"Where were you last night?" June demands. Her eyes go to the boy behind me and she pauses. "Who is he?"

"I was at Noah's house," I say, gesturing behind me. "We're friends."

She pinches the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. "You can't just run off like that and not answer my calls. We are going to have a talk about this, Lenore." She turns to Noah. "You can leave."

I open my mouth to speak but Noah talks instead. "We're going up to Lenore's room," he says, his eyes boring into hers.

Her expression goes blank before she answers. "Of course. Come in."

He shoulders past me and into the hall. I trail after him and mutter, "What the hell was that?"

"Compulsion," he simply states.

He gently drops the bag onto my bed. After all, it was full of flimsy plastic blood bags and could make my room look like I had the worst period in history if the bags break. "Isn't that a bit unethical? Controlling people's minds?" I ask, gently unpacking the bags of blood.

"I'm a vampire," Noah says, throwing his hands in the air. "I don't give a shit about ethics."

He holds out his hand for a blood bag and I pass it to him timidly. "It doesn't have to be like that," I say, tilting my head and scooping out another bag. I hold it out for him but all he does is cross his arms over his chest.

"Caring makes you weak and weak gets you killed," he declares. He takes the bag out of my hands. I don't say anything else after that.

After we've transferred the blood bags to the mini fridge, I plop down onto my bed beside Noah. "Are you doing anything tonight?" he asks. "We could practice compulsion some more."

I sigh. "I can't. I'm doing this weird double date thing with Wesley and Brett."

"Wesley and Brett are a thing?" he asks mockingly.

"No, you idiot," I say. "Brett and I are going together."

"Oh, is that so?" he asks, resting his chin on his fist. "Does Wesley need a date? I'm sure he'd be a nicer date than you."

I shoot him a glare. "Watch it, dick. And yes, Wesley does have a date. He was the one who planned this whole thing."

"I'm sure a fifth wheel wouldn't go amiss," he says. "Where are you going?"

"Bowling alley."

"Ugh, boring. I change my mind. I'm not coming." It's at this precise moment that the door opens suddenly. I jump slightly as Brett's figure becomes apparent in the doorway.

He raises his eyebrows. "What is that asshole doing here?"

Noah folds his arms over his chest. "What's that dog doing here?"

I stand up from my seat. "Calm-"

"No," Brett interjects. "He tried to force you to feed."

"She was going to die," Noah says through clenched teeth.

"Stop," I say, raising my voice. "Just stop. I don't know what sort of alpha male complex you two have, but can you just drop it for one second? I was going to die, yes, but it's also understandable that Brett didn't want me to feed. Hell, I didn't want to."

"Whatever," Noah says. "I'm going to leave."

He swiftly pushes past Brett, knocking him in the shoulder with his own and disappears from sight. "What are you doing here?" I ask Brett. I try to make it sound as least confronting as I can.

"I came to check up on you," he says, sitting down gingerly on the very foot of my bed. "It's the full moon tonight and that means that all supernatural creatures are stronger. But with that also comes the uncontrollable aggression. I didn't want you to go on some blood binge."

"Okay, okay," I say. "Thank you. Does that mean we're still on for today?"

He smiles slightly. "Yeah, of course," he says softly.

I bring my knees up to my chest. "Is this, like, a real date? Or was it just to rile me up? I'm so confused."

He sighs. "You know, I may be an asshole and all, but asking someone out as a joke is just a whole other level of douche.

"I think you're an interesting girl and I'm interested in you. Really, really interested in you. I just don't know whether it will work out. I wanted to try going on a date with you because I like you and I want to get to know you better."

I feel the blush crawling up my neck to my cheeks. "I like you, too," I say, my cheeks aflame and avoiding his eyes with my own. "I'm happy you asked me out on a date."

"Well, I'm happy that you accepted," he says.

"You didn't give me much of a choice," I say.

"You didn't need one. Who would say no to a sex god like me?"

"You, Brett Talbot, are the most arrogant bastard I've ever met in my life."

♠︎♠︎♠︎

My fingers drum nervously on my thigh. I keep my eyes fixed on whatever's outside the window, mainly to keep my thoughts drifting to Brett and the date. I really hope I don't mess it up. I can feel the full moon already taking effect and a hunger ache in the pit of my stomach forming. I try to ignore it but can't.

After a while, I pull out my water bottle and guzzle down a few mouthfuls of blood. I widen my eyes as Brett side-eyes me with a strange look on his face. "Problem?" I ask after putting the bottle back in my bag, raising my eyebrows at him.

He shakes his head. "Lenore, you know I'm totally into you," he says, "but that's totally creepy."

I gnaw on the inside of my bottom lip anxiously. I'm one hundred percent sure he just meant it as a joke and meant well, but I couldn't help but let the thought linger in my mind. Does he find me creepy? Does he not like me being a vampire?

I feel the hunger strike again. Weak, but definitely there. I furrow my eyebrows. I never feel this hungry this often. I try to avoid the smell of my blood-filled water bottle and will the drive to go quicker.

I've found eating a lot helps the cravings, so recently I've been stuffing myself with all types of different foods. My aunt has questioned me a few times about where all the food has gone and I've been keeping up the lie that I'm having an extraordinarily long period. I have a feeling that she won't buy my menstruation fib for much longer, I think worryingly. What could I conjure up next? That I'm pregnant? Somehow I think my aunt would take that much worse than me being a vampire.

"We're here," Brett says, unbuckling his seatbelt. He hops out of the car and I follow suit promptly. I shove my hands in my pockets to stop them fidgeting and follow after him. Wesley and his date are already waiting outside the front. Wesley's date is a tall, lanky boy who looks of Asian ethnicity with hair impeccably styled, high cheekbones and clothing that looks like it was taken off a runway or something.

