Vladimir’s POV
Nasa living room kami. We were watching a series. Via kept on watching Vampire Diaries telling us how much she loves Damon. Gusto niya nga daw i-meet ung nagsulat ng Vampire Diaries to tell her something true.
Mom and Dad kept on laughing at her. They’re both cool. Dad is actually a detective police, mostly naka-focus siya sa rare cases like us, yung pagkawala ng mga tao and ung mga natagpuang bangkay na may kagat ng bampira. He tried his best na ilihis ang katotohanan sa kanila. Sounds unfair, but we can’t risk our life. While my Mom is a doctor in a hospital of vampires. She is the head of research that studies on us vampires and how we can survive the modern world.
Van was sipping blood, while I was reading a book nang lumabas si Vanna mula sa kusina. Dala niya ung sketch pad niya and then she showed it to us. Lahat ng visions ni Vanna ay ginuguhit niya for us to visualize it. We both look at the drawing, it’s a shooting star, no more like meteor shower.
“Magkakaroon ng meteor shower?” Van asked, amazed. “Woah, haven’t seen one for years.”
Umiling si Vanna. “I don’t know. I haven’t figured it out but it’s like there will be a war and I saw stars falling.”
“That’s weird,” Mom said. “We should send it to the council along with the other owl. They must have seen something connected to yours.”
Natapos na ang usapan doon at bumalik na kami sa panunuod, well I was not watching because I was spacing out until I heard Via says, “My girlfriend na si Kuya.”
They all looked at me.
“No,” I denied it. “It’s not like that, okay?” I tried explaining. And told them everything about Cassandra, all the details except the part of my dream.
Cassandra started telling everyone at school that she’s my girlfriend. I tried to play the role of a boyfriend which I actually failed. I never had a girlfriend, and don’t feel like I needed one because we’re vampires. We don’t fall in love, but somehow we know how to love.
My father and my mother are cousins and they weren’t in love noong kinasal sila but as time passed by they learned how to love. Bukod don, purebloods cannot mate with humans if we want to continue our lineage. We need to actually marry our cousins, or relatives para hindi mawala ang aming dugo. I don’t think I would marry. I think of joining my mother's research team right after this life. I’m tired of being a student.
“Nawawala, disappeared?” ulit ng Dad ko. “That’s not possible.”
“I’ve seen it,” diin ko sa mga salita. “Have you seen something like that in your visions, Vanna?”
“I haven’t. Maybe she’s a wolf?”
“I haven’t heard of a wolf who can do that,” Van clicked his tongue “How about ghosts?”
Napailing na lamang ako. Hays. I actually don’t know. Mom said she would research it and suggested that we should watch her for a while before reporting it to the council.
“You can actually see her for yourself,” Via said after a while. “I invited her to dinner tomorrow, so I guess we have a feast!”
She was the only one happy about it. I was too, but still trying to figure out why.
“She’s giving me a headache,” Vanna said as soon as Cassandra stepped into our house. Nagtinginan kaming lahat habang gulat naman ang nakita ko sa mga mata ni Cassandra na agad ding napalitan ng ngiti.
“I’m sorry,” she apologized, innocently. “I didn’t get it but if you want me to leave---“
“No, my sister is not used to people-humans. She usually spent her time at home.” Van explained. Though, hindi ako sure if that is really the reason. I sensed something behind those words.
“And, your blood is that strong,” Dad commented. “I am Vince Fear, and this is my wife Vina Fear. Nice to meet you!”
They shook hands.
“We’ve heard a lot about you, dear,” My mom kissed her on her cheeks.
“I am Vanna, sorry about a while ago. Didn’t mean to be rude.” Vanna nodded a bit.
Cassandra smiled. “No, it’s alright.”
“Okay, welcome to our humble home,” Via said, with a proud look while I just let them speak on their own.
“Come, join us for dinner,” Mom offered. “We cooked a lot for you.”
“No, it’s okay. Thank you!” Iwinagayway niya ang kanyang kamay na para bang nagsasabi na hindi. “I mean, I ate a lot before going in here kasi I know na you don’t eat,” nahihiyang sabi niya.
Dad started chuckling, “Oh, yeah right. We don’t.”
“Though, pwede ko po silang balutin at iuwi if that would be alright para po di sayang. How about that?” she said it with a smile again. Hindi talaga nawawala sa mukha niya ang ngiti. I must say she is pretty, but beautiful when she smiles.
“Sure, why not. Vlad will help you go home, right Vlad?” Mom looked at me. “She’s your girlfriend.”
“Oh, no.” mabilis niyang sabi. “Hindi po. I’m sorry. I’m just playing with Vlad po and ayaw naman niya po e. Just for fun, nothing serious. No falling in love,” she explained.
Nainis ako. Naiinis talaga ako sa kanya, don’t know why.
