chapter 2(His gaze)

It was nighttime, the waken hour of the vampires and the resting for the humans and a few witches. the Night was silent and calm even though the vampires were going around doing their various work.

They were few sounds but they could not be compared to the sound that came from a particular small neighborhood, the house was filled with high school teens who were having the time of their lives, there were loud music laughter, and drinks, and everyone was having a good time, except from one person Mrs. Ani, who was cursing the owners of the apartment, but that isn't important.

As the party was going on and the people having fun, nobody noticed that the person throwing the party was busy sitting outside looking up at the night sky alone;

Mira is a high school student who is in her final year, she just clocked eighteen, today was supposed to be her happiest day, but it felt like every other day. She never liked celebrating her birthday because of what happened that fateful night, but her friends insisted on throwing her a party. She was finally eighteen, an adult, but to her, it felt like she had just qualified for the impending doom.

She closed her eyes, leaning against the wall behind her, enjoying the peace, and quiet, she loved the gentle cold breeze that touched her face. This were the thing she loves, being alone, having no problem to deal with, and just having alone time with herself and her demons, she just wished to be with her small circle of friends on her birthday but it was like no one understood that.

When she opened her again to see them—the monsters who always hunted her every single day, even in her dreams, they never let her be, they were also one of the reasons why she left her party.

The ugly creature of hell was staring right at her with its big bug eyes; she didn't feel scared anymore because she had lived with them for almost all her life, but the question still remains, "Why?"

"Mira, what are you doing out here?"One of Mira's best friends asked while sitting on the bench next to her; her eyes then fell on the monster not too far from her, and she nodded in realization.

"When will you stop letting this monster bother you, Mira?" Summer said, placing her hand on Mira's. Mira looked into Summer's green eyes and then smiled at her.

"I'm not letting anything bother me; I just have a lot of unanswered questions in my head that need answering, and I'm just tired of staying in the dark."

Mira was tired of not knowing what was going on around her; she had so many unanswered questions, so many forgotten memories, and so many mysteries she wanted to solve but couldn't.

"We need to talk to Phoebe about this; maybe she will be able to cast another spell on you."

"Yes, I would do just that after the party or maybe tomorrow; right now she's busy enjoying the party."

"I think you should also come and join us; after all, it is your eighteenth birthday, happy birthday, my love," Summer said, squealing excitedly for Mira.

Summer is a Lycan hybrid, but everyone knows her as a human because they live in the vampire realm and no one is supposed to know about her secret, and also because she has no idea what other creature she was, well she wasn't the only one with a secret. Phoebe is a vampire while Mira is a human; they also don't know what their other side is, but one thing is certain and that is that they are dangerous. Those secrete were the glue that held them together over the years.

"You're right, this is my sweet eighteen, so I'm going to enjoy it to the fullest."

"That's the spirit; let's go get wild," Summer said, dragging Mira into the party.

*****

The next day at school, Mrs. Grace, the biology teacher, was teaching in the class, and as usual, the room was as silent as a graveyard. She was a middle-aged woman with short blond hair and brown eyes. She was a fine woman but also a teacher not to be trifled with. She had her eyes on Mira after Mira openly corrected her in class, and since then she had been looking for a reason to punish Mira but found none because Mira had always tried to stay away from trouble and everyone knew that.

She put her glasses on the bridge of her nose, and as she asked the class a question that no one could answer, she tuned in on Mira, who had both hands on both sides of her face and was staring at a biology textbook on her desk through a pair of large glasses.

"Mira, you are surprisingly quiet today; what's wrong?" Mira did not respond to her question.

"Mira "I want you to answer my question right now." But still, no response. Summer and Phoebe, who sat next to Mira, had a disturbed expressions on their faces; knowing that Mira was fast asleep and that Mrs. Grace was looking for an opportunity to punish Mira, they decided to prevent Mrs. Grace from coming close to Mira,

"Mrs. Grace "Mira is praying, she forgot to pray this morning," Phoebe said, standing up from her chair,

"Don't waste your breath, Phoebe; I know that Mira is fast asleep, so don't try fooling around." Mrs. Grace said that as she walked over to Mira, her eyes were full of malicious intention as a smirk formed on her face.

