+ 1.19.3: A New Beginning

Note: So I know it's been ages since I updated. I'm really sorry it's just been busy here; getting ready for uni and sorting stuff out for the new house. I'll be posting up the last three parts for this chapter before getting to work on Troye's story. Just want to thank you all once again for reading. I really appreciated it. :)

The premier as a whole had gone off without a hitch. The paparazzi were having a field day with all the celebrities making their way down the red carpet. They were local celebs but had a strong fan following nonetheless. Azaria had even joined in the glamour of it all; posing as blinding flashes of light hit her in the face. For a moment she thought she could get used to this glitzy lifestyle – playing dress up every other night.

She was having fun until she found herself playing caterer to the mass of people who had found their way back to the house for an unofficial after party.

“Can we get another refill of pizza here?” Someone called out as Azaria, agitated, tried her hand at a plate of hot dogs. She never was much of a party hostess. Back home when her parents had their fancy shindigs, she would lose herself among the guests and the catering would be left to the hired help.

Jared was immersed in the throngs of party goers before he noticed she was nowhere in sight.

He found her by the dining table laying out food. He pulled her aside and onto the makeshift dance floor.

“So how’s it going?” he asked.

“Great now that I’m not playing hostess.”

“Yeah about that... Don’t stress – ”

“Hey Jared you owe me a Star Craft challenge.” One of the female crew members called out to him before dragging him away to the lounge for their impromptu video game battle.

“Yo where’s the pizza?” The same obnoxious person from earlier called. Azaria huffed and trudged her way back to the kitchen to fulfil their guests’ demands.

By 3am most of the party goers had left. Jared was still battling it out on the game console.

“I’m just stepping out for some fresh air.” Azaria mumbled to no one in particular.

“Is that your girlfriend?” Jared’s friend nudged him good-naturedly in the ribs.

“Huh? No...Wait what?” He was too busy dodging missiles to realise he was being spoken to. Azaria heard the ‘no’ bit, her heart felt as if it had just been punched in its gut. She stepped out into the balcony.

“Is that your girlfriend?” The woman, named Kathy, repeated.

“If she’ll have me.” He grinned shyly.

“Yeah well you have some grovelling to do.”

“What are you talking about Kath?”He scratched his head.

“You’ve got a lot to learn about women, man. I’ll catch you at work on Monday. Let me know how it goes.” She winked and headed off.

Jared eventually came out onto the balcony, his friends gone. He put his hand to her bare shoulder.

“Are you angry?” He asked. She shook her head. She wasn’t angry about having to co-host the party; but she was exhausted and anyone who knew her well enough knew that she turned into Grumpy Gerty when stressed or fatigued.

“I’m sorry for being such a douche.” Jared apologised. He knew it couldn’t have been easy to cater to a horde of unfamiliar faces; to be treated like the help. But she understood the demands of show business. She was just hoping that the night would turn out a little different. She assumed that when he asked her to accompany him he was asking her to be his date not to play an accessory turned hostess.

“It’s just...”She started unsure of whether she really had read the signs correctly.

“It’s just that I haven’t been completely honest with you. The truth is that I really like you Az. I always have.”

“So have I but I thought we agreed not to-.”

Jared tilted her chin up and kissed her on the forehead. All throughout high school there had been utterances of chemistry between them but for the sake of preserving a great friendship they brushed aside such claims. Now that they were young adults there was no denying the connection.

His soft lips found hers. The air was warm and in the background was the sound of waves lapping the water’s edge. Throw in the rising sun and the perfect romantic scene was set. His kiss was gentle but she could sense his uncertainty. He was worried that he’d go too far and ruin the moment.

Azaria imagined a different kind of kiss; a kiss wrought with passion and desire; uninhibited and breath-taking. A kiss that would make her feel so weak at the knees that she’d no longer be able to stand; that would leave her immersed in an eternal bliss.

She imagined Davrin’s powerful, spellbinding kiss. She had buried the dream – the memory – deep within the catacombs of her mind not knowing that a simple moment like this would recall it to the surface. She could kick herself right at that moment for allowing that vile vampire to worm his way back into her head and ruin a perfect moment.

There was no doubt in her mind that she felt something real for Jared; something that wasn’t blurred by her gratitude. She allowed Jared to hold her close, her face nuzzled against his neck. The confusion lay in why Davrin was relentlessly flashing in and out of her mind, invading her thoughts and relationship with Jared. ‘No.’ she repeated her mantra to herself over and over until she finally believed it. ‘He’s dead and out of my life. This is what is right.’

Jared was right for her. He knew her and she knew him. There were no nasty secrets hidden from each other, no dark and dangerous sides to either of them, no fear of unexpected outbursts of rage and insanity. Jared would be her present and her future, not Davrin. ‘There was no way he could still play his mind tricks if he was dead, right?’

Somewhere in Bridgeport

An evil cackle erupted from Davrin as he took pride in his latest means of mental torture. No one said he couldn’t find a way to have fun in his dungeon. It didn’t matter where the girl was: it was obvious he could still get to her. He could read her mind and make her think of him. No, there was no way he was going to let her go. They shared a bond neither of them could escape. And as for her human lover... well, he just made it onto the hit list.