Scent of Blood [Lesbian Story]

Inhibitions

“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.” – Douglas Adams

“Class dismissed.”

The bell rang even before the teacher dismissed the class, which made Michelle groan mentally as she struggled to stay awake on her feet. She had been out of it for two weeks now – ever since Athena had stopped attending classes.

Ever since that night she went into her room, Michelle only convinced herself that Athena had actually blamed her for her wounds that would be scars by now. The night she jumped out of an eight-storey window puzzled her as much as she thought that Athena could have died from the height she jumped out of.

For some time she thought that Athena actually injured herself from the fall, but somehow in the back of her head, she thought that she was not. She clung to the hope that she was alive because her consciousness would not be able to handle it.

That day they ate silently on the bleachers often came to her mind, believing that there was something between them. She wanted to believe that – that she finally got a friend of her own. But Athena did not show up the next day, she felt torn at the thought of it.

Had she already lost a new friend?

Michelle sighed as she proceeded to the cafeteria for lunch on a Friday, hoping to lull herself to more sleep but she recalled today was Fun Friday. The entertainment today composed of one band, one comedic act, and one short video of a random series on Fox, all in just an hour. As she walked past the double doors of the cafeteria, she found the whole room already swarming with green-coated teenagers.

“Heeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyyy folks,” the emcee spoke through the microphone as the whole room burst into cheers and slightly caught Michelle off-guard which made her jump slightly, but despite the sudden wake up call, she did not feel the excitement they all felt. She felt her energy collapse underneath her feet as if she needed a quiet place to think. About what, she did not know.

With a deep sigh, she turned about and passed through the same double doors, and as she left the cafeteria, she bumped into someone. She lost her footing, but luckily the person she bumped into caught her by the hand and pulled her onto her feet.

“Woah, there.”

“Thanks and sorry.” Michelle said a little dispirited as she looked up to who caught her and to her surprise it was a familiar pair of hazel eyes that greeted her, accompanied by a radiant smile on her face.

“Michelle, right?” The hazel-eyed prefect asked her as she took a step back to give her some space; her long hair cascaded down her shoulders as she brushed her fringe to the side and showed more of her beautiful hazel eyes.

“Yeah, that’s uh, me.” Michelle replied softly as she looked around where people whispered.

“Not in trouble today are we?” The prefect asked as the crowd around her dispersed and went into the loud cafeteria that already called on the band to play on the make-shift stage.

“No, I’m just trying to find a quiet place.”

“Well, it’s not here apparently.” She chuckled as she checked her wristwatch that had an hourglass face inside, that intrigued Michelle as she examined it further.

“Nice watch.” Michelle spoke involuntarily as she covered her mouth.

“Thanks, the council president gave it to me.” She chuckled lightly and smiled as she eyed Michelle’s amber eyes. “Want me to let you in on a secret?”

“I’m sorry?”

The hazel-eyed prefect chuckled and smiled wider, “Come with me.”

Held by the hand, the prefect led Michelle through the hallways and out into the garden. As they passed the central garden that separated the high school and middle school building, they saw the big digital clock in the centre of the garden.

“Where are we going?”

The prefect looked at Michelle over her shoulder as she led her to the tall grass that led supposedly led to the field. The prefect let go of Michelle for moment as she revealed a hidden door, covered by the same colour of leaves and branches, then opened it. To Michelle’s surprise there was a much smaller garden surrounded by a high brick wall that separated the field and the central garden, middle, and high school building.

In the centre of it all was a wooden shack protruding from the wall, probably made of the same mahogany wood from the way its brown walls looked similar to the school’s floor. Michelle noticed that there was quite a large space here, so much so that an outdoor metal bench and a coffee table were even possible.

“Well? Isn’t it beautiful?” The prefect asked as she approached the door, then took out her keys and opened it as she offered Michelle to enter.

“It looks amazing.” Michelle exclaimed softly as she stepped into the shack and found how spacious it looked, a little deceiving from the outside. The place could not be more than twenty to thirty spaces big, there were two black couches and a centre table, a study table and even a hammock at the corner by a window. Imagine the breeze on that. And to top it all off there was a ceiling fan above and two closed doors at the other end, which Michelle probably assumed was the bathrooms.

