One thing I discovered about my vampire body during that awkward scene at the comfort room was that if I suck the blood of a heavily drugged person, I get the effect as well.

The memory of how I got Austin to the nearby hospital is too hazy as if I was purely operating on adrenaline and wild instinct. It wasn't out of concern for his life. I was only afraid that someone would discover my condition if I stayed and waited for somebody else to take him. Also, protecting his secret was my way of showing gratitude for the free food.

He'd gone through all those years as a girl, so maybe there's an important reason for lying about his real gender. I'd hate to be the one to mess it up for him. 

When he was taken to the emergency room, my numb body sunked on the floor that led the nurse who interviewed me for Austin's infos to ask if I was hurt too. I told her I was just relieved and she nodded as if she understood me completely.

After that, I almost believed I slept while waiting for some good news. Or maybe I just blacked out while staring at the white wall in front of me.

My ears can no longer detect the crowd that followed us to the hospital so maybe they were driven out by the security guards for being too noisy. Or maybe my hearing was down with my reflexes.

"Excuse me."

A pair of scuffed black shoes stopped right in front of me. I didn't even hear it coming. Which means this is a dangerous vulnerability, if ever vampires like us have predators too.

"You might need her stuff, Magno," said a girl's voice. I lifted my head to look up and she gave me an awkward smile. If I recall correctly, she's a working student assigned to the dean. She placed Austin's bag and shoes on the vacant chair right beside me. "Uhm, our dean asked me to give these to you. Her phone's inside and the doctors might need it to contact her parents."

I stared at her under the hair that covered my eyes, not bothering to clear it away or stand up so I wouldn't look like a homeless man asking for alms.

This made her uncomfortable. Maybe she's afraid someone might see her interacting with me.

"You must be so shocked, after what happened to her," she said, unsure whether she'd sit down or continue looking down on me sitting on the floor. "I'll pray for her safety, and yours too."

I scoffed.

"Uhmm, I'm going now."

I didn't budge so she just gave me a forced smile before walking away. I tried to sit up but my head felt like lead and I'm numb all over. It was only later, when the doctor talked to me, did I discover that aside from cutting his groin he also swallowed an insane amount of sleeping pills. They managed to pump it out of his system. I asked if I could go home since I just happened to "find her unconcious".

And then a realization hit me.

Austin might expose me to the doctors. What would happen to me if they found out I was a vampire? Nurgis told me to stay away from hospitals because it's the most dangerous place for us, but I can't just leave and let Austin blab to the first person he sees if he wakes up.

Maybe I should just sneak into her room and kill her? I mean, it looked like she wanted to die anyway, so it's like I'm doing him a favor.

I ended up staying, until his mother arrived saying that the school called and informed her about what (they thought) happened. She firmly gripped my arm and flinched before letting go. Maybe she thought I was cold in fear.

"What did you do to. . .her?!" the woman asked, a crazy look in her eyes.

"Him," I said but she closed her eyes as if the word itself could cut her.

I stood up and she backed away.

"He tried to kill himself. If you're his mother, you should know the reason, ma'am," I said while giving her a nasty look. Nothing personal, she just smelled like a person I wouldn't like beyond first impressions.

"She's a girl!" Austin's mother shouted while pressing her palms on her ears. She's so hysterical that the nurses came to calm her down.

Ah. So maybe she's her son's poison. I kept my mouth shut and left when I saw the doctor walking towards us.

Champion was still out when I got home so I stripped off my bloodied shirt and tossed it on the floor before sinking on my bed. The effect of the sleeping pills still hasn't worn off so I tried to close my eyes and sleep but I ended up remembering Austin from all the time I saw him in class.

It wasn't surprising; what he did. Of course he'd want to die after being persecuted like that. Of course he'd want to die after living a lie with that sort of a mother. I know I'm not supposed to judge because I don't know their circumstances but it was disturbing as fuck. Even I, myself, was stunned by the woman's reaction.

Champion's footsteps echoed across the corridor so I quickly grabbed a pillow and covered my face. I'm not in the mood to have him stare at my face just to see if I was really sleeping.

