Airiana quickly whirled around and tried to open the door. "HELP! HELP!" she screamed but the door would not budge.
Something started to moan in the corner, but the kids could not see anything, nothing was there. Mark and Zoe held each other tight, squeezing their eyes shut. The moaning became louder and louder until it was a deafening roar.
"Get me out of this place!" Zoe left Mark's arms to help Airiana open the door. Mark joined them and the door swung open and all three kids fell onto the cold gymnasium floor.
Airiana gasped for breath. "I was choking."
"Huh?" Zoe asked her, dazed.
"I couldn't breathe. Something was choking me, but nothing was there!" Airiana turned around and everything looked normal in the storage room. No red lights, no dead body and no noises.
"Oh Air!" breathed Zoe in shock.
"What?" Airiana asked, confused.
"Your neck!" Zoe pulled her hair up and a red mark was across the back of Airiana's neck.
"Something WAS choking you!" Mark exclaimed.
Airiana pulled her hair down tightly around her neck, feeling violated.
Zoe opened the gymnasium door and stepped out in the hallway. "I'm getting out of here."
Mark followed her. His eyes wide in disbelief.
Haylene, the cheer captain and most pretty and popular girl in school approached Airiana with her hands on her hips, holding gold and blue pom poms. She wore a gold and blue cheerleading outfit of their school Pinedale High with her hair on top of her head in a ponytail with a big blue and gold bow. The skirt fell to her knees and the top was neck high complimented with knee high stockings and gold and blue designed shoes. Her five followers stood behind her wearing the same cheerleading outfits and smirking faces. "Well lookie here," Haylene smirked, "Perfect Airiana skipping class."
Airiana groaned and reached behind nervously to touch her sore neck and winced.
"Whatever were you three doing in the gym alone." Haylene lifted her eyebrow suggestively and her minions snickered.
"Man leave us alone twat." Zoe muttered.
"Shut up you blood sucking whore I come here with a proposition."
Zoe lifted an eyebrow and almost laughed at the irony of the insult.
Haylene looked at Airiana. "My girls and I were thinking since your pretty enough and have good enough grades to be on the team that you should replace Elaine."
Airiana coughed, feeling vomit rise up her throat, remembering Elaine's mutilated body. "Isn't it too soon and heartless to be replacing her already?"
"That's just the thing. You won't start until after a month. Especially around homecoming time is when I need you most."
"Air," Zoe said, "You should do it if you want to. You deserve it. Don't let me or the popularity ruse hold you back from doing what you want."
Airiana nodded slowly. "Ok Haylene. I'll do it."
"Perfect!" Haylene flashed her million-wat perfect smile. "I'll see you in a month." She walked down the hall and her minions followed her.
"What a strangeee day." Zoe said, her eyes wide.
"Come on, let's go to the library for the rest of the hour. I want to look something up." Mark said and the girls followed him. He sat down at a computer with the girl's sitting on either side of him and he looked up news articles online. "It's confirmed. Lora's ex-boyfriend's body had no blood in it whatsoever and was found in the weight room. Everyone believes he was murdered but no one knows how or why there's no blood." Mark was looking up news articles on the computer in the library after lunch period.
"Why didn't we hear about it?" Airiana frowned.
"They thought he died from a brain aneurysm from lifting to much but that doesn't explain the lack of blood. The cops believe lost blood bleeding through his nose when the aneurysm happened but there would be a lot more blood than what they found on the scene."
"Drakes a vampire and he wants me." Airiana shuddered at the thought and hugged herself. "I just want to live a normal life."
Zoe gave her a sharp look. "Then live your life Air goddammit, don't let this creep control you or drag your emotions around."
Airiana nodded. "I'm just so scared. What if he comes after you or Mark?" tears welled up in her eyes.
Zoe gave her a tight hug. "Even if something happened to me, I just want you to live your life Air. You are the bestest friend I could ask for. You deserve a good life." Zoe pushed Mark out of the chair and logged onto a dating website.
