With the world in what seemed to be in shambles, Antonia had been more than hyperaware of her situation. Being a vampire in the modern world was dangerous, and when your status was outed, it felt like a cruel joke that the whole world was in on, except you. The young woman had shared her fears with several other supernatural creatures, and it was obvious that New York City was under vigilant surveillance, and that increased every day. Getting out of the city again wasn’t something Antonia wanted to do, nor did she feel like she really had to, but with so many people in harm’s way, she felt getting away would be safest for everyone, no matter how selfish that sounded.

Europe always held a special place in her heart, and along with it, Oliver wanted to come along too, feeling as though the city had abandoned him. And so the two were able to get away for a while, traveling, staying out of trouble, and caring for each other. And, Antonia had to admit, the company was nice compared to the last time she left all by herself.

But, she also knew all good things had to end.

This time however, there was light at the end of this tunnel. And with a single string of text messages, Antonia was ready to dump the current course of distractions she had dived into and get back into it, get back into everything.

Plane tickets were easy; two for New York, one for California.

And there was a buzz about her the second she confirmed her purchase. It was intoxicating, a feeling she hadn’t had the pleasure of experiencing in a long time. One that lived up to it’s former glory, and one she was nervous, anxious, and excited about all in one. She wanted to be there instantly, she wanted to be in his arms, she wanted to hug him and never let go of all the good he was and all the happiness they had. But, the dark part of her mind -the one that had to see the bad things in life, the one that connected her to the lack of humanity that she felt every day- told her that things were bound to be different now. So much had changed, dynamics had shifted, and Antonia knew she could only hope for the best, but she needed to prepare for the worst.

Her flights were infinitely longer than she expected, taking off felt like a lifetime, and she couldn’t seem to slow her breathing down, no matter how many deep breaths she ended up taking. Contained spaces never were her forte either, even with all the traveling she had done. It just smelled like an all-you-could eat buffet, but for vampires. Touching down in California left an intense urge to want to stay on the plane as her anxieties were at an all time high, but she knew that she needed this, no matter who was waiting for her on the either side. Kevin was still Kevin, he was still the man she fell in love with, and even if months and months had gone by, and even if they were across the globe from each other, she knew her feelings. She just hoped that his matched.

Leaving the terminal, Antonia had managed to squeeze through the crowd to find the right way to the baggage pick-up. And she shot off another text to Kevin, letting him know that she landed safely. Following the crowd, she got onto the escalator to reach the baggage claim and the terminal pick-up, and before she even reached the bottom, she spotted him among the fleeting crowd. He was the only one she saw in her tunnel vision after she spotted him, and she felt an overwhelming sense of emotion, tears springing to her eyes along with a huge smile lifting at her lips. And, it was as if the world stopped and her heart dropped and all other cares in the world were forgotten for that brief moment in time. The second she was free from the confines of the escalator, she sprinted towards him. “Kevin!” She exclaimed before lunging into an embrace and wrapping her arms around him, the comfort of his person being enough to nearly make her melt into him. 

@kevindarden

@kevindarden

Since Jasper’s celebration, it wasn’t that Antonia was avoiding Kevin, but moreso, avoiding her own feelings, wanting to somehow approach the topic delicately and with a grace of processing the entire situation. So, when she found herself at the doorstep of Kevin’s apartment, she knew it was time to embrace everything he was. It was the least she could do. “We need to talk.” She said immediately after the door opened, only being able to think about the different hypothetical situations he got up to on his recent trip.

@kevindarden

While away, she tried to keep in touch with Kevin in any way she could, but even the smallest things she knew could be traced back to her, and that was the whole reason she fled in the first place. She hated being away, but at the same time, she’d do it again in a heartbeat if it meant keeping her friends safe. After what felt like an eternity, she was able to return with less concern for how much attention she’d actually bring as she deemed it safer.

Standing in front of Kevin’s apartment left a gaping hole in her heart, something like a black hole void that she knew could only be filled by the love they shared, and the almost marriage they once were so entranced with. Her stomach felt heavy as she approached his door, already noting the stark differences of where he once lived when she first met him compared to now. Was he so much better off without her? It was hard to think any differently than that. With each step closer, she felt a sinking inside of her, and once her knuckles grazed over the wooden grain of the door, Antonia gripped tighter onto the boxed gift that contained a watch from Paris as she waited with anticipation at the door.

@kevindarden

[November 18th, 2017 at 7:23 PM] @kevindarden

Antonia: Kevin, how much do you love me?

Antonia: I just wanted to tell you before you talk to Kyle that I may have royally pissed him off.