe it. He was supposed to be saving the world from a terrible entity. Instead, he was leading his friends into danger, nearly getting them killed, and letting ric use them as a punching bag. These ns weren''t working, and he felt lost. "That''s what I thought," Scott scoffed. He didn''t look amused or victorious, though. He looked almost as upset as Elias. Without another word, he turned and trudged to the RV, leaving Elias alone. Elias ced his hands behind his head, sighing as he closed his eyes. He wanted to end this fight with ric so badly, but he didn''t know how. Teamwork didn''t workst time like it did before. It was like everyone was fighting their own battles. It didn''t help that the tension in the group was high. It didn''t feel like the same group that had been training together or going out to dinner together. They were losing. The church doors then opened, and Alyssa and Tyler carried Melina out by her arms, guiding her along slowly. Melina looked over at Elias with a frown. "Are you okay?" she asked him. Elias didn''t have a great answer to that question. He shrugged, looking away from everyone as he still processed his thoughts. Scott''s words still stuck with him, and he doubted that they would go away any time soon. "Yeah," he murmured, keeping his eyes on the ground. "I''m so sorry about what happened, Melina. We should''ve never gone after him." Melina frowned and moved away from the other two to walk over to him. She ced her hand on his back, coaxing him to look up at her. "Just because Scott didn''t approve of the n and things went south doesn''t mean anything. It could''ve been the best n in the world and things still could''ve gone wrong," she pointed out to him. Maybe she was right, but the fact that it was his n and Melina nearly got killed struck him hard. He almost lost his sister. She could''ve not woken up, and he was so grateful that she was even walking and talking to him right now. Things could''ve turned out way different. "I made a bad decision that endangered the rest of the group," Elias replied. If he thought of the situation in simple terms, that was what he was left with. "We agreed to the n. This isn''t only your burden to bear," Melina said as she shook her head. She grabbed both of his shoulders as firmly as she could. "This is no one''s fault." Elias met her gaze, breathing in deeply through his nose. Her words made him feel a little better, but he was still upset with Scott. It didn''t help that one part of his group was against him. He didn''t want the group to fall apart from the inside out when the enemy was still out there. ric knew that they were weak.. He could strike again at any time. Chapter 233 - Here For You "I don''t know what we do now," he admitted. The path ahead wasn''t clear. He didn''t even know if they could beat ric. They hadn''t had much lucktely. They could injure him, but they couldn''t deal the final blow that they needed to. "We heal and then we figure out what to do next," Melina said, giving his shoulders a squeeze. She put an optimistic look on her face. It felt like they were going in circles. He didn''t know if he could do that any longer. He had to figure something else out, but he kept his thoughts to himself. For now, he would heal. It felt like a truck hit him since he had been thrown around so much. "Okay," he replied before ncing around. "Maybe let''s go to the next town and stay there." Melina nced at Tyler. "Would that be fine?" she asked him. Tyler nodded, reaching his hand out to take hers. He pulled her against his side, cing his arm around her waist to keep her steady. "That''s fine. Let''s get you on the RV," he said. Alyssa lingered behind, giving Elias a sympathetic look. Elias felt like he was splitting apart on the inside. Seeing Alyssa look at him like that only made him want to break down even more. There were things that he couldn''t tell Melina and the others, but he knew that he could open up to Alyssa. He really needed to talk as more and more troubling thoughts filled his head. "We need to talk," he told Alyssa in a quiet voice. He would wait until they got to the next town, but the ride there would be torture for him. There was so much on his mind, and she was probably the only one who could make him feel somewhat better. Alyssa nodded as she reached out to ce her hand on his cheek. "Okay," she said, giving him aforting look. Elias sighed and leaned his face into her hand, closing his eyes for a moment and trying to find some sort of peace in all of the chaos. He didn''t know if that was even possible, but he could at least pretend for a little while that his reality wasn''t real. ********** "We''ve had a rough day today, but we can''t let that ruin our spirits. We can still do this. We can beat him." Elias didn''t say anything as Melina gave the group a pep talk. He wasn''t really in the mood for a pep talk, and it seemed like no one else was in the mood either. Everyone had been beaten on. They were stressed out. It was time for the day to finallye to an end. "Everyone, get some rest. We''ll talk in the morning," Tyler said before ushering Melina into their motel room. Elias sighed as he retreated into his and Alyssa''s room. He didn''t want to talk again in the morning. The only person that he wanted to talk to was Alyssa. She understood him better than anyone, and he couldn''t hide anything from her anyway. She could see right through him, and he suspected that his stress was rolling off of him in waves. Alyssa shut the door behind them, watching him sulk around the room with a frown on her face. She looked concerned as she moved to sit on the bed. "Let''s talk," she said, inviting him to sit on the bed next to her. Elias nodded and crawled onto the bed, moving to sit against the headboard. He ced his hands in hisp, drawing in a steadying breath. "I feel really lost, Alyssa. I''m doubting every single move I make," he admitted to her. He didn''t have much confidence going into this. Now, it waspletely obliterated after their lives were risked and Melina almost died. He couldn''t take it. Alyssa nodded, letting him talk. "Melina almost died¡­ I don''t know what I would''ve done if he killed her. Everything would''ve fallen apart. Then again, everything has been falling apart since this whole thing started," Elias muttered, shaking his head at himself. He was tired of losing. "It''s not falling apart," Alyssa said, reaching out to take one of his hands. "We knew this would be hard, but we''re going to keep fighting." Elias looked at her, feeling guilt fill him whole. She was so invested in this fight, and she believed in him so much. He didn''t even believe in himself anymore. People kept getting hurt every time they fought. Eventually, they wouldn''t get so lucky and escape with their lives. They could only dodge death so many times before they were finally caught in a corner. He felt like they were nearing that corner. "Maybe you should go home. Stay in the penthouse. You''ll be safe," he told her. He knew that she wouldn''t take him up on his offer, but he still wanted to try. He wished that she would run back to New York, to save herself. He wanted everyone to save themselves because he felt like he was dragging everyone down with his awful ns. Melina had already dealt with enough trauma when it came to ric. She deserved a happy life with Tyler while the world was still in one piece. He didn''t care what Scott did, but he suspected some space between them would be a good thing. Everyone would be better off if they all separated, and he took care of this. Maybe that was a suicide mission, but he couldn''t stand by and watch his friends die. He couldn''t handle it. He would rather face ric on his own. He would either beat ric and save everyone, or he would die trying without having to watch his friends and the love of his life die. There wasn''t a perfect situation, and he knew that there wouldn''t be a totally happy ending to all this. That just wasn''t realistic, and he had to start facing facts. "I''m not leaving you, Elias. Don''t try to push me away," Alyssa told him with a serious look on her face.. "I know I can''t help much besides healing, but I''m here for you." Chapter 234 - Not Fine Elias frowned as he looked away from her. He didn''t see his n as pushing her away. He saw it as saving her in the best way that he knew how. He obviously wasn''t strong enough to protect her that way. Getting her out of the way was the best solution that he could think of. "You don''t understand¡­ I can''t let you get killed. I can''t take it," he said, wishing that she would just understand. If she died, his entire soul would shatter. He could feel it already starting to crack. Alyssa ced her hand on his cheek, forcing him to look at her. "There are some things that you can''t control. I will be by your side because we''re a team. I don''t run and hide. Not anymore," she told him firmly. "And you don''t give up." Elias found himself leaning into her touch, his eyes shutting. He wished that they could disappear, slip away into their own reality. Why did they have to be stuck here? "It seems so easy," he murmured. "We don''t do what''s easy. We do what''s right," Alyssa reminded him as she pushed her hand into his hair. "Everything is going to be fine in the end." Elias opened his eyes and suddenly kissed her, cing his hand on the back of her neck to hold her close. He heard her gasp in surprise, but their lips soon moved together, finding a rhythm. He needed to kiss her, to remind himself of what he could lose. He had to do something about this situation, even if it was considered crazy. Alyssa ced her hand on his chest, leaning into the kiss for a few moments before pulling away. She frowned at him. "Elias, please," she said. "Don''t think like this." Elias could tell that he was making her worried. That was thest thing that he wanted to do, but he had to take matters into his own hands. What they had been doing hadn''t been working, so he was going to try something different. Something crazy. "I''m not. I just¡­ miss you. I miss our life," he told her as he brushed his fingers through her hair. He forced a smile onto his face. "I know things will work out how they need to." Alyssa''s frown wavered as she nodded. She moved toy her head on his chest, cuddling close to his side. "They will. You have to believe in that," she told him. Elias rubbed her back, taking a few moments to soak in every detail. He took in her soft skin, the sweet scent of her hair, the calming lull of her voice. He never wanted to forget these details. He wanted to remember them until the very end, whether that was soon or not. He had to be prepared either way. "Are you going back to work after all this?" he asked her, changing the conversation. He didn''t know when they would get to talk like this again, and he wanted to take advantage of the time that they had now. Who knew how long it wouldst? Alyssa remained quiet for a second. She was either thinking about her answer or wondering why he randomly asked her that. "Maybe. I really like practicing a little magic, though. Maybe I can integrate that with my medical knowledge," she replied, sounding thoughtful. "And practice that at the hospital?" Elias asked her, wondering what she was thinking of doing. He was d that she wanted to still use herbs and lower level spells. She had a knack for healing. She was born to do it, and she was obviously meant to do it in multiple capacities as well. "Oh no. They would never allow that. Maybe I could open my own practice," Alyssa replied with a small shrug. "It''s just a thought." "I think that''s an incredible idea. You should do that," Elias said encouragingly. He wanted her to do something that she was passionate about, and he could tell that this would be a fun adventure for her. Plus, he wanted her to have something to put her mind on in case things went south with his n. He hoped that he could be around to watch her clinic flourish. "Really?" Alyssa asked. He could hear the smile in her voice. "I love the idea," Elias confirmed as he rubbed her back. She would be able to help so many people in different capacities, and he knew that she wasn''t the only one who could use lower level magic like that. There were self-proimed witches all over the world who weren''t actually witches, but they could practice a little if they believed in what they were doing and using it for good. "Thank you," Alyssa said sincerely. Elias hoped that she made her idea happen. He hoped that the rest of her life was better than how things were going now. She deserved it. She deserved to be happy and to feel fulfilled in her life. She didn''t deserve to be running around because of a problem that wasn''t hers. This was his and Melina''s problem, but he didn''t want Melina to suffer at the hands of ric any longer. "I love you, Alyssa," he murmured, leaning over to press a gentle kiss against the top of her head. He wished that he could tell her that a million times right now, but one time would have to suffice. She would have to feel all the love that he wanted to give her in that one phrase. Alyssa nuzzled her cheek against his chest as she smiled. "I love you," she said. "We should get some rest," Elias told her as he petted her head, lulling her. She couldn''t be awake for what he wanted to do. She would just try to stop him, and he couldn''t let her do that. No matter what she said or did, he was doing this, and she would just have to try to understand. "Okay," Alyssa said as she pulled the nket over their bodies. She traced her fingers along his chest, settling against him. "Goodnight." "Goodnight," Elias replied. His throat threatened to close up as he spoke, but he forced the word out. He cleared his throat, trying to sound like he was fine, even if he wasn''t. Honestly, he was far from fine. Maybe things would be okay soon, though.. Maybe. Chapter 235 - Meeting Alaric Alyssa fell asleep around midnight, while Elias stayed wide awake, staring at the ceiling. The sound of bugs chirping and cars driving by sounded from outside of the motel room, shadows passing by the window every few minutes. It was time. Part of Elias wanted to stay in the bed and hold Alyssa close. They could just hide out here until the morning, but then Melina would want to talk. They woulde up with another n that would endanger everyone, and he would go through this painful process all over again. He couldn''t stay. Carefully, Elias slipped out from under Alyssa, cing her arm back down on the mattress. He stepped away from her before pausing and looking back down at her. Sadness swept over him like a wave, crashing through him when he realized that this could possibly be thest time that he ever saw her. As she snoozed, with her lips slightly parted, she looked beautiful. He wanted to reach out and brush his fingertips along her cheek, to feel her skin one more time, but he stopped himself. He didn''t need to wake her up. He already said his goodbye before they fell asleep. Elias slipped on his shoes, moving mindlessly. Honestly, his n wasn''t even much of a n, which didn''t matter to him anyway. It wasn''t like any of his past ns worked out that well. He was going to roll with what was on his mind and see what happened. Quietly, he opened the door to the motel room and stepped outside, shutting the door behind him. He hurried away from the motel before anyone could hear him or catch him. He ventured down the street of the small town, passing by businesses with lit neon signs in their windows. He didn''t know where to go exactly, but he wasn''t looking to find anyone. He was looking to be found. Elias walked for thirty minutes, going as far from the motel as he could until he found a small park. It wasn''t even much of a park. There were a few benches, a walking path, a slide, and three swings. He walked through the trees surrounding the park and stepped into the main grassy area before the yground equipment. His eyes swept around, looking at the shadows that the park lights casted on the ground. "I know you can find me. Come get me!" he shouted into the darkness. His heart thumped heavily in his chest as he looked around, knowing that someone had to be listening somewhere. ric had his ways of finding Elias and his group. Now, Elias was giving himself up. "Come out, ric!" Elias stopped yelling after a few minutes, breathing heavily as he listened to the quiet area all around him. When he thought about it, it was eerily quiet. He swallowed hard before hearing a light crunch behind him. He whipped around to see a woman with dark hair stepping out from behind a tree. His anxiety spiked, but he stayed still as she moved closer to him. The woman stopped a few feet in front of him, cocking an eyebrow at him as she crossed her arms over her chest. She wore ck jeans and a ckce top, nearly blending into the darkness that surrounded her. "You''re here to see ric?" she asked. Elias suspected that she was one of ric''s followers. He figured that one of them had to be lurking around somewhere, keeping taps on the group. He kept his guard up around her, watching her closely. He knew that she wouldn''t try to kill him. That would have to be ric''s honor. "Yes. I want to talk to him," he replied. He knew that talking would only get him so far, but that was where he wanted to start. The woman hummed under her breath, seeming intrigued. "I''ll take you to him," she said before motioning for him to follow her. Elias stayed still for a moment, asking himself if he was seriously going to do this. He didn''t know her. Maybe she would kill him, but he believed that he could take her. He decided to take a risk and follow her away from the park to a ck car. He got into the passenger seat, trying to ignore how hard his heart was beating. The woman got in the driver''s seat and pulled onto the road, driving in silence for about fifteen minutes. Elias kept his cool, peering at the woman out of the corner of his eye. "Does ric know that I want to see him?" he asked her. "Of course. He sent me to find you," the woman replied before pulling off the main road and stopping at an abandoned gas station. Cobwebs and dust covered the old pumps, and dark stains tainted the concrete and asphalt. The storefront had faded paint and broken windows from years of being broken into. Elias braced himself as the car shut off. He got out of the car and stared at the gas station''s ss front door or what used to be the front door since it was shattered. He nced at the woman, who motioned for him to go inside. He breathed in deeply before heading toward the store. He started to question his own sanity. Maybe Scott was right, but it was toote to back out now. He had to see this through for his friends. Protecting them was his main priority, and he was going to do that to the best of his ability. Against ric, his abilities were limited, but he believed in what he was doing more than ric did. Slowly, Elias stepped into the gas station, broken ss crunching under his shoes. The interior of the gas station was dark, but he could make out empty and overturn shelves. He nced around, trying to make his way through the dark without running into anything. "I didn''t expect to see you so soon," ric''s voice sounded to Elias'' left. Chapter 236 - Fighting Alone Elias whipped around to see ric sitting on the checkout counter. His heart jumped up into his throat as he stumbled back, preparing to defend himself. He did willinglye here, but he wasn''t going down without a fight. He didn''te here to give up. He came here to try to spare his friends. "We need to talk," he said once he got his bearings. ric chuckled as he tilted his head at Elias. "Talk? We don''t do much talking," he replied as he hopped off the counter, his boots hitting the ground with a heavy thump. Elias tightened his fingers into fists, making himself ready for anything. He didn''t trust ric in the slightest. "I wanted to propose something to you," he said. He wasn''t sure if ric would take him up on it, but he could at least try. He owed it to his friends to try. "Propose what?" ric asked, looking intrigued. "You and me just fight. We have onest battle right here, right now. You leave the others alone," Elias replied. Maybe he was basically sacrificing himself, but he was giving himself a somewhat fair fight. It would just be him and ric. No distractions from anyone else. They would fight until someone was defeated, which he figured was death. ric lifted an eyebrow at Elias, looking surprised by the proposal. "You think that you can take me by yourself? Did you see what happened thest two times that we fought?" ric questioned him. Elias nodded, fully aware of the results of thest two fights. That was in the past, though. Those were different circumstances. He didn''t know if he stood a chance against ric on his own. The whole point of the trip was for he and Melina to fight together. That hadn''t worked out yet, so he was trying things solo to spare his friends. "I''m aware. I want my friends and Melina to be left out of this. I just want it to be me and you," Elias replied, remaining firm on his idea. ric hummed under his breath as he crossed his arms, tilting his head slightly. "Interesting," hemented. "Until the death?" Elias felt his body freeze up for a moment, but he pushed through the sensation so that he could nod. Those were the terms that he was agreeing to. He didn''t want to die, but he wanted the chance to kill ric. "Yes," he said. He wasn''t going to let ric escape with his life again. If he was going to fight this hard and risk this much, someone was going to die during this fight. He refused to walk away, and he knew that ric wasn''t going to stop until Elias was dead or he was dead. "You care about them that much?" ric smirked. Elias nced away from ric. His friends meant the world to him. They faced this situation together, fighting alongside each other and taking care of each other. He had grown too attached to them to let them get hurt again. They had lives to live that they deserved to experience and explore. "Yes," he replied. "I want you to leave them out of this." "Fine," ric sighed. "If you want to be some honorable sacrifice, go ahead. At least I can kill one of you." Elias tightened his jaw, narrowing his eyes as he watched ric roll and stretch his neck. He hoped that he could kill ric. Wiping that smirk off his face would make him feel incredibly satisfied. "Outside," Elias said before walking out of the store. He didn''t feel like having shelves thrown at him inside of a dark store. He stood a better chance outside in the parking lot near the fuel pumps. He took his spot, turning to face ric as he strode out of the store. He couldn''t believe that he was actually here. Everything came down to this. He either defeated ric, or he died right here. It was weird thinking of himself dying. He didn''t expect the possibility of it toe so soon, but everyone died. If he was going to kick it, he wanted to die doing something for his friends. "Sure you don''t want to call your friends? You''re looking nervous," ricughed coldly. Elias didn''t want to die alone, but it was better than watching his friends die. He narrowed his eyes, standing his ground and refusing to let ric get into his head. "Let''s get on with it. I''m not here to y around," he said firmly. ric shrugged, looking disappointed that Elias wasn''t reacting the way he wanted him to. "You asked for it," he replied. Maybe Elias did, but he was in no way prepared for what was in store for him. Elias made the first move. He was taking all sorts of risks today. He sent shots of fire toward ric, feeling his palms burn. If he wanted a chance at winning, he had to lean into his abilities like ric did. ric''s strength came from his demonic powers, while Elias had witch and demon abilities to pull from. ric dodged around most of the shots. One of them caught his cheek, burning his skin and making him grimace. He sent a newspaper stand flying at Elias'' head with a wave of his hand. Elias ducked, being mindful of things that ric could throw at him. He had learned that the hard wayst time. He wasn''t going to make the same mistakes this time. His threshold for mistakes that he could allow was very small. Any mistake could put him six feet under. "Come on, Elias. You have to put up a better fight than that," ric taunted him. Fueled off his anger, Elias rushed at ric, mming his shoulder against ric''s chest. He didn''t knock ric off his feet, but he made him lose his bnce, which was good enough. Elias grabbed ric''s arm and tossed him against the only window that was intact on the storefront. ric crashed through the window, ss raining down everywhere. He grimaced as he picked himself up off the ground, shaking ss off him.. Cuts littered his arms and face as he climbed through the hole where the window used to be. Chapter 237 - Sacrifice "So, that''s how we''re going to y this," he growled. Elias didn''t see the trash can flying through the air until it struck him in the head. He stumbled to the side, feeling dazed as he tried to maintain his bnce. He was soon knocked off his feet as ric swept his legs right out from under him. Elias hit the ground on his back with a pained huff. ric punched downward at Elias'' face with a shout. Elias jerked his head out of the way at thest second, hearing ric''s fist collide with the asphalt. He kicked his foot upward, striking ric in the stomach to knock the breath from him. They tussled on the ground, punching and elbowing each other as much as they could in close quarterbat. ric ced his hands on Elias'' chest, creating a crushing feeling that made Elias grit his teeth in pain. Elias reached up and ced his hands on ric''s face, burning his skin at the same time. Their eyes collided as they tried to hold out as long as they possibly could, trying to make the other give in. Elias couldn''t even breathe at that point. It felt like his ribs were about to snap, but he kept his grip on ric''s face, feeling the skin start to burn and peel. He didn''t know how much longer he could take this. The pain was intense, and ck dots started to swim in his vision. He knew that he could hold on a little longer, but he couldn''t even tell if ric was going to give in any time soon. There was dark craziness in his eyes. Maybe this was the end. Before darkness couldpletely take over Elias'' vision, he heard a shout from the distance. ric looked up too, only to be knocked off of Elias and sent tumbling across the parking lot. Elias turned his head weakly to see Melina, Scott, Tyler, and Alyssa running toward him. He managed to finally draw in a breath, but it even hurt to breathe. He winced, trying to sit up as his friends joined his side. "What are you doing here?" he asked them. He was supposed to do this alone. However, he was d to see them. Fighting ric alone was incredibly difficult and painful. "Saving you," Melina replied before lightly smacking his arm. "Don''t you ever sneak off and try to sacrifice yourself again." "How did you even find me?" Elias asked. It wasn''t like he left a note or anything to let them know where he was. He hadn''t even known that he was going to end up here until ric''s follower brought him here. "Location spell," Melina said with a proud look on her face. She nced over at ric, who was starting to get to his feet. She extended her hand out to Elias. "Are we going to finish this or what?" Elias knew that this was his best chance to take down ric. He had left some good blows on ric, so he was weakened. Maybe they could actually finish this fight and win, but they would have to fight with everything they had. He reached up and took her hand, letting her pull him to his feet. He looked at the others and nodded. "Let''s do it," he replied, feeling even more determined than before. He had to be. Now that his friends were here, he couldn''t let them down. He was fighting for them, and he was fighting for the world. "Be careful," Alyssa told him. Elias shot her a quick smile before turning to face ric with Scott, Melina, and Tyler at his sides. He watched Tyler and Scott rush forward at ric, engaging in hand-to-handbat. ric grunted from a heavy punch from Tyler, but he immediately retaliated with a kick that sent Tyler tumbling into the store. He whipped around and rushed at Scott, tackling him to the ground. Even if Scott annoyed him, Elias wasn''t going to let him die. He ran forward and kicked ric off Scott before tugging Scott to his feet. After sharing a quick nod, they dove back into the fight, dodging flying objects or swings. It seemed like something or someone was flying in the air every few seconds, creating pure chaos. Elias felt himself grow tired and weak. He had taken so many hits, and the others weren''t doing too well either. ric was weak, but he was still powerful, dishing out as many hits as he took. He ran forward with Melina, but they were sent flying back near the gas pumps. "That''s all you got? Maybe I need to entice you," ric smirked as blood dripped from a cut above his eye. He stalked toward Melina as Elias groaned on the ground. Right when he got within a few feet of Melina, he was suddenly doused in gas. He spun around to face Alyssa, who held one of the gas pumps. Alyssa stared at ric with wide eyes, immediately dropping the gas pump on the ground. She watched gas drip off ric''s hair and clothes as she backed up. "You should''ve stayed out of this human. Now, you''ll be one of many to die," ric spat as he summoned ss shards to lift off the ground. He directed them right at her before letting them shoot her way. "No!" Elias shouted from the ground. He knew that he was too weak and slow to get up in time. All that he could do was helplessly watch the ss fly through the air, its sharp edges ready to impale Alyssa. Alyssa covered her head, preparing to be impaled, but the ss never hit her. Instead, she heard a heavy thud near her. She opened her eyes and looked down, gasping at the sight of Scott on the ground, bleeding from multiple stab wounds. "No¡­ no," she whimpered as she knelt next to Scott. Large ss shards stuck out of his body, blood pooling beneath his body already. ric continued toe after Alyssa, his eyes full of malice. Chapter 238 - Gone Melina focused on ric, making darkness fill his vision. "Elias, the fuel! Quick!" she shouted as ric stumbled around, temporarily blind. Elias fought past his shock to focus on ric, staring at the fuel dripping off ric and setting him on fire. His fire ability got an extra boost since ric was as mmable as could be. He watched mes eat up every inch of ric. ric cried out in pain, trying to yank off his clothes and kill the mes, but they refused to stop. He dropped onto his knees, the fire burning him alive. His shrieks and cries eventually turned into whimpers. Then, he was silent and still as he crashed to the ground, smoke drifting off his charred skin. Elias stared at what was left of ric''s body, feeling shock pulse through him. He couldn''t believe that he did that. He actually killed ric. He still couldn''t fully wrap his mind around that, but it happened. The proof was in a smoking pile right in front of him. He looked over at Melina, who looked just as shocked. "We did it," he breathed out. Even his words didn''t seem real. How could this be reality? He had been fully prepared to die tonight, but they actually won. After fighting for their lives with everything they had, they put an end to ric before he destroyed the world. "We¡­ did," Melina murmured, looking confused as well. She blinked a few times, taking everything in. When she saw Tyler emerging from the store, a look of relief washed over her face. For a moment, everything seemed okay, which was a miracle given what happened. Elias couldn''t even bring himself to get to his feet yet. He was still processing everything, and his body ached from being hit on and tossed around. Finally, he didn''t have to fight any longer. As much as he liked his fire ability, he preferred to just use it to light candles or something for a while. He was done lighting people on fire. "Guys, Scott''s hurt!" Alyssa called to them, snapping them out of their dazes and making them realize that not everything was okay. For Scott, things were far from okay as he continued to bleed out of multiple wounds on his body. The joy that Elias felt about winning immediately went away when he remembered that Scott was hurt because he saved Alyssa. It was another shocking turn of events, but he would be shocked over thatter. Right now, someone was hurt, and things didn''t look promising from Elias'' point of view. The group gathered around Scott, who was barely conscious at that point. They peered down at him with worried and sad faces, knowing that things weren''t good. Alyssa did what she could medically, trying to make him asfortable as possible. "You didn''t have to do that¡­ save me. You shouldn''t have," she said quietly as she knelt beside him. Scott smirked weakly as his eyes rolled over to Elias. "Are you kidding? He would''ve kicked my ass," he murmured. Elias smiled a little in a sad manner, feeling his chest ache. No matter what happened between him and Scott, he never wanted this to happen to Scott. They were still family. Getting under each other''s skin didn''t mean that they wanted each other to die. "Thank you for saving her," he said as he ced his hand on Scott''s shoulder. Honestly, he couldn''t thank Scott enough for what he did. It was brave and selfless. Originally, he didn''t see Scott as either of those things, but his mind had certainly been changed. He just wished that it hadn''t been changed in this way. Scott grunted, sweat starting to bead up on his forehead as his skin grew pale. "Yeah, yeah. No sappy stuff," he said. Melina looked over at Elias with glistening eyes. She grabbed Tyler''s arm, holding on tight as she used him for support. She sniffled as she peered down at Scott. "Thank you for everything," she said. What hurt Elias even more was the fact that they all knew that Scott was going to die. There was no saving him from his wounds. The ss had pierced his heart. Alyssa had done all that she could. Now, all they could do was wait and say their goodbyes. It wasn''t fair. No one was supposed to die. This was what he had been trying to avoid! "Don''t you feel guilty," Scott told Elias with a pointed look. "You did what you thought was best. ric is dead. That''s what matters." "You weren''t supposed to go down with him," Elias said, his throat threatening to close up. He swallowed hard, shaking his head and trying to control his emotions as much as possible. He didn''t want to sit here and watch Scott die, but he wasn''t going anywhere. He kept his grip on Scott''s shoulder, not letting go and not nning to. "She''ll do more for the world than I will. If saving her is the one thing that I can contribute, I think I''m okay with that," Scott replied. He coughed painfully, blood flecking his lips. He winced, trying to fight through the pain as much as he could in his state. There was no hiding from the pain. "You helped us take down the world''s biggest threat. That''s a big deal," Elias said. He didn''t want Scott to sell himself short. He did help, even if he wasn''t happy about it all the time. He was grateful for Scott''s help. "You always were sappy, Elias," Scott smirked. He breathed in weakly, his eyes starting to flutter. "Scott," Elias said, giving him a light shake when his eyes shut. His heart jolted when Scott didn''t respond. Just because he expected this didn''t mean that he was ready for it! He gave Scott a few more shakes until Alyssa pulled him away. "He''s gone," she told him with a broken look on her face. She reached out and pulled Elias into a tight hug, rubbing his back.. "I''m so sorry." Chapter 239 - Family Elias immediately pulled back and cupped her face, making her eyes meet his. "This isn''t your fault. He made the choice to save you," he told her, not wanting her to me herself for Scott''s death. He was upset that Scott was dead, but he was d that she was alive too. Scott didn''t die for nothing. "I know¡­ I wish I could''ve thanked him better," Alyssa said as tears slipped down her cheeks. "For a while, I didn''t even like him, but¡­ he wasn''t too bad." Elias couldn''t help but chuckle a little. Pain echoed throughout him, but a little light humor made his grief less suffocating. "He would''ve appreciated that," he told her as he brushed his fingers through her hair, not wanting her to worry about anything. He kissed her on the forehead before sighing and turning to the others. "We should take him home. He should be in the family plot." Melina nodded as she leaned against Tyler''s side. "I can''t believe he''s gone," she said, her voice sounding like a whisper. Elias couldn''t believe it either. Not too long ago, he and Scott were fighting like usual. Now, he was mourning over Scott and wanting to give him an honorable burial. Things could change so rapidly in life. It scared him because there was no telling what could happen next. "Me either," he said quietly. "Let''s get him on the RV." Tyler stood and helped Elias carry Scott onto the RV. They put him in the bedroom, covering him with a sheet before walking back out to the other section of the RV. "Head to your parents'' house?" Tyler asked Elias. Elias nodded. "We should go there first. They need to know everything that happened," he replied before looking at Melina. "Do you think ric''s followers will disperse?" "They have no ruler around anymore telling them what to do," Melina said. "They''re weak-minded. They don''t like living by the rules and co-existing with humans, but they''re not brave or powerful enough to pick up ric''s cause." That put Elias at ease. At least he didn''t have to worry about fighting a sessor. He was done fighting for his life. He was ready to start living again because he had a life waiting for him and Alyssa back in New York. He turned to Alyssa, taking her hand to pull her close. "You were so brave and smart," he told her with a small smile. He wouldn''t have thought about dousing ric in gasoline, but it was a genius idea. It led to ric''s death. Alyssa shrugged. "I just acted. I don''t know what came over me," she admitted. "I saw everyone in trouble and had to do something. I couldn''t just stand there and watch you die." "That''s bravery," Melina spoke up as she walked over to them. She ced one hand on Alyssa''s shoulder and one on Elias'' shoulder. "We''re better together than apart." Elias knew that was a jab at him, but he deserved it. He shouldn''t have run off and tried to fight ric on his own. It was an idiotic, crazy idea that wouldn''t have worked out anyway because he needed his friends to win the fight. "I''m sorry for running off," he told them sincerely. He knew that he must''ve scared them. "I woke up and saw that you were gone. I had this awful feeling, so I woke up Melina," Alyssa replied. "We already had an idea of what you went to go do. You were acting so strange after thest fight." "I felt responsible. I didn''t want you guys to get hurt, so I thought that I could take matters into my own hands," Elias admitted to them. He was ashamed of himself and his actions, but that was in the past. He had to move on and be better from now on. He couldn''t let his fear be in control of him. He had too many people relying on him to keep himself together. "You''re lucky that you didn''t get yourself killed," Melina told him sternly. "We were scared sick." Elias gave her an apologetic look. He could tell that what he did really bothered her. They were supposed to fight together, and he left her behind. It wasn''t fair of him. "I''m really sorry," he