Chapter 3: Dracula Turns Over A New Leaf

As I suspected, I received a visit from almost every monster that was present at the party. Frank came in with his wife Janis.

"Ora?" He said, gently.

I wasn't feeling sad anymore, but I was still lonely. I looked at him.

"Look, I'm no good with this… Elliot really cares about you. Honest!"

"Frank, I appreciate you trying to cheer me up and I mean no offense, but you're not the monster I want to talk to about this. I was hoping that Elliot came back, but…"

"You got me instead, Ora." Frank sounded a bit sad. I looked at him through my tears and kissed his scarred blue cheek.

"There's nothing wrong with you, big guy! After all, you're my favorite Stein. Don't tell Elliot!" I added, and I could tell this cheered Frank up because he laughed.

"Don't worry, I won't tell him. See you later, Ora. Hope you feel better!" He waved his big hand at me and left. I sighed, lying back down on my bed.

"Hon, I can tell there's something else on your mind." Janis said, seeing right through me.

"There is one tiny little thing. It's not too bad, so don't worry about it when I tell you." I said, loftily.

"Tell me what?" She asked, pulling me up. I continued to look disinterested.

"Well, I don't know if I should say it out loud. Someone could hear, you know." I knew she was practically bursting at the seams (no pun intended).

"Aurora Davis, I'm warning you…" Janis shook a finger at me.

"Okay, okay!" I said, putting my hands up.

"The micro-problem I have is that Drac forced Jonny and I together, but I don't know if it's right to keep it up now that, like, every monster knows the truth. Even Mavis does."

"Try seeing things from his point of view. After all, it's hard to see your children grow up when you still want them to be little." She put a manicured hand on my right silver shoulder.

"Great, now I feel terrible. Maybe I should go apologize to Drac."

"You may not have to." Janis said, looking at the figure in the doorway. It was Dracula himself and, judging by the teary look on his face, he'd witnessed everything.

"Oh, Ora-Bora!" He replaced Janis by my side.

"Drac, I'm so sorry about what I said. You know, the part about me hating you. Which I really don't, but all the same…"

"You had every right to flame up like you did, my little raincloud. As soon as you left, I knew I'd made the second biggest mistake of my life. You know the first. I just didn't realize that you had already Zinged with Elliot. If I'd known, I never would have put you through this. By the way, how long ago did Elliot leave?"

"I don't know, an hour or so ago?" I said, sniffling.

"Great, then there's still time!" He kissed my head and darted away, leaving me alone and confused.

*Elliot's Point of View*

The moment I saw Aurora with Jonny-Stein, I knew that I lost her. I just couldn't cope with the fact that she was forced to chose between two Steins, so I decided to leave. I thought it would be easier that way. Boy, was I wrong! All I could think about, as I trudged through the thick forest, was her. The memories flooded back into my mind and I let them come. I found a resting point several miles from the hotel, and sat beneath a willow tree. I closed my eyes and remembered all the times I'd seen Aurora. I remembered her furry face, as she laughed during lunch in fourth grade, causing herself to spit her milk onto a very surprised fifth grader. I remembered other things such as her playing hopscotch (as the humans call it) with Mavis, her laughter at the boy's wrestling with each other, the first time she'd caught my eye (literally), the first date we went on, her smile, the mischief she caused, the meltdown she had when her mother passed away in seventh grade, and how she looked at monster senior prom.

"Rory, I miss you so much!" I said to the still night air. My voice echoed back to me. Anger suddenly struck me and I roared, causing a flock of cawing crows to fly into the sky. The next morning, I got up and started to head back, but I got hopelessly lost. What can I say? The forest all looks the same to me. Suddenly, I heard a faint flapping of wings. I looked behind me and saw a rather large bat, struggling to keep up with me. What was stranger was that the bat was smoking. I widened my eyes and caught the bat, going underneath a heavily leaved tree.

"Drac? Is that you?" I asked, gently setting the bat down in the shade. A moment later, Dracula stood before me with his cloak over his head.

"Elliot! I've been looking for you all night! My little Ora-Bora hasn't been the same since you left her."

"With all due respect, Drac, she just wasn't my Zing after all."

"What are you talking about? Just last night you said you missed her! Is that still true?" Dracula said, flaring up at me. I felt like I just shrank down to the size of a beetle. I nodded, too afraid to say anything.

"Wonderful! Then follow me back to the hotel."

"Drac – " I began, as he stepped into the light again. He promptly began to disintegrate. I sighed and pulled out an umbrella for him.

"What? You're Ora's Zing, get it through your head already!" He snatched my offered umbrella and led me back.

*Aurora's Point of View*

When I woke up the next afternoon, I was puzzled why. I got up and dressed for the evening. Then I remembered the previous night and put my head in my hands.

"Ora-Bora?" Dracula said, gently raising my head.

"Hi! I was just trying to get used to the light, that's all. Speaking of the light, what are you doing up this early?" I asked, just as confused as last night.

"I made you breakfast!" He smiled, a bit too brightly for my liking.

"Fried worms and a fresh salmon omelet, with a scream cheese bagel on the side?"

"Yes, and freshly squeezed raspberry juice too!" He led me downstairs into the dining area. I gasped in astonishment at the figure in the lobby. It was Elliot. At first, he stood there and watched me gaping at him. Then, he ran forward and embraced me.

"I thought you didn't want to be with me!" I said, looking at him.

"Everything I'll ever want is in my arms right now. You're my Zing, Rory!" He kissed me again.

I smiled as we kissed for the third time and then we made out.