QUEEN OF THE DEAD

CHAPTER 6

your eyes are chasing after my movement

one month before Graduation

I was assigned a task to deliver the final prototype of the yearbook to the School Council President. I failed to express my fear of Tori de Valle to the teachers, so they forced this poor charity student to get permission from this terrifying yet admired President.

While approaching the door, I got a glimpse of my own yearbook photo. Yep, I look like I'm plotting murder in my photo. Motif.

"..." I heard a commotion from inside the Student Council office. Curious, I opened the door to a mere inch. My eyes widened upon seeing Heidi inside; raging and angry.

"...well, I don't have enough time!" I silently gasped when he pulled Tori's collar from across the table. "It's your job. You had one job in your useless life and it's to buy me more time!"

I've never seen Heidi angry like this before. Someone who looked as charming as him... act this way? And why was Tori indifferent? He has that dead look in his face as Heidi harasses him!

Tori said something; something I couldn't hear because he doesn't scream unlike Heidi does.

"I don't want to!" Heidi threw Tori back in his chair as he paced back and forth. "She has to stay. If I leave, she has to stay. Or else I'll kill her, too."

The mention of murder made my hair rise and the book in my arm slipped. I immediately closed the door silently, and waited for three seconds.

I knocked as if nothing happened.

"Come in," says Tori.

I opened it, trying not to seem suspicious by smiling at the sight of Heidi. Levough himself had on a tight scowl, but it changed upon seeing me. It became warm, charming, welcoming... yet 10 times more scary knowing what he was like ten seconds ago.

"Hi, uhm... I have the prototype of the yearbook for the President to check out." I rushed to give it to Tori. I awkwardly smiled to Heidi saying, "Hi."

"Cool, the yearbook..." Heidi snatched it from Tori. "I know gold is a secondary color, but it's getting kind of stale. Is this actually real gold plating?"

"Fool's gold doesn't exist in Carvalle, Heidi," Tori deadpanned.

Heidi threw the book to the desk nonchalantly. "Well, fools definitely exist here."

Normally, I would've admired their closeness to the extent of Heidi just ignoring the respect for the Student Council President, but after earlier, I can't see them the same way again.

"Do you guys... like it?" I asked. Why can't I forget what happened earlier? It's affecting how I'm looking at both of them right now.

"Do you like it?" Heidi asks me, the fond smile never leaving his lips while my own quivers at the attempt of being natural.

I answered, "Yeah, I mean... the cover is glittery, so..."

"Good, I like it then. Tori?" Heidi turns to the President.

Tori sighed, looking at me. "Change the Font to Tahoma. I hate how basic and sharp Times New Roman is. Or do Century Gothic, either way don't do T.N.R. The graphics are good, just change the main font."

"Okay," I nodded. "Thank you, I'll... I'll go now."

I rushed outside and closed the door, staying by it because my knees are trembling from anxiety. What if they knew I was eavesdropping? Why did they talk about killing a girl? Or was it an expression....

I have never been so terrified of Heidi before. I thought he was just a charming idiot... but seeing him rage like that... made me fear him above Tori de Valle. Who knew Heidi can be so... angry?

the next few weeks

I was sorting my résumé, ready for a job right after Graduation. I'm aware that Heidi could no longer support me beyond that, so I had to stand on my own feet. Other than my resume, I also baked cookies for him using the H.E training room in Carvalle.

There is sat on a basket, complete with a bow and some decorative paper. It's the least I can do for him. Heidi was the one who game me this amazing opportunity. After Graduation, he'll only be my friend and I'm no longer his charity.

Why am I crying?

I blinked rapidly while trying to wipe away the sudden tears. Why do I feel such emotions for him? Why am I so attached to this school... all I did was study, I didn't even have any friends. I only had him.

After taking a deep breath, I closed my résumé as well as my computer. Which was a birthday gift from Heidi, and I can't refuse it because it was my birthday... as well as the Dean Koontz book collection, that iPod, the customized lamp, this custom desk, my bedsheets---now I'm depressed. What kind of guilt is this? Heidi gave all of these to me out of the goodness of his heart and all I do is push him away or give him a basket of baked cookies.

