Katmere, College, Now What?

Chapter 2

/AN\ Spoiler alert for all Crave books up to Cherish and I have to say it again, no matter how much I pretend or wish, these aren't my characters.

_|Hudson|_

 After I left Grace, I ran for a half hour before climbing the nearest clock tower and sat on the roof, letting my feet dangle over the railing.  That was a nice thing about being a vampire, not having to worry about falling, at least not physically. Without something to push me or throw me off balance, I was perfectly safe. Grace had thrown me off balance and we'd plummeted headfirst together for the best years of my life. First in Noromar, then all over again in our world.  I had been terrified at first, scared she'd let go of my hand and I'd be free-falling alone and shatter into a billion pieces on impact. Once we got to California and started classes though, I'd gotten comfortable. I'd truly believed she would hold onto me as tightly as I clung to her. I needed Grace, I don't know how many times I'd thought that I would crumble without her. But it was so much worse in reality. I thought of the promise I made her. To love her 'until the sun grows cold and the stars grow old' and how she'd promised me the same three years ago when she'd finally remembered. And it's like the universe is trying to be cruel, or it's forcing her to keep that promise. Because, up here on the clock tower away from Grace, the sun feels like ice.

It had taken me four hours to pull myself together, enough to think about the problems of sitting up here until well after ten. When I'd finished crying, I'd remembered I'd need a new place to stay, nearly pulling me back into my existential crisis. I'd called around but the office was closed and I didn't want a hotel so I decided to be the worst friend in history and break into a Mekhi, Jaxon, and Flints place. 

They'd decided to go to school here when Mekhi started dating Grace's cousin, Macy, who had, despite being a year younger, decided she wanted to go to school with Grace and had subsequentially brought most of our old friend group with her. Mekhi wanted to stay near Macy, and Jaxon had always planned on going to school, with his best friend. Flint, well Flint was complicated. Jaxon and Flint's relationship was painfully non-existent most days, and they were completely right the next. It was excruciating for everyone around them. Surprisingly unsurprisingly the boys had decided to rent an apartment together. I'd been invited, much to my shock, but at the time things with Grace were amazing and I hadn't felt the need for any distance from her. Here's hoping the offer still stands. I slip up the stairs and make my way down the hall to their apartment. It isn't exactly late, but I'm in no mood to deal with people right now, so I simply disintegrate the locks, making a mental note to replace them. 

Lucky for me, Jaxon, Flint, and Mekhi must be out. So I locate the bedrooms, there are two with two twin beds in each. I decide to make myself at home and throw my bag next to the bed that looks vacant. I don't feel like waiting for my brother and his friends to get back, I just collapse onto the bed and pray for sleep, because I think it's the only way I'm getting Grace's face removed from my eyelids. 

_| Jaxon |_

I forgot Flint couldn't handle alcohol, like at all. That's the only reason I let him drag me to that party. It was awful, but he'd had fun, and now I was dragging his drunk ass up three flights of stairs to our apartment. 

"You look grumpy," Flint says, slurring, and I'm tempted, not for the first time, to leave him on the stairs. His legs 'gave out' in the lobby and now I was basically carrying him up the stairs.  

"Well maybe if you'd helped me that'd change." I mutter, propping him against the wall to grab the keys out of my pocket. I slide it into the lock and it turns too easily. Like there was nothing to move. Odd. I open the door and sling Flint's arm back over my shoulder. He isn't relying on me too much anymore, his dragon metabolism soaking up the alcohol. I open the door to his room and nearly drop Flint.