CRIMSON

back in school

- chapter twenty -

The holidays were over and it was time to go back to school. The two best friends still had not explained themselves to each other and they had to wait for the lunch break to finally have the time to do so. Rafe would be late, a teacher had to have a word with him. Brielle had her arms crossed as she was in anticipation of Victor's explanation.

He started with a sorry smile: I'm sorry about the other day. It's just that when Rafe offered to let me spend the afternoon with him, I let everything else go. I only do that when he is involved. He occupies all of my thoughts. I haven't even thought about telling you about our date! Can you believe it ? I should tell you immediately.

Victor's thoughts were back to that afternoon on the beach, with stars in his eyes. It was unreal, looking at that beach was like dreaming. And all the inhabitants were pleasant, friendly with the tourists, as they walked through the town. He could see himself living there, he thought. As Victor spoke, Brielle listened to him, still a little bit hurt. He never forgot to tell her things like that. It made her feel less important to him. She let out a loud sigh and sat down properly.

   — Don't worry too much, like I said, I was with Ace, my mother and his mother, she reassured him. She took a bite of her food.

   — Tell me all about it!

And that was how Brielle explained her afternoon's shopping. She had spent most of the afternoon with Ace and his flirtatious comments about the various outfits she was trying on. She had loved it. She was having a good time with him, just like she had before. The only difference now was that they were no longer just kids. She was looking at Ace in a different light, these comments that had annoyed her before were now only making her blush. She found it strange. She didn't understand how she felt.

   — Oh my God, you like him, Victor exclaimed in a loud voice, but he was stopped by Brielle's hand over his mouth.

Was she fond of Ace? Was that why she couldn't stand it when the young man was so angry with her? Was that why she blushed when he complimented her, why her heart was beating faster? She shook her head, she couldn't love him. She had spent so much time hating him - for some trivial reason - when could that have changed? I don't know if I do, but please don't say anything about it, she said as she continued to eat.

Rafe joined the table, muttering. He seemed to be having some difficulty in his chemistry class. The teacher asked him if he had any problems at home that were preventing him from learning well. Rafe explained that it was the course itself that bored him, not family problems that distracted him from his homework. He got detention for it. As he listened to Rafe's story, Victor had a good laugh at the boy's behaviour in front of him.

The three of them were in the middle of a meal when the woman saw Kyomi and her two friends behind her. Without waiting a second, Brielle ran towards the teenager. She called out her name. Kyomi! Come sit with us! She called excitedly. She waited for Kyomi to place her tray on the table, then gave her a big hug. She had wanted to get in touch with the young woman all the time during the holidays, but she didn't have the heart to do it without Kyomi's permission. She felt that since it was the two of them who had discovered the bodies, only she could understand how she felt. So she was very happy to see her again, and she wanted to have a word with her.

   — Hi Bri! How are you? She asked, sitting to Brielle's left. Ace and Kilian followed her and sat on the left.

   — I should be the one to ask you that! I missed you so much.

   — I feel so much better, you know? My cousin hypnotised me to forget what I saw.

Brielle frowned slightly, sceptical. Although she was a supernatural hunter, she didn't believe in hypnosis at all. Kyomi couldn't have just forgotten. But she didn't talk about it. If it made her feel better, that was the most important thing.