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“Nikki, I—“
“Ashley, I know what you are.” I whispered. I’m sure; I know what she’s hiding. I’ve been sensing her being strange for the past few days. And right now, it does feel a little creepy. So, yep, I must be right then.
“Say it. Out loud.” she said with the same intensity as me.
“You’re a vampire.” I looked into her eyes. Her face showed no expression, no shock. Huh. So it must be true then. Then as if she was woken out of a trance, her eyebrows creased, her nose wrinkled, her lips set in a straight line, which tugged up a little at the corner. Seconds later, she burst out laughing.
“Oh my god, Nikki---I’m a what?” she said breathlessly as she laughed, tears trickling down her face.
“You’re a vampire.” I repeated, smugly. She just stared at me blankly, quite amused. What?! She really did act like a vampire for the past few days! It’s like one minute I’m in the phone with her, and then she appears on my doorstep the next!! And also, now that I’ve noticed, Ashley has gold-ish brown eyes. The exact same eyes as the…Collin?...Connell?...Oh…yeah, Cullen dude. That’s pretty creepy, I tell you.
“You have gold eyes Ashley! How can you not be one?!” I exclaimed, frustrated. It just triggered her to laugh hysterically, slapping her hands on her sketchbook, trying to get words out to say.
“Oh my god, you can’t be serious!” She said, still lost in her laughing fit. Ha. Ha. Ha. Real funny, Ashley. I’m starting to think that vampires have poor sense of humor. I glanced at the wall clock. Yes! Two more minutes, and I’m out of here. As much as I love my best friend I have to get out of here.
Two minutes passed, and Ashley, my vampire best friend’s laughing died down a little as she followed me to Period 2. Ashley and I have had the same time table our whole lives, well, except for Math which she’s in the Advanced Class. I headed to my locker and placed the things I didn’t need inside. As I was about to close my locker, my eyes flew to a picture of my dad, stuck on the inside of my locker.
My dad was a good, good, man. He was the bravest fireman and the best father I could hope for. My heart still ached from the memory when I last saw him, saying that he’ll be back for dinner, but he never did come back.
I sighed, and took a last look at the picture, and closed my locker, putting my key away. I walked towards Ashley’s locker, which was on the far opposite side. Our eyes met, and she once again returned to her laughing fit.
“Would you stop that?!” I said firmly.
“Okay, Nikki, first, I’m not a vampire.” She wiped stray tears off of her cheeks as she regained composure.
“Then why do you have gold eyes?” I questioned, raising one eyebrow.
“They’re contact lenses, Nikki. I have bad eyes too, and I didn’t want to wear those…spectacles.” She rolled her eyes.
“Well you could’ve told me earlier!” I exclaimed.
“And, um, the reason why guys go running to me is…” she said, hesitantly.
I made a gesture with my hand, telling her to go on. She grabbed my wrist and dragged me to the lost and found room. Nobody goes there unless they need spare shirts or shoes. She closed the door behind us and bobbed her head to the direction of where the chairs are. I sat down in one of those kiddie chairs as she sat on one, facing me. Wow. This must be serious. I started getting a little anxious.
“Nikki.” She said, looking at me straight in the eyes that I felt intimidated by her.
“Y-yeah?” I sat straight.
“Don’t be nervous. I’m just going to tell you…someone’s last words.” She fidgeted in her seat, looking as nervous as I am.
“I’m not nervous! Not at all. Psh. Why would I?” I lied, straightening to my chair more, and managed to laugh a little.
“Don’t kid yourself, Nikki.” She rolled her eyes. “We both know you only sit straight when your nervous.” She said with a smile. This girl really does pay attention to me.
“So… what did you want to say?”
“The day your dad died, did you know who he rescued from the fire?” she asked me.
“No… but I heard that he successfully got a little kid and her brother out—“ And all of a sudden, what I said made sense. The little girl was Ashley. I found my hand covering my mouth. I felt tears starting to build up, not caring that we’re skipping classes, which I had never done before. I could feel my chest constrict, as Ashley showed me a scar on her right shoulder, something I didn’t know existed.
