“I met a girl who never looked so alone, like sugar water in your mouth lukewarm” -Hell Above -Pierce the Veil

“You’re going to do it then?” Payton shoved some green leaves into her mouth. The cafeteria was loud-it reminded me of being at a concert, but without the music and without the enjoyment.

“Don’t make me say it again,” I bleat. “It’s painful to even think about it.”

“Sorry,” She apologizes.

“Well, if it’s painful why are you going to do it?” Izze questioned darkly.

“Guess I want to…” I don’t know. “I don’t know! Ugh!”

It frustrated me. Something inside was scolding me for being so irrational. I’m not even sure I’m doing it to prove Damien wrong. Damien wouldn’t believe I was a vampire even if my skin lit on fire. He was just the type of guy that didn’t believe in my world.

“Well gather all your energy.” Payten reaches over and rests her hand over mine. “‘Cause you’re going to need it.”

“Let me finish my carrots,” I say on edge.

This would be the first time in almost ten years since I’ve gone in direct contact with the sun.

I’m scared, but I want to know how much I’ve changed. And if I hadn’t? That’s fine. I’ll just put my hat and hoodie back on and continue to live as I always had.

…

When Coach came to me he almost instinctively marked me as zero. Then his eyes double checked me with disbelief, almost suspicion.

“Fare?”

“Yes, Coach?”

“You’re wearing a white t-shirt.”

“Yes Coach.”

“Are you going to be okay?”

“I hope so,” I answer frankly.

“You know I can only give you half points but,” he actually smiled at me, “it’s nice to see you trying.”

“Yeah.”

When he left, I turned and saw Damien standing, crossed arms, nodding in approval.

“Can I go get my stuff now?” I nodded to my jacket and hat in the corner, as close as I could put them.

Damien shook his head. “You have to go outside in the sun, Fare.”

I winced and meekly followed Damien outside with everyone else with the goal to run a lap. Of course, I wouldn’t possibly be able to commit to such an insane act.

The sun glared down at me, mocking my frail self. I shrank for a minute and covered my face.

Damien grabbed my hands and pulled them down.

“We can walk,” he said coolly. I tried to yank my hands out of his grip.

“Let go! I need to protect myself!”

“Stop acting like a child and relax. Are you burning?”

I pause for a few and realize I feel fine. The breeze is calm and cars rush by beside us. The blue sky just hangs there, serenely, above my head without a care in the world.

I’m normal.

“…No,” I say finally, dazed. “I feel fine.”

“See?” his hands slip from mine. “You aren’t a vampire.”

We walk for a minute, me feeling so great, even though I basically proved his theory right.

And that’s when I felt it. Something I haven’t felt since I was six years old.

I stop, feeling the prick start off like static.

Damien looks at me, confused.

“Um, I-” I turn around, racing back to the building, but we’re halfway on the opposite side and there are no doors nearby.

“Fare?” Damien catches up to me, black hair flying through the wind. “Are you okay?”

“Need my…” I huff, then touch my slowly raising face. My hands are sweetening from the unnatural warmth.

An invisible dragon roars at me and I’m coated in flames.

I scream and break into a fast run. The heat is too much to take. I need my protection. My shade. My hat. My sunscreen. My glasses.

I need it. I NEED it!

“Fare!” I hear Damien call from behind but I can’t stop. I can’t respond. My throat’s too charred and I don’t have the time.

I’m so stupid. I am so stupid, stupid, STUPID!

My body feels drained and it’s hard to climb up the hill before me. The sun is drinking my energy. The damned sun.

I’m going to die. I’m dying. And my eyesight is fading until it appears to be night, but I know that’s not true.

I’m just burning to a crisp.

…

When I wake, I’m exhausted, and my face feels like it’s on fire.

I sit and look around. I’m not dead, because this doesn’t look like Heaven. Or Hell. Unless they’re both playing some twisted joke on me, it appears I’m in my bedroom, darker and dimmer than it has ever been.

“Hello?” I hoarsely call, cringing as I touch my face with shaky fingers.

It hurts.

I see the door open slightly, just large enough for a person to seep through.

“Page?” the guest tip-toes in.

“Lee?”

“Are you okay?” I feel her sit beside me and let her slightly stroke the ends of my hair.

“What happened?” It hurts trying to remember.

“That’s what I want to know.” Lee sounds miserable. “Damien said that you passed out during Phys. Ed. And took you immediately home.”

“Damien?” I want to furrow my eyebrows, but I’m a lump of coal and can’t move. Won’t. “Really?”

