Succubus

High School

Marina's POV

I lie awake in bed. It's late at night and I can't sleep.

It's not that my bed isn't comfortable; it's my head that's not. My mind isn't a nice place to be stuck inside of at nighttime.

Tonight's worry is American high school. I can't stop worrying about it - I imagine it to be brutal. That's how it is in films at least, and that inspiration must come from somewhere. It's also not helping my anxiety that I start in just a few hours.

I sigh. I'm panicking because I need all the sleep I can get for school in the morning. I'm not going to get any more than three hours sleep, and that's if I fall asleep right now.

It's reached the point that lying in this bed is making me feel sick. I can't bare it anymore, so I go and sit by my window. I open it to get some fresh air.

I have to admit, LA is very pretty. Even it's noises are slightly magical. I can hear crickets, and soft warm breezes in the surrounding foliage. I do like it, I just wish I didn't feel so lost all the time.

Looking out of the window is one of my favourite things to do. I can watch everything from a safe distance, and I'll continue to do so until I don't feel as vulnerable here.

There's hardly any activity from our neighbours to the right. It's very strange. At night I see their windows lit up, and during the day I don't ever see them outside.

Their lights are on now, even. At four in the morning. Four. It's very odd. But I shouldn't judge them, I'm awake at this hour too.

I think I'm only paying so much attention to them because one, the girl is very very pretty. And two, I've had nothing else to do up until this point. Starting school is terrifying, and not something I'm looking forward to.

I really doubt that I'll get to sleep again at this point, which makes me even more nervous because I'll be exhausted at school.

Fuck it. There isn't anything I can do.

I hear a car outside, which is strange because this peaceful rich neighbourhood usually has very few disturbances at night. The car sounds close, even.

Then it clicks with me that it might be the girl next door. It might be Elizabeth again. I open my window extra wide so that I can listen out for anything at all. And most importantly, I sit silently in order to not get myself caught.

The car door opens then shuts. I can tell that it's definitely next door because it sounds close. I'm hardly breathing.

Then, like the other morning, I hear her dad come out. It must be the girl, it has to be.

"Do you realise how dangerous this is?" I hear Robert ask. But the asking is very firm, not casual.

He isn't happy with her.

"Relax, no one's out." I hear her reply. Her voice is pretty with a very slight New York accent. I can pick up on accents because I move around so much.

"Elizabeth..." he struggles for words then gives up. "Just get inside, please, we can talk there." He tells her, she sighs audibly.

"Okay, but.." I don't hear the last part, because the voices trail off and their door shuts.

I can't wait to tell Lafina. She'll be so very interested in all that I've heard.

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I sleep from about six until seven in the morning, but that's all. I'm running on one hour's sleep, so I take a shower and put on my makeup extra carefully.