Nirvana

Chapter five

The party ran early into the next day. A lot of the guests were too drunk to leave, so most just stayed and passed out on the couch until Sarina kicked them out. Thankfully, the weekend meant they could all sleep off their hangovers. Vanessa was unsure if she should tell her friends about what happened that night, seeing as none of them had realized she’d snuck out. It was far too random for even her to grasp. What relation would a demon have with her old school and why would he send her there? If she told her friends, they’d worry and try to stop her from investigating. Demons with personal agendas were seen as extremely dangerous, especially if it regarded a specific person. They’d insist she let the national guards handle it. She didn’t know why she was against letting the professionals handle the mysterious man, but she felt like pursuing him was her responsibility. Whatever he was here for, it involved her and she needed to know why. Over the next few weeks, she made it her top priority to investigate the man in black. He wasn’t hard to find. More so, he often found her, usually at night. It started off as meaningless chases where he’d lead her to these bazar, secluded places. She’d expected him to try and trap her, but didn’t. Other times, he would appear in front of her and stare. If she tried to approach or ask any questions, he’d vanish.

One night, he led her to an abandoned opera house. It was naïve of her to constantly follow him, yet she still felt like she had nothing to fear. He had all this time to attack her and chose not to. She walked through the halls of the opera. It had been closed for years, yet the columns and walls appeared well kept and strong. She found the man standing on the stage looking over an empty audience. She had entered through a side door, so he may not have noticed her.

“Has our game of tag ended?” she asked. He didn’t speak, as usual. Still, maybe one day he would if she asked the right way. His eyes glazed over at her. They weren’t as vibrant a red as before, more of a honey color. “Are you going to talk for once? Why are you following me?” he smiled with his eyes. Was he laughing? She figured it was because she had been the one following him. He looked away again, eyes glowing. A mist of flames formed around him, running up his body and settling on his arms until something formed in his hands, an instrument, a violin to be exact. It was beautiful, glowing like the flames that created it. “Y-You want to play for me?” He nodded and jerked toward a seat in the front. Vanessa had grown frustrated with all the suspense. “Can we stop playing this game? You’ve been stringing me on for weeks and for what? To listen to your symphony? Since you haven't tried to hurt me, I’ve been trying to understand your reasoning, trying to get you to talk to me, but you’re making this impossible. Are you toying with me?” The man still said nothing. Vanessa scoffed. “Fine, I’m done with this. I’ll let the national guards handle you.” She turned to leave but before she could, a wall of fire flared up, blocking her exit. She stumbled back out of shock. Had he tried to burn her? Was she wrong to assume he wouldn’t hurt her? She looked back at him prepared to see menace and treachery in his eyes, but all she saw was pure sadness. He looked down at his violin and let it fall to the floor. The wall vanished, signaling she was free to go. Had she hurt his feelings? Her heart ached. Why was she feeling this way? She should be running away, shouldn’t she?

The man turned to leave. “Wait!” she called. The man turned his head slightly. She walked over to the seat he had offered and sat down. “I’m sorry. Please play for me.” She gave him a gentle smile. He stared at her, hesitated, then walked back to pick up his violin. She waited patiently as he closed his eyes and started to play.

The music started off slow and mellow with little to no emotion behind it. Vanessa had started to wonder if she had imagined the sorrow in his eyes. Then the tempo picked up and Vanessa found her heart jumping in her chest. The strings made a sound like a cry out for help. Fire flared around him as he was swept away in the music. There was so much sadness and deep longing that Vanessa felt herself tear up. Then the music turned angry. She had never heard music with such complex emotions infused into it. She didn't know him, but she wanted so badly to hug him and assure him everything was okay. This was no demon she’d ever encountered. This was a man in pain, calling out to her. The tears fell and she didn’t bother wiping them away. She couldn’t recall how much time had passed, just the fact that at one point she was being swept away in the music’s warm embrace, then the next she had been awoken by a call coming in from Sarina. When had she gotten home? Had she been dreaming the entire time? “Hey, Rina, what's up?” she answered, still dreary.

