The next day, I added gym to the skip list. Hope and I hung out in the library. Apparently, Whitney never missed keyboarding, and Noel had a crush on her second-period Psych teacher.
I'd worked out a routine where I could avoid Denise almost entirely. In the morning, I went straight from the bus to English. I skipped math altogether, avoiding Denise and the numeric hell that was Algebra II.
No need to worry about keeping my place with Notre Dame. I wasn't going anywhere so to fuck with it.
The Mouseketeers treated me with a certain respect I was becoming accustomed to.
"Was that your first bite?" Whitney asked one day in the library when the four of us were seated together at a table by the back wall.
I tightened my scarf. "Yeah."
"How was it?"
"How was it?" I repeated. Those sick yellow eyes returned to me - like a smoker whose whites have discolored. I shuddered.
Noel propped a hand under her chin. Her hood was pulled back and her hair fell over her shoulders. "I'll never forget my first bite."
"Why don't you tell me about it?"
"His name was Henry, and when he sunk his teeth into my neck I could feel him break through each layer of skin right down to my vein. It was agonizing, but then there was this sudden rush and release of blood, as though my body wanted to give him as much as he wanted to take. My heart was all over the place. I was like a deer in the headlights. You know - stunned."
I was momentarily speechless. "And you, Hope? What was your first time like?"
Hope twirled a strand of red hair. "Well, I'm not a poet like Noel, but it was unforgettable. I guess that much is obvious. And it was with Henry's friend, Gavin."
I looked at Whitney. "And you, Whit?"
"Henry was my first, as well." Whitney laughed. "He likes to whisper sweet nothings inside your ear. He likes to compare your skin to the finest porcelain and say his heart won't go on if he can't have one taste of your sweet blood."
"Gavin wasn't much for words - just biting," Hope said.
Noel laughed. "And sucking."
Hope smacked Noel on the shoulder.
"So what was the name of your first?" Whitney asked.
"I'd rather forget," I said. "He turned out to be a brute."
"You have to watch out for the brutes," Noel said. "Let me know if you need me to kick anyone's ass, 'cause I can do that."
Hope smiled. "Noel's small, but freakishly strong."
"Thanks, but I'm pretty good at kicking ass, myself."
Noel flipped her black and blond-streaked hair over one shoulder. "If you ever need back-up, just say the word."
"Same goes for you. How long have you guys known about vampires?"
Whitney leaned back in her chair. "I found out at the end of sophomore year. I was heavy into coke back then, and a friend from West High invited me to a party. She said there was going to be something better than drugs. Hope came with me."
"We found out together," Hope said.
"And we saw Noel there."
Noel smiled. "It was one of Marcus's parties."
"Who's Marcus? Is he a student at West?"
Noel grinned. "Not Marcus. He's too old. Well, they're all old, but he looks it."
"How old are we talking?"
Noel looked at Whitney and shrugged. "Twenty-six?"
"Or twenty-eight."
"Anyway, he lives by West High and his friends Henry and Gavin do the school routine and find kids who like to party with the undead."
I sat up. "And they just reveal themselves to you like that? 'Surprise! I'm a vampire, mind if I suck your blood?'"
Hope chuckled. "She's funny."
"They're a bit more selective then that," Noel said. "They seek a certain type."
"And what type is that?"
"The seriously fucked-up type."
The Mouseketeers laughed in unison. Whitney leaned forward and grabbed my wrist. "Welcome to the club, Aurora. I'm guessing your accident messed you up pretty good."
I grinned. I liked these girls. They couldn't begin to imagine what I was, but I wasn't alone after all. Just so long as they didn't discover I was out to destroy the creatures whose bite they found so addictive.
"Your turn," Noel said. "How did you first become acquainted with vampires?"
Acquainted. I liked that word. As though one strolled up to me one day and said, "So I'm a vampire. We do exist. Crazy, huh? Oh, and nice to meet you. Mind removing your scarf so I can bite you?"
"It was sort of sprung on me," I said. "Like, out of the blue."
Whitney and Hope bobbed their heads. Noel studied the black polish on her nails. It wasn't until later that it occurred to me she never did divulge how she came to be partying with vampires or how long it had been going on.
After leaving the library and waving goodbye to the juniors, I turned and found myself face-to-face with Valerie.
