The Vampire's Obsession

Chapter 15

Chapter 15 — Online

Lucy.

Two months have passed since the last time I saw Azriel. Two months of pain that I can't even explain. I love him. I truly love him. But why does it feel like this? Why does it seem harder to move forward than to wait?

I'm worried about him, especially since Yoshiko mentioned that they are still in a dangerous situation. But I can't help the doubts creeping in. What if it's just an excuse? What if there's someone else now?

I walked out of my room after spending the whole day locked inside. I had nothing to do but think. We’re here in this house that Leonardo—the boyfriend of my sister—gave us. It’s a nice house, spacious and peaceful. It's been a month since we moved here after everything went down. My sister and Leonardo got back together, and they’re happy, but no matter how much they care for me, I still feel something’s missing.

I keep asking Leonardo why Azriel stayed away. Why didn’t they bring him here? But his answer is always, "You’ll understand once he tells you his side."

I’m tired of waiting for an explanation that feels like it’s never coming.

Bumalik ako sa sala, hawak ang cellphone. Isa sa paborito kong tambayan dito. In-open ko ang messenger at tumambad sa akin ang chat box ng isang lalaking madalas kong kausap nitong mga nakaraang linggo. Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero may kakaiba sa kanya.

Gio Skrtt.

Ayan ang profile name ng lalaking yun. Nabigla na lang ako nung mga nakaraang linggo nung nag add sakin yan sa Facebook, hindi ko binalak na i-accept pero sobrang kulit niya.

He kept spamming me to accept his friend request, and I lost my patience, so I just accepted it. There was nothing to lose anyway if I accepted his request.

My heart races every time he messages me. There’s something about the way he writes, the choice of words, even the tone of his messages that reminds me so much of Azriel. It’s as if he’s channeling him, echoing his every mannerism. It’s unnerving but oddly comforting, like being swept into a wave of memories I try to hold on to but am also afraid to revisit. Every message makes my heart flutter, torn between the past and the present, between what I should let go of and what I can’t seem to forget.

Napabuntong-hininga ako habang nag-iisip. Pwede bang siya nga? Pero bakit siya magtatago? At kung hindi siya, bakit gano’n na lang ang pagkakahawig ng mga sagot niya kay Azriel?

Nakita kong online siya. Ilang segundo lang ay may dumating na namang mensahe.

From: Gio Skrtt.

Message:Kumain ka na ba? I don’t want you to go hungry.

A faint smile tugged at my lips. That way of checking on me was so familiar. It reminded me so much of Azriel. He used to say the exact same thing. But along with that smile, the pain came rushing back. The sting of memories I thought I could bury. It felt like a bittersweet reminder of something lost, something I couldn't move on from no matter how hard I tried. The words, though spoken by someone else, felt like they belonged to him. And just like that, the walls I built around my heart began to crack.

To: Gio Skrtt.
Message: Oo, kumain na ako.