Hello, everyone! How is everyone? I hope everyone is alright!
This is going to be the last chapter I will upload for a while because I'm leaving to go to my late grandma's town where we have no internet or TV or radio so it will be like a technology cleansing since I'd be busy with cleaning and other household chores.
I'll try to go to an Internet cafe but still, money is tighter than ever so I don't know.
I hope you like this chapter! I'm currently writing the 15th chapter which is good!
With this chapter, I suggest to listening to Amir - J'ai cherche
Enjoy!
Be Somebody
Chapter 10: Taking Ones Life Making It Your Own.
Nansia woke up and looked at the ceiling of her dorm, it's been months since she appeared in this weird universe and so much has happened.
Last afternoon was a very nice outing yet Jeremy words were what made her re-think her approach in life.
She needed to stop holding back, fearing she will disappear at any moment and that her actions won't have an effect on her or the people around her.
She truly needed to start counseling sessions with Professor Tig.
She truly needed to keep up with school work and her social life and work.
Thank God for Hope and Lizzie even MG who helped her learn this dimensions history and current timeline otherwise she would be lost!
She sat up and turned to face Penelope's bed only to see Penelope asleep but what worried her wasn't the fact that she will be late for class and breakfast but the furrowed eyebrows and whimpers coming from her.
"Penelope!" Nansia rushed to her and shook her gently to wake her up from the nightmare.
She wouldn't budge.
A voice in her head that sounded a lot like Thalia's and the one she's been hearing all her life guiding her told her to find Alaric and Dorian even Jeremy.
Wait…was Thalia's voice always guiding her?
Not the time for this, Nansia!
She rushed with her pjs and fluffy socks to the Alaric's office and burst through the doors yelling in distress;
"PENELOPE ISN'T WAKING UP!"
She only realized that Alaric had visitors some sort of parents that looked at her confused.
"What? How? Why?" Alaric asked confused and a little ashamed for Nansia's behavior in front of potential new student.
"I don't know, I just woke up and she looks like she having a nightmare but I tried to wake her up she won't wake up…I…I…feel that something is wrong…I can't explain it exactly…it's a feeling. You gotta help her!" Nansia rambled in worry as she tried to find the right words to explain how she knew that Penelope was in dire need of help.
The parents looked at her worried.
"Could be a medical problem?" The woman from the pair asked kindly.
"Well, yeah, but could she suffer from PTSD that would be translated into her sleeping pattern making her see traumatic events play out in her mind, confusing her brain to think that it's living the same events again on a loop and can't be awaken if the traumatic memory is done playing out?" Nansia asked Alaric and the woman looked impressed at her and she just offered the miss a tight-lipped smile.
"She has been through things, yes, how could we wake her up then?" Alaric asked a little worried.
"Break the loop." The woman said in a authoritative tone as if she knew what she was talking about.
"How?" Alaric and Nansia exclaimed desperate.
"Smelling salt and chamomile dipped in hot water in order to start smelling like a tea. Bring it under her nose, first the chamomile and then the smelling salt. Then give her some milk chocolate in order to boost her brain's reaction to sugar." The woman said as she took the pen and paper from Alaric's desk and wrote down the instructions and handed to Nansia.
"Here you go." The woman said with a smile.
"Thanks! Truly! Sorry for bursting through the door like that…this school is great by the way! Sorry!" Nansia said quickly and truthfully as she rushed out of the office.
Alaric was left looking shocked between the door and the woman.
"I used to get similar nightmares of my time in Iraq, this what my ex-husband was doing to wake me up from PTSD triggered nightmares." The woman said with a sad smile but you could see the fondness of that memory in her eyes.
Alaric just nodded not knowing what to say.
"Sorry for how she behaved." Alaric finally said weakly and the woman laughed.
"it's okay she was worried for her friend, it's understandable. What was her name?" The woman asked interested.
"Um…she's one of our newly enrolled students, Nansia Gilbert, our Professor Jeremy Gilbert's daughter." Alaric said to the woman who smiled.
"Interesting. Then Dr. Saltzman we will let you know if we would allow our son and daughter to attend your school in a few weeks." The man of the group finally said, speaking for the first time since Nansia burst through the doors, his tone was cold yet kind.
Alaric nodded fighting not show how he was doubting that they would trust their kid with him after this and walked them out of the office and school grounds.
When the guests left he went on to check on Penelope and saw Dorian, Emma and Nansia with Penelope and Penelope was shaking and Nansia was hugging her with a blanket.
"Are you okay?" Alaric asked Penelope who shook her head no but didn't talk. She looked spooked.
"You don't have to go to class today, Penelope, stay in your room and go to Emma once you want to talk to someone about what you saw." Alaric advised but Penelope jumped up and threw the blanket off her.
"NO! I'M NOT STAYING HERE! I WANT TO GO TO CLASS!" Penelope yelled terrified and her eyes wide.
