So...I am finally back (dupa ce am fost pedepsita o vesnicie fara calculator). M-am hotarat (pentru ca aceste capitole sunt intr-adevar prea scurte) sa postez capitole mari (unde 1 capitol mare = 5 capitole mici, deci de acum va fi un capitol Alice, un capitol Josh. Si ca sa nu se incurce nimeni, si pentru ca eu sint sigura ca majoritatea dintre voi au uitat ce s-a intamplat pana acum, voi posta acum si capitolele care au fost pana acum in varianta mare (adik de la inceput pana la ce am mai scris). Cine are timp si chef le poate reciti, sunt si putin editate fata de variantele vechi. WARNING! Post lung. Foarte lung. Extrem de lung.
♫I.Far away from home
I could sense that something was wrong. It was summer holiday, but the feeling I had was not normal. It was...off. Instead of feeling free, I was feeling the opposite. I was feeling like somebody got control of something that should never be controlled. Something that should be free. Or maybe I was wrong. Maybe I shouldn't oppose it. Maybe it was fate that made it happen like that. Or maybe not. Could it be because I was in a place where I didn't want to be? I was in a new place, far away from home, where I didn't know anything or anybody. A dusty place, full of spider webs, where some unusual creatures live. A place with dilapidated, mildewy houses. A place where no 18 year old town girl should be.
In a village.
"You'll have fun, it's a very beautiful place there!"
That's what they said. Yeah, of course. It's a very boring place here.
"Alice! There you are! Why did you close yourself here? Go outside, it's a very beautiful weather." Ray said, entering in the warehouse.
"You know I don't wanna be here. I'm a town girl, this is not my place. My only home is in Liverpool, and you know that, uncle." I said.
Uncle Raymond was a tall, black haired man, wearing an overall and an worn-out T-shirt.
"Whatever. At least go and buy some sugar for Amy."
"Aunt Amanda is making a cake?"
"Yep. Now go."
"Right away! Her cakes are the best!" I said, exiting the warehouse.
Outside, there was a large courtyard, full of thousands kinds of different plants. There, next to the warehouse, was a big, old fashion house. The black metal fence was covered in climbing ivy.
I got out on the gate and I looked at the dusty road and the old shop across it. I went into the shop. Behind the counter was a short, bald old man with some round-framed glasses and a white moustache.
"Oh, you must be Alice, Ray's and Amy's niece!" the old man said. "My name is Sam, and I'm glad to meet you."
"Yeah...Nice to meet you too...Can you give me some sugar please?" I asked.
"Here you go. One pound, please."
I took the sugar and I gave him the money, then left.
"Oh, what do we have here?...A new girl in my village?" said a tall guy, probably of my age.
Unlike his friends - three guys wearing overalls - he was wearing blue-jeans and a gray T-shirt. I didn't like the way he said "my village".
"What's your name, kid?"
"That's not your business, you loser!" I replied.
"Oh, so the new girl is brave? My name is Joshua and I control everything here. So, I ask you one more time: what's your name?"
"And I tell you one more time that my name is not your business." I said again, entering the courtyard.
But I did not give up. I hid behind a portion of fence with more ivy and watched them.
"Wow... She's really brave." said one of the overall guys that had blonde hair.
"Don't worry, Tom. When we'll meet her again, she'll find out that we're not playing." said Joshua.
Yeah, of course. I'm scared. My hands are trembling. I thought, and then I entered the house. Aunt Amy was in the kitchen.
"Here's the sugar."
"Thank you. Now you can go to White and Black Star."
"Who?" I asked, puzzled.
"Our horses. Ask Ray to lead you to the stable."
Said and done. At the stable...
"Oohh, it stinks!" I said.
"Of course it stinks. They're horses." said uncle Ray.
There were two horses there: one white, and one black.
"I guess the white one is White, and the black one is Black Star, right?"
"Right. They're beautiful, aren't they?"
"I think so...I'm not good at horses. For me, they are just...big."
I heard a horn from outside.
"Oh, he came sooner than I expected!" said Ray, exiting the stable. I followed him.
In front of the courtyard it was a truck, and next to the truck was a man.
"So where's the marvel?" asked Ray.
"In the truck. I'll get him out." said the man.
He got behind the truck, opened the doors and jumped in. When he got out, he was holding a horse's bridle. It was a brown horse, with a black mane and a white mark on its forehead.
"There he is. Gorgeous Wild Soul."
"Gorgeous for sure. Alice, please take the horse to the stable."
I took Wild Soul's bridle, and he touched my cheek with his wet, delicate muzzle.
"Hey!" I said, giggling.
I got him to the stable and patted his muzzle. In a few minutes Ray was in the stable too.
