Vampire Knight © Matsuri Hino
I appreciate your reviews! Thanks so much, here's the next chapter! Please enjoy. :)
I apologize for any mistakes . . . they're all my own! ^^;
Chapter Two:
I stared at Mrs. Haley in shock. My heart thundered on, even though I was as silent as can be. I don't think I was even breathing.
He- well, okay, they -wanted to meet me? Why? What had caught his eye? There were plenty of prettier girls, nicer girls, happier girls, more normal girls, at least. So . . . why?
"Rin, come on, don't keep them waiting!" Mrs. Haley snapped, staring at me with her eyebrows furrowed in frustration.
"Ah." My breath whooshed out of me when I finally decided to come back to reality. "A-alright." I stood, brushed my clothes off, straightening them, and then ran my fingers through my hair.
"You look fine," she patted my back in an effort to get me down the stairs quicker.
I deliberately took one step at a time, my whole self a bundle of nerves feeling ready to explode. When I finally made it down, all of the kids were glaring at me. The "guard parents" were looking at me tiredly and also trying to gauge the visitors expressions all at once. The man with dark brown hair held little to no expression, just his eyes sweeping me from head to toe, making my face heat in embarrassment. The other man, the one with light brown hair, observed me, too, but with a small smile on his face.
"Hello," he spoke, leaning on his knees like he were talking to a young child. "Your name is Rin, isn't it?"
"Yes, sir." I answered, trying not to stare too long at the other man with burgundy eyes for too long.
"How old are you, Rin?"
"Sixteen, sir."
He hummed thoughtfully, and looked back at the younger man.
He stood back up right and asked Mr. Golan something, although I couldn't really hear. My eyes were locked with the dark haired mans. It was amazing how deep his eyes seemed, even with the distance.
"How about it, then, Rin?" the older man asked me.
I tore my eyes off of the other man reluctantly. "I'm sorry, what, sir?"
"Would you like to take a walk with us?" His arm waved over himself and then to the other man.
"Yes, sir."
He smiled, crinkles forming at the outer corners of his eyes before he reached out and took my hand, starting to lead me out the door. The dark haired man went out first. Just before we slipped out, I heard Saki whisper, "Geez. What the Hell? Why would they even consider adopting a freak like her? They must be oddballs too, although that one guy is smoking hot."
My teeth ground together audibly, but I did nor said nothing as the man led me outside to the front yard, which was now deserted except for the three of us. The dark haired man reminded me of someone. Looking at him brought back a strange wave of déjà vu, although I didn't know why. Maybe I had seen him before? Passing on the streets in those rare times the "guard parents" took us out for field trips or such. But no, I knew that if I had saw him in person once before, I would have never forgotten his face. He himself, in his aura, his appearance, and even the strange, bittersweet smell that came from his skin was all unforgettable.
"Those girls seem to be rather rude about you, Rin." Commented the older man who was still grasping my hand as he and the dark haired man led the way down a path a little to the right of the orphanage.
"I've grown accustomed to it, sir." I said, noticing the other man watching me from the corner of his eye. Somehow I knew, despite his relaxed posture, he seemed to be very . . . on edge about something. I didn't comment, though.
"Really? That's quite sad, don't you think, Kaname?" the older man turned to the other.
So his name was Kaname? I shivered, and hoped the chilly air would be a good enough excuse.
"Mm," he sighed in thought, his eyes finally flowing to the head of the path. "Yes."
His voice, soft as velvet, sent a shock through my whole body. And again, with my oddness, I could tell he knew how his voice had affected me. What was it about this man . . . ?
"Oh, sorry, Rin. I forgot to give a proper introduction. My name is Kaien Cross, and this here is Kaname Kuran."
Kuran. Like everything else, it was familiar. I squinted, like I had mud in my eyes, to try and concentrate on the images that were flashing behind my eyes. They were blurry and quick; I couldn't make a thing out. "It's a pleasure to meet you both." I said.
