Pursuance Eight

Vesta got up with dizziness, she sat on the bed, roaming her eyes to her surroundings. She was in the University's infirmary. She got up from the bed, there's no one in the room. Then Vesta noticed the cap on her head was gone, the white bandage could be seen, and her face felt so cold.

Vesta knew any minute her cousin would be here, but before it happened she needed to get out of here, afraid of her cousin's reaction if she knew. She tried to remember what happened but the only thing she could was the tremendous pain in her head as well as the images of two kids and a young woman, that she could not understand. Irritation rose on her, why was it happening to her?

The infirmary looks like a hospital where she had been, the white paint in the walls, and the white curtain that separated the three-bed in her back, and another three in front of her. The first thing she looked at was the journal, fear crept in her when she could not find it on the table beside the bed.

Maybe it was left in the hallway after what happened. Vesta strode fast toward the front door, and suddenly stop when she saw Zaiden sitting in the coach of the infirmary in front of her, reading a book. Her gaze flew to the empty table where the infirmary nurse stayed.

"You are still weak? Why don't you rest?"

Vesta gasped when the guy spoke, the eyes were still focused on what he was reading.

"It's none of your business, I am fine," Vesta replied with her head held high to the man. Of course, she was fine. She does not feel bad at all. The pain in her head was gone.

Vesta stepped toward the front door in her right when Zaiden talked again that made her shocked.

"Are you searching for a journal? Why are you in a hurry?" Zaiden lifts his eyes in her direction.

Vesta was not expecting it. She meets the eyes. Still, she was as always mesmerized by the colours of his eyes that looked familiar in her, seems she has seen those eyes before.

"You should thank me for saving your guts before you faint yourself in front of the students," Zaiden said, in a smug tone that annoyed Vesta.

Vesta stared at him. She did not ask for help from him recently, and of all people, why was he there at that time?

Vesta was about to speak when Zaiden took something to his right side that she had just noticed. Her brother's black journal.

"You have the journal," Vesta said, ashamed of what she had said to him lately.

“The woman with you earlier gave the journal to me when she came here when you were still out of consciousness. She will visit you later, she told me,” Zaiden said and handed the journal to Vesta.

Vesta approached her and took the journal from him. "Thank you," she said.

He simply shrugged at what she said, which made her annoyed even more. She was expecting a simple welcome from the guy, but she was wrong.

"Welcome," Vesta said in a sarcastic tone that made Zaiden's eyebrow lift.

"Not all time a thank you should be answered by welcome, if you are being thankful, then take a rest. Your head is still bleeding," the man answered then turned the page of the book he was reading.

"Why are you here?" Vesta asked. She touched the bandage and only now did notice that it was wet. When she looked at her hand, it was blood.

"The nurse asked me to watch over here until she came back, and I don't have a class, so why not?"

Not wanting to believe what the man was saying, she took a deep breath and went back to her bed earlier. Vesta sat on the side of the bed, the journal was on her lap. At the bottom of the journal was her brother's signature in silver colour, the journal was made just for her brother.

Vesta turned her gaze to the right of the approaching footstep in her direction. She saw an elderly woman wearing a nurse's uniform smiling at her.

"How are you, Ms. Fades?" the nurse asked her after approaching.

Vesta looked at the rolled bandage on the nurse's hands and a red pouch, she looked up to her.

"I'm fine," Vesta answered with a thin smile on her face.

"Well that's good, let's clean and change your bandage," the nurse said in delight.

The car was silent. Vesta was sitting in the front, next to her was her cousin who was mad at her. They were on their way home to her godmother Estella's house. Until they reached and even entered the house, Ashley did not speak to Vesta.

Taking a breath, Vesta took the strength to speak.

"I'm so sorry, Ash," Vesta said with hardness in her voice and her eyes reddened.

"Sorry? Vesta! My goodness! It's good that Zaiden took you to the infirmary. What are you thinking? You ran away from the hospital and went to school, it's just huh! You're really like your brother Xyrell," Ashley said annoyed, and sat crossing her arm on the couch.

Vesta wiped the tears from her eyes and she took a deep breath. She approached Ashley, and wrapped her arms around her cousin's ​​neck, resting her chin in Ashley's shoulder blade while looking at her.

"I'm so sorry, I won't do that again, forgive me, Ashley. Don't tell Ninang about what I did, please?" Vesta begged. Hot tears streaming on her face.

Vesta didn't want Ashley to be mad at her, she was hurting too much if Ashley was. Ashley was like her sister, for she was the only thing Vesta could count on and support her, and she loved her dearly.

Ashley looked at her after minutes of thinking. A smile slowly emerges on her face and wipes Vesta's tears using her hands.

"Ok, I won't. You should be thankful I'm kind. But you need to heal before you go to school." Vesta nodded at what she said.

"Ok, good!" Ashley said happily as if she had won the lotto.

Vesta straightened up in her seat. She felt relieved. But there was sadness inside her, for days she will not be able to leave the house. She will go to her brother's former dormitory room when she can.

