Elena
Finding Alexa's contact in my phone, I called her up. She answered on the third ring. "Hello?"
"Hey, it's Elena! Do you have plans tonight?" I asked her hopefully.
"Nope. My night's pretty open right now," she answered. "Why do you ask?"
"Noel feels really bad about earlier, so he's offered to either bake us something or take us out to make up for everything," I explained.
She was silent for a moment, weighing which she'd rather do. "I think I'd prefer seeing him actually cook for us," she answered. "A guy who can bake is ten times hotter in my opinion. But I wouldn't mind getting taken out for supper."
"I was hoping you'd say that. That's what I wanted as well."
"Perfect. Just text me the times."
"I'll probably stop by the room shortly, and then we can go together."
After saying our goodbyes, I hung up. Heading back into Noel's room, I found him sitting at his desk. When he heard me come in, he whipped his head around and looked a little guiltily at me. But I figured it was still because of earlier.
"The votes are in, and ALexa and I would both like it if you took us out for supper," I replied with a smile. "If you're still up for it, that is."
You should have had him bake for you. A guy who isn't afraid to get dirty in the kitchen is so sexy. Eevie commented.
Can we not talk about that right now? I asked. I didn't need her saying embarrassing things in my head and making me blush any more than I already was. I was sure I was always in a constant state of red around Noel anyway.
Oh, you decided to go out with him because it gives you a chance to dress up for him and to spend more time with him. Good thinking. I could tell she was smiling, enjoying torturing me.
"O-Of course I am. H-Hopefully you like what I decide to make," Noel assured me with a smile. His smile was still very tired.
"I think I'll go back to my room and hang out with Alexa before supper then. You look tired and need to get some sleep before we go out. Want to plan on dinner around 7?" I suggested as I placed my hands in the back pocket of my shorts.
Noel nodded, "7 s-sounds perfect. I'll see you then."
"Great!" I smiled at him, before slipping out of the room, shutting his door behind me.
I'm going to call my grandma and check up on her now before going back to my room. I haven't talked to her in a couple days, I told Eevie as I took out my phone.
My grandma was the most important person in my world. I hadn't talked to her since yesterday, but with the bonding and demons I faced today, it certainly felt a lot longer than a day. I knew I couldn't tell her about any of this, but it was going to be hard to keep it from her. She was so intuitive. She'd know just what to say to make me more comfortable with everything.
Go for it. I'll try not to listen in too much to give you some privacy. Eevie said, which I appreciated.
Thank you.
Eevie
What must it be like to find solace with your family? When I thought of mine, it just gave me anxiety and made me sad. I wasn't someone my family worried about. I was their property for them to use as they pleased without any sort of backwards glance at what I might want. My family all tolerated each other. What would it be like to have familial love?
If I stayed in the human world with Elena, there really wasn't anyone back home I'd miss. Except Alistair. He had been the closest thing to a best friend as someone like me could have. He wasn't noble, he was a demon that lived in the village I had snuck out to play with as a child and the one who I went on adventures with. I couldn't see him as much as I had wanted lately because of my family's disapproval, but I still found time to sneak away with him.
What was he doing now? I wondered. Had his family married him off? Or was he still busy working in the village doing all sorts of odds and end jobs that no one else wanted to do? He deserved so much more out of life, but there was nothing I could do to change his station.
Elena was finished on the phone, and had stuffed the phone in her pocket. She headed to the bathroom where she turned the faucet on and splashed water on her face. When she looked at her reflection, I saw that she had been crying. I could feel how much she missed her grandma, and I knew it could be hard for people to be apart from family, but because I couldn't relate, I decided not to say anything. I would be of no comfort.
As she was drying her hands, I sensed something and forced a switch so that I could duck. Had I not forced the switch, Elena's head would have been smashed into the hand dryer.
What's going on? Elena was all sorts of disorientated from the switch.
I didn't get a chance to reply because whatever was attacking us tried swinging its legs out to drop kick me. I was waiting for it and reached out, grabbing their ankle and threw his leg away from me, and I moved in close wrapped my hand around its neck and slammed them into the floor. As my hand was choking him, I recognized the face I was nearly killing.
Stopping, I let down my guard. "Alistair?" I asked incredulously. I took a step towards him, but I stopped short until I knew why he was here.
