CHAPTER 23: Script

**ALICIA**


"You can stay in my room." Ross said as we entered his house.

He's been living alone since his parents died eight years ago. I have known him since I was a kid because our family were friends. When we moved to this town eight years ago, my parents insisted on bringing him with us so they could watch me. After all, this is his parents hometown, the same with my father.

"It's better if we stay in one room." My mother suggested. "You both can use the bed since it's a big one."

Ross immediately protested. "No, that can't be. We cannot share one bed, Aunt. It's better if you will share and I will stay on the couch."

"Don't think I will let something happen, Ross. I am watching from this couch as I also need to do something." My mother said, putting her laptop on the couch.

"Aren't you going to sleep, mother?" I asked. "You need to rest."

She shook her head. "I cannot rest until I make sure that there's no danger. Don't worry, I will sleep in a while. You, guys, take a rest. You need to go to class tomorrow."

"How about father and brother? Do you think they will be okay?" I asked, concerned. "We should not have left them there…"

"They will be okay. They will finish constructing the house in a week. Your uncle and auntie will also be coming by tomorrow to help." She said, tucking me and Ross to bed like we were before, only that we're both adults now.

"Should I sing you a lullaby?" Mother smiled at us.

"Aunt, we are too old for that. Come on! Let's just sleep." Ross turned the lights off.

I closed my eyes yet Akihiro's face was all I could see. He was the one who knocked on my door. But, he didn't enter as he was a vampire. I don't want to talk to him. Instead, he left a note saying it wasn’t him…but his grandfather.

And, that even made it harder for me to accept what's happening. If his grandfather is involved, that would make everything worse. How can I fight him when he's the strongest of them all?

Should I trust Akihiro? But…he is also a vampire.

I slept thinking of him and woke up still thinking of him. He invaded my mind more than I could ever have imagined.

"You are staying with Ross?" He scoffed, welcoming me as I entered our club room. I didn't expect him to be at this hour although it looks like he is waiting for me.

"If you didn't attack our house, I'd probably slept in my own room." I mocked him. "What are you doing here? Aren't vampires supposed to be sleeping during these times?"

"Well, not my case. And, I am here to ask about the script." He handed me the paper. "I already revised it accordingly. If you think you can forget about the club after knowing who I am, you might need to think again. I want you to schedule an audition for our cast."

"Why not make your group the main characters, after all, you're all vampires." I mocked.

"Oh, you wouldn't want to see a stage with real vampires." He warned me.

He stood up and was about to leave the room when I called him.

"Why aren't you killing me now? I don't get you at all. Why spare me? And, your grandfather? Did he really send those men to kill me? Can you at least enlighten me because I am going crazy right now.”

Akihiro just looked at me. He didn’t say a thing and we just stared at each other for a minute. His physical features is still the same. But, there’s something I couldn’t figure out.

“What happened?” I whispered to him. “You said you are going to protect me yet…” It’s when it occured to me that I am wrong in trusting him again.

He is a vampire…and his words are just words until they become action. And, I am to be blame for trusting him. Oh, Alicia! You should stop now. He’ll be the one to kill you soon!

“FIne. If you don’t want to tell me then you must leave now because I still have a lot of things to do. Don’t worry, I will finish everything and just call you for the audition.” I said, shoving him away while he was standing in the door.

He didn’t move and I could sensed that he wanted to say something yet hesitated. Instead, he started walking to the door.

“i want you to read the script carefully and don’t skip anything. Focus and make sure you know everything. You are the scriptwriter and that is your job!” He scolded me. I cannot get him. Now, he’s back to being that cold and heartless president of our club.

“You don’t need to lecture me on my job! Get out!” I said, yelling at him as I started to find a comfortable place to read the script.

He finally disappeared and I was able to start reading it. Nothing had changed in the first part. Tch. This is still my writing. Why do I need to read this?

I finished half of it before going to our lab for our practical exams. Ross was already there, saving my seat. He’s also taking medical course but we have different paths as I want to focus on surgery while he wanted to focus on general medicine. Still, we have classes together.

“Where have you been?” He handed me my coat.

“Just reading the script. What did I miss?” I said, then our professor started saying so Ross and i just listened.

All throughout the practical exam, I was watching Ross in case he turned into a vampire or goes wild after seeing blood. However, he didn’t so I am sure that he’s completely normal now.

After the practical exam, I proceeded to arrange the schedule for our audition. We currently have 20 members since most of our old members already graduated. It’s only me and Akihiro who’s staying for long considering we both chose a long-year course…and he is a vampire. I doubt he even needs to study.

“How many members do we need?” Stephanie asked as she was helping me arrange the materials for tomorrow’s audition.

“Only ten. I think that’s enough, but it depends if they are good at acting.” I replied.

I was already in the middle of reading the script when I realized that there’s something changing now in the scenes, especially the part where the main character knew about the vampires. The words aren’t the same yet it's a pattern on what’s happening right now.

I grabbed my highlighter and started coloring those words I think don't belong on the script until I stopped in the middle…realizing I was able to form words.

Just then…someone entered our club room.