As Life Goes: Gen. 5.6-Matthew

After that night I started spotting Kia around campus. I’d catch her coming from class and we’d talk for a while. She was a cute girl, certainly easy on the eyes. If we happened to both be in the student center we’d chat. I learned she had a bit of a competitive side and our table tennis matches could get heated. We started doing friendly wages and were pretty even on wins and losses. She was fun, but a little strange at times. Like the day I saw her walking in circles in the Quad.

The other kids gave her a wide berth, some were pointing and laughing. As I got closer she appeared to be talking to herself, but not just talking to herself, but having a full blown argument.

“Hey, Kia. Everything okay?”

She stopped to look at me for a moment. “No! Does it look okay?” she yelled. “That stupid professor was a jerk. He shouldn’t be teaching if he doesn’t even know his own students!” she went on.

I could understand her frustration with the professors, some of them were real asses simply because they could be.

“It’s not my fault he doesn’t remember what assignments he gives! I told him he hadn’t assigned the essay that he conveniently said was due tomorrow, but he said he had. Everyone in the class is either too dumb or too scared to speak up so they all just mumbled and looked at me like I was the crazy one! Then. THEN he kept asking me questions trying to imply I wasn’t even in the class. I finally got fed up and left, but now I have a freaking essay to write that’s due tomorrow!”

People were staring as they walked by but she didn’t seem to notice since she was back to mumbling to herself. I on the other hand did and that feeling of anxiety started creeping in. That day Claudia was yelling at me in front of the school, something I hadn’t thought about in a while, started replaying in my head. Kia wasn’t yelling at me, but I still didn’t like the attention. One…two…three…I needed her to calm down. 

“Deep breaths, Kia, take a few deep breaths.” I took a few of my own. “Why don’t we um…go to The Grotto, we can get a latte and I’ll help you with your essay.” She kept mumbling so I reached out for her arm. “Hey, did you hear me?” That action made her jump a bit. She looked at me confused for a minute then smiled.

“Matt!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around my neck.

We spent a few hours just hanging out at The Grotto but never got around to working on her essay. When I tried to bring it up, she just pretended like it wasn’t a big deal.

I didn’t see Kia for about two weeks after that. I’d text her, but she’d say she was busy. Guess maybe she was embarrassed for having had a meltdown in front of me and everyone. But then again, finals were coming up. My buddies and I were pulling all night study sessions it seemed like.

I did call home to check in with Mom and Dad. Dad told me he’d gotten Mom a new dog. Vor was again getting up there in age and GG Wind said it wasn’t good for his health to keep turning him back since animals weren’t meant to be like us. Ancha wasn’t a replacement, since no one could replace Vor, but it would help Mom from being too upset once Vor left us. Dad said Mom loves her and that the two dogs got along great. Too great in fact since Ancha apparently wasn’t fixed and she and Vor were expecting puppies. The house was going to be busy soon. 

Kia texted me a while later asking if I wanted to hang out. I was studying for an upcoming test in my finance class, but I decided a break was a good idea. 

We met up at the bowling alley and I decided not to bring up the incident from a few weeks ago. I knew better than most how stress could trigger strange behaviors, so I didn’t hold her outburst against her. We just enjoyed the night laughing and having a good time and a friendly wager of course. If she won, I’d have to take her out to dinner and if I won she would have to do my laundry. She actually kicked my butt, but I didn’t mind, it wasn’t like spending time with her was a punishment.

When Feast Day break came up, I felt bad that Kia said she wasn’t going home. She and her dad were estranged, but she wouldn’t say why, only that it had to do with how he treated her mother. I asked about her mother, but she would change the subject so I didn’t press. Not wanting her to be by herself, I invited her home with me. 

Things got off to a bad start when Vor greeted us at the door excitedly but Ancha started barking which sent Kia running back outside. I felt terrible since I never considered she’d be scared of dogs. It took Dad some time to get them settled down before she came back in the house.

“They are friendly I promise,” I said as she clung to my arm. “You just have to let them sniff you, it’s how they say hello.” Kia stood close to me as both dogs inspected her. Once she realized they weren’t going to harm her, she relaxed a bit, but I noticed she kept a wary eye on them.

Dad got Kia’s bags settled in my room. “I don’t mind bunking on the couch,” she said.

“Guests don’t sleep on the couch, besides the dogs might lick your face while you sleep. No you stay here, and Matt will sleep outside.”

“Outside!” she exclaimed turning to look at me.

“Not like that, we have a fairy cottage I’ll sleep there.”

I took her out to show her, she was very fascinated with the idea of shrinking. Mom told her she used to have the same fascination with fairies after meeting Dad. I was a little nervous since the last girl I’d brought home was Claudia, but Kia got along well with them. I think she was a bit overwhelmed since I’d also neglected to tell her Feast Day dinner included the whole family, well at least those that were in town. The fact they were all vampires also threw her for a loop, but we were in class with all kinds of people, so I didn’t think about it. All and all the short visit was good. On the last day, Mom asked Kia to ride into town with her to get a few things to send back with us.

“She seems like a nice girl,” Dad said once they pulled off. I smiled to myself, it was a set up. Mom got her out of the house so Dad could have a ‘talk’ with me.

“She is, fun, a little different sometimes.”

“Different how?”

I shrugged, “Just different.”

“Have you been dating long?”

“We aren’t dating at all. We hang out from time to time, but that’s it. Look, I think I know where this is going, but I’m a little old for the sex talk don’t cha think?”

Dad rubbed his neck. “That’s not what this is about. Have you noticed her aura, or lack there of?”

“Oh, yeah, well I just thought that was part of the still learning the ropes thing.”

“No son, if you’re seeing the gray then that’s it. It’s a little concerning that who she is in life hasn’t been determined.”

“So she’s a late bloomer. I mean we do sorta cheat in a way being able to see their auras. Well most people anyway. Is it a bad thing that I can’t look at her and know if she’s worthy of my time or not?” I asked half yelling. I didn’t know why I was getting frustrated with this conversation, but I was.

“Son, a person’s aura is only one part of them, you know that. You have a playful one, but there’s more to you than prank pulling.”

“I know Dad. I’m sorry. I don’t know why I got so worked up.”

“It’s okay. How are things…with the stress?”

“Good. I’m in great shape,” I said jokingly. “The university has been good about letting me keep the same dorm room so change has been minimum.”

I was proud of myself for how well I had been managing. I not had any major 'episodes' since working out was a great way to keep me calm. It helped that no one looked at you twice for running across campus even in normal clothes since people were late for class all the time.

Kia and I continued to hang out after the visit. For a while all she could talk about was how close my family was and how it was a change for her. I never thought about it before, all of my friends in high school had families like mine. Well, other than Claudia. Again when I’d try to talk to Kia about her family, she’d always change the subject so I stopped asking.

A month or so later Mom called to tell me that Ancha had the puppies, a litter of four. I was very excited. I told her I wanted one so I planned on going home to pick out who I’d be keeping and taking to Riverview with me after graduation. The idea of moving still freaked me out a bit, but being away at college had help me get used to change. It would be an adjustment, but I was sure I'd be up to the task.

Aunt Hope had called and asked for one for her niece Chrissie. Apparently she’d been begging Uncle Nick and her mom for a pet and they finally caved when they heard Vor had sired pups. Aunt Starr had met Vor when she did the pictures for Mom and Dad’s wedding and she knew he had a great temperament. Mom also gave me so other news, she and Dad were expecting. My parents loved me, but I knew Mom had dreams of having more kids. The idea of being a big brother was kind of exciting.