Chapter 27 -- Star-CrossedThe next day was probably the longest in history at Will Wright Consolidated High School. It was like all our teachers conspired to talk as slowly as possible about the most boring subjects.
At last I made it over to the Goths'. I still didn't know what I was going to say to Cassandra, and it didn't help that the entire family was gathered in her room.
Al caught my eye and glanced upstairs. Oh well, I thought, if I can't talk to Cassandra before going to work, at least I can make out with him for a bit. Except that his father followed us.
"I must say, Balthazar, it's great that we're getting a chance to know you before the wedding. You should come over for dinner sometime. Neither Bella nor I cook much, but..."
"It's okay," I said. "I can't eat regular food."
"Oh, that's right," he said, nodding sagaciously. Al rescued me by taking his father downstairs, and presently Cassandra came up.
I still didn't know what to say to her.
"Look, I understand," she said, before I could open my mouth. "It's perfectly normal to have a crush on someone you've fed from, especially if you're a fledgling. I thought I could avoid it by picking the oldest ugliest woman I could find, but I spent a week obsessing about her afterwards. I can't imagine what it would be like if it had been someone I was close to. Don't worry, in a week or two you and Alex will be back to being buddies again, and it will all be like it never happened."
She left the room, and I just sat on the bed for a moment, a little dazed, until I remembered that I had to go to work.
I got my promotion at work, which meant I could quit the job. Thinking over what Cassandra had said, I didn't know if I was amused or angry. It seemed to me that her tone had been patronizing, and I was pretty sure that I wouldn't get over Al in a week or two, but at least she wasn't upset. I finished taking care of the plasma fruit trees and then when to meet Al.
I gave him the biggest, longest kiss I could manage "Wow," he whispered. "That was -- wow." Neither of us could stay long, but we agreed to meet Saturday at the bowling alley.
The next night I had to give some vampire instruction to Danica. We finished with a sparring match, which I won.
I went to see Nadia afterwards. When she gave me a big hug, I whispered "I'm in love," in her ear.
Malcolm was practicing his bat moves, so she pulled me to the other side of the room, to give him a clearer field.
"It's Alexander Goth," I said in her ear.
"But --" she started to object.
"I know. Father won't like it. But I love him and he loves me, and nothing can change that."
"We'll talk later," Nadia promised. "I have to get this little monster to bed."
I lifted Argus out of his high chair and set him down. For such a small fellow, he was surprisingly heavy. She hugged me again, and I went home.
Saturday afternoon our new bowling club had its first meeting. We were the Bowlos (Danica's father is in law enforcement, and a BOLO is a police term, like an All Points Bulletin). Al commented on the fact that he was the only non-vampire in our club. "I guess you'll have to turn me, huh?" he joked.
We played our usual game. In other words, we were the worst ones there.
I was a bit dazed after my fall, so I sat down for a while.
Caleb Vatore came and sat next to me. "I understand you're working on the Good Vampire aspiration," he said. "Want any help?" He gave me some training that was a little different from Father's and said I could come and get his help any time. I'll probably take him up on that.
When I finished, I looked over and saw Al chatting with Danica. They weren't flirting or anything but even so, it made me uneasy.
And of course, Danica bowled a strike. I was already feeling down when Nadia showed up.
"We have to talk," she said. "Why didn't you tell me bats had super-good hearing?"
"What?" I said. "What do bats have to do with anything?"
"Malcolm overheard everything you said because he was in his bat form," said Nadia. "I didn't know he could do that -- you're the one who's been a bat. Anyway, he's been threatening to tell Father if you don't break up with Alexander immediately."
"It's none of his business!" I exclaimed. Nadia motioned me to keep my voice down. "He thinks it is," she said. "He thinks you'll make it impossible to lift the curse, and that'll affect our children as well as yours. And there's more. He doesn't want you coming over to the house any more. He doesn't want you influencing the children."
I was stunned, unable to say anything. "I talked him out of going to Father immediately, which was what he originally wanted to do, said Nadia. "And don't worry, I'll make sure you still get to see your nephews."
"But why --?"
"Because he's prejudiced," she said. "And because he's jealous of you and Gretchen, and he thinks this will get him closer to Father. But I do think you should talk to Father before Malcolm gets to him."
"I've already talked to Cassandra, and she's not upset," I said. "Why would Father be?"
"Cassandra's a woman of the 21st century," said Nadia. "Father formed his opinions in Central Europe around 1750. I don't think it was a time and place noted for tolerance." She gave me a peck on the cheek. "I've got to go. Love you."
Our club meeting ended, and Al came over to say good-bye. "Are you okay?" he asked. "Do you need a kiss?"
I stopped him before he could go further. "We shouldn't kiss in a public place," I said. "There's no telling who's watching. Let's go outside."
Outside, looking up at the stars, I told him what I'd learned from Nadia. "And Cassandra thinks it's just a reaction to my drinking your plasma," I added. "She says we'll get over it in a few days."
"Does this mean it's over?" he asked. He looked so hurt and bewildered that I wanted to cry.
"I don't know," I said. "Maybe we can get back together when we're adults."
I went home and took a long shower. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. What
right did anyone have to interfere with us? I called Al and told him to meet me in Newcrest.
"Nobody is going to break us up," I said, hugging him fiercely.
"I love you, and I'll always love you, and I don't care what anyone says," I added.
