Chapter 26: Chapter-23

-Previously in DiT-

I started pushing him out of the window.

"Sweetheart, I'll break my bones." Victor blabbered.

"Just jump."

"You are first girl who wants me dead." He chuckled.

"You're the undead, remember?" I pushed him hard.

"Wait, I'll just make the portal." He took out the locket out of the shirt and shook it in front of my face.

"Okay," I nodded and stepped away from him. "Leave before your hunger takes over your head."

***

"What have I done it's too late for that. What have I become truth is nothing yet." Snow Patrol (Chocolate)

Chapter-23

-Karen-

When I woke up in the morning, I couldn't keep my eyes open. I was still damn sleepy and in love with the fluffy bed. Somehow the bed appeared more comfortable than it ever did. The time I spent doing the monotonous activities of morning was a blur. I was so sleepy that I couldn't remember if I had even brushed my teeth, when I sat down for the breakfast.

"Good morning, sweetie." Dad beamed at me as I descended the stairs.

"Why are you looking groggy?" Mom narrowed her eyes at me. "You didn't even say 'good morning' to me or your dad."

"Good morning, mom. Good morning, dad." I yawned. "I couldn't sleep well."

"Don't tell me you were studying all night for some test," She said. Oh, no mom, I was busy in kissing a blood thirsty vampire. "Or talking to Jon on phone."

"No, I wasn't talking to Jon." I rubbed my face. Gosh, I probably looked like a zombie. I don't know how girls in the movies managed to look beautiful and angelic after getting up. Real life was so unfair.

"I know you're stressed about your friend, Karen." Dad looked at me sympathetically. "I hope they find him soon."

There was a change in the tone of his voice when he said the last part. It suggested that he was hoping for the impossible. All the memories from last night came rushing in. Beth's terrified face, the cops and Xavier. Everything. I bit the inside of my cheek.

"Yeah, me too." I croaked.

"Here is your favorite cheese sandwich," Mom handed me the plate. "Have you called Beth?"

"No, I'll talk to her today if she comes to school, although I don't think she will. The detectives were going to question her about whatever she saw there." I took the bite of the sandwich. It was great. "Jon and I will pay her a visit after the school ends."

"How are you feeling about your graduation?" Dad asked.

I knew he was trying to cheer up my mood. I had to give it a try.

"Jon and I were really excited for the last year but after what has happened with Xavier, I don't know." I replied. "By the way, I met the student council president, Chloe Frank. She told me about the plans of the graduation party. She thinks I can help."

I know I skipped the detention part. C'mon who would keep that!

"That's a great way to socialize!" Mom exclaimed. "What are you kids planning?"

"Well, there are a lot of things in the list." I shrugged. "Can I have apple juice?"

"Sure," Mom passed me the juice carton. "Tell me about the list."

I poured juice into the glass.

"Let her take a sip first." Dad chimed in.

"It's kind of a secret party with no parents allowed policy." I took a sip immediately. "I can't tell you."

"Karen, I won't give you permission without knowing all the plans on the list." Mom threatened. "What if you kids started drinking?"

"They are practically adults." Dad said. Mom gave him a side eye. "But that doesn't mean they can drink."

"The party will be in a prom form. You will be able to bring a date," I said in a mechanical tone. "Then there are other events—"

"Whom are you going with?" Mom asked quickly. I had never seen her reply that fast. "Are you going with Jon?"

I had gone with Jon in junior prom. It was a disaster. Don't ask. I won't tell.

"Umm...no. Considering the fact that he has a girlfriend now, I don't think he will be interested in going with me anymore." I smiled. Maya and he really made a nice couple. "She is a cheerleader and a nice person."

"So you were just a backup?" Mom raised her eyebrows. "He was just using you?"

Dad coughed and I chocked on my apple juice at the very same time. That sounded hellishly wrong.

"Mom, he is my best friend." I couldn't help but frown. "I'm happy that he found someone who deserves him and not every boy best friend has to become a boyfriend at last. We have been together since forever. We're more like siblings."

If the past Karen was standing right here, she would have punched me on the face for saying this. But this was the truth and I had accepted it.

