Thirty One Days

Meeting

Today Istvan and I are suppose to meet with Madam Luna, who is still worried about my comfort, and insisted we hold the meeting at a book store. With both of my parents at work, I didn't have to worry about anyone seeing Istvan when he pulled up.
Glancing at myself in the front hall mirror, checking my hair and make up, then pulled on an old canvases jacket before heading out to meet him.

The bookstore was called Ink Press and also happened to be where most of the book I own have come from. A tiny bell tings as we enter and are hit with the smell of books, coffee, and earthy scents. The sound of a coffee machine hissing in the back combines with gently murmurs of the people around us, then the clanking of jewelry from Madam Luna waving at us. 
The feeling of normality settled began to settle in, but as we walk past tall, looming book shelves, creaking ceiling fans, and the occasional screech of chairs, anxiety replaced it. This would be the perfect spot to inspire an episode.
Glancing up at Istvan I could see that his face had paled, and knew the thought the same thing that I had.
"Hello children," Madam Luna smiled over a cup of coffee, her long hair was piled onto a messy bun on top of her head while she wore a poncho that all but swallowed her up. "Well, I suppose only Stevie is a child since she's seventeen," She added.
Istvan and I sat at the round table that held many sheets of paper and the Professors journal, plus her cup of coffee that was now seated on the table.
"Would you two like something? My treat," Madam Luna offered as she collected the papers into a neat pile.
"Maybe a little bit later, for me." I smiled back at her, "thank you though," I added quickly. She seemed to brighten up a bit as she took another sip of coffee.
"I might grab a cup or something," Istvan stood then waved away the money that Madam Luna tried to hand him and headed towards the counter.
"He's a good guy," Madam Luna nonchalantly said as she shuffled the papers around a little more before setting them down.
I nodded, unsure about what to say and felt slight awkward. A moment later Istvan returned with a cup of something steaming and three cookies, which he handed one to each of us.
"There was a deal," He laughed when I looked at him, hearing his laugh brought a smile to my face. Then he turned to Madam Luna, "Why'd you want to meet?" 
Her crystal eyes sparkled as she flashed us a smile. "I told you both that'd I'd keep you up to date, and I've found some interesting things." She opened the leather bound book for us to see but it wasn't in English, or anything that I recognized. "As you know, nothing can be easily, naturally Professor Thorne, who is also a Doctor, lived Europe. Specifically in Transylvania, Romania."
"Seems fitting," I said through a bite of cookie, double chocolate chip.
Madam Luna thought it over for a moment then laughed, "Anyways, I do not speak Romanian and that's what me wrote in. Translations is going slow but discovering interesting tid bits is not." She then flipped a couple of pages to a page that seemed to be a list with notes along side of it. "These, as I found out, are the common sensitivities."
"The ones we have?" Istvan asked, he had been leaning over the table with his arms folded. He had wore his leather jacket today that no rested on the back of his chair. Seeing that, I noticed that it was rather warm and took my jacket off also.
"Yes! Sensitivity to steel, iron, blood, different types of lights, all of those." She pointed some out, "He then writes, out to the side here, which bloodlines they come from. Steel is from the Werewolf bloodline; a steel bullet. Blood is, a no brainer, from the Vampire line. Issues with life deal with Necromancers, since they spend majority of their life in the dark." As she spoke she pointed out each side note and I could feel myself started to space out. Vampires? People playing with the dead? This was too much to believe. It seemed to be impossible to believe.
"Are you serious," Istvan places his cup down, he was gripping it. "Like are we really related to these.. these.. monsters?"
Madam Luna sat up straight while the glee from her eyes disappeared and she became very serious. "They're not monsters. They're people, like you, like me, like Stevie. They're just different. You ought to be ashamed of yourself for classifying this group of people with such an offensive name." The tempter in the room seems to drop as her voice grew heavy with disappointment.
"Stevie?!" A voice cut through the tension that was created and caused me to look away, my eyes fell onto a familiar face.
Chelsea stood a few feet away with a to go cup in one hand and two books in the other. Our eyes meet, her usually straight brown hair was thrown into a messy pony tail while her brown eyes were decorated with her signature make up look.
Her rain boots squeaked as she walked over to me and without knowing it, I had stood up and wrapped her in my arms. When I felt her wrap her arms around me I couldn't help but laugh while choking back tears.
"You're such a bitch," She sniffled then follows it with a laugh. "Did you forget how to use a phone?"
There was no way to hide the smile that was plastered on my face and I didn't want too, "Something like that,"
When we finally pulled away from each other Chelsea looked me over, taking in my outfit and hair, "You're hair has gotten so long," Which was true, I avoided hairdressers. "Are you okay? You've gotten so thin." Concern took over her voice.
While I've been waiting away I could see that Chelsea had kept her body the same as always, in fact it looked better, as did her sense of style. "Yeah, just, ya know," I ended it with a laugh not knowing what to say.
"You're doing better, yes? I haven't spoken to your mom recently, she's been keeping me up to date."
My mom had told Chelsea that I had a nervous break down, which was easy to believe due to all the activities I forced myself into. However, I saw no judgment in her eyes, like I feared I would, only caring.
Another smile reached my lips as my heart skipped a beat, "Yeah," I said considered I was in a better place than I had been, thanks to Istvan and Madama Luna. Who I had forgotten about.
Turning around to them I waved at Chelsea. "This is Chelsea, and," I faced Chelsea again, "This is Istvan and." I paused glancing at Madam Luna unsure how to introduce her or what to do.
"I'm Luna, her Romanian tutor," Madam Luna winked at me with a smile. "Please join us," She offered.
Chelsea smiled in response, "I'd love to but I've got to get these books to my mom," She turned towards me and held onto my hand. "Homecoming is coming up, you should be my date."
"Homecoming?"