Wesley, looking short and excitable, stands next to him practically jumping on the spot with eagerness. "Hello, Lenore and company," he says, winking with a half smile. "Leo, this is Lenore and this is Brett."

Leo's eyes seem to glitter with a smile, but the sides of his mouth never upturn into an actual smile. "Nice to meet you," he says in a low, moody voice. He sounds like he was taken off a movie set or something. Like he's some mysterious actor with a troubled past.

"You too," I say, smiling. Brett nods with a smile. I barely have a chance to talk again before Wesley ushers us into the bowling place. After paying, we take a seat at the furthest alley. I shift uncomfortably as an awkward silence robs all of us of our words.

"So, um, where do you go to school?" I stutter.

"Beacon Hills High," Leo declares.

"Oh," Brett says. "Do you know a guy called Liam?"

Leo raises his eyebrows. "Do you know how common the name Liam is? There's, like, five Liams."

Wesley picks up his second bowling ball, grabbing one probably too heavy for him, and measures its weight in his hands to see if it's comfortable. I shift my attention back to Brett and Leo. Brett sighs. "Okay, okay. Liam Dunbar. Transfer freshman. Really good at lacrosse. Anger issues. Blue eyes and dark blonde and, like, two feet tall."

Leo's eyes show a flicker of recognition. "Oh, yeah, him. I know him vaguely. He hangs around with this guy called Mason and also a group of Juniors."

"Juniors?" Brett gapes. "Dunbar's moved up in the world."

"Are you two friends?" Leo asks.

Brett almost spits out his drink. "Me? Friends? Liam Dunbar? I hate the damn kid."

"Oh, come on, Brett," I say. "He can't be that bad."

"He trashed our coach's car," he argues. "He's a bastard."

I shoot Brett a warning look. By now Leo has gone up for his shot at bowling. He stands behind Wesley and places a hand over his to roll the ball. "Brett, calm down. I'm sure he's not that bad. Sure, he acted out; but he's young. Give him a break. Your negative vibes are bringing me down."

Brett shuts his eyes and groans, tipping his head back. "You're right, Lenore," he says bitterly. "Why don't we just believe everyone means well, run into the sunset and live happily ever after? After all, Noah is a great person under that whole psycho façade, I'm sure."

I frown. "Is this about Noah now? Look, I don't know if you're jealous or something because we have something in common, but back the fuck off. You don't get to make my decisions for me."

"Yeah, alright," he says. "But I have the right to make sure you're safe."

"That's funny coming from you since you're the one who can kill me with their bite and not Noah," I say coldly.

And I storm out of the bowling alley.

In a fit of rage, I pace across the threshold of the bowling alley, occasionally grunting in annoyance at the universe. I'm blinded by a fierce aggression and hunger, my brain running on overdrive. Damn Brett and his stupid chivalry. Damn Noah for being so shady. Damn Wesley for even bringing me a long to this.

I cling to the shred of calmness in me like a lifeline, but even so I find myself growing angrier. My eyes shift to the pale circle hovering in the sky. The full moon, I think. That's what's making me so aggressive.

The thought doesn't calm me down. Instead it ignites a new burst of anger at the sheer mockery of me becoming a vampire. Me. Lenore Harrington. I'm an otherwise unremarkable person - normal looks, normal grades, normal social status. Why me?

I've forgotten my bag inside with my blood bottle in it. I feel an overwhelming stabbing pain in my gut, courtesy of the hunger. I shut my eyes and focus on my breathing. In, out, in, out.

And that's when I smell it.

A human. The blood invades my senses, making me almost salivate at the thought of the warm blood rushing over my tongue and gushing into my throat. I feel my fangs come in, my gums aching. I feel veins web over my cheeks and neck. I feel a weak whimper sound in my throat. I didn't ask for this. I didn't ask to crave blood. I feel tears fall down my cheeks. I turn around to meet the person.

Standing in front of me is Brett.

"Leave," I say, lifting my head.

He furrows his eyebrows at me, concerned. "Lenore..." he murmurs. "Why are you crying?"

"I hate this so much," I say, my bottom lip quivering.

He lets out a sympathetic sigh and places a ginger hand on my shoulder. "Why?"

My voice goes quiet and wavers as I speak. "I'm a vampire, Brett. I have to drink human-fucking-blood to survive. I wish everything was back to normal from before the crash. I wish I didn't have to be a vampire. Things would be so much more simpler."

He pulls me into a hug and I feel the warmth of his chest against my cheek. "I think it's pretty cool you're a vampire," he says, one side of his mouth turning upwards into a small smile.

"I see the way you look when I mention blood," I say. "You think I'm a fucking monster." My fangs cut into my bottom lip as I speak. I ignore it. "I hate seeming like a monster to you and I just -"

And that's when I'm cut off by his lips crashing into mine. I make a small yelping sound in surprise at the back of my throat as his lips mesh effortlessly in time against mine. His hand is tangled in my hair and his hand is on the small of my waist and our bodies fit together like puzzle pieces. I want to stay like this forever - his body against mine, his hand in my hair, his lips against mine.

He pulls away, his lips swollen and his hair mussed. My fangs and veins are gone, I realise as his thumb traces circular motions on my cheek. "You're not a monster to me," he says softly.

I smile slightly and lean into his hand on my cheek. "You make it seem like everything's going to be okay."

His mouth twists into a gentle smile. "Even if I have to kill every last one of those assassins for you, I'll do anything to make sure it's all going to be okay."