Bloodlust (The Blood Series #1)

Chapter 2

Running isn't exactly pleasant in my condition but I'd rather stab myself in the stomach than stay there with him and my guilt. What could possibly have happened to make me turn into someone else? The Haley from last Friday would never have cheated on her boyfriend or checked into an expensive hotel or slept with someone she barely knows! What is wrong with me? 

After I nearly pass out from the pain, I stop and pant for a while. For now, there's not that many people walking around but that will soon change. I can't keep wandering the streets looking like a zombie. I need to get home and fast. But who can I call to pick me up? Not Mom, that's for sure. Dad's also out of the question. My best friend is my boyfriend's sister so I can't call her either unless I want to explain where I'm coming from and why I'm wearing a dress that is not as much a dress as it is a shirt. It's so early that buses probably aren't running yet and I don't have enough money for a cab. I'm stuck with having to call someone to come and get me. Or walk but if I plan on making it in time for school, walking is not an option. But who on Earth can I call? Who can I trust to keep this a secret?

Or rather... who can I blackmail into silence? 

I dig my phone from my bag and dial a number I thought I'd never use. Annoyingly cheery voice answers: "Hello?"

I frown at my phone. This doesn't seem like such a bright idea anymore. She's already awake and perky. It's not even six AM but she's already in a good mood. God, I hate it. I bet she's even smiling while she waits for me to speak. I count to ten and then force the words out. "Amy? Can you come and get me? You can't tell Dad." 

Fifteen minutes later a red Fiat slides in front me. I climb in and prepare to face the consequences. Prepare to hear the lecture. Prepare to force her into silence. But none of those things happen. Amy is silent, she only asks me if I'm okay. I blink in surprise. Why isn't she grilling me for details? I've been giving her hell ever since my dad introduced her to me as his new girlfriend three months ago. I thought she would have jumped on the chance to make me squirm for a change. But she doesn't.

"Aren't you going to ask what happened?" I finally ask when I can't take it anymore.

Amy turns to look at me and smiles a little. "Do you want to tell me?"

I shake my head. "No."

"That's what I thought. But if you ever do want to talk, I'm here for you", Amy says sweetly. I don't understand. I have been so horrible, so rude. If roles were reversed, I would have tortured her. But here she is, all understanding and caring.

I stare right ahead at the road. "Um, thanks", I mutter feeling a little uncomfortable.

When we get home, I turn to look at Amy. "You can't tell Dad."

Amy nods. "I won't."

I stay motionless for a couple of seconds trying to convince myself that I can trust her. I nearly ask her to swear the Unbreakable Vow but then figure it wouldn't work on muggles like us. I wish I could do it so I could be sure she won't rat me out but I can't. I just have to trust Amy. It's just... I'm not very good with trust. In my life I've noticed that those you trust too often aren't worthy of it. 

"Thank you", I whisper to Amy and then run into my room upstairs. 

I only have two hours before first period. I want to play hooky but I can't. I have a test in biology... and I'm completely unprepared for. What did I do all weekend? Because I sure as heck wasn't studying. There's no way Nathan Blood spent the weekend studying and since I hung out with him at least last night, I probably didn't either. And it wouldn't even matter if I had been studying for the most part of the weekend because it's all gone now, anyway. The uncertainty is killing me. Why can't I remember anything?

My room looks exactly the same as I remember but it feels different. My curtains are still violet, the carpet is still fuzzy, my bed is as soft as it ever was as I fall on it. But something has changed. It takes me a while to realize that the one who has changed is me. I reluctantly get off the bed and hop into the shower. The water flogging my back is so hot that it feels like my skin is on fire but I won't move. The pain feels good, it feels real. It anchors me back to reality.

I try not to think about any of it but the questions keep flooding into my mind. Mostly I just tiptoe around three questions: Why did I sleep with Nathan Blood? What happened last weekend? Does anyone know that I've been gone? As for the last question, I don't think they know. The calls and texts were mainly from my best friend and they didn't seem like worried texts, more like bored texts. Amy at least didn't mention anything about me going AWOL. She seemed to think I had just snuck out to meet up with some boy and then stayed out for a little too long. Maybe that's what happened. Maybe I've been here for the weekend although it seems unlikely. I don't like spending weekends at my dad's. Being there reminds me too much of the time he still drank every weekend until he passed out.

I do my hair and makeup and then try to pick out clothes to wear for school but I just feel off. Eventually I decide on wearing a simple sundress and ballerinas on my feet. Then I use the remaining time for studying until it's time to leave for school. Come on, Haley, I encourage myself. You can do this. Just go to school and pretend like everything's okay. Like nothing has changed, least of all you. You're the same Haley as always. You'll be fine.

Whether I want to believe or not, I already know that everything has changed.