Merely Human

Chapter 11

To say the boys were being overprotective was an understatement. Andrés wasn’t leaving Trish’s side even with school starting again. He walked her to every class and drove her to and from school, leaving the car to me. Well it would be more accurate to say leaving the car to Jason since it was his job to follow me everywhere. The twins had both expressed distrust and wanted to be the ones to watch over me, but Jason had won with the argument that since he wasn’t some pansy human wannabe, he didn’t have to go to college and could spend his days doing better things like stalking me.

Somehow his logic won them over.  

            I didn’t mind, though I pretended to complain about it, mostly because I loved teasing him. But since I had seen the wolf in the forest, he had for the most part stopped finding excuses to touch me inappropriately and even though for some reason I hadn’t really minded him kissing me, I still found myself relieved that he had decided to stop.  He mostly stuck to keeping an arm wrapped around me, or holding my hand. The most he’d go would be a friendly kiss on the cheek.  

            “Jason?” I asked as I walked to the library.

            “Yup?” He asked casually, eyes sweeping over the students as his arm was wrapped around my waist.

            “None of these people are going to randomly attack us.”

            Jason tore his eyes away from the crowd and looked down at me with amusement in his eyes. “Well then, I’ll leave you to look after yourself and when some rabid wolf attacks you, don’t cry to me about it.”

            “Oh please, you’d be begging to suck the disease out.” I rolled my eyes.

            Jason made a face. “I’m sure that rabies is a great seasoning…” he said sarcastically.

            “Do you think a vampire could get rabies if they ate someone with rabies?” I asked curiously.

            Jason shrugged, his face scrunching up. “How should I know? That’s nasty, remind me to check where my food’s been from now on.”

            I laughed. “Yeah, with a few of those girls I’ve seen I am slightly impressed that you don’t have any diseases.”

            Jason snarled at me playfully and I just smirked.

            “You should probably sharpen those teeth bad boy, you’ve lost your touch”

            “You don’t count, you’ve never been afraid of me.” Jason pouted.

            “Andy!” A sweet voice called out. I turned my head and smiled at the approaching red-head.

            “Hey Nicole, how are you?” I asked. I felt a swell of an unease and guilt in the pit of my stomach, I hadn’t spoken to her since before her boyfriend had kissed me at that party.

            “Great!” she said cheerfully, but her expression seemed a bit forced and tense. I didn’t understand why until she glanced at Jason. “Who’s this?” she asked, though it was obvious she already knew.

            “This is my boyfriend Jason.” I smiled.

            Jason pulled me closer against him and grinned at Nicole, seeming a bit smug as he shot her a wide grin. Nicole inhaled sharply as she saw his fangs peaking out slightly and I sighed loudly before elbowing him in the side.

            “Put those away, Nosferatu.” I rolled my eyes. “You don’t see her whipping out her claws, do you? You’d think all those years alive would make you a bit more mature.”