"Miss Park, please tell us what you saw. We might be able to help you." Emma pleaded her young student and Penelope looked hesitant at first but looked at the ground and then at Emma and Nansia before turning to Alaric and Dorian and with a deep sigh she said;
"It all starts the same, I'm in here sleeping. I watch myself sleeping. My shadow…my shadow isn't my own though, it's of a man. I feel as if I know him yet at the same time I don't. That man shadow though as I'm walking isn't walking on two legs but suddenly his hands are extending and he walks on four like champagne but it's all boney. I go about my day…then I'm in Archery class with Professor Jeremy and I'm shooting until I blink…I'm shooting all of you! Then next thing I know my shadow is standing above me, towering over me it's hissing and I'm crying…begging him…asking him why he made me do it…it's just hissing…then it slams me across every wall of this school, choking me. As I know I'm about to die it says; "I'll make everyone hate you.". Then I'm waking up and I feel as if I'm drowning…I can't breathe and I think I'm safe but I can't move as I blink I wake up again this time for real and my heart is in pain." Penelope said while trying not to cry. Nansia rushed to hug her.
"I think you are haunted by a skin walker…or targeted in real life by one." Nansia said sure of herself and everyone looked at her shocked that she knew what skin walker it was.
"How…how do I protect myself?" Penelope cried as she hugged Nansia tight.
"Well after lunch we go research." Nansia stated and Penelope nodded while sniffing.
Penelope managed to get to second period and by lunch break she acted as if nothing had happened.
Nansia checked on her in between classes and on lunch break, Penelope sat next to her and they waited for the others.
"Please don't say anything about the nightmare to others." Penelope pleaded and Nansia smiled;
"Of course, I won't!" Nansia said in understanding tone.
Just then Hope and Lizzie showed up and soon Landon and Josie with MG, Kaleb, Rafael and Jed showed up and Nansia smiled shyly to Jed and Jed just flashed her a smile before he rubbed excited his hands together and said loudly;
"I LOVE ME SOME STEAK WITH MUSHED POTATOES!"
Everyone in the table turned to him and looked with "um…what are you doing?" and "did you really have to do that?" faces before he just shrugged them and took a bite out of his steak and rolled his eyes at how tasteful it is.
Nansia looked at Penelope who was shaking her head and looked a little weird, her face was a mixture of being deep in thoughts and sad.
Nansia lightly tap her foot on hers causing her to look up to Nansia and raised her eyebrows.
"You okay?" Nansia asked Penelope who just nodded.
"Okay, why is she like that?" Lizzie asked Nansia and Penelope looked at her;
"I've had a nightmare that I can't seem to shake, sorry if I'm dulling the mood." Penelope said apologetically and Josie looked concerned.
"Aww, want to talk about it with me? We can go to an empty table and talk? No offense, guys." Josie said kindly and Penelope smiled in thanks but shook her head no as she cut her steak and dipped it into the mush potatoes then ate it.
After that lunch was quiet and a little awkward for half an hour until Lizzie spoke;
"Hey, Nansia, how was your evening getting to know Jeremy?"
"Oh! It was fun! We totally bonded over damaged childhoods and music! What did you do yesterday Lizzie?" Nansia said with a small smile while Lizzie smiled.
"I caught up with my French homework, mum's taking to Paris this summer! Oh! You haven't met my mum! She's coming for Christmas!" Lizzie said excited as she barely contained herself from jumping up and down.
"Oh shit! It's December in a week! It feels like yesterday when it was October! Guys, I dropped here in the middle of September which means that on Christmas I'll be completing two months of being here!" Nansia exclaimed in realization as she slapped her head.
"True!" Landon said with a smile.
"I'd been to this school for four months, so does Rafael! We should do something…like a small party!" Landon suggested excited.
"Wait, you…you suggest we throw a party? Landon, do you have a fever?" Rafael asked in shock while he had a full mouth of mush potatoes. At this outburst Hope put her hand on Landon's forehead and shook her head no.
"He's fine…maybe he was finally abducted by aliens…" Hope said with a smirk on her face and suppressed a laugh as Rafael choked while laughing.
"Um…sorry Hope if anyone's getting abducted by aliens it's me!" Lizzie said laughing and Landon just joined in the laughter fest.
Penelope just watched them and had a small smile on her face as she continued eating but her eyes looked troubled.
Jed noticed that and so did Nansia but she was mostly busy laughing while Kelab and MG were just shaking their heads while chuckling.
"Why would you get abducted Liz? I'm more interesting." MG exclaimed while laughing and Josie who was trying not to choke on her food finally gave up and spitted her water on Kaleb's shirt causing him to jump up while Josie couldn't stop laughing and apologizing to Kelab who glared at her and vampire speeded out of the cafeteria.
That event made the group stop laughing and MG to awkwardly excuse himself to go help Kelab while Rafael, Landon, Hope and Lizzie were breathing hard trying to sober up while Josie cleaned her mess frowning in guilt.
Jed was too busy eating and thinking of what might have silenced Penelope because during the conversation that took place there were many opportunities for mockery comments…for Penelope comments yet there were none.
Nansia was also trying to sober up and finish her meal while Penelope played with her food not eating much.
By the time Nansia was done Penelope was bouncing on her feet. Both girls rushed out of the cafeteria but once they reached the library Jed finally made his presence known;
"So, what are we researching in the library?"
