Alexandria Laughlin Marshall (TO)

We Have Not Long To Love (pt 1)

    The next morning I could hear people moving around early in the morning, but I decided to stay in bed wanting to sleep more. But this is sadly interrupted when I feel someone tapping my shoulder. I mumble, "Go away." But it only comes out as an uninterpretable groan.

I then hear Hope's voice say, "The voices came back, and I don't know what to do."

This wakes me up, and I am sitting up instantly. I ask, "What?"

"I woke up this morning, and the voices are back, but louder. I can't think straight, they're getting so loud," she says.

"You should go to Freya, she'll probably have some idea on what to do."

"No, I can't," Hope says, as her eyes grow in horror at the idea. She quickly composes herself, and explains, "Things with my dad still haven't completely blown over, and now with the voices in my head because of the spell will only make it worse."

"You're going to have to tell them eventually," I say.

"I know, but I just need things to settle after the whole spell thing," she says.

I nod my head, "Fine, I'll do it." Hope smiles at me, and I say quickly, "But, you have to promise me that you are going to tell them by the end of the week."

I can tell Hope wants to roll her eyes, but she refrains and says, "Fine."

With a triumphant smile, I say, "Good. Ok, give me your hands."

Hope holds them up, and I focus on the same magic from last night. I can feel it entering my body this time. It feels like the magic is taking the energy out of my body. Once I hear Hope say, "They're gone," and I pull my hands away, I feel liquid dripping from my nose. My hand snaps to my nose, and I lightly wipe away the liquid. I quickly glance down to my finger and see the red liquid that I knew was there but still hoped it wasn't. As I look back up to Hope, she has a smile as she says, "Thank you." As my hand shoots behind my back, so Hope doesn't see it.

I quickly reply, "No problem. Just tell me when it comes back, ok."

Hope nods her head, "Ok." A smile spreads across her face as she says, "I have to go have breakfast with my dad and Freya."

She seems happy that her dad is back, so I decide to say nothing about the nose bleed, and with a smile say, "Go, enjoy breakfast."

Hope practically runs out of my room, saying over her shoulder, "Thanks again!"

I feel more blood dripping from my nose, and I run to the bathroom connected to my room. I look in the mirror and see more blood dripping from my nose to the sink. I grab a tissue and wipe more blood away. I know that if I siphon too much magic my nose will bleed like any other witch if they use too much magic, but I barely siphoned any magic from Hope, or at least it didn't feel like it.

———

Once the nose bleed stopped, I walk down the stairs from my bedroom. I can hear voices in the dining room. I hear Klaus' voice, "The curse that plagued our family for seven years has taken its toll on all of us. On our city. On our home. On our family. The consequences of us being together were grave, but today, thanks to you, we celebrate a new beginning." I can almost sense the tension radiating from his words and the room. Instead of going into the dining room to get food, I decide to get food from the kitchen—so I don't interrupt their family discussion, or get pulled into the hostility of the conversation.

I make my way into the kitchen to see that there are a ton of sugar-packed breakfast foods, but instead, I grab a banana. I walk around the kitchen island, as I check my phone. I finally answer some of the texts from Josie, Lizzie, and Penelope. I tell them all I'm fine, and that I may be coming back to school soon. Once I toss my banana peel in the trash can, I make my way back to the courtyard. As I'm about to walk up the stairs, I see Elijah walking down them. I don't know where we stand from the whole spell throwing situation, so I walk back towards the kitchen. I know that he didn't remember who Hayley was, and I don't want to judge him for it. But that still doesn't mean that I want to see him all the time. Once I see that he walked into the dining room, I walk over to the stairs. I stop halfway up the stairs when I hear Hope walking out of the dining room. After she leaves, I don't even need vampire hearing to hear the prevalent anger in Klaus' voice as he talks about Freya's actions with the spell and Hope. I continue walking up the stairs, not wanting to be caught eavesdropping.