I've discovered something terrible – homework is easy. Forced into a room with nothing else to do, it's no longer a distressing distraction from fun and friends (not that I have any). It's just mental exercise, and right now, that's exactly what I need. J'ai fini mon mathematiques, mon science, mon étudie sociale, mon langue français, et mon langue anglais. I've also done twenty pushups, twenty crunches, and five laps. Coach Richard supervised from the end of the otherwise empty gym with a whistle. Then, I was unceremoniously dumped back into detention, with sweaty jeans. I was probably in the best shape of my life, even though I was still sore, but it was only because I was being treated like a wild animal held captive.
Every day, I had oats and blueberries for breakfast, fried potatoes with onion and tomato for lunch (honestly better than chips, so no complaints here), and beef soup for dinner. I wasn't allowed to run free, except on weekends. I was also cut off from my fruit juice supply, since I'd run out of money. Luckily for me, Tony's mom was one of the lunch ladies. Every few days they threw out entire buckets of fruit, since most kids opted for meat or bread instead. Tony brings me apples, bananas, oranges, strawberries, and peaches in the same wicker basket (so they dry out and don't get moldy), and I snack like a king while I work on my studies. I'm still not sure why he's decided to be so nice to me – he hasn't abandoned Drake, but he seems to respect me, too. Almost like he's waiting to see which one of us will win.

I've also written a song, just for fun.

'LOVE CRUTCH'
By Garcia S. Romero

Love's a kind of spell
not hard-earned by rapport
but cast down in the well
where fear and lies distort

Your silver pool rendition
the waning moon's reflection
my dream's first apparition
of my very own direction

Love's nothing but a quest
for your complete acceptance
a long series of tests
without room for repentance

For change is not the game
and growth ain't worth your name
And I'm not worth your time
I just want something mine

I don't care how you're doing
You'll miss me if I'm moving
I'm standing still forever
So I can hear your "never"

So all I need's a crutch
my only match and such
to break my way apart
before you break my heart.

