Suddenly, she stopped. He took a few more steps before he realized that and then he turned to her.
“Maybe this isn’t a good idea,” she said, not really knowing why.
In essence, she wanted to be here. This was a small clique and she might be able to infiltrate it easily. This could give her access to more places around the school and, most importantly, new info. Plus, the fact that Hendrik was drop dead gorgeous didn’t hurt either but that was the last thing she wanted to focus on right now.
“Why the change of heart?” he asked, and she couldn’t tell if he was indifferently curious or he really wanted her here.
“I don’t know…” she told him the only reply she knew of.
He got close to her. He stopped just as the tips of his shoes touched the tips of her closed sandals, which all of the girls were forced to wear. She was still wearing his hoodie, only now, she felt like a mouse and wanted to hide her entire self inside.
“Are you scared?” he asked, as if he was daring her to do something.
“No, I…” she replied, not moving back.
Usually, she’d know exactly what to say. She’d have the strength to push him away from her for being such a cocky ass, but somehow, she couldn’t do that with Hendrik. She could imagine herself pushing Raphael away easily but not Hendrik.
So, she allowed him to remain close to her, their breaths merging in the air that surrounded them. There was no one around. For the first time, she heard a faint sound of music but it wasn’t very loud. Amazing what good acoustics these places had.
“Yes?” he kept prodding, as if he knew there was something she wanted to tell him but couldn’t. At least, not yet.
“What if they don’t like me?” she asked and only when she heard the question out loud, did she realize how ridiculous it was.
Who the hell cared whether they liked her or not? She was there with Hendrik and she wanted to be there, despite what she was so desperately trying to convince herself of. Her heart knew what it wanted and it wouldn’t accept no for an answer.
“I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t like you,” he whispered, then his hand lay gently on her cheek, caressing it softly.
This was the moment she’d anticipated ever since she’d laid eyes on him. She wanted to gaze into those eyes, she wanted to feel his arms around her, like someone whose only desire in life was to love and noth
ing else. She had only read about those passionate romances and even though she gave it a try a few times, she realized that conventional romance just wasn’t for her. She wanted something else, something that many people didn’t understand. Usually, what they don’t understand, they condemn, so it was easier just to lock her heart away and expect never to find true love, the way she understood it to be.
Mina was polyamorous – she’d finally came to that conclusion one day. That was also the same day that she broke up with her current boyfriend, as it wasn’t fair to him. He was old fashioned, too old fashioned to understand that someone wanted several partners, and was able to love and cherish each and every one of them equally. Mina didn’t want to explain herself too much. She felt like she wouldn’t need to explain herself when she met the right one, or better yet, the right ones.
So, Hendrik was now standing right in front of her. She wanted nothing more than him to press his lips against hers and to feel his beating heart with her open palms, as she rested her hands against his chiseled chest but, it wouldn’t stop there. It never did. She might like him too much or it could be the other way around. Usually, guys liked her more than she liked them, hence that unwillingness to share, so to say. She herself never saw it as sharing. Or perhaps, it was sharing love, of which she had more than enough to go around.
“You’re getting better,” she suddenly told him, thinking of a way to make the situation less charged with sexual energy. She just needed to joke a little.
“At what?”
She caught him. He was surprised. He wasn’t expecting that. She could see it on his face.
“Giving compliments,” she explained.
As soon as he heard that, he started laughing. She joined in.
“Seriously…” he chuckled. “Come on, let’s go. The others are waiting.”
He turned around and pulled her by the hand, his palm in hers, as if it was the most natural thing in the world and, somehow, it was. She intertwined her fingers with his and followed behind. When they finally reached the end of what seemed to be an endless corridor, it opened up into a big room, circular in shape. There were a few couches scattered around the place and there were people already sitting there, cheerfully chatting to one another. In the right corner, two huge speakers were placed around a miniature DJ set. A guy was already spinning records. Mina liked the sound of it.
As she looked around, she realized that no one was really looking at them, even though they’d just entered. The atmosphere was pleasant and casual, and Mina wasn’t feeling like she was forced to be here. She didn’t even feel like the odd one out.
Hendrik was still holding her hand and she was grateful for that small act of affection. A group of unknown people were usually enemies to her. These people, essentially were exactly that: enemies and, yet, this guy holding her hand was not. He was everything her enemies usually were, without that one main trait and that was wanting her dead. He wanted something else from her and her blood always rushed to her cheeks whenever she contemplated that possibility.
They approached the people sitting on one of the couches and Hendrik introduced her to them. There were three guys and four girls. Their names sounded almost made up but Hendrik explained later that they were all related by blood, belonging to a very old, aristocratic vampire family. Mina knew a few of those. They usually favored earthly riches, amassing wealth, which combined with their longevity was more than enough for a life well led. They usually weren’t interested in something as barbaric as killing or any other criminal acts, as they considered those beneath them.
Mina smiled and realized that she actually wanted them to like her. More importantly, she wanted Hendrik to like her and never let go of her hand. Another guy came and offered them a drink.
“It’s the same shit as the ones they’ve got in the cafeteria but at least the place is better,” Hendrik said, accepting a can of some energy drink.