“No, it’s okay. I’d like to see my son having a girlfriend in this lifetime,” Dad said, as if it’s the best thing in the world.
“But, yeah, no to falling in love but you are always welcome here,” Dad added.
Hindi ako sigurado kung patibong ba yon, or they do like her. Who wouldn’t like her?
“Nako, hindi niya po ako gusto. He’s so cold to me. Though, I still like him,” she looked at me. I looked away. I don’t know how to stare at her eyes without helping myself.
“Aww,” Mom commented. “Anyway, what would you like to do since ayaw mong kumain?”
“Uhm, I’m here for stargazing actually,” She turned to Via at tumango naman ito. “Sabi po kasi ni Via may telescope kayo that could actually see the solar system. Gusto ko lang pong i-try.”
“Oh, that. I see,” Van nodded. “Wala ngang gumagamit non e. Si Kuya lang. Hobby mo din ba ang stargazing?”
“Yeah, I somehow feel like I’m home whenever I stare at the sky, the universe.” I felt the sadness in her voice. Hindi ko pa nga pala alam ang tungkol sa family niya. Never got the chance to ask.
“What do you mean by that?” Vanna reacted.
“Oh, nothing. Just metaphor. Namimiss ko lang ang family ko. Nasa ibang lugar kasi sila,” paliwanag niya.
When I looked at Vanna, she doesn’t seem convince. May nakita na ba siya sa visions niya? May nakita ba siya sa mga mata ni Cassandra? Vanna can see the future of a human just by looking at their eyes.
“I guess, Vlad will bring you to the top. Para makapag-bonding na rin kayo, right son?” Dad said.
Tumango na lang ako since mukhang wala naman akong magagawa. I felt like I was the one who needed to be away with her for a while para makapag-usap sila.
Vanna already left. Dumiretso siya sa library, our place to talk. It’s actually soundproof not only to humans but also to vampires so I won’t be able to hear them. Niyaya ko na siyang umakyat, or to say nauna na siyang umakyat matapos ituro ni Via ang daan papunta sa attic.
Our house is made of glass, from the doors to the windows and even the furniture. But not the ordinary glass you know. We cannot be seen from the outside, and the glass keeps the ray of the sun away from us. It is also equipped with cameras, automatic bullets and arrows that would fire when an intruder steps inside.
“Saan yung attic?” tanong niya nang makarating sa second floor. “Wow, never though vampires love glass,” natutuwang sabi niya habang tinitingnan at hinawakan ang bawat glass na madaanan namin.
Napailing ako, parang ngayon lang siya nakakita nyan. Hays. It’s good thing, pinatay nila yung alarm kundi isa-isa nang nag silabasan yung mga bullets.
Our house is actually equipped with sensors, since vampires don’t reflect on glass. Nag-place kami ng sensor that would recognize us as the owner. And those people that wouldn’t be recognized are already an intruder. Maybe, they are talking if they will put her on the sensor or would identify her as an intruder the next time she steps in.
“Here,” I opened my room. Sumilip muna siya bago siya pumasok.
“Oh, this is your room. It’s plain and cold,” she commented, though I never asked. It’s really plain. I’ve only got a king size bed covered with a white and blue bed sheet. A table with a pile of books and then a shelf of books at the corner. Wala ring nakasabit na kahit ano sa wall, it is just plain blue.
“Nasaan yung— wow!” amaze na sabi niya nang hilain ko ang shelf. Tumambad sa kanya ang isang hagdanan. Hindi na niya ako hinintay magsalita at nauna na naman siyang umakyat.
“Oh my God!!!!!” narinig kung sigaw niya.
Nakakabingi! Nakakainis talaga tong babaeng ito. To tell you, lagi siyang hyper at maingay. Hindi ko nga alam kung paano nakakatagal si Via, maybe because Via is also like her and now she found someone to talk to. “Ang tagal mo! Let’s start dali!” Turo niya don sa telescope.
“Hindi mo man lang ba aalamin kung para saan ang mga salamin?” tanong ko. The attic was not that big. It’s like a studio type covered with mirrors from the floor, to the wall, up to the ceiling.
“Why, is it a big deal? I mean – Oh my God!” She stopped moving when I clicked the sensor. Nakanganga lang siya na kulang na lang pasukan ng langaw ang bibig niya. “It just,” inikot niya ang kanyang paningin. “feels like heaven.” I heard her whisper.
The mirrors weren’t put there without a purpose. It’s installed with a sensor, that when you click the remote the mirror will give you the 3D view of the universe or any view you like as long as it’s installed.
I watched her move around the place, feeling the stars, comets, asteroids, the galaxy like they were all real.
She had the most genuine smile I haven’t seen for a hundred years, just by looking at her I somehow learned how to smile again.