The Vampire With The Pink Handbag

Torture

It was a rainy day and the clouds were grey. Oriole thought to himself that the day matched his mood. When he got to school, he instantly walked to the dining hall to wait for Pear to arrive. He sat on the floor staring down at his feet, never looking up. Students sat at the tables drinking breakfast - either the fountain machine or fresh blood, and mostly Type A for breakfast, a vampire preference. Those who choose it fresh would have the human sit next to them and would drink from them and chat simultaneously, just like humans would do while eating.

Oriole could see that someone wearing blue converse sneakers was walking towards him, but he still didn't look up. The person kicked his foot in an effort to make him raise his head, so he crossed his legs to force his feet out of reach.

"You're in some mood today."

Oriole looked up, then stood slowly, but kept a distance.

"Pear didn't get here yet, Rayon. I'm still waiting on her," Oriole said quietly.

"I can see that. Look, yesterday I was an ass. I am not usually the bully type." Rayon moved closer to him. His voice rolled off his tong smoothly and when his eyes met Oriole's, he quickly turned away. Oriole wondered if Rayon was attracted to him, and maybe fighting it.

"I know that. I knew you liked her and I made a bad call by kissing her. I know for you that meant I was calling you out. You saw it as a challenge, and like the lion you are, you defended what you considered to be yours. I know this. I get the mentality of guy vampires even though I don't have it," Oriole said.

"You did make a bad choice, but still, you're, like, half my size and she moves fast with guys anyway," Rayon alleged.

"What does that have to do with this conversation?" Oriole said, annoyed.

"I shouldn't have snapped on you. It's her nature to act like that. When we started having sex, I noticed she stopped dealing with other guys. I know before me, she got around and made a bad name for herself, but the thing is, I only had intentions on doing her then being done with her. I like her now. I got use to her not messing around with others, then you show up. I know she is not my girl, and I can't make her my girl because of her past, but I still don't want you touching her. Now that I told you that, I expect you to respect it," Rayon stated. He backed up a little and placed his thumb inside his belt buckle. He seemed tense.

"Why should I respect that? You just said she will never be your girl. If that is the case, then she is free. You can't control her and at the same time never really claim her. That is ridiculous!" Oriole declared.

"Look, I'm not going to let any dudes kiss her, touch her or do anything else with her. You been warned."

"So now your back to threatening me again, Rayon?"

"Look, I don't want to beat you - look at you. The thing is, you're not listening to me so you're leaving me no choice but to make you an enemy," Rayon said, sounding frustrated.

"I don't want to be your enemy, I just want you to think about what you're saying, not because I want her, but because she is a friend to me now," Oriole said, moving closer to Rayon. He just wanted to be near him, to try and read his body language. He seemed far more emotional and easy to read compared to Josh.

"That is fine. You want to look out for her, but at the end of the day, this is where I stand. Think about it this way, do you want her to act promiscuous?" Rayon backed away again. His body language showed signs of agitation and discomfort, but his eyes showed what Oriole read as attraction.

"No, not at all," Oriole answered.

"Well, we want the same thing little man, so we get each other now?" Rayon moved closer to him. His body seemed relaxed.

"Yes, we do get each other. Just let her make her own choices and don't do the egoistical male vamp thing. I don't want some guy controlling her or treating her like she is property. I think you should stop worrying about others, because they are running around here very happily. They are making choices for themselves. But you can't even be with the one you want because you care about what they think. So essentially, you are letting others steal your joy. That is just stupid of you."

"It's also a matter of trust. Can I trust her? No, I don't think so," Rayon countered.

"Well you told me she stopped sleeping around for you already, and you're not even a couple yet. So yes, you can trust her."

Rayon looked down. He seemed confused and sort of dazed, like he had a brain freeze of some sort. He hit himself on the head lightly then suddenly came to.

"You alright there? You seem befuddled," Oriole pointed out.

"Yeah, I'm good. It's just hard on me to concentrate on so many things at once."

"What else is going on?" Oriole asked, bewildered.

"Ah, not in actuality in my, ah, mind, but anyway, maybe I am a cave man, but I can't get over her past."

"Well you should. That is just my opinion, because I can tell you like her," Oriole reasoned. Rayon squinted his eyes he looked troubled again.

"Could you stop doing that? That, ah, thinking about yourself when you talk to me, Oriole. Just focus on one thought."

"I'm not thinking about myself. I was talking about you, the way you obviously like Pear."

"That is what you're saying, but you are really sad about something. I can feel your mood... and also stop sending me those other vibes too."

"What do you mean you can feel my mood?"

Pear came running up quickly. She hugged Oriole then hit Rayon on the shoulder. That was her way of saying hello to him.

"So, I get a punch and he gets a hug?" Rayon questioned.

"Yes, because you bullied my little man yesterday." She squeezed Oriole's face when she said it.

"You are getting really close to him so hastily. The way you defended him yesterday was peculiar." Rayon raised an eyebrow.

"He is my buddy and he gets me. We're alike - that's why I like him so much."

