Third person’s POV
Laxon University, 28 years ago
“Do you know who she is?” asked a girl with a long hair striped blue.
The boy just shook his head in reply and brushed past his dark curled hair back. No matter how much he wants to erase the reality in his head, he couldn’t deny how strong the attraction he has towards the girl with short hair tied up.
Her chiseled nose and rosy cheeks were alluring him to step forward and move closer to the large rock the girl was leaning. On her hands was a book she was flipping and scanning frustratedly.
“Oh really? Come one, Diego. You’ve been staring at her for hours.”
“Could you stop annoying me, Soleil?”
The girl beside her whom he called Soleil just shrugged her shoulders and let out a teasing face making Diego more irritated that he quickly stood up from the chair. His ears turned red and the feeling inside him was foreign and unexplainable.
It was like he wants to approach her and know who she is but there was something stopping him. Like he’s a bit hesitant. Or much more preferably… shy.
“Hey, you!” yelled someone that caused him to jump suddenly in shock.
Diego stopped walking and hastily turned his head in annoyance with the thought that it might be Soleil who’s teasing him again but it seems like he’s in a wrong guess. It had left him no words to reply facing the girl who was occupying his head for quite some time.
“Can you read?” she added while walking fast enough for her to reach Diego in half a minute. “Pardon me, can you read this text for me? Only the first line.” She smiled at him and lifted the coral book she was reading a while ago.
The boy kept silent and could only look at her in disbelief for a couple of minutes. Diego didn’t utter any reply nor response, not until this lady in front of him slightly tapped his cheeks.
“Alfarro? Don’t you want to talk?”
Diego blinked multiple times and step back away from the girl. “Do you know who you’re talking to?” he finally talked but in a frigid tone.
“Eh? I’ve already known who you are.” She again raised the book higher to level Diego’s eyes. “There, Fascina told me only wolves can read this kind of text. Could you?”
“Panggep di puso ay manlayad en sik-a,” words that emanated from Diego’s mouth. His eyes then hastily departed from the page and turned his back to walk away when a hand grabbed his and again stopped him.
“Tell me what does it mean.”
“Nothing.”
“What nothing?
Diego intentionally shut his mouth and walked away from the girl. His face flamed hot and ears grew redder than ago, the sudden racing inside of him, his heart to be exact, banged that anytime it would rip his cage open and jump out.
“Get away from me,” he calmly blurted and accelerated his every step.
“I would not until you give me what it means.”
“I don’t talk to someone out of nowhere.”
“I could introduce myself,” still the girl chased and walked beside him. “Larina Deltran, from Daghum territory. Now, can you state to me what it means?”
Diego nodded, “Why do you want to know?”
“I have to tell it to a friend,” Larina answered and smiled wider than before with her gums now showing.
Seeing that, Diego again diverted his eyes away from her and walked at a normal speed. “It means ‘A heart’s intention to love you’”
“Really?” Larina exclaimed amazed. “Great, I can now tell it to Contejo without him knowing. Thank you, Alfarro!”
His jaw fell open and turned his eyes back to Larina but she was no longer by his side and had already run away towards a vampire male with cream hair and chocolate eyes. Had he just helped the girl she liked confess to another man?
*****
“What now?”
“Just this line,” Larina pleaded with his eyes constantly blinking and pushing her back to Diego now compacted with the corridor’s walls. “Please?”
He inhaled with his eyes darting an irritated glare at her. Larina just smiled and lifted the same coral book on another page.
“Ragsak ay kusto, sik-ay nangitdo. Sik-an gasat ko,” worded and looked away. “The happiness in me, you thought me how to. You are my destiny.”
“Kyaaah!” she squealed and abruptly wrapped her arms around Diego. “I really have to thank you every day, Alfarro.”
And again, she ran away from him. Right afore his sight, he watched the girl he likes approach and spout words of admiration to another man. On his face crept a bitter smile. This girl has enough courage to confess, while him? Maybe just a coward one.
