Emilee

I’d spent the whole afternoon so far with Anna, learning about her and who she was. She and I had bonded quite well over the past week or so, I thought. She told me all about vampires and their ways, explaining to me that she wasn’t a very strong vampire, and that her gifts were of the mind. I asked her what she could do, but she insisted that it would be too confusing to explain. I figured I’d ask again another day.

Craig asked for my help in Maths earlier, so I figured I’d better head over to his to help him. It turns out that Max never did his homework before, seeing as we’d all completely forgotten about it. Craig was now behind due to having a few days off school to heal up. I hated Maths, so I felt sorry for Craig having so much to do. I grabbed my Maths books and walked the few blocks to his.

“Hey!” he said as he opened the door, pulling me into a friendly hug.

“Hey Craig,” I said, pulling away from him. I thought it was weird that I’d hated this boy at one point, due to that stupid dream. He really was one of the nicest boys I’d met. I sat down on the floor in his room and got out last week’s work. “So these are the answers for all of last week’s homework.” I handed them to him and waited as he copied it out. “Do you need me to explain it?”

“Nah, thanks. I should figure it out after I’ve gone over it.” I took my homework back and handed him today’s work.

“That’s what we need done by tomorrow.” He copied that out too and handed it back just as his phone rang. He reached over to answer it.

“Hello?...Ohh hey Max! Yeah, she’s here...okay...okay...Wait, what? No!...No, why would I do that...Well you can tell her to shove it up her...Okay! Whatever...Fuck off, I’ll tell her what I want.” Craig hung up. He threw his phone to his bed and sighed.

“Uhh, what was that all about?” I asked.
“Max was wondering what you were doing here so late,” Craig muttered.

“How did he know I was here?” I didn’t remember telling him.

“Anna told him.”

“Why the hell did she tell him that?”

“I dunno, she didn’t want you to know she said anything to Max. Apparently she was worried something was going on between us.” Craig got up and started pacing the room. “I mean gees, now Max is angry with me. He actually believes her Emm...”

“What!?” I got up and grabbed for his phone. “I’m sorting this shit out.” I dialled Max’s number and waited for him to pick up.

“Dude, you hung up on me!” Max yelled into the phone as he answered.

“It’s not Craig,” I said.

“Ohh. What are you doing there Emilee? It’s getting a bit late...”

“I’m allowed to have friends Max! It seems you do!”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Max defended.

“You and Anna been chatting a bit, hey?” I spat. “I’m here because you never helped Craig with his Math homework.”

“Whatever Emilee, we all know you suck at Math.” My breath hitched in my throat and I swallowed the lump. “Shit hun, I didn’t mean to sound like such a...”

“You jerk!” I yelled at him. “You seriously believe some stupid story about me and Craig sneaking off together!?” Max was silent for a moment, and I thought I heard another voice.

“Then why couldn’t you help him in class?” Max asked.

“In case you haven’t noticed Max...Craig hasn’t been in class! He’s been home sick!”

“Ohh yea,” he muttered.

“You sit next to him for fucks sake, how could you not notice that!?” I definitely heard another voice in the background that time. “Max, who else is there with you?”

“No one.” He replied a little too quickly.

“Is she there?” I heard Anna’s unmistakable giggle from the other end of the line. “You fucking hypocrite!”

“She’s only here because she was worried about us!”

“Then tell her to leave and stop worrying!”

“Don’t be so rude. I’ll invite over whoever I want.”

“Yea, and I’ll be friends with whoever I want!” I hung up on Max. Craig was staring at me with wide eyes. “Umm, I’m sorry you had to hear that...”

“That’s okay. Is Anna there with him?” I nodded.

“You don’t think her and Max would umm...do anything...do you?” I asked. I felt a tear roll down my cheek.

“Max loves you too much to do anything to lose you Emilee.” Craig smiled at me. After we’d finished up with the Maths, I headed back home. Craig had told me not to worry about Max, and that it’d all be okay in the morning. I somehow thought that improbable as I walked past Max’s house to find Anna’s car still there.