Chapter 1
“Did you do your homework?”
“Of course, I did. Would I be standing here talking to you if I didn’t?”
“Manners, Jess.” Joanne reprimanded her daughter. Jessica has been getting moodier and moodier by the day ever since a month ago and has been wondering why she had become this defensive over the smallest thing.
“I am going to go to my room. I have a test tomorrow,” and she left, taking the stairs two at a time. When she got to her room, she basked in the dimly lit space, taking solace in the darkness. Walking to the bed, she threw back the covers, kicked off her shoes and climbed in. Staring at nothing in particular, she laid quietly until she drifted into oblivion.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. The sound of the alarm clock was incessant until a fist came down to shut it up. Rolling over, Jessica got out of bed lazily to ready herself for school.
“Are you riding with Blair this morning?” asked her mother. Blair, was Jessica’s best friend from kindergarten but ever since a month ago, they had become distant. Even though one would fault Jessica for her mood swings, Blair was starting to get pushier than usual and her questions were becoming intrusive, to the point where Jessica had to tell her she would part with her if she continued to pry. And the worst part was, Blair didn’t even know how to keep her mouth.
On the night of hallow, a month ago, Blair was criticising Jessica’s lack of costume when Jessica snapped. That night, everything that was pent up and festering all those years came flooding over the banks and when Jessica was through with her verbal assault, she left a stunned Blair on the sidewalk to make her way home.
“No,” came the short reply.
“Why? I thought you girls would be on speaking terms again,” Joanne persisted.
“Because I don’t want to, okay. So just leave it,” and with that Jessica finished her cereal and left for school. Making her way by walk, she passed people she normally greeted only to not anymore. The once social girl had become a recluse.
Upon arriving at the school house, she made it to class just before the bell rang, taking her seat at the back and resting her head on the desk. When Mr. Leary, the Mathematics teacher entered the room, he wasn’t alone and the entire class turned silent at what they saw.
“Good morning class,” greeted the man. “Contrary to popular belief, you will not be getting a test today. Instead, you will be getting a new classmate. This is Jorah Maruvan. Make him feel welcome.”
Hearing the introduction, Jessica lifted her head and saw a tall, well-built youth with high cheekbones and eyes ocean blue in colour. His hair was black with a short back and longer top that was left to fall whereever it may, with some strands grazing the top of his eyelids. With a bored expression, he looked at everyone in the classroom until his eyes fell on Jessica and he stared at her, intrigued. Jessica, who had to admit that this was a beautiful male specimen, just went back to resting her head on the desk and Jorah couldn’t help but smile at this, as no one had ever ignored him before.
“Mr. Maruvan, would you like to tell the class a little bit about yourself?” questioned Mr. Leary.
“No,” came the dull reply.
“Alright then. Why don’t you go take a seat so we can begin?”
Making his way to the back of the class, Jorah took a seat beside Jessica with an imposing atmosphere as if he owned the place and seeing this, Blair couldn’t help but seethe quietly. Not only her, but also Mariah, a girl who thinks the sun should return her rightful place.
“Miss Falon, could you please look this way so that we can begin class?” Mr. Leary called Jessica who raised her head to look to the front.
At the time of lunch, when everyone was making their way to the cafeteria, Jessica made her way to the back of the school to seat herself on the ground beneath an oak tree to have her lunch. She was only there for a minute, when she felt her peace being chased away by an unwanted presence. Looking up, her eyes were met with her new classmate a few steps from her.
“May I join you?” he spoke with a velvety smooth voice that caused Jessica’s heart to flutter for a brief moment.
“The cafeteria not big enough?”
“No, it’s not that. I am just allergic to giddy headed teenagers,” he replied unexpectedly.
“Ha,” came a short laugh from Jessica that surprised her, since it had been a while since she last laughed. “And for some reason or other you think I am not a giddy headed teen. Hmm, I wonder why?”
“Because you are different,” he replied simply.
“Suit yourself,” and Jorah took a seat beside her, leaving some distance between them. As Jessica ate, she kept wondering why this person had to come here instead of going somewhere else. However, not voicing this question, she continued to eat in silence, ignoring her company.
Jorah on his side, ate while thinking how beautiful the girl was. When in class, he wanted a longer look but the girl had turned from him too quickly, and now, he couldn’t help but indulge in his desire for more. Her hazel eyes that were almond shaped, her chestnut hair that reached her shoulders and her full coral-pink lips with a button nose all on an oval face. Not even in his wildest fantasies could he have thought up such a creature. Unable to sit in silence anymore, he turned to her, “May I know your name?”