"OW!" Mark stood up, rubbing his back side looking at Zoe with annoyance.
"Look Air, he's cute, he's blond, he's buff, you should try it." She turned away from the computer and faced Airiana. "What do you say?"
"I hate you," Airiana replied, giggling despite the fear she felt.
"I do too, now come on Air. A date isn't a bad thing, now is it?"
"That's the last thing on my mind!" Airiana laughed and threw her arms around her best friend's neck. "No matter what messed up shit is going on you still are the same ole Zoe."
"That means you will go on a date with someone?" Zoe winked.
"Zoe…"
"Airrrrrr."
"Uh! Fine! Then will you promise to leave me alone?"
Zoe smiled and turned toward the computer. "I knew that you would say that."
"Promise me!"
Zoe sighed mockingly, rolling her eyes. "Fine, I promise,"
"Good," Airiana pouted, "Hopefully Drake won't kill my date."
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Brian looked at his wife Alyson who was sitting next to him in bed watching T.V. He turned the T.V. off and pulled her close to him.
"Oh! What's this?" Alyson asked.
"I've been thinking…"
"Yes?"
"Isn't it lonely being an only child?"
"Heck, how would I know?" Alyson giggled, she had five other siblings.
"Well, Airiana needs someone her age at home."
"Well, she has that Zoe kid." Alyson kissed her husband's cheek.
"No, like someone who's a sibling." He poked his wife's nose affectionately.
"What do you mean?" Alyson leaned back squinting at Brian, "You know that I most likely won't get pregnant again and if I do, our baby won't be her age."
"I know, but I was thinking of something like… adoption, or something." Brian nervously bit his lower lip.
"Hmm… I would be okay with it."
"Okay but would you be okay with THIS?"
"With what?" But Alyson's words were smothered with Brian's kisses. She laughed and pushed him away. "I don't think Air is lonely tonight. Our little girl is growing up. On her first date."
Brian frowned. "I wish we knew the guy before letting her go."
"Oh, Brian she never goes on dates or acts like a normal teenager. I do not see the harm. Let her live."
He nodded solemnly. "When do you think we should tell her Aly?"
Alyson fell silent, biting her bottom lip nervously. "It would destroy her life Brian. Everything's she's ever known."
"But aren't we being dishonest? She's grown now, she deserves to know."
"You're her real father no matter what Brian." Alyson put her hand gently on her husband's cheek. "You raised her. You took care of her. Knowing who and what her real father is would be too much stress for any human mind to comprehend." She put her face in Brian's neck, sighing. "I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't come and married me and filled that role in her life."
Brian put his arm around his wife and squeezed her gently.
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Mike looked across his menu at the angel sitting across from him.
"Take a picture, it lasts longer." Airiana muttered.
Mike quickly stuck his head back in his menu.
Airiana sighed and rolled her eyes. She was surprised that her parents let her go on a date, but then again, she never went on dates. "Hmm… a cheeseburger sounds good."
"Yeah?"
"Uh... yeah."
Mike frowned. "You don't go on dates much, do you?"
"No, in fact, this is my first one."
"WHAT?! A pretty girl like you?!" Mike exclaimed incredulously.
Airiana gave him a dirty look. "My best friend Zoe set it up, okay? I'm not a boy crazy girl."
Mike laughed. "Well Airiana tell me what do you like? That is how dates usually go. Getting to know each other's likes and dislikes."
Airiana frowned. "Well I dislike going on blind dates and being forced to do it."
Mike laughed, "That's obvious. You are sassy and feisty Airiana, I like that about you. You're not afraid to speak your mind."
"Yeahhh..." Airiana's brow furrowed in confusion. There was a man sitting in the back, watching them. When Airiana looked at him, he quickly hid his face behind his menu. He had black hair…
"Are you okay?" Mike asked.
"Yeah,"
"What were you looking at?"
"Uh, nothing, nothing at all, let's eat, I'm starved."
Mike grinned, "Now that's a woman any man likes. Straight to the point. So Airiana you have any siblings?"
"No."
