"I'm sorry, but it kind of happens without me realising. Like being able to determine someone's emotions based on their voice – I can tell from your face and tone."

"Oh, sorry." I felt slightly guilty at my sudden bad temper, but I was having a hard time getting my thoughts in line.

"It's alright, you didn't know."

We were at the river again, and like before I sat down at its edge. He joined me, carefully leaving the smallest space between us.

I wasn't sure how long we sat there in silence, but it felt calming. I took a few deep breaths to steady myself – I was trembling slightly. Jake noticed and put a hand on my knee, sending the sparks through me again. It didn't help calm me, but it made it impossible to think about anything bad that could happen.

"You know," Jake started, breaking the serene quiet. "You have taken this information so much better than I thought you would."

"How did you think I would take it?"

"Honestly? I was expecting you to run away screaming, or call the police for me to go to a mental hospital or something."

"I did think you where mental, at first." I smiled slightly, and looked sideways at him. "But then I realised it made sense. It would explain things." I thought about this for a moment. "But if this is just some malicious joke, tell me now."

He laughed and looked into my eyes. After a minute, he responded. "I'm definitely not joking. If I was, I would have told you straight after I told you my dad was a Vampire."

I nodded, feeling the truth of his words settle in. My gaze drifted back to the water, mesmerised by how it glittered in the sunlight. The warmth of the sun above us felt soothing, like a gentle embrace. I was lost in the river's shimmer when, suddenly, a wave of warmth spread across my face. I looked away quickly, realizing the source of its enchantment—it was the same glint I often saw in the corner of Jake's eye.

"What's up?" He said, noticing the change in my expression.

"Nothing."

"It doesn't seem like nothing."

"No, but it's embarrassing."

"Tell me."

"No—"

"But why not?" I looked at the glint in his eyes, and quickly looked away again. His expression was painted to look persuasive; I didn't want to tell him. "Please?" He urged. "You can tell me anything. And considering everything I just told you... I'm not going to judge."

I hesitated, before admitting what I was blushing about. "The water is glittering. It reminds me of your eyes." My voice was barely a whisper, but he tightened his hold on my hand, gently running his fingers over my knuckle.

"I was just thinking the same thing," he murmured without hesitation.

I looked up to see the serenity and honesty in his eyes. "They remind me of emeralds," he explained, his expression cutting deep into my soul.

"That's... very nice of you." I was absolutely flattered, and it was talking all of my strength to remain even remotely calm.

"I know it's only been two weeks, but I've grown very fond of you."

"Me too."

I was surprised to see a soft pink across his perfect cheekbones.

"It's almost as if we have known each other before..." My voice trailed off, deep in thought. He didn't respond, clearly in the middle of his own questioning.

I squeezed my eyes shut, and tried to remember the time I might have met him before, but the only image that appeared in my head was the fantasy I had made up last night. The one of Jake and I lying in the moonlight.

"I don't know," he said, interrupting my daydream. "From the moment I saw you, I had a feeling that I had known you from somewhere. I could just never lay my finger on it."

"That's exactly how I felt. As soon as I saw you that day in drama, I instantly liked you—" I cut off realising the confession I had just made. "I mean..." I tried to pull my hand away from his in embarrassment, but he didn't release me. If anything, he held onto it tighter.

"Don't be embarrassed. When I first saw you, I took the chance to be your 'buddy' because I wanted to be near you. At first you were just very attractive, until I realised how nice you where too. Then of course there was the underlying feeling that I'd met you before. You're the most understanding and perfect person I've ever met."

"That's pretty much exactly how I felt about you."

We both looked away from each other, blushing. After a few minutes, I decided I was going to take him to my favourite place. "Follow me," I said, taking lead of our walk for the first time.

I walked along the river, still holding on to Jake's hand, and walked him about a kilometre downstream.

It wasn't long before we approached a small cluster of trees, their branches forming a green canopy above our heads.

The air around us buzzed with life—colourful birds sang from the branches, their songs a cheerful backdrop to the rustling leaves. A few tree trunks had hollowed-out spaces, likely home to curious squirrels.

The peacefulness was deepened by the soft breeze that threaded its way through the tangle of trees, brushing my hair behind me with a gentle caress. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting streaks of gold that made the space beneath the canopy sparkle like it was dusted in glitter.

In the heart of the cluster of trees, a small, wooden swing hung between two sturdy trunks. Strong ropes held it just above the ground, swaying slightly in the breeze. It had the feel of a park bench, yet it seemed to carry an air of quiet, sacred memories, as if it had witnessed the quiet moments of all those who had come before me and my mother in this house.

I discovered this stunning area the day we moved in; it quickly became my favourite in the entire town.

I pulled Jake over to the swing, and sat him down beside me. I curled up against his shoulder and listened to the birds chirping, and the soft rustling of branches.

"It's very beautiful here," he whispered.

"It has always been my favourite place since my mother and I first moved. I come here whenever I'm stressed, or anxious, or have a lot to think about."

"Which one of those are you today?"

"All three."

He didn't make a sound, but he wrapped one strong arm around my waist, and held me securely against his side.

"That's okay. Today has been very long – even for me."

"Why is that, do you think?"

"It has been a very long time since I have had to think about everything all at once. I guess it never completely made sense to me, either."

"I'm confused. Surely you've known since you were born?"

"No – my parents told me when I was five. That was when my instincts started to kick in. I would often kill the birds in our backyard, and liked picking up the household furniture. My parents decided I needed to know why this was."

"How did they keep you from telling anyone?"

"I was home schooled until I turned twelve, when I was trustable enough to go back to school."

"And have you been going to Mythcrest High since then?"

"I used to live in Apperdale. I only moved here a few months before you did."

"What?" He lived in Apperdale too? "Why didn't you tell me?" I groaned.

"I guess I was worried you would think of me as a liar. It was a bit too coicidental."

"Perhaps, but don't you think this is important?"

"It is. Maybe that's how we feel we know each other - maybe we saw each other around town one time."

"That would make sense. I just wish I'd known about you earlier."

"So do I. There are things I can now talk to you about, that I would get killed for saying if I told anyone else." He was smiling, so it took me by surprise when his expression suddenly dropped. "The only people I've ever had to talk to things about was my best friend, my father, and my mother... before she died.

"Oh..." I wasn't sure what to say about that. "How did your mum die?" I spoke the words before I realised how insensitive they where, and I saw the sudden reprehensive edge to his eyes, and quickly decided it was best for him to have options. "Of course, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. In fact, don't answer at all, it was very insensitive of me to—"

"My dad."

"Wh—what?" I wasn't expecting him to answer so suddenly, and his voice took me by surprise. I had never heard him sounding so weak, so vulnerable.

"You remember how my dad almost killed you?"

"Yes...?" I had a feeling I knew where this was going, and I didn't want to listen. Jake wasn't looking at me anymore; he had his head tilted up towards the canopy, staring at the leaves.

He carefully pulled his arm away from me, instead using both his hands to rub his face.

He looked almost annoyed, but as he looked back at me, I saw how he looked hesitant. Although he didn't look sad, I knew by now how good he was at putting on a fake mask, concealing even the wildest of emotions.