Eight
1767 Words
The next day, Gigi walks out of her house. She's surprised to see two familiar faces smiling at her as she approaches the front gates. Filah and Dua wave at her.
"Hello Miss Gianna."
"Morning miss."
"Please just call me Gigi. I'm surprised you ladies remembered." she smiles at them.
"Of course we did. We're eager to learn how to control ourselves." Filah say enthusiastically.
Dua nods in agreement, "I can't drink human blood it's not natural."
Gigi looks around them, "Where's the other one?"
"Oh Zero? He said something about finding another coach and how you were no longer needed." Filah says.
"Another coach?"
"Yeah, they met yesterday apparently."
"Did he happen to say who it was?" Gigi asks, a certain someone already coming to mind.
"He did but I can't seem to remember his name. I think it started with an M?" Filah looks at Dua, who nods, "That sounds right." "Was it.. Mango?" "No that's a fruit."
"Was it Maro?" Gigi says impatiently.
"That's it!"
"Follow me." They follow Gigi down the street. They step up to Maro's house, she rings the door bell, he opens it with a smile.
"Gianna, what a surprise. What can I do for you? Would you like to come in?" Gigi pushes past him, he laughs, "Looks like you do."
"Where is he?" she demands.
"Who?" Maro shrugs, playing innocent. A smirk appears on his face, "Oh you must mean my new student." Zero enters the room.
"Oh Gigi, I wasn't expecting to see you here."
"Neither was I. What the f**k are you doing here?"
"I'm here for my training?" he says confused.
"What training?" Gigi looks at Maro who just grins at her.
"That's none of your business now is it, Gi?" he says in a sickly sweet tone.
Gigi looks back at Zero, "I swear if you do anything other than what I've told you, I will kill you!" she says, anger flowing out of her.
Maro gestures to the front door, "It's time for you to go."
“I guess it is. I know when I'm not wanted."
Gigi looks at Zero seriously before walking towards the door, Maro follows. Before she can walk out, Maro grabs her arm, pulling her close and whispers in her ear, "The game IS on and it's just barely begun."
Gigi smiles, "That's score one for me, no?" Before Maro can say anything she pulls her arm away and walks out. Maro watches as she walks away, followed by the two girls she came with. Zero steps up behind him.
"Was she serious about killing me?" he asks.
"Oh yeah. She'll definitely do it, no hesitation. She's quite scary. All the vampires fear her, it's like it's genetic. They respect her too."
"Why? She seems like a bitch."
Maro frowns at his words, "She's not. But she is the princess. She'll rule over everyone some day."
Zero looks at him shocked, "Are you serious?"
Maro chuckles lightly, "There is still so much you need to learn. Shall we?"
"After you." They walk out of the house, Zero closing the door behind them.
~
Gigi walks into Holly Steakhouse and see's Kat, Geo and Chachi sitting at a table. Kat waves her over. She takes a deep breath as she walks towards them.
"How are you?" Kat asks.
"Exhausted, you?"
"I'm very well rested actually." Kat jokes.
Gigi rolls her eyes, Chachia gets up and allows her to sit on the inside of the round booth. "Where have you been?"
Gigi pouts, "I've been training Dua and Filah all morning. I'm sick of it." "How are they doing?" Geo questions.
"They are quick learners and they're very respectful so I could appreciate that. Then there's that boy Zero. He decided to train with Maro."
"Uh oh, that can't be good."
"It can't be helped either," Gigi shrugs. "I'm starving can I order?"
"We're actually waiting on someone," Chachi says.
"Who?"
Ash walks up to the table and takes a seat next to Kat and Geo. "Hey guys sorry I'm late."
"No worries." Chachi smiles at Gigi, "Now we can order."
They all look at the menu for a few moments, when they've decided what they wanted, Geo snaps his fingers. The waitress Suzi walks up to their table.
"Hello sir, welcome back." looks at Gigi, "Oh, my lady! How have you been?" she says excitedly.
"I've been good Suzi, and yourself?" Gigi smiles at her.
"You remember my name?" the waitress says in shock.
"Of course I do. I would never forget the name of my favorite waitress."
Suzi's face turns a light red, "Thank you ma'am. That is such an honor."
"We would like to order now!" Geo snaps. Gigi looks at him and rolls her eyes for what felt like the thousandth time since she had left home earlier in the day.
"Yes of course, what would you all like?"
"I'll have the chicken finger meal, with a medium strawberry shake." Gigi says handing her the menu.
"Make that two but I want a large vanilla shake." Geo says.
"Yes sir."
Kat hums for a second, "I'll take two rare beef tacos and a tomato juice."
"I'll have a chicken burrito with a large Dr. Pepper."
