The University of Colorado at Denver was a sight to see.

It was everything and more than what I thought I needed. I felt an immense surge of pride within me when I stepped on the pure granite pavement, inscribed with the mascot in each tile. Only I would know the mass effort it took for me to get here, so I took in every instance on campus with dignity.

"Glad to be here," I whispered to myself, feeling the slightest bit of pain because the last time I was here, I was with Hunter and Michelle, talking about how we were going to be living in the same dorm—Hunter and I in one room and Michelle and her roommate in another. We had that dream like all other highschoolers, of course, but it was true when adults said that some things like that didn't last forever.

Guess it was true that I just simply wasn't good enough.

"Hey," I heard a whisper from behind me and I instantly knew that it was Zander. Somehow he could sense my discontent, and while it was looked at as a bad thing, it made me happy because he paid enough attention to me. 

So I stopped hanging in the past. "It is so beautiful here," I muttered, seeing the people laughing and chattering among themselves as if there wasn't a care in the world. I thought East Ravenwood was something, but this college was beautiful in all its glory. I could forget the world behind me when I came through.

It was a new day.

It was odd though, the way Zander seemed to know where he was going. He didn't need me to tell him where to go, which exit to take, none of that. He just simply told me to get in the passenger seat and placed his leg on my thigh like most guys did in those romantic movies, earning an internal swoon for me. 

Before Michelle, I never would've looked twice at a dude but now? Now, the only dude that was going to get all of my attention was Zander.

"Oh my god, Eli!" Kenzo mused with so much awe that I had to recoil with a smile. He was so happy to finally be standing on school soil and while that thought made me a little sad, I was going to do whatever I could to make sure he lived a life of fulfillment. 

Leticia came up, smirking with due mischief written all over her face, and I knew she was up to something. "Where did you want to go first? The cafeteria," She pointed in the direction of the cafeteria in the main hall, the North hall. "Or do you want to go to the classrooms?" She pointed to a cluster of buildings to her right and it made me wonder how she would know where these places were. If I recalled, Zander said they became vampires way back when before college was even a thing. Who knows?

"Oi, Lety!" The spunky girl went to pull me towards her, but an arm around my waist stopped her from moving too far. "No. I want him with me," I turned around to see Zander in all of his beautiful glory standing there with a stern look, but we all could hear the pout and the pleading in his voice. 

Leticia nor Cameron could stop the smirk that was forming on their lips as I was slowly pulled into a warm body tinged with the exotic scent of cologne. I couldn't stop the smile as I tilted my head to look up at him, realizing that there was something different about him.

Sure, I didn't know him for a long time like I knew my family and I knew my friends, but there was one thing he had that they didn't.

My best interest at heart.

I unconsciously snuggled closer to him, loving the way his dress shirt clung to his body under his vest, making him appear much more delicious in a prestigious way. My cheeks flushed at the incoming indecent thoughts, ushering them out of my mind as I gazed at his neck, seeing the lapis lazuli chain around his jugular.

According to Cameron, they needed that particular gem to walk into the sunlight and not be affected by it, but Zander didn't need it as he was the firstborn of his clan. All of his power grew with age and adaptation. 

"We will eventually get to see every place here," Zander reprised in a tone that said that this wasn't going to be our last visit. "For now, just drink in the scenery and enjoy what you see." This was mainly directed to Kenzo and Cameron because this was really their first time being out in public like this. Cam didn't have to be on missions for Zander or be rushing to do things because his jewel was diminishing in power. No, he could clearly enjoy the moment. And Kenzo? Well, Kenzo was just happy to get out from his never-ending role.

"Shall we?" Zander shot me a dazzling smile, one that made my heart do somersaults. It was easy for me to say that I would say goodbye to everything I had ever known and create a new life because that was how secure I felt with him.

I couldn't believe how much I came to feel like this.

"Aren't you super excited, Eli?" Kenzo was practically hopping around like a bunny, garnering attention from passerby's, but all I could do was laugh. It was refreshing to see how happy he was. "I am, Ken," I replied with a nod of my head. 

I had to sacrifice so much to get to this point and the fact that it was almost here, it was bittersweet. It tasted like black licorice right on the tip of my tongue, but there was the sweet scent of berries in the air, so I knew there was some good to all of this. I couldn't get over the feeling that there was a sense of doom washing over us as people took the time to turn their heads to stare at everyone around me: Leticia, Cameron, Kenzo, and Zander, as if there was something off about them.

