Sweetie You Had Me

The passing of months happens so quickly sometimes, that one day you fall asleep in May and wake up in August. This is what seemed to happen to Julie. The past few months had come and gone so quickly she hardly had time to catch her breath. Night was falling earlier and earlier, and the summer heat was fading into a cool fall. Summer was a wonderful season, one of Julie’s favorites, especially this last year. She had a wonderful summer with Ryan, Jon and Brendon. She had even gotten to know their friend Spencer.

Julie started living with Jon permanently at the beginning of May, with his girlfriend, Cassie’s permission. She had made friend with her as well. She went back to her apartment and retrieved a good portion of her belongings. She was thankful that she had been able to grab everything before her bi monthly payment was due. Jon and Brendon helped her fix it up a bit, so the owners would make her pay tons of fees for all of William’s damages.

Julie hadn’t seen William in months, not since the end of April. It was like he had fallen off the edge of the earth, or at least that’s what she hoped. Brendon said he and the rest of the dandies hadn’t seen him in a long time. But most of the months Julie didn’t bother with thinking about William, for the first time in her life she felt completely free of stress, it was wonderful.

Julie and Brendon had become even closer. She cared for him so much, and he felt the same, but physically there wasn’t any advancement. They only shared a few short kisses from time to time, but the two seemed satisfied. They would hold hands and be sweet, but nothing more. It didn’t bother Julie or Brendon in the least, but it was questionable to others how they felt about each other. But to them, others opinions didn’t mean a thing.

Julie and Ryan had stayed good friends, and probably one of her best next to Jon. In fact, they had become so close, Julie felt like she could confide in Ryan more than anyone she’d ever known. He was rather blunt, and sarcastic at times, but she had learned to get used to his not so attractive qualities. As did he get used to her’s, and they became better friends then they had ever been before.

In fact, she was with him at the current moment, shopping at the local mall. Licking a cone of chocolate frozen yogurt, the two of them mindlessly browsed at five o’ clock at night, thanks to the early nights, Ryan and Julie could actually go out an shop without him burning up into a pile of ash. Ryan seemed to be moving without an initial purpose, he really was just spending time with Julie, but she was quietly searching for a birthday present for Ryan. He hadn’t told anyone about it, but Jon had a slip of the tongue and told her the other day. Ryan hated it when people fussed over him, but Julie was determined to fuss over him on his birthday. She just wasn’t exactly sure what to get him. She knew he appreciated the finer things in life, and loved the clothing he was able to wear as a dandy. They had just passed a music store, but Ryan probably wouldn’t like anything in there, it was all mainstream crap like Panic at the disco, and she doubted he was into music like that.

Then again, what kind of music would he be into? After all, she had no idea when he was born, or what was popular then. So that knocked music off the list. She could always get him clothes. But she had no idea what kind of clothes Ryan liked. He wore jeans and t-shirts when he went out with her, but when he was with William, she knew for a fact that his clothing was entirely different because she had seen he and his followers clothing a few times. So how was she supposed to by him clothes without knowing where he came from and when? She knew Jon’s story, she had begged him to tell her it, and he eventually did, but he refused to tell her the story of Ryan or Brendon. Maybe it was time to beg him.

“Hey Ry?” She started, timidly, hoping that she wouldn’t give away her ulterior motives by the sound of her voice.

“Hmm?” he responded rather mindlessly.

“Well, I was just wondering,” she stopped to reword her question, “Well I guess, I’ve just been curious,” no, that would work, “Well, what I mean to say-” Ryan let out a hearty laugh, interrupting her.

“Jules, just spit it out.” He said, smiling slightly at her.

“Well, I was just curious as to what your story is. You know, how you got this way,” she said timidly as the two walked side by side. She had always tried to steer clear of this sort of subject with Ryan, because she knew he didn’t like talking about his past. She remembered a time when she was talking about her family, and had started asked him about his. He had tensed up, and didn’t answer her question.

Ryan stayed silent for a bit, thinking. He hated his past life. He wished it had never happened. But he supposed she had a right to know. After all, she was one of his best friends. Jon, Brendon, and Spencer all knew, so he supposed she should know too.

“It’s a long story,” he said looking down at her. She shrugged.

“I’ve got time.” She answered simply, looking right back at him. He sighed and led her over to a bench that was placed in the middle of the Mall’s walkway. The pair sat down, neither one speaking for a short moment. Julie licked at her frozen yogurt, and Ryan looked at his hands as he began his story.

