It was around 8:30 AM when I finally opened my eyes. My whole body was aching along with my neck being sour. When I woke up to look around the room, I couldn't see Leo anywhere. With my hips hurting quite a bit, I just kept on sitting on the bed for a long time, in a half-asleep and half-awake state. And finally, at around 9:00 AM, the door of the dorm room was opened. At first, I was startled and a bit scared, thinking that Leo's roommate had returned. But to my relief, it was Leo himself, who had entered the room with a smile. And then reached out to me, and gave a kiss on my forehead.

He asked me if I was okay and I told him that except my hips and voice, everything was fine. He then put his head on my shoulder and then in a concerned voice spoke up.

I am so sorry for going so strong. I should have held back. But that would have been impossible because of how cute you are.

And then before I knew it I was blushing, I hit him on his shoulder and he started to chuckle. Everything was so blissful that I had momentarily forgotten that I was in the school. After finally coming back to the reality, I pushed Leo and headed towards the shower to freshen up. As I started to walk towards the bath, I started to groan such that Leo hurriedly stood up from the bed and picked me up in his arms in a princess-carry manner, which was extremely embarrassing but I didn't dislike it.

He helped me to take a bath and before I knew it things had turned sensual and we were again making out in the bath. But before we could again go any farther, Leo's phone started to ring and then he went out to pick it up with an irritated expression which was funny to watch. When I went out, I saw Leo getting ready for class so I too got ready and was about to leave, but before that, we shared an irresistible kiss which was again taking things in a wierd direction. But thereafter, a knocking on the door could be heard and when I opened the door I saw Leo's roommate, John, who was sort of confused to see me.

I just smiled at him and told that we had done a binge-watching marathon last night and so I slept in Leo's and his dorm room. He just nodded in compliance and I gestured Leo to catch up with me and so he bid farewell to John and came up to me. As soon as we were in the corridor, we both started to chuckle and then smiled to each other in an adoring way, held hands for a couple of minutes, and then we parted ways, heading to our respective classes.

Since my classes would only begin in the afternoon, I headed for the dining hall as I was starving. The breakfast served was a healthy one with veggies sandwiches, sunny-side eggs, bacons and mango juice. I took everything on my tray and then headed to grab a seat to eat my breakfast in a leisurely manner. But even before I could eat my food, there came in the annoying flies who liked to enquire each and everything.

I was surrounded by none other than Lizzie, Jo and Hope, who were acting suspiciously. I just looked at them in a wierd expression and suddenly Lizzie started hovering me with questions, while smirking all the way through.

So, Mr. Lucas De'Mortez, what's going on huh... I just saw something yesterday that piqued my interests a lot. And... No need to deny 'coz I have eyewitnesses.

After saying her thing, she continued smiling along with the other two. At first, I just told her that nothing was going on. I mean it was kinda embarrassing to just blurt out the whole thing so I just decided not to share it until both Leo and I were in a stable and official relationship. However, with the constant pestering by the three I just couldn't shut and ignore them. And after a few hours or so, I found it so irritating, that I just blurted it out.

Okay fine, we did it. Okay? Now leave me be. You guys are so annoying.

After hearing this piece of news Lizzie, totally seemed satisfied while the others seemed a bit out of it. And so to pry for more info, Lizzie pulled me to the library along with the other two following behind us. After sitting down on the floor itself, it was time for gossip.

But even before Lizzie could ask me something, Jo spoke up, in a much more serious tone.

Are you sure this is fine? I mean you both were seeing each other last semester too but you remember right that how it ended?

From her concerning questions, I could really make out how much she was worried but I just couldn't help it. And following that, I just replied expressing my earnest emotions.

To be honest I had regretted the end between Leo and myself a lot. I wanted to hold on, I didn't want to give up but with his certain response of rejection, I just tried to give up. However, with the present opportunity, I didn't want to leave it be and I want to make him mine.

After saying all that, before I knew it, tears were forming in my eyes so I just stopped and then all the three of them hugged me tight as if to show their support. I was really glad about it. After our small reunion piece of talks, all the four of us started smilling and laughing our hearts out and then after an hour or so, we headed back to our class.

When it was time for recreational period in which we could do whatever we wanted, an announcement was made by Prof. Saltsman who was summoning the Squad members to his office. After hearing that, all of us headed to his office.