Wait, you know him? Elena exclaimed. He almost killed me!
He was my best friend in the demon world.
"What are you doing here?" I asked him.
Alistair was a demon that had more of human disposition than I did. His only indication that he wasn't human was the long, elvish like ears and the claws. His blonde hair was shaggy and in his brown eyes. "I was sent here to deliver a message," he finally replied.
"And trying to kill my human was part of the message?" I asked, anger clear in my voice.
"I knew you'd sense me coming. Elena was in no real danger with you around," he smirked at me, his sharp teeth showing.
"It wasn't something you should have risked. I barely ducked in time. Besides, I almost killed you!" I didn't even want to think about the fact that I almost took off the head of my best friend.
"I knew you'd come to your senses soon enough. Now, can I please stand up? As much as you know I love it when you're on top of me, I would rather be able to be on my feet," Alistair teased.
Standing up, I reached my hand out and pulled him up. "What are you doing here?"
"Always down to business first. Not like I haven't seen you in six months," he seemed genuinely upset about that.
"You know my parents had confined me to house arrest, and the times I was able to escape, I was putting together my plan for this bonding. I couldn't afford to get you involved. If my parents found out you helped me, you wouldn't be standing before me right now, I wager," I told him.
"They thought I was anyway! When you never came home yesterday, they found me and questioned me. I don't know what they did to find out what you did, but they weren't happy, and they thought I had helped you! Evelyn, they almost killed me anyway," he told me.
A combination of fear, regret, and sorrow hit me in the chest, and I wanted to pull AListair into a hug. "I'm sorry, I thought the less you knew the better."
"WEll, they sent me here to find you to deliver a message. And if I don't come back by midnight to tell them I gave it to you, they are going to kill my sister," he told me. "And they wanted me to make sure you knew that."
"Then please, what's the message?"
"Basically, they aren't happy with what you did. But that this does not stop your arranged marriage. It is still going to happen whether you want it to or not. Over winter break, you must come home so you can meet him, or I am a dead man, Eevie." He paused to let that sink in before continuing, "They are explaining your absence from home as a sabbatical of sorts. They're telling people you went off to university to study."
Of course. They couldn't have the other family find out what I did. It wouldn't sit well with them, and I'd give off a bad impression. There was no way to get out of this now. If I didn't go through with what they wanted, they had Alistair to threaten me with, knowing I would never want him hurt.
Your family is very ruthless, Elena commented sadly.
Biggest understatement of the year, I replied to Elena before speaking out loud to Alistair. "I'm sorry Alistair, I really am. I'll come home for winter break.I won't let them hurt you."
"I appreciate that. You know your dad is terrifying, right? I'm pretty sure I shit myself when he was threatening me. IS there any message you want me to give them?" he asked.
"Just tell them I'll comply voluntarily. I don't want them thinking I'm up to something."
"I better get back. The longer I'm in this realm, the longer I have to wonder what your family is doing to my sister," Alistair nodded before pulling me into a hug, and I relished contact with him. I had missed him terribly. "Be safe, and I'll see you when you come back."
"Goodbye, Alistair. I never meant for any of this to happen," I replied, angry at myself for causing so much pain to Alistair and his family.
"I know. And it's okay." He gave me a small smile before vanishing.
Sighing, I let Elena take control of her body again, and suddenly the door opened and a girl came in to use the bathroom. Well, that was close, Elena tried to joke.
Ya, sorry about forcing a switch when you weren't ready for it. I told her.
It was for a good reason. You saved my life.
Alistair wouldn't have actually hit you if I hadn't switched with you. I had a feeling I was going to be a bigger liability to Elena than I thought I'd be. Let's go back to your dorm. I need to get my mind off of this.
Do you want to talk about it? Elena asked as she exited the bathroom and headed down the hall.
Talk about the fact that if I don't comply with my family's wishes then they are going to threaten everyone that I care about? No, not really. I'd rather not dwell on the fact that I have no free will and that everything I did has been in vain. I was pissed and taking it out on Elena, and I knew it. I'm sorry. I don't mean to take this out on you. Please don't tell Nori and Noel about this. I would rather no one but us know about my family problems.
Of course. Your secrets safe with me. She assured me as she opened her door to her dorm room and went inside.
But how safe was Elena with me?