"Have you ever ridden a horse?" he asked.
"Never. Can I try?"
"Sure. I'll saddle White. She's mild, perfect for your first ride."
"Can I ride Wild Soul?" I asked, feeling like there is some sort of connection between us.
"I'm not so sure he'll let you ride him. He was caught just a few weeks ago, so he's not tamed. But you can try."
Uncle Ray helped me mount Wild. He stayed calm until I could get up on his back, and then neighed happily. I felt like he knows that I'm a beginner and understands that he have to be patient until I'll learn how to ride. Horses are cool. Ray started to give me instructions.
"Stay relaxed. The horse feels if you're strained."
What does a horse NOT feel? I thought.
"Put your weight on your heels, in the stirrups. Perfect. Now let's go to the plains. Follow me." he said, exiting the stable.
Oohh, thank God that the stable's gate is high!
I passed it without trouble and trotted a little more, since the plains were about 300 meters away from our house. They were on Ray's field, but he said he's letting all the people ride there.
"Now the gallop, but, remember not to stay in the saddle while galloping. Get up onto your feet, or your butt will become like a pancake. Try it."
I tried.
"Awesome! You're moving great! I wouldn't say that this is your first ride if I didn't know!"
And "awesome" was the right word when he watched me ride Wild Soul during the next few days. The next week, learning how to ride was my principal daily occupation. I grew to love Wild more and more every day, and it seemed he loved me too. But, one day, our daily calm ride became a not-so-calm ride. That day I wasn't the only person riding on the plains. Joshua and his gang were there too.
"Oh, look who's on the plains! The unnamed girl knows how to ride?"
"And the this-is-my-village-kid knows how to shut up and mind his own business?"
"So, the brave girl is up to business, huh? We're not kidding, ya know. Do not f*ck with Drake gang."
"Wow. Oh, stop that, I'm so scared! I'm trembling, don't you see? Yeah, of course." I said, using a sarcastic tone and turned Wild back, galloping away from the "Drake gang".
"Jake, she's yours." said Joshua, behind me.
In the next moment, the only thing I saw was the ground, after a boy - probably Jake - passed by too close,and Wild reared, neighing and throwing me from the saddle.
"So that's how you work? I understand." I said, getting up and mounting Wild Soul. My ankle was hurting.
"What did you say your name was?" asked Joshua again, proud of Jake and my horse's reaction.
But what he doesn't know - except my name - is that I am not the kind who gives up that easily.
"I said it's not your buisness if I have a name or not." I said and went back to the stable.
Next day, aunt Amy asked me to go in the town and bring my cousin with uncle's car, a blue light lorry. And - yay! - she said we can stay a little more in the town together.
My cousin's name is Rebecca. She's my mother's sister's daughter (uncle Ray is my father's brother). We had a walk in the park and went through a Minimarket, where we bought some chocolate, and then we had to go to uncle Ray's house.
There, we went together in the plains, me, mounting Wild Soul, and she, mounting White, Amy's horse. Of course Joshua and his gang appeared there too, to ruin our fun.
"So here's the No-Named-Girl." Joshua said. "And it seems she brought her friend here too. Who the Hell are you?"
"I'm Rebecca." my cousin answered.
"Hey, No-Named-Girl, why don't you follow your friend's example, be a nice girl and tell us your name?"
"Sorry, but I'm not like my cousin. I'm not gonna tell you my name. It seems like, for you guys, I will still be the No-Named-Girl."
"I'm sure this will change soon. Make sure I'll find out your name."
"Yeah, maybe, but not from me."
"Well, it seems we're not thinking the same. I'm sure that you'll be the one who'll tell me your name."
"And how are you gonna make me?"
"I have my own methods." he said, smiling. "And, before you'll tell us your name, my friends will tell you theirs. We're not weird like you. We don’t hide our names."
"I'm Thomas. Tom, actually." said, of course, the blond guy.
"I'm Jake." said the red-haired one.
"And I'm Benjamin. Ben." said the dark-haired.
"Whatever. Who cares about your names. Let's go, Becca." I said, and then we walked away from them.
"Who are these guys?" asked Rebecca.
I told her the whole story.
"Wow...Hold on, girl, don't give up!"
"Of course I won't."
"Wanna go back into town tomorrow, to the mall?"
"Sure! That would be great!"
At the mall we met some of my classmates, Margaret, Alexa, May and Maggie's boyfriend, Bailey. We shopped together for a while, and then we left. We were checking some clothes shops and Rebecca's mother called. When she found out that Becca is in Liverpool, she asked her to make a visit.
"Walk a little more around here. We'll meet at the car in 1 hour." said Rebecca and left.
The sun already set and I was walking beside some apartment houses. It was not too much light on the road.