"Oh… how's that like?"
"It sucks."
"Hmm, I have a sister. I think she would like you."
"So, I take it you don't have a girlfriend?"
"No, otherwise I wouldn't be on a date with you. I don't agree with two-timing."
Airiana smiled fondly, "Mike that's very... admirable."
Mike smiled fondly back at her.
Airiana caught a glimpse of the man in the back. He was still watching them. He looks familiar… After supper, Airiana and Mike were walking down the sidewalk that was lit by streetlights. Airiana looked at the stars. "The stars are so far away…" she breathed. Mike smiled down fondly at her. They walked hand in hand down the sidewalk than back again to Mike's parked car.
"Say Airiana, if I asked you to my school's prom would you go with me?" Mike grabbed her other hand in his, squeezing gently.
Airiana smiled. "Wow already asking me to prom?"
Mike chuckled, "I really like you Airiana."
"Please, call me Air. And I would have to get my dad's permission, but I doubt they would mind."
"Air… I like that." Mike stood gazing at Airiana's blue eyes and his eyes glazed over. A wicked look suddenly came into his eyes.
Airiana noticed it and took a step back, fear seizing her heart.
Mike reached out, grabbing her bosom, and squeezed.
"Ow! You bastard! What are you doing?!" She punched him in the shoulder.
"You silly girl, come here." Mike grabbed Airiana's shoulders, pressing her against him.
Airiana saw Drake, hiding in the corner of the alleyway. White balls of light were in his hands. Magic… "Mike stop, this isn't you!"
"What? You are talking nonsense. Of course, this is me can't you feel it?" He pinned her against his car, his erection pressing into her hips.
"Drake's hypnotizing you. Please! Stop!"
"Dra Hypna who?" Mike kissed her lips.
Airiana pushed him away. "No! Mike! Please!" He is going to rape me!
Mike picked her up, throwing her in his car. He climbed on top of Airiana, locking the car doors behind him and started pawing at her clothes ferociously.
Airiana quietly reached behind her, unlocking the door then she elbowed him in the face.
"OW!" Mike covered his eye where she had hit him, sitting up in pain.
Airiana opened the door and rolled out. She ran to where she had last seen Drake in the alleyway.
He was gone.
Mike was still moaning behind her in the car and Airiana quickly ran away, calling Zoe on her cellphone.
Chapter 6
"I'm so sorry, Air!" Zoe sat on Airiana's bed cuddling her best friend, rocking her back and forth.
"That's what happens when you meet a boy online." Airiana muttered and gave Zoe a weak smile.
"You're not mad at me, are you?"
Airiana stared off in the distance. "It wasn't him. Drake was there."
"…WHAAT?!" Zoe's mouth fell open in shock.
"He threw a ball of white light at Mike."
"You think it was... magic?"
"Yeah, pretty much we're all screwed."
Zoe stopped rocking Airiana back and forth, her eyes wide. "We have to stop him."
"How Zo?"
Zoe bit her bottom lip. "I won't force you to go on another date for as long as I live, I swear."
Airiana chuckled weakly. "Sounds like a deal."
__________________________________
Airiana and Zoe sat next to each other during History class, writing on a notebook, passing it back and forth and occasionally whispering to each other, acting like normal high school teenage girls for once. The teacher had already warned them twice about not paying attention.
"GIRLS!" roared the teacher. "I already warned you twice about chit chatting in the middle of my class!"
"Holy fuck, have a fricking cow!" Zoe muttered, slamming the notebook shut.
"Excuse me, Ms. Stallion? Give me that notebook now. I caught you two passing notes more than twice as well."
Airiana looked at Zoe with wide eyes. The girls had written about Mr. Howard on the notebook and it would be bad if the teacher read their notes out loud to the class like she usually did when she confiscated notes from her students. Zoe ripped out the papers handing half to Airiana and ripped them up.
Airiana followed her lead, shredding the notes as quickly as she could.
"Well if that's how you girls want to act today than you can leave my classroom. Airiana go to the principal's office and Zoe you go out in the hallway!"
