My Stepbrother's a Vampire!

2; The Lust

I already know what type of student Alec will be. The handsome, broody, pretentious philosopher who reckons that everyone is beneath their feet.

I'm being awfully judgemental, I think in a moment of rationality. I don't even know the guy properly.

"Whatever," I mutter inaudibly, reversing out of the spot and onto the road.

"So," Alec begins absentmindedly. He reaches over and switches on my radio. Realizing it is defective, as most of Brenda's facilities are; he pulls back his arm and gazes uninterestedly out of the window. San Francisco whizzes by, a thick streak of colour and life. "What's the school like?"

My reply is cautious. "It's pretty regular. You've got your groups. The populars. The nerds. The wallflowers. The goths, etcetera."

Alec turns to look at me. His dark azure eyes sparkle in the sunlight which streams in through the window. "Which do you fit under?"

I reach a red light and slow down. My fingers tap rhythmically on Brenda's steering wheel as I think. "Probably the wallflowers."

Alec nods understandingly. "I personally think I would fit in brilliantly with the handsome, broody, pretentious philosophers." And then he throws me a radiant grin.

My heart skips a beat. "How did you—"

Alec only points ahead. "Green."

I step on the pedal again and keep quiet. Did he just read my thoughts? I am so absorbed in the surprise that I only barely remember to slow down once we reach the school.

"Manley High," Alec reads off the massive billboard behind the school building. "Home of the San Francisco Cougars."

I find my parking spot and switch off the ignition. "It's out football team," I explain, undoing my seatbelt. We both get out of Brenda from either side. I study Alec's expression as he takes in the busy affair which is campus.

From the parking lot to the far edges of campus, students mill in groups, mostly all in light clothes due to the fortunate good weather. They sit on the roofs of their cars or lean on trees, laughing and exchanging stories of the weekend. The jocks, all muscular and wearing the Cougar Jerseys which so grant them their popularity, hub around the picnic area of campus which consists of a few wooden tables and benches. Whilst they throw a ball to and fro each other, shouting taunts and acting far too revved up for a Monday morning, the cheerleaders lie skimpily on the tables, flicking their hair and giggling squeakily. I hate them all, mostly because of their leader—Santana Quebec, the annoyingly attractive Native American senior who also doubles as head cheerleader. She is, for all intents and purposes, queen bitch of Manley High. Santana possess the innate ability to tear to shreds anyone who she happens to meet. In fact, half the girls at our school suffer anxiety problems due to encounters with Santana. The other half are too busy wishing they were her, partly because of her looks, and mostly because she's dating attractive quarterback,  George Aisles. To be honest, I think  George is hot in a blond, wholesome, pretty-boy sort of way, which in no way appeals to me. But apparently, girls find it cute.

"Who is she," Alec murmurs, gazing appreciatively at Santana.

I grab my ratty rucksack from Brenda's boot and lock her with a press of my car keys. I give him a wry look. "She is taken, and way out of your league."

Alec snorts once disbelievingly. "Right." He puts on his sunglasses and smiles. "Watch and learn," he says, before proceeding to walk across campus.

It's as if Alec is a magnet, and everybody's eyes are made of metal; they are drawn almost irresistibly to his gorgeous profile as a moth is to a flame. He walks—no, struts—like a model does down a catwalk. The atmosphere plunges as everybody inhales sharply all at the same time. The goths, the nerds, guys, girls; even the populars stare in awe. I note Santana and  George stare particularly hard. A girl who looks remarkably like Santana but darker and with rattier hair walks down the staircase outside the school building at the same time Alec walks up them. She notices Alec halfway down, gapes in complete mesmerisation and, consequently, loses her footing and tumbles down the stairs. The captivation Alec has cast over the students of Manley High breaks when he disappears inside the building, and they all laugh at the clumsy girl. Thankfully, she is unhurt and jumps perkily to her feet. She looks around, spots me, and rushes over.

"Did yousee him!" Emma gushes. She is almost bouncing on the spot. "I've never seen a guy that hot before! Come to think of it, I've never seen that guy period."

I roll my eyes and link my arm instinctually around hers. "He's not that good-looking."

Emma gives me a blank look. "Yeah. Neither is Robert Patterson or Orlando Bloom."

I have to laugh at her disgruntled tone and tow her inside the school building and towards our lockers. Once we're at them, grabbing our History textbooks, my subconscious says, why haven't you told her Alec is Richard's son?

"Have you seen Richard and his kid then?" Emma asks with interest.

I transfer the textbook into my rucksack and swing the locker door close. "Yes."

Emma closes her own locker and links her arm across mine again. We walk to first Period. "And?"

"Nothing much, really. Richard's the same. And his son, Alec. He's....well." An idiot. Italian. Michelangelo's David. 

"He's starting today, right?" Emma says.

I sigh. "Right. You'll meet him soon enough."

I realize I do not want Alec to meet Emma, for some strange reason. Probably because she'll develop some irrational crush on him; as, I am sure, most of the female population of Manley High are currently doing; and Alec will bask unrequitedly in the appreciation.

We stop ride outside of class and Emma squints at me. She seems to sense the discomfort on my face and gives me a sympathetic look. "It can't be that bad."

I shake my head. "It isn't. Not really. It's just—"

I trail off as I register the scene behind Emma.