His fiancé had no idea whether he was being serious or not. “Too bad I won't miss your smartass-i-ness.”
“Good luck with the SATs.” He was chuckling softly. “Looks like you'll need it.”
In return, she chucked one of his jeans at him, but he caught it swiftly and without strain. She momentarily forgot about his out-of-this-world agility, and speaking of forgetting, she reminded him of their most recent unfinished conversation.
“You still haven't told me,” she left the statement hanging.
But Xavier immediately understood what she meant.
Turning to finally face him, she saw him bite at his bottom lip. He was contemplating whether to tell or not to tell. He shifted at her side, and to steady him, Adrienne nudged him lightly on the shoulder.
“You promised you were going to tell.” She stopped packing his things. “And you're leaving in a few hours.”
“Why are you so adamant about knowing?” he asked her curiously.
It was Adrienne's turn to think. Why was she pressuring him to tell her the reason he'd been so lively for the past few weeks? It wasn't her responsibility to keep herself up–to–date with the happenings in his life. She knew it just couldn't be all about curiosity. The pressure to know came from deep within her, so deep that she couldn't explain what it was exactly.
“Aidan and the others are going to be here in an hour or so. You're purposely stalling, aren't you?”
He sighed, knowing she wasn't going to give up.
“It's not that I'm stalling,” he answered quietly. “I just don't want to burden you with more problems.”
She was taken aback by that. The reason he was happy, was going to make her life harder? That didn't make sense. If this was his way of staying secretive, she was going to have to step up her game. “And what may these burdens be?”
Trying to be intimidating and bordering on seductive, she moved closer to him, the skin of her leg grazing his as well. Surprisingly, Xavier didn't move away. He held his gaze on her face, before dropping his eyes to look at her clasped hands.
Sighing he said, “I don’t want to burden you with my feelings,” before he ran a hand through his messy mop of black hair. Knowing that what he said confused his fiancé, he continued, not giving her time to question him. “I like yo–,” He shook his head. “No, I love you.”
She choked on air. “L, lo–love?” She was frozen beside him. “Xavier, that's a strong word,”
“I knew you'd react like this. That was why I didn't want to tell you,”
She nodded her head in understanding. “But I kept pushing you.”
Minutes passed, and they remained at each other's sides but never touching. She was still trying to grasp the idea of how he could harbor such strong feelings for her. It wasn't even like she was really nice to him most of the time. She’d been nicer lately, but in the beginning she’d been horrible. “How do you know?”
“I knew you long before you knew me,” he said, reminding her of how he protected and watched over her during the last few centuries. “I didn't love you as a man loves a woman then. But I knew you were mine. From the very first time I met you I knew that we were to be bound for time and all eternity. When I saw you again on your eighteenth birthday I was drawn to you even more. That was why I kissed you.”
Standing up, Adrienne walked over to the balcony where Xavier left her alone to think. She watched the sun sitting high in the late morning sky. She tried to think of an answer that wouldn't hurt Xavier. Yes, she was attracted to him, but that only reached the borders of physicality and she knew how vampires were when it came to love. Seconds turned to minutes, and after a while, the bulb in her brain lit up. She made her way back to his bed and propped herself up next to him.
“I know what you're looking for,” she started, tensing up. “But I can't give that, yet, so all I ask is time. You want something real. You don't deserve the attraction, the lust, I feel for you. That's why you have to come visit me, you have to come back.
He completed her sentence. “And that's when you'll give me your answer.”
She nodded smiling, happy that he wasn't offended with what she said. To alleviate her nervousness even more, he pulled her closer to him and began to embrace her. She gave in and leaned her head on the curve of his neck as she took in his scent.
“I'm sorry.”
“This is my home. I'm bound to come back.”
Still hugging, they were so completely immersed in the moment that they didn't hear the others. Aidan, Brianna, Yvonne, Tatiana, and Valerie witnessed the intimate hug the two shared, and blushing, Adrienne abruptly stood up before rushing to Brianna's side.
