Disclaimer: Vampire Knight does not, has not, or will not ever belong to me. I only ask that nobody takes my characters or ideas.

Not my Time
A Vampire Knight Fanfiction

Chapter Thirteen: The Outrageous Proposal

One evening near the end of October, I found myself waiting outside the headmaster's office. For the life of me, I did not know why I had been called to see him. It had been an ordinary night after a perfectly ordinary day of classes. I had been on time to my duties as prefect – although, I had been avoiding them more and more these days - and I'd made no problems with the Night Class.

Perhaps it was because I'd helped Nasrin skip class last week. Nasrin was the kind of person to let that sort of information slip. She'd already alerted Ichijou to the fact that we'd met as children.

To be on the safe side, I turned the events of the past month over in my head.

The day after my meeting with Kaname, Scott McDaniels called to tell me that he'd found Kidd wandering down the road about a month ago, and that Kidd was safe-and-sound in the McDaniels' barn. He refused to let me reimburse him for the maintenance cost; although, Scott did note that Kidd 'really had an obsession for hay.' Scott only wanted me to call him more, so that he wouldn't worry when I disappeared.

Soon after Scott's phone-call, that nuisance Shawn Moore began emailing me annoying messages anywhere from three to fifteen times per day. I had yet to respond to one message, but he didn't seem to be giving up. If anything, he was becoming more persistent.

In the midst of the Shawn Moore inbox cramming, I managed to detect the one email my brother sent me. He updated me on our father's condition, and told me that Dad was doing much better. Dad was participating in group therapy at a hospital in Carpentersville.

It had been recommended to Dad that he find an activity to distract himself from drinking alcohol, so my father had decided to continue Reygina's reconditioning. When he went down to the stables, Reygina burst out of the woods she had apparently been hiding in, and galloped straight toward my father.

Although events seemed to be turning around, my brother insisted that my father was not ready for me to come home. Kit not only demanded that I remain at Cross Academy, he also demanded that I not speak to Dad on the phone or email him. Kit told me that when Dad was ready, he would contact me himself.

Despite being unable to understand the majority of the geometry unit I'd missed, I had managed to make a B on the unit test, and was still making excellent marks in each of my classes. I could see no reason why my grades would warrant a trip to the headmaster's office.

A familiar voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "Hey, Lily-chan, you were called to see the headmaster, too?"

Looking up, I realized that Ichijou was now standing next to me. "Hello, Ichijou-senpai," I replied. "Do you know why the headmaster called us here?"

He shook his head. "I was hoping you had an idea. Kaname was supposed to come, but he sent me instead," Ichijou answered. "Nothing's happened to you, right? Nasrin disappeared for a while a couple weeks ago around the time you went missing. She didn't try to attack you, right?"

"I never went missing," I insisted. "I was asleep in the horse stable."

Truthfully, that night was the night Nasrin and I had met in a clearing some distance from the school. We'd felt that we needed to talk about what we could do about the Lab. In the end, we decided that we did not have enough ability between the two of us, and we should simply be content to have someone to confide in.

Ichijou didn't seem to believe me, but he didn't challenge my answer.

Shortly after, the headmaster's door opened, and Headmaster Cross waved us inside his office.

"Tonight will be a special night! A new step toward the coexistence of vampires and humans!" the headmaster told us gleefully.

"What are talking about?" Ichijou asked. His face had gone paler than I'd thought possible, as if he had a horrible suspicion as to what the headmaster was implying.

It took me only a moment longer than Ichijou to finally realize what was happening, and once I had realized the headmaster's intentions, I discovered that I was lost for words.

"Lily-chan will be the first human to be enrolled in the Night Class! I never thought this day would happen!" the headmaster told us. His eyes were glassed over, as if he might burst into tears at any moment.

Still unable to find the right words for the situation, I was grateful that Ichijou spoke up, "It isn't possible to put her in the Night Class! She would be an easy target for anyone unable to control their urge to drink blood! Also, the classes in the Night Class are too difficult for her! She would never be able to keep up!"

