More than a year ago……

  Julie was carrying notebooks of the students from the classroom to the staffroom as asked by her teacher. She tried to keep her eyes forward as she was still getting used to wearing the glasses. It had only been a week since she had started to wear them, and she was still trying to get used to it when it came to climbing down the stairs. It was because the distance from looking below the glass frames and then through the glass felt different.

  "Oh, look who is here. Is it the maid of our classroom?" laughed one of the two girls who were climbing down the stairs while making their way past her.

  "I never knew it was possible for one to get even uglier than they already are," commented the other girl and Julie stared at them.

  She didn't know that people turn more stupid than they already were, Julie thought to herself, and while still glaring at the two girls who walked ahead of her, she ended up missing one step, and the books from her hands scattered on the ground……

  The girls snickered, ready to pass another comment on her, but they stopped seeing one of their classmates, who was walking by. The person exclaimed, "Julianne!" The girls left as if they didn't see her, while the boy named Keith came to where Julie was. "Are you alright?"

  "Yeah, I am fine," replied Julie, and she started to pick up the books from the ground. She couldn't believe that she had tripped and fallen right when he was around. She saw him pick one of the books, and when her eyes moved up to look at the boy, she noticed his blonde hair that was neatly combed, and he wore his formal shirt.

  "I didn't know you started to wear glasses. Which one is it?" Keith asked her.

  Julie tried to move her lips before she answered, "Shortsightedness."

  "I see. So that's the reason why you didn't wave back at me," he laughed at the thought. "I was wondering if something happened."

  Julie didn't respond to it, and she picked up the last notebook before carrying them all in her arms. The reason why she hadn't waved back at him earlier was because Natalie was with him. Didn't he hear how Natalie had tried to embarrass her in front of everyone in the lunchroom?

  "Let me carry it for you," Keith offered, but Julie took a step backwards.

  Julie had considered Keith to be her friend, even though he was friends with Natalie, and it was because of the soft corner for the person. He had always been good to her, and every time they saw each other, he spoke to her. But it wasn't the same when Natalie was present in the area. Her ex-best friend was hell-bent on making sure that she felt isolated and no one spoke to her.

  "That's fine, I can carry it myself," said Julie, not wanting one of Natalie's new friends spotting them together as the girl would turn her life here worse than hell. She started to walk past him, when Keith called her,

  "Julianne," he paused for a second before he said, "I am sorry for what happened last week. I wouldn't have let that happen if I was there."

  Her face turned red, realizing he had found out how someone had poured their cold soup on her. Of course, it didn't stop there, and Julie, in return, had splashed her soup on the person's clothes. This had ended up with both the students at the principal's office.

  "Keith! I thought we were going to watch that movie with me!"

  Hearing the girl's voice, Julie and Keith turned in the direction where Natalie stood, who was at the end of the corridor.

  Julie noticed the sudden torn expression on Keith's face, and she offered him a small smile, "I should get to the staffroom before Mr. Frank wonders where I went with the books."

  Keith smiled back at her, noticing how Julie was trying to avoid being near him, and she walked away from there.

  "You both looked quite chummy with each other," commented Natalie, making her way to where Keith stood. She hooked her hand around his arm and said, "Anything important?"

  Keith shook his head, "Nothing. She just tripped and fell."

  "She must have purposely done it after seeing you nearby," Natalie sighed before saying.

  "She isn't like that, Nat. What happened between both of you?" he asked her, and Natalie rolled her eyes.

  "I don't even want to talk about it. Come on. I don't want to miss the beginning of the movie."

  Julie's thoughts came back to the present, where she was sitting in the diner with Roman. She cursed at her luck, wondering what her ex-classmates were doing here.

  "It is so good to see you, Jules!" Natalie had a broad smile on her lips as if she was happy to find her here. "We were so worried as you suddenly stopped attending classes. We then heard what happened to your parents. Sorry to hear that."

  When Julie had moved away with a heavy heart and grief, she was also happy to be moving away from this person.