Airiana quickly scooped up her books and exited the classroom, Zoe right behind her.
"Air, you sure you don't want me to go to the principal's office instead? I'm sure Mrs. Lendzel won't notice we switched places."
Airiana hugged her books to her chest. "No Zo, it's better if I go. I have a better chance of surviving than you do."
Zoe gave her a tight hug. "Good luck Air."
-----------------------------------------
"You make me sick," Drake hissed with fake anger at Airiana. "Disrespecting the teacher, I expected better from you Airiana Spark."
"YOU make ME sick!" Airiana glared at Drake, "I saw what you did to my date!"
"Did you like it?" Drake smiled. "Everything he did is what I wanted to do to you."
"AH!" Airiana stood up, screaming in frustration. She grabbed a ceramic pot off his desk and threw it at him.
Drake instantly caught it in his hand and threw it back. It hit Airiana's head, breaking into a million pieces. Airiana slowly fell to the ground, her head swimming.
"What a temper." Drake muttered, scooping her up in his arms. "Why do you keep fighting me Air?"
Airiana tried to get up but fell back against Drake's chest. God… everything fell black.
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Airiana woke up. She was in a comfortable bed. It had black faux fur blankets with black silk sheets. Everything in the room was black, dark… serene. Why is it peaceful, yet evil at the same time? A single candle was lit next to her on the black ornately designed nightstand.
Drake leaned over her. "There you are my pretty." he wiped her forehead gently with a rag, trying to wipe off the dried blood. He leaned over and licked it off instead. "Mmm… delicious."
Airiana tightly grabbed his wrist as tight as she could in her weakened state. "Where am I?"
"You're in my lair, my home, my palace."
"I want life to be normal for me again Drake," Airiana's head was swimming again.
"It can if you agree to be mine."
Airiana laughed weakly. "Ha ha, very funny, now get me out of here."
Drake leaned over and smiled at Airiana's pretty face. "I'm not joking."
Airiana gulped, a pit of dread brewing in her stomach.
-----------------------------------------
Zoe stood up. Something is not right. She called it her Native instinct. She could sense when energy was off due to being in touch with her spirituality. She started walking down the hallway.
The teacher opened the door.
Zoe quickly hid behind the lockers, pressing her back against the wall.
"Zoe? Zoe? Where are you?" the teacher looked around and eventually went back into the classroom.
Zoe sighed with relief. No way I am going back in there. Not when Air's in Drake' office.
Mark gasped from down the hallway. "Zo!"
Zoe's face lit up. "Mark!" she ran to him and hugged him. "Where are you going?"
"Library."
"I'm coming with." they walked down the hallway, talking excitedly.
"So how did you get in trouble?" Mark kissed Zoe's cheek sweetly.
"Um… by passing notes, it was stupid, like usual."
Mark rolled his eyes. He put his arm over Zoe's shoulder.
Zoe looked up, smiling into his brown eyes. "You're beautiful."
"You are too, darling."
Zoe leaned her head against his shoulder. "I wish time could just stop and that we could be alone."
Mark wrapped his fingers into her hair. "Me too,"
"We never talk about our future."
Mark stopped walking, turning Zoe to face him "What do you mean?"
"Do you ever want to get married?"
Mark laughed. "Whoa! I don't know, I never really thought about it."
"That's why I'm asking." Zoe smiled shyly at him.
"I don't know, I'll do it if you want me to."
"I'll keep that in mind." She stopped walking. "You hear that?"
Mark frowned. "What is it Zo?"
Zoe pointed at a steel gray door that was in the middle of the hallway. The sign next to the door said Receiving. "I hear breathing." Just like the elementary gym storage room! Zoe opened the door and stepped inside.
Mark stood behind her, his hands now on her waist. "Shouldn't we be walking away from breathing noises?"
Zoe felt for a light switch and turned it on. She squinted at the bright light, then the scene before her came into focus.
Airiana lay in an ornately designed bed, dazed and barely conscious.
