Chapter Twenty : Understanding

Xia was running late for the class as always. She rushed through the corridor, since this morning she is dealing with cumbersome feelings and she don't know how to deal with them. After knowing her best friends are vampires and now they know she is a mermaid she don't know how to feel about this scenario.

It's not like anyone ever wrote a book or something about it! She has no idea how she'll face them today. Will they feel bad that she didn't share her secret? But they also didn't tell her about them! So it makes them even! Right? She is constantly battling with thoughts like that in her head.

After Orion left she felt bit relaxed and okay, she thought she can handle this thing but no she was clearly wrong. This is too much to handle.

In the morning she had to hide Timmy in her closet from her mum. If her parents got even a slightest hint of Orion being here last night all hell would break loose and she certainly don't want that to happen. She has told that fat monster to stay in her room she just hope it listens to her for one time.

As she was getting closer to the class her mind went numb. She started feeling nauseous. For the first time in her life she was so scared to meet her own friends, they all fight for silly reasons but they always stick together no matter what but this time she is not sure what is going to happen.

When she entered the class she saw Tora sitting on the last bench where they usually sit and the seat beside her was empty. Gordon and Reese were sitting on the bench adjacent to her's. She meekly went and sat beside her and she was about to say hi but then Mr Anderson arrived and told them to form a line as they are going for their internship program.

She was looking at Tora and Gordon but both of them didn't say a word or looked at her. She thought she lost them. They settled down in the bus and were on their way.

"So you're not gonna say anything?," Tora said.

"It's you who isn't talking," Xia replied looking at her.

"There's nothing like that. I thought after knowing everything you will hate me," Tora said.

"Are you crazy? How can I hate you? and for what? You have done nothing wrong to me or anyone else. Duffer I still love you," Xia frowned.

"Okay. How are you? Tora asked.

"I'm good.," Xia replied.

There was few moments of awkward silence between them . This was getting way too much to tolerate. She was not ready to lose her friends just because they were vampires ! That was not gonna happen! Not in this lifetime or ever.

Xia just punch Tora on her back.

"Can you be normal please! This is so annoying talking like stranger," Xia frowned.

She laughed and hugged me.

" I thought you hate me now," Tora said with a gloomy face.

"That's not gonna happen and that too because of a silly reason! Never," Xia replied.

Suddenly someone hit Xia on her head from behind. She got up from her seat to see who it was and she saw a grinning man sitting behind their seat.

"What the hell Gordon! When will you stop doing that?," Xia groaned.

He chuckled. "That wasn't me," he replied.

Xia gave Reese death stare who ran to Dan's seat. "Okay. Guilty," he raised his hands in defence.

They all laughed in unison.

She recalled her childhood days with them when at friendship days they used to promise each other that *they will be friends till the day pigs learn to fly* .

Xia realized how much her friends mean to her. She can never stay away from them. They are the most important part of her life, which she cherish every moment.

She decided no matter what she will not sacrifice her friendship. They can never be a threat to her or her people. They are just like her, kind hearted people. They can never hurt someone.

"Thank God this awkward phase just ended," Xia sighed.

"Yeah," Tora replied with a smile.

They all assembled in a hall of a building which was somewhat like a community Hall for the people of this village, Crystal field where internship program is being organized.

Hall was echoing with chit chat of students who were busy discussing and planning about their task.

Xia was standing with Tora's group Gordon and Reese joined them. Tora's group was much friendlier than her's she can clearly see this by how Dan was explaining them their roles and each one of them were given task of equal importance.

"Cheer up. You'll be fine," Gordon patted her back.

"Hope so," she replied.

"I must say you're taking the whole V-thing very maturely. I thought you'll freak out and never talk to us, especially me after what you witnessed at that cottage," he whispered to her.

"Well what can I say! When I, myself

am a supernatural being, so I don't think it'll be appropriate of me to freak out or hate you guys. Plus I know most of the things about you people and also you guys are my friends and I trust you. So it's completely alright," she replied.

"And yeah, about that cottage thing you did what you had to do in order to protect me so there's nothing to feel bad about it. Though I was kinda scared of you. I guessed I have to stop poking you," she said showing her tongue to tease him.

"Yeah. Correct. But after the heated conversation between your father and my uncle I thought you'll never see us," he chuckled.

"What? I don't know about this. My dad told me to keep my distance but you can't blame him our kind have not so friendly history," Xia replied.

"Yeah. Well I don't know exactly what happened in the past. But I heard your dad saying that he won't trust our family again and we should stay away from each other's path. So my uncle agreed and told us not to bother you anymore," Gordon stated.

"And you agreed? You're kidding right?," Xia got angry after hearing this. How can he agree to break our bond?

"I thought now you hate me so it would be best not to bother you anymore," he replied.

"Don't you ever say that," Xia punched him in the back.

"So much for being scared to me," Gordon laughed.

"What is with you guys and this shush- hush talking?," Reese said with a confusing look.

Oh poor Reese, he is the only human among them. He doesn't know what happened at the ball. Xia and her friends wanted to keep things that way only. It'll be very dangerous to involve him in their not so normal life. All of them wanted for him to be safe and out of this mess. They all know it never ends pleasantly for humans when they get mixed with their world.

"Nothing," Gordon replied.

"Oh please! I know something happened at that ball. I wish I could have stayed but my parents! They made me leave with them early. So tell me what did I miss?," he responded with curious look.

"Well firstly Xia became friends with a cute cat and you won't believe she left the ball to hang out with that cat," Gordon replied with farcical tone.

Reese started laughing hysterically and Gordon joined him.

"Just get lost both of you," Xia replied.

Suddenly there was pin drop silence in the hall. Xia saw the Principal was standing in the middle of the hall with her teachers standing behind him.

"Good morning children . Welcome to your internship program. I hope you all have came well prepared and will try to do your best. To make sure you all do your task perfectly we have a special guest from the company which is sponsoring this program. He will shortly be here to guide you. So best of luck everyone," he addressed the students and then left the hall.

Everyone was curious to know who this guest was. Chit chat between students started again. Mrs Nate took the stage and asked students to keep quiet as the guest may be arriving at any second.