• That evening went like any other evening. I finished my homework around dinnertime and went downstairs to eat and watch TV. Then around ten I crawled up stairs but instead of going about my usual schedule- which was slip into pajamas and read until twelve without my parents knowing- I remembered the full moon and how it always poured beautiful pale white light into my bedroom even at the latest hour of the night.

    I slowly drew back the curtains and nearly let a scream escape my mouth. There almost nose to nose with me (I there wasn’t glass in between) was Collin. My eyes were wide with shock but he flashed a charming smile and they fell upon the bright full moon. I stared back at him quizzically. “How did you…” I began to mouth but his lips curled into a smirk and I felt stupid for asking. “Let me in.” He said. But I pretended playfully not to hear and cupped my hand over half of my ear. I didn’t catch all of it but he said something like, “Open the screen or so help me I will.” I sighed and opened it. It took him a minute to get all the way through my tiny window but he did. “Why are you here?” “Because… I was drawn to you.” His tone was dead serious. "I thought you were 'ill'." Was he playing some kind of sick game with me? For the first time I noticed his eyes were not the usual cheery blue they were midnight black. "Oh I am. More than you can ever imagine. I'm also filled with complete and utter pleasure for the moment." “Um Collin are you okay?” “Yes I’m perfectly fine.” His eyes narrowed and mine widened with fear. I didn’t see him move but suddenly he was on the windowsill with his back arched like a cat ready to pounce. "I will surely hate myself in the morning for this." He shook his head and smiled awkward. Part of me screamed, “RUN!” but the other part said, “He’s just Collin don’t worry”. “Collin you’re seriously starting to creep me out.” “Am I?” He raised one eyebrow. “Are you sure you’re…” But before I could finish he’d pinned me to the floor. “Ugh Collin what is wrong with you!” I snarled. I struggled against his icy grip again and again with no luck. He just chuckled. “Weak humans,” he muttered with another laugh. “Oh, so you’re definitely not a human now, great.” I had quickly given up struggling knowing that he’d win. “Nope,” He said with a sly smile pasted across his face. “Spider-man?” “Do I look like I could fling webs?” “No,” I sighed. “The Hulk?” “No green.” I unexpectedly laughed but he wouldn't he release me. “Are you part supernatural?” “Kind of.” “Really?” “Well sort of.” I stared at him quizzically but his eyes didn’t meet mine. They looked at me quickly then became lost in thought. His eyes narrowed and a sly smile came across his face He moved towards me as if to kiss me but his lips missed mine and instead pressed against my neck. I tried with no luck to shove him off ferociously but he just gave a sarcastic laugh. Suddenly all the mussels in my body relaxed and his voice echoed in my mind. Sleep. I fought hard but I could not fight the swarms of darkness that began to cloud my vision. Just before I blacked out I felt something sharp puncture my skin.
    While I was unconscious I dreamed. I was sitting in a meadow in very dim light with Collin and his bright sparkling blue eyes next to me. He was laughing his joking laugh when suddenly the dark clouds began to part. He looked up to the sky worried about something then ran to the shadows of the trees. I laughed when the clouds completely parted showing the full moon. “Don’t be scared it’s just the moon.” I sarcastically added and began to tug his arm out into the light. I was stronger than I thought because I pulled him all the way out before he could say a word of protest. His eyes changed to the midnight black like I’d seen before and his lips curled back over his pearly white teeth. I screamed and ran but my clumsy legs kept tripping over one another and I finally fell for him to ready for the kill. Just then I awoke. I was lying on the floor in the same position I had been. I rose slowly worried that something might have happened to me but I was fine. He had left me virtually unscathed. The mark on my neck still burned with heat and pain. I tried to walk to the bathroom to check out the mark but quickly realized that I couldn't even stand. Why was I so dizzy? My hand flew instinctively to my head. No fever or concussion. I checked my pulse. It beat erratically. Blood loss? Impossible. How? I had no marks what so ever except where he had... well I don't really know what he did until I could reach for a mirror. I glanced around my room towards the clock. It read 3:00 A.M. I sighed and decided I would deal with it in the morning when I would be completely recovered from... blood loss? Again I drifted off to sleep only to recall the same dream though not quite as terrorizing. I still awoke with a start at seven a.m. and when I checked out the scar in the mirror it did look unsettlingly like a bite mark. It happened to be several degrees lower than the rest of my body. I was naturally a very self-conscious person so I wore black pants along with a shiny silver vest and a white short sleeve shirt. The vest was high necked and didn't leave much exposed. I hurried out the door without waiting for breakfast.

