The False Vampire

While plotting against my father, I towel dried my hair before combing it and pulling it up into a loose braid. Staring at the blank wall across from my bed, I ran my fingers up and down the interwoven hairs.

I could see the reflection of the moons pale rays against my wall. I stared at it mesmerized. With an internal debate, I rolled over wanting to see the moon with my own eyes, and not just the colours it cast across the walls of my room. It was a waxing crescent, beautiful by its own right.

I glanced at my bedside table, flicking on the small lamp that sat upon it, sick of sitting in the darkness. I glanced around my room, before remembering the small stack of books that I had bought only days earlier.

I pulled out a book at random, coming up with the book Evernight by Claudia Gray. Settling on the bed, I began reading it.

It must have been only one hour that had passed before I could not bare to keep my eyes open any longer. I placed the book underneath my pillow, the corner of the page folded to remind me where I was. The melody of a protective howl lulled me to sleep.

The fleeting feeling of a finger running gently down your temple if a disturbing one; However, the feeling was laid to rest when I peeled open my eyelids to see my mother sitting on the bed, smiling gently.

In her hand, she grasped a cup of hot chocolate. Without saying a word she handed over the mug, then stood and left the room. Leaning upwards, I rested on my elbows while sipping the cup. It was not long until it was time to leave.

I placed the steaming mug on the bedside table, next to my papers. Quickly I began to dress. Today, I decided to wear a pair of leggings that tucked into my boots and a thin jacket. Just to help minimize exposure from the sunlight.

Instead of leaving my hair hanging, I left it tied up, my hair still neat from the night before. I slathered sunscreen onto my face and placed a pair of sunglasses over my eyes.

My papers were piled back into my bag before I knew it and my hot chocolate in my hands. I thumped down the steps in a weary pattern, sipping absentmindedly. The heat of the liquid burned my throat, but was also the only thing keeping me awake for this minute.

It wasn’t we were already at the school that I came to my senses. Not remembering – or caring – how I got there I climbed out of the car, a half-hearted wave to my father and set sailing towards my dorm.

When I got there, it was safe to say I was disgusted. The floor was once again littered with clothing that I was guessing didn’t belong to Agata, probably her boyfriend. Rolling my eyes at her lack of respect I went to my room. My fingers were cold and numb so it took a couple of tries to hit the right buttons on the keypad.

Walking into my room, obviously everything had remained untouched. The bed covers were still rumpled and I spotted a hair tie sitting on the desk. When did I drop that?

A cold draft blew through the room and it was then that I realized that the window had been left open. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, not remembering going near the window. The curtains were also open.

I shrugged to myself, cursing my stupidity. Bending over to take off my boots, struggling with the tied shoelaces. Once they are off I can feel the fluffy carpet, I grin to myself. It was one of those grin that only you yourself could understand. A mix between curiosity, innocence and scheming. It was the look that all little girls practiced, the look that made the males go weak at their knees.

Of course, some men are immune to such a look – though I knew my father was not. My head tilted in that unconscious manner, one of which, at the back of your head, you are aware of but not in the moment of which you do so.

Wasn’t I meant to get back at my father? What prank should I pull?

A knocking at my door pulled my attention away from the thoughts of my father – after all, I did have all day to think about it.

Opening the door, Agata stood in her pyjamas. The pants were long and baggy, her top snug. I don’t know what gave me the idea that they were mismatched, perhaps with the fact that the pyjama bottoms had penguins on them and the top had snoopy.

Her face was flushed red and her hair looked like a knotty mess. Eyeliner and mascara smudged around her eyes, it only brought one term to mind – panda eyes.

“I believe I have to apologize for tomorrow?” her teeth gnawed on the corner of her bottom lip, a healing scab that covered the area telling me that this was a common practice. With a shake she quickly re-corrected her statement.

“I mean yesterday. Sorry, I’m tired”

“It’s alright”

Her shoulders lifted in what seemed to be something like a shrug – though the meaning could not be identifiable in my eyes. I forced a smile on my face, keeping it plastered there as she turned back around, rubbing her eyes. It was only when her door closed behind her that I let it drop from my face.

I spun around, closing the door behind me once more. With three long strides, I crossed the room. Pulling the window closed as well as the thick curtains, I laid down on the heavenly bed. Pulling out the book that I had been reading the night before, I once more settled myself.

About an hour later I realized it was about forty minutes till classes began, I put the book in my bag once more. Sliding on the boots was easier then taking them off, I noted. When I found my hair decent, and my shoes tied properly, I glanced down at myself once more, making sure everything was as I liked it.

My tights hadn’t bunched up, and my cardigan covered my arms. Pulling out my sunglasses from my bag I placed them over my face, instantly the world changed into hues of purple.

With a grin on my face, I set out the door.