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Tuesday, May 22, 2007The Armand Agenda
“Oh I was showering. I can feel your deep worry. What’s up?” “Are you ok? You were sick, I heard. But I had so many tests.” He was super-understanding and hoped that I could meet him tomorrow.
**** But the atmosphere changed tonight. He was in pajamas, which meant he was not very well. His jealousy pulsed while we talked. I didn’t bother that the bratprince was touchy. I am loyal to all my buds. You already know I don’t like pigheaded people. Suddenly reading my mind without permission, Lestat was asking me why I liked Ar. (I had taken to using his name for short). He again forbade me from defending Armand, the kindest theatre-guy I knew. “I think you see things from only one view. Besides whatever happened between you both, has got nothing to do with me,” I declared. Large smirk. He almost hit the piano and stopped himself in time. “Kind? You say, yes, he did help me when I fainted. But he has scoffed me countless times and when he’s around, Marius finds fault with the rest of us. He is rigid, uptight, a rule-follower. How can he lead a coven of hopeless people?”....Blah blah and so on. I guess it also meant Marius ignored Stat, who hates being the side of attention. “C’mon, you’re now interfering with my friends. Don’t be silly.” Lestat grumbled, “If I could see from everyone’s viewpoint, I would have written that. And never mentioned his damned name!” He was definitely losing it, his volume was rising. I moved some distance away and did not have eye contact. Tight fast breathing. Louis came from behind his maker. Hey don’t agitate him----- the green-eyed man said. He just got better last night. But Lo, I don’t know why Armand pops up in our conversation! I don’t wish to discuss. He is my good friend. Isn’t there any way------ I cried out in my head. “Hey don’t use secret telepathy*. I can’t hear you like that. Didn’t we agree on this?” the recuperating vamp cut in. Louis whispered into his ear. Lestat’s eyes went so large that they almost bulged and you could see the violets glowing. *Appendix 1 These are the house rules which we got Louis to scribe down. He loves to write and is the neatest. My bro is second neatest, but he would be late. No 1: nobody should be interrogated or have to account for who that person was. Blond was irritated, sometimes angry, that we wanted to know about who he had met outside, or saw him back home. “I am the owner of this house. Yea and you too Louis. But I am entitled to some privacy.” “But you ask Me where I go. Even if I leave a note,” Louis shook his head, pausing. “Okay! Fine, let’s see, from Friday, or Sat onwards, this should be in place. For all,” Lestat replied, waving him off. I said, bouncing beside him. “Me too. You need not ask me where I am.” He directed a paternal gaze at me. “I worry for you, is that wrong? I’ll try not to sound too… fierce. Minor asking is ok.” I laughed, how determined he was! “What? I don’t get the joke. You’re having secret thoughts.” His seriousness made my laugh stop. Both Louis and I were laughing too, not due to that, but because in an entire yellow suit, the blond was so amusing, yet wanted to be serious. We shared the mutual connection of the banana talking. Uh oh, Gave rise to no 2: no more secret telepathy between other two people. He could not hear his fledglings, the whole silence impeded the relationship. “It’s annoying to me when I don’t understand. So don’t do this anymore. Talk to me directly. Bianca.” I rubbed his shoulders. The tension left him. 3) Not to open our rooms to curious daytime eyes. Invasion of privacy, with regard to daytime visitors 4) Trash needs to be taken out in turns. David ended up doing that mostly. He volunteered. My teacher was angry we bully him, for the millionth time. Really protective of the ghost-man. “David wanted to….” “Uh huh. But he is our guest. What did I say about guests?” Stat warned. Right. We beat a hasty retreat. Satisfied, the feudal lord grinned with fangs exposed and put an arm about me. “Speaking of which… it seems that you didn’t do it for this week yet. I did it last night,” Louis pointed out. Lestat looked miffed, sad frown, pout of his generous mouth. He jumped up, offering to do that. “I was so tired. I felt terrible, how could you?” Then the four of us signed below, with Lestat signing on no. 2 additional, to make clear the point. Lestat’s widened pupils retracted. He sat back. I noticed how drawn his pallor was and needle marks on his wrist. “Anyway, let’s not talk about that. I think you overreacted,” I spoke peaceably, suppressing my ideas of freedom to like whom I pleased. Louis did not reveal what he said that subdued the outgoing spirited guy. “Um, have you eaten?” Louis enquired. Lestat scratched at the marks. “Yea, not much. Bianca, don’t you like me? I miss it when we spent a lot of time chatting. Now there is this