Chapter 17
I padded my way downstairs to make chocolate chip pancakes. Several minutes later the soft padding of Elizabeth's feet coming towards the kitchen, "What...are..you doing?" Elizabeth muttered she sounded almost like a little child as she sat down at the kitchen table still in her pajamas probably still asleep.
It wasn't uncommon for the people who shared my blood to be roaming around while seeming awake but actually asleep. I glanced towards Elizabeth slowly sliding her a stack of pancakes as she ate slowly than more vigorously picking her plate up with the excitement of a child. "More please!" I took her plate turning back to the stove a small smile appearing on my face. For the one who picks apart everything about me was actually begging me.
I found a certain amount of pride while I was cooking I turned back towards Elizabeth handing her the next plate as she begun to eat as if it was going to be stolen from her any minute. Her utensils clattering onto the plate, my Aunt Anna stepping into the room.
"Elizabeth!" Aunt Anna cast her a look of disparagement and then stormed out to go to work. Elizabeth glanced down towards her plate turning away from it a look of guilt upon her face.
I let two more pancakes flop onto her plate. "If you're hungry eat."
"Hey Isabel..." Elizabeth whispered, "...Do you think it's alright to love someone even if it's only one sided? Or-" She cut herself off, a crestfallen look downcasting her face.
I piled pancakes into the pile on the counter, "There's a difference between wanting their attention and burdening them with your own will. An actual relationship requires mutual respect."
Elizabeth gave a quick glance towards the doorway once again. I glanced back towards my breakfast shutting the stove off my mind already coming up with several concoctions of theories of why Elizabeth acted like she did. Elizabeth would return to her hidden veil there was no way I was going to get to talk to her about why.
I walked up the stairs acknowledging my newly twisted door knob, a brand new outfit laid a crossed my bed, and my polar bear, intact.
The phone on the desk lits up and dims slightly as I change, I glance at it, disappointment swirling within me.
"Isabel,
I have to work all night. So you're in charge of dinner. We're out of milk, bread, cheese, meat, ect. I left the money on the fridge.
The owner of this house,
Aunt Anna"
I moved down the stairs two-to-three steps at a time. Even if I hated the idea of being an errand girl it would serve as a task to keep my mind busy. I was struggling to keep my eyes away from my wrists, I would have to wear a jacket over the outfit. Besides, I didn't want to explain myself to anybody. Especially, when I wasn't able to understand what had happened myself.
Elizabeth had a huge smile on her face as she racked up the phone bill with one of her friends, but that was none of my concerns. "Elizabeth. I'm going out to the store I have to pick up groceries." Elizabeth nodded in reply.
Plucking the umbrella from the front of the doorway I headed out into the darkened daytime.
Opening the gate I began walking towards the store on the poorly drawn map checking between the one I printed from Google of this town in school and the drawing. I made my way into the shop hastily escaping the downpour. Quickly I gathered the groceries, wrapping them in the plastic before I attempted scurrying back to my aunt's house.
I walked out into the pouring rain as someone snatched the umbrella from the bags I was carrying, wrapping an arm around my waist, "What are you doing?!" I was about to snap looking up to see Vincent.
"Hey I want to pick something up. Wait there." Vincent sighed, stopping outside a store as he quickly shoved the umbrella into my hand running into the store.
For some reason I didn't want to damage that hopeful look that was portrayed on Vincent's face today.
The shop had no signs. As if they didn't want to attract customers. Maybe they were just a little broke. I glanced towards the ground. It was in the middle of the day there was no reason to worry even if the streets did appear to be night.
Scrutinizing the shop I didn't want to wait for Vincent any longer. I felt dizzy and uncouth in this city. I felt like cursing, I had been in this city long enough to survive. My brain told me I wanted long breaths, but it couldn't hold those breaths. But I knew the minute I gave in I would keep breathing trying to get enough, just enough air without the feeling of ever being able to obtain enough. Placing my hand on the wall as I slowly took a seat on the bench set out for waiting for customers.
"Hey are you alright?" Someone asked as I nodded to them.
"Yeah."
"Hey what's your name?" they asked quickly as I shrugged a first name wouldn't hurt.
"Isabel." I stated simply as they nodded reaching to pull something out of their pocket as I flinched back their other hand coming up and waving.
"No, no sorry to startle you it's just a picture!" The person shouted.
"Do you know this guy?" He asked pulling out the picture showing it towards me. It was a picture of five friends sitting around a fire chatting happily and his finger was pointing towards the redhead. "His name is Kurama. I need to report anything I can find on him in this town." he stated. There was that Kurama word once again.
I gritted my teeth wanting to know the truth. "No, sorry I haven't heard of him." I did my best to press my eyebrows together.
An angry rasping of a voice came from the other side, "Are you stupid? We've been told to cease this one." The second shouted towards the first removing a picture from their pocket.
There was Shuichi, he was glaring back over his shoulder almost perfectly at the camera as if to insult it. It was the picture someone had taken when Shuichi rescued me from being pushed from a third story balcony. I took a breath. That wasn't possible, he was insistent that had been lower. I thought of Youko, impossible people and things were happening lately. The likelihood of his lies built in my mind.
They both glanced towards me and then back towards each other to begin arguing again. "She says she doesn't know him!" The second one dragging his hand down their face as if they couldn't believe this situation.
"This girl is the one with Kurama! She's the one with him when he's pretending to be NORMAL! Of course, he wouldn't go by the same name!" The second rampaged attempting to pick me up and throw me over his shoulder.
My hairstick jostled in my hair, I reached for it, I didn't want to lose it again. "What are you doing?" the first captor growled my wrist wrapped tight in their grasp. I drew a breath ready to release the loudest screech I could manage in his ear.
Footsteps echoed into the sidewalk pavement, "Hey, you like it I was just getting my keys from my uncl-" It was Vincent's voice as their was a pause as he glared down towards the two strangers I had just met.
Vincent's seemingly hopeful voice became a sudden low tone, "I hope you understand that is my fiance you are holding." Vincent stated as he was walking closer a strange presence extruding from him.
"Boss won't be happy." The second one whispered towards the first as the first muttered something about having to pick the situations correctly.
"I said something. It would be in your best interest to listen to me immediately." Vincent said looking down upon them with an almost psychotic look. Slowly they set me down as I picked up the umbrella I dropped walking over to behind Vincent.
"Leave." Vincent demanded, his eyes piercing daggers, "Unless you're ready to be added to my body count."
I glanced at Vincent. "I'll drive you home." Vincent sighed handing me a helmet as I turned around to see his vehicle of choice. My hands were sweating as I glanced towards a motorcycle. A piece of lethal machinery if operated wrong. My heart pulsed wondering if it was the motorcycle that scared me or the words that Vincent had just spoken. He revved the motorcycle, took a glance at me, and outstretched his hand. My drenched feet shook while my heart moved uncontrollably, my fingers tightening around the helmet. I took his hand.