CHAPTER 17
I was awakened by a knock at my door, but I remained in my bed.
“Hey, you, okay?”Faira asked while I’m still not moving and my back is facing her. I thought she was going to leave but then I felt her sit beside me.
“Did something happen between you and Stefan again?”
“No, I’m just tired Faira.”
I sounded tired and it looks like Faira was convinced because she didn’t ask any follow-up questions anymore.
We were silent for a while when I suddenly remembered Jonas being at the mayor’s house as well. So, I turned to Faira who was about to get out of my bed.
“What happened to Jonas?”
She gazed at me as she stood up. She looked a little bit surprised that I asked her.
“Well, Chase had arrested him and brought him to the Institution”
I felt relieved to know that one name has been eliminated from the list of people who wanted me dead.
I nodded at her and she smile a bit then held my hand.
“If you need anything just tell us, okay? It might get hard every day but always know that Clark and I will always be here for you”
“I know”, I squeezed her hand then she let go. She left the room, allowing me to have my space since there were a lot of things that I need to think about especially with what happened at the mayor’s house.
Something strange happened to me when I touched the white brooch. When Faira and Chase found me, I was already lying on the floor, and Stefan had vanished, so they assumed Stefan had done something to me, but I honestly couldn't remember anything after I blacked out.
But the truth is there’s something more about that blackout.
When I touched the white brooch, I felt an excruciating pain in my head and that’s when I blackout, then when I opened my eyes, I was in this dark and empty place. Random images and memories started to appear around me but it flashes so fast that I wasn’t able to see them vividly. Then I experienced pain again but this time the surroundings change and it felt like I was in a time machine until I arrived at a certain place, the setting seems like it was in the early ’90s. I saw a young girl who is fiercely fighting a group of kids that is in the same age as her. I was about to turn around but I halted when I saw the girl's face who look like me but what surprised me more is when Stefan approached the little girl.
That’s when it ended because Faira was shaking me to wake me up, causing the brooch to slip out of my grasp then I came back to reality.
I was about to tell Faira and Chase about it, but when I saw them holding the white brooch and nothing happened, I hesitated. It is hard to explain that vision especially if they hadn’t experienced it as well, that explains why I was quiet the whole way back home.
Aside from that pain in my head, I was also exhausted after I woke up. While I was in that dark and empty place, all I could feel is sadness, pain, and agony. The sight of Stefan's face intrigues me the most.
Suddenly there was a knock on my door. The door slightly opened revealing Clark’s face.
“Hey, you awake? Mom’s downstairs and she wanted to see the box. If you don’t want to go down, I could just give the box to her”
“No, I’ll go”
He nodded then closed the door. When I arrived downstairs, all of them, including Tita Anna are sitting on the couch and it looks like they are discussing some serious matter. Their eyes shifted on me as I entered the living room. I greeted Tita Anna and handed her the black box. I sat beside her and she opened the box, she stared at it for a second then she took the brooch out of it. As she got hold of the brooch, she closed her eyes and started chanting a spell.
We were shocked when she abruptly let go of the brooch and gasped for air. Faira and Clark moved closer to Tita Anna because they were worried about her reaction.
"Mom what's wrong?", Faira asked as she held her mother’s right hand.
"That brooch...... has a very strong dark energy inside it. Whoever owns it must be a powerful creature.”
Her voice is tremulous as if she was afraid. Tita Anna stood up and fixed herself.
"I must bring that to the coven before something bad happens."
I don’t know why but my instinct told me to stop her.
"No, wait. you can't!!"
They all looked at me. My heart is racing because I haven’t thought of any excuse yet.
"Why Celine?", Tita Anna asked in confusion.
“I think that brooch can help me with my mother’s case, can I just borrow it for a while. I promise to take good care of it”
I said nervously and hid my trembling hand behind my back. I’m not sure if they're going to buy that excuse, but I hope it will work.
"But my dear this is a dangerous thing----"
"Please just this once, I promise I will take care of it.”
I just need more time to figure this thing out because I think this brooch has something to do with me.
"Okay you have a week but once I returned, I will bring that to the Coven for them to check what kind of dark energy that thing has”
I immediately nodded and took the black box from Clark then I ran upstairs back to my room.
“Celine, you have to be careful with that okay?”, Tita Anna reminded me.
“Yes!”, I shouted before I shut my door close.
After I took a bath, I went out of my room to make milk but then I saw Faira at the terrace alone, so I decided to go to her.
"Hi", I greeted her while I was staring outside.
"Hey", she responded, her voice was hoarse and she looks so tired.
"What do you think about Stefan?"
I suddenly ask because I’m curious about him especially after I saw him in that vision.
"I don't like him"
Her answer was so straightforward and it made me laugh a little.
“I’m not asking if you like him, what I want to know is what kind of person he is. “
“Okay, I’m only saying this once, but I think he is okay. I mean he saved you a lot of times but I still don’t like him”
I smiled at her honest response. We talked for a bit then, I let her have her alone time.
I stared blankly at the black box in front of me while I’m sitting here on my bed.
"Jonas is blaming you and your vampire friend, Stefan, for his brother's death and now he's hunting you to kill you."
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"Oh, that's weird because last night you said that, he's your friend and he saved you"
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“Did you two have a fight? Because this is the first time you said something bad about him, I mean you always defend him. But anyways like what I always say, we don’t need that vampire”
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“Okay, I’m only saying this once, but I think he is okay. I mean he saved you a lot of times but I still don’t like him”
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Faira and Chase kept on telling me that Stefan and I are friends but why can't I remember anything about our friendship? It feels like there's something I'm missing out.
There's only one way to find out.
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Based on my diary, he lives somewhere here in the forest. I have been searching for an hour now and still, there is no sign of him. I think I only have one solution left, though it seems absurd, I don’t know what to do anymore. I took out my dagger then I made a little cut in my palm and blood started dripping.
"Are you out of your mind? Do you know how dangerous for you to do that here"
Finally, I heard that baritone voice. I looked at Stefan and there I met his ocean eyes.
"Why did you compel me?”
I didn’t even hesitate to ask that question anymore but before he answered, he wrapped my palm with his handkerchief to stop it from bleeding.
I suddenly felt bad for shooting him earlier.
“You’re really stubborn huh? I’m a bad person Celestine and being with me will only put you into danger. You might end up dead before we could even find your mother"
"Too bad I'm already in danger"
I slowly caressed his cheek while staring at his eyes.
“Stop being the villain when you're not. Bring back my memories and I will prove it to you"
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