VAMPIRES WILL NEVER HURT YOU [ON HOLD]

CHAPTER ONE: CLOUDWATER HIGH

Arthur sat down by himself at a circular, teal table. This new school wasn't going good. Some snobby, brunette girl told him that there were only two genders, and he thought it'd be funny to run out of class because he didn't exist. He tripped on his shoelace and got laughed at. At least the teacher thought his joke was funny.

Arthur saw a group of seniors walk into the cafeteria. There was a shorter boy with spikes up hair, a girl with dreadlocks and black lipstick, and another boy who looked like he could bench press the entire football team. The girl walked with another girl who had golden eyes, and the stronger boy walked with a girl who had a small heart beneath her eye. The boy with spiked hair walked behind the pairs. Arthur guessed he didn't have a partner.

The boy with spiked hair said something to his group and headed over to Arthur. He sat down across from him.

"Sup, dude! You look pretty lonely! Do you mind if I sit here with you?" The boy scratched his wannabe goatee and waited for a response.

"N-No. I don't mind. What's your name?"

"Joaquin." He stood up and shot finger guns. He fell back down like a sack of potatoes. "What's yours?"

"I'm Arthur. What are your pronouns?"

"He/him. What're yours, bro?"

"He/it."

"All right then."

Arthur tried taking in every bit of Joaquin. Joaquin looked way shorter than him. Arthur didn't know there could be seniors standing shorter than 5'8. Joaquin had eyes that were almost like a rich brown, but they faded into golden rays. He had a pale, fawn skin tone while Arthur had a warm, sepia tone to it.

Joaquin licked his canines.

They were unnaturally sharp.

Arthur found this oddly attractive. He was hoping he wouldn't get a crush on Joaquin this quick. His brown eyes dilated ever so slightly as a tinge of russetness plastered across his face.

"How old are you, Joaquin?"

"I'm 18. How about you, bro-dude?"

"I'm also 18...!"

Arthur took off his coat and sat it besides himself.

"You watch Twilight?"

Arthur didn't know why he asked this. That was the only thing that kept popping into his head. Sharp ass teeth and Twilight. The two were made for each other.

"FUCK YEAH I WATCH TWILIGHT!"

"THAT'S GREAT!"

"WHO'S YOUR FAVORITE CHARACTER?"

"I DON'T REMEMBER THE MOVIES I WAS LIKE 9 WHEN THEY CAME OUT."

"THEN WHY DO YOU BRING IT UP?" Joaquin scoffed. 

"YOU JUST HAVE REALLY SHARP TEETH."

"WHAT? NO I DON'T! I HAVE THE PERFECTLY NORMAL AMOUNT OF SHARPNESS!"

"SHIT! ARE YOU SELF CONSCIOUS ABOUT THEM? I CAN STOP TALKING ABOUT IT!"

"ME?" Joaquin showed off his various patches on his battle vest. There was a Tokyo Ghoul patch, a Limp Bizkit patch, a Ghost patch, a Queen patch that looked like it had a cum stain on it, and more. "SELF CONSCIOUS?"

"Why does Freddie Mercury have a white stain on his face?"

"WHY DOESN'T HE, ARTHUR?"

"To be, or not to be, that is the question."

"I have to tell you I'm gay before I say this."

"What are you gonna say?"

"Shut the fuck up, faggot."

Arthur was quiet for a few moments. He busted out laughing like a maniac. He slammed his fist onto his thigh. It didn't even hurt. There were students looking at him like he was some crazy man. They whispered amongst each other. Arthur didn't care. He was a senior and it was January. He'd forget most of them by the time he graduated.

Joaquin watched how excited Arthur got. The reaction was funny to him. A small smile crept onto his face. He snickered and soon mimicked Arthur's laughter. His face looked calm, however his laugh was monstrous. Literally everyone in the cafeteria was staring at them. Even the lunch ladies and the custodians watched as Arthur and Joaquin lost their shit in perfect harmony.

Arthur abruptly stopped laughing. He took a sandwich out of his black lunch bag. He already noticed Joaquin didn't have a lunch tray. Arthur split the sandwich in half and gave a side to Joaquin.

"It has peanut butter in it, but I have more shit in my bag," said Arthur.

Joaquin smiled. "I already ate lunch, but thank you," he lied.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah! I eat with one of the teachers. I don't like eating in front of a crowd of people. It's a weird thing with me."

"I'll make sure to not invite you to a restaurant."

Joaquin hummed. "Thanks."

The bell rang. Arthur shoved the sandwich into his mouth and left.