  Natalie opened her arms wide as if she was waiting for Julie to come forward and hug her, Thankfully, Julie was sitting on the corner and near the wall, and it was Roman, who was sitting near where Natalie stood.

  Seeing Julie make no effort to move from where she sat, Natalie dropped her hands, but her smile didn't leave her face.

  "How are you?" Natalie's tone was friendly. A person who saw them from outside would wonder why Julie was rude by not responding to the girl. But Julie was well aware of the true nature of her ex-best friend, as she knew Natalie's facade was only for deceit. "Keith was worried about you, weren't you?" she turned to look at the boy, who stood next to her.

  Julie's eyes shifted from Natalie to look at Keith. It had been a while since she last saw them, or him. After her parent's death, she had cut all the possible contacts with people whom she knew.

  Roman, who was sitting there and watching the little reunion with his back laid back, noticed Julie smile at the boy. The expression on his face was barely fazed.

  Julie said, "I am good. What are you doing here?"

  To this, Natalie replied, "We were passing by and thought to have dinner before hitting the road again. But what a surprise to finally be able to meet you here."

  Julie let out a false laugh and responded, "Sometimes, fate is really funny."

  When Julie's eyes met Keith's eyes, she gave him a small smile, and he returned it.

  Keith spoke to her, "I am sorry about what happened to your parents. You should have called me," there was a hint of regret in his voice.

  Roman's eyes subtly narrowed at the boy, who was being a little too nice with Julie. Not that he minded people being nice to her, but there was a look in the human's eyes that told him that he had a thing for Julie. On the other hand, while Julie and Keith were exchanging a few words between them, Natalie's eyes fell on Roman.

  "That is true," agreed Natalie, "It must have been such a difficult time.

  At first glance, the boy who sat next to Julie looked like a delinquent, but on second look, Natalie realized he looked like a handsome hunk. His entire attire was black, and she noticed the ear cuffs on his ear and tattoo's that peeked out from his shirt.

  The girl couldn't help but wonder what this good looking person was doing with a person like Julie.

  Natalie looked at Julie and said, "It has been many months since we last spoke to each other, you don't mind if we sit here with you, do you?"

  At Natalie's obvious enthusiasm, Keith looked a little torn as if he wanted to, but at the same time, he didn't. Julie went to refuse,

  "Actually, we are—"

  "Sure."

  On hearing, Roman agree, Julie's eyes widened because she knew Roman didn't like people's company in general; then why was he inviting them to join their booth?!

  A bright smile appeared on Natalie's face, and she pushed Keith to get inside the seat before she followed him and sat down, right in front of Roman.

  While the two newly joined people waited for Julie or Roman himself to introduce, he didn't bother with it and remarked, "How do you know Winters?"

  Keith had been busy staring at Julie, who had turned way too prettier than the last time he had seen her, which was why he hadn't taken note of the person whom she was with. His eyes fell on Roman, a slight frown appearing on his face, as he had the same question as Natalie on what this rowdy boy was doing with Julie.

  He replied to Roman's question, "Julie, Natalie and I were once classmates. We used to study in the same university. How do you know Julianne?"

  "I am her senior in the university," Roman gauged Julie's ex-classmates.

  "Where did you switch to, Jules?" asked Natalie in intrigue.

  "In Neverland," came the quick response from Julie, as she didn't want Natalie to join Veteris even by accident next year. Hearing Julie's answer, Roman's lips twitched. He wondered if she was always like this, cute.

  Natalie stared at Julie for two seconds before she burst into chuckles, "You are funny. Are you not telling it because you feel the university is lower than the one we are studying in? You don't have to worry, we won't judge you."

  Keith, sitting in front of Julie, advised her, "You should try to apply back to join our university, Julianne. I am sure the management will reduce the fees and other expenses if it's requested."

  Both Natalie and Keith believed that Julie was studying at a local university and probably had night classes. As the Julie they knew, she would never skip classes.

  Roman's eyes subtly narrowed at the human's persuasion to have Julie back. He put his arm behind Julie's seat.