    At school Collin was waiting for me his eyes more or less blue again. “Leave me alone Collin,” I said and weaved around him as easily as I could. “I’m sorry Brooke!” “I really am.” He followed. “What happened to you last night? I know there’s something off about you but not this off!” He grabbed my arm. His touch was still as icy as last night but not as strong. “Let go Collin,” I growled through my teeth. “I’m sorry!” he repeated. "I will never forgive you for whatever you did but you can try to make it up to me." "What do you want me to do? I'll do anything." "Then tell me what happened last night. Just a straight to the point simple explanation." “Except that,” He pleaded. My head snapped around and I glared at him. "Really it's for your own good." "I'll be the judge of that." "All I know are the straight forward easy facts. One last night you turned into some weird thing that had black eyes, icy skin, super speed, and strength. Two you bit me and some how drained a ton of blood from my body. Three that mark is colder than the rest of me. Four…” I realized after the first two how stupid I had been. But I couldn’t bear the thought. My eyes widened. “No!” I gasped. He put his head in his hands and rubbed his temples. “Yes.” I was at a loss for words. What could I do or say that would make this moment any better? “Oh Brooke just say it! I’m a damn vampire and you know it!” I took off running though my mothers says that you can never run away from your problems I hoped finding out that your best friend for life is a vampire would be an exception. There’s no such thing. There’s no such thing. Tears streaked my face. NO! NO! I ran faster through the campus. No one was outside because class had already started. I dumped my backpack and collapsed several yards away. I brought my knees to my chest and hugged them tightly rocking back and forth. I sat there crying for some time. No I wasn’t bitten by a vampire such things are only real in urban legends. How could he do this to me? I’d known him since kindergarten! He’s my Collin the one who’s obnoxious and annoying but sweet and kind. The one that keeps me going every day. The one who’s laughing can start an epidemic. Not a cold no hearted beast. Even if it was a vampire it wasn’t him. “You’re right it wasn’t the Collin you know.” I hadn’t even realized Alex had sat down next to me and wrapped her arm around me. “That wasn’t Collin I love.” I cried. I blinked through the tears to get a better look at her face. She wore no expression but a tint of worry in her eyes, which reassured me she wasn’t completely cold. “I know.” She said solemnly. “You know it wasn’t his fault.” “Yes.” My hysterics were calming down. “And you’re really hurting his feelings right now.” “Yes.” “But I get your side too.” “It’s not easy being a human and being brought into all of this.” “Go talk to him he’s waiting for you.” “Not right now.” I pleaded. “Fine I’ll tell him. But you’re going to have to talk to him sometime. And we don’t want a repeat of last night. Do we?” I shuddered in return. “Oh, and sorry I didn’t stop him earlier. I had to deal with something first and I didn’t expect him to be that thirsty.” “You were there last night?” I asked surprised at her blandness. “Yeah I pulled him off you and had to run him to South America to get him calmed down.” “That must have been a hassle with him fighting you in all.” “Not really. It’s time’s like those when running really fast really comes in handy.” “Oh.” “Well you should probably get to Algebra. George is waiting for you. See you…soon.” The last part sounded like a threat but I hurried off to Algebra anyway.

    “Where have you been? Mr. Benson already started! Not that it matters. We’re both gonna’ fail anyway.” He smiled at me but I didn’t return the warmness. “Yeah,” I mumbled digging around in my backpack for a pencil. I was in no mood to talk to George or anyone else right now. But he was darn persistent. He kept whispering on and on about everything from theater to football to homework to friends to food to family and then he’d start again but in a different part of theater. Man, does Mr. Benson just pick days to rat us out for talking or does he like to see me being tortured? “When is it?” George asked? Oh darn it. What was he talking about um let’s see… “I don’t know.” “You don’t know when your birthday is?” He asked shocked. “Oh, it’s on July 23.” I decided since he was off his subjects and I was in a slightly better mood I would join in.