I Don't Bite...Often

“Rose, wake up. Rose.” Someone was gently shaking me awake, probably one of my parents.

“Yeah, I know I’ll be up soon.” I groaned and tried to fall back asleep.

“Rose, you don’t need to get up.” A young, masculine voice laughed and stroked my hair. I shot up and looked at Tyler. I had completely forgotten that he had come over.

“I completely forgot that you stayed over here! I thought you went home in the middle of the night!” I sat up on the couch and pushed my messy hair out of my face.

“I didn’t want to leave you, you looked so cute sleeping on my chest, so I just laid here and watched. Sorry if I sound like a creep.” Tyler laughed and straightened out his t-shirt.

“I think it’s cute.” I ruffled his hair and walked towards my kitchen, I searched through the cupboards for something to eat. I paused.

“Hey Tyler, can vampires eat?” I looked back at him to where he was sitting at the kitchen table.

“Yeah, we don’t usually need to, but a lot of us like to eat still. No way am I going to give up eating just because I’m a vampire.” Tyler shrugged and leaned back on the chair. He was already so comfortable in my house, I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if my parents came down.

I searched through the pantry and cupboards a bit more before pulling out a box of Frosted Flakes, Tony the Tiger smiled back happily at me.

“Do you want some Frosted Flakes?” I shook the box as I asked Tyler.

“Yeah, sure. That sounds pretty good.” Tyler came over to me and grabbed two bowls from high up on the shelf, I was too short to reach them.

“Good thing that I have you here. I probably would’ve had to climb up onto the counter.” I laughed and poked Tyler in the stomach.

“Why do your parents keep the bowls so high up?” Tyler laughed. The bowls really were pretty high up.

“Well, their both really tall, so I guess it doesn’t feel high up to them.” I shrugged and poured two bowls of cereal. Tyler walked over to the fridge and pulled out the milk.

He handed me the big jug of milk and I poured some into each bowl, Tyler grabbed them both and set them at the table.

“We have pretty good teamwork.” I commented as I sat down at the little table, it was only big enough for two people.

“That’s because we’re both smart.” Tyler scooped a spoonful of Frosted Flakes into his mouth.

We ate our breakfast in silence, the only noise was our chewing and the heating. I was listening attentively for my parents moving around upstairs. When I heard a loud groan and a yawn I turned to Tyler.

“What time is it exactly?” I had never checked, but I had assumed that we had gotten up at about nine, making it about nine thirty.

Tyler looked behind him at the computer in the other room. I couldn’t believe it, he was reading the little time at the bottom corner of the computer screen.

“It’s like six thirty. I thought it was like eightish, oh well.” Tyler shrugged and ate the last of his Frosted Flakes.

If it was six thirty that meant it was my dad just getting up. I so didn’t want my dad meeting Tyler this early in the morning, but it was hard to avoid. I quickly grabbed both of our bowls and sat them in the sink, so that my dad wouldn’t know that Tyler had been here for breakfast.

“Why are you rushing around like that?” Tyler stood from the table and grabbed my hand, I was just about to wipe the counter down.

“My dad, he just got up for work. He’s going to be down here any minute to eat his breakfast, if he sees anything out of place he’ll know that you stayed overnight.” I said hurriedly, my dad isn’t exactly the most agreeable person.

“Why don’t you just tell him that I came over this morning and that we’re going out for breakfast?” Tyler asked me, he was trying to help the situation, but he didn’t know my dad.

“My dad won’t buy it. He gets mad really easily, you don’t even want to know.” I shuddered at the thought of my dad mad.

“Well, I hate to tell you this, but I can hear footsteps on the stairs.” Tyler warned me as he headed towards the front door.

“Where are you going?” I whispered, I didn’t want to risk my dad hearing me.

Tyler stuck his finger up to signal one minute and he walked outside, he shut the door softly behind him.

“Rose? Why are you up already?” My dad asked gruffly as he came into the kitchen and headed towards the coffee pot.

My dad is a tall man, about six foot two, and he has really broad shoulders. His brown hair is peppered with gray and it’s short and perfect. His suit is unwrinkled and he looks really intimidating, almost like Arnold Schwarzenegger, but his face is a lot nicer. My dad’s eyes are a soft blue, they don’t match the rest of them, he actually has a top lip and his nose is just normal.

“I just couldn’t sleep.” I shrugged and hurried to get the coffee grounds out for my dad, he was an even bigger jerk before he had his coffee.

“Thanks sweetheart.” My dad grabbed the coffee canister out of my hands and kissed the top of my head, a rare gesture for him. “So what are your plans for today?” He asked as he scooped some coffee into the coffee maker.