Drake sat next to her in a chair, towering over her. He turned his head. "Zoe!"
"And Mark." Mark growled, "What did you do? Drug her?!"
"No…" Airiana whispered.
"Then what did he do?!"
"Threw a ceramic bowl… at my head… oh, ouch."
"WWWHAT?!" Zoe yelled, "You're dead!" she ran up to Drake and attempted to punch him in the face.
Drake ducked and grabbed her arm.
Zoe cried out in pain.
Mark instantly wrapped his hands around Drake's neck. "If you hurt her, I'll-"
"Ow!" Zoe yelped.
Drake was squeezing her arm tighter, crushing it.
"I warned you!" Mark yelled and squeezed Drake's neck harder.
Drake dropped Zoe and laughed. He grabbed Mark around the throat weakening Mark's hold on him and threw Mark away from him.
Zoe instantly ran to Airiana's side. "Oh Air!" she cried, and she slowly picked her up. "Let's get you out of here."
"Be careful," Airiana muttered. "Drake's strong, VERY strong."
"Air! You're head!" Zoe started crying.
"Yes, I know…" Airiana grimaced. "It hurts."
"Drake's going to die! That son of a bitch! I'm going to kill him!"
"Make sure Drake doesn't see us." Airiana whispered.
"Alrighty soldier." Zoe walked along the sides of the room, Airiana's arm around her neck, helping Airiana walk towards the exit. "I'm going to kill him. I'm going to kill him!" she kept whispering. She was glad that she was strong enough to carry Airiana, even though she was a bit cumbersome. "God help me, God help me." she prayed, hyperventilating.
Mark stood in a fighting stance, facing Drake. Drake was chuckling to himself. Mark jumped for his neck but never reached it. Drake caught him by the throat and threw him, laughing. Mark groaned as he hit the wall. Every limb in his body hurt. I must protect my angels, especially my love.
"You think you can defeat me? You are just a teenager, a mere human being. Airiana is mine and there's nothing you can do about it!" Drake was laughing uncontrollably.
"You rotten son of a bitch of a man! Even though you are not a man! I bet there are better vampires than you!" Mark threw his leg out at Drake meaning to kick him, but Drake was too fast and caught his leg in his iron grip. He spun Mark around by his leg and let go.
Mark crashed into the cleaning equipment. "AH!" he started screaming with pain and agony.
Drake pressed his back against the cement wall and disappeared into the wall.
A janitor suddenly entered the room. "Oh my gosh! Are you alright?!"
"My leg! I think it is broken! Oh!" Mark could not believe his eyes. One second Drake was there, the next he was not. And now the Janitor stood before him, his mouth open in shock.
"What happened?!" the janitor exclaimed.
Mark gasped for breath due to the pain. "You wouldn't believe me."
CHAPTER 7
Zoe smiled at her prince. "You're a babe, you know that?" Mark and Zoe were sitting in Zoe's back yard after school, just the two of them. Mark had his head on Zoe's lap and Zoe stroked his head, running her fingers around the little braids in his long brunette hair.
"How am I a babe?" Mark teased. His leg luckily had not been broken, just very sore.
"You saved me… and Airiana."
"Darling, I would give my LIFE for you. Any day, any time."
"Me too hon."
"Zoe, if I ever have to die, don't give your life for me. I wouldn't be able to handle it."
Zoe pursed her lips. "Don't say such things Mark, I wouldn't be able to handle it either if I had to live without you."
Mark cupped her face with his hand gently. "Hmm… think of it as a favor, okay? Please Zoe, do not. You promise?"
Zoe sighed with exasperation. "Fine, but I'm going to hate every minute of it."
"Me too, even though I'll be dead." Mark teased, a big grin on his face.
Zoe turned her head.
"Zoe please, look at me,"
"No," she blinked back tears.
"Oh, Zo, please." Mark sat up and turned Zoe's face towards his. He saw her tears and wiped them away. "Baby-"
"Why CAN'T I give up my life for you? I won't be able to live without you." Zoe grabbed his face, interrupting him.