"JED!" Both girls exclaimed as they clutched on their chests and were looking shocked.
"Well, Penelope we are the oldest friends and you Nansia, you are my new friend, I see that something is bothering you so I want to help!" Jed said with a shrug and his eyes roamed between Penelope and Nansia.
Penelope just shook his head and left the library with a huff.
Nansia and Jed looked confused at her retiring back.
"What is with her?" Jed asked Nansia who sighed and rushed after Penelope.
"Penelope?" Nansia rushed after her and caught up to her and grasped her arm only for Penelope to abruptly turn around and yelled;
"JUST DON'T!"
And Nansia was thrown away and she smashed against the wall.
"The hell?" Nansia asked as she stood up and walked up Penelope suddenly her eyes flashed green and with a flick of her wrist Penelope was flown against the wall and stuck there.
"WE DON'T HAVE A MERE WEEK FROM WHEN WE BROKE UP AND YOU ARE GETTING COZY WITH JED? YOU TRULY ARE LIKE KATHERINE PIERCE!" Penelope yelled angrily at her.
"WHAT?! I DIDN'T GET TOGETHER WITH JED!" Nansia yelled at her and her eyes shown yellow.
"I SAW IT! I TRUSTED YOU! I ALLOWED MYSELF TO START THINKING OF MOVING ON FROM JOSIE, I WAS STUPID! STUPID TO TRUST A PETROVA!" Penelope yelled angrily as tears streamed down her face.
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"
"She saw into my mind last night, that is why you are like this? Nothing happened between us!" Jed's voice echoed through the hallway and made Nansia look at him as he came over to them with a betrayed look.
"What?" Nansia asked shocked as she stumble away and held her head.
"Have you been inside my head too?" Nansia asked distrustful.
"No, I haven't." Penelope said as she suddenly was left down from the wall she was stuck on to.
"I don't trust you." Nansia said disappointed as she walked away leaving Jed and Penelope alone.
"How dare you go into my head like that?! I thought we were passed that." Jed asked disappointed as he helped Penelope to her feet.
"And I thought you wouldn't go after my ex girlfriends or boyfriends." Penelope said in the same tone.
"I didn't! I just wanted to be her friend! Don't be jealous, Penelope." Jed said with a humorless chuckle.
"No, you wouldn't. And you are still lying because your wolf side thinks something completely different!" Penelope said with a serious, hurt and betrayed look in her face and voice.
"I know but I'm pushing it aside, she's new here, she needs to adjust before anything happens. Besides, she doesn't like me. And now, you ruined any chance I had for a friendship with her." Jed said with hurt tone as he turned around and walked away from Penelope.
Penelope found herself in the library crying as she went over the books about what caused her nightmare when Silvia Evans, a fellow witch, appeared next to her.
"Hey, watcha' doing?" Silvia asked as she sat next to her.
"Looking for something, go away, Silvia." Penelope said in a displeasing tone and Silvia looked at her sad for a moment but left her be.
Silvia Evans was a witch that wanted to become an Alchemist Professor yet her life was nothing like the other kids in her school, she lived a life almost picture perfect, with supportive family and no money problems. Her mum was a witch and her dad was human who's entire family knew of the supernatural and accepted it. She never had to hide who she was.
Yes she understood what that other people might have it harder than her so she was compassionate and never took offense because she knew people have moods just as she.
Silvia went to the school's kitchen and open the fridge and took out four eggs, a butter stick, milk and chocolate bar, she closed the fridge and open the cupboard and grabbed the flour. Then opened another cupboard and took two bowls, then two cups and two tea spoons and the mixer.
She then warmed up the butter in the microwave, grabbed the white sugar and empty both the butter and the cup of sugar into the biggest bowl and then started the mixer. While the mixer was going, she washed the eggs and broke them in the smaller bowl and empty the first one and then added a soup spoon of flour and kept adding two more spoons of flour.
As she watched her creation going around and around she pour the milk into a glass and then took a kettle and filled it with water and let it get warm, then grabbed another bowl and broke the chocolate bar into small pieces and took the spatula. Just then she remembered the mixer and poured another egg in it and watched it carefully.
Once she managed to add another egg and a spoon of flour she went to grab the kettle but it wasn't ready yet so she went back to the mixer and added two more spoonfuls of flour and another egg.
Just then the kettle was ready and grabbed it carefully not to burn herself like all the other times she used it.
She gentle emptied some hot water into the bowl while she gentle whisk the spatula and the chocolate bar started to melt. With telekinesis she lowered the mixer's strength and kept whisking the spatula. Soon the chocolate bar had melted and she stopped pouring water. Then her attention was turned to the mixer and she poured the rest of the egg and two more spoons of flour and added a little bit of milk. She kept adding flour and milk one after the other until the glass was empty and kept adding the flour until it ended. Then she added a little bit more milk and then added the warm chocolate.
Just when then the mix was ready she made sure it was a very well mixed and not having anything not melted or mixed properly, she emptied it in the cups and made sure not to overflow them. She then saw there was a little bit more left and grabbed the small pan and emptied the remaining of mix into the pan and then she turned to the oven and started to pre-heat it
As she waited for the oven to heat up she pilled everything she used into the sink and started to quickly wash them. Just in time she put the cups, made out of clay, then the pan into the oven.