gap again.” The piercing stare gave me the chills. I asked him why the marks were there. “Oh, these. (he looked at them) I told you I fainted. Outside the theatre. When I came to, some vampires had drank from me, and I from them. Otherwise I could not rise.” “I’m so sorry.” I edged closer, but he did not respond. He closed his eyes and looked like a zombie. Louis tried to get his response. I went to the scholar’s balcony. Louis walked in now. His lips were straight. I don’t know what happened there. He just lost it. Armand is civil to us. So that was fine. It was true what Stat said. Claudia, she sinned and did not deserve to live. All of them live like that. they are ruthless and rigid. I acknowledged that. But what do I do now? I wanted to try to talk about other things. But he’s quiet again. Louis pointed out a bench that had previously not been there. “I fixed it, so that when my love is tired, he can still see the view of all the houses.” I showed him how happy Lestat was seeing the sunrise, despite the danger. “Can you keep these images? If you want?” I asked, thinking of a film. “Oui, cherie. it’ll be in there for an eternity.” I smiled and leaned against Louis. Silence, comfy and the breeze, the whisper of my hair. *****
Later, we checked on the sick man. He was not at the living room anymore. Tinkling and banging of glass. The musician was at revelry, drumming spoons and forks on glasses, the stemmed kind. The tune was harmonious. “Well, what is it?” he muttered, unfocused gaze resting briefly on me. Then back to the glasses. “Am I annoying you? Can’t I play by myself?” We did not move. Usually give him time and there will be some coherent answer. “I was so glad. I was not angry, no no no. I can’t entertain you all, except for a talented man. This person, is withered. A spare tyre.”
Something hit him then, when I really left the place. “Krystal, where are you going? You’re here to visit.” “Home. It’s eleven. You’re not yourself. Try to take it easy k? bye.” I opened the door. Crying. Louis patted his shoulder. He broke down and did not stop. It stirred my heart. I’ll come by next time. Hope you’re not so depressed, I added. I promise it won’t happen. Please forgive me, he answered with a shaky voice. I figured that it would be better to stay at my place. Anyway my cousins could take care of me. Louis encouraged me not to give up and his condition improved. Sometimes we emailed, but the most human touch was voice. Lestat made great effort to speak normally. On email, he wrote very short notes. ‘hi, thanks for all your love. I’m lots better. I made color font first time. Hope u like it.’ Bratp was much more cheerful by phone. This would be the strategy, till I was sure he would not go berserk again. “Hello? Lestat the great here,” one of the times he picked up and spoke immediately. “Bianca here. How’s it going?” He laughed softly. “You don’t come by… busy? I got your joke. Thanks.” Cool, he read forwards now! I commended that. He replied, “If not, I’ll still be weeping.” A long pause, I thought he had left quietly. “Is something troubling you? You’re not the same…” “Why?” again the persuasive tone used on victims. My heart fluttered. The blond sighed. “I’ll go put some music ( rustle and then tinkling music, he returned) This is Chopin. How is it? Wanna have lessons when you have the time?” I said sure. “Now you’re really back. I’m so happy. The other time, um..” “Ah don’t worry. I felt changed by the moonlight. Full moon’s not a joke to our kind. I guess I was having hormonal changes.(we laughed together) Not angry anymore. I’m back, yoohoo.” “Next time we’ll go try something, Stat. You could be a famous comedian. Or performer. We’ll be your audience.” I suggested brightly. The vampire made no sound, then he came online. “ I’m outta practice. Haha, you’re kidding me. ” “No I’m serious.” His heartfelt thanks was so nice, and simple. I knew it was safe to visit him already. I dropped by the large house at the end of the street. No more foreboding. Lestat was not in pajamas anymore, but had slicked back his wet hair, blue shirt, green sequins. Pajamas= poor mood, sick. Otherwise good sign. “So happy you came!” he chirruped. I shook his hand. He kissed both cheeks. Then took my hand. “Want to show you something.” The cloth on an easel stand. So lovely. I gaped at a portrait of me, wearing boots and the blue “Oh, 3 months. I tried to do by paint. But everything was ruined. So I did crayons,” bratp told me, but not weakly. He said it with enthusiasm and love. “I wanted to feel your presence. My little angel.” I felt like crying. I wondered if it was ok to keep. Really his ange? Quite disconcerting… Lestat’s expression was soulful. “No I can’t give. But you can always see it here. You mind?” I shook my head. He needed this effort. Lestat kissed my ear and his teeth were out. I was shocked.
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