Never did I think I'd end up in this situation.... here....with Laine.... alone... in the human world..... at a fricken cafe. For the hundredth time today my mind I go back to how I got here in the first place.
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All of us were hanging out at Cassy's moms and I admit, it was pretty awkward with Laine and Mason's "girlfriend", who's name I learned was Valerie, being there and also the uninvited guest Ryley. It was quiet once everyone was settled after coming in, no one really knew what to say. This wasn't an intentional hang out to begin with. Laine and Scarlett were already here, I had invited Lance and Cole to which Cassy said it was only fair to invite Mason, who was eager to agree since he didn't want to be alone with Valerie and somehow Ryley showed up.
"Well this is lame. What's up with all the awkwardness? It's like neither of you know each other!" Ryley decided to say.
I rolled my eyes. "If you don't like it then leave! Nobody told you to come anyway."
"I'll have you know-"
"Don't finish that sentence!" I interrupted.
"So is this what sisterly bonding looks like?" Mason raised a brow.
"Mason I'm shocked on your decision to leave your guys' date to come hang out with us." I replied.
Masons eyes grew wide. "W-what?! We w-weren't on a date!"
"Aw so this wasn't a date?" Valerie pouted.
Mason panicked. "W-well I mean it wasn't planned. We just bumped into each other."
"So if we planned one you'd go?" She smirked.
"I- um- well-" Mason stuttered.
"Okay what are we all planning to do here? Just chat?" Mason sighed with relief as Lance changed the subject. Immediately Mason shot me a glare which I returned with a smirk.
"Well any thoughts on what else to do?" Scarlett questioned.
"Let go clubbing!" Cole pumped a fist into the air and was greeted with everyone disagreeing except Ryley.
Everyone else continued to think of ideas. I noticed Ryley became a little too quiet. I looked over at her and she seemed deep in thought, most likely not from thinking of an activity for the group. I looked at her suspiciously as she looked over at me and winked. Gross. I looked away but not before I saw a mischievous look in her eyes. I'm screwed.
"Why don't we work on rehabilitation." Everyone looked over at Ryley confused. "I'm sensing a lot of awkwardness coming from this area." She motioned towards me, Cassy, and Laine. "I'd believe this is the main source of our struggle to converse normally." She said trying to sound smart. I already regret coming here. "I believe the best way to fix this is to start a bond between the new girlfriend and the old." No way. I am this close to attacking her right now.
"Sounds good actually. You too getting along might be what this group needs!" Mason said. I glared at him and he just smiled and winked.
I looked over at Lance for some help. He shrugged. "Why not? Maybe you too have more in common than you think." Hopefully not.
I glanced at Cassy. She smiled nervously. "I'm not exactly opposed to the idea." Why?!
"Great it's settled! We'll send you two off on your own for bonding time." Ryley clapped her hands together. With Ryley here I don't think there's escaping this situation. Plus she'd probably do something worse if I didn't go along with it. My eyes widened in realization.
I stood up. "Fine but first, Lance and Mason come with me for a second."
They followed me to the kitchen and I instantly grabbed their necks and shoved them to the wall. "Let Ryley anywhere near Cassy." I squeezed my hand tighter."And you're dead."
"Jesus Kat!" Lance struggled.
"You sure are protective!" Mason said.
"We won't let Ryley touch her!" They said simultaneously.
"Good." I released them and walked back as if nothing happened. Everyone was a bit confused when Lance and Mason massaged their necks, trying to calm their breathing.
I looked over at Laine, who seemed petrified, and motioned her to follow me. "Lets go and get this over with."
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And so here we are. I let her decide where to go and she chose here of all places. She ordered what I'm sure is the sweetest coffee here while I just stuck with straight up black.
Laine still seemed scared and nervous. She hasn't even taken a sip of her drink yet.
"Quit looking so scared. It's not like I'm going to kill you." Although the thought has crossed my mind.
"Sorry." Any quieter and I wouldn't have caught it. She sat up straighter and cleared her throat but still said nothing. Maybe we were the ones creating an awkward silence.
I looked Laine over, from any onlookers view we'd seem like complete opposites. Laine is all rainbows and sunshine while I wouldn't be caught dead in anything bright and colorful. I don't think Cassy is as girly as Laine is but she isn't really that far off. Cassy definitely has her times. I wonder how differently things would be if Cassy and Laine never fought? Actually I don't think I want to know. I have to start thinking about something else.
"Um.." Laine shifted around. Her hands in her lap as her eyes darted around, cheeks shaded with a tinge of pink. What's her deal? Oh. I guess I was staring too much. It's just when you end up thinking to much you forget your surroundings. Wait why do I have to explain to myself?
"Don't flatter yourself." I said as I took a sip of my coffee. She narrowed her eyes at me but I stopped her from talking. "So are we just going to sit here for who knows how long?"
Laine crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. "I don't know you tell me."
"I haven't heard you say anything at all."
"Who says you can't start a conversation?"
"Okay Miss Sassy Pants. Why did you choose here of all places?" Not that I really care.
"I'm not sassy! And I don't know it was the first place I thought of."
