Of Suspenders and Curls

I couldn't move a single muscle in my body. It seemed that time had stood still with Harry staring at me with his enlarged green eyes. His eyes looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets.

Harry made the first move. He grabbed the nearest tree branch which had fallen to the ground, and snapped it in half. Then he pointed the sharp, splintered end at me.

"What are you?" he asked, voice hoarse. I sensed his fear underneath all that bravado.

I broke out from my stupor and stood up. That simple action made Harry edged nearer to me, with the pointed branches already aimed at my unbeating heart.

I raised both of my arms in a 'surrender' position. "I think you already know the answer Harry," I replied softly and looked at him straight in the eyes.

"It c-can't be. You're a, you're a... Monster!" he gasped out loud.

I rolled my eyes. "Technically, I'm a vampire," I corrected him.

"Shut up! Just, shut your gob!" He had thrown aside a branch and had one hand running through his mop of curls, clearly agitated that I could still be in a humorous mood at a time like this.

I sighed. "Harry, if you could put that pointy object aside, I'll explain everything to you. You won't be harmed. I promise."

"How can I trust you after knowing what you really are? And what have you done to my sister?" Harry asked, going into hysterics.

Wait, what? Gemma is Harry's sister?!

I glanced at the unconscious girl slumped over on the bench, still in a sitting position.

"Don't go near her!" Harry shrieked.

"Harry, you're not making this any easier." I was getting edgier by the minute. "Put down the branch and I promise you no harm. Please, trust me."

It only took a split second but that's all it mattered. I noticed Harry's defensive stance faltered and I took the opportunity to knock the makeshift stake out of his hand.

He made a gesture to punch me, but I was faster. Instead of his fist colliding with my face, I ended behind him, his arms held down firmly by me.

"Let me go! I said, let me go!" Harry struggled and thrashed. I was strong, but I couldn't knock any senses into the boy like this. So I threw him down on the grassy patch and pounced on top of him. I half-sat on his stomach while my hands held down each of his arm. I brought my face mere inches away from Harry's. The boy was terrified, seeing he was immobilised.

"I-I'm sorry! D-Don't bite me, please! Just, just, d-d-don't..." he broke out in sobs.

I felt bad for having made Harry bawl like a pre-schooler. My features shifted to make me look like my normal, human self.

"Is this better?" I asked.

Harry nodded, but he was still sobbing uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry I had to restrain you like this. Otherwise, you'll be thrashing around. Promise me you won't run nor attack me again. I'm not going to hurt you, alright?" I let go of his arms slowly and slid myself off him.

He remained lying down on the grassy patch. I looked at him and could make out his rapidly beating heartbeat.

"Harry? Are you alright?"

He didn't say a word. Instead, he continued to stare straight up into the night sky. Suddenly, he started giggling in the midst of his sobs.

I looked at him as if he'd gone mental. I'd guess this is what they call 'undergoing trauma'?

I left Harry alone to compose himself. His hysteria went on for about a good five minutes, until he finally calmed down and came to sit in between Gemma and me. I noticed the apparent gap between him and myself.

I broke the silence by asking Harry his condition again. He glared at me.

"You're asking me how am I, after knowing what you are? What is wrong with you? No, wait. What is wrong with me? I'm sitting here, calmly having a conversation with a demon!" Harry's voice raised over an octave.

"Let me explain, Harry. You're not giving me a chance to," I pleaded. "Yes, I'm a bloodsucking fiend, demon, whatever you want to call me. But I'm not like what you think I am. I am not a murderer."

"Really?" he scoffed. "Then why are you still caked with my sister's blood? And what have you done to her?"

I'm usually wasn't this sloppy when feeding, but Harry caught me by surprise. I must have looked really scary. No wonder the boy had a breakdown.

"I drank a bit of your sister's blood. I didn't harm an inch of her. She's currently unconscious, but don't worry. She's still alive and well. She won't remember a single thing that had happened."

"If I was a murdering monster, I would have finished you off the very first night I met you at the coffee house. Bloody hell, I could have killed you anytime during our lessons. I'm sure you know about our speed and agility, compared to humans."

Harry remained silent and I felt the atmosphere surrounding us was thick with tension.

"Disappear, Lou," he whispered.

I was taken aback at what he had said. "I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me. I'm telling you to disappear from my life. Go. Our meeting never happened. And you never existed." He gazed at me with red, puffy eyes.

"Wha-"

"Go! Get out of my life! If you meant me no harm, please just, be gone. Disappear. You and your friends."

I was lost for words. He was supposed to be the chosen one. I have failed yet again.

I ran a hand through my messy hair and over my face. I felt the dried blood crusting at the corners of my mouth for not wiping them off earlier, but I didn't care about my appearance anymore. I am a monster afterall.

"If that's what you want, fine then. But you didn't even listen to my side of the story. And that disappoint me. Not to mention, I'm hurt by your words." I took one last lingering look at Harry and disappeared into the black, inky night.