In 30 minutes all the items in the oven were ready and she took them out. She then grabbed a pen and paper and started to write;
Silvia's Letter:
Dear Penelope,
I might not know you personally to know what's up in your life but as a co-student and fellow witch that I hope you figure it out and make the right choices.
Choices that will lead you to a better life.
Here's some sugar and chocolate to kick in some endorphins, dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin in your brain and lift your spirits up.
With support and positive vibes your way,
Silvia Evans, your fellow classmate.
End of Letter.
She then wrote down her phone number and then draw the words;
"If You Ever Need It"
In 3D format and painted it different colors. She then took two small spoons and a knife and added the spoons to the cups with the cake and the knife in the pan with the remaining cake mix. She carefully carried them to her room and once she set then on her desk she decided to leave one of the cups and the note outside Penelope's room.
Penelope had spent hours researching through skin walkers and she had wrote down some things and then wanted to cast a protection spell on her
When she decided she had wrote down enough things and it was time for her to head back to her dorm.
Penelope walked to her dorm with all the memories of everything she devoured in the library. She was seconds from stepping on the literal cup cake and a note.
Penelope smelled the cup and she smiled just then she saw the note, she expected to be from Nansia but she read it was from Silvia, some new girl …wait Silvia wasn't new…she always been there in the background and never spoke.
Why did she resurface?
She took the goodies in her room and she started to eat it, it was marvelous!
Nansia had run off into the woods again and she was just walking around until she found herself emerging in a bridge and she followed it soon she found herself in Mystic Falls.
She had no money so she just sat in the bench of the town's square and she people watched.
Her phone vibrated in her pants and took her phone and saw it was a message from Jeremy.
Message Convo: Bold Italics = Jeremy, Plain Italics = Nansia:
"Shouldn't you be in class?"
"Had a fight with Penelope, need some time to cool off."
"You need to keep your absences low because I've done that mistake in your age."
"Dude, I know! When I was sixteen I was almost left behind my grade due to my absences but I was an AP student and they cut the number in half, also, most of them weren't because I ditched but because the bus didn't come or didn't stopped or left us outside the bus driver's home instead our school gate so we had to walk 20 minutes to school. My school was 30 minutes walking plus a huge upward hill you had to climb with a 5kg bag on your back. So, in other words…I got it, thanks."
"WOW! Calm down! And your school was 30 mins away?"
"I am calm. And yes, 5 km and technically in a neighboring town that with the years it had joined my hometown and now it was just a side of town instead of its own town."
"Wow! My legs hurt by just thinking about it."
"Tell me about it, my legs hurt by just remembering it."
"LOL! Now, missy get your ass back to school, the next lesson starts in twenty two minutes."
"Okay…"
End of Message Convo:
Nansia sighed in anger as she put the phone back and procrastinated going back to the school by doing more people watching when an old lady came and sat next to her.
"Agh, so tired, my legs hurt. Enjoy your youth, young lady, enjoy it as much as you can!" The old lady mused as she rubbed her thighs and Nansia smiled at her.
"Tell me about it! I feel as if I'm already 68 years old trapped in the body of a 19-year-old. Do you need me to call someone to get you home?" Nansia asked kindly.
This whole situation reminded her how many times she ended up having intellectual conversations with old people in benches about everything and anything. Conversations that she still remembers fondly. She found herself being drawn more towards older people both as a child and as an adult now.
She always feels as if she has to filter her thoughts and words whenever she hangs out with kids her age while she feels freer when she talks with older people.
"Aw! How kind of you, sweetie but I have nobody here anymore. It's just me and Betsy, my cat. My son is working in Atlanta and has bought an apartment there so he won't commute all the time and my daughter had settled in Chicago, oh how I miss my grandchildren!" The old lady said smiling fondly at Nansia and she returned the smile.
"I get what you mean…I miss my little sister too, she's in Greece with the rest of my family. I've come here to reunite with family that has cut ties with us in years…trying to build bridges you know…Hey, can I help you with your groceries back to your house? They look heavy." Nansia said with a small smile and the lady looked at her amazed.
"Whoa! Greece, huh? Very far away! And thank you, dear, I would appreciate it very much!" The old lady said smiling and Nansia smiled happily as she made a move to pick up the grocery bags.
"What's your name, ma'am?" Nansia asked as she held the groceries in one hand and offered her hand to the old lady, helping her up with the other.
"Matilda, dear, what about you?" Matilda said smiling.
"Nansia, ma'am, it's a nickname for Athanasia, my middle name." Nansia said smiling as they slowly started walking towards Matilda's house.
"It's a unique name!" Matilda exclaimed kindly and Nansia smiled as she blushed a little.
"So, how do you like Mystic Falls, so far?" Matilda asked after a small silent break.
"It's very different from Greece, very different. I've moved a lot in my life, perks of having a step-dad in the armed forces, I guess, but at least in Greece one thing is constant besides the language and that is how people smile to you if they see you in the street, at least in the small towns, the cities have grown colder with the years." Nansia said in a thinking frown and the older woman studied her and her lips stretched in a smile.