“Thank God you guys finally came,” Adrienne greeted, covering up her unease. “I was beginning to wonder what kind of friends Xavier had, you know, not showing up before he had to leave.”
“The sun was bothersome,” said Yvonne, annoyed with what she saw a while ago.
“Hangover,” Valerie and Tatiana answered simultaneously.
“We're here anyway.” That was Aidan. “So let's go get the party started!”
“We're supposed to be sulking not enjoying ourselves!” Brianna interjected.
“Bree's right,” Adrienne answered. “How about we get all-sentimental and cheesy and mushy?”
Xavier shook his head, not even considering the idea for a moment. He didn't know when he was going to come back. It could take a number of weeks, months even. He wanted his last day to be memorable. He turned to Adrienne and gifted her with a small but endearing smile.
“I know what to do,”
“This better be fun, Xavier.”
“I want to go to the park, not the forest but the park.”
“What?” The vampires, Adrienne excluded, screeched. “It's sunny, you're not going to enjoy it.”
“I want to be human,” he then answered, his eyes staying glued to Adrienne's.
“Xavier, seriously, you want to spend your last day at a park?”
Yvonne bit her lip in slight irritation. She was riled up by the fact that Xavier was acting like a crazed high school teenager, his feelings for Adrienne overpowering his senses. No vampire in his right mind would choose to go outside in the afternoon. The sun was high up in the sky, and Yvonne knew how hot a park could get. However, Xavier didn't care as long as he was with Adrienne, and Yvonne was annoyed by the fact that Adrienne didn't have to throw herself at him to make him love her. She just had to be herself, both human and vampire.
“What do you want, Ivy?” Xavier gave his full attention to the blonde vampire. “Run? Drink blood? Hunt?”
“Don't tell me she's hypnotized you already,” Yvonne whispered with her head bent down. “And she did it without even trying,”
“You better stop this, Ivy. My reason for going to the park has nothing to do with Adrienne. You, of all people, should know that.”
Yvonne bit back the tears that were threatening to escape her eyes. She was on the verge of crying because she was so annoyed with Adrienne's influence on Xavier. She knew from the moment Adrienne turned eighteen that Xavier would change. Before Adrienne was aware of Xavier's existence, it had always been Xavier–and–Yvonne. Even Aidan would tease the two of them, but Brianna, of course, didn't. Now that the tables had turned, Yvonne was so mad because her one, single imperfection—not having Xavier—overshadowed all her best qualities.
“No, I don't know that, Xavier.” She walked closer to him. “What I do know is that you've changed.” She then faced Adrienne. “And you can give yourself credit for that one, hun.”
The other woman smiled in return even though on the inside, she was dying to tear out Yvonne's blonde extensions. She didn't know how much Yvonne liked Xavier but it must have been tons, with the way she was treating Adrienne and the way she was still throwing herself at Adrienne's fiancé.
“I'll take that as a compliment,” answered Adrienne, grinning and winking. “Thanks, hun.”
On the brink of infuriation,
Yvonne stomped her foot before she punched the air. She let out a loud groan before she began the waterworks. Amidst her friends and enemies, she started to release the tears welling up in her eyes, and as a friend, Xavier walked over to the blonde and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“I don't need your pity, Xavier,” she said, her voice like acid, but she was slowly leaning onto his chest. “I don't deserve this.”
“Just accept it.” Adrienne was the one to answer. Her temper was also starting to rise. “Just be thankful that he's always there by your side even if you're an alpha bitch, sometimes.”
“But he's always with you.”
“Not anytime soon,” Adrienne said, turning her head to face Xavier.
At that moment, they locked gazes before both of their lips melted into small, discrete smiles. On the other side of the room, Adrienne remained standing as she furtively surveyed her fiancé, while he, on the opposite end of the room, grinned at her before going back to tend to Yvonne's whims.
“So I'm guessing going to the park is out of the question?” Brianna asked, sitting on Aidan's lap.
