Dark Attraction [HOLD 2023]

3: Figures

Figures – Jessie Reyez

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"Nina." I sung as I creaked her door open. "Wake up, it's time to go."

I was met with an angry groan and a, "Girl, if you don't close my door and get out of my room, I'll shove you in the wash basket."

My mouth lifted into a grin as I slipped into her abnormally dark room. Nina was not a morning person. Her reaction to someone waking her up usually went something like this. She'd either threaten to push me off the tram the next time we were on one, pull off my daylight pendant and open a curtain or, like today, shove me into a wash basket.

"If you want to get breakfast before work then let's go."

"I'll get up in an hour."

I walked over to her comforter and yanked it off. Thankfully, she was actually dressed to go. Nina usually got ready and slipped back into bed for an extra twenty before work. If that were me, I'd end up staying the bed.

And Mia and her don't share a room, despite them being desperately in love with one another. Sure they practically stayed in the same room most nights but until they move in together – by themselves – then they wanted to make use of their own space for the time being. I respected that.

"You promised." I retorted opening her curtain. It was barely 7.30 in the morning but the sun was creeping in. It was Monday, my first day at the hospital and I was nervous but outrageously excited.

"I need moral support before I start my first shift."

"Fine, fine." She huffed, angrily jumping out of bed and fixing her hair. "You're lucky I love you."

"And I love you too."

After grabbing all of our stuff and making our way to the tram, Nina started to get back to her normal self and started smiling. Her first smile of the day is always the best one, always the most genuine. Only because, you know, she's not in her morning mood anymore.

Nina only worked ten minutes from the hospital which was good for when she needed my wonderful motivation to get up. Mia wasn't going to be up for another two hours so it looked like it was going to be my job for a while.

"So," Nina started as we sat in a café in between the hospital and her office. "Tell me, what's on your mind."

"Just nerves," I shrugged picking up the menu. "But it'll pass."

"Of course it will, you're a strong independent woman, you'll be awesome."

Another reason I chose Nina for this breakfast. She was an amazing motivator. You're in any kind of anxiety ridden state, Nina was the woman to go to. She could calm you down instantly. To be honest, our aunt Kate believed it was a bit of a gift from when she turned. A very few select group of vampires had gifts, even a few in the family had some.

I certainly wasn't complaining. Especially when it came in handy with situations like these. "You're being too kind."

"I'm doing the thing you love. You know, the one that boosts your ego and stops your head from getting through doors? Yeah that one."

I laughed a little and smiled kindly at the waitress that came over to take our orders. She left with a bright skip to her step after we ordered and I turned my smirk to Nina. "Hold on-"

"No, no it's fine Anna." She sipped her coffee with a ghost of a smile. "Sometimes you just need that gentle bout of support to get you going."

"You're like a warm blanket." I joked. "But anyway, really, thank you for having breakfast with me. I really needed this."