"I was beginning to wonder if you'd driven your car off a cliff, but it turns out you've just been making friends with lowerclassmen. Probably a good idea since you'll most likely end up repeating senior year."
"I suppose you'd know about that. What is this - your sixth year at Denali?"
Valerie took a step forward, but stopped when a hall monitor rounded the corner and headed our way. She smiled with deep red lips. "As much as I'd enjoy kicking your ass, I do plan on graduating. Got to get to class. We'll talk later."
I rolled my eyes as Valerie headed off. Once she was out of my face, I noticed Fane propped against the far wall watching us...or me, rather, now that Valerie had stormed off. I could take the far hallway and avoid walking past him, but then I'd have to do a lap around the school to get to my locker. Besides, Fane needed to know I wouldn't be intimidated by him or his wench.
He grinned as I walked past. "Shouldn't you be in class?"
"Shouldn't you?"
He pushed off the wall and walked toward me. "We've missed you in gym. I enjoyed your little performance the other day."
I turned my head to follow Fane's movements as he circled me.
"I'm glad to see that you're feeling better," he continued.
"Yep. Never better."
He stared at the red scarf around my neck. I didn't take my eyes off him.
"Good," he said slow and sensual. He stepped in my path as I tried to walk past.
My heartbeat quickened. There had to be something seriously sick about feeling aroused by a person who pissed me off.
My jaw tightened. "Get out of my way, unless you want me to drop you the way I dropped Clayton."
Fane's teeth flashed when he grinned. He stepped aside. "Careful, Aurora, I might take you down with me."
I hurried past him, feeling his smile on my back the entire way. Now I had a whole other reason to avoid gym besides loathing the class.
To think I actually wanted to dance with the scoundrel at winter ball. I'd sooner dance with a viper.
Mom did the final touches on my hair the night of the dance. Having it swept up in a twist made me want to wear my scarf more than ever, but Mom convinced me to leave it for one night.
"The wound has nearly faded."
"Has it?" I asked absently.
"What about a necklace instead?"
I suppose a winter scarf didn't exactly go with my short black dress. I opted for a choker on a thick velvet ribbon. I needed something on my neck.
Mom had on her happy face. I looked at her reflection in the mirror beside me rather than my own.
"You look beautiful. The boys are going to be sorry they didn't ask you to the dance."
I found myself smiling back at her.
In the past, Denise and I arrived right on time to dances. Tonight I asked my Mom drive me two hours into winter ball.
I wasn't the only one arriving late. Two senior couples meandered over the shoveled path leading to the school. When they opened the double doors, music blew out like a beckoning force and sucked us inside.
"Hi, Aurora!" Senior class president Susan Miller greeted me from the table where she was set up with a cash box.
I handed her six bucks, which she stuffed inside a metal box.
She stamped a blue snowflake onto the back of my hand. "Have fun."
Music thumped inside the student center. There was already a large group dancing, including Denise and Alan Baxter. I wove through the rocking mass and made my way to the core, where I could dance unnoticed and twist my body to the rhythm of the beat.
Emily Horton was grinding against Clayton Wilcox. Weird. I thought she and Scott were together. I didn't notice him in the cluster of celebrated seniors.
I closed my eyes, ran my hands down my body, and threw my head back. I swayed side to side, inching my way to the floor. When I'd reached the ground I made my way slowly back up.
When I opened my eyes I saw Denise look over then quickly away.
A disco ball spun in slow circles overhead, sending fractured light over the students below. I danced until my throat went dry. When I'd had enough, I abruptly stopped and pushed my way out in the middle of a song.
The line in front of the refreshment table barely moved, so I bailed in favor of the water fountain. After I stood and licked a drop of water from my lips, I noticed Scott Stevens leaning against the wall, arms folded.
"Hi, Scott."
It was a beautiful thing to see a boy's face change so quickly. Scott brightened when he smiled. "Hey, Aurora. How's it going?"
"You know. It's going. How 'bout you?"
"Yeah," he said.
I looked over at the students dancing. "Aren't you here with Emily Horton?"
Scott half-laughed, half-grunted. "Sort of."
"Why is she dancing with Clayton?"
"She's trying to make me jealous."
I flashed Scott a smile. "Want to give her a taste of her own medicine?"
