Emilee

After dinner, I headed back up to my room. I was hyper, too much sleep. Way too much sleep. I decided to change into my pyjamas and read in bed. I’d recently started reading “Twilight”. It intrigued me. Vampires intrigued me. I shivered, but it wasn’t cold. As I was reading, an irritating tapping noise tore me away from this other much more interesting world. I put down my book and headed for the window, assuming it was either Max or a murderer coming to slit my throat. I much preferred it was Max. His head appeared above the window sill, and I laughed at how silly he looked.

“You look silly,” I said as I opened the window for him. He smiled goofily at me. It was the cutest thing I’d seen in a while.

“You look silly too,” he said. He was staring at my blue and black dotted pyjamas. I blushed, having forgotten I was in them. They weren’t something I’d wear out...ever. Way too strange and skimpy. My face got redder and redder with each moment I was left standing there with Max Green staring at me. Once he realised I was embarrassed, he averted his gaze to my postered wall. “Sorry...you’re beautiful though,” he said. I was taken aback.

“Whatever,” I mumbled. He half-frowned. “I need to change before...” ...I die from embarrassment...

“Yea, that’s cool,” he said immediately. “Should I turn around, or just leave?” Was he serious?

“Leave, duh,” I said.

“Okay, meet you outside.” He hopped back out my window and left me alone. Once I was sure he was gone, I changed and quickly grabbed for my diary.

Dear Jane,
Okay so...I followed – stalked - him last night. And he knew! How did he know I was there all along!? I thought I was a pretty good sneaker. Guess not. So, I’m going out to meet his friends now. Apparently he’s –

I couldn’t write it. Somehow, I felt like I wasn’t keeping my promise of not telling anyone if I wrote it down here, despite that a diary was the exact place for secrets.

- different. I’m not so sure yet tho. He said he loves me.

I smiled at the thought of that, of someone loving me.

I think he’s a liar. Gotta go...
Emilee

I quickly slipped it back underneath my pillow and hastily made my way through my window and down the street to meet Max. He greeted me with a kiss on the cheek and reached for my hand.

We walked for ages down many streets I’d never been to before. If he disappeared, I’d be lost for sure. We got to a dingy part of a distant neighbourhood and Max stopped. I questioned what I was doing alone at night in a place I didn’t know with a boy I’d really only just met. “Max, where are we?” my words were shaking. Max smiled, laughed almost.

“Don’t be scared Emilee.” He tugged me down a darkened path and through the backdoor of an old house. I woulda thought that all houses like this were demolished a long time ago. He weaved through the house until he got to an old wooden staircase and stopped. “Stay here, I’ll go get them so you can all meet,” he said excitedly. He lightly squeezed my hand before he dropped it. I stuffed it deep inside my jacket pocket to warm it back up. He was so cold. I sat down on the stairs and began to trace my fingers along the cracks in the wood.

“Hey there.” I jumped up as someone talked from behind me, turning to face them. A small group of boys stood on the stairs. The closest to me looked friendly enough. “My name’s Robert.” I froze. How did he speak without opening his lips!? Max broke the intense stare between us as he stepped between us to introduce everyone.

“Okay, so this is Bryan, Robert, and Craig,” he said, pointing to each of them in turn. “This is gonna sound ridiculous, but you see, vampires each have a special gift of some sort,” Max explained. “Robert can...get into your mind. He did just then...” Max glowered at Robert. “He can speak to people through thoughts.” Okay...This is normal...I nodded my head in understanding. “Bryan is a great cook.” I didn’t see how that was so spectacular. “Craig can run faster than anyone – anything.” I blinked and the boy known as Craig was gone. Unbelievable. A few seconds later, he walked in through a door to my left. I stared at him in denial. There was a trick to that, surely. Like magic. Max gave me a while to let everything sink in. They were all staring at me, like I was the freak. “We should go now.” I saw Max give Craig a dirty look before he wrapped his arm around me and led me out of the creepy old house. My head was spinning with confusion.

“Max,” I said. He stopped walking. “I’m confused.”

“I know, I’ll explain it all better later,” he promised. “Just let me get you home first.” I nodded, agreeing.

Once we were back on our own street, Max’s pace slowed down a little. He’d rushed home for no apparent reason. Again, he helped me up to my room, following behind me.

“Can I come in?” he asked. I smiled and nodded. He silently made his way through my window and over to where I was, sitting on my bed. He sat down beside me, his leg almost right against mine. I blushed. I’d had so many dreams of me and Max here in my room together, most of which I’d not feel comfortable sharing. Max grinned.

“What?” I asked as innocently as possible.

“I need to tell you something Emilee,” he said. He looked down into my eyes. “My special gift as a vampire is that I can read minds.” I blushed deeply. That’s how he knew. He knew everything! I believed him, although my mind was reluctant to let me. It seemed impossible.

“Prove it,” I mumbled.

“Okay, think of something,” he said. I stared at his perfect face. I noticed for the first time that he had a lip ring. It looked...hot. “I got it done this afternoon. It’s still kinda sore.” He pouted. “Thanks though.” He winked at me. I was amazed to say the least.

“No problem,” I managed to say in a strangled whisper. Max took my hand and leaned in a little closer to me.

“Every time I become closer to you, my ability to read you fades a little more,” he whispered. “I think you’re special.” All I could think of as I stared at the words forming from his lips was how much I wanted for him to kiss me. “My lip hurts,” he pointed out, pouting again. I blushed, already having forgotten that he knew what I was thinking.

“Show me your fangs,” I blurted out. Max seemed shocked. He smiled cheekily and sure enough, he had two massive fangs that hung over his lip slightly.

“They’re only this big ‘cos I’m hungry,” he said.

“What...what do you eat?” I asked. It felt like a stupid question to ask a vampire.

“Only animals, so don’t stress,” he said. “None of us has slipped up in years. I mean, both Craig and I have come pretty close recently, but something always stops us.”

“Who did you wanna eat!?” I was panicked, shocked.

“Well, you of course. Craig did too, just tonight.” He said it as if I should’ve already known. He must’ve felt me freeze beside him, or heard the panic of my thoughts, because he suddenly hugged me tight. He didn’t let go for what seemed like a long time. “I’m gonna get going,” he announced. “We have a maths test this morning, and it’s already 2am. You need some sleep.” He kissed my cheek, cringing at the pain it’d caused him. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” I said back to him as he headed for my window. He was out of sight all too soon.