“b***h, where the f**k are you?!” Sarina swore.

Vanessa shot up from her bed and checked her clock. “s**t! Sorry I overslept.”

“Get your ass to class, NOW! You’ve got to see this!” the call dropped.

Vanessa rushed as fast as she could to get ready. Sarina usually got mad at her when she overslept, but this time it felt urgent. Had something happened at school? Worse, had a hellgate opened near the academy? Vanessa ran as fast as she could, ignoring the rule that she shouldn’t be running in the halls.

“Have you seen the new senior?” Vanessa overheard two girls say.

She ran faster. Had the man in black appeared at her school? She cursed herself, knowing it would have been her fault for letting him get away so many times. She reached her classroom and pushed the door open. She leaned on the doorframe, struggling to catch her breath. Sarina, I’m here, what’s wro-” her words got caught in her throat. Time seemed to stop and she forgot how to breathe. Standing before her was Sarina, looking just as confused and terrified as she was. Standing next to her was a boy, tall, well built, lightly tanned with bright emerald green eyes. The words forced their way out with a wave of tears. “D...Dylan?”

Back Story:

Dylan meets Vanessa (part 1)

Dylan’s mother, Roxanne, pulled into the parking lot of Dylan’s new school. She had been on the phone with his father discussing whether or not it was wise to put Dylan back into school so soon. He had been kicked out of many schools for disruptive behavior, among other things. His parents had done everything they could and, finally, this school agreed to take him in.

“It’ll be fine, hon, you worry too much. Have a little faith in our baby.” Roxanne smiled at Dylan, rubbing under his chin. To which he moved away dismissively. “Alright, I gotta go. Talk to you when I get home.” She hung up the phone, took one last glance at Dylan, who still refused to acknowledge her, and stepped out of the car.

Dylan stood beside his mother as she discussed probable behaviors he might have with his new teacher. She referred to him as abnormally gifted. It wasn’t as though she were trying to hide the fact that he was an angel, but he had a much more abnormal ability than most. He didn’t like how she said it. He knew his parents cared for him, yet he disliked how they would talk about him like he was an alien. But then again, maybe he was. He was different from most children and angels alike. Growing up, his parents told him he was oddly quiet as an infant. He didn’t cry, he didn’t laugh, he never got angry. It was simply as though he was unable to feel or showcase emotion. His classmates would often tease him for it, though it didn’t bother him. The reason he had gotten kicked out of previous schools was because he had a concerning coping method. For as long as he could remember, he'd lived with a constant pain in his chest that never subsided even if he took medicine. It made it nearly impossible for him to sleep, so he spent a lot of time in the hospital. His parents were worried because no one could figure out why he was experiencing it. He would sit there letting the pain consume him until his body gave out. Then one day, he found a way to ease the pain temporarily. When getting bullied on the stairs, Dylan accidentally caused the boy to fall and break his ankle. The second the boy cried out, a wave of relief washed over him. It was the first time in his life the ache had stopped while he was awake. Curious, he walked down the stairs and stepped on the boy’s injured leg. The boy screamed, but he couldn’t hear it. He was taken aback by the warmth flowing through his veins. When the teacher finally came, the boy had passed out as Dylan was breaking his other ankle, a crooked grin on his face. This was the start of a constant cycle as he bounced from school to school. It relieved his troubles, but added to his parents as they were forced to take responsibility for his actions. Almost daily, his classmates were sent to the hospital with severe injuries; 1st, 2nd, and even 3rd degree burns. His parents did whatever they could to cover his mishaps, yet it still led most schools to feel weary about accepting him.

“Alright baby, this is a new school, and a fresh start. Are you excited?” Roxanne kneeled down to look at her son. He said nothing while looking down at his feet. “Dylan sweetie, I know school can be tough for such a special child like you. But me and your dad tried really hard to get you in here. Can you please try to get along with your classmates?”

Despite him being emotionless, even he didn’t enjoy making his mother worry. So he forced a smile, the one expression he’d learned to do, and said, “Okay mom, I will. I won’t disappoint you.”