"Mmm, what babe?"
"This." Zoe kissed him.
Mark grabbed her face and fell on top of her, rolling around on the ground, kissing.
Zoe pulled back from his mouth, panting for breath.
Mark rubbed his nose against hers "You're an amazing kisser." They lay back on the ground, side by side, watching the sun set, holding hands.
-----------------------------------------
Drake laughed to himself evilly as he looked through his filing cabinet. He took out the file of Zoe and stared at her gorgeous face. She had not smiled for the school photographer. She had not smiled in school pictures for over two years now due to her parents taking their own photos of her for her yearly school pictures. He stroked the photo from the top of her face to her chin and whistled softly. "There's a prize for Casey." he said to himself, referring to his vampire friend.
He took out Airiana's file and gazed at it with wanting. She did not smile either due to Zoe's parents also taking her own yearly school photos. Her face was more relaxed than Zoe's, it looked like an old-fashioned portrait. Drake held the photograph up to his eyes and gazed into Airiana's cold blue stare. "If only you were right in front of me." he whispered. He had stared at her the whole time she was unconscious in his bed. She had looked like a fallen angel, so peaceful when asleep. He could watch her for a lifetime. He found what he was looking for in her file. Her phone number and address.
-----------------------------------------
Airiana leaned over and whispered, "So you saw a hole in the gym storage?" The teenagers were discussing again everything they had witnessed since the beginning of the school year over lunch.
"Yeah, and two red glowing eyes," Mark replied. He had filled Airiana and Zoe in on when he was sent to the gym storage room to grab an extra basketball.
"We need to check it out." Zoe said.
Mark squeezed her hand.
Airiana could not help but smile at their romance. "Don't forget to invite me to your wedding."
Zoe smiled wickedly. "Mark, remind me to purposely throw away Air's invitation."
"Will do hon." Mark replied.
"Hey!" Airiana yelled and punched Zoe in the shoulder.
Zoe giggled, grabbing her freshly bruised shoulder.
"How's your head today Air?"
Airana gently rubbed it. "It's better."
"Well, let's go." Mark said.
"Now?" Airiana lifted an eyebrow.
"Yeah, everyone's busy eating lunch and I'm sure the high school gym storage is open for equipment."
"Alrighty then, let's go." The trio stood up and dumped their trays. They walked to the gym storage, allowing no fear to enter their hearts. When they walked in, the door slammed shut behind them.
"Why does it always do that?" Zoe asked.
"I don't know, but should I see if it's locked?" Airiana asked.
Mark smirked. "Don't bother. Come on, let's go. The hole is hidden behind this stuff." Mark threw uniforms and balls out of the way. And there it was, as plain as day.
"Wow, creepy." Airiana stated, "Let's go." They entered the hole, Airiana leading the way with her phone flashlight on. "Burr, it's cold in here."
Zoe and Mark pulled out their lighters. "It only leads one way,"
"This way is the left, right?"
Zoe nodded. They only walked 5 feet when total darkness suddenly surrounded them. "Airiana, grab my hand so I can see you."
Airiana grabbed Zoe's hand. "Fuck my phone just died. It shouldn't have since it was full battery." She put it in her pocket with her other hand.
"I don't feel right at all." Zoe shivered, squeezing Airiana's hand.
"Just hang in there, babe," Mark squeezed her shoulder in encouragement.
A cold breeze passed over them. "What was that?" Airiana asked. A nasty smell filled the air.
"Smells like a bear." Zoe stated.
"A BEAR living in the SCHOOL?! That is absurd," Mark exclaimed.
Airiana gave him a weird look. "Where have you been? Everything's absurd!"
"Guys…" Zoe breathed and pointed straight in front of them.
They gasped. Two red eyes stared back at them. "Who are you? WHAT are you?" Airiana asked the monster.
"Do you dare mess with the powers of darkness?" it growled, its voice was raspy, sounding like nails on a chalkboard and the teenagers were tempted to plug their ears.
