Diary of a Vampeen (14 page)

“Calm down sweetie. We won’t enforce
anything longer than two weeks, but that is the minimum,” she
stated firmly looking at my father for reassurance. “After all, you
are the one who has to face them and answer their questions. Just
remember that you’re not able to share your secret with them,
regardless of the circumstances.”

“I’ll help you Lexi,” Kellan promised
with a light squeeze of my palm.

It was hitting me all at once, just
collapsing down on me. After Thursday, or Friday technically, at
midnight my life would never be the same. I would never look the
same. I felt like… like I couldn’t breathe, like the walls of life
were closing in on me. I felt like my heart was going to escape my
chest. I felt…

~~~

“Lexi! Lexi!” I heard Kellan gasping
anxiously.

“Lexi, sweetie, can you hear me?” my
mother’s voice sung through the crowd calmly.

“Lexi, it’s Dad, can you hear us?” he
attempted to state, but stuttered in fear.

I blinked quickly a few times trying
to refocus my vision. I saw the three of them standing over
me.

“Are you ok, Lex?” my dad pressed,
still frightened and dismayed. Worry lines crowded his forehead as
he stared down at me.

“I… I.. think so,” I whispered softly.
“What happened?”

“You fainted sweetie, nearly gave your
dad a heart attack.”

“Oh. Sorry,” I mumbled. I tried to sit
up but fell back when my head whirled with dizziness. It suddenly
weighed a thousand pounds as a massive headache set in.

“Just stay here sweetie. Don’t move
for a bit,” my mother advised. She was always the level-headed one
in the middle of a crisis. She never lost her cool or became
discombobulated as most people did in a panic.

“I really just want to go lay down in
bed,” I insisted. I was more affected by the situation than I
realized. It was overwhelming, but I assumed I could handle it. I
handled Kellan’s news without a problem. I should have known that
when it’s personal, it’s much more difficult to swallow.

“I can carry her up,” Kellan offered,
looking at my parents for permission.

“Are you serious?!” I croaked in the
loudest whisper I could produce. “I’ll break you!”

He laughed looking at me still
sprawled on the couch. “Strong enough to incapacitate a lion,
remember? You’ll be like lifting air.”

My parents exchanged glances before
agreeing. Kellan bent down slightly and lifted me without
hesitation. I wrapped my arms around his neck just to be sure I
didn’t fall abruptly. He laughed again staring at my frightened
expression. Somehow I always amused him.

“Do you want to be more frightened?” A
satanic grin spread across his face.

“I don’t think that’s possible right
now.”

“Yes it is.” He suddenly tripled his
speed. I felt a gust of wind slap the side of my face; but it was
gone as quickly as it came. I was in my bed already. My eyes bugged
out in shock and Kellan was smirking in cockiness clearly pleased
with his rash decision.

“Headache, remember?” I grumbled
pointing at my head.

He let out a quick chuckle. “Sorry,
didn’t know if I would ever get the chance to do that again. It
won’t be the same after Friday,” he frowned.

“Yea,” I whispered. “I’m going to be
really different aren’t I?”

Kellan smiled one of his melting
expressions but didn’t answer my worry. “I should probably get
going.”

“I know this is going to sound
strange, but do you think you can stay? You know, just for a little
bit.” I stumbled, hoping he would oblige. I was already embarrassed
by my blackout downstairs and knowing he could deny me here was a
major risk. It paid off though.

“Umm, sure,” he said as he hopped into
the bed next to me.

Truth is, I really didn’t want to be
alone and Kellan, though he was dominantly a dark loner, was oddly
comforting to have around given everything I was trying to process.
Plus he had opened up to me in a way obscure to my classmates and
friends which exposed his shared comfort around me. And for me,
seeing him let me know that everything would be fine; he was proof
of that.

“Will you do me a favor?” I asked
sheepishly.

“Aren’t I doing you one
already?”

“Umm.. well, will you tell me about
your transformation?”

He sighed quietly. At first I didn’t
think he was going to tell me and I was prepared to let it go, but
then he began to speak.

“Well, since I’m twenty-five percent
human, I had the same sixteen years to marinate like you. My
parents told me two weeks before my birthday. I didn’t believe them
at first since they put on such a convincing human charade. My dad
actually took me on a hunting trip to prove my heritage. I was
shocked. The way he pounced the guy…” he shivered in reflection of
the human memory. “Well, needless to say I believed them at that
point. It made it easier that my best friend, Craig, had gone
through the change a week earlier. He’s like you though and is more
human.” He paused and looked down at his feet appearing caught up
in the design details of his shoes. It took me a minute before I
realized he was trying to control an emotional reaction.

“Do you miss him?” I asked softly. I’d
never seen Kellan so sensitive.

“It’s just different without him. We
were the guy version of you and Mel.”

“I’m sorry,” was all I knew to say,
yet it wasn’t nearly enough.

“Back to the story,” he prompted
