Chapter 8:

Straighten Things Out

-Store Room-

I had curled up, sitting down, hugging my knees and pressing them against my chest. I wanted to be alone. I didn't intend to talk to anyone after what just happened. Without realizing it, I had hurt two important guys in my life right now; Haru and Spook. Haru… not only is he my servant, but he is also my fiancé although I had forgotten about that up until now. Spook… a student who just transferred here not too long ago and became one of my most loyal friends in this school. I crossed the line there, I blew it. Even if I go back to the mansion, I don't think they'll even talk or come near me. I had the urge to face them though but I didn't have the courage to do so; not right now at least. I walked around the store room and kept thinking. To my surprise, someone had opened the door. I thought it was Mineko or Reira or even one of the two guys for that matter but I was wrong… it was a face that I have never seen before in my life or here in the school. He's about the same year level as I am, taller than me of course. He was blonde and had blue eyes, a great figure as I could see from the cloth of his uniform that had intercepted the sunlight making me see his shadow. He must be another new student… but no one called me to… oh wait, I'm not the council president anymore so why bother call me to pick a new student up… I thought.

"Are you alright, Miss?" He asked me. His voice was rather deep but light at the same time and so soft too.

"Uhmm… yeah… I'm alright. Mind I ask who you are and what you are doing here?"

"Oh… my apologies, my name is Tyler; Tyler Wincen." He had bowed in front of me and I slightly blushed at his very formal behavior that I had not seen before in this school.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you, Tyler Wincen. My name is Odoriko Miyane. I'm the former council President in this school but due to personal circumstances I have retired from that position."

"Ahh, I see. Seeing as your necktie is the same color as mine, it assumes that we are in the same year level." He said.

"Yes, you are correct. Have you seen our dear Headmaster?" I asked.

"Why, yes, I have. He is a wonderful person, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is. He's is our family friend but I don't get special treatment from him. My friends and I are just like all the other students here." I had explained to him clearly.

"Well then… we wouldn't want to be stuck in here the whole day now would we? It's getting dark too and it's dangerous for a lady to be out all alone."

"Hmm, you're quite a gentleman, aren't you, Tyler Wincen?"

"Please, just call me Tyler. And what may I call you, my sweet lady?" He had said with his sweet, kind smile.

"Call me Riko, if you'd like." I replied with my warm smile.

"Alright then shall we go? I could walk to where you are headed to." He offered.

"Well then… would you kindly escort me to my mansion?" I asked sweetly.

"Of course, Riko… mind I know where this mansion is?"

"Well… it's a bit far because I had been running until I got to a quiet place."

"It's alright, I can handle the distance."

"Well it's straight ahead from here just past the cherry blossom path."

"Alright, let us go then." He offered his arm to me and I took it without hesitation. It seems that I could trust this new student but I have to make sure of it though before anything else goes wrong.

As we walked along the path that leads to the mansion, we talked about random things and the things that we have in common. He doesn't seem to be a bad person. I thought. It feels like I could tell him the deep secret that I have but I'll have to wait for a few more days before I can fully trust him. Plus, I have to introduce him to everyone else even if it meant Haru and Spook not talking to me at all.

-Spook's P.O.V-

Wow… the cat is out of the bag I guess… she doesn't love me, she only likes me as a friend and that's it. No matter… I can still be her friend even though this Haru person likes it or not. He can't stop me for being with her as a friend. Sure, he's her fiancé but he doesn't have the slightest right to separate us just like that. Well Mineko and Reira sure are shocked right now; I could see it in their faces. I admit… I too am as shocked as they are right now. I guess the pressure of Hajime hunting Riko down really is getting to her. And not only that but also, the depression of not being the student council president anymore is hitting her hard. In this case, I have to comfort her. Not just me but all of us. Hopefully she comes back already… I'm getting really worried.

"Mineko… have you got any idea where Riko might be? I want to go look for her." I asked her.

"If she ran out like that who knows where she could be. But don't worry… knowing her she'd come back after she clears her mind about all this." She explained to me.

"Yes, but…"

"She will come back. There's no point in looking for her like this. We'll only get lost in her tracks and go back and forth." Reira interrupted.

"Rei's right all we can do is wait for her to come back." Mineko said. I sense that she was serious and yet worried.

"I'll go speak to Haru-kun. You two can wait for her downstairs." Mineko suggested. So Rei and I went downstairs to wait for Riko to come back.