“Didn’t you already hear Mr. Leary this morning?” Jessica was in no mood to entertain this person.
“What do your friends call you?” he asked.
“Don’t have any,” she answered sharply.
“What do your parents call you?” he continued to persist.
Sighing, Jessica turned to him, “My mother calls me Jess, but call me that and I will have your tongue.”
“So not Jess, then what?” he smiled lightly.
“Jessica, happy?”
“Very. I am Jorah,” he introduced.
“Yeah, I know.”
“So why are you out here alone, Jessica?” he inquired.
Thankful for how he addressed her, she replied, “I hate people.”
“Why?”
“Because they are annoying and stupid and talk crap most of the time.”
“But you are a person,” he reminded.
“Yeah, the horror.” Jessica wondered if she should tell more, as he might think she hit her head and something had gone horribly wrong. Seeing her turn apprehensive, Jorah decided not to press and Jessica wondered if she said what were really there, if he would leave that much faster? Well, she didn’t want his company anyway. Hoping for a positive outcome, she continued, “What I meant was, I don’t like humans and sometimes, I wish I could meet a non-human,” she gave Jorah a side glance only to find him staring at her with interest.
“What else?” he asked wanting to know more of what goes on in that head of hers.
“I just feel they are very sensible and easy to talk to, you know.”
Listening to her speak, Jorah was more than drawn in. The things she uttered weren’t what others would even think to say and wanting to understand her more he asked, “What if you met non-humans and you found that some of them are even stupider than the humans? And I am not saying that they exist,” he questioned.
“Oh, they exist alright,” she was confident and defensive, not wanting to be swayed into believing otherwise. “If I find some that are stupider than humans, I will just keep away from them. Simple,” she said and gave a shrug.
Smiling slightly, Jorah continued to ask, “And which non-human do you want to meet the most?”
“A vampire,” Jessica answered, her voice holding reverence and a hint of admiration.
“Why not a werewolf or a banshee?” he questioned further and looked at her carefully.
“Banshees screech too much. It’s hard on the ears and werewolves do all that shedding and howling,” and she shuddered. “I am not a fan. There might even be rabies.” She sounded disgusted.
“Rabies?” Jorah looked at her, stumped.
“Yeah, rabies,” she repeated to have Jorah laugh heartily. It was a beautiful laugh that sounded like the waves on the shore, but to Jessica’s disappointment, it ended too quickly.
“Hmm,” he gave a melodic hum and asked, “And if you were given the chance to become a vampire, would you?”
“Yes.” Jessica answered without hesitation.
Looking at her with intrigue, Jorah couldn’t help but ask, “Have you ever had any close friends?”
Not taking offence, Jessica said, “I used to have a best friend since kindergarten, but I cursed her out a month ago.”
“Why?”
“Because she was too pushy and nosy and very judgmental, and I got tired of it,” she said matter-of-factly.
“Why did you stay with her so long if she were such a person?” he inquired.
“I honestly don’t know. I guess I was just accepting whatever life threw at me,” she answered thoughtfully.
“But no more?”
“No more,” she shook her head and silence reigned once more as they sat there staring at each other, only to be jolted back to reality by the ringing of the bell.
Getting up to go back inside, they walked abreast until Jorah asked, “Which class do you have next?”
“Science.”
“Then we can head there together.” Reaching the classroom, he opened the door for her to enter, while he followed closely behind and went to her seat while he went to hand the teacher his permission slip. “Just take a seat beside Miss Falon right there,” the teacher directed Jorah. Taking his seat he asked, “No one wants to sit with you?”
“People repellent,” she gestured at herself and the two laughed to receive the attention of their classmates, but mostly Blair and Mariah who were sitting a table behind on the opposite side. Mariah had tried talking to Jorah earlier after Math, but she was brushed off with a ‘Go burn in hell’ before Jorah walked away. Blair and Mariah didn’t always show such closeness until Jessica’s departure and Jessica couldn’t help but wonder if they had always been friends, and somewhere, it irked her.
As the bell signalled the end of the day, Jessica made to leave for home, when she was stopped by the new classmate.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Just wondering if you would allow me to take you home,” he offered.
“Why would I allow that when I don’t know you?” Jessica asked bluntly.
“I was just trying to be considerate while trying not to be a stalker.”
“Well, you failed at the stalker part,” she murmured to receive a smile from him.
“I live in Oakley on Lewin Road. Moved in last night,” he told.
