Seven years later

Thursday, August 2, 2012

About three weeks prior to Prologue

The pewter grey Toyota Highlander screeched to a stop, unexpectedly flinging the teens in the backseat forward. The seatbelt bit into Nastia's lower stomach as her forehead collided with the back of the leather headrest of the front passenger seat, where Pam's stepdad Bob sat. Pam had grabbed onto what she calls the "oh shit" handle and Nathaniel, her thirteen-year-old brother in the very backseat, groaned in immense displeasure when his Sprite spilled all over his lap. Her other younger brother, nine-year-old Sam, paid no mind to anything outside of his Nintendo DS.

"Mom!" Nathaniel yelled.

Tammy Barnes honked her horn at the devil red Ford Fusion who just swung into their parking spot in the busy lot outside the local superstore. "You have got to be kidding me!" she exclaimed.

Pam joined her mom in her astonishment. "Wow, what an a-hole! We were waiting for the spot for like ten minutes!"

"Let's move the car along. Find another spot," Bob urged his wife and like the true sea-loving "Mainah" he was, Bob had no love for the r sound so 'car' sounded like 'cah'. When he wasn't in front of a TV screen watching one of his New England teams play, Bob was a calm soul. His wife and stepdaughter, however, were a different story.

"No, I want to give this little floozy a piece of my mind!" Tammy rolled down her window. A couple of cars were already lining up behind their car waiting.

"Mom!" Nathaniel complained again. "I spilled my drink on me!"

"Is it on the seats?"

"No."

"Oh, good. You'll live."

"What?! Mom!"

"Stop whining, you big baby," Pam snapped at her brother while Nastia giggled.

"Shut up! I'm not whining!"

"Yes, you are!"

Nastia spoke up over the sibling's bickering, "She seems to be taking her time getting out, Tammy. And there is a line behind us."

"Little flatfoot is right. You're making it a big deal, hun," Bob added.

Bob always called Nastia this. She now knew there was a fatherly endearment to the nickname, but she never quite understood why he called her that. He said it is because she is not a "mainah", but she is also not a "dirty Yankee". That didn't explain it but seemed to be enough of an explanation to him.

Just then, the red door of the offending car flew open.

"Oh! She is getting out!" Pam squealed in Nastia's ear.

Tammy practically leaned out her window to yell. Nastia slouched down in her seat and face palmed. It felt like no matter which family she was with, her biological vampire one or the one she now viewed as 'her human family', they always had a flair for dramatics.

"Hey! Who the hell do you think you are? Are you blind? We were going to park there!"

A frail old woman hunkered out of the car. With a little purse looped over her shoulder, she gripped her "oh shit" handle to pull herself upright. Holding a wrinkled hand to her ear, she squinted her eyes towards Tammy, whose head was still out of the window. "What was that, dear?"

Tammy faltered.

"'Aye. Real floozy, that one," Bob chuckled.

"Well, she--I---," Pam's mom yelled back out, "Nothing!"

"What?" The old woman couldn't seem to hear a thing. And now she was struggling to pull a walker out of her backseat.

"Oh, dear God," Tammy muttered.

As they drove away to find a parking spot, the family of five and Nastia were all laughing... well, except little Sam who looked up from his game to ask what happened.

For the last six years, Anastasia joined Pam's family on their back-to-school shopping day. They would go to the crowded stores for their school supplies, give their old shoes to Goodwill, buy new shoes for the year and get haircuts. In honor of tradition, Nastia did this again with them despite her now having her own car.

She was a welcomed second daughter to their family having spent most summer days and nights with them. Now that school was only a week away, the girls made ready for their last weekend of freedom with a firepit in the backyard for s'mores. With a projector set up for a movie night under the star, they stacked up pillows and blankets on the trampoline. Sam and Nathaniel joined them; both were allowed to have one friend over as well. Though Nathaniel managed to convince his mom to have two of his bike pals.

Each of them got to choose a movie. Nathaniel and his friends chose 'Iron Man 3', Sam and his friend chose 'Where the Wild Things Are', and Nastia and Pam were still debating between three movies. When Tammy called the girls to come join them outside, the girls insisted they go ahead and start watching one of the boys' movies.

"Alright. Are we in the mood for some good laughs and awkward situations with Emma Stone aka 'Easy A'?" Pam held up the case.

"Or" Nastia countered, "do we want to prepare ourselves for the end of the world with '2012'? It seems the responsible choice."