*****
“Psst, Alfarro!” screeches someone from behind the bushes.
Diego still under battle gear sneakily steps back from the line of werewolf cadets surrounding the blazing campfire.
“I heard you guys had already started pieces of training,” Larina started and shook down her dark hood covering her face. Wearing a simple dress and a black cloak, he knew she again escaped from their quarters.
“Right,” he nodded. “Why are you here? If Sarjao catches you, he’ll definitely lock you up.”
“I’m safe though,” she guaranteed, speaking in a low tone, and let out the guardian seal from her pocket, a pass token that is given to only one cadet over the hundred students of Laxon University. “I got it from the guard. He’s stupid he dropped it unconsciously,” Larina started giggling.
Laxon University holds the only place where vampires and werewolves could meet and interact without any fights and feuds at each other. But mainly, only werewolves bearing the blood of the highest three; the Alpha, Beta, and gamma could enter this place. And the vampires who hold a royalty’s responsibility could stay.
A secluded place where they learn their own capability, abilities, and responsibilities. But what’s tricking was they never discuss history, and it is forbidden to do so. Laxon University hides secrets and too many skeletons on its territory.
Hearing the girl’s cheekiness, he couldn’t help but chuckle inaudibly. Preventing them to be heard by the higher ranks.
“Here, I brought you food.” Out from behind her was a simple leather satchel. “Somone told me they’re starving you before formally starting the training tomorrow.” Larina picked up a bun and a cylinder bottle of water.
“Who?” Diego asked with his fore creasing.
“It’s not important anymore, just eat it.” She stepped aback rushing and pulled her hood back, “Regarding the bottle, bury it so no one would know we met. I’m leaving now. I hope to see you again tomorrow!”
Again, Diego was left with his mouth partly open. On the other side, Larina’s hand was on her chest. The strange unusual beatings and the uncontrollable smile on her face, even the affection and concerns she feels towards the werewolf guy, she knew it was different from the way she sees Vander.
*****
“Diego?” popped someone a glass of thick red fluid on her hands. “Can I ask you something?”
It was Larina under a faded grass-colored battle suit. On her side was a long sharp rapier, the only weapon she was able to obtain. Three years had passed and there still remain seven for them to stay inside Laxon.
Both of them were now was under training and combat. Diego ranks fourth over all the werewolf cadets while Larina falls the last over all the vampire ones. This time held the merging of the two sectors. And under a team falls five cadets.
“What is it?” he replied seriously while polishing his sword with the hazah.
“What’s with your blood?”
One side of his lips raised at her in shock. “Why are you asking me that?”
“I don’t know,” she shrugged and took a sip from her glass. “It’s just that odd feeling whenever you’re close. Your blood smells different from others.”
“Then you better stay away from me,” Diego joked and chuckled before going back to polishing. Until this time, the way he sees this girl remained uncertain.
He’s like a completely happy person whenever she is around, even the thundering beats inside and the smile every time she appears out of nowhere still dwell. And all of it became part of his daily life perhaps.
“I’m serious, Diego,” Larina shifted back and darted her eyes towards his neck. “It’s like… attracting.”
Diego’s eyes widened in terror when the girl just standing beside him suddenly let out her fangs and her eyes turned red. Like she’s aiming at her prey in an instance. Even the glass she’s holding fell down the ground and shattered to pieces with the blood scattered.
“What are you—”
He quickly dodged an unexpected attack from Larina and leaped up the tree’s branch. But another move from her swiftly pinned him back to the grass, cornering him from the sides. Even the strength she uses was that great to take him down.
“Stop this, Larina. This is not you,” Diego muttered and pushed her hands away from his arms but it seems like she was not hearing anything that she kept her eyes looking straight at him, all blank and there’s no emotion was to be seen. And in an instant, her fangs pierced Diego’s neck.
A loud screaming of pain hollered in the forest they were in. The feeling of frozen daggers burrowing inside of his skin, it was like the most afflictive pain he had gained from someone he never expected would do this to him.