“Thanks,” replied another person who came out from one of the rooms; she had long blonde curls and beautiful emerald eyes with a bright smile on her. She eyed Michelle as she noticed her amber eyes that appeared to be examining her, a little clueless to whom she was. “Hi, I’m Klair Lefevré.”

“Klair, this is Michelle.” The prefect came in and introduced her as she stood there taking in the beautiful person in front of her. “I found her alone again.”

“Again?” Michelle queried the hazel-eyed prefect as she sat on one of the couches and leaned back while Klair sat beside her.

“Well Jun here has been observing you for the past two weeks and she noticed how you’re often alone, Michelle.” Klair replied as Jun put an arm around her, which made Michelle remember who they were.

“Ah! You’re the couple I always see when I’m cleaning the halls!” Michelle exclaimed involuntarily as she covered her mouth immediately as her cheeks grew red from embarrassment as Jun merely chuckled while Klair raised a brow with a small smirk.

“Yeah, you’re the student janitor my uncle told us about.”

“She’s the janitor?” Klair queried with wide eyes and a slightly agape mouth.

“Yeah, too beautiful isn’t she?”

Michelle’s face grew red, blushing a little as Klair elbowed Jun in the side as she chuckled. She was not used the compliments simply because she has not made any friends ever since the school year began. Well, she had one, but she remained uncertain if they truly were. The two of them eyed her, wondering why she stood while they sat.

“Why don’t you sit down?” Klair queried as Michelle shook her head.

“She’s shy, moo.” Jun spoke as Klair sighed and stood up, then made Michelle sit on the couch opposite of them. “Anyway, I brought you here to relax, Michelle.”

Michelle tilted her head a bit, confused about what Jun meant as Klair simply smiled at her. What do they mean? She wondered as Jun took out a lone key from her pocket and put it on the centre table that separated the two couches.

“Here’s a key to this place,” Klair spoke as Jun just smiled at her. “If you ever feel the need to have a quiet place or want to be alone from the crowd, you’re always welcome here.”

“I,” Michelle looked at both of them as she tried to ingest everything that was happening before her. Was she dreaming? Was this real? She was uncertain, but she felt a little too overwhelmed by all of this. “Don’t know what to say.”

“It’s alright, we understand,” Jun spoke as Klair laid her head on Jun’s shoulder. “We’ll also be here most of the days, if you need any help with school work.”

“Yeah and you’re also free to join the student council.” Klair added with a wide smile which made Jun groan as Michelle raised a brow.

“Student council?”

“Yeah, she’s the president and I’m the vice.” Jun spoke monotonously as if all the excitement in her had been drained, but Klair knew she faked it and elbowed her again, which made her a chuckle.

“Well, I guess that’s everything. There’s a room over there with a small bed and a bathroom over there too,” Klair pointed at the two doors and differentiated the two as Michelle nodded in acknowledgement. “You can pretty much sleep here if you want,” Klair explained as Jun chuckled softly. “Well, not literally camp here though.”

“Thank you very much.” Michelle spoke softly, still taking everything in.

“Well, the bell’s about to ring, you’d better head out.” Klair spoke as Michelle stood up and smiled at them, then headed to the door. Michelle smiled at the one last time before exiting the door and back into the central garden.

Just as the student council president said, the bell rang and without realising it, Michelle was already late. With a deep sigh, she proceeded to her next class.

While Michelle had been in school, Athena on the other hand had been busy on her own. For the past two weeks, she had taken several hits and pursued them throughout the state. And each of her targets died under an hour like how she often dealt with them.

“Please, spa-“

Athena lodged a dagger into her latest target’s skull even before he could beg for his life. She looked down on him as his eyeballs rolled down whilst his eyelids dropped and then took her dagger from his skull, cleaning it with the deceased own shirt.

Swift as she was silent, she left the vicinity by jumping out the window and entered the alleyway, landing silently on her feet. She pulled her hood up as she texted her clan that she had accomplished her assignment whilst walking towards the main road with her head hung low.

She pocketed her hands in her jacket as she waited for a new assignment to come, but for the next ten minutes of walking, not a single ring came. Tired of waiting, Athena pulled her headphones on and resumed her music whilst she kept her head low.

You are the pride of this family – this clan. Do not forget where your loyalties truly lie.

