The Ties That Bind

Chapter 1✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

4 years later⋆⭒˚｡⋆

As Alma walked down the high school hallway, her footsteps echoing against the tiled floors, she overheard a group of students talking nearby. Their voices carried the weight of gossip and cruelty, and Alma felt a pang of apprehension as she listened in.

"I heard her daddy ran off and left her all alone in their huge manor," one voice sneered, dripping with disdain. "Must be tough being such a freak that even your own father couldn't stand to be around you."

Alma's heart clenched at the mention of her parents, the wound still fresh from their abandonment. She tried to brush off their words, but the pain cut deep, reminding her of the rejection she felt every day.

Another girl chimed in, her voice taunting and cruel. "And I heard all of her friends used to be objects growing up. Her mother had to make them come alive for her, because no one wanted to be her friend! How embarrassing is that?"

Alma's cheeks flushed with embarrassment and hurt as the words stung like a slap to the face. The memories of all her dear companions now de-animated widened the crack in her heart a little more.

"And then even her own mother got tired of how weird she was, and literally abandoned her," another voice added, dripping with malice. "That girl must be insufferable to be around if everyone seems to be leaving her!"

Alma's breath caught in her throat as the words hit her like a sledgehammer. The pain of her parents' betrayal and her classmates' mockery threatened to overwhelm her, but she forced herself to keep walking, chin held high despite the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She couldn't let them see her weakness, couldn't let them know how much their words hurt. But deep down, the wounds they inflicted cut deeper than she dared to admit, leaving her feeling more alone and vulnerable than ever before.

It had been three years since her parents had abandoned her, and the fourth anniversary of the event was soon approaching. Alma lived her life painfully. When she entered high school, the news of what had happened to her parents had spread quickly, making everyone aware of her situation. Her story gained popularity, and not in the best way. It seemed like the whole town, even the world, knew of her situation.

No one had ever heard of a vampire being disloyal to the person they imprinted on before, as it was believed to be biologically impossible. The case had made the news, and during the first year, journalists and scientists had tried to interview Alma to understand the origin of this abomination. It had been extremely difficult for Alma. She was treated as a freak, as a special study. No one wanted to be her friend in high school, and she felt incredibly alone.

Living in her huge manor, with no one else but some of the housekeepers who had kindly stayed for her, was a constant reminder of her loss. The sight of the place where she once shared so many memories burdened her. Everything reminded her of her mother and father. She wished every day for them to come back, dreaming of how she would welcome them with open arms. Because no matter what, she still loved them both more than anything, and they were the only key for her to feel happiness again.

But the prime of her heartbreak would come when she arrived home every day to see her former companions, Seraphina and the others, lying there, lifeless. She tried to understand her mother's heartbreak, tried her hardest to make sense of it, but she couldn't understand why she had done this to her. The pain in her heart was infinite, and every day it grew bigger, gnawing at her soul.

                                                                                   ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