Kathrina POVOn Monday afternoon, I and Lita were rocking on the porch swing of her house when I told her about Rylan's loss some months back."That's…so unfortunate," Lita said, taking a handful of chips from the packet laying in between us on the swing." But, you think that drove me to turn into an asshole?" I asked her, taking a sip from my cartoon of strawberry juice."You know…I told you Rylan was never a bad guy from the beginning." Lita sighed. "He just happened to change after his return; being a bully like Hayden…" she paused as I flicked a sharp glance at her."Ugh, I mean like Hayden was, you know," she rephrased. "Lita, honestly, ever since I learnt about his brother's death, I've been feeling guilty and…bad."Lita darted her eyes from the lawn to me."Why is that so?""I think I and Rylan share something in common.""You both lost someone dear to your hearts?" She asked with an arched brow.I nodded."I guess Rylan's brother was dear to him. And the pain of his death ma
Kathrina POVFew days later, I was at the backyard of the house, talking to Hayden on the phone when Monna walked up to me from the kitchen door leading to the back porch."Someone wants to see you, Katherina. She's waiting at the front porch," Monna informed. I nodded and she left"I will talk to you later, Hayden," I said and hung up, tucking my phone into the back of my pocket, I tucked my hair behind my left ear and started walking to the front porch.Mrs Miranda was on the porch, her back facing me when I walked up to the steps."Mrs Miranda?" She spun and smiled."Hey, Kathrina," she waved at me as I stepped on the top stairs."What are you doing here, ma'am?" I asked."Actually, I came over here to see you. I want to talk to you."I nodded. "Let's go in…""No. Is it okay if we just talk out here?" She asked."All fine," I said. I motioned at the table and we sat on the bench behind the table."I wouldn't like t9 bear around the bush, but," she paused, staring at me like she was
Kathrina POV You want to die?" He snapped at me, waking me up from my trance."W..w…what, hm?" I stuttered. His face didn't ease. No, I don't know why I'm feeling strange about him. But, I've gotta shake this dreadful feeling.'Fear Is the beginning of failure' my dad mostimes told me when I was a kid. I've never feared Rylan like this since I encountered him and I don't start shuddering. I'm Kathrina. And I fear no one.I jerked my arm off his grasp and took a few steps backward, staring at him."Look I want to talk to you," I said, trying not to get intimidated by his stern expression and piercing grayish-green eyes.He didn't utter a word but folded his arms."I know you must be going through a lot and," I paused as he squinted. Obviously, he wasn't trying to understand what I'm saying."And I would want us to be f…" the bell rang, interrupting me."Actually, I…""Aren't you going in for your second exam subject now?" He asked and I shrugged."You know what, get lost," he said an
Rylan POV"Understood?!" I tried my very best to sound like the cold jerk she had always seen me like.What's wrong with her? I thought in my mind. Staring at her, I was actually trying damn hard to read her mind, but, unfortunately I couldn't.Never in my wildest imagination have I for once thought that she would want to be friends with me, her highschool detestable enemy.She was just gazing at me now with shaking eyes, so innocently that one can hardly think so is a brazen little cat.I opened my mouth to talk but she faux coughed forcing me to tilt my head aside, gnashing my teeth."M…my shoulders," she muttered, making me dart my eyes to her. I flicked glances at my grips on her shoulders then slowly pulled down my hand."I just lost it, sorry," I apologized without thinking."You're crazy!" She cussed and pushed me back with a frown."My shoulders are now aching and if I get to rip off my jacket, I bet your awful handprints would be on my delicate shoulders…""Then rip it off le
Kathrina POVI flicked a stare at Rylan and when he smirked, I jerked my wrist off his grasp."I'm not scared by your silly words," I said, putting on my imaginary jacket of confidence.I will still be your friend," I said and watched as his expression changed. He shrugged."Bye…friend!" I wriggled my right fingers at him and started heading into the building.Stopping a few feet away from the school entrance door, I stared back and saw Rylan smiling at me.What a weirdo! I started walking, fastening my pace."Hey," I heard Lita's voice immediately I stepped into the foyer and spun.She walked up to me and exhaled."What's with the fast pace? I couldn't catch up with you,silly."I opened my mouth to talk but uttered no word when I stared above Lita's shoulder and saw Rylan walking in. He glanced at me, tucking a hand into his pocket as he headed down for the stairwell leading to his classroom.I stared at him till he was off sight."What were you doing with Rylan a moment ago?" Lita
Kathrina POV"Mom, what are you preparing?" I asked later in the evening as I walked into the kitchen."She's making Chicken pot pie, spaghetti pie casserole and pot roast with potatoes," Monna told me, at the other end of the counter top, holding up a bowl of chicken."What the…!" I paused as my mom flicked a glance at me. "Why make all that for dinner, mom?!""Rylan is coming over for dinner with Miranda, forgotten?" She asked and I sighed.I actually forgot about that after taking a shower. I can't believe she's making all this because Rylan is coming over. This is totally off it!"Mom, Rylan perhaps won't show up, okay?" I tried to convince her but she flicked me a stare in return."Just shut up and help me out here!" She ordered. I found myself dragging my feet to her with a frown."You can help finish up peeling the potatoes," she said and motioned at the bowl of potatoes at the edge of the counter.I quickly did as she instructed and snuck out of the kitchen."Are your guests r
