Thursday
6:50 pm
"Of course, the one time we get free pizza is when your mom is treating us." Benny says with a huff.
"The guy still has," Ethan looks at his watch, "2 minutes and 49 seconds left." Benny scoffs, "Zero chance in that rust bucket. Which reminds me, limo or jet pack?"
"What?"
"Our ride to the fly off to the moon dance," Benny says matter of factly. "You already know my pick, but, you think the chicks will dig a stretch?"
"What chicks?"
"Jet pack it is!"
Ethan sighs, "Benny, I think I'm out."
"What?" Benny shrieks, "We gotta go! I can't ask Mary to dance without you there for moral support! You know how bad of a dancer I am! Plus, jet packs!"
"I don't know, ever since we dug up the cubile animus and Sarah got possessed and trashed the house, I've kinda felt like laying low." Ethan explains. "You can lay low when you're dead, these are the best years of our lives!" Benny says.
"Really?"
"I really hope not."
...
7:15 pm
After a long afternoon at work, Mary was ready to curl up in bed and pass out for the night.
She was about to be around the corner from her house, when she hears a growl like sound erupting from the bushes. She stops, ready to either run from or throw something at whatever was there, but nothing came out. She shrugs and continues on her way.
A sudden cold breeze hits the back of her neck, a firm hand grasps her wrist and turns her around, "Eleanor?"
Mary yelps and snatches her hand away, "Get off me!" The stranger backs up, raising their hands, "Easy, I'm not gonna hurt you. I just wanna talk to you."
"Yeah, no thanks." Mary scoffs, and starts to walk away but he moves in front of her in impossible speed. "What the-how did you do that?" She screeches. He chuckles, "Funny, Eleanor."
"Who's Eleanor? Look, dude I think you've got the wrong girl. Now if you'll excuse me," Mary says, attempting to push him out of her way but he stops her. "I don't have the wrong girl, I could pick out Eleanor in any crowd. Just, talk to me, please?" He begs.
"I'm not Eleanor, ok? Beat it." She snaps.
"Yes, you are. You have to be Eleanor Sawyer. Look I know you hate me but if you could just-"
"Wait," Mary stops him, "Did you say Eleanor Sawyer?" He nods. Mary scrunches her brows, "That was my mother's maiden name."
"Mother? She...she had a kid?" He says, his voice straining. "How did you know her?" Mary asks. He ignores her question, looking lost in thought for a minute. "What's your full name?" He asks.
"Answer my question first." She snaps. He sighs, "I met her when she first moved to Whitechapel 30 years ago."
"How is that possible?" Mary asks, studying him, "You look only like 18." He huffs and opens his mouth ajar to reveal a pair of fangs. Her eyes widen and she screams. "Stop, stop! I'm not gonna hurt you." He says through clenched teeth, grabbing her wrists. She tries to move away from his grip but, of course, he was strong. "Now, answer my question. What. Is. Your. Full. Name." He snaps.
"It's Mary Wheeler, now let go of me!" She spats. A disappointed look washes over his face, and he lets go of her wrists, "She had a kid with Mason? She married him?"
Mary nods, "Why does it matter?"
He bites the inside of his cheek and runs his hand through his brown hair, "I-nothing. It...doesn't matter now. So, you guys live here? Are they home?" He asks.
Mary sighs, "No, they don't live here."
"What does that mean?" He asks.
"They, um," Mary clears her throat, "They died when I was six. I'm sorry." His face falls, "She's dead?" He croaks.
Mary nods. He slowly backs away from Mary, his gaze not leaving her. "I-I'm sorry, about scaring you I, I should go. Take care of yourself." He says, and speeds off before Mary could say anything else.
"Wait, how-crap." She sighs. She had so many questions about her parents that have been left unanswered for so long, she finally met someone who could answer them for her and she let them get away.
Maybe it just means those questions should remain unanswered. Right?
...
Friday
1:55 pm
"That pizza place owes us big time!" Benny cries. Ethan rolls his eyes, "Give it up, Benny."
