Stories under the Velvet Sky

Chapter Twenty Three: Misinterpretations

That girl was up to something. I could tell. The steely dark glint in her eyes, as well as the creepy smile she wore whenever she was plotting something always gave it away. However, whether she was being serious when she said she was coming up with witty responses to her classmates’ despicable jeers, or some other master plan was completely beyond me. I didn’t think I’d ever totally understand how her mind worked, and I preferred it that way. I’m certain that whatever went on in that head of hers was something that I would want to stay away from for the sake of my own sanity.

Someone had to have a cool head after all, and considering Kathryne’s tendencies to go out of her way for the smallest of things, I figured it was up to me to pick up the slack. I did enjoy getting dragged into her little schemes though. I just didn’t want to be involved in coming up with them. I’d have to be lacking quite a few screws in order to top any of her wicked designs.

I shuddered to think of what would happen if someone put my brother Damon and her in the same room. Chaos would undoubtably ensue afterward. Whatever monstrous machination would result, it would probably give anyone to fall victim to it a massive headache trying to get out of it.

Kathryne had fallen asleep quite some time ago, having dozed off in the middle of one of my speeches about being nice to people. It had taken me a few minutes before I realized she had stopped making rude comments and taken to dreaming away. When I finally had come to the conclusion she’d fallen asleep, I found myself content to take a seat on the edge of her mattress, watching her.

She wore quite the peaceful expression when she slept. A complete contradiction of the worry and frustration that often graced her face. I didn’t think she was aware it either; too busy lost in her own thoughts to pay attention to herself. It was why I teased her so much. Whether angry, embarrassed, or happy, she looked much better overall as compared to seeming worried all the time.

I could understand why she was worried. Any other person my age wouldn’t even have thought to spend so much time with a high schooler, let alone care for one as much as I did. Had I been human, any relationship along those lines would have been looked down upon. Being a vampire, I had no such concerns about age difference. I’d like to think that the reason I’d come to enjoy her company so much was because she was younger. Her interpretation of the world around her was refreshing, however cynical it was. I wanted to make her smile. I didn’t care how cliché that notion was. It was true regardless.

To be honest, I did not have to leave for a week if I did not want to. I had seriously considered staying before I had decided that it would be better for me to go. Kathryne needed time to think without me constantly bugging her, and I needed some time of my own. It would give us both the opportunity to think back. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, as they say.

If I still felt the same way when I came back, then I would make my intentions clear. It wouldn’t have been fair to stay and keep toying with her, when I wasn’t entirely certain myself. The attraction was there though, I knew that all too well.

Dreams were the gateway to the unconscious mind. A while back, before Kathryne had asked me to stay with her until she fell asleep, I had been curious to see what she dreamt about at night that had her so grumpy in the morning. Most vampires cannot enter the minds of others, however I’d acquired the ability, among many others, when I’d been taught how to use a small amount of magic. I didn’t have the talent to do anything grand, just a few small things. It had come in handy though.

Although I hadn’t entirely anticipated running into what I had when I’d entered her dream...if she ever found out about it, I’m sure she’d be very upset with me. Especially since the dream was what had trigged my more affectionate actions toward her. Before that, I hadn’t been sure that she was attracted to me. After that, I wasn’t sure I should have watched the dream in the first place.