In his lonely castle, the middle-aged billionaire took a painful trip down memory lane. With his fame, wealth, power and success he had the entire world at his hands- yet it had become a bad habit to dwell on his pastime.
The Vlad Masters of this era was not yet dark and nefarious. The late blooming 20-year old had been unappreciative of his youth, always trying to rush past this awkward stage. It seemed useless to imagine his wiry body maturing with muscles- his nasally voice evolving into a sophisticated purr. Vlad liked the idea of sounding sophisticated. Vlad was an awkward geek and if it hadn't been for the friendship of Jack Fenton, he'd have been a loner. Still at his young age he liked to out-dress his peers, often showing up too formal. Everyone just thought he was a weirdo, but he knew as women in his peer group matured, they'd appreciate his efforts to be debonair and suave.
Vlad missed those days. Sure he wasn't anything special... but that was precisely it. Life as he'd known it had been uneventful... until he'd met her. "The one that got away." Meeting her... and introducing her to Jack was the biggest mistake of his life. It was easy to replay this memory until he became obsessed with it. Vlad had been foolishly unaware of his Judas friendship with Jack. At that point in his life he'd been expecting to end up with Maddie. Vlad viewed the relationship he held with Maddie years ago as Romeo and Juliet. Star-crossed lovers destined to end in tragedy. Every tale begins somewhere.
Jack Fenton was at the bicycle rack when his lean and pale friend zoomed by on a ten-speed. It was very obvious that Vlad was running late and in some sort of a hurry. Jack shooed his pal off to class and offered to take care of chaining up the bike to buy Vlad some extra seconds. This had seemed helpful at the time. As young Vlad finished class and made his way back to his bike, he realized the inconvenience Jack had caused. Instead of solely locking HIS bike to the rack... somehow in only a twist of incompetence that Jack was capable of- had he strung the lock through the spokes of Vlad's bicycle AND the bicycle next to his. Chaining them both to the rack!
"SHIT!" The dark haired guy sat in front of the rack and started to mess with the lock. The sun was shining down on the back of Vlad's neck. Within moments the sunshine was eclipsed by the shadow of whomever just stood behind him. Assuming this was the owner of the other bicycle, Vlad worked quicker to free the two bikes.
"Looks like we're hooked on each other!"
Her angelic voice stole Vlad's attention from the bikes. Quickly he stood and turned to the stranger. However Vlad was ill-prepared. He was honestly a little floored... not expecting her to be so breath-taking. Her auburn hair was styled in wild trendy curls. She held a doe-eyed stare with vibrant purple irises. She had the face of the girl next door... but instead of a cutesy figure to match her face... she was blessed with a well-endowed hour-glass shape.
Vlad brightly smiled at her. "My friend was being a bone-head and locked us in. I am waiting for his last class to get out so he can... undo what he's done."
"No rush at all... My name is Maddie." Vlad, still smiling, returned the formalities. "Vlad. Vlad Masters." Her eyes caught interest in the background. Vlad grew concerned that he'd creeped her out. She motioned her hand toward a poorly constructed EVP reader on his bicycle handlebars. "Uh?"
"Oh! That friend of mine. We are novice ghost hunters. That's some of my equiptment." SHIT! Immediately Vlad turned his head over his shoulder to keep his expression from her. Not believing he just admitted something so lame to this gorgeous girl! To his surprise she showed engrossment. "Well... you aren't going to get any readings with that ole thing! Maybe when your friend gets here I could show you two around my science lab? I hunt ghosts myself on a more... professional level."
While waiting on Jack's return, the pair struck up conversation to pass the time. Vlad was so geeked to be having a conversation with such a beautiful women. He was sure he was stumbling over his words and trying to make sense. He discovered that similarly, Maddie was very studious and intellectual. They also discovered they shared a few common interests... such as paranormal science, strategy games like checkers and chess. When Vlad loosened up a bit he told Maddie that he played football with Jack. It also came up that he was a Packers fanatic and collected the jerseys. Maddie found that fact to be entertaining. While she couldn't say she shared the football interest... she did reveal that one October she was dragged last minute to a Halloween party and the only costume at her disposal? A cheerleadering uniform! Vlad enjoyed the vision... but understood the cheerleader persona was far off from who Maddie truly was.
