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Addison
To Addison, love was straightforward. It was as simple as knowing when you were tired or needed a glass of water. It was as easy as breathing or doing a cartwheel. To Addison, loving Zed came as naturally as existing, it was simply a part of her life. But she quickly realized that wasn’t the case for the young daywalker.
Nova had come to her for advice. Nervous and blushing fiercely, but never actually addressing what she needed advice about. Nova danced around the subject, asking about how Addison dealt with feelings, or if she had any advice for reading other people’s feelings.
“Nova,” Addison finally cut off the girl. “Do you have feelings for Victor?”
Nova’s eyes widened. “I, I don’t know?”
It was plain to see if you looked close enough. The two were head over heels for each other. Nova had tripped over a tree branch yesterday and Victor refused to leave her side until Willa physically dragged him back to his cabin to get rest.
“What do you mean you don’t know?” Addison went to sit beside her. “I can’t give you advice, not good advice anyway, if you shut yourself off from your own feelings.’
“My dad always says feelings are what makes us weak. He says they make us hesitate in times of crisis. He told me that if I ever let my heart get in the way of being a leader, I wasn’t the right fit to lead our people after all. I, I don’t think I know what love feels like. I just know that I feel connected to him, Victor I mean. Even before we met, the visions were clealy connecting us. Pulling us together.” She paused, and stared at her lap. “I don’t want to push him away, but I don’t know what to do. I feel so conflicted Addison.”
“Feelings do not make you weak Nova. They make you stronger. Look at everything you’ve accomplished working with Victor these past few days,” She smiled softly and nudged the daywalker’s shoulder. “And I’m sure you’ve noticed how Victor has a special smile reserved for you.”
Nova didn’t say anything, but a smile poked at the corners of her mouth. “So what do you think I should do?”
“Just be honest with him. Tell him what you told me. If I know anything about Victor, it’s that he listens Nova. And he will listen to you, because he cares about you.”
Nova nodded, and thanked her. “Thanks Addison. For being like a sister.” And then she stood up and went to join her friends.
Addison didn’t know if she’d take her advice, but she knew, Nova and Victor were tied together. Just like her and Zed. They were young, but they had each other and Addison had no doubt that they’d figure it out. Someday.
Ray
It was one thing that Victor was clearly starting to feel something for Nova, but the last thing Ray expected was for Nova to start to do the same.
He’d seen the looks. The smiles. He’d even caught them sneaking off. But some part of him hoped it was just part of her plan, or that the vampire was just luring her away.
That wasn’t the case. Somehow, it made it even worse that whatever was between them was genuine. They started being around each other in front of everyone. Sitting next to each other at the fire, seeking each other out during free moments.
Maybe Ray wasn’t angry, but he was confused and felt betrayed. Nova had shut him down the last time he tried to talk to her about it, and he’d admit that maybe he was a bit crackly, but he was just trying to look out for her.
“What’s going on with you?” He caught her arm before they went to bed. “I’m worried Nova.”
She looked at him, studying his face. “They aren’t our enemies Ray. The only way we can survive is by working together. You have to trust in me and my ability to lead.”
“No, that’s not what I’m talking about. The vampires are…actually kind of cool.” Her eyebrows raised at his comment but she let him continue. “You know what Commander Bright says about emotion Nova. About what your dad says makes a good soldier. A good leader. Are you sure you’re making the right choice here?”
“Night daywalkers!” Victor called from across camp, making the two of them turn. The redheaded vampire gave a big wave and a smile before dissapearing into his cabin.
“Goodnight vampires!’ Nova called back.
Ray noticed how her eyes were bright. She looked lighter, happier too.
“You, you can’t help it can you?”
Nova looked back at him. “I know what we’ve been told as well as you Ray. And I know you’ve known me since we were little fireballs but, I have to make my own choices. Even if that means following my heart. I believe I can lead our people to a bright future by leading with my heart. You know who helped me figure that out?” She smiled softly. “Victor did.”
“I’m scared of change. I’m scared that our elders are going to retaliate against us, against you.”
“You can’t be afraid to feel. I’m falling in love and I’ve never felt more free!” She slapped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide.
Ray’s eyes widened as well. “Have you ever…” His voice trailed off.
Nova shook her head. “I’m, I’m in love.” Her voice was filled with wonder. She really did mean that.
Well, she was his leader after all. And one of the only friends he’s ever had. He had to trust her, which he supposed meant trusting Victor as well.
He slung an arm over her shoulder. “Falling for the enemy are we?” His voice was light, teasing, testing the waters.
Nova laughed once, and hit his arm lightly. “Nice one Ray.” She rolled her eyes but she was smiling.
They walked inside together. “What would you do without me?
Vargas
The daywalkers were pretty cool. Vargas had made a lot of friends these past few days, made a lot of discoveries too. Like sunglasses. Those things were killer. He had even attempted to break the ice with Ray, and hopefully he was making process even if the daywalker still seemed unsure.
But Vargas was still a little skeptical to reach out to Nova. He wasn’t blind, Victor was obviously feeling things for her, and Nova obviously felt things right back. That didn’t mean he felt brave enough to make the first move.
It was a bit of a shock when Victor brought Nova over to a small group of Vampires. Victor didn’t say anything about her presence, but he stayed close to her. Protecting her.
Strange as it was, even with the tension melting between the two groups, it was oddly nice having Nova there. She balanced Victor out well. He seemed more sure of himself, something Vargas hadn’t seen before.
