I stand up and grab my backpack and begin to move in the direction of the anomaly but pause as my brain processes everything that had happened in what seemed like a spilt second. Funny I didn’t even notice Sammy’s ride drive by.
Again, something moves just out of my line of sight and that same chill runs up my spine again.
I shrug to myself and keep moving across the soccer field. The place is deserted and I scan the back fence across from me that leads to the visitor’s side and a small concession stand beyond. Our school is notoriously small but our sports programs are actually halfway decent, which meat a halfway decent field that paled in comparison to the bigger city schools but suited our needs fairly well.
My hands grip the slatted chain link fence as I peek through, briefly scanning the area. I didn’t expect anyone to be out here this late but I my eyes catch two figures standing behind the bleachers, taking in hushed voices.
I’m too far away to hear anything, or see anything really but one of the figures motions rather sharply and I take in a deep breath and slip through the gate, directly behind a collection of decorative bushes next to the bleachers.
“I suggest you consider leaving soon. It’s not safe and we don’t take kindly to threatening situations especially if it endangers the Council.” A male voice says.
“This has nothing to do with the Council.” Eve Complains.
I try to peek through the bushes to see who she’s talking too but I don’t recognize the voice.
“Your secret is in jeopardy. If the right person finds out then consider that a termination, weather by outside factors or the Council itself. They will not hesitate to take matters into their own hands. There are people out there who look to expose it at any cost and the Council has a strict policy about dealing with those kind of situations.”
I take in a sharp breath trying to understand what the two are discussing. Secret? Council? What the heck…
My hand slips and I fall very loudly and very awkwardly through the bush.
The two immediately go quiet and turn their heads in my direction.
I stand up and try to pick the bits of leaves and twigs out of m hair as all hope of salvaging the situation go south.
“Um…Hi!” I choke out between bits of bush.
Standing up over the obstacle I had previously been using as cover, I am able to get a good look at the guy standing across from Eve. He’s tall and handsome (I guess) and looked like the poster boy for an Abercrombie poster. His blonde hair is gelled and combed neatly, but what really catches my attention are his eyes. They are almost identical to Eve’s.
“Hey Isabelle. What are you doing here?” Eve asks looking at me with her, what the hell are you doing’ expression. There’s a glint in her eyes and I instantly feel my face light on fire. I try to stare at anything but her face and end up settling for a particularly grassy spot on the ground. The way the lights currently reflecting in the late afternoon across her face makes me….
I blink in surprise.
Focus Isabelle.
“Soccer practice just finished and I heard some commotion so I came over to see what was going on. I didn’t mean to spy.”
But I kind of did.
Eve cracks a smile and rolls her eyes, giving me an annoyed look but I know that deep down she’s not too upset. A light breeze blows her short hair into her face and she moves to push it away.
“Well you caught us.” She say’s with a shrug.
“Eve!” The Abercrombie dude protests.
She shrugs and folds her arms across her chest.
“It’s okay Tyson.” She say’s putting her hands up in defeat.
There’s something about the way she does this though that catches my attention, maybe it was the glint in her eyes, or the overbearing confidence but something feels…off?
“What are you doing?” Tyson demands.
“It’s okay we can trust Isabelle, I’m sure she won’t tell anyone about our plans for Homecoming. Right Izzy?” Eve asks looking at me like a mother might look at a child caught with her hands in the cookie jar.
“Right…Wait what?!” I say as I register what my best friend is saying.
“I’m helping Tyson plan Homecoming and the student council has sworn us to secrecy on the condition they will kick us both out if we leak the plans early. It’s a pretty big deal.” The words roll off Eve’s tongue so smoothly I know she can’t be lying.
So this was what it was all about? All the weird missed lunches, sneaking off during class and after school?
Tyson sighs and turns to me.
“Yeah, I guess you caught us, but you can’t tell anyone.” He echoes Eve’s tone and stern look.
My shoulders slump a bit and I feel both embarrassed and little disappointed. Then a thought surfaces and I narrow my eyes.
“Since when are you all cozy with the Student council?” I prod.
“Well I’ve known Tyson for a while now, but you know how I don’t have the confidence to speak in front of large masses and well, be social.”
Her words sting a bit. First Julian and then Tyson? What happened to our group? What happened to ‘best friends tell each other everything?’ I want to say this out loud but the shock and slight pain keep logical conversation from leaving my mouth.
“Could’ve fooled me with Julian earlier.” I throw out.
I told my arms against my chest and I give Eve my best ‘I’m not buying it’ look. She blinks and shakes her head.
“That’s different. Besides Tyson really needs my help because frankly his ideas stink.” She says, shrugging my comment off.
“Hey! I think I have some good ideas.”
Tyson exclaims.
Eve has always been a shy, but organized person. From her daily planner to the notes she takes and the grades he gets in class, it’s no lie that she always has her stuff together.
Eve raises her eyebrow at him and he shakes his head and sticks his hands in his pockets. Gosh he is so fine. “Okay maybe not all of them are great, but that’s what Eve is for.” Tyson admits.
Eve looks at me and smiles.
“So how did soccer go?”
The sharp scent from the freshly cut grass on the field still lingers in the air and I am instantly reminded of the hard work out and long drills we ran today, both by the air and my aching muscles.
“It hurt. I got in trouble because I was late. Mr. Burrell gave me detention.” I say in a defeated tone.
First, I get caught spying and now I have to admit I had detention. Again. For some reason I am embarrassed and ashamed.
“You got detention again? What was it for this time.”
Eve’s words bite at my heart and I kick at the ground, wishing for another two laps to run all these confusing feelings away. Eve was the pinnacle of academic achievement, she was even on the student council apparently, and I was…well I was just…me.
“It’s a long story. One that involves going to the bathroom.” I say, remembering why I had detention in the first place.
BEEEEEEEEP!!!
My mom’s car horn blares in my ears from across the field and I sigh.
“I have to go.” I say awkwardly, looking first at Tyson who is standing there with his eyebrows raised, and then to Eve.
“Okay, well then I’ll see you Monday?” She says softly, the confident and condescending tone gone from her voice.
I nod and look back at Tyson.
“It’s nice to meet you Tyson. Maybe I’ll see you around sometime.” I say with a disingenuous smile as my mom attacks the car horn with no mercy. The sound carries on like an angry baboon over and over again and I wince.
It sounded like she got a call from my math teacher.
Better hurry before she strangles the steering wheel.
“Yeah, see you around Isabelle. It was nice meeting you.” Tyson says with a smile that’s thick with misleading charm. He reminded me of a car salesman.
I turn to leave and head quickly to the car before any CPR is needed.
My brain mulls over what Eve had said. So maybe Vampires aren’t real and she isn’t one. Maybe she’s just changed, grown older and matured as…
I sigh.
…As I struggled to keep up with everyone else my age.
My phone buzzes with a reminder that I have an unopened message and I fumble with the screen. The case it’s in in scratched as all get out and beaten to a pulp, but it works and the phone itself is intact so that’s all that really matters.
I open the message center and read the message.
Then I re-read it not believing what I see.
Vampires do exist.
-C
I Furiously text back to the unknown number, my eyes nearly budging out of my skull.
Who is this?
My eyes are glued to the phone as I get in the car and my mom drives away.
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