Zoe screamed and hugged Mark.
Airiana took Zoe's lighter, holding it up to its face. "What do you mean? Please elaborate." confusion filled her face.
"You must think you're so strong, well one day we will defeat you!"
"We? Who's we?"
The monster ignored her question. "Your friends are totally unsafe, Airiannnnaaaaaa."
This time Airiana could not help but plug her ears, wincing as it drew out her name in its raspy growling voice.
The monster laughed. "Unplug your ears! The only reason I am not attacking you is because of you. But we will get them all in due time." The monster growled and snapped its jaws. Then it disappeared, vanishing right before their eyes.
Zoe opened her eyes. "Is it over?"
"Yeah…" Airiana breathed.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah…"
"That, that THING spoke in riddles," Mark replied, "I didn't understand a word it said."
"Airiana must've." Zoe remarked, "Look at her face," Airiana gave Zoe her lighter back and they exited the hole in the wall back into the gym storage room and noticed that the door was open.
"I guess we'll never know exactly what is in there." Mark stated.
"I don't WANT to know!" Airiana kept trying to clean out her ears, the nasty voice still stuck in her head. What did it mean it is not attacking my friends because I am there? Is it because Drake is interested in me and ordered these creatures to not attack in front of me? And why am I the only one who understood what it was saying?
Chapter 8
Airiana, Zoe and Mark stood together in a circle in the hallway between classes, piecing together facts, when a piercing cry made all the students jump and look around with worry. "What the hell was that?!" Zoe exclaimed.
A girl grabbed her head, moaning, her eyes rolling back into her head. She started walking like she was a drunk, running into lockers, walls and other terrified students. Students shrieked and jumped out of her way.
Airiana, Zoe and Mark stared at her, gaping. Holy crap!
The girl headed toward Airiana. "You!" she growled, her voice raspy.
Zoe grabbed Mark's hand and they ran away from Airiana.
Airiana stood where she was frozen in shock, fear in her eyes. What is going on?! What is happening? Airiana wanted to run but could not. She had not even realized her friends had ditched her.
The girl shrieked, then fell to the ground as if she had been struck in front of Airiana's feet. "DON'T HURT ME! THIS IS MY SCHOOL! MY SCHOOL! GO AWAY!"
Airiana looked around worriedly, in fear and embarrassment. The other students looked at her warily and with fear. The girl instantly stood up, her eyes red, pointing at Airiana with a shaky finger, anger boiling inside her. "You will lose! We will win! You will die!" the girl cackled with a witch-sounding laugh.
What the hell is going on?! Something unseen hit Airiana, it felt like scales had fallen from her eyes and she could finally see. She was on a whole other plane, not in this world anymore. Airiana blinked with her new vision, holding up her hands that now glowed with a soft blue and white light. Whoa.
Silence.
Okay…
The girl suddenly jumped on Airiana, scratching and hitting her, trying to tear her apart.
Airiana picked up the insane girl and threw her gently. I don't want to hurt her.
"You're not going to defeat me!"
"Be silent!" Airiana yelled.
The girl screamed, getting up to charge at Airiana again.
Airiana threw the ball of light that had formed in her hand at the girl. It enveloped her and Airiana screamed in terror for she had felt the whole school move and groan underneath her. And as quickly as it had happened it stopped. The girl fell to the ground with a gasp and looked at Airiana with wide eyes. "Where am I?" she asked softly.
-----------------------------------------
Drake was listening inside the walls of the school. His master of vampires had told him that they were going to try to destroy Airiana. Drake argued, of course, but there was nothing he could do about it.
"I want Airiana for my own." he said.
"She has to die," Haden, the master of vampires replied, "It is her time," Haden was the eldest of all the vampires in the continent and had turned the vampires from humans years ago. He approved or disapproved whether his vampires under him turned any other humans. All vampires listened to him or faced death at his hands or at the hands of his most trusted servants. Haden wore an 18th century outfit complete with a tall white wig.
"Then do me a favor and promise me that I can have her later on, in the afterlife."
