The Vampire Princess Saga Box Set (7 page)

I felt afflicted as I was jealous because I knew his eyes were focused on something else, that is, a wonderful pair of legs.

“
It’s my father, he came to fetch me!” she said.

I walked Mirta to the front door, after she said to everyone:

“Have a good night.”

***

Then
I came back to the living room and Eros was talking to my mother. He had the intention to leave, too. I stood near him.

“
Good night!” Eros said, distantly.

My
mother touched his cold hand and looked into his eyes. She shivered and got a strange feeling.

“
Good night!” she said, stunned.

I walked
Eros towards the front yard while we
walked together.

“
You are leaving so soon.” I said, outraged.

“
It’s late.” He glanced at me for a moment. “I’m going to bed early.”

“
Did you like dinner?”

“
Yes” he nodded.

“
Have you liked my mother?”

“
I think you should ask her that.” His voice was troubled.

“
Why? Did she treat you badly?” I was preoccupied.

“
No, but my presence bothered her.” He confessed and his gaze searched the darkness.

“
She’s like that, she always trying to protect me.” I was embarrassed.

The silence lasted for a long
moment until he had said:

“
Have a good night, Valkyrie.”

“
I can ask my mother to take you home!”

“
Don’t worry, I’ll go walking.” He said and kept walking slowly.

Every time I stared at him
, he seemed farther. He was so fast.

***

I locked the front door and came to my mother. She was standing in the living room after she leaned her face at the window and saw Eros and me in the front yard.

“
Your friends are very interesting!” she said low.

“
What’s wrong?” I asked, staring at her face.

“
Mirta’s clothes are so short!”

“
What’s the big deal about it?”

“
Your friend Eros…” she grimaced.

“
What’s wrong with him?” I asked, apprehensive.

“
He’s a weird and distant guy … he has an enigmatic look… like…”

She
didn’t finish her sentence and watched me, intently.

“
Like who?” I was so intrigued.

“
Like a person I’ve met once.”

“
Like my father?” I insisted.

My
mother stared at me and then her eyes met the floor. “How do you know this?”

“
I guessed.”

“
He reminds me your father; not his physiognomy, but his gaze… his icy hand…” my mother said as she looked puzzled.

CHAPTER 21

I
took a seat at the table in the refectory for lunch with Mirta.

Christian
came to the refectory, along with three other boys. They sat apart from us.

I noticed
that Mirta could barely eat before Christian’s presence and I also perceived he was staring at her all the time.

I
looked at Douglas; he was sitting next to Christian and I realized he stared back at me.

I
lowered my head, turning my hair down, to hide my face. I didn’t look at him anymore.

A
few seconds later I withdrew my eyes to my left and I saw Eros was sitting at a table in a corner, as always, he was by himself.

I was dying to escape
from where I was sitting and go to him. I bit my lip, trying to control my wish.

All the time
he kept his head leaned.

Everything
around him did not attract his attention. That’s what I thought to myself.

Eros listened to every conversation which came from the students in the refectory.

Including
the subject Christian was discussing with his friends.

“
Go there and talk to her!” Christian advised Douglas.

“
Before other guy invites her for the rock and roll concert.” another boy said.

“
I think she must decline my invitation.” Douglas said as he was embarrassed.

“Do you want me to talk to her?” Christian asked, trying to help him.

“
No, I’m going there to talk to her.” Douglas took courage and stood up as he looked at his friends.

“
Go on, kiddo!” they said.

Mirta realized he was coming towards our table and then she said discreetly:

“
He is coming.”

I kept
my head low, just staring at my food as I was trying to avoid Douglas.

Eros
listened to everything carefully and knew Douglas was walking to my table.

Eros
also knew what his intention was
more than anyone.

He thought
he should do something to stop Douglas before he could come to talk to me.

He raised his
head and looked at the lunchroom ceiling then he saw a ceiling fan; it was above Douglas.

Eros
stared attentively at that object and narrowed his eyes, exerting efforts to make something happen.

At that moment
the ceiling fan got loose, hitting Douglas’ head; he flattered down, unconscious.

Everyone
got frightened because of that accident.

