The Periodic Table Of Unfortunate Events (#1 Of The Chemistry Series)

Vanadium

Vanadium is a hard, silvery gray, ductile, and malleable transition metal.

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Hayden noticed right away that he can smell the sea. He didn't bother asking Reinne where they are going or else she's going push him of the horse for ruining the suspense.

"Why are we going to the beach?" Hayden yelled at her ear for her to hear him against the evening wind.

"I'm going to show you something," Reinne yelled back. She knows that Hayden is dying to know where they are going right now. She fasten Boron when saw them nearing their destination.

"What is it?" Hayden glance to his sides to see that they are somewhere far from the farm or the house. There are no lights and their only source of light right now is the moon. The rest of the trees are swallowed in darkness. He quietly freak out knowing that Reinne usually went here alone, especially at night.

"This."

Hayden snap back to reality when he felt the horse stop and he look over her shoulder to see the vast ocean, who reflected the crescent moon with the bright stars. Its rare to see stars this close, that just proves that there are still places where pollution hasn't destroyed yet.

Reinne leaned into Hayden's warm chest and watch the ocean waves. She would often come here alone, and that ladies and gentlemen answered Hayden's fear, when she needed some time to think away from her family and work even just for a few minutes. She never brought anyone here, even her brothers don't know about this area. This area where they are currently in is not a part of the farm. The irrigation system that her brother built served as a boundary, which they didn't see since its night. She close her eyes and inhale the fresh ocean breeze. How she miss the ocean.

"My mom died when I was born."

"What?" Reinne stiffen and look up at Hayden to see him stare at the ocean. She almost thought that Hayden didn't spoke up.

"Dad said that there was some complications when my mom had me. The doctor said that its a risky pregnancy and there could be a chance that I will die but she push through it anyway," Hayden continue to stare at ocean as he reminiscence what his father told him. He continued. "She would always say, as my what my father says, that only fate will tell. She-I was three weeks early and I survived. A beautiful healthy baby boy was conceived but the mother only get to hear his cries before she fainted..."

Reinne grab his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Hayden..."

"I need to let this out," He sigh. "She lost too much blood and she died few minutes later. My father blamed me. A weak baby was blamed as to why his wife died."

Reinne felt the tears surfacing around her eyes. She stayed silent and he continued. "30 years I shoulder the blame that my mother died while I survived. Everyday, my father always drill it to my head as I grow up. He would say, 'You killed her.' Over and over again. Edna tried reasoning out to him that it wasn't my fault but," He shrug. "There's no point in talking to a man who closed himself to other opinion. He'll listen to no one but himself. For years, I tried for him to be proud of me."

Reinne tried to grasp the vision Hayden is placing on her. The Kurt she knew always smiles and always encourage everyone with his wisdom. Just like they all said, remove the mask and you'll met a different person. She had a different view of Kurt in her mind while Hayden had different. She just listened to Hayden cause that's all he needed. Someone he can talk to.

"I took business and economics instead of medicine in hopes that he would be proud of me but," Hayden scoff. "No. He isn't. During graduation, only Edna and Heather attended. They made feel welcome and despite of all the selfishness in the world they treated me like a family."