I looked out the window, seeking freedom from his powerful glare. Of course, you can imagine how dirty the bus window was. Not to mention, the down pour spurting against the side of the metal yellow school bus around six thirty in the morning. Now, for the first time in my life….I wished hopefully that the abnormally handsome guy sitting next to me and staring intently amused wasn't real. No such luck. Hadn't anyone noticed that this guy didn't belong on the bus? Why can't he just leave me alone? After looking around the darkened bus, I figured everyone was just sleeping—like usual. High school starts early so everyone sleeps on the bus, except me. It's too hard to sleep in public.

Giving up, I glanced at him. He had no shame! I stared and stared, waiting for him to avert his eyes to no avail. He stared still, morbid curiosity clinging to his facial features. I scowled back at him, crossed my arms sternly, and addressed him in a low voice so I didn't disturb anyone else who actually slept.

"Why are you following me? I thought I told you to get lost. Drop dead, as—" I started. He threw his cold pale hand over my mouth and looked coldly down at me which sent tremors through my body.

"I am dead." He confirmed, as though I didn't already know. We've only went over that issue…five hundred times. I gazed up at his charming face that I had assumed would be frowning and safe to watch without any butterflies somersaulting in my stomach, and was immeadately disappointed in myself as I gawked at his face, noticing his handsomeness.

"You know what I mean…Why are you coming with me to school?" I interrogated contemptuously disguising my fascination.

"I'm not leaving your side." He insisted, eyeing me coyly which made me lose my train of thought. What was he saying again? "So, I'm going to school with you. I have it all taken care of." At the last sentence, I snorted skeptically. Great, a vampire school mate. That's not going to draw attention at all. "There's nothing you can do about it anyway. You can't get rid of me." He pointed out, smiling with self satisfaction.

"Yes, I can. You're only a figment of my imagination." I murmured making me look like I belonged to an asylum pinned in a straight jacket, and he laughed in response.

"You still think you are dreaming? Isn't that a little pathetic?" he mocked me as he leaned closer, matching my eye level in my attempt to stare him down. "Even you can't imagine me up. You don't have any creativity at all."

I placed my hands over my ears, and mumbled to myself to drown out his hypnotic voice. It was not long until the ringing in my ears started, so I slowly pulled my hands away. I heard…nothing. He had stopped talking? Looking around, I realized that he hadn't stopped talking due to me. The bus had skimmed dangerously to a halt, and everyone was piling in the aisle and hopping drowsily down the steep bus steps. He still sat next to me, but froze probably not wanting to draw attention to himself until the majority of the line was gone. I pulled my backpack off my lap and slung it over my shoulders and he did the same. He was more graceful though, making me a little envious. He gets to be immortal and gorgeous? Life really isn't fair! He gripped my wrist and pulled me forcefully off the old bus with minimal effort on his part, breaking me from my thoughts. His skin was ice cold, but soothing nonetheless. I reached out my other hand impulsively to feel his hand, wanting to touch his cool skin. I didn't realize until he was blinking at me inquisitively that I had done that.

"Oh." I gapped before dropping my hand to my side as I turned bright red. We entered the front office as he ignored my speechlessness. Even though we had gotten off the bus, he still gripped my hand rather possessively and the tight wrap around my hand made my circulation cut off. I tried to pry my hand out from under his, and he only loosed his grasp a little bit. However, I could feel my hands now though I had shut out his conversation with the receptionist unintentionally.

"How very kind! Walking a new student to class!" she commented cheerfully to me as she noticed my presence. Too cheerfully for early morning in my opinion. After she mentioned that, I whipped my hand out of his hold. I had noticed the other office clerk glancing at our intertwined hands with disapproval and it made me too self-conscious of myself. He ripped his gaze away from the quizzical receptionist for a moment to cast a look of feign hurt. Mocking me again. He apparently had no discomfort at holding hands with me, but I couldn't feel the same. He thanked the receptionist and stalked off with his schedule in one hand and my hand in the other. Everything from my wrist down was undistinguishable with his icy hands clamped my wrist and hand. I pulled and pulled, trying to wrench free. Damn, he was too strong… so I surrendered before I hurt myself reluctantly. I peered at his schedule and pouted. He had the same classes as me! It was too much of a coincidence that we were in the same class, but let alone sitting together in each class also. After third period elective, when everyone darted to the cafeteria, I slowed down and he did too. Watching me suspiciously, he seemed to look even more disconcerting to me. Maybe that was because the hallway was empty and I couldn't hear the usual noise of students reverberate against the painted stone walls of the corridor.

