chapter 10 : Tables Turned

Finally, after much effort, Alexander, Becca, and Lucas turned in their poem.
��Is it completed?�� Lucas asked Becca after Mr. Risorito took the paper.
��Yes,�� Becca responded curtly, nervous about how the poem turned out. What if the teacher didn��t like it and gave them double punishment?
��Don��t you feel ashamed for even asking that question, Lucas?�� Alexander said in annoyance. ��You bailed at the last minute.�� Alexander ended up completing the poem with Becca last night.
Since it was difficult to leave the room, Becca and Vanessa slept in one bed while Alexander slept on another bed. When Becca fell asleep, Alexander got out of the dorm and Vanessa went back to her bed. In the morning, Vanessa informed Becca that she helped him to slip out from the girls�� dormitory.
��I didn��t run away,�� Lucas protested. ��I had some important work to do.��
��Guys, look,�� Becca said, grabbing the attention of Alexander and Lucas, ��Mr. Risorito is reading our poem.��
Mr. Risorito��s lips twitched in amusement, reading the poem. He walked towards Becca and handed her the paper. ��Read the poem aloud along with the name of it.�� He looked at the students in his class and announced, ��Everyone, listen to Becca Hertford. She, and her partners Alexander Insworthe and Lucas Kade, wrote this poem as their punishment.��
��Alex, why don��t you read it? I��m too nervous,�� Becca informed Alexander.
He said with a small smile on his lips, ��I am sure you will do great, Becca.�� He had no idea why he smiled or had confidence in her. It just came out of his mouth naturally.
Becca stood up and sucked in a deep breath. ��The name of this poem is Crushed.�� Then she started reciting the poem.
The stars start to shine,
Making everything glow in the sky.
I wait for you at nine,
But never approached, not knowing why.
Whenever I see you, I feel my heart race,
Walking through the hallway, I increase my pace.
Keeping my other thoughts aside,
I started thinking about you sitting beside.
You're so kind,
Making your perfect image stuck in my mind.
Yet we're far away,
Getting crushed every day.
Everyone clapped after Becca finished narrating the poem.
��This is how you should write a poem,�� Mr. Risorito said to the class and looked at the trio proudly, especially at Becca. ��I figured out you have a thing for writing after seeing this poem. Good job.��
��Thank you,�� she said with a big smile on her face and sat back on her chair.
After that, Mr. Risorito started the class.
��I knew you would do great,�� Alexander whispered, making Becca��s breath hitch.
Becca was happy that Alexander had faith in her, but his close proximity was making it difficult for her to even mumble a small thanks. So, she just nodded her head as a response.
��Holy shit, Becca,�� Lucas mumbled in amusement, ��I had no idea you could write such good stuff. It��s good that I have you as my friend. You can do my assignments.��
Becca narrowed her eyes at Lucas. ��I am not doing your assignments.��
��Why would she do yours?�� Alexander asked. ��Are you possibly trying to harm her by being her friend? Your presence seems a little toxic if you ask me.�� His eyes challenged Lucas.
Lucas chuckled. ��At least my presence doesn��t feel like I am here to snatch some special power Becca has.��
Alexander��s jaw tightened. ��If the power does more damage than benefit, it��s better to snatch it away.��
Becca furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. ��Powers? You two should stop talking in weird code language and actually tell me what you mean.��
��Nothing,�� the two of them mumbled at once and fixed their gaze on the teacher.
Becca and Lucas finished attending their last class and it was time for lunch. As they gossiped and headed towards the cafeteria, things were more unusual than before. Everyone was murmuring something to others and had a worried look.
��What did we miss?�� Becca asked Lucas.
He shrugged his shoulders. ��I don��t know. Let��s ask someone.�� Lucas stopped Antonio and asked, ��What happened?��
Antonio wiped the sweat from his forehead and answered with rapid breaths, ��Alisha Andy, a senior year student, went missing. She went to hideout on the grassy spot behind her dorm, skipping classes, and hasn��t been seen since. People are worried because of it and searching for her on the entire campus. Do you think a ghost took her away?��
Lucas rolled his eyes hearing the question.
