We Will Be Together For Never

[28] Meet-Up

I had spent the entirety of Sunday locked in my bedroom. Roger had spent a good while pounding at my door, begging me to come out and tell him what was wrong. I had finally obliged just to eat something, but I had only drank one bag of blood, and had promptly retreated to my room afterwards.

I had been sleeping quite a bit, which was odd for me. But whenever I began thinking about everything I had told Jordan and what his reaction had been, not to mention the danger that I had put both myself and my caretaker in, I had to nap or face yet another emotional breakdown.

Finally, I tugged out my phone, the action driven by my somewhat delirious state of mind - a result of nerves, hunger, and oversleeping. I had to see Jordan again and know what he was thinking. How he felt about everything that I had told him now that he had had so long to think it over.

I texted Jordan, "I know you're mad at me and probably hate me, but plz, just meet me @ the dead end" I turned off my phone before he had a chance to reply, tugging on my boots and unlocking my door as quietly as possible.

I swung open the door and was met with a coldly furious Roger, his arms crossed sternly over his chest. I jumped slightly before asking, "Did you legit just hear me unlock my door?"

"I've been listening for it all afternoon," my guardian admitted. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going for a walk," I replied as innocently as possible.

"Are you meeting up with the boy to whom you spilled our secret without my consent?"

"No."

We stared at each other for a moment before I made my voice as low and dangerous as possible. "I would recommend letting me leave, Roger." I knew my true strength now, and while I doubted I would actually be able to take him in a fight, I stood a fair chance of outrunning him.

Roger stepped aside, looking as though he was physically straining against the choice to move. I hurried past him and out of our apartment before he could change his mind.

*

I stared into the boarded-up windows of the abandoned houses lining the dead end, thinking of the people who had once lived within them. I knew that the residents had left without any deaths, but I still felt as though the eerie houses had some sort of supernatural presence.

Once, I would have scoffed at myself upon hearing my thoughts on ghosts and the paranormal. Now, I was seriously considering the possibility of their existence. It was like I was an entirely new person.

I was an entirely new person.

I waited for a long time - over a half an hour at least, each minute creeping agonizingly by. And yet Jordan was a no-show.

Sighing, I prepared myself to leave when I heard a familiar sound - the revving of a motorcycle engine. My heart skipped a beat and I felt a grin spreading across my face despite my best attempts to restrain it.

Sure enough, Jordan turned the corner and parked up there. He watched me as he got off and removed his helmet, never once taking his eyes off of mine. I shivered slightly and crossed my arms defensively. I had no idea what he was thinking.

"I thought you weren't coming," I admitted with an uncomfortable laugh when he drew closer.

Jordan shrugged. "I thought so, too."

My heart dropped. So he was angry. Or saddened, or hopefully just confused. His facial expression was closed - I couldn't discern anything from it.

"Have you been...thinking?" I asked lamely.

"Yeah. A lot, actually." Jordan laughed slightly, the sound humorless. He glanced away and then looked back to me with such an intense gaze that I was instantly frozen in place. "I've decided that I'm not going to care."

"Not...going to care?" I whispered breathlessly.

"I'm having trouble mentally working through everything right now, but that's because you've sort of upended my entire belief system." Jordan chuckled. "I still like you, Tamara" - in what way did he mean that? - "and I still want to spend time with you. I love the way you care so deeply about art, and school in general, and your friends. I love how you listen and relate to me. I love how you feel comfortable enough with me to tell me that you're a goddamned vampire, for Christ's sake." Jordan sucked in a deep breath, breaking eye contact. "Tamara, I think I love you."

"I - " I was abruptly cut off as Jordan's lips slammed against mine.

I gasped, pulling back a little out of surprise before surging forward, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing myself into him. The kiss seemed to go on forever, warm and sweet and soothing. I never wanted it to end.

Sadly, it did. I wasn't sure who broke away first, but suddenly, we were breathing heavily, foreheads pressed together.

"Wow," Jordan said, his voice husky, clearing his throat.

I began to smile before it suddenly dipped into a frown. "What?" Jordan asked, immediately looking concerned.

"We can't do this," I whispered distractedly as reality hit me. "We can't be together."

"Tamara?"

I backed away from him, looking at him with hurt-filled eyes. "I'm going to live forever, Jordan. You're  - you're mortal. You have a life to live!"

"So?" Jordan asked in confusion. "We can spend mine together, Tamara."

I shook my head slowly. As wonderful as that sounded, I knew how this narrative ended. "I can't take that kind of pain, Jordan. I can't. When I realized that I had become - what I had become, I promised myself that I wouldn't ever have a romantic relationship with somebody. It would only end up with my heart broken, over and over and over."

Jordan scoffed lightly, his mouth open slightly as he desperately searched for something to say. I saved him the trouble.

"Thank you, Jordan. For being my friend, for supporting me in a new school, for - for kissing me. But I'm never going to see you again."

And with that, I took off, pushing myself to my maximum speed. Jordan's plaintive calls were lost within seconds.