Alixia arrived at the park, a bag of gifts clutched to her.
She looked around, searching for a familiar figure.
Nothing.
She sighed and sat down on a bench, her shoulders slightly tense.
It shouldn't be long...
Her gaze wandered into the trees, and without her realizing it, her thoughts drifted.
Memory
She was sitting next to Miria.
"Alixia, what you did wasn't nice," Miria said in a calm but firm tone.
— Ikan is not bad. He just wants to be your friend.
Alixia had crossed her arms.
— But he is younger than me...
Miria almost choked.
— Alixia… are you serious?!
—You are two years apart!
—And honestly, of the two of you… he's the more mature one.
—Auntie…
Miria placed a hand on his shoulder.
—It's the truth.
—You can't judge someone by first impression.
— Get to know him... and you will see that you are wrong.
Alixia blinked and returned to the present.
She squeezed the bag.
Then a second memory came to her.
Memory
She was hidden behind a door.
— She thinks she's mature... but her behavior isn't, Ikan said.
"Yes, she's mature," replied Miria.
—Mature?
— Is playing pranks mature?
— Is doing crazy things mature?
— Buying gifts for your boyfriend because he asks for them for bogus reasons, is that mature?
Miria chuckled.
— Said like that… it's not false.
Ikan's voice had become lower.
— Yet... I like it.
— I like the freedom it gives off.
— Her side is a little… crazy.
—Are you still going to deny that you love him? Miria had teased.
—Keep that to yourself...
An embarrassed smile appeared on Alixia's face.
She shook her head slightly.
Maybe I should give it one more chance...
He's quite cute...
And between vampires, age...
She stopped abruptly.
— But what am I thinking?!
She shook her head quickly.
— Come on… stay calm, Alixia.
His gaze swept across the park.
— But besides… where is Lior?
A sound of voices caught his attention.
She stood up and discreetly followed the sound.
And there… she saw them.
Lior was sitting with his friends.
A girl was sitting quietly on his lap.
Alixia widened her eyes.
"Hey man," said a friend, "aren't you going to your date?"
"There's no hurry," replied Lior, sneering.
— She can wait.
— I am with my darling Naëlle.
— Wow, Naëlle, you are so spoiled by your boyfriend!
Alixia felt her heart tighten.
"My guy," Naëlle replied, smiling.
— That idiot Alixia just thinks he belongs to her.
Everyone burst out laughing.
Alixia came out of hiding.
—Lior.
The laughter stopped abruptly.
— Oh, my darling! he said, quickly moving away from Naëlle.
— Were you already there?
— Oh pity, replied Alixia coldly.
— Save your acting skills for someone else.
She stepped forward.
—All this time... were you making fun of me?
She threw the gift to the ground and crushed it violently with her foot.
The ground cracked under the impact.
— Stay with Naëlle.
— You deserve it.
She turned around.
- Hey ! shouted Lior.
— Do you know who I am?
—I am the son of an advisor close to the king of vampires.
— I'm the one who decides if it's over or not.
Alixia looked at him with disgust.
- Get lost.
She walked away.
Clack.
Lior snapped his fingers.
Guards appeared.