Chapter 89

' Time for what?." Aurora asks. ' My first hatching, you know like I start to feel like a man and I'm nervous." Paul confesses. ' Don't be guy. It's going to be an exciting feeling. Something you would wish you had done sooner." Ian assures. ' Really?. Ever had yours?." Paul asks. ' Mmm Mmm. I howl though and I have had many howls." He responds. ' Many? How many are we looking at." Aurora asks curiously. ' About a million I guess." Ian responds. ' Pfff…..That's impossible. You are just 21 so that's unreal." Aurora says. ' 21 according to the human world. I'm a 345 years hybrid." Ian responds. ' 300 and what?." Aurora exclaims. ' You guys get to live that long." She adds. ' Yes. We do." Ian replies, suddenly feel awkward for telling them. ' Waw!. That explains why you know things." Arianna says. ' I guess." Ian shrugs and replies. ' Where did you stay all these years? And do you have the same parents till now?." Arianna asks, curious and the same time amazed. ' Traveling round the world, learning things here and there and just trying to have fun." He responds. ' And has it been fun?." Arianna asks. ' A bit. Sometimes it do get so boring and all but I got used to it." He replies. ' And your parents?." Arianna continues. ' Still the same. Just old and weak. I am stronger than them both because I have both their genes and sometimes that hurts." He confesses. ' That must be sad." Arianna replies. ' Hmm hmm." He hums and pause for a while to chew on the rabbit he had caught earlier. ' And I will say it's time for your big hatch." He adds. ' First let's have a race." Aurora suggests. ' A race between the boys." Arianna chirps in. ' Yes. A race between…the…boys." Aurora says excitedly. ' No. I will pass." Paul says. ' Seems young Paul is scared of losing to the 345 years hybrid plus it will help you relax." Aurora teases jokingly. Paul scoffs. ' No, I'm not." He responds. ' You look like you are." Aurora teases. ' No, I'm not. Let's have the race then." Paul replies. ' What does the winner get?." Ian asks. ' We don't know. Maybe a gift, shoes, wristwatch or a shirt maybe." Arianna responds. ' No. I can always get those ones myself If I want to." Ian replies. ' Then what do you guys want?." Aurora asks. ' A date with you." Ian responds. ' I!." She exclaims. ' Myself or Arianna?." She asks. ' You, Aurora. A date with you, Aurora Salvatore." Ian responds with a smile on his face. ' You up?." He asks. ' Come on that's absurd. Paul probably won't….." Arianna is saying before she is cut short. ' I will take it. A date with Aurora is perfect." Paul cuts in. This after all is just what he needs to tell her how he feels. ' Good then!." Ian exclaims and stands on his feet. ' Let's go." He adds. ' Are you set boys?." Aurora asks and watch them both nod their heads while standing in place. ' Get ready boys. On the count of one….two….go." She yells and watches them run. The girls wait patiently for them to come back in a bid to pick the winner. They sit Paul from afar running with all speed and in a flash he is overtaken by Ian. ' And Ian wins." Arianna yells happily as though feeling relieved. ' Yeaaaaaa." Ian screams aloud and lifts Aurora up in his arms, moving her up and down excitedly. Aurora laughs loudly. ' Put me down. Put me down." She yells playfully. ' If you say so." He drops her down gently and steals a kiss from her unexpectedly. Aurora freezes as she stares at the hybrid in front of her, still trying to comprehend what just happened. Jealous and pissed that he had lost, Paul runs from the spot heading deeper into the woods. ' Paul! Wait!." Arianna runs after. Soon he runs out of breathe and stops running. ' Are you okay, Paul?." Arianna asks. He continues to breathe heavily while pacing up and down. ' What's wrong, Paul?." Aurora asks from behind as she comes closer with Ian. ' You!." He exclaims. ' You are what is wrong, Aurora. You." He yells. ' What do you mean?." She asks. ' What do I…..Can't you see? How hard is it for you to see? How?." He yells. ' For so long, Aurora. For a very long time I have liked you. I have liked you so much but what did you do?. You, Aurora never noticed. You never noticed a thing. I…." He pauses and runs his fingers through his hair. ' I love you, Aurora Salvatore. I love you." He says, this time in a low whisper. ' But I…I never knew." Aurora replies, shocked. ' You never know anything. You never noticed. It was as though I was invincible to you." Paul replies. ' Just as I am to you." Arianna chirps in. ' Huh!." Aurora replies. ' Paul Smith, I like you. I really really like you and I have liked you for a very long time but just like Aurora, you never noticed me." Arianna says, her hurt evident in her voice. ' But I…How?." Paul says. Arianna shakes her head in response as she tries to stop the tears about to burst out and runs away, out of the woods. Aurora stands there, watching as her new family starts to crumble.