He thought Victor’s stares were hopeless, but he was clearly proven wrong. Nova’s smiles at Victor were just as lovesick as Victor’s smiles to her. They were like magnets, always finding each other in crowds, always gravitating toward each other. And Vargas certainly saw the fire in Nova’s eyes when Vera made comments on Victor’s leadership.
So, he decided to take that first step after all. “Thanks.” Was all he said, catching her before everyone ran off.
She gave him a puzzled look. “For what?”
“Just for helping Victor come alive like he has been. He hasn’t had the best mentor in the Eldress. I mean, she’s his aunt but she’s not the loving and supportive type. Not like you and your flaming personality.”
They shared a laugh.
Even if everything caught flames and fell apart, even if their people were still fighting when the orchard was finally open, Vargas knew daywalkers weren’t so bad. They were in pretty good hands if Nova was their leader one day.
Zed
“So she came to you for advice?” Zed looked at Addison with a knowing expression. “That’s crazy. I thought she would have come to me for sure.”
“She may have saved you from getting toasted, but girl talk is pretty important too. So Victor hasn’t asked for any advice? Not even after you saw them the other day?”
“Well considering he doesn’t know I saw them I think that’s the reasoning for him not coming to me for romance tips. Plus I think he’s got that covered. The jacket move? Classic.”
Addison gave him a fake annoyed look. “Because you’re the expert on romance.”
Zed put a hand to his zombie heart and gasped. “And here I thought after all these years you fell in love with me because I swept you off your feet.”
“Back to the point,” Addison put her head on his shoulder, “I think they’re going to be fine.”
Zed thought about the way Nova flipped Victor over her shoulder the first day of camp. “Well yeah, she did that flippy move. If we’re any indication, reflexes are a great sign of a prospering relationship.”
Addison laughed but didn’t disagree. They both settled in, looking at the fire. The campers were crazy, but with Addison by his side, and future leaders like Victor and Nova, they were just fine.
Nova
It hit her out of nowhere one day. She had been talking to Ray, and it just spilled out.
She loved Victor.
She knew she felt something strong for him. She wanted to protect him. She wanted to be with him all the time.
She knew she loved talking to him. She loved the way he smiled. She loved how strongly he felt about uniting their people.
But love? That was a fireball to the heart of a realization.
Once she figured it out it was like it had been obvious all along. She wasn’t the best at emotions, not an expert by any means. She had a vague idea of Victor’s feelings for her, he clearly liked being around her. Did he love her?
She supposed there was only one way to find out. The only problem was she was too nervous to tell him. She played with the idea for a few more days, and then they found the third key. And then the gate opened. And then her dad declared war.
Nova’s heart was beating out of her chest. There she was, climbing up a broken metal tower, lightstone swinging from her back. Her limbs felt heavy as she pulled herself up. She was scared. Her dad was firing at her. Not just her, but Victor.
Victor reached out across the tower to squeeze her hand. “We’re gonna make it Goldie!” He shouted over the noise.
She could hear Ray trying to stop her dad, but she knew there wasn’t much he could do. Her dad was too powerful.
Nova gripped the tower and summoned all her strength to make it to the top. And then the tower leg snapped. They both yelped as they felt the structure lean. They were almost there, they just needed to balance long enough to put the stones in the cauldron. Scared it would be her last chance Nova grabbed his hand.
“I love you Victor! We can do this!” She wasn’t even sure he heard her over all the shouting and wind.
Victor
She loved him.
Nova Bright, the girl who was supposed to be his enemy but became the light of his life, loved him.
There was no doubt in his mind that he loved her too.
Looking at her, wind swirling around them, fire and wind coming toward them from both sides, he couldn’t let her down.
He squeezed her hand, and pulled her up to the top with him, steadying her as he helped her pull the lightstone out.
He heard Zed trying to hold the tower together. He heard Addison’s worry. He heard his aunt’s fury and Vargas’s shouts of encouragement.
Most of all, he heard Nova’s words echoing through his head. Encouragement that they could do this.
They pushed the lightstone into the cauldron, and then he went to grab the darkstone. He pushed any fear out of his mind.
“We got this.” He promised her. He was trying to save the confession for later, for when he could really tell her. The look in her eyes made him rethink his choice, she looked more scared and vulnerable than he’d ever seen. As he lifted the darkstone to the cauldron, he leaned to her and whispered in her ear, just for his world to hear, “I love you too Nova.”
And then everything burst.
His makeshift wind cover popped as the two stones were reunited, sending the two of them flying from the tower. He landed on his back with a thud, but scrambled back up. It was raining.
Nova’s face was one of pure joy. She grabbed his hand and yanked him up the stairs as they watched the rain revive the orchards. “We did it!” She cheered.
As everyone celebrated, making plans to reunite the stones annually, Victor turned to Nova and took both sides of her face in his hands.
“I love you Goldie. I know we were never supposed to meet, but I am so happy that we were pulled together.”
Her eyes shone brightly up at him. “I know I’m guarded. That’s just how I was raised. But you showed me how to lead my own way, with my heart. I love you Victor.”
The world melted away as they stood there together. Her eyes held the answers to questions he never knew he had. He wasn’t chasing a hopeless future where he left behind his home, he was beginning to build a new one with Nova. One where finally, the vampires and daywalkers ended their feud and lived in peace. Just like he dreamed.
He puts their foreheads together and whispers, “You are truly my dream come true.”
Her voice is soft, a gentle murmur but he hears her over the noise of the crowd. “And you Victor, you’re mine.”
All he wants to do is hold onto her and never let her go, and he finally knows that she feels the same way.
He loves Nova, and Nova loves him. Despite being on solid ground, he feels like he’s flying.