Chapter 5

I dashed across the corridor, desperate to reach my destination. The corridor appeared to be quite longer than it used to be, but I didn't let it deter me. I had to save the vampire's life. I paused for a second when I approached my father's room. What if he found out what I was up to? What if he got angry? I didn't want to deal with his anger. I took a deep breath and carefully turned the doorknob. As I opened the door, it made a creaking sound. I entered the room gently, looking for the medicine that my father had hidden. I saw a little box on a high shelf. It was made of wood and locked with a silver key. I knew my dad kept the key in his desk drawer. I quickly went to the desk, feeling very anxious. I felt my heart race as I looked through the drawer. I could hear someone coming towards the room. I started to panic as I searched for the key, my hands shaking nervously. "Lily, what exactly are you doing in here?" My father's voice stunned me, and I hurriedly shut the drawer while pretending to be looking for something else. "Oh, I was just looking for a pen. I couldn't find where I kept mine. I needed to jot something down," I muttered, my voice trembling. For a brief while, my father looked at me suspiciously, as if he could see straight through my deception. To my relief, he then shrugged and went to exit the room. "OK, just be careful," he added, sounding worried. But then he stopped and looked back at me with a fine line appearing on his forehead. "Lily, are you okay?" I didn't understand what he meant by that question till I did, then I sighed, even though I felt the air entering my lungs was constricted. Lunch didn't go out as planned and it wasn't anyone's fault; well, except for that Audrey of a sly fox. I smiled nervously and nodded, "Yeah…all good." My thumbs up only made his eyes twitch as he was considering what else he wanted to ask me. Thankfully, I felt relieved when the door closed behind him as he walked out. I opened a drawer and found a silver key. Excitedly, I took it and hurried back to the bookcase. With the key, I unlocked the small wooden box. Inside were vials of the antidote. I picked one carefully and closed the box, holding the precious vial tightly as I went back to my room. As I walked down the hallway, I worried about what would happen if someone found out what I was doing. I couldn't tell anyone about the injured vampire. I was saving a life, but others might see it as a betrayal. My thoughts were racing as I tried to figure out what to do next. My mother appeared in front of me, obstructing my path, just as I was about to enter my room. Her eyes narrowed as she glanced at me, a questioning expression on her face. "Lily, where were you just now?" she said with an apprehensive voice. My palms became moist as I swallowed hard. "I was just around the corridor. Why?" Her attention was fixed on me, and I could sense her doubt. "I swear I heard something...Are you sure you're all right?" "I'm fine, Mom," I said, my voice slightly shaking. "I just needed some time alone." She stared at me for a while, trying to understand what I said. She then placed a hand on my shoulder and spoke with a low tone, "Lily, I didn't know you and Tyler…" Oh, shit. Someone's told her. "...were having an argument." I gulped and scrunched my eyelids inwards. Who had told her that? Tyler and I having an argument? Well, from the way we interacted just a while go, anyone would think that, but I knew my mom was smarter. Still, I didn't want to give my inner emotions away like that. "You could've told me and I could've postponed it till when you both reconcile." She added. I almost rolled my eyes. If not that she didn't know what was happening between both of us, I could've walked out on her. I didn't want to hear anything about Tyler, not now, not anytime soon. "It's okay, mother. Besides, it's nothing." I blatantly lied. My grasp on the vial got tighter as I tried to remain composed. "You know couples fight, Lily. It's normal. That shouldn't make you both be hostile to each other in front of others when you're facing-" I held her arm with my free hand and stroked it, "I'm fine, mother. Seriously….and yes, I know all these things. I'll be fine. I just need some time alone, please." She kept staring at me pitifully which somewhat annoyed me but eventually, she nodded and moved aside, allowing me to go into my room. I felt so relieved as I closed the door. I had lied to both my mom and dad, and it made me feel bad inside. I knew I had to lie to protect the hurt vampire, but it felt like I broke their trust. I felt guilty, but I couldn't let it bother me too much. I had a bigger worry: saving a life. I hurried to where the vampire was still lying on the floor. He was barely breathing, and his skin looked pale compared to the red stains on his body. Oh no...he is dying. I felt so sad seeing him in pain, so I gently held his head. I opened the bottle with the special medicine and gave it to him to drink. I poured it into his mouth carefully, hoping it would help him and make him better. I waited and watched his face, hoping for a sign that he was getting better. Time felt like it was going very slowly, and I started to worry. Was it too late? Had I waited too long to save him? I saw his fingers move gently, and it caught my attention when I was already feeling sad and worried. I held my breath, hoping to see more signs that he was alive. His eyelids slowly opened, revealing his beautiful green eyes once again. I felt a huge wave of relief wash over me, and a smile appeared on my face. He was still alive, and I had saved him. He struggled to sit up, his gaze fixed on me with replenished strength. His eyes showed a connection between us, something unspoken but deep. We kind of had a bond that went beyond just being in that particular situation. It was a strong connection that didn't make sense, but it felt familiar and special. "Thank you," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper, yet every syllable rang true within me. My voice was teeming with passion as I flashed him a hesitant smile. "You're welcome. I couldn't just let you die." He looked at me, and we understood each other without having to say any words. We didn't need to explain or justify anything. We just knew. Our understanding went beyond the different worlds we came from. This was very weird. As some time passed, he grew stronger. I watched as his wounds healed right in front of me. The antidote had worked, reversing the poison and saving his life. I was amazed at how powerful it was and grateful that it existed. I turned to him, and his ambience filled the room. He had a noticeable glow, and his wounds had disappeared, leaving only faint scars. He seemed more powerful now, like his true self had returned. I gave him a glass of water from my table. He reached for it, and our hands touched. It made me feel a strange sensation, and my face turned red. I quickly drew my hand back and fondled it with my other hand. I watched him drink, amazed by how charming he was. He looked like a work of art, with sharp and elegant features. His hair was black and flowed around his face, and his eyes sparkled with a mysterious and bright look. I couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to kiss him. His strong jawline and nicely shaped lips had a kind of allure. Even though he seemed weak at the moment, he had a confident and attractive presence that was hard to resist. But, as I admired his good looks, doubt started to grow in my mind. Was it right to help him? I was taught to hate vampires, to see them as dangerous creatures that hurt innocent people. Yet, here I was, risking everything for one of them. My inner struggle got stronger as I watched him, waiting for him to get fully better. I questioned my choices and the path I had taken. Was I making a big mistake? Was I going against everything I had learned for a just reason? Finally, I gathered the courage to ask the question that had been bothering me. "What is your name?" I asked, feeling both scared and genuinely curious. FORBIDDEN MATE