Lost In The Night (On Hold)

Secrets Exposed

Cressida's P.O.V.)

It's been a week since I died and was brought back by Raphael, and since that day, said vampire was avoiding me like the plague. He hadn't been showing up to class, and when the three of us met up to discuss catching my parents, he would address me in a formal way and wouldn't give me any opportunity to approach him privately.

Currently, Adrian, Raphael, and I are gathered in Raphael's loft to continue making plans. It's a pretty cozy place, not what I expected from the second oldest vampire alive, who may or may not also be a homicidal maniac on his bad days.

"I'm never a homicidal maniac, huntress," my eyes dart up at Raphael addressing me, it's been a week since he spoke to me like that, and I welcome it, I even missed the cocky smirk that was currently on his face.

Despite me wanting to be a stone cold bitch towards him, a silver of a smile creeps its way onto my own face. "Well look who's finally talking to me again."

The vampire before me feigns confusion. "What? I never stopped talking to you."

"Stop playing dumb," I fire back, while my brother remains quiet.

"I'm not," Raphael replies stubbornly.

"Are too."

"Are not."

"Are too."

"Are n-"

"Are you two four years old?!" My brother yells, obviously getting fed up with us.

"Sorry," we both mumble in unison.

Adri glares at the two of us, kind of like a mother trying to figure out what her kids are hiding. "What's been going on with you two lately?"

Raphael and I exchange a quick glance. "Nothing," he says. But it seems like our glance didn't go unnoticed by my observant brother.

Adri sighs and looks at me, conveying that he's had enough of our bullshit. "Cress, what's going on?"

I can never get away with lying to Adrian, and Raphael seems to know that. He nods his head at me, signaling that I should just tell him.

"Remember when I died a week ago?" My brother gives me his "no shit Sherlock" look. "Well, we weren't entirely truthful about how Raphael managed to bring me back."

"I know," Adrian smiles sadly, and I can tell that he's hurt that I wasn't honest with him. "I know you weren't being honest about it, and I think I know how he did it, which explains why you kept it a secret. But tell me anyway, confirm my theory."

I swallow as a lump forms in my throat. "He kissed me. To bring me back, talking wasn't working so he kissed me." The loft is dead silent, no pun intended. I sit anxiously waiting for Adrian to respond, knowing that I hurt him by lying to him. Adrian was the one person I always told everything, and he did the same with me. We had unwavering trust in each other, but my guess is he now thinks I don't trust him like I used to, which isn't true.

After what seemed like hours but in reality was probably only a few minutes, Adri silently gets up and, without looking at either of us, walks out of Raphael's loft. I make a move to go after him, but a hand on my shoulder stops me. Sighing, I look back and make eye contact with Raphael. He shakes his head, silently telling me to give Adrian some space.

I slump back in my chair with regret a dominant feeling, "I should have told him." I keep my gaze fixated on the ground, not daring to look up.

There's shuffling, and then Raphael says, "don't blame yourself, Cressida. You did what you thought was right, what you thought would be best."