"Sorry, Lahey, but I'm more of a cat person."
Vera Pérez is no stranger to the supernatural. Growing up alongside the Hale family has kept her fairly well-informed about the creatures that lurk in the darkness. However, she didn't become one of thos...
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( galvanize, pt. ii )
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
WHEN MAI WALKS into the kitchen, she discovers both Vera and Isaac sitting innocently at the kitchen table, their faces buried in their history books. Their frantic scrambling to those exact positions is undetectable. Vera had fixed Isaac's curls, which had been tousled by her fingers, and she'd strategically placed her hair over the slight pink mark on her neck. When she looks up at her mother, only Isaac knows of her anxiety because he can hear her thundering heartbeat.
"Hi, Mai," she greets as casually as possible.
"Hola, mija," Mai sighs as she sets her purse and a giant plastic bag with takeout boxes in it on top of the kitchen counter. Her black hair is slightly falling out of its sleek updo after a long day, her business-like nature dropping for a second. Her aura changes as soon as she glances at the table and sees Isaac seated across from Vera. Her lips stretch into a tired smile. "Oh, hello, Isaac. I didn't know you would be here."
"Hi, Mrs. Pérez," he greets, using the surname that Vera's mother only uses for social reasons. He begins to stand and closes his history textbook. "It's okay, I can get going."
"Don't be ridiculous. Sit back down," Mai orders. Isaac immediately complies with widened eyes, intimidated by Vera's mother like everyone always is. "If you think I'm letting you go anywhere when there's a mass murderer on the loose, you are crazy. Scott's mother called me about Barrow. You two are under house arrest."
Oh, no. Please no. Vera asks, "What?"
Mai walks to where Vera sits. "It means if you leave this house tonight, I will make you regret every decision you've ever made and take away the keys to that horrible motorcycle." As if she hadn't just threatened her, she bends down to press a kiss to the top of Vera's head. "You're free to stay, Isaac— we have an extra room that Dominic usually stays the night in."
The tone she uses suggests that it isn't a request, but a demand. Oh, my God. Vera is going to be trapped in this house with Isaac in the room next to hers all night? Her mother is trying to kill her, but she's oblivious to Vera's impending doom.
She and Isaac share a brief, alarmed glance, but soon his face becomes too much to look at without getting flashbacks of where his lips had been mere minutes ago, so she has to tear her eyes away.
"Are you sure I can't just drive him back to Scott's really quickly?" Vera asks, her voice slightly strained.
"Vera Nicolet!" her mother snaps. "Watch your mouth in front of our guest; you're acting like he isn't welcome. Neither of you is leaving this house." And just like that, once she's behind Isaac and out of his line of sight, a switch flicks and she winks. "Don't worry, I picked up enough leftovers for your blanquito to have some."
