Simplicity is Rare

[Melanie Lusner]

"Do we have to be out in the snow?"

Damien had been grumbling all morning. Now, Melanie just laughed. "Why do you hate the snow so much?" She asked him this all the time, and he was probably exasperated by now. He rolled his eyes.

"I don't. I'm just around it all the time. It gets old." She chuckled a little again. Atop his fingertips he playfully spun little flakes of snow.

"I'm sure it comes in handy sometimes," Melanie replied.

"Maybe," he mused. "Like this?" His hand made a sharp slice through the air, and the snow beneath her feet flattened into glass-like ice. Damien caught her before she fell. "I don't think it's very useful at all."

They walked for some time in silence. Melanie liked the feel of the cold air against her cheeks. The outstide world was refreshing to her, mainly because winter was her favorite season. It was just the feeling of stark beauty in a crystalline world. It was a little magical.

"When we were in high school, you told me this was your favorite time of year," he murmured quietly.

She grinned. "It still is." He smiled gently back.

"I'm always glad to hear that you haven't changed." Across the way, they spotted Rani, and Melanie waved her over. Her dark hair was contrasting with the stark white background.

"Hey," Rani greeted smiling. "What are you two up to?"

"Walking and listening to me complain about the weather," Damien replied. Rani chuckled.

"Sounds like fun. Mind if I tag along?"

"Not at all," answered Melanie. Life was so simple at the Resort. It was hard to believe that anything so nerve-wracking could have happened such as the Masquerade Ball with all this around her.

[Damien Grace]

Melanie never failed to amuse him.

Damien had to admit that being outside was nice during this time of year. He seemed to recall that winter had once been his favorite season as well. Only now being a vampire changed so much.

He still felt unsettled by the things he had learned about Jared yesterday. It bothered him, knowing what he was going through. And Jade had seemed so miserable as well.

Damien silently swore that he'd be here for Melanie if anything was to happen to her brother. He was the only family she had. If she lost him...

He shook the thought away. It was just pain that he didn't want to experience. Damien tried to distract himself elsewhere. Melanie and Rani were chatting about something beside him as they walked.

Damien was startled into awareness as Melanie nudged him. "Don't you think so, too, Dey?"

"Huh? Oh... yeah." He had absolutely no idea what they were talking about. He put on a fake smile.

Melanie raised an eyebrow. He knew that she saw straight through him. "I know you well enough to recognize a fake smile, Damien. And I know that you're lying." He didn't answer. "What's on your mind?"

Damien shook his head. "Nothing."

"You're lying again." He sighed.

"It's nothing you need to worry about, Mel. Trust me." He gave her a genuine smile this time. Melanie was everything to him, and he wouldn't let her be upset by something so silly.

Damien really did care about her.

[Rani LeBel]

Rani tried not to stress. There was absolutely nothing to worry about here. The chances of something happening were slim in her persepective.

It wasn't very often that Rani took a vacation. When she had lived in Los Angeles, everyday was a vacation. She could basically do anything she wanted. Of course, that all changed when her uncle died. The car crash was unexpected and nobody really saw it coming. Her senior year in high school was much more difficult then, as she had to provide for herself and prepare for future instances.

The past was only dust in the wind now. In order to keep other undesirables off her mind, she just needed to forget. Melanie and Damien were talking quietly beside her as they walked. Something about the weather again. Far in front of them, a figure was walking in their direction.

As the shape came closer, Rani's heart stopped. She knew that figure.

Melanie noticed, too. When the person was within hearing range, she called out, "Christian!" and gestured him over. He smiled when he recognized the familiar faces, though Rani's he didn't. In physical appearance, he had never met her.

"It's nice to see you here, Christian," Melanie continued. "What brings you to the mountains?"

He shrugged. "Hunter Schindler invited Athenodora and I to stay here. I tend to take every opprotunity to leave that mansion. She always complains about me never being around." He glanced at Rani now, who was standing perfectly still and silent in his presence. He couldn't possibly recognize me. "Oh, I haven't introduced myself to your friend."

Melanie grinned. "I guess you haven't met her because she was gone the first two days of the Masquerade. This is Rani."

Christian smiled. "Pretty name. I'm Christian Hale." He took her hand and kissed it. Rani expected her eyes to be bright white or light green, or a combination of the both. It was extremely nerve-wracking to stand before him.

His grin turned wry. "You remind me of someone." He said nothing more on the subject, but the statement made her a bit dizzy. "Well, I should get going. Athenodora is probably frantically searching for me. It was nice meeting you, Rani, and also seeing you, Damien and Melanie, again." With a slight bow of his head, he was off.

Christian was here with them. Great.