Kathrina POVI glanced down below the table at his huge boots and cussed him in my mind as I bit my lower lip then grit my teeth."What happened?" My dad asked."N…nothing. I think it's a rat.""Rats in the house? I thought this house was fumigated a few days ago?" My mom asked and Monna nodded."Maybe the poor thing found his way in," Morley said. "And i guess just by seeing it, he fell head over hills for your pinky toe," Morley said jocularly."Did it bite you?" Mom asked and I shook my head. "That's fine." She sighed.After dinner, mom and dad walked Rylan and his mom out.Getting to my room, I jumped on the bed and exhaled, then, my phone beeped.I took it out from my jeans pocket. I had a message from Rylan.{Hey Catty, still asleep?}I ignored it. Ding!It was another message from him.{Don't piss me, reply my message}I groaned and sat upright.You don't need to know after almost crushing my perfect toes, idiot! I texted back.Ding!{Laughing emojis. You deserved that for laug
Kathrina POVStepping out on the lawn after contemplating for almost five minutes, I quickly sent a call across to Lita."Hello, girlfriend, don't tell me you are almost reaching my home?" Lita's excited voice burst through the phone the very minute she picked up.I was wordless for a while before talking."Actually…Litty, I won't be coming over this morning…""Hold on." I heard her groan through the phone. I guess she's mad now."I know the very second you called me 'Litty' you were going to say something unfavorable. Geez, you texted me a while ago, okay?!""Yeah, but…""Nah. No fucking buts and ifs. You know I actually gave up a super date with Max so we both can hang out.""I'm sorry.""No you're definitely not. It's been weeks since we last spent a whole day having fun together! You don't care about ME.""I promise I will be at your house before 12 noon.""Really? And you think I will be waiting for you at home till then so we can go out? Hell no." "Lita, I…" she hung up when I
Writer's POV Some days later, the Salvador family was having lunch at the dining room with Rylan seated next to his girlfriend, Kathrina and Caroline and Zita. Madlyn had invited them to come over to have lunch with them. They made jokes and chatted while having lunch round the table and Kathrina felt really happy. After dinner, Kathrina walked out with Rylan, his hand locked with hers, both walking behind Caroline and Zita."Guys, I'm leaving tonight," Zita said when they stepped on the lawn and they gave her a shocking expression."Why?" Kathrina asked."Hey, we never spoke about that," Caroline said, feigning annoyance. "Well, it's because…I've got no reason to stay back anymore. I could return to where I came from and carry on living my normal life.""You want to leave, for real?" Rylan asked in disbelief. "I remember you changing your mind a couple of times before.""I'm serious this time, Rylan. I'm leaving…""You're not leaving," a familiar voice said and they turned to see
Kathrina POVEverything has been peaceful since Zoey's death. My life had changed. I live a good life with my family. I've got my best friend, Lita, back and I have gotten new friends I'll keep forever, they are Caroline and Zita. I just wish Zita gets to spend more time with us.On a sunny morning, Rylan and I followed Mrs Fox's car behind then stopped at the town's entrance gate. She was leaving Laketown for good. I had no idea that she stayed back for two months after she got to know who I really was and about the demise of her daughter Lexie. I had got a call from her yesterday which made me so happy and I had told Rylan to follow me so we helped her pack her things and see her off at the entrance gate.When Rylan pulled over by the road behind her car, we got out and walked up to her leaning on her car."You know, I am happy I stayed for sometime. I was able to experience inner peace and happiness more than I had expected. Kathrina, I'm happy I got to know you and you made me be
Zita POVAfter Kathrina left that morning, I saw a big disappointment on Hayden's face. I don't know why but I felt pity for him. I couldn't help it but followed him to his place a few days later when I went to see Kathrina in their college.He happened to catch me and invited me into his house for a cup of tea."I wasn't expecting you'd follow me to my place. You're Zita, right?" He asked, u nodded as I took the cup of tea from him."Are you okay?""If you think I'm not, then you're right. I'm not going to act tough after I was rejected by my mate. It hurts. It's all my fault though.""I thought you wouldn't give up on her?""I was thinking about that too. Actually I had no intention of giving up on her before even when I knew she had hated me. But that day, when she rejected me, I saw the firmness in her gaze and knew she really had no feelings for me again. And when she took Rylan's hand and left with him, I knew I've lost her, forever.""So, what's your plans now?""Giving up. Sto