"Who are you?" I demanded, as I had several times. He thought deeply about my question, too deeply to not be lying.

"At the moment, I'm Ean." He supplied, frowning. "I'm not sure if I like that name enough to keep it though…"he trailed off as we arrived at the doors to the cafeteria hall and the noise rose above his voice. He opened the door for me chivalrously, but pushed me gently through when I refused to cross the threshold with him escorting. He waited patiently as he lounged against the wall farther away from me while I got my lunch. I stood in line as was my day of brutal conformity. I briefly acknowledged the pair of girls I knew in front me in the line, but they took the greeting as friendly, I suppose.

"Oh my god, Clair, have you seen that hot guy that arrived?" a girl gushed and I linked the name of Monica to her after a few minutes of recalling. I smiled weakly. At least I feigned interest!

"What hot guy? I haven't heard of—" I replied before being cut off an icy hand wrapping around my waist.

"That's him!" the other girl squeaked discreetly to me. Oh, him. I looked up awkwardly at Ean. Pale skin shimmering, dark hair slightly long enough to reach the middle of his ear and curl at the ends, and eyes invitingly warm with amusement. Nothing new, he's still the same as he was five minutes ago at my side. Monica looked enthralled by his appearance and prompted me for an introduction.

"Oh, Ean this is Monica. Monica, this is Ean." I said hurriedly as we neared the cashier. Monica was a little surprised by my familiarity with Ean, and I felt insulted by her. Ean held out his hand like a gentleman, and shook Monica's then her friend's hand with a friendly smile. I heard them, and I had no doubt he did also. When he shook their hand, they had sharply taken an intake of air, and then let it out slowly as they muttered their first impressions of him. After a "Wow. He's so gorgeous." or a "He's so perfect." had escaped their lips almost inaudibly, I suppressed laughter.

"And what's your name?" he inquired politely to Monica's friend while Monica purchased her lunch dazed.

"I-I'm Danielle." She stuttered, and looked up at him with wide eyes.

"It's nice to meet you, Danielle." He greeted, and Danielle smiled brightly at his mouth uttering her name. "I'm Ean—Clair's boyfriend." Wow, Danielle's smile wiped clean off her face when he said that, and my face was detoured off all laughter now. Before the awkward moment settled in, Monica waved Danielle over to her side and they gossiped while walking away. How could I explain to them that I forgot to mention that little detail? I started to protest, but he pushed me towards the cashier and paid for my lunch to my vehement disapproval. I sat away from all the populated tables which was different than usual. However, wherever Ean went, the girls were sure to follow. They were more annoying than I ever thought possible as they glowered and fawned over Ean and glaring contempt in waves at me seated next to him. Can they be even a little conspicuous? Probably not from their glares…Ean's arm was wrapped around my waist so he could easily pull me over to him, but it was distracting and the only thing keeping me from bolting as he had most likely guessed.

"Hello, ladies." He politely started a conversation to disperse the tension in vain. "Are you all friends of Clair?" When they nodded almost violently, I couldn't suppress a snort. Ean looked down at me, eyeing the sparkling displeasure in my face as I tried to endure their talking. Cheerleaders, ugh. Did he really guess that they were my friends? He must not be as clever as he led on. I observed as the school's cheer caption sat on the other side of him and put her hand over his on purposeful accident. He frowned a minute, then gently slid out his hand and placed it under the table with a polite smile stretching across his face. His feign emotions made me sick, literally. When he made a false smile, I got a stab in my stomach of alarm without warning before hand. Thus, I was almost upchucking due to his ineffective manners to our unwanted guests. He didn't seem to sincerely enjoy the intrusions either after ten minutes of ruthless interrogation. He glare desperately for help at me beside him, but I wasn't inclined to stop Ashley's narration on her last party activities, and while she spoke Ean whispered discreetly to me.