said, hoping she knew how sorry he was for what he did. He wasn''t going to do it again. Melina stared at him for a moment before surging forward and pulling him into a tight hug. She rested her chin on his shoulder with a sigh. "Look, I''ve actuallye to love you like a brother. I''d rather not lose you," she said. Her body started to gradually lose tension in his hold. Elias'' eyes widened slightly at her words. They meant a lot to him, and he couldn''t believe how far they hade since they first met. He tried to keep his distance from her in the beginning. Now, it was hard to imagine them being apart. They were twins. "You won''t lose me. I actually don''t hate spending time with you," he smirked. Melina rolled her eyes yfully before letting go of him. "Yeah, you better. I mean, you still want to see each other now that all of this is over?" she asked him. She had a hopeful look on her face. Elias couldn''t help but look confused. He couldn''t believe that she actually thought that he wouldn''t want to see her again. They had gotten so close during this trip, and he didn''t want to be separated from her again. They had their own lives to live, but he wanted to visit her and vice-versa. They had double dates to attend. "Of course. Don''t you?" he asked, lifting an eyebrow at her. "Duh," Melinaughed. "It would be nice to feel like part of a family again." Elias smiled and nodded. He always had a definite sense of family growing up, but he hadn''t realized just how much he had been missing until he met Melina. She was a huge piece of his life that had been missing.. He was d that he finally found her. Chapter 240 - Marry You "We''re all family," he told her as he put his arm around Alyssa''s shoulders. "And you and Tyler are wee toe visit any time." Melina smiled. "We''ll definitely take you up on that," she said with a nod. She then nced behind her at Tyler as he drove the RV. "I should go sit with him." Elias nodded, watching her crawl into the passenger seat before turning to Alyssa. He leaned his head against hers with a soft sigh. "Finally, we get to go home soon," he said. He couldn''t wait for things to go back to normal, but he also wanted some things to change as well. He wanted to deepen his rtionships. He didn''t know how much he had left on this, and he wasn''t going to waste a single second. "To our own bed," Alyssa said with a coy smile. Elias chuckled and nodded. He missed the little things too. As he gazed into her eyes, a surge of emotion struck him. "I''m going to marry you," he told her, blurting the words out. He didn''t even regret saying them right then. He meant the words. He wanted to marry her and make her his wife because he loved her. He would do anything for her. Alyssa''s eyes shot open wide in shock. "Really?" she asked him. Elias grinned and nodded as he ced his hands on her hips, drawing her body close to his. "Really. I''d prepare for that if I were you," he warned her. He would drop the question soon, but he wanted the asion to be special and after everything settled down. One day, they would have their dream wedding with everyone that they loved there. He would proim his love for her in front of everyone, and they would get to have the happily ever after that they deserved. Alyssa looked awed as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her forehead against his. "I can''t wait," she told him. Elias couldn''t wait either. If he had a ring on him, he would''ve dropped down to one knee and proposed to her right then, but he wanted to do this right. He wanted to make that moment special and not in the middle of an RV. "I love you. More than you know," he said to her. He couldn''t wait to be back in New York with her so that they could live their lives again. They had so many things to do, so many things to catch up on. It would be chaos at first, but once the dust settled, it would be paradise. "I love you so much," Alyssa murmured, peering up into his eyes with a loving look. She shared a smile with him before lifting up on her toes and kissing him gently. Elias closed his eyes, slipping into the sweetness of the kiss and not ever wanting to pull away. She belonged in his arms, and he belonged wherever she was. His heart recognized no other love greater than the love that he felt for her. ******** With Scott''s death, it was a sad homing. They were victorious in killing ric and saving the world, but they hadn''t been able to save Scott too. It was bittersweet for them, but they still nned to honor Scott at his funeral, which they did. The entire family came out, filling the family''s private graveyard as they surrounded a freshly dug grave and a sleek wooden coffin with Scott inside. Some tears were shed, but pride was felt all around. Elias made sure that everyone knew about Scott''s sacrifice and how he helped to save the world. Killing ric was a team effort. Everyone yed a part, whether they weakened ric, distracted him, or killed him. Elias almost learned the hard way that killing ric wasn''t a solo venture. He needed the help of his friends, and they stood by him in the end. He couldn''t begin to express his gratitude to them for all that they did and risked to help him take down ric. Donning a ck suit, ric stood near the front of the crowd, feeling Alyssa take his arm. He could tell that she still harbored some guilt, even when he told her that nothing was her fault. If he found himself in the same position, he would feel the same way as her. All that he could do wasfort her and remind her that Scott made his own choices. "Scott was a man of confidence and intelligence, but he was also a man of family," the speaker announced from in front of Scott''s coffin. Elias quietly nodded, ncing to his left to see Melina and Tyler standing next to him. It had been a week since they returned home. They hadn''t all gone their separate ways yet. They wanted to stay for Scott''s funeral, but everyone would head home tomorrow. It was time for them to return to their own lives. "Everyone knows that Scott had a tough outer shell. He didn''t wear his heart on his sleeve, but he had a good heart. At the end of the day, he cared for those around him. He cared about the world," the speaker continued. Maybe his words were a bit flowery, but the sentiment was nice. Everyone wanted to remember Scott in the nicest way possible. Maybe he didn''t care that much about the world, but he did care about his friends and his family. He just had a certain way of showing it. "If anyone would like to say a few words, pleasee do so," the speaker said before moving out of the way. Elias stood with the remainder of the group as Scott''s parents spoke. Scott''s mother spoke tearfully about how kind her son was deep down. Scott''s father spoke about Scott''s bravery with a tough face. Everyone could see right through him, though. He wanted to cry too. "Anyone else?" the speaker asked. Somethingpelled Elias to step forward. He slipped away from Alyssa''s hold and walked toward Scott''s coffin, pausing to ce his hand on the sleek wooden top. Scott didn''t belong in there. He belonged with the group. With a small frown, Elias turned to face the crowd, his eyes sweeping over teary eyes and ck clothes. "As most of you know, Scott and I spent more time arguing than anything else," he said, eliciting some smallughs from the crowd.. "But he was there for me when I needed him the most." Chapter 241 - Go Home Scott''s mother and father smiled at each other before turning to keep listening to Elias. "He was firm in his beliefs. Maybe that made him stubborn, but he could be reliable too," Elias continued as a hint of a smile crossed his face. "I''m grateful for what he did. I''ll never forget him." Melina lifted her hand to gently wipe her tears away with a light sniffle. Elias nodded to the speaker before moving back to his spot with Alyssa, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. There was more to say about Scott, but he wanted to keep some things to himself. He wanted to remember Scott in his own way because the experiences that he had with Scott were unique and different from everyone else''s. The rest of the funeral flew by. Everyone said their goodbyes before Scott''s coffin was lowered into the ground and everyone dispersed. What was left of the group lingered around together outside of the private graveyard. They knew that they had more goodbyes to say. "That was a nice service," Melina said as she leaned against Tyler''s side. Elias nodded his agreement. His family pulled out all the stops, which he was d about. He wanted Scott to have a nice send-off. He deserved it. Because of Scott, he got to go home to New York with Alyssa by his side. He wished that he had been able to thank Scott more, but their time had been limited. "When are you guys leaving?" he asked Melina and Tyler. Their time together wasing to an end soon. Melina nced at Tyler, holding his arm. "In the morning," she said. "I''m going to miss you guys." "We''ll see each other soon," Alyssa replied with a warm smile. "We''ll have to fly out to Colorado one day to visit you." "We''d love that!" Melina eximed, looking excited as she shared a smile with Tyler. Elias took Alyssa''s hand, giving it a squeeze. At times, he had to remind himself that she was alive and real. He had been so close to losing her. He didn''t want to ever go through that again. It was a fear that was hard to stomach. "We have to keep in touch," he said. He didn''t want to lose contact with his sister after everything that they had been through. It was quite the journey, and it was one that he would remember forever. He had experienced some of the most terrifying moments of his life during their trip, but there were certainly some silver linings. They saved the world, and he got closer to his sister that he hadn''t even known existed before all of this. "We will. I promise," Melina replied before moving forward to hug Elias. "I can''t just forget you." Elias smiled as he hugged her back. He didn''t know what the future held for them. He didn''t know how often they would see each other, or if they would ever drift apart. He wanted to stay close, to maintain the rtionship that they had worked so hard to build. "We did it," he murmured to her. He still couldn''t wrap his mind around it. "I knew we could," Melina said as she pulled back to face him. "We were meant to defeat him." Maybe she was right. They came together after years of being separated and took down their biggest enemy. It had been hard. They faced failures and death, but they did what they came together to do. They defeated the odds. "Yeah, we were," Elias agreed before reaching out to shake Tyler''s hand. "Take care of her." "Always," Tyler said with a nod. Elias stepped back to let Alyssa tell Melina and Tyler goodbye. It hurt to watch the group split up, but he was happy that they had gotten to this point. They could finally go home. They weren''t stuck on the road, running for their lives. Melina lifted her hand in a wave before she took Tyler''s hand and led him away. Elias watched them walk off toward their car, a sigh drifting from him. He had reached the end of a chapter. It was weird having to figure out what to do now. He was used to just running and hiding. Now, he didn''t have to do that any longer. He could do anything that he wanted. "I can''t believe we can go home now," he told Alyssa. It almost felt like some sort of trick. Alyssa cracked a smile and nodded as she turned to face him. "It doesn''t feel real," she said before a serious look took over her face. "It''s going to be hard to break out of that habit." Elias didn''t even realize how much trauma was going to follow them from this experience. For a while, they would be looking over their shoulder, wondering if someone wasing after them or not. They would be fearful for a little while until they eventually realized that they were safe. ric was dead. "We''ll get through it together," he assured her. No matter what, they wouldn''t be alone. That was what mattered the most. They made it through this trip because they stayed together. He almost ruined that toward the end, but they found their way back to each other once again. It was the natural thing for them to do. "As long as we''re together," Alyssa said as her face brightened. She reached out to take his hand. "Promise that''ll be forever?" "I did tell you that I was going to marry you," Elias pointed out as he pulled her toward their car. He had big ns for their future. He just had to put them into action, and he could do that when they returned to New York. Of course, they had plenty of things to take care of first. She had to figure out her clinic idea, and he had to catch up with things at work. From the updates that were sent to his phone periodically, things seemed to be up running fine still. Hispany would still be in one piece when he got back. "Soon?" Alyssa asked him with a hopeful look on her face. Elias chuckled, d to see that she was just as excited to get married as he was. He stopped by their car, turning to her. "Soon," he promised her. He could hardly wait, and he wanted them to have a new beginning. After everything that had happened, they deserved a fresh start and an opportunity to leave the past behind them where it belonged. He couldn''t think of a better way to do that than to officially start their lives together as husband and wife. Alyssa wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling her body close to his. "I''ve wanted to marry you since college," she admitted. Elias ced his hands on her hips, caressing her curves as he peered into her eyes. "Even when we broke up?" he asked as he lifted an eyebrow at her yfully. There had definitely been a time when they weren''t on the best terms. He couldn''t me her for not being the biggest fan of him, though. He had broken her heart, leaving her alone with all of the broken pieces. He hated himself for what he did to her. Alyssa smirked as she rolled her eyes. "I can''t speak for myself then, but I can speak for myself now. I can''t wait to marry you," she told him. That was fair to Elias. They had aplicated history, but what mattered the most was that they made their way back to each other. They were meant to be and the events that happened throughout their lives proved that. Nothing could convince him otherwise. "You won''t have to wait for long," he replied before leaning down to kiss her sweetly. He swept his hands around to her back, pulling her body flush against his. Alyssa smiled into the kiss, threading her fingers through his hair. Elias already felt like he was home. She was home in a kiss, a touch, a smile. He would follow her anywhere, but he knew exactly where she wanted to go. He broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers as they shared a smile with one another. Just the sight of her glowing face made him lose his breath. "Let''s go home." Chapter 242 - Epilogue (1) One yearter Elias was sure that he was going to pass out. How could he not? He was about to see Alyssa walking down the aisle toward him any minute now. Donned in a ck suit with a ck rose attached to one of thepels of his suit, he stood on a rooftop in the depths of New York City. The rooftop had been transformed into the most beautiful wedding venue for that night. String lights looped all around the perimeter, lighting the roof in a golden glow. White chairs formed rows in front of a small stage, and the aisle was full of ck and white rose petals. Everything looked even better than he imagined. His eyes skimmed over the seats full of people, finding his parents, Cole, and some of his and Alyssa''s other friends. He felt a hand on his shoulder, prompting him to turn and face Tyler, his best man. "Hey," he greeted Tyler with a nervous smile. "Ready?" Tyler asked him as he patted Elias'' shoulder. Elias nodded. He was nervous, but he wasn''t concerned about marrying Alyssa. He just didn''t want to mess up his vows or do anything else embarrassing. He wanted today to be perfect because it meant so much to both him and Alyssa. They were finally going to get married! Nearly a year ago, he proposed to her on a romantic, private ferry ride. He hardly got through asking her before she said yes and threw herself on him. It had been one of the best nights of his life, and tonight would join its ranks as well. How could he forget the night that he married the love of his life? Thest year had been great for them. Hispany was still sessful, and he was able to take more time away from work to spend with Alyssa. He helped her develop a n for her own clinic, which would be breaking ground in another six months. The future was bright, and they were finally out of the darkness. "I can''t believe today is finally here. We nned for months. Now, it''s finally here," Elias told Tyler. He was d that the group stayed in touch after going their separate ways after the funeral. Even still today, Elias missed Scott, which was strange for him. He had never missed Scott before, but he remembered Scott''s sacrifice, especially today. If it wasn''t for Scott, he wouldn''t be marrying Alyssa today. "I''m happy for both of you, man," Tyler said as he grinned at Elias. "Now, it''s your turn. Have you bought the ring yet?" Elias asked Tyler, raising an eyebrow at him. Tyler chuckled in an almost shy manner. He only got that way over Melina, and Elias could tell that Tyler truly loved Melina. "Yeah, I got it. I''m going to ask her at the end of the month. I didn''t want to steal your spotlight," he smirked. Eliasughed and shook his head, nudging Tyler. He then noticed a shift in the room. The wedding ceremony was about to start. He straightened up and got in his spot as the bridesmaids got in position. He smiled at Zoe and Melina as they took their spots. They wore ck dresses that matched. "Don''t cry," he teased them. The girls rolled their eyes at him yfully. As the music started, Elias turned his attention down the aisle, feeling his breath get taken away at the sight of Alyssa in her white wedding dress. She looked like a princess in herce, A-line dress. The ends of the dress seemed to float around her feet as she walked down the aisle toward Elias. She was unapanied, but she insisted that she didn''t mind. She didn''t have a father to walk her down the aisle, and it was something that she wanted to do on her own. Elias was so proud of her and the woman that she had be. She was incredibly sessful, smart, and beautiful in her own way. He really had struck the jackpot when he met her, and he felt like the luckiest man on the to be marrying her. Alyssa gazed at Elias with a warm smile as she moved to stand in front of him, giving her bouquet of flowers to Zoe. She turned back to Elias, letting out a nervous breath and mouthing a greeting. Elias winked at her, chuckling to himself. He couldn''t believe how beautiful she looked. He wanted to fall at her feet she looked so amazing. The speaker''s words floated right through his head as he focused on Alyssa and her radiant smile. He was so d to be getting married to her finally after so many years. It had been a long timeing. Before he knew it, it was time to exchange vows. He had been practicing this for weeks, but he was still worried that he would forget something or mess up. He had never been this nervous before. He did speeches and presentations all the time at work, but this was different. He was baring his heart and soul in front of everyone that he cared about. "Alyssa, you''ve been a part of my life for so long now. I don''t want to imagine my life without you. We''ve been through so many things together, but we always find our way back to each other. From the bottom of my heart, I believe that we''re meant to be because there''s no one else that I would want by my side," Elias told her, his throat threatening to tighten as he put all of his emotions into his vows. "I love you so much." Alyssa''s eyes glistened as she peered at Elias, cing her hand over her heart. "I love you. You showed me what true love feels like. I had no idea how happy I could be until I met you.. You''re the biggest adventure of my life, and I''m grateful for every second that we''ve shared. Chapter 243 - Epilogue (The End) I want to make memories with you forever and to live happily with you for as long as possible," she told him. Elias felt nearly dazed by his affection for her. All he wanted to do was get to the end of the ceremony so that they could finally be officially married. He had waited too long, and he didn''t want to not be married to her for another minute longer. They slipped their weddings rings on each other''s fingers, smiling at each other as they joined hands and spoke their derations. They meant each and every word, promising to be together through any sort of circumstance. They had already proven that to each other time and time again. "By the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife," the speaker announced. Elias cupped Alyssa''s face in his hands, drawing her lips to his in a sweet, deep kiss as everyone cheered and apuded them. He pressed his smile to hers, feeling the warm blush on her cheeks. Alyssaughed softly as they pulled away. She gave his hands a squeeze before they walked down the aisle, epting more apuse and cheers from the crowd. She waved to them as everyone moved out of the way, letting the venue workers clear the area for the wedding party. A live band took the stage, ying upbeat hits as a buffet style dinner was set up for all the wedding guests. Everyone either danced on the space cleared for the dance floor, sat and ate at the white-clothed tables, or stood around and chatted. No matter what they were doing, everyone was having a good time. Elias moved through the crowd, suddenly getting the breath knocked out of him when Melina yanked him into a hug. "Hey," he chuckled as he hugged her back. "I''m so d you and Tyler made it." "Of course! How could I miss my brother''s wedding?" Melina asked as she pulled away from him. "Alyssa looks so beautiful today." Elias nced across the rooftop to see Alyssa talking to Cole and Zoe. He smiled as he admired her from afar. "Yeah, she does. She looks perfect," he said. He had only been apart from her for around thirty minutes to greet all the guests, and it still felt too long. He wanted to be with her now. "I''m really happy for you," Melina told him as she ced her hand on his arm. "I''m d we made it to this point." Elias shared that sentiment. They could''ve been dead or still on the run by this time, but they made their futures into the lives that they wanted to live. He couldn''t be happier for all of them, and he couldn''t wait to see what else they did in their lives. They still had plenty of time left. "Me too. None of us would be here without each other," he pointed out. They all had a part to y in this. Melina smiled, giving his arm a squeeze before letting go. She nodded to the stage as the band finished their song. "Hope you''re wearing your dancing shoes," she said as she shed a teasing wink at him. Elias gave her a confused look before he heard the vocalist speak into the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, it''s time for the happy couple''s first dance," he announced before gesturing at Elias and Alyssa. Apuse from the crowd followed his words. Elias felt a jolt of excitement and nervousness. Finally, he could be with Alyssa again, but he had to dance. They practiced extensively before the wedding so that he would be prepared, but he still wanted to do this right. He walked to the dance floor as everyone made a path for him, meeting Alyssa in the middle as a slow song started to y. He extended his hand out to her. Alyssa smiled and took his hand, letting him pull her against his body. She ced her free hand on his shoulder, feeling his other hand on her waist. She turned her head to gaze into his eyes, a light pink flush adorning her cheeks. "Hello, husband," she quipped yfully. "Hello, wife," Elias chuckled before taking the first step. They stepped and swayed together slowly, holding each other close as everyone watched with starry and awed eyes. To Elias, everyone seemed to fade away, leaving him alone with Alyssa. He didn''t mind that at all. He actually preferred it most of the time. No one saw him in the way that she did. They were perfect together, bing a whole soul. Life had gone on without each other, but there had been something missing. They couldn''t live without love, which brought them back together in the first ce. They couldn''t run from what they felt, and they sumbed to the feeling. Now, they would never fight that feeling ever again. "Can you believe our lives right now?" Alyssa asked,ughing softly in disbelief. If he wasn''t touching her right now, Elias would''ve believed that he was in a dream. With her, life felt like a dream that he never wanted to wake up from. Now, the dream was forever, and he had everything that he ever wanted. "Best dream I''ve ever had," Elias said as he rested his forehead against hers, sharing a warm smile with her. He wouldn''t change a thing about his life right now. He married the girl of his dreams, he was closer to his family than ever, he had a sessful business, and the world was safe from a terrible darkness. Things were exactly how they were supposed to be. "Then, let''s stay asleep," Alyssaughed. That was certainly the n. Elias nodded, reaching up to stroke her cheek as the song came to an end. "Forever," he replied before sealing his words with a deep kiss, promising a long and happy life full of sweet perfection and evesting love. THE END..... A/N: Okay so this is the end of Elias and Alyssa''s story hope you enjoyed it. Thank y''all for buying privilege you''re the only reason why I was earning hehehe. So yeah....that''s why the book is short^^^ In case you''re wondering. Please support my new book, "The Taste of Seduction. Just read 5 chapters and decide if you want to continue or not^^. Melina''s side story willmence on 2/02/2022 see ya again? love, Chichii Chapter 244 - Failed Spell Hy guys thank y''all for waiting for me. Sorry for not posting in February was going through stuffs. Also I want to thank you all for your support. Our book won a nomination price at WSA! It''s all because of you. Lots of kisses cuz y''all are the best! Silence filled Spell Lab 201 as all of the supernatural students stared at Melina, watching intently as she prepared to pull off an electricity spell that had already sent three students to the infirmary. At the Axven School of the Supernatural Arts, the education was taken seriously, which could lead to serious injuries. "She''s going to electrocute herself like Alex," one of the popr witches, Octavia, scoffed to her friends. Melina felt another wave of nervousness crash through her as she overheard her ssmate''sment. If she was honest with herself, Octavia was probably right. This spell was touchy, but she had practiced her dorm room every night for the past week. She could do this. "Just concentrate and control the flow," Professor Samson told Melina as he stood behind her at the front of the room. He was around thirty with a tall, lean body under a ck button down and ck cks. His sses were thin-framed and ck as they rested on his sharp nose. A table was set out in front of Melina. There was a single lightbulb set up in front of her, but there was no electricity present in the power source. It was dead until Melina generated the electricity for it. Melina took in a deep breath, tilting her head back to let her dark hair fall behind her shoulders. She closed her eyes, cing her hand on top of the lightbulb. She recited the spell under her breath, feeling energy form in her fingertips. She opened her eyes just as the light bulb lit up. "Do you see that people? We have light!" Professor Samson announced excitedly, coaxing some of the students to p. Melina kept her hand on the light, feeling its warm glow as she maintained the current of electricity. She looked up as her ssmates apuded her efforts, feeling a surge of pride fill her. So often, she was ignored or pickedst. The ssroom was where she seeded. It was where she was strong. "Melina!" Professor Samson shouted. Before Melina could realize that the light bulb was glowing too strongly, it shattered, ss flying everywhere and cutting into Melina''s hand. She stumbled back, grabbing her bleeding hand as her ssmates ducked and hid behind their spell books to escape the flying ss. "I''m sorry," Melina breathed out as she looked around with wide eyes, an embarrassed flush burning her cheeks. She hadn''t been paying attention. She just felt so happy that she pulled off the spell so well in front of everyone. "I told you that she would mess up," Octavia sneered as she brushed her fingers through her red hair, making sure no ss had rained down on her. "You wouldn''t have been able to even get it to light up," another girl, a glowing blonde, smirked at Octavia. Herugh sounded like a melody as it rose and then fell, prompting Octavia to roll her eyes. "Shut up, ir. You don''t have to take pity on her all the time," Octavia muttered. Melina stepped away from the table, lowering her eyes out of shame. ir was technically her friend, even if the popr witches were also her friends too. She had no idea why ir had been so nice to her for the past two years, but Melina was grateful to have a friend. Her closest friend, Lily, graduated a few years ago, leaving Melina alone to deal with her remaining years of boarding school. This year was Melina''sst. "You should go to the infirmary," Professor Samson told Melina before turning to the rest of the ss. "ss is dismissed." Melina nodded, waiting for most of the ss to leave before grabbing her things from her desk. She wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. She slipped the strap of her ck, leather messenger bag on her shoulder, hearing her books and jars of ingredients shift around inside. "Hey, want somepany in the infirmary?" Melina looked over at ir, feeling surprised that ir didn''t run off with her popr friends. "Oh, you don''t have to if you''re busy," she replied before wincing as her hand stung. She looked down at her palm, seeing small pieces of ss embedded in her skin. She couldn''t believe that she had embarrassed herself so much. All she wanted to do was prove herself as a talented witch, but she felt like a loser. When she was younger, she thought that she would be a badass at eighteen. Instead, she was awkward and quiet, struggling to connect with those around her. This school was full of vampires and witches, who were talented and unique in their own ways. She wanted to stand out amongst all of them. ir waved her hand dismissively before looping her arm with Melina''s, leading her out of the ssroom and down the hallway of the multi-story, Victorian style building. Hues of tan and gray washed over the walls and floors asrge windows let sunlight spill into the school''s interior. Students filled the hallways in their ck and green uniforms, varying between skirts or pants, button down shirts, ties, and zers with the school''s insignia on a patch on the left breast area. A low drone of chatter echoed off the stone walls. The magical energy floating through the air was undeniable. "Went a little overboard, huh?" irmented as we strode down the hallway together, our ck boots thumping against the floor. A sheepish look filled Melina''s face as she nodded. "I was just d that I pulled off the spell," she replied. She hated how pathetic she sounded. "You''re stronger than people take you for," ir said, lifting her eyebrows at Melina. Melina shrugged as a shy smile crossed her lips. She tried to be as strong as possible by studying and practicing a lot. She didn''t spend her free time outside of ss doing much else. "I need to practice that spell more," she replied. Herck of control wouldn''t do when it came time for the end of the year examinations. Senior exams were even harder than the other level''s exams. "Well, do it another time.. Tonight, you''re going to a party in the courtyard," ir quipped with an excited smile as she squeezed Melina''s arm. Chapter 245 - The Party(1) Melina shrugged as a shy smile crossed her lips. She tried to be as strong as possible by studying and practicing a lot. She didn''t spend her free time outside of ss doing much else. "I need to practice that spell more," she replied. Herck of control wouldn''t do when it came time for the end of the year examinations. Senior exams were even harder than the other level''s exams. "Well, do it another time. Tonight, you''re going to a party in the courtyard," ir quipped with an excited smile as she squeezed Melina''s arm. Melina grimaced at the sound of that. She didn''t fare well in ss. How was she supposed to integrate herself at a party? She already knew that she would be left alone at some point while ir went off with her other friends. She couldn''t be upset with ir about that, though. ir had a life outside of her, and she didn''t want to spoil ir''s night because she had trouble talking to strangers. "I don''t know. I have a lot of homework to do," Melina said as they neared the infirmary at the end of the long hallway. It wasn''t a total lie, but the assignments weren''t due for another week. She liked to get a head start on things. Maybe she got her work ethic from her mother, who died when she was born. Melina wished that she could''ve gotten to know her mother, but her dad had been a wonderful father to her. "No excuses. I will see you at that party tonight. Right?" ir protested, staring at Melina pointedly as they stopped outside of the door to the infirmary. Melina sighed, knowing that ir wasn''t going to take no for an answer. Maybe she needed to try to break out of her shell more. If she wanted friends, she had to go out and make them. This was herst year of boarding school. She wanted to make it count so that she had some memories to reflect back on in the future. "Fine. I''ll meet you there," she replied. She had a few hours to get ready for tonight, and she would need the time to make herself look party presentable. ir let go of Melina''s arm and pped her hands excitedly. "Awesome! Wear something cute, okay?" she said as she gave Melina''s ck skirt a yful tug. A light flush crossed Melina''s face as she shooed ir away. She watched ir stride down the hallway, a few guys nearly breaking their necks to give her a second look. Melina tucked a loose strand of her dark hair behind her ear, feeling a little self-conscious when the boys looked her way and gave her weird looks. She hurried into the infirmary, seeking out the healer so that her hand could be bandaged up. It was embarrassing having to exin what happened, but the healer was a kind older woman, who assured Melina that students came into the infirmary with all sorts of spell-rted injuries. This was a learning space. idents were bound to happen, no matter how many safety regtions were put into ce. Once Melina''s hand had a healing poultice applied to it and was wrapped with white gauze, Melina thanked the healer and strode out into the hallway. She headed to the stairwell and went up a floor where the dorms were at. When she walked onto the floor, she froze in ce as she saw school officials surrounding a broken window and talking among themselves. Melina stared at the shards of ss on the floor, and she swore that she saw tints of red. Blood? Lately, weird things had been happening around the school. There were broken windows and break-ins. Tension spread throughout the entire school, but no one knew what was going on. She snapped out of her thoughts and walked around the school officials, only catching a few words of their conversation, but nothing gave her a clue as to what was going on. They mentioned something about increasing surveince around the school. She hoped that would work. What if things got worse? The school had incidents from time-to-time, but they were mostly internal problems, like students fighting each other. She couldn''t remember anything about an outside threat ever happening, and she hoped that it wouldn''t. For the most part, she felt safe behind this school''s walls. When she graduated and went out into the real world, she was her only protection. And her dad, of course. Melina unlocked her dorm room with a silver key. She walked inside and shut the door behind her, dropping her bag off near her desk with a sigh. Her room was small, but at least she had her own space, even if it only came with a bathroom, a bed, a desk, and a closet. It was good enough for her to escape to after a long day. Her day wasn''t over, though. She had a courtyard party to go to tonight. Everyone went to at least one courtyard party while they were enrolled at the school. It was a right of passage. Melina had been dragged to a few and didn''t really have a memorable time. She usually stood awkwardly off to the side, watching people drink, make out, and talk. She had a feeling that tonight wouldn''t be any different. Still, she was going to do her best to make the most out of tonight. She opened the door to her closet, staring at her clothes that were hung up. Seventy percent of her clothes were uniforms, but she had a small selection of clothes that she wore on the weekends or at night when sses were over. She grabbed a ck skater dress that she was surprised hadn''t collected dust from being left untouched so far. Melina held it against her chest, looking down at herself and figuring that this could work.. She didn''t expect to turn heads like ir naturally did, but maybe she could stand out in a good way. That was the n for tonight, but when did anything ever go ording to n? Chapter 246 - The Party(2) At least a hundred witches and vampires filled the main courtyard behind the towering school building. As long as violence didn''t break out and people didn''t go too crazy and damage school property, parties were allowed. Dark electronic music thumped throughout the courtyard as spiked punches were sipped on and bodies moved together. Melina awkwardly slipped through the crowd of people, seeing people make out on stone benches or down their drinks under the thick oak trees throughout the area. It was a lively scene, but she still felt so out of ce. How did she just go up to people and start talking? It seemed impossible. She decided to try to loosen herself up by getting a drink. She walked over to the drink table where a bowl of dark red punch was at, surrounded by stacks of cups for people to use. After drawing in a steadying breath, she grabbed the punchdle and spooned some of the sweet drink into a red cup before taking a sip. She nearly grimaced at whatever strong concoction someone spiked the drink with. Hopefully, it did the trick and helped curb her anxiety. She walked through the crowd, sipping on her drink steadily. Everyone basically ignored her, not bothering to look her way. She cradled her drink close as she found a quiet spot off to the side. She brushed her hand down the length of her ck dress, smoothing it down. She had no idea what to do now, and the awkwardness was killing her. "There you are!" Melina felt relief wash over her when she heard ir''s voice. She turned to see ir bouncing over to her in a cropped, white blouse and leather, ck skirt. "Hey!" she greeted ir, feeling so d to see her friend. Now, she wouldn''t be so lonely and awkward here. Parties weren''t fun for people without friends. She was convinced of that. "I''ve been looking all over for you," ir said as she reached out to pinch the soft material of Melina''s dress. "Cute." Melina smiled sheepishly. She didn''t look as party ready as ir looked, but she had tried her best. "I was