"Oh! I always thought you two were secretly dating." Dad looked disappointed.

"Just because you watch football with him doesn't make him perfect for me." I sighed. "I want a guy who gives his entire time to me, not some football game."

"You need to be practical." Mom said. "Even if you find a guy like that, it only works for some years of marriage." She gestured her hands at dad. "Don't expect too much."

I had to admit she was right. Even if people in books and movies loved each other dearly and supposedly went off to the setting sun with their happily ever after hovering above them, we never really got to know what happened after that. The question is; do they remain the same forever?

"I'm getting late." I finished the last of my sandwich. "See ya folks later."

"Yeah," Dad unfolded the newspaper.

"What are you wearing for the party?" Mom asked when she walked with me to the main door.

"Umm...clothes?" That earned a smooth glare. There was no joking around with mom. "A lovely dress you'll choose for me."

"That's better," Mom smiled and kissed my forehead quickly. "I'll make you look like a princess."

I nodded. I didn't want to look like a princess. Being a princess was boring. A witch could do it a lot better. If she stayed away from trouble. Or vampires.

I was surprised when I saw Jon waiting outside for me. He was staring on the road ahead, with backpack slung over his broad shoulder. His eyes were halfway closed and the bags under his eyes suggested that he hadn't slept well.

I could feel mom's gaze on us.

"Hey, Jon what's the matter?" I asked.

For a split second I thought he hadn't heard me.

"Oh hey, I was just thinking what went wrong with us this year. Everything was going fine and suddenly we're not the same anymore." He looked sad or confused. I couldn't tell. "Whatever happened yesterday kept haunting me all night. I should have asked Victor to hypnotize me too."

"I'm sure he would have made you forget yourself." I grinned, trying to lighten up his mood.

"You bet! That guy really hates me." Jon chuckled.

"I think we should take the bus." I said, "I'm too sleepy to walk."

"Sure, let's go."

After ten minutes of bus ride, I felt too lazy to get down. The seat was comfortable and don't even start with Jon's shoulder. He didn't move a bit while I sat with my head tilted on his shoulder, and it made me want to take a nap. Jon had to drag me out of the bus.

"The Karen I used to know was a very morning person." He commented as we walked towards the school gates. "Who are you, and what have you done with her?"

"I grilled her and ate her for dinner." I made a face. "I didn't get a blink of sleep last night. Do you really think I should be all chirpy?"

"I can't blame you for that." He nodded solemnly. "We are two gloomy people together."

"That's encouraging." I retorted.

"When shall we go to Beth's house?" He asked, his tone turning serious.

"We should go after school." I exhaled. "I don't think she would come here today to attend classes."

"Okay, I'll take an early leave from my basketball practice. Let's do it together." Jon nodded. "Do you think she will be okay after Victor's compulsion therapy?"

Victor. A small guilty smile crept on my face.

"Karen, why are you smiling?" Jon raised his eyebrows. I looked away. "Wait—are you blushing?"

I started walking faster. Of course, Jon caught up with me.

"So, you are finally giving in." He said.

"Giving in?"

"Yup, giving in to the temptation of his vampire charms," He chuckled. I punched him hard on his shoulder and opened my mouth to scream at him. "I'm just kidding. Girl, you've got some real punch there."

"Is that Beth?" I stared ahead, in confusion.

Yes, it was. She was standing at the same place she always did when she waited for us. She did look the same old Beth but I knew she would never be the same again after what she had gone through. Some kids in our class passed her and she gave them her gleeful smile.

"Indeed it's her." Jon whispered. "I thought she wouldn't come."

We shared a look that screamed panic.

"Hey, Karen," Beth hugged me when I reached her. She pulled away and nodded to Jon. "Hey, Jon,"

"Are you okay?" Jon asked slowly.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be okay?" She asked. Then the brightness on her face disappeared. So, she had been trying to stay cool which apparently we just ruined. "Yeah, about last night...the detectives came over my house this morning and asked me few questions. I told them everything I knew."

"What did you tell them exactly?" I asked immediately.

