Reaction to Vampire Academy

Chapter 17 - Abe POV

Abe quickly took the book off Christian, hoping with the progress speeding up that they may finish this book tonight if they push on. He smiled when he read the title and hoped he would enjoy reading this chapter.

A FEW DAYS LATER, LISSA found me outside the commons and delivered the most astonishing news. 

"Uncle Victor's getting Natalie off campus this weekend to go shopping in Missoula. For the dance. They said I could come along." I didn't say anything. She looked surprised at my silence. "Isn't that cool?"

"For you, I guess. No malls or dances in my future."

Alberta felt like laughing a little because Rose is making it seem like she would love to go shopping, though has hated it every time she has been.

She smiled excitedly. "He told Natalie she could bring two other people besides me. I convinced her to bring you and Camille."

I threw up my hands. "Well, thanks, but I'm not even supposed to go to the library after school. No one's going to let me go to Missoula."

Kirova looked pleased with herself being so strict with Rose but Abe and Janine glared. Alberta had a feeling that Rose would end up going, that Dimitri would find some way.

"Uncle Victor thinks he can get Headmistress Kirova to let you go. Dimitri's trying too."

Janine growled and questioned why he was trying to let her daughter go shopping. Dimitri struggled to resist rolling his eyes before speaking. "We are likely going to be guarding partners; it could be a chance for her to learn how everything works in practice, not just theory". Janine was pacified but as plausible as the explanation seemed on a professional level, the majority in the room wanted to laugh and scoff.

"Dimitri?"

"Yeah. He has to go with me if I leave campus." She grinned, taking my interest in Dimitri as interest in the mall. "They figured out my account finally—I got my allowance back. So we can buy other stuff along with dresses. And you know if they let you go to the mall, they'll have to let you go to the dance."

"Do we go to dances now?" I said. We never had before. School-sponsored social events? No way.

Tatiana seemed shocked. "Do they not normally attend school functions?" Alberta smiled and said they normally don't attend, not for very long at least. Janine was still struggling to keep her anger in check, anger at her daughter's developing crush.

"Of course not. But you know there'll be all kinds of secret parties. We'll start at the dance and sneak off." She sighed happily. "Mia's so jealous she can barely stand it." She went on about all the stores we'd go to, all the things we'd buy. I admit, I was kind of excited at the thought of getting some new clothes, but I doubted I'd actually get this mythical release. "Oh hey," she said excitedly. "You should see these shoes Camille let me borrow. I never knew we wore the same size. Hang on." She opened her backpack and began rifling through it. Suddenly, she screamed and threw it down. Books and shoes spilled out. So did a dead dove.

Everyone was shocked. "Who is doing this to her!" Tatiana shouted. No one knew but Abe, Dimitri and Alberta were getting increasingly suspicious of Natalie's involvement; she had the best access and seems to be so removed from the politics side that she would go largely unnoticed. They were hoping they're wrong.

It was one of the pale brown mourning doves that sat on wires along the freeway and under trees on campus. It had so much blood on it that I couldn't figure out where the wound was. Who knew something so small even had that much blood? Regardless, the bird was definitely dead. Covering her mouth, Lissa stared wordlessly, eyes wide.