Suddenly, a hand covered my mouth and another one caught my waist, dragging me in the alley between two buildings, where was even less light than on the road itself. I couldn't move anymore, because of the wall behind my back. Joshua's face was at about 5 millimeters in front of mine.
"Hi again, No-Named-Girl. So...how do you do?" he whispered.
"I do well if you get your hands off me."
"Is that so? We'll see that. I'll let you go if you tell me your name."
"And what if I don't?"
"If not...You'll find out what is the method I told you yesterday about."
"You're scary, stop that." I said, sarcastically.
"You know what?..."
"I know lots of things."
"I don't remember your name."
"Stop bothering me with that. I won't tell you my name."
"Alright, be as you wish. I'll keep you here until you tell. I have enough time."
"So this is your super-effective method?"
"No. I keep that one for later."
We stayed there, looking at each other for about 5 minutes. Then my phone ringed.
'Where are you? I'm at the car!' said Becca.
"I'm coming right away!" I said, and, improving the ocassion that Joshua was thinking at something else, I ran away from there.
â¤II.In love
"Oh, dude, what's wrong with you?" Tom continued his speech. "You had her in your hands! And nobody was there to see you! Why did you hold back? I can't understand you, brother."
"Yeah. I can't even understand myself. I just...feel strange when she's around." I said, angry at myself for losing a so perfect opportunity.
"I'll tell you what's going on." said Ben. "You like her, right? You fell in love with her and you didn't want to hurt her."
I felt embarrassed, but I couldn't speak to defend myself.
"You idiot!" Tom said. "You're such a wuss!"
"And, anyway, why do you still go on with the 'No-Named-Girl thing?" asked Jake."You know her name, I know her name, we all know her name. But why do you have to make her tell you her name? OK, who else thinks I said ’her name’ too many times, rise up your hands."
Everybody rised their hands, laughing, but I ignored Jake’s last question and simply answered his first one.
"I've started something. I'm not gonna give up. She'll be the one who'll give up."
"You're so stubborn. I don't think she is gonna give up. She's stubborn too. This thing could last forever."
"She'll give up, OK? Stop bothering me!"
"Dude, you're crazy about her! Anyways, I have to brush Fast Race. Who's coming to the stable?" asked Tom.
Of course, we all got at the stable and brushed our horses. Anyway, we were always staying together, since we had common…um, interests.
"Bloom is agitated." said Ben.
"Faith too. I think it will rain. They are always agitate before raining." Jake added.
"Or maybe they are in heat, like Josh." said Tom, laughing.
"Go to Hell, Tom! You're funny!" said Jake, laughing with my brother.
"F*ck you, brother." I said, and then my fist hit Tom's face.
"The lover is violent, huh?" said Tom, licking the blood off of his lips, relishing the metallic taste.
I wanted to hit him again, but Jake caught my wrist.
"Stop it, Josh. I'm hungry. Don't make things worse. Now everything around smells like blood because of you." he said.
"You're right, I'm hungry too. Are we going to eat?" I asked.
"Okay, c'mon."
We arrived in the forest quickly and smelled a deer herd. We followed the scent to track down the herd, soon spotting six does and four bucks.
"Let's take the bucks. Better challenge, with thoes horns. But, what am I saying? Anyway, bucks or does, deers are the easiest chase." I said, and then each one of us jumped on a buck.
Mine started moving around like mad, but stopped when I got my fangs into its throat and its warm blood filled my mouth. When we finished...lunch, we went back to the village and then rid on the plains. Of course, Alice and Rebecca were there too.
"Hey, No-Named-Girl! I wanted to ask: what happened back in the town? Did you run away because you were scared?" I asked, sneering.
She did not answer, just threw me a scowl and her tongue, then left.
"Oh, God, this girl isn't easy to intimidate." I whispered. "What the heck do I have to do to her to react like the other girls?"
"You know very well that, if you show her what you are, she'll be afraid of you too." Tom said. "But you're a too big of a spazhead and human-lover to hurt her. You know that if you bite her, everything will be different."
"I don't want to bite her! All the humans who found out that I am a vampire are now in a grave!"
"You idiot, you can't even bite her, so there's no way of killing her!" Tom laughed.
"Will you please stop bothering me about this?"
"I will bother you until you'll tell Alice that you feel something for her, idiot!"
"Okay, that's enough!" I said and then chased him.
Storm was chasing Fast Race like a cat which was chasing a mouse. Actually, it was useless, because everybody knows that Storm is the fastest. I did to Tom what Jake did to Alice awhile ago: I passed too close, and Fast Race stopped and reared, neighing. But, because he was a too good rider and not to mention, a vampire, Tom remained on Fast Race's back. I stopped Storm too, right in front of him.
