Oh my Throne! You guys are amazing, thank you so much for your love and support. Here is chapter two! I hope you enjoy. :)
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Love Never Dies,
Bella
Chapter Two
x
Fit to be Tied/Drawing Dark
Daniel was sitting at the far end of the cafeteria with Roland, both of them are eating rubber-like hamburgers. Roland made a sound of disgust, but Daniel, however, acted unaffected. Scratch that, nothing affected him right now. He was miles deep into his own head, his thoughts drowning out everything, an oddly focused look on his face that almost made him seem that he was determined to eat the burger - Though it was one of the most disgusting thing Daniel had ever eaten.
How was Daniel certain that this would bring an end to the cycle? And even if it did, how Daniel survive with out Lucinda? Live on? Try and go back to Heaven? Daniel didn't know, and it pained him that he hadn't. He wanted Lucinda to have a life, even if he wasn't in it. He loved her that much to let her go, his happiness was what Daniel truly wanted.
Daniel's heart ached at the thought, watching her live happily while he, more than likely, continued to mope? His violet eyes fell to the burger, a curl in his stomach made him lose his appetite and he set the burger down on the lunch tray. Daniel saw Roland wag his eyebrows to someone, making Daniel turn and look over his shoulder – Just in time to see Luce had food thrown on her by Molly. Anger fumes through him, an urge to shove Molly away from her, and help Lucinda pick the soaked beets from her hair.
"If the sight of you hadn't just ruined my appetite, I'd make you buy me another lunch." Daniel heard Molly hiss through her clenched teeth, watching her harshly putting her heel on her ankle. This made Daniel sit upright, his legs swinging to the side so he could stand – But, he stopped. He couldn't. You said you wouldn't interfere, and doing so will risk everything, again. Daniel sighed, sinking back into his chair.
"You can go help her, Daniel." Roland tells Daniel, and he's tempted to oblige, but not before Arriane plucked Molly in the eye and begun to tremble. Daniel and Roland then remembered of her wristband, both of them sitting up, their necks extending to watch her. Daniel's head swings over to the cafeteria door as Randy busts through, shouting 'break it up' – Though there was nothing to break up. Daniel looked back at Roland.
"Talk about crazy lunches. . ." Roland spoke, shaking his head as they both went back to watch the scene.
"On second thought, all three of you report for detention tomorrow morning. Telemetry. Crack of dawn!" Randy raged on, before dragging Arriane to turn off her wristband. Molly replied with a sickly sweet comment and Daniel thought it was over, until he heard 'Nice hat,' being called from across the cafeteria. Daniel turned, frowning slightly and shaking his head, angered with himself for not stopping her, for not standing up and helping Lucinda clean up. Daniel looked back at Lucinda, who was rushing out the cafeteria. Daniel then frowned and stood up.
Screw it.
Daniel chased after her after she was gone, calling her name as his eyes looked around the campus.
"Lucinda?!" Daniel called as he started towards the main building where the dorms were. Daniel turned as he heard a door open and saw Gabbe, who he quickly approached.
"Have you seen Lucinda?" Daniel rushed out, bending over and holding his knees as he panted. It was bad enough Daniel was already exhausted, but he was also in sweltering heat under nearly three layers of clothes.
"Yes, actually – She just went into the bathroom. Poor girl looked like a wrecked. What happened to her?" Daniel raised his hand and walked past Gabbe. While Gabbe was his first go-to, someone Daniel knew he could trust – He had to find Lucinda. Daniel pushed through the two doors, but froze in his steps he heard a voice echo from the girl's bathroom.
"That's the last of it," Daniel heard a female voice say. "I think you're finally meat-free."
"I'm just glad you have short hair," The female continued, "If it were still as long as it was in the picture in your file, this would have been a much lengthier operation."
Ah, Daniel thought, it was Maryweather, or Pennyweather, the Headmaster's niece. Daniel had always assumed she was clean and was only going here since her Uncle was the Headmaster. It would make sense. Daniel slipped into the boy's bathroom, his head pressed against the tile as he continued listening to the girl.
"I'm going to have to keep an eye on you, aren't I?" Lucinda. Daniel almost groaned at the sound her voice, it sounded like a beautiful melody to his ears. It was as if her voice was stuck on repeat on one line and he had finally found the entire song.
"Just stay on my good side and no one gets hurt."
"You're kidding, right?"
"Come on, we gotta get to class. Aren't you glad we're in the same afternoon block?"
Lucinda's laughter ran through Daniel, who couldn't help but smile and peek around the corner as he watched Pennyweather and Lucinda walk arm and arm down the hallway.
XoXoX
Daniel knew he had to do something to get detention.
Well, technically – Daniel hadn't needed to get into detention, but he couldn't help himself – He wanted to see Lucinda. . . Even though he was doing everything in his power to stay away.
Daniel walked into his afternoon class after Arriane and Roland, who both gave Daniel a questionable look – And he knew that they were wondering if he had gotten to Lucinda or not. Arriane and Roland were obviously trying hard to get Luce and Daniel together, but he couldn't do it, he had already told the both of them why, explained to them multiple times that he had to resist his temptations for Luce and give her a chance.
All three of them sank into their seats near the back of the class, Daniel leaning back into his chair, Roland sitting in the aisle next to him behind Arriane, both of them talking erraticly before looking towards Daniel.
"Did you help her?" Roland asks,
"No." Daniel's answer was curt and firm, his eyes never leaving his pencil, which he was tapping on the desk.
"Why not? Did you see her?"
"She was with Maryweather."
