Love At First Bite

Check Up

"TGIF!" Carli squeals in my ear in the morning. "No joke!" I say. "Ok, so what's with you and Dalton?" I look at her. "What?" I asked. "C'mon! Rumors are going around that you two might be a couple! Where'd that come from?" "Ok, Carli, all he did was ask me to sit with him at lunch yesterday, ok? Doesn't mean we're dating." Carli looks at me doubtfully, but drops the topic. "Ok, let's talk about the dance." "What dance?" "Hello? The back to school? And the Halloween one is around the corner!" I groan. "You know dances aren't my thing." "I know, but now that you have a boyfriend- a friend who's a guy- I figured you might want to go." "And leave my best friend?" "Oh I'll be going with Frank." "Moving on from CJ?" I ask hopeful. "Hell no! But I do like Frank, so I'm going with him." I nod. "Good for you. I guess I'll go, but not with anybody." Carli smiles. "You say that now..." I roll my eyes at her.

"Hey, V." Dalton comes over to me after school. I'm at my locker, putting away all my binders. "Hey. What's up?" I ask. "Just wondering what you're doing this weekend?" "Well, I have a doctors appointment in about an hour. It's a check up for my arm. Other than that I have nothing." I answered. "If you'd like I can take you to your appointment." Dalton offers. I smile. "Sure. I'll let CJ know." He nods as I take out my phone to text CJ. "Ok. The appointment is at 4:15, so we have plenty of time." "Let's head out. I don't like to be late." I laugh. "Alrighty then!"

"This is your car?" I ask, astounded. He nods. "Like it?" "Like it?! I love it!" Dalton laughs. It's a blue Audi, shinier than a pearl. I run my hand along the handle, and it's so smooth! I sigh. How come everyone I know have such good cars? "Hop in." Dalton says as he opens his own door. I open it up, a get a whiff of that new car smell. "Did you just get this?" I asked. "No, I've had it for awhile." He answers, putting the key in it's slot and turning the car on. "Wow. You do a wonderful job keeping it fresh looking!" I said, gaping at its cleanliness. He laughs. "Thanks." He backs out of the parking lot, and we're on the road before I know it.

"Does it hurt here?" The doctor asks when he presses on my arm. I shake my head no. "How about here?" I wince a little. "Yeah, just a bit." "Ok. Well, your arm seems fine. Just keep up with resting it, and don't swing it too hard. You'll be fine." "Thank you, doctor." I say, hopping down from the bed. I walk out into the waiting room and see Dalton waiting for me. "Hello, beautiful." He greets me. "Hello, handsome." Dalton smirks and puts his arm around me. "So how is everything?" He asks as we walk down the hall that leads outside. "Everything is fine. I just have to rest it and all that. I should get the stitches out soon." I reply. He's nodding. "Good." He suddenly stops at the door. "What's wrong?" I ask. He's staring outside and cursing under his breath. "Dalton? What's wrong?" "Wasn't it cloudy when we came here?" "Yeah. So?" "I just....hate the sun." He replies. "Ok, well, do you just want to run like hell through it and get to the car?" Dalton looks troubled. "I...I can't." He said. "You can't run to your car?" I ask, kind of irritated. "Well Dalton, I want to get home." "I know...um..." He's thinking. Suddenly his eyes light up. "Ok, you run to the car and get yourself buckled. I'll...follow you after a moment." "Isn't that pretty much what I just said?" I ask, but he pushes me out the door. Ok...? I run to the car, feeling kind of odd. I climb in, and buckle up. And when I turn back around, Dalton is sitting in the drivers seat, putting the sunblocker down. "How did you get here so quick?" I asked. "I told you I'd follow you." "Yeah, but I figured it would take you at least a second for you to reach the car." He shrugs. "You seem... Different from others. Is there something you're not telling me?" I asked. He sighs. "Everything you need to know about me, you already know." He said. "All the good stuff." He added. I nod. "Ok." We drive back to town.

"Do you want to come over for a little while?" Dalton asks. "Sure!" I say cheerfully. "I'd love to see your brothers again." He smiled. Once we arrive at his house, I instantly feel at home. "Vanessa!" Ruben says when I walk in. "Hey Ruben!" I call. Zaiden comes in the room and smiles when he spots me. "Hello, Vanessa." He said. "Zaiden." I smiled back. "You look like you have.... Dalton! Kitchen! Now!" Zaiden pushes Dalton away and I'm left with Ruben. "So...how have you been?" He asks me. "Fine." I answer, distracted by what it was that Zaiden freaked over. "Hey whoa! What's with the stitches?" Ruben asks, feeling my arm. "Oh, something bit me. You know, if Dalton hadn't come and saved me, I might not be here right now." Ruben blinks a few times. "Today when the sun came out, Dalton really freaked. He insisted we run at separate times, yet we arrived at the same time." "Oh." Is all Ruben says. "If you don't mind me asking, where are your parents?" I asked. "Well...that might be a story for Dalton to tell if he wants." I nod, understanding. "Ok. That's cool." I said. That's when Zaiden and Dalton walk back in.

Dalton sighs. "Vanessa. I think it's time we tell you a story."