She grabbed Oriole's hand when she said this. He smiled and felt close to her. Rayon could not stand seeing their connection; he was jealous of their closeness, the way that you could see on her face that she admired Oriole. That bothered Rayon. It was like she looked to him for affection, direction and support - all the things he wanted her to desire him for. This was very annoying to him.

Rayon could feel his throat burning with envy, his domineering attitude and insecurity could not take what he saw as competition. Vampire men had very large egos, and had a natural possessive nature to them. Rayon was shocked by how much this was getting to him. He even had trouble sleeping because he was thinking about the incident with Oriole the day before. He stayed up all night thinking of what to do to get him to step back. He knew that she would see him as a coward if he attacked Oriole again. He wanted her to see him as a man. In his mind, Oriole was not stealing her heart. He felt that he was gay. He was simply troubled that Oriole was replacing him; that with his support, she would not need Rayon.

Also the words Oriole said the day before about being bi, which did slightly concern him. He imagined bashing Oriole's head into the ground repeatedly. Normally he wasn't a jealous or violent person, but love had him thrown for a loop. Oriole was no stranger at sensing danger; he had been in a bad position many times. He could sense that Rayon was becoming invidious of him and this concerned him.

"I should go to class, let you two secret lovers talk," Oriole said, stepping away.

"It's not a secret," Rayon acknowledged.

Oriole pushed them towards each other. He needed to make Rayon see that he wasn't in the way. That he would back off. But before he could leave, Pear did something that staggered him. She kissed his cheek softly. She was becoming very affectionate with him. If Rayon wasn't there, this would have made him happy.

Oriole wondered if Pear even realized that Rayon was in love - that he was almost beat to a pulp over her just the day before. It was like she under-valued herself and really could not see how Rayon felt. She had more power then she realized, but felt she had none. Oriole was good at understanding things that were not actually said, but felt.

Oriole walked away swiftly. He had planned to get the two together, if even just so that he would not have trouble. He hadn't realized the severity of the situation. Just his presence alone

bothered Rayon, even if it was just a friendship. The problem was her sudden dependence on Oriole.

As Oriole made his way to class he saw Jamie Lynn walking in. She rushed over and seemed happy to see him. He thought to himself that his effect on the girls was so strong, so quickly that if he were straight, he would be popular with girls.

"What is that on your neck?" she asked.

"You are the first person to notice, but you don't miss a beat, Jamie. But you know what, I cant answer that right now."

"Why not? Who bit you and scratched you like that?"

"Okay... well, Pear and I sort of hooked up yesterday." Jamie looked crushed, but Oriole didn't get why. What was the big deal?

"Okay. Why did you two do that?"

"To make Rayon jealous, and later he tried to kill me."

"Wow, I missed a lot! But it was just about Rayon, right?"

"Yes silly. I'm gay."

"Oh, so you're gay now?"

"Well no shit, Sherlock," Oriole said, as if it were obvious

.

"It's just... you say so many different things when it comes to your sexuality. I don't know what you are.

"That is because I don't know what I am."

"You just said you were gay."

"No, I didn't. Not actually."

"Do you have amnesia? You just said that, Oriole."

"Not in that way. Look, this is a touchy subject for me is all."

"Well, you were really casual about it and now you're, like, really stand offish. I don't know what to make of you sometimes. Sometimes you're easy like a Sunday morning and other times you're unbalanced."

"How am I unbalanced?"

"You're just not together, but then again you can be. I don't know how to explain it."

Jamie Lynn looked like she felt such perplexity, but she was calming down and grabbed his arm to head to class. They took a seat in the back. Oriole's heart skipped beats when Joshua walked in. He looked so good today. He wore a pair of jeans that fit him so well and a red shirt that showed off his muscular chest. Even his hair looked good. He was fresh faced and relaxed and looked very mellow.

The girls were all over him. They would smile at him and giggle, grabbing him repeatedly and fighting for his attention. His popularity was definitely a turn on to Oriole and just knowing that Josh wanted him was an aphrodisiac. Maybe he should let Josh have him, just to keep his interest, Oriole thought to himself. Look at him, he could easily move on, and as a result Oriole would miss out on his first real romance. Should he just throw away all of his morals and self respect to maintain those kisses and touches? No one was interested in him, not even his parents, and this was like a fairy tale - a guy like that wanted him, he contemplated. He understood Pear much more in this moment because she gave her body away for affection. It was pitiable but suddenly quite comprehensible.

Then he thought of the physical pain of losing his virginity. He knew that to be with Joshua right now would mean doing things his way. Maybe he was under valuing himself, he thought. Maybe Josh would break first. Maybe like Rayon and Pear, the love would come after the sex, in time. So many thoughts ran through his mind, it was like torture wondering how to play it.

After class he ran home swiftly and sat on his bed. He was lonely so he called Pear, who came over quickly.

"I have a confession to make," he said.

"What is it?" she questioned, excited.

"A boy came on to me. He did this to my neck."

"Oh, I saw that, but I didn't want to invade. So which boy? I can keep a secret."

