Eternal Blood

My mind stopped dead in it’s track as my eyes met with someone else’s orb like ones. Globes spun in his eyes, no; stars. The sun. The yellow pierced my own, staring eyes. His white skin, it was so pale it contrasted with all my friends, almost contrasted with me, but I wasn’t quite tanned enough. Even though this was just a normal dull, clouded barely raining day, his eyes were still grabbing me. I couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason for my captivation, but I didn’t stand a chance of retracting my gaze until I had scoped every detail of his face. Wispy brown hair lay about his head. Prominent cheek bones, but without colour as you’d expect. As sheet white as the rest of his beautiful face. Expressionless he spotted me staring I looked down quickly suddenly remembering my boyfriend Danny stood beside me. But something about this intruders presence unnerved me. There was a sudden ice in the air; trying to hide a shiver I pretended to yawn widely.

“Guys, this is William. He’s just moved in down the street. William this is Charlotte, or Charlie she prefers.” Sally gestured toward Charlie who stood slouched across the bars of the bridge. Her waist length, dark brown hair swaying easily as she turned to smile a hello with her full lips. “Anthony, Amy, Danny and Kat.” As he gazed slowly at each of us in turn everyone gave a brief smile, except me. I stood and stared straight at him. He lingered at me for a while suddenly taking an interest from his previous bored self. He stared blankly back. What should I do? Stare him out or look away? I held the connection for as long as I could prolong it. Finally getting bored he stepped closer to me raising the right corner of his lips.

“Sally told me about you Kat. You seem, interesting.” I continued to glare at him until he backed awake again and I wrapped a firm arm around Danny’s waist. He clung to me tightly while staring William down. Not appearing to get the message, he stood, undeterred, in complete satisfaction. Without detaching his eyes he asked, “So, what do you usually do when you come down here?” His voice was soft, even though he was looking at me, his tone suggested it was an open question.

“Oh! We just hang out usually. Talk, mess around, Danny and Ant usually lob rocks into the stream. They made a dam once, but someone came and destroyed it.” Sally seemed enthusiastic as ever to fill William in on all the details as she blabbered on for an age while the rest of us suffered through and listened. Danny and Ant resorted to having a grass fight in which we all got involved. All except William. I noticed he stood to the side, probably not feeling involved enough with us to join in the games yet. While everyone was entranced by the blades of green flying about, I went and sat on the bridge wiping myself down and Sally came over to join me.

“So, what do you think?” She asked overly excited.

“What do you want me to think?” I joked.

“Oh come on, don’t be like that. Don’t you think he’s the hottest guy ever to walk the earth?!” She almost squealed, but contained herself for the sake of William not hearing.

“I have a boyfriend.” I reminded her gingerly.

“I know that, so you don’t mind if I take a shot then huh? I swear the moment I saw him I melted on the spot, not even kidding, I nearly collapsed.” She seemed to be getting overly excited about this, but that was Sally. Never one to turn down an opportunity such as this. By that I mean, a good-looking guy. Because if I’m honest, there aren’t that many from round here.

“Why are you asking my permission?”

“I wasn’t asking your permission, it was more; asking guidance. ‘Cuz I know he looks a little creepy. I was just wondering if you were going to comment on it.” She shrugged then hopped down off the bridge and skipped over to William. He seemed like a William, but not a Will. I also get the feeling he thinks the same thing…

“Hey Will come join in!” Danny yelled at him and threw a clump of damp grass his way. Not such a good idea I don’t think. It hit him on his left shoulder sticking to him as it rolled down his front returning to the ground where it belonged.

“Don’t call me Will. And never, throw grass at me.” His face was controlled, however his eyes gleamed yellow. That’s odd. Though it doesn’t seem like I’m the only one who noticed this. Amy and Ant were stood staring at his eyes, when Danny noticed this he looked as well and stood straight up. William brushed himself down lightly looking back with a faint smile turning at the edge of his lips.

“Wow, his eyes are weird…” Amy trailed off captivated.

“Okay, so we don’t call you Will then huh?” Sally concluded trying her hardest to break the silence. I’m not good with this kind of thing. “It’s growing dark maybe we should head back, you lot staying at my house tonight?”

“Sure, I just need to head home to get some clothes.”

“And me.” Danny added to my statement.

We split into separate groups Danny came to my house with me after he’d thrown a few things together at his. It always took me longer because I liked to double check I had everything. I noticed him biting his lip in either frustration or confusion. Possibly both.