"Are high school girls always so….." he asked then couldn't come up with an adjective.

"Articulate?" I finished mocking Ashley with a gesture that meant she talked too much. She apparently saw, and venom waved off her when Ean wasn't watching. I couldn't tolerate their appearance any longer, and I figured if I let them hang out with me and drool over my "boyfriend" that they would eventually take advantage.

"Umm..?" I cleared my throat purposefully and stared maliciously. They stared, but really didn't take me seriously so they weren't paying me their full attention.

" Go sit some where else." I demanded coldly, and in response, they grimaced. They remained immobile, frozen by my demand. Was it that hard to believe that I didn't want to sit with them? After a few seconds, they chuckled. It wasn't a joke. With violent movements, I got up, grabbed my tray, and whipped away from the table. I strutted out of the cafeteria and out the doors to sit at a table outside in the courtyard. I must not have noticed Ean following me because he was already sitting at the table before I had reached it. I sat down across from him and sourly chewed on a candy bar, but the chocolate tasted bitter at the moment. He observed me like usual.

"You are rather unpredictable." He commented, amused. How could he think that everything was funny? Like his own private joke?

"Why do you keep following? Why are you pretending to be my boyfriend?" I asked inquisitively.

"I'm following you for my own enjoyment for right now, but later maybe…when my blood lust sets in..." he trailed off. ".I'm not pretending to be your boyfriend." he justified matter-of-factly.

"Yes, you are. You told Danielle you're my boyfriend!" I accused.

"I did." He admitted.

"Why are you pretending to be my boyfriend?" I repeated.

"I'm not pretending. I am your boyfriend." He said casually.

"You don't see anything wrong with that?" I asked

"No?"

"When did you ask to date me? When did I say I wanted you as my boyfriend?" I demanded angrily.

"When do I ever ask you anything? You are not in charge!" he hissed as he stood up intimidating from the table slamming his fist. "You have no say in anything I do. You can't control me." He smiled, intensely malicious. I was, for the first time since he appeared, mortally terrified of him. Something I couldn't put my finger on, something wrong with his facial expression. He took in my frightened frame and sat, adverting his eyes still angry but also ashamed. I timidly got up and sat next to him, probably too close for my own good. He had said something about my blood, hadn't he?

"Is that what this is all about? Me being a meal?" I asked almost inaudibly, and continued after a brief pause when he didn't answer. "Do you always play with your food?"

He leered at me, frowning with disapproval at my words. I closed my eyes shunning out the sunlight, and inhaled the air. He still wasn't denying anything, but he was agreeing either.

"If blood is all you want," I consented gently with an abnormal calm drifting over my limbs, "take it." I pulled my short hair around to expose my jugular vein and leaned in closer to tempt him. I didn't want to die, but I dying seemed so much easier compared to the uncertainty of his presence. Even more, if he left now, I would most likely be devastated. Without him, I would be empty, and that made me angry with myself. How could I be so dependent on him? It has been driving me crazy. I don't love him! He didn't love me either…right? All I am to him is another meal. Just a pints of blood—nourishment. I shut my eyes tighter now. I could sense him moving, but not know where exactly. He was still close to me though because I could feel his body temperature sort of like a paranormal cold spot chilling my right side where he sat. Nothing happened. I peeked open one eyes followed by the other.

"Ean?" I asked incredulous as I saw him walking away from me, away from the school. Terror rose in me though different from before. He was leaving me behind. I fought to carry my legs as I wanted to catch up with him. He was seemingly walking at a normal pace, but it seemed like he was far away until I caught his arm. He didn't face me which made me worry. Had I gone too far?

"I'm sorry, Ean." I apologized impulsively. "Don't leave." I blinked several times to make sure my tears stayed in my eyes. He finally cast a stare over in my directions and inhaled sharply.

"Are you crying?" he said, confirming my weakness with startled astonishment.

