This Is Where I Want To Be

11. I Still See You

Chris

Admittedly, I came to school very proud of myself for not going looking for Juliet the rest of that week. Even after Charlene came and asked me about our meeting. My feelings were still all jumbled up... Mostly, I feared regretting not taking my shot with her. I just couldn’t get over her age. My conscience wouldn’t let me. It was assembly the following week… I wanted to skip it altogether, standing frozen at the hall door. Carl and Charlene were already sitting. That week in their computer class, they had spoken about not hearing from Juliet and seemed worried.

After she disappeared, I had to stop myself from obsessing… It did seem like she knew exactly what was going on. If she couldn’t come to school because I touched her and made it happen. I felt terrible, but what was I supposed to do—all I could do was hope she was okay.

I decided to sit down in my usual spot, looking out over the crowd. Sita was staring at me; I frowned at the uncommon bid for connection. She would soon be my ex-wife. I went to see an attorney and got the ball rolling to get the hell out of there. Running from everything seemed like an excellent idea. The bell rang, and the last of the kids sat down. Juliet was still not among her friends. Something in my gut churned. I stared at the spot she would usually fill. I was stupid that day, trying to close the gap between us, pushing her to reveal feelings she was reluctant to share. My actions did change our whole relationship. Maybe she couldn’t face me anymore—too scared of what I would do. Would she move schools? If I could just tell her, I was leaving. I had talked to Sita… She didn’t say much about my suggestion of divorce. She ignored me and buried it in a deep hole, like so much of our relationship.

The principal came up to the microphone to introduce a new French teacher, Louis Du Pont. There was an immediate murmur under the kids around me and in the gallery. He would be popular. Dark brown hair; too long and styled with way too much product for my taste. His clothes were over the top... Where did the guy think he was. Paris? I scoffed at him.

I scanned the floor… Juliet still hadn’t taken her place. I even checked all the doors around me where she sometimes stood, thinking it probably had to do with her ability. That was what I called it—Juliet’s ability.

My eye caught movement over the courtyard. A student was approaching a door on the side of the building. She had difficulty walking and seemed weak and sickly. I was shocked when the dark circles around her eyes became more apparent as she got closer. She had a bandage wrapped around one arm and some other cuts. If it was at all possible, Juliet had lost weight. I wanted to get up and run to her. Ask her if she was okay. Despite all my inner conflict, I didn’t move. I had no right to do it. I had not cared that whole week. She was hurt, and I didn’t even know.

Juliet stood at one of the doors, leaning on the frame like always, staring at the stage. Something had got her attention, and she had moved forward a step and stood frozen. My gaze traveled to what she had seen. Louis Du Pont looked right at her. He lifted his hand a little and waved next to his thigh like he was doing it… in secret. It went along with a dashing smile, and unfortunately, every girl had something to say, trying to find out what was going on. Juliet frowned for a second, lowered her head, and shook it from side to side, smiling. What the hell was that? I almost lost it when she put some of her hair behind her ear like she was—flirting?! I would kill him if he ever touched her. He was older than me.

Juliet scanned the crowd, fixing on Charlene and Carl, who weren’t paying attention, too busy on their phones. Juliet took out hers and typed something on the screen. Both looked up immediately, trying to find her. They jumped up and made their way across the floor, not caring about what the teachers would say. They both pulled her by the arm out into the courtyard. She winced and staggered a little. My fists balled on my lap for too many reasons. What was wrong with her? It seemed like it was the first time they had seen her since that day. But she was all beaten up, and she had disappeared right in front of me. Were the bruises because of what happened? Is that why she looked so panicked? Did it hurt her to disappear? She looked fine in the street that day. That was why I didn’t worry too much.

After assembly, I made my way to the principal’s office. I had to take a seat outside his office in the small corridor. There was a couple in with him. I couldn’t hear anything through the closed door, but you could see right through big glass window panes framed in the wood along the wall.

The door opened, and a woman and a man came out, “Ah, Chris. Just the man I was looking for… This is Mr. and Mrs. Farrow.” Inwardly, I jolted. It was Juliet’s parents... Stupidly, I stared at them until Louis Du Pont came out from the office behind them, busy on his phone. What happened between them brought me right back to the present. I was too curious about who he was in their lives. Jealous that even her parents knew him. Mr. Farrow held out his hand to me, and I took it. He seemed friendly. Everybody seemed happy. It couldn’t be about Juliet.

“Liam just came by to sort out the sponsorship and agreed to help. It seemed that you really got the job done.”

My stomach turned knots again. Yeah, I really got the job done.

“Oh! Don’t mention it. We’re glad to help. This is my wife, Cindy.” Liam pointed to the woman on his arm. She pushed out her hand towards me, smiling. Those people didn’t have a clue who I was. I could see Juliet in their features; the mother was just as beautiful as the daughter. Liam pointed to Louis, “This is Louis Du Pont, a very good friend of the family… He is going to start teaching today.”