When we entered the office room, there was Professor Saltsman and Professor Alex, who were waiting for our arrival and so thereafter, Prof. S told us that he had contacted the family members of the refugee children whom we had rescued from the warehouse and that they would soon be going back to their own houses. And regarding that, there was an issue that had risen which concerned the family members of none other than Lily and James. Prof. S had called us to vote on the aspect of whether we should manipulate the memories of their parents and also of James' or we should just tell them the truth.

This was indeed a difficult situation. Half of us were in favour of memory manipulation while the rest were of the favour that we should tell the truth. And so, Prof. S told all the representatives of each factions, who had been decided through elections held in the month before, to carry out a voting session after which, whatever would be the majority stand, that would be chosen as the final action to be taken. Everyone seemed a bit reluctant as the voting was to be held for a very important issue but without further ado, everyone just agreed to carry out the same.

The representatives comprised of Milton from the vampire faction, Jed from the werewolf faction and Josie from the witch faction. While Hope acted as the neutral body, as she was the tribrid. After the voting was done, the votes were cancelled for being of the same number for each action, that is, two for memory manipulation, chosen by Milton and Jed who claimed that loosing one's child was sometimes too hard for some parents and so they could even deny the reality and go insane, as experienced by Milton.
On the other hand, two against memory manipulation chosen by Hope and Jo, who thought that no matter what, Lily's parents had the right to know about the truth.

With the votes cancelling each other out, it was time for considering the vote of the mediator, which was none other than, me. So, the decision lay in my hands, which meant that the responsibility lay in my hands for the actions to be taken by us.

After thinking hard for a long time, I finally gave my vote which was...
Against the motion, that is, I didn't think memory manipulation was the right call and to explain myself, I told the others that, I wanted Lily to be remembered by her loved ones so that even if she had left the mortal realm, she would be forever alive in the memories of her beloved parents and close ones. After hearing that, everyone agreed and that was what we did.

A farewell party was organised for the youngsters in the night before their departure. It was a simple party with a dining table set-up with all the delicacies loved by the kids and we just all laughed and talked. After the dinner, I sat on the staircase near the venue place, drinking my soda when someone came in to sit beside me. A young boy of five, whom I had come to adore so much, James. We kept on sitting silently for a long time and then he finally spoke up in the most adorable manner.

When I go back home, will I meet you again?

At that, I replied in the most assuring manner that of course, we would. And then we both hugged each other tight refusing to let go of each other. That night, James refused to leave my side and so we both just slept together in my dorm room.

And then, it was finally the D-day. Everyone was woken up early and dressed in pretty clothes. All the kids were bidding their goodbyes to all their friends and elder brothers and sisters who were in fact not related by blood, but had become a strong bond, a part of their memories which they would definitely never forget.

When it was time for James' parents' arival, he seemed to be kinda trembling. When his parents finally came out of the car that was parked outside the entrance door, Professor Saltsman, as planned, decided to tell them the truth while all of us, including me, Leo, Hope, Lizzie, Jo, Milton, Amaira and Louis, were eagerly waiting for their hopefully good reunion.

After talking for a couple of hours inside Professor S's office, we could make out from the sounds coming from within and with the help of the vamps who had enhanced hearing, that James' mom was crying while his dad was saddened by the news. When both of them came out the room, James stood up in a hopeful manner but for a couple of minutes, there was no response. As time went by, I was starting to regret my decision but before I could apologize and beg the parents to not abandon Jason out of shock, I saw that his mom calmed down and then kneeled down with her arms spread out. Seeing that, without a second thought, James went running towards her and then both them hugged each other tight and thereafter, he started to cry his heart out. Both of the parents had a relieved expression and that was enough to assure me, I had made the right call.

When everything settled down and the three of them were leaving heading to climb inside the car, James' mom suddenly stopped and smiled at me and whispered in the most gentle manner.

Thank you so much for taking care of both of our kids and allowing us to remember our little angel. Thank you.

And with that she went inside the car and they headed off. Before I knew it, tears were falling from my eyes. Now, it had came to my realization that somehow subconsciously I seemed to have been blaming myself for everything but with James' mother's words, I seemed to have been saved.

Those were my words for salvation.