Annie's POV

"Lauren."

"Annie. I need your help just....don't freak out." Lauren replied. I nodded in response. "May I come in?" She...it .....she....it......she asked. I hesitated before I grabbed a wooden sword off the wall, close enough to a stake right?

"Any funny moves and this goes through your heart." I said, much less confidently than I wanted to.

"I read ya loud and clear." She said before stepping in with her hands up. "Annie what happened to me? I mean what does everybody think?" She sounded so innocent. But how? I can see the holes in her neck.

"They think you're dead. We all think you're dead. Lauren they found your body. How are you even here right now? Where's Gaby?" I emphasized. There was no way she couldn't know what happened.

"Annie. I will tell you everything. You just have to put that stake down because you're scaring me. Okay? I know that you will never use it for the same reason I will never hurt you. Or turn you. Wanna know that reason? Because we are best friends. Right? You and me and Dana and Gaby since we were children. We've lived right down the block from each other for years and I do not expect you to act the same to me. I'm just asking you to put the stake down and trust me. Listen to me for just a few minutes. Then...if you still wanna put that stake through my heart.... You can." She pleaded. She was right though. I knew I'd never have the heart to kill her, even if it wasn't her. I slowly lowered my stake.

"10 minutes." I said. She looked relieved and gave me a smile.

"It started when we were walking home. We were talking about some really stupid stuff but then there was a rustling in the bushes. Gaby suspected something at first, but I didn't. Next thing we know this creature dragged us into the woods. It was so quiet though. I don't remember much, I admit. I remember his fangs though. They were so big. And then he sank them into Gabs. She started writhing and I tried to help her but he held me back. He said, 'You can't help her now. She's turning. And soon. You will too'. It wasn't long before I felt his fangs go into my neck next. I blacked out for a while. I remember the sun was starting to rise high. Somebody was shaking me, trying to get me to wake up, I think it was Gaby. But I couldn't. I heard footsteps crunching on leaves and I felt myself being hoisted up. Next thing I know I woke up in a black bag in a Medical Examiners Office on a cold metal table just waiting to be probed. Then I snuck out of there, made it to your house and...well ....you know the rest of the story" she finished. I was listening to every detail as if it were a horror story, which it technically was. I didn't even hear the door open.

"Hey Annie. Hope you don't mind me dropping by but the DA on Gaby's case wanted me and you to fill out these-" Dana stopped dead in her tracks when she looked up and saw Lauren and I talking face to face in my living room. She almost screamed but Lauren made it over there with amazing speed and covered her mouth, "Please don't scream" she asked. Dana looked at her, considering it, but eventually nodded, she was much coolermore than me at these things. Me the sanguivoriphobic, fear of vampires. Lauren removed her hand.

"How is this possible?" Dana asked. I got up and walked over to her. "It's a long story, that I just had to listen to but...I believe her." I said placing an arm around my best friend, practically half a foot shorter than me. Then again Dana and I are the tallest girls in our friend group and we're almost the same height. Lauren retold her story to Dana who listened intently as I had.

"How can you stand the sun?" I asked.

"It hurts my eyes but as long as I shield them I'm fine." She responded.

"Do you have fangs?" Dana asked. Lauren have a slight nod and hesitated a bit before opening her mouth and revealing two razor sharp incisors. "Cool."

"Have you drinken blood yet?" I asked hesitantly.

She gave a small nod before regaining her composure and answering, "Only animal blood." I nodded in response.

"Well what do we do?" Dana asked at the end.

"Well Lauren you obviously have to hide but not here. My mom is on your case and my Dad looks into everything." You see my mom was the local medical examiner, my Dad was the best lead detective you could get.

"Got it. I'll just hide in the woods for now. Not exactly like I can go home or anything. Most importantly. This has to be our little secret. Nobody else can know." Lauren responded. Dana and I looked at one another. A silent agreement passed between the three of us. I ran to my room and grabbed my best pair of sunglasses and gave them to Lauren. She gave me a look of gratitude before putting them on. The clock struck 5 and Dana and Lauren left before my parents got home, or before tons of people were out.