  Julie's eyes turned to look at Roman, who didn't bother to respond, and she said, "It is a good university," which was run by vampires. She added the last bit in her mind. When she realized this was one of the golden opportunities to smack Natalie with something, Julie finally replied, "It is Veteris University."

  Natalie and Keith's eyebrows rose in surprise, while the girl's expression was more of a shock than surprise. The smile that was on Natalie's lips faltered, and she said, "Veteris that has the highest cut off and that has been ranked number one out of most of the university?"

  So this was how satisfaction felt like, thought Julie to herself.

  "Yes, the same one," Julie offered Natalie a smile. She then started to brag about it, "The education there is of high quality, and the dorms, it is like living in a five star hotel with the best food. You should see the people there," some are weird, said Julie in her head.

  There was a hint of doubt in Natalie's eyes as if she didn't believe Julie and that she was only bluffing.

  Julie could tell that Natalie was internally breaking her head in wonderment of how she had ended up in a university like Veteris. The answer was quite simple now, thought Julie. Be related to the Corvin and go to places.

  The waitress of the diner arrived at the table, "Is there anything you would like to eat?" she asked Natalie and Keith.

  Keith had lost his appetite, but he still decided to order something, "I would like to have a passion fruit lemonade." The waitress then looked at the girl.

  "I would like to have a burger with rare cooked steak in it," smiled Natalie with a smile on her face. When she turned to look at Julie, she noticed a small frown, and she laughed, "I changed my tastes a little. Do you want to try it?"

  "No, thank you," replied Julie. She then muttered, "Looks like you finally learned to share."

  If there was only Julie and Natalie, the latter would have scoffed on the face. Before Natalie could come up with something, Keith asked Julie,

  "How are you managing the fees of Veteris? It must be quite expensive," he didn't miss the way, the delinquent had placed his hand behind Julie's seat.

  "I got it because of their admission test and my previous grades. There's a concession in the fees to the students who have good grades," replied Julie, and Keith nodded his head in understanding.

  "Looks like all those years of studying in the library finally paid off," he smiled at Julie.

  "That's what she used to like doing since the beginning, isn't that right, Jules?" asked Natalie, and she then turned to look at Roman.

  If he was studying in Veteris, it only meant that he was wealthy and he looked too fine in her eyes. When Julie was studying in the same university, Natalie had never allowed Keith to mingle with Julie, trying to keep a tight leash. Natalie had left Keith just as he was while putting up a good front so that he would never come to hate her directly, at least.

  She knew Julie had an inkling towards Keith in the past, and it had also spurred Natalie to get closer to him.

  Natalie coyly asked Roman, "She must be always busy staying behind the racks of the library."

  She stared deep into Roman's eyes, where the pupil dilated, and she tried to compel him. But she noticed it didn't work; she wondered what was wrong. There was hardly anyone who could resist her, but this person didn't reply to her right away, and he held a look as if he was bored by the few words she spoke to him.

  Julie could already feel that Natalie was trying to make her move on Roman with her octopus tentacles, the same as she had done with many of them. It brought the familiar feeling of anxiousness as she had felt in the past. But Julie realized this was not anyone but Roman Moltenore to be swayed by Natalie's acts.

  Roman remarked, "You are right. She's always behind the back of the library rack—" Natalie was going to smile further, but he added, "—with me, where no one comes. We have some really good times together, don't we?" He turned to look at Julie with a small smirk.

  Julie's cheeks turned red at Roman's words. He had purposely phrased his words that way so that it would sound as if they were up to no good.

  It had been a few minutes since the two strangers had joined the table, and Roman had heard the way the human boy showed his concern and worry for Julie. At Roman's words, the look in the human's eyes hardened as if he were unhappy hearing it.

  Roman had caught the look in the boy's eyes the moment it fell on Julie. Surprise, and regret in the human's eyes, but Roman didn't care about it as the boy wasn't someone he cared about. His phone started to ring, and he said to Julie, "I will be back in a minute."