The principal had no scruples and added, “A little arrangement we have for a continuation of their support. A mutual agreement for Louis to start work here. He moved from the north to be closer to the family, wanting a quiet town life, and he wants to settle down… Well, this is the best place for it, I say.”

Settle down! Settle down! With who? “I agree,” Cindy said. “Exactly why we moved here a few years ago.”

Louis walked past everyone and held out his hand to me. He was a little taller than me. A real pretty boy but still manly. For some reason, when he took my hand, he gripped it a bit too hard, like he was posturing. He pointed at the letter in my hand and said, “Have you come to hand in your resignation.”

Still irritated at the Frenchie’s cocky face, I put the envelope away into my jacket pocket. “No… Just some mail delivered to the school.”

He smirked, “That’s good… Wouldn’t want to lose a fellow faculty member. One that could possibly become a friend. Heard there aren’t many men on the staff.”

“No! There isn’t. It’s just seven now. Chris’s wife, Sita, also works here. You might see her later in the break room.”

“You’re married?” Louis blurted out—loudly. His beautiful, dark blue eyes taunted me. He was a little too handsome and didn’t fit in there at all, just like Juliet.

My thoughts weren’t cold when she came walking down the corridor. Louis saw her and pushed past me, making his way over to her, “We told you to take some more time off. Do you want to go home?” He asked softly. His voice was tender. I swore inwardly. Something was going on.

“Juliet was in an accident last week, but other than a few bruises… Liam says she is fine,” the principal remarked.

I hadn’t taken my eyes off her and Louis—but especially her. She was avoiding me. Not looking at me once. I felt like shaking her. It was what I wanted, but I also had so much I wanted to say to her. Why didn’t I hand in my resignation? Was jealousy really going to make me stay? I shook my head; jealousy was one of the motives for murder. I would let myself off the hook if I waited a few more days… That one moment was another that would change my life. I couldn’t figure her out.

“I came to say something to my parents before they leave,” Juliet said to Louis. The four of them made their way to the parking lot. Juliet put her arm through her mother’s. The scene left me wanting in too many ways.

***

Louis

Seeing the look on Juliet’s face that morning was worth it. We didn’t tell her about me going to work at the school. Moments like that would be invaluable in the future. I wanted to surprise her, and I think I got that done. Whether she would accept me there in her life was another matter. There was no time to talk between last week finding her in that house and that morning. It took a whole day to get our hearing back. Juliet still had none of the answers to all the questions Cindy said she asked, and catching her off guard at the school would make it worse.

It had taken me a few months to get used to the idea of moving out there just to get to know some other vampires. When Samuel told me about Juliet, I didn’t have high hopes, but I made a promise. So, eventually, I packed my bags and moved to that little place. I will never forget the first time I saw her.

***

Louis A Month Ago

I had just arrived, having a coffee on the main street. It gave me a good view of everyone coming and going. I thought getting used to the place before meeting Liam, Cindy, and Juliet would be best.

It was a cold, rainy day. I was pretending to read the paper. It gave me a good cover if I needed to hide. Three kids sat at the table across from me. I didn’t even think twice about them. Samuel had given me no information about his niece or his brother and wife… But… I put the paper down to take the check from the waitress. One of the girls had her back to me. Longish dark hair with blond highlights. Dressed all in black. Black T-shirt, black jeans, and boots. Leathery bracelets and some rings on her fingers, but nothing flashy. I could only see the side of her face now and again. She was stunning, but I had seen beautiful girls before and wasn’t looking for one that could turn my head.

The guy friend was getting up to do something, and they were laughing at him. She had a boisterous laugh. Her broad smile lingered on her face long after the sounds receded. I couldn’t help laughing with them. For the first time in a long time… I wished I could sit around their table to be a part of the group. Have fun and hear about all they got up to in that place. I never really got a chance to be stupid and young. The girl grabbed my attention. She was down to earth and not faking or putting on a mask—even in front of her friends. None of them were.

For some time, I sat there watching. The sun came out, and she took off her jacket… I smelled the faint essence of blood on her arm. Not her blood, either. I chuckled. She had wiped her mouth after her meal… She hung the jacket over the back of the chair. The chances that the girl in that small town was not Juliet were zero. I stared at her for the longest time. Watched her every reaction and kept listening to the conversation. I picked up my paper and ordered another coffee.

They ate pie and drank milkshakes. Juliet was pretending to be just a normal kid. Their attachment was strong. All of them meant something to the other. But the previous night, she went out hunting and didn’t even bother changing… Her friends probably didn’t know that… When would they find out? Because they would, eventually. What would they say? What would they do? If they couldn’t handle it… Would she kill her own friends?