"You can't get me!" I said and then galloped away from him.
Tom was right behind me. I noticed that there was nobody else around and a devilish grin spread across my face. I then turned my head to see Tom and lifted him out of the saddle telekinetically.
"Hey! You're cheating! Telekinesis is not permitted!" yelled Tom when I trowed him on the ground.
"Brother, in love and in war everything is permitted. And we have both here."
"OK, if you say so..." he said, and then the storm started.
A lighting hit the ground right next to me. Tom was griming.
"You dam..." I started, but another lighting hit even closer, scaring Storm, that reared and neighed nervously. Even if her name is Storm, that doesn't means that she likes storms. From what I know, there’s no normal horse that likes storms – or thunders. I stayed still in the saddle and lifted Tom between the clouds. Of course, the dark clouds were getting away when Tom was close to them. My stupid brother and his stupid weather control.
Another thunder hit between me and Jake, and Faith reared, almost throwing him aut of the saddle.
"Do you know what's the problem with you two?" Jake asked, patting Faith’s head to calm her down. "Even brothers, you're completely different. Tom likes bothering people about their feelings, and Josh is too sentimental. You're always fighting, and me and Ben are caught between the two of you. I'm all wet! I can't wait to see what will happen when Tom will fall in love with someone!"
"That will never happen." Tom said.
"But, anyway, Josh, you really idolize this girl. I really think you should tell her." said Ben.
"I don't think so." I said.
"As you say, amore." Ben said and started laughing.
I dismounted Storm and I jumped on Bloom, getting Ben off her back. In one second, we were both on the ground, laughing. Tom and Jake went close to us, smiling, and we dragged them down too.
"Hey, Alice's boyfriend!" said Jake.
"OK, that's enough! You're all a handful of big idiots!" I said and throwed them all in a mud pit made by Tom's storm.
We were all wet and laughing together, like a group of happy, normal people. But we were not what we seemed to be, were we? Nope, we weren’t.
In two weeks, I heard Alice saying - again - that she's going in the town to meet some friends.
"Maybe you won't miss this chance too." Tom said.
"No way."
I followed her, of course. She met five girls and three boys in the Greenbank Park.
"Hey, Kim, how's Chikita?" she asked the girl with brown, long hair.
"She born six puppies. She's very happy."
"Aww, so sweet! Who wants to go to the mall?" Alice asked.
"I do!" answered all the girls in the same time.
The boys frowned.
"C'mon, don't be so angry! Maybe you find some new clothes too!"
In ten minutes, they were all in the mall. They stayed there almost two hours, then they broke the group. Alice's truck was parked on a secondary alley with nobody around. I caught her right before she got in the car.
"Hi." I said, griming.
"What do you want? What the heck are you doing here!?" she asked, trying to escape.
"I was walking around and then I found you." I lied.
"I won't tell you my name!"
"We'll see that." I said, looking at her white neck.
It was like I was already feeling her blood's taste on my tongue. That delicious metallic taste, that only human blood has...
"Alice! Can you bring me home please?" asked the girl named Lindsay, appearing by the street. Hey...who's this guy? You never said you have a boyfriend!
"Bleah. You're kidding, aren't you?" Alice said, disguisted.
Her words made me sad, but, of course, I role-played.
"Let's be serious! Do you really think I'd go out with somebody like her?"
Officially, I decided to never tell Alice that I love her. Anyways, she would probably just laugh and turn her back. Nothing more.
Then I saw them. On Lindsay's neck, there were two red spots that I knew very well.
"This is Joshua, an idiot from my uncle's village." Alice introduced me.
"Thanks for the compliment." I said.
"You welcome. Joshua, this is Lindsay."
"Nice to meet you." I said and shaked hands with her.
"Sorry, Liz, but I can't drive you. My uncle called. I have to go home. Sorry again."
"It's nothing. Thanks anyway. I'll find somebody else to drive me."
"Um...Lindsay, I can bring you home, if you want." I said, willing to talk to her.
"Uhh...Sure...I think. Thanks."
"Bye-bye...Alice." I said.
I couldn't hide anymore the fact that I knew her name, since Lindsay just said it.
"Bye-bye. Oh, and, by the way, told ya you won't find out my name from my mouth." Alice said.
It seems that was a lost battle.
"Whatever. Lindsay, come on, my car is out there."
"Call me Liz, please."
"Okay."
My black Mercedes was at the end of the street. Liz remained open-mouthed when she saw the car.
"Is this...Is this your car?" she asked.
"Yep. Come on in." I answered, getting on the driver's seat.
She got on the left seat.
"Where's your home?"
"West Derby."
"Wow, that's far away from here!" I said, starting the car. "Who brought you here?"