"We were stood up, E! Now I have gaping pizza sized hole right here." Benny whines, gesturing to his chest then taking a bite out of his snack.
"You guys hooked up for the Fly Off To the Moon Dance yet? You know any hunnies with a hot sister or smoking second cousin?" Rory asks, coming up to the two. "No, Benny is too busy trying to figure out how to ask Mary without throwing up from nerves." Ethan says with a chuckle.
"Shut up! It's harder than it sounds." Benny says. "If you won't ask her then I will." Rory shrugs.
"What? No! I'm asking her!" Benny snaps.
"Then what are you waiting for? Loser." Rory chuckles, then walks away. Benny rolls his eyes, "Jerk."
"He's right, ya know." Ethan says. Benny scoffs, "Fine. Then you should ask Sarah." Ethan nods awkwardly, "Yeah, right." He says, then quickly walks away. Benny chuckles, shaking his head and following him.
"I can't believe you have a date for the dance," Sarah says to Erica. "Yeah, didn't you say you were 'done with boys from our school?'" Mary questions, raising her hands to do air quotes.
"Who says he's from our school?" Erica adds.
"Why can't we just go out and do something fun? Like those girls?" Sarah asks, gesturing to a group of girls laughing. "They told me they were going to the beach, for some sun, that sound like fun to you?" Erica asks her. Mary chuckles while Sarah sighs, "Fine, forget I mentioned it."
Mary pats her shoulder, "Hey, I don't have a date. We can do something tomorrow if you want."
"Oh, please, you know Benny is gonna ask you." Sarah says, "And I know you'll say yes."
"What? He's not gonna ask me, if he did want to he would've done it already and I-"
"Mary!" Benny suddenly calls from the other side of the hallway, waving her over. Sarah chuckles and nudges her arm, "Told ya."
"You don't know if it's about the dance." Mary says. Erica rolls her eyes and puts her hands on her shoulders to turn her around, "Just go! Jeesh, it's like forcing a kid to take medicine with you." Sarah laughs in agreement while Mary rolls her eyes and walks over to Benny.
"Hey, what's up?" She asks.
Benny clears his throat, trying to push away the nausea fighting its way through. 'You can do this. It's just a simple question.'
"I was, um, wondering, if you...wanted...to...maybe...gotothedancewithme?" He says, the last part coming out faster than he could think it. Mary grins, her cheeks growing red, although she didn't want to admit it to Sarah and Erica, she really did want him to ask her.
She nods, "Yes."
Benny sighs, "Dammit, I knew it. I'm sorry-wait, did you say yes?"
Mary nods, "Yeah, I'd love to go with you, Benny."
A sheepish grin spreads across his face, "Really?" he got so close to jumping around and cheering but he stops himself. He clears his throat and leans against the locker. "Uh, I mean, cool." He coughs.
Mary giggles like an excited middle schooler about to go on their first date, looking down at the ground to hide her red cheeks. "Cool. I'll meet you at Ethan's for 8:30?"
He nods, "Sounds good." She grins, then, feeling a spring of bravery, kisses his cheek, "Later." She walks off down the hall with a pep in her step, leaving a speechless, red faced Benny leaning against a stranger's locker.
...
Saturday
2:30 pm
"I told you he was gonna ask you!"
Mary was on the phone with Sarah while going through her closet. "I know, I know. I should've believed you."
"And you kissed him? Again, told you!"
"Shut up! I was just, excited that's all."
"Yeah, definitely excited." Sarah laughs. Mary rolls her eyes, "I hate you."
"No you don't."
Mary chuckles, then throws a shirt on the ground with a huff. "Ugh, why did I say yes when I don't even have anything to wear?"
"I'm sure you've got something buried in your closet." Sarah says, "Do you want me to stop by and help?"
"Could you? Please?" Mary whines. Sarah laughs, "Yeah, of course, be right there."
Not even ten minutes later, Sarah walks into Mary's room. "That was impossibly fast." Mary says, and she laughs. "I was in the neighborhood."
Mary chuckles in response, but then stops when she notices Sarah had a slight distressed look on her face, "Are you okay?"