-Living Room-

"I really do hope she's safe. Hajime is hunting her down after all. She is his main target, isn't she?" I was in slight panic and I couldn't help but think of bad thoughts.

"She'll be safe. But yes, Riko-chi is Hajime's main target. But I know her well enough that she'll never let her guard down and she also knows that it isn't safe after dark outside." Rei had interpreted.

As we waited for Riko's arrival, we had some hot tea to calm us down a bit longer. I stood up and walked around in circles a few times with my hands behind my back. Rei had told me to stop because my circling around the living room was making her dizzy. I sat back down staring at the window. Finally I caught sight of Riko but she was with someone else and I can sense that Haru was looking down on her from upstairs as well.

"She's here." I said which made Rei's eyes perk up slightly.

I saw Rei running through the hallway towards the door of the mansion. I followed her and as we opened the door she had tackled Riko down to the ground.

-Riko's P.O.V-

As Tyler and I reached the mansion, I heard the door opening and found Rei tackle me down to the ground.

"Owww!! Come on Rei, quit it, you're strangling me!" I had complained as I saw Spook helping her get off me.

"Sorry Riko-chi but I was so worried about you!" She had hugged me tight as soon as Tyler helped me up.

"I'm sorry that I worried you all… but I'm fine really." I hugged back.

I looked at Spook from the corner of my eye and I knew he was looking right back at me. His face didn't seem as angry as I pictured it but instead, he looked awfully worried and somewhat scared. As I parted hugs with Reira, I walked up to him. I wanted to straighten things out with him as I am sure that he had heard everything that I said in my bedroom when Haru started yelling. "Hey…" I started to blurt out. "Are you alright?" He asked me. We were sort of in an awkward situation but as we walked inside the mansion, I requested Reira to keep Tyler company for a while so that I could have a more private talk with Spook in my study. Rei had appealed to my request and so Spook and I headed to my study. I closed the door behind me, locking it so no one could intrude. The study is soundproof which is good for private conversations.

"I'm sorry." We both let out as soon as we sat on the couch.

"No… I apologize for what I said and for my behavior." I had said with sigh.

"No, I'm sorry. It's my fault really." Spook interrupted.

"How is it your fault? You haven't done anything to me or to the others at all. You were always here to help us around." I blurted out but he had stopped me.

"Exactly… if I hadn't been helping you girls around, Haru wouldn't have yelled at you like that." He explained.

"Haru has got nothing to do with you… sure he's my fiancé although I have forgotten about that for a few months or years that I have been transferred here, but there is no need to be afraid of him whatsoever. He's just protective of me, and I mean very protective…" I explained to him clearly.

"I'm not afraid of him, Riko." He had said with a stern look on his face.

"I know you're not but… I don't know…" I had paused on my sentence since I didn't know what exactly to reply back to him.

"It's alright… the pressure of Hajime is just getting to you. We understand your situation right now. Also, you still haven't overcome the depression of not being the council president anymore. You need rest. I'm sure Haru is apologetic for yelling at you like that. I just hope that he realizes that I mean no harm to you and to the others in this school. Especially now that I know you're true identity. You all are still my friends no matter who you are and what you girls do." I listened to him as he interpreted everything from his heart. He never fails to amaze me to be honest. He's really kindhearted and trustworthy. I do hope that Haru will come to understand him soon and who knows, they might even be friends.

"I guess you're right about that pressure and the depression… and thank you… for everything. I know that you didn't come here to kill us although that was your priority at first… but you came to understand and know that Reira, Mineko, and I are different from other vampires that you have killed or encountered." I had said with a slight smile on my face.

"You are most welcome, my lady. I am here to serve you and not only that… I am also here to be your friend." He had stood and bowed with a smile on his face.

I stood up as well and gave him a tight, warm hug. "I guess everything is straightened out, huh?" I said; chuckling softly. "Yes, pretty much." He replied returning a soft chuckle. "Pretty much…? What? is there something else that needs to be straightened out?" I asked as I blinked in slight confusion. "No… not that I could think of." I got a bit suspicious when he said that but I guess I have to let if got for now.

"Come on. Let's get out of here. I need to talk to Haru too." I said unlocking the door.

"Alright by the way… who was that guy you were with? I haven't seen him around here before." He asked me.