just getting a drink," she replied, not wanting to tell ir that she had been sticking to herself the whole time like a loner. "Well, finish up. I want to dance!" ir eximed as she did a twirl on the spot, her hair seeming to float around her. Melina couldn''t help but smile. She was nervous to dance, but she was starting to feel a light, warm buzz from the drink in her hand. She downed the rest of the sweet punch and then tossed her cup before letting ir lead her by the hand to an area where arge group of people were dancing. "See? Isn''t this better than being stuck in your room? Life is out here!" ir called out to Melina as she put her hands up and started swaying her hips to the beat. Melina forced a smile and nodded as she stiffly stepped and swayed. She knew that ir probably didn''t mean it, but thosements just made Melina feel worse about her shyness. She didn''t want to trap herself in her own dorm and avoid people, but she wasn''t good at interacting with others. It just made her uneasy. "There you go!" ir cheered Melina on. She reached out and took Melina''s hands, jumping around with her as herughter rang out. Melina felt the world tilt slightly under her feet as she danced and jumped around, a warm feeling taking over. She leaned into the feeling, trying to let go of her anxiousness as much as possible. She just wanted to live in the moment, to let go and have fun, even if that meant going outside of herfort zone a little. "I like this song," Melina said with a smile, feeling her body start to rx a little. "Me too!" ir shouted above the music, swaying with Melina as the people all around them moved to the same rhythm. Everyone was all business when sses were in session. They knew that they had to put their all into their schoolwork if they wanted to stay enrolled. Courtyard parties were one of the rare instances when everyone let loose, showing their real colors outside of the intelligent and talented vampires and witches that they were supposed to be here. Melina and ir danced to a few more songs, heat rising and surrounding them as countless bodies moved along with them. Melina pushed her fingers into her hair, pulling the long strands off her neck as her skin warmed all over. Her legs ached from jumping, but she didn''t care. She was actually enjoying herself. ir suddenly grabbed Melina''s hand and dragged her off to the side, waving her hand rapidly to fan her face. "Hey, I''m not feeling good. Can you go grab me some water from the cafeteria?" she asked me with a pleading look. Melina nodded, giving her friend a concerned look before leaving ir under an oak tree. She headed toward the school building, walking along the side to go to the cafeteria entrance. She hoped that ir would be okay. Maybe they overdid it a little when dancing. As she approached the entrance to the cafeteria, she stopped in her steps when she saw a girl throwing up in front of the door as a guy tried to hold her hair back for her. Melina didn''t want to get in the way, so she turned around to enter the building from another entrance. She would just have to take the long way to the cafeteria. Melina walked through another entrance, wandering through the hallways and passing other students as they walked to and from the party. She hurried her steps as much as she could so that she could get back to ir, but the world kept tilting under her feet.. She still wasn''t free from the effects of the punch just yet. Chapter 247 - Attacked Blinking her eyes rapidly, she turned the corner to head down the hallway that led to the cafeteria, hearing noises up ahead. She guessed that someone else went to the cafeteria for something. She wasn''t perplexed until she heard crying. Slowing her steps, she tried to listen to the noises sounding from the cafeteria. "Please no!" a girl''s shout burst from the cafeteria, followed by blunt thumps and screams. Melina froze for a few seconds, unable to get her feet to move as she stared ahead in shock and fear. She had no idea what was going on, but it sounded horrifying. She heard more noise up ahead, and it sounded like other students came to the girl''s aid. Gathering what courage she had, Melina walked to the cafeteria, peering inside to look at the scene. A girlid on the floor near a few overturned tables and chairs. Blood dripped from her nose and various wounds all over her body. She shuddered and whimpered on the ground as a few other students hovered over her, checking on her. Melina let out a shaky breath as she stepped inside, looking around and trying to spot whatever or whoever attacked the girl so viciously. No one suspicious was in sight, but she knew that the girl had been attacked. Melina heard her pleas, which still shook her to her core. "Someone get Mrs. Hond!" one of the students shouted, referring to the school''s healer. "What happened?" another student asked as he approached the group hovering around the wounded girl. "She just started screaming. By the time we got here, no one was in here but her. Something tore her up good, though," one of the students replied as she shook her head in disbelief. A chill shuddered its way down Melina''s spine as she listened to their conversation. Something terrifying happened in this room, but no one knew but the girl who kept bleeding onto the floor. She didn''t look like she was in any position to be talking and answering questions, though. Melina stepped to the side as Mrs. Hond ran into the cafeteria, wearing her night clothes. She carried a medical bag with her as she hurried to the girl''s side, kneeling down to look her over. "I need some space! Back up!" Mrs. Hond shouted, motioning for the students to back up so that she could work. Melina figured that it was about time for her to leave and get back to ir. She could take ir back to her dorm room for some water. Right before she turned to leave, she spotted a familiar sh of blonde hair. She paused, looking across at the crowd of students on the other side of the cafeteria and seeing ir looking at her. A confused expression filled Melina''s face as she lifted her hand in a small wave. She didn''t want to shout across the cafeteria at her friend. She didn''t think that she would find ir all the way over here. ir didn''t wave back. She stared in Melina''s direction for a few seconds before disappearing into the crowd. Melina tried to look for ir after that, but she wasn''t anywhere to be found, whether it was in the building or out in the courtyard. Feeling confused and disturbed by the events of tonight, Melina retreated to her dorm room, not feeling so safe out in the open. She knew that tonight was going to be ufortable, but she didn''t expect things to take such a horrible turn. She could feel the tension fill the hallways as most people returned to their dorm rooms for the night. No one was in the party mood any longer. Something was going on at Axven. This incident confirmed it. Now, they just had to figure out what it was. Melina nned to stay out of the way and stay safe. She didn''t want to be caught up in the danger. She came here to learn and make something of herself. If she wanted to feel in danger, she would go out into the world and find it there. She was supposed to be safe within these walls. It was the main reason why her dad enrolled her in the first ce. She tossed and turned that night, casting uneasy nces toward the door of her dorm, like she expected someone to open it. She knew that was crazy. Why would someonee and attack her of all people! She had gotten lucky tonight not going into that cafeteria too early. She could''ve been that girl. If she didn''t watch it, she could still end up that way because no one had been caught. The threat was still out there, lurking and waiting. **** The entire school was put on lockdown the next day. An exact reason wasn''t announced over the inte, but Melina had a feeling that it had something to do with what happened at the partyst night. All students were instructed to stay in their rooms. Food and drinks would be brought by at mealtimes. Melina wondered why they were taking such an extreme approach, but she had a feeling that it was for good reason. Maybe they were sweeping the halls and rooms for whoever attacked that girlst night. She hoped that they found whoever did it because they were brutal and dangerous. Thest thing that this school needed was a psycho disrupting everything and hurting people. She sat up in her bed, stretching her arms above her head as she peered around her dorm room. A small amount of sunlight streamed in through the tiny window behind her desk. Even if she wanted to open the window and get some fresh air, she couldn''t. All of the windows were warded shut so that no one could sneak in or fall out. Part of her almost wanted to check that it was stuck shut, but she shook her head at herself. The school officials would take care of the situation. For today, she was stuck in her room, so that didn''t leave her much to do. She could clean her room, take a bath, or study. She had the entire day. She could do all three if she wanted to. Not feeling like doing any of it right now, Melina grabbed her phone off her nightstand and turned it on. There were some emails from the school and her professors about sses being canceled today and the lockdown.. Nothing caught her eye. Chapter 248 - Lockdown The entire school was put on lockdown the next day. An exact reason wasn''t announced over the inte, but Melina had a feeling that it had something to do with what happened at the partyst night. All students were instructed to stay in their rooms. Food and drinks would be brought by at mealtimes. Melina wondered why they were taking such an extreme approach, but she had a feeling that it was for good reason. Maybe they were sweeping the halls and rooms for whoever attacked that girlst night. She hoped that they found whoever did it because they were brutal and dangerous. Thest thing that this school needed was a psycho disrupting everything and hurting people. She sat up in her bed, stretching her arms above her head as she peered around her dorm room. A small amount of sunlight streamed in through the tiny window behind her desk. Even if she wanted to open the window and get some fresh air, she couldn''t. All of the windows were warded shut so that no one could sneak in or fall out. Part of her almost wanted to check that it was stuck shut, but she shook her head at herself. The school officials would take care of the situation. For today, she was stuck in her room, so that didn''t leave her much to do. She could clean her room, take a bath, or study. She had the entire day. She could do all three if she wanted to. Not feeling like doing any of it right now, Melina grabbed her phone off her nightstand and turned it on. There were some emails from the school and her professors about sses being canceled today and the lockdown. Nothing caught her eye. She decided a phone call to her dad could help pass the time. Plus, he would want to know about what happenedst night. He was incredibly protective of her, which she assumed was because of her mother passing. She was the only thing that her dad had left that was a reminder of her mother. Melina didn''t know much about her mother. She had only seen a few pictures and heard a few stories, but her dad didn''t open up about much else. She guessed that he was closed off out of pain, which she respected. She didn''t pry, even if she really wanted to. She hated seeing him sad. She didn''t like making him worried either, but she had a feeling that the news about the attacker would reach him eventually. It was better if it came from her. "Hey, Mel. Everything okay?" her dad''s voice sounded after the third ring. He was always quick about picking up. "Yeah, I just wanted to check in. It''s been a minute since I''ve called," Melina replied as she leaned back against her pillows, gazing up at the ceiling as she held her phone against her ear. It was nice talking to her dad. She missed him when she was here, but she knew that being here was the best thing for her, and she loved to learn. "Well, I''m d you called. I miss you," her dad said. Melina could hear the sad smile in his voice. It made her heart ache. It had just been the two of them for so long. Now, they were miles apart, only connected by phone calls until she went back home at the end of the semester. It was an adjustment for both of them, but Melina knew that she was an adult now. She had to start acting like one. "I miss you too, Dad," she replied. "How''s school been? Anything going on?" her dad asked. Melina brushed her fingers through her hair nervously, trying to find the best words to exin to him what all had been going on. She didn''t want to worry him, but she did want to be honest. Everything that had been going on was pretty concerning. It would be nice to talk to someone about it. "Things have been a little weird at schooltely," she admitted to him. "How so?" her dad asked, already sounding concerned. "There''s been break-ins¡­ damage to the property," Melina started off by saying. Maybe they were little things, but it was strange that they kept happening. It didn''t seem to be another student behind all of this. After seeing how damaged the girl had been leftst night, it really seemed like it was unlikely that a student was behind all of this. "A girl was attackedst night." "Attacked? How long has this been going on for?" her dad asked, his voice rising slightly out of worry. "A few weeks," Melina replied quietly. She hadn''t thought to say anything until what happenedst night. "And you didn''t think to say anything? Mel, this sounds dangerous!" her dad sighed. Melina frowned as she huddled under her dark green covers. At least she was telling him now. "I know. It just didn''t seem so bad untilst night," she exined to him. "They have us on lockdown for the day." "Is your room secure?" her dad asked. His voice was firm, down to business. "Yes, the window is warded shut, and the door is locked. I''m safe here," Melina assured him. She had been worried that this would happen if she told him what had been going on. He worried about her so much, protecting her in any way that he possibly could. However, he was miles away. He couldn''t protect her when he was so far away from her, which stressed him out. "Good. You need to watch your back, Mel," her replied. Melina narrowed her eyes slightly, wondering why he was being so overly paranoid. She had seen him act protective before, but this was a whole new level to that. "I have been. Nothing bad is going to happen to me," she told him. She said that to put her own mind at ease too. It was a bit unnerving hearing the school security patrol the halls today. It made what happenedst night feel all that more real. She didn''t want to relive it all over again. For a few moments, her dad didn''t speak. There was a faint scribbling noise in the background until he finally spoke. "I just want you to be safe. If I can keep you safe, I''m going to do it," her dad reminded her in a gentle voice. Melina''s expression softened as her shoulders rxed. He was just being her dad, looking out for her and being overly protective. She missed her mother so much, but she was so grateful for her dad too. He did everything for her, and no one cared about her as much as he did. "I know. I know," Melina murmured as she crossed her legs together at the ankle. She wanted to put his mind at ease, and she wanted to look out for herself too. She was determined to make it to graduation, which meant staying alive until then. "Just keep your eyes open. I have to make call," her said. "Okay. Bye, Dad," I said, wondering who he was calling. I didn''t bother to ask, though. I doubted that he would tell me. "Bye, Mel.. I love you," her dad replied, sounding incredibly sincere as he spoke. Chapter 249 - Tyler Melina lifted an eyebrow slightly at his tone, but she shrugged it off. He was just being nice. "Love you," she said before hanging up and setting her phone in herp with a sigh. She probably only burned around ten minutes. Today was going to be a long day stuck in her room. She was used to spending hours in her room studying, but she could leave at any time to take a quick walk or grab something to eat from the cafeteria. It sucked being stuck here, but she didn''t want to be attacked on her to the cafeteria or anything. Maybe they would find some clues about what happened. Gossip had to be spreading around school like wildfire. The students here knew how to talk, even if they didn''t even know anything. ir was usually at the center of it too. Melina wondered if she had heard anything aboutst night. She picked up her phone and typed a text message. Melina: Hey! How are you feeling? Melina sent that message first, figuring that ir was feeling the effects fromst night. Thankfully, Melina only felt a slight ache in her head, but she was sure that ir was worse off. She waited a few minutes before ir texted her back. ir: Bored as hell in my room. Melina cracked a hint of a smile at that, feeling the same way. She wanted to take a walk and get some breakfast, but she had to wait for someone to drop it off at her door first. For now, she was going to stay in bed until she got her tea to rouse her some more. Melina: Me too. Do you know anything aboutst night? It was so terrible Melina sent the message, hoping that ir could pass along some information. Even if Melina didn''t want to be involved in anything rted to the attack, she still couldn''t help but be curious about the details. Maybe if she knew a little more, she could look out for herself better so that she wasn''t attacked. ir : Not really. Some girl at the wrong ce at the wrong time Melina frowned slightly. That was a bit of a harsh way to put it. She felt bad for the girl, who was probably just looking for some water or food for the party. That could''ve easily been Melina if the timing was different. She definitely kept that part from her dad. Melina: Oh okay. Want to call? Melina replied, figuring they could keep each other entertained until breakfast came. It would be nice to talk to someone aboutst night too. ir had seen the aftermath, but Melina heard what happened. Sort of. All she heard was the girl screaming, which was all anyone else heard too. There was no clue or sign about whoever attacked her, which was strange. ir: Can''t right now but ttyl! Melina read over ir''s reply, frowning a hint. She guessed that ir was busy with something else, even if she imed to be bored. Before she could think too much about it, she heard a knock on her door. "Breakfast!" a voice outside shouted. Melina hopped out of bed, unlocking and opening her door to see a white paper bag and a paper cup of tea at her feet. She grabbed her breakfast and slipped back into her room, locking the door behind her. She walked over to her desk, gradually taking things out of the paper bag to see what she had to eat this morning. She pulled out an apple, a container of scrambled eggs, two slices of toast wrapped in foil, and a blueberry muffin. She took a sip of her herbal tea, humming at the earthy taste. A lot of people would turn their nose up at such a taste, but she didn''t mind it. She appreciated it and its natural qualities. Maybe it was a witch thing. Melina ate her breakfast in silence, not hearing a peep from outside. It was strange. Usually, she could hear people talking and walking out in the hallway when she was in her room. Now, she nearly felt like she was the only one in the building because it was too quiet. It made her uneasy. A building this huge full of so many people shouldn''t be this quiet. After she ate and gathered her clothes for a bath, she paused by the door when she heard voices outside. They either belonged to school officials or security, who were muscr, stern men and women with tactical clothing and stun guns that put any witch or vampire onto the ground. "These events are random but calcted," one voice murmured outside of her room. "That makes no sense. None of this makes sense! Why is the school being attacked like this? There haven''t been any threatening letters or notes left behind. No one is asking us for money," another voice replied, sounding exasperated. "All we can do is wait and see. We don''t know who''s doing this. They leave behind no trace," the other voice said in a calmer tone. Melina listened to the voices fade away as the people went farther down the hallway. She felt a tremor of nervousness shudder through her, but she shook her head. Things were going to be okay. She just had to look out for herself and try not to end up anywhere alone. For now, she was safe in her room. Tomorrow, she had to watch her back, or she would end up bloody on the floor. ****** Lockdown was lifted the next day, letting sses resume. Melina was happy to get out of her room so that she could properly stretch her legs. She could hardly even take ten steps in her room without running into something. She pulled on her ck skirt, tucking her dark green button down into the waist of it. She longed to wear her lounge shorts and a t-shirt, but uniforms were required. Melina slipped on her ck zer after adjusting her ck tie, making sure it was tucked beneath her cor. She did a few turns in the mirror in her bathroom, making sure that she looked okay before grabbing her bag. She didn''t know what to expect from today, but she was ready to get back out there. The moment she threw open her door and stepped out, she nearly collided with a body. She jumped back, her heart leaping into her throat as she stared up at a tall, built man with short, dirty blonde hair and a jaw that could cut ss. She stared up at him for a second, reeling from how handsome he was. He looked around her age, maybe a little older, but she had never seen him before. "Um¡­ hi," she managed to say when he didn''t ditch her. In fact, he was looking at her with curiosity for some reason. It was odd being looked at so intently by a stranger. The man stuck his hand out to her. "Tyler," he introduced himself. Melina stared at his hand in confusion before shaking it to be polite. She had no idea what was going on. He hardly looked like a student.. He was built like someone from security, but he wore the uniform. Chapter 250 - New "Melina," she replied. "Are you new here?" A hint of a smile crossed Tyler''s face as he nodded. "How did you know?" he asked her as their hands parted. Melina chewed on her bottom lip for a few moments as her eyes swept over him. She wasn''t even sure. She just had a feeling. Maybe the biggest indicator was that he was even talking to her. Most people just ignored her. "You''d be going to ss instead of wandering around out here," she said with a lightugh. Behind Tyler, everyone was walking to their sses, going about their days. He ended up near her door somehow, but she couldn''t me him. She had gotten lost multiple times on her first day because the ce was so big. "Right," Tyler replied as he shifted the strap of his bag higher up on his shoulder. "Could you show me where my first ss is? I have no idea where to go." Melina needed to get to her own ss, but his charming, pleading look was impossible to say no too. Plus, he was nice. She didn''t mind helping him out on his first day. She wished that other people had been so kind on her first day. "Sure. Can I see your schedule?" she asked him. At this point, she knew where everything was. Tyler rummaged around in his bag before pulling out a sheet of paper. He handed it over to her. Melina felt a warm shudder threaten to pass through her body when their hands touched again. She didn''t know what that was about, but she did her best to ignore it. Sure, he was handsome and nice, but she wasn''t looking for a boyfriend. She was about to graduate and leave this ce behind. She didn''t need anyone distracting her. "Alright¡­ thirst control¡­ defensive techniques¡­" Melina read some of the sses out loud before her eyes widened slightly in realization. She lifted her head to gaze at him. "You''re a vampire." Tyler smiled a little as he tilted his head at her. "I take it that you''re a witch?" he asked her. Melina supposed her reaction gave that away. Witches and vampires could get along just fine. They were all together in one school, but they didn''t share sses or even dorm areas. They tended to stick to their own groups, only mingling at courtyard parties and random conversations outside of ss. She hardly talked to witches. She much less talked to vampires. "Yes," she said before looking down at his schedule again to look at what ssroom he needed to be in. Lucky for him, she took plenty of walks, which had her passing by the vampire ssrooms as well. She handed him his schedule back. "I can show you your ssroom." "Thank you," Tyler told her with a grateful look on his face. He took a step back and gestured for her to lead the way. Melina lifted her chin slightly, trying not to look as nervous as she felt right now. Her heart kept racing as she led him down the hallway to the staircase. By the time they reached the floor with all of the ssrooms, he had moved to her side. "So, are you a senior?" she asked him. The silence between them didn''t feel awkward, but she didn''t want to walk in silence. She had quite a few questions. Tyler nodded, towering over her as they walked side-by-side. "I am. I''m a littlete to the show, but I was a transfer," he exined to her. Melina noticed multiple girls looking at Tyler with awe in their eyes or devious smiles. They were interested in him, and Melina couldn''t me them. He was definitely a sight to behold, but she wasn''t going to do anything about that. "I hope you like this ce better than your old ce. It''s a really good school," she told him. He wouldn''t have too much time to enjoy it, but he could at least get a feel for the ce. "The people certainly seem kind here," Tyler replied as he nced over at her. Heat flushed through Melina''s face as she quickly looked away from him, not wanting him to see the prominent blush on her face. He wasn''t even flirting with her. He was just being nice! No matter how many times she told herself that, she couldn''t help but feel a little giddy. "Yeah, people can be nice at times," she said, leading him past the witch ssrooms and around the corner toward the vampire ssrooms. The ssrooms were built differently since different things were taught. There were more tables, books, and supplies for witches. There was more open space for physical activity for vampires. "At times?" Tyler asked, lifting an eyebrow at her. Melina shrugged, not wanting to get too into it. However, he seemed like the type of person that she could tell anything to, and he wouldn''t judge her. She didn''t know him that well, but she did get thatforting feeling from him. "People don''t really go out of their way to talk to me¡­ like you did," she said quietly. Tyler remained quiet for a moment before yfully nudging her shoulder with his. "Well, they''re missing out," he told her. Melina gave him a grateful smile, feeling her cheeks remain warm. She couldn''t believe how nice he was being to her. There had to be some sort of catch. What if this was some cruel prank by someone? She doubted that anyone cared enough about her to do that to her, though. "Thanks," she told him. "I just focus on my studies, though. You''ll learn a lot here." "Smart witches are just as dangerous as bloodthirsty vampires," Tyler pointed out, shing a smile at her that showed off one of his fangs. Melina nearly broke a sweat seeing his smile. The fangs just made his smile look even nicer, which was strange for her to admit. She wasn''t all that into vampires, but Tyler was definitely swaying her a little. Some of the vampires could be pretty cocky and arrogant, iming that they were far powerful than witches.. He didn''t seem to be one of those narcissists, though. Chapter 251 - New Kid "Do you¡­ have trouble controlling your thirst?" Melina asked him. She didn''t know if that was a very personal question or not for vampires, but she was curious. She could imagine it being hard to get through life when they felt like tearing someone''s throat out all the time. Tyler slowed his pace a little before shaking his head. "Not really. At my age, it''smon for us to have it under control," he exined to her. "And what age is that?" Melina replied before she could even process her question. He looked a little older than her, which would make him too old to attend this school. Tyler chuckled as he narrowed his eyes slightly. "I thought it was rude to ask people that," he teased her. "I think that''s just women," Melina replied, feeling her face burn as she smiled back at him. Maybe she did pry a little. She didn''t want to scare him off, so she decided to back off. "What about you? Anything hard for you to control?" Tyler asked, their arms brushing as they walked close to avoid running into other people in the hallway. Melina swallowed hard, immediately thinking about her attraction to him. That was hard for her to put a handle on, but she wouldn''t actually act on it. She knew not to cross that line. They probably wouldn''t even see each other after the end of the semester anyway, so what was the point of getting involved? "Well, I did make a lightbulb explode the other day," she said, watching his eyes widen as she lifted up her bandaged hand. "I overdid an electricity spell." "Wow. You''re dangerous," Tyler smirked. Melina couldn''t help butugh, shaking her head at his words. She was far from dangerous. Plus, she hurt herself more than anyone else. Not that she wanted to hurt anyone else anyway. She wanted to use her magic for good. Maybe she could be a healer or an herb supplier when she graduated. She hadn''t exactly decided on what she wanted to do after graduation. She had a limited of time to decide, but the time pressure didn''t make it any easier for her to decide. She loved practicing magic, but she didn''t know how she wanted to use it. She just hoped that something came to her before graduation. "I''m untrained," she corrected him. "That''s why these sses are important. Enough dangerous stuff goes on in the world. We don''t need untrained witches and vampires destroying everything." "Training is very important," Tyler agreed before stopping with her next to a ssroom people were walking into. "This is me?" Melina smiled and nodded. "This is you. I hope you have a good first ss," she told him. She wanted him to like this ce. For some silly reason, she had this random fear that he wouldn''t like the ce and leave. Maybe they could be friends or something. They got along well. "Thanks, Melina," Tyler replied as he faced her. Tension crackled in the space between them as their eyes locked. "I''ll see you around." Melina could only muster a smile as she watched him stride into his ssroom with more confidence than she could ever hope to have. She sucked in a deep breath as she walked away from his ssroom to go to her own, her legs nearly feeling numb. This morning was definitely already eventful. She didn''t expect to be approached by a cute guy who needed directions and actually wanted to talk to her. It seemed too good to be true, but she couldn''t fight the smile off her face as she went to her own ss. She hoped that she would be able to see again. He knew where to find her, but she didn''t venture to the vampire side much. Maybe she needed to increase her walks over there a little more. She was only doing this for a friend, though. She couldn''t have a boyfriend, and she didn''t want one. She could hardlynd a friendship, and theplexity of a rtionship made her nervous. "Take out your spell books and turn to page 102," her professor announced to the ss once everyone got settled. Melina pushed Tyler out of her mind, focusing on her studies like she was supposed to be doing in the first ce. She wanted to make something out of herself. That meant learning the intricacies of witchcraft, not another person. ****** "So, who was that weird guy you were walking around with this morning?" Melina looked up from the table she sat at in the vast, golden-lit library. She gave ir a confused look at first before her eyes widened. She then looked confused again. How did ir know about that?" "Tyler? He just needed help getting to his ss," she replied. "Why do you think he''s weird?" ir shrugged her shoulders before sitting down across from Melina. "We were all talking about him, and it''s just weird for him to show up at this point in the semester, especially with all the weird stuff going on," she said. Melina''s eyes grew bigger as she processed ir''s words. She wondered if ir had made a good point or not. It was strange for Tyler to randomly show up, and it kind of seemed like he was waiting outside of her dorm. She didn''t want to jump to any conclusions, though. Tyler had been perfectly kind to her, not making her ufortable at all. "I guess. He was really nice, though," she replied as she closed her spell book. She wasn''t in the mood to study anymore. All that she could think about was Tyler and ir''s words. Were they even connected and true? Or was this meaningless gossip about the new kid? "What all did he say to you?" ir asked, leaning closer. Melina wondered why ir was so interested. She didn''t seem to like Tyler all that much. All Melina could think was that ir was going to use Melina''s words as gossip, which didn''t settle well with Melina. She had been the new kid before.. It wasn''t fun, especially when people started gossiping about things that weren''t even their business. Chapter 252 - Careful "What all did he say to you?" ir asked, leaning closer. Melina wondered why ir was so interested. She didn''t seem to like Tyler all that much. All Melina could think was that ir was going to use Melina''s words as gossip, which didn''t settle well with Melina. She had been the new kid before. It wasn''t fun, especially when people started gossiping about things that weren''t even their business. "Not much. We just talked about the school," she said, keeping her answer vague. She didn''t want ir to pry that much. It wasn''t her business. It wasn''t anyone''s business. ir eyed Melina closely for a few seconds, studying her face. "I would just be careful around him. You don''t know him," she replied as she crossed her arms over her chest. Melina nodded as she looked down at the cover of her spell book. She didn''t understand why ir was being so cold toward Tyler. Did she try to flirt with him, and he turned her down? ir could be a little jealous at times. "I wasn''t trying to get close to him or anything. I was just trying to be nice," she said. Maybe she was trying to be friendly too, but she was going to try to be cautious from now on. "I know. I just don''t want anything bad to happen to you," ir replied, smiling sweetly. Melina narrowed her eyes slightly. "You think Tyler is going to do something bad to me?" she asked, not understanding where ir was getting these random thoughts from. Tyler didn''t seem threatening in the slightest. Sure, he was muscr and a vampire, but he didn''t do anything to make her feel wary. She was just nervous because he was cute. "I mean, I hope not. I just can''t stop thinking about that poor girl that got attacked," ir replied as she clicked her tongue, shaking her head. "That could''ve been me," Melina said quietly. "What?" ir questioned. Melina shrugged as she leaned back in her seat. "I had to take the long way to the cafeteria. If I had taken the short way, I would''ve been in the cafeteria at the time of the attack," she said. It was chilling to think of the situation that way, but that was what could''ve yed out. She was grateful that it didn''t, but she also felt bad for the other girl. ir''s eyes grew big. "Oh, wow. That would''ve been terrible," she said. Melina nodded. "You haven''t heard anything about that night?" she asked. ir shook her head. "No one is saying anything. People have even tried to eavesdrop on the school official meetings, but they keep warding the room so that no one can hear inside," she muttered, rolling her eyes. Melina frowned, wishing that something could be known. It could probably put everyone at ease. Right now, people were looking over their shoulders all the time, making sure that they weren''t about to get nearly ughtered on school grounds. What a crazy situation. "Hopefully, nothing weird happens again. School isn''t supposed to be like this," Melina said as she rested her hands on the table, tapping her fingertips against the wooden surface. It was hard to focus on her studies when she was worried about some crazy attacker on the loose. "The only thing weird that has happened is Tyler showing up," ir replied, staring at Melina evenly. "We get new students all the time," Melina pointed out. Axven was a known school. People tried to enroll all the time, which made the process of getting in so difficult and selective. Axven only took the best and brightest. Tyler had earned his way into here, and he was a transfer. His old school didn''t work out for some reason. "Not after the start of the semester. They usually make them wait until the next semester because it''s hard for them to catch up," ir argued. "He must be really smart then," Melina said, a hint of a smile crossing her lips. She bet that he was smart and great at his physical sses. "Oh, no! You are not crushing on some weirdo," ir snapped at Melina, startling her out of her dreamy thoughts. "He just doesn''t seem weird to me!" Melina said defensively. He was one of the few people who were actually nice to her. She didn''t want to ignore him and never talk to him again just because of a rumor going around. Most of the rumors going around were fake anyway. "I think you''re just blinded because he''s not ugly," ir replied, her tone still sounding sharp. "I know it''s nice having someone talk to you, but it''s not worth you getting murdered over." Melina flinched slightly at ir''s words, feeling them strike her hard. That was a low blow. ir knew how hard it was for her to make friends. She didn''t have to say something so low just to make her point. "Yeah, thanks," Melina muttered as she gathered her things. She wanted to leave. ir sighed and stood up with Melina, moving to block her path. "I didn''t mean it like that. I''m just worried about you. You could''ve been killed the other night! Now, some stranger is all over you? I just want you to be careful," she said softly. Melina felt herself dete slightly. She supposed that ir had a point. Things were tensetely. Extra caution had to be taken. "I know. It was just nice having a good conversation with someone," Melina admitted. Maybe that sounded pathetic, but she thought that she had clicked well with Tyler. It felt so easy, so natural. What if he was making up things or being nice to her for a reason? She hoped that wasn''t the case, but nothing was as it seemed here. "Have a conversation with me!" irughed as she looped her arm with Melina''s, tugging her close. "We can go grab a snack and some tea." I I Chapter 253 - Caught Melina needed to study, but she figured that she could take a quick break to spend some time with a friend. She smiled and nodded. "That sounds nice," she replied. ir whisked Melina off to the cafeteria, where they picked up slices of vani loaf and cups of lemon tea. They sat down at a table far away from where the girl was attacked. The school staff had done a good job of cleaning the blood off the floor. "Can I borrow some ingredients from you? I need mugwort and ck salt for my next ss," ir asked. Melina checked the time, grimacing when she realized that she would have to take off sooner than she thought to get to her next ss. "Yeah, they''re