Letters to Romeo

Julie sat in the lunchroom with Melanie next to her. She noticed the way her friend looked slightly anxious, her eyes darting towards the entrance doors of the lunchroom.

"Did you speak to Conner?" asked Julie, and Melanie turned to look at her before shaking her head.

"I haven't seen him for two days. I didn't know it was going to be this awkward for him," replied Melanie, and a sigh escaped from her lips. "I was hoping it wouldn't be like this, after all, we have been friends for so long. But now I wonder if he's doubting something."

Julie slightly raised her eyebrows and asked, "Doubting what? It isn't a crime to like or love someone, Mel. I am sure he knows that. Maybe he's just feeling bad for not noticing your feelings before."

"That would be a hard thing to say," said Melanie, and she picked up the glass of water that was next to her book and took a sip from it. "We have been friends for such a long period of time, that he has sensed that I am hiding something more than just my feelings. I feel like keeping the secret knowing about the existence of the vampires and witches here will make him not trust me."

Julie understood what Melanie meant, but then she said, "Conner is our friend, and he's never been someone to hurt anyone. Maybe it is time for us to explain the truth to him, about what's going on in Veteris before he does anything that he regrets."

"You are right," Melanie nodded and said, "I will drop by his dorm now and talk to him. About other things too, he cannot keep avoiding me. Before anything, we are friends after all," her decision was firm, and she finished the remaining water in the glass before getting up from her seat and picking up her books.

"You sure you don't want me to come with you?" asked Julie, making sure Melanie would be able to handle the situation.

In Melanie's case, Julie had found it easy to convince her friend because they had both been pulled into the past, and her friend had seen the terror that had taken place in Willow Creek. It had been easier for Melanie to digest the truth, not to mention that she had been saved by the vampire she disliked most.

Melanie smiled, "I will be fine. Let me ease him into the situation."

"Alright," replied Julie, and she watched Melanie make her way towards the doors of the lunchroom before disappearing out of it.

Now sitting alone at the table, Julie had a book in front of her on the table. One hand turned the page of the book so that she could read the next page, and then the other hand was busy reaching out for the french fries that were on the plate. Dipping the fries in the ketchup and then bringing it to her mouth to eat it.

There were barely a few days left for the exam, and it was only this noon did they get the schedule of which exam was going to take place on which day. Students entered and left the lunchroom. A shadow came to hover in front of Julie's book, and she raised her gaze to see who it was.

"Good evening, Caleb," Julie greeted the morm. It had been a long time since they had last spoken, especially considering how Caleb often tried to keep distance from both her and Roman.

Caleb gave a short nod, and he jerked his head towards her plate of food, "Aren't you worried that you are going to turn like a potato?" He asked because every time he saw this human sitting in the lunchroom, she was eating the same fries.

"Aren't you worried with the amount of blood you guys drink, you will turn into iron?" Julie tried to crack a joke, but Caleb only stared at her.

"That was a poor joke," he remarked, and Julie nodded.

"Yes, I realized it after it left my lips," replied Julie, clearing her throat. She then asked, "How are your preparations for exams coming along?"

"I am trying to catch up as quickly as I can. Just so that I don't fail and don't have to repeat a year again. I don't think I can handle studying another year in this place," replied Caleb, and he asked, "Can I sit?"

Julie gave him a look, and Caleb rolled his eyes. He said, "You can refuse if you don't want me to join you."

She shook her head and said, "Please," using her hand to point at the chair in front of her. "I was just a little surprised."

"About what?" he asked her, and Julie pursed her lips.

"There was a time when I felt that you were overbearing and now you are being polite. People do change when they make an effort," said Julie and hearing this, Caleb's face turned sour.

"Well, I try," he said proudly.

"Because you are worried that Roman might beat you up?" asked Julie in a peaceful voice. Caleb grimaced and glared at the girl because what she said was indeed true. After being beaten by Roman Moltenore once and being ordered to look after this human girl, he didn't want to upset the vampire.

