Vampire Emeritus (Part #3) ✔

Chapter 25: Hold on Hope

Caiden was alone in the lounge bar, working on the Sacred Order hack job, when I knocked on the wooden door, carrying a plate full of chicken and french fries. Sun has set, it was almost time for me to go observe the clash of vampires and the police.

Caiden glanced at the door, "Hey, sorry, I enter flow and don't hear anything."

"It's fine." I walked in and put the plate on the coffee table. "I brought food."

"Thanks." Caiden separated his gaze from the screen, "Are you going now?"

I nodded, "Soon."

"Chloe goes spying." Caiden grinned and looked over my outfit, "You look the part."

My glance dropped down to my black turtleneck and skinny jeans. My hair was in a bun on my head, partially covered by the black cap.

"Everyone sees my hair in the dark." I shrugged.

Caiden shifted into the armchair and grabbed french fries, "Thanks for the food."

I nodded and continued standing at the door awkwardly. The food was a cover, I actually came here to talk to him. But now that I was here, I had no idea what to say.

Caiden looked up, "You okay?"

I sat on the couch, "I came to talk to you."

"Alright." Caiden put the plate down slowly. "About?"

My gaze fell to the boy sitting on the opposite side of me. We've known each other for a long time, since we were both children, absurdly in love with each other. I didn't consider us strangers now, but for all intents and purposes, we were strangers.

We haven't talked to each other in two years. I had no idea about his life and he had no idea about mine. And still, I felt as if there was still a glimmer of friendship between us, some unbreakable promise.

Perhaps I shouldn't have felt like I owed him anything, especially because he never came to me with an explanation when he started dating Angie, and he started dating her soon after we broke up, but I've decided to be the bigger person.

I took in a deep breath, "I'm in love with Ian."

Caiden pulled back, his eyes widening, but not with complete shock, rather with slight surprise. Then, he leaned against his knees and for a second, I thought I glimpsed regret in his hazel eyes.

"I guess I've known that already." He sighed. "I think I've known when they went to Paris right before your birthday two years ago."

"That's funny," I mumbled, no humour in my voice, "I don't think I've known it myself then."

"No. I knew before you did." Caiden offered a tight smile, which didn't reach his eyes. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because, after everything, I still want to do right by you." I said.

Caiden raised his eyebrow, "You want my blessing?"

I breathed out through my nostrils, "I just wanted to tell you, because I believe I promised once I would."

We promised once we would tell each other if we ever stopped loving each other. Perhaps Caiden forgot about that, or he simply didn't take the promise seriously, but I still felt the need to tell him. Caiden averted his gaze.

"It's fine, Chloe." He said. "You don't owe me anything."

"I know." I nodded. "Maybe you're right, maybe I'm asking for your blessing."

Caiden refused to look at me.

Once upon a time, I've treated him like crap. There weren't many things I've regretted so profoundly as hurting him, but right now, anger spiked through me. Did he think he had any right to be mad at me anymore?