Chapter 21: Santa Maria (Blood Ink’s after days)
“Are you still reading that, Rubes?” Ivy said, throwing her shoulder bag at the other end of the table.
We were on the new library now, located on the adjacent building on top of The Archives. The sun was warm and dozens of our classmates where frantically trying to finish the history report for when Mrs. de Vera’s substitute comes.
Mrs. de Vera, as you might well remember, was the first victim in the recent bloody chain of attacks. And our class had nearly thought that the three-month due history report need not be submitted, since our teacher filed a leave of absence. So ofcourse, history was turned into self-study period for about two weeks and during that time, everyone had a taste of ‘true freedom.’
“Aren’t you going to finish your report? You’re seriously not thinking of not submitting one, are you?” She ogled her eyes for God knows what reason – Wait.
I carefully closed the Black Journal in-between my palms and twisted the chair so that it had now faced Ivy’s. That was odd. Déjà vu? I shook my head and put the idea at the far-back recesses of my mind.
“Hey, Ruby… You haven’t been coming to our after-school gimmicks anymore and all you do nowadays is read that cryptic little black book of yours. Is everything alright?”
‘More than ok’ I thought to myself as I switched back to reading mode. Hunching down towards the open journal that nimbly sat on my lap, I couldn’t help but let out a giggle. I was now reading the entries Yuuzel made during the first few days that he and I had met down at The Archives. I shall have to punish him later for it.
She rolled her eyes and poked her nose onto her history assignment.
“You can copy mine if you like. I doubt the substitute teacher will even look at it.”
I have a point. It’s way too long and thick and there are forty to fifty students in one class. Do you really think anyone – even the most steadfast teacher, would read that much having pretty much the same material? You know sometimes, the insanely long book reports aren’t even read. After the submission they’re just thrown away onto some heap of last year’s reports and left there to rot away. So what’s the use of even making us submit such things? If the main idea was just to learn from it why not make us read and do an oral. That would be more economical if you ask me.
“What Ruby? You’ve already finished yours? How’d you do it?” her eyes couldn’t have been even more expressive than they were now.
“Meh…I got some help” I shrugged.
What’s the use of having two vampire nobles without having the capacity to properly abuse them? On this regard, I have made another fine point.
It took him long enough though, about three days after he had heard about it. And it’s been two days since I last went down The Archives and saw him. Yoh said that he needed some rest to heal and regenerate. I tried offering him my blood again – but I was mercilessly shunned away. And that Yoh would always be leaving to deal with ‘important’ matters. They didn’t tell me what it was but I had hunch that it had something to do with Errzabeth. We still don’t know if she would eventually resurface and if she’d be coming after me again.
There’s also the sly ghost named ‘Friend’ who’s been occasionally visiting Ms Claire, our civics teachers and keeping her company. Sometimes she’d ask me if I wanted to come back to her apartment and make use of the Ouija board again. I kindly refused every offer she had made, saying that I was grounded the last time, which is almost true. Although it wasn’t the night of the Friendly encounter, mom had thrown a hissy fit to top all hissy fits the night she went to the bath and found out that I wasn’t on my bed at 3:45 in the morning, for that was, ofcourse, the time I was carefully placing Yuuzel inside his chambers. This was another story, entirely on its own.
Yuuzel’s hands had been scalded. The chain must’ve been soaked in holy water for far too long. Minutes before dawn came, that day when we defeated Salasarn, we sneaked out of the park through the shadows. Joseff too had trouble healing his wounds because of that. The weaker a vampire is on a post-fight, the slower their regenerative powers. And that includes the sizzles from the sun.
Yuu made sure to bring me back home in one piece. It was just sour luck that mom had peeked inside my room to find me missing. I wasn’t allowed to be outside after 6 pm and so far, mom didn’t seem to be in pretty good spirits whenever I try and bring the topic of lifting the curfew up. There a lot of restrictions too and this few days, mom had been coming home earlier than before. She was cautious about something…
‘Driiinnnnn…..’
“Oh geeze! Third bell?” Ivy lousily stashed the half-done, hand-written, book assignment inside her shoulder bag pushed at mine into my sling bag.
“Rubes… I am so dead if my mom finds out about me flunking another subject…”
“Just go all out on our finals. That usually does the trick.” I placed the Black Journal inside as well and quickly traversed the stairs down towards the main hall.
I looked to my left and saw the huge portrait of Don Meluna. Behind one of the tapestries that guarded it on each side, was the passageway towards The Archives. I smiled to myself. Maybe I should be able to visit Yuu after school now. I wanted to piss him off a little bit about the flaming chest during that after-battle morning. His skin looked every bit like smoked salmon.
“Rubes com’on! Hurry up will you? You have to help me write my report…” Ivy pulled me by the arm towards our class room.
Great. I didn’t have to work on mine and now she wants me to work on hers. Karma is really - really clever, huh? And I bet you she won’t stop pestering me about it until I say yes. So there’s no point in having to let her go through the trouble of convincing me. I nodded.
“Oh thankyou Rubes!! You’re the best! Com’on, we still have Math next before History. If we both write the report while the teacher gabs on, maybe I can make it.”
“Good. Coz there’s no way I’m ever listening to any Math lesson…” that was an understatement. I hate Math.
I sulked as she pulled me along. I guess I still have to leave things as they are right now. But hey? Even with a lot of things that are left unsolved I still have the Black Journal – and most importantly, its owner in tow… Things are looking up for once.
** END **
Writer's Note: Blood Diary comes next after this.
Thanks for Reading!
+LisL+
"HappinessisElusive"
BINABASA MO ANG
Blood Ink (The Archives Book I): Editing
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