“Did you do that dare?”

“Um, yeah.”

“Why?”

Why? Wasn’t she supportive about it?

“Because I wanted to prove him wrong.” I caution myself to be careful of moving my mouth too much.

“Wrong about what?”

“He said I wasn’t a vampire,” I whisper, hurt, “so I exposed myself in the sun-”

“Why would you do something if you knew you were going to get hurt?” Lee asked fiercely. “You know of your skin condition. What makes you think you’d be okay if you just went outside in the sun like that?”

“Hey, Hypocrite,” I shoot, “you were the one that told me to do it if a cute guy was involved.”

“Yeah but I guess that you wouldn’t do anything irrational. When you said you’d go without your hat and shirt I thought you’d be inside. Not under direct sunlight. You are so much more important than a dare.”

“I know that.”

“Then why did you do it?”

“I-I” I look around the room. My dark, empty room. “I don’t know.”

I hear a disappointed sigh slide through my sister’s lips.

“Okay, well, stay here. I’ll make some chicken noodle soup.”

Once she was gone I leaned over and turned on m nightstand lamp, ignoring the feeling of my crumbling body. When I looked across the room, I saw a face that was mine but looked nothing like it. I reached up to touch my cheek but the pain overwhelmed me.

Mine was tomato red and I was shedding skin like a snake.

Gross.

Did I look like this when I was six? I mean, even my arms that went into contact with the sun’s rays mirrored the same symptoms.

I shuddered and pressed my face against the pillow, which obviously hurt but a bared it because I didn’t want to move.

…

“Hey Page, it’s us” I felt someone tap my shoulder. “Wake up.”

“I think she’s dead.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“But look how burnt she is.”

“Mmmmm,” I groan.

“It’s alive!” Izze-the one who assumed me to be dead-exclaimed.

“You aren’t Frankenstein.”

“I could be.”

“You guys?” I roll over and look up.

Payton stared at me with concerned hazel eyes and Izze is smiling warmly, but her lime hair is tight in a bun, a style she only wears when she’s anxious.

“You okay, Babe?” Izze whispers

“Obviously not,” Pay snides.

“It hurts to talk. And eat,” I confess.

“I’m sure,” Payton agrees.

“Hey, is it true Damien took you home?” Izze asked with stars in her eyes. “That’s so romantic.”

“Yeah, but I don’t get why he didn’t take her to the infirmary or call an ambulance. Even more,” Payton chewed her plump lips, “how did he manage to get into the house? He didn’t break any windows to get in and there isn’t a spare key, right?”

I nod.

“The thing that really sucks though,” Izze sours, “is Damien actually saw you all burnt and red.”

“I’m sure Page doesn’t care about things like that, right?” Payton laughs uncertainly.

“Pah-lease. It’s anybody’s nightmare to be seen like this. Of course, you care. Right, girl?”

I say nothing. Partially because it’s true, I really do care, and the other is because my jaw is too sore to say anything.

“See?”

“Anyway,” Pay dismisses her, tying up her ruby hair, “it looks like you won’t be at school for a while so Izze and I will collect all your homework and bring it to you, ‘kay?”

“Thanks, you guys.”

“No problem.” Izze winks.

“That’s what friends are for.” Payton waves bye and Izze blows me a kiss.

I yawn and shout: “Ow!” which hurts just as much.

Pain after pain after pain.

I’m never doing dares again.

…

The next few days past by in a mundane blur of television, video games, and YouTube videos.

Mom knew nothing of this, and I was glad. I don’t want her to see my repugnant new look. If what Lee said was true, I’m not a beauty anymore.

One of the fortunate things about my tragic happening was that it occurred on Thursday, meaning that I would hopefully only miss one day of school.

“Nobody knows what really happened,” Izze explained Friday late afternoon when her and Payton swung by with my homework. “They all think you just passed out under the heat because of your condition and was taken home early. They don’t even know who drove you home.”

“I’m surprised Damien didn’t tell anyone.” Payton shook a blue nail polish container.

“I’m not. He’s just as perfect as I thought he was.” Izze nodded and gave me the answer to our French question number nine.

I shake my head. “I’m not going to forgive him after he made me go through this. He’s the one that technically created the cause for the secret.”

“You chose to do the dare,” Izze reminded me. “So, you’re at fault too.”

“No, I’m not,” I argue, defensive.

My two friends look at me with a “Really, Page?” stare and I squirm. So, what if I’m part to blame? I’ll never admit it. Over my dead body.