I think the worst part of captivity is when it starts to feel like home. Here, I'm alone. There's no teacher. Nobody else wants to share a room with me, so they're being good for the school. I get to focus, there's no hot-dog smells, or cigarettes. No bullies. No geeks or preps, either. I get sunlight from the windows, at least.
Lana peeks in from time to time, and waves – so she can see my fangs, when I smile back. She wants to go on a date, but I get escorted to and from the front door by Mr. Fly himself, and then my mom takes me straight home. Genevieve doesn't want me getting hurt by any of the angry people in town.
Drake stopped coming by. He just has better things to do, I guess. I wonder if he's feeding on someone, though. Jules started wearing turtlenecks, so maybe Drake is sticking to a single target that won't tell on him. I'm not surprised that his plan to steal Lana hasn't worked, because under all his liquid confidence, he's still kind of a skinny freak. Always has been. Still, the silence bugs me. I'm no closer to proving my innocence, and I'm still THIRSTY for VENGEANCE and JUICE. I wanna correct that, but shadow-me knows what's up.
Knock knock! Genevieve barges in. "Hey," she says, bringing in the crisp winter cold on her jacket. She pulls a paper bag out of her schoolbag, and glass clinks together inside it. She takes a bottle of juice out, and hands it to me.
"Aw, thanks, mom! You're the best." I gave her a hug, and uncorked the bottle by hand. I'd gotten pretty good at it, by now. I gulped it down eagerly – it was oranges.
"That's all I have for you, I hope you're doing alright." She put her hand on my shoulder, and I held it.
"I'm fine, this place is bigger than my bedroom."
"We're gonna get you out of here-"
"I'll figure something out. I'm not a little kid," I insisted.
She smiled, and gave me a kiss on the forehead. "You're growing up so fast." Then she walked out of the room, and closed the door. It locked with a KER-CHUNK.
My shadow was humming a tune as it floated up the wall, opposite the sunset. Then, it tensed up, bristled, and sprouted wings. It flew over to the door as another KER-CHUNK sounded – and Drake led three huge jocks inside. It was Tank, Jules, and Nick Timer. Nick was the fastest runner in the class, and well-liked by everyone. He was also one of the nicest people in school. If he was here, then this wasn't just more bullying – this was serious. He must have really believed I was the problem, and a major threat. They grabbed me, put a bag over my head, and took me out into the hall. My belongings left behind, I was led through the school. I'm surprised no teachers saw, but class was in session. They knew when to strike. They took the bag off of me, and I stood in front of a big, steel door.
"What are you-" I tried to ask.
"Shut up, Grim." Tank clasped his hand over my mouth.
"You boys are pleased?" Drake asked them.
"Very," said the one silencing me. "How'd you get the key to Detention?"
Drake laughed. "Mr. Fly let me borrow it overnight. I made a copy at the hardware store, only cost me five cents."
"You leaving?" asked Jules.
"No, I'll keep an eye out." He winked at me, but because I couldn't see him, he had to inform me out loud. "I'm winking, just so you know."
"Uh-huh," I replied dryly. "Are you guys taking me out on a date, or what?"
Drake chuckled. "Grim, I'm sorry to say, but these gentlemen don't need you for kissing. You're about to die."
I struggled against their grasp as they took me downstairs, into the cellar. There was... oh, THIS was the Equipment Room. It was dark and spooky, kinda like a basement at an old lady's house. No wonder Drake used it for terrible things – there was no escape if you blocked the door. Drake himself stood just outside that door, visible only as a silhouette out the window. They tied me to a wooden strut, using a rope around my wrists.
"Alright, loser, time to pay up." Tank walked up and sacked me in the gut, knocking the wind out of me. It hurt, but I was a lot stronger now.
"You go around biting necks, huh?!" Jules socked me in the cheek. It was painful in a dull way, but not a sharp way. Jules knew I wasn't to blame, so he was obviously just telling the other guys what they wanted to hear.
Nick Timer, silencer supreme, cracked his knuckles. "You think we're just gonna let you get away with it? All anyone's talking about is what you did."
"No," I said curtly. Probably should have said more, but I couldn't think of anything.
"Disgusting. You're a little freak, aren't you? You'll never get a girlfriend, so you have to go around, hurting ours. It's not right, so you're gonna make it up to us." He wound up a haymaker for my nose, so I ducked and his fist hit the wood. "OOHHHH OWWW!! NOW YOU'RE GONNA GET IT!" he yelled. He wound up another for my chest – if I jump, he gets my gut, and if I duck he gets my face – so I sat down, and he did it again. THWAK!! The strut trembled, and Nick was crying over a bruised finger, red and swollen. I felt bad – he was the only one in the room who truly believed I was the vampire. Tank and Jules were definitely in on the plot, but Nick? He was just trying to be a hero. He caught his breath. "I'm gonna use my other hand. You guys hold him."
They turned around, but I was gone. Further into the cellar, I hid. Shrouded in my umbral advantage: darkness. I could see them wandering around, searching for me. If they'd tied the ropes right... well, sucks for them.
"FIND HIM!" barked Nick.