That's it. I'm telling him how I feel. Whether we end up together or not, Graduation is right around the corner and I'm not leaving Carvalle with the burden of not being a good enough friend to Heidi.

Yet before I can stand up, I hear a knock on my door. I wasn't expecting anyone, so I figured it must've been Heidi. But Heidi doesn't knock, he just enters.

I open the door to see Tori holding up a hanger with a dress on it. A dress?

"T-T-Tori?!" What is the Student Council President doing in the girls' dormitory?! "How'd you get in here--what is that?!"

"The blonde Satan kindly asked me come here with a stylist and get you..." He looks at me weirdly, noticing my make-up free face and my nest of a hair. Not to mention paint-filled shirt. "...fixed up. You're going to a dinner in the Levough Manor."

"Wait, what?!" I screamed as he let himself in. I went into panic mode. "Wait, dinner to where?! Did you say a manor?!"

"Stacy!" He yelled out before a woman entered in a rush and pushed me to the bathroom. "Hurry up, we have two hours."

"Why two hours?! A dinner at some manor and you give me two hours?! Why wasn't I---" Stacy slammed the door and immediately stripped me off my clothes.

"Blame Prince Charming, he also just woke up five minutes ago to Vivian screaming over the phone. Turns out he forgot about the congratulatory dinner his Father put up for him."

Heidi, why am I not surprised.

◇♔◇

I just witnessed my transformation to plain average female human being to a Barbie doll in one hour. Stacy did not speak a word and neither did I, for I only focused on the brush strokes and product application on my face. All I knew was concealer, eyebrows, and mascara with a little bit of blush but Stacy applied a whole box of make up.

When I exit the bathroom, Tori was by my bed glaring at his watch. He took one glance at me, raising an approved eyebrow at Stacy before gesturing to the dress.

It was silver, above the knee, simple, but so damn glittery it looks like a uniform puked on it. It still didn't look tacky. I know it's expensive, since I saw that glimpse of a very expensive brand as a tag.

"Wait, am I actually going to--" I was cut off when Stacy turned me around and shoved me inside the bathroom with the dress.

I am now turned into Cinderella, with a scary Tori de Valle and a silent Stacy as a fairy godmother. Stacy transformed my hair into a movie-class strands of curls and a smoky eye, with a nude lipstick that I actually like on me. The dress fit perfectly, with matching silver glitter heels to go along with it. What constrasted the out-of-this-world glitter is the plain white headband on my head.

I actually like how I look. I look expensive! I look like a Princess!

Yeah, but that Princess is not you. Shut up, I'm a Princess tonight... and only tonight. Only for Heidi. Wait.

I received a text. Speak of the devil, and he comes in disguised as a Prince.

Sorry about the ambush I rlly didnt prepare, n I know Im going to be in trouble when u get here... 

Received ✔6:47pm

Who told you I'm coming there? As if! I'm not going. 

Sent ✔ 7:08pm

Okay, I respect your decision See you here in half an hour. ❤

Received ✔ 7:08

"Can I slap Heidi Levough?" I mumbled out loud as I was being taken to the Levough manor by Tori himself.

I somehow forgot Tori has ears, too. "I'm pretty sure he'll let you, if it means getting you to touch him."

I sighed at Heidi's antics, but also became cautious of Tori. I still hadn't forgotten what happened at his office a few weeks ago. Where he willingly let Heidi manhandle him like a lowkey servant. "It's your job"? I recall Heidi yell. I assured myself it's probably schoolwork, since that seems to be Tori's responsibility as School President.

Stop thinking about it, you're going to dinner with Heidi's family.

I just barfed out air. Heidi's Family. See, Vivian Levough was enough to make me squirm and question my existence in this world... and now I'm meeting the people who made Heidi Levough. Not to mention his brother, which Heidi mentioned to be a psychopath.

I know I'm luckier than most people... but why me right now? I want to cry in frustration. I know my mascara is waterproof but my prise isn't. I have to be strong.

