This is my first fanfiction. The first chapter is a little boring but hopefully it get's better after this. Please Review!

"Come on, Raven, you know it'll be fun!"

My best friend Becky Miller was sitting on the floor of my bedroom next to me. She was packing the last of her clothing from our sleepover, being as orderly as possible. Pulling out a brush and suntan lotion from a pocket on her backpack, she turned her face to look at me. Her blue eyes were pleading and her lower lip pouted.

I sighed. It was no use. "If I say yes, will you quit using the puppy dog face on me?"

She nodded with a grin; victory clear in her expression.

"Okay, fine, I'll go."

"Yes!" she squealed, jumping up. "Oh, you'll have so much fun! It will be just the four of us, you and Alexander, and me and Matt. We'll go swimming first, and then maybe pick up lunch at Hatsy's…" I tuned her out as she rambled. Then her words sunk in. Lunch?

I whirled and asked, "Wait, you wanted to go now? Why can't we wait until later?"

She rolled her eyes. "I told you before that Matt has soccer practice tonight."

"Yeah, well, maybe we can go out afterword. I'm sure he'll want to cool off with a nice swim after working out."

"No, he and I are having dinner with my parents tonight. I told you that yesterday." She grabbed a cell phone from her bag. "Why don't you call Alexander now? I'm sure he'd love to come."

"Uh…" I didn't have an excuse ready. My mind scrambled as I thought through the possibilities. "He, uh, is at an art exhibit all day in a town a few miles from here." Genius! "Yeah, his parents are sponsoring it, but since they're still in Romania they asked him and Jameson to be the hosts in their absence. He wanted me to go with him, but I told him our girl time was important and he understood. And they aren't coming back until tonight." I hoped we wouldn't pass the Mansion on the way there or else she'd be sure to see the black Mercedes parked in the driveway.

"Aw, I can't believe that you chose me over him! I thought you two would be inseparable over the summer. I know I'd have trouble choosing between you and Matt." She hugged me tightly.

I tried my best to hug her back convincingly, but even that was an effort. I hated lying to everyone, but I had to do whatever I could for the love of my life – Alexander Sterling. No one could know his darkest secret that he is a vampire, and there are even some parts of him I don't know about myself. He was forced to spend the sunny summer days locked inside the chamber in his room, sleeping in a coffin, while the rest of the Dullsvillians were running around and enjoying the weather. Since returning from Hipsterville a second time, Alexander and I had spent as much time as possible together. I ran to the Mansion every day before sunset, and we stayed together watching movies, having romantic dinners, or hanging out in the graveyard well past midnight. It's hard only having a few short hours with him every day, but after knowing what it's like to have him leave twice, I cherish every second I get to spend with him.

Becky released me and punched some numbers in her cell. I heard a masculine murmur on the other end as her face brightened up. "Hey Matt! I missed you so much!"

I barely paid attention as she told her boyfriend the events that would be taking place. While I was glad for good 'ol Becky, I was a little jealous that she was able to have a normal relationship without all the complications I have with dating a vampire. Part of me wanted to have the same kind of relationship, but my inner-Goth was reminding me that I was living my dream. It was one of the many sacrifices I had to do to be with Alexander.

She hung up. "I told Matt we'll be at his house in a half an hour. I'm sorry Alexander couldn't come, but I'm sure it'll be fun."

"Yeah," I said reluctantly. "Tons of fun. Let's get dressed before we go." I pulled a black bikini with miniature skulls on it that looked like polka-dots. I looked at myself in the mirror; it was like looking at a mannequin – black suit on a white body. Hey, you'd be as pale as me if you spent your daylight hours indoors too!

I grabbed a tank top that I'd thrown over my Edward Scissorhands lamp and threw it on along with a black mini skirt. Becky had put on a t-shirt and shorts over her suit and had her backpack slung over her shoulders. "Let's go, I don't want to be late," she said.

"Okay, get the air conditioner started in your truck and I'll meet you there in a sec." She ran out of my room and down the steps to her car.

I walked out of my room to the bathroom and grabbed a couple towels then went back to my room. I slipped my feet into black flip flops and headed for the door, but paused as my eye caught something.

On the wall next to my door I'd hung the painting Alexander had done for me that had previously been in my locker. There was one of us at Hatsy's Diner, and another of us dancing at Dullsville's country club, and the last one was a four-picture strip of the two of us similar to the style of a photo-booth print out. His art work was flawless, capturing every detail to perfection. The thought of my Gothic Mate resting in his coffin dreaming of ghosts and ghouls made tears prick in my eyes. Another memory I would be having without him, another time I wished that he was just like any other human.