"What? Yeah I'm fine." Sarah lies with a shrug. Mary raises her eyebrow at her, "Sarah, I know when you're lying."
"How?"
"You have the most obvious tell, ever. Your voice goes slightly high pitched when you lie." Mary explains.
"It does not!" Sarah screeches, her voice going high. Mary smirks, "Right. Now," she plops down on her bed next to Sarah, "Talk to me."
Sarah sighs, "Fine." She stands up, wiping her hands on her jeans. She swallows a lump in her throat, "My ex is back."
Mary immediately stands up, "What? The guy that bit you and almost killed everyone?" Sarah nods, "That's the one. I really know how to pick em, huh?"
"How is that even possible? Didn't you guys-"
"Stop him? Yeah, thought so, but turns out when the guys dug up the cubile animus to get rid of that spirit that possessed me, he got out. He was in the freaking box." Sarah says.
"Shit, what're we gonna do?" Mary asks. "We? No, Mary, this our mess, okay, I don't want you getting hurt." Sarah replies.
"Oh, screw that, you're my best friend now. I wasn't there before but I sure as hell am now, and I'm not gonna let him manipulate you like that. You deserve better." Mary snaps.
Sarah was taken aback, she wasn't expecting Mary to go off like that. Her face softens, she becomes choked up, "Really?" Mary nods, "Of course. We're in this together. Your problems are my problems now."
Sarah smiles, a tear escapes from her eye. She wipes it away quickly, hoping Mary didn't notice it. "Thanks." She says, "I don't know what I'd do without you." She quickly pulls Mary in for a tight hug, Mary hugs her back. "Same here."
"And I hope you know that what you said, it goes for you too. I'm here for you." Sarah says. Mary smiles, and pulls back from the hug, "I know. You already have been more times than I can count in the last what eight months?"
Sarah smiles in response. "Alright, so, let's find a dress for you." She says, heading over to Mary's closet.
"I'm telling you, I got nothing. I tore my whole closet apart." Mary replies.
"There's gotta be something-wait," Sarah says, pulling out a box in the back of the top shelf, "What's in here?"
Mary freezes, her eyes fixating on the box. "That's, um, my mother's stuff." She says in a hushed tone. Sarah's eyes widen, "Oh, I'm sorry I didn't know. Here I'll put it back-"
"Wait," Mary stops her, remembering the stranger from yesterday. Maybe there's something in the box that could help her put the pieces of his story together. "Let me see it." She takes the box and sits down on her rug. She carefully lifts the lid, her breath hitches.
It was filled with old photos, newspaper clippings, pages from journals, and, who would've thought, a dress. Mary never opened this box, it's been buried within her stuff for years because she was too scared to open it. But after last night, Mary wanted answers, or at least a glimpse into her mother's life.
Mary studies the photos and the journal pages, deciding she'll go through them in detail later. "Wow." Sarah says, studying the dress in the box. "That's a really pretty olive color. It would look so good on you, Mary."
Mary softly smiles then pulls the dress out slowly like a tissue. She holds it in front of her, and nods in agreement with Sarah. "It is pretty." Mary says. It was a silk, olive green slip dress, with a slit on the left side that would go down her leg.
"You should try it, see if it fits." Sarah shrugs. "I'm sure your mom would've loved to see you in it if she kept it in here."
Mary nods, "You're right. Let's try it."
...
8:05 pm
"Alright, finished!" Sarah cheers, putting down the makeup brush. Mary chuckles while Sarah turns Mary around so she could face the mirror. Mary grins at her reflection, she hasn't gotten dressed up since her 2nd grade recital. Her shoulder length brown hair was curled into soft waves, her eyelids had a copper shimmer on them, her lips were full of a dark nude color, and she wore her favorite gold necklace. "Awe, Sarah, it's perfect! Thank you."
"And thank you for doing mine, I put a lot of trust in you since I can't see it myself." Sarah says with a teasing glare. Mary laughs, "I promise I didn't draw on your face or anything."
