Vampire Manifesto (14 page)

Horatio sat up in his chair. “Wait, you gonna call the Cops?”

“…
to detain you until your mother can come down to the sheriff’s station to pick you up, which should give me just enough time to fill out your expulsion papers for violating…”

“
Hey, come on Principle, you…you’re blowing things out of proportion right now.” Horatio Jr. exclaimed.

“
OR, you can just shut up, man up and volunteer where I tell you to volunteer and everybody is happy.”

“
Aw man, I didn't know you were this ruthless.” Mumbled Horatio.

“
Well now you know.” Girard stated. “And knowing is half the battle. Go Joe. Now get out of my office.”

Horatio Venezuela Jr. got up, slid his glasses back on his face and turned to leave, mumbling something inaudible under his breath.

“
What was that?” Asked the Principle. “I didn’t hear you.”

Even with his sunglasses on, I could tell he was rolling his eyes. “Nothing, see you next Tuesday.” He exclaimed before leaving.

“
Amber Rose. My office.” The Principle yelled.

Awesome. Thanks to Sir Douche-a-lot over there, now she’s gonna take all her madness out on me. Perfect. I walked into her office and she closed the door behind me, taking her seat behind this big old school, nineteen fifties looking desk of hers. Very retro.

Principle Girard. Bright red hair, pretty, hard ass at times, pretty cool at others, wonder which one she was gonna be today with me. Hard ass or…

“
So how was the beach yesterday?” Principle Girard asked.

Hard ass it is then.

“
I don’t know, I wasn’t at the beach.” I really am not in the mood to be suspended right now.

“
Is that what you’re going with?” She asked. “Really?”

“
I wasn’t at the beach Principle Girard; I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was sick. I wasn’t feeling well.”

“
Because a little birdie told me, oh and by little birdie I mean Assistant Principle Woodrow, who specifically stated that he saw you and our new transfer student, Ethan what’s his face…”

“
Blackwood.” I corrected without thinking.

“
Oh.” Girard acted somewhat surprised. “So you do know what I’m talking about?”

“
No, it’s just, he’s in my English class is all.”

“
He’s in all your classes Amber Rose.”

“
Oh. I didn’t…I didn’t know that.” I had to stop myself from smiling.

Principle Girard gave me a suspecting look. “I’m sure you didn’t. Anyway, this birdie, aka Assistant Principle Woodrow, called me this morning, just to inform this administration about your truancy.”

“
I wasn’t at the beach, I wasn’t feeling well.” I declared. “Maybe he got me confused with someone else.”

“
Apparently. Especially since I informed Mr. Woodrow that the only reason he was not here at work with me is because of the injury he procured during the last Pep Rally. I also stated that the Doctors assessment of his current situation was that he was to stay in bed and to keep off his foot for a week and if he was in fact at the beach where he reportedly saw you and Mr…Blackwood, then he was in direct violation of his own Doctors note and committing fraud against the School Board, considering the fact that he is on sick leave with pay AND receiving workman’s compensation since the injury took place on company property.” Principle Girard explained.

“
Oh.” I wasn’t sure how to respond to that.

“
Needless to say, Mr. Woodrow set the record straight, informing me that he himself wasn’t at the beach, but rather his wife and little girl were and they told him what they saw and he felt it necessary to pass this knowledge to myself.”

I thought about it for a moment. “How would his wife know what Ethan looked like? He just moved here.”

“
An excellent question Amber Rose. When I asked Mr. Woodrow that very same thing, he then explained that his wife could have been confused and more and likely it wasn’t you that she saw at all and to disregard the matter in its entirety. He then got off the phone rather quickly.”

There was a silence between us as neither spoke, waiting for the other to fill the empty void with their voice.

“
So, Ethan’s in every one of my classes?”

“
Okay, we’re done here.” Principle Girard said quickly, shuffling her papers on her desk into a neat little pile.

“
I can go?” I pointed towards the door with my thumb.

“
Yes. You may leave.”

I got up and opened the door behind me. “I’m going to need a…”

“
Greta can sign your tardy slip.” Finished the Principle. “Close the door behind you.”

I did as she asked and got my tardy slip from Greta the Secretary. She gave me a small UPS package.

“
I didn’t wanna mention this before, you know students are not allowed to have mail come to the school, but this came for you earlier today.” Greta said. “Figured I’d wait till you were on your way out, when Principle Girard wasn’t around. No need to add trouble on top of trouble.”

I took the package from her. “Thanks.” I said. Then off I headed towards class.

The box was no bigger than a PlayStation 3 video game box and there was no return address. I didn’t even think UPS would deliver something without a return address.

The bell rung before I made it to class and the hallway filled up with students. I put the package in my book bag. It could wait until I got home; there were other pressing things on my mind at the moment.