"Time changes a lot." Matilda said agreeing with Nansia.
"No, economical struggle deteriorates and rusts the goodness and gentleness in people's souls." Nansia said in the same tone as her frown deepen.
"Is it bad there?" Matilda asked and Nansia nodded.
"You end up growing blind to the homeless people in the streets or you start to remember their faces like it's your own and you fear and feel helpless." Nansia said in deeper frown and Matilda kept studying her.
"You sound very wise, young lady, but don't focus on the dark too much, there is light in the life and you must choose to see it otherwise the dark will drawn you." Matilda said in a wise and caring tone, as if a teacher gave advice to a student.
"Like they all keep saying…." Nansia mumbled too lowly the old lady didn't listen to it.
"So, how is reuniting with family?" Matilda asked once she saw they were nearing her home.
"Met them but I'm trying to built the bridge but first got to figure out what fractured it in the first place and heal it." Nansia said to Matilda as she helped her up the stairs and then into her home bringing in the groceries too.
Without her realizing she had spent 30 minutes going to Matilda's house that she need around an hour to get back to campus on foot.
She held Matilda and said goodbye to her only for Matilda to tell her that she's welcome for coffee any day she's free and that she knows where she lives.
Nansia smiled and thanked her for the invite as she rushed out claiming that she was missing a family gathering.
She run and run to get to the campus but her knees hurt and she stopped when she felt the familiar stabbing pain in her joints. Fuck Osteoarthritis!
She tried to walk slower and slower that was when she made up her mind, she will sign up herself for gym, they must know there what is suitable for her conditions when it comes to exercise.
She had missed all the afternoon classes by the time she arrived at the campus and she found a very disappointed Jeremy and an angry Alaric waiting for her in her dorm.
"Μαλάκα!" (Asshole in Greek but this word is a super-curse in Greek you can use it for anything. In this case it means "shit") Nansia exclaimed in a fright as she clutched her chest and then she doubled down and touched her knees as she tried to catch her breath.
"What did you just say, young lady?" Alaric asked in a very threatening tone.
"It's a Greek super-curse it goes for everything…but if we are talking about the literal meaning it means an asshole…I used it as the exclamation of "shit" for your language. And if we are being technical the word Malakas means soft boy which they used to refer to gay men two centuries ago but people stopped using it for that and they use it for everything else…trust me you won't hear us calling another person by their name if we are very close friends with them, we will call them Malaka and laugh." Nansia explained as best as she could as she tried to catch her breath and slow her heartbeat.
"Um…okay…" Alaric said a little confused while Jeremy was still processing the information.
"It's beside the point what you called us, but I want to know why you weren't present for the evening classes? You know I have other things to worry about and worrying about where one of my students is, can't be one of them!" Alaric scolded her and Nansia nodded.
"You are right, I get it. I shouldn't have ditched but I had a fight with Penelope and I started walking in the woods trying to cool off, I ended up in the city and then I was sitting in a bench and there was this old lady that came up to me and we started talking then I helped her with her groceries and took her home and then I run here only to hurt my knees so I kept slowly walking towards the campus and then here I am." Nansia explained calmly, she wasn't afraid of them yet she didn't want to get kicked out so she decided to be honest.
"Why did you help that old lady when Jeremy had already texted you to come back?" Alaric challenged her as he remembered that Jeremy was with him when Jeremy started texting Nansia.
"Because it was the kind thing to do since she was tired and her stuff where heavy? And I get the whole stranger danger but I survived worse, I could fight my way out if needed. Besides she was harmless, she invited me for coffee some day…gosh I love old people there are so easy to understand!" Nansia said truthful yet she had an undertone of sarcasm in her voice.
Alaric and Jeremy studied her speechless.
"Am I in trouble? Do I have detention?" Nansia asked them expectantly as both adults watched Nansia while doing nothing.
"Um..yeah…you're helping in the kitchen before and after lunch tomorrow." Alaric said in a professional authoritative tone and Nansia nodded not affected by it at all.
"Alright, do I get to choose what I cook or there is a pre-designed menu I should study?" Nansia asked interested and Alaric raised his eyebrows shocked and Jeremy's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"Um…it's risotto day…"
"Oh! I have a great recipe! I used to wipe it up whenever I didn't have time to cook and we needed something to eat to keep us satisfied for couple hours. Can I make it?" Nansia exclaimed happily seeing it as anything but a detention.
Alaric and Jeremy were beyond shocked…
"Um…sure…?" Alaric said unsure as he rubbed his head and face with his hands and turned around to face Jeremy.
Jeremy was just sitting and listening in to everything and now he was semi amused by Nansia's reaction to the cooking duties.
"Alaric, I told you before, I agree with you on this." Jeremy said as he raised his hands in surrender.
That was something that triggered Nansia, and her mind flashed back to when her mum used to yell at her and then turn to her step-dad and ask if she was wrong and her step-dad would support her saying how he agreed with her as always then her mum would either start beating her or grab her by the her and throw her into her room and lock her for a day of isolation and starvation.