"Of course not!" I said with venom, defensibly. I immeadately wished I hadn't said that. He was watching the passing sidewalk again as we exited the school undetected by school administrators and officials. I wasn't that surprised by that. Normal people wouldn't have the nerve to just leave school without a word. Why couldn't I be normal? Why couldn't he be normal? Would that be too unproblematic for someone with my bad luck to ask for?

"Go back to school, Clair." He advised, talking directly to the sidewalk cement as he used my name to me for the first time. Like I would listen to him now. He never calls me by my name except when he had talked to Danielle. Plus, my class would be back in school and they would notice if I dropped in after the bell.

"I don't want to." I left it as that. A partial truth, not the full one. Not: I don't want to leave you. I want to make sure you are not leaving me. I want to stay with you.

"Why not?"

I couldn't answer that one. He was attuned to me as a lie detector was. Any wrong answer might upset him, so I settled for silence instead, hoping he wouldn't notice. I cringed in disappoint when he repeated himself.

"I don't want…" I stopped, not sure if I was brave enough to admit my addiction to his company. I stole a glance at him. Still stunningly handsome with spiky black hair rather long to the end of his ears and curled up slightly at the ends, piercing eyes with large pupils and green surrounding, lean lithe muscles complemented by his ivory white complexion. He was still unnaturally perfect and attractive making me catch my breath. How could I admit that I enjoy his company? He has followed me around for over a week without informing me on anything about him, mostly harassing me a majority of his visit. He never left my side. I secretly liked that part. I was never alone which bugged me, but my loneliness dispersed as if I had imagined it. Without him, I was alone most of the time because of my business immersed parents who travel over seas monthly.

"What's wrong with our school?"

That one I can answer honestly. I didn't miss his infliction on the words our school. So he wasn't planning on leaving?

"Nothing is wrong with the school. With the exception of school lunches." I joked light now that I had some hope that he did not intend to leave. The ends of his lips twisted up as he suppressed his laughter.

"Then go back to school. Lunch is over now." He commanded without humor in his face.

"I don't wanna."

"Why?" Oh goodness, not that question! He only pressed the question because I won't answer. Isn't my silence an indicator I do not want to answer it?

" Do you really want to get rid of me so badly?" I asked, feigning sadness as I pouted pointedly. He actually looked at me again, but his eyes locked mine in place. I couldn't look away.

"After all those arguments about me stalking you, you wont go back to school? 'Stop following me!' or 'Go to hell' and 'Drop dead'. You won't give me a few hours to myself?"

"Can you promise me?"

"Promise you what exactly?"

"That you will come back after a few hours?"

Oppss…obviously the wrong thing to say. He shook with seething contempt for a minute, fuming. I had provoked him too much. It never bothered him before now. How was I supposed to know he couldn't handle a promise?

"What does it matter to you?" he demanded suspiciously.

"I-I…uhh..nn." I stuttered, and wondered the same question myself: Why did I care? He interrupted my uncomfortable incoherent stammering.

"What does it matter to you? You don't want me. You said so yourself! I'm doing you a favor!" I wasn't comprehending the whole message he was sending. He had said this was all about my blood—his own blood lust. Now, what was this about? I had offered my blood and he declined. What was the matter now?

"This isn't about my blood is it?" I asked, more to myself, mirroring my thoughts.

He sighed loudly, and stared at me condescendingly with dark eyes.

"Your blood?" he asked incredulously out of my inept ability to understand his dilemma. "You think all my thoughts are about blood? That all the love and lust I contain are for that liquid? That all I care about is blood to nurture my condemned soul?" Well, when he put in such an evil perspective…I shook my head in response, but apparently that was another wrong answer. I was full of those today.

"You shook your head." He pointed out the obvious. "You're wrong. It is all I contain. However, you," he ranted, "go and offer up your throat without the slightest inclination to what you are doing." That was it, I'm furious now.

"I knew what I was doing!" I claimed, narrowing my eyes toward him. "I wanted to die so I wouldn't feel the pain!" I clamped my hands over my mouth. I had said too much and now he was looking at me with an odd expression.