Suzi nods and looks at Ash, "And for you?"
"I guess I'll take a medium well done steak and a blueberry water."
"Anything else I can get you?" she says looking around the table.
"No that'll be all, thank you," Gigi smiles at her.
Suzi takes their menus and bows before walking away.
"I'm so glad you guys invited me here." Ash says.
Kat looks at him confused, "We're friends, why wouldn't we?"
"I just thought, you know because I'm different." Ash hesitates.
"Different?" Geo gives him a weird look.
"You mean because you're human?" Gigi asks. Ash nods his head. "I’m the only one here who is a little prejudice but I won’t let that get in the way of our friendship. We're family, Ash, we do things as one."
"Even me?" he says in almost a whisper. They all look at Gigi.
"Even you." she reassures him.
Ash smiles as Gigi grabs the pepper and pours some on the table, spreading it in a circle with her index finger.
"Tomorrow is Monday Gigi." Chachi says, elbowing her. "I'm aware," she sighs. "Are you still going to help us study?"
"Study for what?" Ash asks.
"It's pre-calculus, which we suck at! Gigi on the other hand is passing with an A+."
Kat looks at Gigi with admiration, "She's the only one in the advanced classes. She's so smart."
Gigi tunes them out, using her abilities to make the pepper float off the table.
"Oh man I suck at anything math related." Ash sighs.
Gigi flicks a pepper flake causing the others to disperse.
"Maybe you could study with us?" Chachi says excitedly, "What do you think Gi?"
Her focus stays on the pepper. "Gigi!" Geo smacks the table with his palm causing Gigi to jump and lose focus. The pepper falls into the table. "Oh, what?" she says confused.
"Can Ash study with us?" Geo asks with a slight grin on his face. Chachi wipes all the pepper off the table. Gigi looks at Ash, his face turns a light red when they make eye contact.
She smiles, "I guess so."
"Great, it'll be fun." Ash says happily.
"Believe me it won't." Geo sighs sadly.
They all talk back and forth. Gigi spaces out when suddenly a delicious smell fills her nose. She sniffs the air and follows it to Chachi. She sniffs him and he immediately goes stiff.
"Gigi?"
They all look at her surprised. Geo watches her closely, not knowing what she was going to do.
"You smell good," she says softly, inhaling his scent.
"Gianna!" Geo says after a few moments.
Gigi quickly snaps back to reality, realization hitting her. She covers her mouth and backs away. "Oh my god, Chachi I'm so sorry!"
He relaxes a little, "It's alright, I know you won't actually hurt me." He smiles softly her.
“I don’t..” she whispers to herself.
Suzi returns to their table with a cart full of their orders. "Here is you food. On the house."
"Don't be silly, we can pay." Gigi protests.
"No need my lady, it's courtesy of the chief." "Are you sure?" Gigi asks, still not wanting to accept.
"Of course. Please let me know if you need anything else." Suzi bows and walks to another table.
"Thank goodness the food is here. I thought I was going to need an appetizer." she says looking at Chachi. He laughs nervously.
“Your joking right?" Gigi says nothing as she takes a sip of her shake. "She's joking right?" Geo laughs at Chachi.
An hour goes by as they eat and laugh with one another. Through the laughter, Ash watches Gigi, unable to take his eyes off of her. “You're pretty when you smile." he says out loud.
Everyone looks at Gigi with knowing smiles. She blushes. "What?"
"I- I mean you're pretty even when you don't smile," he stammers, "it's just different when you do."
Gigi just looks at him not knowing what to say. Kat clears her throat and looks at her friend expectantly.
"Thank you," she finally manages to mumble out.
~
Without her knowing, Maro and Zero followed Gigi to the restaurant and observed her.
"Did you see the way that waitress acted towards her!?" Zero asks as he sits back in his seat."Mhm." Maro says, not taking his eyes off of her.
"I had no idea she was the princess. I was wondering why everyone at the Tower spoke to her so highly."
"Her family owns that tower, they had it built a very long time ago." Zero looks at Maro with curiosity,
"How do you know so much about her, huh?"
Maro stares at Gigi for a few moments before sighing and sitting down, "I dated her a while back."
"Whoa seriously? How come you never told me?" Zero says, shock written all over his face.
Shrugs, "It never came up."
"What was it like?" Zero asks, more curious now than he was before.
Maro smiles, thinking back, "It was intoxicating. Like every moment with her wasn't enough. It's like she had this magnetic pull, drawing me towards her."
"Why don't I feel it?"
"Give it time, you will."
“What happened between you two? I can tell that you have lingering emotions towards her."
Maro frowns, "Some things are best left unspoken, little brother."
- Writer