“I was looking forward to going on the swings.” Aidan smiled like an immature kindergartner. “And you know, pushing Bree off the swings and the monkey bars!”
“Barbaric much, Aidan?” Brianna asked as a tease. “You're going to injure me!”
“You two really are the cutest,” and that was Adrienne speaking as a third-party observer.
“Look who's talking,” Adrienne couldn't miss her best friend's suspicious smile. “The whole hiding-behind-the-bushes thing is so old school, but when it's you and Xavier, it turns into the sequel of The Notebook!”
“Shut up,”
“But it's so fun to tease you two!”
Yvonne and her posse rolled their eyes in distaste. Xavier, on the other hand, was smiling like the Cheshire-cat.
“You haven't told her, have you?” Xavier asked Adrienne, who in return shook her head.
“Tell me what?”
“I finally came out of the bushes.”
“He's gay?” Valerie asked. “No way!”
“You're gay?” Yvonne, Adrienne, Brianna, and Tatiana all asked in unison.
Everyone turned to look at Xavier who looked as confused as all of them. Of course he wasn't gay! No way in hell,
“That wasn't what I meant when I said, I came out.” He ran a hand through his hair. “You guys are sick and twisted.”
“So what did you really mean, huh?” That was Adrienne. “What did you exactly come out of?”
“Oh damn, Adrienne, are you playing with me?” She shook her head.
“So you really don't have a clue?”
“With the way she's twitching her eyebrows, it's a little bit obvious to say that she isn't telling a lie,” Valerie remarked, smiling arrogantly at her smartass reply.
Xavier scratched his head before he smiled an uncertain smile to himself. He started pacing across the room, hands in his pockets, but eyes glued only on one person. He had never given in this strong to his feelings, never ever. He could hide his emotions so well, but right now, he didn't even care if he looked and sounded ridiculous.
“I came out, telling Adrienne that I love her. I am beginning to realize how tough saying goodbye is going to be. It’s like hording memories,” he said, and the moment the words escaped his mouth, he looked up, towards the ceiling, afraid to face his fiancé.
“It's going to be harder for me to say goodbye. Dumbass,” she replied, her voice only a whisper.
“And what better way to say goodbye than at the park with your closest friends?” That was Brianna, who was chuckling evilly at her best friend and with her boyfriend.
Valerie and Tatiana, although hesitant at first, finally agreed to expose themselves under the sun thanks to Aidan's oozing sex appeal and his powers of persuasion. It was only Yvonne holding out now, but she was going to be a difficult rock to crack.
“It's Xavier's last day, Ivy.” Aidan wasn't even making an effort to sound sexy. He was too disgusted with the way the blonde kept throwing herself at his best friend. “Don't be a bitch, be a friend.”
“And suffer while Ms. Perfect here gets Xavier all to herself?” She was glaring daggers at the vampire princess. “No thanks. I'm out.”
“No,” Xavier started, sounding genuinely honest. “I want you to come.”
“But I don't want her,” She pointed a finger at Adrienne. “I don't want her there.”
Xavier frowned; disappointed with the way Yvonne was acting. As a friend, the least she could do was to pretend to be happy, but she couldn't even do that for him. She really was self-centered, but he still couldn't hate her. They were close friends, but evidently it wasn’t close enough.
“Then I'll see you when I see you, and I don't know when that will be.”
He smiled sheepishly at her before he exited the room with the rest trailing behind him. They all left Adrienne's residence as they walked to the park, chatting happily, but deep inside, they were all disappointed with the fact that they were going to have to say goodbye tonight.
* * * * *
“So Frederick's been forcing me to invite you to dine with us in Florence,” Henrietta began, narrating to Carter Stahl the events of her life. “But of course I had to tell my husband how busy you are with having to rule a kingdom and a school, but I don't think he understands that.”
“Because he just rules a kingdom,” Adrienne's father replied sarcastically.