himself. “So my family flew back to Spain for our ‘Family
Reunion’.” He lifted his fingers to create quotation marks as he
spoke. “I left Seattle human and returned a vampire.”

“What did you look like as a
human?”

He reached in his back pocket and
retrieved his wallet. Tucked deep inside the back slot, he pulled
out a warn photo and handed it to me. He looked almost exactly the
same only a bit more rough despite his baby face. He had only minor
enhancements to him now, nothing a round of plastic surgery, skin
treatments and general aging couldn’t have done for a
human.

“Wow. You look so different,” I
smirked.

“You’re such a horrible liar,” he
laughed.

“Yea,” I smiled. “How old were you
here?”

“Thirteen.”

“Adorable.”

“And now?” he prompted.

“Now you look… handsome,” I replied
before handing him back the picture.

“You’re going to be just as beautiful
you know,” he stated.

Copying him, I asked, “But
now?”

“You’re beautiful in your human form
now, and will be stunning after. Don’t sweat it.”

“Did it hurt? Did you feel different
or strange?” I was unsure if I was really ready for an adverse
response.

“You sleep through everything. It’s
like when you have surgery, the anesthesia makes you sleep deep
enough to ignore the pain,” he explained. “After, when you wake up,
it is shocking at first. Everything is intensified. You hear every
pin drop and smell every daisy three yards down, but you adjust
after a few days. You’ll feel weird. It’s almost like an
out-of-body experience in the beginning. You’ll have to get to know
your new figure and lifestyle. You’ll have to buy a new wardrobe.
Once you become acquainted with everything though, it’s great.
You’ll be fine Lexi. I promise.” I enjoyed seeing this softer side
of Kellan. He was vulnerable, contemplative and passionate. For
once, we were on the same level of exposure. We shared an intimacy
in the experience without touching physically.

“I know. I’m over thinking it all.
It’s just overwhelming,” I admitted shyly.

“You should get some sleep. It’s been
a long day for you.”

“Thanks… for everything. I would
probably be a total nut case right now if it weren’t for you,” I
said, pulling the covers up higher as I rolled on my left side
towards him.

“You already are,” he laughed. “At
least you’re a likable crazy person though.”

“I’m choosing to ignore that jab since
you’ve been so great for the majority of this evening.”

“Go to sleep Lexi. I’ll see you in the
morning,” he said.

He turned sideways to face me as I had
him. He reached out, but pulled back hesitantly. I could tell he
wasn’t used to this sort of closeness. He stretched out his hand
again; this time he didn’t waver as he caressed my face from head
to chin. His skin was just as smooth as earlier with the same cool
temperature. Despite the rest of my body being cold under the thick
comforter, I enjoyed his touch and didn’t want him to
stop.

So much was racing through my mind. I
still couldn’t believe it. Kellan was a vampire, I was going to be
a vampeen, my mom was a vampeen, and I had three full days
remaining as a human. How do you live your last days to the fullest
when no one can know what is coming? It was a little tricky. On the
up side, Kellan wasn’t so dark and reserved. I felt special, like
he’d torn down a few defenses to let me in.

And Mel… What was I going to tell her?
What could I tell her? I didn’t want to lie to her, but I also
didn’t want to lose my best friend.

Then there was Mike. He was the first
and only guy to like me the way I was – fat. He had embraced my
every curve and made me feel special unlike anyone else. How could
I turn on him? How could I abandon him without feeling a
gut-wrenching guilt for the rest of my life? Honestly, I couldn’t.
I still liked him and cared about him. I couldn’t hurt him like
that.

And finally there was Kellan. He’s so
easy to talk to, especially now that he’s the sole student at my
school who knew and understood what I was about to endure. I didn’t
have to hide anything from him, but he was definitely not like
Mike. Mike loved me the way I was now, but I worried that Kellan
only liked me for who I would be, how I would look after Friday. I
couldn’t let go of Kellan now though. The bond had been formed, my
desires were plain and vivid despite the lonely question mark I
carried with him.

No. I couldn’t let go of my best
friend, of either guy I admired, or my life as I’d known it.
Despite the rumors that would swirl, for their sake, I had to
return quickly to what I had established. I would stay out of
school for two weeks before returning with a boom. Perhaps I would
even let Mel plan a party for me and concoct a big reveal there. At
least then she could have her fun and no one would assume I was a
new student in the halls. After all, if I turned out as gorgeous as
everyone claimed, I wouldn’t mind flaunting a bit.

How different would I be though?
Listen to me. I hadn’t even transformed and I already sounded like
a selfish, snobbish cheerleader. If I maintained this reprisal
attitude, I would be a bratty monster. I couldn’t let model looks
change me internally. I didn’t want to be Jenny Struthers’s evil
side kick. I didn’t want other girls to feel intimidated or
self-conscious around me. I didn’t want anyone to endure what I did
because of me.