Although Ichijou's words were a bit insulting, I understood that they were nevertheless true. Surely the headmaster would have to realize that Ichijou brought up good points, and that he could never enroll me into the Night Class.

To both Ichijou's and my surprise, the headmaster nodded sagely. "Yes, and that is precisely what I told Kaname when he asked me to put Lily-chan into the Night Class a few weeks ago. However, he has become increasingly insistent upon her being switched from the Day Class to the Night Class..."

Suddenly I found my voice. "Kaname wants me in the Night Class? Well, in that case, my answer is definitely no!"

For a brief moment there was silence. Realizing that I had just spoken with incredible rudeness, I didn't dare look at either the headmaster or Ichijou. Although I had never truly hidden my distaste for Kaname, I had never been so blatant.

"Kaname told me that your interview went well," the headmaster told me. "He said that he thought you would be the ideal human to have join the Night Class."

The disappointed look on the headmaster's face almost hurt enough to make me reconsider, but I knew that Kaname was planning on using me for something, and I did not feel he had my best intentions in mind when he'd insisted I be switched to the Night Class.

"Did Kaname say why he thought Lily-chan would be ideal for this experiment?" Ichijou asked.

"He told me that she was rational, perceptive, and fearless," the headmaster answered. "The traits necessary for existing in dangerous scenarios. Plus, she neither hates nor idolizes vampires. Out of my three beloved children, Lily-chan is the most likely to successfully adapt to attending classes with vampires."

Ichijou surprised me suddenly by answering, "If Kaname is all right with her joining the Night Class, I am, too."

"Well, I'm still not okay with it, and you'll need my consent before I join!" I reminded them both. With that, I stalked right out of the headmaster's office.

How dare they all attempt to decide what I should do? And how dare Kaname tell the headmaster that we'd had an interview! I was certain that Kaname had called me to his office just to make it appear that we had spoken about joining the Night Class previously.

I was more than half-way to the horse stable before I realized I wasn't heading back to my dorm-room. Uncertain whether I felt like turning around, I stopped in the middle of the path to consider my options.

Sleeping in the horse stable was a possibility, but I wouldn't have a change of clothes, an alarm clock, and I would be a tremendous distance from the school-building. On the other hand, I wasn't certain I felt like attending classes the next day. Sleeping in the horse stable would prevent me from being bothered by anyone who went looking for me.

Just as I'd decided that sleeping in the horse stable had the most perks, Nasrin called to me.

"Hey, Lily-chan, you hanging out here, too?"

Although I hadn't wanted to be bothered by anyone, Nasrin's presence made me feel reassured. She was hiding in a thin patch of trees, her wings loosed from her Night Class uniform. I went and sat next to her.

"Kaname tried to convince the headmaster to let me join the Night Class," I told her.

"Well, that's great!" Nasrin cried. "We won't have to sneak around to see each other that way! I bet they'll even let us be roommates!"

Nasrin's excitement almost made me regret rejecting Kaname's idea of me joining the Night Class. For a brief moment, I considered lying to Nasrin. I would tell her that it was a great idea, and smile and talk about what it would be like to have two non-vampires attending classes alongside vampires.

But I couldn't lie because there was no way I would play into Kaname's hand. "I told the headmaster I wouldn't join the Night Class," I admitted. "I don't trust Kaname. I think he's planning something."

"I don't care if he is planning something!" Nasrin replied hotly. "I am tired of attending class as the only non-vampire! Not only that, but you have no idea what it is like to be a non-vampire who everyone believes is a vampire! It's stressful! And I'm constantly worrying about someone finding out I have feathers! People keep commenting that loose feathers are suddenly appearing out of nowhere, and I'm terrified that someone will suddenly realize that my room is covered in them!"

"Why don't you just tell them? What can the Lab do to you here?" I asked.

"They could take me away! If they thought I were giving away information on them… I don't even want to consider what they'd do to me…" Nasrin shivered.

Sighing, I assured Nasrin, "Fine. I'll reconsider my decision. For your sake; not Kaname's."