She recalled the words her grandfather hammered into her brain as she clenched her fist inside her pockets. She recalled all his words of wisdom as she waited for another assignment. The day was still fresh and had just passed one in the afternoon, which meant that her last period should have ended by now.

Not a moment later, her phone vibrated in her jean’s pocket. She took it out and furrowed her brows at the message before her: No new targets. Will inform you if there is. Athena clicked her tongue in frustration as she pocketed her phone and kept on walking. She was pretty far away from a safe house and the nearest one would be Esterdell. But a part of her did not want to go to that safe house.

It was much colder there than any other place.

Taking in a deep breath, she walked towards a convenience store and went to the fridges, then took a litre of water. She also took a box of cookies and a straw before heading to the cashier to cash it out. A part of her was hoping something would happen like what happened two weeks ago, so she could vent her anger on it.

But her luck was not as good and truthfully, she still had to recover. Her wounds were sealed and had gotten better, but she needed rest. She has not slept for more than thirty-two hours for the last seven days since she started ‘cleaning’ the state.

As she started walking back to Esterdell, she felt a little bit angry that there were no more hits to make. It irritated her to the point that she felt that the clan was holding back on her. Was she not the progeny of an assassin’s clan? Was she not the best among all those she trained with?

Frustrated, she kept on walking with a clenched jaw and as she did, she noticed a familiar scent enter her range. It was familiar and that of a clan – one she was all too familiar with. She waited for her to approach to determine whether she had to bare her knives or not.

“Still alone, I see.”

“And you as well.”

Athena took an abrupt stop as she turned to face the familiar forest green eyes she grew up with; her long dark brown hair remain tied in a single braid with her signature dark brown trench coat and black aviators resting on top of her head.

“Athena, how’s your wounds? I might have to replace you if you don’t recover.”

“Dream on, Jesslyn.” Athena hissed at her jest, which only made Jesslyn chuckle as she fell into stride with her.

“Ran out of hits already?”

“Yeah, so I’m told.” Athena replied, her blood still boiling from the lack of people to kill.

“Well, it’s a vacation. Take some time off.”

“I don’t want a vacation.”

Jesslyn smirked as she held her head up to the clear blue sky as she put her hands behind her head, “Then spend some time with that amber-eyed girl. She seemed to care about you.”

Athena halted her steps as she glared down Jesslyn’s back, who chuckled as she felt Athena’s death glare on her. Looking over her shoulder, Jesslyn noticed the anger build up in her as her piercing blue eyes stared her down indifferently, which seemed even scarier than usual.

“How do you know her?” Athena asked as she slowly reached for her long knife on her waist. Somehow, she felt even more miffed at the thought of those eyes, but something inside her asked; why are you getting so worked up about it?

“She was there when I took you back.” Jesslyn responded as she continued walking, aware that Athena had already gotten serious from the way she tried to get her knife.

Jesslyn know Athena so well, but this was a first for her. From the way she reacted, she knew something was different about her. Athena was the type to usually not care about something and would immediately dismiss it. But when she just dropped the mention of that girl in overalls, she noticed her hostility.

Had she actually began to care?

The two of them stared at each other for a minute as Jesslyn examined her further; the indifference in her blue eyes was still there, yet has her expression gotten softer? Jesslyn could not say for sure, but she smirked at Athena and provoked her further.

Athena gripped her knife briefly, but realised what Jesslyn was trying to do from the way she smirked at her. She figured that she was trying to plot against her like she always had – trying to find her weakness.

Did she really think I had one?

Athena returned her stance and resumed her walk, but kept her distance from Jesslyn; she was aware that even though they were in the same clan of assassins, they were not that close to be called ‘friends’. The both knew that the clan never tolerated such a thing, but they both respected each other – enough to not fight each other when they met; a rule their clan had put up.

“Does she mean anything to you?”

Athena brushed the question off as she kept her head low and kept on walking, there was a lot of ground to cover, and it would take her a few hours to get there. Jesslyn noticed the shift in her actions and realised that maybe she just imagined it all, but had it really been just her imagination?

She watched Athena walk away whilst she stood her ground and eyed her slender figure with a grin on her face. She respected Athena, but Jesslyn always knew that she was better than her in every little thing they did. But the clan favoured Athena, one title that she should be getting yet she was not.

