s e c r e t s (Gabby)

[igloogirl]

Gabriella shrugged slightly, but Raychel's words brought back the painful memories of the day she was Bitten. Lying in the hospital with Angel panicking. Then discovering the monster she had become. Those had not been happy times. At least things were better now. "One year ago today," Gabriella replied. "May 17th." She sighed slightly. That had definitely been a memorable day, even if it was horrible.

[broadway]

Raychel immediately felt pity, and sorrow. That was just over a year ago. Her heart dropped to her stomach, but it didn't show. Obviously it pained Gabby to talk about that day, so it would be wise if she was just quiet. "Sorry for bringing that up. Must've been hard." she replied simply. She absently plucked a daisy from the ground beside her. Fingering the delicate petals, she had to smile. Flowers, especially daisies, were her weakness. They were the perfect way to get her mind off of depressing subjects. Raychel couldn't help but notice the daisy's perfection. Beautiful, and simple. Raychel had to produce her wand, placing a charm on the flower so that it would be in the same condition forever. She placed it delicately in her hair, smiling faintly.

[igloogirl]

"Yeah, it was," Gabriella replied shortly, hoping to get off the topic soon. Sure she had intended to tell Raychel that she was a vampire, but she hadn't expected the question of when she was Turned. Most people would just ask if she ate humans, which was a simpler question to answer. Gabriella fell silent once more, watching her friend play with a simple daisy, finally putting it in her hair, where it looked quite beautiful. Gabriella smiled slightly.

[broadway]

Raychel sighed a stood up, dusting herself off. "Alright, the cat's out of the bag." she replied with a smile. Then she turned serious. She bit her lip, trying to find a plausible way to word what she was about to say. Because Gabby had been so truthful, she needed to tell Gabby the whole story about what had happened the day her parent's will had been read. Drumming her fingers against her thigh, she thought. There was so much Raychel had left out! She had only really told Gabby about the part in which she had found out she could no longer live in her flat. Raychel wasn't even sure if Gabby was aware that she took her cousin with her, and then the terrible occurrence afterward. And Isabelle. Raychel shuddered as she thought about that detail. The nightmares, the fact Isabelle still hadn't held to her vow that she would return to "deal" with Raychel. It was all terrifying.

[igloogirl]

Something was bothering Raychel, that much was obvious by her irregular heartbeat and sudden stillness. Perhaps Raychel had some secrets of her own that Gabriella needed to know about. "Is something bothering you?" Gabriella asked her friend gently, wondering what the problem could be. Perhaps it had to do with Raychel's parents. The Ministry could have a new development on the case, though it was doubtful.

[broadway]

Raychel sighed, flopping onto the grass once more. She lay on her back, arms spread out wide, and she stared at the clear blue sky. "Yes." She finally replied. She took a deep breath, glancing at the sky once more. It truly was beautiful, but terror gripped her insides. Raychel shut her eyes tight, wanting to indulge herself in the memories of that day.

"I took Levi with me. I had asked him to, and he came somewhat willingly. We had done a simple Side-Along Apparation, since I was shaken. Moments after we landed on the main road everything went wrong." Raychel began slowly. She took another deep breath as the events unfolded once more in her head.

"My stomach was twisting, to the point I was almost being dragged under. Levi rushed me to the hospital wing, and soon Professor North was there, trying to help me. I felt someone pushing a curse into me, and told them. It... It was Isabelle. She was hurting me." Raychel replied quietly. She was silent for a while,then continued.

"Levi flowed the curse from me, saving me perhaps. Isabelle and I were bargaining. I attempted... I was going to let her have my life if she would help him. She denied, then vanished with the already beaten Professor North." Raychel finished with a sigh. She opened her eyes, staring back up at the sky. "She told me she would come back to finish me."

[igloogirl]

Gabriella let out a thin jet of air, but remained silent for a moment. The events that had happened to Raychel shook her more than a little, as it was clear that Isabelle was on the move again. And this time, it appeared that she wanted something more than Angel. "Did she mention why she came?" Gabriella asked. Isabelle was certainly an odd sort of villain. Sometimes she spoke of her plans, and other times she merely tried to kill people.

[broadway]

Raychel nodded. "To an extent. She merely mentioned a Hogwarts takeover." she replied, her voice shaky. It was the perfect plan, were she to accomplish it. Hogwarts was a perfect base, secret, exclusive, and protected. The perfect place to attack from, and the perfect to defend against attack. Unfortunately, Isabelle somehow slipped past the front doors. That part was incredibly unnerving. Even though she had been a Hogwarts employee, there was no telling what she could do in the school. The fact that she merely knew the layout was terrible enough.

[igloogirl]

Ah, a Hogwarts takeover, that made much more sense as to why Isabelle would be back at Hogwarts. It would be the perfect place to spread her evil domain from, as it was nearly impossible to penetrate. Gabriella supposed the other vampire would try again. Gabriella would have to pay close attention to the school after graduation. "That makes sense," she replied quietly. Gabriella then reached over to give her friend a hug, feeling that Raychel needed it at the moment.

[broadway]

Raychel graciously accepted the hug. It felt nice, human contact. Since Levi had been in hospice, she hardly talked to anyone. He was out now, but only just. She smiled as she released her friend. "Thank you. I needed that." she replied with a small laugh. She didn't realize how heavily the past events had weighed on her chest. Now that the pressure was gone, she was free to live. Raychel didn't believe that conveying the memories to Gabby would stop the nightmares though, but she would manage.

[igloogirl]

"You're welcome," Gabriella replied, biting back the part about her knowing that Raychel had needed a hug. The hug had slowed her friend's heartbeat slightly, a good thing, as Raychel's heartbeat had been well above normal before, making her all the more enticing to the vampire in her presence. But Gabriella was fine, she had hunted fairly recently and could control her instincts for the most part.

[broadway]

Raychel smiled at her friend, taking the delicate daisy out of her hair. She twirled it around in her hands once more, letting her hands do what they wanted. She was rather antsy at the moment. She was grateful to Gabby, for sharing her secret. No doubt it had been a difficult decision on her part. And it probably was stressful. Raychel was glad, as well, for revealing everything that had happened that day. She hadn't been entirely truthful with Gabby to begin with, but it was satisfying to actually get it all out.

[igloogirl]

"Perhaps we ought to leave the forest now," Gabriella commented casually. The forest wasn't exactly the safest place to be in the middle of the night, plus students weren't allowed to go there. There was a special case for Gabriella and Isaac, of course, but she felt like she would be betraying Cici's trust if she and Raychel stayed there for too much longer.

[broadway]

Raychel nodded. She placed the daisy in her pocket, so as not to lose it. She clambered back onto Gabby's back once more. As Gabby began to move quickly, Raychel began thinking. Immortality wasn't such a bad deal. Sure, her life would be dull, but she could carry out everything she had ever wanted. But it would mean leaving behind Levi. she reminded herself hastily. Raychel smiled inwardly. She could never do that, at least not willingly.

[igloogirl]

Gabriella ran a bit faster than before, eager to get Raychel out of the thick forest. It was not really a place that humans should stay in for too long. She set her friend down once they were in view of the castle once more, and the two began to walk up to the castle. "Did you have any other questions?" Gabriella asked. She had been expecting Raychel to ask her if she was immortal, since most people didn't know much about vampires. It was true that Gabriella would probably live for a long time, but she wasn't going to live forever. She supposed that would be boring anyway.