"It's Pennyweather," Arriane corrects. "And you could have asked -"
"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not interfering with her life anymore." Daniel's voice was low and rough as he cut her off, his fingers grasping intensely on his pencil. Arriane raised her hands in defense,
"We know you're hell without her, Daniel."
"And I'm hell each time she dies. So, I'd rather she get the chance to have a long life, even if I'm in it."
"Mr. Grigori?" A male voice called from the front of class. It was Mr. Cole. Sophia had told Cole about the supernatural that resided here at Sword & Cross, so he was quite aware. But, he hadn't treated anyone different. "I asked you a question." Mr. Cole continued, eying Daniel skeptically. Daniel cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry, I hadn't heard what you said-"
"Since you were distracted disrupting class by chatting with Arriane and Roland. Detention, all three of you. I'll discuss your arrangement after class."
Daniel wanted to smile, show his joy to see Lucinda. But, instead he scowled and looked down at the desk, ignoring Roland and Arriane now.
XoXoX
Daniel was at the library, hiding in the back of the East Wing in the Special Collections area. He was standing at the podium, sketching the landscape that was in front of him outside the window. Daniel knew that if he had employed his nights drawing Lucinda it would make it even more impossible for him to stay away. Daniel sighed at the mere thought of her, it caused anguish in his chest, causing him to put his head down on podium, evening his breathing as the sharp pain slowly faded. He could, however, hear the quick whispers of the Announcers as they buzzed around him. Daniel ran his fingers through his hair, ignoring them, and going back to his drawing.
Daniel hadn't stopped when goosebumps arose on his skin and a cool breeze flushed through him, causing him to shudder and gasp. She was here, of course she was. Daniel then thanked himself that he had decided against drawing Lucinda tonight. He heard a rustle behind him from whom must have been Luce, glancing over at it. Daniel tries to decide where it had come from – Maybe it was because of him, it's not as if Lucinda could summon them. He raises his eyebrows at it and watch it disappear into the air before looking back at his sketchbook, his pencil skillfully shading the hills.
Daniel could feel Lucinda near him, it made his body heat up with the need for Lucinda and his heart throbs against his chest. Daniel sighed, he wasn't just going to allow her to stand there and watch him sketch away.
"What are you doing over here?" Daniel finally speaks, turning around to face her and shutting his sketchbook behind him. Daniel wasn't angry with her, he had no reason to be. Instead, Daniel looked almost lifeless, so emotionally drained. Which he was, or at least it was how Daniel felt. It always seemed at night when it all hit Daniel – Maybe it was because it was an ending to another day.
"I came to checkout a book from Special Collections," Lucinda tells him,a lightly flush of embarrassment in her cheeks as she comes to realize that the Special Collections was a gallery filled with Civil War items and statutes that were in cases. Daniel then assumes maybe Arraine and Roland had purposely sent her here. Why do they have to purposely shove us together?
"Good luck with that," Daniel's voice slightly sarcastic and he turned back around, going back to his sketchbook. Daniel hoped she would leave, abandon her quest to find a book in the Special Collection gallery and go back to her dorm, leaving him alone in his own thoughts once more.
But, she had not.
Instead, Lucinda stepped forward once, peering over Daniel's shoulder to see what he was drawing.
Daniel sighed, glancing up over his shoulder, his gray eyes boring into her's. "Let me ask you, do you like being sneaked up on?" Daniel asked, watching Lucinda for her reaction.
Lucinda shook her head roughly, as if she had heard, but her mind was somewhere else. It made Daniel curious, wanting to know what was on her mind that she gave no true responses.
"Okay, that makes two of us." Daniel straightens up, clearing his throat as to signal she was the one who should be leaving. Lucinda, however,didn't just leave like most people – She continued on,
"Look, can I-" Daniel cut her off quickly, not wanting to know what she may be planning to say. "I came here to get away," Daniel's voice was clipped, his dreary eyes looking back at her after he picks up his sketchbook and stepped off the podium. "If you're not going to leave, I will." Daniel bends, picking his backpack up off the ground and shoving his sketchbook into it, and he pushed past her – But, their shoulders rubbing against each other.
The air went thin between them, as if everything had crumbled and they were all what was left. Daniel looked over at Lucinda, his now violet eyes were locked with Lucinda's hazel ones. Lucinda opened her mouth to speak, but Daniel had already abandoned her – Rushing to the door as Daniel's breath quickened. Once Daniel broke out of the library, he gasped for air, his violet eyes wildly looking around before sinking down to the floor.
Daniel put his head into his hands, soft cries shook his body, though no tears came undone.
"Hey," Gabbe's southern voice echoed through the hall and she kneels beside him, rubbing his back. "Come on, let's get you to your dorm – You know what will happen if Luce sees you." Gabbe didn't ask questions, she didn't give him a sappy pep talk – She knew that Daniel was tired of the same routine now, so she offered the most she could – Helping him back on his feet.
"Thank you." Daniel murmured to her and walked with her in silence until they reached his dorm, of which Daniel gave a simple nod and went inside. Daniel went to his bed, sitting down and staring down at the pillow.
For an aching moment, Daniel wished Lucinda would've been in his bed, waiting for him, ready to console him and support their love. For them to lie awake in the night, holding hands and giving each other gentle kisses.
Unfortunately, it was impossible with the curse.
But, Daniel also remembered she must have been suffering somehow – Each pass life she had appeared to remember. His Lucinda seemed to remember who he was to her, and the sacrifice they made before she fell and became a mortal
A sacrifice that Daniel would never regret.
I hope you guys liked this chapter. I know it's technically two Fallen Chapters together, but I didn't want to give you a two paged chapter, wouldn't have been exactly fair to you all. Please drop me some reviews and let me know how you feel about the story so far!
Love Never Dies,
Bella