Anger rushed through her veins and suddenly things in the room started to slowly shake as her eyes glowed yellow and claws appeared in her hands and dig into her palm because she turned her hands into fists.
"STOP. DOING. THAT!" She growled out and Alaric and Jeremy looked at her shocked.
"What the…" Jeremy said scared as he stood up and Alaric walked away from Nansia.
"STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT! I'M NOT A CHILD! I KNOW I WAS WRONG! JUST DON'T! STOP IT!" Nansia growled out but tears in her eyes clouded her sight and suddenly there were no claw, just her fingernails digging into her palm. She instantly lifted her hands to wipe her tears away frustrated by them being here and slammed her body on the door as to glue herself on it.
"I'm sorry… I don't know what that was…I'm sorry. Um…Alaric what time do you want me to start lunch? Should I call my boss at work and tell them I'll change to the night shift?" Nansia said after a few seconds of silence as she collected herself and then looked at Alaric's shocked face.
"Um…it's okay…lunch is started to get prepared around 1 pm, so 12:45 pm you should be in the kitchen. And yes you should call your boss and change the shift, you'll be staying after lunch and doing the dishes too." Alaric said with a collective tone and Nansia nodded avoiding looking at him.
Jeremy was silent staring at her.
"That is all, now go to bed young lady." Alaric said as he made a step to get to the door and Nansia jerked away from it allowing Alaric to go away, leaving only her and Jeremy in the room.
Where is Penelope by the way?
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to…lose control or time or classes, I've been trying. I was thinking of talking with Professor Tig about counseling tomorrow." Nansia rushed to apologize for her behavior like always…she was again the defenseless 12-year-old in her mind, trembling at the idea of being beaten up.
"It's okay…Um…Elena wanted me to tell you that she invited us for Christmas in Atlanta…would you like to go?" Jeremy asked a little hesitant and Nansia nodded.
"Sure…I guess." She quietly said and Jeremy nodded before walking to the door and mumbling a good night before leaving too.
Nansia sat there looking at the door and room as small tears clouded again her vision…why does she do this?
Why is she such a bad child?
She's trying!
She's always trying and always failing.
She decided to get to bed and quietly did her routine when she was just settled under the covers she looked at Penelope's bed and saw it empty.
Where is she?
Penelope had decided to spent the night with MG and Keleb as she had told them of her nightmare and research, MG and Penelope were sleeping while Keleb kept a watch and would change shifts through the night with MG.
At night she had the very same nightmare, only this time she was made aware it was a dream far earlier and said;
Dream:
She was sleeping and watching herself at the same time.
But this time she was aware of everything and she was shivering and terrified, eyes wide open yet she couldn't move.
"I can do this! I can do this! I'm strong!" Penelope whispered to herself in between shaky breaths and shivers.
Suddenly, she felt the monster behind her. She slowly turned her head and saw it.
It was hideous!
It had four legs, fur and crooked back, face of a monster.
She could move her body this time…she could do it.
She remembered the spell she found in one of the books in the library, a light protection spell.
"Lux satiata est anima mea
Custodi animam meam et de nocte cruciatus.
Belua puniceo expetos hausisse plus quam me, ut auferat a me, et venationes.
Da mihi fortitudinem, ita etiam alii nocet, non possum occidere monstrum coram eo."
(Light fill my soul
Guard my body and my mind, from the tortures of the night.
The monster that haunts and hunts me keep away away from me.
Give me strength so I can kill this monster before it hurts others too.)
She yelled loudly and then her eyes turned white as snow and from her whole being emitted a white light that took over everything in Penelope's view.
She gasped awake.
End of Dream:
Penelope looked around her still not believing that it was over.
"You okay?" Keleb asked her worried and MG hearing him talk turned from his spot on his bed and looked at Penelope who was gasping for breath and she looked still shaken up.
Keleb covered her with his blanket in his legs and Penelope remained frozen in the spot looking at nothing and breathing as if she run a marathon.
"Penelope?" MG asked worried and Penelope jerked her head towards MG and looked at him in an unnerving way.
"You are not Penelope are you?" Keleb spoke as he let his fangs free and his eyes darkened.
Penelope looked at Keleb and MG as if she wasn't communicating with the world just as Keleb was about to grab her and snack on her Penelope's eyes rolled back into her head and she slammed back down.
"PENELOPE!" Keleb and MG exclaimed worried as they rushed to her side and started shaking her.
"The hell man?" Keleb asked horrified at MG who looked horrified and then tried to find some pulse.
"She has no pulse!" MG exclaimed horrified as he started to perform CPR and Keleb rushed to the door only to be stopped by MG vamp-speed to stop him.
"NO! Not until we know what is wrong with her!" MG tried to keep the door shut and Keleb agreed and they turned to Penelope.
MG went back to CPR and Keleb for the first time he's praying since he turned into a vampire.
"MG?" Keleb asked in a small voice as he slammed on the floor and he started to cry.
"She's gone…" MG said quietly and Keleb stared shocked at Penelope's limp body.
The two best friends sat in silence as they watched Penelope body.