He hesitated for only a second. "Would you like to dance?"
I put my arm around his in answer. Scott led us toward the gathered mass. He pushed through the dancing bodies, bringing us by the speakers and most popular kids at Denali. The couples in this section ground against each other. Scott danced about a foot from me until I stepped forward and put my hands around his neck. Scott required no further encouragement. His hands slid over my hips. He thrust himself at me in tempo with the music - a beat that pulsed as wildly as his body.
Classmates glanced our way. This was my moment: Aurora Sky dancing with Scott Stevens. I was high on a cloud.
I didn't even care when Emily confronted us during a slow dance.
"Scott, what the hell is this?" She stood beside us, brandishing an unattractive scowl.
"I'm dancing with Aurora Sky. What does it look like?"
"It looks like you forgot you came with a date."
Scott didn't let go of me. "So you can go off and dance with other people, but I can't?"
Emily glanced at the small audience taking in the scene. "Fine," she said. "You know what? I'll find someone else to give me a ride home while I'm at it."
By the time the deejay announced the last song of the night, Emily had stormed off with Clayton. She got the short end of the stick in my opinion. Literally. Clayton Wilcox barely reached five four.
The speakers stopped pounding as a lulling slow song drifted over the student body. Scott pulled me closer. I'd never had a guy's arms around me like that. It felt good.
Now that the last slow song of the night was playing, only couples remained on the dance floor. The girls wrapped their arms around their guys, eyes half closed on a sigh.
"Sorry about your date," I murmured against Scott's chest.
I felt Scott shrug. "Don't worry about it. Emily wanted to break up last week, but postponed because of winter ball."
"Timing's everything."
Scott laughed softly. "Anyway, the dance turned out good." He stopped rocking and leaned back. "I bet you didn't know that I've had a crush on you since the beginning of the year."
"Me?"
Scott's cheeks dimpled. "Yeah, you, Aurora Sky."
I wished I still had my head against his shoulder so he wouldn't see me blush.
Scott's voice turned to a whisper. "You're so beautiful when you smile."
He took my head in his hands and leaned in.
Hallelujah! Scott Stevens was about to kiss me.
I parted my lips slowly. Scott opened wide.
Be cool, Aurora. I'd die of embarrassment if he figured out this was my first kiss.
It was pretty simple, my lips needed to touch his. But when I leaned forward, rather than make contact, my mouth went inside Scott's. His lips moved all over me. He wasn't kissing, so much as sucking my face.
This couldn't be right. Not Scott Stevens. He was the basketball captain. He'd had girlfriends since like the sixth grade.
His tongue joined the action, drenching the lower half of my face in a saliva bath.
The vampire lunatic appeared in my head without warning. I could feel his clammy lips over me.
No, not now. Nothing would ruin my first kiss. Not bad memories or sloppy mechanics. I just needed to get in the game.
I mashed my lips against Scott's...teeth. He took my lower lip between his own and ran his tongue along the edge.
I closed my eyes and pictured Scott's face, his dimples, his deep brown eyes and thick lashes.
A murmur worked its way up Scott's throat. He liked the kiss. Maybe my expectations were too high.
We pulled apart after the music stopped. The last of the lingering couples headed out of the student center when the lights came on. Scott stood in place staring at me. It made me feel bashful all over again. He ran a hand through his hair.
"That was really unexpected," he said.
"Tell me about it."
When our eyes met we laughed. Scott's shoulders relaxed.
"Look, I really like you. I'd like to hang out again."
"Me, too," I said.
This put a big smile over Scott's face. He cleared his throat.
"I know this is really soon, but my parents are out of town this weekend...if you want to come over and hang out."
Yeah, sure, why wouldn't I? Just Scott Stevens and I, alone in his house.
The kiss would be better if we had more time and privacy. We could get to know each other better.
"Sure."
"Do you want me to pick you up tomorrow?"
I was no longer looking at Scott when I spoke, but far into the distance at the flashes of color and sequin as the last of our classmates exited the school.
"No, I'll take the bus. What time do you want me to come over?"
"Anytime you want."
The way he said it all cute and eager made me smile again.
"How about later?" I asked. "Like four o'clock?"
Scott set a hand on my cheek. "Can't wait."