"But wait! My precious Johnny Depp! I need my fix!" Pam hugged the collection of 'Pirates of the Caribbean' movies to her chest.

"We can't watch all of those tonight. Just one movie!"

"We could if my brothers didn't hijack our movie night. When I suggested Bob take out the projector, Mom just had to ask the boys if they wanted to watch a movie too."

"Your mom was only being fair." Sometimes Pam was undeservedly harsh towards her brothers and Nastia felt the need to come to their defense.

"I don't care. We could have a pirate marathon if it wasn't for them. I could be looking at rugged Depp all night," she said with an exaggerated sigh.

"Okay... but that's not an option, so can you choose just one Caribbean movie?"

Pam looked at her best friend like she just slapped her in the face. "Just one?!"

"Then it's between Easy A and 2012."

"No! No, no! Let's go with.... Stranger Tides."

"Is that the one with the big maelstrom ship fight or the mermaid?"

"Mermaid. Beautiful but deadly."

With a nod, Nastia began to stack the rejected movies and take them back to the DVD case in the family room.

"Wait! Hold on! I got something for you. Well, for us." Pam jumped off the bed and ran to her dresser to grab a notebook, hopping over the various stuff scattered haphazardly on the floor. It was very rare for her room to be clean, no matter how many times her mom complained about it.

"Drum roll and ta da!" Pam exclaimed when she got back over to the bed and put a page in Nastia's face, too close to possibly read.

The secret vampire put on her cheesiest smile and clapped her hands together. "Wow, the detail of this page is so fascinating. Good quality college-rule right there. What am I looking at, featherbrains?"

"This, madame, is our official senior year to-do list!"

"Another list?" Nastia deadpanned.

Her best friend deadpanned back, "Not another list, the list."

"We just finished a list."

"Yes, we finished our summer list. It worked so well, and we had a spectacular summer, Nastia! I thought why not make one for the school year?"

"Because it's a bad idea. I can already feel it."

"You said that about the summer list and you were wrong. At least take a look, grumpy pants."

Ana snatched the notebook away from her friend. "Fine, but it is Ms. grumpy pants to you."

The list was titled 'Pam and Ana's Remarkably Spectacular Senior Year List of Things We Have To Do." Anastasia held in her groan, but it wasn't as easy to contain her grimace. There were seventeen points in this ambitious project. Scanning through them, dread pitted in the vampire's stomach. Most were designed to challenge her hermit way of life. The ridiculous, exhaustive list ended with this:

This list is subject to additions and amendments with both parties' approval.

I, Pam/Nastia, will honor this agreement to perform these activities and complete these tasks to the best of my abilities.

Signature: _______________________

Date: __________

Signature: _______________________

Date: ___________

"This list is...," Nastia paused to find the right word, "extra. And I will not be signing it with the way it is."

"Okay. I am willing to make some compromises. Let's discuss each."

1. Get straight A's

"Fair enough. Number one I have no trouble with. Its senior year so English is our only real concern."

"Agreed. Next!"

2. Go to every school dance (no exceptions!)

"We will not be doing number two," Nastia said.

"Why not?"

"Why do you want to go to every dance? Our school dances are so lame."

"Interesting people like us will make it not lame."

"Next!"

"We will come back to number two then."

"No, we will not."

Pam ignored Nastia's comment and continued to the third item on her list:

3. Host a Halloween party (costumes are mandatory)

"Halloween party is a must. It's on a Wednesday this year, so we won't be doing it on Halloween night, but my mom plans on going to the national nursing convention that weekend. The convention is going to be in Las Vegas, so Bob is going with her. While the parents are away, the teens will play."

"I'm sure your mom will be okay with you having a Halloween party."

"Yeah... but then it won't be a real party that our classmates would want to come to," Pam said meaningfully pointing at number nine on the list.

9. Get drunk for the first time. Maybe get high for the first time. (This is the only thing on this list Anastasia doesn't have to do.)

"Oh... you want to have that kind of party?"

"Like it says on the list, Nastia, you don't have to drink or anything if you don't want to. Peer pressure is for losers. I just want to try it and I would feel safer if my best friend was there with me. Come on! We've been good all throughout high school. We deserve this! It's our last chance to act a little rebellious."

"Fine. But costumes?"

"It is a Halloween party!"

"We're too old to be dressing up."

"Nastia, stop trying to grow up so fast! It'll be fun!"

"Fine. But in exchange, number four is definitely not happening."

