360 Irk- Part 1

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"I thought you returned it to me," Madeline whispered, leaning closer to him to have a closer look at the four cloverleaf. She remembered him taking her handkerchief, but as she remembered the events that took place, she remembered her mother asking where she had left the four cloverleaf. 

When her eyes looked up to meet Calhoun's eyes, he said, "The cloverleaf that you took back with you was nothing but just an illusion. Just like how you believed when I threw your mother's note the time we visited your house." 

This was news to Madeline as she had come to believe that Calhoun had heartlessly thrown the note that was written by her mother to her, "Why didn't you tell me you didn't throw it before?" 

"Because you would have wanted to take a look at what was written inside," replied Calhoun. One side of his lips had been pulled up to a smile at the thought, "I like to torment people, especially the one whom I am in love with." 

It would have scared and worried Madeline earlier, maybe even suffocated her just by the thought of how Calhoun felt towards her but she wondered since when did the feelings slowly start to slide and shift in a way where now Calhoun appeared to be normal like others. Was it he, who had changed or was it her? Madeline asked herself, maybe it was both. 

She picked up the dried leaf from his palm, looking at its faded colour. She twirled it around, and asked him, "Why did you keep it with you?" Not to forget, Calhoun had kept it in his pocket as if it was something precious without throwing it away. 

"Haven't you heard there is much more to what you see at the surface?" questioned Calhoun, his tone was light and playful, "I might appear shallow and someone who doesn't care, but that is because I care for only certain things. I don't know what made me decide to keep it in here." He didn't have romantic feelings towards Madeline until he met her again at the ball. One look and that was all it took for her to seize his heart, "I guess it might be because of the day I was having, where I met this little girl who naively came to help me. You were supposed to be my meal." 

Madeline's eyes moved from the leaf to look at Calhoun, "What changed?" 

"The gesture," replied Calhoun thoughtfully, "It is not every day a person is offered with kindness and compassion without expecting anything in return." After knowing what his mother had to go through because of his father's family, he had little to no expectation from people. Vampires were already a lost cause, and humans had shown their nature when they violated his mother. "You have a kind heart, Madeline. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." 

"If you compare me with you, you are the light. How can I not?" asked Calhoun, and hearing this a small smile graced on her lips. 

"I have some good things about you." Her words brought a hint of curiosity in Calhoun's eyes.

"And what might those things be?" 

"You might be an exclusive person. Someone who helps only certain people whom you care about and it's not just about me," stated Madeline looking in his red eyes. "You have protected Lucy by keeping the truth hidden all these years so that she doesn't get hurt. Not because you would get caught, but because I know if you don't want to get caught, you will find a way out of it. I am sure that is why no matter what and how things went down in the past, Lucy will slowly come to forgive and continue to stand next to you. I was angry with you, and disliked you in the beginning." 

"That's one way to open your side of the story," chimed Calhoun and he leaned on the bed by using his hand to support his head, "I love to hear you speak," he murmured. 

Madeline continued, "I know it is not uncommon to get married to someone against one's own wishes. And as much as I despised and wanted to escape from here, I am thankful to you, that if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be breathing right now." She didn't want to die. She had always hoped to grow old with a family of her own, to have children next to her husband, waiting for her hair to turn grey and wanted to live a full life.

"I know you do and I apologise for being harsh at times, but at the same time I doubt I would change any of it," came his thoughtful words. "Things that we sometimes dislike turns to something, to remember in the future. Don't you agree? We will have wonderful stories to tell our children and tourhe grandchildren." 

Madeline was surprised that Calhoun had already visualized about their future. With the faint smile still on her lips, she looked down at the dried cloverleaf. She brought it up to her lips as if breathing life into it and she pulled back to see the leaf start to get its colour back to a light shade of green like it was plucked away a few seconds ago. 

"Breath of life," whispered Madeline before handing the cloverleaf back to him. 

"I have something to propose," said Calhoun, gaining her attention and Madeline nodded her head for him to go ahead, "Move into my room." Her eyes widened hearing this. 

"B-but...we are not married yet." 

Calhoun said, "Even without marriage, I already see you as my wife in every sense. I don't want to leave you alone by yourself," he didn't want another episode like today happen again, and he didn't see why they had to wait. He caressed her cheek, "Move in with me, Madeline."