She turned her back, slipping her aviators down and began her trek back to the clan, aware that she had to report on Athena. But why she had to do it, she did not know. All she knew that Athena was a competition – a very good competition. The competition she had to overcome.

“Until, we meet again.”

Hours had gone by and the sun had set, the night sky welcomed Athena as she entered Esterdell. Her legs were tired and she was hungry, but she refused to go home to the safe house. That place was colder than the rest of the safe houses in the state, but she had no choice since it was the nearest to where she was.

The long journey back to Esterdell drained her iPod’s batteries as much as her phone’s. The music of the strings in her ears often accompanied her in her long walks home, as if they were the only friends she had. As she entered the town, she kept her headphones on as if it held the same effect on her when the music was on, but she knew better that it did not. It did make her ears warm though.

The crickets chirped as she passed by the tall trees behind the Academy whilst her eyes remained on the ground as she passed by the southern entrance of the school. It was as if it were only yesterday that she walked the same way and looked up to the sky. But now she did not want to look at it or the tall walls beside her, unsure why but there was something inside her that told her not to.

“See you tomorrow, Mr. Branforth.”

A familiar voice entered hearing range and made her stick to the seven foot high, brick wall of the Academy. She hid in the shadows as she watched a familiar dark, red haired teen in a green blazer pass through the tall iron gates; she still looked the same, her slender figure disappeared in her blazer as her long toned legs strode on, her hair hung loose as she slowly put it all behind her.

Does she mean anything to you?

Jesslyn’s question rang in her ears as recalled their earlier meeting, she tried to find an answer in her head whilst her eyes remained on Michelle’s back. Without knowing, her feet moved on its own and quietly followed Michelle, but with quite a distance between them. Her brain wracked for an answer, but found more questions.

Why am I following her?

As she tailed Michelle through the centre of the town, she noticed a distinct scent approach her and made her eyes dart up to examine who it was. A tall, dirty blonde haired guy talked to Michelle with a bright smile on his face.

Athena felt a little curious about him; his stench was hormonal and at the same time it emitted something rather vile. Athena was unsure whether she should investigate, but then again, why should she?

He was a nobody and from the way his face contorted disappointment, she could tell that Michelle has yet to realise what he wanted from her. She tried to lessen the gap between her and Michelle, hoping to catch a glimpse of their conversation. And after a few more steps, Athena tried to blend in the background by leaning against an empty wall.

“Come on, Michie. Just for tonight.”

“I’m a little tired, David.”

“But it’s a Friday! You need to loosen up!”

Athena could hear Michelle’s heartbeat and from the way it beat ever so slow, she knew that Michelle was genuinely tired. The way her veins popped on her upper ankle told Athena that she had been standing quite long and that her feet needed a good rest.

“You’re always working, Mich. You need to have some fun once in a while.”

“Well, I can’t help that now, can I?

“Come on! Just have dinner with us, my treat. After that, I’ll take you home.”

Michelle sighed and smiled at David, aware that he would not stop until she agreed on something, “Alright, just dinner, okay?”

“I promise,” David spoke as he took Michelle by the hand and led her to where his friends were. “Guys meet my friend.”

Athena watched them as Michelle introduced herself; her face was a little flushed and she spoke little, which showed them how shy she was. Soon enough, David took Michelle’s heavy bag from her and carried it himself as if to show how good of a friend he was.

Athena watched them disappear into the busy streets as she stood there, thinking why had she followed her in the first place. This whole thing only added to her vexation and could feel a vein on her forehead pop at the sight of them. She knew the answer to Jesslyn’s question, yet she tried to find it. What was she thinking?

She meant nothing to me.

As she came to this conclusion, Athena turned about and hung her head low. Her feet began its walk to the opposite direction and disappearing into the loud night crowd as the stars above twinkled over the town.

Meanwhile, Michelle sat with David and three of his friends at a family restaurant that was further east of the dorm. Michelle had herself lodged between David and another guy, who has been eyeing her since she agreed to come. She honestly felt uncomfortable with him staring, but she did not want to appear a little mean to David’s friends.

“So, Michelle,” one guy caught her attention as he smiled at her. “What grade are you in?”

“Tenth,” she replied with a smile.

“Awesome! I’m in tenth too!” he replied with much enthusiasm as David laughed.