"Having your blood taken is painful, more painful than any experience you have ever—"he lectured before I cut him off to correct him. I'd have to explain. So, I had two options: the truth or a lie. Either way I looked like an idiot, but my traits made the final decision for me. Since Im a horrible liar and he can hear when my heart picks up when I fib, that ruled out the option of lying to his face. Leaving only one alternative: the truth.

"Not that pain. Mine is different." I informed as I gave him as little information as I could. He was too suspicious for his own good sometimes. Then again, vampires can't trust everyone. I'm hardly everyone.

"How so? Where does it hurt?" he asked kindly, forgetting is anger. He was concerned, and it broke my heart. He couldn't feel pain, not physically at least. So, he could probably relate to me.

"My heart pains me…when I thought…" I said looking up at his expectant eyes. Wow, they were very beautiful.

"When you thought what?" he prompted as I lost my train of thought in his eyes.

"When I thought," I admitted," you were going to leave me and when you said you were just using me for your bloodlust. It hurts my heart." He looked very startled, shaken and shocked. I hadn't expected that.

"You said you didn't want me." He reminded me. Had I said that? I didn't remember…was I too emotional that I didn't recall that? Hhmm…I said…oh, maybe I had said something close to that.

"I want you." I assured him. He seemed to take it the wrong way for a minute as he observed my full height lecherously. I felt an odd exhilaration from that, but didn't mention it. "Will you go out with me?"

"But I'm already your boyfriend." He protested playfully and slung a cold arm across my shoulders and leaned his head on my shoulder also. I looked at him out of the corner of my vision. He turned his head to glare at me in an unusual way and put his mouth to my pulse. I tensed instinctively, and then relaxed when he only kissed my jugular vein. The pain in my heart was gone for now, so I had no intention of giving my blood up now either.

School was always a disappointment. Only strange kids enjoy school, and I'm as weird as it gets—I'm dating a vampire! I hate school. Every time I hear an airplane pass overhead, I cross my fingers and chant: "Please bomb the school. Please bomb the school". My efforts are always in vain—my dreams shattered. Ean was the most popular male in the whole school, much to my chagrin. Which made me the most envied girl in school, and that put lots of adversaries against me. School was a danger zone, but Ean's constant presence seemed to keep me away from anything at least fatal. In the two weeks of being his girlfriend, I've been tripped, pushed down stairs, slammed into lockers, slapped in the face, rumored about, and fought the cheerleading team. Ean is a bad influence. Of course, I won. When I was tripped by Samantha Twining, I caught myself, but making her fall down embarrassingly instead. When I was pushed down stairs, Ean caught me before it I made it down two steps. As far as the fighting the cheerleaders, they had nothing. What could I expect out a bunch of high maintained girls? They pretty much were only talk, and when it came to physical combat, I punched a co-captain, Samantha Twining the same girl that had attempted to trip me, in the face and they all darted off. Sam was pissed. A few days later, after I mentioned how particularly mean she was to Ean, she cornered me when I was alone in the girls' bathroom. I can't expect Ean to follow me there, and I wouldn't allow it either. He can't fight my battles for me all the time. He had ample time to though. What with the eternity he can live. We stayed near the stalls just slapping each other ruthlessly after a huge, loud disagreement over Ean nonetheless. She can hit very hard for a girl, probably due to cheer training. I walked out on that fight, she ended up crying—embarrassing herself again. Everyone was in the girl's restroom by then. A crowd was around her as she sobbed pathetically into her hands. I was smug I won, but felt a little shame and guilt about it. At least until she set her new boyfriend on me when she knew I wasn't relinquishing Ean. I didn't inform Ean of that though. Why should I tell him I fighting over him? I can imagine the smug look he'd acquire then. That is where my locker slamming adventure came into play. I admit: I didn't win that one. It was after school yesterday. I was withdrawing my books from my locker at the end of the corridor that meets the parking lot, and no one was there. Ean was picking me up and had gone to grab his car from the student parking lot. I assumed everyone had already gone home, but Scott Wilson escaped my notice until he had me pinned to my locker front. He ranted about how I had upset Samantha and recalled all my wrong doings. I was there; does he think I wouldn't remember? He seemed to forget all Sam's grievances in opposition to me however. All in all, he slammed me into the wall and lockers a couple of times. He was recoiled to punch me when Ean appeared. I was so thankful by then. Even with the previous adventures, I wasn't immune to the recently required wounds. Ean commanded me to wait in his car, and I obeyed. I hate blood, and with Ean—there was bound to be bloodshed. That was the thing about old-fashioned guys: They fight everything out. Considering Ean was already dead, I figured Scott was disadvantaged. Not that I cared. I was heartless by now. What had I done? Okay, I'm not completely innocent, but I didn't start the feud. Ean, of course, won. Scott was still alive too. Id asked him to confirm, so I didn't need to flee town. Sam and Scott didn't even report a word to the deans. That was high school for you. Its sort of student code to keep the administrative officials out of your business. They were probably too proud to admit that they lost. Sore losers!

