Addison watched as Andrew turned around and walked back outside. She excused herself to her bedroom, but instead of reading she opened the bedroom window and jumped down. Landing gracefully, without a sound. She stepped out so Andrew could see her and walked towards the back of the yard; Andrew hesitated but followed shortly behind. Addison sat on the ground and looked up at the stars through the tree branches. Andrew kept his distance and leaned up against a tree. They sat in silence for a few seconds before Andrew spoke up.
“So how are you doing? You know with the news and all?”
“I don’t know.”
“I just know you and Winnie don’t really get along so I just figured.”
“I am trying. I just can’t forgive her for what she did…she almost killed my brother.”
She quickly wiped away a tear.
“She was trying to save my life. Or at least what was left of it anyways.”
“I know but it’s still hard. Conner is all I have left.”
“That’s not true. You have a house full of people who love you.”
“I know and she put all of us in danger running off and killing three people while a hunter was coming down on us.”
“Winnie didn’t mean to do any of those things. She didn’t know about me and she wasn’t able to control herself when she attacked those people, you as a vampire should know that better than anyone.”
Addison sighed.
“I know but life was just so much simpler before she showed up.”
“And don’t you think Winnie thinks the same thing?”
“I don’t want to talk about the past anymore. It’s done and I can’t change it. All I know is Reed and even Conner love your sister very much. Reed is going to marry her. Conner will probably run off again. And I’m going to be all alone, again.”
“You know that’s not true.”
“Oh it’s not?”
“Like I said before, you have a house full of people.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
She looked over at him. They locked eyes.
“I know what you meant. I just don’t know. I’m dealing with so much right now. I know I feel things for you but…”
“All I know is I can’t stop thinking about this morning.”
Addison moved closer to Andrew. She sat facing him. She leaned in to kiss him but he pulled away. She looked at him shocked.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why won’t you kiss me?”
“It’s just…”
“No, tell me. I want to know why all of a sudden you are cold towards me.”
He stared at her, pleading with her not to make him say it.
“I just don’t want you to hate me.”
“How do you think I am going to feel if you don’t tell me and you keep this up?”
Again he pleaded with his eyes for her to leave it alone.
“Andrew just tell me why you won’t kiss me anymore!”
“It’s just…you’re a vampire…”
Silence. Addison did not know how to respond to it. This was the last thing she had expected to hear.
“WHAT?!?!”
Andrew just looked down at the ground. Unable to face her reaction head on.
“You are no longer attracted to me because I’m a vampire? Even though I’ve been a vampire for as long as you’ve known me. Even though your sister AND yourself are vampires. Even though you live in a house full of vampires. How is that possible!?!?!”
“I am attracted to you that is what makes this so hard for me.”
“Hard for you?”
“Yes! You don’t understand because you’ve been a vampire for years and you were never a vampire hunter! You don’t know how it is to live your whole life fighting and killing vampires to protect human life, just to be turned into a vampire yourself! And then to find you are attracted to a vampire. That you feel things for this creature that you have given your life to track down and kill. Feelings you’ve never felt for anyone, human or vampire. To have your body and mind pulled and fighting each other twenty-four/seven because part of you hates this person and the other part of you deeply cares for her. I just don’t know what to do.”
Addison just sat there staring at him. She felt happy to hear he cared so much about her but was pained by the agony it put him through. She just raised her chin and stood up.
“I’m sorry to put you through all the suffering. I’ll leave you alone from now on.”
She ran back to the house and climbed up into her window. Andrew just sat there. He punched the ground, harder then he planned, making a hole in the dirt. After sitting there for a while thinking about everything that had happened throughout the day he got up and went back to the house.
Conner knocked on Addison’s door.
“Who is it?”
“Conner.”
“Come in.”
“I was just checking in on you. I noticed you disappeared to your room as soon as you could.”
“I’m not really in the celebrating mood I guess. How are you doing with the news?”
“Okay I guess. I mean I knew this was coming sooner or later. I’ve been dealing with it for a while so it’s not like it is a big shock or anything.”
Conner sat on her bed and Addison wrapped her arms around him. He patted her head and hugged her back.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what, you didn’t do anything.”
“I mean for the pain you must always be going through.”
He gave her a kiss on the head.
“Someday love will find us…both of us”