“Your dad was a brave man.” She reached for my knee.
Tell me something I don’t know. I thought to myself.
“You must hate me right now huh?” her eyes was filled with sadness and sorrow, and she took her hand off of my knee.
“Ashley—I—I don’t hate you.” I mumbled. “Why didn’t you tell me? You should’ve told me. T-tell me everything that happened. Please.” I looked at her, begging.
“I was 5 years old. Two weeks after my moms death, my dad, Robert, remarried a girl named Anna. Anna had a son, and he became my step brother. It was a Sunday, we just arrived home from church, and we were having our weekly barbecue gathering. It was just us; our little family.” Ashley smiled, recalling the memory.
****ASHLEY’S FLASHBACK 13 YEARS AGO****
“ASHLEY! Hey, my little girl! Would you get some coal, baby girl?” Robert, Ashley’s dad, cooed.
“Right on it, daddy!” little Ashley smiled and ran to the little shed. She picked up some coal, when Jason, her 6 year-old brother came running to her aid.
“Is it heavy, little sis?” Jason held his hand out, taking the coal from her hands. “You’re welcome!” he yelled, mockingly.
Ashley stood tall, on her tippy toes, pecked his cheeks and said, “Thanks, big bird.” She blushed and ran away. Oh how she loved her big brother.
“Ashy!”, Anna called.
“Yes, Annie?” Ashley responded, and walked towards her. She grew to like Anna, but she couldn’t bring herself to call her mommy. Anna was nice to the kids, and she cared for the family.
“Ashy, baby, call daddy, please? I think something’s wrong with the fuse box.” Anna said, smiling warmly at her daughter.
Ashley ran to their small backyard. “Daddy! Annie said something’s wrong with the fudge box. Come quick!”
Robert smiled at how cute his daughter was. “We wouldn’t want the something going wrong with the ‘fudge box’ now would we?” he ruffled his daughter’s hair.
When they reached the basement, he saw a the fuse box and everything else on fire, and Anna, lifeless on the floor, while Jason was crying, ash stained his cheeks, kneeling beside his mom. “Jason! Stay as low as possible, okay? I’m coming to get you!” he yelled through the flames. Jason nodded, and crouched low.
“Ashley. I want you to be careful, and grab the phone in the kitchen. And press the number 4, okay? It will direct you to the fire department. Do you understand me?” Robert bent to meet his daughters face, cupping it with both of his hands.
“I love you, baby girl.” He kissed her forehead goodbye. Tears were streaming down Ashley’s face.
“No, Daddy! No! No! I’m not going! I’m not leaving you and Jason!” she resisted, as she hugged her daddy’s legs.
“Shh. We can grab some ice-cream later, okay? Call the fire department, sweetie. Daddy has to go and be superman. I’ll get Jason for you, how’s that?” Robert said, swallowing the big lump on his throat, trying to fight back tears. Jason was a horrible 10 meters away from him. He could just hope that he makes it in time. He’s got a plan; he’s playing to it.
“I love you daddy.” Ashley pulled her dad’s arm to get his face closer to her. She kissed his cheek goodbye, knowing it was the end. “I love you too, sweetheart. I always will.” Her dad cupped her face one more time, giving her a kiss on the cheek and on her forehead. He couldn’t stop the tears from falling now. “Now go. And take care, always.” Ashley let go of his hand and full on sprinted to the nearest phone.
“Hello? This is the fire department.”
She answered with a cry.
“Honey, calm down. Where are you? Is it a big fire?”
“I-I’m—at home! Dad—went to—Jason. There’s a—big fire! Come quick!” she said between hysterical sobs.
“What’s your address, sweetie?” A guy named Mark Greene answered. She managed to give the correct address, and in less than five minutes, firemen arrived.
“Look for the family! I’ll look for the little girl!” a muffled voice, similar to the guy on the phone answered.
“Here… I’m here!” Ashley yelled to her limits.
“Found the girl!” the man approached Ashley.
“Hi, little girl. I’m Mark Greene. I’m a fire fighter. I’ll get you out of here, okay?” the fire fighter said in a warm voice.
