"Phillip...Phillip!" I stared at Samantha Peterson's beautiful heart-shaped face. She opened her green eyes wide. They looked like jewels glowing in the sand. I wondered why she was sporting a fake tan this late in December. Summer had already come and gone, perhaps she was missing its rays.
"What?" I asked, coming out of my thoughts. I'd been staring at the clock for a while now. 3:30 pm. The sun would be setting in an hour thanks to Daylight Savings Time ending. By then, Victor would rouse from his slumber and inevitably smell her. It wasn't like he'd never seen Samantha before. He'd come across her in the library when she'd insisted on bringing me lunch last Thursday. He'd said choice words about her character after the fact too. Though the two of us had been wrapped up in the issue of Brinley and the vampire that I'd saved her from, Victor made sure that I knew just how much he detested Samantha.
"Honesty, Phillip, you can do much better than her," he told me. That was minutes before the incident happened in the bathroom, resulting in him drinking from me...kissing me. At first, I thought it had been a fluke, but he'd done it again last night...kissed me. And I'd allowed it, even kissing him back while letting him lay me down on the bed under him while he lifted my shirt and kissed other parts of my body. I'd been powerless against it and honestly was still reeling from it.
Samantha slapped her palm on the table, "Seriously?! What are you thinking about that's got your head in the clouds? Anthropology is not that exciting. I know the test is bad, like over a hundred questions, but like, you got it...even if I don't." She paused briefly, twisting her brown highlighted hair between her fingers. I didn't want to say anything to her about how blonde her highlights had gotten. They were a stark contrast to her brown. Did she get it done between yesterday and today? I shook my head.
"Your hair," I blurted, "I mean, you do. Got it."
"Oh," Samantha looked down, "You noticed it." She sighed, "After Thursday night, I totally forgot I'm not supposed to take hot showers. I was so messed up from that whole thing, you know? And that poor girl who had to go to the hospital after being attacked by the killer. I was worried about you the entire time you ran in to save her, and, well..." she shrugged, "I ruined it. I plan to go to the salon tomorrow, so it's fine."
"Ah," I looked down, biting my lip.
"You were really brave, you know that?" Samantha batted her fake eyelashes at me, and I gulped. "I mean, I wouldn't have been able to do something like that." I stayed silent. Samantha seemed to get the hint that I didn't want to talk about it, but there was something in her eyes that told me she wanted to talk about something else. "You want some coffee? I like, brought you a bag from this little local roasters by my house. As a thank you for studying with me. I feel a lot better now. I think I might actually pass the test now that I have the right answers. It's open book, right?" She turned to look at me, and I took in her outfit for the first time. She was either trying to impress me, or Samantha always wore things like this on a Saturday. I lifted an eyebrow at the bright pink dress she wore. She'd abandoned her high heels hours earlier. Every inch of her was tanned, slightly orange; my suspicions were confirmed.
"Yeah, it's open book," I replied. I looked nervously at the clock, the time nearing four in the afternoon. If I let Samantha make coffee, she might be out of my hair soon. "And thank you for the coffee. That was nice of you."
"I know how much you like it," she said. I held in my surprise. Samantha had only taken the time to sit with me once and talk to me beyond the normal, 'I forgot a pen.' I was shocked she'd even noticed. "You're always bringing coffee to class. You smell good. I mean, the coffee you bring smells good." She smiled sheepishly.
I grimaced. Was Samantha Peterson, of all people, trying to flirt with me? Oh god! How the hell was I going to tell her that I was already kissing someone else and that her preemptive phone number label on my phone would have to go? I bit my bottom lip. "By the way," she started scooping the coffee into the pot from the bag, "did you see my number in your phone?"
"Yeah," I stood up from the dining room chair, nervously shoving my hands into my pockets. I was wearing a pair of baggy jeans and one of the new sweaters Jenna had gotten me. This one was a light blue, the same color as my eyes. I'd backed away when Victor held it up to me the other day; the day before we'd kissed. 'This would look stunning on you, Phillip! It matches your eyes so well! I must say, your friend Jenna has wonderful taste.' He'd met my eyes then, and I should have known something was up by the way he gave it back to me, letting his hand brush mine entirely too long. My heart skipped a beat. "But um...about that...I don't think..."
Samantha hit the brew button and turned around promptly, "You don't think what, Phillip?" Her voice was too defensive. I cowered.
I scratched my head, leaning against the fridge next to the coffee pot, "Um...well."
She crossed her arms over her hot pink mini dress, "Don't tell me you're actually dating someone! OMG! Is it Jenna?!"
"No," I stuttered, "She's got a boyfriend."
"Well then?!"
"I...uh...I'm..." Someone help me! I silently cried.
"Unfortunately, he's already taken." Solid, strong arms wrapped themselves around me. I closed my eyes as Victor rested his chin on the top of my head. My face grew hot, my stomach clenching in knots as I fought the urge to keep my eyes closed. I opened them as Victor released me. Samantha stared back at me in shock, then up at Victor.
I turned, trying to signal that I was sorry. Victor waved a hand at me, smiling down. His face bore the expression that I needed to see. No worries. Everything is fine. I inhaled deeply, trying to keep from passing out.
"Oh god!" Samantha looked between us, "Oh god!! Jesus, I'm an idiot. OMG!! Phillip, you're gay?! Wow, I should have known! Shit! I'm uh, I'm gonna go." Samantha went to leave, but Victor caught her by the arm.
"Please, don't feel you have to go just because I showed up. Stay." Victor's gaze rolled over her, and the vein in his jaw jumped.
