Chapter 34: Unexpected
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Rolling from Kadic Academy's gymnasium, we bring to you live news, gossips, rumours and all the trash that keeps this school going. This is Morgan Daley reporting your every weekend news, The Kadic Times, because we give you what's hot and what's not. Coming from the latest buzz in the corridors, early birds have signalled a strange occurance right outside the girls' dormitory. Yes, you've seen it, gals. And for you, boys, who's still dense about it, there is a fifty foot tall tower situated right beside the clock tower," the camera moved over to the deadly-looking concrete building.

"And also, our dearest ancient fifty-six-year-old clock tower has been battered to shabbles overnight, tearing off the analog clock and crashed to the ground. Police will be coming over soon to investigate these speculations. Reports and evidence portrayed teenage violation as responsible for this act. Though we are not certain to what the other tower means, but damages to school properties will not go unseen. Receiving this report, here we have Shaniqua Kale, who was the first one who had informed us about this event late last night, while the crowds of the academy were still enjoying the time of their lives during the celebration party. Shaniqua, what exactly did you see last night?"

"It's kinda hard to say but I was trying to get some fresh air when I heard strange noises coming from the girls' dormitory. But as I went there, I saw Jason, Tiadora, Kiara, Cornelia and four other weird strangers also. And those outsiders tried to shoot at me! It was so terrifying! Then Jason came just in time when I passed out, and the next thing I knew I was back in my room. I didn't know where that tower came from. When I came it was already there," Shaniqua said as she pointed towards the tower which was now under the Saturday morning Sun.

"In one perspective, it may seem that the uninvited guests last night were hooligans who might have came to crash the party but the ever-so-brave soccer captain was there to save us," Reporter Morgan squealed in delight with that last phrase and then concentrated back on the camera, "Next, I'll pass over the microphone to Himawari who will dig up more juices about your very own favourite section of Kadic Times' daily news: The Couple Section!!"

"Thank you, Morgan," a girl named Himawari appeared on screen, "Here I am, at the newly furnished Rec Room where it once stood one of our three computer labs which will opened next week Tuesday, where students are able to relax, chill, play pool or board games and also skip classes. Now we're going to move on to the Couple Section! This is where we tell you the even and uneven balance that fate can get. So viewers, in today's buzz, get ready to get your hearts broken because our major hot King of Jock is also included!!"

The screen changed to a picture of a brown-haired boy in thick black spectacles laughing alongside another girl with glasses together at one of the library tables. "Nerd love! Finally, the academy's Einstein has been rumoured to have been going out with a certain Zoey Jackson from 9C on numerous 'study' dates. Rumours are buzzing whether or not he's still virgin. Teehee. Onto a newly favoured couple, shall we? A certain Ulrich Princeton has stolen the heart of volleyball professional, Cornelia Lily Kingston," the picture on the screen changed to a scene at the nearby beach beside the academy where both Cornelia and Ulrich are seen playing in the shore, splashing water at one another. "This picture was taken on Monday's sixth period and it seems to me that they were having a ball of a time playing with one another. Now rumour has it that the Princetom family owns huge organizations in producing oil. Well, looks like royalty and loyalty comes in act together as now we have to well-off families, the Kingstons and the Princeton.”

“However, another set of rumours from the minor portion reveals that he was supposed to be applying for an academy in Las Vegas called Phoenix Academy but changed last minute due to several personal matters,” the screen flashed back to the girl with short black hair. Himawari gripped onto her microphone and squealed again into the camera, “But nothing’s going to be as irresistible as what I am going to reveal to you next!”

This time, it wasn’t just a picture which broadcast on the screen, but a slideshow. Pictures seem to be appearing continuously, depicting different scenes, but all in all, and the same two people in them. And finally, the slides stopped at a picture where the described couple was holding hands, laughing. “Yes, girls! This time, it is not just rumours but facts that our soccer captain has finally gotten himself a girl! After the incredible duo enrolled into Kadic Academy last year, Jason Theodore Kingston has always been single. Although there were many potential ‘candidates’ for this hot jock to choose from, he would always reject us with his simple and sweet ‘I’m not interested in love’ excuse. And as you can see, it is none other than also one of the new exchange students, Tiadora Sanders, who is also known as Kiara’s ‘long lost sister’.”

“As many of you have wondered, Tiadora looks like the exact duplicate of co-star cheerleading captain, Sally Galili. It is like as if Tiadora is supposed to be Sally’s long lost twin, don’t you think? However, every twin isn’t the same. Cheerleading captain, Sally, has straight pink shoulder-length hair with a sexy attitude to match. And as many of you would know, is supposed to be the ‘compatible match’ for Jason. But as many days passed, poor Sally was also left with just a ‘no’ for an answer,” the television featured Jason smiling at Tiadora. “In the end, ironically, he ended up with someone who looks like one of the ‘rejects’. After interviewing many, we have concluded that besides difference in appearance. Long brown wavy-haired beauty, Tiadora, is known to be a rather kinder and much more of an innocent person than Sally herself. Also…” Cornelia switched off her brother’s plasma screen television, folded her arms and sighed at Jason who was lying down on his opulent bed.

