The Domus Paranormal Academy

100 Days

Dash snorted as if she knew nothing about life. Or of the trio of siblings.

“That's why he did it," she said, "because we expected the worst, not that he would ask her out. He's totally changed his tactics.

A girl in a uniform of white pants and blouse with the BatFit stamp came to the table at that instant. She looked at us with a funny face, perhaps because she had overheard something, but was quick to look helpful and asked what we wanted to drink. Valery ordered two protein shakes and chocolate, and the waitress walked away, though she glanced back quickly, giving the impression that she wanted to stay nearby to find out what was going on between us.

What I had been told about that poor boy named Nico and the students peppering him with questions in the debate had made me think of a conspiracy theory. What if Lucian had spies and servants all over Domus? What if the boys and girls, besides being his followers, also functioned as his servants? He had every chance of giving them something very good in return? But what infuriated me the most was that always his victims of abuse were mostly humans, his species in particular didn't have to suffer his taunts, it's just that in the Domus food chain being human and not having any magical ability made you social scum.

And why just because some flea bitten guy in fine suits determined it that way, I was outraged to the bone and worst of all, all of Domus saw it as a matter of course.

We had to keep our voices down. I was about to propose it when I noticed that Otsana had put her hands over her mouth and that her eyes were wide open as if she had just had a great revelation. She was looking at me, but at the same time not.

“What's the matter? “I asked, frowning, "Did you get brain freeze from the milkshake?

She came to her senses and swept her gaze over all of us, suddenly accelerated.

“Quickly, name a single girl who has agreed to be Lucian's girlfriend without wanting to be one," he asked.

Dash blinked without any answer. Valery silently denied, without giving any names either.

“There isn't, it doesn't exist," said Dash.

“And any girl with whom you have lasted less or more than a hundred days? “asked Otsana, unstoppable.

Dash pouted thoughtfully, opened his mouth to blurt out a name, but then closed it, dismissing it. He opened his mouth again with another idea, but in the end it didn't seem right. He ended up shaking his head.

“There isn't either.

Otsana nodded and extended his hands with obviousness, as if he had just given us the key to something, but we looked like we didn't get it. More patience with the slow ones, please.

“This has never happened because it is Lucian who usually ends relationships with the girls he dates on the exact day," he tried to help us understand. No girl has ever broken up with him. He has never been rejected.

He looked at us again, waiting for a gesture of understanding on our part, but....

“By the wrinkles of Donatella Versace, get to the point at once, you've got me on tenterhooks and this sounds interesting! “Dash demanded impatiently.

Otsana clasped her hands on the table, leaned forward and let out a breath to calm herself so she could explain.

“That Marise had the courage to reject Lucian made me think about..." She bit her lips as if holding back a cruel smile. “What if Marise had agreed to go out with him, made him believe that she really liked him, and at some point, publicly, ended the relationship? Just like that, rejecting him, as he has done with all the girls he has dated. Wouldn't it have been epic?

There was a shocked silence at the table. Valery looked shocked, as if she had never thought such a thing was possible and was now realizing that, if it happened, it could not only be epic, but also dangerous.

“I can't imagine it, I mean..... “he hesitated.

“It would be catastrophic for him, because he always demonstrates that he needs to control and dominate everything to be in balance. If someone were to upset his system, if someone were to break his rules, it would be an attack on his world of absolute power. And all attacks destroy something.

Another silence enveloped the table after that sentence. Dash nodded slowly, looking at Otsana as if she had just shown him new and fascinating perspectives.

“Sounds great," he admitted, but then shrugged. Only that hasn't happened. Marise has made it clear to him that he disgusts her.

“But come on... “Otsana insisted, looking for us to go deeper into her fantasy. Imagine for a moment, a small moment, Lucian's face when he was rejected in public, when he found out that she never liked him, when she found out that Marise played with him..." She traced the scene with both hands in the air. “An act of female revolution against the Lycan tyranny.

Dash curved his mouth downward, accepting the creativity and impact of that idea.

“Well, my mind is always busy imagining how to meet Timothée Chalamet, but now that I think about it, I'd really enjoy seeing something like that..." he admitted, then nudged Otsana with his shoulder.

“ Although, evil genius, if it's a rebellion, Marise could have agreed to go out one night with him and then turned him down. It would have hurt her ego.

Simpler and less dangerous, right?

He winked at me, as if to throw the idea at me.

“Maybe Marise isn't like that," Valery commented, shaking his head with a confidence that faltered at the sight of me. You're not like that, are you?

Oh, Valery. I was everything I was not meant to be.

In my opinion, Otsana was right about certain things. Lucian exuded an impenetrable security. The Domus students themselves had placed him like a figurine on an altar. Their adoration had made him immune to what normal kids were not immune to: rejection and failure. It was clear that no one said no to Lucian. Lucian was never left out. Lucian was never number two in anything. He was labeled as a superior specimen.

But it was only because others wanted to see him that way, since he was really just a normal werewolf with normal organs. What Otsana was saying was that, if everyone saw that a girl could end a relationship with Lucian Lycan, without fear or shame, before he did, they would realize that he could be rejected like any human being.

And that's it, he would no longer be a god/alpha/leader, but just another guy in the crowd.

“Marise can be whatever she wants," Otsana snorted, interrupting my thoughts to answer Valery, "because we're not talking about innocent and good kids. In fact, you know what I've always thought? “She leaned forward and whispered it: "The three of you must have a dark secret. No such perfection is possible, no such flawless life. There must be a blemish, and in their case, a very big one.

Now that I read that dialogue I can only say that everything was always there, but that it had been hidden very well.

“That may be, Nancy Drew," Dash agreed with Otsana, "but that would be impossible to know. If they get something wrong, they can just make a phone call or snap their fingers to cover it up.

The gossipy waitress brought us our milkshakes right then and there. Again, as she turned around, she glanced at us in case she caught something. That time I gave her an angry look that worked to get her to concentrate on going to tend to the counters full of healthy snacks. As I followed her with my eyes to make it clear to her to stick her nose in other matters, I saw the Bat”Fit door open and none other than Ankor, the teenage illusion, walked in.

Again she was totally on her toes, with her jet hair perfectly slicked back and her clothes without the slightest wrinkle. He held his phone some distance from his face and spoke encouragingly into the camera, surely broadcasting live for his followers.

Then I noticed something a little strange. He asked for something at the counter. They gave him a glass very quickly, as if they had had it ready for him, but instead of taking it in his hand, he took a handkerchief out of his pocket and drank holding it like that. Then he left.

Couldn't he touch the glass with his hand or what?

A bit puzzled, I returned my attention to the table just as Otsana was talking about all the times she had seen a girl crying over Lucian. They hadn't noticed my distraction.

“Just think about it, Marise," he suggested, leaning back in his chair with his milkshake in hand.

“It's not like she's Katniss Everdeen or something," Dash elbowed her. Leave Marise alone. Hopefully, Lucian won't look at her again and things will calm down.

But who said I was lucky?

Or wanted things to calm down.