Haden had only looked down at his nose at him with his icy blue-eyed stare, piercing Drake in the center of his nonexistent soul.
That bastard. Drake shook his head and kept listening to the commotion in the hallway. He gasped. Airiana had done something to the girl and healed her and Airiana was still alive! The school shifted and groaned, and he braced himself against the wall.
No way! Drake cursed under his breath. How did she win the battle? He tried to be positive. Well, at least I can still have her. He laughed a gloating, wicked laugh to himself.
-----------------------------------------
Everyone stared at Airiana like SHE was the one who was shrieking and acting like a maniac. What just happened?
Zoe peeked out from behind Mark. She stared at Airiana with those big brown eyes of hers. Mark gripped Zoe's shoulder with fierce protectiveness. Zoe slowly walked up to Airiana.
Airiana quickly turned away from her and ran down the hall. "Oof!" Airiana fell down to the ground.
A boy had stuck out his leg and tripped her. "Haha! Fire balling freak!" the other kids around him laughed too, pointing at her and jeering making nasty comments.
Airiana got up and kept running down the hall. She kept running and running, not really paying attention to where she was going, she just knew she had to get away from all those people staring at her like she was some kind of freak. But I am a freak. Look what I did. Airiana turned down a hallway and ran face first into Drake's chest. She gasped in shock, than horror.
He wrapped his arms around her like a vise. "Airiana," he murmured lovingly into her hair.
Airiana started punching his chest, "What did you do to me? What did you do?!"
"Do what Air? What did YOU do?"
"Don't act like you don't know what you did!" she sobbed, and he stroked her back gently as she sobbed in his arms. "You did this to me you turned me into some kind of... FREAK!"
"Shh, shh," Drake consoled.
"I just wanted a normal school year this year, to live my damn life. Drake…" She stared into his eyes, tears running down her cheeks, the tears making her eyes look like rare blue crystals. "I'm just a kid!" She pushed him, escaping his embrace. "Don't touch me!" and ran away from him down the hallway.
-----------------------------------------
Mark walked home, feeling disgusted with himself. It was dark and stars started to appear in the sky. He had previously been at Airiana's house with Zoe, but Airiana would not come to the door and told her parents she did not want to see anyone. He felt disgusted cause he had actually thought he needed to protect Zoe from Airiana. Airiana had done something crazy, supernatural, something no one could explain. Airiana could never hurt Zoe even if she is some kind of monster now. I always loved Airiana. She is the nicest one out of all of us. Mark entered his house. The smell of Indian tacos hit him instantly and his stomach growled. "I'm home!" he entered the kitchen and saw his parents smoking.
"Hi babe." his mom greeted,
"What's up, punk?" his dad added.
"Nothing much." Mark replied.
"Hon sit down please." his mom ordered.
Mark sat down. He could tell that his mom was high, but his dad was still sober. "What's up?"
"We're moving."
Mark coughed. "W-w-what?! Just to the suburbs, right? I mean, who wants to live in a city anyways?"
"No honey, we're moving far away." his mom glanced nervously at his father.
"Is it true?"
His dad nodded. "Yes son."
"B-b-but why?!" he cried.
"Because Zoe's parents and we got in a fight and well, we've been following them around forever and we believe it is time to move on."
"But what about Zoe?!"
Tears rolled down his mother's cheeks and she took another sip of alcohol. "Oh honey," she told his dad, "I told you it was going to break his heart. Oh, I'm such a bad mother!"
"Don't say that!" Mark whined, "You're a good mother!"
"Look at me! I drink, smoke, I'm not here when I'm supposed to because I'm off working to get money for some more liquor!" his mother started crying. "We need a fresh start,"
"Go to your room son," his father instructed, pointing at the stairs.
"But I don't want to go to my room!"
"Then at least get out of the room."
Mark nodded and kissed his mother on the cheek giving her a tight hug. He left the room and leaned his head against the living room window, not paying attention to his parent's worried murmuring. "Oh Zoe, what am I going to do?"