"No, she can't be dead! Not like this! This was not epic…she wanted to die in an epic way! That's just lame!" MG said in a desperate tone as anger and guilt started slipping in his tone.
MG scrambled to check her pulse again and just as he sat on top of her in the process to start CPR again Penelope let out a gasped and jolted upwards knocking heads with MG who fell backwards and Penelope winced as she held her head as tears streamed down her face.
"YOU ARE ALIVE!" Keleb and MG exclaimed as they hugged her and she was crying as she held them tight.
"It was horrible! I almost lost! I almost died…I did die…I watched you guys…I was…I was trying to get to my body but something was blocking me…I saw me looking at myself…this was not me! I…think Nansia was right…I'm being haunted by a skin walker…why? Why am I haunted by a skin walker? I never knew they were real in the first place!" She started to sob as she was trying to explain to them.
"Wait…you are being haunted by a dead skin walker?" Keleb asked confused.
"Yes…not an alive one…a dead one…for some reason it wants to take over my body and mind…I think I must let it do it and see what it wants…not tonight though…" Penelope said as she tried to stop sobbing.
"You are telling us that the spirit of a dead skin walker wants to take over your witchy body to do what? Finish unfinished business?" MG asked in disbelief and horror.
"Yes…" Penelope said nodding as Keleb gave her a tissue.
"NO! You are not doing that again, you died!" Keleb exclaimed in horror but Penelope's tired eyes made him reconsider.
"I have no choice otherwise I might never sleep again without seeing it in my dreams." Penelope said sadly as MG hugged her.
"Can't you do a protection spell that will protect you while you sleep?" Keleb asked hopeful and Penelope nodded as she started to chant and circle herself with her hand movements.
After that the trio fell into a dreamless sleep while MG and Keleb were sleeping lightly on guard in case Penelope needed them.
The Next Day:
The next day everyone got up at 7 am and headed to the eating hall and had their breakfast, some people revision the today's lessons and others did their homework on the last minute while others were catching up with their friends.
Nansia was revision for the History pop-quiz when Penelope, MG and Keleb slammed to their seats and looked tired as hell.
"What's up?" Josie asked them and the trio threw them dirty glares before they started eating their breakfasts with no words. Everyone look at each other with worried eyes but said nothing and continue studying or eating.
At 8:30 am the bell rang and classes were in session.
It was 12 pm when Nansia excused herself for her last class to get herself ready for the lunch hour and her detention. As she was walking to the kitchen she called her boss to change her shift at the Mystic Grill.
Her boss was understanding and transferred her at the night shift that started at 6 pm and finished at 10 pm.
Nansia hung up and turned her phone off and then she put her hair on a ponytail and walked inside the kitchen.
She was told how everything was working and where everything was and they let her cook, a lady from the group of chefs stayed behind to help her and oversee her actions.
Nansia cooked the risotto she had told Alaric yesterday at night and the lady chef helped her make the bigger proportions.
At 1 pm the lunch hour bell rang and Nansia had just put the seventh bowl of risotto in its place so the lunch lady can hand it out, then she went back to doing the dishes.
At 2 pm the lunch hour was done and Nansia rushed to her next class having not eaten anything during lunch hour as a punishment.
At 4 pm classes were out of session and Nansia walked to the kitchen where she found some leftovers and heat them up, then she sat in the empty cafeteria and started on homework, she had 3 hours before her shift.
At 5 pm she had a quick shower and made some coffee and found herself at 5:32 pm on bus towards the town.
The following hours were spent doing the dishes and at times she was being changed by her co-worker Mike and she was being a waitress and a cashier. Isabella was the second waitress and was picking up empty tables. Mike, Isabella and Nansia were the only ones during the night shift and they had agreed on the system because it helped to prevent any fights.
It was Nansia's break and she was eating a piece of apple pie when Mike and Isa slammed next to her having no customers for the first time.
"So, how come and your working on here yet you go to the Salvatore Academy, Gilbert?" Mike asked her with a suspicious tone.
"I'm broke…I'm not rich…my adoptive dad is a professor there so I go there…I need money to be independent and not weight on my adoptive dad's income. Plus, it's a way not to isolate myself from the rest of the world and not forget where I come from." Nansia said to Mike with a kind tone ignoring his condescending look.
"I think that's great of you!" Isa said with an approving smile.
"Thank you! By the way, this pie is great, Isa! I might need the recipe." Nansia said smiling and Isa laughed and took out a paper and started writing down the recipe.
"Mike, were you born here?" Nansia asked him and he looked a little taken aback from her kind tone while he tried to make her feel less.
"Yeah…you?" Mike said and Nansia smiled.
"I was born in Dublin in Republic of Ireland, yet I was mostly raised in all over Greece before getting adopted by Jeremy, he's helping me reconnect with some relatives my mum's family have cut ties with…" Nansia said smiling and Mike looked amazed and so did Isa.
"I'm Irish too! Although my mum was born in Berlin and then raised in Oslo for awhile before immigrating here, my dad's grandpa was born in Northern Ireland and then immigrated with my great grandma here, my dad though was born in Chicago and then he was raised here." Isa said smiling and Nansia smiled in amazement.
