Vampiric: Chapter Seven, Part 7

“So I take it your project is going better,” I stated, gazing steadily at her.

“Why do you ask that?”

“Because now you're referring to it as working for you instead of helping you.”

She bobbed her head, saying “You have an exceptional memory. You are so right for this job. And to answer your question, yes. You wouldn't believe how many blogs there are on us.”

“That's great!”

Caroline stared into the lid of her latte. “Why aren't you saying anything about it?”

“About what?” I had a sinking feeling I knew exactly what she was talking about.

“The kiss…from the last time I saw you;” her voice was soft and she wouldn’t meet my eyes.

“I don't…have anything to say,” I said, watching her. So it had happened. Hearing her bring it up now, I realized I had been silly to try to believe otherwise, but it was easier to deal with it believing it hadn’t occurred. “Except I don't understand why. It doesn't make sense to me.”

“I'm in the same boat;” she chuckled wryly. I think she was hoping to ease some of the tension the subject had brought with it. “I've never liked someone like you. All my exes were the tough, never let you in kind. They were hard and expected the same of me, so long as I was prettier.”

“C—Caroline, I mean—”

“I don't know what it is about you, Abs,” she said, quickly cutting me off; there was a note of aggravation mixing with confusion in her voice. “I think it started when I first met you, because you weren't afraid of me. Maybe it's because I think you might be braver than I am, or you’re not afraid to be seen as vulnerable…I don't know; but—I wanted to kiss you.”

Grabbing her hand—even though I wasn't sure it was the smartest thing to do—I said, “Caroline, I'm flattered, but there's someone already in my life. And I've loved him since I've met him.”

She gazed up at me, her eyes watery and red at the edges. “He’s a lucky guy,” she whispered, a slight curve to her lips though she looked pained. “I’m sorry…I should have known.”

“It’s all right. You were impulsive—you are impulsive,” I teased, hoping to cheer her up. No matter what our differences were, I didn’t like to see anyone hurt, especially if it was because of me.

Laughing, she said, “You’re right. My parents couldn’t stand it. But…can we still be friends?”

I squeezed her hand in reassurance; “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“So is this guy you like Drei?” she said, sitting back and appearing, for the most part, to be her usual self. The redness in her eyes was already fading. Though she was smiling, it didn’t quite reach her eyes and her breathing was still deep and slow.

Nodding, I added, “It’s complicated, though.”

“He’s got a few secrets of his own, I’m guessing;” she finished her mocha chai.

“Yeah,” I conceded, hating how she knew he had secrets, even from me. “But he’s pretty good about sharing when he needs to.”

“Careful, though;” she held my gaze and her tone reminded me of Valetta. “He seems like the type to let something build up and explode rather than get it off his chest when he can.”

Finishing my own chai latte, I assured her we were good. “For now at least.”

“Just be careful. He’s the biggest guy I have, and I don’t think the others would stand a chance against him.”

We laughed at that. Though it was still awkward between us, it was refreshing. I hadn’t had a friend like her before. She was something totally different, but it wasn’t such a bad thing anymore—now that she had proven she could be something other than pushy and curt. And Drei was right. We needed each other, even if it wasn’t exactly how he’d meant it.

Stepping into the sunlit street, we turned to each other. “This is a good sign,” she said, staring skyward for a moment. “The sun’s shining, so good things should be ahead for us.”

“Yeah.” I hoped it was true. I could really do with some more good things in my life, though I knew there was something not so good still to come. I was really beginning to hate that the sinking feeling in my stomach hadn’t gone away completely. For the moment, though, it was slightly more dormant that it had been, so I could be grateful for that. “I guess I’ll be seeing you soon, then?”

“Of course. I like being surrounded by people I like,” Caroline said, a joking tone to her voice. “Why do you think I have Ian?”

“Because he’s like your brother?” I didn’t understand the relationship between the two but vaguely remembered her comment a couple of months prior.

“Yeah;” she laughed, probably recalling she had told me that already. “He’s my best friend. We just really get each other.” Sighing—not in a depressed way though, more in a content, reminiscent way—she added, “He’s always been there for me. Whatever I needed, he tried his best to get; whenever I needed a shoulder to cry on, he’d remember the poncho.”

Laughing, I remarked, “That sounds like a great relationship to have.”

“It is;” she smiled to herself. “Didn’t you say you needed to get a purse?” she asked suddenly, returning her gaze to me, her eyes wide with the question. “You might want to hurry; I think I might have to call you soon.” She winked a bronze gem at me.

“I’m on my way now,” I assured her, smiling despite myself.

Bidding our farewells, we headed in different directions, disappearing into the crowds walking past. Caroline was a goof; who would have guessed? It seemed almost too crazy to be true. Thinking back on the past half year of my life, I realized everything had been that way. Just bordering on too insane to be believable, and yet it was all very much so.

I half-heartedly laughed to myself. “What have I gotten myself into?”