“I don't think he understands the burdens we call teenagers.” Henrietta Kristofferson turned her head, so that she could eye the two passengers in the back seat. “No offense to you darlings.”
Xavier and Adrienne eyed each other before they broke into awkward grins.
“None taken.”
“Tell dear Frederick that I plan to visit Europe in a few months,” Carter Stahl then said. “He's been badgering me to accompany him on one of his hunting trips.”
Silence befell the passengers of the car, and even Adrienne knew why everyone looked so disappointed all of a sudden.
“But we all know you won’t be going hunting anymore,” was Henrietta's answer. “But hunting or not, you should still come and visit us.”
“Definitely, and I'll even bring Adrienne with me,” he answered. “How does that sound, Xavier?”
Said person looked at his fiancé, who was grinning embarrassingly at him. Adrienne's face, he could see, was slowly being tinted with red and pink hues, and because of her adorable state, he couldn't help but pat her head. Then, his hand trailed down her shoulder, then to her neck, until they finally rested over her clasped hands.
“I'll be happy to show her around Europe,” Xavier answered.
“I've always wanted to go to the Red Light District, you know.”
“Are you planning to apply for a job while you're there?” Xavier then teased.
“Now that you’ve suggested it.”
“You do know that your dad is here, right?” Xavier was grinning at her. “And that he can hear you?”
Adrienne nodded as she leaned further into her seat. She could already see the airport coming in to view and a few airplanes taking off and landing. She wondered which airlines Xavier and Henrietta were going on.
“Dad has always wanted me to get a job, right, Dad?”
“Don't push his buttons too far, kiddo,” was Carter Stahl's reply to her daughter's question. “His sense of humor isn't the same as yours.”
“What would you do, sir,” Xavier began, “if she were serious?”
“He would disown me on the spot,” Adrienne answered automatically.
“Damn right, kid.”
“I'd love to see you at boarding school, dear,” said Henrietta, softly laughing as she checked her bag to see if she had all her valuables in it. “The girls would be in a frenzy!”
“Oh don't worry!” She was already laughing with Xavier's mother. “Xavier will show them how to do things the American
way!”
“And you're proud that you've tainted my impeccable breeding?” Xavier's eyebrows rose suggestively. “Pfhhh. Americans.”
“You're one to talk,” Adrienne answered. “You're still one of us even if you're going back to your real home.”
“Oh, really—” he started
“This is the time to say goodbye, kids,” Carter Stahl interjected without feeling sorry about interrupting Xavier. “So make it special because you two don't know when you're going to see each other again.”
From the backseat, Adrienne and Xavier saw how their parents eyed each other mischievously as if the two of them had worked up a plan. With nothing to lose, the teenagers took advantage of the time they were given to say a proper farewell. They left the car and headed over to the spot where the trolleys were. With Adrienne leaning against a wall and waiting for him to say something, Xavier spoke up first.
“Thanks for everything, Adrienne,” he said, smiling. “You, uh, taught me things I never would have done if I hadn't met you. Things like carnivals, and that silly I Never game.”
“I'll just take that as something good.” She then winked at him.
“What I don't think I can thank you for is having you suck my blood,” he teased, messing up her hair.
“What a way to say goodbye, Xavier.”
“But seriously, thanks for a lot of things.” He looked at the car and saw Carter Stahl unloading the luggage. “I'll miss you.”
Slowly and nervously, he walked closer to Adrienne, his arms beginning to open to take her in for a hug. His heart was thumping loudly while her legs were starting to weaken. Should they hug? Give each other a peck on the cheek? On the lips? They didn't know what the right thing to do was, so they followed their instincts.
He brought her in as she fell into the warmth of his body. He pressed against her. She leaned her head on his chest for a few short seconds before she tilted her head up to be able to give him a small smile. Unsure but feeling brave, he bent his head down and placed a small, chaste kiss on her forehead before she moved her head to the side to plant a small peck on the skin right beside his lips.
“I'll see you in a month,” she said softly to him, her smile still in place.
Bleeding Love Page 16