Several people came closer to him. Christian and his friends were the first to aid him.

Mirta
pulled my arm and we approached him.

There were more than
five hundred people around him.

Eros
had a contrary reaction of the other students; he stood up and stepped out of the refectory, without at least checking how the fainted boy was.

CHAPTER 22

Sitting on a bench in the schoolyards I was trying to put in order
my books.

Mirta
came closer to me and she was thrilled.

I l
ooked away from
my books and paid attention to her all in pink.

“
You can’t believe what happened!” she exclaimed and her voice was filled up with cheer.

“
Through your enthusiasm, it must be something related to
Christian.” I deduced.

“
He invited me to go with him to the rock and roll concert.” she told me.

“
That’s everything you wanted.” I said, with a faint voice.

I was really happy for
her;
however, I thought she deserved a cool guy, someone more humble.

“
I’ve always waited for this!” she confessed.

“
Congratulations!” I said, laconically.

“
What about you?” she asked.

“
Me?” I wrinkled my nose.

“
Aren’t you going to the show?”

“
I don’t have company.” I said and she could sense the distress in my voice.

“
That’s because you don’t want to go”, she said.

“
What are you talking about?” I asked firmly as I looked at her face.

“
I heard Douglas wants to invite you to the rock concert.” she told me, grinning.

I returned to
concentrate on my books, disappointed.

“
What do you think of this?” she insisted.

“
I never could imagine it, I going to the rock concert with him.” I confessed, gazing at the floor.

“
He thought of you.”

“
Do you want me to accept his invitation? It is Just because he is Christian’s friend?” I asked and shook my head.

“Of course not” She sat closer to me. “He must like you.”

“
So am I compelled to go out with him?” I asked.

“
You don’t understand… he just wishes to invite you to go to the rock and roll show”, she answered, calmly.

“
I am so sorry… but I’m not going to that rock and roll concert with him.” My mind was made up.

“
And with whom are you going with to the rock and roll show? Will you go with your weird friend?” Her voice was weird.

“
You’re saying this, not me.” I said and looked back at my books.

“
Did he invite you?” she insisted.

“
No” My voice sounded vacillating.

“
So you invite him, if he declines your invitation, you go with other boy.”

“
I won’t do that.” I said, harshly.

“
So you stay at home” she said and shrugged her shoulders.

CHAPTER 23

Mirta
managed to convince me to talk with Eros.

I
had seen him standing in school hallway when he was looking at the notice board.

I
had butterflies as I approached him; I didn’t have the courage
to stare at him. I
squeezed my own hands, trying to talk to him what I had arranged with Mirta minutes before.

“
Have you heard about the rock and roll concert in town?” I carefully asked him, fixing my glance at the floor.

“
It’s the topic of the day.” his voice sounded sarcastic.

“
I … want to go…to the rock concert, but I
need someone to go with me.” My voice was faintish.

He grinned.

“Do you want to go with me?” His voice had become a soft murmur and his eyes gleamed.

My eyes widened, after all, I was surprised with myself for having been able to
invite him.

He
noticed my concern as I was waiting for his response.

“
You thought of me just because you have no choice?” he asked, in a different tone of voice.

“
Well, actually… no.” I sighed, nervously. “It’s that… I… like your… company.”

“
I don’t think I’m a funny person.” His voice was earnest.

“
So… your answer is…
‘No’
?” I concluded, hopeless.

I
turned my back
immediately and he was looking at me. Though, he pulled my arm, stopping my movements.

“
I didn’t say that.” He removed his hand from my arm and returned to his place he was before. “I don’t appreciate much … having fun… close to many people.”

“
You don’t have to worry; you have the right to say ‘
No
’.” I said and looked in the other direction.

“
I know…” He was staring at me and had analyzed my disappointed face.

“
I’m not upset… I’ll invite other boy.”

I said
that and slowly walked away. He made me feel angry. Intrinsically, I knew he would say ‘
No
’, but I had insisted because Mirta asked me, she had encouraged me to talk to him.

He was standing
away from me, watching me while I walked away.

Then he turned his face to the wall and said something I didn’t expect.

“
I’ll go with… you!”