“Don’t believe him, he’s a junior.”

“Way to ruin my chances, Dave.” His bald friend frowned as Michelle giggled softly.

“You’re a junior? That’s awesome.” Michelle spoke with a smile to his friend, who looked away with a hint of red across his face.

Not a moment later, food arrived and they all ate quietly. But not for long, soon enough David’s friends asked her a barrage of questions about herself and other things around her life. Michelle answered them truthfully, but she was unsure if they were genuinely interested in her or just trying to be friendly.

“So, you’re a janitor?” The bald one asked as Michelle looked at David who looked down and rubbed his nape. “I’m sorry, was that too insensitive?”

“No, it’s okay,” Michelle smiled at him as if to reassure him that she was not offended. “Yeah, I work at the school I attend. It’s how I pay for my fees.”

“Wow, is that even possible?” The bald one queried further as Michelle nodded with a smile and understood what Michelle meant. “You’re a great person, Michelle.”

“Thanks, I think?” Michelle replied as she giggled, unsure what to make of his compliment. Time flew by as they talked about each other, but soon enough it was getting late and David was ready to take her home. But before David could even tell her that, Michelle had the urge to use the restroom and finally excused herself.

As she went to the bathroom, she looked at herself in the mirror; she noticed how red her face was, but she when felt her forehead it was fine. She was not running a fever, so why was she red?

Dismissing the thought, she used one of the cubicles, but as did her business she could not help but feel a little weak as if her consciousness was being drained out of her. Her head felt a little light as she tried to shake herself awake. Was she that tired? She did not know herself, but was sure that she wanted to go home.

She finished her business and left the cubicle, but as she got out, there was another customer inside with her. Michelle eyed her and noticed that she was smiling at her, so she returned the gesture. But as she met her eyes, Michelle felt herself grow even weaker than earlier, it was as if her life force was leaving her body. The woman with bright red eyes and raven hair stared at her with a smirk across her face.

Red?

As Michelle kept her eyes on the woman, she felt her vision degrade as she tried to keep eye contact with her red eyes, but her knees buckled and she fell back. But before her head could even reach the ground, the red-eyed woman caught her by the waist and lifted her up, then brought her eyes back to her.

Red? Why are they red?

“Shh, it’s alright,” she spoke in a low whisper as she carried her and left the bathroom. Instead of taking the front entrance, the woman took the back entrance that was right next to the bathrooms. “Don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you.”

None had noticed her as she left the building, but David grew worried because Michelle was taking quite some time and decided to investigate. And as he reached the bathroom, there was a waiter there waiting for him and told him that Michelle had asked him to deliver a message.

“She said she wasn’t feeling well so went she ahead. She also used the back door.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure kid. She was wearing Avian’s blazer right? With dark red hair?”

“Yeah, that’s her.” David replied a little dejected and returned to his friend to break the news. Not a minute later, they all left the place.

While they all headed home, the red-eyed woman who had Michelle took her to the woods nearby. She had Michelle in her arms, a little sedated but she was conscious and aware of her presence. To Michelle, it was as if she had a fever in her, but the red eyes she stared at made her heartbeat rise ten folds.

A minute had gone by and the darkness surrounded them, Michelle had no idea where they were. Her eyes remained on the sky as if she tried to determine where they were. The leaves over them clouded the starry sky. It became harder for Michelle to know where she was and made her afraid.

“You’re blood smells delicious,” the raven-haired woman spoke as she licked her lips. Michelle’s eyes dropped to her mouth and noticed two protruding fangs just below her upper lip. Fear overcame Michelle, but her body would not respond to her brain’s command.

Is she one of those things Athena mentioned? The cannibals? A bloodsucker?

“I can smell your fear, my dear. Don’t be afraid,” the woman spoke sarcastically as she put Michelle down on a bed of an old truck in the middle of the woods, then grazed her lips on her bare neck. “You won’t feel a thing.”

Tears escaped her eyes as Michelle tried to command her body, but they would not accept any command from her brain. Her eyes looked up to the sky as if to ask the heavens for help, but none would hear her because her lips were sealed and her body refused to function.

Please, don’t let this be the end of me.

Michelle begged mentally as the woman leaned back and smiled at her, then bared her fangs and licked them. Under the star’s light, her fangs glimmered to the point and frightened Michelle even further as tears gradually came pouring out of her eyes; her heartbeat ran a few hundred miles with each passing second.

