Pretty Boy

I breathed in his sent and smiled, imagining how he would taste. His terrified eyes were locked on mine, pleading with me to spare him. But how could I? He smelled so delicious. I imagined my teeth breaking through the pathetic barrier of his skin. I would get such enjoyment, such nourishment, from him. My stomach growled.1

“I will eat you,” I decided. “I’m sorry you’re going to die so young, but you cannot escape me.”2

“Karen, why are you talking to an apple?” Beth asked me.3

“Look at him, he’s sweating,” I instructed.4

“No,” she said in her talking-to-lunatics voice. “That’s just water from when you washed it off.”5

I looked up at her. “You’re ruining it.”6

She sighed, “Why do you always insist on drawing faces on your fruit?”7

“So I can pretend I’m eating a human,” I declared evilly.8

She gave me a look. “You know you can’t scare me off, so why do you even try? I’ve been you’re best friend since the third grade and that isn’t going to change until we graduate and I move away from this hick town.” I turned back to my helpless victim. “You know what you really need?” she continued, “You need a boyfriend. That would help you grow up faster.”9

“I don’t date,’ I said sternly.10

“Oh, come on. Surely there must be some guy at school you like. I can point out about twenty I like just at the next table,” she gestured over her shoulder at the table behind us.11

I blushed. “Well, the new guy is kinda-“12

“You think he’s cute, don’t you?”13

“I wasn’t going to say cute. More like pretty.”14

She nodded seriously. “Of course. Pretty is better than cute anyway. You should go talk to him.”15

“I don’t think that’d be a good idea.”16

“Well, I do. Come on, he’s sitting all by himself. Let me put it this way: if you don’t go talk to him, I will and I’ll point you out then tell him the Dracula story.”17

I felt myself go pale. “You promised you’d never tell that story to anyone!”18

“I did, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I won’t sit and watch as you wallow in lonely misery. I won’t be here forever.”19

I stood with as much dignity as I could muster, “I hate you for this.”20

“But you’ll love me later. And remember don’t act like you’re desperate. Try to be coy.”21

Okay, I can do this. I can be coy, I thought as I walked across the school cafeteria. Who am I kidding? I’m not coy. More like painfully blunt. Well, might as well stick with the method I know.22

“Hi,” I said as I came to a stop beside the new boy’s table. “My name’s Karen. Uh, do you see that girl I was sitting across from who is staring intently in this direction?”23

He smiled and my heart went crazy. “Yeah,” he said.24

“Well, she thinks I need a boyfriend and you’re just about the only boy here who I’m not related to that I can look at without wanting to blind myself. Look, could I sit down before I faint from embarrassment?”25

He gestured to the seat across from him. “Well,” he said once I was seated. “I could see how that might be troubling. Have you asked any of the girls? Some of them are stunningly attractive.” He was staring right at me.26

“Uh, I thought I might see if this would work out first since I’m related to most of them, too. Look could you just spare me the extra humiliation and say no already.”27

He smiled again. “What makes you think I’m going to say no?”28

“What?” I asked, dumfounded.29

“Your friend seems to think this is going badly. Why don’t we prove her wrong? I still don’t know my way around, maybe you could come by my place tonight and we could take a walk. You could show me the sights. What do you think?”30

“Yeah, sure. There’s not much to see, but I could give it a shot.” Dazed, I stood and started to walk away. He grabbed my hand.31

“Wait,” he said as he took out a pen and started writing on my palm. “My name, number, and address. I thought you might need them.” His smile held me in place even after he let me go. “I’ll see you tonight.”32

“Oh, yeah. Bye,” I said finally remembering to walk away. I tried desperately not to trip as I made my way back to Beth and sat down facing her.33

“So, how’d it go?” she asked hopefully. I held up my hand for her to see. “What’s his name? I can’t see.”34

I looked at my hand which was still tingling from where he’d touched it. “Alec,” I read.35

*****36

I looked up at the street sign, then at my palm again. I was on the corner of Walnut Street and Cherrygrove. Alec lived on Berryman Avenue. I could turn here and head toward Walnut, but Cherrygrove didn’t go all the way through. I’d have to climb the climb the Drakers’ fence and creep through their yard, completely ignoring the ‘No Trespassing’ sign or else go way out of my way to get to Alec’s house. Or I could go down the alley half a block up and come out within a few yards of where the house should be. I continued down Walnut until I reached the alley and then turned. Of course, there wasn’t anyone else around. I really didn’t understand why everyone stuck to the main roads. It was common sense. All the muggers , axe murders, and the like were on the streets looking for victims. So I took an alley whenever I could, it was just safer. As I walked I caught sight of a couple of intelligent kids my own age who had also chosen to use the decidedly safer alley. Or maybe they were just looking for a quiet place to make out. As I drew closer I came to the conclusion that it was probably the latter of the two. They were really going at it.37