"I don't think it's appropriate. I'm sorry I intruded. I didn't even hear you come in," Samantha pulled her arm back from him wearily. Her face was as red as mine, both of us embarrassed for different reasons. "I mean, Phillip didn't even say you were living here with him. So are you...living here with him, or did you just drop by? Exactly when did you two start dating? And..." Samantha's face turned into a frown faster than I'd ever seen, "exactly how old are you?"
Victor smiled at me as I leaned against the fridge for moral support. I never wanted Samantha to find out about Victor. I never wanted Victor to know that Samantha was in my house. I should have told him last night. I should have told him she was coming over to study, but I didn't. We weren't exactly dating, were we? I wasn't exactly taken, was I? Samantha continued to toss the word gay around like it was something horrible. I instantly felt ashamed.
Victor leaned against the kitchen counter, "To answer your question, yes, I am living here with Phillip. I have been for a while now." Samantha backed up a step and looked at me angrily. "To your other question, I am thirty-two."
"What?!" Samantha looked at me, "Phillip? You've got to be kidding me! This guy's too old for you! Please tell me you're joking?"
I made a small sound like a squeaky wheel. "I don't think there's anything wrong with his age. By the way, Samantha, this is Victor. Victor...Samantha." Victor pushed himself up from where he was leaning against the kitchen counter.
"Nice to meet you. Exactly what is the occasion for stopping by?"
"Studying," I said. "We were studying for Anthropology 101 finals. Samantha needed help. I should have told you. I'm sorry."
Victor raised an eyebrow at me, "No need to apologize. This is your house. You do whatever you need to do. I don't care who comes over." He smiled at me, "Though I am starving." My eyes widened. I shook my head at him, silently begging him not to attack. If he did, Samantha would never come back. Worse, she'd spread rumors all over school that I was gay and the guy I was with was definitely the college campus killer. "Samantha, is it? Why don't you stay for dinner?"
Samantha looked over at me, eyes full of water. She usually looked confident and pretty. Now she just looked utterly defeated. "I really should go."
"Please," Victor insisted, "I'm sure you still have more studying to do." It was true. We had maybe two hours more to go. Samantha looked down, flattening the hem of her pink dress down her thighs. "Besides, I need to have an excuse to try my cooking skills out."
"Um, I'm really not sure." Samantha looked over at me and mouthed, "He's so old! How could you?! Why didn't you tell me that you were gay?! OMG!!! I'm so embarrassed!"
I worried my eyebrow as I watched her speak. I wanted to tell her I was sorry. I wanted to tell Victor even more that I was sorry for not telling him that Samantha was coming over today. My phone buzzed on the countertop from where I put it earlier in the day beside him. Samantha looked up from where she had been typing on her cell phone.
"Samantha...Oh Samantha," Victor said. He shook his head, laughing, "Samantha Peterson is My Girlfriend?" He asked the question as he handed my phone to her. What had she just typed to me? My eyes darted back and forth nervously. "I agree wholeheartedly. You should change the label on your contact for Phillip." He handed it to Samantha softly, chuckling. "You poor thing. I am very, very sorry that your heart has broken, but you are young, and there will be other boys."
Samantha nervously typed something into my phone, then put it down on the counter next to her. "I really should go. Um, I'm sorry, Phillip, but can we reschedule the rest of the night? I uh, I need to think. Maybe Monday we can get together at the library, and you can tell me all about your boyfriend." She pointed to Victor with one finger. "He's uh, a real catch. Enjoy the coffee."
Samantha bolted faster than I'd ever seen her move. Samantha grabbed her Anthropology book, notes, and jacket and headed toward the front door. Slipping her high heels on, she refused to look at me as I struggled to catch up with her. "You alright, Samantha? Look, if you're upset, it's probably not safe for you to drive. You can wait here till you calm down. I'm really sorry I didn't tell you about..."
"What?! That you're gay?! That you have a boyfriend?!" She nearly dropped everything in her hands, "God, Phillip! I'm such a fool! I should have known something was up. New clothes, better style. You brushed your hair for the first time since I set eyes on you months ago! God, I'm such an idiot!" The first tear fell, and then another, and then another. I winced.
"I only just started to figure things out myself. I'm sorry."
"Sorry doesn't cut it! God! I'm going!" Samantha was bawling at this point, and I could tell she could barely see as she attempted to walk into the front yard. Shit!
My momentary indecisiveness flickered as she threw things into the trunk of her car. She looked terrible. Mascara ran down her face as she attempted to smile and wave goodbye. She really shouldn't drive. I cast my eyes down, knowing there was nothing I could do to stop her. I ran to her car. "Samantha! Hey, I know you're upset, but please come back inside and calm down." She looked up at me, as pretty as I'd ever seen her. When her eyes cast up, I could tell she was looking at Victor.
"Come inside and have a cup of coffee. You'll feel much better once you drink something warm. I know I always do." I tried not to laugh at the obvious vampire joke he made.
"No," she said shakily. "No, really I'm good." She wiped the tears from her eyes with a manicured hand then started the car. "See you Monday, Phillip." Samantha waived goodbye and then took off down the road.
"Well," Victor said beside me. "That didn't go well at all."
I pulled my hand down my face, covering my mouth. "No, not at all."
Victor gripped my hand in his, pulling it gently from where it had been covering my mouth, "Come back inside, Phillip. Let's sit on the couch and drink some coffee. I think you've had enough excitement for one day." I looked up at Victor who stood smiling down at me. I wanted to say that I was sorry, that I should have told him about Samantha coming over. That I wasn't good at defending myself or other people. I just let a girl get into a car crying and let her drive off. I hoped she would be okay. "Stop thinking so hard Phillip. Everything's going to be okay. I promise."
I ground my teeth into my lower lip, "You promise?"
He leaned into me, one hand cupping the back of my head and the other still holding my hand. "I promise." He leaned down to kiss me again as the sun began to set and the world turned to twilight.