Stay

Round and Around and Around and Around We Go

Four days until I'm transformed. 

It felt like I would be changed in less than four days, but having no company to talk to made it seem longer. Nobody talked to me since Aro informed me of my transformation date. Well, other than Jane and Demetri. The two of them are like the older siblings I so desperately wanted. They were so overprotective of me, and it warmed my heart that they actually cared for me more than my own biological parents did.

My parents were never at home. Not as a kid, not ever. They were always off on some "business trip" or whatever. I practically live alone, which is why Tessa, Brady, and Seb always met at my house. I was always home, and my parents weren't. But hey, I'm not complaining. I mean, whatever my parents do makes a lot of money, so I have a near-endless credit card. But, there were always times when I'd cook dinner for one that I wanted someone else to eat with. Loneliness was a big factor in my life. 

Here was nice, though. I got to have an actual family that actually cares for me. Jane and Demetri are like my older siblings, Felix is like that odd yet awesome cousin that your parents advise you to keep your distance from, and Aro, Marcus, and Caius are like three uncles that can be overbearing if you stay with them for too long. 

Three days until I'm one of them.

"What are you doing here, human?" Chelsea sneers once she recognizes me walk into the kitchen. I ignore her and simply look for something to eat for lunch. 

"You know, just because we are part of the lower Guard doesn't mean you can just ignore us, you piece of vermin," Afton taunts. 

"If Jane and Aro weren't so...hospitable to you, I'd rip you to shreds the second you walked in here," Renata laughs. It sounds so menacing, almost like she's teasing me. I try to even out my breathing and not get angry or cry in front of these vampires. They'll definitely use that to their advantage.

"What did you tell Aro to make him decide that you should stay?" Afton whispers. "Did you...bargain?" 

Really? How important could I be to the Higher Volturi if they still want me here? What if Afton, Renata, and Chelsea are right?

"How sure are you that they'll change you instead of killing you? How well do you even know them?" Chelsea snickers. She has a point though...am I positive that they'll change me? I mean, they had no problem killing my friends. What's to stop them from killing me, too? It'd be one less problem for them to deal with. It's not like any of them would actually miss me, anyways. 

"I bet they'll just suck you dry," Renata thinks, and I take a deep breath. The Volturi are going to change me. "Humans are so flawed and mindless, they'll believe anything."

Before Afton, Chelsea, and Renata can make some other comment about me, I grab something to eat and walk out, the three vampires' laughing echoing in my ears. 

I don't leave my room for the rest of the day. 

Two days until I'm a bloodsucking leech.

Nobody talked to me. Nobody bothered me, not even a knock on the door. I guess they heard me eating chips loudly and watching Friends and decided 'Maybe I should talk to Vera another time'.

I didn't mean for Afton, Renata, and Chelsea's words to get to me. I honestly just wanted food and chose the worst possible time to do so, when they were in my way. I should've just casually walked away or pretended I was lost. 

I was hoping Jane or Demetri would burst in through the door and demand I go bowling or something with them, but the door remained sealed, like a cell door. Maybe they truly didn't care, like Chelsea said. How well do you even know them? Maybe I don't know them well enough. I banished the idea of Alec opening the door to talk to me, but it would've been a nice plot twist for once. I still haven't talked to him since the balcony, and frankly I have no idea why. Did he think I was lying about how I felt about his past? I mean, it was a horrible way to be changed, but surely he must know that he didn't do anything wrong. It wasn't his fault, and those villagers that hated him deserved the disease and death they got. It's karma, I guess. 

One day until I am a vampire.

A knock on my door reverberates through the empty silence in my room. Without waiting for an answer, someone opens, it. Santiago, I think his name is. He didn't take sides between his fondness for me. In fact, he's probably the only vampire in the Volturi that didn't express hatred or fondness for me, and I'm almost grateful for it. 

"Aro wishes to see you," Santiago smirks. I nod in response, and he leaves, probably back to guard the front doors of the castle. 

I make sure I look presentable, even in dark skinny jeans and a flannel shirt I found. I walk to the Throne Room, and for once, I didn't get lost on the way there. 

There, Aro, Marcus, and Caius sit on their designated thrones, with Jane standing next to Marcus and Alec lingering by Caius. Demetri and Felix stand by the doors, ready to attack if necessary. I find Renata standing by Aro, twiddling her thumbs and looking around the room at a fast pace. Is she nervous because of...me?

"Ah, Vera. It's nice to see you again," Aro smiles. "May I?" He reaches out for my hand, and I let him take my hand. He stares directly into my eyes, and stops smiling. After about thirty seconds, he lets go of my hand.

"What is it?" Caius questions, looking at me with squinted eyes and his lips pressed in a thin line. 

"I don't know," Aro mutters, sitting in his throne and rubbing his face with his hand. "It was...weird. I believe it was your gift making an appearance. It's weak as you're a human, but once we change you tomorrow, it'll be easier to identify your gift."

"Is that all?" I question.

"No. I've heard you're being...antisocial, and I want you, Jane, Felix, Alec, and Demetri to go and do something for fun. You've all been tense lately and you need a break," Aro commands. 

"Yes, master," The four vampires chorus. Jane hops down the raised floor, and grabs my hand, pulling me away. I look back, and find Felix and Demetri following, with Alec trailing behind. Way behind.

Aro's P.O.V.(A/N: Were you expecting this?!)

I just touched Vera's hand and willed myself to read her thoughts. The only thing that I saw was a simple line;

Read her mind.

Over and over again. Strange, it was my thoughts, though. I couldn't change those three words, but the second I let her hand go, I thought normally, acted normally.

Strange. 

I can tell it's her gift, but with intrigues me is what exactly is her gift.

And it happened the first time I touched her hand. Deja vu? I think not.