Poison & Wine - Chapter XXVIII
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"I'm going to barf."
"You're nervous because it's your first time, but you're going to be fine." I glared over at Klaus who had a smirk on his face. Of course he was enjoying this.
We were on a boat traveling down Oregon's coast, and I was getting seasick. This was my first time on a boat on the ocean in my entire life, and I was getting sick from the bobbing of the boat. "Ugh," I hung my head over the side and closed my eyes.
"You're missing all the beautiful sights, Andy," I felt his hand rub my upper back. If I wasn't going to vomit I'd tell him to get it off of me, but I was pretty sure if I opened my mouth that my breakfast would come up. "Look over there. Come on, Andy."
Slowly I looked up to see we were passing a port in the city that had a sign that said Astoria. People waved as we passed and I sighed before hanging my head over. "I thought it was wild horses or something," I grumbled.
"No, horses are commonly seen in Southeast Oregon, especially the Steens Mountain area... Do you like horses?"
"They aren't my favorite animal." Andy responded hesitantly, recalling her experience on the side of a steep mountain with a horse named Pitiful that insisted upon walking the very edge.
"What is your favorite animal?"
"It's monkeys."
He laughed. "Monkeys?"
"They're cute... I mean, come one, have you ever seen Tarzan?"
"Yes," He continued laughing.
"Well, what's yours then?"
"Horses."
I looked up at him. "I figured it would be a lion."
"A lion… Why?"
"You remind me of one," I shrugged and looked back down at the water.
"How?"
"I don't know, you just do…" I trailed off and took a deep breath. After a few seconds, I heard a huge splash and water landed on me. I opened my eyes to see Klaus's shirt on the railing and he was in the water. "What are you doing?!" I demanded.
"I'm swimming! Why don't you come join me?"
"Are you kidding me? I'd rather not be shark bait!"
"They have nets set up; you'll be perfectly safe!"
I sighed before standing up straight, slightly dizzy from the bobbing, and pulled my red and white striped tank top off before taking the white shorts and flip-flops off. Klaus had requested I put on a bathing suit so I did, but I had no clue I would be swimming in the Pacific Ocean.
"If I die, Nikki, you can be assured that I'm haunting your ass!" I said before climbing over the railing. I had on a red bikini which I now regretted wearing; I should have worn a one piece. This showed a good bit of skin, including some of the tattoo on my lower right love handle.
Before I could change my mind, I jumped into the water.
I'll be honest; ever since my parent's accident, I've not been swimming. Those frightened feelings of being drowned had faded, I was okay as soon as I got the surface again.
Klaus's arms went around me. "Gotcha."
Our bodies were pressed together and that we were awfully close considering we had gotten into a fight this morning. I turned around to find myself looking into his beautiful blue orbs, but then realizing we were having some kind of 'moment,' I pushed myself away from him and splashed him. I laughed at his expression before going back underwater and yanking his leg, to which he immediately joined me underwater and grabbed me before bringing us back to the surface.
"Careful, love, you're treading on dangerous water!"
"Am I, love?" I decided to turn toward him again and I placed my hands on each side of his shoulders before dunking him under the water. I swam away back toward the boat, deciding I didn't want to be in the water for his revenge.
I got up on the boat and then Klaus tackled me to the ground. I laughed, opening my eyes to see him on top of me, a very boyish smile on his face which I liked. He looked much more… kind. That made me think; Klaus was kind to me in private, excluding our fights, but was so cruel to my family and friends. What was the difference between them and me?
"I get that you might quite enjoy this, Nikki, but this is a very scandalous position I'd rather not everyone see." I said, feeling odd at the bare skin touching one another.
"Do you enjoy it?"
"Considering the things said this morning, not really," I said and he immediately climbed off, his eye catching the top of my tattoo.
He broke out in a grin. "Your tattoo?"
"Yes," I stood up and covered it with part of the bathing suit. I jumped back into the water before he could see it completely. He soon jumped in after me.
We played around in the water for a good bit before we got back on the boat. We finally started going toward our designation, wherever it was since he had refused to tell me. We ate lunch about one on the edge of the boat – he had given me motion sickness pills and I felt a lot better on the boat now. He had brought a simple lunch of sandwiches, chips, and fruits. I think he was catching onto the idea I didn't like material things and liked the simple things.
We spoke about random things for a while like our favorite books and movies. We both agreed that The Hobbit was amazing but disagreed on Anna Karenina then agreed again on any of Shakespeare's works. After we finished eating and debating about books, we silently laid side by side on a blanket, staring up at the sky. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence like there used to would have been; it was comfortable and nice. I even found myself drifting off to sleep.
That didn't last long, though, because Klaus gently shook my shoulder. "Andy," He said softly. "Andy, wake up. We're here."
I opened my eyes, seeing trees above me now and feeling arms around me. I was being carried by Klaus. "What are you doing?" I demanded.
"Look," He gestured to his head ahead of us.
I turned my head, my breath suddenly leaving me. We stood over a beautiful waterfall that went down amazing brown rocks and went down into crystal clear water. "Oh, my God," I whispered, not thinking of the loud sound coming from the waterfall, but he was a hybrid so he could hear everything. "How did you—? Where are we?"
