Dark Night (7 page)

She thought for a minute. Damn it! I can’t
remember. But Bonnie is somewhere in New York. And Dana is in
Hawaii.” She said “frustrated”, I wasn’t buying it either.

“How do you communicate?” I wanted to speak
to them to be sure they were alright.

“There is a computer lab, um… I’ll show you
tomorrow, I have their email addresses.” She said instead.

“You don’t have their phone number?” That was
suspicious.

“Yeah, but they never answer.” She said like
everything was as normal as ever, which it totally wasn’t.

“Right…” I didn’t want to push it. “Changing
the subject, why do you talk to that brat? And what did you call
her?”

“Um... Gene, she’s my friend. That’s why I
talk to her.” she said, obviously defending her.

“Well, she’s a brat and I don’t like
her.”

“What did she do to you?” She asked like I
was the bad guy. I wasn’t sure I wanted to tell her about the whole
Robert thing. But I was going to sum it up.

“She’s jealous because Rob_ I mean Lord
Robert is watching out for me, they made him. And he’s also my
roommate. When I had barely got here yesterday, she went to my room
and yelled at me saying something about owning someone?” I
exaggerated a little.

“Be reasonable. That’s her boyfriend. And you
are sleeping with him…” she thought better. “I didn’t mean it like
that I mean you two are living in the same room, how would you
feel?”

“No. That’s not her boyfriend. That girl is
crazy, even Robert said so. And I wouldn’t feel a damn thing,
because I dumped my ex!” I snapped, I didn’t mean to get mad but
just thinking about it made me feel horrible.

“I’m sorry…. I didn’t know you and Cole… was
that his name?”

“Yeah that was it…” I was crying now, little
sobs. God I was emotional these days.

“We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t
want to but I really am sorry, Mia I’m here. I know Bonnie and you
were inseparable since ever, but I’m your friend too.” I could tell
she meant what she said. We both got teary eyed. We were both now
being emotional.

“No. You’re one of my best friends. Who said
I can’t have more than one?” We laughed and felt better. “I guess I
see your point about Genevieve and Robert, but still he said it
wasn’t true.”

She nodded. “It probably isn’t but Robert
isn’t a saint here either. You should hear the things he’s done.
His father isn’t here to tell him anything so he does what he
wants. And he gets what he wants.”

“I’ll be careful.” l believed he wasn’t the
nicest guy in the world, point. But I didn’t know what she meant by
saying “he gets what he wants”.

“Please do.” She insisted.

“Finally, can someone explain to me what in
the world is going on?” A very short girl came around the corner
and stared at us with wide eyes.

“Hey Sophie! This is Mia the friend I told
you about.” Mereily said.

“She’s the one that likes to read?” She got
excited. She was tiny, she reminded me of Bonnie, the way she
looked, long curls and all, just like her, except her body.

“Nice. Have you been telling people I’m a
nerd too?” I said jokingly.

“No. She actually said you
were cool, because you weren’t like the other girls. Preppy, bossy
and stuck up like Gene. And that you like to read books and study
hard. I’m that way too, that’s why Gene picks on me sometimes, she
pretends to be my friend in front of Mery, but behind her back
she’s as mean as a witch.” She said childlike, and I liked her
already, her personality was cute, and she liked to read. It was
good to hear I wasn’t the only “nerd”. “Oh nice to meet you, you’re
like an idol to me.” she said sincerely stretching her hand
out.

“Uh, I’m flattered. Thanks, its nice meeting
you too.” I shook her hand. Whoa, she was as delicate as
Mereily.

“We should go now.” Mereily said and we both
nodded. On the way back I was paying attention to where we were. We
were in a patio outside but still inside the school. I would
remember this place. It was a pretty garden.

We got back inside and went to a dining area
where students stared.

“I’m being stared at.” I pointed out as we
looked around the room. Everything was elegant and starting with
hardwood floors, there was a big fountain along the side of the
walls ending by the size wall window that was covered by golden
drapes (the kind you see in catalogues). Black table covers and
white chair covers that went with the theme. No one was sitting in
that side of the room everyone stood by while someone made an
announcement.