Kathrina POVThe next day, I went to Caroline's house and she said Zita was in the backyard at the river bank. I went there and saw her holding a small steel silver pot.I walked up to her and faked a cough, causing her to glance at me. "Hey, are you okay?" I asked her.She nodded and smiled. "It's still warm in here." I stared at the pot then it dawned to me what was in there. I looked up at her and she shook her head."That's Zoey's ashes?""Yeah. I was reluctant to throw it into the water. I'm happy you're here. I've gotten the strength to do what I want now."I chuckled. She opened the pot,dipped her hand into it and took a handful of ashes then threw them into the water. She did so till the pot was empty and dropped the pot in the water. We both watched the pot as it flowed on the water surface. "You know, Zoey was the only family member I had in the entire world," she said after a while. "Our parents are dead. We both left the vampire world because we didn't want to be bound t
Kathrina POV "Let's meet up tonight. Come alone and I'll spare your mother. You can send a message when you're done thinking about it. Your life in exchange for your mom's, sweetheart," Zoey said and hung up before I could say a word and I stared at them. "I'm going to meet her," I said to Caroline and quickly sent a message to Zoey, stating my agreement to her request. "Kathrina, going alone ti see Zoey is freaking risky," Caroline said. I shrugged. "I don't care…" "I'm coming with you," I heard Rylan said, almost yelling as he barged into the house. "No, Rylan. My mom's life is risk here. Zoey wants only me to come." "I knew this would happen someday. I won't let anything bad happen to either you or your mother, Kathrina." "Wait, how did you know that Kathrina had a problem?" Zita asked. "They are mates and their bond have grew stronger since something happened one certain night," I heard Caroline said to Zita in a whisper. "I felt you were in trouble, Kathrina," Rylan said
Kathrina POVSome days later, I returned home from school and while trying to make something to have for lunch, my mom got a call and I watched her go far away and answered the call. Since then, she started acting strange. Morley talked to me one day about it and he had observed that she's been getting a couple of strange calls from an unknown number. When I tried to talk to her about it, she said it's nothing.A week later, we were chatting and telling jokes in her Cafe when her mood changed to a gloom after her phone beeped and she glanced at the phone screen."Mom, are you okay?" I asked."Um, yeah. Why ask that?""You've been acting a little bit weird these days. Is there a problem?""Nah. It's just the little stress I face sometimes. You know handling the Cafe alone on some days when it's filled is not really easy peasy. But I do appreciate it when you guys do help out on the weekends, especially you, sweetheart.""Hm. But I've told you to get a sales girl. It would relieve you
Hayden POV I watched as my mate left, not wanting to accept me. I didn't know why she was so much acquainted with Rylan recently, but then, I knew that it wasn't going to be for long. It wasn't going to be for a long time before she came back to me. I knew that she wasn't going to be for long, and she was going to be mine once again. I was definitely sure of it. Kathrina's words, however, bore deep into my soul. While the fear gyrating around my core had me in place thinking for a moment that I would lose Kathy forever, I tried to shrug it off. It was like a hot dagger slicing through my skin, killing the morale and courage about the future of me and my mate, and it wouldn't stop tormenting me. He was having fun with her. My enemy. "I've told you Hayden , Kathy doesn't belong to you. She's mine, and mine alone," he said, with some vile smirk on his face. Oh how I wish Kathy could see this, then she'd know what kind of person she was looking forward to. "And what claims do you
Kathrina POVI opened my eyes a while ago, not knowing that some hours had passed. Caroline was in front of me. I looked beside me and saw Zoey. She was no longer in my body but looked just like Zita. I touched my face and Caroline walked up to me with a mirror."Congratulations," she said as I stared in awe at my face in the mirror. At last, I've gotten my face back. I'm now the real me. Kathrina. I turned to Zita after I stood up. She smiled at me. I glanced at Zoey. "What's going on with her?""She's unconscious. And she'll remain so till some time in the morning," Zita said."Thanks so much, Zita. I do appreciate what you've done for me," I said and pulled her into a hug. Then it dawned on me. I slowly turned to see Mrs Fox in front of the car. She walked up to me. "I saw it all…Kathrina," she said. She darted her eyes elsewhere and stared at her daughter's body. She walks to the body and wraps her arm around the body as she bursts into tears. I went to console her. I told her
Kathrina POVI stared blankly at him as he leaned forward to me. I was about to utter a word, to retaliate to his sudden action but I felt him pressed a button and my seat slightly went back. He did it again and chuckled when I gasped. I pulled up an irritated expression and he grabbed a bag from the back seat and placed it on my lap."What's this?""Check it out and change into it. I got some clothes ready which you could easily change into. I'm sure you've not added weight for over a year. You seemed to be on a diet when I saw you then.""Why should I change my clothes?""I'm taking you to your home. Your fake Mom might probably want to question you when she sees you in black clothes. I'm sure she has no idea that you attended your actual Dad's funeral.""She doesn't even know I've been lying and fooling her all this while." I sighed."You can simply tell her today. I know you're tired of lying to her," he said, peering into my eyes. I wondered how he could tell what I was feeling.