I'm Fine in the Fire, Don't Try and Fix Me

There was an uncomfortable air about the school. I couldn't quite explain it, but things were just out of whack. This wasn't the first time my school went through a mating ceremony, nor would it be the last. I didn't understand why people were acting so different. The doms were staking claims on their fertiles like their life depended on it. I'm fairly certain I was the only one who didn't have their dom hanging off of them like a coat on a hanger.

Though, that was my fault, wasn't it? I sighed. I don't know why I was making such a big deal of this. It wasn't like anything was going to be any different between us. Yes, I know my father said those things, but honestly, did it make a difference? While you make think so, I didn't.

Jeez, I was such a freaking weirdo. Everyone was all puppy dog eyes and lovely dovy shit, and here I was, barely able to hold his hand for more than a few moments. I really was pathetic. Everyone in fertile studies were gossiping and talking about their doms, and there I was, sitting there with my non-existent friends, you don't count, and not doing a thing.

I don't know why I was acting this way. Things don't usually get to me like this. I usually didn't care. People hated me? So what? People thought I was some freak? They could get in line! No one liked me? Fuck them, too. But, right now, in this moment, it mattered. It mattered what Vlad's friends thought of me. It mattered how many people were suddenly gossiping about me. It all started to matter for some reason. And, I absolutely hated it.

That's why I told Vlad to drop me off at the school after we left. I needed to let my aggression out on something, and what better way than to use some good old magic? My mother was going to be there, of course. And, she said it would be perfect practice to spar with her.

So, that's exactly what I did.

We had the same fighting style. That was obvious. She taught me how to fight. So, once the fight started, we knew it was going to get nowhere, but it was still fun.

It was quite simple. She would hit. I would block. I would hit. She would block. It went on like that for over an hour before one of the teachers in the other room needed my mom's help with the pesky little children.

Don't get me wrong. I love the little brats. But, they're just that. Brats.

So, I decide to walk home after that. It wasn't a long walk, nor was it difficult. I just didn’t' like to do it very often because it passed certain people's houses that I didn't enjoy, mostly my parent's friends whose kids I didn't like. Well, they didn't like me really. Let's just say it was a mutual distaste, but still, it wasn't an enjoyable walk. You would understand that I'm sure.

That was a mistake though.

While I was strolling aimlessly down the sidewalk, there was a couple that was walking in front of. Nothing too interesting as you would assume. But, they looked familiar for some reason. I didn't think anything of it as I slowly started to pass them until I realized just who it was.

No, it wasn't some kids who bullied me at school or anything like that. If you guessed that, you read too many fictional stories. My life wasn't that cliché, thanks though. No, it wasn't school bullies, the opposite really. It was my bullies at home.

"Look who it is, the little freak show." Adena called out.

"Yeah," I muttered. "The freak you happen to be related to"

She was walking with her mate, so of course she was going to start something. He was the reason she was mean to me in the first place. It was his fault I like to think, so you think it, too. His ugly ass charm apparently got her hating me for no reason. Probably a reason as simple as him not liking that I'm a hybrid of sort. Well, he can get the fuck over it I thought.

I'm sorry. When I get snippy, I get cursy.

"Sorry, I couldn't hear you over those killer powers of yours." She said back.

I scoffed. "You've hurt more people with that wicked tongue of yours than I have with my powers."

"Please, I'm surprised you haven't killed anyone yet with all that rage floating around inside you." She argued. Her mate just stood by her side with a proud look in his eyes. He was always bark and no bite.

I rolled my eyes. This girl never makes sense when she wants to fight with me. "Rage? Please, I'm not angry at anyone."

"Oh, sure you are," she countered. "You're mad at the world because no one understands you. You're mad at your mom because she won't tell you where you came from. You're mad at everyone in the school for calling you names when you know they're true. You're mad at the council for giving you a mate. Face it, you just hate everything."

"I'm not mad about those things, you dumbass." I mumbled.

"Yes, you are. Anyone can see it, especially someone who is cursed with having to spend time with you like I am." She corrected.

"Well," I stated. "For someone who spends so much time with me, you aren't that observant."

I started walking away when she called after me again. "Don't be mad at me, princess. I'm not the people who keep giving up on you."

I stopped, and turned back around to face the bitch. "What are you talking about?" I was completely confused.

"Well, face it. Everyone at the school gave up on you as a friend. The teachers gave up on you as a student. Our line gave up on you as family. Your dad is giving up on you as a good little fertile. Your mom is giving up on you as a witch. It's only a matter of time that poor Vladimir gives up on you, too." She said with a sick smirk.

I stared at her for a second. She was lying wasn't she? You think so, don't you? I mean, I know the people at school didn't like me, and I know she didn't think of me as family. But, all those other people, my brothers, my parents, Vlad, they wouldn't give up on me? They were the only people I cared about. They cared about me.

She was just trying to get into my head. She always does that. But, it made sense, didn't it? I mean I wasn't he special. Vlad was going to realize I was a terrible mate soon, so was my father. Dad was going to realize that I wasn't a good vampire. Mom was going to realize that I wasn't a good witch. I wasn’t' good at anything.

I was alone, and I was starting to realize it. I furiously wiped the tears from my face as I ran back to my house, ignoring her taunting calls. She was nothing. No, I was the one who was nothing. This was my life, and I couldn't even do that. It was so desperate.

"Are you okay, Liam?" Max asked while he obviously was going over to my house.

I pushed past him, and my brother who opened the door, running to my room. I couldn't believe my head. I was never one to think these things, but then again I was never one to think too hard. I was just . . . just . . . God, I didn't even know!

I hit my lamp off my desk in utter rage. This was fucking stupid! I couldn't believe any of this! It wasn't even worth it anymore.

I realized I wasn't the one who was throwing things around my room anymore. They were doing it on their own. So much for blue being fucking calming.

I was done, just done, with all of this. It was too much, but it would never be enough. I would never be enough. It wasn't my fault I was born a fucking freak. It wasn't my fault that everyone had to agree with me on that. If they had such a big problem, they should have killed me already! That would have ended everyone misery.

My door started to open, and I threw what appeared to my text book at it. "Leave me alone!" I screamed, then I kept screaming and screaming and throwing and pounding me head. Things kept flying around my room. Papers were being torn. Sheets were being destroyed. But, I didn't care. If no one wanted to care about me, why the hell should I care about this shit?

"Why can't I be good enough?!" I screamed at my reflection in my computer. "Why are you such a freak? Why couldn't you have been normal? You never should have been born!" It cracked, the screen, and shattered into a million pieces.

"Liam, calm down!" My father demanded.

I laughed. Who was he to demand things right now?

"Liam, you need to calm down!" He demanded again.

"You never believed in me, did you?" I muttered. "You always knew I was going to be just another pest, another bug to kill? Why did you keep me alive, father? God, you should have just left me there to rot!"

He tried to dodge the thing that kept flying around him, at him sometimes. But, he wasn't strong enough. He was never meant to be strong enough. He was just a vampire. And, what was I? Was I a witch? No, they hated vampires. Was I a vampire? No, they hated witches.

"What am I?" I asked myself.

"Liam." Another voice said. It was calmer this time, nicer. It didn't tell me to calm down. I couldn't see anything through the blur of my tears. God, I was a mess.

Somebody grabbed me. "It's okay, Liam. It's okay." They said to me over and over again. I could feel their calmness surround me. Falling to my knees, I could feel my head running a marathon, my emotions going with it.

"What am I?" I repeated to myself over and over again. The person still tried to calm me down. They kept saying nice things to me until I could feel everything just drain out of me.

I must have passed out after that.