"I know, I know. Now, get your shoes on, we gotta meet the guys in less than a half hour." She says.
...
Ethan's house
8:05 pm
"Okay, what do we got?"
The boys study the familiar weapons on Ethan's bed. "Holy water bottle?"
"Check!"
"Garlic bombs?" Ethan lifts one up, "Ugh, nasty, check. UV flash blaster?"
Benny grins and holds up a small camera, "Classic, check!" He presses the button, accidentally flashing it at Ethan. Ethan sighs, "Stake a matic?"
"I don't know which one that is, but, check?"
"Okay, if we're gonna kick Jesse while he's down, we can't go halfway. Do you think we need one more?" Ethan asks Benny. Benny thinks for a second, and scrunches his face, they definitely needed one more. "You think we need one more." Ethan nods.
He bends down under his bed to reveal their old makeshift light sabers. Benny grins, "The UV sun saber XL, check!" Ethan nods.
"So, you ready for this?" Ethan asks. "What to kick Jesse's ass? Of course I am." Benny nods.
"No, I mean besides that. You're taking Mary to the dance. You've been into her all year and now you're taking her to a dance." Ethan says, raising his eyebrows at him. Benny's eyes widen, "Oh god, I didn't even think of it like that. What're you saying? Should I double on the deodorant? Get some breath spray? What?!"
"Dude, calm down, I'm just trying to make sure you're okay. It'll be fine." Ethan nods.
The boys change into their suits just as the girls arrived, and they head downstairs. Ethan's mom opens the door and gasps at the two girls, "Look at you two! You look gorgeous! Mary, I love that dress."
Mary smiles, "Thanks, Mrs. Morgan. It was my mom's." She smiles back, "Well come on in, I'll call the boys, Ethan-" she stops when she sees the guys already waiting on the steps.
The two boys gawk at the girls, Mary feels her face flush under Benny's gaze. "Hey, guys." Sarah says with a chuckle. Mary couldn't help but giggle at Benny's adorable suit.
"You look adorable." Ethan's mom says, "Now, come on, it's picture time!"
Benny nods, but first turns to Mary while the others walk off. "You look...amazing." Benny says with a soft laugh. Mary blushes, "Thanks."
The four gather around the camera while nervously looking at each other and at Sarah. "Okay you guys, one, two, three." Ethan's mom says. Just as the flash goes off, the boys and Mary push Sarah behind them and all make poses. Mary wraps her arms around Benny's and smiles, while Benny grins and points at the camera and Ethan crosses his arms with his back turned on Mary.
"Oh come on you guys, you completely blocked Sarah. Let me take another one, come on." Ethan's mom insists. Ethan laughs nervously, "Gotta go mom."
The four head for the door. "Okay, have a good time. And don't drink too much of the red stuff!" His mom calls.
"What?!"
"Punch. Don't they serve punch at high-school dances anymore?"
...
School gym
8:45 pm
Mary, Benny, and Ethan stand around the punch table. Mary studies the crowd, she's never been to a high school dance before, but she was glad to be there with them.
"Do you really think you should be drinking so much punch?" Ethan asks Benny.
Mary turns to them and laughs as Benny downs his third cup of punch. "The key to fighting vampires is to hydrate!" Benny says. "You should always hydrate, Benny, not just for fighting vampires." Mary chuckles. Benny shakes his head at her but smiles.
"Where do you get all this information, anyway?" Ethan asks him. "Dusk." Benny shrugs.
"Oh."
"So, we still got some time, you wanna dance?" Mary asks with a grin. Benny nods eagerly, "O-okay." She chuckles, and goes to pull him to the dance floor, but stops when they notice Rory approach in a space suit. Mary bursts out laughing, "Oh my god that's adorable."
"Sup guys! Wow, you look awesome, Mary." Rory says with a grin, eyeing her up and down. Benny glares at him and puts his arm around Mary's shoulder. "What are you wearing?" Ethan asks with a laugh.
"We're supposed to dress up! Benny said we're wearing suits!"
"Not space suits, Rory!"
