Letters to Romeo

Conner turned to look at Melanie for an answer, and Melanie, who looked back at him, could feel Simon's curious stare. The red-headed vampire seemed so eager to push her to Conner now, and somewhere even that thought annoyed her.

Before Conner could repeat the same words in front of Simon, Melanie said to Conner, "I am sorry, Conner, but I don't think I can." When she saw her friend part his lips to speak, she continued, "It is true that in the past I used to have romantic feelings towards you, but somewhere in between then and now, I decided to move on, and I don't feel the same way I used to feel for you. You are still my friend, and I love you so. Just not romantically anymore," she repeated the words while making sure she put her point across both the boys.

The reason why she hadn't been able to give an answer right away to Conner earlier was because she was still processing how she felt. Gathering her feelings of past and present had torn her.

Conner's mouth turned into an O, and he then awkwardly smiled, scratching the back of his neck. "If it is alright, can I ask you when you decided to move on from your feelings for me?"

Melanie wished Simon wasn't here, but then with his vampire hearing ability, he would be able to eavesdrop on their conversation even if they were a few meters away from him.

"It was probably during the same time when you introduced Reese to us for the first time," said Melanie and Conner nodded as if he understood why she would decide to do it. But then, at the same time, Conner felt a slight amount of regret coming to seep into his mind, that he had failed to notice her feelings and somewhere he was possessive of her.

As if not ready to give up, Conner said, "What if I decide to pursue you and try to change your mind back to the way it was before Reese came into the picture?"

"That's my man, not giving up," Simon encouraged at the side, and his words were enough to poke Melanie. Ignoring the red-headed crazy vampire, Melanie smiled at Conner and said,

"I don't think I will be able to get those feelings back again, Conner. I spent the last few years of mine loving you and waiting for you. And it was my fault for not mentioning a word about it to you, but I think I somewhere hit the limit before I decided it. And I think we are amazing as friends, we have always been friends."

"Brutals," remarked the red-headed vampire, and Melanie gritted her teeth.

"Nobody is asking for your comments. It isn't some olympic match that you need to feel that you comment on what's happening," Melanie glared at Simon.

Simon raised his hands, "Don't shoot me."

Melanie glared at Simon, noticing how green his eyes were but not understanding the look his eyes held. All she wanted to do right now was focus on your studies and make sure nothing happened while she was here in Veteris.

Simon stared back at her, noticing the annoyance in those black eyes. He enjoyed the flicker in her eyes, the anger that lit up her eyes, unlike when she was with the human. And even though she glared at him, he could tell she remembered the little moment they had shared with each other this morning.

On the other hand, Conner noticed Melanie and Simon staring at each other. Unable to help himself as things were getting out in the open, he asked, "Can I ask you something Simon?"

Simon smoothly shifted his gaze from Melanie to look at Conner. He raised his eyebrows in question, "Yes?"

"Do you have feelings for Melanie?"

Conner had doubted about it since yesterday, and he had noticed them staring at each other more than two times in the past twenty-four hours. Simon tilted his head to the side and replied,

"I do. Who wouldn't have feelings for her?" a crooked smile appeared on the vampire's lips.

Melanie said to Conner, "I will be heading to my dorm. I will see you at dinner—"

"Wait," Conner stopped her. "I don't want to see some more unrequited feelings going on, when we still have time for each other." He then said to Simon, "I don't mean general feelings. I am asking if you like her romantically."

The crooked smile on Simon's lips faltered, and he replied, "I wasn't speaking about things in general about her. Melanie is like a little firecracker outside, and though she tries to be strong, not wanting to hurt anyone, she has a heart of a cotton. She smiles on rare occasions while trying to behave like a mother and trying to be there for the people whom she cares about. So yes… I like her very much and would like to ask her out on a date. What do you say, darling?" He directed the question to Melanie in front of Conner. "I will make sure you don't regret a thing."

"You like Simon…" murmured Conner, a subtle frown appeared on his face, but he smiled. "That's why you are firm with your decision when it comes to me."

Melanie shook her head, "I do not like Simon that way. He just enjoys annoying me. I do not like anyone right now, and I am more than happy being alone, than loving a boy." Both of them were giving her a headache, and she needed some time alone.

It seemed like the reverse psychology didn't work completely in his favour, thought Simon in his mind. Now, as she had spoken out her thoughts and feelings when it came to Conner, he said,

"How about this, Mel. Let me take you out on a date, and if you still feel nothing, then I won't ask you out again?"

As if taking inspiration from Simon, Conner decided the same and said, "Same here, Mel."

Melanie wondered when her pheromones were working as she had not one but two boys asking her out. Maybe this current situation was good. The sooner she finished this, the sooner she would be left unbothered and not have to think of hurting anyone.

"Okay. But after exams, and until then neither of you shall not bother me. I still need to pass my exams," replied Melanie, and she noticed the grin that appeared on Simon's lips.

"Dibs on taking you out first," said the red-headed vampire, the look in his eyes turning less green now.

Away from the buildings that belonged to Veteris, back in Willow Creek, Julie sat in front of Cillian's dusted body and the soul-like body that she had dragged out of the forbidden door. The body looked a little transparent compared to the usual bodies that were opaque in nature. She had hoped for Cillian to wake up in his human form, but it was nearly an hour and the body didn't wake up.

She heard footsteps approaching from behind her before it stopped, "Winters."

Julie turned and saw it was Roman, who had just arrived. He had a grim look on his face. She said in a low voice, "I was late in helping him. If only I could have been faster."

Roman hugged her, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her head, "I know you did the best you could. And it wasn't your fault to begin with," he consoled her, while his eyes fell on the black cloak that the Corvin used to wear, and the body of an unfamiliar man. So this was how Cillian looked, he thought to himself.

After a minute, Mr. Evans appeared at the door of the house that belonged to Cillian. He informed Julie, "The place is ready for him to be buried in. It will be a more proper burial this time compared to the one in the past, Ms. Winters. Your mother said all the witches were handled brutally by the humans even after their deaths that day in the past. You are giving him a better place to be in peace now."

Mr. Evans then picked up Cillian's body over his shoulder, and the Corvin's cloak that was left behind. Cillian was made to wear his black cloak before his body was placed in the pit of the ground that was dug for him.

In the past one year, it seemed like burying people had been one of the things that she had been doing more than anything else, and if only she could stop it, thought Julie.

Mr. Evans started to push mud on Cillian's body, before the entire grave was covered. And after a few minutes, with a heavy heart, Julie left the place with Roman and the counselor.