Vampires in Evermore

Maple leaves were falling gently on either side of the road in the chilly morning air. Lana walked slowly along the sidewalk, surrounded by neighboring houses and white fences. A wooden sign stood ahead, showing the town name: Evermore. Large maple trees towered at the center of the road junction. The sun had just risen, casting an orange aura over the entire scene. Birds chirped as trucks rumbled past her. She closed her book and looked around, still caught in the lingering haze of a book hangover.

Reading about vampire romances was her favorite pastime. She often dreamt of meeting one—a centuries-old vampire treating her like a princess, running in a black gown through his castle. It was a dark fairy tale she loved to lose herself in.

In reality, Lana was an introverted girl who sat at the back of the classroom, quietly scoring high marks on her exams. She had long brunette hair and dimples. Her black eyes were darker than the night, but her mind was pure and innocent. She had a best friend, Tyla Fletcher, who was the complete opposite of her—popular, outgoing, and constantly changing boyfriends like clothes. Tyla sang loudly and vibed hard, a whirlwind of energy in Lana's otherwise quiet world.

She closed her book and walked quietly to her room, smiling shyly at the neighbors. She had lost track of time while reading. It was the first day of her second year in college, and, of course, she was late.

"Lana, for God's sake! What kept you?" Tyla called out. In her cool yellow sleeveless dress with a pink bow, blond hair, and blue eyes, she looked prettier and hotter than ever. She attracted everyone's attention, and boys stared at her as she passed. Lana was wearing a brown hoodie, skinny pants, and black sneakers, holding her books and side bag. Her wavy hair floated in the gentle breeze. Tyla noticed the book Lana had been reading.

"Of course, it's a vampire book that kept you. Anyway, our new classroom is on the third floor. And we have a new classmate—a girl. I don't like her already!" Tyla opened her bag and rummaged for something, eventually pulling out her keys. "I have to meet Dean. I'm really sorry. We don't have any classes today anyway. Just sign the attendance and go home," she suggested before walking off.

"Who is Dean?" Lana asked, confused, though she already had a guess.

"I met him at the gate. He's hot!" Tyla winked.

Lana showed her disapproval clearly, but Tyla just smiled, waved, and walked away.

Feeling alone and bored, Lana went to the classroom, hoping to find company. There was no one except two old classmates who were nerds—one of them reading a dictionary to find new words. Though she was also a bookworm and a high scorer, she would never do something like that. Everyone else seemed to be at the auditorium, celebrating the first day, or had already left the college premises, she guessed.

She signed the attendance sheet and had a light conversation with another girl about their vacation before heading downstairs. On reaching the ground floor, she walked to the washroom. Seeing no one around, she entered a stall, opened the tap, and washed her face. Looking into the mirror, she saw dark circles under her eyes. Reading late into the night and loneliness were taking a toll on her. She longed for someone to hear her, to hug her when she felt low. But, unfortunately, her only confidant was her mom, who was a busy high school teacher. Lana didn't want to burden her with her own problems. She washed her face again.

She heard a flush. Her eyebrows raised as she looked around, confused about who else was there. Was she not alone all this time? The bathroom door opened, and she jumped back.

A boy! She immediately thought she had entered the wrong bathroom.

"Sorry! Don't be scared. The boys' bathroom was locked," he said shyly, giving a nervous chuckle. He had blue eyes, like Tyla, was tall and fit, with black hair. He wore a white t-shirt with a dark blue hoodie. He looked like he belonged in a fantasy novel, like a prince—soft and humble.

"It's... okay," Lana replied, still confused.

He exited the washroom, smiling at her, looking embarrassed. Lana spotted a diary and a side bag on a stool near the bathroom; they looked like they belonged to him.

"Hey! You forgot..." She ran out of the stall and looked for him but found no trace of him. "Shit!"

It was his personal diary, and if she left it there, someone might turn it into a public spectacle. She had no intention of reading it, but the college was full of bullies, and he looked like someone who might be a target. She put the diary inside the side bag, along with his wallet. Lana sighed. "Now I have to find him," she muttered.

She could leave it there, but for some reason, she felt compelled to hold on to it. With nothing else to do, she decided to search for him. She walked through the corridors and peered into classrooms but saw no sign of the boy. Most of the rooms were empty or locked. Couples lingered here and there in the corridors, and groups of friends sat together, laughing or singing. Finally, she reached the ground floor. It was crowded. She didn't bother to look and instead sat under a large maple tree, opening the diary to find some clue about his whereabouts.

She flipped through the pages and raised her eyebrows, checking again to make sure she had seen it correctly. She giggled. "He's definitely a literature student!" she thought. She giggled again.

Name: Peter Vance

D/O/B: 13 December 1825

"1825!" She stared at the date. It felt like it had been written a long time ago. The diary looked ancient, full of scribbled pages in blue ink, yet it was neat. She wanted to read it—it was so alluring. Still, she dismissed the thought. The boy must have been writing nonsense, probably a literature nerd who loved creating vampire stories. Somehow, that thought made her blush, and she closed the book.

"Oi! Did you take my belongings?" The boy came running toward her out of nowhere. She quickly picked up the diary and side bag and handed them back. He checked to ensure everything was still there.

"Thanks," he said with a kind smile. She smiled back shyly.

"I didn't read anything," she assured him.

He chuckled and raised his hand for a handshake.

"Peter," he said. She already knew his name from the diary.

"Lana," she replied shyly.

"See you. Next time, not in the girls' bathroom, I hope," he joked. Lana giggled. He stared deeply into her eyes, sending a chill through her stomach.

They dropped their hands and parted ways—she walked slowly toward the gate, and he walked back to the college.

That night, she didn't read vampire books. Instead, she was on her laptop searching for Peter Vance. She found his Instagram account, which seemed new and had only one photo: him standing in front of a Rolls Royce, arms crossed, leaning against the car. The background was a gated wall with two lion gargoyles that seemed to belong to his home—it looked old and extravagant. She wanted to know more about him.

Everything about him...