I was lucky; I thought she had me for sure. She did have me, dead to rights, but she let it slide. It wasn’t a secret that she and the Assistant Principle didn’t get along. He could be such a conniving SOB at times, I rather think she was just trying to stick it to him then have me get caught up in the crossfire.

Either way, it was just one more thing that made me not wanna go to class, which, upon afterthought, was the exact opposite of how I should feel. I just wasn’t in the mood right now. Not for teachers or school work or having to lie to keep from getting suspended. It was just too much for me. Honestly, after what happened last night, maybe it would have been better if I had stayed home.

He’s in all your classes Amber Rose.

Now that made me feel just a little bit better. Ethan was in all my classes. I could see him every day now, but not just in passing, or after school, I mean like, every day. I hope I don’t get bored with him, because that would suck.

“
Hey, what’s up?” Came that familiar voice from behind.

I turned around and there he was. Faded blue jeans, a crisp white t-shirt and a pair of all white Adidas shell tops.

“
Hello Ethan.”

“
What was up with the whole office thing?” He asked, taking my hand in his. I liked how he didn’t even ask permission to do it, he just did.

“
The more things change, the more they stay the same.” I replied.

“
Fair enough.” We began to walk down the hallway together. “So where are you headed?”

I gave him a cross look. “Like you don’t already know?”

“
Um...if I already knew, what would be the purpose of me asking?”

“
Principle Girard already told me you’re in every one of my classes, Ethan.”

That caused him to stop. “Really? Everyone?”

“
Well yeah, I thought you already knew that?”

Ethan made a face. “How would I know that Madison?”

“
I don’t know, I just thought you would.” I grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the front double doors that lead to the parking lot.

Ethan was full of friendly sarcasm. “I’m sorry; my crystal ball is in the shop.”

“
It is kinda awesome though.” I admitted.

“
And she said that? Really? All your classes?” He asked.

“
I hope you’re prepared buddy boy.” I teased.

“
It’s not that, it’s just…” Ethan let his sentence trail off.

“
It’s just what Mr. Blackwood?”

“
Nah, it’s nothing.”

“
Nope! Tell me, Ethan.”

“
It’s just that, I don’t know. Every class?” He suddenly got very serious. “I hope I don’t get bored with you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Shut up and come on boy.” I continued to pull him towards the parking lot.

“
Wait, where are we going?” He asked. “I mean, I know this is my first day, but isn’t class like, on the other side of campus?”

“
I’m not going to class, Ethan.” I finally admitted. “I’m done for the day.”

“
You're cutting out already? Didn’t you just
come
from the Principles office?” He asked.

“
Your point being?”

“
No point, just making an observation.” He explained. “So where are we going?”

“
We?” I asked. “Isn’t this your first day?”

This time it was Ethan that was pulling me, taking the lead as we weaved through the parked cars. “Hardly.” He announced.

We stopped in front of this beast of a motorcycle, all black chrome and leather madness. Ethan hopped on and then revved up the engine, the two exhaust pipes, on each side of the back tire flaring to life.

“
This you?” I asked. I didn’t take him as the motorcycle type at all. Didn’t even think he had a car, let alone something like this.

“
Harley Davidson Night Rod Special.” Ethan called out over the roar.

I climbed on back, not waiting for him to ask. “What year?”

He just smiled. “Does it really matter?”

I wrapped my arms around his waist just as he peeled off. “Where to?” He asked again. This time, I had an answer for him.

“
The bookstore, the one over by Target.” I yelled in his ear.

“
Just speak normal.” He answered back. “I have very good hearing for someone my age.”

I had never been on a motorcycle before, let alone without a helmet. The scenery just whizzed past so quick, so fast and the rush of it all, God, it was just exhilarating.

“
You mean that place Mrs. Shoemowetochawcawe was talking about? Where she met that crazy dude at?” He asked.

“
Yeah, that’s the place.” I replied. “You know the spot?”

He responded by increasing the throttle, a blast of speed and adrenaline mixed together in a steel-aluminum shot glass frame, meant to be swallowed whole with no chaser. He was reckless, weaving through traffic, passing cars so close that there was only a hairs breath between us, decreasing speed suddenly so he could whip through the middle of two vehicles, only to speed up as the light turned yellow.

In all my life, I never felt safer.

It didn’t take long before we were where we wanted to be, pulling up in a handicap parking space so fast that the Night Rod did a front endo when it came to a stop. I climbed off, my legs still vibrating somewhat. Ethan hopped off like it was nothing.

I pointed towards the white and blue sign. “You can’t park here, it’s a handicapped spot.”

“
Oh, I almost forgot.” He mumbled, pulling out a small plastic handicapped sign from his back pocket, hanging it off the chrome steering. When he turned around, I just shook my head.

“
What?” He exclaimed. “Grandma has like ten of them, she’s not gonna miss one.”

He put his arm around me as we headed towards Books-a-Million. A large, intricately decorated sign in the window read:
Come meet, John Rogers, Author of the bestselling novel, Forgotten Future.