Three
Brooke didn’t know how to approach the subject with Vanessa about their past. She didn’t know how the other girl would take the news, and she really didn’t want to lose her again. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place. She was stressed, and people were starting to notice.
“If you keep making that face, it’s going to become permanent,” Nina said on the way to school a few days after they found the picture.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Brooke replied blandly, not taking her eyes off of the road.
“Yes you do, Brooke. Listen, I know that you’ve got a lot on your mind right now. Maybe you should talk to her. You should show her the picture. Your mom and dad are going away for the weekend, maybe you should just tell her then. Invite her over.”
Brooke thinks for a minute, the thought of Vanessa learning the truth stirring butterflies in her stomach.
“I might, actually. That’s a good idea, Nina.”
“Yeah, I have those sometimes!” Nina smiled, pleased with herself, while Brooke just rolled her eyes.
Brooke pulled into a spot in the school parking lot. Her chest filled with warmth when she realized that she was parked right next to Vanessa, who looked at her and smiled her brightest smile that Brooke couldn’t help but return.
Brooke had occupied Vanessa’s thoughts more than she wanted to admit. It was safe to say that Vanessa really liked Brooke. It wasn’t even like they had known each other that long, but whenever she saw Brooke, her heart skipped and she couldn’t help but smile. She felt like she had known Brooke her whole life.
“Hey B, hey Nina!” Vanessa got out of her car, the day was already getting off to a good start.
“Hey Ness,” Brooke said softly, Nina acknowledged Vanessa with a wave and a kind smile.
“Happy Friday!” Vanessa says loudly, causing students around them to look at her, but she didn’t care.
Neither did Brooke, she thought it was charming. She thought everything about Vanessa was charming.
“Listen,” Brooke starts, “I want you to come to stay with me this weekend. My parents are leaving tonight, and I’ll have the house to myself. I normally have Nina, but she’s going to visit her mom for a few days in Ohio. Plus it’s a holiday weekend and you can stay until Monday!”
Vanessa thought about it for a minute, she was going to be home alone as well so it worked out.
“Sure!” she smiled, “I’d like that.”
Just like that, Brooke’s world got a whole lot brighter.
~*~
“So this is the living room,” Brook said, walking in the front door of her house.
They had suffered a long day, excitement building as the day went on.
“So this is what a living room looks like.” Vanessa’s voice dripped with sarcasm.
Brooke let out a loud laugh, “smart ass.”
Vanessa shrugged and smiled, “yeah, what ‘bout it?”
Brooke rolled her eyes, “come on, I’ll show you my room.”
Brooke led Vanessa up the stairs and down the hall to her room.
“It’s not much, and it’s kind of a mess, so don’t hold it against me.”
Vanessa walked into the room and it was honest perfection.
“This what you call a mess?” Vanessa was bewildered, “my closet is messier than this, Mary.”
Brooke’s face turned red, she looked down at her feet.
“It’s perfect, B,” Vanessa says softly.
A smile spread across Brooke’s face, and Vanessa thinks it’s the cutest thing she’s ever seen. The energy radiating off of Vanessa is something that she’s felt before, back then. It simulated attraction. Vanessa was attracted to her.
Something about the moment felt right and Brooke leaned forward, placing a hand softly on Vanessa’s cheek. Vanessa stared into her eyes. They leaned toward each other, lips inches apart when Brooke jumped back, breaking the trance.
“Shit!” she said.
“What? What’s wrong? Did I do something wrong?” Vanessa panicked.
“No, not at all, my parents are here.”
“I thought you said they were away for the weekend?!”
“They are supposed to be! They must have forgotten something!”
Brooke was panicking, she remembered how her parents felt about Isabela, and there was no doubt that they would absolutely remember her. This wasn’t going to end well. Vanessa was human now, subjecting her to a house of vampires who needed to hunt was not a good idea.
“You need to go. I’m sorry.” The apology was written all over Brooke’s face, “you can come back later! I promise.”
Brooke walked Vanessa toward the door but was stopped at the foot of the stairs by none other than her parents.
“Well, hello,” her mother said, face unreadable.
“Hi mother, my friend was just leaving.”
Something flashed across Brooke’s mom’s face, realization? Maybe. She narrowed her eyes.
“What is she doing here, Brooke?”
“She’s my friend, she’s new to the school and we are hanging out.”
Graphic thoughts raced through her mom’s head and Brooke picked up on it. She had to get Vanessa out of there now.
“She’s leaving mom, she’s leaving now.” Brooke ushered Vanessa to the door and whispered “go home and stay there, don’t come back until I tell you to.”
Vanessa nodded and took off out the door, ran to her car, and drove until she was safe in her driveway.
~*~
“Brooke, what were you thinking?” her father scolded.
Her brother Benjamin had rushed back to their cottage and told her parents about what he had seen. Brooke was in trouble the moment she got inside.
“Do you realize the danger you’ve put us in?”
“Danger? What danger!? You’re afraid of Isabela?”
“Not her, her elders. You’ve heard us talk about the Mateo’s? The ones with the most powerful magic in the world?”
“But that’s not- she’s not-! She’d never hurt me, father! She loves me, and I love her!”
“Does she know about our heritage?”
“Of course she does!” Brooke couldn’t keep that from her.
Angry energy washed around Brooke and her father, she cowered in response.
“You’re never to see her again!”
“You can’t do that! I’m an adult!”
“You live under our roof!” her father bellowed, “those are the rules! You will follow them!”
Tears stung Brooke’s eyes, she could never see Isabela again. If she still had a heart, it would break.