"Um...My boyfriend."
I was sure that her boyfriend had something to do with the red marks.
"What's with the signs on your neck?" I asked.
"I...umm...scratched."
"Hmph. There's only one thing that ca do a mark like that, and it is not a simple 'scratch'"
"You mean you know...?"
"Yep. So who did that to you?"
"My boyfriend."
"I guessed that, I mean what's his name."
"Eric."
"Do you know others like him?"
"Yeah, they're an entire gang: Liam, Eric, Noah, Ken, Daisy, Sarah and Milly."
Wow...A big group.
"Are they students at your school?"
"Yes. But how do you know about the vampires?"
"Are they vampires we're talking about!?"
"???"
"Just kidding."
"So how did you found out? Are you...?"
"Yes. I am one of them."
♫III.Back to school
I don't know what Joshua and the rest of his gang did the rest of the summer, because, since Liz told him my name, we did not meet again. I rid, took care of Wild and went sometimes in the town with my classmates. I wouldn't believe that, but I really had fun, even if I had to stay almost all the time in my uncle's village. But I had to go back to school. Our class master was already in the classroom when I arrived. After some other students arrived too, the class master called the roll.
"Archer Lindsay!"
"Here!"
"Banner Alice!"
"Here!" I said.
"Bell Joshua!"
What!? What the Hell is Joshua doing here!?
"Here!"
"Bell Thomas!"
"Here!"
Tom too? These two are brothers? Oh my...
I looked around. Of course, Ben and Jake were there too. In the break, I talked to Joshua.
"What the heck are you guys doing here!? Are you following me or something?"
He laughed.
"What's your problem anyway? We can't go to school?"
"Why in my school, why in my class!? Why me!?
"Not you. We have some friends here."
"Really? Who?"
"Well. there is Liam, Eric, Milly, Daisy, Noah, Ken...And Liz, of course."
"You mean since...you brought her home?"
"Yep. We kept in touch since then. Jealous?"
"What? No way. Being jealous of what? That they are friends with some people I hoped o never see again? I don't think so."
He frowned.
"Whatever." Joshua said and left.
"I know that look of you!" said Kim, my best friend. "You like Josh, right?"
"No!...Well, yes, a little."
"Just a little?"
"Ok, ok, a little more! How are you dong this?"
"I know you. You had that look when you met Riley for the first time. I also know when you're disappointed, like when Riley broke up with you because of Samantha, even if you tried to hide that. For me, Riley was a positive part of my life, because I know you better because of him."
"Can you please stop talking about that damn stupid idiot pervert moron..."
"Stop it! I know you hate him, but that's enough!"
"Whatever, I don't think I have any chances with Joshua."
"Maybe you do, who knows...Maybe he likes you too."
"I don't think so."
"Hey, girls! Wanna come in Greenbank too?" asked Liz.
"Sure!" we answered.
"Great! Tom, Josh, Ben and Jake are coming too!"
Uhh why do they have to come too? I thought.
In the park...
"So, where are you from?" Alexa asked Joshua.
"A village close to Liverpool."
"Is there a nice place?"asked Kim.
"For us, yes, it is, but I don't know how it is for townspeople. Ask Alice, she was there too."
Everybody turned their head in my direction.
"It is a little boring, but there are lots of horses, so it's cool."
"What's so cool at horses?"Maggie asked.
"Horses are..."
"Awesome!" Liam continued. "They are the smartest animals."
"That's true." I said, a little astonished by Liam, because he rarely talks to us.
"What's your horse's name, Alice? I wanted to ask and I forgot." Joshua said.
"Wild Soul." I answered. "Yours?"
"Mine Storm." Joshua said.
"Mine Fast Race." Tom said.
"Mine Faith." Jake said.
"And mine Bloom." Ben said.
"Cool. Anyone else has a horse?" I asked.
"I do." answered all the Sin kids at the same time.
"Really? What's your horse's names?"
"Mine Moon Light, Eric's Night Storm, Ken's Acrobat and Noah's Ivy." answered Liam.
"And mine is Leaf, Sara's is Bumble Bee and Milly's is Milk." Daisy completed.
"What nice names!" Maggie said.
"I still don't think horses are cool." Bailey said. "They are boring, stupid animals. Dogs are better. What do horses do? Running and chewing."
"That's not true!" Tom replied. "They're smart and they can feel their master's feelings. And they are very gentle, loving and patient."
"What a big deal." Bailey said, sarcastically.
"You say horses are boring, but you've never seen one from more than 10 meters distance." Rose said, appearing next to us and left everybody open-mouthed.
Rose was NEVER talking to ANYBODY.
"Rose?!" we all exclaimed at the same time.
"Yeah, that's my name." Said Rose, with a bored look.