Please, no! Please!

“It’ll be painless, I promise.” The woman said as she darted for Michelle’s neck vein that had tempted her ever since she saw her at the centre of the town. She had been eyeing Michelle since the beginning and tried to find a way to get her away from her friends.

Michelle watched as everything went in slow motion; the woman slowly came closer with her fangs bared as she held Michelle by her shoulders. Tears kept on flowing down her cheeks as she waited for the inevitable.

Eyes closed, Michelle waited for the light of heaven; she had already accepted her fate. She never thought it was possible, but after what she saw, she finally believed what Athena had told her.

They want your blood.

As she recalled her words, she apologised to her mentally, hoping that her silent prayer would reach her. But as she waited for the inevitable, she heard the woman make a choking noise. Michelle immediately opened her eyes and as she tried to straighten her damp vision, she could not help cry even more.

Athena held the bloodsucker by a thin wire around its neck as she clawed for it. Lifting her higher, Athena watched as the woman squirmed from the pain as she glared at her indifferently eye to eye. Michelle could not see who had saved her properly, but she could feel a little bit of herself return.

“A… the…na…?”

Michelle tried to speak, but was uncertain why she thought it was her. Her body was not fully under her command yet, but she could feel a speck of her life return to her. She was happy, relieved and afraid at the same time; happy that she did not perish even before she could have made a friend; relieved that she had not fallen prey to the red-eyed woman; afraid that she might have gotten herself in worse situation than the woman.

Athena pulled all the way and tied the thin wire to the tree as she waited for the woman to lose her life; the red-eyed woman clawed harder at her own throat as the thin wire etched itself onto her skin. Whilst waiting, she approached Michelle and examined her body; her heartbeat had calmed down and her tears still kept on flowing.

Athena examined Michelle’s body under the dim light of the stars and as she examined her, Jesslyn’s words rang in her ears once again.

Does she mean anything to you?

For a brief second, she closed her eyes and dismissed her words, then returned her focus on the woman. Her body had stopped squirming which told Athena that it was clear to finish the job. She had been frustrated and angry for the whole of the day, and felt a little bit miffed at herself.

How could I not have noticed her? She thought as she took out her red blade and stabbed the woman’s chest open. The woman’s scent was extremely sour, vile and a whole lot of malice. How could Athena not notice that earlier?

She pondered on her inability to detect her presence, but as she took out the red-eyed woman’s still beating heart, she recalled what had she been doing the whole time; she had been eavesdropping on Michelle that whole time. Frustrated, she squeezed the woman’s heart and stabbed it with her red blade, then let it fall on the floor. She wiped her blade on the woman’s black satin dress.

The lifeless body before her did not seem to bother her, but the stench she had was a little deceptive and at the same time a little overwhelming. But when has that ever stopped Athena? All her life she has battled with more people in the same trade as her and they never once felt daunting.

Has she finally found her match?

Annoying

She took her gloves off and pocketed them before she returned to Michelle. As she approached her, she noticed that she had already fallen unconscious, but her heartbeat was gentle. It was enough to tell Athena that Michelle is fine and from the looks of it, she was unscathed from this whole ordeal.

Without a second thought, Athena began to walk away from Michelle. She had nothing left to do here. She was done. But somehow, her feet halted and her body forcefully looked at Michelle. Athena stared at her still, fragile body and studied her with the same indifferent eyes.

Does she mean anything to you?

Athena walked towards Michelle and carefully lifted her up, then proceeded to leave the forest. She listened to her soft and subtle breathing as her mind kept on playing Jesslyn’s words over and over again. Her eyes stared at Michelle sleeping face; her cheeks a little damp from the excessive crying, but she understood her fear.

After a few more meters, both of them were out of the woods and were finally under the streetlights. What am I gonna do with you? Athena thought as she looked down on Michelle’s face and took in her sleeping face, at how serene she seemed in her arms.

Athena took a deep breath and exhaled indifferently as she closed her eyes for a brief moment. She could not possibly take her to the safe house; it would have violated the clan’s rules and would invariably make her grandfather mad. And she did not want that.