  Julie nodded her head with a smile, and Natalie saw this little exchange. Once Roman left the table to take the call, Natalie remarked, "Who would have imagined that you could be a hoe."

  "Natalie," Keith warned her to stay quiet and not to create a scene.

  "What?" asked Natalie as if she hadn't been rude. "Seeing how she has been living, I thought she was going to remain a virgin. How interesting to see the type of people whom you are associating yourself with."

  "It is better than the people whom I had when we were studying," Julie replied to Natalie.

  Neither Natalie nor Keith had expected Julie to clap back at Natalie.

  "Looks like she's including you too Keith, so much for taking her side," smiled Natalie, and Keith turned to her and said, "Stop it, Natalie."

  But Natalie had found Julie after a very long time, and she taunted, "I see you have dropped those glasses and the shabby sweater. Did going to Veteris make you brave?"

  Julie picked up the cold drink, removing the straw before she took a sip from it. She then said,

  "Maybe. Or maybe it's because I don't have an insecure person like you to study with."

  This time Natalie's face turned red. She placed her hands on the table and leaned in Julie's direction, with her eyes narrowed, "Don't think just because you are studying in some prestigious university you are above us now. Does this person whom you are with know how much of a coward you are?"

  Julie held onto the glass that still had half of the drink in it, "You must be talking about yourself, because the only coward I see is you. Does it hurt? To think that I am doing better than you."

  Natalie huffed, looking away before holding on to her own glass. She said, "You wish. You are still that scared little thing, and I can prove it to you. Just because you have dropped your pathetic looking attire, doesn't mean anything has changed."

  "That's enough, Nat. Cut it out," scolded Keith, but Natalie rolled her eyes.

  "Whatever. I am going to use the restroom," Natalie got up from her seat and walked away from the table.

  An awkward silence filled the table, and Julie turned to look through the window, staring outside at a car that just arrived at the drive-through.

  "I am sorry about that," Keith apologized to Julie on Natalie's behalf. "I… also want to apologize for not intercepting when things went wrong."

  In the past, Julie had a soft corner for Keith, but she didn't anymore. He had done nothing but standby, watching things go haywire with her while not realizing what Natalie was doing to her in the past. Not wanting to create any more uncomfortable atmosphere around them, Julie said,

  "What happened is in the past, Keith," Julie's brown eyes met the boy's, and he stared back at her with his blue eyes. "I have moved forward from the past and I am happy where I am right now. You don't have to apologize for it."

  He nodded his head, "I am happy to hear that."

  While Julie was sitting in the booth with her old classmate at the backside of the diner, Roman was on a call with Maximus, "No, I won't be……no. Yes, I will be coming tomorrow with her…… Sure."

  He cut the call, and when he turned towards the backdoor of the diner, Roman caught sight of Julie's ex-best friend leaning against it.

  Natalie had a smile on her face, and she said, "That was quite a long call. I was worried it would take a long time."

  Roman stared at the girl, already aware of what she was. He didn't respond to her, his expression holding boredom, and he started to make his way towards the door. When he grabbed the door handle to open it, he was suddenly pushed against the wall, and Natalie had her hand on Roman's shoulder as she came close.

  Natalie used her vampire strength to keep Roman against the wall, knowing there was nothing that she couldn't get. One compel, and that was all it took for her. She said,

  "We should try to meet sometime when you are free. You seem to be quite interesti—"

  Roman's hand was quick to catch hold of Natalie's neck, his strength took her by shock before he pushed her against the wall. His black eyes changed into a darker shade of red, and Natalie's eyes widened.

  "Y-you are a vampire," she blurted.

  "At least you have the brain to comprehend it," deadpanned Roman, looking at the girl with annoyance in his eyes. "I don't like repeating myself so I will tell this only once. Get the fuck out of here and stop bothering Winters."

  Natalie tried to loosen Roman's hand from her neck. She had come across many vampires, but this was the first time where she had been caught off guard, "I see now. You are feeding on her, which is why you have kept her near," she choked in the end when Roman squeezed her neck, and fear appeared in her eyes.

