Today was his 100th birthday. He still looked like an average, middle-aged man, the only thing setting him apart from the rest of humanity being his eyes. He had dark red eyes and snow white skin, and to many, he was beautiful, but there were others who saw him for what he truly was- inhuman. The ones who figured his secret out were disposed of. He didn't believe he should have to hide from the world, so he didn't, but that meant some would have to die. It was something he could live with, because death was a part of life.

Shoving his leather wallet in the pocket of his pants, he walked out of the studio apartment he was staying in and made his way down the metal steps. The old brick building had been abandoned when he had found it so many years ago, providing him with the privacy he needed and the quiet he relished.

The sun poured in through the glass ceiling he'd had installed. The metal staircase was probably hot from the sun's warmth, but he couldn't feel anything. He hadn't been able to differentiate between hot and cold for some time.

He placed his favorite pair of sunglasses on his face to hide his eyes, and then he stepped out onto the deserted street, strolling along at a steady pace. He had no car so he ambled down the cobbled stone road, no destination in mind.

He did this daily. He would walk aimlessly for hours. If asked why he wouldn't have an answer to give, it was just something he enjoyed doing. It settled the restlessness he felt on a regular basis.

As he strolled towards town, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. A thousand different smells flooded his sensitive nose. He detected maple trees, coffee from the shop at the end of the block... blooming flowers. He smelled the beginning of summer, and he let it him back to when he was young and things were much simpler.

Nearing the coffee shop, he stood and watched people filter in and out, most of them looking down at their phones. It amused him to see them so glued to their silly devices. How pathetic to be slaves to something so trivial, he thought to himself.

Amused, he watched until he saw a young woman run up the sidewalk. He had her face memorized in the span of 5 seconds. She disappeared through the glass door. There were too many people surrounding her for him to make out her exact location within the building. He kept his gaze focused on the door, searching for the brown-haired girl. He eventually made her slender form out among the crowd of pushy people.

His feet took the first few steps without his permission. An invisible string tugged him in the direction of the shop, and he was unable to resist its pull. He regained a semblance of control when he curled his fingers around the door handle, but once he got a good look at her face, he became a stumbling idiot.

In spite of all of his grace, he couldn't seem to find his balance. She was attractive in a natural way, but that wasn't what had him entranced. No, it was the light in her eyes. Her chocolate eyes glowed with joy. It was an emotion he didn't quite understand. Maybe that was why he couldn't look away.

It was her turn in line by the time he'd taken a seat in the back of the room. The barista behind the counter smiled at the girl and asked her what she wanted. He listened intently for the sound of her voice. When she finally spoke, he had to force himself to stay seated.

Her voice had a husky quality to it. Deep but not too deep, and after she had finished with her order, he instantly wanted to hear her say something else. He truly felt he could listen to her all day without growing weary. Her voice was like music to his ears.

It was this surety that made him follow her back out the door. While he had no conscious plan, he couldn't allow her to get away. A strange fear curled around his heart at the thought of never seeing her again.

The illogical fear was strong enough to cause his steps to quicken when she jumped into an ancient looking pick-up truck. It being daylight meant he couldn't run after her. It would draw too much attention, but he could overtake her before she drove away.

Feeling a bit possessed, he jogged to the worn out vehicle and tapped on her window. He placed an innocent smile on his face, careful not to show too many teeth. When she whipped her head around to see who was at her door, he already had a speech prepared.

He noticed she had hold of something in her bag, but he couldn't see what it was because she kept her hand hidden. An unsure grin found her lips, but she still rolled the window a third of the way down.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

His smile widened at her careful politeness. He guessed her to be around 22 years old, give or take a year or two. Many women her age were silly and far too naive to protect themselves. This girl, however...she was aware of the danger around her.

"Yes," he murmured softly. "I'm new in town and I cannot seem to find-"

Time slowed down while he quickly searched the contents of her truck. A portfolio sat beside her, a few paint brushes lay scattered on the floor. Taking the information he knew, he continued smoothly, "The Drawing Center. Could you perhaps give me directions?"

Her face lit up. "Yes, of course! I just moved here, so I'm unfamiliar with the area, but it just so happens I've started working there."

"What a coincidence," he replied, feigning surprise.

Unguarded happiness filled her eyes, and he had to clench his hands into fists to keep them off her person.

"Okay, so you continue down Fair Avenue, then you make a right at the light, and then you turn left at the next corner. The Center is located on Beckett Drive."

"Perfect, thank you."

Waving her hand dismissively, she turned the key and the sound of the truck's engine flared to life. "Not a problem!" she called over the loud roar. "I suppose I'll see you soon, Mr. -"

"Aro," he replied. "Just Aro."

Nodding, she started to pull forward. "I'll see you soon then, Aro."

His name sounded like heaven coming from her mouth. He stood at the edge of the street several minutes after she'd left. The smell of her floral fragrance still permeated the crisp morning air, and he couldn't get enough of it.

Turning, he made his way back home. He had some supplies to get, and then...well, he didn't know what would happen then. All he knew was he had an art lesson to attend.

A/N - The vampires in this story are not going to sparkle in the sun. Lol, Aro is way too cool to sparkle.