Off guard

thursday ; 10:26am

I was running through the halls, searching for her. I'd been awake all night. Josephine was like a faulty pipe. Dripping all night in my thoughts. Bothering me, leaving me sleepless.

This morning I was roaming, dead man walking. She was with Luca. I heard them. During the night. She's making a huge mistake, a disgusting mistake and the fact that it is too late shakes me, for her sake.

The halls were dark, some of the paint on the wall was cracking. I never understood why Josephine thought of this place being a 'palace'. The marble stairs are old. The servants don't bother to clean many rooms anymore. Even in the greenhouse, nearly all the plants are dead. Maybe it's her home. Maybe this seems like a palace because at home, it's much worse. But home is home, she still wants to return.

I caught a glimpse of the blonde in the kitchen. Rushing in there, I expected for Luca to be there too, he wasn't.
"Josephine."
I mutter her name in between breaths. She stares at me in shock.
"You look so tired, what is it?"
She came up to me, her cold palms calmed my panting face. I don't want her to move away.

"Did you and Luca?"
I pause, hoping for a hasty and stressed reply of denial, but she smiles. That sunny smile of hers. Why is she smiling at such an awful mistake?
"Were we that loud?"
She even chuckled, sipping on her coffee. Her poor innocent little face. It was so fragile that I feared if I told her she crumble to pieces like a pastry.
"Look, you've made a mistake..."
I began, talking faster to get it over with quicker.
"It was one night Dmitri."
"Yes but you don't know what you're feeling."
"Actually I do."
I laugh, even though this isn't exactly a laughing matter.
"You are so naive, what do you think you're feeling? Love? Well after I'm done-"
She began to approach me, looking more disgusted with every step she took.
"I'm going to fall out of love with your brother? Why do you even- oh."
Has she made the connection yet?

"You're just jealous aren't you!"

No, she has not. She laughed like a child, it all seemed like one big game to her. How pure.

"I can't believe I've got a sulky Dracula fancying me! How hilarious."

I looked away from her because she wasn't getting it all wrong.

"Look, just meet me in the greenhouse, tonight."
I left, simply hoping she would follow my advice.