"I have connections," He said as he stood me on my feet. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
"Yeah," I nodded, moving closer to the edge. "Can we get in?"
"Of course, why else would we be here?" He asked, already taking off his after. I followed him by example and started heading down the hill. "Wait, where are you going?"
"To get in," I said, stopping and turning back to him.
"Aren't you going to jump in from up here?"
"Oh, uh," I glanced down the waterfall. "I can't be healed by vampire blood, Klaus."
He rolled my eyes. "Do you think I'd ever put you in danger?"
"Yes." I answered truthfully.
"I would never dare," He walked over to me and grabbed my hand. "Come on, Andy, I promise you will always be safe with me around."
"Pinky promise?"
He sighed. "Pinky promise."
"Fine, but I'm holding your hand just in case something happens." I said as he pulled me back over to the edge.
"Fine with me, love," He smirked over at me.
"On three," I said and took a deep breath. "One… Two… Three!"
I had survived the jump, and Klaus had laughed at my reluctance to jump and my scream on the way down for quite a bit. We stayed swimming until it was dusk then we headed back to the boat. Once on the boat, we sat at the back of the boat, staring out at the sunset.
"If you don't mind me asking," He randomly said as we stared out into the beautiful yellow, orange, and pink sunset. It reminded me of the roses and note he had given me. "What really went down between Elijah and you?"
I looked over at him. "Why are you so curious?"
"I just want to know how close you got."
I stared at him for a long moment before looking away again. "Let me just say this: I didn't ask for it to be over, but then again, I didn't ask for it to begin. I guess that's the way it's with life, as some of the most beautiful days come completely by chance. But even the most beautiful days eventually have their sunsets." I said, looking out to the sunset as I used that as my metaphor. "There's this quote by Robert Frost that I found a while ago, it says: 'In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.' Your brother will always be something that haunts me. Our time together, our conversations, everything thing about him that I noticed will always be with me. He's my 'what if' relationship. 'What if' we had remained together — or whatever we were? I'm always going to wish I could've found out, but he broke his promise to me and broke whatever trust we did have so now I guess I'll never know."
"The one that got away?"
"He just might have been," I murmured.
"You are so different from Anastasia, yet so similar."
"Well, just because I'm her doppelganger doesn't mean I'm her, Klaus," I looked over at his blue eyes.
"I know," He seemed to search my eyes. "But Elena has the kindness and air that Tatia held. Anastasia was devious, playful, and her manner was all about the confidence she had in herself."
"She was prideful?" I questioned.
"Somewhat vain, yes," He nodded slightly. "You're guarded somewhat, but I can still read you. Your eyes give you away."
"Just as yours does you," I pointed out. "The eyes are the window to the soul, right?"
He smiled. "Right."
"Klaus, what happened to Anastasia? Why wasn't she turned into a vampire like you?" I asked, a frown on my face.
I instantly saw his guard go back up. "She just wasn't."
"But why? Wasn't she Elijah's wife?" I pressed but he didn't answer and instead turned away from me. I scoffed and stood. "You expect me to be seduced by you when I know hardly anything about you, Klaus?" I walked away from him and went to the back of the boat. I stared off the back, feeling the sun's warmth slowly disappear and the dark sky appear; the moon soon came out along with the stars.
Fireworks were being shot off at a dock and every time the booming sound would make my heart feel like it's vibrating. I don't know why that happened but it did.
"Anastasia was my best friend," He said from behind me. "She had been in love with me for years, but I was too busy chasing after Tatia. When she finally came of age, Elijah noticed what I didn't. That Anastasia was a far better choice than Tatia, not only personality wise but morally and for her reputation seeing as she had not had a child out of wedlock like Tatia. Elijah immediately became enamored by her and her by him; it wasn't until I saw them together I realized."
"Realized what?" I turned toward him.
"That I loved her," His eyes were filled with so much pain that I felt guilty for snapping at him. "But, alas, it was too late. She fell in love with him and for longest of time didn't choose between us, then…"
"Then?"
"She chose Elijah. That was the end to the tragic love triangle." He had a mocking and bitter tone.
"You really loved her, didn't you?" I asked, but it was hardly audible, though he probably heard it. I walked over to him and exhaled. "I'm sorry that you had to go through that, and I'm sorry if you felt obligated that you needed to tell me about that because of my fit. Truth has always been huge for me, Klaus, and I just got frustrated."
"You were right; you should know."
I nodded in agreement. "And here's something you should know: you need to get over Anastasia before trying to seduce her doppelganger. As you pointed out, I'm not her. I don't feel the same things as hers and I certainly would never chose between two brothers, let alone allow myself in a situation where that could happen because I know what it's like to be the 'other' person. So, get over Anastasia, then you should try again. I need to let go of someone also. You're not alone in this; we'll be bosom buddies as soon as I forgive you for killing my aunt, attempting to kill my sister and being the cause of my father's death."
"And when might that be?" He gravely asked.
I shrugged. "When I think you deserve it. When I see that you are truly sorry for it. When I'm ready to move on."
"Andy, I apologize for killing your aunt... and your father."
I shook my head and turned around to the fireworks. "Keep working on it, Nikki."
"As long as it takes, I will," He said, leaning onto the rail beside me. We watched the booming fireworks in a comfortable silence.
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The End of Chapter XXVIII
