chapter 26 : Winter Break

Becca was upset with Vanessa because they were like best friends, yet Vanessa didn��t feel the need, to tell her the truth; even after she learned Alexander��s truth.
��Becca���� Vanessa walked towards Becca, who stopped her from approaching any further with a hand. ��I am Vanessa Insworthe, not Nessa Worthe, and if you listen to me fully, you will understand it all. Please don��t misunderstand me,�� she told Becca, who stood frozen in her position.
��Becca, I didn��t mention it before because I didn��t want to expose her until she said so, and now, she was ready to reveal her truth to you until you heard us,�� Alexander said, his eyes fully focused on hers. ��She is my twin, and she stayed in the human world after we finished our hundred years of schooling. Since then, she has been living in the human world and got acclimated to life here.��
��I understand your situation, Alex,�� Becca spoke up at last, her voice almost broken as she looked at Vanessa. ��You should��ve told me before, Ness. You knew that I respected all kinds of creatures, mythological or otherwise. If you have told me that I was living with a vampire, I wouldn��t have run away.��
Vanessa shook her head, immediate guilt flooding her veins. ��Becca, I���� she couldn��t complete her sentence as Becca decided to cut her off.
��You knew when I learned the truth of what Alex is, didn��t you? You should��ve informed me then. I would have understood that too. I treated you as my best friend but you�� I feel betrayed, Vanessa Insworthe, or whoever you are.��
Sebastian was nearby as he was on rounds since he was the college representative. When he spotted the intensity among Vanessa and Becca, he said, ��Oh, so Becca knows the truth?��
Vanessa shook her head, indicating for Sebastian to stop speaking, while Alexander rolled his eyes, mumbling incoherent words.
��So, Seb knows everything too,�� Becca breathed out; as if she was informing herself. ��I was the only one who was kept in the dark. Ness, I don��t know what to say. I have to get out of here.�� With that, she walked away.
Vanessa was about to follow Becca, but Alexander stopped her and said, ��I will talk to her.��
Becca was walking in the hallway. She wanted to step into the library and opened the door. But hearing the bell ring, she was about to close the door, but shuddered upon seeing Alexander leaning against the wall next to the door.
She heaved a sigh in relief after seeing the familiar face and deadpanned, ��Do you lean anywhere you get the opportunity to?�� she asked and started walking away.
Alexander shrugged his shoulders and walked along with her. ��Maybe,�� he responded.
��Did you want to talk about your sister? If you did, I don��t want to hear it,�� Becca informed him.
��One hundred years ago, when Ness stepped into the human world, she was so lonely. We can telepathy, so she used to tell me how she was feeling, every time,�� he started speaking, ��She never made any proper friends. She used her persuasion power, which is her specialty, to connect to human beings. Only Sebastian could like the real her and she didn��t even have to use her power on him.��
��So?�� she questioned, almost reaching her classroom.
��Becca, after Sebastian, it was you. You are the friend she was hoping to have ever since she stepped into the human world.��
Becca stopped in her tracks hearing Alexander. She looked at him and asked, ��Why didn��t she tell me the truth then?��
��She was about to, but she was afraid of your reaction,�� he answered and heard the bell rang. ��Seems like we have the same class now. Let��s go.�� He grabbed her hand and walked into the class.
��You don��t have Literary Research now, I���� Becca was interrupted by Alexander.
��I do.�� he said, ��We have the same schedule, I just usually sit under the stone pine tree after attending the first class, which is our poetry class. I didn��t want to stay surrounded by humans for a long time.��
She narrowed her eyes in his direction as they took a seat. ��It means you skip classes instead of attending them.��
Alexander chuckled and leaned towards her, whispering, ��It means that I try to avoid your strong emotions for me.��
Becca��s cheeks flushed immediately and she averted her gaze. She put her focus on the classroom instead.
Later, Becca went to look for Vanessa after the class ended. She found her sitting at one corner of the garden and took small steps towards Vanessa.
��Is something wrong?�� Becca asked Vanessa, sitting next to her.
Vanessa looked at her and said, ��Yes. My best friend is angry at me because I hid something big from her. I don��t know how to defuse her anger.��
With a smile on her face, Becca told her, ��If you ever want to melt her anger, just hold your ears and say a genuine sorry.��
Chuckling, Vanessa held her ears and said, ��I am sorry, Becca. I really am.��
Becca pulled her into a warm hug. ��You are forgiven,�� Becca mumbled as Vanessa hugged her back. ��Ness, is that why I felt this weird connection each time I was near you and Alex? Since I have the vampire potion and the two of you are vampires?��
They broke apart from the hug, and Vanessa replied, ��Yes.�� She added, ��But I know that with Alex, your emotion is stronger.��
��What��s wrong with you twins teasing me all the time?�� Becca breathed, scoffing in annoyance while Vanessa continued to tease her.
It was finally winter break.
That day, Becca resolved everything with Vanessa after the class she attended with Alexander. She and Vanessa were back to being best buddies.
However, as promised to her dad, Becca reached Hertford Manor as soon as she finished her last class, she gathered her things from the dorm room and returned to her own private hell, Hertford Manor. She stayed in her room till dinner time, putting away all of her belongings.
When it was time for dinner, she went to the dining area��her father used to cook food all the time.
��Hi, Dad,�� Becca said, biting her lips in nervousness.
Shier was sitting on a chair at the dining table, waiting for the food to turn cold. He was habituated with eating cold food because of Becca. He glanced at Becca and gave a curt nod, not responding to her greetings.
Becca pulled a chair for herself and sat. She wished to ask Shier about the vampire potion. Was that the reason he treated her like trash? But Alexander told her not to ask or even mention the potion to him, otherwise, Shier might end up hurting Becca to prevent Alexander or any other vampires from taking the potion.
An awkward silence filled the room until Shier cleared his throat and decided to ask, ��Did you meet anyone inhuman while you were at school?��
Becca could understand what her father meant. She couldn��t tell him about meeting the vampire twins. She didn��t know how she mustered enough courage, but she replied boldly, her grey orbs piercing through his blue ones, ��Yes. The only inhuman person I have ever met is you.��
Shier tightened his grip on his spoon. ��Looks like you need to be reminded of your place, Becca Hertford.��
Becca gulped and said with confidence, ��Physically abusing me will cost you a fortune and ruin your fame, Dad. I am legally an adult now. You don��t want me to ruin your pristine image, now do you? Imagine if people find out that their favorite scientist is actually the most real monster ever alive, how do you think they will feel?��
Shier was dumbstruck at the confidence of Becca. He wanted to keep her weak for a reason and she became stronger than before. He wondered whether something was wrong, or maybe he was over-thinking. So, he stayed silent and quietly ate his food, deciding not to interfere in her life anymore as long as she didn��t meet any vampires. Because he had his feuds only with the vampires, and he was well aware of their existence.
In the meantime, the dark sky gave chilly winds, and an ominous aura had spread throughout the woods. The thunder roared in the sky all of a sudden, the clouds covering the moon completely. The portal between the vampire world and the human world opened up in the Bellmor jungle, and a caramel-haired man stepped into the human world with an evil smirk plastered on his face.
All the animals in the Bellmor jungle started to run away from him, sensing his strong presence.
��I am here to acquire the potion myself since my dear brother seems to have gone astray,�� mumbled Phil Insworthe.