4. Have dinner with Nastia's parents and convince them to adopt me so that we can start having sleepovers at Nastia's house.

5. Get boyfriends, double date and PROM!!

"Do your parents not like me?" Pam pouted, pushing out her bottom lip.

"They don't know you. And stop making that face. It's not flattering."

"I am gorgeous." She flipped her hair, displaying a confidence Nastia knew the insecure girl did not actually have. "And I know they don't know me. We've been friends for forever and I still haven't met them. That's why---"

"I'm sorry. But trust me. They're not as great as Tammy and Bob, or your dad. It's not a big deal. Being at your house is way more fun than being at mine."

In truth, Anastasia's parents would sooner have Pam for dinner than have her over for dinner.

Pam crossed off #4 from the list without further comments. After all, Nastia was allowing the mandatory costume rule for the party.

"Cross out number five, too. I don't need a boyfriend."

Pam groaned. "No one needs one but Nastia! You have never had a boyfriend or a real date!"

"Um, yes, I have. Remember? Sophomore year? You were seeing that weird guy and tricked me into coming to the mall and hanging out with his friend."

"I've apologized for that many times! And that does not count as a date! Usually, dates don't end with the girl punching the guy in the face." Pam began laughing at the memory.

"That weasel-faced, baggy-clothes-wearing wannabe gangster literally tried to kiss me when I could not make it more clear how uncomfortable I was." Nastia laughed along with her though she was very upset during that whole ordeal.

"Still... I love you but punching him was a tad much."

"Nah. I think it was just enough."

"Anyways, that wasn't a date. You've never had a boyfriend which just baffles me cause you are by far the prettiest girl in school. Do your parents not let you date?"

"I just don't find any guy I've met worthy of my time." It didn't surprise Nastia that she wasn't attracted to anyone. After all, she was a different species.

"Bottom line, Nastia... try to open your mind to the possibilities. No matter what, we are going to prom with dates."

"That... is a reasonable request. I will have a date for prom. I'm sure some sucker will jump for joy for a chance to touch me with permission. Moving on...."

6. Go with a GROUP of friends to the Fryeburg Fair and to a haunted house

7. Go to every home football and basketball game.

8. Host or go to a teen New Year's party

"I guess number six is fine," Nastia relented. "And number eight is dependent on how the Halloween party goes, okay?"

"Sounds fair."

"Number seven... every game? That's a bit much."

"Where is your school spirit?"

"I left it in a dumpster... with your dignity." Nastia stuck her tongue out and was hit by a pillow in response.

"Let's just make an effort to go to a few?"

"Let's do rain checks."

"I can live with that." Pam made the edits.

10. Play laser tag with a GROUP of friends

11. Both of us audition for school plays and musicals. No backstage crew!

12. Audition for talent show together

"Ten is fine but choose one. 11 or 12?"

"Okay! No talent shows. But you will audition for the plays with me?"

"What's wrong with me doing backstage?" Nastia asked.

"You have no desire to be on the stage?"

"No."

Pam scoffed. "Your looks are wasted."

"I'm not getting tattoos or a belly button ring," Anastasia said moving on to the next items on the list.

13. Get matching tattoos

14. Get belly button rings

15. Get our first jobs to afford this stuff

16. Accept any nominations or rewards

17. Join a club and do community service because it looks great on college applications!

"You're no fun."

"Friendship with me is optional," Anastasia laughed. "The last three I am apprehensive about, but I will accept. There? Happy?"

Pam scrutinized the list then signed and dated. Anastasia did the same. "It's in writing so it's a promise. And I know you keep your promises, Nash. This is going to be the best Senior Year ever!"

"You going to eat that?"

Nastia sat at the teal round table in her school's cafeteria with her small friends group. The dwarf named Savannah Wicker who had just asked Nastia for food held her hands together, her bottom lip threatening to pop out. She surrendered her sugar cookie in exchange for Savannah's fruit cup. The small human did a little celebratory dance in her seat. "Thanks!"

Why am I surrounded by such clowns? She thought to herself amused. Out loud, she said, "No problem, but you should really take it easy on the cookies. You take mine and Pam's almost every day. It's not healthy."

Reina chuckled. "Savannah is a twig. She needs the fat."

Well, true, Nastia thought, looking down at the petite, flat-chested blonde who probably still bought her clothes in the kids section.