“Danny, what’s wrong?”

“That William. Yeah, I get he’s a new kid on the block, and he’s a little anxious, but he didn’t have a to bite my neck off. I didn’t know not to call him Will. He could have said something,” he furrowed his brow looking at me with careful eyes. I could tell he was on the verge of spilling his thoughts over the days events, so I said nothing and let him continue. “And the way he stared at you like that was just uncalled for. I mean yeah I know you’re a gorgeous girl,” I blushed a light pink rose colour as I felt the heat rise in my flushed face, “but he can’t just come swanning in here like he owns the place. It’s like he thinks he’s better than us all. ‘never throw grass at me’ it was just a bit of fun. Or doesn’t he like fun?” Taking a deep breath, and staring blankly at my face, I knew he was done for now and awaited an answer.

“Danny, he’s just nervous. Maybe he came from somewhere more remote and he’s not used to being around so many people. And you never know, maybe he just has hay fever. He could come up in a rash or something. Just give him time.” I stopped what I was doing to sit with Danny on my bed and rub my hand loving on his back.

“But he still didn’t have to stare you like that.” He mumbled quietly giving me a quick glance before concentrating of the floorboards again.

“He’s a boy like any other. I don’t mind. And I’m sure that I probably just looked like someone he knew; or something like that. You leap to the wrong conclusions too easily. Don’t get so worried.”

“You do to.”

“I’m a girl, it doesn’t count.” We both laughed. “I’m supposed to be the one overreacting and you’re supposed to be protective over me. This is completely the wrong way around.” I joked.

“But I am being protective, I’m worrying about it. Because I want to protect you.” He flashed me a quick smile before letting me continue to pack an overnight bag for Sally’s house. As I left the house I reminded my Dad that he had work in the morning, and that Callum needed taking around to Roan’s house. Roan, Kye and Cal were best friends. They were all only about 8 between them and they certainly act it. Whenever I was out and Dad wasn’t around Cal went over to Roan’s. But he was there most of the time anyway.

“You know that Sally is going to try and win over this guy right?” I asked mockingly. I didn’t want to make fun of Sally, but I think she was being a little outrageous. William didn’t seem as though he was the kind of boy who got involved with girlfriends and relationships. I should know, I used to be that kind of a girl; until I got so close to Danny that is.

“Yeah, you could tell by the way she was overly enthusiastic. Will she ever learn?”

“Look at you, in on all the codes. I thought boys weren’t supposed to be able to understand girls?”

“I’m an exception. Obviously. Because I’m so amazingly awesome I can do anything.”

“Sure you can.” Sometimes Danny thinks he’s a little too indestructible. I worry sometimes he’s going to do something stupid and get himself hurt. I suppose it’s just a boy thing.

Arriving at Sally’s house we found everyone sat in the backyard. Night had fallen thick and fast, candles were lit all around the borders of the garden. The tea-lights complimented the golden shades of the now wilting flowers perfectly. Sally had her gazebo set up as an overnight room now, it’d had been like that for a couple of years. We’d gotten used to the routine. It was warm though. We’d bought heaters to keep in it. We’d made it a proper little den. Everyone loved going inside, it felt like a second home to us all. But tonight was a little warmer than it had been recently, so we sat around the garden furniture for a while just chatting. Though most of the group held beers in their hands - underage may I add - but I’d always refused the drink. My Mum bought me up to abide by laws like that. Very old fashioned manner I know, things other teens would usually laugh at; and most of the time did. Such as, no sex before marriage. I know to some people it might seem stupid, but I owe my Mum that much. To at least respect what she’d taught me in the little time I had with her before she was killed.

The conversation spread to William again, asking where he had come from, why he was here. While he answered in short sharp answers, we appeared the learn that he’d moved here from the south because his Dad (or father as he said, he’s more old fashioned than even I am!) had been offered a new job. He lived with his ‘Mother’ and ‘Father’ and was an only child. Other than that he wouldn’t reveal much else and steered the topic toward school. Turns out he’s in my English and Math classes. After Charlie, Ant and Amy were pretty much bordering just past tipsy, we decided to head back to the den to hide them from Sally’s parents. As I snuggled down into Danny’s arms after locking the door Sally had resorted to flirting, Amy, Ant and Charlie were snoring in the corner after about an hour and Dan wasn’t far off. I decided to follow their lead and dropped my eyelids to a close. However, it didn’t go noticed that there was a feeling of me being watched by someone in the room.