A Cashier and a Movie Star...Can They Really Fall in Love?

The roar of the pickup truck grew louder and louder, and I ran faster and faster, not paying attention to where I was going, just hoping that I would be escaping. I turned to look back at the driver, and realized that this was my nightmare come to life.

Melissa Carrington was driving the pickup, and sure enough, sitting right beside her drinking a green bottle of Bud Weiser was Alex Paris, my ex boyfriend. So much for I don’t drink…

I ran faster, my legs burning, lungs aching, sweat pouring down my face. I gasped, and started to slow down. I stopped just in time to watch a small stone dive off the cliff I was standing on. I was trapped. I turned to look at the pickup, praying that it would be all over soon, but things are never what we want them to be.

The pickup stopped inches from where I stood, and Melissa parked it, and shut off the engine. “Well, well, Joanne, we meet again.”

I pressed my lips together, not saying a word to instigate her further. “I’m back… And let me tell you, Newark prison is a drag!” said Melissa with a laugh. “I mean, the things people do to you in prison… the things I did in prison. Who could forget?”

Alex got out of the pickup, and put his hands on Melissa’s shoulders, and worked his way to her chest. “Oh, I forgot my manners!” said Melissa with an evil grin. “Have you met my boyfriend and new assistant? Alex Paris?”

“We’ve met,” I said through gritted teeth.

“She’s my ex girlfriend,” said Alex as he kissed Melissa’s cheek.

“Did you know your ex helped me escape from prison?” asked Melissa with an evil glint in her eye. “And because of his efforts, I rewarded him…”

“Rewarded him… how?” I asked, regretting asking as soon as the words came out of my mouth. Melissa lifted her straight, light brown hair, and showed me the two holes on her neck. Then, Alex showed me the two holes on his neck.

“You see,” said Melissa, her sharp, pointy teeth showing through her wide, malicious smile. “We are no longer human. Walls cannot contain us, mere human food cannot sustain us, and we sure as hell can’t die like you mortals can. And now, I can fulfill two things. One, I will satisfy my craving for human blood, and two, I will kill you.”

She stepped forward, and I started to back away slowly. As soon as I realized and remembered that I was near the edge of a cliff was it too late. I plummeted downward, falling faster and faster until suddenly, something picked me up. I was flying through the air, and was headed far away from a very angry Melissa and Alex.

I sighed, very relieved I was out of their grasp, and tried to see what had saved me. Everything was such a blur, even my savior, and I felt uneasy and nauseous. We flew faster and faster, wind whipping around my body, making my hair billow our behind me. We finally landed quickly and swiftly on the front lawn of a house I easily recognized, and I knew at once who was my savior.

“D-dan Radcliffe?” I said as he lowered me to the ground carefully. “But, why? And how? And WHAT?!?!”

Before Dan could say anything, Mary and Tom ran over to me, Tom knocking over Dan in the process. “Thank God you’re alright!” said Tom as he kissed me all over my body.

“Th-thank you Dan,” I stammered, trying to catch my breath. “Tom, Dan saved me…”

Tom pulled away from me, and walked over to face Dan. He glowered at him, and I swear, if he were any madder, flames would have shot out of every pore of his skin. “What did you do to her? How did you find her? If you did ANYTHING to her, I will kill you!”

“He didn’t touch me or bite me Tom!” I said, defending Dan. “He saved me! But, Tom’s right, how were you able to find me?”

Dan sighed. “Come into my room, and I will tell you all you need to know. Right now, it is too dangerous to talk out here where we might be over heard.”

Dan took Mary’s hand, and Mary winced at the icy coldness of his skin. Well, I guess they were taking baby steps to getting intimate I guess… Well, at least it was better than no intimacy at all.

We all walked up to Dan’s room, and he shut the door. His blinds were shut tightly, and the room was dark. When he flicked on the light switch, we were plunged into darkness once more. His room hadn’t changed much, he still had the black walls and the many rock band posters on his walls. I threw myself on Dan’s bed, getting comfy. “OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!”

I got off the bed quickly, ready to barf. On the ceiling was a large poster of a semi nude Mary. “Mary! What is that?” I pointed to the ceiling, thoroughly disgusted at the both of them. “That’s more of you than I EVER need to see. I mean, you are absolutely beautiful, but I’d prefer to see your beauty with clothes on! Thank you!”

Mary blushed sheepishly. “I posed for Rolling Stone while I had my days off from the set. They promised me that I would have tasteful pictures of myself in the latest issue, and I asked them if I could do a sexy poster for Dan. And… yep, that’s about it.”

“Oh my God,” I said, sitting in a chair next to Tom. “What happened to the Mary I love and know?”

“She’s here, and she is still human, despite everything,” said Mary flashing Dan a look I couldn’t quite read.

“So, you were going to tell us how you found me?” I said, reminding Dan why we were all here in the first place.