Even though the mere gate of the Levough Manor intimidated me enough to press myself further in the seats.

It reminded me of the White House, the manor. It's big, with a driveway mirroring that of a monarch's. There's even a fountain with lights under it, making it magical. The plants are no less than perfectly maintained, and I see two gardeners waving at me as I gawk at them. The guards are intimidating and lifeless, and they're all over the place. The place is huge, no doubt. There's even a maze over there!

Everything is perfectly polished. This is a castle. A modern castle, made of glass and white pillars. I can see what is inside through the frosted glass, a grand staircase and a lot of porcelain China vases.

When we stopped by the front of the manor, a woman looking like the organizer stepped in with her board. Tori stepped out of the driver's seat to open my door.

"...? ...!" Oh, she's french.

Surprisingly, Tori replied, also in fluent french. "..., ..."

"Ah, yes! Thi'z way, dear!" The woman gently tugged me towards the door. I silently asked Tori for help, but it looks like he's not coming with us.

Did he really just come into my room, dress me up, take me here and go? Why isn't he invited to the dinner?

"Heidi? Can I see Heidi?" I asked the lady.

"Oh, Monsieur Heidi! Ah, table! Table, please!"

"No, no... I want to see Heidi, I can't just go to the table--"

"Table now my dear, you are late... Levoughs do not like late..." She says as she keeps on dragging me around this huge, golden interior of a house.

But what she said terrified me. I'm late, and the Levoughs don't like 'late'.

"Percy!" Someone's called out from above the stairs.

When I looked up, it was the glorious image of a stupid toaster known as Heidi Levough in the midst of tying his own necktie.

"Monsieur Heidi, thank goodness you're finally done! You pray that you will not be punished for only waking up thirty minutes ago!"

When Heidi arrived in front of me with an awkward smile, I actually snorted unattractively at him.

"You're late, too?"

"Well, guess we'll die," Heidi shrugged, joking. But I take that joke seriously and gave him a terrified look. Instead of acknowledging my concern, he just offered his arm to me.

"You're breathtakingly beautiful."

Thanks to my foundation and blush, Heidi could not see the burning nerves in my cheeks. How dare he say that with that smile.

"Y... you look good, too."

I am currently surrounded by gold in right, and priceless artifacts in my peripherals. Yet somehow, the most precious and flashy person here is Heidi, who took every bit of my affection with his smiling eyes. Proud and happy... I have always seen him smile. But this one is different.

We stood together on the huge arch that separates the hallway and the dining room. Have I mentioned this place is a palace?

We were about to enter the dining room, with my shaking knees,  but Justin squeezed my hand, pulling me back. I blushed at the pressure on my fingers.

"Sal, do me a favor and get my hair gel?"

"Young master--"

"Please?" This grown man really just gave his manager the puppy eyes.

When the manager left, we stood there by the door in silence. So? Are we going in? "Who do you think is in there?"

"My parents," he answered, quite sadly. 

"Are they scary?" I asked, wondering why he looks like a sad puppy now.

"They uhm..." Heidi sighed in dismissal, before raising our hands by eye level. "Perce, do you trust me?"

"Do I what? Pft, no. You have no sense of--"

The goof smiled. "You have to," he grinned before tugging my whole body towards the opposite direction of the door, running for an escape.

Running in painful heels is one thing. Running with your heart painfully beating is another.

We end up in front of a cliff overlooking the ocean, with a couple of wine at the bottom of the sports car Heidi flew us in. The sunset was late, but the sea still reflected light beautifully. The sea was calming, and the wind accompanied us in our risky escape from the world.

Escape from the most terrifying moment of my life; meeting the richest family in the world. So for once, I am grateful of Heidi's recklessness.

"You actually ditched a family dinner!" I stupidly laughed along with him as I took a sip of my wine. We were sitting on the hood of the convertible, eating with a basket of sandwiches.

I may have taken a few glasses because I was too traumatized by Heidi's speed during our escape. My perfect princess hair is a mess and I've already taken my eyelashes down. I ratted on him for taking me this far after I've had 2 hours of fixing done on me.

