ONE WEEK LATER
"There's someone there."
"I promise you, no one is in your house Melissa."
"I swear to god Denis, if it's my sister I'm leaving. I'd rather play Barbies with Oliver Sykes' playboy bunny than deal with her." I could hear Denis' phone on speaker from my bedroom. We were the only two home.
"She isn't that bad."
"That bad? Are you blind? She's a total slut. What do you think they did up there for a month in the middle of no where? Giggle at each other?"
"Ben said she's a virgin."
"And you're buying that shit? God. I thought you were smarter than that..."
"Melanie," Denis said harshly.
"Ugh, I'm sorry. I love you. It just makes me so mad how no one else can see through her fake 'I only wear my rich famous boyfriends clothing label, cute little innocent Canadian girl' act."
"I guess you're right. But if your sister is there, come here. You know she won't leave." I pulled out my phone and dialed Oliver's number in less than a second. I had questions.
"Hey what's up-"
"Question. What's the feal with the rest of the world? Are vampires the only like, supernatural creature or whatever?"
"Um, why do you ask?" He chuckled. "And hello, Kylie."
"Right. Sorry. Hi. But I'm just curious."
"Can it wait until you come home? It's kind of a long conversation."
"Can it not? I need a list, details don't matter." He laughed again. I scolded myself for nothing having thought to ask earlier.
"Okay, well. Ghosts, but they aren't common. There are shape shifters, much like Denis. But they aren't vampires, and they can only ever change into one specific animal."
"Like a werewolf?"
"I guess. But mostly they're kinds of birds, things that can fly. Those are less common than ghosts."
"Are vampires the most common?"
"Twenty seven million and counting."
"What's the deal with ghosts?"
"Kylie-"
"And do the shape shifters-"
"Ky slow down." I took a deep breath and laughed. "Makin my head spin."
"Sorry," I blushed.
"Where is all of this coming from? What's gotten into you."
"Just, curious. I never asked before and you didn't mention it. Why not?"
"I don't know any. I've never seen a ghost, but I knew a shapeshifter once. A hundred years or so back. He was a dragon."
"Shit, that sounds cool."
"Yes, not when the dragon fits in your pocket." Oliver laughed at the memory. "It was pretty cool."
"So how do you know if someones a shapeshifter?"
"You don't, really. Almost impossible to spot."
"And ghosts?"
"You need to be introduced. Not quite sure."
"Well can you be?" I asked, wishing he could see me batting my eyelashes.
"I- Why don't you just read my big vampire bible, as you called it, when you come home? It's explains everything." I sighed, not wanting to wait.
"Okay."
"Other than that, how are you?" Well, Denis hates me just like his girlfriend. And I don't even wear that much Drop Dead stuff. Do I?
"Okay," I shrugged. "I miss you like crazy, but everyone else just got home, so I gotta jet."
"So you can call about ghosts and I can't ask how you are?" Oliver sighed. "A bit one sided."
"So- I'm sorry, Oliver. It was super urgent. I promise I'll call you tonight."
"Okay. I love you." Each time he said it he sounded more and more hopeful - and more defeated when I didn't say it back.
"Goodbye, Oliver." I hung up and put on one of my Drop Dead jumpers before walking out into the kitchen. I made myself a tea and leaned on the counter. That fake fuck. He apologizes to me for Melissa and then says he totally agrees with her. Is he really the kind of person I want to be friends with?
"Oh," Denis said as he walked out into the kitchen hesitantly, shirtless. "I thought you went out with everyone else."
"Just can't get right of me can you?" I joked as he made a coffee for himself. "You know, you might want to put some clothes on. Melissa walks in here and then I get blamed for your nudity. Two holes in my neck wouldn't look good on me." He glanced up at me curiously. "I'd offer you a sweater to borrow, but you know, all I have is Drop Dead stuff."
"What are you talking about?"
"Oh me? Nothing. After all, that's just my little innocent Canadian girl act. Right?" He sighed and looked down. I sipped my tea.
"Kylie,"
"Right." I pushed myself off the counter and started back to my room.