in my room, but I have to go to ss soon," she said before downing thest sip of her tea. "I can give you my key, but I''ll need to get it back after my ss. ir waved her hand dismissively. "Everyone here knows how to pick locks," she said before popping thest bite of her vani loaf into her mouth. She brushed her thumb over her lips, wiping off any crumbs. "Thanks, Mel." Melina nodded, unable to say anything before ir already took off. She nced around the cafeteria, noticing that it was quieter and emptier than usual. A lot of people studied in the cafeteria at times, motivating themselves with tea, coffee, or some sweet treat. Now, there were only a few people upying the dozens of wooden tables. She felt uneasy sitting there alone at her table, even if there were other people in the room. She needed to get to ss anyway. After tossing her things in the trash, she walked out of the cafeteria quickly, feeling a dark feeling loom behind her as she moved. She didn''t know what to think about anything, and the uncertainty was steadily eating her away. ****** "You''re my powerful than you think that you are. You can sway the elements, manipte gravity. Just never lose control." Melina stared at the feather levitating in front of her, concentrating hard to keep it floating. Professor Samson''s voice droned on in the background as she focused, but she didn''t miss the message in his words. Witches were powerful in their own right, making nature bend to their will. It was a huge responsibility, and it was one that plenty of witches had abused before. She never wanted to use her powers for evil. It was against everything that witches stood for, and dark magic was highly frowned upon. At school, they didn''t learn any attack spells. They learned element spells and defensive spells. Of course, anyone could tweak a few things and learn an attack spell on their own, but most only used them for protection. "Good, Melina. Good control," Professor Samson said as she moved to her side, watching the feather drift in the air slowly. Some of the other feathers from other students were wildly fluttering from ack of control. "Will we only practice this on feathers?" Melina asked. Feathers were easy for her to control, but she couldn''t help but want a bigger challenge. That was the only way that she could learn. She had to push herself. "Later on, we''ll move on to heavier objects. For now, practice your control. That''s the most important thing," Professor Samson replied before walking off to check on another student. Melina supposed that she could stand to practice her control a little more. She didn''t want to blow up more lightbulbs. By the time the lesson ended, she was mentally exhausted. Practicing magic, even low-level magic, for so long wore her down, but school also helped her endurance. She could practice much longer than she could back in her first year. If she tried to make a feather float for thirty minutes in her first year, she would''ve passed out. She dragged herself out of the ssroom and to the stairs to get to her dorm. She was ready to rest after today. As she got closer to her dorm, her body grew heavier and heavier as she started to rx. She was so close to her bed. That rxed feeling immediately went up in smoke when she saw that her door was cracked open. Panic shot through her as she froze in ce, staring at the door and wondering what to do. She could hear light movement from inside the room, so she knew that someone had broken into her dorm. But who? She considered running down the hall and grabbing a school official, but what if the person was gone by the time she got back? She had to at least see who it was. She quietly pushed her door open, peering through the crack and feeling her heart drop at the sight of Tyler looking in her wardrobe. "What are you doing?" she demanded, hearing her voice shake slightly. She was so confused, so shocked. Honestly, she was disappointed too. Tyler whipped around to face her, a surprised look appearing on his face. He hadn''t expected her to walk in on him. "Melina¡­ I can exin," he said in a calm voice. Melina immediately shook her head, not wanting to hear some stupid excuse for why he was in her room. She didn''t even know how he got inside in the first ce. He must''ve picked the lock to her door. But why? "You can''t just break into people''s rooms! That''s weird!" she snapped at him. She felt uneasy and vited. There was no telling what he had been doing in her room before she got here. Tyler parted his lips to speak, but Melina cut him off. "I was warned about you, and I didn''t listen. Maybe I should''ve. Just get out!" Melina shouted, pointing to the door. She didn''t miss the way her heart ached. She wished that things hadn''te to this, that ir and all the others hadn''t been right.. She really thought that Tyler was a nice guy, not some creep. Chapter 254 - Nightmare Tyler nced around the room warily before forcing himself to walk to the door. When he reached the doorway, he paused and looked back at her. "You need to look out for yourself, Melina. Things aren''t what they seem," he warned her before turning and leaving her room. Melina stood there with her fists clenched and her eyes narrowed. She was so upset about the situation, but she was also so confused about Tyler''s words. What did he mean? She needed to look out for herself around him! She still didn''t even know why he was in her dorm room in the first ce. Was he looking for something, or was he just being gross and weird by going through her things? She wished that she had some rity, but she didn''t trust him to tell her the truth. She locked her door and looked around her room, checking her drawers and closet to make sure that he hadn''t stolen anything . It didn''t look like he had anything hiding in his pockets when he was there, and nothing was missing. So, he didn''te in here to steal anything. For some reason, that made her feel even more uneasy. Wanting to steal things was so straightforward. If he was up to something else, then there was something more devious at y. Melina almost considered calling her dad and telling him what was going on, but she held herself back. She didn''t have any other exnation to give him, and it would just worry him even more. What if he tried to pull her out of school? She hade too far to stop now. She had to reach graduation, no matter what. She had to take matters into her own hands. She could report Tyler to the President of the school, but there was so much going on around the school. She doubted that they would pay much attention to her. She didn''t know what to do, but there wasn''t any action that she could take right now. She was too tired anyway. Warily, Melina changed her clothes for bed, pitching a look over her shoulder every other minute to make sure no one was standing in her room. She knew that she couldn''t live her life like this forever, but she needed to look out for herself. She had been told to do so quite a few timestely. Maybe she needed to heed their advice a little more seriously. Melina ced her hand on the light switch of her room, taking one more look around to make sure that she was alone. She also made sure that her door was locked. For extra measure, she grabbed the wooden chair from her desk and wedged it under the doorknob. That way, no one could break into her room. Feeling a little safer, Melina finally switched the light off and crawled into bed. She breathed through her anxiety, telling herself that she was safe for right now. But what about tomorrow or the next day? What if she ran into Tyler in the hallway? She decided the safest bet for her was to avoid him at all costs. Maybe he would leave her alone. She hated how many "maybe''s" kept being faced with, but it wasn''t like anyone was telling her any answers. She had to figure them out as she went along, but she was going to sleep for now. There was nothing else that she could do. After calming herself as much as possible, she let her eyes flutter shut, letting the darkness take her over. That night, she slipped into a deep dream, one of terror. She was tied up to a post, a pile of wood beneath her feet. Darkness surrounded her on all sides. She couldn''t see anyone through the darkness, but she could feel eyes on her. She wasn''t alone. Melina struggled against the ropes keeping her captive, trying to break free. She didn''t know what was going on, but she knew that she had to get out of here. Danger loomed nearby, and the ending of this didn''t look pretty. "There''s no point in fighting. If you run, I''ll find you. If you hide, I''ll find you," a deep voice sounded from the darkness. It chilled Melina down to her very core. Panic struck her as she fought even harder, wanting to get as far away from the source of the voice as possible. She didn''t know who did this to her, but she knew that they wanted to hurt her. Why else would they tie her up? "But it''s already toote for you," the voice said, and Melina swore she could hear an evil smile in his voice. Suddenly, fire erupted from the wood beneath her feet, the mes licking at her from below. Melina gasped and tried to avoid the mes, but there was no use. No matter what she did, she was going to burn. She begged. She cried. Smoke filled her nose and burned her eyes. This was the end. Then, Melina woke up with a start. She shot up in bed, sweat sliding down her face. For some reason, she could still smell smoke. She turned her head and could see the glow of a fire in the corner of her room. Dread filled Melina when she realized that her dream was only partially fake. The fire was real, and it was steadily taking over her room,ing closer and closer to her. **** Melina could only stare at the fire in shock at first, wondering how in the world it started. She hadn''t left any candles burning before she went to sleep. She hadn''t even lit any. Something else must''ve happened, but she didn''t have time to sit there and brainstorm what that was. She had to get out of here before she burned to death. She sprung out of bed and rushed to her door, fumbling around with the chair to wedge it out from under the doorknob. She tossed it behind her and unlocked the door before turning the doorknob.. Well, she tried to turn it. It wouldn''t budge! Chapter 255 - Saved "No, no!" Melina gasped, coughs breaking from her as the smoke started to fill the room. "Help!" Melina mmed her fists against the door. She couldn''t get to the window because the mes had already covered that side of the room. She had to get out of her room through her door, or she was going to perish. She beat her hands against the door until they ached, refusing to give up on herself. She didn''t want to die like this. "Melina? Melina!" a familiar voice shouted outside of her door. It was Tyler. She could''ve recognized his voice anywhere. She was still upset with him for what happened earlier, but she had to put her anger aside so that she wouldn''t die. She needed his help. "There''s a fire in here! The door won''t open!" Melina shouted through the door, hoping that he could help her. She couldn''t believe that she was somehow trapped. There was no reason why the door shouldn''t open. "Stand back!" Tyler yelled back. Melina warily nced behind her at the fire, but she did as he told her, moving away from the door. She kept her distance from the fire as much as she could, but she was forced to step into the billows of smoke filling her room. Heavy coughs racked her body, her chest and throat burning and aching. She couldn''t believe how much it hurt. A loud shout sounded from outside of the room before the door was knocked right off its hinges. Melina peered around the corner at the door, seeing Tyler at the doorway. She stared at him with wide eyes, surprised that he managed to do that. She was d for it, though. Now, she could get out. "Come on!" Tyler said, grabbing her hand and dragging her out of the room as the fire crackled loudly. He brought her out into the hallway as other students crowded around, gasping and pointing at Melina''s room. Melina couldn''t stop coughing. She wheezed heavily, grabbing at her chest and throat. It burned so badly. She leaned into Tyler''s side, tears streaming from her eyes as they burned from the smoke. Soot covered her face, hands, and arms. "Let''s get you outside," Tyler said, putting his arm around her and helping her toward the stairs. When her feet started to drag, he swept his arms under her back and legs, picking her up and carrying her the rest of the way. He kicked open the door that led outside, carrying her out into the courtyard away from the others so that he could set her down on a bench. He knelt in front of her, checking her over. "Does anything hurt?" Melina grimaced as she pointed to her throat. "It burns," she whispered, unable to make her voicee out any stronger. She was surprised that she could even somewhat speak. Tyler nodded. "I''ll go get you some water," he offered, beginning to stand. Melina shook her head as she looked around warily. Something or someone started that fire in her room. She didn''t feel safe being left alone right now, but was Tyler the best person to be around right now? He was the first one there to help her, despite his dorm being on a whole other hallway. "How did you know¡­ that I needed help?" she gasped out, narrowing her eyes at him. After everything that had been happening, she didn''t trust him. She didn''t know who she trusted. "I¡­ I was nearby," Tyler admitted. Melina scooted away from him, staring at him with wide eyes. She had no exnation for his strange, stalker-like behavior. It made her uneasy, and she wasn''t sure about his whole savior act. What if he nned all of this? "You probably did all of this," she said, her body tensing as she prepared to run. Tyler shook his head, frowning at her. "I didn''t start that fire, Melina. Why would I start the fire just to save you from it?" Tyler asked her. "To gain my trust or something," Melina said, staring at him hard. She wasn''t going to let him out of her sight. If he made one weird move, she was going to bolt, even if she felt exhausted and lightheaded. Tyler scoffed and shook his head. "There are easier ways to gain your trust," he pointed out. Melina threw her hands up, not even knowing how to react to that. He never directly answered her questions, which made her even more suspicious of him. He came out of nowhere, seemed to be in the oddest ces at the oddest times, and was always right around the corner from her. It was weird. "Why were you nearby? Did you know something was going to happen?" she asked him before breaking out into a cough. When he lifted his hand, she shied away from him, narrowing her eyes at him to warn him to note near her. She was d that he got her out of her room, but she still didn''t trust him. Tyler rubbed at the back of his neck as he nced around the courtyard before looking at her. "Look, I heard things have been a little weird around here. Attacks, damaged property, suspicious activity," Tyler told her in a low voice. "And?" Melina questioned him. That still wasn''t an exnation or an excuse for his behavior. He was up to something else. For some reason, it involved her. It made her question the genuineness of their first meeting. Did he actually need help, or was he scoping her out for some suspicious reason? She was leaning toward the second one. "And I saw someone lingering around your dorm the other day, looking real suspicious," Tyler continued. "I went into your dorm to see if they did anything weird." Melina screwed up her face at him. She didn''t understand why he was being so protective over someone he didn''t even know. Unless he was just making all of this up.. She would believe that more than what he told her. Chapter 256 - Not Safe "Why? Are you¡­ obsessed with me or something?" she asked him, wanting to know what his deal was with her. They only talked once. She didn''t count theirst encounter as a friendly conversation. Tyler smirked and shook his head. "I don''t find this very funny," Melina said coldly. She didn''t understand why he wasughing when he could see that she was ufortable and anxious because of everything going on. She didn''t want to be involved in any game that he was ying. Tyler''s expression straightened out as he sighed, continuing to kneel in front of her. "Look, I''m not stalking you or anything. You''re a nice girl, and I got a little concerned after seeing that person digging around in your room. It looked like she was up to no good," he said, leveling with her. Melina blinked a few times as she held his gaze, trying to tell if he was lying or not. He seemed genuine, but she didn''t trust her judgment. At first, she thought that he was nice and innocent. He had proved her wrong already. "What did she look like?" she asked, wanting to know more about this person who concerned him so much that he had to go rummaging around her room. "Blonde and preppy," Tyler said, lifting an eyebrow at her. "Sound familiar?" Melina''s mind immediately snapped to ir. That sounded like her. Why was she digging around in her room? "ir," she murmured, lowering her eyes. She was even more confused now. "Oh, you know her. Well, she was looking like she was up to no good. She kept checking to make sure no one saw her enter and leave you room. It didn''t look like she had a key either," Tyler informed her. A sick feeling filled Melina as she tried to process everything. Did ir do something that triggered the fire? She didn''t think that her only friend would actually do anything to hurt her. ir wasn''t a violent, malicious person. It just didn''t make any sense to her. "She didn''t do anything. She was probably just borrowing something," she replied as she shook her head. Tyler narrowed his eyes slightly as he stared at her, reading her expression. "Are you sure? It''s just weird that she was in your room and then a fire broke out," he pointed out. Melina abruptly stood up with a re on her face. She then swayed, her head feeling light. She stood up too fast, the blood rushing to her head. She started to lean too far back, feeling Tyler''s hand on her back as he caught her and pulled her straight. When she leveled herself out, she looked up at Tyler, seeing how close they were. Her breath hitched at first as she became entranced by his bright blue eyes. Then, she remembered what all he did, how suspicious he was. She pushed him back away from her, putting distance between them. She didn''t trust him to even be within a few feet of her. There was no telling what he would try to do next. He was unpredictable and odd. She couldn''t believe she thought that they could actually be friends. "You were in my room too! And you were there after her!" Melina snapped at him. In that moment, she felt so alone, not knowing who to turn to or who to trust. She didn''t like this feeling. She breathed in uneasily. "I didn''t start that fire, Melina!" Tyler told her firmly as he stood up, looming over her. Melina red up at him, feeling her heart race. She refused to let him intimidate her, even if he was twice her size. He could be as defensive as he wanted to be. She wasn''t going to trust him. She just wanted to be away from him. "Leave me alone, Tyler," she spat before storming away and heading back inside. By the time she got back to her room, school officials and security were already surrounding it. The fire had recently been put out, smoke still spilling out into the hallway. The other students had been ordered back to their rooms. President Kavon turned to Melina. He was a tall, lean man under a ck coat. He had to be in his fifties or sixties with fading, white hair and broad wrinkles around his eyes. However, he was a powerful witch, having been President for countless years. "Melina, there you are. What in the world happened?" he asked as he gestured to her destroyed room. "I''m sorry for going off, President Kavon. Another student took me outside for some air," Melina exined to him and the other school officials. She hoped that she wouldn''t get in trouble for this. She hadn''t done anything to set her own room on fire. "I woke up to the fire burning in the corner of my room. I have no idea how it started." "You weren''t burning any sage or candles?" President Kavon asked her, lifting an eyebrow at her. Melina shook her head. "I swear. I went straight to bed when I got done from sses yesterday," she told him. "I truly have no idea how the fire started." President Kavon shared a look with his fellow officials and the security team. There seemed to be unspoken words shared between them that Melina couldn''t understand. He then turned back to Melina. "We''ll need to investigate your room. Obviously, it''s in no state for you stay in. For tonight, stay in the infirmary so that Mrs. Hond can keep an eye on you. We''ll get you settled in a new room tomorrow," President Kavon said. Melina nodded politely. "Thank you, President," she told him sincerely. She hated the circumstances, but at least they weren''t tossing her out on the streets. She appreciated them helping her out. She nced at the burnt remains of her room with a frown. "I guess I''ll need to buy new supplies." President Kavon gave her a sympathetic look. "I''ll talk to your professors. I''m sure we can help you out," he told her. "Thank you," Melina said, figuring that she would be left with the dirty clothes on her back for right now. She hated that she lost everything, but she was grateful that she was still alive. She easily could''ve burned alive in there, which would''ve been a terrible way to die.. Her dad would''ve been devastated. "You''re not going to call my dad, right?" Chapter 257 - Suspicious "We''ll have to exin the situation to him. You were nearly killed on our grounds," President Kavon exined. Melina sighed and nodded, understanding where he wasing from. She expected a phone call from her dad soon, but she needed to get another phone first. She let a few members of security lead her to the infirmary, her eyes darting around. She wondered if the voice she heard in her dreams belonged to a real person. Was he the one who started the fire? She knew that it wasn''t Tyler''s voice. "Ma''am," one of the security guards said as he gestured to the door to the infirmary. Melina walked past him and into the infirmary, immediately being whisked to a bed by Mrs. Hond. Thankfully, she was given new clothes to change into since the other ones were covered with soot and smelled like smoke. Despite being in one of the safest areas of the school, Melina still felt too on edge to immediately fall asleep. She thought that she was safe in her room, and she had been provenpletely wrong. As far as she knew, she wasn''t safe anywhere, and she had no idea who to trust. Everyone told her conflicting things, and it was hard to know what to believe when everything was so confusing. Hopefully, she could at least get through the night without losing her life. Things hadn''t started off too promising. ******* Melina ced her hands on her hips as she gazed around her new dorm room. It was on another hall from her old one, but at least she got to settle into a new ce. She felt better about being somewhere else. Maybe she wouldn''t be tracked down by whoever tried to kill her anytime soon. She at least wanted some time to decorate her new ce first. After everything that had been happeningtely, Melina had never felt so tired in her life. She felt weighed down mentally, dragging herself through her sses and through her day. She was tired of almost dying, but she didn''t see an end to this craziness. It wasn''t like whoever set the fire was caught yet. Her dad had beenpletely distraught. He even sounded angry for some reason. She tried to get him to calm down, but he didn''t even stay on the phone with her for long. He said that he had to make another call. She decided to let him cool down before calling him again. He was just worried. "Love the new ce." Melina looked behind her as ir stood at her doorway. She usually kept her door shut and locked, but she opened it for ir, having invited her toe by. They hadn''t talked in a few days since Melina had been so busy trying to get her life together after all of her things and her ce to sleep burned up. "Yeah, I like it. I get a nice view of the courtyard from this room," she said as she tidied up her desk a little more. She tried to focus on the silver linings, but it was hard when so much darkness and confusion surrounded her. It was nearly impossible to ignore. As ir walked into the room, Melina turned to her. "Can you lock the door?" ir nodded, shutting and locking the door behind her. She strode up to Melina and hugged her tightly, petting her hair in aforting manner. "How are you doing? I can''t believe someone lit a fire in your room," she sighed. Melina hugged ir back, sinking into her hold. Honestly, she really needed a hug. Any sort offort was weed. "I''m okay. Just shaken and confused," she admitted. She still didn''t have any answers. She just had worries and theories. None of those put her at ease in any way. She was honestly nervous to find out the actual answer. What if it was worse than she expected it to be? "I bet you are. I would be terrified," ir said before letting go of Melina. She ced her hands on Melina''s shoulders. "Do you know of anyone who might do this to you?" Melina looked away from ir, staring down at her feet as she shrugged. She was nervous to mention anything, but she knew that she could talk about this to ir. Maybe she needed another voice of reason to help her sort through her thoughts. "Tyler saved me from the fire," she told ir, who narrowed her eyes slightly. "He said he was near my room because he was worried about me." "Why was he worried about you? That''s just weird," ir replied, wrinkling her nose up out of distaste. Melina moved away from ir, opting to sit on her bed. She gripped her bedsheets, trying to figure out how to word everything properly. She didn''t want ir to think that she was cing any me on her, but she was curious if Tyler was lying or not about ir sneaking around in her room. "He said that he saw you in my room. You looked suspicious, so he got worried that you were up to something," Melina exined. ir''s eyes widened as she stared at Melina in disbelief. "Do you believe him? Do you really think I did something to start that fire?" she asked Melina as she stepped closer to her. Melina looked down and shook her head. "No, I don''t think you did. I''m just trying to make sense of everything. I did find him rummaging around in my room the night of the fire," she sighed. Maybe she was being na?ve, but part of her really wanted to believe that Tyler set the fire and another part of her didn''t believe that he was behind it. She didn''t know which part of herself to listen to. When it came to Tyler, things were so clouded. "Look, I did go in your room, but remember you told me I could borrow some ingredients the other day?" ir asked her. Melina nodded, remembering that conversation in the cafeteria. "I was just bringing some leftover ingredients back. I didn''t need as much as I borrowed, and I didn''t feel right keeping them," ir exined.. "I didn''t touch anything else, though." Chapter 258 - Prove Melina gazed at ir for a few seconds, but she already believed ir. She really didn''t think that ir did anything vicious to her. It wouldn''t make any sense, and she had known ir for far longer than she had known Tyler. Plus, she didn''t even really know him. "Right. I know. I trust you," Melina assured her with a small smile. She reached out to give ir''s hand a squeeze. "I''m sorry. I''m just paranoid and confused. ir gave Melina a pointed look. "It''s Tyler getting in your head. I''m telling you that he''s bad news," she said sternly. Melina frowned and nodded, figuring that ir was right. Ever since Tyler popped up, things had gotten even more dangerous and confusing for her. He had to be the underlying factor for all of this. But why was she not convinced of that still? Deep down, she didn''t think that he was the one trying to hurt her. He had the perfect opportunity to kill her or hurt her in the courtyard when they were alone. She was weak and dizzy, but he just looked over her and tried tofort her. It just didn''t make any sense. How could she be so confused about something that seemed so straightforward? "I''m keeping my distance," she said. She hadn''t seen Tyler since that night. Part of her wanted him to stay away, and part of her wanted to talk to him. She believed that he had more answers than he was letting on. "Good. You need to," ir muttered as she tugged Melina off the bed by her hands. "He''s a stranger that weed himself to your room. At least you know and love me." Melina couldn''t help but crack a smile as ir yfully tossed her own hair behind her shoulder, giving Melina a yful pose. What confused Melina the most was how protective Tyler acted over her. They just met, but it seemed like he was willing to risk a lot to watch over her. She didn''t understand his motivation to do that. "It''s nice seeing you. It''s been roughtely," Melina told her, giving her a grateful look. She had really been needing somefort andughstely, and ir came to the rescue like usual. Even if she was busy with other things a lot, Melina knew that she could count on ir in her times of need. "Keep me in the loop, okay? It''s easier for me to help you if I know what''s going on with you," ir said. Melina nodded, promising to tell her. It would be good for her to open up and talk to someone anyway. It wasn''t good for her to go through such stressful events and then just not talk about them. Locking things up never did her any good. "I will," she said. "Thanks foring by today." "Well, I''m not finished with you yet. You should take a break ande grab some dinner with me," ir invited her with a hopeful look on her face. Melina checked the time and then nodded, figuring some food would be good for her. She had spent a lot of time working on her room and homework today. If she wanted to finish her room tonight, she needed energy for that. "Let''s go," she said, following ir out of her room. Before she closed the door, she took onest look around her dorm, taking note of where everything was before shutting and locking the door. If anyone broke in while she was gone and moved things, she would know. Dinner at the cafeteria was fun for the most part, but Melina couldn''t help but feel a little uneasy when people looked at her as they passed by. Plenty of people had been talking about what happened to her dorm, and plenty of rumors had been sparked too. They believed the same person who attacked that girl had attacked Melina. It wasn''t the craziest theory in the world. However, Melina was worried that the attacker would try to finish the job ande after her again. The other girl had been safetely, but the dream that she had before she woke up to the fire unsettled her. Someone talked about finding her no matter what, even if she hadn''t even been running or hiding. Did she need to? "Hello?" Melina blinked her eyes, snapping out of her thoughts and focusing back on ir. "What? Sorry," she said with a sheepish smile. She hadn''t meant to space out. There was just so much on her mind. "Did you finish the homework for Professor Ryan''s ss?" ir asked, looking slightly annoyed. "Not yet. I''ve been behindtely," Melina said as she pushed away her half-eaten te of food. She hadn''t had much of an appetitetely. Honestly, she hadn''t been all there in most aspects, including schoolwork. She still tried to work on her assignments, but her mind was always somewhere else. ir sighed and picked at her pasta, pulling back from the conversation as quickly as she had entered into it. She didn''t seem interested in talking anymore, but Melina wasn''t exactly in the talking mood either. Dinner ended soon after that. Melina walked back to her dorm alone, looking over her shoulder and eyeing the shadows in the corners of the hallway warily. When she got back to her dorm, she felt a little bit of relief, but she knew that being in her dorm didn''t mean that she was safe. It could mean that she was trapped likest time. She paused at the door when she spotted a piece of paper tucked between the door and the doorway. She looked up and down the hallway, trying to see if anyone looked suspicious or was hurrying off. Maybe it was just from the school. That didn''t make sense, though. They always emailed her. Melina swallowed hard before grabbing the note. She hurried into her dorm and shut her door behind her, pressing her back to it. She was afraid to see what was written on the note, but she knew that she had to read it. Her curiosity would kill her if she didn''t at least take a look at it. After drawing in a steadying breath, she opened it. I can prove that I didn''t do it. Meet me in the courtyard at midnight. -T Chapter 259 - Babysitter Maybe it was a terrible idea, but Melina decided to meet Tyler. Her curiosity got the best of her because she wanted to know any and all information Tyler had about that night. If he wasn''t the person who set off the fire, she needed to figure out who it was before they tried to hurt her again. She refused to die at school of all ces. She came here to learn, not to be buried or burned to death. It was torturous waiting until midnight, even if it was only a few hourster. She paced around her room, unable to even focus on homework. She wished that time would go by faster. By the time 11:30 arrived, she started to slowly get ready, wondering if she needed to take anything protective with her. It wasn''t like she had a dagger or anything. Maybe she needed to learn one of those attack spells. Melina then shook her head at herself. She didn''t need to stress herself out. She didn''t believe that Tyler would attack her. She just needed to watch him closely. If he tried anything, she could zap him with an electricity spell or something. She would figure out something. Nature could be helpful in certain ways too. Once she got ready, she left her room and wandered through the halls quietly. There wasn''t a curfew for students, but there was a noise ordinance. They couldn''t make any loud noise to wake the other sleeping students. She headed down to the bottom floor and out the back door to the courtyard, seeing a dark figure standing under one of therge oak trees. Just from his dark silhouette, she could tell that it was Tyler. Nervousness struck her like a punch to the stomach, but she didn''t want to show fear. She didn''t want to appear weak. She was asking for another attack at that point because she was an easy target. She lifted her chin and walked across the courtyard, tightening her fingers into fists as she walked through the dim area. Light golden lights illuminated the area enough to see mostly outlines but not many features. "You came," Tyler said, sounding almost surprised. "You said you have proof. I want to know everything," Melina told him. She was tired of games and secrets. Eventually, they would cost her or someone else their life. She wanted to end this as soon as possible. Tyler nodded and reached into his pocket. He then pulled out a small cloth bag with a symbol on the outside. Melina''s eyes widened as she took a step back. "That''s a spell bag," she whispered. Spell bags were forbidden to make on campus. They could be used for malicious reasons, like cursing people or hurting people. Of course, they could be used for protection too, but she didn''t like the way the strange symbol was drawn with something red. It looked like blood. "I snuck into your room after security left and found this hidden in the back of your closet," Tyler told her. He unwrapped the cloth bag and dumped out the contents. There were herbs, tiny bones, and a lock of hair that looked like Melina''s. Melina brushed her fingers through her hair, feeling around until she found a strand that was shorter than the others. It felt like ice spread through her veins. She swallowed hard and lowered her hand. "Vampires can''t make spell bags," she murmured, realizing why he showed her this. He couldn''t have done this. The fire had to be from the spell bag. It was the best exnation for how the fire came to be without someone else being in the room with her. Tyler tossed the bag aside and nodded. "It''s a witch or someone who knows a witch. I can promise you that I''m not behind this, though," he said as he took a step closer to her. Melina stood her ground as she listened to him. At least he wasn''t the one who tried to kill her. His behavior was still off, though. There were things that he wasn''t telling her. "Why are you doing this? Looking after me? We don''t even know each other," she asked him as she shook her head. Tyler took another step closer to her, leaving only a few feet of space between them. "I feel¡­ protective over you. You said that everyone ignores you. Then, all of these weird things keep happening. There''s no one around to have your back," he said with a shrug. "I''m sorry if I made you ufortable. You were just so nice to me, and I didn''t want you to get hurt like that girl." Melina looked away from him, trying to process her thoughts. