My Neighbor the Vampire <Hiatus>

Work-in-Progress

A grand total of three hours later and Veronica still refuses to talk to me. I haven't felt this awkward sitting in a cafeteria since the first day of middle school when Gene was still away visiting relatives in India, leaving me to the vast unknown wilds of the big kid realm.

Veronica's eyes are downcast as she twists the leaves in her salad. Emily is sitting next to her, sipping a can of Arizona while idly scrolling through her phone.

I force myself to look concentrated on my own phone while I think back on the conversation I had with Emily pre-lunch:

"I think Veronica's way in over her head, but she's been like this with every guy she's 'fallen for'. Why're you so against this one?" Emily asked, as we walked out of History together.

"He's a condescending prick," I responded.

"Everyone has bad personality traits, Matt."

"I really don't like it when people look down on me, okay? My mom invited him over yesterday, and all he did was either sneer at us or pretend we didn't exist. The way he acts is exactly how I pictured Draco Malfoy in the books."

For a fraction of a second, Emily looks like she's fighting a smile. But she continues.

"Are you sure you weren't being as impertinent?"

"No, I wasn't— Well, maybe. But I was like, in-a-bad-mood rude, and he's... naturally rude."

"...Right."

Emily doesn't sound convinced. I take a moment to think about how to explain my thought process to her.

"He's the kind of person who makes assumptions about people. I know that because I pay attention to the way he acts. It's in the subtleties. It's like his reactions aren't intentional, they're a result of his subconscious. And his subconscious is making assumptions about me."

"If you say so, Freud. But aren't you making assumptions about him too?"

"Yes but I explained to you—"

"I know you're not judging him based off of nothing, but think about it. I believe —and I know you agree — that a person's outward demeanor relates to their true personality. But what does that make you?"

I frown. "I'm not saying I'm not a condescending prick. I'm saying that he is."

Emily sighs. "Being able to admit your own faults doesn't make up for the presence of those faults in the first place."

"I'm a work-in-progress. I thought that was already established."

Emily shakes her head as I open the cafeteria door for her.

A loud thunk on my left indicates Gene's arrival.

"Hey guys!" he says with a grin. "Miss me?"

The atmosphere warms considerably. I refrain from jumping up to put him in a headlock (it's how men show affection, I think).

"I notice the distinct lack of one of your appendages," Emily says. "Is that what kept you occupied?"

"Very funny, Em," he rolls his eyes. "But removing the desk from me isn't much of an issue if you've got a power saw on hand. You know Mr. Leo, the tech guy? He has a special little pocket on his fanny pack just for holding it. Dude's badass," Genie shakes his head.

"He got me out just in time for chem, which was kind of disappointing, honestly, but the way he just casually pulled the whirling machine of death out from his pocket was still cool. But anyways, that's not what took me so long. On my way here I saw our boy Evil Legolas talking to—"