As much as I hated to disturb the young romantics, there was no way I was going to turn around and take the long route now. I was only a couple yards away when the girl looked up. It was dark, but not so dark that I couldn’t see the blood on her mouth. I supposed ‘making out’ could be a euphemism for ‘drinking blood’ and ‘young romantics’ could be taken as ‘a vampire and her victim.’ In movies vampires were always depicted as romantic and the boy may have been too. He looked like he may have been the romantic sort, or at least I decided to assume the best about the dead. It’s only polite after all.38

Surprisingly enough, I wasn’t scared. I had always loved stories and movies about vampires. I’d had dreams about becoming one for years. There had even been an incident where I’d thought I’d seen Dracula and had run up to beg him to change me. Of course I had been heartbroken once I realized it was just some snazzily dressed, homeless guy. Now I stood staring at a real vampire, my heart beating fast. She really only had two options. She could kill me or turn me. I knew myself well enough to know that if she let me go I’d just run and tell everyone I knew. I decided to try and influence her decision.39

“You’re a real vampire?”40

“Well, duh.”41

“Wow. You’re so lucky; I’ve always wanted to be one.”42

“You’re not scared?” she asked.43

“Should I be?”44

“Well, I was planning to kill you.”45

“Oh. Planning as in you’ve been waiting here for me?”46

“Only for like an hour. I figured you’d be like most girls and show up really early for your date.”47

“How’d you know about that?”48

“I was sitting right behind Alec. I can’t believe it, you people never notice me,” she rolled her eyes.49

“Well,” I said conversationally. “you can’t exactly blame me. Alec is very pretty.”50

She snorted. “Yeah, I noticed. Why do you think he hasn’t been on a date in two years?”51

“So, you’ve been stalking him?”52

“It’s his own fault,” she snapped angrily. “The jerk stood me up once he found out I was a vampire.”53

“That is so rude!” I said indignantly.54

“Well, I was going to eat him,” she said, cooling off a bit.55

“That’s no excuse! How dare he!” I was angry now. “I’m going to march right up to his door and cancel our date. Then I’m gonna smack him! And here I thought he was nice! Oh, wait,” I realized. “You wanted to kill me…So, you’ll do that, then I’ll cancel my date and haunt him for the rest of his life! He’s so mean, standing you up like that!”56

“You’re going to come back from the dead to cancel a date and then haunt him?” the vampire asked skeptically.57

I nodded fiercely, “If I can, of else I just won’t show up. Let’s see how he likes getting stood up!” A new idea occurred to me. “Or, you could turn me into a vampire and we could both smack him in the face. Oh, please? I would be in you’re debt for like, forever! We could be hunting buddies! It would be so great, don’t you think?”58

She smiled. “You’re really enthusiastic, aren’t you? I don’t know if I could put up with that for an eternity…”59

“Please? I won’t be any trouble, I promise!”60

“Well, as long as you promise. Alec’s mine, though.”61

I nodded, “Of course, that’s the way it should be.”62

She stepped forward and tilted my head back with her hands. I felt teeth sink into my throat and tried to pay attention to what was happening. I’d read so many authors describe this transformation and I was ready to compare it to all the books I had at home. But my focus kept slipping away. The world around me just wasn’t important, nothing was.63

Just relax, a voice said and there was no possible way I could do anything but. Dimly I was shocked to find my world going black.64

*****65

I woke up on the ground and was extremely disappointed with myself for falling asleep during the very moment I had been waiting my whole life for.66

My creator knelt over me. “Wait here,” she said. “I’ll be right back and then we’ll go hunting.” I nodded dizzily and she disappeared. I had a headache and my stomach was growling like there was no tomorrow, but I sat up. The other vampire was gone. I was alone. I couldn’t believe it, I was a vampire! Beth would be so shocked. All thoughts of staying put forgotten, I jumped to my feet and raced toward my best friend’s house.67

When I got there I saw Beth’s dad sitting on the porch swing. I walked toward him.68

“Hi, Karen, are you looking for Beth? She ran to the store, but should be back any minute. Why don’t you sit down?” He patted the seat beside him and I moved toward it. As I was sitting he said, “Hey, weren’t you supposed to have a date tonight?”69

I looked up at him and my eyes were drawn to his neck. I was latched onto it before I could stop myself. Sweet, sweet blood was running down my throat, making me forget everything else. That is, until I heard a voice.70

“Oh, my God! Karen, what are you doing?!” I let go of my victim and turned toward Beth.71

“Feeding,” I replied, realizing that being a vampire wasn’t like I thought it would be. All that stuff about good vampires was a lie. I was a monster. A monster that couldn’t control herself. Beth turned and ran. I followed. It seemed like no time at all before I was walking down the alley where my new life had started.72

“Beth,” I called. “Oh, Beth. I thought nothing I did could scare you away. I thought we were friends.” I knocked a trash can aside and heard a frightened whimper from the other side of the alley. I turned and started toward it. “Hey, Beth, do you still think this is a hick town? Give me two weeks and I promise I can change that. I’ll turn it into a good old ghost town, just like in the old West. Oh, too bad you won’t see it. I’m afraid I’m gonna start with you.” I shoved an ancient couch out of my way and looked down at my best friend. I smiled and inhaled, catching her terrified scent, and imagining how she would taste.73