CRIMSON

fights and confrontation

- chapter twenty eight -

It has already been several days. Several days since Victor talked to Brielle. She was avoiding him and he knew it. He had tried to explain himself, say sorry but she wouldn't give him a chance. At each corridor where they crossed, she deviated her path. At lunch, he would wait for her to come but he never saw her.

It was now the end of the day and Victor felt annoyed. He was going to speak with Brielle today, no matter what. He saw her from afar and ran towards her. Brielle walked quickly to her bus stop, avoiding her best friend again. The latter only chanted her name wishing that she would stop. And that's what she did when she got tired of him following her.

— What do you want for fuck's sake ?! She shouted, not caring about the people turning to look at her.

— I want to talk.

— I don't have anything to say to you, she spat, walking away.

Victor clenched his jaw and took her arm. But I do, he exclaimed with a serious expression.

She looked at him with an annoyed look and crossed her arms, a sign that she was waiting for an explanation. He took a deep breath before speaking.

— I fucked up, I know. You wanted me to be here and I wasn't.

— You know what hurts? She cut him off, suddenly needing to express her feelings. I was hurt the times you dumped me for Rafe. But I accepted it. I understand that's not the same now that you have a boyfriend. You need to spend some time with him; maybe more than with me. But I feel like I no longer exist to you. I needed you there to cheer me, to know that I still mattered to you.

— I know that! You matter a lot to me but- god, I had my first with him.

— Oh, so you ditched me for sex? Yeah, that makes me feel so much better, she answered, sarcastically. She then let out a shuddering laugh. This info just made her angrier than anything.

She resumed her way to her bus stop to protect herself from the rain which was beginning to fall but Victor still held her back, not having finished explaining himself. Get off me, Victor, or I swear... she said threateningly.

— Oh so you're threatening me now? he said, finally letting her go. You know, I heard that when you get in a relationship you lose friends, not for a single second I thought that would happen to us...

The blonde scoffed, rolling her tongue over her teeth and rolling her eyes. I guess you heard that love makes you blind too, But that obviously doesn't concern you, right? Grow up! These expressions are stupid! She turned for the third time and as Victor still refused to let her go, she did something she never thought she would do, she hit him.

The scene was in slow motion. Brielle raised her clenched fist. She had an enraged expression on her face, she wanted to calm down but Victor had only pissed her off even more. As soon as her fist met the young man's face, the blonde's expression changed. She knew that from that moment something had broken, and not just Victor's nose. And that, she would regret it forever.

Following the blow, Victor recoiled, his eyes watering. He held his nose and when he saw that he was bleeding, he looked at Brielle sadly. Neither of them thought they would get to this point in their lives, and it broke their hearts.

Victor went to his father's car and when he sat down on the passenger side, he was crying his heart out.

— Are you okay? Asked Cody, worried. He had seen his son following his best friend and wondered what could have happened, especially if he was crying.

— Just drive Dad, please, pleaded the human, choking on his tears.

Cody started the car and drove past Brielle who was watching them with a sad look. There was no one there, she had missed the bus and she had to wait about ten minutes before getting the next one. She paced in the rain, no longer caring about being soaked. She suddenly pulled out a dagger that was hiding under her belt and threw it at a tree.

Rafe caught it mid-flight and approached the blonde, annoyed. Brielle rolled her eyes, the reprisals were not over. What the hell is wrong with you? He said approaching the huntress dangerously until they were a few centimetres apart. None took their eyes off, tension building.

— I should have expected you to be there to defend him, she said angrily. I really don't want a lecture, especially if it comes from you because I know that it will not be objective.

She walked for cover but the vampire grabbed her shoulders and turned her forcefully. Did you really need to be so mean?! You are not the centre of the world. I admit he's not all innocent, nor am I, but reacting that way wasn't necessary.

She clenched her jaw and ran her tongue over her teeth. She was never Victor's number one priority, his family came first and she was completely okay with it. She also understood that it wouldn't be better the day Victor would find a boyfriend, but she was no longer treated as a best friend but as a simple acquaintance with him. She didn't like to matter so little in the eyes of Victor.

She wanted to tell him how she was feeling but she knew he wouldn't get it and tell her she was exaggerating. So she kept her feelings bottled up and looked at the vampire with a look of annoyance. I don't even see what you're doing here. You spend so much time with him that you should already be at his house to comfort him, she said disdainfully.

He shook his head, a fake smile on his face. I can't believe you, he started, crossing his arms. You don't even seem to be sorry, to have regrets.

She regretted many things, hitting Victor was one. Rafe didn't seem to see it though. He only had his boyfriend in mind and how he felt. When he saw his tears from afar, he seethed with rage. He almost lost control of himself.

— Don't assume such things, she said coldly, her arms crossed. Are you in my mind? Do you know better than me how I feel? She sighed, looking at the ground with a disappointed look. Try to see the whole thing from my point of view for a bit.

Rafe left, leaving the teenager alone. She sat on a bench, waiting for the next bus to arrive. She wanted to cry but held back. She couldn't afford to show vulnerability. She sent a message to her father, warning him that she would be late. He answered her shortly after and she turned off her phone.

Her leg was bouncing, she needed to talk to someone. Her phone was still in her hands, she bit her bottom lip, not knowing what to do. She looked at the metal thing before tying a message to Ace. She asks him to join her at her house to practise. He saw the message quickly but she received no response. She frowned and closed her eyes, feeling exhausted.

There was a heavy atmosphere filled with sadness. It wasn't just the rain, no, not even the fights. She sensed something was wrong. Her instinct told her to open her eyes again and she did. He was there again. She wasn't sure it was him, but the tall, thin figure matched him, not to mention the two blood-red pupils. Her breathing quickened and she stood up, ready to defend herself. There was no one around, just them. He could attack whenever he wanted, he did nothing. It was driving Brielle crazy, why was he playing cat and mouse? Couldn't he be done with it for good?

A notification made Brielle's gaze shift, it was Ace replying to the message, saying he was coming. This message looked cold, the punctuation was respected and there wasn't the little smiley that the hunter always added at the end of the messages. She didn't care and raised her head to face the vampire but he disappeared. Where was he?

She looked around, panicked. It was a rookie mistake, taking her eyes off the victim. An engine noise was heard and the bus arrived. Was it already past twenty minutes? She entered the bus and took a seat, looking at the landscape. She saw him again, sitting on the bench where she was shortly before. He was smiling broadly, showing his sharp canines. See you later, that was what he mouthed, making the human pale. The bus started and went far, far away from the bus stop, allowing Brielle to breathe again.