“Well, everyone here knows what I am,” said Dan as he calmly held his hands up as if he were under arrest. “That has a lot to do with how I found you…”

“Wow, really?” said Tom sarcastically. “God, I wouldn’t have known that!”

“Shut up and let him speak!” I scolded.

“Well, since I am a vampire, I have an instant connection with any other local vampires. It’s like instant messenger, all I got to do is concentrate, and I can find other vampires,” said Dan. “I have been trying to find other vampires like me to help me get over my urges to kill. Well, I found two vampires, and found out they were about to attack a human. I instantly flew over to save the human, and realized it was you I was saving. And the two vampires were-”

“Melissa Carrington and Alex Paris,” I said quietly. Tom’s fist slammed into the wall, and Mary had her head in her hands. “I didn’t tell you guys but I heard she had escaped from Newark jail a few months ago. She must have been turned in jail, because she said that Alex helped to free her, and she turned him in return for her freedom. She almost killed me back there…”

“Great, more fucking vampires!” said Tom. “This is just fucking great!”

“You know, not all vampires are evil,” said Dan quietly. “I’m the same Dan as I was before, just with powers, and the urges to drink blood. Melissa and Alex are my enemies too…”

“Right,” scoffed Tom. “They are your brethren! Give me a break Dan! You are just as dangerous, if not more than they are. Why don’t you go rob a blood bank?”

“Why don’t you take a flea bath?”

“Both of you stop!” I cried, seeing how Mary was getting more and more upset by the fighting. “You are driving both Mary and me insane! You two should put aside your differences, and combine your efforts to destroy them!”

“HE STARTED IT!” yelled Tom and Dan together. “ME? YOU!”

“Come on, lets stop!” said Mary as she held Dan’s face his her hands. “It’s not worth it to get upset with Tom. He’s only being protective, you know what that’s like…”

“I know, but I feel like I can’t protect you from him anymore!” said Dan as he pointed at Tom. “I mean, do you even know what the hell he is?”

“NO!” I shouted, shoving Dan. “Don’t you dare!”

“Mary, I’m half human, half wolf,” said Tom, to Dan and my surprise. Tom told her how he was an animagus experiment, and told her how he loses control only during a full moon. “So in essence, I’m way safer than your dead lover over there…”

“Oh really?” said Dan, getting into Tom’s face. “I have more control now than I ever did. At least I don’t go beserk once a month.”

“Too bad both of you don’t have control of your mouths!” I said, pulling Tom away from Dan. “Stop it the two of you. Tom, take me home please. I’ll see you guys later.”

Tom shot Dan a menacing look, and walked out of the room and towards his car.

“Well, at least Dan and Mary are getting along now,” I said.

“Why didn’t you tell me that Melissa had escaped from jail?!?!” growled Tom angrily. “It would have helped if I would have had a bit of a warning, but no. I was left in the dark.”

“How do you think I feel!?” I screamed. “Everyday, I get up, hoping to go work on set, but every time it seems that I am not needed! You leave me at home, working so late at night that I give up staying up for you, and go to bed! And somehow, you magically appear sleeping next to me in the morning…”

“If you are going to make me miserable, than I am going to go back home to America, and pretend that you never came into my life. Here’s your stupid engagement ring! I don’t want it anymore… I’m getting on the next flight to Jersey as soon as I can pack my bags. You want me to be safe? I’ll be back in my hometown, far away from wolf men, vampires, and all other things that go bump in the night? Are you happy now?”

Tom didn’t say a word as we pulled up to the house. I got out of the car before Tom could stop me, and hurried up the stairs. I started to fling all of my clothes into my suitcase, not caring to be neat. I couldn’t believe what I was doing, but I couldn’t take it anymore. It was time for me to go home, and stay there.

“Don’t even bother to try to change my mind,” I told Tom as I called Mary on the cell to tell her I was leaving. “It won’t work. Hey Mare, it’s me. Change of plans. I’m going back to America. Things with Tom and me aren’t working out, so we are splitsville.”

“No way!” said Mary in my ear. “Come on, it can’t be that bad! Stay with him, stick it out. Thing’s will work out…”

“This is different Mare. I’ve been depressed for too long. My love for him has died. He works so late that we have no time for each other. I’m sorry Mary. I’m packing as we speak.

“Come over and stay with Dan and me-”

“Are you serious? Tom wouldn’t let me, and I know when I am not wanted. Things with you and Dan are getting better, and I don’t want to get in the way of that. I hope you guys kick ass in the movie. Perhaps I will come back for the premiere if you want me to go…”

“Of course we want you to go!” cried Mary. “I’ll talk to you soon. Safe flight!”

“I didn’t know I was making you miserable,” said Tom quietly. “I know I’ve been working long hours, but that’s moviemaking. Actors and actresses will work long hours for six months to a year on a project like this. Please stay here with me… don’t leave me. I will do anything to make you stay.”