There hadn't been anything particularly outstanding when Jack arrived to unlock the bikes. Vlad had introduced Maddie to Jack and Jack to Maddie. "Sorry, that I cannot hang around longer. It was nice meeting you both!" Disappointment set in as Maddie announced she'd be taking off. Vlad pouted but it did give him a chance to tell Jack about Maddie's invitation to join her in ghost hunting.
The trio quickly became great friends. They found themselves spending all their free time in the science lab working on ghost hunting prototypes and calculating. Jack knew Vlad had it bad for Maddie. Vlad had been paying extra attention to his appearance lately, smiling when outdated romantic ballads were on the radio... but on a more obvious note he wouldn't stop whining about Maddie when she left.
An idea came to Jack and the conception of it put a conspiring smile on his face. Vlad was too busy moaning to notice his friend scheming on his behalf.
"Vladdy, I am running late. Get a head start to the science lab without me.
- Jack"
Vlad found the note on a coffee table the next evening. Jack and Vlad shared a dorm room... so the guys typically walked together to the science lab each evening to meet with Maddie.
Vlad threw on a casual outfit. He didn't like any of his finer garments getting filthy in the lab.
As Vlad opened the door to the laboratory he instantly did a double-take. He made sure he was reading the numbers on the door correctly. Yup, this was the right lab. Same lab it's always been. However there was something very... off about it now. The beakers they used were set up on each table. While that wasn't particularly unusual to find in a science lab- each beaker had been filled with water. In each beaker a floating candle had been placed and lit. The lights had also been dimmed. The chalkboard that once kept their calculations had been cleaned off. With pigmented red chalk a rose garden had been doodled. The hue had such a colourful vibrancy that the chalkboard roses were visible EVEN THOUGH THE LIGHTS WERE LOW. Someone had also spritzed the air with a can of rose-scented bathroom spray. Maybe to bring the roses to 'life?' It actually just stunk! The whole scene was rather bizarre. . .
"Vlad... did you do all of... this?" Maddie choked on the fog of inexpensive room-freshener. She waved her hand around her nose. The Wisconsinite removed her white lab coat because she felt it was too... out of place in this make-shift formal setting.
" I believe this to be... Jack's doing."
Vlad stared at Maddie as she removed her coat. She looked exquisite under candlelight. He thought about telling her that... but soft music slowly filled the room.
Vlad was naturally worried that Maddie would see this as a manipulative ploy constructed by him. He'd like to know her reaction to all of this... When he found her in the dark this didn't seem to be the case. She wasn't burdened- but enchanted. Maddie looked around as the room. It was easy to pretend that this wasn't the lab, but a moonlight midnight rose-garden.
It's now or never, Vlad. "Maddie... may I have this dance?"
Maddie got very excited for a moment and almost dove into his embrace. It was jarring to receive this sort of reaction from her. Vlad's hands were warm as he wrapped them around her waist. She returned by wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Her hug was so tight and her body so warm! They pressed up against each other. He was worried she'd be able to feel how fast his heart had been racing. If she knew... she never said anything. "So, your friend Jack set this up... so you'd... ask me to dance?"
Vlad smiled and shrugged, tugging her closer without realizing it. "I believe that was his objective."
Maddie grinned as he pulled her in. "Does that mean Jack has to set something up... so you'll make the next move?"Maddie challenged.
Vlad was not one to miss a cue. Right at the perfect percussion of music did he dip her back. His hand supported her weight as he executed the ballroom dance move. Planting a kiss on her lips mid-way into the dip and deepening his kisses the lower he dipped her, now just hoovering above the floor. He prearranged to kiss her gently, playfully... but the eagerness of waiting so long... was ever-so-present.
Her kiss was but a bittersweet memory now. The taste had nearly faded from his memory after two decades. He replayed that night over and over. The blush colored candles with flickering warm flames illuminating the lab. Even the pungent stench of air deodorizer... smelled like sweet potpourri now. The only thing in retrospect he Vlad should have taken note of was the way Jack had drawn the bouquets on the board. With a vein-colored green chalk he'd painstakingly added detail. One dozen thorns on each rose... It stood out as foreshadowing of the pain he'd experience under the guise of beauty.