In the Light of the Moon

|SEVENTEEN

I managed to keep it at bay for three days, but the brunt of it hit me on the fourth. I couldn't get out of bed—it required too much effort. I couldn't eat because it tasted like nothing in my mouth. The ache in my chest and lungs was too much to handle. I wanted to take a shovel and bury myself in the ground—never to see the sunlight or the stars again.

It didn't take long for Poppy to catch on to my antics.

Poppy shook me and sat beside me on the bed. "Davina, are you okay? You haven't gotten out of bed, and it's almost noon."

"Yeah," I grunted. "I'm great. I just didn't sleep well last night."

"Oh, come on! That's a weak-ass lie, and you know it! Tell me what's wrong."

"I said, it's nothing."

"Fine. I'm going to make some pancakes. If you want any, you're welcome to some. And if you want to talk also, that's cool, too."

The mattress lifted, and footsteps retreated from the bed. I pondered what Poppy said—it probably isn't beneficial to keep all of this inside of me. But could I tell her that I was in a relationship with a woman? How would she take it? I've had people who refused to talk to me after coming out to them.

What if she kicks me out of her room? Out of the coven? She is the daughter of the high priestess, after all.

I decided to bite the bullet and reveal it. I rolled out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom. I winced at my reflection. I had purple rings under my eyes, and my hair was an oily rat's nest.

I hopped into the shower and hastily washed my hair. I put on a sweatshirt and padded downstairs. The smell of batter drifted up the stairs. I could only hear Poppy in the kitchen.

The one thing that I hate about vampires is that I can only hear someone if they speak or move around—since they don't have heartbeats.

Poppy had her back to me when I stepped into the room. I grabbed a mug from the cupboard and filled it from the coffeemaker. Poppy switched off the stove and brought over a stack of pancakes. I thanked her and tried to eat.

Keyword: tried.

I got through one, and my stomach revolted. Nausea set in, and I placed my fork back onto my plate.

Poppy watched me as she chewed, not saying anything. After she ate the last of her pancake, she spoke, "So, do you wanna tell me why you've been miserable? Did those wolves mean that much to you?"

The tears filled my eyes. "It's a long story. I-I met this girl while... I did my studies. I guess I didn't realize that I fell in love with her until I had to escape."

Luckily, she didn't even flinch. "That's rough, dude. I, I don't know what to say. Can I ask who it was?"

"I don't want to out her."

"That's fair. Wait, won't she have a mate?"

I laughed bitterly. "She should've, yes. That's a story for another time. But what do I do, Poppy? I can't breathe, and the only thing that I can think of is her. I miss her so much that my chest actually hurts!"

"I, I don't know, Davina. There isn't much that you can do. I hate to say it, but the best thing is to move on. Let her go."

"I can't!" my voice broke, anger forming in my chest. "I won't!"

I jumped up from my seat, running from the room. I let the door slam behind me as I moved toward the forest. Before I knew it, I stood in front of my willow tree. I wiped the tears off of my cheeks and traced the grooves on the tree trunk.