Kaname has a small smile on his mouth. I tried to keep my breathing under control.
"So, why don't you tell us about yourself, Rin?" Kaien asked.
"Like what, sir?"
He hummed, looking up at the sky, swinging our hands between our bodies. It somehow felt very natural, in an odd way . . . "Why don't you tell us your favourite colour?"
It was my turn to sigh in thought. "I don't think I have a particular interest in any certain colour . . . but I like red, and black."
He cocked his head to the side and nodded, like he was answering something in his mind. "Alright . . . how long have you been in this orphanage?"
"Since I was an infant, sir."
"Oh, how sad. You poor thing. What ever happened to your parents?"
My eyes lowered to the ground below our feet. "I don't know, sir. The orphanage said I was just left on the front steps without anything as to who or where I had come from."
He was quiet. "I'm so sorry, Rin."
I scratched my cheek, feeling the heat rise to the surface. "No need, sir."
"So you've been here for sixteen years, and have never been adopted?"
"No, sir."
"I wonder why that is . . ." he said. In his eyes was a secret . . . something behind those words that I would probably never understand.
"They say it is my oddness, sir."
He stopped our walking, and both he and Kaname turned to face me. My face felt even more red. "Oddness? Who says this? What do they mean by it?" Kaien asked, sounding perplexed.
"Ah, yes, well, you see, I'm different from the other children . . ."
"How so?" Kaname asked before Kaien could. He was staring me down, but not in a bad way.
I shivered, trying to look anywhere but him, but I couldn't find the will in myself to tear my eyes away from his. "I'm more advanced in learning." I said. "And there are many other things . . . like I am stronger, and faster. I seem to have sharper . . . senses."
After a moment of silence, I finally moved my eyes to the ground. "What?" I asked in an embarrassed voice. They were both staring in interest.
"It's nothing . . ." Kaname said. "Is that why they tease you?"
I bit my lip. "Yes, sir."
He hummed under his breath.
"How horrible." Kaien said, and pulled me into a hug.
My limbs locked up in shock, and I just stared into his shoulder as he squeezed me tightly. Had I ever been hugged before? I don't think I had. He let me go, looking sheepish.
"Sorry," he smiled.
I flushed, shaking my head to dismiss his apology.
Kaname looked up at the sky, and then back down to me and Kaien. He set his hand on Kaien's shoulder. "It is almost twilight, we should go."
When his eyes grazed mine, my whole self seemed to rip right down the middle into two halves. So they hadn't even considered adopting me in the first place . . . Well, that didn't matter. I was used to rejection, and I had no hope for ever being taken in, anyways. It was just the fact of him leaving . . .
"Ah, yes." Kaien said sadly.
We walked back to the orphanage in silence.
"Take care, Rin. Kaien said, and got into the drivers side of their vehicle.
Kaname hesitated on the passengers side, watching me watch him. He smiled, taking my breath away. "Don't look so upset, love. We'll be back."
And then he was in the car, and Kaien pulled off.
My heart thundered after, muting out the rest of the world. Did he just call me "love"? And they were coming back? When? Why? Why?
It was like I was in a trance as I went back into the building. Mr. Golan and the other children looked at me expectantly.
"What happened?" Mr. Golan asked as I shuffled for the stairs.
"They said they would be back, but they didn't tell me when." I mumbled, and ascended the staircase.
The moment I got into my room, my three roommates pounced on me.
The first one, with red hair, snorted rudely in my face as I plopped down on my bed. "I bet you weirded them out. Poor guys."
"Good going, Rin." Snapped the short one with black hair. "I wish they woulda've asked for me. That dark haired one was gorgeous. Too bad they wasted their time on you."
"See? I told you she'd never get adopted." A tall brunette whispered to a petite blond.
As much as this had always angered me before, I didn't mind.
I couldn't mind.
They were coming back.
He was coming back.
Review! And sorry this is shorter than the first! ^^;