Vampire Story

Fire

"Valerie Marie Pine."

I stood at the front of the class telling my new teacher my name so she'd hand me my new schedule. 

"Oh I know who you are honey. You don't have to tell me your name." The woman sitting down at the desk in front of me said.

Everyone was still fired up and excited about Stella from the assembly we just had, and it just so happens that I have my first class of the day with her. I could hear everyone talking loudly and surrounding her at the back of the class as I tried to clear up my schedule: 

"Is that girl really your cousin?"

"You must be smart too plus you're athletic!"

"They better give you some sort of scholarship!"

I rolled my eyes at the questions everyone was throwing her way. 

A week ago no one even paid attention to Stella. She was just another student, but overnight she's just been launched into...well this. I was proud of her and finally some of the popularity was taken off of my back. It's just that I would have appreciated some concern given that I got out of the hospital less than a day ago, but they don't care. All they care about is what's new and exciting. I'm neither one of those things.

"Your old teacher told me that you were in the hospital. Are you sure you're alright to come back to school yet? You still look...really sick," she hesitated. I could tell I looked absolutely horrible. Probably dead.

"That's what my sister told me."

I took the schedule out of her hands and left. She didn't seem to appreciate me walking away at that moment. Maybe she had more to say.

Looking at my schedule I could tell that it was mostly similar to the old one, only I have a new teacher for English.

I sat at some empty desk with a brand new textbook on it. It was shiny and new just like everything [and everyone] else here apparently. I sat right next to the mass of people that were just starting to flee from Stella as class started. Stella sat next to me but said nothing. 

She's the only person that truly knows what happened to me but she didn't even care to bat an eyelash in my direction.

If you ever need anything just go to Stella.

The words from Stella's mom's card circled through my mind. I wanted to talk to her badly about what happened.

I pondered over what I would say in my mind to Stella and what I would tell her.

"I wasn't thinking, I just did it." 

"I wanted to prove someone wrong and hope that they'd actually care for me and not because they adore my mom (who is a terrible person by the way)." 

Or would I tell her about me jumping states even though I really didn't want to?

Maybe I shouldn't say any of that at all. Maybe I should just say hello.

I leaned sideways in my chair and whispered to her. "Stella?"

I stared at the side of her face expecting her to say something, but she didn't say anything. Maybe she didn't hear me.

"Stella?" I whispered a bit louder.

This time she looked at me with a frown on her face. After a long pause she shushed me.

I was confused about why she was shushing me. Class wasn't officially in session yet, plus everyone else was talking so it wasn't like I disturbed the peace.