Diary of a Runaway (BOOK #3)

One Wish

Ava's POV

            A week passed.

            Possibly the longest week in my life.

            High school became boring once again as people continued talking of the latest party and scandals that in reality didn't matter. Nothing compared to how I felt--so awful, actually. Like I needed a shower every day, every minute only to realize it was the feeling of disaster and not the actual thing.

            It would have been one thing if William and I went through the normal couple's breakup. If we were a normal couple. But no, we had to be these half-Hunters turned vampires who had complex emotions ridden by just that fact. We couldn't be like the usual blood-bound vampires. We just had to face these complications in our relationship.

            I told myself it was all for better--for him and me alike. We both needed our time. We both had been through a lot over the last few weeks especially. With our parents, with each other, with ourselves individually.

            William walked in and out of the house without much of a glance. He always claimed he had something to do, somewhere to be. But we all knew he just wanted out. He wanted time to think and be away from this life. I would too if I wasn't so tired of being alone.

            "What are you doing out here?" Derek's voice lilted through the spring's night air.

            I turned only slightly to acknowledge his sudden appearance. So many nights I have sat in this same position, on the front steps of a house staring up at the stars. But lately it felt different. William loved the stars--it was in his DNA. And William did love me. Somehow I didn't seem to fit in with the stars any more.

            "The usual," I mumbled. "Thinking about how much of an utter disappointment I've become."

            Derek sighed as he lowered himself next to me. "You think you're a disappointment? I'm the reason William's acting this way. I should have never showed up. I should have stayed in the shadows. That's how it has always worked. But instead I came in and ruined whatever you two had."

            My eyes shot to him. "You didn't ruin it. What we had was fragile long before you made your grand appearance. Yes, you are a coward. You have lived in the shadows all your life because you were scared. But I can't blame you for that, Derek. If that even is your real name."

            He stayed silent for a moment, eyes on the stars above us. They didn't shine as brightly here as they did back at Bernard and Jacqueline's old house. But they were there.

            "It is," he finally said. "Derek Holland."

            "William Holland," I mumbled, fitting the names together. It was odd. As if finally admitting that the two were related. Derek wasn't some Hunter with a hero complex. He was a broken man who watched over his son for over a century from miles away. He was scared, just like the rest of us.

            And I couldn't hate him for it.

            My phone dinged from the stoop beside me. My heart jumped though I knew it couldn't be William. I glanced at the screen noticing the dozens of notifications and then the time and then date.

            I sighed as a new feeling settle over me.

            "What?" Derek asked.

            I shook my head as I grabbed my phone and tucked it into my jacket pocket. "Nothing," I insisted, looking back up the stars. "I forgot what day it is. Funny how time has a way of creeping up on us."

            12:00 am April 7.

            If different circumstances, I would be ecstatic. Probably even a little drunk right now. Ugh, I would have loved to be drunk right now. Where was the vodka where you needed it? Or the thousand year old bourbon.

            Derek's eyes stayed on me. I felt them practically bore holes into my head. And they I felt them lift with realization. "Today's significant. Isn't it."

            "Yep." I nodded simply. "Today's my birthday."

            "Your birthday?" he quipped. "Well, happy birthday."

            I glared over at him. "That's completely unnecessary. It doesn't count anymore once your immortal, right?"

            "Maybe not for me," he said, shrugging. "But once you hit about a hundred, you give up on keeping track. Partying gets old after a while, believe it or not. You're young. This is your first birthday after transition. You can't just let your human tendencies go."

            I rolled my eyes. "Maybe it's for the best. Things aren't exactly working out lately. I'm sure no birthday wish could solve all of our problems."

            "Well, if you had the chance," Derek started. "If you could make just one wish, what would it be? Nothing having to do with your mom or William or any of the drama going on now. Something the old you would ask."

            "The old me didn't know anything," I reminded him. "The old me didn't care. She would have wanted a killer party filled with people she didn't like. Lots of shots. Lots of music and dancing. Lots of boys. The old me was a little more materialistic." I turned to him, propping my chin on my hands. "That's the thing. The new me only wishes for everything to work out. My mom and the Hunters and the cure and William and you and my sister and Chris and everything. I just want everything to work out."

            Derek's eyes softened in the saddest way. I knew he though just the same. If only life hadn't been so cruel in the beginning. If only different decision would have been made. If only happiness was a possibility for people like us.

            Hunters. Vampires. Humans.

            It didn't really matter in the end, did it?

            We all celebrated life and the greatness in it. But what about the bad stuff ? What about the pain and the tragedy and the loss and the despair and everything that absolutely sucked? We didn't just forget about it.

            "Well," Derek sighed, heavily, harrowing out a more somber expression. "For your sake, I hope everything works out. I hope you wishes really do come true. Because a wish means hope. And hope means there's something out there worth living for."

            I only looked at him as he stood back up without another word and walked back into the house. Then I brought my gaze back to those stars and all their false hope. Ugh, hope. There was another optimistic thing about life.

            A streak of silver flew across the sky causing my stomach to drop.

            Make a wish, I told myself.

            Wishes were stupid. They rarely came especially for people like us. But what hell. Where was the harm in wishing for something good? Where was the harm in having hope?