Jessica’s eyes widened at the coincidence. “I live in Oakley on Lewin Road as well.”
“Great. Now you don’t have an excuse to refuse,” he said in an almost celebratory tone.
“Oh, I do, because you could kill me and toss the body in the forest on the way,” her eyes were wary.
“I promise you no killing and tossing. Just straight home,” Jorah admired her scepticism as he had never been refused by anyone before, or looked at with such probing eyes.
Gingerly, Jessica agreed and was led to a black Audi at the far end of the lot. Being a gentleman, he opened her door and proceeded to the driver’s side, put the key in the ignition and gently eased out. The ride home was a silent one and on entering Lewin Road, Jessica directed Jorah to her home. She was getting ready to leave when Jorah spoke, “I live in that grey house,” he pointed at a house two doors down on the other side of the street. Jessica looked at the house that had been up for sale for some time now, only to be bought recently. She had also noticed the workers who were fixing the place some weeks ago.
“Okay,” she nodded.
“May I take you to school tomorrow?” Looking at him with a puzzled gaze, she wondered why he was being so nice to her when she spoke without a filter and not to forget, her mood swings. But I didn’t have any mood swings with him, she remembered and giving it another second, she finally nodded to have Jorah smile in satisfaction. Entering her house, she noticed her father sitting on the couch reading the paper while the telly watched him.
Not expecting such a sight, Jessica was startled. “Dad, you’re home!”
“Oh, hey Jessica. Yeah, my shift’s up.” Her father was an ER doctor and he spent more time at work than he did at home. “Do you want to get dinner started or should we just order in?” The man asked, for he was never one to fuss about what he ate or where it came from.
“Ordering in sounds good. I am going to go do my homework.”
“Okay, kiddo. Should I just order whatever?”
“Yeah, dad, order whatever,” and Jessica left for her room.
Finishing her homework, her mother was home by dinner and they had barely sat down to eat, when Joanne began, “So, how was school? Anything interesting happened?”
“School was school.” Jessica did not want to talk about her day, however, not wanting to leave the conversation like that, Joanne continued, “How’s Blair?”
“Don’t you know where she lives? Why don’t you go ask her how she is doing?” Jessica answered, tired of her mother always bringing up her ex-best friend as if it were her life’s mission to see them speaking again.
“Alright, I am tired of this attitude of yours so, wherever you got it from, you need to take it back,” Joanne spoke, setting her glass on the table.
“Whatever,” and Jessica got up to leave.
“I am not done talking to you, young lady. I am sick of your moods and this behaviour of yours. I am just sick of it all. God, where did I go wrong?” Joanne held the sides of her neck and wore what appeared to be a tired expression on her face.
“You just don’t know when to stop, mom. Every day it’s something else and when I don’t want to talk about whatever you want to talk about, you get angry. And you know what really bugs me, huh? You always asking about Blair, as if I must talk to her. As if the idea of us not talking, is something you can’t live with.” Jessica snapped. “We are here, and dad has not once inquired about school or Blair, but you, you just can’t leave well enough alone. I cannot wait ’till I turn eighteen so I can leave this place, and you,” she argued.
“Tough luck with that, since you are going to have to wallow as a sixteen-year-old for a while longer.” Her mother countered with her hands on her hips and having heard enough, her father spoke, “Alright you two, just calm down. Let’s just finish dinner, okay?” and with that the girls returned to their seats in silence.
When they were finished, Jessica was excused by her father, who received a glare from his wife and when it was only them in the room, Joanne asked, “What was that? I was not done talking to her.”
“Yes, you were. You have been hounding her for every little thing, always crowding her breathing space. And she is right, you know, about you always asking about Blair. It’s not right for you to keep forcing her to talk to that girl. You need to stop this,” the man said in a tone of finality.
Kneading her temples, Joanne looked at her husband, “David, I know you don’t see it, but she has changed.”
“I saw it. Being a teenager does that to you,” he replied, sounding unconcerned.
“No, not like that. She wasn’t like this once. She was happy and sociable, but now she has become distant and secluded, like the whole world is against her,” Joanne sighed frustratingly. “I just want her to return to how she was.”
David took his wife in his arms and said comfortingly, “From my understanding, if you try to force things, they will only come crashing that much faster. Just give her some space. Okay?” he consoled her lovingly.
“Okay,” she said hesitatingly and after a while, Joanne asked, “Do you think she knows?”
“I doubt it, but we should tell her one of these days.”