With her light blonde hair that would have darkened for most teens by now, Savannah was the exact opposite of her other friend, Reina. Where Savannah was short, Reina was tall. Where Savannah was a peppy ball of enthusiasm, Reina was a sarcastic pit of skepticism. Where Reina was blessed (or cursed, depending on your viewpoint) with voluptuous curves, Savannah had what could only be described as mosquito bites. Where Savannah's face was clean without even a hint of foundation, Reina had carefully-applied makeup on every day. And where Savannah had pale, Norwegian features, Reina was Hispanic; though Reina didn't know any more Spanish than what Mr. Martinez taught in class.

"We will have to start calling you Cookie Monster again," Pam laughed.

"Okay, Elmo!" Savannah teased. "Let's see. Reina was Big Bird because of her height. What was Nastia?"

The question was innocent enough, but Nastia cursed them all for bringing up these stupid names they came up with freshman year. She went back to eating her fries determined to ignore all of them for the rest of the lunch hour.

"Oscar because she is a grouch," Reina said with a smirk.

"And I suddenly remember why these nicknames didn't survive the test of time," Pam remarked purse lipped.

"I don't live in a trash can," Nastia remarked through clenched teeth.

So much for ignoring them.

"For all we know, you do," Reina said, shrugging.

"If I could dress like Nastia, I'd gladly live in a trash can." Savannah looked at Anastasia's off-white blouse, maroon skirt, and matching heels with unmasked envy. "You are way too gorgeous!"

"Thank you but you don't need pretty clothes to look pretty, Savannah," Nastia supplied, grateful to her for changing the subject.

Savannah waved off the compliment. "Aw. You're just saying that."

Reina shook her head. "No, she's not. Nastia doesn't give out compliments freely. What was it you said about my make up last week? I 'look like I just finished my shift on the street corner'."

"You asked what I thought. If you didn't want the truth, don't ask me," Nastia pointed out defensive.

Her three friends all started laughing. And Reina said, "I'm just kidding! I know what to expect if I ask you for your opinion on anything."

A sour aftertaste lingered in Anastasia's mind. Her and Reina didn't always see eye to eye. In fact, sometimes she was very sure the girl didn't really like her. Like how she'd say something just to contradict whatever Nastia said in a discussion. Pam assured her this wasn't true.

"Reina suffers from resting bitch face. That's all," the redhead would say. Nastia wouldn't be too convinced considering it wasn't just her face, but her words and tone that made her question what Reina really thought.

"Are you two going to the game tonight?" Savannah asked, bringing Nastia's attention back to the lunch table.

"After auditions," Pam answered. "Right, Nastia?"

Two weeks into the school year and Anastasia was upholding her promise well. In fact, she enjoyed it more than she would ever admit to Pam. They attended all the football games thus far, sat in the student section, ate nachos and cheered when everyone else cheered.

"Yeah..."

"How did you trick Oscar to do that ridiculous list?" Reina asked.

"She didn't trick me. It was a compromise," Nastia interjected feeling defensive again against Reina's tone. "And that is not my name!"

"You answered to it, though."

"It did take convincing," Pam answered interrupting them. "You and Savannah should audition, too, Reina! It's senior year, so why not? Mrs. Trailbridge can work around your basketball practice schedule. And you don't really do anything, Savannah."

Savannah scoffed, "Ouch. You don't remember I am in Spirit Club? And I am hoping to actually get in student council and lead the dance committees this year."

They all turned to look at the petite girl.

"Seriously? --"

"Why didn't you tell us---"

"You are doing what now?'---"

"Guys! One question at a time!" Savannah smiled and flushed, no doubt enjoying the attention.

"What position are you running for?" Nastia asked.

"Oh. Just a class representative spot. I just want a spot to do the committees."

"This year is going to be so awesome, guys!" Pam squealed. "Please audition with us. It will be a cool way for us to spend more time all together. During auditions, you put on the paper what schedule conflicts you have. She works around it."

Reina just rolled her eyes. "I'm only saying yes because I want to. The play is Night of the Living Dead. Being a zombie sounds pretty cool."

"I will audition, too, if one of you goes to the office with me to pick up a student council application form," Savannah added meekly, effectively bringing the attention back to her.

Nastia glanced around the cafeteria where patriotic posters were already hanging advertising candidates. "You haven't done that yet?"

"I wasn't sure. I don't have much confidence and it would be so embarrassing. But I have such good ideas for themes for the dances."

"Fine, let's go."

