A Different Breed ▻ Legacies [1]

29

Hope and Valerie were no stranger to death, but that didn't mean they ever wanted to talk about it. Once a year for Remembrance Day, the students of the Salvatore School were asked to write letters to their lost loved ones. They signed their names, folded them up, and scattered them throughout the cemetery.

  While everyone in the Stefan Salvatore memorial library was writing letters, Valerie sat with Hope as she sketched a drawing of the Necromancer, the school's newest threat.

Hope and Valerie never saw the point in writing a letter. Why write to the dead? They were dead. They'd rather not think about it all. Except lately for them...Death kept knocking on their door.

Valerie turned her head, glancing over at Rafael, who was in the middle of writing a letter to Cassie, his deceased girlfriend. He noticed her eyes on him and looked up, sending her a small smile before continuing to write his letter.

Once finishing his letter and putting it with the rest of them, Rafael walked over to Valerie and Hope, who were just getting ready to leave, "Did writing the letter feel good?" Valerie awkwardly asked Rafael, causing Hope to give her a weird look while Rafael simply shrugged.

"I don't really know honestly," He admitted as they walked down the hallway, "It felt good to get it all out, but it's still there. Did you two write one?"

Hope and Valerie shared a look, both of them letting out a large scoff, "Nah," Valerie answered for the both of them, "My mother does it for the three of us. She writes one to Hope's dad, Hope's mother, Elijah, Cami, Josh, and Jackson," She explained and Rafael's eyes widened in shock.

"That's a lot of people," Rafael replied, her face filled with shock.

Valerie frowned when her eyes locked a frail-looking girl standing at the front door, "Who the hell is that?" She spoke up, causing both Hope and Rafael to turn their heads.

Rafael's eyes widened in disbelief once more, "Cassie?" He called out, causing the girl to turn her head to look at him.

"Raf," Cassie sighed in relief, causing Valerie to frown when she realized who the girl was.

"Cassie?" Hope spoke up with a frown on her face, "Isn't that your..." She trailed off.

"My girlfriend," Rafael finished her sentence for her as he rushed over to Cassie, dropping his bag down on the floor.

Cassie gasped out as Rafael engulfed her in a hug, Cassie gradually beginning to hug back. Valerie watched the two from afar, a somewhat sad look on her face. She was happy for Rafael, but she also pitied him, knowing that Cassie was only there because the Necromancer was trying to mess with them. There was also another part of Valerie; a small part that was upset that Cassie was alive because it ruined her chances with Rafael. She knew she shouldn't have felt that way, but she did and she couldn't help it.

Hope sighed, wrapping her arm around Valerie, "Be happy for him," She whispered to her best friend, "It's not like it's going to last long."

"I know," Valerie replied quietly, keeping her eyes locked on Rafael and Cassie as they hugged.

____

Ophelia screamed out as she embedded the blade of a cleaver into the Necromancer's head. She frowned when it had no effect, both her and Alaric crouching down in front of him, "Was that really necessary?" He asked the two adults unamused.

"We told you we need answers," Alaric told the Necromancer sternly.

"Why would I help you?" He questioned them, "You have me in chains. This indignity will not go unpunished."