Once I read the letter I put it back in the box along with everything else and shut it tight. My hands remained firmly clasped around the corners and my eyes never once diverted either. I felt a hand press on my shoulder and I jumped, coming back to my senses I realised it was Dante, telling me it was time to go. As we stood up however Jane lurched forward and grabbed my hand,
“Please” she pleaded, but I pulled my hand from hers and walked to the door. There was nothing left here for me in my view, anything that I thought I was going to hear didn’t happen and instead I was told I’ve been lied to my entire life. I urged Dante to go on ahead of me so that I could turn around and utter the few words at them that I knew would hurt them,
“Goodbye James, goodbye Jane” I didn’t even wait for a reply, as far as I was concerned these were just two people who minded me for 18 years. Nothing more, nothing less.
I went upstairs to my old room and decided that I would pack a few things, these were still my belongings and to be honest I was not going to let Hannah have my clothes or books. Once I walked in the room however I was horrified to find most of the furniture and clothes… missing.
“What happened in here” Dante’s voice startled me and made me jump. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around my neck, placing his head on my shoulders “Looks like they didn’t waste any time”
“Indeed” I muttered, grabbing his hands, turning around and pulling him in with me “You can help me pack whatever they left though”
“Am I now?” he smirked, eyeing the mess that surrounded us. I let go of him to grab one of the few suitcases in the corner. I still couldn’t believe how quickly they cleared my stuff, it had only been two months… how did they know I would or wouldn’t come back? Grabbing a hand full of some of the clothes and folding them up neatly, I placed them in the suitcase until it was full and gave it to Dante. I told him to go run that one down to the car because by the time he would be back, the second would be done “I’m on it boss” he winked before turning around and heading off. As he walked out of the corridor I was frustrated to see that my… well Jane was stood in the hallway.
“Don’t waste any time do you?” I snarled, holding my arms out “Most parents wait 5 years before they can even touch or go in a missing child’s room, but not being your child I guesse you didn’t care much”
“Don’t you dare say that!” she snapped “Of course we cared, we were worried like hell”
“Bullshit, I saw the so called appeal you gave, not a tear and not even a choke” that stung her, I could tell. She probably didn’t think I even knew “Two months” I muttered before returning my attention to packing again.
“We did our best” she breathed
“You didn’t even notice when I was sad. You said I was attention seeking when I got beat up by that bitch Serena! I know why she was like she was now… but for you to say it was attention seeking! How the fuck was that supposed to make me feel!” I glared at her with all the anger I could muster, my cheeks flustered and my chest heaving.
“You were beat up?” she placed her hand on her chest in an overly used dramatic gesture.
“Yes, and when I tried to tell you about it I was ignored, so I resorted to other methods” shaking my head, I began to pack again. Moments later I felt a hand on my shoulder and shivered from the sudden contact “Don’t touch me” I spat.
“What happened?” I sighed in response “You used to be so bubbly, so full of life. You met this man and suddenly you changed”
“No” I breathed “Flip that and put it in reverse, I have always been miserable here. His name is Dante by the way. Also his family make me feel welcome, unlike you Jane” She soon stepped away from me.
After Jane left I frantically started packing. The sooner I got from here, the better. Once the second Suitcase was packed I walked on over to where my bedside cabinet used to be and scowled once I saw that all my jewellery had just been scattered on the floor. Scooping them up I placed them on the seemingly naked looking bed. Damn them for doing all this, it was so unfair and unjust! They really did show that they didn’t care. Whilst I was packing my things there was a knock on the door, there stood none other than my little sis… well Hannah.
“Vic?”
“What do you want?” my tone was dark and flat, I needed her to hate me before I left. It’d be easier for her.
“I came to ask you a few things if that’s ok?”
“Now’s not a good time” I muttered, shoving the rest of the jewellery in one of my bags. Glancing over my shoulder I noticed she didn’t move.
“Where have you been?” she certainly was curious, who could blame her though. I would want to know where my ‘sister’ had been if she had suddenly disappeared for two months, only to appear out of the blue to talk and collect her stuff.
“Busy”
“If you were busy how come you couldn’t call us Vic?” I shrugged my shoulders in response “Answer me Vic!” I spun around and made my face as expressionless as possible
“If you must know, they left me in London”
“You’re lying!”
“No I’m fucking not, those bastards left me in London. Alone. With no money, as a means of a so called punishment because I didn’t want their stupid money for university!”
“They wouldn’t do that” she stated, I shook my head at her. This kid was so naïve and unused to the parents I had compared to her. I couldn’t tell her why, heavens no. Hannah needed a normal life with them, if that meant she had to hate me well so be it.
“Hannah, they did. End of discussion. Now if you don’t mind stepping out of the way I think Dante needs to get passed” She jumped when she realised he was there, I was so used to him appearing out of nowhere that it didn’t bother me as much anymore. He swerved around her and started to help me pack, when she grabbed my arm to spin me around.
“Where are you going? How do you know him? What’s going on?”
“Hannah, go downstairs” she said nothing but just stood there, I grabbed her by the arm and against her wishes I pushed her outside and slammed the door on her face.
Once everything was packed, we grabbed the stuff and stormed out the door. Neither wanting to comment and neither wanting to talk to them. This was the end of this life, and the start of another. I held the box my mother gave me tightly in one arm… it felt strange, I thought I would be more upset with leaving them all, yet it all seemed very easy and effortless… like this was just the push I needed and longed for all these years.
“Are you ok?” Dante asked me, breaking the silence and my depressing chain of thought.
“Yes I’m fine. Just feeling a bit numb that’s all” I gave him a weak smile “I just found out I’m adopted, a dhampir, that my biological father is dead and my vampire mother is on the run” I chuckled “And I feel surprisingly light”
“I am surprised to be honest, if I were in your shoes I would have had a meltdown”
“I thought you might have to be honest, you looked ready to pounce in there” I looked up at him to see him roll his shoulders, he was thirsty! “Dante, what did you do?” I stopped to face him
“It’s not what you think, whilst you were packing I took a little trip and had a feast on some deer” he licked his lips “I would never harm a human intentionally, I’m not like that anymore” I let out a sigh, shook my head and we began to march onward. To the car. To home.
I wanted it to be that simple, to just go to my new home, but as luck would have it there was someone blocking that path. She was leaning up against Dante’s car as if she were waiting. With the mood I was in, she had better clear off pretty damn quick.
“Victoria!” she squealed, acting as though we were old friends
“What do you want Serena?” I slurred
“I wanted to have a quiet word if that’s ok?” Dante groaned next to me, evidently just as pissed off as I was
“Well I don’t so could you please move?” she stuck her finger out in the air and looked around
“No, I quite like it here actually”
“Get off my car” Dante growled
“Feisty isn’t he?” she mocked
“I know why you’ve been such a bitch all these years” she raised a brow “I attacked you when I was a kid, I remember now. I had therapy for years to make me forget. But I remember now, so you can fuck off yeah? Or would you like a repeat?” he eyes widened as the words slipped from my mouth, I was surprised at myself really. For once, Serena didn’t need telling twice and soon cleared off. Putting the box in the front and the rest in the back, we slid into the car and sighed. It was over. We were finally going to head back, even if it was towards an even bigger challenge. I needed to find my mother if it was the last thing I ever did. I wouldn’t lose her too.