"Mira, Mira!, Miracle!!" She called, and it sounded like she was reciting a mantra instead of a person's name,

Mira raised her head suddenly; it was as if she had been kicked back to reality by a kangaroo. She then realized that she had slept in class, and of all classes, it had to be Mrs. Grace's. Mrs. Grace had a smirk plastered on her face; she had finally gotten Mira.

"Why me?" she thought to herself. She could see Summer from the corner of her eyes, looking at her with a distressed look on her face, and sitting in front further away was Phoebe with the same look on her face.

Mira and her friends were always separated by every teacher that came into their class because they believed that they caused trouble together. They were just like annoying mosquitoes who always made noise, no matter what they did.

Well, they are in the vampire realm, after all, so almost everyone in their school is a vampire, witch, or human.

"Come to my office after school, and I'll tell you what your punishment would be," was all Mrs. Grace said before walking away from Mira. She was shocked to the core when she heard that. She wanted to explain to Mrs. Grace, but she knew it was pointless.

"Why am I getting punished?" Was it just for sleeping in class? If so, then it's not fair because I'm not the only one who is sleeping in this class; look around; almost half of the class is asleep, so why am I the only one getting punished?" Mira questioned, almost losing her cool, but Mrs. Grace paid no attention to her.

"Who can tell the class the parts of the brain?" Mrs. Grace asked the class,

The students in the class raised their hands, ready and waiting to answer the question; they didn't want to be the next in line.

"Who cares about the part of the brain?" "As long as it does its job properly, then the rest can go to hell," Summer said placing her leg on her table, with a piece of chewing gum in her mouth.

Summer had mid-length flaming red hair with forest green eyes; she's very adorable and gets away with things at times; she is very fun to be with; she has a temper but knows when to react; she's also a fantasy type of girl; she dreams of the impossible, according to Phoebe;

She was making annoying sounds with the gum in her mouth, she fiddled with her red not minding the murderous glare she got from Mrs. Grace

"Throw that gum this instant and sit down properly," Mrs. Grace said with a glare that Summer immediately waved off.

Summer sat properly but didn't stop making annoying sounds with her gum.

"Didn't you hear what I just said, Summer, or do you want to be punished?" Mrs. Grace trembled in rage, but Summer was willing to get punished as long as she was with Mira. Mira is the only one amongst the three friends who don't have any special powers, she was almost like an average human,

"I wonder why we have to do as you say; it's not like it will add anything to my grades, and just because you are a teacher doesn't make you always right," Summer said, avoiding the gaze she received from not just Mrs. Grace but also her classmate,

"Summer, do this; Summer, do that; don't do this; don't go there; don't touch that." God, is that how you were treated in high school?" Summer asked, playing with the pen in her hand with no care for what she just said,

"Detention for you young lady," Mrs. Grace smirked, Summer was thrown off guard by what she just said, that was not what she hoped for, she wanted to be with Mira not get detention. Summer's blood boiled seeing the triumphant smirk on Mrs. Grace's face. she knew.

"You should be careful Mrs. Grace, if you keep this up you are going to lose the remaining hair on your head, and I don't think any hair extension would do much for you" Phoebe piped in making the whole class bust into a fit of laughter,

Phoebe had long blond hair with light blue eyes, she's gorgeous, she is also very practical very focused and has a great fashion sense but she's also very prideful, she and Summer always like to bump heads together, but they love each other a lot,

Detention for the both of you," Mrs. Grace fumed, Summer was happy that the annoying smirk on her face was now replaced with a cringed expression,

 "Where is the grace, Mrs. Grace?" Summer gave the final blow also adding her award-winning smirk,

"TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE NOW!!" Mrs. Grace finally exploded as Summer predicted, 

The both of them walked to the principal's office together after the long talk they had with him, they walked out like celebrities on the red carpet, but they knew that this was not a victory,

Later that day the three went to their various classes, Mira went to science class, Summer went to drama class while Phoebe went to English class, 

After everything that happened last night and in school Mira was as tired as fuck, she went to the washroom to freshen up, lately, Mira hasn't been able to concentrate not only in class but also socially, and the nightmares she had were getting worse plus yesterday's party, she just felt exhausted,

Ordinarily, Mira sleeps with her friends due to her nightmares, Phoebe cast a spell on Mira a few years ago, to avoid Mira from seeing these monsters but it could not stop her nightmares, but a month before her birthday, she began to see the monsters from her dream in real life again, she wasn't the only one who could see them even Summer and Phoebe could see them, and no one else could, but they didn't need the spell because they were stronger than Mira.