“Well my boyfriend is coming over soon and we’re going out for breakfast.” I smiled sweetly, he loved when I acted sweet and innocent like a little five year old girl.

“Ritter? I always liked that kid, he has a good head on his shoulders. You stay with that boy, his life is leading him somewhere.” My dad turned around and pointed a finger at me.

I swallowed, I had to tell him that I had dumped his favorite guy for me. “Actually daddy, Ritter and I broke up. I’m going out with a guy named Tyler now.” I smiled and popped some toast in the toaster for my dad, I had to stay on his good side this morning.

My dad stopped pouring his coffee and turned to face me, a fake smile was plastered on his handsome but stern face. “Is this Tyler kid a good guy?” My dad asked, just then the doorbell rang.

“Oh, that must be him.” I said perkily and hurried to the front door. My dad followed closely behind me.

I opened the door and looked at Tyler from my dad’s point of view. Black hair in his face, piercing blue eyes, long eyelashes so it almost looked like he was wearing eyeliner. Tyler was wearing black skinny jeans, a purple t-shirt that said “Rock And Roll Ruined My Life” (Tyler’s more of an alternative music fan like MCR, PATD, TAI and all that awesome stuff), and he was wearing his awesomely colorful Osiris shoes. My dad would not be impressed. He had liked Ritter’s polo shirts and jeans, his blonde hair and normal shoes.

“Hey, Ty!” I pretended to be surprised and happy, even though my heart was pounding in my chest. I wrapped my arms around Tyler’s neck and he hugged me back.

“Hey, Rose.” He smiled and winked quickly at me, I grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze.

“I’m guessing your Tyler.” My dad said gruffly as he stuck his hand out, Tyler shook it strongly.

“Yes sir, I am. It’s nice to finally meet you.” Tyler was perfectly polite, just like Ritter had been, but my dad was still looking at him skeptically. He hated boys that looked slightly emo or alternative.

“Yes, well then.” My dad couched. “Rose, can I talk to you in the other room?” My dad asked me as he gestured to the kitchen. I gave Tyler a quick peck on the cheek and followed my dad.

“Why would you dump a nice stable guy like Ritter for a…guy like that?” My dad choked out. His face was kind of red and he gripped the counter angrily, like I said he really didn’t like differences.

“Dad, Tyler’s great. He’s so nice and sweet and if you give him a chance I know you’ll like him too.” I pleaded with my dad, he was so bigoted.

“I thought I raised you right. You’ve never liked guys like that before. Is something wrong? Is he your drug dealer or something?” I laughed, my dad was just being so ridiculous.

His face went redder when I started to laugh. My dad crossed the room in two long strides, he reached out and harshly grabbed my arm. “This is not a laughing matter.” He growled.

Tyler hurried in and pushed my dad off of me so hard that my dad smacked hit the counter. “Don’t touch her like that.” Tyler’s back was in front of me, but I knew that his eyes would hold anger and protection.

I could hear my dad mumble some swears under his breath. He grabbed his briefcase and angrily walked by us. I waited until the door slammed until I moved again.

“He isn’t allowed to grab you like that.” Tyler faced me and looked into my eyes, I felt like crying. My dad was just so scary and intimidating.

“I told you he was difficult.” I looked down at the floor to avoid Tyler’s concerned eyes, I just felt so ashamed and embarassed that my dad had been such an asshole.

“Rose, ‘difficult’ is the wrong word for it. It’s more like ‘abusive’, and you know it, you just have to admit it to yourself.” Tyler brought my face up so that I looked at him, he looked worried for me.

“I guess I need to tell you something then. Let’s walk to the park, I don’t want to talk about it here.” I sighed and left the kitchen. I grabbed my coat and stepped into the fresh air.

Tyler walked silently beside me, I really didn’t want to talk just yet. We reached the abandoned park on the corner of my street. I walked over to the frozen swing set and sat down, I ignored the cold on my backside. Tyler sat in the swing beside me. We swung back and forth for a couple of minutes before I said anything.

“I have a sister.” I blurted out quickly and quietly.

Tyler stopped swinging back and forth and gave me his full attention. “Her name is Nicolette Ashley , but I call her Nicky or Ashie. She’s a few years younger than me, about thirteen. When she was six, my dad came home late from work on a Friday. I was at a sleepover and my mom was out with her friends. My dad was making supper, my sister wouldn’t eat her vegetables, and so he hit her. There was a big bruise on her little cheek and her little arm, my mom cried for days. She never took my dad to court. They just decided to send her to my grandma’s. They punished her for his crime.” I sighed and held back the tears that had gathered in my eyes.