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe that someone was just being nice to her. She just wasn''t used to that, and it wasn''t like she had anything to give him in return. "I can take care of myself. I don''t need a babysitter," she muttered under her breath. She felt a little pathetic that he felt the need to watch over her. She wasn''t that weak. A small grin crossed Tyler''s face. "I know, but it''s always nice to have someone in your corner," he replied. "Besides, I''m the muscle." Melina scoffed at him as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I thought you weren''t cocky like those other vampires. I could take you," she told him boldly. She then mentally cursed herself. She was being defensive and digging herself a deeper hole. She just didn''t want to be seen as weak and have him feel obligated to hold her hand. Tyler chuckled and stepped even closer to her. "Really?" he asked. Melina figured that she might as well go big since she had alreadye this far. She closed the distance between them, nearly getting in his face, but she wasn''t quite tall enough. "Anytime," she said firmly. Tyler suddenly kicked her feet out from under her, quickly reaching down to grab the small of her back to catch her before she could hit the ground. Chapter 260 Invitation 260 Invitation Melina attacked him out of instinct,tching her hands onto him and generating a jolt of electricity that stunned him. She then gasped as they both fell onto the ground. Her back struck the earth as his body tumbled on top of her, knocking the breath out of her twice. Tyler''s body shuddered a few times as the currents passed through him before finally dying. He groaned as heid on top of her. "Ouch," he muttered. "You win." Melina smiled through the ache echoing through her body. She was surprised that she had reacted so quickly, but at least she had good reflexes. Plus, she pulled off the spell well. She had practiced it so many times that it was a permanent stamp on her brain, ready to be used when she needed it. Spells used to take her forever to use. Now, she felt like they were already buzzing at the ends of her fingertips. "That''s what you get for underestimating me," she told him. Tyler lifted his head, slightly pushing himself up so that he could gaze down at her. "I just wanted to poke the bear. I knew you were strong," he replied with a grin. Melina felt a blush cross her cheeks as she gazed at him. She couldn''t believe that he was basicallyying on top of her right now. Admittedly, she liked the feeling of his body on hers. He was all muscle, and he felt warm on top of that. Her eyes flickered down to his lips automatically, tension crackling between them. "You don''t have to watch over me," she told him. She didn''t want him to feel like he had to. If he was going to be around her, she wanted him to do so because he liked being near her. Tyler gave her a pointed look. "Can''t a guy look after a pretty girl?" he asked her. "I''m not trying to be your knight in shining armor, but I do want you safe." Melina could hardly remember how to breathe since they were so close to each other. Not too long ago, she didn''t trust him at all. Now, she felt confused all over again. He had proved his innocence and expressed his desire to protect her. It was behavior that she wasn''t used to and wasn''t sure how to react to. What if it was a trick? "It just doesn''t make any sense. I''m just¡­ me," she said. Tyler got to his feet to Melina''s dismay. He extended his hand out to her, helping her off the ground. Instead of letting go of her hand, he kept it in his. "I like you, Melina. Maybe we just met, but do you ever get feelings about people? Ones that you can''t exin?" he asked her. "Get to know me," Tyler replied. Melina nodded. She had those feelings about him. She couldn''t exin them, but they made her feel drawn to him, even when she didn''t trust him. "Look¡­ I want to trust you and everything. I guess I''m just trying to be cautious," she exined to him. She was too scared to trust anyone blindly, especially someone who she had just met. "Get to know me," Tyler replied. Melina eyed him for a second. Honestly, she wanted to get to know him. He obviously wasn''t a threat to her, so why couldn''t he be a friend? She believed that she could open up enough for that to happen. She was low on friends and people that she could trust. "No more sneaking into my dorm," she told him pointedly. Tyler let go of her hand to put his hands up innocently. "You got it," he said. "How about we grab dinner sometime?" Melina shifted on her feet. That sounded too close to a date. She wasn''t looking to date. She wanted to do something more in her wheelhouse. She would feel morefortable that way. "Let''s study together. I have a lot to catch up on," she said, lifting an eyebrow to see if he was still interested. Tyler smiled and nodded. "Okay, when?" he asked her. Melina''s eyes widened slightly. She was surprised that he went for that. Maybe he was genuinely interested in hanging out with her. That warmed her a little. Maybe she could make a good friend out of this. "Tomorrow night?" she suggested. It was a bit toote to do anything together tonight, and they both had sses during the day tomorrow. "I do have one request," Tyler said. "What''s that?" Melina asked, giving him a curious look. "I get to pick the ce," Tyler said. "And it''s not my dorm room or anything like that." Melina smiled at his quick reassurance. She appreciated that. At least he wasn''t acting shallow. He seemed really invested in their study session, which she appreciated. She could already feel herself warming up to him more, and she enjoyed that feeling more than being uneasy around him. "Alright, fine," she said with a nod. She could agree to those terms, and maybe a change of scenery would be good for her studying routine. Tyler held his hand out to her. "Can I put my number in your phone?" he asked. Melina nodded, cing her new phone in his hand and watching him add himself as a contact. She felt a fluttering sensation in her stomach. It was that giddy, nervous feeling again that she couldn''t shake when she was around him. "Here you go. Shoot me a text so that I know it''s you. I''ll tell you the ce tomorrow once I get everything ready," Tyler replied as he handed her phone back. Melina gave him a confused look. "Once you get everything ready?" she questioned him. This didn''t sound like a simple study session like she expected. She had a feeling that they weren''t even going to go to the library. Tyler merely grinned at her. "I''ll see you tomorrow," he told her, shing her a wink before walking off. Melina stood there, feeling stunned and warm all over as she watched him walk off. Her skin nearly tingled as she remembered the feeling of his body on top of hers. She had no experience when it came to intimacy or anything like that, but it was nice having him so close. It made her feel safe, which was how he wanted her to feel. She guessed that he was just a guy with a kind heart. Feeling much lighter than before, Melina felt like she floated back to her dorm room, unable to shake the smile on her face. She wasn''t going to mention her meeting with Tyler to ir, who would just be upset and tell Melina to ditch him. She understood that ir was just trying to look after her. Honestly, her dad would probably say the same thing, but she had a good feeling about Tyler. He had that same feeling about her too. There had to be something between them. She didn''t fully understand it, but she also didn''t want it to disappear. She wanted to explore it more, to see where it took them. Maybe this was a good thing for her. She had experienced so much pain and turmoiltely that maybe he was the one that could drag her out of this darkness. Chapter 261 Hurt 261 Hurt Melina gave herself one more look in the mirror before finally stepping away, running her fingers through her dark waves nervously. She knew that this wasn''t a date or anything, but she was still meeting up with Tyler alone. It kind of felt like a date in some ways, but there would be books and studying. She grabbed her bag and slipped the strap on her shoulders, chewing on her bottom lip as she walked to the door of her dorm. She couldn''t believe that it was already time to go meet Tyler. Today had flown by so fast, which part of her was grateful for. She had been thinking about Tyler and their study session all day. Now, it was finally about to happen. She ventured out of her room and outside of the school building, walking past the courtyard and a little ways off campus. The school was surrounded by green hills and forest, and she could soon make out a figure at the top of a gentle slope up ahead. The sunset was bleeding colors into the sky just beyond him, and she couldn''t help her look of awe as she approached him. Not only did he pick the perfect ce for them to study, but he also set up a small pic for them. He sat on a green and ck checkered nket with a basket of snacks and drinks on it. He also had his books stacked near the basket as well. It was the most romantic study setup she had ever seen. It made her nervous, but she was nervous in a good way. A fluttering sensation filled her as she sat down on the nket next to him, unable to help her smile. "Wow. This is¡­ incredible," she admitted as she set her bag down next to her. He had really outdone himself, and it touched her that he went through so much effort to do this for her. "Not too much, huh?" Tyler asked as he leaned back on his arms. He wore ck jeans, a ck leather jacket, and a fitted, grey t-shirt underneath. "It''s perfect," Melina assured him as she crossed her legs, smoothing down her ck skirt. She peered out at the sunset, letting out a pleased sigh. "It''s so beautiful out here." "Yeah, it is," Tyler murmured. Melina nced over at him to see that he was looking at her, coaxing a burning blush onto her face. She wasn''t used to so much ttery, but she couldn''t help but like it, especially from someone as kind and handsome as him. "Trying to impress me?" she joked. "Did it work?" Tyler asked as he tilted his head at her, shing that charming smile of his that threatened to make her melt every single time. Melina tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear as she shrugged. "Maybe," she teased him. Honestly, he had impressed her a lot with this. She didn''t even want to study. She just wanted to enjoy this setup and this view. Tyler chuckled and sat up, reaching into the basket to pull out a bottle of ros¨¦. "I might''ve stolen this from the confiscation pile," he said. Melina''s eyes widened. The confiscation pile was held in a locked room near the office. Forbidden items were stored in there until they were discarded or destroyed. "How did you get in there?" she asked him. "Vampire''s secret," Tyler smirked as he ced a finger against his lips. He easily pulled out the cork before handing her the bottle with a sheepish grin. "They didn''t have any sses." "I doubt they would confiscate sses," Melinaughed as she took the bottle from him. She took a sip, grimacing at the bold taste at first but then enjoying the sweet, bubbly aftertaste. She handed the bottle back to him so that he could take a sip. "So, tell me about yourself," Tyler said, tilting his head at her curiously. "We arranged this so that I could get to know you," Melina pointed out, yfully nudging his leg with her boot. "Ask away," Tyler replied, seeming rxed as he peered at her. Melina gazed back, trying to think of a question to ask. There was so much that she didn''t know about him that she didn''t even know where to start. "Are you close to your family?" she asked him. Tyler lowered his gaze slightly as he shook his head. "I grew up in the foster care system. I jumped from a lot of families. Now, I''m on my own, trying to make a life for myself," he told her. "You think this school could help you figure something out?" Melina asked him curiously. "I think being at this school is good for me," Tyler replied with a small smile as he looked back up at her. "I''m not really good at connecting with people or being around people. This is a good environment for me." Melina could understand where he wasing from. She struggled to be around others too. She thrived on her own, but she was tired of being alone. She wanted to have people who cared about her around her, but it was hard to open herself up to allow that to happen. "Well, I''m d you chose to go here," she told him. If he hadn''te here, she would''ve burned to death in her dorm room. "I¡­ never thanked you for saving me. I really appreciate you helping me out, even if I kind of med you for it." Tyler shook his head dismissively. "It''s fine. You should be cautious," he replied. "There are weird things going on here." "Do you have any idea what''s going on or who''s doing this?" Melina asked him. He was new, so she doubted that he had anything new to tell her. It was worth a shot, though. "I''m trying to figure that out," Tyler told her. Melina looked at him with shock written all over her face. Didn''t he know how dangerous that was? "You could get hurt," she said. She found herself worrying about him. What if whoever hurt that girl and tried to kill her tried to hurt him too? It pained her to think of him ending up in the same position when he was just trying to help out. "I''m not scared," Tyler replied as he shook his head. "I don''t want anyone else getting hurt." Chapter 262 Brave Chapter 262 Brave Melina couldn''t help the look of awe that spread across her face. It was rare to find people as selfless as him. It honestly made him that much more attractive to her, and she didn''t think that bar could rise any higher. "Well, I think you''re brave," she said softly. Tyler smiled at her, reaching out to take her hand. "You make me feel braver. When I heard you crying for help, I didn''t hesitate, not even when I smelled the smoke or saw the fire. I just wanted to make sure you were okay," he told her. Melina''s heart thumped heavily in her chest as she looked down at their joined hands. The touch was so gentle, so intimate. It was hard to process how she felt. "I feel bad for ming you," she admitted. She gave him so much trouble when he was just trying to help. "It''s smart of you to not blindly trust someone," Tyler replied as he stroked her knuckles with his thumb. "But of course, I want you to trust me." "I think I do," Melina said as her eyes met his. "I don''t think you''ll hurt me¡­ or ditch me." Tyler moved closer to her, sitting right next to her so that their arms brushed. "I''d much rather be right here, right by your side," he said with that yful grin of his. "I like that you''re stronger than you let on. You''re a special little surprise." Melina couldn''t help the shyugh that burst from her. She shook her head at him, not thinking that she was anything special. It was nice of him to say that, though. "I''m just a normal witch that can do a little low-level magic," she told him. Tyler leaned closer to her, only a few inches between their faces. "Liar," he whispered. Melina smirked, rolling her eyes at him yfully. Maybe she could do a little more than that, but she was cautious with higher level spells. She didn''t want to lose control. "I love practicing magic. I just don''t know what I want to do with it," she told him. "Help people," Tyler said. "How?" she questioned him. "Protect them," Tyler replied, reaching up to brush a strand of her hair behind her ear. Melina nearly shuddered at his touch, her heart skipping. The touch was so sweet and so simple. He could affect her so easily. "I don''t know how," she admitted. She knew defensive spells, but she had to have more confidence to run toward trouble and defend other people. "I get scared." Tyler gave her a gentle look. "The stronger you make yourself, the less scared you''ll be," he assured her. Melina supposed that he had a point. Maybe she needed to study even more. If she was more confident in her abilities, she would be less scared facing off with people. "If you''re not scared, you must be really strong," she murmured as she gazed at him. She wanted to close the distance between them so badly, but she held herself back. She couldn''t kiss him. She couldn''t be with him. She told herself to keep things tonic, but that felt nearly impossible when there was so much chemistry buzzing between them. "I try to be," Tyler said, his eyes moving over her face slowly. When they reached her lips, they halted for a few seconds before moving on. "Especially for the people I like." Melina smiled shyly and nodded. "Is that a lot of people?" she asked, unable to help her curiosity. "Just a small group," Tyler replied. "I just have my dad and ir. I used to have a really close friend, Lily. Well, we''re still close friends, but she graduated a few years ago. She''s one of the strongest witches that I know," Melina told him, feeling a slight ache in her chest when she remembered how much she missed Lily. She wanted to see her so badly, but Lily was off seeing the world. Melina didn''t want to stop her journey. "I bet she would be proud to know how strong you''ve gotten," Tyler said with a warm look. That was a nice thought. Lily acted like an older sister to Melina, taking her under her wing and teaching her things about magic and life. Melina loved being around Lily. She felt safe. She felt like she was near family. It was heartbreaking when Lily had to leave school, but Melina was also happy for her. "Yeah, she would be," she murmured before lowering her eyes. "I miss her a lot. She was always there for me when I needed her. I could really use her here now." "Are you that close to ir?" Tyler asked. Melina nearly winced at having to talk about ir with Tyler. It was awkward since ir wasn''t that big of a fan to Tyler, and she didn''t want to stir up any drama. Though, she was stirring up drama by even hanging out with Tyler when she told ir that she was going to keep her distance. "I mean, I love ir, but we''re not as close as I was with Lily," Melina exined. ir wasn''t the sweetest person in the world, but she showed her kindness in certain ways. She could have a sharp tongue that hurt Melina at times, but ir was the type to not have a filter. She was honest, which Melina figured she should appreciate. "I have a feeling that she doesn''t like me that much," Tyler chuckled lightly. A sheepish look filled Melina''s face. "Oh, I just think she doesn''t know you," she replied. She didn''t want to take any sides. She wanted to defend her friend, but ir was wrong about Tyler, who she was starting to warm up to. Melina felt caught in the middle, desperately trying to escape without being caught on either side. "How long have you two been friends?" Tyler questioned her, looking and sounding genuinely curious. Melina didn''t know why he even cared, but he seemed to just be curious about their friendship. "About two years," she replied. "She has all these popr friends, but she randomly talked to me one day. We became friends after that." Chapter 263 Kiss Chapter 263 Kiss Tyler hummed under his breath in a thoughtful manner. "Is she as studious as you?" he asked. Melina shrugged. "Not as much, but she''s still pretty powerful," she replied. She felt like she and ir were around the same level when it came to practicing magic. If they faced off, it would be a close match, but she had no intentions to fight her friend. "We should have a rematch sometime," Tyler said, nudging her yfully. "But you can''t electrocute me." "You caught me off guard. I yed fair," Melinaughed as she shook her head. She reacted exactly how she should''ve. Tyler shared in herughter, their amused sounds mingling together. When the noise died down, they still smiled at each other, their expressions softening as their shoulders touched. "Would I only be able to feel your magic through your hands?" he asked her. Melina gave him a perplexed look, wondering what he meant. "I think it''s all over my body," she told him. "All over?" Tyler murmured as his eyes dropped down to her lips. "What else can you make me feel?" Melina''s heart threatened to beat out of her chest as her eyes slipped down to his lips. Her caution went out the window as his flirty words wrapped around her brain. She had an idea that she couldn''t pass up. "Want to see?" she asked him, feeling energy build up inside of her. Tyler nodded before leaning forward, meeting her halfway to kiss her gently. Melina dialed down the electric feeling to incredibly low, only making him feel soft sparks as their lips touched. She felt him smile into the kiss, prompting a warm feeling to spread all over her. She had never felt this way before, and she knew that it wasn''t the magic. It was him. Tyler reached up and gently touched her cheek, drawing her closer as his lips moved against hers. Melina melted into his touch, leaning her body against his. She couldn''t believe that she was kissing him right now, but she couldn''t get herself to stop. It felt too good, too warm, too weing. She felt safety in his touch, whether his hand was on hers or his lips were against hers. She let the magic seep away, dying down with a soft crackle. Tyler pushed his hand into her hair, his teeth gently pulling her bottom lip. A hint of fang drifted across the soft tissue, drawing a shaky breath from Melina. He started to pull away to make sure she was fine, but she caught him off guard as she pushed him onto his back. Melina leaned down to reconnect their lips, caressing his cheek with her hand. She didn''t know what hade over her, but she knew that she wanted to be with him. She had never felt so alive before, like fire had been set to her in a good way. Tyler ran his other hand down her side, tracing her curves as their kiss deepened. His fangs slightly protruded, but he kissed her carefully, being sure not to hurt her. Melina tentatively ran her tongue along one of his fangs, feeling a burning sensation take over her whole body. She loved kissing him, feeling him. Her desire was prominent, refusing to be ignored. She kept moving faster and faster, letting her hand roam all over him to feel him. "Hold on," Tyler breathed against her lips, a soft chuckle breaking from him. Melina pulled back, her lips tingling as she touched them lightly with her fingertips. They nearly felt numb, but she loved the feeling. "Sorry, I got a little carried away," she said with a deep blush. "Oh, no. Don''t apologize," Tyler said. "I really liked what was happening. I just didn''t want to rush it." "Yeah, I''m¡­ I don''t really¡­" Melina kept trailing off, not sure how to word her response. When she saw Tyler gazing at her with a gentle expression, she finally pieced a sentence together. "I''ve never done anything with anyone before." Tyler smiled at her as he sat up, brushing his fingers through her hair. "Then, you should take your time. There''s no need to rush," he assured her. Melina felt her heart skip. She was d that he was so nice about it. She always felt nervous at the prospect of having to tell someone that she was a virgin, even if it really wasn''t a big deal. She just made it out to be in her head. "Thank you," she told him sincerely. "Want to keep talking?" Tyler asked her as he grabbed the wine. "We have plenty to drink." With a lightugh, Melina nodded, looking forward to the rest of their "study session". She didn''t even care that she didn''t get any studying done. She had just as much fun learning about him. ****** There was no denying her feelings about Tyler. She really liked him and wanted to be around him as much as possible. They saw each other before and after their sses, sneaking around and seeing each other as much as possible. She couldn''t remember how many times they kissed in dark corners, pretending the world wasn''t around them. It felt like she had slipped into a dream, finally escaping the nightmare that her life had beentely. Melina still hadn''t told ir about them yet. She felt bad about lying to her friend, but she knew that ir would pitch a fit about her being with Tyler after she warned her to stay away from him. She just didn''t know him, and Melina didn''t think that she was going to give him a chance and try to know him, even for her sake. That made her sad, but it was hard to stay sad when Tyler was around. Through their quick conversations in the hallways and their long conversations at night, she learned so much about him. He wasn''t a witch, but he enjoyed nature and was fascinated by all the herbs that she kept in her dorm. He told her more about his time in the orphanage and how he had to learn how to keep his vampiric identity hidden from others. It had been a struggle for him, but it made him stronger when it came to controlling his bloodthirst. Chapter 264 First time Chapter 264 First time Melina told him about her dad and Lily, and she even talked to him about her mom. She was surprised that she opened up to him so quickly, especially since she told him things that she hadn''t told anyone else. She was sure that she trusted him now. He had proven himself to her, and she was grateful to have someone so caring in her life. It was nice to feel safe. As the time nearly showed midnight, Melina peeked her head out of her dorm to see Tyler walking down the hallway toward her. A smile immediately broke out onto her face as he approached. It was good to finally see him after a long day of sses. Their talks about their future inspired her, and she had been doing well in ss, finding control and trying harder spells. Tyler was a good thing for her life, no matter what ir thought. "Hey there," Tyler said as he walked into her dorm, shing her that charming smile of his. Melina shut the door behind her and locked it. She still hadn''t dropped some old habits. She was still cautious, especially when she was anywhere alone. The weird things happening around school had taken a pause, and she hoped that the threat had moved on. She wanted to end her school career strong, which meant no distractions like attackers. "I missed you," she told him with a shy smile, hoping that wasn''t too cheesy. She was new at stuff like this. She hadn''t ever connected with someone before like she connected with him. "I missed you, baby," Tyler replied, turning to pick her up by the back of her thighs. A shockedugh broke from Melina as she wrapped her arms around his neck and secured her legs around his waist, anchoring herself to his body. She leaned her forehead against his, sharing a smile with him before kissing him deeply. She couldn''t get enough of his lips, of his body. Admittedly, they had gotten pretty heated a few times, nearly stripping clothes off, but they stopped all those times. They were trying to take things slow, and she knew that he was pumping the brakes because it would be her first time. However, she was tired of waiting. She wanted to experience everything that she could before she graduated, and she finally trusted someone to actually take care of her and not hurt her. "I want you," she breathed against his lips. Tyler groaned at her words. "Don''t," he murmured. "You make it harder and harder for me to say no." "Don''t say no," Melina said as she leaned back to face him. "I know what I want." Tyler eyed her for a few seconds. "Are you sure?" he asked her. Melina cupped his face and pressed a kiss to his lips before answering. "I''m sure," she assured him. She was nervous about the experience, but she wasn''t nervous about being with him. She knew that he would make her first time a good one. Tyler suddenly dropped her onto her bed and crawled on top of her, hovering above her as he smiled down at her. He then leaned close to her ear. "Then, I''ll dly make you mine," he murmured. His words made a chill shudder down her spine, while heat burned between her thighs. I wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing his lips to hers for another kiss. Her fingers traveled into his hair, wrapping around the short strands as his hips pressed down between her legs. A soft moan drifted from her that was quickly hushed by his lips. "I haven''t even started yet," Tyler smirked as he broke away from her. He ignored her whine and pulled off his shirt, leaning close so that she could run her hands over his built chest and arms. "If you need me to stop at any time, just say so." Melina nodded, giving him a grateful look. She sat up and slipped her ck t-shirt off, tossing it to the side and leaving her upper body bare beneath him. A shy smile crossed her lips as he gazed down at her in surprise for not having a bra on. "I''ve kinda been nning this," she admitted. Tyler buried his hand in her hair as he rested his forehead against hers. "Naughty girl," he purred before kissing her jaw. His lips traveled down her neck, pausing for a moment as he kissed at a sensitive spot near her corbone. Melina''s eyes rolled back at the sensation, feeling incredibly heated and sensitive. She had never felt so worked up before, but this was Tyler. He dripped with appeal, and there was no one else that she wanted in her bed but him. Tyler lowered himself, caressing her soft breasts in his hands as his lips wrapped around one of her hard nipples. He sucked softly, kneading her warm skin before switching to the other nipple. His mouth was so warm and wet, sending a jolt of electricity right between her thighs. Melina buried her fingers in his hair, pulling gently with each graze of his teeth. She couldn''t help but fantasize about his fangs from time to time. It was a dirty little secret, a naughty desire. Maybe she would explore it one day. For now, she wanted to take things slow, to not oveplicate this. "That feels so good," she murmured, arching her chest up against his mouth. Tyler followed her movements, keeping his lips on her. He grabbed her sides, holding her steady as he kissed his way down her stomach. He slipped her shorts and panties off, guiding them down her legs and off her feet. He returned between her legs, pulling them over his strong shoulders as he swiped his tongue up the center of her thighs. A gasp rang out from Melina as she threw her head back. She gripped the bedsheets tightly, absorbing every wave of pleasure that crashed over her. His tongue snaked through her folds, swirling around her clit to make her feel sensations that she had never felt before. She nearly whimpered as the pleasure ramped up. "Oh¡­ Ty," she gasped out, arching her back as he licked her up. Tyler dug his fingertips into her thighs, burying his face between them without holding back at all. He dragged her against his face, sucking on her clit to make her squirm beneath him. He parted from her for a moment, grinning with glistening lips. Chapter 265 First time(2) Chapter 265 First time(2) "Damn, you taste amazing," he said as he brushed two of his fingertips against her entrance. He pushed one finger inside, soon following it with the other finger. Once he fully sheathed them inside, he curled them, rocking them in and out of her. Melina''s thighs trembled as he thrusted his fingers into her. The pleasure was so overwhelming that it forced her body to rx and adjust to all of the sensations striking her. She hadn''t ever felt so much pleasure before in her life, and she didn''t want it to stop anytime soon. Tyler leaned forward and flicked his tongue against her clit, adopting a rhythm thatplemented the thrusting of his fingers. He attacked her from all sides, working her closer and closer to the edge as she writhed beneath him. Melina felt pressure building up in her body. It grew more and more intense by the second, and when it hit its peak, heat flooded her. She cried out in pleasure, tilting her head back as she shuddered under Tyler. She trembled for at least thirty seconds, trying to recover and catch her breath. "Woah¡­" she breathed out, nearly seeing stars when she opened her eyes. Tyler moved up her body, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her lips. "How was that?" he asked her with a bold grin on his face. He knew exactly how he made her feel. It was all over his lips and fingers, and the moans were pretty telling too. "Amazing. So amazing," Melina sighed out, feeling warm and tingly all over. She felt something hard against her thigh, prompting another spark of desire to light her up. She wasn''t done with him yet. "Take your clothes off." Tyler smirked and moved off her to strip off the rest of his clothes. He knelt between her thighs, pulling her legs around him as he peered down at her. He rubbed her thighs in aforting manner. "Ready?" he asked her as he stroked himself. Melina nodded, feeling a pounding sensation between her thighs. She wanted to do this. There was no doubt in her mind. "Please," she murmured. Tyler breathed in deeply before lining himself up and pushing into her slowly, giving her time to adjust. He ced one hand near her head, keeping himself propped up above her as his other hand stroked her thigh. "Okay?" he asked her. Melina nodded after a moment, willing her body to rx. He was far bigger than just his two fingers, but she was taking him pretty well. "Move," she said, grabbing his arms for stability as he started to rock his hips against hers. Soon, the difort started to fade away, being reced by pure pleasure. Her eyes fluttered shut as she reveled in the feeling. "Faster." Tyler grinned and gripped her thigh tighter, parting her legs more so that he could increase his pace. He thrusted into her harder and deeper, hitting a spot that made her toes curl. "You feel amazing," he breathed out. Melina could only respond with a moan as fire burned through her, heating up her entire body. She couldn''t believe the sensations that she was feeling. She didn''t want him to stop. She snaked her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a passionate kiss as he continued to rock into her. "Don''t stop," she pleaded him, needing to be brought to the edge once again. She wanted to feel that incredible heat and pressure again. "Not until you''re falling apart," Tyler replied before letting go of her thigh and slipping his hand between their bodies. He pressed his thumb against her sensitive clit, increasing the friction that drove her crazy. "Come on, baby." His words edged her forward. Melina tightened her fingers in his hair, holding tight as the pressure built up more and more. She knew that she wouldn''tst long. Her body was already so tense, ready to explode. A few more moans broke from her before his name rang out from her lips. She shuddered against him, waves of pleasure crashing down on her continuously as he kept thrusting into her. Tyler couldn''tst much longer if he wanted to. She felt so amazing when she felt apart, and the sound of her moans made it even harder for him to hang onto any form of control. He finished soon after her, kissing her hard as their movements gradually slowed to a stop. Melina breathed in and out shakily as she shuddered through the aftershocks. She felt like she was floating while somehow still being in his arms. Maybe they were both floating. "That was amazing," she told him. She knew that he was going to make her first time incredible. She felt like she was still buzzing. "All you, baby," Tylerughed softly as he lifted his head to smile at her. "All you." Melina hugged him tightly,ying with him for another thirty minutes until he had to leave to go back to his own dorm room. People couldn''t sleep over at each other''s dorms. She wanted him to stay, but she didn''t want them to get in trouble. With a frown, she watched him get dressed. She slipped on her t-shirt and panties, following him to the door. "Thank you for taking care of me," she told him sincerely. "I''ll always take care of you," Tyler promised her. He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead sweetly. Melina melted into the touch. She then opened her eyes back up to watch him slip out of her dorm. She leaned her head out of her dorm, watching him head down the hallway toward his dorm. She wanted him toe back already. When he disappeared around the corner, she heard a light thud from the other direction of the hallway. She turned her head, seeing a sh of light yellow briefly before it disappeared at the end of the hallway. With a confused look, she ducked back into her dorm and locked the door. Chapter 266 Frenemy Chapter 266 Frenemy Early one morning, a knock sounded on Melina''s door. She jolted awake, looking at the door with wide eyes before checking her phone for the time. It wasn''t even seven in the morning yet. Who could possibly be knocking on her door? Thinking it was probably someone from the school, she hurriedly hopped out of bed and opened the door. "ir?" Melina said with a surprised look on her face. She didn''t even know that ir got up this early. ir smiled sweetly at Melina. "Hey, want to go foraging with me? Final exams will be here before we know it. We should stock up our ingredient supplies," she said as she held up two cloth bags. Melina gave ir a surprised look. "Oh, you want to go with me? Don''t you usually go with your other friends?" she asked out of pure curiosity. She was used to foraging in the nearby forest alone because ir and her popr group of friends usually made a girls'' day out of it. ir waved her hand dismissively. "Ah, forget them. I want to go with you," she replied as she motioned for Melina toe with her. Melina didn''t have ns with Tyler today because he had physical tests today. He would be too tired to even eat dinner tonight, much less hang out with anyone. She wanted him to rest anyway. "Sure. Let me get dressed," she told ir with a smile. It would be nice to get some fresh air and take a walk too. She hadn''t caught up with ir in a while too. Maybe it was time to tell her the truth about her and Tyler. She didn''t want to have to keep hiding any longer. Melina pulled on a pair of pants and a t-shirt with a jacket, wanting to keep her skin covered in case she touched a nt she wasn''t supposed to. She often returned from foraging days with bites and rashes. She wanted to try to avoid that this time at all costs. "Let''s go," she told ir with a nod. They ventured out of the building and past campus grounds to the nearby forest. There was a path in the forest that students were allowed to take, but they were forbidden from going off the path in case of any dangers lurking around. The forest was vast too. It would be hard for anyone to find their way out if they got lost. "How have you been? It''s been a minute since west hung out," Melina asked as they walked down the path side-by-side with their bags in their hands. "Good. How are you? Up to anything interesting?" ir replied, lifting an eyebrow at Melina. Melina smiled stiffly and shrugged. "Studying a lot, trying to prepare for finals. I can''t believe we''ll graduate soon," she said. It would be here before they knew it. She would get to see her dad at the ceremony too after not seeing him for a while. ir merely hummed, not actively replying. Melina scratched the back of her neck as silence surrounded them. It was rare for ir to be so quiet. She nced around and spotted some yarrow, stopping to pick some off the ground. "Want some?" she asked ir. ir shook her head, continuing to stand on the path. She nced around quietly. Melina gave her a confused look before adding a few more yarrow leaves to her bag. She then stood and joined ir on the path. "Okay," she said with a nod. ir led Melina down the path, going farther and farther into the forest and passing right by important herbs. "Are you looking for a certain herb?" Melina asked her, speeding up her pace to catch up to ir. "Yeah, I think it''s out there," ir replied as she motioned to an area of forest off the path. She walked off the path and went through the trees. "ir, wait! We''re not supposed to go off the path," Melina called to ir, hurrying to catch up with her. She slipped through the tall trees and thick bushes, hearing crunching and crackling from up ahead as ir kept walking. Melina had no idea what ir''s deal was, but she didn''t want to get in trouble because ir wanted to y around. Before Melina could shout for ir again, she stepped out of the trees and into a small clearing where ir was standing at. She caught her breath and shook her head, feeling annoyed. "What are you doing? We have to stay on the path," Melina said as she gave ir a confused look. ir stared at Melina with hard eyes. "I know about you and Tyler," she said. Melina''s eyes grew big as she stood across the clearing from Melina. She figured that ir would know about them eventually, but she had hoped to be the one to tell ir. "I was going to tell you today. We talked, and I know he''s not the one who tried to hurt me," she exined, not wanting ir to be upset. "Of course, he isn''t. He doesn''t have the skill to create a spell bag," ir said as a smirk steadily crossed her face. Melina narrowed her eyes, feeling her heart jolt. "I never told you about the spell bag," she said quietly. ir rolled her eyes at Melina. "I told you not to get close to that vampire, Melina. He''s bad news," she said as she took a step closer to Melina. Melina matched her by taking a step back. Panic started to seep into her very bones, but she tried to keep herself together. She had to focus because she had a feeling that she was in danger. "Bad news for you, not for me," she murmured. She couldn''t believe that ir tried to hurt her. But why? "Precisely. I have a job to do, and he''s making it hard," ir spat, looking as upset as she sounded. "What job? Why did you try to hurt me?" Melina asked. "Hurt you? I tried to kill you! Twice," ir scoffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I sent you to the cafeteria to get yourself torn apart, and you had to take the long way." Chapter 267 Lies Chapter 267 Lies "Precisely. I have a job to do, and he''s making it hard," ir spat, looking as upset as she sounded. "What job? Why did you try to hurt me?" Melina asked. "Hurt you? I tried to kill you! Twice," ir scoffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I sent you to the cafeteria to get yourself torn apart, and you had to take the long way." Melina''s eyes widened