“Well, I was Born in England in the year 1850 to a retired navy captain, I was named George, after the King whom my father was named before me.” he began, sighing, “My mother was lost at my birth,” he noted regretfully. Julie gave him a sad look and rubbed his arm comfortingly. Ryan smiled at her halfheartedly before continuing. “I lived my childhood as a respected son of a man of war. They all expected me to be just like my father, so they treated well, but I never had a desire to shoot cannonballs at Scotland or France, I just wanted to write, but I kept that to myself. ”

“I didn’t have many friends in that castle, not many at all. I spent most of my days writing poems or drawing, during my childhood of course. Spencer was the son of the Queen’s tailor, so he would come and talk with me often enough. But for the most part I had a pretty lonely childhood. I was taught by the best teaches, and was capable of reading and writing many wonderful things by the time I was fourteen. After my schooling was finished, I started new lessons to teach me battle strategies and maneuvers, but that wasn’t what I wanted.”

“I had been hearing about all the wonderful success America was having, and wanted to have my own success, while also escaping my father’s plans for me, so I started to work, in the English ship yards. I used my middle name, Ryan, as my first, and used George as a last name. Thankfully, there were no cameras around then, so no one had any idea who I was. Word never got to my father that I was working my way out of England, and I was very happy with that. I had enough money to sail to America by the time I was sixteen, but they wouldn’t let me on the ship until I was at least eighteen. So I continued to work, and it was there that I met Brendon…” He stopped, and gulped, closing his eyes before he continued on with the painful name, “and his sister, Jacqueline. Brendon had just turned sixteen, and his sister was seventeen, like I would be in the coming months. Brendon was talking to one of the shipmen about leaving on the next voyage, and I just happened to be listening. When the man told him he could leave until he eighteen, he became infuriated and started screaming about how he was a very important lord with power and money, but Jacqueline,” he smiled at the memory, “she calmed him down, told him to shut up and relax like the sweet thing she was. Of course, a woman of such standards should not portray that kind of behavior, but she didn’t care. That was how she always talked towards her brother. ” Julie smiled as he did, Ryan obviously really cared for the girl.

“Anyway, Brendon and I got to talking afterward, and he told me all about his plans to leave Europe. He was actually a Lord from France, and his sister was a fine lady. He was seeking to free her from the immodesty of France, and he himself was looking to escape the catholic bounds that the French had, and station himself in America where he could have the freedom of religion that the country had promised. He said he had a relative living there that had recommended his coming there. I told them of my own wants to sail away, and we became friends,”

“By the time Brendon turned eighteen, Spencer had show interest in coming along, and thanks to my many years of labor, I was able to pay his fee.” He blushed a bit before he continued, “Jacqueline and I were smitten with one another,”

“Aww,” Julie cooed. Ryan smiled.

“Yes, it was very ‘aww’ worthy. We were much like you and Brendon, very sweet…very gentle.” He smiled, looking over at her. Julie smiled herself as she thought of Brendon, but let Ryan continue.

“Anyway, we were finally able to sail over to America. The journey was rough, and rather unsanitary,” Ryan cringed as he remembered that ship ride and Julie chuckled a little as she gazed upon his face. “But when we got there, we had never felt better, never felt more excited, and I had never felt so free. We lived in New York for a full two years, until we had heard news from Brendon and Jacqueline’s relative in the winter of 1870, whom had invited us to come and live with him in Chicago. We packed our bags and started on our Journey, and like the ship, it wasn’t very fun. I’m glad we now have airplanes,” Julie laughed, and Ryan smiled before going on. “When we arrived in the very beginning of 1871, we were treated well by Brendon’s Uncle, who was actually fairly wealthy. We were given new clothes, and lost of wonderful new things. Life was wonderful and very extravagant. This is also where we met Jon, who was working as a servant to Brendon’s uncle.”

“In the summer of that year, after ‘going out’ with Jacqueline for over three years, I asked her to marry me, and she agreed all too quickly,” Ryan smiled lightly as he remembered this. Julie smiled as well, thinking how sweet, but at the same time wondering where Jacqueline was now. “But then, the fire came.” He closed his eyes again, seeing the heavy flames and hearing the blood curdling screams, “It was all so horrible. Everything that we had just received was lost. We didn’t have anything except the clothes on our backs. We were all so panicked. I didn’t the best I could to get everyone out safely…but,” he stopped to take in a sharp breath, “But Brendon’s uncle and Jacqueline were lost,” Ryan closed his eyes and stopped speaking for a moment, and rubbed his eyes with the back of his palm, as he felt tears coming into his eyes. Julie frowned immensely, and reached over to wrap her arms around Ryan’s shoulders. He sniffed and smiled up at her, weakly. Ryan scratched his nose, and took in another breath before he continued.

