“Come on now babe. You know you can’t resist me forever.” Trevor smirked as he followed me down the hallway.

I laughed in a very obnoxious way, “To resist you would imply that I wanted you,” I turned to face him “which is clearly not the case. It’s more like I’m ignoring your pursuit because you are a worthless, twisted, pig. Now for the last time I am not interested so get lost.”

“Come on!” He moaned rather annoyingly. "This isn’t my first rodeo, sweet heart I know you’re just playing hard to get. I get it, but if you want to drop the act now we can start having some real fun.” His eyes lowered from my face with every word he spoke. I was so surprised that he had just so boldly stared at my breasts in the halls that I didn’t even realize he had taken a step closer to me. Pushing me up against the wall he then whispered in my ear, "Let’s have a little fun."

He pulled me closer as he started to peck at my neck. It had to be the neck.

Chills shot up my back as quick as lightening. My muscles tensed and breathing became a chore; my teeth were clenched so tightly I thought they were going to crack. When his tongue flicked against my cool skin I couldn’t deny my beast any longer.

Suddenly, he fell to the floor with a thud wheezing out "Son of a…

“That’s for smacking my ass in P.E. you dick wad!”

My nails were digging into my palms as I pulled the beast back. I had trained for years to hold it back and it was almost wasted. I could have killed him…no I would have killed him. I’m sure no one would have missed him but still he was a human. Number two rule in my book. Never kill a human. Killing him wouldn’t have even been the worst part. Exposing what I am too the mortal world…would have been interesting.

“Hey,” Through my red haze I saw the girl. For an instant I thought she was one of us, with her flawlessly pale skin, and dark attire. That is until I looked into her eyes, not the slightest hint of red or a lining of a contact. My kind did not have heavenly blue eyes like hers, so they were a dead giveaway. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine” I said staring at her.

“Good then let’s get out of here.” She grabbed my arm and started pulling me down the hall, through the endless awestruck students crowding the halls. I hadn’t realized that such a large amount of them had gathered until now. I could feel the heat rising to my face, there went my façade.

“I knew you weren’t into him by the way.”

I looked up at her. “Huh?”

She flicked her long black hair over her shoulder as she smiled. “Trevor I mean. I knew that you weren’t into him. Susannah is about the only real dumbass in this school to actually fall for that pervert’s bull. Jeeze, she gives cheerleaders a bad name.” We turned into another hall way. “Anyway, in case you didn’t hear me back there, that ass smacked my butt in P.E. I was just picking up the volley ball when the boys were making their way back from the field and out of nowhere. Whack! ‘I’ll grab another piece of that tonight’ he laughed with all of his buddies. I swear I almost puked right then and there. Luckily I was giving some time to maul over what I was going to do to him for revenge, and when I saw him creeping all up on you I was giving the perfect opportunity.” She laughed over the memory.

I had to admit it was pretty funny to see him in pain. Not to mention she had saved me as well, she probably thought if she hadn’t I would have gotten more from him than a tap on the ass, but in truth she had saved Trevor as well. For that I was indebted to her. We waked out of the school just as the final bell rang and were the first into the parking lot.

“Where are we going…ummm”

“Danyelle. We’re going to the mall as soon as you point me to your car.”

“The mall? Why are we going there?” I wasn’t exactly saying no to the idea. I got my hand out of her grip and steered her to the right side of the parking lot.

“So we can bond more over our traumatic Trevor encounters.” I pulled out my keys from my back pocket and laughed. Going to the mall with her should be well different to say the least. I smiled again as I unlocked my car. The seats were worn and the exterior was rusted but she was still my baby. Plus it didn’t stand out from the rest of the high schoolers’ cars. I climbed into my seat.

“Vanessa, you heard my story, now it’s your turn.”

“How did you know my..”

“My older brother is a senior too, now tell girlie.”

An older brother?

My stomach couldn’t handle thinking about Trevor, but then she did save us both so in a way I suppose she deserved to know.