in shock. That had been a trap that she narrowly missed. She felt her chest grow tight, making her breathing feel difficult. She didn''t understand why her friend was trying to kill her. "Why are you doing this?" she asked, trying to keep her voice from shaking too much. "I want all the power in the world. There''s a forceing, a new ruler. He''s going to make this world unlike anything we''ve ever seen, but that means eliminating challengers," ir replied. Melina cried out as her head ached sharply, shes of her dream being tied up entering her mind. She remembered the voice that spoke to her, that made her feel cold all the way to her soul. She had to be talking about the person who the voice belonged to. "What do you mean by challengers?" Melina asked as she rubbed her head, trying to get the ache to go away. "People who will try to stop him. Powerful, special people," ir said before rolling her eyes. "I didn''t think you were that special, but the boss told me toe here and scope you out. Our friendship made me want to tear my eyes out, but at least I have permission to get rid of you now." Melina swallowed hard, her body tensing as ir took another step toward her. She never thought that it woulde down to her fighting for her life against who she thought was her friend, but she had to save herself. She didn''t want to die. "Stay away from her!" Tyler''s voice exploded across the clearing. Melina turned to see him stepping out from the tree line to her left. She felt relief wash over her at the sight of him. Maybe she wouldn''t die today after all. "I knew you''d show up eventually, pretty boy," ir smirked as she tilted her head at Tyler. "I was just about to kill your girlfriend." "You''ll keep your hands off her," Tyler snapped as he took a step toward her. "This is between you and me." "Not really. I''m not dealing with the bodyguard when I have a shot at the true prize," ir said as she motioned to Melina. A confused look filled Melina''s face as she looked between them. ir started tough loudly, shaking her head. "Oh! Tyler, did you not tell her the truth about why you''re here?" she asked him. "I told her my secret, so it''s only fair that you tell her yours." Melina looked over at Tyler, fear jarring her heart. She didn''t know if she could handle another awful secret, but she knew that she couldn''t be left in the dark. She had to know who she was up against and who she could trust. Tyler red at ir before looking over at Melina. "Your parents sent me here to protect you," he told her. "My dad?" Melina asked him, wondering why he said parents instead of parent. Tyler paused before shaking his head. "Your real parents. They had Benjamin raise you," he revealed to her. Melina felt the ground beneath her tilt slightly, making her feel lightheaded. She couldn''t believe what she was hearing right now. It was impossible. She had seen pictures of a woman who was supposed to be her dead mother. Benjamin had always acted like a father to her. Tyler''s words couldn''t be real. "That''s¡­ no. That''s impossible," she breathed out, feeling overwhelmed and alone. Tyler only approached her because he had been asked to. Was their entire rtionship fake or part of his job? The thought made her sick to her stomach. "Oh, it''s real, alright. He hasn''t told you everything, but you''ll be dead soon. So, it won''t matter," ir said before stepping toward Melina. Tyler immediately moved to block ir from moving any closer. "If you touch her, I''ll rip your head off," he growled at her, giving her one final warning. "Back off, fangs," ir smirked before waving her hand, sending Tyler flying into a nearby bush. She then ran toward Melina, a devious look in her eyes. Melina felt frozen in ce. She knew that she needed to move, but she was weighed down by her shock. She watched ir approach, her heartbeat thumping in her head. It seemed like she was going to die today. Right before ir reached her, Tyler mmed into ir''s side, tackling her to the ground with a shout. He pinned her down to the ground, batting her hands away as she tried to w at his face. Melina watched with wide eyes, wanting to help but still being unable to move. Was Tyler truly on her side? She didn''t even know what to think anymore. She needed to get away from the noise, the confusion, but she also needed all of the answers. That was the only way that she would feel somewhat sane after all of this. ir drove her knee into Tyler''s stomach, knocking the breath from him. She then scratched his cheek, dragging her blood red nails across his skin and leaving a burning mark on his face. As Tyler grimaced and flinched from the pain, she threw him off, limping slightly from Tyler''s harsh tackle. She looked over at Melina with a coy smile. "See you soon," she said before taking off into the forest. Tyler pressed his hand against his face, writhing on the ground for a few minutes until the pain subsided. He breathed in and out shakily through his nose, cursing evil witches under his breath. He then remembered Melina and looked up to tell her that he would exin everything, but she was gone. Chapter 268 Truth Chapter 268 Truth Melina couldn''t count how many missed calls she got from Tyler. Part of her wanted to talk to him because he was usually her main source offort, but she knew who she actually needed to talk to right now. When she took off running after ir disappeared, she was going to head to her dorm, but she knew that Tyler would look there to find her. She couldn''t face him just yet. She needed to talk to¡­ Benjamin. She hid behind the gentle slope of one of the hills outside of campus, hoping that no one saw her. She didn''t want to be bothered right now. She wanted to get her head straight if that was even possible. After drawing in a breath, she tapped on Benjamin''s contact and brought the phone up to her ear as it rang. "Hey, Mel. Doing okay?" Benjamin answered like usual. His voice made Melina''s eyes water. Nothing was at it seemed. Benjamin wasn''t who she had always thought he was. He almost felt like a stranger at this point. "I know that you''re not my real dad," Melina said, cutting to the chase. She didn''t care to do small talk. She wanted the truth, the full truth. She refused to ept anything else. "What happened?" Benjamin asked in a quiet voice. Melina shook her head, feeling tears break from her eyes and stream down her face. She didn''t even know what to say. She could hardly process what happened. All that she knew was that ir was working for some evil person that saw Melina as a threat for some reason and tried to kill her. Then, she found out that Tyler was sent to the school to protect her by her real parents that she didn''t even know existed. "Stay where you are. I''ming to you," Benjamin said when she didn''t answer. "Will you text me where you''re at and stay there until I get there?" Melina felt her throat tighten. She didn''t know if she could face him, but if she wanted answers, she would have to. "Yes," she replied before hanging up. She sent him her location before putting her phone down and thenying against the slope of the hill, letting the tears run down her face. Right now, she truly was alone, and she didn''t know if that was going to change. ~*~ Benjamin arrived after a few hours of travel. He found Melinaying on the hill, staring up at the sky with a tear-stained face. He frowned and sat down beside her, putting a few feet of space between them. "I''m sorry, Melina," he started off by saying. Melina didn''t move at first. She didn''t even speak or blink. She just stared up at the sky, running through the scene in the forest over and over again. She also thought about her past, trying to find clues to support Tyler''s ims. It was hard to find any. Benjamin hid the truth well. "Why?" she asked. "I''m your uncle.Your dad''s brother. Your mother is a demon and your father is from a descendant of witches. Together, they had two children, a witch and a demon-witch hybrid, a girl and a boy," Benjamin started to exin. Melina sat up straight, turning to face him with wide eyes. "I have a brother that''s a hybrid?" she asked him. Benjamin nodded. "You''re twins. Together, you''re incredibly powerful. You''re strong apart too, but you have immense power together. You''d be a threat to anyone," he told her. "Where is he?" Melina asked him. "He''s living his own life states away. He doesn''t know the truth, and he doesn''t know about you. Neither of you were supposed to find out," Benjamin replied. Melina narrowed her eyes. She had a brother taken away and hidden from her. Her entire family life was a lie! She couldn''t believe that she had been lied to for so long. "Why were we separated?" she asked him, her tone sounding sharp. "A very powerful demon started toe into power. He has ns to take over the supernatural world and enve the human world. Your parents knew of his n to wipe out any powerful beings that were strong enough to stop him. Because of your special blood, your parents knew that they had to separate the two of you to hide you," Benjamin said. Melina felt her blood run cold as she stared at Benjamin, trying to wrap her mind around everything that he was telling her. It sounded crazy, but some of the pieces were starting toe together for her. Plus, his story was starting to align with ir''s. "I''m guessing that he still found me," she said. Benjamin nodded with a frown. "You''re an incredibly powerful witch. I sent you to this school so that you could learn how to protect yourself. Someone noticed how powerful you are, and it reached the wrong person," he murmured as he lowered his eyes, looking ashamed. "Your brother must not be using his powers much because he hasn''t been found yet." Melina was relieved to hear that. She didn''t know her brother, but she wanted him to stay alive long enough for them to meet one day. "Shouldn''t I see him since that demon found me? He can help me fight him off or something," Melina asked. Benjamin shook his head. "It''s still safer for both of you to be apart. The demon hasn''t gotten to full power yet. We''ve been trying to figure out ways to take him down," he sighed. Melina wasn''t sure about that approach, but she still wasn''t fully in the loop yet. "Do my parents even¡­ think about me?" she asked him. Maybe that was a stupid question to ask since they basically abandoned her in a way. "Of course. They love you dearly. They gave you to me because it would keep you and your brother safe. I did my best to raise you, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I still see you as a daughter," Benjamin told her with a gentle smile. Chapter 269 Truth(2) Chapter 269 Truth(2) "Of course. They love you dearly. They gave you to me because it would keep you and your brother safe. I did my best to raise you, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I still see you as a daughter," Benjamin told her with a gentle smile. Melina had to look away from him. She appreciated the sentiment, but she was still upset about being lied to. They could''ve trusted her with the truth earlier instead of waiting until they were forced to admit it to her. "And Tyler?" she asked him. "When your parents found out about the attack, they worried that it had something to do with the demon. They sent Tyler to the school to look after you in case there was another attack," Benjamin exined. "Well, there was," Melina muttered under her breath. Tyler did his job. Was everything part of the job to him? "The demon made some witch befriend me to scope me out. Then, she tried to kill me. Tyler attacked her, but she ran off." "You shoulde home. It''ll be safer," Benjamin suggested. Melina shook her head. "I don''t want to go. I want to finish here and then figure out what to do next," she said. Maybe she would see her real parents, but she wasn''t ready for that yet. She needed some time to process everything first. "You can tell Tyler to leave." "Is he rude to you or something?" Benjamin asked, narrowing his eyes slightly. Melina sighed, her shoulders sagging. "No, I¡­ fell for him. Now, I''m thinking every nice thing he did for me was because of the job instead of his actual feelings," she said quietly. Benjamin scooted a foot closer to her. "Talk to him. He was only instructed to watch you. He chose to talk to you on his own ord," he replied. Melina''s eyes grew a few centimeters in surprise. She didn''t know that. He had definitely gone out of his way to do some things that hadn''t been required of him. She didn''t want to get her hopes up, but she did want to talk to him and hear him out. If she wanted all of her questions to be answered, she had to listen for them. "If he stays with me, can I stay here and finish?" she asked him. Benjamin thought for a moment before nodding. "Yes, just be careful. I''ll be there for your graduation. Do you want me to invite your real parents?" he asked gently. Melina chewed on her bottom lip for a few moments before shaking her head. "I don''t know yet. I''m not sure when I''ll be ready to see them," she admitted. "That''s okay. They would want you to befortable first," Benjamin replied. Melina didn''t say anything at first before looking over at him. "Who was that woman that you said was my mother?" she asked. She knew that it was a random question, but she couldn''t help her own curiosity. Benjamin smiled sadly. "My fianc¨¦. She passed away a couple of years ago before you were born. I was so distraught¡­ we wanted our own family, our own happy life. I never got to have a child with her, but I''m grateful I was able to raise one at all," he said. Melina felt her heart ache. She reached out and ced her hand on his. All of these people had been trying to protect her and her brother. They must''ve really cared to go through all of these lengths to protect them. "I''m sorry about your fianc¨¦. she told him. Benjamin nodded before giving her hand a squeeze. "After graduation, you should probably disappear for a little while. Get the demon off your trail. I know you want to see your brother, but he''s doing good living his own life. He doesn''t need to be dragged into this until absolutely necessary," he said to her. Melina frowned, but she nodded, understanding where he wasing from. If she and her brother found each other, someone could sense their power. They would attract the demon, and she didn''t want to disrupt his life. "I won''t find him," she promised, even if it pained her to say that. Maybe it was for the best for him to not know anything. He could live his life blissfully unaware of the hard truth. "You should go see Tyler," Benjamin told her. Melina sighed, knowing that he was right. She had her talk with Benjamin. Now, she had to clear the air with Tyler. She wanted to hear from his side. "Alright. Thank you foring all the way here," she said as she rose to her feet. It helped that Benjamin came here to talk to her directly. She was still uneasy about everything, but at least she had a full picture to look at now. Things made more sense to her, even if the circumstances weren''t all that great. She and her brother couldn''t help that they were born to be powerful. They couldn''t even be together because a power-hungry demon would kill anyone that had nearly as much power. It wasn''t fair, but those were the cards that they had been dealt. She still had to y them. "Of course. If you need anything, call me. I''m here for you," Benjamin told her as he ced his hand on her shoulder. Melina nodded, believing him. He had been there for her for years. She didn''t believe that he would stop now when she needed him the most. She hugged him goodbye and then watched him leave, hoping that things would turn out for the best, even if the circumstances weren''t the best that they could be. ir was still out there, and there was no telling what she would do next. She did say that she would see Melina soon, which worried her, but there was nothing that she could do about that now. What she could do was go see Tyler and clear things up with him. She began the day with a man that she could see herself spending the rest of her life with, but she wasn''t sure if she would end the day on the same note. Chapter 270 Answers Chapter 270 Answers Melina took in a deep, steadying breath before she knocked on the door to Tyler''s dorm. She didn''t even know if he was here, but it was the best ce for her to try. She waited a few minutes, lifting her hand to knock again when the door swung open. Before he could register who was at his door, Tyler lookedpletely distraught. His eyes were red. His mouth was twisted down into a frown. It looked like he had lost all hope. Then, the light flooded back to his eyes when he realized that she was there. "Mel," he breathed out in relief. "I turned around and you were gone¡­ I thought she took you." Melina frowned, not realizing that she had freaked him out that much. She hadn''t meant to. Things just got too intense, and she had to go off somewhere else just to breathe. "I just needed some space. I''m sorry that I worried you," she murmured as she lowered her eyes. It was hard seeing him like this. Despite everything, she still cared about him. She didn''t think that anything could change that because plenty had happened, but she still went back to him. "Do you want toe in? I know you want to talk," he said as he held the door open for her. Melina nodded and walked into his dorm, which looked the same as hers. However, he didn''t have ingredients and spell books. Vampires had small fridges in their rooms to store their blood bags. She moved to sit on his bed, needing to be seated for this. "So, you were hired to watch over me," she said,unching right into the conversation. She wanted to know everything. Tyler stood in front of her, looking smaller than usual. He looked deted. "Yes. It''s what I do," he exined to her. "You''re not a job to me, though." "I started off as one. My real parents hired you after the attack," Melina said, ignoring hisst sentence and bringing them right back to the background information. She needed to fact check with him to make sure that no one was lying to her. Her trust issues had be severetely, but she couldn''t even me herself. Literally everyone lied to her. "Yes. They told me to just do recon. Watch you from down the hall. Inspect your friends," Tyler replied as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I wasn''t told to engage with you." "Why did you?" Melina asked him. "Well, it was an ident at first. I was looking for your dorm and didn''t even realize that I had ended up right in front of it until you walked out. I could''ve just walked off, but¡­ you caught my eye," Tyler admitted with a sheepish shrug. "I had to introduce myself and get to know you. Even if I was supposed to, I wasn''t thinking about work in that moment." Melina felt her heart flutter, but she tried to ignore the feeling. She didn''t want to lower her wall that quickly. She wanted to make sure that what they had between them was real. She didn''t want to be lied to. "You talked to me and got close to me because you liked me?" she asked him. "Yeah, not really professional, huh?" Tyler replied as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I made so many mistakes with this job because I was so distracted by you. I let you get to me." Melina looked down at herp as he stepped closer to her. She could feel her skin tingling as he stopped right in front of her. At least she wasn''t alone in feeling drawn to him immediately. It seemed like they had been drawn to each other. "Nothing is as it seemed," she breathed out, feeling tears gather in her eyes. The weight of everything crashed down on her, and her wall crumbled. Tyler wrapped her up into a tight hug, rubbing her back in aforting motion. "I''ve got you," he promised her. Melina buried her face in the crook of his neck, holding him tightly and not wanting to let go. She believed that all of these people had her best interest in mind, but she hated that she had been left in the dark for so long. She felt like her entire life was a lie, and she had trouble getting a grip on herself. "I don''t even know what''s real," she whimpered. Tyler pulled back to cup her face, making her eyesnd on his. "This is real. I''m real. What we feel for each other is real," he reminded her. Melina''s bottom lip trembled as she gazed at him. He was right. He was one of the few things in her life that felt real. She needed totch onto him. In a surge of emotion, she leaned forward and kissed him hard, crushing her lips against his. Tyler leaned into the kiss, returning the touch before pulling back. "I care about you, Melina. This isn''t a job to me. I want to keep you safe. I want you by my side," he told her. Melina blinked away her tears as she nodded. She believed him. She could feel how much he cared about her in his touch, in his kiss. Now, all she wanted was him. She wanted to be reminded of what it was like to be cared for, of what it was like to be real. "I need you," she told him with a pleading look on her face. "Please." Tyler nodded before kissing her passionately, cupping her tear-stained face in his hands. Their kiss was soft and slow for only a few seconds. Things started to heat up as their hands started to move, gripping and caressing wherever they could reach. Melina broke from the kiss to take her shirt off, reaching behind her to unsp her bra while Tyler tore off his own shirt. She grabbed the front of his belt and pulled him back between her legs, kissing him hard as she undid his belt and jeans. She didn''t want to waste any time. She had to have him now, to feel him as part of her. Chapter 271 Stressed Chapter 271 Stressed Tyler eased her pants off her hips, his hand immediately diving into her panties so that he could push two fingers inside of her. He curled and thrusted them, muffling her soft moans with his lips. Melina lifted her hips slightly, chasing his hand as it moved against her. She shoved down his pants and briefs before sliding away from him and motioning to the bed. When heid down, she climbed on top of him, straddling his waist. She reached down and guided him inside of her, taking a moment to adjust to feeling so full. She leaned down to rest her forehead against his. "Show me I''m yours," she told him. "You''ll always be mine," Tyler promised her before grabbing her hips and slowly thrusting up into her. He leaned his head back against the pillow, his lips parting in pleased sounds and breaths as she moved up and down on top of him. Melina dragged her fingers through her hair, pulling the strands back from her face so that Tyler could see all of her. She felt so connected to him, like they were one body, one soul. She bounced in a quickening rhythm, tilting her head back in bliss as he rocked up into her deeper. "Yes, Ty¡­" she breathed out, feeling heat and pressure steadily build inside of her. He was making her feel exactly how she wanted to feel. Tyler tightened his jaw as she moved on top of him. His hands glided up her sides, caressing her curves appreciatively. "You''re so damn beautiful," he murmured as he gazed up at her, watching her move. Melina lightly smiled down at him. She ced her hands on his strong chest to steady herself, feeling him thrust up into her. The angle was just right, making the pressure in her body double. "Just like that," she gasped as she leaned back a little to achieve that angle again. Tyler held her hips tightly and drove up into her, thrusting hard and deep to make her moans echo throughout his dorm. As he got close, he dug his blunt nails into her skin, trying to find some sense of control. He was threatening to spiral, though. "Come for me, baby," he told her. His words immediately made Melina fall apart. The pressure exploded, and her body was racked with pure pleasure. She felt him explode, holding her so tightly that she knew his grip would bruise, but she didn''t even care. She copsed on top of him soon after, sinking into his protective hold and never wanting to leave. "Thank you for sticking around," she found herself whispering to him. She lost ir. Lily was off somewhere in the world. She felt so alone besides having him here with her. It meant a lot that he was there tofort her and care for her. She needed him terribly right now as the world spun out of control all around her. "I''m never leaving your side," Tyler promised her as he rubbed her back. Melina hoped that he meant those words. She wasn''t sure if she could handle being left all alone in this world that she no longer recognized. ******* A week passed without any sign of ir or any clue as to where she went. Melina wanted to be hopeful. She wanted to believe that the threat was gone, that she could try to go back to normal if that even existed for her. However, Tyler warned her to be cautious, to never let her guard down. Melina couldn''t help but wonder if she would always live her life like this. Would she always have to look over her shoulder or fear going out somewhere by herself? She hated always feeling so fearful. She wanted to feel prepared, to feel strong. She didn''t know if she was brave enough, though. With everything going on, it was hard to focus on doing assignments for ss. Homework seemed like such a tiny problempared to everything that she had been dealing withtely. It was hard to get her mind back into work mode, even if deadlines were creeping up on her. She tried to lock herself in her dorm to get some work done, eliminating all distractions, but nothing worked. She couldn''t stop thinking about ir, Tyler, the demon, and her new family drama. With a frustrated sigh, Melina mmed her spell book shut and stood up from her desk in her dorm. She couldn''t do this right now. Her mind was too much of a mess, and she had no idea when she would be able to get some peace and quiet in her own mind so that she could work and actually get things done. She looked out of her window, seeing that it was sunny outside. Figuring a break could do her some good, she grabbed her phone and sent a text message to Tyler, knowing that he was also in his room doing work. She had to kick him out earlier so that she could try to focus and work. Obviously, that didn''t work. Want to take a walk and get some fresh air? I''m going crazy in here Melina got a message a minuteter, telling her to meet him in the courtyard at their usual bench. She walked out of her room and to the courtyard, smiling faintly at him when she saw him near the bench. "I still can''t concentrate," she told him with a shake of her head. "You''re stressed," Tyler said, giving her a sympathetic look. Melina figured that much, but there wasn''t anything that she could do about that. She just needed a distraction for a little while. "What have you been working on?" she asked him, knowing that he had been studying a lot too. The entire school was focused on the finalsing up. Failure wasn''t eptable, so everyone was in overdrive to make sure that they got that passing grade. "Some fighting moves. It''s kind of hard without a partner, though. I''m putting the air in a chokehold," Tylerughed as he put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her against his side. Chapter 272 Practice Chapter 272 Practice "I can help you practice. I should learn some moves anyway. They mighte in handy," Melina replied with a wry smile. She had no idea when the next threat was going toe her way, but she always felt like it was lurking around the corner. If she wanted to survive the rest of herst year at boarding school, she had to be prepared in some way. Tyler looked wary, but he nodded and led her out to a grassy part of the courtyard. "We''ll take it easy and slow," he told her before facing her away from him. He wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her arms against her sides. "Now, you have to figure out a way out." "Without magic?" Melina asked him. She was used to being able to use magic. It was her biggest line of defense and attack. "Try it without magic," Tyler suggested. Melina could tell that he wasn''t using his full vampiric strength. Vampires could crush bones with ease, and she hoped that she never had to fight one. It was already bad enough fighting against wishes. What if she had to fight that demon one day? She would surely die. "Any suggestions?" Melina asked as she tried to wiggle around in his arms. "I could headbutt you." "Let''s not do that," Tyler chuckled, giving her a yful squeeze. "Push your hands up beneath my arms and force your elbows out. Quickly." Melina shoved her hands between her body and his arms before shoving her arms outward, knocking his arms away from her so that she could spring away from him. She whipped around to face him with a smile. "How was that?" she asked him, feeling a surge of adrenaline. That was kind of fun. Witches had some physical sses, but they weren''t solely fixated on fighting. They revolved around magic and magical endurance. "That was good! I bet there''s a fighter in you," Tyler said with an encouraging grin. "Really?" she asked him with a warm look on her face. She wanted to be brave like him, to fight off threats and protect people. Maybe she wasn''t as strong physically because witches weren''t born with supernatural strength, but she did have magic on her side to make up for the difference. "You might like what I do. I certainly wouldn''t mind somepany," Tyler pointed out as he took a step closer to her. "So, you''re a bodyguard or something?" Melina asked him, interested in knowing exactly what he did for a living. She was surprised that he went through the whole length of getting into school to be near her. That must''ve taken a good connection or some bribing. Tyler shrugged. "You could say that. People hire me from all over to watch over others. Supernatural beings face a lot of threats. I make sure they''re not carried out," he exined to her. "That sounds really cool," Melina said, her eyebrows lifting out of interest. He got to help people on a personal level, looking out for them and ensuring their safety. She did want to help people, and she wouldn''t mind him taking her under his wing and showing her the ropes. She didn''t have ns but to disappear after graduation anyway. She could travel around with him. "It would help to have a witch with me. I have to face a lot of witches," Tyler replied, giving her a hopeful look. Melinaughed softly, realizing that he was really nudging her to join him. She figured that she could give it a shot. It would be nice to spend time with him. She couldn''t imagine her life without him, and he was giving her the opportunity to put her magic to good use. It seemed like a win-win. If she wanted to get her life back on track, she had to n for it. "I''d love to help you," she told him with a nod. "Really?" Tyler asked her as his eyes widened. When she nodded, he wrapped his arms around her and yfully twirled her around, hugging her tightly out of glee. Once he set her down, he pressed a happy kiss against her lips. "It''ll be amazing. I promise." "Can we go after graduation? Benjamin said I should probably disappear for a while to get the demon off my trail," Melina asked him, hoping that she wasn''t going to mess up his ns. She didn''t want to put him in any danger either, but he had already signed himself up for that by agreeing to watch over her. "Yeah, I think that lines up perfectly. We''ll be going all over the country to work jobs," Tyler replied as he rubbed her back. "Is there anything else that you want to do after graduation before we leave? Once we start a job, we''re locked in until it''s over. Some jobsst one night. Some of themst months." Melina nodded her understanding, not finding a problem with that. Honestly, she wanted to be kept busy for a while. She wanted to travel the world if possible and experience as many things as possible. It would probably be a while before it was safe enough for her to settle down. "I''ll want to see Benjamin before we leave," Melina told him before sighing softly, feeling a bit nervous about the next thought that entered her mind. She had thought about it a lot, but she had been afraid to say it out loud. Now seemed as good of a time as any. "I think I should meet my real parents too." Tyler gave her a small smile as he nodded. "They''re really nice people. They were very insistent that I take special care of you because they were so worried," he told her. Melina felt her heart ache slightly as she listened to him. That was nice to hear. She hoped that her first meeting with them went well. After so many years of being apart, she didn''t want things to be sour between them. If they were as nice and caring as people said they were, she wouldn''t mind developing a rtionship with them. However, that would take time and multiple visits. She wasn''t going to wee them as her parents immediately. Even if they were bound by blood, she didn''t know them, but she wanted to. She wanted them to get to know her directly instead of hearing about her through other people. It would be a surreal experience, but she believed that it should happen. Besides, meeting them might take the edge off of not being able to see her brother. She wanted to meet at least someone from her blood family. If it couldn''t be her twin, it had to be her real parents. However, she would never not see Benjamin as her dad. He had raised her as his daughter, and she still felt like that deep down. "I''d like you to be with me when I meet them," she told him. She felt like she would be morefortable if he was there by her side. He was her ultimate source offort. "Of course. Anything you need," Tyler assured her as he gently caressed her cheek. Melina leaned into his touch, letting her eyes flutter shut for a few moments. She was d that they were together and remaining strong. Without him, she was sure that he would fall apart. After the truth shattered her, he helped her put together her broken pieces. She was barely whole, but she was ready to be standing again. The future wasn''t going to wait for her, and she was ready to take it by storm before anyone could take it away from her. "Alright, show me another move." Chapter 273 What happened Chapter 273 What happened Melina was determined to make today feel like a normal school day. She was tired of being worried about crazy things that she couldn''t control. What she could control was her attendance in ss, getting her homework done, and studying for finals. She was determined to do all of that to the best of her ability because she wanted to finish this final year strong, despite all that had happened this semester. It had been the best and worst semester of her life. The weird happening and ir betraying her had been horrible. The lies also sucked. However, she met Tyler and learned that she had a set of caring parents and a twin brother. She hoped that remained a positive point in the future when she met them all. For now, she just wanted to be a student with a raging crush on her boyfriend. In fact, she wasn''t even sure if a raging crush fully expressed how she felt about Tyler. She felt like the feeling was deeper, more passionate. It made her blush just thinking about it. How had she fallen for him so fast? She walked down the hallway to her ss, her bag swinging from her shoulder as she moved. It felt good to be going through a normal day. Other students were struggling to get to ss without falling asleep on her feet, but she moved with a spring in her step. She was determined to ace whatever lesson was brought up in Professor Samson''s ss. "There''s the bitch. Melina!" Melina paused right outside of Professor Samson''s ssroom, sighing when she saw how close she was. She turned around to see Octavia, Carly, and Ivy stalking their way over to her with res on their faces. She tensed up slightly at the sight of the three of them marching toward her, but she stood her ground. She had to be brave, which meant facing threats. They were definitely a threat, telling from the angry looks on their faces. "Yes?" she questioned them. Other students moved past her to go into Professor Samson''s ssroom, while some others lingered out in the hallway to see what was going on. The tension was impossible to ignore as the three popr girls stopped right in front of Melina. "What did you do to ir?" Octavia spat, her red hair bouncing in a high ponytail. "What do you mean?" Melina asked in as calm of a voice as she could muster. It wasn''t like she had seen or heard from ir since the attack in the forest. She didn''t want to see ir either. "She''s gone! Thest we heard was that she was with you in the forest. Then, she went missing," Ivy sneered, looking at Melina with disgust in her eyes. Melina felt uneasy as they all looked at her in usatory manners. She hadn''t done anything wrong! ir had been the one to betray her and work for an awful demon who wanted to destroy the world that they knew. She was the victim here, but ir''s brainwashed friends weren''t going to believe her. "I didn''t do anything to her. She stormed off when we were in the forest. I have no idea where she went," Melina said evenly. She didn''t want to start a fight, even if ir''s friends came up to her to try to start one. She was going to take the high road if she could, but she would defend herself if need be. She refused to let these snobby girls beat her down. They didn''t deserve the satisfaction. "Liar! I knew you were a freak," Carly shouted at Melina. "You probably killed her and buried her in the woods." Melina stared at Carly in bewilderment. She couldn''t believe that she was being used of doing things that she didn''t do! She hadn''t evenid a hand on ir. ir and Tyler were the ones who got into a fight, but ir took off with a limp. She was lurking around somewhere because her job wasn''t finished yet. "I didn''t do anything to her," she said in a low voice full of warning. She wasn''t going to stand there and be used of something that she didn''t do. She refused to get in trouble over that. "Bitch!" Octavia screamed beforeshing out to grab a handful of Melina''s hair. Melina gritted her teeth in pain as Octavia pulled on her hair. She couldn''t believe that it came to a fight, but she was going to get herself out of this without getting too hurt. She grabbed Octavia''s wrist and twisted it painfully, making Octavia yelp and release Melina''s hair. Carly and Ivy scrambled to put their things down so that they could help Octavia, holding stic cups of hot tea in their hands. Melina didn''t want them to join in. That would just make things harder for her. She put her hand out, focusing on the liquid in the cups and adding pressure. The cups burst apart, hot tea exploding all over the girls as they cried out. "What''s going on out here?" Professor Samson demanded as he stormed out of his ssroom and into the hallway to see what all the noise was. Melina lowered her hand quickly, stepping to the side and away from Octavia and the other girls. She didn''t want to get in trouble when she was the one who was approached and then attacked first. It wouldn''t be fair since she just defended herself. "She did this to us!" Carly cried out dramatically as hot tea dripped off her face, hair, and clothes. Ivy cried beside her, while Octavia cradled her hurt wrist. Melina had to force herself to not roll her eyes at them. She also had to keep herself from smiling. She couldn''t help but be a little proud of herself. She defended herself well, using her magic and a trick that she learned from Tyler. She couldn''t wait to tell him about this. He would be so proud. Professor Samson eyed them for a moment before shaking his head and sighing. "Octavia, infirmary. You two, go get cleaned up," he told