Exploding Heart Disorder (Fearless Vampire Killers Fanfic)

Chapter Eight

[Alyx's P.O.V.]

Things are awkward as we all sit around in the kitchen, seeming to follow utterly simple morning rituals. Mitch is at the table with a mirror and make up bag out, fixing herself up for the day ahead; Luke is hitting his drumsticks against the worktop aimlessly, quietly making cymbal noises and tapping his feet as though they are on bass and hi-hat pedals; Shane is swooning over Kier's guitar that he just had to bring downstairs and play; Laurence is noisily attempting to cook breakfast - and failing, because nearly everything he finds in the cupboard is meat, which leaves him almost sobbing in frustration; Drew and I are still carrying on the awkward silence between us. No one really takes any notice, thinking perhaps we've resolved everything, until Kier looks up from his guitar for a second and sees that Drew and I are just sat at the table, not saying anything to one another, not even acknowledging one another. The tall, elven boy crouches down in front of me, smiling slightly.

"Everything alright? You seem a bit..." He makes a face, and I smile slightly; I'm aware that it's a sad smile, but I do nothing to hide it. Kier glances up at Drew, smiling at his friend, and then looks back at me, pulling another face that tells me he's pretty much aware of what's going on, and what's wrong with me. I glance towards Drew, who stands up slowly, sighing and pulling a hand through his hair.

"I'm going out for some air. Anyone fancy coming with me?"

No one answers, but I can see Laurence and Luke gesture towards me silently.

"How's 'bout you go sort out your lover's tiff with Alyx?" Mitch mutters; I flush a deep shade of red, scowling at my friend, and then she pulls out her phone, quickly thumping in some letters onto a severely-scratched touch screen. My phone beeps not a minute later, and I pull it out of my pocket, seeing that she's texted me.

'You're very welcome dear! x'.

I roll my eyes, and she grins.

"On second thought." Drew says quietly. "I need the space, I'll go alone."

He leaves without a word, and I instinctively stick the finger up to his back, before standing up and crossing the room.

"I'll make some coffee." I say quietly, hassling with mugs, a bag of black coffee beans and the horrendous coffee machine that looks like it might just eat me if I turn my back for two seconds. The boys all drift through to the front room, shouting about playing Guitar Hero as a full band. I roll my eyes, putting the coffee into the filter machine and sugar into the mugs. I don't notice Mitch taking things out of cupboards until she's poured sachets of chilli powder into the mugs. I turn towards her, grinning.

"Not another prank."

"Just for shits and giggles, dear, don't worry. Besides, Laurence practically harassed you, so it's only fair we get him back, right?"

I smile.

"It'll cheer you up anyway."

I shrug slightly, finishing making the coffee quickly, and Mitch helps me carry through the mugs, placing them on the coffee table as the others recklessly and frantically bash at drum pads and press buttons in a frenzied attempt to score some points on Xbox.

"Coffee." I tell them, elbowing Mitch roughly as she giggles and rushes out of the room, rousing the boys' suspicions. I roll my eyes at her, leaving the room carrying two mugs of coffee, both untainted with chilli powder. I make my way up the stairs, knowing just where to find him as I step out onto the balcony and look up onto the roof. Drew is lying back on the tiles, his eyes closed and his arms behind his head. I clear my throat, and he opens his eyes, sitting up slowly to meet my gaze.

"I said I was sorry." I say quietly. "Although I think not spiking your coffee is a good start to an apology, right?"

He leans down and takes a mug from me, before placing the mug on the flat part of the roof at his feet, pulling me up to sit next to him.

"It's a start." He says quietly. "I suppose I should apologise about being like that downstairs."

"What, like a dick?"

He snorts softly. "Yeah, something like that."

There's a slightly awkward silence for a few short moments, and then he sighs, turning to face me.

"Alright then. What did you spike their drinks with?"

"Chilli powder. And it was all Mitch's doing." I assure him. "I figured it'd be a little mean of me to go sticking it in your mug, seeing as I'm meant to be apologising and all."

"You're not the one that should be apologising." He tells me. "Listen. Laurence explained it all last night. I know why he kissed you. They all seem to think there's something secret going on between us, and want to try and 'get it out in the open'. Because I keep saying I don't feel anything for you, and you for me, they're all jumping to ridiculous conclusions. Laurence thought it would get me to admit something if he kissed you, and so he did. But it didn't work, hence he apologised for the whole ordeal."

I smile slightly, and then my phone buzzes. I turn on the screen, checking quickly to see that I don't have the number in my phone. I frown.

'Starting up the van in 10, get your stuff ready'.

I frown even deeper, and then guess that it must be Kier; he's the only one crazy enough to drive that red-painted heap of metal.

"Kier's driving me home in ten minutes." I tell him. "At least, I think it's Kier. I don't have his number."

Drew puts his hand out for my phone, and I hand him it to silently; he types a load of stuff in quickly, and I see that, browsing through my phone after he hands me it back, that he's added five more numbers into the address book, as well as a new note. The five numbers are clearly the boys', telling me that the text was in fact from Kier, and I open my notes, quickly reading the note he's left for me.

'Call me as soon as you get home. We need to talk xx'.

I flush a deep shade of scarlet, looking up to see he is already slipping off the roof with his coffee mug in his tight grip.

"Thanks for the coffee. And for not spiking it." He says quietly, before slinking back inside, leaving me a curiously flustered wreck on the tiled roof.

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[Author's Message]

Okay, here's another chapter! I have some awesome news: this story is doing better than my other works of fiction (Palace of Flames/Ashes) are, and is helping to build the foundations of my very own small Wattpad fanbase! Me, little Bevers, finally having my very own fanbase! Wow, I can't even begin to fathom...

Anyway. I apologise for any bad grammar or terrible punctuation, I'm uploading from a lowly 2nd generation iPod touch, which depresses me at the mere thought, and lacks a properly-functioning spell-check option for my writing. However, I'll be writing more chapters soon, and I might just do a double upload today if I get enough responses to this chapter in time!

Keep the peace, stay awesome and faith always...Bevers x