Today, they were both absent. That marks today as a significant event, doesn't it? I can relax without checking location on Samantha every hour. She is pretty tricky. Ean and I sat at the table outside again. It's more peaceful there, and Ean enjoys the sunlight from what I can distinguish.

"What happened to Sam and Scott?" I inquired nonchalantly.

"I don't care. Why would I know?" he asked.

"I like school better if they're absent is all." I scowled, his mood was gloomy today. His sulking depression moodiness was really wearing down my nerves.

"What's the matter with you?"

"Nothing….that you should be concerned about." He said softly.

"What is the matter? Please tell me." I begged, he seemed abnormally edgy for someone with immortality and excellent reflexes. What could possibly bother him?

"Its nothing." He insisted. He was withholding information from me. I didn't like the idea of that, so I was persistent and repeated myself. By the ninth time, he was peeved at me.

"Nothing! I'm fine!" he yelled, and was grateful that we were the only ones outside. Surely, if we had been in the cafeteria, we would have had an audience present. High school students yearn for drama.

"Please…why won't you tell me?" I pleaded adding pouting to my façade of disappoint and concern. I'm very manipulative when the occasion calls.

"I need blood." He whispered breathlessly, almost so soft that I couldn't hear him. "I'm going away for a while. I can't hunt here. It's too small of a town. People will definitely notice a murder. I have to leave tonight; otherwise I will be too weak to move." The fact that he confided a weakness to me filled me with glee. Isn't that odd? I find a flaw in a presumably flawless person and I wanted to clap cheerfully. I was enraptured that he trusted me enough to let me know about his vulnerability. However, he must have seen the fear on my face when it hit me. He was leaving. That pain I had had about two weeks ago? Yeah, it hit me—hard. I felt a knot form in my throat and suddenly developed a hot flash though it chilly today.

"Clair? Are you okay?" he demanded concerned as he reached for my forehead from across the table. I grabbed his hand, and held it.

"I'm fine." I lied. That was when I forgot. My boyfriend is a human lie detector. Great trait to have in a guy, but not when it works on you. I was trying to spare him the knowledge that I would most likely be going through hell after he left. He was coming back which made me feel fleetingly happy. We've been inseparable, but I was starting to wonder about his health.

"Clair, you're not alright. Talk to me." He looked very concerned for me. I didn't want to talk. He could see through every pretense if I opened my mouth. I don't want to admit my utter dependence on him. He was agitated now. He changes emotions fast, I noticed. He squeezed my hand all too tightly. I winced, and he repeated himself.

"Tell me what is wrong."

I probably sounded just like him a few minutes ago when I was the one pestering him. I didn't use excessive force though. Like I could hurt him.

"It's okay. Really, I'm fine!" I insisted. He realized what had upset me now as he recalled the last time he tried to leave two weeks ago. I've only known him approximately five weeks, and our meeting was strictly of his selective choice for a "meal" I presumed and his amusement of me, but he never followed through with draining me. Now, with the prospect of him leaving, the pain stabbed even harder than the last time. Why is that?

"Clair, I'll be right back. Honestly, I won't leave you for long.", he said, then I opened my mouth to protest but he read my mind and added, "I promise."