We sat in the parking lot watching the other student rush to their cars. High school really did suck for them, if Trevor wasn’t here I feel like this place would have been paradise. It was a world away from my own, where I could be who I wanted to be and not have any dark shadows stalking me.

“Well..”

I sighed, “It’s no really as traumatic as yours.”

“Oh I know mine was like a horror story, I should win an award for my bravery or something. Now no more delay’s just spit it out.”

“Well you know how the Winter Fest is the second most important school dance?” She nodded. “Trevor always goes to these dances with easiest and hottest girls he can find. Being your typical jock he's dated and slept with almost all the decently attractive girls in our high school. Heck, maybe even the state, except for the few women who actually have brains and looks.”

“Agreed,”

“No matter where I went Trevor was just around the corner. He would continue to ask me out again and again to the dance. I had never despised anything, but now I wished he would burn in the darkest pits of hell. I kept telling him no but he wouldn’t let it rest at that. Instead he decided that sexually harassing me would persuade me into going with him and well you did the rest.”

“It’s because I’m amazing. Now I finally understand your creep problem, I really do.” She wiped an imaginary tear off her cheek and started to laugh to herself. I revved up the car.

I hooked up my iPod and chose one of my favorite artists.

“Hope you like Linkin Park because that’s about all I play in my car.” I informed her.

I turned up the speaker as they began blasted out Linkin Park songs like ‘Breaking the habit’. Danyelle laughed the whole way to the mall. When we arrived, Danyelle ushered me into some sort of punk rock department.

“What exactly are we shopping for?”

She pulled a pink and black dress off the rack and held it up in the mirror. “For the dance of course,”

I looked at her completely applaud. “But Trevor is going to be there.”

She twirled around in the mirror. “You’re going to let that guy ruin your high school experience?”

Walking down another aisle of dresses I pulled my first one off the shelf. “No,”

Danyelle put the dress back onto the rack and moved on to the next one. “Good,” She pulled off a blue and black one next. “I would hate for my new friend to miss out on her last Winter Fest dance because of some dick.”

“I feel like he is still going to bug me though.”

A black purse hit my head. I could have easily dodged it but I was afraid that it might tip her off. “OUCH!” I kind of over exaggerated it by rubbing my head and slightly bending my knees. “What was that for?”

“For being such a negative Nancy, I’m the one wearing all black and I’m more energetic then you are.”

Arching my eyebrow I finally gave her a once over. I hadn’t really looked at what she was wearing until now. She really was dressed from head to toe in black from her thick army boots to her skull and cross bone T-shirt. Her pale baby face, big bright smile, and energetic eyes had completely thrown me off. I started laughing, “I suppose your right.”

Smiling, she walked over and picked up the purse. “Are you staring to get hungry?”

“No not really why?”

“Because you look like you are.” She was right however. I was hungry but not for solid food. I needed a drink.

“You know I think I left wallet in my car. I’ll meet you at the food court.” I turned away from Danyelle and walked out of the store before she could utter another word. Skipping out on a drink the other day wasn’t the smartest thing. Then again I didn’t know that I was going to have such an eventful day today either. My senses had already started to steadily heighten as I made my way through the stores. I could smell it, feel it pulsing through their bodies, hearing the delighting hum, and it was so tempting that I could almost taste it. Every part of my body was in tune with my surroundings. My nails began to thicken and grow in length, teeth sharpen and extend until it broke the skin on my bottom lip. My own blood on my tongue wasn’t enough to pacify me now and if anything it just made me crave the real deal.

Thankfully I had made it out to my car. The rusted trunk creaked open with cool air pushing its way out. The interior of my car had to be cool and tightly sealed to hold my supply. Coolers lined my trunk from wall to wall each holding about ten bottles. Popping one of the containers open was music to my ears. Greedily I snagged a bottle out and uncorked it, my fangs called to the continents as fresh cool liquid ran down my throat and into my being. The last drop of blood had come all too soon but I didn’t need anymore. My hunger had subsided and I felt rejuvenated. A nice warm blush worked its way to my cheeks adding a little color to my rather deadly complexion. Corking back up the empty wine bottle I tossed it as far as I could, three blocks away was good enough I suppose.