“That’s my sweet boy.” She gave him one last hug and allowed the teacher to escort him into the class.

“Settle down class, this is Dylan. He’s a couple of days late, but he’ll be joining us this year.” his teacher, Ms. Grant, patted him on the back. “Why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself, Dylan?”

Dylan sighed, dreading how painful this year would be for his mother’s happiness. He wished they’d just left him to be doped up with morphine in the hospital. At least then he could sleep. “My name is Dylan King. I’m 8 years old. I have a big family with two brothers. I like…writing poems-” His eyes landed on a girl in the back of the class. His breath caught in his throat and a warm sensation ran up his body. There was nothing special about her appearance, but still he couldn’t take his eyes off her. She seemed so bright compared to the rest of the world, like a drop of sunlight in a dark abyss. His hand went to his chest feeling the pain slowly die down. He hadn’t realized how long he was silent until Ms. Grant cleared her throat.

“Well, that’s all very nice, Dylan. Why don’t you sit by Vanessa? She’s a very sweet girl, I’m sure you two will get along.”

He hesitated at first but gradually took the seat next to her. She glanced over at him and smiled. His heart leaped, something it'd never done before. Even worse, he felt his cheeks begin to burn as she stared back at him. He looked away, feeling slightly intimidated by her gaze.This confused him. As the year went on, Dylan was overwhelmed by a number of new feelings every time he stepped into the classroom. He didn’t know for sure whether Vanessa was the cause, but he noticed the pain would return whenever she wasn’t around. The few times he’d tried to talk to her her smile would make him jumble his words. He’d feel embarrassed and run away. He decided that just being around her was enough, so he kept his distance until he grew concerned after seeing her come to school with bandages hidden beneath her sleeves. He ignored it at first, assuming she was just clumsy, until he caught a glimpse of fresh bandages hidden on her thighs. Seeing as they weren’t very close, he didn’t feel as though he could ask her why. It also bothered him seeing her be so passive when their classmates picked on her. Why didn’t she stand up for herself? This angered him to the point he was ready to forget his promise to his mother. He tried his best to ignore the burning urge to harm his classmates, but it was almost as troublesome as the pain in his chest. Why did he have to endure this pain? Why was she forcing this on him?

Close to the end of the year, Dylan’s class took a field trip to a nature preserve for a picnic. Dylan trailed behind the group to zone out Ms. Grants’ lecture about the animals that lived there. Again, he was forced to watch as the usual female bullies threw sticks at Vanessa behind the teacher’s back. He let out a quiet growl.

“Hey, cut it out.” A boy said as he swiped to brush the twigs from Vanessa’s hair. His name was Greg. He wasn’t one of her bullies, yet he'd never really talked to her before. He was the popular boy that all the girls liked to hang out with. He normally ignored the bullying, so why was he stepping in now? Dylan watched as he threw his arm around her. “Don’t let them get to you, Ness, they’re just jealous.”

Dylan huffed irritably. Did he think he was being cool trying to stop them after all the times he'd turned a blind eye? He then winced, thinking back at how many times he himself ignored the bullying. It’s not his fault, he wouldn’t know how to stop them without hurting them. It wasn’t like he could get them to stop by simply asking. The girls seemed obviously taken aback by Greg’s sudden interference. As the hike went on, Dylan noticed how Greg would whisper in her ear and try to hold her hand, despite her pulling away.

“Do you think I’m not serious when I say I like you?” Greg asked. Vanessa’s face flushed.

“I do, it’s just that...I’m not allowed to have a boyfriend.” she stated. “My daddy would get really angry.”

“He doesn’t have to know. We’ll keep it a secret, promise.” he reached for her hand again. She didn’t pull away, but let out an uncomfortable moan. Ms. Grant stopped at a bathhouse so they could all take a break and use the restroom. Greg took the opportunity to pull Vanessa away from the group.

“Hey, we’re supposed to stay with the others.” She protested.

“Don’t be such a wuss, it’ll be quick. I want to show you something.” Greg led her away from the group and into the trees.