“I forgot to mention that lunch was being
served outside today. By the small garden...” The same lady from
the auditorium said. Everyone politely exited the room forgetting
about me.

“I guess that’s where the ball is going to be
held,” Mereily said in a tone that was almost sarcastic.

“What’s the deal with the ball?” I asked and
regretted I did when Mereily and Sophie glared at me. “What did I
say?”

“It’s like the F’ing
academy awards!” Mereily shouted with excitement, “Only the best
of
the
most
outstanding students get awards during the ball and it’s not just
candy prizes or a gift certificate to go shopping, you actually get
a trophy slash Grammy looking thing with your name on it.” She said
barely taking a breath. “And you get to keep it.”

“Yeah, only the students that have been here
for like… ever get them. The best only though…” Sophie trailed
off.

“What’s the matter?” I asked.

“Sophie has been here for almost a year
already. She’s on level six of her sophomore year, almost a junior.
And she hasn’t gotten any awards. That looks bad on you, she has
been studying hard and A’s her tests and everything since her
second level and still nothing. She doesn’t know why. Most students
that get rewarded are on fourth and fifth levels.” She put an arm
around Sophie, while we were still walking.

“How old are you Sophie?”

“Only fifteen and I had good grades in junior
high so I got into high school early."

“Don’t worry then, you still have two more
years for rewards and stuff, you’ll get them.” I told her. “What
level are you on?” I asked Mereily.

“Only third…I flunked second level twice, but
I‘m a senior.” She got sad when she said this.

“What happened?” I whispered.

She hesitated, didn’t speak for a few
minutes. “ I was sick, they detected leukemia and I was in therapy
for two months. But now I’m okay, that’s the reason why I look
frail. They stopped giving me V2 in order for me to take
medications for a while, but I’m beginning to get better. When I
recuperate all the way I’ll be taking the V2 again.” She was
looking down while she spoke.

It made sense. “Mereily, why didn’t you tell
me earlier when I asked you, if you were okay?” I asked her as we
sat on a picnic table, there were plates already served and drinks
in our cups.

“I don’t like talking about it.” She
shrugged. “I’m really okay now. I used to have bruises and you
could see my bones, it was disgusting.” She looked like she was
about to cry.

She didn't look that healthy to me. “Well, if
you’re all better now, then we should do something fun?” I asked
her. I saw her face soften then brighten.

“What are you up to?” She asked trying to
figure out what I was thinking. I didn’t answer for a while,
because I had no idea what I was going to say while I thought about
it. I ate pancakes and drank sweet tea. When I looked around and
saw others eat quietly and that they were into their small
conversations, I saw Genevieve eating with some of the girls I had
seen earlier with Mereily. I didn’t know why suddenly Genevieve
stopped chewing her food and glared at me until I heard the
voice.

“How about a tour?” It was
Robert, making me jump. “Hi girls are we making friends?” He said
nicely.

“Yes sir.” Sophie answered.

I knew why Genevieve was glaring at me now,
and dint care. “Right now?”

“Do you want to be lost tomorrow when you
need to get to classes?” He raised his eyebrows.

“No, actually its perfect timing,” I said as
I got up, and glanced back at Genevieve to give her a nice evil
smile, she hated me. “I’ll catch up with you guys later, I’m in
room….” I forgot the number.

“Fifty.” Robert told them.

And we walked
away.

“What tour?” I asked when we left the
garden.

“You were supposed to get a tour yesterday,
but it was late. The tour of the campus, do you know where the
school part is?” I shook my head.

“That’s why. Besides, you have been losing
track of time.”

“What?” I didn’t really know what time it
was.

“It’s eleven o’clock.” He said pointedly.

“And?”

“You are not going to like this, but every
other day at lunch time you must go get your V2.”

“What is that? Everybody keeps talking about
it?” I had a feeling that he was right and I wasn’t going to like
it.

Venom.” he said, and I stopped walking.

“You mean… what kind?” My voice cracked a
little at the last words.