them. "What about her?" Octavia demanded as she red at Melina. "I''ll talk to her. Now, go," Professor Samson said, motioning for them to run off. When they finally did, Professor Samson turned to face Melina. "Now, what actually happened?" Chapter 274 Someone Special Chapter 274 Someone Special Melina let her smile slightlye out. It was nice of Professor Samson to not just blindly believe Octavia and the others. At least she got to tell her side of the story. "I was walking to ss and they confronted me about ir," she said. "Because she''s missing. Do you know anything about that?" Professor Samson asked her as she crossed his arms over his chest. Melina didn''t want to lie. She liked Professor Samson, but it would be safer for her to lie and act like she didn''t know anything. "No, I don''t. I wish I did. She''s my friend too," she sighed, forcing a frown onto her face as she looked down at the ground. She hoped that ir never came back, but she doubted that her wish woulde true. She hadn''t had the best luck this semester. Professor Samson nodded, giving her a sympathetic look. "What happened next?" he asked her, needing to know the full situation to be able to judge it properly. "They med me for her disappearance and then attacked me. I defended myself," Melina said simply. That was all there was to the story. She was attacked, and she stood up for herself. It was a great feeling, even if it was just school bullies. Maybe she could apply this to scarier experiences. Maybe she could be as brave as Tyler. "I''m guessing that you made their cups explode," Professor Samsonmented as he saw the remains of the tea and broken cups on the floor. A sheepish look filled Melina''s face as she nodded subtly. "They were about to attack me too," she defended herself. She didn''t go out of her way to attack them. If she could''ve, she would''ve avoided the attack, but that wasn''t how things ended up ying out. She just reacted. "You''re not in trouble. I''m d you used what you learned, but let''s try not to fight our ssmates, okay?" Professor Samson sighed, trying to fight off a grin as he peered at Melina. Melina could''ve hugged him. It was nice to have him on her side, especially since people usually took Octavia and her friends'' side. She was gradually feeling less and less alely, which was a relieving feeling. She hated feeling so outcasted. "Of course," she said with a nod. "You remind me of Lily," Professor Samson chuckled as he lifted an eyebrow at her. Melina looked at him in shock. "Really?" she asked. Since Lily was a beloved student and powerful witch, that was probably one of the bestpliments that she could receive. It warmed her to her very core, and she hoped that she could be half the witch that Lily was. "Thank you." Professor Samson smiled and motioned for her toe into the ssroom. "ss is about to start," he told her. Melina nodded and walked inside, taking her seat and smiling to herself as people looked over at her and whispered among themselves. Usually, that made her insecure. This time, it just made her amused and proud. She stood her ground and kicked ass. That was what she needed to do whenever any threat came her way. Feeling stronger and more optimistic for the future than ever, she leaned back in her seat and prepared to take on the rest of the day. ****** Melina wasn''t sure how many hours she had spent in the library today. All that she knew was that she was tired, hungry, and in desperate need of a break. She rubbed her eyes as they burned slightly, grimacing at the ache. She still had plenty left to study, but she could stand to take a break for a few hours to let her brain have a break. She was looking forward to her final examinations just so that she could get them over with and finally graduate. She gathered her things and walked out of the library, feeling her stomach growl as she headed tired of the games. "Don''t you dare hurt him!" she snapped. She didn''t want anything to happen to Benjamin. He didn''t toward the cafeteria. She wished that she could see Tyler, but he was in the school''s gym, preparing for his own sses. They had nned to see each other tonight, which she couldn''t wait for. They were going to have dinner and sneak off to one of their dorms. Melina was certain that she was in love with Tyler. There was no other exnation for how she felt, and she had already almost told him a few times when things were heated or passionate. She was ready to tell him, even if it made her a little nervous. She wasn''t sure if he felt the same way about her, but she needed to tell him how she felt before she exploded. That meant telling him tonight. Before she reached the cafeteria, she felt her phone buzz continuously in her pocket. Someone was calling her. She stopped walking and took her phone out, seeing that Benjamin was calling her. She smiled a little and answered, figuring that he wanted to check in on her. He had been doing that a lottely, but she hadn''t minded. Things were good between them now, which she was grateful for. "Hey," she answered cheerfully. "Long time, no see," a chillingly familiar voice answered. It wasn''t Benjamin, though. "ir," Melina breathed out, her sense of panic spiking. Since ir had Benjamin''s phone, she could only guess that something terrible happened to Benjamin. The thought made her stomach churn almost painfully, nausea rising in her throat. "Your adoptive father says hi," irughed into the phone. Melina narrowed her eyes, now feeling angry. She hated how ir was ying with her, and she hated that ir went after Benjamin instead of going after her. It was a cowardly, low move. She would rather have ir face off with her so that they could get this rivalry over with. She was tired of the games. "Don''t you dare hurt him!" she snapped. She didn''t want anything to happen to Benjamin. He didn''t deserve to get caught up in all of this. "Oops, toote," ir giggled. "Anyway, that''s not the reason that I called." "What do you want?" Melina snapped, not wanting to y around. If there was a chance for her to save Benjamin, then she was going to do it. She owed that to him. He had taken care of her for years, always making sure that she was safe and where she needed to be. Now, it was her turn to try to take care of him. "I want you to meet someone special," ir replied. Chapter 275 Tempted Chapter 275 Tempted "Who?" Melina asked, her voiceing out weakly. She had a feeling that she already knew who it was. Who else would want to scope her out? "ric. He''s the one who sent me to meet you," ir said. "He wants to meet you now." Melina let out a shaky breath. Thest thing that she wanted to do was be anywhere near the demon that wanted to kill her just because she was powerful. She had a feeling that meeting wouldn''t end well, but she knew that she had no choice but to go if she wanted a chance at saving Benjamin. "If Ie, will you let Benjamin go?" she asked quietly. "I guess you''ll just have toe home and see, huh?" ir replied within a sneer. Melina wanted to throw her phone down the hallway as she seethed with anger, but she knew that wouldn''t help anything. If she wanted to do anything, she had to go back home. Usually, she was happy to visit home. This would be the first trip that she would regret taking there because she knew what danger was waiting for her there. "I''ll leave now," she said, starting to head down the hallway toward the school''s exit. She would have to call a cab toe pick her up, and she hoped that they drove fast. "If you tell your boyfriend that you''reing here, we''ll peel Benjamin''s skin off in front of you," ir said menacingly before the call went dead. Melina swallowed hard. She didn''t n to go behind ir''s back and tell Tyler where she was going, even if she really wanted to. She would''ve felt so much safer if he was with her, but this was something that she had to do by herself. She had to be brave in the face of one of the worst situations of her life. ~*~ The car ride felt like it took an eternity, even with traffic being light. Melina stared down at her hands as the cab neared her home, making energy build in her fingertips. She had a feeling that she would have to use her magic at least once tonight. She wasn''t looking forward to this, but she needed to be there for Benjamin. She had to get him out of this situation, even if that meant risking her life. When the cab stopped, Melina paid the driver and stepped out of the car, staring up at the two-story brick house that she grew up in. It had a dark, ominous feeling to it now. She felt like it was warning her to go away, but she had to ignore the warning and go inside. As expected, the front door was cracked open, weing her inside. Uneasiness filled Melina to the brim as she quietly stepped into the dark house. Her eyes darted all around, expecting someone to jump out at her at every corner that she passed, but no one came after her. She paused and listened for a moment, hearing low noisesing from the living room. They had to be in there. Swallowing hard, Melina strode to the living room, gathering what courage she had left to face ir, Benjamin, and a man that she didn''t recognize. She froze in ce, staring down at Benjamin as he sat on his knees on the floor in front of ir, who had her fingers buried in his ck hair. "There she is!" ir smirked, wrenching Benjamin''s head back so that he was forced to look at Melina. There were tears in Benjamin''s eyes as he looked at Melina, begging her silently to turn around and run away. Blood and cuts covered his face and hands. He had put up a fight, but he had ultimately lost. Melina felt her eyes burn as she stared at him, wishing that she could free him now. She figured that she could take ir, but it was the demon that she was worried about. Even from about seven feet away, she could feel the power radiating from him. He was dangerous. "Melina, this is ric, our soon-to-be lord," ir said as she gazed at ric with pure awe in her eyes. Melina looked over at ric, staring into his dark, cold eyes. What was frightening about him was that he looked like a normal guy. He wore normal clothes, a grey t-shirt and casual khaki pants, and had normal features, like short, brown hair and stubble. No one would suspect that he was a demon. However, Melina knew what he was beyond the vessel. She remembered reading a passage about demons and how they were truly dark, evil creatures. They fed off pain and sadness, using it to fuel their evil ns. They didn''t care about anyone else but themselves, and nothing stopped them but death. "Please, let him go. He didn''t do anything," she said, hoping that he could feel some sort of mercy. ric smirked as he tilted his head at Melina. "He raised a threat. You should''ve been taken care of earlier before you got so strong," he said, seeming to study Melina. "I''m not as strong as you think I am. I''m just a normal witch," Melina argued, trying to get him to consider letting this all go. She wasn''t going to fight him. She knew that she would lose and get her and Benjamin killed. If she could avoid a fight, she would. The odds weren''t in her favor, and she didn''te here as a suicide mission. It was supposed to be a rescue mission. ric gave her a pointed look. "Now, we both know that''s not true. You have special blood running through your veins," he said as he stepped forward. "I''m tempted to get a taste." Melina tensed up as he came closer. She wanted as much space between them as possible. "I''m not a threat to you. He''s not a threat to you. We''ll let you go on without stopping you," she promised him. She just wanted to look out for her family, especially since she had just started learning more about them. ric huffed as he crossed his arms over his chest. "This isn''t the fiery witch that you promised me, ir. I expected a little more fun from this one," he said, narrowing his eyes at her. Chapter 276 Kill them 276 Kill them ir smiled at him, but she looked nearly frozen with fear as she did so. "I think she just needs a little push, sir," she replied as she gestured to Benjamin. "Whatever sick game you''re ying, I don''t want to be a part of it! I''m not going after you," Melina said firmly, trying to detach herself from this situation. She didn''t want to be sucked into this nightmare. Ignorance seemed likeplete bliss at this point, and she would rather be happy than torn apart. She doubted that she had a choice, though. ric walked closer to Benjamin, stopping behind him. He ced his hand on the back of Benjamin''s neck. "I want to see how strong you are. That''s the only way I can see if you''re worth the trouble of my game," ric said coldly before squeezing his hand and crushing Benjamin''s neck. Benjamin toppled over without a sound, staring at the floor lifelessly. "No!" Melina screamed as she watched Benjamin fall to the floor. Her entire body locked up as she stared down at Benjamin''s body, hoping that he would somehow get up. She didn''t just watch him die. That wasn''t right. That was impossible! She came here to save him! "I think that''s plenty of motivation. Don''t you think?" ric asked ir with an amused grin. ir giggled and nodded. "Plenty, sir," she replied. Melina felt her legs weaken and then buckle, making her crash down to the floor on her knees. She couldn''t keep her eyes off Benjamin, drowning in her grief and shock. She felt like she couldn''t breathe. How did this happen? It happened so fast, too fast for her to react. Guilt struck her like a punch, and it felt nearly impossible to even suck a breath in. ric looked over at Melina. He waved his hand, a dark energy forcing her to her feet. "Get up. Show me what you got," he said before looking over at ir. "Put her to the test." Melina wanted to copse again, but whatever dark powers he had kept her from falling over. She faced ir as she approached, feeling dread ovee her. It seemed like Benjamin wouldn''t be the only death that happened tonight. ******* Even if her life was on the line, Melina had no motivation to fight ir. Honestly, she felt likeying on the ground and giving up. Everything felt like it was crumbling all around her, and she would be crushed by the pressure eventually. Maybe she needed to let ir win so that she could get this awfulness over with. She was over this nightmare that she kept being forced to live. "Come on! Fight back!" ir spat at Melina before pping her across the face. Melina stumbled to the side, feeling a stinging sensation ripple through her face from ir''s sharp smack. She grimaced at the pain as she reimed her bnce, straightening up again. She put her hands up, blocking a few more hits from ir before receiving a punch to her lip that split open the bottom one. A metallic taste spread over Melina''s tongue as she drifted it over the cut in her lip. The taste made her stomach turn. She had no idea how vampires enjoyed blood. She hated the taste, smell, and sight of it. Soon, she would probably be covered in it if she kept letting irnd hits on her. "I thought you were a fighter, Melina," ricmented as he circled around the living room, watching the one-sided fight. "I guess you''re actually a coward like your adoptive father." Melina knew that he was just saying those things to get under her skin. Admittedly, they made her angry, but she wasn''t going to be tricked into fighting. She didn''t care enough. ric was just going to kill her anyway. Instead of toying with her, she wished that he would get it over with and put her out of her misery. "You''re an embarrassment," ir hissed before shoving Melina to the ground. She wrapped her hand around Melina''s throat and sent a current of electricity through her body. Melina shuddered on the ground, seizing from the shock. Her eyes closed tightly as she waited for death to eventually take her. She just wished that Tyler was here with her. She wanted to see him one more time before she went. "Stop, ir," ric growled, waving her away. ir grumbled beneath her breath and let go of Melina before stepping back. "She''s never acted like this. I swear," she said, defending herself. ric shook his head, looking annoyed. "You told me that she was a threat, a challenge!" he snapped at her. ir parted her lips to speak, but another voice took over. "Don''t underestimate her. It''ll be thest thing that you do." Melina lifted her head to see Tyler standing in the doorway of the living room. Her eyes grew twice their regr size as she stared at him in pure shock. "How?" she breathed out, not knowing how he knew that she was here. She promised to not tell Tyler where she was going to keep Benjamin alive. She should''ve never trusted a demon to keep his promise. Now, she lost her adoptive father, and a piece of her heart was crushed into dust. The damage was irreparable, and the trauma would follow her forever. "No one was answering their phone. Plus, I had a tracker on this one''s car," Tyler replied as he sneered at ir. "Nice Jeep." ir paled as she looked over at ric, who was ring at her. "I''m sorry," she gasped. "Prove you''re notpletely useless and kill them!" ric spat at her before stepping back. ir nodded and faced Tyler as he moved to help Melina to her feet. She suddenly sent a picture frame flying at Tyler''s head. Tyler quickly ducked, forcing Melina to lower herself too so that she wasn''t struck in the head by wood and ss. He left Melina''s side to run at ir, tackling her to the ground. He tried tond a few hits, but ir dodged them before delivering a hefty punch to his jaw. He grunted in pain before elbowing her in the stomach, knocking the breath from her. He climbed on top of her, lifting his hand for the final blow. Suddenly, ric''s eyes shed as he waved his hand. Chapter 277 Stronger 277 Stronger Tyler cried out in pain, gripping his head as a loud ringing noise filled it. He was distracted from the fight, only able to focus on the pain that gripped him. ir punched him in the cheek to knock him off her. She rolled on top of him, securing her hands around his throat and pumping him full of shocks. Melina stared at Tyler on the ground as he seized, his eyes starting to roll back. She couldn''t stand there and let another person that she loved die. She had to do something. Anything! With a shout, she ran at ir, knocking her off Tyler and absorbing some of the shocks herself. She gritted her teeth through them before mming ir''s head down against the floor. ir cried out in pain, trying to fight her way out from under Melina, who refused to budge. Melina grabbed the sides of ir''s head and shot electricity into her. "Give up! Promise to not hurt anyone else!" she shouted at her former friend. ir''s body jerked and shook under Melina as she absorbed the shocks. She red at Melina. "I''ll kill every single person you love!" ir screamed. Melina increased the voltage with a shout, watching ir''s eyes go lifeless. She released ir and stumbled to her feet, her heart pounding heavily in her chest. She couldn''t believe that she actually killed ir, essentially frying her brain, but ir would''ve never stopped trying to hurt people. She was too brainwashed and threatened by ric to stop. "Are you okay?" Tyler asked as he joined her side, blood dripping down his face from various wounds. He put his arm around her, holding her close to him as they leaned on each other for support. "She''s dead. He''s dead," Melina breathed out shakily, feeling scarred by the entire experience. She couldn''t believe that just happened. The guilt made her want to throw up, but she swallowed hard, zoning back in on ric as he gazed at her. "I''m done." ric smirked and put his hands up innocently. "You''ve shown me that you could be a fun challenge for me one day. Until then, stay out of my way, or I''ll snap your boyfriend''s neck too," he said before disappearing. Tyler''s eyes widened in shock as he turned to look at Melina. "Mel," he breathed out, feeling her legs give out. He sank down to the floor with her, rubbing her back and trying tofort her in any way that he could. Melina couldn''t stop crying. She couldn''t believe that Benjamin was dead. She came here to save him, and ric crushed his neck like he was swatting a bug. It gripped her to her core how powerful ric was, how he could take things and people away from her so easily. She felt like anything could be ripped from her at any second. "What if I see him again? What if he kills someone else that I love?" Melina sobbed, holding her stomach as her entire body ached from crying so hard. The fear that she felt was torturous. She didn''t think that she would ever be able to escape it. "Then, we''ll kill him. We''ll keep each other safe," Tyler told her as he brushed his fingers through her hair, holding her shuddering body against his. Melina shook her head as tears coursed down her face. She pictured that in her head, and all she could see was them getting demolished and ughtered. She didn''t want to die by ric''s hand. That sounded like an awful, painful death. "We''ll die. He''ll get what he wants," she murmured. All of these evil, terrible people loved to y games, to toy with their victims until they broke down. She didn''t want to be shattered, but her pieces were already starting to fall away. It wouldn''t be so easy this time to put them back together. Tyler cupped her face and dragged her eyes to his. "We''ll get stronger. We won''t let this happen again," he promised her. "If he sees you as a threat, be a threat." Tyler''s words resonated with Melina as she stared at him with wide eyes. One day, ric would probably try toe for her, to y his game. When that time came, she had to be stronger than she was now. She had to be a match, a threat. That was the only way that she could protect the people that she loved and herself. "I don''t know what to do right now. I feel¡­ frozen," Melina admitted, her body stiff in his hands. She knew that she needed to call the police so that Benjamin''s body was taken away, but the thought of having to do that threatened to shatter her even more. She didn''t think that she could handle it. "Why don''t you goy down somewhere while I take care of everything? I''lle get you when everything is done and take you back to campus if you want," Tyler suggested as he looked at the body and the damage that he had to deal with. "Yeah, I want to go back," Melina said with a nod. There was no other ce for her right now, and she had a graduation to get to. She couldn''t let ric derail every single part of her life. She had to be stronger, to be brave enough to face him and fight when the time came. "Okay, go rest for a minute. I''lle get you soon and we can go," Tyler replied softly before gently coaxing her to her feet. He purposely angled them so that he stood in front of Benjamin, hiding his body from her sight. He pressed aforting kiss to her forehead before letting go of her. Melina felt numb all over as she went down the hall to her bedroom. She opened the door and felt her breath hitch at the sight of everything being exactly how she had left it at the beginning of the school year when she left. Her bed was covered with white and lc sheets. She had a closet full of ck clothes, her bookshelf was full of books, and her desk had jars of ingredients and hastily written sticky notes stuck to it. This was her, but she had to be a totally different person before she saw ric again. Chapter 278 Darkest moments 278 Darkest moments She hoped that she could pull that off. Her fear not only tried to hold her back, but it actually motivated her a little too. She didn''t want to feel so helpless. She wanted to be her own force, to take him by surprise if he ever tried toy a hand on her. It seemed like a far off dream, but she wanted to be stronger so that she could protect Tyler too. Melinaid down in her bed and stared up at the ceiling. Everything felt different. She knew that things were going to change after graduation, but she didn''t think that she would lose Benjamin and be forced to go into hiding for a while. She still wanted to live a good life, and she hoped that she was still able to achieve that with Tyler by her side. With a shaky sigh, her eyes fluttered shut. She needed to rest, to mentally prepare herself for the next wave of guilt and grief. It knocked her off her feet every time. One day, the pain wouldn''t be able to deal such a harsh blow, but it wasn''t holding back now. It was hitting her with everything that it had, and all she wanted to do was curl and cry. She listened to Tyler''s muffled voice in the background as he called the police. She couldn''t make out any words, but she knew what he was saying. A body needed to be picked up. The thought made her stomach feel like it was swirling, prompting her to hold it and curl up as the next wave crashed over her. ****** Melina still felt numb throughout the next week. She felt useless, unable to focus or do anything that she needed to do. She had final examsing up, and she had no motivation to study or prepare for them, even if she still wanted to graduate. The effort seemed like too much, and nothing drove her forward. Tyler tried to help all that he could, trying to spark some motivation in her, but she still didn''t budge. All that he could do was hold her andfort her when she broke down, which was often. When she wasn''t crying, she felt numb. When she was crying, she felt everything. She felt too much. The back and forth tired her out. "Want to study together? Maybe we can make some shcards or something," Tyler asked her as theyid in her bed together. He rubbed her back in aforting manner, trying to coax her out of the bed. All they did wasy together, and it was usually in silence. Melina shook her head. It just seemed like too much for her right now. Her mind wasn''t in the studying mood. It hadn''t been in a while. All that she wanted to do wasy in Tyler''s arms and let time pass her by. Time was supposed to heal pain. She kept waiting, but it hadn''t helped her in the slightest yet. "I''m tired," she merely said. It was sort of a lie. Even if she just wanted toy there, it didn''t mean that she wanted to go to sleep. She wanted to think, even if that was something that she needed to avoid for a while. Her mind was a dark ce that she needed to stray away from. Instead, she had taken residence there. "I know, but we can get something to eat or try going to the library. We can take a walk. Fresh air could be good for you," Tyler said in aforting voice. Melina''s heart ached. She felt bad for telling Tyler no because she knew that he was really trying to help her out of her slump. However, she just couldn''t get herself to move. She felt toofortable in his arms. She felt safe there, like nothing or no one could touch her. She parted her lips to speak, but a knock on the door made her freeze. "I''ll get it," Tyler said as he slipped away from her. "Wait," Melina whispered as she grabbed his wrist, stopping him. "What if it''s one of ric''s followers?" Tyler gave her a small smile. "It''s not," he assured her before pulling away from her grasp and heading to the door. He opened the door and peered outside. "Thank you foring." Melina frowned in confusion, trying to lean to the side to see who he was talking to. Her jaw then nearly hit the floor when Lily walked into the room with that radiant smile and flowy, brown hair of hers. She was curvy and only a few inches taller than Melina, despite the age difference. "Lily!" Melina gasped as she mbered out of bed, her shock oveing her grief. She couldn''t believe that Lily was here. She thought that they wouldn''t see each other again for a while since Lily was so busy traveling. "Come here," Lily said gently before sweeping Melina up into a tight hug. She leaned her cheek against the side of Melina''s head, rubbing her back. "I''ll be in the gym," Tyler said, smiling at Melina before heading out of the dorm. Melina nodded as she let go of Lily, giving her a confused look. "What are you doing here? I thought you were being nomadic," she said with a hint of a smile. It was so nice seeing Lily, especially now after everything that had happened. "Tyler reached out to me and said you could really use a friend. He told me about everything," Lily replied in a soft tone. She ced her hand on Melina''s shoulder. "I''m so sorry about Benjamin." Melina''s heart skipped when she heard that Tyler set this up for her. He truly cared for her in ways that no one else would. She needed to thank him for this, but she wanted to catch up with Lily first while she was still here. She had a feeling that this was a quick visit, which she didn''t mind. She appreciated Lily foring all the way out here to be here for her in her darkest moment. Chapter 279 Move forward 279 Move forward "Thanks. It''s¡­ hard. I''m just having a hard time getting back to normal," she exined. Lily had always been her big sister figure, giving her advice and guidance. She could really use some of that now from someone who knew her well. "Your normal is going to be different now. It doesn''t mean that it''s always bad, though," Lily replied before gesturing for Melina to sit down on the bed with her. She took Melina''s hands in hers, giving them a squeeze. "What matters are the people you love, your own wellbeing, and the goals that you want to achieve." Melina sighed and nodded. Like usual, Lily had a good point. It was just hard to take words and thoughts and make them into actions. She could think about what she wanted and needed to do all day, but actually doing them was a whole other story. "Graduation is soon. Exams areing up," Melina said quietly. "I can''t find it in me to study or do much of anything. I feel¡­ paralyzed." "You need to stop bottling everything up. Too much emotion will do that to you," Lily said. Melina shook her head, believing that she had been showing plenty of emotiontely. "I haven''t been bottling it up. I''ve cried every single day since¡­ what happened," Melina replied. "I''m not talking about crying. There are other emotions that you feel besides sadness. Maybe anger or hate?" Lily suggested. Melina looked down at herp. She had been struggling with angertely. She hated ric. She hated what he did to her. So much negativity surrounded the thought of him, eating her alive. She didn''t know how to process anger because she rarely ever felt it. "Of course, ric killed Benjamin. I want to rip him to shreds," Melina muttered bitterly. "Well, you can''t do that now, but you can go out into the forest or out on the hills and scream your lungs out," Lily replied. Melinaughed in a wry manner, thinking that Lily was just ying with her. When Lily''s serious expression hadn''t wavered at all, Melina raised an eyebrow at her. "Wait. You''re serious?" she asked. Lily smiled and nodded. "It''s helped me a lot. It just helps you release those emotions. They''ll be back, but at least your head will be clearer so that you can focus on other things," Lily replied. "You should at least try it once." Melina thought on it for a second. She felt silly even thinking about going into the forest and screaming randomly, but it also seemed kind of satisfying. If Lily believed that it could help her, then she was going to try it. She trusted Lily, who had never let her down before. "Okay, I''ll do it," she said with a nod. Lily smiled joyfully and squeezed Melina''s hands. "Talking about it helps too. Why don''t you tell me everything?" she asked. Melina breathed in deeply and nodded beforeunching into a recap of this semester. It had been the craziest semester of them all. She had learned a lot, experienced a lot, felt a lot. It was¡­ a lot. She was ready to graduate and move on, though. She had ns to put into ce and a demon to hide from. "That has been my semester," she finished. Lily peered at her with wide eyes. "That''s¡­ wow. It''s been quite a journey for you," she murmured. She then reached out and brushed her fingers through Melina''s hair in a caring manner. "You''re stronger than you think." Melina hoped that Lily was right. She had heard that saying multiple times, but she wasn''t sure if she fully believed it. She still felt like a regr, old witch. It was strange to think that she was a threat to a powerful demon that wanted to take over the world. "Yeah, that''s one way to put it," sheughed in a wry manner. "I''m just ready to graduate and travel around with Tyler." "I think that will be good for you. Traveling did me wonders. I saw the world and met so many people. Integrating yourself in the world around you will do nothing but help you," Lily assured her. Melina smiled at her, feelingforted and ready for the future. She had to do a lot of work to get there, which she still wasn''t ready for, but she was going to figure out a way to get her mind back on track where it belonged. "Thank you foring here. I feel a lot better," she told her. It was nice having an old friend give her some wisdom, and it meant a huge deal to her that Tyler knew her enough to get Lily here to help her. She really wanted to tell him that she loved him now because she meant the words with every fiber of her being. "I''m around whenever you need me," Lily assured her best friend, giving her hands a squeeze. They talked for another hour until Lily had to go to the airport to catch a flight. Her journey never stopped, and there wasn''t an end in sight any time soon. It was heartbreaking having to let Lily go, but Melina knew that she could reach her if she really needed to. This wasn''t a permanent goodbye. She was determined to not say any more permanent goodbyes. Before Melina called Tyler back to his room, she had to do one thing first. She walked off of school grounds and into the forest, walking for a few moments before stopping on the path. She looked around, making sure that no one was around to see her do this. After drawing in a deep breath, she let out a splitting scream, her throat aching slightly from the exertion. She caught her breath, adrenaline pumping through her as anger burned right underneath the surface. She thought about every terrible thing that happened and screamed her pain and anger into the trees. To her surprise, she actually started to feel lighter. She stopped caring about being caught and started caring more about how loud she could be, reaching higher and higher volumes after each one. When her throat ached too much for another, she breathed in deeply through her nose, closing her eyes and tilting her head up toward the sky. Admittedly, she felt a lot better now. It was like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, allowing her to breathe and think more easily. The path ahead was still long and hard, but it seemed clearer now. If she wanted to avoid more pain, she had to move forward, and that was exactly what she was going to do. Chapter 280 Graduation Chapter 280 Graduation With a nervous breath, Melina adjusted her ck graduation gown as she sat among rows of other witches and vampires in the school''s huge auditorium. She couldn''t believe that she had actually made it here. Her examinations hadn''t been easy at all, testing her to her very limits, but she passed. She gave it her all, and she was rewarded with the opportunity to graduate. Tyler had "dropped out" so that he could watch her graduation from the stands. With what he did, he didn''t need this fancy boarding school. He was already trained, having more strength and control than the majority of vampires in the school. Melina turned around in her seat, peering into the seats above the ground floor of the auditorium and soon spotting Tyler as he sat in one of the many rows. He was the only person there for her today, but that was her decision. Benjamin would''ve been here, but that wasn''t in the cards. It killed her a little on the inside, but she wanted to believe that he was watching over her from somewhere. It helped put her mind at ease. Tyler waved at Melina with a proud smile on his face. Melina waved back, feeling her heart flutter. She couldn''t get over how in love with him she was. He was a huge part of her entire world, and she never wanted to lose him. Their journey together as a protective unit started soon, and she was excited to try something new and hit the road. It would make her feel safer to be away from this ce and away from ric, wherever he was. Thankfully, she hadn''t heard anything from him. The weird happening stopped at school, which she suspected was ir or another follower''s doing. She hated that they terrorized the entire school just because of her, but at least that was over for now. There was a brief moment of peace, and Melina was determined to enjoy it while itsted. She wished that she could settle down with Tyler somewhere, but their rtionship was still fresh. They loved each other, but they still had plenty to learn about each other. Traveling around and warding away danger from innocent people would only bring them closer together and strengthen their trust for one another since they would have to rely on each other. So, she looked forward to the long journey ahead. It wasn''t like she felt safe enough to settle in one ce yet anyway. Finally, President Kavon walked onto the stage in front of the graduates and spoke into the microphone. "Graduates, we couldn''t be prouder of what you have aplished and learned here during your time here. You''re some of the brightest, strongest vampires and witches in the country, and I hope you go forward and use your powers wisely," President Kavon said, his voice echoing throughout therge auditorium. Melina smiled to herself as she faced the stage, anticipation filling her. She couldn''t wait to walk across that stage. She had dreamed about this moment ever since she was enrolled into the school. Now, she was finally here. It had been a long journey, but she was grateful for what she learned and some of the people that she met. There were some experiences and people that she could''ve gone without, but those things just made her even more grateful for the good things in her life. President Kavon went through his whole speech about being a good little witch or vampire and not ruining society. It seemed like a fitting talk since Melina''s biggest enemy was a demon that wanted to run the world his way. She wondered what ric was doing right now. He was either killing someone or making someone''s life miserable. At least he hadn''t taken this away from her. She would rather have Benjamin back than a graduation, though. "Graduates, pleasee forward," President Kavon finally announced. Melina snapped out of her thoughts about ric, not wanting even the thought of him to soil this special day for her. She had made it here after years of hard work. She wasn''t going to let him be a part of this day in the slightest. She stood up and lined up with the other graduates, shuffling forward as the line moved. When she reached the top step of the stairs that led to the stage, Melina felt her eyes burn slightly. She made it. She waited for her name to be called before she walked over to the President, epting a scroll from him that stated her graduation from the school. "Congrattions," President Kavon told her with a warm look. Melina smiled gratefully at him, shaking his hand before turning and walking off the stage. She looked up at the stands and held up her school to show Tyler, who stood and pped for her. With a blush on her face, she went back to her seat, staring down at her scroll the entire time to make sure that it was real. It seemed like it was too good to be true, but it was real. She graduated. When the ceremony concluded, Melina rushed through the crowd of graduates, families, and friends to find Tyler. The moment that she saw him, she jumped on him, wrapping her arms and legs around him as he caught her. Sheughed into