"Whatever had happened?" She shrugged. "I told them that there were two people and they tried to hurt me when I and Xavier got out of the restaurant. He tried fighting them but they dragged him into the woods. I don't know why they spared me."

"The detectives believed you?" Jon asked. I shot him a quick glare.

"Why wouldn't they believe me? I was saying the truth." She rolled her eyes. "They told me that I was screaming werewolves at the time of the accident. But that's mostly because of the traumatic experience, right? You guys were there too. What was I like?"

I didn't know where to start from. Was there a chance if I replayed everything, she would get her memories back? I mean, I didn't know how the compulsion thing actually worked.

"You were terrified and you kept chanting weird stuff." I took a chance. "But that's because of the shock you were in."

"The detectives said they found Xavier's body, but they have to make sure that it's really him." She bit her lip. Tears appeared at the corner of her eyes. "I didn't know everything would turn upside down. We were having a perfect night and—"

"Shhh...it's okay." I rubbed her arm. "We never know what lies ahead of us. We can just hope that it's not him."

"I doubt that, Karen." Now, she was crying. "I heard his screams and I can still hear them in my head. I just couldn't think of anything for a moment. I called the police but it was too late. I should have done something."

Jon shifted on his one leg.

"I think we should go to the class." Beth sniffed and wiped her tears with a tissue. She always carried tissues because crying really ruins your makeup.

"It's not your fault." I looked down at my feet. It was the fault of the werewolves. "Will you be okay?"

"Yeah," Beth shut her eyes and took a deep breath.

When we walked into the classroom, I was least expecting for the kids to stare at us like we were some celebrity. Their stares and the sudden silence hung in the air, making Beth more uncomfortable. We sat on our respective seats and I noticed the Jon's friends asking him questions about the night.

Half of the day at school dragged like never before. Teachers tried their best to not address the elephant in the room. It was the second time that a student from our school had been...murdered. Not to mention the vague answers from the police department.

Beth's parent came during the break and took her home with the teacher's consent. Jon went to practice his basketball skills, and I went to check on Chloe to distract myself from the ongoing events.

I came face to face with tall boy with nice dark skin and black hair as I entered the gym. His DSLR was hanging in his neck. He smiled at me. It was the pleasantest smile I had seen in the whole day. I needed that.

"Hi, Shawn," I smiled back.

"Hi back, Karen." He grinned. "I'm just going out to take pictures of the school cafeteria. Again."

"I thought your previous pics got approved."

"Nah, Chloe wants me to take the picture with eatables placed on kids' tables."  He then whispered. "She is making us work so hard for this graduation thing. I'm so tired. Look, even my camera needs a break."

"She is so excited and I get why." I shook my head slowly. "Being a student council president isn't a bed of roses."

"I agree with you on that." Shawn said and then paused. A look of awkwardness crossed his face. I knew what was coming. "Is your friend alright? I heard she saw Xavier being murdered and that his guts were spilled out in front of her."

"That's not f.ucking reality." I frowned, nearly screaming. Where the hell did that come from?

"I knew it! Those kids are spreading nasty rumors all around the school." He said. "They need to shut up or someone has to make them shut their mouths."

"I don't really care about them. They just don't understand the seriousness of the matter." I shrugged.

"Umm...you should go meet Chloe now." He said. "She had a breakup with her boyfriend. She is kinda devastated."

It seemed  a very mundane problem to me. But I knew if I had a normal life, this would really be a highly prioritized one.

"Okay, see you later, Shawn." I said.

"See ya,"

He waved at me and walked away, whistling quietly.

A/N Check out the book 'Till the Last Breath' by  pizza_n_nachos. It's an amazing book. It's heart touching and it will make you cry and smile at the same time.

ASK THE AUTHOR: So, friends I want you to ask me questions about ME! I mean some of you have been with me for a long time and still don't know anything about me. I want to interact with you. Drop some cool and funny questions here and I will answer them at the end of the book.

Please don't ask me for the spoilers regarding Dark Choices though! ;)

Take care and keep smiling always.

-M_m

P.S. Acc. to statistics, last chapter is the fastest voted and most commented chapter in the book. I guess...we all know why... ;)

I want to apologize to Nathan fans :(