Mary chuckles, "You look like a fifth grader at a Halloween party."
"Haha. You guys are just upset because you didn't think of it." Rory says with a proud smile, then walks the other way. They all shake their heads, just as Ethan's phone goes off.
"Is it Sarah?" Mary asks. Ethan nods, "Yeah. It's time."
"What? What about our dance?" Benny whines. Mary chuckles and ruffles his hair, "We can dance after we kick some vampire butt."
"Yeah, come on. Grab the bag." Ethan says. "Fine, but before we go, I gotta go." Benny say with his eyebrows raised. Mary rolls her eyes, "Forget it, there's no time. Come on." Mary drags Benny out of the gym with Ethan not far behind.
"Why'd you make me drink so much punch?"
...
School hallway
9:00 pm
"What we need to do, do not try and stop us!" Sarah says to Erica.
"Who's us?" Jesse asks.
On queue, Ethan comes out of an empty recycle box while Benny comes out of a locker, Mary appears next to him from around the corner, her hands glowing.
"The same us, that killed you last time." Ethan says.
"Good, you got my invitation-Mary?" Jesse pauses once he sees her. "You? You're Jesse?" Mary croaks, her chest tightening. "I can't believe this. And to think I actually wanted to find you again."
"What? Mary how do you know him?" Benny asks.
"I don't actually know him. I bumped into him, literally, last night. He knew my parents and he thought I was my mother, I guess I look a lot like her." Mary explains. "But none of that matters now that I know who you really are." Mary snaps, turning back to Jesse.
"Wait," Sarah says to Jesse, "You knew I was gonna bring them here?"
"Of course. Wasn't counting on you being friends with my old love's daughter, though, that was a surprise." He says with a dark chuckle. "Love? You loved my mother?" Mary asks. "Of course I did. But she loved your father." Jesse says, "But like you said, it doesn't matter now. Besides," he turns to Sarah, "You're not the only one who brought friends."
Suddenly, two vampires appeared, one coming at Ethan and one coming at Benny and Mary. "Too weak to fight your own battles, huh? Lame." Benny says. Mary puts her glowing hands up at the vampire in front of them.
"Hey!" Ethan calls, "You wanna raise the stakes? Fine. We can do that." He smirks, a stake appears out of his sleeve and he stabs the vampire in front of him. It disappears in seconds.
The vampire in front of Mary goes to lunge at her, but Mary throws a ball of light at him, causing him to stumble back. Benny grabs a garlic bomb, throws it at him, and in a blink of an eye he's gone. Mary high fives Benny, "Nice shot!"
"Right back at ya." He says with a smirk. Mary nudges his arm and blushes.
Sarah hisses and goes for Jesse, but Erica runs in front of her and grabs a hold her shoulders. "Erica!What are you doing?!" Sarah cries, struggling in the blonde's grip.
"We had a special chat earlier. Erica, hold onto her." Jesse says, waving a hand in front of Erica. "Yes, I'll hold onto her." She says with a dazed look on her face.
"Erica is in a trance, he's not as weak as we thought!" Sarah gasps.
"Get him!" Ethan yells.
Mary goes to throw a ball of light at him, but Benny gently pushes her back, "I got this. Kramathack, Vampkar..."
Benny's spell was stopped short when Jesse sped up to him and grabbed him by the throat, whilst shoving Mary away in the process. "Ya got something else to say?" He snaps at him. "I have to use the bathroom." Benny squeaks. Jesse takes him and drags him away, Mary takes this opportunity to hide so she could catch him off guard.
Jesse throws Benny into the bathroom, then comes out just to have Mary throw a ball of light at him. He stumbles, then laughs, "Wow. Just like your mother."
"Shut up." She snaps.
"Oh come on, Mary, you're not gonna hurt me. You're too desperate to learn more about your parents..."
"I said shut up!"
"To learn about yourself. If it wasn't for me leaving Whitechapel because your mother didn't love me back, you would've never been born. Do you really wanna kill the guy who gave you this life? Your power?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Your father was a powerful wizard, but I'm assuming you didn't know that, and your mother was an equally powerful witch. Mixing that power together makes you one of the most powerful beings to ever exist, which wouldn't have happened with out me." Jesse says.