~~~

I woke up in the morning to my alarm
sounding. I slapped the snooze button and stretched. I opened my
eyes and scanned the room. Kellan was gone. I didn’t know what I
expected, but my mood sunk a bit knowing he left me. I guess I was
hoping for another Edward moment.

I heard a tap at my door. “Come in,” I
said stifling a yawn.

“Morning sweetie, how are you
feeling?” my mother asked sliding gracefully onto the edge of my
bed.

“Umm, ok so far.”

“That’s good. You do have some worried
visitors downstairs though.”

“Visitors? As in more than one?” The
last thing anyone wants is visitors when your alarm sounds first
thing in the morning.

“Yes. Mike and Mel are worried about
you. Mel said you didn’t call last night nor did you answer her
calls. I didn’t tell them anything; I will leave that to you.” She
kissed my forehead and returned downstairs to give me
time.

“Ugh.” I decided not to prolong my
crucifixion. I took a two minute shower, tossed my hair up, brushed
my teeth and threw on the first outfit I found. I strolled
downstairs remembering I’d left my cell in my bag by the
door.

As soon as I entered the family room,
I knew I was right to rush. Mike appeared ready to have a heart
attack at any moment and Mel looked pissed off giving me her
‘you’re in deep shit – start talking’ glare.

“Umm, morning guys,” I smiled with a
half wave motion.

“I’ll give you some space,” my mother
offered exiting the room.

“You better start talking fast Lex,”
Mel warned.

“Sorry. Kellan and I left school and
went to the beach. We were walking and talking. We lost track of
time. It was night before we left. He brought me home; I talked to
my parents for a bit. I was so exhausted from walking all night
that I just crashed and forgot to call you guys. Sorry,” I gushed
trying to stick with the truth.

“If you went to bed, then why was
Kellan just leaving when we got here?” Mike asked. I could hear the
pain in his voice despite his accusing tone. I knew what he was
thinking and I had to make it right.