In a lifetime

Chapter 15: Veronica Thompson

When I wake up it's all quiet, maybe a little too quiet. I check to see if mom is in her room asleep but she isn't in there so I rush down downstairs to find her making breakfast, I could've heard this why didn't I? "Ah sweetie I made breakfast so go get changed for school and I'll have it ready," she says as she goes back to making a plate for me. Nothing is out of place I still could've heard the sizzling of bacon.

Going back to change and going back to the kitchen to eat I ask "so what's got you in a good mood today?" She responds with a huge smile "I just feel good so I'm celebrating it with my friends so I'll be home late" and with concern, I say "well be careful and don't drink too much I know how you can be on occasion like this" she laughs in response and I head out, I texted Nessa to meet by the central park to talk to her about my concerns.

I find Nessa waiting by the park bench and I sit down next to her and say "hey thanks for meeting me so early but this morning I woke up to nothing in my house like I heard nothing and my mom was cooking and I could've heard that from anywhere but I didn't, do you know what's wrong with me?" She shows a smile and says "nothing is wrong Veronica, you choose to focus on something wrong when nothing was, many of the vampires before struggled to stop thinking the worse because their emotions were heightened" it makes me feel a little better that this isn't the first time Nessa had to deal with it "now head to school we have training again and I want to go over a few things later okay" she says while standing up and I head to the school.

During my first hour class, I get a text from the group chat and I see Nessa has texted about the training meet-up at Joseph's house later today, I give a thumbs-up as a response.

I just sit on my phone the entire time until lunchtime happens and I meet up with everyone and Joseph has brought his best friend Natalie to lunch with us.

We all introduce ourselves and I can see that she's a bit uneasy about us but Joseph gave us a heads up that she isn't that comfortable with change and if I was in her shoes I would feel the same way.

Lunchtime comes to an end and we all go to class, can't wait for this ordeal to come to an end next week.

More scrolling on social media to pass the time, I look up to see Mr. Fritz going at it with the myth of the worlds balancers and I chuckle because the truth about it is sitting right in front of him, literally.

School is dismissed and I meet up with Daniel and Joseph to drive to his house and we're all waiting on Eli and we see him talking to a girl who I think is on the cheer team.

"Oh, who was that?" Asks Joseph as Eli gets in the car and he smiles "it's just Isabelle she asked me for my number, hope that's okay" he says turning to face me and I was taken by surprise with that "of course but you don't need my approval to talk and date someone" I say with relief and Joseph buds in saying "wait Isabelle? Natalie despises her" he laughs and Eli mocks him while saying "good thing I don't need her approval" we all laugh and arrive at the house and go inside waiting for Nessa.

Nessa finally walks in and starts saying "from what Eli told us what happened two days ago we have to be even more careful and is now even more crucial you all get a better understanding of your abilities" we all look at each other knowing we won't leave until we get the basics down and I get a text from my mom saying she's heading out and I respond with "have fun!" and pay attention back to Nessa and she continues "Joseph you are going to finish the basic magic grimoire and herbs book, Veronica you will get the jest of your speed, strength, hearing, compulsion and resisting human blood, Eli you'll still continue to transform at will and understand your wolf form, and as for Daniel you'll be training to deal with powerful threats so you'll be with me" she ends off and looking over at Joseph he's a bit unsettled about Daniel but knows he can take care of himself.

Nessa tells me there's a heavy punching bag outside and blood bags, time to work off a sweat. There are actually three different kinds of punching bags, sand, wood, and bricks which I am touching neither.

I start weakly punching the sandbag but I start taking it more seriously and start punching with more and more power until I punch a hole right in the middle, I groan and place the wooden one up with a note attached that reads "Laurel knows the weakness of the supernaturals especially the vampire so you'll have to handle splinters and stakes" I groan even louder for this torture. One good punch and I break it along with plenty of splinters in my hand.

Picking them out one by one I move into the brick and another note attached reads "no vampire has been able to completely break it so good luck" with a smiley face drawn on, I take slow punches and slowly pick up speed and power making more and more dents until a full punch I throw doesn't break it but with the frustration of not breaking it at first I throw another punch and it fully knocks off the bunching bag breaking it, it feels as though another force we being used and not just speed and power.

I move on to speed and another note attached to a button reads "for this speed training all you have to do is hit this button and place colored rocks in the appropriate colored plates in the woods and listen for the shoots of stakes coming at you" how subtle, I press the button and get going.

Twenty minutes later and I have finished the course completely and I head inside but before I do see the blood bag and remember I have to resist drinking it and I stand there for a good minute before heading inside, last of the box checked.

We're all exhausted and before leaving Nessa says "I know you all might think this is extreme or maybe even unnecessary and it's because I lost a lot of really good people to Laurel for not being prepared and I don't want you all to meet the same fate" and we all give a group hug to reassure her that it's all good and we're tougher and literally stronger than the past supernaturals.

We all say goodnight and head home and all I do when I get home is make some ramen, take a hot shower and relax.