  "What are you doing here?" questioned Roman, and when she didn't reply, he squeezed her neck for the little push of motivation she needed to answer him.

  Fear continued to rise in her eyes, "I-I, I am here to meet a vampire as this is a vampire town."

  "For what reason?"

  "Just like that because I was aske—" Roman squeezed her neck further before pushing her to the side, and she coughed while touching her neck.

  Natalie's eyes had gone wide as the saucers and she stepped away from him.

  "Touch me or her again, and you won't have a head on top of your body," he threatened her in a low voice, as he glared at her. "I have seen a lot of people like you, drunk in power, but let me tell you something. I have also sent them to their graves. Don't think I won't do that with you."

  Saying this, Roman made his way inside the diner, and his eyes narrowed at the boy when he heard the words of the boy to Julie,

  "If you ever need anything, you can always call me."

  Roman walked back to the booth, and he noticed the human's hand that was going to place on Julie's hand that was on the table.

  He went straight to grab Julie's drink, which had the human retrieve his hand back to his side. Bringing the glass to his lips, Roman directly took a sip from it, and he sat down next to Julie.

  Roman noticed the way the human boy subtly glared at him, unhappy with his presence next to Julie. He placed the glass next to Julie and put his hand around her shoulder.

  Roman turned his gaze to look at Julie and said, "Your food has turned cold. Do you want to order something?"

  Julie shook her head, "That's fine. I can still eat it. Everything alright?" she asked him.

  "Mm, it is now," responded Roman, looking straight into her eyes while ignoring the boy as if he didn't exist.

  "Anything to take back to the room? The place closes in three hours."

  Julie nodded at him, "Yeah, I would like that." It was always good to have emergency food.

  The human boy, who sat in front of the couple, watched the expression on Julie's face where she appeared to be happy and when she smiled, his eyes subtly widened. It had been a while since he had seen her smile because of what Natalie had done. His eyes hardened, noticing how the boy next to Julie was marking his territory as if indirectly telling him to back off from her.

  Natalie appeared at the booth, looking a little shaken, when she took a seat next to Keith. Her eyes caught the way Roman had his hand around Julie's shoulder, and she gritted her teeth.

  The waitress returned, "Is there anything else you would like to order?" Both Natalie and Keith shook their heads.

  "We are good," murmured Keith, and the waitress then turned to look at Julie and Roman.

  Roman picked up the menu and said, "One large fries, a chicken burger with extra cheese and another burger stuffed with rare steak. One chocolate milkshake, two rolls of wrapped chicken and don't add mayo and switch it with mustard sauce." He then turned to Julie and asked, "Did I get it right?"

  "Yeah," replied Julie, feeling the eyes of Natalie and Keith on her.

  "All of them are for take away," Roman passed the order to the waitress, who gave him a nod. "We'll take it at the counter," and the woman left.

  After five minutes, the four of them stood up from their seats and walked to the counter. Julie noticed Natalie had turned much quieter than the time before she had gone to visit the restroom. She wondered if something happened because Natalie's eyes kept darting towards Roman without looking at him directly.

  Keith paid the bill for what they ate, and before they left, he said to Julie, "Do come and visit when you are free."

  Julie nodded her head, a small smile on her lips, and she asked, "Where are you going from here?"

  "Natalie wants to meet someone. We'll first go there and then head back home. What about you? Are there no classes today?" Keith asked Julie.

  "We do, but we are skipping classes today," replied Julie, and Keith nodded his head, even though he didn't understand how Julie had changed so much. She had never been one to skip class, less be in the company of a guy like this. Knowing he had no right to comment as time had passed, and he said,

  "I see. We should get going, it was nice to meet you," said Keith, and he stepped forward to hug Julie.

  Roman's eyes narrowed, and if there was a beam of laser in his eyes, the human would have turned into ash now. Before the human could get closer to Julie, who stood on Roman's right, he intervened by stepping forward. He turned and took the hug for himself.