Nasrin suddenly engulfed me in a hug. "You're brilliant, Lily! You'd make a great little sister if I'd ever had real parents!"

I didn't point out to Nasrin that I hadn't changed my mind; I had only told her I would reconsider. However, I didn't want to disappoint Nasrin. Disappointing Nasrin seemed so much worse than disappointing the headmaster, or defying Kaname.

"Nasrin, I'll see you later," I told her, breaking out of her grip.

After a long while, I headed back to my dorm-room. If I intended to change my mind, then I would have to go back to being the calm, rational girl everyone thought I was. In fact, I was embarrassed that I had ever acted so rashly in the first place. I hadn't even considered that switching to the Night Class would be useful for Nasrin and me, as well as Kaname.

…

The next day, I distracted myself from thinking about returning to the headmaster's office with my reconsidered decision. Instead of slacking off in my lessons because they would potentially be the last Day Class lessons I ever took, I took more notes than usual, and I even managed to make an A on a test in Japanese language.

I did not tell Yuuki or Yori that I had the opportunity to join the Night Class. Part of the reason I did not was due to my indecisiveness, but the majority of my reasoning was because I was afraid the fangirls would overhear and begin cajoling me. I was certain they would never leave me alone until they discovered how I had managed to be accepted into the class full of elite, handsome students.

When classes finally ended for the day, I steeled myself and headed for the headmaster's office. I had reached a new decision. I might as well apologize for my rudeness, and tell the headmaster I had reconsidered.

At the headmaster's door, I hesitated briefly before knocking. After the headmaster invited me inside, I found that Kaname himself was waiting in the office.

"Kaname is insistent, Lily-chan," the headmaster told me, nervously. I wasn't certain if he was more nervous about Kaname or me.

I felt as if I were surrendering before a tyrant who was forcing me to accept a choice that was simply not present. "I've reconsidered," I informed the headmaster who now looked much calmer. "I will join the Night Class afterall. Last night I was startled, and I acted rashly; please, forgive me."

I bowed slightly.

"Of course, Lily-chan," the headmaster told me.

"I want her moved into the Moon Dormitory by tomorrow morning," Kaname told the headmaster. "I'll send Ichijou to escort her tonight – around nine."

"Yes, Kaname," the headmaster replied, as Kaname walked out of the office. The headmaster smiled at me. "I just need you to sign the handbook, Lily-chan."

"I didn't realize he'd want me to switch so soon," I admitted to the headmaster. "I don't understand… Why is there such a rush?"

The headmaster shrugged. "Not really certain," he answered. "He probably just doesn't want the fangirls to figure out that you're leaving the Day Class. They'll be in uproar when they find out."

Despite the prospect of a revolt, the headmaster still seemed elated to finally have a human mingling with the vampires. I signed the handbook with not quite so much elation as the headmaster.

"It shouldn't be too dangerous," the headmaster informed me. "I've placed you in mostly the same classes as Ichijou and Kaname, so that they can make certain you're safe. Unfortunately, that means your class-list is altered somewhat. Kaname assures me that you have enough intelligence to keep up."

I took the schedule offered to me, and I quickly glanced through it.

Art history, British literature, history, and ethics on Tuesdays and Thursdays; Calculus, biochemistry, art, and Japanese language on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays…

"Biochemistry and Calculus? I'm supposed to be able to keep up in those classes?" I asked the headmaster.

"You've done well in each of your classes, Lily-chan," the headmaster told me. "That's part of the reason Kaname thought you would be ideal for joining the Night Class."

"Of course… Well, I'd better go back then… since I obviously have no option other than this schedule…" I sighed. "Good-night, Headmaster."

"Good luck, Lily-chan! I'm counting on you!" the headmaster replied, standing as if I were some brave soldier about to embark on a suicide mission.

I didn't bother attending any prefect duties that night. I just went straight back to my dorm-room, and began packing my belongings.

Despite the little belongings I possessed, they had managed to become spread out around the room. It took me almost two hours to locate everything, then another hour determining how to pack it all into my one messenger bag and my one duffel bag.