She couldn't remember the last time she had a good night's sleep, even as a child she always had these nightmares and as she grow up they became worse,

Mira splashed some water on her face as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, they were bags under her eyes and her ocean blue eyes looked tired and dull, she used her fingers to comb her long, curly, shining black hair, and also straightened her top for the last time before looking at the mirror one's again, for the finishing touch, but then she saw a creature looking right at her from the mirror, 

The creator was short, with three hones on its head, it had red eyes and an ape-like hand that went down past his knee, even his feet looked like that of an ape, its ears were massive, it looked at her with dose big red eyes of it, 

Mira had never seen this type of creature up close, the creature began  moving closer towards her, its mouth was open as if it wanted to say something, but Mira didn't want to hear whatever it had to say as she immediately ran out of the restroom, as fast as she could,

She looked back to check if the creator was  following her, but accidentally bumped into something hard before falling on her ass, when she looked up she saw a handsome guy towering over her. she did have the luxury to admire him or anyone, all she wanted to do was to meet Phoebe and ask her to cast that spell on her again,

"Sorry," Mira quickly said, picking up her bag and started walking away, Mira didn't pay attention to the guy but something caught her attention, it was his unique silver hair.

All Mira needed was to go back to her room and rest, but it wasn't possible because she had to meet Mrs. Grace today, she wondered what Mrs. Grace wanted from her, she was a little frightened but she needs to stay calm and not let her emotions get the better of her. Mira went to the cafeteria to get something to eat, with the plate in her hands, she went to sit at her usual spot, close to her friends, they were already sited when she arrived, and they look like they were already having an intense  discussion, 

"Hey, guys,"

"Hi Mira," both Phoebe and Summer said in union,  

"You guys didn't have to do what you did, now look at what happened," Mira said, feeling responsible for her friends getting detention,

"Hey, don't say that, that's what friends do right," Summer said with a smile that made her look so adorable, 

"Yeah, Summer's acting skills have really improved, even do she overdid it, but I'm more worried about what Mrs. Grace wants with you, Mira," 

Phoebe said worldly,

" Yeah me too, It seems that she wants you alone Mira, I don't think you should meet her," Summer advised,

"Same, it sounds dangerous, especially when you're going alone, you know that Mrs. Grace is a dark witch what if she does something to you while you are in her office," Phoebe had a worried look on her face,

"I know but I can't just not meet her, it may lead to something else,"

"No it won't, we are in this together and we won't let any witch harm you," Summer said with determination shining in her eyes, Mira gave both her friends an appreciative smile, Mira didn't know what she would do without her friends, they were her family and she would never trade it for anything,

 As the girls ate Mira noticed the way Phoebe's face which was so composed moments ago now looked white as paper with beads of sweat on her forehead, Phoebe lowered her head and was playing with her food with shaking hands, Mira immediately knew that she had seen something that scared her, and Mira knew that it wasn't the monsters,

Mira turned around slowly to see what was bothering her friend but found nothing, they were so many people in the room that it was hard to find what exactly was bothering Phoebe. Mira looked at Phoebe one's again, and she noticed Phoebe gazing at the other side of the cafeteria and then at her food, she couldn't even eat her food properly and this made not just Mira but Summer worried because Phoebe was not the type of person to show weakness or bow her head so seeing her like that, they knew that something serious was bothering her.

Mira followed her line of sight and saw him, it was the same guy she bumped into, he was looking directly at Phoebe, no wonder Phoebe was so uncomfortable, 

He had unusual silver eyes and hair, well-built physic, he also had a very heavy aura around him that could chase anyone away from him, Mira noticed that no one seems to notice the guy, even though he seems scary that couldn't make everyone look away, he had the type of look that could put any girl under his spell but why was they not even one girl drooling over him.

Suddenly his eyes met with Mira's, they held each other gaze for a while before he looked away, Mira somehow felt powerful because she won the staring competition but soon after he faced Mira again but this time he had a cute yet annoying smirk on his face,  Mira quickly faced her food not wanting to see his face, she didn't know why but she felt strange looking at his face, 

"Who is this man and why is he looking at us that way?" Mira asked starting at Phoebe for an answer, Phoebe just looked at both her friends with a tired expression,

"He's a ghost,"