Without a choice, Athena started for Michelle’s dorm. She really had no choice about the matter; would she risk the clan for a simple janitor? No, she would not and Athena knew it very well. She could not risk anything for the clan, for she was a part of them.

After half an hour of walking, Athena was finally in front of Michelle’s dorm, but she was unsure how to get her to her room. Athena knew that she was not allowed to enter the dorm, given that she was not a resident, but they would give an exception to this, right?

This girl is troublesome! Athena mentally groaned as she entered the premises. As she entered the place, there was no one at the reception and made it easier for her to take Michelle to her room. She quickly called for the elevator and it came, she rode it all the way to the eight and headed straight to Michelle’s room.

But as she stood in front of the room, it was locked and she was certain that Michelle’s keys were in her bag. Irritated, she gently placed Michelle on the floor and took out a lock pick, then with her professional skills, immediately unlocked her door.

She carried Michelle once again and brought her in her small room. Athena left the lights off, unsure if Michelle would wake, but left it as is just to make sure. She did not want her to wake and see her face. Somehow, there was something inside her that hoped that Michelle does not even know about this night.

Athena did not plan to return to this town, but she had no choice on the matter. Gently, she put Michelle on her bed and sat beside her. Under the light of the stars, Athena stared at her beautiful sleeping face; her dark red hair all over her face, her blazer already wrinkled from use and her skirt slightly flipped up which showed a bit of Michelle’s thighs.

Without realising it, Athena had brushed off Michelle’s loose hair behind her ear and caressed her cheek. Michelle felt her cold hand as she reacted to her touch, which made Athena examine her further.

As her eyes travelled down Michelle’s neck, she noticed a small scar on Michelle’s neck. It was small and nearly faded, but it looked awfully recent, which caught Athena’s attention. How could she not have noticed such a thing?

She traced her index over it and sent a small shiver down Michelle’s spine as she slowly lifted her eyelids a tiny bit. Athena retracted her hand and watched Michelle, unsure if she was conscious or simply dreaming, but not a second later, her eyelids closed.

Athena stood up and examined Michelle’s room; it was small but it was somewhat spacious, enough for a single wardrobe and a study table. Her room was not too decorated as she had imagined most teenage rooms would be. There was nothing on the walls, no pictures, no ornaments, but just a simple black and white clock that ticked loud with each passing second.

There was a phone on the table, blipping every ten seconds or so. Athena examined her desk; it was a simple oaken desk with a modern design. She grazed the desk with her hand and turned around to take another quick sweep of the place.

This was not what Athena expected, even when she first came here, she barely took the time to actually examine it. But seeing it all now, it was not much. She turned to the clock and realised that it was almost midnight, which meant she had to leave this place.

She approached the window near the bed and opened it; a cold breeze blew and as she climbed onto the ledge, she heard a soft sneeze from behind her. She turned around and noticed how Michelle was slightly shivering, probably cold from the breeze.

Removing herself from the ledge, she took the duvet and covered Michelle with it, unsure why she had done it. As she covered her up, Michelle finally calmed down and Athena once again climbed the ledge, then finally went out.

As she landed on the tree, she took one more look at Michelle’s window indifferently. There was something about Michelle that Athena could not discern what. What was that tingle inside her that turned warm when she hugged her two weeks ago?

As she pondered on the question, she disappeared into the night.

Hours had gone and past, the dawn finally broke. Michelle eyes slowly slid up as the morning light entered the cracks of her curtain. She slowly turned to the window; she noticed that the curtain was spread, but not too much.

She slowly sat up as she tried to recall what happened last night, but her memory had been a haze. She felt her body and noticed that she was in her nightly tee and shorts, but she had no recollection of coming home.

As she wracked her brain for an explanation, she noticed something on her desk; there was a white Tupperware next to her blipping phone. She got up and approached her desk and as she stared at the Tupperware, she recalled bits and pieces of last night, though not all.

She opened the Tupperware and her eyes widened; inside it were pieces of cut apples, strawberry, kiwi, and grapes. She looked around her desk, but there was no note or anything. Michelle stared at the fruits and before she knew it, she felt a warm sensation overwhelm her heart.

She closed the Tupperware and hugged it as tears escaped her eyes, but she was unsure why she was even crying. She just knew that the warm sensation inside her felt all too warm for her, even under the autumn weather.

Does she mean anything to you?