"Kylie wait! I'm sorry-"
"Fuck you, bud!" I slammed my door and sighed. Wow. Being a shady bitch really does make me feel better. No wonder Melissa does it all the time.
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Rather than try and fix things and apologise to me for being shitty, Denis invited Melissa over to have loud sex until everyone got back - three whole hours. I was bewildered at the idea that they could do that for three solid hours, and I couldn't walk up a flight of stairs without having to stop and catch my breath. Utterly bewildered.
"Hey, what did you do while we were away?" Ben sat next to me at the picnic table in the backyard - the only place I could go to escape the monstrosity that was Melissa's sex noises. Ben and Ciara had to go shopping and went to see Cameron, and James and Brandi went to the beach. I decided to stick around at the house and catch up on some sleep, as Haley still wasn't sold on the idea what I wasn't a boyfriend stealing whore. I had no clue why Denis stayed hom, if he didn't even like me to begin with. He and Melissa walked outside. "Oh. I see." Ben chuckled.
"Yeah, I drank some tea. Got called a whore. Overall an alright day. What about you? How's Mister Liddell?"
"That's quite formal?" He laughed. "But he's alright. Dick seems to have gotten smaller, but it's okay because I love him." I burst out laughing as Ben smiled proudly. Everyone else showed up and sat outside with us. The sun was shining bright and hot, countered with a cool breeze, making for a beautiful day.
"Dear god," I breathed. "When I get home I should have a rock hard six pack from all this laughing."
"Oi," Ben looked at Denis.
"Yeah?"
"Did you call Kylie a whore?" I sighed internally. Melissa looked at Denis curiously. Again, rather than confronting his problems, he just stormed inside. Melissa cackled.
"Wow, grow some balls and say it did he?"
"Wow, give his back to him did you?" I spat. She rolled her eyes.
"That's cute."
"Why are you even here?" I looked at her seriously.
"I was invited, what's your excuse?" She stood and I followed suit.
"No. I mean, still here. You fucked your boyfriend. I think that means you can fuck off now, considering he did."
"What you think they actually want you here? They all feel bad for your sorry litttle ass."
"Fuck you, Melissa." Ben looked up at her. "Stop it." She rolled her eyes and flipped her shit-brown hair over her shoulder.
"Why don't you just go back to Antartica for whatever already?"
"Oh my- go back to Transylvania already!" I shouted, earning a few hearty-but-worride chuckled.
"I hope you die." She muttered as she walked out.
"Don't choke, bitch." I waved as gave me the finger and sped off in her car. "Oh my god. Sorry." I muttered to everyone else before walking inside the house. I chugged a glass of water, the cool liquid calming me down some. I felt someones hand on my back and before turning around I grabbed it and twisted their arm back.
"Ah," It was James. I turned around wide eyed.
"Oh my god I'm so sorry." I hugged him quickled.
"Ninja Kylie, damn." He laughed as he shook his hand out.
"Sorry, again." I blushed as I let him go.
"It's okay, I think I'll live. Look, you're alright yeah? I know a lot has been going on with you and Mel."
"Is it obvious?" I sighed as I filled up my glass again in the sink. "Yeah, I'm okay."
"I know she's a bitch, and being totally unreasonable and shit, but I think you're kind of feeding the fire by fighting back, don't you?"
"I'm not gonna sit there and take it." I shruggged. "Not really my style."
"I know- I know. But maybe calling her a whore right back all the time isn't the right route to take." I looked at him. "It's just a thought. And what's up with Denis? I though you two were tighter than Ben's jeans?" I laughed slightly.
"Well," I took a deep breath and sighed sadly. "I guess he got to know me a little and changed his mind." When I looked back up at James I nearly burst into tears.
"If it's any consolation, I think getting to know you only made everyone else like you more. I really hope you have enjoyed Texas, past all the bullshit drama." I bit my lip for stability and nodded.
"Thank you, James. That means a lot to me." He smiled and put his arm around me as we walked back outside. "Promise you'll come back again, yeah?"