Emilee

“Emilee, this is very disappointing for someone as bright as you.” Mrs Welby handed me back my Algebra test, the one I’d failed a week or so ago.

“Yea, I know...” I looked down at the desk.

“I’d like to speak with you after class,” she said in a low voice. “No student has dropped so far in one of my classes before.” I nodded in understanding as I saw the red ‘12%’ marked on the top right corner of my test paper. I felt like crap. I shoulda revised for it, but I didn’t. I was always a good student, always getting straight A’s and doing all my homework. What were my parents gonna say? Max turned around to face me.

“Sorry.” He looked sad.

“Why is this your fault? It’s not. I’m the one that didn’t revise,” I said.

“I’m the one that made it near impossible for you to do so. I know you can’t concentrate on anything lately,” he said. “I’ll leave you alone a bit more.” He turned back around. I needed him though, for my sanity. He’s like an antidepressant.

Mrs Welby was waiting for me by her desk as the class left in a hurry to get home. “Hey.”

“Emilee, is everything okay at home? Are you okay?” she asked. “You were my best student and now you’ve got the worse mark.” I liked Mrs Welby. She cared about her students because they were people, not just because she wanted to look good by having them all achieve high marks.

“Yea, things are fine,” I replied.

“You can tell me Emilee, or a councillor if you’d prefer.” Ohh, she thought I was stressed.

“No no, I’m fine, really.” I smiled. She frowned.

“What’s got you off your study then?” she asked. I didn’t answer. I liked having Max as a
distraction from life. “Emilee?”

“Look, I’ll study tonight, okay? I promise.” I turned around to leave.

“I’ll be keeping an eye on your marks,” she simply said.

“Thanks.” I meant it. I was glad someone cared about my grades. I no longer did. I felt as if other things were more important now than my grades could ever be. I dumped my maths books into my bag and slammed my retarded locker shut. It never closed if I attempted to close the door like a composed person would. I always had to slam it.

I was planning to catch up with Alice, my best friend, and Lisa and Colin. We were supposed to be catching a movie together but the cinemas were crowded on a Friday night. We decided to hang at the cafe across the road.

“So, anyone got any gossip?” Lisa piped up. She was a nice girl. I didn’t know her very well yet, but she was Colin’s girlfriend and Alice had embraced her as a friend, so I guessed I had to too. I didn’t like how she was always so close to Colin, like she was flaunting the fact that she was with someone. Not alone. Not lonely. Loved.

“Did you hear about Naomi!?” Alice said excitedly. She loved gossip almost as much as my mum did. Lisa shook her head and got ready to listen. Colin rolled his eyes. He’d never been one for gossip. He was happy being himself and hanging around his mates. He never saw the point in badmouthing people for no reason other than for conversation. Neither did I. No wonder Alice liked Lisa. She finally had someone to talk mindless crap with.

“Well, Naomi asked out that strange dude. Emilee, what’s his name? That freak in your English class? Black hair?” I felt myself get tense.

“Max,” I replied cautiously.

“Yea!” I didn’t like where this was going. Naomi was gorgeous. “He totally turned her down. What sane guy does that!? Ohh man, you shoulda heard what he said to her...” Alice started laughing. I was somewhat relieved that Max hadn’t taken his chance with the world’s most perfect girl.

“Ohh really!? What did he say!?” Lisa leaned in closer to Alice, almost falling off of Colin’s lap.

“He said something like ‘Would I like to go out with you? Tonight, my place or yours?’ How sleazy is that!?” Everyone’s jaw dropped. Max would never say that.

“How’d Naomi take it?” Lisa asked.

“She slapped him...hard.” Alice and Lisa giggled.

“Serves him right,” Lisa said. “I’d never go out with a guy so intimate too soon!” I felt like stabbing her right then. I knew for a fact she’d lost her virginity soon after Colin asked her out. They’ve only been together a month. He told me he thought they were ready. Their choice I guess.

“Guys, I gotta go,” I announced. “I got a shitload of maths to catch up on.”

“Aww, too bad,” Lisa said. I smiled as best I could towards her.

“You guys have fun,” I said. I waved goodbye and headed to the train station, hearing their farewells behind me as I walked. It was getting pretty late anyway. I got home just in time for tea, for which I was thankful. I wasn’t up for cooking 2 minute noodles tonight. Again. For the past week, I’d been out with Max till late. We just hung out at the park chatting. I missed a family dinner.

After dinner, I headed up to my room and actually did my homework. It felt good to get it off of my shoulders. I was done by 9pm and severely missing Max’s voice. He wasn’t in his room. I wondered about Naomi. If what Alice had said was true about what Max had said to poor Naomi, then I was gonna slap him too. He’d deserve it. But gossip is all rumours. He said she said. I hoped it was rumour. I heard the gentle tapping of Max’s fingernails on the glass of my window. I got up and quickly let him in. It was freezing outside. He was wet from the rain, soaking in fact. He stood with his hair all in his face, dripping onto my once clean carpet. I didn’t care. “Have you got a towel?” he asked through his hair. I laughed and went to get a towel from the cupboard in the hall. “Thanks,” he said as I handed it to him. He dried his hair with it in an attempt to stop it dripping, which kinda worked, and flicked his hair back and outta his face. That’s when I noticed the faint purple bruise across his left cheek, just underneath his eye.