Ashley nodded, coughing. Mark offered her the breather. The smoke was too thick for the kid. He carried her through the flames, but some wood on fire fell on Ashley’s right shoulder, also hitting Mark’s face. The girl screamed in pain, so did Mark.
“Fuck.” Mark cursed, adding a few more colorful words. He realized that there was a minor in his arms that might’ve heard him swear. He successfully made it out of the kitchen, through the living room, and almost out the door, when another firefighter yelled, “The parents are goner! I found a little boy though! He’s already outside! Hurry out, Greene!”
When Ashley heard that her parents are gone, she wept and wept into Mark’s arms.
Mark got distracted by the little girl’s cries that he didn’t notice the shelf falling towards them. He did the only thing that he could do. He hugged Ashley close to his chest, and took all the pain of the impact. They were down on the ground, with him protecting Ashley from the flames, and whispered, “Ashley, I want you to promise me something, okay?” Ashley nodded, and he continued.
“When you get out of here, and when you grow old, I want you to be friends with my daughter. She’s wonderful, I’m sure you’ll like her. Her name’s Nikki.” He smiled at the mental picture of her daughter. He couldn’t help but let a tear fall.
“I promise. If you want, I will let her marry my brother! My brother is nice, and caring. I’m sure we will love Nicole.” Although she was young, she reassured the brave fireman, and kissed him on the cheek. “I promise, I will never leave your daughter.”
Mark couldn’t help but smile. “I’m sure your brother will grow up as a wonderful person. You kiddos take care alright? And her name’s Nikki. Not Nicole. Just Nikki.”
****END OF FLASHBACK****
“And that was your dad’s last words. My brother and I were taken to an orphanage around here, and another family adopted Jason, while I live with my new parents, Gina and Tim Cooper. They took me in, and I was lucky enough to meet you on third grade.” She paused, and took a deep breath, “I got to know you, and I realized your dad was right. You were an amazing person, and from then on, I vowed to myself that I’ll take care of you, be right by your side, as to repay for the brave man who saved my life.”
More tears came, and I couldn’t stop the aching of my heart. I realized I owe my dad everything; my best friend, my best friends life, and mine as well. I looked over to Ashley, and to my surprise, she was crying. This girl never cried in front of me. Now I know; Ashley was trying to be the big sister I never had, even though we’re about the same age.
“But… where’s your brother? And what does my dad have to do with guys running to you?” I asked her once I regained my composure.
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. I purposely seduce them, driving other guys away from you, even if it would mean breaking your heart. Trust me, I don’t want to see you hurting, but to be honest…” she trailed off, trying to find the right words.
“Go on.” I replied stiffly.
“When I said I’ll get you together with my brother, I meant it. And fortunately, your dad agreed.”
“All these time, you were seducing the guys I like? To drive them away from me? To fulfill your promise with my dad? You were saving me for a guy that I have never met?!” I stood up, looking down at her. I was furious. Even though it was a promise to my dad, she hid it from me! After all those heartaches I’ve been through… and I’ve experienced my biggest one yet just the other day, and she chose to tell me now.
“Why did you tell me just now?! After all those times we spent together, why now Ashley?” I begged her for an answer, my eyes stinging.
“Because I’ve found my brother, Nikki. After years of being apart, I finally found him, and he found me.” She smiled to herself. “We’ve been in touch for a while now, believe it or not.”
“And who exactly is he?” My anger died down a little, seeing my best friend so happy in ages.
“And I thought you’d know by now.” She rolled her eyes.
“I’ve never met him, how would I know.” I mumbled, feeling slightly excited.
“You’ve met him. Just you wait, Nikki. Just you wait.” She got up and headed to the door. Before she completely got out, she turned around to face me, and sent me a wink.
“There’s this thing called ‘fate’, Nikki. If I haven’t already told you.” She smirked, and got out of the room, closing the door behind her.
“Whaaaa--?” I stood there, confused. What the hell?
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IS THIS STORY GETTING LAMER AND LAMER OR WHAT