Now that I thought about it, I couldn't hinder the thought from escaping my lips before I could decide if I really wanted the answer.

"Ean, are you eventually going to drain me?" I asked casually, like I was discussing the weather. He looked amused, but highly startled.

"How is it that you can take it so lightly? Just asking so nonchalantly like that?" he wondered verbally while staring intently at my expressionless face. I didn't want to give off the wrong emotion and trigger a biased response from him.

"Depends." He answered my inquiry pensively. Then, before I could stop myself, I said the exact question he was trying to corner me into:

"Depends on what?" I asked naively and innocently enough.

"You." He whispered tonelessly. "What do you want? To stay human? Become a vampire like me? Or just die? What do you feel like choosing now?" I gulped nervously and I contemplated my response, but I found that it was heartfelt and nonetheless honest. I didn't even have to fabricate anything.

"Right now?" I asked, and he nodded in answer. "Right now, when I with you, I want to be a vampire so I can stay with you…forever. Surely, you must know how intoxicating your presence is?" I didn't give him the liberty to answer because right when he opened his mouth, I whispered impulsively:

"But when you leave my side, I die. With you, I never want to be human alone." He looked saddened, but that only caused to baffle me. Why was he upset? I just admitted my love for him in very direct terms. He didn't say anything back, and that scared me.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just…" he started.

"Yes?" I prompted him, impatient to hear him voice his opinion.

"I hoped you would say that you wished to stay human." He said.

"Why on earth would I hope that? Do see these people?" I said incredoulously, gesturing to the buildings surrounding the courtyard outside the cafeteria, "They don't care for me!"

"What about your parents then? What would they say?" he asked earnestly, thinking that the memories I had of my parents would invoke regret for my decision.

"What about them? They don't know me or care for me. For goodness sake, they can't even remember my age and birthday. More than often, they call me by another name! I wouldn't give a—"I was near screaming now, but he leaned over the table and placed a chilled hand over my mouth and I stopped my rant as he looked into my eyes searching my soul for something. I thought that he was more than likely listening to my heartbeat as he wondered how much of that was true. All of it was true, I admit remorsefully. My parent had forgotten my seventeenth birthday only two weeks and six day before Ean's arrival into my life. What types of parents forget their only child's birthday? They were in Europe, and I know they had phone service so they couldn't employ that as an excuse whenever they finally got around to calling. They call me Catherine more frequently even though my name Clair. When they introduce me to clients who stop at the house, they always come to a blank when they are asked about my age, and I remind them, inwardly hurt. Ean let go of my hand, snapping me out of my trance, and leaned back with a thoughtful expression.

"When are your parents coming home?" he asked curiously.

"Well, its September now, so they will probably arrived some time in mid January from Germany or France. Then, they'll pack for a trip to central Asia in early February. They don't like to stay home for more than three weeks." I supplied.

"Alright then." He replied as he stood up with his full tray of food he bought as a prop. "You need to pack when we get home." Oh, yeah, he moved in with me sort of. He doesn't sleep. He just lounges in the living room watching TV or reading while I sleep. He's near at all times. I asked him once where all of his stuff is, but he neglected to answer anything other than at his house. He's stays at my house except for an hour when I sleep each night. I know that because before I sleep each night he reminds me to set the house security system for him. I go to sleep around ten and I set the security system to start at eleven otherwise he'd set off the alarm and involve the police. The police would no doubt contact my parents about him. He had no permission other than the reluctant consent of a teenage girl that agreed to it because Ean would break the door and system if I hadn't. Not very reassuring to authorities. Then, they'd want to know who he was…and the some other uncomfortable question about our relationship. I just turned seventeen and Ean's age is documented by the school as nineteen. It's a miracle we're in the same classes. As a junior, I take all the seniors' classes due to the fact I'm taking advanced courses, so half the class is seniors and the others are juniors. Ean had to be a senior because the junior advanced enrollment was full, but the senior enrollment wasn't. The police would probably want to know about any nonexistent "sexual relations" between us considering I'm a minor. Wow, that would be extremely embarrassing, and Ean had certainly read that off my mind when he asked for the security system to be set for an hour so he could retrieve his essential like clothes and a toothbrush while commenting that he could easily kill the policemen. Ean dumped his tray into the outdoor trash bin and walked back to table as I was unable to break my eyes from his form moving feline like towards me. My mind had…wandered in that moment, and he smirked knowing I was fantasizing about him. I blushed and hurriedly ran to throw my tray away so I could avoid him. He stopped and observed me as I rushed passed him to the trash and attempted to walk back to the table with dignity before his hand shot out and grabbed my arm.