"So what are you doing here all by yourself? Did your friends die and did you have a fight with Moltenore?" He tried to take a french fry from Julie's plate, but she was quick to pull it towards her.

"Get your own," said Julie, giving him a look. "They are just a little busy, and are occupied. By the way, Caleb. Do you know how many more morms are here in Veteris?"

"A few of them, why?" he asked her.

"There used to be a senior named Dennis. Did you ever know about him? Or speak to him?" asked Julie.

Caleb was quick to nod, and he said, "Yeah, I have spoken to him before but I had no idea that  he was a morm. Some of the morms don't like to show themselves as part of the vampires, and like to hide it. To live life as a human. Why are you interested in him? Planning to break up with Moltenore and be with the morm?"

"I am not breaking up with Roman," replied Julie. What was with him and breaking her and Roman?

"Anyways, he always had the habit of lecturing me. Whenever he found me trying to break rules. It was as if he was a prefect or in a disciplinary committee, because he always caught me doing something. Once he caught me playing with one of the cameras that had been fixed in the forest."

Didn't Dennis spend most of his time in the classroom? What was he doing then catching Caleb in the forest? Julie asked herself.

She gave it some thought and then asked him, "What were you doing to the cameras? Aren't you worried that your actions will come to Ms. Dante's attention and you might get into trouble?"

"Isn't that exactly why I was trying to remove the lens of the camera?"

"Blindspot," whispered Julie, and her eyes widened. This was the reason how Dennis and the other people were able to come and go to Veteris without their actions being caught. She suddenly got up from her seat, and the boy turned startled. "I want you to show me which camera it is."

Caleb stood up and then said, "I won't do things for free. I have to study too, you know."

"What do you want?" asked Julie, and Caleb gave it a thought.

"I would like one crate full of cans of blood coke," replied Caleb, and he asked, "Deal?"

"Okay, deal," replied Julie, and they left the lunchroom. On her way, she looked for Roman, but he wasn't around, and they left towards the forest. Caleb led her further into the forest, and he asked her,

"What are you going to do with the camera? Want some parts of it?" Caleb asked her on the way, and Julie, who was busy looking around, she replied,

"We are having people infiltrating the property of Veteris because the camera's were moved in another direction."

"I don't think that can be right. Because I never got the opportunity to do anything to the camera. Before I could, I would be caught and sent to the dorm or away from the place. And it isn't easy to spot the camera's, they are coloured to match the trees and the leaves, it took me months to be able to spot it," explained Caleb, his voice proud of being the only one to find it.

"But you weren't the only one who found the camera. You led Dennis to it," stated Julie, and when they came to a place, Caleb climbed on a tree and pushed the branches away to show to Julie. "Was it like that before too?" she asked him.

"I don't remember. It's been a while since I played with the cameras. Not to mention, with the Elders waking up, it isn't easy to break rules as in the past. You will also notice that most of the vampires act tame and don't get into trouble as they did before," said Caleb, and Julie tried to see in which direction the camera was set to record.

She said, "Dennis must have returned to this place after sending you away from here, to fix the camera how he wanted. We don't know how many other cameras have blindspots." The last she heard, the guards ensured that the cameras were working fine, but what use was it if the camera had been turned in a different direction.

"Well well, look who we have here," chimed a voice that Julie wasn't exactly fond of. It was Griffin who made his way to where they were. Behind him stood two guards, who looked as if they had caught treasure. "I knew from the very beginning that you were up to no good, Winters."

Caleb got down from the tree, coming to stand next to Julie.

"I didn't know climbing the tree was a sin," replied Julie, and Griffin laughed.

"I don't know about climbing trees, but stepping into the restricted side of the forest is definitely breaking rules for a witch and a morm," responded Griffin, with a triumphant smile appearing on his face. "Not to mention, you were manipulating the camera that had been placed there. Guards, take them to the dungeon."

"What the fuck? We didn't do anything to warrant ourselves dungeon time," Caleb glared at the vampire, "Just because you enjoyed your time in the dungeon doesn't mean we have to visit it too, Griffin."