Samuel was definitely right in that regard. Her human relationships were beyond the norm for a creature. He was also right about his niece; Juliet was different and got my attention. The thought of us sitting like that after a hunt felt oddly inviting. Others kept popping into my mind… I was intrigued. Samuel’s faith in me was a slight problem. Could I be there for her when her two best friends found out? I thought about her as my wife, and the idea didn’t repulse me as much as it usually did. The way she would cover her mouth when she laughed. All three of them were open and opinionated, loud, and didn’t care about how much they still enjoyed life. It was infectious.

I followed her home. She was oblivious to me at the coffee shop and had no idea I was snooping for the next month. The idea that she was Samuels’s niece and away from the compound plagued me. I understood why they had wrapped her up in a bubble. He was scared that she would be taken. Why had they raised her like that? Totally unaware of everything that was out there.

I was outside her window from the moment she woke up that month. I tracked her to school. I watched as she and Chris obsessed about each other from a distance. I got to know him, too. Made sure he wasn’t some creep. Everything was fine until the day she and Chris met. I was jealous. I didn’t think I was in love with her until I saw him grab her arm. Until I saw the look on her face when she did the same. It was like a lightning bolt hit me. I didn’t want anyone to be in her life other than me. She couldn’t even control her abilities because of him.

Samuel told me I should find out what werewolf was so close to Juliet. That afternoon, Sita showed her true colors when she watched them around the corner. I followed her out to her grandfather’s plot. I saw who her grandfather was. They were the wolves amongst the sheep. Nicholas was harmless, and we’ve even met a few times. It was not some conspiracy for the compound. Samuel was happy to hear that Sita, Chris, and Juliet were an unhappy coincidence. I chuckled, driving back. Her uncle knew precisely who was around his family. Not that I told him about his niece’s hobby or that she was in love with Chris—who was the guy I was supposed to follow. Having that man on my radar as the hybrid accelerated my plans, and I rushed back to the town, determined to start my new life.

I called Samuel.

“So, what do you think about Juliet,” He asked.

“She’s pretty.”

“And?”

“She’s feisty….” He said nothing. “She’s special….” He still didn’t say anything. “She is… Hey, tell me why she never got married in the compound. How did you ever get them out of there? And none of this crap that you pulled strings.”

Samuel was quiet, “Louis, I’m not going to tell you. That’s something you only get to find out if you love her, and she tells you herself.”

I was quiet because I was in love with her. I hadn’t even spoken to her at that moment, but… that morning, standing on that stage, looking down at her—I knew there was very little I wouldn’t do for her. After what had happened to her with that infected vamp—I would never leave her and was determined to make her forget all about the married teacher in her life.

I just made it back in time that day to be at their house before she came home from school after she met Chris for the first time. I wouldn’t let her go to sleep thinking about him and what happened that day.

I rang the bell, and it was Liam who opened the door. He had such genuine, friendly features that I immediately felt at ease around him. His eyes were expressive and he carried his feelings on his sleeve, just like Juliet.

“Hi, Louis.”

“Hi. I want to meet Juliet, if that’s okay?”

His eyes widened ever so slightly, and he called down the hall, “Cindy! Louis is here.” He unlocked the gate for me and welcomed me in. She came rushing over, smiling when she saw me. Cindy was gorgeous. Her hair was in a messy bun on the nape of her neck. Their clothes were homely, and they fit right into the scene.

“Come in, Louis,” we let Cindy walk first to sit down on the couches in their living room.

“We were expecting you a month ago.”

Nervously, I rubbed my neck, feeling guilty already, “I had to be sure. You know.”

“I get that,” Liam said. “I think that is to your credit.”

“This is kind of awkward… Doing it like this. Is there a reason you’re the ones pushing this? You don’t want her to meet someone on her own?”

“She will never meet other vampires. This way, you guys get a better shot at it. Don’t you think?” Liam asked.

“Are you sure about this because once we meet, I don’t think I will be able to walk away? Even if she doesn’t like me immediately. I’ll be in your life for a long time.” They shared a smile, “I think this means something else to me. You guys want to find a husband and sell her off.”

Their eyes met, and both burst out laughing, “I promise you, Louis… That is the last thing we want. Once you meet Juliet, you’ll see what we mean.”

We heard her coming into the yard. Cindy sat nervously forward, “Don’t tell her anything or say anything.”

“Any abilities we need to know about Louis?” Liam asked hurriedly.

I shook my head, lying, “No. I wasn’t one of the lucky ones. I guess.”

My heart rate was climbing as she walked through the house. Yelling, “Dad!”

“Calm down, Louis. She will think it’s weird. Just follow our lead as we go along.” That was easy for him to say… I was the one who was meeting his wife.

Juliet was standing around the corner watching us. Liam was excited when he went over to her. Confidently, she held out her hand to me. I was just a stranger to her, but to me… she was already a fixture.

We shook hands, and she didn’t let go while we talked. I could think of nothing else but the feeling of her skin against mine. That was when I knew I wasn’t just in love; I loved her. She didn’t pull away from me and even held on to me. If that was all I got from her for the rest of my life. I would take it.