Before I opened my mouth a new voice interrupted.
"Hey Laine!" A girl with short dirty blonde hair walked up to us.
"Hey! What happened to your leg?"
"Oh just scratched it against a bench earlier." I was ignoring it when she first walked through the door but now she's right here and the smell is as strong as ever. When was the last time I had a drink?
"So who's this?" The girl asked looking at me.
"Oh um. This is Katherine." Laine said a bit awkwardly.
The girl held her arm out in front of me. "Hi Katherine! I'm Heather!"
I tried with all my might to not let my discomfort show as I shook her hand and just smiled.
Seems like she still saw it anyway. "Oh! Sorry am I interrupting?"
"No."
"Yes." I just need her gone the more I think about her leg the more I think about blood and the more I start drooling. It's sure been a while since my last drink.
Laine gave me a confused look while I gave her an 'are you stupid' one in return. Took her a few seconds to finally catch on.
"Right. We haven't... uh... caught up in a while so.." Laine started as I rolled my eyes.
"Say no more! See you at practice!" And off she went.
"We need to go to a club like now." I told Laine.
"What? No way!"
I put my hands on the table and leaned closer to her. "Laine I haven't had a drink in a while. I'm hearing everybody's veins pumping and smelling all the types I can choose from. Yours is especially appealing."
"W-what do you mean?"
"Smells rare." The rare ones taste the best but I feel like I'd cross some sort of boundary if I drank her blood.
"Okay fine! Let's go!"
The walk there was pretty quiet. I needed to say something to keep my mind focused.
"So, Heather? Name rings a bell." Sure why not start a fight? Great job Kat.
She glared at me. "I don't have to explain myself to you!" Laine looked away. "It was all a misunderstanding." She said that so softly I'm almost certain I wasn't supposed to hear.
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Upon arrival I gladly helped myself. Of course none of them were rare but it'll do. With that in mind I didn't go to far from Laine because I did sense another vampire around. I went over to let her know we should leave but got distracted by the new friend she seemed to have made. She was laughing at whatever the guy was saying to her and she seemed to be having a good time. Maybe they know each other? I don't know how long I was staring but I snapped out of it when the mysterious vampire decided to introduce himself to her.
"Hey sorry but we were just leaving." I said as I grabbed Laine's hand. She looked confused and whoever she was talking to before seemed to leave.
"Woah hey now. I'm sure she's down for a drink or two?" The vamp said as he glared at me.
"Yea I don't think so." I replied.
"She can speak for herself." He grabbed her arm.
"Let her go."
He smiled. "Come on just one bite and she's all yours! There's enough for both of us." He positioned her arm near his mouth.
Laine started to panic. "K-Kat!"
"Oh I get it." He said. "She's yours isn't she? Then surely you'd want a sip too." With his free hand he pulled a knife and cut her arm. In an instant I was on him. He wasn't my main concern right now so I ripped his heart out as soon as I got the chance. Would've like a longer fight given different circumstances.
I went over to Laine who was crying and gripping her arm. "Hey calm down! J-just give me a sec!" Crap, crap, crap. I'm can't focus! All I smell is her blood! I tore the sleeve off my sweater and prepared to wrap it around her arm. There's a lot of blood I can't tell if he hit a vein but better to be safe than sorry. I bit my own arm to make it bleed and shoved it into Laine's mouth. Of course she started struggling and trying to pull away.
"Just drink! Trust me!" I yelled. Her muffled cries eased as she listened.
After a few seconds she moved her head away. "I can't anymore. I'm going to throw up." She choked. I looked at her cut, it was still bleeding but no longer gushing.
"I think it'll be fine." Good think I compelled everyone here or else it'd be chaos. Just in case anyone decides to walk in I picked her up and took us to an empty room. Love these kind of clubs. I put her on the bed tossed her my sleeve and stood in the far corner, my nose to the wall.
"Just wrap it up and clean yourself off." I heard her get up and wash her hands in the sink. Shortly she came back.
"Um I can't tie this with one hand." She whispered.
I took a deep breath and went over to help her. I made sure it was wrapped properly and started tying.
"A-are you... like.... t-thirsty?" She asked quietly as I finished.
I looked up at her. "W-why would you ask me that? I'm still trying to get my mind off of it and you're not helping!"
"Sorry... I just.... I don't know... if you needed it." She looked away, cheeks turning red.
"Yeah be embarrassed you idiot." I flicked her forehead. "Don't go around telling that to any vampire."
She put a hand to her forehead and I plopped down on the bed next to her. I looked up at the ceiling taking in all that happened today.
"Did you call me Kat earlier?" She froze. "I mean.. it's fine I guess. Just making sure I heard that right." I sighed. "Some bonding day this was. Today probably scarred you so... sorry."
Laine laid next to me and stared at the ceiling as well. "I would say I'm fine but that honestly was pretty terrifying." We both laughed.
After a while I said, "I'm sorry." I didn't intend to say it but it came out anyway.
Laine looked over at me then back up. She knows what I'm apologizing for. "It's..... okay.... I think I can be at peace with it if it's you."
Fuck why does that make me both happy and upset?