“I was watching that,” Jason huffed, pushing aside the soccer ball on the floor hitting Kiara’s head as she was seated on his floor mat instead, “you already had your turn.”

“Ulrich and I are just friends, Jason. Bloody reporters,” Cornelia explained, switching off the main power from the behind of the television, “What are we going to do? Tiadora’s at work, David’s isolated in some strange freak-like tower which has drawn to the police’s attention and we are ordered not to get out of our rooms since Mdm. Marinda is in actual fact, Cyrus, the pure-blood bitch who had bitten David into a blood-thirsty vampire who had actually attempted to kill all of us last night. Doesn’t that freak you out? You look so bloody calm.”

“Don’t jump into conclusions like that, sis. Staying in here might as well be the only refuge we have against the villains who are still hiding under their masks. Tiadora said that we’ll deal with David when she gets back, remember?” Jason rebutted and ruffled Kiara’s neat ponytail, “Plus, the one who should be freaked out is Kiara.”

Kiara didn’t meet Jason’s teasing gaze and, instead tried to recall what she had said to Tiadora last night about what had happened. David had pounced on her when she had finally realized that he was a vampire and had somehow fogged her mind that made her faint. He was referring to himself at the studio. David was the one who bit me. Kiara guessed, rubbing the now-clear scar on her neck and glanced towards Jason’s study desk. Both Mokona and Gaia, in their miniature form, of course, were still asleep even though it was 10 am in the morning. Kiara remembered the two sacred animals waiting for them in Cornelia’s room, playing chess, and Mokona was so traumatized about what had happened to David that it fainted on the spot.

“Can’t you telepathically talk to David?” Kiara randomly suggested.

“Your childhood playmate doesn’t seem to be replying back,” Cornelia scoffed, leaning against Jason’s cupboard, “Or it must have been a bad reception.”

“Then you, Jason. Can’t you teleport into the tower and get him out of there?” Kiara asked, fishing out ideas.

“I am not fully trained in using that ability yet, and if I mess up, it would be disastrous. Plus, Tiadora told us to give David some time of his own,” Jason exclaimed, trying to reach for his fallen soccer ball, “His carvings for blood needs to be calmed down, before we can comfort him. Or else, we’ll be his meal.”

“But.. But what if he needs the blood to survive? And what if he’s suffering in silence because he lacks of blood? What if he dies?” Kiara was on the verge of tears, worrying so much for David. Jason and Cornelia didn’t know what to do either. All they could do was to wait for Tiadora.

☆

Ms Hermoine poured the steaming hot light brown coffee into a plain pink mug and walked out of her tiny room outside the huge garage of flowers. Her clogs chattered clamorously making sure of her existence in the storage room. When she came to the main room where the counter was, old Ms Hermoine found her young worker slouched over the table, sleeping. She stroked the girl’s long brown wavy hair and smiled, until the girl suddenly jolt up from her slumber and stared at her employer behind her. “Ms. Hermoine?” Tiadora yelped, “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t be sleeping.”

“Yes. It’s no good sleeping on the job,” Ms. Hermoine placed the heated mug in front of Tiadora and reached out for a small sling bag. “Drink this and it’ll make you awake. I’ll be out for a while. I’m going to write my will.”

“A will?”

“A legal document with instructions for the disposal of my properties after I die,” Ms. Hermoine explained as she headed for the glass door, turning away from the counter.

Tiadora shot up from her seat when she heard that. “You mean, you can tell when you’re going to ‘move on’?”

Ms. Hermoine stopped in her footsteps and glanced back at the unknown princess. “I’m already old, Tiadora. That’s the only indication I need,” she breathed, and the door shut behind, leaving Tiadora alone.

Tiadora stared at the pink mug, analyzing the strange thick brown liquid in it. She slowly brought it close to her lips and drew in a sip of the drink. And immediately spat it back out into the cup. “Eew. Gross. What is this?” she grimaced, lifting the cup and strolled back towards Ms. Hermoine’s living room which was situated right behind the storage room of flowers. The door was left ajar as Tiadora pushed her way through and placed the cup at a nearby short table. “I wonder if Ms. Hermoine doesn’t mind if I were to look at the paintings beside the staircase,” she thought aloud and headed to the stairway anyway.

