6 6 Bewitching Flaw

"Who the hell is Ebenezer Dustan Duncan Widric III?" I crumple the paper in my hand, not caring if this is evidence, whatever. Whoever wrote it must have thought I knew this man he was asking for. How in the world will I find him?

Dimitri casts a skeptical look at the crumpled paper. "Can I see it?"

I give him the letter and he smells it. His eyes sparkle, a hint of recognition. "Vampires."

"How'd you know?"

"Vampires have an alluring smell, which is why it is so hard to resist them." He says, handing back the paper to me.

I take it and lift it in my nose. Sure enough, the paper smells different and strangely addicting.

I glance at Dimitri and shy away, as I catch him studying me with unwavering attention. I clear my throat and focus elsewhere.

"Your eyes." I heard him say. "Do they always have that shade?"

"Yes..." I blink, not surprised at all. I had already lost count of how many have asked me about my peculiar eyes. Truth be told, I got odd orbs and so I was told. Left is a blue iris; the right eye is green.

"The doctors say I have heterochromia Iridium,” I confess. "More like an abnormality rather than something special."

"Strange. I never thought a flaw could be this attractive, captivating even." He says, with a hint of admiration.

"Not really," I reply. So, he knows how to compliment a girl. Nah, boys and their flowery words.

"Pack your things. You're not safe here anymore." He says after a while.

"Can you help me find this man he was looking for? I still don't understand why they would take dad, and ask for another person. Dad and I have nothing to do with vampires, neither mom." I ask, my anger doubling every moment.

"Yes...but it is complicated. We need to see my aunt as soon as possible. She knows more than I." He hesitates. Something is bothering him by the way he gulps and shifts from foot to foot.

I will leave it at that. As long as he can lead me to this man, whoever he is, I am tagging along. “Will you help me find this man?”

“I will.”

I then pack some pairs of clothes and other things I would not survive without in a big barrel bag and a backpack. I put all my cards and ward of dollars in my wallet and place them in my sling bag.

"Is that all?" He takes the backpack and wears it on his back and puts the barrel bag on his shoulder.

"Yes, not much."

He nods and goes out of the room.

I take one lasting look at my room. Sighing, I close the door and follow him. I have not even stayed here for a month. And now, I am leaving.

Dimitri drives home on the other side of town. Apparently, his house is much closer to our school. Like a ten-minute drive.

We enter their village and I am amazed the place actually exists in this town. All the houses are huge and scream wealth, like those in the city. Arriving at his house, it is surprisingly huge too, like a mansion. Talk about some rich kid stuff.

He opens the car door and I step out, still marveling at the mansion in front of me. "You live here?"

"Yes." He scratches the back of his head. "My parents are bloody rich. This is how I get by after they died."

We enter the house and my jaw drops at how huge the living room is, our house would literally fit inside it. High ceiling drapes with gold lace and white curtains. White sofa set arranged in a semi-circle adorned with gold plush pillows. Under it lay a Nordic modern gray carpet.

On one side is the most extravagant staircase I have ever seen, akin to those seen in the palace. It is made of gold and glass. A red carpet was laid on it.

"You gotta be kidding me! Are you some kind of noble blood or something? This place is unbelievable." I say, full of awe.

"Not that I know of." He chuckles. "Come upstairs, I'll show you your room.

And hours later, that is how I find myself laying in a queen-sized bed with a four-poster, thinking how my life turned upside down in just a few weeks. My body must have been so exhausted to wander again while sleeping because when morning came, I finally wake up at ease for the first time in weeks.

DIMITRI IS DRIVING, we are on the way to school. It is Friday and we have classes. We have the whole weekend to see her aunt nonetheless. He is humming a song while I busy myself with my phone.

"Uhm Dimitri, can you like drop me off a block away from school?" I ask, fidgeting with my phone, I had been thinking about it since we enter his car.

He glances at me, eyebrows crease. "Why? You okay Amber? You look unwell."

He goes closer and puts the back of his hand on my forehead. One thing I learned about Dimitri for the past hours I was with him is, he is touchy-feely. He likes physical contact.

"I'm fine," I say, giving him a small smile. "It's just that, do you think it is okay for us to get outta the car together?"

"Why ever not?" He shrugs. He then chuckles and shakes his head. "You worry too much."

"Am not." I pout, averting my focus outside the window. "Just thinking maybe, you have a jealous girlfriend?"

Dimitri laughs. "You sound like the jealous girlfriend."

"Of course not!" I say outrage, feeling heat creeps in my face. "That is not what I meant!"

"Hey, that was a joke." He laughs again, clearly enjoying teasing me. He maneuvers the car inside the gate and that is when I realize we are already at school. Geez!

He parks the car and I thank him and hurriedly walk out of his car before anyone sees us together. I half run and half walk. I don't give a care if someone sees us together. But there are so many things happening in my life right now, and the last thing I want is unwanted attention. If Rosie is saying the truth about Dimitri being popular and gregarious, to be seen with him will draw attention and I just want to be left alone.

I reach our classroom and Rosie is already there with a book in her hand. She seems hooked on what she is reading, not paying attention to our noisy classmates.

"Hey," I say, and take my seat beside her.

"Hello." She smiles awkwardly. "I heard about the accident and your mom. I am so sorry Amber. I wish I could have been there for you. I tried to get your address but Mrs. Smith wouldn't give it, says it's confidential." She babbles more about ‘stupid old woman’ and ‘how worried’ she was for me.

I place my hand on top of hers while chuckling. "You are blabbing again Rosie. Thank you but I am fine now."

"Am I?" she says horrified. One of the things I learned about Rosie is she babbles a lot and she does not even know when. She breathes a sigh of relief. "But, thank God you are alright."

"We should do a sleepover, let's say this weekend, my place?" She says excitedly, clapping her hand together.

"Nah, I got plans already. I need to be somewhere else." I say apologetically. I think Rosie is trying to cheer me up and I am thankful for that. Grateful for a friend like her in this town where everyone else is a stranger to me.

"That is totally fine. Maybe next time." She smiles. But then she looks behind my back and her smile widens, showing her teeth. Her face turning in red too. I hear the scrapping of a chair behind me and I turn, only to see Dimitri already seated.

"What are you doing here?" I ask. Isn't he belonging to the other class?

"I changed subjects sweetcakes." He winks and hands me a piece of paper. I take it and it reflects the same schedules I have for the entire semester.

"Bloody oath you are full of surprises!" I say, narrowing my eyes at him. "What is this?"

"Just felt like doing it." He shrugs.

"Wait... you knew each other?" I hear Rosie says. My breath hitches and I went rigid. Slowly, I turn to her and she was looking back and forth at Dimitri and me.

Crap! I totally forgot about Rosie!

Dimitri smiles at her. “Hi, you must be Amber’s friend, I am Dimitri.”

"Rosie Thomas." She shakes his hand. Rosie is beaming from ear to ear. She plays with the tip of her braid, while openly staring at him.

He turns to me and adds, "So... what are we having for lunch?"

And I almost face-palmed. At that moment, I knew my invincible senior year self is bound to be doomed.