The vampire's incubator

Chapter 11

Chapter 11
Safety box

I drag my feet to the dining hall for breakfast and honestly, I'm drained. Emotionally.
The mad King gives me one of his infamous smirks but I just walk to my chair and ignore his stares throughout the meal.
I'm sorry but it's not everyday people will happily play demented games with you my lord.

After what happened last night, I  can't bring myself to face Rosaline and she has been trying hard to get my attention from the moment we entered but the peas on my plate are too important to ignore, I can't let my eyes wander off even for a minute because who knows? They may turn into pebbles.

"Breakfast time is over." The mad king dismisses agitatedly and frankly, I don't care.

I'm fast walking to my room while Rosaline runs after me and I hate the smile on her face. I hate how unbothered she is by their perfidy and if I'm being honest, I am slightly worried for Rosaline, I'm worried that this blind trust she has for those people will someday kill her.

She finally catches up with me, trying hard not to smile but it's obviously not hard enough because I can still see amusement dancing in her eyes. "Wow, if you had told me that your tooshie looks like that when you're mad, I could've made you angry so much earlier."
The only reason I know she's talking about my ass is because of how much she's staring at it and in order to stop myself from laughing, I bite my lip, a little smile forcing its way on my face.

Rosaline finally notices the change in the mood and puts another piece of paper in my hand. Didn't last night teach her anything? My eyes quickly skim over it before I throw it in my mouth and chew it loudly, pretending like I never read it.

We've finally reached my door and I walk in, Rosaline following shortly after, eyes looking at me in horror.
"That was totally uncalled for!" She reproves, her hands on her hips.

"Yes, you're right Rosaline, it wasn't called for. It was totally shouted for." I sigh and look at her with the best look a matron would give a child stomping her feet to play out in the rain. Rosaline needs a wake up call so the words leave my mouth slowly.
"Last. Night. We. Could. Have. Died." I say every word nodding my head.
"Does that bother you at all Rosaline? Doesn't it make a difference to you that we risked so much for nothing? What could've have happened if we got caught? Do you have even a slightest idea of what he could've done to us?" Honestly, I'm surprised my voice hasn't gone any higher. This is exactly why I've been avoiding her, somehow I knew she'd be making an excuse for them, even after what they did to us last night. Her handing me the letter doesn't startle me more than what she says next.

"Does it make a difference to you Adinah?" I hate how Rosaline always jokes in serious moments but now I wish she was joking although the earnest on her face tells me otherwise.

"What?" Confusion clouds me.

"Does dying matter to you?" She asks and I wish she was joking.

"Wow, Rosaline! We spend what? Thirty seconds with one of them and you've already become this wise? A few more years in their company and you'll be even better than Aristotle. But oh, wait, they are not coming are they? Writing letters and making unfulfilled promises is more fun. Yay!" I say dryly, glaring at her.

I hate how she thinks that statement is funny and starts laughing. "No Adinah, you don't get it. You love 'safe.'" She accuses with air quotes and the seriousness returns to her face. "Adinah, does it matter how or when you'll die when you're living like this already?
You need to live! Do things that make you happy instead of worrying of how not to die when we both know it's inevitable! If I was to die tomorrow, I wouldn't mind because I've done so much with so little I've had. You need to find happiness in little things that life offers because if you keep living like this, growing until you're old and grey won't make a difference. Even if it's short, you need to taste the bittersweet nature of real life and being young with every chance you get. Your life won't count for anything if you die buried under the 'safety box' you're already deep under. You need to get out!"

I should be mad. I should yell at Rosaline and tell her that my 'safety box' has been keeping Matilda and I safe till today. That the taste of real life doesn't matter but I can't. Because she's right. It's undeniable that I've been yearning for that kind of attitude and personality for so long but I had to be on the safe side for Matilda, she can't live without me and that I know for sure. I wish I could be the kind of girl who kisses a boy in my captor's house, get drunk mindlessly and joke about everything but I can't because I am somebody's sister.

When I don't answer she takes it as her chance to speak. "How am I doing in the 'finding the next Aristotle' competition so far?" She wiggles her eyebrows with a toothy smile and I can't help but return a gentle one. Rosaline is beautifully crazy.

"Oh, shut up!" I fake agitation and she laughs.

"You ate the letter!" She says, her voice a mixture of humor and disbelief.

The letter had said; congratulations, you've passed your test of unity. Welcome to the family. We care.

I still hate how they thought they had the right to gamble with our lives like that. And I thought I was the one with trust issues!

"You deserved it." I mumble and we laugh.

Although their reasons are absurd and unprofessionally immature, a tiny piece of me still belives that we'll make it out and for today, I just want to smile, lie beside Rosaline while we joke about important things that need serious addressing and worry less about staying alive.

A/N
Hey there Lovies, thanks again for reading. I know this chapter doesn't show much but I believe in humanly imperfect  characters and lack of safety is obviously one of Adinah's weaknesses which fuels most of her actions and decisions.

Thank you for sticking around really.
Please remember to vote .
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