When she was there before, Tiadora recalled seeing the magnificent masterpieces on those walls. Her footsteps brought her to another door at the corner, much more ancient than the one outside, and turned the rusty knob to reveal the flight of stairs which lead to Ms. Hermoine’s bedroom. The first on her right was a fine picture of a woman in black, smiling with her hands on her lap like a preem lady. Tiadora stared at the tag below and it read ‘Mona Lisa’. “Wow,” Tiadora commented, “Some name.”

Slowly, as she walked up step by step, a cracking sound echoed in the narrow dim corridor. Tiadora took another step and the sound crept even louder. All of a sudden, she felt the wood beneath her feet break, letting gravity took over. Tiadora had no time to react and fell into the tainted darkness below. She couldn’t see a thing and her butt hurt. Her fingers traced against what seemed to feel like a railing and brought herself up to her feet while her eyes tried adjusting. Barrels. She made out barrels at the far end corner of a seemingly small room, and also a short rectangular box beside them. There was at least twenty that Tiadora could count, she wasn’t sure.

She lifted her right hand and made a little small light to glow against her palm. Carefully, the tiny sphere floated to the middle of the ceiling and glowed even brighter and more luminous till it lit up the entire room. But what she saw made her stagger. In the small enclosed dusty area were bottles that reminded her of potions from her kingdom, stacked up in rows of metal shelves, and she was gripping onto one of them. Strange enough, every single bottle was filled with a dark crimson colour with a small golden ball floating in its murky contents. That’s when it ticked her. “Vampire Syrup?!” she gasped, holding a bottle close to her face to look at closer at the golden sphere inside the red fluid. On its clear smooth royal yellow surface, was a symbol.

A naked silhouette of a woman with her extremely long silky hair almost enveloping her body was embed on it. Tiadora scratched her head, trying to recall its history and finally snapped her fingers. Nyx, that was the name. The vampires call her their god. That’s what Tiadora had remembered reading from its history books when she was back in Anastasia. She placed back the bottle and wondered, “What are all of these potions doing here in the 21st Century? They must have been preserved.”

Tiadora scanned her eyes to the corner where the rows of shelves ended. The ‘rectangular box’, was in fact, a mini-fridge, smaller to the one from her dorm room. The barrels were another shock factor. Transparent, they were, but also filled with the same shade of red liquid, without the sphere inside. Each was huge, up till the height of her knee. She unscrewed the red knob at the top of one, and sniffed in. The sensation tickled her nerves. It was exactly as what she had expected. “It…it can’t be…” Tiadora gasped, screwing back the knob, “This is blood.”

“Every single one of these barrels… Blood…” Tiadora had a hard time realizing. What are they doing here? Why are they here? She did a roll count again, and she was right. Twenty transparent barrels lie on the floor. Thinking quick, Tiadora opened up the refrigerator and inside were again the bottles of Vampire Syrup. David. David will need them. Oh, why did he turn into a vampire without telling anyone of us? Tiadora frowned at the thought, closed her eyes, and called.

Cornelia, it’s me, Tiadora, Tiadora imagined her mind shouting out to Cornelia.

Yup? The bubbly voice shouted back.

Listen, I’m going to give you several instructions, and I want you to follow them very carefully, Tiadora explained telepathically. Tell Jason to get to the flower shop fast. I want you and Kiara to get David out of the tower.

What?! How are we supposed to do that?

Get Mokona and Gaia to help. Use everything, and stay hidden. I don’t want people seeing you two bashing the tower open.

Why must Jason come over to the flower shop?

Listen, it doesn’t matter. I need him to teleport something, Tiadora suddenly grew inpatient. Hear me out. There are two possible scenarios that could occur once you make an opening at the tower.

And what would that be?

The first, is either you will see David unconscious. That will make your jobs way easier. Drag him to either one of your rooms. No one must see David, and…

Wait! But won’t David like…burn to ashes once he hits the Sun?

What are you talking about, Cornelia?

I mean, I’ve seen in stories that vampires burn into ashes...

That is fictional! Then how would you explain Mdm. Marinda’s exposure to sunlight?!

Alright. Alright. Calm down. Sheesh, even I can sense that you’re irritated without looking at you.

Whatever. Look, once you bring him to a room, place a pillow on his face. And don’t worry, David won’t suffocate or anything like those shows that I see in the telly.

You sure?

Positive. However, if David is awake, that might be dangerous.

In dangerous, you mean like he might suck our bloods?

No, no. Shush! No questions! I want you and Kiara to combine your powers and freeze him. Then bring him to the room. Mokona, has some special tricks that I’m not sure off. But she has them. Ask Mokona for help.

Uhh, okay. Jason has already gone by the way.

How? But Tiadora didn’t need an answer as after a micro-second, something had fallen on her, sending her crashing to the floor. Luckily her hands were in front of her, so her face didn’t hit the ground.