his neck, squeezing him tightly. "I did it!" she said. She couldn''t help but cheer for herself. She knew how hard she worked to get to this moment. She was proud of herself, and she deserved to be. Tyler gave her a yful spin before setting her down. "I''m so proud of you, baby," he told her as he cupped her face. He leaned forward and kissed her passionately, holding her close as they melted into each other. "Thank you for being here for me," Melina told him sincerely once they parted. It meant the world to her that he cheered for her in the stands. She had been upset this morning because she missed Benjamin so dearly. He was supposed to be here too, but she knew that he would''ve been proud of her. "Wherever you want me to be, that''s where I''ll go," Tyler promised her. Chapter 281 The Promise Chapter 281 The Promise "I did it!" she said. She couldn''t help but cheer for herself. She knew how hard she worked to get to this moment. She was proud of herself, and she deserved to be. Tyler gave her a yful spin before setting her down. "I''m so proud of you, baby," he told her as he cupped her face. He leaned forward and kissed her passionately, holding her close as they melted into each other. "Thank you for being here for me," Melina told him sincerely once they parted. It meant the world to her that he cheered for her in the stands. She had been upset this morning because she missed Benjamin so dearly. He was supposed to be here too, but she knew that he would''ve been proud of her. "Wherever you want me to be, that''s where I''ll go," Tyler promised her. Melina chewed on her bottom lip for a moment as she looped her arms around his neck. "Is that job for us still lined up for next month?" she asked him. Tyler had already started looking for jobs for them to work together, which she was excited about. She would be able to practice her magic and learn more spells. Even if she wasn''t going to be in school any longer, she still wanted to keep learning. That was what would make her stronger. Tyler nodded as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "It''s all set up, and we get to take a trip to Seattle," he said with an excited grin. "I''ve never been there before," Melina told him. She honestly hadn''t traveled much of anywhere. Benjamin didn''t let her go far, but she understood why. The closer she was to him, the safer she was. Without him here, her world felt partially empty. Nothing would be able to fill the hole that he left behind. Honestly, she wasn''t looking to fill it. Nothing could rece him. "I''ll take you everywhere. We''ll have a new adventure together every day," Tyler promised her with adoration in his eyes. It meant a lot to Melina that he was taking care of all this for them. She was new to this lifestyle, and she was diving into it. It helped to have someone who knew how to tread these waters at her side. She wasn''t afraid of drowning as long as he was with her. "That sounds amazing," Melina said, already looking forward to going. She didn''t know how long they would travel for. She knew that she needed to be moving for at least a few years to keep ric off her trail. She didn''t want him to keep tabs on her. Maybe he would just forget about her and someone else would take him down. It was wistful thinking, though. She would keep moving until she felt safe enough to settle down, and she had no idea when that would be. "We can do a little traveling before Seattle, though. We can just have fun," Tyler suggested since they would have time before their first job together. Melina nodded. She needed to experience some fun after the semester she just had. Therapy wouldn''t be a bad option either. "That sounds nice. There''s one thing that I want to do first, though," she told him. She didn''t want to put their ns on hold, but she had a responsibility to take care of. She promised herself that she would. "What''s that?" Tyler asked. "I think I''m ready to meet my real parents," Melina replied, drawing in a steadying breath after the words left her. She hadn''t been sure when she would feelfortable enough to say those words, but she felt like she was ready. She wanted to see them at least once before she disappeared for a while. Tyler gave her aforting smile as he nodded. "Alright. Once you get finished up here, we''ll take a little road trip over there," he told her. Melina gave him a grateful look. His support made her feel so much more at ease. She would''ve been too nervous to go see them alone, but he helped fuel her courage. "Want to go celebrate? I have to clear out my dorm tomorrow," she asked him as she lifted her eyebrows at him. "We''ll put it to good use one more time tonight," Tyler chuckled, giving her waist a teasing squeeze. Melina ced her forehead against his, sharing a smile with him. A part of her was sad to leave this ce, but a new journey awaited her and Tyler. She knew that moving forward was the best possible thing for her to do, even if there were obstacles up ahead. She had learned a lot over this semester, and she had grown stronger from her experiences. It was time to put her to the test, but she was doing this of her own ord. No one else ran this game but her. She made the rules. She pressed start. She didn''t want to let anyone else run her life but her. Maybe she was being forced to run, but she was going to make the situation into a journey. She was going to see new ces, meet new people, and learn new things. It would be good for her, and it was what Benjamin would want for her too. "I love you," she told him. Her heart fluttered each time she said it and each time that she heard it said back to her. The best part of the journey ahead was thepany that she would have with her. She couldn''t wait to make and share countless memories with him. There was so much out there for her to see and experience. She was itching to go ahead and go. "I love you, baby," Tyler said, gazing into her eyes lovingly. "Come on. It''s time to celebrate." Melina smiled and took his hand, letting him whisk her off. A whole new life awaited her, and she nned to run toward it, not away from it. Her pain was in the past where it belonged. It hurt to let go, but it allowed her to move forward into the future where she needed to head. Big things were waiting for her, and they would appear when she least expected them. Chapter 282 Future Chapter 282 Future Twelve yearster "He''s going downstairs! Stop him, Mel!" Tyler''s voice sounded throughout the two-story house. Melina ran through the kitchen toward the foyer, hearing loud footsteps as the witch they were chasing made a run for the door. She darted into the hallway, looking toward the open front door to see the witch running for it. Narrowing her eyes, she swiped her hand, mming the door shut from ten feet away. She snapped her fingers, locking the door to keep the witch from escaping. The witch was anky, young man with anger issues and a grudge against Tyler and Melina''stest client. He had tried to nt a spell bag in their client''s room, but Melina easily sensed its dark magic. They hadn''t been able to trap the witch until now. Finally, they could take care of him. "You bitch!" the witch shouted before whirling around, preparing to cast a harmful spell at her. Melina prepared to defend herself with a defensive spell, standing her ground as she faced him. She didn''t scare that easily. She had been struck with numerous spells, knocked off her feet by ruthless vampires, and even broken a few bones from tough fights. She was resilient, though. The job needed to be finished. Before the witch could lift his hand, Tyler darted down the stairs at vampiric speed, mming his hand against the witch''s chest so hard that he flew through the door. The wood splintered upon impact. He stepped through the hole where the door was, walking over to the witch''s lifeless body. His chest and heart had been crushed from the blow. Melina followed Tyler, moving to his side and staring down at the witch. Good thing that they were at a house in the middle of nowhere. The neighbors would''ve been extra disturbed by this sight tonight. "I''ll take care of the spell bag if you take care of the body," she told him with a sugary sweet smile. Tyler chuckled, shaking his head at her. "Fine. Then, we''re going out on a date. We deserve it after dealing with this tough bastard," he muttered, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked down at the witch. "Sounds like a n," Melina quipped. She pecked Tyler on the cheek before heading back into the house to destroy the spell bag. Another job was finallypleted. She couldn''t count how many they had done over the years. It became like second nature. Of course, Melina hadn''t expected to live on the road and protect innocent lives from evil supernatural beings for twelve years, but that was how life had yed out. She continued to move around, not wanting to stay in one ce until she was sure that ric wasn''t a threat any longer. About a year ago, he seemed to have just disappeared. Maybe the threat was gone. Maybe she could finally settle down with Tyler like they always hoped to. It almost felt too good to be true, but she was ready to get a house and maybe even start a family. She enjoyed her job with Tyler, but she wanted to experience a new adventure with him. She decided to bring it up at dinner, wanting to know what Tyler thought about finally settling down. It was a risky decision, which was why they hadn''t done it yet. Whenever they tried to put down roots, something weird happened somewhere in the country that had ric written all over it. Murders, disappearances, cult-like gatherings and happenings. He had been busy for years getting stronger, but Melina had gotten stronger too. Over the years, she kept practicing magic, using it for her job and personally too. She learned new spells and made sure she was kept sharp on old ones. If ric ever decided toe after her, she would be as ready as possible. So far, he hadn''t made a move, so she couldn''t help but think that the threat had finally passed. As Melina and Tyler sat in a booth in the back corner of a sushi restaurant, food was thest thing on her mind. She picked at her dragon roll, unable to stop thinking about the decision that she wanted to make. She was still unsure, though. "What''s wrong? You''ve hardly touched your food," Tyler asked from across the table, giving her a concerned look. Melina gave him aforting smile, reaching her hand out to take his. She didn''t want him to worry. He had stood by her side all of these years, loving her and protecting her. Her parents had made a good decision by choosing him to be her protector. After meeting her parents after graduation, it became obvious to her that they did care for her. Their decision to separate their twins and give Melina to Benjamin while keeping her brother, Elias, had nearly crushed them. However, their care for their children was stronger than their sadness about separating them. It had been for the best. After everything that Melina experienced rting to ric, she understood their decision, even if it had been a heartbreaking one. She had only seen them a few times over the past twelve years, but each visit was warm and weing. She just couldn''t see them all that often because she was busy with her job, and she didn''t want to identallye across Elias if he decided to randomly visit. He had been known to pop up randomly. She was allowed to see pictures of him, and she could tell that they were twins. They had the same hair and smile. It pained her that she couldn''t ever meet him, but she didn''t want ric to put his sights back on them. "I think ric is finally gone," Melina told Tyler. "Why do you think that?" Tyler asked her. "Nothing has happened in a year. No one has seen him or his followers. I think someone killed him, or he just gave up and went into hiding," Melina replied with a hopeful look on her face. Chapter 283 Family Chapter 283 Family He had been known to pop up randomly. She was allowed to see pictures of him, and she could tell that they were twins. They had the same hair and smile. It pained her that she couldn''t ever meet him, but she didn''t want ric to put his sights back on them. "I think ric is finally gone," Melina told Tyler. "Why do you think that?" Tyler asked her. "Nothing has happened in a year. No one has seen him or his followers. I think someone killed him, or he just gave up and went into hiding," Melina replied with a hopeful look on her face. "That would be nice if that was the case," Tyler said with a nod. "It''s just so hard to know for sure." "I''m just so ready to settle down with you. It''s been years, Ty. Don''t you think we deserve to get a house, get married, have kids?" Melina asked him with a hopeful look on her face. She had wanted these things for so long, but they put off a normal life to stay on the run and help other people. She believed that it was time for them to pay attention to their own lives now. "I really want that, baby. I just want us to be safe too," Tyler replied with a soft expression. "Let''s dig around a little and make sure first." "Then we can talk about finding a ce to settle down?" Melina asked with a pleading smile. She was so ready for a new adventure. She had enjoyed these years bing stronger and helping people, but she was ready for a change in pace. She wanted to wake up in a house of their own to the sound of their kids ying. "Yes," Tyler chuckled. Melina thanked him profusely before leaning across the table and pecking him on the lips happily. She really hoped that they didn''t find any trace of ric when they went looking for him. If there was no trace of him, she was going to settle down atst. "Are we sure about kids, baby?" Tyler asked her. His voice was cautious. Melina narrowed her eyes slightly as she stared at him. After all their conversations about possible baby names and parenting methods they would use, he was really going to ask her that. It didn''t make any sense. "What do you mean? I thought you wanted kids too," she asked him, feeling her heart ache slightly. She really wanted kids. She wanted her own family that was normal and not built off lies. She loved and appreciated her own family, but she wanted one of her own now. She wanted her own shot at being a mother. "I do, but if we have kids, they might end up as hybrids. Vampire¡­ witch," Tyler pointed out as he gestured between the two of them. "I''m just worried that they''ll be cursed with something like you and your brother. I don''t want to have to send off my kids if things get dangerous. That would kill me." Melina frowned as she lowered her eyes, understanding where he wasing from. It was a valid concern that she hadn''t really thought of. She didn''t want her kids to be raised off lies and then grow up with a skewed sense of family. She wanted to raise them to be strong and kind, and she wanted to always be in their lives. "I mean¡­ I''m not a hybrid," she told him. Only Elias was the hybrid, which she wondered what that was like. She wondered what kind of powers he had and if he could control them well or not. It wasn''t like she could ask him, unfortunately. She was just left wondering and keeping her distance from him so that he could continue to live his great life as a businessman. "You have special blood, though. It runs through you. It''ll run through them," Tyler replied. Melina sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. She didn''t realize that this was going to be soplicated. Now, she didn''t know what she was going to do. "If ric is truly gone, it won''t matter if they''re hybrids. They won''t be in danger," she told him. ric was the only danger around, and he didn''t even seem to be around any longer. "Yeah, I know. I just want to make sure that he''s gone before we make any big decisions," Tyler said. Melina quietly nodded, knowing that was a smart move. They didn''t need to do anything drastic until they were sure that they were going to be safe. They didn''t need to mess up after so many years of being careful. She wanted that cute family life, so she was going to make sure that was never threatened. Tyler got up from his side of the booth and moved to sit next to her, putting his arm around her shoulders. He used his free hand to ce on her cheek, drawing her eyes to his. "Hey, I want a family as much as you. We''re going to make it happen one day, okay? I promise," he told her. Melina smiled at him, leaning into his side. That was all that she needed to hear to feel better. She just wanted him to be onboard with everything so that they could work together to build the life that they wanted. "I love you," she said. She meant those words every single time she said them, even after all these yearster. Hell, she meant them even more. They had gotten so close to each other, getting to know every little thing about each other. He knew her better than she knew herself at times. "I love you. Now, eat," Tyler told her, pecking her check yfully before moving back to his own side of the booth. Melina finally started to actually eat her sushi. She felt more at ease, but her mind was still racing. They had to check multiple sources to make sure that ric was really gone. That meant poking around in dangerous ces. She was willing to take the risk, though. The reward was worth it in the end. Chapter 284 The fight Chapter 284 The fight After two weeks of poking around and trying to find information on ric, Melina and Tyler believed that they finally got a lead on one of ric''s followers or ex-followers. People didn''t know much about ric or his whole operation. He was incredibly secretive, which made Melina and Tyler''s job even harder. However, a friend of a friend always knew someone or something. "He usually frequents Bar 99," Tyler said as they got ready in the motel room that they got for their stay in Columbus, Ohio. They were here to track down ric''s follower, demand information from him, and then make a decision on what to do next based off what they heard. Melina listened to Tyler as she got ready in the bathroom, leaning close to the mirror to put on her makeup. They had to dress like normal bar patrons. She opted for a pair of ck skinny jeans and a white blouse. Pants were easy to fight and run in. She didn''t want a fight to happen tonight, but she was always prepared for one just in case. "It would be nice if he didn''t like ric anymore and spilled some secrets," Melinamented. She doubted that would happen, but she tried to be optimistic. It got her through the rough days. So much darkness had followed her through the years. She learned to keep following the light and soaking it up whenever she could. Her optimism was her best weapon against her dark thoughts. "I hope so," Tyler said, adjusting the cor of his short sleeve button down shirt as he walked into the bathroom. He fixed his short hair in the mirror, brushing his fingers through the blonde strands. "The contact that knows him said he''s a quiet guy, but we''ll see what we can get out of him." Melina was surprised that they found someone willing to point them in the right direction. It took a little bribery, but it was worth getting the information that they needed. She finished up her lipstick before cing the tube back on the bathroom counter, taking another look at herself and figuring that was good enough. "I really hope ric is gone," she told him, peering at him through the reflection. Tyler wrapped his arm around her waist, drawing her close to his side. "Me too. It''s been fun running around with you, but I''m ready to stop too," he said before kissing her on the top of her head. Melina smiled at the sweet touch. She turned to face him, taking his hands. "We''ve got this," she told him. Before they did anything that could possibly be dangerous, they always took a moment to hold each other, to take one more look at each other. There was no telling what could happen when they stepped out the door. Tyler smiled back and nodded. "We''ve got this," he repeated her words. He started to lean toward her to kiss, but they jumped away from each other when they heard a loud bang from the door of their motel room. He hurried out of the bathroom just in time to see the door get kicked down by three men. "Heard you were looking for ric. He sends his regards," one of the men smirked. His hair was blonde and twisted into spikes, a leather jacket adorning his muscr body. The other two men, one with shaggy hair and the other with a shaved head, looked just as big and intimidating. They were obviously vampires. Melina moved to Tyler''s side, feeling her heart rate spike. Panic threatened to creep in, but she focused, knowing that she had to defend her and Tyler from this unexpected threat. "Who are you?" she demanded. "Well, I told you toe here and visit my buddy," the blonde man said as he patted the bald man''s shoulder. Melina''s eyes widened when she realized that this had all been a trap. They had been tricked, and theynded right where ric and his followers wanted them to be. "We can''t kill the witch, but we''re supposed to take care of you," the man with shaggy hair said as he red at Tyler. All of Melina''s fear melted away, being reced by anger. She refused to let them kill Tyler. She would die defending him if she had to. She stepped in front of Tyler, waving her hand and sending amp toward the man with shaggy hair. The shaggy-haired man cried out as the ceramicmp shattered against his head. He dropped down to his knees, sharp pieces sticking out of his face. When the blonde man ran at Melina, Tyler pushed past her to tackle the man, sending them both crashing to the floor. Melina looked up at the bald man, letting Tyler handle the blonde man. She jumped onto the bed closest to her, waving her hand to make the sheets on the second bed wrap around the bald man. She moved her hands in an outward motion, tightening the sheets around the man so much that he struggled to breathe. She red at him, hearing him gasp for breath before falling to the ground, passed out. She didn''t get to revel in victory long before the shaggy-haired man grabbed her ankle and yanked her down onto the bed. She struggled as he climbed on top of her, pinning her down. She turned her head to see Tyler and the blonde man still wrestling on the ground, trying to overpower each other. She looked back up at the shaggy-haired man, trying to free her wrists from his hands. "Not so fast, beautiful," the man sneered at her, enjoying watching her struggle beneath him. "I might have some fun with you after we take care of your little boyfriend." Anger burned through Melina. She wasn''t going to scream her way through it, though. She was going to kill the man on top of her. She looked up at the man, staring into his eyes and concentrating. She had a new spell that she wanted to try out. Chapter 285 Her twin Chapter 285 Her twin The shaggy-haired man started choking. He struggled through the sensation, which waspletely fake and a mind trick. With an angered growl, he grabbed Melina''s throat, tightening his grip on her until it nearly felt crushing. Now, Melina couldn''t breathe. She gasped for air, hearing Tyler''s shout from the floor as the blonde man pinned him down. It had to be the end for both of them. They fought as hard as they could, but they could only do so much against three vampires. ck dots started to fill her vision. She prepared to slip into darkness, but she heard an unfamiliar voice from the doorway of the motel room. "Alright, that''s enough." Suddenly, the shaggy-haired man was thrown off her. Melina reached up to ce her hand on her throat, sucking air back into her lungs with a pained grimace. She snapped back to reality and looked over at Tyler, preparing to jump up and help him. However, he was on the floor recovering as well. She looked forward to see the bodies of the other vampires at the feet of a man that she had never seen before. Tyler forced himself to his feet, wavering slightly as he fought to keep his bnce. He ced his hand on Melina''s shoulder. "Are you okay?" he asked her, checking on her first before dealing with stranger who saved their lives. Melina nodded with wide eyes. She couldn''t believe how close they had been to dying. She knew that they would be close one day. They had already been close a few times, but she didn''t expect that to happen tonight. She had no idea that they had been betrayed. She looked over at the man, who was trying to wipe the blood off his hands. The man''s hair was dark brown and split into a side part. He wore a white button down and dark cks, looking professional for a man who just killed two vampires with ease. He had to be a vampire himself. He had the strength of one. "Who are you?" Melina managed to say, her throat aching from the effort. She was lucky that her neck hadn''t been crushed. The man looked between the two as he rested his hands on his hips. "I''m Scott, your cousin," he introduced himself with a bold grin. Melina''s eyes widened in shock. She hadn''t heard of a Scott in the family before, but she was sure that she had a lot of family history to catch up on. She wondered how he even found her. Scott took a step closer to her. "We need to talk." ******* Just in case more of ric''s followers were sent to the motel room, Scott, Melina, and Tyler left the motel, opting to go to ate night diner to hide out and talk. Melina was devastated at the fact that ric was obviously still around and up to no good. She really thought that she could finally start a family with Tyler. Now, she just felt stupid for thinking that. ric was a powerful, maniptive being. Of course, he wouldn''t just give up. He disappeared for a strategic reason, and she felt like she poked the bear. She couldn''t fight off the fear that she felt now. Things were turning dark again, and no amount of light could fight off its descent. "How did you find us?" Tyler asked as he and Melina sat across from Scott. Scott swirled a spoon around in his coffee, looking as casual as could be. "I have my connections. I''ve actually had my eye on you for a minute now, Melina. You''re all over the ce," hemented, keeping his eyes on his spoon. "I was told to keep moving until I felt safe enough to stop," Melina replied. It looked like that n went out the window the second they started poking around where they weren''t supposed to. It crushed her that things were dangerous for them again. She had been enjoying the peace. "Well, don''t stop now," Scott scoffed as he shook his head. "ric is about to make some big moves. He''s already found out about your brother." Melina''s eyes widened with shock as dread loomed over her like a dark cloud. She had hoped that Elias would be able to live his life without ever having to worry about ric. She supposed that had been wistful thinking. If ric managed to find her, she should''ve known that he would be able to find her brother. "So, you know about us and what would happen if we were together?" Melina asked Scott. ording to her parents, only they and Benjamin knew about Melina and Elias'' joined power. They never mentioned a cousin knowing anything. "Well, I wasn''t supposed to find out. I overheard a conversation and did some digging. Now, I know everything," Scott said with a coy smile. "Does Elias know about me? About anything?" Melina asked. Scott shook his head. "Not yet. I expect that''ll be a big shock to him as it was to you," he chuckled before sipping on his coffee. Melina couldn''t believe that Elias still didn''t know about her. He had a lot of family lies and drama to catch up on. Apparently, she still hadn''t learned everything that there was to know, but Scott seemed to be a spout of constant information. "Why are you here?" Tyler asked, getting down to business. He ced his hand on Melina''s knee in a protective manner. Scott looked over at Melina. "I came here to bring you to your brother," he responded. Melina blinked her eyes a few times, not able to speak at first as she tried to process his words. She thought that she would never see her brother. Now, Scott wanted to bring her to him. "Aren''t we not supposed to do that? ric will sense our power ande after us," she asked. She didn''t want to fan the mes when things were already terrible. Chapter 286 Join forces Chapter 286 Join forces "ric is going to destroy the world as we know it. Humans will be enved or killed. Supernatural beings will be forced to obey everymand that ric gives," Scott said as he rested his hands together on the table in front of him. "ric knows about you two. He obviously can easily find you, and it''ll be easier for him to kill both of you if you''re apart." Melina looked down at the table, trying to process everything. What Scott said made sense, but it was still a lot for her to take in. She felt threatened since ric found her so easily. She basically waved a g to let him know where she was at. It had been a stupid move. Now, ric also knew about her brother. It was a terrible situation for both of them. "Why do you want them to join together?" Tyler asked, squeezing Melina''s knee for stability. "Well, they''ll be stronger together. He''s going toe for them, whether they''re together or apart. However, I''m guessing he would prefer the bigger challenge of both of them fighting him together. He likes his games," Scott muttered thest part with a shake of his head. "When hees for them, they have a shot at killing him." Melina shook her head in disbelief. She couldn''t see herself killing ric. She had gotten much stronger over the years, but she wasn''t strong enough to take on a demon. She had no idea how strong Elias was either, so who said they could take ric down? It sounded like a suicide mission, and she wasn''t looking to die anytime soon. "It won''t work. We won''t be strong enough," she replied. "It sounds too dangerous," Tyler agreed with her, staring at Scott hard. Scott scoffed and shook his head. "I don''t think you realize how terrible things will get if rices into power. He''s nearly there. He''s been wiping out powerful contenders left and right, and you''ll be next on his list before you know it. Don''t you want a fighting chance? Don''t you want to remove this threat from the world so that you don''t have to worry about him anymore?" Scott asked. Melina fell silent, reflecting on his words. She knew that he had a point, but it was still a longshot. Plus, ric woulde after her and Elias quickly once they found each other. They could get killed before they were even prepared to fight, and she didn''t believe that she would ever feel prepared enough to fight ric. She couldn''t erase the memory of him killing Benjamin. It never left her mind. If not, good luck," he said before cing a five-dor bill on the table for the coffee. He then stood up and walked out of the diner, leaving Melina and Tyler alone in the booth. "I don''t know. This is¡­ crazy," she breathed out as she shook her head. She could hardly think straight. Scott sighed and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a pen and then grabbed a napkin. He wrote down an address and them slid it across the table to her. "This is where I''m staying tonight. I check out tomorrow at eleven. If you decide that you want to join forces with your brother against the ultimate threat of evil,e find me before then. If not, good luck," he said before cing a five-dor bill on the table for the coffee. He then stood up and walked out of the diner, leaving Melina and Tyler alone in the booth. "It''s a crazy n, right? It wouldn''t possibly work," Melina said as she looked over at Tyler, wanting his input. She trusted him. She didn''t know Scott or trust him yet, even if he saved her. She had to be cautious. She had been betrayed and tricked so many times in her life. Tyler remained silent for a few moments before shrugging. "It''s insane. It could be a suicide mission," he agreed with her. Melina let out a heavy breath as she nodded. She figured that he thought as much. She had never met her brother before, and Scott expected them to fight the ultimate threat together. She had no idea how that would even work. It probably wouldn''t work in the first ce, which made her feel so wary about taking the risk of going to him. Their lives would implode if they saw each other. "But it''s also the best shot at destroying ric," Tyler finished his thought. Melina''s head whipped around to stare at him in shock. She didn''t expect him to agree with this at all. It would be dangerous for both of them, and they were trying to avoid suicide missions. She couldn''t start a family with him if they were dead. Then again, she couldn''t safely raise a family with him if ric was still around either. She was trapped in a corner with no clear escape. "You want me to do this?" Melina asked him. If she was honest with herself, she was terrified of facing ric. She could face other witches and vampires for jobs without much fear, but ric was a whole different league from them. He was a true threat that could kill her with ease. Tyler sighed as he angled his body to face her better. "I don''t know. It''s dangerous, but we want ric gone from our lives. If you guys are the best shot, maybe it''s a risk worth taking," he pointed out. Melina needed some air. She slipped out from the booth and walked outside of the diner, breathing in the cool air as her chest threatened to tighten. She couldn''t believe that she was in this situation. Nothing could ever be peaceful or normal. Something messed up andplicated always had to happen. It sickened her. It made her want to roll over and give up at times. What was the point if she was doomed to die at ric''s hands? Tyler followed Melina out and stood beside her quietly for a few minutes. He then finally spoke. "The decision is up to you. I''ll support anything you decide to do," he assured her. Chapter 287 I’m in Chapter 287 I¡¯m in Melina felt her eyes water as she stared out at the quiet road ahead of the diner, watching cars pass by in the night. The answer was clear to her, but she was too afraid to say it out loud. She didn''t want this situation to be real to her because then the threat would be even more real. Like what ric told her in her nightmare so long ago, she could run and hide, but he would always find her. "Thank you," she told Tyler quietly. At least she wasn''t alone in this. No matter what, Tyler would have her back. She just wished that he wouldn''t be dragged into this mess with her. He didn''t deserve that, but she knew that she could never get him to leave. He would be by her side now, and he would be by her side in the ground. That was what they had promised to each other. Tyler put his arm around her shoulders, drawing her close as they stood there together in silence. He was just there for her, and that was all that she needed. His support meant the world to her, and it kept her going when she felt like giving up because she didn''t want to give up on him and let both of them down. "I wonder what Elias is like," Melinamented. She wondered about this all the time. Was Elias a lot like her, or was hepletely different? Her parents told her a few details, but they didn''t tell her much. She had a feeling that they were afraid that she was going to try to track him down on her own ord. Even if she wanted to, she never did. "You could find out," Tyler pointed out. Melina smirked and rolled her eyes at him. That wasn''t the answer that she was looking for, even if that was the best answer to her question. She knew that she could learn about her brother by actually meeting him. She wanted to see him, but she was afraid of the aftermath that would follow. She didn''t want to meet him only for them to die soon after, along with the people that they loved. It seemed too painful, too unfair. "He''s a hybrid. I could see what that''s like for him in case our kids are like him," she murmured quietly. She was scrambling to find the silver linings in this situation. They were faint, but they were there. She just had to dig deeper to find them. "He''s been able to live a happy, normal life. That''s a good indicator," Tyler replied, rubbing her arm gently. Melina smiled a little at that. He did have a point. She wondered if Elias had a special someone in his life or if he had a family of his own. The thought of even being an aunt excited her. Maybe that was silly, but she wanted a family so badly. "I already know that you''re going to say no, but you don''t have toe with me if I do this. It''s my fight, not yours," she said. Tyler turned his head to give her a pointed look. "We''re a team. Your fight is mine, and it''s our life. I want to be with you every step of the way," he said with a firm tone to his voice. He wasn''t backing down. Melina looked up at him, meeting his gaze with a soft smile. She had a feeling that he was going to say that. She wasn''t going to argue either. She just wanted to give him the option because she loved him and wanted him to be safe. She would always wee him by her side because she felt safer and stronger with him beside her. "Okay," she said with a nod. That was settled. He would stick by her as she ventured down a path that unknown and dark. It wasn''t the first time that she had faced tough circumstances, but she hoped that this would be thest time that she would have her life threatened. Maybe that was wistful too. The tension in Tyler''s body faded away when he realized that she wasn''t going to fight him on this. A sigh drifted from him as he cupped the back of her head and kissed her on the forehead. "You and your brother are stronger together, but you and I are safer together," he pointed out to her. Melina nodded, agreeing with his point. They were a team. They belonged together. Having Tyler with her and her brother could boost their odds against ric too. She hoped that things worked out in the end, but she just couldn''t tell right now. Things were up in the air, but she had to make a decision soon. She turned and hugged Tyler, holding him tight. Tyler hugged her back, brushing his fingers through her hair gently. "Whatever you do, I''m right here," he reminded her. No matter what, he wasn''t ever going to leave her. They couldn''t stand to be without each other, not even for a day. Melina drew in a deep breath before burying her face in his chest, melting into his embrace and feeling at home there. Even if they never found a permanent home for themselves, it didn''t bother Melina too much because she felt at home whenever she was with him. It didn''t matter what state they were in or if they were sleeping in the car or in a motel. As long as she was with him, she was okay. It didn''t take long for them to find the hotel that Scott was staying in. They took an elevator up to the fifth floor and then ventured down a hallway covered with red carpet. They walked in silence, having already said to each other what they needed to say. The decision had been made, and there was no going back now that they were here. Melina stopped in front of Room 511. Scott could be asleep, but she didn''t care. There wasn''t time for sleep right now. There was time for action. ric could strike at any moment, and Melina wanted to give herself the best chance at survival. She knocked on the door, hearing shuffling inside until the door popped open. Scott peered out at them, a knowing grin already crossing his face. Melina nced at Tyler, who nodded. She then looked at Scott with a determined look on her face. "I''m in." THE END..... A/N: That''s how Melina meet Elias. This was just her background story. Thank you for your support and time spent on this book. See ya on my other books. love, Chichii. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!