You know what the little shít said after my rant? "Nobody else but me should see you this beautiful."

To prevent myself from slapping him by impulse, I gave myself a glass of wine to distract myself from his crap.

"I didn't want you to meet my family, and I know you don't, too..." He gave me a stupid giggle as he stares at the sky, obviously the alcohol got to his brain.

I snorted in response, "True; Vivian is enough to scare me... I wonder what the rest of the Levough are like."

"They're like the Gucci Addams Family. Scary, but so dumb..."

"You mean hilarious?" I corrected him.

Heidi gave me a look. "Well... if you count regularly throwing butter knives and stabbing each other with forks over favorite colors and movie opinions, then yes."

"Haha, that's cute," I dismissively say in my drunken state, not actually hearing him talk about anything. I was taking a sip of this delicious grape flavored wine. It's so delicious, we managed to finish the previous two bottles.

"You'd probably be killed when you get back... ditching them like this."

"Yeah, first time... I'm gonna die in the hands of my father," he snickered. "At least I'll die after spending time with you."

"You're sweet, but dumb. You can't die," I replied, slightly tipsy and feeling goose bumps on my cheeks..

He raised an eyebrow at me, "How are you so sure?"

"I don't know," I giggled, staring at the glass I'm holding. "I mean, I saw you without an eye once so..."

He was silent for a bit. When I looked at him, Heidi was sadly looking down. Upon meeting my eyes, he obviously faked a smile. "You can say I could die without you."

I sighed, feeling butterflies in my stomach. Or maybe it was the alcohol... "Why me? Why are you... like this?"

He shrugged.

In my tipsy state, I persisted. "I know you're Valedictorian, Heidi. You're not stupid, or dumb. You know the social consequences of being with someone like me. They even mentioned a--"

I hiccupped. "--a fiancé..."

"Yeah, I do have one." Heidi leaned in a grabbed my hands, which was pale and cold from the wind coming from the sea. "I'm gonna marry you, Percy. Only you."

I don't know if it's the strong wind, or the many sips of fancy wine I've had, but the next thing I knew, my eyes were stinging so badly and there was something escaping my eyes. I don't know why, but I'm actually crying.

In front of Heidi Levough.

"Hey, hey... why are you crying? Do you hate me that bad?" Heidi joked with a smile, but once he sees my serious face being filled with tears, his smile dropped and instead he forced me into a hug. 

"Don't cry."

I'm still crying.

"Perce... hey, Perce..." He pats my back. I sniffed, not caring if I got snot in his jacket. I definitely did.

"I just... don't know what I would've been if you didn't..." I squeaked, attempting to speak but all two years of being stubborn and holding back my feelings came flooding out. "I can't even... e-even return your feelings... b-because I'm such a... a coward..."

"You're not a coward," Heidi stated, his voice making vibrations on my ears. "You've been through more than what I have... you've faced them fiercely. Just because you can't get through strong feelings, doesn't mean you're already weak. "

I cried harder, because I thoroughly imagined what I have been through as a child, and as a teenager. What I've suffered until Heidi came into my life. What I would've suffered had he not made me his Cinderella.

"Perce," he pulled away from the hug, holding me by both shoulders. He was serious, staring at me for a moment, until he suddenly burst into a short laugh.

"What."

"You're so pink and puffy, a beautifully ugly crier... I can't help it."

Heidi Levough, I can smash this bottle of wine in your face, is what I wanted to say, but the wine increased my sensitivity and I just cried harder instead. I can feel my ancestors frowning upon me now. Y to shame.

But instead, all of a sudden, in what felt like a fever dream, he softly holds my wet chin and pulled my head in for a soft kiss.

It was like a literal dream. Was it even real? Did I just feel his lips on my own? Wait, it happened before... he's stolen kisses before... Why is this so different?

Heart, please stop, I can hear you and the arteries twisting.

"Perce, do you love me? As much as I love you?" Heidi slurred upon pulling away. His eyes were half lidded, but I can still see that beautiful brown irises of his. They remind me of wet wood; and they were puppy like in waiting for my answer.