After the accident, Xyller dorm room locked, and no one used it. The day she went to her brother's funeral even though the coffin was empty, and she wanted to enter his dormitory to retrieve the belongings from her brother, but the police would not let her in which she wondered why. That was also the reason she got suspicious of her brother's death. The police were wrong, and her brother might still be alive. Vesta's intuition was telling her he was truly alive.

I will find him.

****

Zaiden opened the front door and entered the house. He locked the door and headed for the stairs. It looks like Uncle Tyron was not at home; he said to himself. He parted a few strands of her hair covering his sight.

He may need a haircut. Zaiden wonders what kind of haircut he will have on his slightly long hair. He didn't notice the man sitting on the couch staring at him.

"Hello, cuz!"

Zaiden frowned at the man.

"Why are you here, Draze?"

Draze leaned back in his seat and grinned foolishly. An asshole is an asshole. Zaiden wanted to tell that to Draze but never mind, he didn't have time to mess with him.

Draze Ionnikov was his cousin on his father's side who was the son of Aunt Emma, ​​his father's sister. He didn't like his cousin. Zaiden just has a lot of things doesn't like about Draze. They don’t get along because he was Ionnikov, and he was an Emerson. Two different families.

"Why don't you sit, my cuz," Draze stressed the word cuz as if it was a disgusting word.

Zaiden smirked. "Are you planning to kill me?"

Draze laughed, as if Zaiden's question was a joke. He accompanied him with laughter until they stopped. Sharp eyes were thrown at each other like they want to end the fake facade they're acting in and kill each other.

"Not now, maybe later. I just have news for you," Draze said seriously.

"What?" Zaiden asked without interest and sat on the couch, facing the man.

"Daro escaped from the jail. One guard reported to us. I suspect someone we know helps him to escape. He couldn't escape unless the person who helped him knew where the key was. Only one knows where the key is except for Yuki and me, if not his elder son Luxen," Draze explained, his face serious.

"Is that so? How are you sure that Luxen is behind this?" Zaiden asked, interested. He knew Luxen and his friend couldn't do that.

"I can smell traitor," Draze replied without reaction.

"Does papa already know about this?" Zaiden asked. He still doesn't want to get involved in their problem.

"Yes, Uncle Heron already knows what happened. He ordered me to let you know about it," Draze said.

"By the way, did you know who is attacking the people here? From the information I got, over eight are missing. I'm just curious who it could be? This is part of your job despite that, you haven't solved it," Zaiden quipped. Draze's face suddenly hardened at what he said.

"It's none of your business, Zaiden. I've had my own hands to that, stay away from those cases." Draze stood up in the seat.

Draze was still the same as always, the arrogant, prideful, asshole.

"See you around, cuz," Draze said with a grin and stepped towards the door.

Zaiden also stood up from his seat. He needed to talk to Luxen so he would know what happened. If he was the one who did it, he doesn't know if he could help him again this time. Zaiden fisted his palm and went up the stairs. Not even taking a glance to see if Draze was out.

It's not part of the plan of what Zaiden expected. What was happening now, why suddenly happened? It's not his problem anymore. It's the high council's problem, and not part of him.

Zaiden entered the room and noticed a mail on the study table. Surely his Uncle Tyron put it there for him to see. His eyebrows furrowed slightly when he knew who the letter came from, and he wanted to swear suddenly.

What was she going to do here? Of all the places, why here?

Suddenly the hair on his arms and the nape of his neck rose. Trouble was coming if he won't do anything. He gritted his teeth while punching her number.

"Hello, dearest, most handsome brother! Your dearest most beautiful sister misses you so much," the shrill voice of the woman on the other line.

He pulled the phone away from his ear. Why Zaiden dislikes calling her.

"Explain to me this mail?" he asked immediately.

A few seconds before she answered. "Oh, yeah, you have received it. The reason my dearest handso—"

"Stop saying those words, you never call me that unless you are up to something, and I'll say no!" Zaiden said in a hard voice.

"No!" she shouted on the line. "You have no right to do this to me! You are just my plain brother, not handsome, but ugly! You can't do anything else. I settled everything," she told him firmly.

Zaiden cracked his mouth and swallowed some saliva. He was not pleased with this. It's not part of the plan! Again and again! He clenched the phone. Breathe deeply. He has no other option but to make sure she didn't do any stupid things that will mess up everything he has to do.

"Uncle Tyron knows, he's so happy when he hears it. Don't be so hard on me. I won't do anything stupid if that's what you're worried about. I'm a good girl." Zaiden can picture her out smiling with her perfect teeth and battling eyelashes.

He sighed. "Ok fine, keep your words."

He heard her giggling with happiness. "Kyaah, thank you, my brother. I love you so much!Mwah!" And the line ended.

Zaiden combed the hair with his fingers, powerless as he sat on the side of the bed. Zaiden was so sure their mother suggested it to her, to add a burden to him.

He clenches his hands. She remembered Vesta, the accident eight years ago, and the accident last night, and what happened to her this morning. He shrugged and took a deep breath. Why was he thinking of her?

He looked out the window. Now, the moon appeared from her hiding place. Standing up on the seat, he opened the drawer. He took an old picture of a girl beaming with a smile. Sadness appeared on his face.