  Julie's eyebrows raised, wondering what exactly Roman was up to.

  Keith was engulfed in Roman's hug, and he felt himself being squeezed and crushed, which he didn't think was possible. In a low yet threatening voice, Roman said to the human,

  "Stay five steps away from her and speak. It will be good for your own health." He crushed the boy further in his arms before releasing. "It was a displeasure meeting both of you, and I would like to not see you hover anywhere near her again. There isn't anything that I haven't heard about what happened in the previous university where she studied."

  Roman's words were direct, and Keith held a look of guilt in his eyes while Natalie placed her hand on the human boy's hand and said, "We should leave."

  Natalie spared a look at Julie before she and the boy left the diner. Julie saw them walk out of there and leave in a car.

  "You scared them," murmured Julie.

  "Did you prefer otherwise?" Roman pulled out a piece of chewing gum from his pocket, bringing it in front of her. Seeing her shake her head, he unwrapped it and popped it into his mouth and started chewing on it.

  "I never said not to," responded Julie, and she turned again to look at the direction her ex-classmates had left. Natalie looked like she had seen a ghost, and it brought a goofy smile to her lips.

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  "He seemed too interested in helping you," remarked Roman. The person at the counter had left to go to the kitchen, and Roman walked forward, placing his hands on the counter as they waited for their order to be completed. "Did you have a good chat with him?"

  "It was a little awkward," she responded, and a quick frown appeared on her face. She whispered, "She's turned too?"

  Julie saw Roman give her a nod, "I believe most of the past students turned against you because she compelled them to do so. I wonder why she didn't compel this one. Did you get your closure over what happened between you and them?"

  Was that why Roman had agreed to having them join them at their booth?

  "I guess it was just a bit awkward to see them here after many months," replied Julie with a thoughtful look on her face. "It is strange. Things that once used to bother me, they seem insignificant now."

  "That's a good thing to hear," commented Roman, placing one side of his head on the counter. The expression on his face was serious, and he watched her. "And if you want to hear what I have to say, I think you are perfect the way you are Julianne Winters."

  "You are using my full name," murmured Julie.

  "What matters is what you think about yourself and not what others have to say, because in truth they don't have a say in it. You might have a few cons like staying true to your name, troublemaker, but I think you are better than most I have met," stated Roman, and Julie smiled.

  Usually, people complimented someone with positive things, not cons, thought Julie to herself. This was Roman's style.

  Roman paid the bill for what they ate and the takeaway food, which he picked up in his hand. When they stepped out of the diner, drops of rain had just started to fall from the sky. Which soon started to increase. Both Roman and Julie ran towards where Rose Veil's motel was located.

  When they stepped inside the motel, both Roman and Julie were nearly drenched and right now, they could hear the sound of the rain pouring outside the motel. Behind the counter stood the man Julie had earlier stabbed, and he offered her and Roman a bow.

  "Would you like me to get the fireplace and the hot water filled, Mr. Moltenore?" asked the man.

  "Yes," replied Roman, and the man quickly left the place where he had been standing.

  At the same time, they walked to the room that Julie had been given yesterday, and Roman unlocked the door.

  Julie rubbed her arms as she hugged herself. While Roman placed the food on the table, she saw a maid enter the room with a bucket of hot water poured into the bathtub, repeated two more times before bowing her head and leaving the place.

  Roman walked to the door and locked it so that no one would enter the room like what had happened earlier.

  Julie went to the cupboard to pick the dried towels, and when she turned around, she saw Roman pulling out his shirt from his body.

  This was the first time where Julie and Roman were sharing a room. The bathroom was not exactly a room but was in the same room, which was separated by a wooden divider.

  Julie pulled the cupboard door and picked the towels. When she turned around, Roman stood right in front of her, and her heart tumbled in her chest.

  Roman stared at her, "Do you have plans to catch a cold?"

  "No," Julie breathed the words.

  "Good. It would be better to get inside the water when it's still hot," said Roman, taking the towel from her and walking behind the wooden divider.