I locked up my trunk as secretly and securely as possible. I suppose it wasn’t necessary for who was stupid enough to steal from a vampire.

***

My pure white teeth returned to their human like normal size. I always snapped back after I fed, but my senses were going to be heightened for a couple of days or so. One of them being hearing, for example I heard a mother scolding her child, a couple kissing in a corner of Target and the paces of a girl … maybe a Junior, sixteen years old or so judging by the amount of weight was in her footsteps and how frequently they connected with the ground. The volume of her steps implied that she was somewhere in the food court and a little bit impatience.

I checked my cell phone to make sure that too much time hadn’t passed. What was fifteen minutes anyway?

“Thank God she’s not pissed.” I sighed and ran out of the parking lot. I dodged people left and right without knocking into a single human. I loved feeling so light and fresh, I didn’t even have to worry about knocking into another person, my body was just so freshly tuned it made me feel bubbly. My bubble kind of popped when I saw Danyelle sitting at one of the far side tables off in the corner. Lying across the table was the remaining food wrappers which Danyelle had consumed. There was an empty soda can, an empty French fry box, and a burger wrapper lying in the center of the table. Danyelle was fiddling with a straw that she had in-between her teeth. She glared at me as I approached the table.

“Where have you been? You said that you would be right back.” She said a little aggravated.

“I'm sorry I just had to take care of something," I said sheepishly. Truly I don’t know why I felt the need to apologize. What I had just done had only been natural for my kind but she didn’t know that, much less what I was.

She looked at me questionably like she wanted more out of me then that but didn’t know how to ask it.

Crap, what am I supposed to tell her, the truth?

“Just that time of the month you know how it is.” I stated. I thought that it might be personal enough to where she wouldn’t question me anymore.

It did make her drop her straw however, so I’m assuming that I hit the mark. “Why didn't you just tell me?"

“Hey I thought it was kind of embarrassing.”

“Really,” She asked folding her arms. “It's okay I have mine in the most random times.”

Eww don't need to hear that!

“What you really believe me?” I blurted out.

“I guess I have no reason not to so far. Why are you lying to me?” she asked lifting up one of her dark eyebrows.

…maybe

“…No”

“Good” She smiled.

“Okay let’s go.” I said with a sigh of relief.

“Wait” I turned around.

Crap. What did she notice that wasn't right?

“Aren’t you hungry?” she asked

I couldn’t help my laugh off my nervousness. “Are you kidding, I'm stuffed.”

***

I drove Danyelle home; her house was a small two story white brick ranch house on the end of Riverside Road. All the lights were off in the house, except for the one on the far end. I could see a TV on and blue and white painted walls through one of the windows. There was a Black Mustang parked in the open garage.

“Well, I had a great time. We should do it again soon.”

“Sure thing,”

“Oh don’t forget, we still need to buy those dresses.”

“What?”

“For the Winter Fest remember? That’s why we went to the mall for first place.”

“Crap, I knew I forgot something. I need your expertise to help me find the sweetest dress!”

“I know I’m cool like that. So… does that mean you want to go again tomorrow?”

“Of course, you're all right with me driving again right? Or do you want someone else to?”

“Well, my brother is the only other person who can drive me but he only drives to and from school and that’s it.”

“He doesn’t get out much?”

“Doesn’t like people much, I guess he’s more anti-social than me and I'm Goth!" She giggled, "It’s really odd, when he’s out in public he doesn’t say a word but when it’s just me and him I can’t get him to shut up.”

She laughed as she opened the car door.

“See you tomorrow then?” I said.

“Okay, hey wait a minute, do you want to come inside? You can meet my anti- social brother?”

“As tempting a conversation that sounds… I can’t."

“Fine,” Danyelle laughed as she shut the car door.

“Bye.” With the door shut I watched her walk up to the garage before I waved goodbye and as I did I saw a dark figure roam around in the room that had its lights turned on and then without warning it disappeared.

Must be her brother,

I pressed down on the gas and drove home.