"Oh him… he's another new student. His name is Tyler Wincen. You better ask Mineko for the full details though. I'm sure she knows because she has the files now." I said opening the door.

"Hmm… alright, I will later or maybe tomorrow. I better check up on that guy just to see if he is to be trusted." He had whispered in my ear as we walked out.

"I was thinking of that as well. Tell me any suspicious details once you've known him, okay?"

"Okay, I will."

"Thanks. Now… please keep him company as I talk to Haru. You guys have fun while you can tonight. Watch a movie in the theater room or something." I suggested.

"Sounds good… oh heads up, Haru's coming this way." He told me and I shifted my head to look at Haru.

"Riko… may we please have a private conversation?" He took my hand softly and took me in to the study. To my surprise, he still had those angry eyes as he looked at Spook from the corner of his eye. As we walked in, he locked the door and I sat on the couch again.

I remained silent and waited for him to talk. I wanted him to start since he asked for me anyways. I was still slightly angry with him for yelling at me out of the blue and even my friends heard that so I got really embarrassed. He took a seat beside me but I didn't move. I didn't even look at him as he sat. He held my hand again, this time, more softly.

"I'm sorry that I yelled at you like that, Riko… I just… freaked out. I wasn't aware that this vampire hunter was harmless to you girls. Mineko explained to me how helpful he is during your recent battles with Hajime."

"You could've talked to me more calmly about that earlier, you know." I said without looking at him.

"I know… I'm really sorry. I didn't mean for all this to happen. I even made you run away when it's your most dangerous time to do so." He said as he cupped my cheek with the palm of his hand softly. He gazed into my eyes and so did I.

"I love you, Odoriko. I've always loved you so much. I want to protect you wherever you are." He told me and I felt tears well up my eyes at that moment.

As he wiped my tears gently, he had a soft look on his face which made me calm down. He leaned his forehead on mine and gazed into my eyes again. "I'll wait for you, Odoriko…" He said softly as he kissed my lips lightly. I do love him… but not fully just yet. When our lips parted, he smiled at me and again wiped my tears. He hugged me so tight that it feels he doesn't want to let me go. As I stopped crying, we stood up and walked out of the study.

-Theater Room-

As we walked in, we saw the others watching Battle Royal; eating popcorn and drinking soda. Mineko walked up to me and Haru excused himself to get us popcorn and drinks so we could watch the movie with them. Mineko walked me out for a while to talk.

"How did it go?" She asked and I was sort of dumbfounded at that.

"How did what go?" I replied, raising an eyebrow.

"The talk with Haru… how did it go?" She asked again.

"Oh that… it went well. He apologized already so there's nothing to worry about. He'll also try to befriend Spook."

"Ah, I see. That's good. Let's go back inside everyone has been waiting for you." She said as she took my hand and went back in. I didn't have time to reply back since she was in a hurry to watch the movie.

As for my thoughts I have to make a commitment to myself and to the others. I can't fall in love so half-heartedly. I have to think things through clearly. Maybe tomorrow, I'll feel better, plus, I want to show Tyler around the school more and spend time with him to see if he is to be trusted by us. As we watched the movie, we laughed at some parts and I felt sort of uneasy in other parts. It's a good movie though, really but also weird in some ways though.

After hours of watching the movie, we all went out and stretched. When we came out, it was bright… although we are vampires, we're not that affected by the sunlight, we just glisten but we don't die from it unlike the others. The brightness did hurt my eyes a bit since it was really dark in the theater room. I was walking to the living room while rubbing my eyes and as I did that I walked into the wall making me fall. "Oww… that hurt…" I had muttered under my breath. "Are you alright Riko?" Tyler asked me since he was behind me as the others went on. "Yeah… I'm alright. I didn't realize that the wall was there." I laughed nervously as he helped me up and I even heard the others laughing along. As my eyesight cleared up, I had a thought in my head that I want to announce.

"Hey guys…" I started.

Once they looked to me, I took a deep breath. "How about we have a slumber party? I know it sounds kiddy but it certainly won't hurt anybody, right?"

"I guess it won't. I'm in!" Reira said as she raised her hand up high.

"Count me in as well!" Mineko had said happily hugging me from behind.

The guys looked at each other and shrugged. "We're in." They all said in unison.

Hmm… three girls and three guys in one roof wouldn't hurt. This will be fun! I thought to myself.