He chuckled. “Not to kill bugs… It’s in order
for you to be a vampire.“ He sighed. “There’s two ways. One way is
biting and another is injections but that you need to do them every
eight to ten hours. Biting is once every other day. If the V2 comes
straight from another… person, it works better.” He was standing
three feet away from me, wearing dark sunglasses so I couldn’t see
his face entirely.

“I don’t understand, what are you telling me?
If you say for example a student bites another then where does that
student get the venom from?”

“Oh. Well, once you have enough in you and
you begin to change you don’t need it anymore, because you produce
it yourself, like I do. I will be graduating this year and turning
into a full blooded vampire. That’s why they picked me to help you,
but I don’t know what’s going to happen now… you need to choose
now, what do you pick?” I was feeling bad for him and I knew he
didn’t want to be taken away. Then he had to remind me of the
V2.

I didn’t know what to pick, I remembered the
feeling when he had bit me, but it wasn’t for the venom, he had
taken my blood. “Can’t I think about it?” I asked in a begging
tone.

“No. it’s not something you can think about
you need to choose now because we’re going to our room.” He said
walking ahead of me.

I didn’t want to pick the injections, no. I
hate needles. “Ummm… I sort of don’t like needles. But I don’t want
you to think that… you know…”

“I know.” He simply said without looking at
me. We stayed silent the rest of the walk.

We reached the bedroom
and I opened it. I went in and washed my hands in the kitchen sink.
“Ready?” He even asked me this time.

“Yeah, let’s get this over
with.” I said. He got close to me and put a hand around my waist
and with the other. He grabbed my left hand and pulled it up to his
lips. He was so tall and handsome and I looked into his eyes then
they suddenly turned black and he closed them, as he bit into my
wrist and I felt something different. It was not the same as the
last time. This was a strong sting it went from my wrist all the
way up my arm spreading through my body. I was changing little, by
little and I could feel the difference from the V2 being put into
my body now. It was not a pretty feeling, but I felt the
power.

Then he did something he shouldn’t have. He
took blood from me, I knew he did because I had that same feeling
interfere with the sting and it felt so good I didn’t want him to
stop. Actually I wanted to take his blood too. I started feeling
dizzy and then I collapsed, he had me in his arms in no time.

“Shit!” I heard him say. “Mia, don’t go. Mia.
Shit!” That was the last thing I heard because what I felt next
made me scream in agony. Robert had injected me more V2 and it hurt
a lot. He covered my mouth and soothed me. “It’s going to be okay.
I promise. I am so sorry Mia I didn’t mean to do that, but I don’t
know what happened…” I heard his voice crack. I decided I wasn’t
going to tell anyone, for both of our sakes. I was feeling strong
and my bite healed fast. I sat up and looked at him, his eyes were
closed and he was still holding on to my wrist like it wouldn’t let
him go.

“Robert I’m fine. Don’t worry. I’m not saying
a word. It’ll be our secret. But could you let go, it still hurts.”
I waited for him to release it, and he did slowly. He pulled away
and I sat on the edge of his bed. “It’s not only your fault… I
don’t know. It’s weird to me I’ve never felt anything like that
before. But why did I fall like that?”

“You didn’t. I took a lot of blood from you,
and the V2 was working before I drank your blood and then it didn’t
and that’s why it hurt after I injected you with it again, I’m not
supposed to give you more than once a day only if you use needles.
Your body was weak and I thought you were going to…. you looked
purple for a minute.” His face was expressionless like he had just
seen a ghost. I didn’t know what to say to him. Now I really hated
the needles more, and I wanted him to continue biting me but I
didn’t think that was going to work out. “ I don’t know if I should
do that again, it’s too dangerous. I’ve done it before, but no one
else’s blood has ever called to me like yours has. Do you feel
anything?”

I wasn’t going to lie to him. I could feel
the connection between us, the bond. And I liked it, that was the
bad part, because I still remembered what Mereily had said: “He’s
done some bad things.” But I didn’t want to question him about it
for now. “Yeah, the connection is there, is that normal? I mean
after you bond with someone?”

“Yes. But it’s too strong for just two bites.
It doesn’t make sense.” He looked frustrated, irritated and
confused. He had his hands in his pockets and he was standing a few
feet away from me staring at the floor the whole time he spoke.