“Tia?” the familiar deep voice called as the weight lifted away from Tiadora’s back. A hand outstretched from behind, as she took it to let her stand up. Jason stood there, smiling sheepishly, obviously regretting what happened. “I’m so sorry! I tried the teleporting stuff that you told me and all of a sudden, I landed here.”

“What did you think off while teleporting?” Tiadora frowned, brushing off the dirt of her white dress.

“You?” he admitted, “Where are we? Aren’t I supposed to be at the flower shop?”. Tiadora sighed at him and walked past him, towards the barrels.

“I’ve accidentally discovered an underground basement right below Ms. Hermoine’s staircase. It’s filled with the necessities for a vampire.”

“Does Ms. Hermoine know about this? Where is she?”

“Writing something outside, I don’t know. But I have a feeling that she doesn’t know, unless she’s hiding it from something or someone. Anyway,” Tiadora lead Jason closer to the barrels. “You think you can teleport all of these to an unused room? Is that possible?”

“An empty unused room?” Jason pondered over, and snapped his fingers, “I got it! The field!”

Tiadora raised an eyebrow, picturing the same football field which she saw him playing the championships on yesterday evening. “No, not the field. Remember the steps that you sat on when you watch me play? Yeah, there’s a room underneath it, but the door’s always closed, and nobody knows where the key is.”

“Perfect,” Tiadora exclaimed, “All the more reasons that people will not be able to find it or open it. Hurry, transport these there.”

“Eh…but…” Jason stammered. Jason never stammers. “I do not know how the room looks like. I mean, I’ve only been here ever since last year Summer, so I don’t really know how these places look like.”

Tiadora took some bottles and placed them on top of the barrels while hearing Jason. “Then how did you know about it?”

Jason chuckled, “If you’re me, you’d know almost everything that revolves around the school. I’ve got eyes and ears everywhere.”

“It’s that how you know David and Kiara then?” Tiadora almost slammed the bottles in anger that Jason didn’t know, when there was supposed to be a full plan ahead. “I mean, they are 365 days younger than you. And due to the stupid black telly in the room, I’m starting to know more about your kind of time, and these kinds of things don’t happen.”

“What? You mean, my friendship between me and David?”

“Yes,” Tiadora continued, shipping the perfume-like bottles from the shelves to the barrels, “You’re supposed to be like those type of people who are more popular to the crowd whereas David isn’t? Am I right?”

“It’s the cheerleaders’ fault, not mine.”

“But you’re one of those who condemns him, just as similar as the rest, which makes no difference,” Tiadora stopped and turned into a serious expression, “You have two friends of different perspectives, and you treat one indifferently in front of the other. It is a no wonder that David doesn’t take you as a good friend seriously.”

“If you are truly his friend, then tell me, what have you done as a friend to him in this one year?” Tiadora sighed.

Jason was lost. He didn’t have the answer. He wanted to fight back, but she was right. “How do you get to know David?” Tiadora walked in front of him till they were only centimeters away, “I want to know the full story.”

“From Kiara.”

“Then how do you know Kiara?”

“From Ian…” Jason stared to the floor, his head down as if ashamed, “Kiara was Ian ex-girlfriend. And I’ve known Ian since I was ten.”

Tiadora folded her arms and stared through his blond fringe, waiting. “As you would know, almost every school population is split into various types of people. And those who are cheerleaders or athletes get the ‘special’ type of attention that everyone wants to get. When I got transferred here with Cornelia, Kiara was only ‘popular’ because she was Ian’s mate at that time. Ian told me almost everything. Even Sally added a few more gossips into it. So I approached Kiara, I mean, we always sat at the same table with the rest but I didn’t really get to know her. Soon, she told me of David, and I couldn’t help but ask Ian about it. And then, there was this dare.

“I was supposed to sabotage him, to make him look bad. I regret doing whatever I did. I’ll spare you the trauma. That’s when I felt bad, and apologized to him, wanting to make up to him. I and David are friends, but, I guess, we’re not that familiar,” Jason breathed. “That’s why, I do not know how to react when I with both Ian and David. It’s confusing sometimes. Please don’t be mad at me. I don’t want to anger you either.”

Tiadora slit her fingers into his, and leaned closer. “I’m not angry. But I just want you to change your behaviour towards him when your other friends are around. Alright?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Jason smiled and did a salute stance.

“Oh and…” Tiadora blushed and this time, it was her turn to look down. “I love you too.”

“For a moment, I thought you actually had a crush on David.”

“Stupid,” Tiadora giggled, as Jason caressed her cheek, running his fingers through her hair and move his head closer to her face. He chuckled again and plastered a kiss on Tiadora’s lips.