That question was lost in my mind. My own eyes betrayed me and got lost his his. Heidi wasn't wearing contacts this time. They were his natural browns, void of any designs or artificial color. They were beautiful. I love them.

And I.... love him? Unable to fathom the admittance of my feelings, I pulled the glass to my lips and downed it, but Heidi pulled the glass away.

"Enough of that, we're already drunk! This was just decoration for a fancy sandwich picnic--"

Too late, my mind has betrayed me. I pulled Heidi's neck towards me for a brave, stupid kiss that involves more than a millisecond. No... it's more than 5 seconds. It's more 10... it's more than lips.

When I can taste his own tongue invading my mouth, I pushed him away and covered my mouth in shock.

I kissed Heidi Levough. I kissed a royal prince. He is in front of me looking equally as shocked, his cheeks flushed. I, myself, am getting dizzy and my limbs feel numb as if I am in a lucid dream.

Have you ever had that feeling of regretting your actions, but never hating it?

"It's..." I was startled when he spoke. "It's not making me hallucinate, is it?"

He was referring to the alcohol. I lowered my hands, and for some reason, whispered an apology.

He probably realized what that kiss meant, because he smiled as if he was in heaven and his ears turned red. If he's blushing this hard, I wonder what I look like.

"You actually love me back," he muttered to himself in disbelief. He actually ruins his hair and shakes his head multiple times. "Hahh, I've never been this happy..."

"Me too..." I whispered, barely audible but he sure can hear it.

Overwhelmed with happiness, he engulfs me in another kiss. I actually let him. His kisses were soft but aggressive, and I believe I was equally selfish in pulling him in. I never expected for acceptance to be this overwhelming, I'm still crying.

"I love you," he mumbles in between kisses, holding my head tightly as he kisses me in my wet cheeks, nose, and of course, lips. It's disgusting because I have salty tears and other grossness, but I can't complain because of the alcohol in my system, and I just want to let Heidi be happy for just a second.

I want him to be happy because of me, because God knows how many times he's made me happy.

Holding our foreheads together, he sighed deeply. "I don't want to have to leave you," he slurred.

I didn't understand half of that, and he probably mixed up his words because we are both out of it. But why mention leaving?

"I won't be leaving you, Heidi..." I whispered. "I'll be staying in Carvalle..."

He let out another shaking sigh, which sounded more of a sob than an exhale of air.

"I don't have enough time..." He says again, his voice slurred. "I'm not ready yet."

Not ready for what?

"I'll die without you, Percy..." He mumbled. "I can die for you..."

"Heidi--" he kisses me fully now, claiming what he sought after for 2 years now. I just let him, because honestly, I love him, too.

I really do. That thought sent surges in my heart and gave me goose bumps, urging me to kiss him back aggressively as I hold on tight to him.

Heidi groaned, the wind of the sea roaring between us as it got really dark. I held onto him as if my life depended on him, as if my body needed his warmth to survive the cold attacks of the wind.

His touch to me changed as it was less warm and more electrifying in the best way. I can't believe I reacted to him holding my neck with a moan, and I've never been so embarrassed in my life to do such a thing.

Due to our drunken state, our emotions had a field day controlling our bodies. Somehow I felt satisfied; Heidi made me feel loved, he made me feel like a princess.

Speaking of, that expensive princess dress should probably not end up in the ground with an equally expensive suit.

We were driven by our own impulse and end up exposing our bodies to each other. I've never even exposed my shoulders to him, but instead of being embarrassed, the alcohol made me proud of what I could give him.

As usual, he muttered compliments as he kissed me all over. Despite me moaning for him to stop all the mushy talking, he shuts me up by kissing me.

Heidi has a body of a pale prince; his skin is silky and flawless, my hands slip from his biceps to his arms. I embraced his as tightly as he embraces me, I rivaled his kisses as our bodies clashed together in mutual lust.

I've never felt this happy before. This time I was brave in welcoming him into me; this time, I let him hear all the things he wanted from me. All sounds in my mouth felt like my body talking, not me. It felt so good, I was able to forget all the bad stuff in my life.

Right now, Heidi is the only one