Finally, I managed to force everything to fit, and I was only searching for a few stray pencils by the time Ichijou showed up.

"Are you ready, Lily-chan?" Ichijou asked. As he glanced around my room, he looked concerned. He commented, "The difference between the Day Class dorms and the Night Class dorms is startling…"

I nodded, recalling that the little I had seen of the Moon Dormitory had been incredibly extravagant.

Ichijou picked up my duffel bag as I slung my messenger bag over my shoulder. "You don't have much…" he commented. "Of course, you didn't really plan on staying in Japan…"

While leaving the dormitory, we walked in silence. Neither Ichijou nor I wanted to rouse the horde of fangirls. Once outside, Ichijou began to pick up the conversation once more.

"Are you all right, Lily-chan? Kaname wasn't too pleased when he learned that you'd refused to join the Night Class," he told me.

I nodded. "It was just nerves," I answered. "It's kind of an extreme decision, though."

"I agree, but if Kaname is confident that you'll be able to handle the Night Class' curriculum, then I think it will be fine," Ichijou assured me. "The only class you'll have away from Kaname and me is art. Kaname thought having one unsupervised class would demonstrate to the vampire society that humans and vampires can truly coexist – even without the presence of a pureblood."

Still not completely certain I had made the right decision, I did not respond to Ichijou's assurance.

"You'll be rooming with Nasrin Gates; her room is the only one with an open bed," Ichijou told me. "My room is on the same hall, so I'll be close, if you need me."

After another brief moment of silence, Ichijou reminded me, "Be extra careful, Lily-chan. You'll soon be surrounded by students with extraordinarily keen senses. The slightest scent of blood might set someone off."

"I understand; I'll be careful," I assured him.

Ichijou led me through the Moon Dormitory, occasionally pointing out different features of the dormitory, and reminding me that since I was now part of the Night Class, I was welcome to use everything offered.

"We have room inspections once every month; rules are listed in the handbook," Ichijou told me. "The maids do our laundry, so when you need it done, just let one of them know."

"You have maids?" I repeated, astonished. Washing clothing had been one of the most difficult tasks as a Day Class student. There were never enough washing machines, and people were constantly mixing up the uniforms.

"Well… Yes…" Ichijou replied before continuing. "Your new uniforms are already in your room."

He handed me a key when we reached Nasrin's room. "Kaname's room is down the hall. It's the one with the double-doors," Ichijou told me. "Try not to bother him, if you can."

I nodded. "Good-night," I told Ichijou, unlocking Nasrin's door.

"Good-night, Lily-chan," Ichijou replied, handing me my duffel bag. "Sleep well."

He looked a bit concerned, as I shut the door. Turning, I momentarily was startled by the enormity of the bedroom. Two full-sized four poster beds, a couch with coffee table, and a desk for each me and Nasrin, and the room was still mostly empty. A bookcase on one wall was almost completely occupied with books, and I found myself wondering whether the Lab had sent them or if the bedrooms came with their own miniature libraries.

I unpacked my two bags quickly, and made certain that everything was organized neatly in my closet. After I'd put my room in order, I sat at my desk (I could tell it was mine because it wasn't covered in papers), and began to sketch a random scene.

I was really tired; although, I had grown accustomed to staying up most of the night. The only reason I hadn't gone to bed right away was because I knew if I went to bed too early, I would inevitably wake up sometime in the morning, and have nothing to occupy my time.

After staying up until about one in the morning, I finally couldn't resist crawling into my bed. Almost immediately, I was fast asleep. It was surprising to me that I could rest so easily when in only a few hours, I would be surrounded by vampires.

Chapter thirteen revised! Actually, I totally re-wrote this chapter. I am currently re-writing chapters fourteen and fifteen; they cannot remain the same because I moved up some of the events in order to add in a few new scenes (hopefully they will add something to the story besides jibber-jabber).

Please review to let me know of any errors, or thoughts on the quality of the chapter!

Thanks,
Mango