"I didn't know you're coming too." I said.
"I got bored, so I was looking for something to do." Rose said, rolling her eyes.
We walked around a little more and talked about things like "What did you do on this holiday?" and then we all got to our houses. As the next day at 8 AM I had to go to school, I got to sleep early. About 2 AM, my phone's annoying ringing tone woke me up. I got a message.
Oh, who's texting me at this hour? I asked myself.
COME ON WENESDAY, AT 8 PM, ON THE SMALL ALLEY CLOSE TO GREENBANK, ALONE! IF NOT, THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON TO YOU WILL RECEIVE A BILL TO THE GRAVEYARD!
The next day, on Tuesday, I showed the message to Kim.
"Wow...scary....do you really think somebody could...?"
"I dunno, but I have a strange feeling." I said. "I'm afraid that, if I go, something bad will happen to me, and, if I don't, something even worse will happen to you...or dad...or even Joshua..."
"So, Joshua is one of the most important people to you, huh?"
"Yeah, you are too."
"Well, that's nice. But it's bad cause I find this out in such a situation..."
"What should I do?"
"Honest, I'm afraid I don't know. Do what you think you have to do."
"I say you should do what's good for your grades' sake: get in the classroom right now, cause this lesson is with Triangle." Tom said, appearing right next to us.
"Were you listening at what we were saying?!" I asked, afraid that he could tell Joshua about my feelings.
"I heard some things...Anyway, we'll talk about this after the lesson." he said and pushed both of us into the classroom.
Right after us, Triangle - math teacher's nickname - came in the classroom. The whole lesson I only thought about what "some things" meant to Tom.
Then the break came. I pulled Tom in a part of the corridor where were not too many students.
"So, what did you hear, more exactly?" I asked.
"Not too much...About...Everything." he said, laughing.
"What the...?"
"Don't worry, I won't tell Josh. That's your business."
"Promise?"
"Promise. Oh, and, by the way, what's with that message?"
"Honestly, I have no idea." I answered.
"Are you gonna go?"
"I think so, but I'm afraid..."
"You should take someone with you." Tom said with a serious figure on his face.
"I can't. The one who sent that message said that I had to go alone."
"I don't think you should go, Alice."
"I'd better die than let them hurt someone I care about..."
"Do as you think. But it doesn't smell good for me."
"So you won't tell Joshua, right?" I asked, to make sure.
"No, I won't. I promised, didn't I?" he said and then left.
On Tuesday I went nowhere after school, but I had to go somewhere on Wednesday.
When I arrived on the alley, I noticed that nobody was around. Suddenly, I heard a move behind me and a strong hand caught my hands, and another covered my mouth. I wanted to kick the attacker, but a whisper stopped me.
"Shh. Stay still and you won't get hurt, Alice." a boy voice said. "If you want me to let you go, you have to promise you'll follow me, without hitting me, screaming or other things like that. Anyway, those things would be useless. They would just make me mad. And I don't act nice when I'm mad. So, promise?"
I nodded, and the hands withdrew. I turned to my kidnapper's direction. He was a tall boy, with strong and good looking body, black hair and some kind of dark-reddish shade of the eyes, close to black. He was wearing a black shirt with the first buttons loosened. Under he shirt, he had a gray T-shirt. The dark-blue jeans had about 3 rows of silver chains as accessories.
"If you finished staring at me, then please follow me now." he said, without a little sign of humor.
Embarrassed, I followed him on some secondary alleys, then we arrived next to a cherry Mazda.
"Get in." he said and settled on the driver's seat.
I hesitated, but, knowing I have no choice, I entered the car. I was afraid.
He drove in speed to a forest edge, we got out of the car and walked in the dark, scary forest.
"So is this the kid you were talking about, bro?" asked a boy who was looking exactly like my kidnapper, but he was wearing a light-blue shirt and blue jeans.
"Yeah."
"Does she know about...?"
"No, so shut up." the boy with the black shirt interrupted him.
"What are you talking about?" I asked.
"You are not in the position to ask questions, got it?" my kidnapper replied, taking me by the throat and sticking me into a tree.
"And you're not in the position to threaten her!" a familiar voice said, and Joshua put a knife at my attacker's neck. "Let her go, Derek."
"Joseph?" Derek said, looking in his twin's direction.
But Joseph couldn't help him. Tom was holding him tight. Derek sighed.
"Hmph. You won this time, but I promise that the final will be different." he said, and then disappeared with Joseph.
â¤IV.Co-tenants
Alice fell on her elbows, with a fearful figure. She was trembling.
"Jo... Joshua?" she murmured.
"Yes?"
"Take me home."
"Let's go." I said and helped her get back on her legs. "Come on, Tom."