Tyler got up from the swing and pulled me up as well. He kissed me on the lips quickly. “That’s terrible. Rose, you know that you have to turn him in, he can’t keep on hurting you like this.” Tyler hugged me tightly to his chest and I felt the safest I have felt in years.

“Tyler, he’s a lawyer. A cop would never arrest him. You know, Nathaniel Evans? Biggest lawyer here? No one would dare cross him.” I shuddered, I don’t know if it was from the cold or that I finally realized how invincible my dad really is.

“I don’t care if he’s the best lawyer in the world. He hurts his children, and I’m guessing he hurts your mom too. Not to mention he’s a bigoted asshole.” Tyler spat out, his eyes were blazing with fiery rage.

“Tyler, please. Can’t we just leave it alone? Nothing’s going to happen, he doesn’t even really hit me all that much and he only really yells at my mom from what I know.” I couldn’t let Tyler got to the cops, my mom would never admit to my dad hurting my sister, she was too afraid of him.

“Fine. But Rose, if I ever see a bruise on you, I will call the cops and he will be arrested.” Tyler looked me square in the eye and held onto the top of both of my arms, I nodded my head in silent agreement.

“Would you like to meet her?” I asked him. I had never taken Ritter to see Nicky, but I bet she would like Tyler a lot.

“Yeah, of course I would!” Tyler smiled.

“Do you have a car?” My dad had never bought me one, so I was constantly getting rides with other people.

“Yeah, come on I’ll take you to my house, my car’s there.” Tyler reached out for my hand and I followed him down the dead streets.

All of the trees were bare and covered in snow. Christmas had passed a week ago and it was the time of year when everything looked dark and dreary, as if the life had been sucked out of the world and everyone lay sleeping somewhere. The only things that made sounds were the occasional car passing by and some random dogs that would bark at us.

Tyler stopped at a brick house with pretty trees and a nice backyard. The house looked older, some of the bricks were chipped and the windows were foggy, but it was still a nice place.

“Welcome to my humble abode. I know it’s kind of a piece of junk compared to your house, but I can only afford so much.” Tyler laughed and unlocked his garage door. I followed him inside.

“Your house is not a piece of junk! At least you live by yourself and you have independence!” I followed Tyler into his garage.

The garage was filled with random tools, odds and ends, and in the center, every middle aged guys dream. In the center of Tyler’s garage sat a 1973 Chevrolet Camaro. The car needed a new paint job and a bit of work, but it was still in pretty good condition.

“Where did you get this?” I asked Tyler, I was completely awestruck.

“Well, I was nineteen when they first made them, they weren’t very rare back then.” Tyler shrugged and opened the passenger side door for me.

“Do you know how many guys would kill to have a Camaro in this good of condition?” I felt the sleek dashboard of the old car.

My dad and Ritter have always been into old cars, so I knew a lot about them. Camaro’s had always been one of my favorites. The seats were a comfy leather and the car smelt old and new at the same time, Ritter would be so jealous of me right now.

“Yeah, well the only reason I don’t sell this car is because my dad was totally in love with it. He was the one that bought it. I took it when I turned nineteen.” Tyler backed the car carefully out of the garage.

I wonder how it felt to know that you would outlive every single person that you love, including your girlfriend. When that realization hit me, that Tyler would stay young forever and I would get older and eventually leave him, well let’s just say I didn’t really like the thought of that.

“Tyler, what will we do when I turn twenty five and you still look nineteen?” I asked him quietly, I was almost afraid for the answer.

“Well, there’s three possibilities. The first one is that we don’t even last that long anyways, we’ve only been going out for a couple days so we never know how it turns out. The second is that we leave each other and we get on with our lives. You find a proper husband, have some children and then die happily. The third choice is the hardest. I change you and we stay together forever.” Tyler gripped the steering wheel tightly, obviously he didn’t like to think of this question either.

“The problem with the first one is I can’t imagine us breaking up, this just feels so right. The second one is impossible. I couldn’t possibly just leave you, I couldn’t find a husband. I wouldn’t die happily, I’d die lonely. The third, well the third sounds…but at least it ends with us being together.” Tyler put his arm around me.

“Oh, stop here. This is my grandma’s street.” I came out of my daze. Tyler turned down the street and I showed him which house to park at.

We climbed out of the car and walked up my grandma’s driveway. I knocked gingerly, I hadn’t been to visit Nicky in about three months and I didn’t know how she’d respond to me visiting.

The old wooden door creaked open and my sister stood there, her smiled was wide and bright, my grandma stood, smiling brightly as well, behind her.