The door opened and the lights went on. I could hear his soft footsteps as he carefully made his way around our room. At least he's considerate when he needs to be and he's also sensitive to other people's moods. He leaves me alone when I feel like sulking, doesn't pry when I'm tight-lipped and keeps his distance when I'm keeping mine.

I guess I got lucky.

*

The next, next day, I skipped my first period to visit Austin and check if I still needed to silence him forever.

He's awake when I came in but his mother wasn't around.

"Checking if I've turned into a threat to your peaceful existence?" he asked me dryly after I closed the door.

"Something like that. No angry mob chasing me with pitchforks and torches so I guess you're good for now," I answered. It was the first time I saw his bare face and somehow he looked like a real boy.

"As if they'd readily believe me if I sell you out," he said bitterly without bothering to cutie-fy his voice.

"Right." I approached closer into his bed and sat on the couch next to it without waiting for him to invite me. Knowing him, he wouldn't even bother. "Your secret is safe with me too, if that makes you feel better."

"You're an asshole," he laughed softly. "You think I have that luxury right now? Feeling better?"

I sighed. He's such a smartass. Why do I always end up with these snarky little brats?

"Hey, look. I'm sorry for taking advantage of you back then," I said while I still feel the need to apologize. If I get too annoyed I might forget to ever ask.

"Don't kid me, Magno. You were ready to kill me and I only survived because someone walked in on us," Austin said while his gaze was fixed on the window. It was a cloudy morning and the mood was gloomy and depressing, even for me. "Don't get me wrong though. I don't mind dying. I was so determined to end everything back then. Too bad a pervert was stalking me."

"HA?! Who's stalking you? I'm a. . . I have a keen sense of smell!"

"Ah, okay. It sucks then. Even death doesn't want me."

I didn't know what to say so I kept quiet. He just turned his back to me and covered himself with the blanket so sat there, like it actually mattered if I was present or not.

I only left when his psychiatrist entered and asked me to excuse myself.

*

There was a mix of reactions in our class, the one with the bitch of an instructor. Some of the girls flocked to my seat to ask about *that* incident in the comfort room. Suddenly, they knew I actually existed.

"It's unbelievable! I mean, no wonder you've been really quiet about the whole issue," a girl who sat next to me whispered, with her wide eyes and conspiratory smile. "I can't believe you'd go out with the likes of her."

"Duh, she's pretty. Hot guys are all about pretty girls."

"She's not the only pretty girl in this department!"

"Yeah. Plus she's a real snob just because she has all those designer bags," a trans classmate pouted her lips while leaning back on her chair.

"Magno is kinda snob too so they're a match made in heaven!" a guy classmate called out and he laughed with his own group. "How does it feel? Having your penis stuck to a girl? And in public too, of all places."

I sucked in a lungful of patience but gave him a dangerous smile.

"You can't ever imagine, button dick George."

The class exploded in laughter but the classmate who's real name wasn't George, was already on me and holding my collar while trapping me on my seat.

"What did you say?"

"I said it's impossible to get your bite-sized junk stuck, limp wad," I grinned. I'm aware of his fist coming so I let it connect to my face just to have him something to be satisfied about.

Everybody gasped and then the room fell silent.

"Hey! Don't ruin the face!" I heard another guy yell. 

"Let him. If you can't have it, break it as they say," a different guy chimed in as they gathered around to watch.

"I thought you're a chill guy, man. But you and that slut really are made for each other," the guy who isn't named George said to my face. I only stared at him like he's a complete loser.

These people and their assumptions are scary. Thinking what they want to think and believing things just because they decided it's the truth.

After five punches, I finally pushed the guy off me, not expecting that he'd get blown all the way across the room. I can't let him draw blood because I can't fake it if my wound disappears in front of these people.

The instructor arrived so they all took their seats, eager to discuss the downfall of their common enemy.

I sat for a whole hour with my instincts shouting at me.

Kill them, kill them all, kill them!