��How can a ghost come at noon?�� Becca pointed out.
��Oh, right.�� With that, Antonio walked away.
��Maybe she is somewhere laying low, and people are worrying for no reason,�� she said, while Lucas was lost in deep thought. She placed her hand over his shoulder. ��What are you thinking?��
He responded, ��What if a creature took her away, Becca?��
��You mean, a mythological creature?�� she breathed out, her eyes widening in horror.
In the meantime, Alexander received a call on his phone from Pristine when he was sitting under the stone pine tree. He picked it up.
��Did you find where the potion might be?�� asked Alexander.
Pristine replied over the phone, ��Alex, the potion is not kept at a place which only Becca knows.��
��Then?�� he questioned. ��Where is the potion?��
She said, ��The potion is with Becca, Alex. She carries it with her. It was useless to go through her belongings.��
��Shit. It means I was right,�� he mumbled.
��About what?�� she asked, getting confused at Alexander��s response.
��I found her research book on mythological creatures. It was a sign that she knew about the potion and now that you have mentioned she carries the potion with her, I am a hundred percent sure now,�� Alexander explained to Pristine. ��I can directly ask her about the vampire potion by hypnotizing her and she will spill the beans. Then I can return back to the vampire world.��
��Seems like we have solved the problem. Best of luck. See you soon, Alex.�� With that, she hung up.
A smile formed over Alexander��s lips. Everything was set now. Even Vanessa couldn��t stop him from asking Becca about the potion since he got proof that she knows it all.
Alexander rushed to find Becca. He saw her making her way to the washroom and grabbed her hand, pulling her to the supply closet which was near the washroom.
��What are yo���� Becca was cut off with Alexander placing his index finger over her lips.
��Hush. It��s me, Becca. Alexander.�� He cupped her soft cheeks, his cold fingers nuzzling her warm cheeks.
A shiver ran down through her spine. She started to feel her heartbeat quickening. ��What happened, Alexander?��
Alexander loved hearing his full name from Becca��s mouth. It gave him a nice feeling. His green eyes pierced through her grey ones, as he said, ��Look at my eyes, Becca.��
She looked deeply into his eyes, immediately falling under his hypnosis.
��Becca Hertford, where is the potion?��
��Which potion?�� she questioned back.
��The vampire potion,�� he said clearly. ��Do you know where the vampire potion is?��
She breathed out, ��I don��t know.��
If the hypnosis didn��t work on Becca, Alexander would be confused whether she was lying or not. But since her eye color turned black due to his hypnosis, he was sure that she wasn��t lying at all.
��Well, then,�� he spoke up, ��Do you know anything about the vampire potion?��
Suddenly, the bell rang, letting the students know that lunchtime was over.
Becca snapped out of the enthrallment as her eye color changed back to gray and pushed Alexander��s hand away, noticing their closeness. ��What are you talking about? Did you get drunk during lunch?�� she snapped at him. ��What the hell is the vampire potion?�� She looked at Alexander as if he had grown two heads.
��Fuck. The magic ended,�� Alexander mumbled to himself. He had to alter Becca��s memory now since she heard about the vampire potion. Alexander realized that she had no idea about the potion and his theory was wrong. He had put her life in danger too as she knew about the existence of the phrase ��vampire potion��.
He looked at Becca, chanting something in his mind, and said, ��We were just talking.�� He started altering her memory and got closer to her ear. Then he started whispering in her ear, ��You pulled me in this supply closet and continued talking about how happy you were because Mr. Risorito liked the poem,�� he repeated it thrice as she stayed silent, just listening to him.
Once the enchantment was completed, Alexander moved away from Becca, heaving a sigh in relief. Now she will remember what I said and believe it to be the reality, he assured himself.
Becca, who was still looking at Alexander, asked him with an expressionless look, ��Are you crazy, Alexander? Why are you lying when I clearly remember you pulling me in here and being close to me?��
Alexander was dumbstruck.