Nastia got up to throw her lunch away just to turn and collide right into somebody's tray sending fruit juice down the front of her outfit. Her blue eyes were already on fire when she looked up at the idiot who ruined her day. Green eyes looked back, and the flames felt doused by a spring rain.

"Perdón! I am so..." he started. Recognition hit AJ Reed at the same time and his apology seemed to evaporate out of the air. He muttered something about getting a janitor and left as soon as her friends stood and crowded her. She waved away their concerns and sent Pam to her locker for her Zumba clothes to change into.

As she walked with Reina and Savannah to the restroom, she realized her heart was beating fast. It was strange an encounter that only lasted seconds would have such an aftereffect. She amounted it to the embarrassment of that happening in front of so many students though she walked as usual, with her head high and effortlessly in heels.

"I don't know how you're so calm right now, Nastia. I would be dying of embarrassment if it were me." Savannah lamented.

Reina shushed her. "If it was you, AJ would've tripped over you, ya toadstool. Now stop jabbering. Can't you see she is in shock?"

She ignored them, neither their words nor company really needed.

AJ Reed. She hadn't given him much thought even though he was as popular as ever. She hadn't spoken a word to him since that day years ago when she caught a glimpse of his home life. He had actively avoided her and what might have been a budding friendship was tossed in a dark place, forbidden to grow.

When Pam returned, she quickly changed into her Zumba clothes. Luckily, today she had packed a tank top with broad scraps that passed the three-finger dress code and black yoga pants that reached down to her calves. After replacing her heels with socks and tennis shoes, she stepped out and walked with her friends to the office. Anastasia hung back with Reina and Pam as Savannah talked to the receptionist at the front desk. She walked back with the application in hand, but her shoulders were slumped.

"What's wrong?" Pam asked.

"I didn't realize that voting had changed this year. Apparently, Presidents run with their vice president on their ballot. Then secretary with a rep, treasurer with a rep, and historian with a rep."

"What does that mean?"

"It means she can't run for representative without running with another person who would be running for a higher office," Nastia answered.

Pam scoffed, "That seems unfair. Only popular people would get on council then."

"Conspiracy," Reina whispered.

"It was decided by last year's senior council to improve council relations and get representatives more involved," Savannah explained.

"You were going to be an involved rep without riding someone's coattails," Reina said. "This is bullshit."

The receptionist cleared her throat.

Reina mouthed 'sorry'.

"I got it!" Pam exclaimed. "One of us can run for one of those positions to get you your spot."

"You would do that for me?" Savannah's eyes lit up with hope. Nastia and Reina both narrowed their eyes at Pam.

"Well, uh, not me," Pam said. "I am not popular. At all. I'd be zero help."

"None of us are," Nastia pointed out.

"Reina is on the basketball team," Pam argued.

"I am not even a starter on a losing basketball team," Reina interjected. "All the girls play other sports that they love more, and I don't get along with any of those negative little bit--plastics. I have no interest in getting on a council and spending time with more idiots I don't like. Looks like it's up to Nastia."

"I am not popular," Anastasia objected.

"You have what it takes to be popular though. You could've joined Shelby's clique if you wanted to," Pam added.

"She definitely looks the part of a plastic," Reina said, a comment Nastia promptly ignored.

"Please, Nastia! You're my only hope." Savannah stuck out her bottom lip. "Please don't make me beg."

"And that is not what you're doing right now?"

"Nash, you do still need to join a club," Pam reminded her. Ignoring Nastia's pointed scowl, she pushed onward. "You promised! And you've shot down every club I suggested..."

"Fine! What position should I go for?"

Nastia couldn't imagine winning at the polls. She barely interacted with anyone besides her friends. And all three were present. She wasn't going to get in the council with three votes. Or two, since she doubted Reina would actually vote for her.

Pam tapped a finger to her cheek thoughtfully. "It would depend on who else is running for what. Historian would probably be the easiest job, but I think Ritchie is running for that. No offense but no one is going to vote for you over the beloved class clown. Treasury would involve money and fundraising and budgeting--"

"Sounds like too much trouble than it is worth. Secretary it is. Who's my competition?"

"Brianna Tombley with Ivy Mattingly as her rep. And I don't know who else," Pam reported.

Brianna has been on council before and Nastia thinks she is on newspaper or yearbook, or both. Ivy was a serious star volleyball player. This didn't look good, but it wasn't impossible.

She couldn't possibly lose to humans. Mother would be appalled.

Oblivion - Grimes.

Vote please, because... why not?