The Rosen Vampire Knight Series

Thread of Thorns: Chapter 13

Emma

Thankfully, we didn't get caught by the Headmaster or Yagari sensei. Keirrin was able to retrain herself long enough for us to sneak out the gates and around to where student cars were held. We climbed into the diamond dust convertable.

"Kogeta won't miss it." Toran told us as he climbed into the driver's seat. "Plus, he won't even know it's gone. This is the one time where him having no telepathy is a good thing."

He had meant to joke, but his voice wasn't into it. I think Toran was really concerned about his brother, so teasing about Kogeta's problem was hurting him a little. Any other time, he would have been fine. But with the current events as they were....

"Can we go already?" Hana asked her boyfriend. She'd taken the passenger seat, booting Arashi to the back. Hana took a quick glimpse around before speaking again. "I feel like Yagari sensei's going to pop out of the bushes any moment."

"That WOULD be scary." Keirrin agreed, shivering. "Especially if he has that vampire hunter gun on him."

"Toran, can you hurry it up? I'm going to get the jitters if Emma's cousin keeps going on." Arashi complained from the back.

"Fine!" Toran flipped out, throwing his hands up in the surrender pose. He brought them back down so he could put the key into the ignition and start the car. "Hold on!" he cried, rather suspiciously, before setting the car in reverse.

We flew backwards just so that a few seconds later we were thrown forward. Toran was putting the petal to the metal. The car sped out of the parkinglot onto the road, drifting as he made the turn.

"I change my mind!" Keirrin shouted, clinging to the door. "I want out!"

"Too late!" Toran yelled back without turning around.

"Oh, brother." Hana and I muttered at the same time while Arashi laughed his head off.

~"~

An hour and a few heart attacks later, Toran parked the car outside of a store. The humans walking around the town were staring as we all got out of the car. I understood them. I'd be staring too if a bunch of head to foot covered teens stepped out of an expensive sports car. Some of them probably thought we were celebrities. The locals probably thought nothing of us.

"Is there any particular reason why we escaped from school to go here?" I asked as we began to walk.

"Shopping!" Toran replied while leading the way. "The Fall Fete's on Tuesday, right? Well, by the time the headmaster lets us all out to find something nice to wear (assuming he let's us out with the kidnapper and all), all the good dresses and tuxes will all be taken."

"And I am not getting a rental with a missing button again." Arashi added to his friend's arguement.

"Exactly." Toran agreed. "So what we do is come early so we get our pick of the place."

I frowned and looked to Hana who was walking in beside me. "I could care less what I wear." Toran's girlfriend shrugged.

We walked some distance, looking at the outside of stores and what they had in their display cases. Many of the businesses were restuarants or delis. There were very few clothing stores.

While we did this, Keirrin felt the need to shoot up to every window and gaze inside the store like a little kid. She zig-zagged back and forth as we continued to search for the perfect store.

"She's got to much energy." I sighed, watching as my cousin darted around.

Hana yawned before replying. "I wish I had a cup of coffee."

Shortly after she admitted this out loud, the entire group (excluding Keirrin) agreed that we could all use an energy boost. We treked back up the street to the family owned cafe that did rather well for this area. Toran and Hana grabbed a booth for themself. Arashi, Keirrin, and I were forced to sit together in a second booth.

The owner at the counter asked what we would like. I told him to ignore Keirrin's order. Of course my cousin complained, but quickly forgot when she got distracted by the case of chocolate chip cookies sitting by the register. I had to drag her away from it to keep her from drooling on the counter the entire time we were sitting in the cafe.

When all of us were finished with our coffee, carefully sipping so that our fangs weren't revealed, we paid and left. The shop owner, after listening our conversation, had recomended a clothing store two blocks down. It's entrance was on the side of the building instead of the front. We found it easily after following his instructions. 

A bell chimed when we walked into the business. The floor beneath our feet was made of wood. It looked old and musty like a antique shop that hadn't been swept for a decade. A dusty desk sat up near the door with an old register for a checkout. Although the store's appearance wasn't very attractive, the clothing it sold was absolutely gorgeous. 

Dresses came in every color and style imaginable. There were different variety of necklines, from V to square, with the same style of skirt so that finding a dress you felt comfortable in was easy. For the boys, there were several different styles of tuxes with colors from pure white to pitch black. 

The group split up to invesitage. Hana liked looking through the different dresses alone, so I was left with hyperactive Keirrin as a companion. She ooed and ahhed at every dress I pulled out. 

After an hour or so of looking, with the boys waiting for us outside, Hana and I finally found something we liked. For me, I picked a dazzling red orange gown that faded to a crimsion at the bottom. It had speghetti straps and a square neckline. The dress also included a white sheer scarf you drapped on your arms and ran behind your back. Hana chose a yellow white dress with a V pattern on the edges. The had a V neckline and short sleeves.

We paid a wrinkly old woman, who had been sitting in the back where the store had an electric fan, with cash. While she was surprised we could pay the kind of money her hand-made dresses costed, she accepted the money none the less.

With our shopping done, we left returned to the diamond dust sports car and went back to the academy. If I had to guess, three or four hours had passed. It wasn't long enough for anyone to notice our disappearance. Most of the other vampires were sleeping and all the day class students were all in bed, catching up on sleep.

No matter how many times Keirrin begged, all of us agreed that she couldn't drive the car. Toran grabbed the driver's seat before she could so he insured none of us would die. Keirrin sat down in the back defeated. 

Once the rest of us were in, Toran started the vehicle. The drive back was just as hazordous as the drive away. We came out in one piece though, so no one was too upset. Carefully carrying our goods, we snuck back to the Night Class Dorm. I didn't know about the others, but I shoved my new dress into my closet so Kaito had no idea I had left. If they were smart, they'd do the same so the rest of the Night class didn't figure out our little trip to the town.

I went to bed directly after to get what little sleep I could.

~"~

A little mid-night dreaming, a little mid-night scheming.