"No. Sorry, it's something I can't say right now. The thing is, he wants to, like, own me. He doesn't want to show me reverence. At least not the way I would like him to. Guys don't feel they should do that with other men. He is so insecure about his sexuality that to treat me with compassion would make him feel gay. The guy is in such denial, he makes up all these creative reasons in his little mind why he is not gay," Oriole sighed. "He says he doesn't want to fall in love, or whatever. It's like I have to accept it because all vamp guys are like that. Plus he is very sexy and I want him, but I just don't know what to do. In public he ignores me and treats me like I don't even exist. I can't stand being ignored, but the fact that he ignores me makes me want him even more."

"All this has been going on so quickly! Man, you work fast!" she said laughing.

"Yeah I know, but you know what they say about vampire affections," he grinned.

"Yes. They come on like a hurricane - fast and strong. Okay, I think you're over thinking things and your expectations are too high. Sex can be casual, just enjoy him. We're young and in college," she said

Her response was no surprise, Oriole thought to himself. He knew he asked her because she would tell him what he wanted to hear. He knew that people sometimes did that when they wanted advice, but not really the truth. They would ask someone who would most likely give them the truth they wanted to hear at that time.

Oriole thought to himself that people knew the personalities of those around them and they exploited that when needed. The mind was a funny tool. Hell, people lied to themselves every day. He was a pro at living in a fantasy world. He knew if he asked Jamie, she would have a completely different outlook, and he didn't want to hear it. All he knew was that he yearned for someone to be there with him... and he wanted Josh to be that someone.

"How do I prepare myself for this?" he asked.

"Well, just let if flow. It's going to hurt the first time you have sex, Oriole. I know for us girls it does, but I've heard what you got to take is worst." They laughed hysterically. Oriole blushed. He was very afraid of that part.

"I guess I've got to take it like a man," he said playfully.

"You know what, just relax your muscles," she said and they laughed again. He was glad he had her to talk to about such a taboo topic.

"Do you think you could get Joshua Toby's number from your guy?" he asked.

"Holy shit, is he the guy? No way! That is a major score," she gasped.

"You better take that information to the grave. He would kill me."

"No way would I tell. He is no joke; he would kill you and get away with it." Pear paused. "You realize who he is, right?"

"You know, all of them seem weird and different from most vampires, but I don't know. Who he is?"

"Well, his family is rich and prestigious. His dad is big time because he is very old and well connected. I heard his entire family are gift holders and that there is no weak link in their blood line. That boy can have anyone - he is good looking and his future is set. I also heard his dad is, like, a big time famous lawyer and he has major legal pull with the humans. You can't make a bad move with this guy. Seriously, be careful. Powerful people are not to be messed with." Pear's voice was grave. "He is one of those people who is use to getting what he wants, Oriole. Male vampires can be possessive when they are in love, so be glad he doesn't want to love you. Just seriously understand who you're dealing with and know that his pride is very much the center of his world. The trio are all gift holders and they are a unit."

"Are they related? Are Roland Parsh and Rayon the 4th part of his family?

"No, the trio members are all friends, I believe, but they are very similar to each other as far as status. The fact that they to are all gift holders connects them as well. They all have similar families, really. It's a mystery to me whatever they've got going."

"Do you think Rayon could be bisexual, Pear?"

"No, not at all, but then again, I never thought of Josh that way and they hang out, so who knows."

"Well, Josh doesn't show emotion, but Rayon does, so if you've never sensed it, he probably isn't," Oriole said, sounding a little disappointed.

"Why do you ask?" Pear questioned.

"I guess because Josh is. I'm just wondering out loud."

"Yeah, I can understand that. Be careful with Josh."

"Okay, so I will be careful with this. Can you get his number?"

"Yes. I will just say that I have a friend who wants to hook up, which I do, so were not actually lying. I'm going to step out and make the call. I don't want Rayon to hear you in the background."

Pear gave him the number, and when she left, he suddenly became very anxious to call. He just had to see where this would go. So he called. He knew what this meant, but he was now willing to give Josh what he wanted, exactly the way he wanted. As the phone rang his heart beat so hard he thought it would jump out of his chest.

"Hello?"

"Is Joshua Toby home?"

"Yes, this is my cell. Who is this?"

"It's me, Oriole."

"Well, I hope you realize that if you didn't call to say what I want to hear, then you shouldn't have bothered to call."

"Relax, I know that."

"So, tell me to come over, and be sure that you're willing to go all the way."

"Okay."

"Okay what? I need you to say it."

"You can come over."

"And?" Josh prompted.

"I'm willing now."

"Willing to do what?"

"Go all the way."

"And do you understand that your mine if you do?"

"Yeah, I realize that."

"I'm on my way."

Joshua hung up quickly. The conversation was a lot shorter than he expected, but then again Josh wasn't much of a talker. Oriole felt nervous. He could not believe what was about to happen tonight, so speedily. If you had told him just four days ago this would happen he would have laughed in your face. He was amazed at life's constant surprises. He sat down on his bed, knowing that it would not be long now. It was time to experience something that meant a lot. His hands could not stop shaking. Soon Josh would be there, and he would be strong, aggressive and in control.

Preview of next chapter: Josh kissed him then he put on his jeans and rushed out, Oriole had mixed feelings of exhilaration and melancholy. He was happy to be with him, but sad that he had to be ignored in public that last moment sort of ruined the entire experience for him.