The Devil Tips His Hat To Me

Chapter IX

"Pardon?"

"I have." Missi sighed. She suddenly felt exhausted after all this talk. It was like being hit by something big upon hearing Duke's outburst and then this happened, making their situation quite tense. She never knew this side of him. He's always been frightening with his deathly pale complexion and glaringly red eyes. But seeing him now, looking lost and a mask of disbelief on his face, it turns all those features into something gentle. Missi realized what he said about humans were true; being judgmental and all. Well, most of humans.

"You have..."

"Yes, how many times do I need to repeat myself?" She snapped, she never wanted to stay in this kind of conversation. It was too pitiful. But when Missi peered up at the vampire, she almost snorted at the look of hurt on his face. "Ahem, I-sorry." She whispered, tucking a stray hair behind her ear after the soft blow of the wind.

"No, it just seems that- I never expected a human to feel the same as I. This doesn't occur very often." He cleared his throat, glancing away briefly as if in hesitation before finally asking, "How come?"

"Oh no," Missi laughed humorlessly. "We're not actually going to talk about that now."

"It's your own fault. You made me curious." Duke is frowning down at her, almost appearing like a pouting child refrained from getting what he wanted.

Missi blinked in incredulity at the description and decided to shake the ridiculous thought away.

Perhaps, she mused.

Perhaps, letting all these contained frustrations out will help her feel slightly better, thus the creation of therapy. That actually just gave her another reason to talk and rant every misfortune out of her system. This is a sensitive topic for her after all. A very sensitive one that resulted her to shrink away from the crowd, turning her into a complete hermit. Furthermore, sharing this with a vampire who experienced it through- possibly- centuries, will truly understand her position. No one better. So maybe this time, she should speak. Pour everything out for her own sake now that there's someone ready to absorb everything in. At least, Missi can tell herself she's not alone anymore, that she should not be afraid of speaking her voice out after years of silence.

With a deep breath, she nodded. There's no good reason to be a dormant forever.

"Alright."

The vampire beamed.

"Go on then." He urged. "I'm all ears."

Then Duke gave her a small smile of encouragement, and Missi felt the tension between them crack little by little like ice in the end of Winter.

____________________

"Seems to me," Duke said as they walked in the garden. "That they're just envious of you."

She snorted. "Envious of me?"

There was nothing to be jealous of her. She's not even worthy to be spared a second glance, what more to be envious of. Why would he even suggest that. It was downright laughable to even think of.

Missi just shook her head in denial. There's no need for further explanation by how ridiculous that notion was.

"No, that's just- No."

Then Duke suddenly spoke aloud. His words flowing from his mouth unfalteringly as if he's reading it from somewhere she can't see.

"I can see the uniqueness- it may be imagination- filling up your whole being and that resulted you to create a whole world for yourself that nobody can ever understand. They don't see it the way you do, that's why they treat you that way. They consider you odd because they're all the same. They treat you different because they stayed ordinary with the others, while you, you soared above mediocrity." He stopped right in front of the stairs leading up to the terrace. "And that's why I think they're envious of you. You're unique than the rest of them and that you should be appreciative of."