A/N: This is my very first story that I have ever written. I am extremely nervous about this. My husband thinks I'm crazy for even trying this. Unfortunately, there is no ESN. I was TOO terrified to attempt that. I hope you all are very understanding about this. I deal with subject on a daily basis as a high school teacher and it just seemed to fit. I want to dedicate this to my fellow teacher and friend, Amy, who without her I never would have met Sookie or the beautiful Viking god. Thank you Amy! I love you.

"Sookie," Annette said, "Drink and become one of us." I looked down at the bottle of the new synthetic bottled blood that Annette was rationing out into four shot glasses. A Japanese pharmaceutical company created "True Blood" to satisfy all of vampires' nutritional needs which led to the day of "The Great Revelation" of last week. I thought to myself, do I really want to drink that just to be in their clique? I know I still don't really fit in.

It's hard sometimes being 'just a barmaid'. People sometimes look at you like you are gum on the bottom of their shoe. It's even harder being a telepathic barmaid. Knowing what people think about me and trying not to let on can be very difficult. I have this sort of crazy smile that I have learned to plaster on my face when I get nervous or flustered by thoughts. Only a few people, my brother, Jason, and my Gran, who raised both Jason and me since we were young, really know my true facial expressions.

I probably had that crazy smile now as I thought about what Annette said. Annette, Beth Ann, Katie, and I went to school together. I was closer to Annette than the others, but we all sort of hung out together since we were in Kindergarten. That was many years ago. I am twenty-three.

The four of us used to get into trouble when we were younger. One of us would come up with this idea that she thought was absolutely the best thing to do in the whole wide world. She would then convince us, one by one, that we need to be 'in on it'. Once three of us were in, the fourth one usually had to give in or face being ostracized by the rest of the group even if the fourth new in her heart that it was wrong. I was usually that fourth one.

Tonight, I am that fourth one yet again. Imagine that.

I remember in third grade when Katie hatched this great plan to sneak to her house while at school. The sheriff, Bud Dearborn came to look for us personally after Miss Peterson called to say that we never came back to class after morning recess. Boy, was Gran upset. I got three lashes with a switch of my choosing.

In sixth grade, Beth Ann decided we needed to try Southern Comfort one night when we were at a sleepover at her house. Gran never found out about that one, but she didn't need to. I punished myself enough with a splitting headache and severe projectile vomiting. I didn't go to another sleepover after that.

Our freshman year, Annette decided that we needed to tempt fate by shoplifting one day at the Pick and Save. She thought we would be cool if we each tried to take something. You know how that little voice in your head tries really hard to tell you something is wrong? You try really hard to ignore it because for once in your life, you just want to fit in? I should have listened to that voice. The clerk at the Pick and Save caught us in the act of putting makeup in our purses. The sheriff came, put us in cuffs, put us in the back of the squad car and took us each home. When Gran saw me in cuffs, she was so hurt. She did not speak to me, but she pointed to the willow tree. I knew what to do. I tried to pick the switch that would cause the least amount of pain. I still haven't figured out how to find the right one. Gran did not have to say anything when she gave me my medicine. The tears rolling down her face said it all.

Our senior year in school, Katie was really crushing on this boy named Tommy. She wanted us to go to this party with them and his three friends. We were picked up by Tommy and taken to a really wild party. Most of the seniors were there. Katie, Beth Ann and Annette and their dates disappeared for almost two hours. When I found them, they were totally disheveled, stumbling, and slurring their words. They couldn't remember what had happened. We found out the next day that Tommy had scored a few date rape drugs and each girl finally lost her virginity after they gave them some drug in a drink. Because I swore off alcohol the morning after the sixth grade slumber party, I got really lucky that night. I did not have the drink that was offered to me and I am proud to say that I am still a virgin.

Beth Ann said, "Hey, Sookie. Just do it for old time's sake."

"Yeah," said Katie, "It's not even real blood. There's no way it can hurt you."

"I don't know guys," I said, "I don't feel right drinking this stuff. Let's just finish our dinner and go see a movie." Since we graduated, we still tried to keep in touch and go out together every few months or so.

"Oh, come on and do it," they all three said at once.

Annette said, "We'll all do it on three. Ready?"

You know that little voice in your head.

"One."

The one that tries really hard to tell you something is wrong?

"Two."

The one that I never listened to…

"Three."

…until now. My three friends slammed down their shots of True Blood AB positive while I poured mine into my empty glass of sweet tea. The looks of total disgust on their faces were enough to make me laugh. No one was angry with me for not giving in to the peer pressure. They were actually kind of envious of me since I did not want to lose my dinner that I just ate while they were looking pretty sick.

* * *

Eight days later, my friends, Annette, Beth Ann, and Katie were found two miles outside of Shreveport dressed in the new Fangbanger-type clothing completely drained of their blood. They each had multiple fang marks on their bodies. It's a good thing that I had to work the night they called to say that they wanted to go to this new vampire bar. I could have been one of them.