Tank and Jules split up, approaching from both sides. I put my impromptu boxing lessons – Felix's idea – to good use, and jabbed Jules in the gut and Tank in the face. I remained unseen, as they staggered back, blind. I climbed the shelf, to hide from Nick. Jules and Tank recovered, and Nick whistled for Drake. Drake opened the door, letting the light in. They spotted me, so I threw down whatever was around: basketballs, mostly. The three of them, under Nick's orders, grabbed the shelf and pulled – to my amazement, it started to tip. I figured it best to let the shelf do so on their side, and jump off behind them. As balls of all sports fell, bounced, and rolled in all directions, I made my leap – By sheer luck, I landed on the floor, instead of tripping on a ball, which would have hurt like hell. I went for the stairs, but Drake stood atop them, ready and waiting.
"PUSH HARDER!!" Nick yelled, "MY FINGER'S BUSTED, I CAN'T-"
The shelf slipped from the floor and threatened to fall on all three of them – it was heavy enough to break even more bones, and I could see Tank and Jules looking for a way out, which would kill Nick if they managed it. So I leapt under it, and pushed upward with all my might – lifting from the knees, using all the muscles I could find for the job. We were able to push it upwards, and stabilize the shelf mid-wobble. It landed, with a satisfying CLANGK-CLANG-CLNG.
"Don't think this makes us even," said Nick, catching his breath.
"You would have been crushed if I didn't help," I told him.
"So what?" jabbed Tank. "It's your fault the shelf fell over, you were standing on it like an idiot. Now we probably have to clean all this up."
"Yeah," cried Jules, "you have to help us!"
"Are you serious?" I snapped. "You guys just put a bag on my head, then tied me to a pole to beat the shit out of me, and you want MY help?"
Tank got pissed. "So what?! You were barely hurt, it's not fair for you to just leave us with this!"
Jules goaded, "Especially not after you bit everyone on the neck. Pretty scandalous of you."
Tank narrowed his eyes at Jules. "Come on Jules, you know that didn't really happen. Grim's not some ladies' man, he's a gross little accident."
Jules laughed, in a creepy way. "Those cheek-bones, though. Rrrawr."
Nick shook his head. "What the heck are you guys talking about?! Of course he did it, why else are we here?!"
Tank chuckled low. "To beat the shit out of him, obviously."
Jules giggled. "For fun!"
Tank added, "And to get him back for kicking Max. He said he still has a headache, y'know."
I felt bad, realizing my father was right – I was stronger than I thought.
Nick looked at me, and upstairs, I could hear Drake shuffling. He was becoming anxious. Nick took me by the shoulders. "Is that true? Are you NOT the vampire?"
I told it to him straight. "I didn't bite anyone – Drake bit me, and then everyone else. He's just lying to you because I hurt his feelings, and so you don't beat him up instead. Tank is covering for him because he likes bullying people, and Jules is just jealous that Drake went for me right after him."
Jules became upset. "That's not true!"
"It IS true," I said stern, "you're sad that your BOYFRIEND isn't EXCLUSIVE. And you think taking it out on ME will make you FEEL better."
"DON'T LISTEN TO HIM, JUST KILL HIM ALREADY." Drake yelled down the stairs. He almost sounded bored, like we were down there getting his groceries. I guess, to him, that's all any of us were.
Nick thought for a moment. "I was just jealous because I thought you bit half the girls in our grade, and I've never dated a girl before. It feels like... you're getting this great, big head-start on everyone. And everyone likes you, and nobody likes me. It's so unfair!"
"Focus, Nick! Practically everyone likes you! You're the fastest guy in the school! And if I didn't bite everyone, then the guy who DID is UP THOSE STAIRS."
They looked up, and the door slammed shut. Drake had already fled. I climbed the stairs with my night-vision and got them the door so they could follow.
"That little..." Nick growled.
"Mosquito?" I tried. "Never there when you're ready to slap him."
"More like a sneaky lizard. Hey, sorry about-"
"I'll be okay. Get me some dessert from the cafeteria, and I'll consider us even," I told him.
"You're free, get it yourself," Tank snorted.
"I'm always free – I can just stop showing up to school. I'm doing this so everyone knows I'm willing to face consequences, unlike Drake."
"Huh, that's smart," said Nick.
Jules clapped his hands together. "This is cute and all, but I'm leaving."
I stopped him. "Jules, I know you like Drake. And you and I both know he doesn't care about either of us – all he wants is whatever he can get."
Jules looked hurt. "What would you know? You've never dated anyone. Besides, I'm not into men. I like girls."
"Yeah, and boys. Same as me," I told him. "It's okay, I won't tell anyone. But you have to ask yourself: is this really what you're willing to put up with to find what you think is love? Is this how you want it? Is this what we deserve?"
After a long silence, Jules sighed, obviously annoyed. "No, it's not what we deserve. And Drake is nowhere NEAR boyfriend material."
Tank chuckled. "You guys are homos, I'm gonna go tell on you."
"Why?" I asked him. "Aren't you upset about Drake attacking all the girls?"
"No," Tank answered, "I'm not. The girls here are dumb, and so are all of you. I don't care about anyone, none of you matter to me." He walked away, and I knew he meant what he said. He'd really learned nothing from any of this, and he really didn't see anyone as being worth the time.