We led Alice to my car. I settled on the driver's seat, on the right, she settled on the left seat and Tom get on the back seat.
"Who's that guy?" Alice asked while I was driving to the town.
"His name is Derek. He's a moron."
"He's... weird. I wonder what he wants from me."
I didn't answer. How could I tell her that she had a vampire hunter's blood? Yeah, that's right, I couldn't. And anyway, her father would be angry if I told her. Since I was thinking of him, my phone started ringing. The caller's name - Nicolas Banner.
"Yes?" I answered the phone.
“Josh, it's Nicolas here. I had to leave immediately to USA, Tennessee. I thought I would never have to do this again, but it was an emergency. There is a big killer vampire trouble out there and they need my help."
"And what am I supposed to do?" I asked.
„Take care of Alice.â€
"That will be a piss. Derek kidnapped her."
„WHAT?!!â€
"Calm down, she's now with me and Tom in my car."
„If now Derek's in this too... Take her with you. I want you to permanently look after her. Take her in your flat.â€
I couldn't contradict him, since I never did, but that idea wasn't something I agreed on.
"OK, but... What should I tell her?"
„Put her through. I'll solve that."
I gave the phone to Alice. Of course, because of the vampire hearing abilities I could hear everything Nicolas was saying.
"Yeah?" Alice said.
„Darling, it's daddy here. I had to leave for some time, job trouble, you know how's that going.â€
"Not fair. Will you leave me alone... again?"
„I don't like it either, darling, but I have to. But I'll ask you something.â€
"Anything!"
„Trust Josh and his pals.â€
I couldn't help smiling.
"But... um, ok, daddy, if you say so... When will you be back?"
I was about to start laughing. I didn't know that Alice is "daddy's girl".
„I'm not sure. It can last some days, weeks or even months.â€
"Oh...Try to be back as fast as you can, ok?"
„I promise.†Nicolas said and turned off the phone.
"Do you know my father?" Alice asked.
"Yeah." I said, taking my phone back.
I entered the town and drove on the way that leads to my home.
"Why did you take me this way? My house is..." Alice started.
"I know, but we're not going to your house." I said, interrupting her.
"Why not?" she asked, with a troubled tone.
"Calm down. Nicolas asked me to keep an eye on you, so you'll stay in my apartment for a while."
Wow, it sounds strange when you say it out loud.
"WHAT?!Dad asked you to lodge me at your home?!"
"Yeah, he wants me to watch after you, like that Derek won't be able to touch you again."
"Wow, I can't believe that. My dad, who doesn't even let me go out on a date with a guy, forces me to live with one...Bleah."
I giggled.
"Is Nicolas that harsh?" I asked.
"Only with the boys in fact."
I stopped the car in front of our building.
"Is this where you live?" Alice asked.
"This is where we live." Tom said. "Me, Jake and Ben live here too."
"What the...?!"
"Oh, no, Alice!" I said, figuring out that she thought we all live in the same apartment. "We have separated apartments."
She sighed, relieved, but she was still tense because of the fact that she'll live with me. How about me, I had no idea how I was going to live with the girl I love, which doesn't even know what I feel for her and, the most important thing, is a human. It was a must to go hunting, if I didn't want to have lunch home.
We entered the building and we went upstairs to the second floor (we had no elevator). Tom entered his flat, then me and Alice entered mine. It was a pretty big flat. At the entry it was a small hall, where you could get both to the living room and to the kitchen I've never used.
The living room was furnished with wooden shelves full of books, two wardrobes, a sofa, a coffee table and a television.
The carpet was something from the eighteenth century.
From the living room, you could go to the balcony, to the bathroom and to the bedroom.
"There's the bedroom." I said, pointing at the door in the bottom of the corridor next to the bookshelves. "And that's the bathroom, and the balcony."
"Wow, that's a giant apartment."
"If you say so..."
"Where am I gonna sleep?"
"In the bedroom. I'll take the sofa."
She entered the bedroom and I followed her.
"Is this the bedroom?! It looks more like a study room with a bed lost in it."
"Yeah, it's my room."
A big room, with two desks - one with the computer, next to the bed, and the other a study desk, next to the window - a double bed and an empty wardrobe.
I picked up the phone and called Tom. I wasn’t in the mood to go to the next door and talk to him personally.
„What?†he asked.
„Can you please bring Alice’s stuff here?â€
„I’m already on it.†He said and slammed the phone, then I heard the entrance door open and close, and Tom appeared next to us, with three huge suitcases and a bag with him.
Alice looked at him, astonished.
„Oh my Gosh, you’re fast!†she exclaimed. „Is this my stuff?â€
„Yes.†Tom answered.