“Max...” I frowned at him.

“It’s okay, it doesn’t hurt at all now.” He gave me a reassuring smile.

“I don’t care if it hurts!” I raised my voice without meaning to. “How could you say that to Naomi!?” he looked at me baffled.

“Who, that blonde haired girl?” he asked. “What have I said?”

“You were so rude to her!” I continued to go off at him. “So you only want girls for sex!?” I felt a sharp jab in my chest as I said that, realising...

“What!? No! Where’s all this coming from?” He looked at me confused. He really had no idea. “Emilee, I don’t understand. Your thoughts are too emotional to read.” I was so happy to hear that.

“What happened today with her?” I asked calmly. Max thought for a while.

“She asked me out, and I said I couldn’t go out with her. She was kinda pissed that I’d rejected her, she said she’d so far had any guy she wanted and I was ruining her reputation. Personally, I think those guys only wanted her for one thing...” I was taken aback. She seemed so nice. So innocent. But what did I know? I’d only even seen her a dozen times. “She slapped me and walked away.” I cursed myself for assuming the worst.

“Ohh,” I said softly.

“You shouldn’t believe in silly rumours Emilee.” Max smiled playfully towards me. “I heard about that one.” I blushed. “Don’t you trust me?”

“You’re a teenage guy, can’t trust any of you,” I replied.

“I’m no teenager,” Max said in a low voice.

“How old are you?” I asked. He didn’t answer. “Max, how old are you?”

“That’s not what I meant,” he replied cautiously.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I pressed.

“Well, vampires don’t really have an age. I guess I am 18, but once I hit 28 I won’t age anymore,” he explained.

“Ohh damn, that’s pretty cool,” I said, smiling.

“I’m still the same as any other 18 year old.” I nodded in understanding.

“So...I still can’t trust you,” I said. I laughed at his fake expression of hurt.

“If I said I love you would you trust me?” he asked.

“I don’t know what to think about that,” I said truthfully. “You barely know me.”

“I told you before, I do know you Emilee,” he said. “And I do love you.” He came closer to wrap his arms around me in a hug. He was still wet from the rain. I didn’t mind. He kissed me softly on the cheek, lovingly. I pulled away a bit to get a look at his face. His skin was so pale – more pale than usual, and his eyes were a darker shade of grey. He was breathtaking. The bruise was gone already. I touched where it had been. He seemed to get closer, or maybe it was me, and soon our lips met once again. I felt the spark. He pulled me closer as I weaved my hands into his now almost dry hair. The cool metal of his lip ring interested me, so I flicked my tongue out to touch it. Max breathed in a sharp breath and continued to kiss me, deeper, more hungrily. He met my tongue with his, sending me into another world. I was way up in the stars. If it wasn’t for Max’s strong arms holding me up, my feet woulda given way and let me sink blissfully to the floor. Max began to nibble softly on my lower lip, just hard enough for me to feel it. I gotta admit, it drove me crazy. His hands tightened their grip on my top before he sprung away from me. Again.

“I’m so sorry Emilee...” he apologised. “I was about to bite you again.”

“Ohh, that’s okay,” I said quietly. Was it? He probably coulda killed me.

“No its not. I need to learn control over this until the time is right,” he said softly. He was still backed away from me, almost on the other side of the room. I wanted to hug him. He looked upset.

“Are you okay Max?” He looked about ready to cry. It hurt to look at him like that. He nodded.

“I’m not gonna cry,” he half-laughed, a shimmering tear falling from his now bright eyes. “Ohh...” He brought his hand up to wipe away the tear. He shuffled across the space between us and hugged me. I hugged him back. It didn’t seem to matter that just a few moments ago I’d seen his fangs hanging over his lip. Apparently, he was hungry. I shivered. I didn’t wanna think of Max doing such horrid things. He wasn’t a murderer, not ever for animals. He couldn’t be. He pulled back from me slightly to look at my face. I concentrated on his lip ring rather than his teeth.

“I’ve gotta go...” he muttered. “I’m sorry, I really have to.”

“I understand.” He got up and headed for the window.

“I’m sorry,” he repeated. “I’m so ashamed.” I frowned at him.

“You can’t help it. It’s not your fault you are what you are,” I said.

“Actually, it kinda is.” His eyes glistened. “I’ll tell you another time.” He was gone before I had the chance to say goodbye. I got changed and crawled beneath the covers of my bed. It was warm there. Safe. I waited for my mind to stop thinking and let me slip into sleep.