Mary steps back, "What?" A swell of anger, fear, and so many emotions swarmed in her. "You're the reason I'm like this? Do you have any idea what my power has done to me! How much it's ruined my life!" She screeches, the anger at a boiling temperature now.
"Ruined your life? How could've-" But he didn't get to finish, as Mary threw the biggest ball of light she could conjure up in a second at him and he fell into the wall.
"I don't care what you know about my parents or what answers you could give me." Mary snaps, walking up to him, her eyes glowing a frightening white. "You're a manipulative shit head who ruined my life, and my friend's life. And you're gonna pay for that."
She goes for another throw, but he catches her hand, "I don't think so, love." He snaps then raises his other hand. Mary suddenly couldn't breath and starts to gasp, feeling a tightening around her throat.
She coughs and gags and backs away from him, but he doesn't stop. "Your father was just like that, so unappreciative." Jesse spats. Mary continues to cough and fight for her breath, when suddenly Ethan appears around the corner, hitting Jesse in the neck with the UV saber.
He screeches as his skin fries and he lets Mary go. He turns to Ethan, knocks the saber out of his hands, and wrestles with him to a nearby classroom. Mary falls to the ground and coughs, gasping for air, she tries to call for Ethan but she was still weak.
"Mary!" Benny cries, running to her side. He takes her hand and helps her to her feet, "Are you okay?"
Mary nods, tears stinging in her eyes. "I'm okay."
He cups her face in his hand, "Are you sure? How many fingers am I holding up?" Mary chuckles, "Two. I'm fine, Benny, really."
"I'm gonna kill that stupid undead ass." Benny mumbles, wrapping an arm around Mary's shoulders and helping her walk.
They hurry over to where they heard Sarah yelling at Jesse. "Get it through your tiny bat brain, if you hurt one of my friends, I will make you regret it, even if it takes a thousand years! But I will never, never, be one of you."
Mary stands next to her, looking over at Jesse holding a disgruntled Ethan. He raises Ethan's arm, "We'll see."
He digs his fangs into Ethan's wrist and he lets out a shriek.
Mary watched in horror as Jesse threw Ethan to the ground with blood in his mouth. "Now, either you become one of us, or he does." Jesse sneers. Mary could see tears forming in Sarah's eyes so she wraps her arms around her friend.
"Your choice," Jesse raises his arms and the doors behind him flew open, "See you soon." He smirks at them and then speeds away.
"Ethan!" Sarah cries, gently removing herself from Mary and running over to him. Mary watches as Sarah grabs his wrist, her fangs out. "Sarah, no." Ethan groans. She gives him a sad look, then digs her fangs into Jesse's bite mark.
"What is she doing?" Mary asks.
"Saving him." Erica replies.
Mary felt awful for her friends, she felt powerless. She could've stopped Jesse before, but he over powered her.
Mary shakes the thoughts out of her head and looks over at a scared Benny. She sighs and intertwines her hand with his, squeezing it, and he squeezes hers back.
...
"Don't worry, honey, Sarah got the venom out," Benny's grandma says to Ethan, "Your heart's still beating you're gonna be alright."
"Yeah, but, Sarah isn't. Guys, I feel terrible." Ethan says, fixing the ice pack on his head.
"Well what did you expect? You just got bitten by a vampire! Vampire." He says, whispering the last one and smirking. Mary rolls her eyes and elbows him, "Kidding!" He says.
"She's the toughest person I know, Ethan. She'll be okay." Mary reassures him. "I know, but, she still gave up whatever chance she had at a life to save me." Ethan mumbles.
"She really is worth the 8 bucks an hour his mom pays her to babysit, huh?" Benny jokes. Mary slaps him in the arm. "Ow! Would ya stop hitting me?" He says, "I'm just trying to lighten the mood!"
"I'm gonna go check on Sarah, meet me outside when you're ready?" She says to Benny. He nods. Mary says bye to his grandma and Jane, then gives Ethan a small hug. "It'll be alright, dude." She says.