They walked for a few minutes and stopped. They were far enough where they couldn’t be seen, but not too far where they couldn’t hear if Ms. Grant called out to them.

“What did you want to show me?” Vanessa asked, feeling anxious about being away from the group. Greg took both of her hands into hers and looked into her eyes. She blushed and looked down.

“If I’m your boyfriend, isn’t this what couples do?” he leaned in, pulling her closer. “I’ve really wanted to kiss you for a really long time.”

Vanessa’s heart was pounding. She found it difficult to look at him, he was so close. “B-B-But my dad said-” he shushed her.

“Don’t you like me back?”

Vanessa nodded silently, shutting her eyes tight. Before she knew it, he’d leaned in and kissed her. It was the first kiss she’d ever gotten. The first real kiss at least. Despite her nerves, it was nice, until she heard a snap. She broke away and turned in the direction of the sound. Standing not too far away was her usual male bullies. They were holding a cellphone and it was aiming directly at them. Realization hit and she snatched away from Greg, hiding her face in her hands. Greg sighed.

“Damn it Kyle, way to blow your cover. Do you not know what stealth means?” Greg chuckled at Vanessa’s obvious embarrassment. “Don’t hate me too much Ness, it was just a joke. We just wanted to see if you’d actually let me kiss you. Besides, you shouldn’t be embarrassed. Ain't nothing you haven't done before, right?”

Vulnerable and humiliated, Vanessa sobbed into her sleeve.

“Did you get a good shot?” Greg asked before something hit him square in the jaw. He was knocked to the ground. Blood poured from his mouth as he spit out a tooth. All the bullies, even Vanessa, looked back in shock to see Dylan standing above Greg, his eyes flickering.

Dylan stood over Greg as he sobbed, holding the side of his cheek in agony. He was right to have followed them, yet now he was forced to break his promise. He couldn’t stand by any longer. Angry, the two other bullies charged at him. As they neared, an unbearable urge to let the fire erupt from inside him clawed at his throat. Using all his will, he forced it down and plunged his foot into the bully’s groan. He screamed in agony. Frightened, the other bully turned to run away, screaming for Ms. Grant. Dylan started to run after him, but the boy tripped, twisting his ankle and hitting his face against a rock. The phone he was holding flew out of his hand and broke against a nearby tree. He was conscious, but he had a large cut across his cheek. All three boys stared at Dylan in fear. They heard Ms. Grant call out to them and they all took off running.

Vanessa stood shaken by what she’d just seen. She never liked violence, it always frightened her, yet she felt somewhat at ease. Maybe she was relieved someone had come to help her. She opened her mouth to thank him, but before she could, he pushed her hard. She fell to the ground, smearing mud over her clothes and scraping her hands.

“This is all your fault!” Dylan screamed. “Now mom’s gonna have a hard time and I’m going to have to transfer again. All because you’re too weak to stand up for yourself!” He stepped toward her, anger burning inside him. She raised her hands in front of her face defensively. Suddenly the anger subsided and, in its place, pure guilt and regret. The fact that she was cowering before him, hurt. He’d never wanted to hurt her. Tears fell from her eyes. He kneeled down and reached out to her. “Hey, I’m sorry-” She smacked his hand away.

“YOU’RE JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE! I HATE YOU!” Vanessa stood to her feet and ran away, wiping tears from her eyes.

Her words struck him like a dagger. It was painful, more painful than it had ever been before. The ache roared inside him, ripping through him. He couldn’t bear it. Why did he have to be like this? Why did God hate him so much? He couldn’t stand living like this any longer. She was gone. His one ray of light was gone and she despised him. What other reason did he have to live now? Clenching his chest, Dylan stumbled farther away from his class. After several minutes, he came across a waterfall. It wasn’t very high, but with his size, it should be enough to knock him out. The water would do the rest. He was going to put an end to this once and for all. As he made his way to the top of the waterfall, he made silent prayers, apologizing to his parents and praying that in his next life he’d be normal. He took one last deep breath and jumped.