“We were all devastated at the loss, and we were without a home or any place to go, like half the city was, but William came and offered us a place to stay,” Julie rose an eyebrow at him, astonished, “Oh don’t be too surprised, he obviously had ulterior motives. He invited us into his home. He took Brendon, and gave Spencer, Jon, and I to his followers. He said they would show us to our rooms, but instead they showed us their fangs. They turned us all. It was so painful. And not the bite, but the physical change…It was just mortifying. I never, ever want to put someone through that. Never.” He said, shaking his head solemnly. “Jon was the only one able to escape, but the rest of us were doomed to live under William. I was still mourning the loss of Jacqueline, as was Brendon, we both just wanted to stop living, so we hated William for making our lives imperishable. ”

“Years went by, and Brendon, Spencer, and I had heard nothing from Jon. But Brendon and I were too depressed to care much. It wasn’t until the late 1890’s that we finally heard from Jon. He had made friends, and set up an alliance with Fall Out Boy and the WDC, and we became members ourselves, being the only ones who had access inside the dandy mansion. For many years we have supplied the WDC with information, but they still haven’t been able to catch him.” Ryan concluded his story, and looked up at Julie who had been sitting solemnly for the past couple of minutes. What a sad life Ryan and Brendon had. They lived through so many horrible things, but still were able to make fun and enjoy their lives. She felt horrible for feeling so sorry for herself back in April and March.

“Wow,” was all Julie could say, but she soon smiled weakly at Ryan and added, “Thank you for sharing,” Ryan chuckled.

“Thank You for listening,” he replied, smiling at her. He lifted off the bench with his hand, “Come on, Jules. Let’s go home, it’s getting pretty late.” Julie nodded, and followed him, as the two of them walked out of the mildly busy mall.

“Hey Ry?” Julie asked, “Did you ever become a writer?”

Ryan smiled sideways, but shook his head, “No, not really. But I wrote for the New York Times from time to time.” He said, “I’ve found it’s a little difficult to have people know who you are, and also be someone who’s looks never change or who’s skin is deathly pale, or who has fangs,” he joked. “I think people would think I’m crazy if I went on a book tour.” Julie Laughed.

“Yeah…”

Ryan and Julie walked home, due to the lack of car the duo had. The mall was fairly close to Jon’s apartment. Julie and Ryan walked up the stairs, in full conversation about chopsticks, when they both abruptly stopped in front of Jon’s Blue door. A smell, that made the building feel eerie and dark arose from behind the door, and Julie’s heart immediately quickened. Her head was full of images that portrayed the worst possible, and Ryan didn’t even have time to stop her before she rushed into the apartment, shaking with fear. She walked through the apartment quietly, as her nose followed the horrible smell, that she only hoped was one of Jon’s wine glasses left about. She peered into her room, and saw nothing unusual, but as she continued on the smell only became worse. She took timid steps towards the very last door, at the end of the hallway, the only doorway she hadn’t checked behind. She gulped as she reached for the handle, and twisted it, before it creaked open and she screamed in horror at the sight that was before her brown eyes.

Lying on the floor in a puddle of mucky wet blood lay Jon’s helpless body. Julie rushed over to it, and collapsed at it, tears already falling down her flushed cheeks. Jon was dead. Jon was dead. She let that sink deeper and deeper into her mind. Her knees were drenched in his blood, his lifeline, her hands were covered in it, and the liquid sank deep into the creases of her palms. Julie looked down at his face, and saw his open eyes wide with fear, like he didn’t even have time to react to the killer. In his heart was a wooden stake that was stained with the thick red liquid. Her sobs became uncontrollable as she fell onto his stomach that was coated in dried blood. She was so genuinely distraught, that she didn’t even notice when Ryan rushed into the room to see what had happened. She couldn’t believe it; she wouldn’t believe it. Jon was gone. Her friend, her brother, her safety, her home, he was nearly everything to her, and he was gone. Her hands clenched his shirt as she sobbed into his stomach, just like she had done time and time again. She felt like her own heart had been ripped into pieces, and she wished that Brendon was there to put it back together. All she wanted was to hear Brendon's voice, telling her that everything would be alright, reassuring her that in the end everything would be fine. But she couldn't believe that now, not after Jon was gone. William had taken yet another life, just to mess with her head.

William…she hated William with all her heart. Her love for Jon, Ryan, Brendon, and even Spencer, was so immense, that the thought of William even touching them made her want to rip his heart right out of his chest. How could someone be so cold? How could a man with a heart, be so heartless?