„But...where did you get my flat’s key?â€
„From Josh’s pocket. This guy is so idiot and ignorant that I can bet he did not noticed.†Tom said, showing Alice the keys.
„Hey! That ignorant and idiot guy stays right next to you, jerk!â€I protested, snatching the keys aout of his hand.
„Oh, I’m scared. Now I gotta go, see ya.†He said and left.
I was sure he was hungry too.
„Where did he go?â€Alice asked.
„I don’t know.†I lied.
„Do you have any food out here?â€
„No. I have no idea about cooking. I eat pizza.â€
I didn’t know how I will deal with lying her so often.
„Then let’s go shopping. I like cooking.â€
„Right now?â€
„Yes, ’cause it’s getting late. Come on, I don’t think you’ll let me go by myself.†she guessed.
„Not a chance.â€
We went to the supermarket, and Alice bought lots of food. Yuck. Why the hell do humans need so many kinds of food? Isn’t only one kind enough for them? The only human food vampires like too is chocolate.
„Are we going to buy some chocolate too?†I asked.
She laughed.
„So is this your daily menu? Pizza and chocolate?â€
„Actually, yes.â€
If you replace pizza with blood. I thought.
Home, Alice entered directly in the kitchen - and me after her, since I was the one holding the bags with all she bought. I put them on the table and she started searching in them. Next, I watched her cooking, even if I did not care at all what she was cooking. I was watching every move she was making, wishing to have her body close to mine, to feel her lips on mine, to...
„Ready! Now eat. As long as I’m here, pizza is taboo.
I snared, but I was giggling inside my head. Alice put in front of me a dish with some browny meat pieces in it – at least, that’s what I thought they are – covered with a creamy red thing that didn’t look or smell like blood. What, am I asking that much? Some blood as dinner?
She started eating that disguisting crap and seemed that she really liked it. I said nothing, I ate and acted as if I liked what I was eating, praying to God for my body not to reject the food it was not used to. What would it be if I threw up in front of Alice? I did not even want to think about that.
„I have to write my maths homework. Can I use your desk?†she asked.
„Sure.â€
„Aren’t you gonna write it too?â€
„I already did.â€
„Okay.†She said, exiting the kitchen.
I spent a little more time looking at nothing and then I went into the livingroom to watch TV. I was going to go hunting while Alice was sleeping.
„What do you think about the myth that vampires attacked Tennessee?†were the first words I heard when I turned on the TV.
„In my opinion, vampires are a legend. They are certainly just a myth. The real murderers are probably some humans that want the police to run after ghosts. Or even some people obsessed with these unreal creatures that...â€
I got angry and started changing the channels without really searching for a certain one and interrupted the man’s speech about how vampires do not exist. I stopped on a channel which was showing a scene with a vampire sucking a blonde, young lady’s blood. After he finished lunch, he kissed his dying victim and threw her on the ground. Then it followed a scene with a sun rising, and the vampire melted in a dust heap. Yeah, of course. Like I had any trouble with sunlight.
I wonder how’s Alice doing. I thought and went to her room.
I opened the door. Alice was at the desk, with a pile of paper next to her. She didn’t hear me when I entered.
„Alice.†I said.
No reaction.
„Alice!†I repeated.
Still nothing.
„Hey, girlie. What do you want me to do for you to answer me? Call Riley to come here and kiss you?â€
Alice jumped of the chair and snared at me, angry.
„How the heck did you f*cking find out about Riley?â€
„Oohoo, it’s not good for a young lady to use that kind of words.â€
„I use any words I want to use. Now f*ckin’ answer my question!â€
„Bailey told me, now calm down. Yes, yes, you’re super-affected by this thing, I got it. But I think you should forget about him, or this shit will piss you for the rest of your life.â€
„That’s none of your business. What do you want?â€
„I just wanted to see if you need any help, I did not mind bothering you.â€
„Actually, I do need some help. I don’t get any of this stupid thing.â€
She read me a math problem and I explained her how to do it.
„Oh, thanks, you saved me.â€
„You welcome, but it’s getting late. You shall go to sleep now.â€
„Yeah. I’ll have a shower and then go to sleep.â€
„Good night.â€
„Good night.â€
I went back to my sofa and listened. Just like she said, Alice went to the bathroom and had a shower, and then went back to the bedroom.
Dinner time! I thought.
Sa nu ziceti ca nu v-am avertizat ;) Stiu ca adaosul nu e prea mare, dar o parte din capitolul urmator e la profa mea de engleza (DA! citeste Wild Soul si chiar ii place!!!), asa ca trebuie sa astept sa mi-l dea ea pana sa mai postez. Lectura placuta, si sper sa postez urmatorul capitol (mare) cat mai curand! Poate in weekend...
See ya!
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