She hurries out his door and downstairs to outside, hoping to catch Sarah before she left. "Sarah!" Mary calls.
Erica and Rory had flown away, Sarah was about to as well. "Mary, hey." She smiles softly. Mary pulls her in for a hug, "Are you okay?"
Sarah nods, "I will be, eventually."
"I know you don't feel it, but, you saved someone, someone important to you. You can't forget that, and you're an amazing person. It doesn't matter if you're a fledgling or a real vampire, you're still gonna be you." Mary reassures her.
Sarah smiles at her, "Thanks, Mary. You're the best. I love you, I'll see you later."
"Love you too, be safe." Mary replies, giving her another hug. Sarah nods and pulls away, then takes off into the night sky.
Mary sighs and watches her, her figure soon disappearing with the stars. "You ready?" Benny asks, coming up behind her. Mary nods, "Yeah. Thanks for walking me home."
"It's what I do." He grins and wraps an arm around her shoulders. She laughs then rests her head on his shoulder as they head off.
The entire walk, Benny was trying to conjure up the words he wanted to say to her. He couldn't put it off anymore, he wanted to tell her how he felt, he needed to.
And if tonight made him realize anything, it's that you don't get many chances.
"Mary, wait," he says as they approach her house, "There's something I wanna say."
Mary turns to him, "Okay, what's up?"
He takes a deep breath, "You're the best person I've ever known. You're so genuine, kind, and caring. You make me wanna be a better person, or at least the best version of myself.
"And you're the strongest person I've ever met. I mean you have been through probably the definition of hell and you're still standing, you're still fighting and you're never gonna give up, and I admire you so much for that." He pauses to clear his throat, and Mary feels tears swell up in her eyes, "Benny."
"There's more," he says, "You're also the most beautiful girl, not just on the outside, which of course goes without saying I mean you're literally like a goddess but," Mary chuckles and blushes, he does too.
"But you're also beautiful on the inside. And I know you're afraid of your power, but, I think it's what made you, you. And I wish I could have met you years ago and maybe I could've helped your pain, but, there's no sense of dwelling on that, I guess.
"What I'm trying to say, Mary, is that, I like you. A lot. I wanna be with you, more than I've ever wanted to be with anyone else. I don't know what it is but, I feel like now that I have you in my life I can't let you go. You're all I think about, every second of every day. I wanna make you happy, I wanna make you feel loved because you deserve it."
The tears were falling down Mary's face now, "Benny..."
"And if you don't feel the same way then that's okay, I just wanted to tell you how I felt, and I hope that if things don't change in the way that I want them to, then I hope things stay the way they are." He adds, "But, if you do, then, I'd love to take you out on a date, a real date. Not a vampire killing one."
Mary smiles, "Benny...I do feel the same way. I always have. And I'd love to go on a real date with you." He grins widely, "Really?" Mary nods, and grabs his hands, "Really."
His face grows red, "Wow, I, didn't think you did. I thought maybe you only saw me as a good friend."
Mary scrunches her brows at him, "Seriously? You didn't pick up on any of my hints?"
"If you hadn't already noticed, babe, I'm not the brightest."
They both chuckle at each other, Mary wipes the tears from her cheeks.
"You know, we never got that dance." Mary says with her eyebrows raised. Benny grins, "You're right. Hold on." He takes out his phone, and starts playing a slow song.
Mary giggles, and he holds out his hand, "M'lady, care to dance?" She nods, "I'd love to, M'lord." He laughs and pulls her into him, his arms wrapped around her waist, hers around his neck.
The two sway to the music in Mary's front yard, the streetlight illuminating them, it was like they were the only two people in the world. Mary rests her head on his shoulder, and closes her eyes. He rests his chin on her head, and smiles softly.
The two dance for a while, not even keeping track of the time or noticing people walking by. Everything was finally perfect, and they wanted it to stay that way.
🔮
Author's note:
End of the first season and part one of this book! Season two/part two will be out soon!