The boys avoided the question Veronica had asked and chattered to each other. They were too afraid of facing the truth. Alex watched her closely as she was starting to freak out.
" It is blood." Alex said then he stood up.
" I can get you Human foodd if you'd like." He offered and she got out the chair and walked off without another word he followed after her but his mom stopped him.
" Honey , she'll be ok. Don't pressure her right now she must be given the time she needs to adjust and make her own decisions. " Alex' mother said as she held his shoulder in a comforting way.
She wanted her son to be at ease and she wanted Veronica to make her own decisions.
" I was the same when I met your father. Being with a Yokai is life changing and for a human it can be traumatizing to step into your world. Let her enterr her cocoon if she wants and when she comes back shell be your beautiful butterfly."
Alex nodded and ge smiled a bit then sat back down, trying to pretend like nothing happened. His mother went to the kitchen to share more food and the others debated about rations and fought over who would marry Veronica.
Veronica wondered around the castle then she went into the garden outside where there were red roses and two blue butterflies flitting around then another blue butterfly came and joined them.
She sat on a swing and observed them closely , she still felt sick to her stomach because of the blood earlier and it made her feel sad and conflicted about the new life she was supposed to leave.
' If I marry Alex will I have to drink blood too ? ' She wondered and one thought lead to another.
She missed her family and she missed her town even if the girls were mean and the boys didn't like her. Atleast NOONE there was drinking blood and maybe that act was more filthy and unholy to her than the bullying she faced.
She was on the brink of tears when she heard a cracking sound coming from the bushes.
She looked around quickly but didnt see anyone.
" Hey, Let's get weirrrd." A flirty , breathy and calming voice came from behind her and she jumped out the swing hand turned to face the direction where the voice was coming from.
Crack . Crack . CraaCCCK !
She saw a gothic boy with multiple piercings , completely bent like a circus act , his body cracked as he bent it in multiple different directions.
It looked painful.
She backed away from him and stared at him with a frightened look.
She had never seen anyone that flexible.
She thought he belonged in a circus and for most of his life he lived in one.
The boy flashed a charming smiled that looked like danger decorated by daisies and purple roses.
She flinched as if she was encountering a monster.
The sky was purple as night creept into view and her heart raced more than ever before.
She looked at the boy in front of her never truly knowing if he was man or monster and desperately wanting to know if he was a friend or foe.
"God. You scared me. Are you a part of Alex' family?" Veronica asked and the boy's smile curled wider as if it had been carefully carved by a knife.
" Alex is just a toy in my game. I'm sure you're gonna love to play it." The boy said unbending himself ton one side then bending his other side instead.
Crack . Crack . CRACK !
The girl grimaced at every crack, getting uncomfortable as she feared he'd get hurt but each time he only seem more excited and energetic.
" What game ? And can you please stop doing that ? Does it hurt you ?" Veronica asked , covering her ears.
" Only a few things can hurt me ." The boy said and he extended an hand to her after stretching it all the way under his feet.
She ignored it , feeling uneasy becausr of his strange behavior.
He pulled back his hand and used one of his feet to pick a blue rose from the garden and ordered it to her.
" You're one of the few things that can hurt me. " He said softly in a tone that was almost a whisper.
She pulled away as his foot neared her with the rose but then she got closer and sniffed him.
" You smell like blueberries. " She said dreamily taking a big sniff then she took the blue rose from in between his toes.
It was an odd encounter but it still somehow managed to be romantic.
She smiled softly.
" I like blueberries." She said and she started swinging in the swing.
" I like you." The boy replied and the girl stopped swinging and looked Arata him for a while.
" There's a whole lot of boys you'll have to fight to get me."
" I know but out of all of them Alex will be the one crying the most when I have you."
" What's your problem with Alex ? " Veronica finally asked and the boy furrowed his eyebrows questioningly.
" Problem ? This isn't a problem." He whispered then he began shouting at the top of his lungs like a maniac , frightening her in the process.
" This is war ! Alex will regret wver crossing paths with me." He shouted and Veronica covered her ears.
She came to the conclusion that Alex had either bullied him or had stolen a girl that he liked.
She didn't bother asking questions though but she picked up on a deep and sinister hatred for Alex that the boy seemed to be hiding behind his creepy yet charming smile.
She started to swing again just to stop her mind from wondering about their drama.
" You know the Yokai world isn't good enough for you and me. We should forge or own path." He said and now he was somersaulting around her like he has no care in the world.
She stopped her swing just in time so she wouldn't crash into him.
She didn't even understand the Yokai world and all sometimes all she thought this was was one big nightmare that refused to stop but somehow the nightmare became beautiful and she no longer mind it continuing.
" We should never bend to the fit into society instead we must bend society to fit us." He said then he dropped mid somersault falling as if he had hurt his neck.
CraaaaaaCKKKKK !
Veronica jumped out the swing screaming. She was traumatized just looking at the boy on the ground who was now laying there stiff as a board.
It was only seconds before Alex came running to find out if she was hurt but he found her stooped down over his enemy instead.
" Veronica ! Get. AWAY .FROM .HIM ." Alex warned angrily as the girl stooped down by the strange boy's side looking horrified and trying to see if it was possiblethat he would still be ok.
.Alex expression was overloaded with jealously and anger and something else lingered behind his eyes. It was a feeling she couldn't quite name.
" Got you ! " The boy said to Veronica and he laughed hysterically as he cracked his neck back into place.
"That wasn't funny at all." Veronica said in a soft sad town then she sat back on the swing but this time she was facing him.
Crick !
" Jack , you can't keep coming over to my territory with your bullshit." Alex said and the boy just kept giggling and rolling on the floor.
He rolled over laughing as if he'd just heard the funniest joke in the world.
" Stop being a buzz kill. " Jack shouted after he finally stopped laughing then his voice returned to a whisper.
" Let's get weirddddd. " He said , his voice soft and breathy and kinda creepy.
" No! let's all get realistic and be fucking adults. You don't live in a circus anymore. You're just an annoying low life who wants to play the villain and the victim at the same time." Alex shouted as he pulled Veronica away from Jack.
" What can I say I like being both." Jack said with a smirk and Veronica was about to say something but the boy vanished into thin air.
She felt something then and when she first met Jack. His energy was like a magnet pulling everyone into him. There was something about him that was unmistakably raw and emotional while still being hidden by his emotional outbursts. Perhaps she felt his heart or his soul but she knew whatever it was she was longing to feel it again.
She stood there looking as if she was longing for the boy to come back but Alex didn't seem to realize.
He pulled her into an hug and ignored the thought of Jack completely.
He was sick and tired of him and felt like his life didn't need Jack in it meddling with things and making everything more complicated.
" I was scared i thought you were hurt , but it was just the psychopath seeking attention once again." Alex said and Veronica frowned.