"You're right." he said. "You do want me." He smirked and suppressed his amusement as I scowled at him.

"What do you mean pack?" I questioned, referring to his previous command before I had flashed back to the housing arrangements.

"I'm taking you with me for the weekend." He informed. "I can see that you're going to be upset if I leave, so I'd rather take you along than leave you planning your own suicide. Honestly, how could I leave you behind? I'd miss you too much also and wouldn't be able to concentrate." he remarked smiling at me with humor. I brushed off his hand as the bell rung. He was cringed instantly at the bell which was irregularly loud as they stood directly below the courtyard speaker. His ears are acutely sensitive to noise, and I kissed him quickly before he had recovered from the noise and darted off to our next class as he opened his eyes which had closed as the beginning of the bell. I stuck my tongue out and stalked off leaving him with his eyes narrowed scornfully.

"What?" I asked inconspicuously to Ean who sat next to me in last period mathematics. He gave me a smug look as the teacher raved on about the notes on the board. It was really hard to concentrate on school with the most handsome guy you've ever seen seated next to you, especially when he tugging on your hand to hold it. However, we were in the back of the class in a corner. The teacher had requested we sit there since Ean refused profusely that we be separated and made some fictitious explanation for us to be seated together. I didn't ask to know that excuse, and I wasn't sure if I would have like it. Ean had no shame sometimes. So, the teacher just relocated us to a corner in the back row so we didn't distract our peers as Mr. Walton put it. Ean whispered in my ear alluringly.

"I'm bored, Clair. Even your thoughts pertaining to me aren't interesting me now. I've been through this math class over twelve times."

"What exactly do you want from me?" I asked irately. I was attempting to focus on the lecture so I would maintain my perfect grades, and he read my mind.

"Oh, please. I could tutor you." He said rolling his eyes, then smirking again. "I want…" he said as I glanced at him lifelessly bored also. "to make your daydreams come true." I blushed, and scolded him for spying on my mind. He really had no shame. Well, really I had no shame, but at least I contained mine. He grinned again at my red tinted expression and I gauged his actions as I wondered what he'd do in public. He pulled me over onto his lap and swept my hair off my neck then leaned over to kiss my neck. My skin crawled as it somehow sensed something was wrong, but my body tingled with pleasure to his touch.

"Clair! Ean! To the principal's office now!" screeched Mr. Walton's husky voice, and Ean broke the contact but he didn't let me off of his lap even though the whole class was staring now. Its wasn't as embarrassing as I would have imagined. Ean reluctantly let go of my waist so I could stumble to my feet, grab my book bag, and shuffle awkwardly out of the room with Ean suppressing laughter beside me.

"I'm going to fail that class due to you." I whined, knowing I was doomed to Mr. Walton's wrathful judgment. He wouldn't likely forget our performance, and my grades would suffer accordingly. No doubt he would pass on some details to the principal who loathes public displays of affection. She wasn't married, so naturally she patrolled the halls separating couples in her wake.

"Don't worry. I could always just do the work for you."

"What about tests?" I asked, thinking I outsmarted him.

"You think I'm not swift enough to switch papers with you?" he schemed slyly. "Where are you going?" I had my hand on the metal handle of the office, but Ean hauled me away from it and towards another exit.

"Where are you going? The office is that way." I said, pointing to the office door that was clearly labeled.

"We're not going to the office, Clair." He told. "We're going to pack your clothes. That way, I can hunt tonight." I was uncertain at first, but let him drag me along anyways.