amazing banner by eternityei (had to include it here)

          "Michaela," My name reaches my ears, the voice reminding me of a word being softly sung, drifting through the warm air. The voice itches a familiar spot in my gut, like a dog being scratched behind the ear after so long. 

    "Mmm," I humm, turning in my soft sheets. My wrist throbs in pain, reminding me of last night and what happened, the line I crossed from my comfortable territory of seeing Vampires as nothing but monsters. 

    "Mickeyy," The same voice pierces my ears, a voice that sounds so similar to my Mothers. slowly, the voice blends and blurs until it sounds like someone else. I groan, lifting my head up to meet the cheesy smile of my little sister. Her bleached hair fans her face, the sunlight turning the ashy colour to a golden. "Alis has gone out. Can you give me a ride?"

    "Walk," I tell her, turning to face my back to her. The bed sinks in behind me, her body joining me in the bed as she grabs my shoulder and shakes.

    "What's with you? It's like, Midday," She asks, curiosity evident in her voice. She suddenly gasps causing me to turn and peak over my shoulder, seeing her small smile, "Don't tell me you're hungover,"

    "Sure, if that's what you want to believe," I grumble, turning to shove her off of my bed and climb out myself. "Shouldn't you be at school?"

    "Shouldn't you?" She bites back, amusement in her voice.

    "I'm dropping out," I announce, moving over to my wooden closet. I pull a black long-sleeve out of the cupboard, tugging it on over my baby pink singlet. Hopefully, she doesn't see the wound on my wrist from Alex. I doubt she did, she's very boisterous. 

    "Honestly, I'm surprised you lasted this long," She admits. 

    "Ha Ha," I laugh sarcastically, moving behind a piece of furniture in my room to change into a leather skirt out of view. "I'm assuming Alis knows you're home today?"

    She studies me for a second, tilting her head to observe me as I pull my hair out from the collar of my shirt. "You don't remember, do you?"

    "Remember what?" I ask, moving to the chair in my room to tug my socks and shoes on. 

    "It's the anniversary today," Her words stop me as I finish tying the second shoe up. That's right, my parents' death anniversary is today. 10 years since I found my Mother and Father brutally murdered on our kitchen floor, their blood coating the floral wallpaper I helped my Mum pick out.

    "Oh," I reply, standing up from the chair and snatching my jacket off of the back of the chair.

    "Oh?" She repeats, standing up and following me out of the room, down the hallway and into the bathroom where I brush my hair out. "I mean, I was five but, Mic, you grew up with them,"

    "I grew up with you, Lei," I smile at her, finishing my hair and flicking the light off in the bathroom. 

    "You're so weird, Mic," She comments from behind me, following me down the stairs and into the kitchen. "You know, I read somewhere that the body remembers trauma. Is that why you're so weird today?"

    "Lei, no offence, but I'd prefer not to talk about it," I tell her, leaning my palms on the island as she studies my body language. She's been reading a lot about psychology, even taking classes for it. Now, she thinks she can tell everything there is to know about someone just from their body language. 

    "Hm," She quipped, turning her head away from me. She smiles slyly, climbing onto the bar stool on the other side of the bench, "You've been out a lot lately,"

    "Yes, I have," I reply, making myself a mocha as she continues to study me with her unnerving eyes. 

    "I haven't seen Alex in a while though, where is he?" She asks, knowing where to prod to get a reaction out of me. I try my best to cover up my knee-jerk reaction of freezing, focusing on my drink. "Although that guy at the party? Him, I have seen,"

   "Who? I was a little busy, y'know, saving your ass," I tell her, turning to send her a sarcastic smile. She rolls her eyes, readjusting herself on her chair. 

    "That really hot guy you were fighting when I found you," She answered nonchalantly, dropping her chin into her palm, smiling at my disgusted face. "I think he has the hots for you, Mic. I saw him let us leave with a big fat grin,"

    "I wouldn't know, Lei. I haven't seen him since," I dismiss her, moving to sit on the other side of the bench, my mocha in front of me, "What I do know is, he's a Leech. I don't have to tell you to stay away from them,"

    "Yes, I know how you feel about them. But, I don't have to agree with you," She sighs.

    "When did you become such a Vampire defender?" I question, feeling genuinely curious as to why she's so adamant that they're not as bad as they seem. "You know what they do-- what they did,"

    "So do you," She begins, her eyes landing on my covered wrist for a split second, so quickly I almost don't notice, "Except, you're not as defensive about this as you used to be,"

    "I'm not going to change your mind so, why bother?" I smile, taking a big gulp of my drink. I place the mug back onto the table, dabbing at my lips with my sleeve, "Where did you want me to take you?"

    "I don't know," She shrugs, looking down as she taps her manicured nails on the clean island, "I just want to hang out with you today,"

    "That's weirdly sweet of you to say," I comment, lifting my hand up to press the back of it against her forehead. She swats my hand away, fusing over her makeup, "You feeling okay?"

    "Last time I ever be nice to you," She mutters, taking my drink from my hands and sipping from it. True to her word of not being nice, she keeps the drink on her side of the table. "I miss them sometimes too. I mean, yeah, I have you and Alis but, it's not the same, y'know?"

   "I hate to turn you down, Lei. But, I have important stuff to do today," I tell her.

    "Okay, I'll come with," She suggests, a smile spreading across her face.

    "No. It's hunting business," I dead-pan, crossing my arms on the table and leaning on them.

    "Then why isn't Alis going with you, hmm?" She asks, quipping an eyebrow and pressing her lips to the rim of the cup. 

    "Because-"

    My words are cut off by the sound of the front door swinging open hard, the door handle sounding like it hits the wall. I roll my eyes, shifting in my seat to prepare myself for Alis's bad mood. She always tends to be shitty, but considering the milestone of today, she's going to be ten times worse.

    "Here we go," Leila mutters, both of us turning to the door as footsteps approach. 

    A figure appears in the doorway making my heart stop and breath hitch in my throat.

    In the doorway, battered and bruised, stands Thomas. His chest rises and falls rapidly, something unusual for his kind, meaning something or someone really messed him up. 

    I jump up from my chair, moving to stand in the middle of Leila and Thomas, "What the hell are you doing here?"

    "You were the closest," He huffs through his busted lip, his legs wobbling the longer he stands still "I need your help,"