"I'm American through and through…I'm boring." Mike said guiltily.
"No you aren't. You might have some connection to local tribes?" Nansia asked a little interested and Mike shook his head.
"I don't think so…I don't look like a Native American." Mike said as he stood up and left the booth only to stole a cup cake and then return while taking a bite out of it.
"I might ask my family." Mike said deep in thoughts.
Just then a new customer appeared and Mike stood up to help them. Isa and Nansia exchange apple pie recipes quickly and return to their posts too.
The rest of the shift Mike, Isa and Nansia talked about their likes and dislikes as a way to get to know each other since they weren't too busy tonight.
They closed up shop and Mike took the keys to get them to their boss who was living next door to him. The trio waved goodbye at each other as they went their separate ways.
Nansia walked all the way to the Academy deep in thoughts about how her shift went and how well the kids liked her food at school, she felt happy.
Just as she arrived at the Academy she unlocked the locked door since it was after curfew and Alaric had given her a key so she won't have to climb the gate every time she had the night shift at the Grill with one promise that every night she locks up the gate again to return the key to his office or if he isn't there to let it at either Jeremy's or Dorian's offices or hang it on the doorknob for whoever wakes up first from the Professors to find.
She wiggled the keys in the We Will Rock You by Queen's rhythm when she walked inside the school and stopped so she won't wake anyone up and started heading to Alaric's office when she saw the door being ajar open and light and talking could be seen and heard.
(A/N: Bold Italics = Elena's answers through the phone call.)
"Elena, couple weeks ago Nansia had an episode and she puked blood yet Dorian and Emma run some tests on them and the blood we go from three different areas wasn't the same, yet it had the same blackish red color that worries me. One of the three sets was hers while the other ones were unable to identify. So, that's why I sent you the samples, I was hoping you could run some DNA tests in comparison to your blood to see if there was an relation. Although, according to Penelope, Jed and Nansia's ancestor Thalia through Hope's saying she is a hybrid between a witch and werewolf yet her pack was killed off by Klaus in 1555 because he figure that they were related to Katherine yet he was unaware of their werewolf heritage or if he was there is no account of it and I don't think he would have cared at the time." Alaric rambled in a stressed tone yet you could hear the troubled and tired tone.
Nansia raised her eyebrows confused and a little betrayed and hurt yet she was confused as to why were her friends reporting back to Alaric…
Did he have ask them to help her discover her ancestry?
Didn't they do it out of the goodness of their heart or at least curiosity about the weird kid that dropped on top of Alaric's desk?
"Ric, I have tested them but they came out blank like the blood samples you sent me wasn't even human's or animal's DNA. But Nansia's DNA in comparison to mine is indeed related, 12% which was shocking for me because I thought we would be more distant." Elena was heard from the phone call and her voice was heard tired, confused and excited.
"Really? I'm so glad she's related to you, Elena, at least you have a family besides me, Jeremy, Caroline, the girls, Bonnie, Damon and Stefanie." Alaric said truly excited and happy for Elena.
Hearing all of this made Nansia smile but also be troubled because what were the other two blood samples from?
"Me too, Ric! Me too! Ric, please tell her if she can contact all of our ancestors, all the Petrova bloodline and get their story, write it in Katherine's book so it won't be lost through the years. I did the mistake and didn't look into my true heritage and now I regret it but there is hope." Elena said with a happy tone but as she continued her tone changed to urgency.
"I will. I'll talk to her don't worry, Elena. I'm sure she would gladly comply with this." Alaric said in a tone that showed total agreement.
Nansia agreed with Elena and Alaric too.
She had planned on doing that once she mastered her powers and was granted full access to all her ancestors, she wanted to interview them one by one, write down their story. Maybe find if anyone survived besides her, Elena, her sister and Elena's daughter.
"Alright, Ric, I have to go because I'm beat and I need to sleep. Good night! Thank you for everything and I love you!" Elena said on the phone as she yawned.
"Good night, Elena, love you too!" Alaric said with a happy smile and then he ended the call.
Nansia took that as her queue to walk inside the office and leave the keys.
"Good night, Dr. Saltzman!" Nansia said as she quickly came into the office and let the keys.
"Oh! Good night to you too! Oh! And Nansia, please if you have time I need you to write down everything you have learned about the Petrova bloodline." Alaric asked her in a serious yet kind tone and she nodded with a small smile.
"I will once I master all my powers and learn how to use them. I had it planned." Nansia said truthfully and smiled kindly at Alaric before she walked away closing the door of his office behind her.
She slammed on her bed in hers and Penelope's dorm once she did her nightly routine as quickly as she could because she was so tired.
Penelope was already down for the count somewhere Nansia thought since she wasn't in their dorm. They never ended up solving Penelope's problem and Nansia thought about what happened, how did she deal with it?
With those thoughts, Nansia just whispered a hallow goodnight to Penelope's empty bed making a mental note to talk with Penelope the next day before she closed her eyes and sleep took over.
So? Did you like how the story is going? Because things haven't started yet! I look forward to your comments!
Have a great day everyone!