Chapter 23: (Insert title here)
"Coming in?" Azami asked.
Yukino shook her head. "I'd like to stay out here for another few minutes."
Azami went out into the balcony wearing what seemed to be three layers of clothes. She handed Yukino a mug of hot chocolate. "I thought you mite like it." said the payonese girl.
"I'm surprised. You haven't even bothered asking me." Yukino sighed. Azami crossed her arms, Azami took a sip from her mug. "I don't know who you are, but since you helped us awhile ago I don't think you're much of a bad person." Azami calmly stated.
"Luna." Luna took in a deep breath. "You can say that I'm your friend's alter ego of sorts."
"So what happened to Yukino?" Azami asked.
Luna tapped her head. "Still in here." Luna replied. "Don't worry. You'll have her back by daybreak. After that ill be coming out when you least expect me too." She stretched her arms into the air and yawned. Luna looked at Azami. "You like him, do you not?"
Azami was caught off guard by the question. She blushed furiously and fumbled with her words. "I…That is to say…" Luna chuckled and took another sip of the steaming beverage. "I do too." She opened the door and took a step inside.
Luna rubbed her chin. "The blizzard's going to get worse, I guess we better go in now."
Azami quickly placed a hand on the girl's shoulders before she could go in. "Why did you ask?"
Luna shrugged. "I think my alter-ego's fallen for him." She smirked. "And so have I."
Lei woke up with an excruciating headache. He opened his eyes surprised to see a pair of blue eyes staring back. "Feeling any better?" Rae asked. "Yep." He replied. Lei was about to stand up when Rae pushed him back down on the bed. "Azami said you slipped down some steps on your way back to the tower and fell down head first." She sighed. "Can you be anymore clumsier?"
Lei forced a smile. So that's why he couldn't remember anything from yesterday. "I guess not. But I'm feeling better so—" Rae flashed him a serious look. "Yukino and Azami are out right now, and they gave me specific instructions to watch over you."
"But I—" he looked down at his clothes, he idly wondered why he was wearing pink pajamas with poring designs all across it. "Tell me, what am I doing in one of these." He was angry. Rae pinched his nose causing him to open his mouth. Then without warning the woman fed him a spoonful of lukewarm chicken soup. "Cooked it myself."
"I'm not letting you off the hook! And who the hell changed my clothes!" a tinge of embarrassment was evident in his voice. "I did, and don't worry, I didn't look at it, Maybe."
"Maybe!"
Rae chuckled. "As if you don't like the idea." She force fed him another spoonful. "Open your mouth." she urged. Lei gave in and willingly swallowed the bitter tasting soup. "So do you like it?" she asked. "Yeah, it's great." He lied.
Rae's eyes suddenly became misty, she hugged Lei and started crying. "Heh. No wonder he left me--" she broke into sobs and Lei did the only thing he could do, give her a pat on the back and a tight embrace. "he said I was no good…" she cried.
Rae gave him a pained look of absolute need before burying her face in his chest. "Am I that bad a person?" she asked. Lei stroked her hair. "Of course not…" he replied. Rae looked straight into his eyes. "Then how come you've never noticed me!" she screamed.
Lei couldn't find an answer to that one. He felt guilty. He felt stupid, he was too pre-occupied dealing with Azami and Yukino that he hadn't noticed how he'd ignored Rae. "Your wrong, I have…" another lie. He cursed himself inwardly. He felt rotten for being so ignorant.
"Is it ok if I take you to the ball with me tonight." He asked. Rae stopped crying and looked up. "Your just asking me out to make me feel better, I'm sure you'd rather ask Yukino or Azami don't you?"
She was right on the money. Lei faked a smile. "Of course not, I really want to go with me." He said. Rae gave him a scrutinizing look, her lips curled into a pout. "Really?" she said with wonder in her voice. Lei gave her a hearty nod. "Yep."
Azami sighed. "Would you go to the ball with me?" another upperclassman asked her. She tilted her head to the side and showed him her katana. "Tell me, how much do you enjoy breathing?" she hissed. The guy left.
"So who are you going to the ball with tonight?" Yukino asked.
"I'm not sure if I am going…"
"I can't show up, I have a few things to attend to." Yukino grudgingly said. Azami placed a hand on her shoulders. "Are you sure you won't need any help?" Azami asked. Yukino shook her head. "I'll be fine."
"Tell me though…"
"Yeah?"
"Are all those stuff I read about vampires true?"
Yukino giggled. "Of course not, but we do get stronger at night." Her almond eyes rested on Azami's. "But I do get stronger when I drink the blood of a young virgin." she said in an undertone, Yukino flashed Azami her newly acquired fangs. All the color drained from Azami's face. Yukino gave her a pat on the back. "Just kidding."
Azami rolled her eyes. "Not funny."
Yukino giggled some more. Azami couldn't help but stare at Yukino's lips. The latter noticed and opened her mouth revealing her perfectly normal teeth. "They disappear when I want them to." She stated nonchalantly. "So… Are you going back to Payong this holiday?"
"I havent thought about it..." Azami shrugged.
Yukino pushed the elevator button and the doors slid open with an audible click. Inside was Lei looking very depressed. "Uhh… Hi." He said weakly. Azami stepped inside and Yukino followed her footsteps. Azami pressed a few buttons and the gears locked into place. Azami cleared her throat. "Lei I have to ask you something?"
"Sure…"
"Would you—" before she could continue her sentence the elevator shook violently, the emergency lights basked the entire compartment in an eerie blue light, then there was that unnerving silence. Lei quickly went for the control panel. He tried everything from the open button to the emergency switch and nothing seemed to be working.
Lei slowly turned around. "Guys… I think… were stuck."
Azami's fingers found themselves around Lei's neck. "I think you rigged this whole thing."