There was recognition in their eyes, fear in some, apprehension in others, which was surprising in itself because very few people knew of them. Tinges of nervosity surged up my spine as the stares got deeper, darker within milliseconds. The sun was out and shining bright, but it felt almost as if a cold night dawned upon us.

If they felt those stares, they didn't make it obvious. They kept on moving forward despite the increasing number of participants in the crowd. I had no idea what was going on, but it was clear they did.

"Where do y'all wanna go f—"

"Eli, is that you?"

"Eli, oh my god!"

There were two voices that I hadn't heard for a while and part of me wanted to be overjoyed that they remembered me, but all I could feel was despair.

Kenzo tightened his grip on my bicep as I came to a standstill, clicking my tongue. Before, I would have had a lot to say, but I had nothing on my mind right at this very moment. I just recalled all of the hurt and anguish that I felt walking in to see him on top of her—I just couldn't bear to think about it.

Footsteps came to a stop behind us and I slowly turned around, willing myself to not crumble to ashes upon seeing them for the first time. It was inevitable, they were going to come here in the fall. 

But there was nothing that could have prepared me for looking at both of them. Hunter Steele and Michelle Gomez.

Wow.

Exactly what I needed.

"Eli..." Hunter trailed off, looking behind me and from the warmth that exuded from the body, I concluded that it was Zander. "Who is he?" He asked and I blinked in a startling manner, completely taken aback by the harsh tone he took. This wasn't just a general 'who is this person.' No, it was clear that there was some bad blood as indicated by the sharp spit that left his lips. 

I looked up to see if Zander had any clue, but he looked ever as lost as I did, a little annoyed by the tone Hunter was taking with him. "It's no one of importance to you, you should know that you lost that right," I didn't mean to say it so calmly, but part of me was still so hurt. 

How could they stand here before me and act as if everything was okay?

Did they not understand what they put me through? 

Did they not understand that they did not have to do me this wrong?

I let out a sigh, biting my lip to keep my emotions at bay. Leticia grabbed my hand from the side, bypassing Zander and rubbing her finger into my palm. I couldn't stand here and pretend as if everything was okay because it was clear that I wasn't over it. 

It wasn't just them. They were the beginning point, I had my family and everyone else to thank for that. I almost died in Devil's Tombstone because of them. I mean, they weren't the ones driving my car down that road in that weather, and they weren't the ones not paying attention and driving straight into a tree.

That was all me. 

I had to own up to that. 

"What?" I was so thankful that my voice didn't quiver because oh boy, that would've ruined the simple foundation that I was rebuilding. "How can I help you?" I raised a brow and I could see their hands moving as if they wanted to reach out and touch me. You know, Hunter would ruffle my hair and give me a smile, and Michelle would grab my hand and intertwine our fingers together.

I was glad they didn't.

"I was a fool for ever trusting you two. I know that now," I stated in the blankest of tones, looking them both in the eye as I have long since thrown our friendship out of the window. There was hope and regret twinkling like diamonds in the rough as they gazed at me, but it was no use because I could never see them in that light ever again. 

"I wish you both well in your future endeavors," I said with no type of animosity because being the person that I was, I truly wished them well. I wanted to despise them and crush them like the piece of scum underneath my shoes, but I wasn't built that way. In reality, I wanted to ask, what did I do wrong? Why did you feel the need to go breaking my heart like that?

But that was also a question for my parents Isobel and Enrique, for my brother Anthony, and for my sister Tatianna. 

Just what exactly did I do wrong?

I said nothing but hastened to turn on my foot, not missing the identical dark glare that Michelle and Hunter shot in Zander's direction. I wanted to call him out on their shit because they had no right to be inquiring about who he was, but I was simply too emotionally fired for that.

Kenzo let out a little huff as we headed towards the main building where some of the classrooms and cafeteria were, eager to take my mind off of what just happened. I knew they were burning holes into our backs with their malicious gazes, but I couldn't fret. Not anymore. This would be the last time that I was left standing there, a mere fool in everyone's eyes.

"No need to worry your pretty little head or fill your eyes with tears, lubirea mea," Zander pulled me into his comforting embrace and I swear, it was something about this man that just kept me coming back. I didn't even realize that my eyes were watering until I put my finger up to rub them. Seems I still let them get to me now.

"I promised that I would protect you, didn't I?" I nodded in agreement, feeling at ease with his words. Despite the timing of things, I could clearly see that I was starting to fall for this man. It was only as if time could tell where this would go.

But one thing was for sure, and I knew that as he leaned down to kiss my forehead, a fleeting promise drifting off into the soft breeze of the Colorado wind.

It would only go up from here.