Patiently Loving You

I gazed out the window of the classroom; gladly ignoring my professor was he droned on and on about how writing structure was important even in the simplest things. I sighed in annoyance; this teacher wouldn't know structure if it rammed him into a wall.

I caught my reflection in the window and drank myself in once again. My dark brown hair was pulled back at the nape of my neck, curling at the ends like always. I paid special attention to the color of my eyes. They were butterscotch today since I went hunting early this morning.

"Miss Pierce, please pay attention to the lecture since it might be on your exam," Professor Rig chided. I brought my eyes back to the teacher then zoned back out into my own world.

College was such a bore so far. Mother had pressured me into going again. I was kind of hoping that she'd let me get a job here. I was sick of going to school over and over. There wasn't a point; I didn't have to go to college like so many other young adults. Blending in is the key though so it was necessary on my part.

I glanced down at my wrist watch before actually looking at the professor, waiting for him to release us from this hell.

"I want a two page essay on the pros and cons of abortion by tomorrow. Use structure like we talked about!" Professor Rig exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of his feet before letting us leave. I forced myself not to sprint out of the classroom like a few of the other students did except I would have left much quicker.

I didn't glance around at the beautiful leaves or enjoy the fresh breeze but hurried to my baby. My baby was a dark blue Ferrari F430 that my mother had gotten me for my 31 birthday. The best part was that I didn't have to hide it because a Ferrari wasn't a rare thing at this college. A plus in a crowd of negatives.

My mother was probably waiting for me at the front door of our Victorian house and I wasn't disappointed either. She was standing there anxiously waiting for me, glancing down at her watch every other second.

"Annie, get ready, we're going to be late for the wedding!" mom cried before running back into the house so fast that a human would have missed it. I sighed and rushed after her and went into my room.

I dressed in my light blue dress. It was a simple design. Spaghetti strapped and it went straight to the floor, nothing fancy like always. I kept my hair the way it was. I didn't bother with jewelry.

"Good, good, we're on time now. We'll take my car since yours it just a little eye catching for this kind of wedding," mom explained before running easily in her heels to her silver Mercedes-Benz GLK. I giggled and followed her, careful not to get dirt on the bottom of the dress.

While we drove to the church for the McKnight's wedding I looked at my adopted mother. She had light brown hair that was cut short to her chin which was now clipped back away from her face. Her eyes were almost black since she refused to go hunting with me this morning. She was beautiful of course but something about her made you notice how pure and good her soul was also.

"You know by now to be on your best behavior and not to draw to much attention to yourself. We don't want rumors flying around. We'll stay until the reception party begins. I've got to make sure everything goes so planned," mom said. I nodded and placed my hands in my lap. She grinned.

"I don't think I could be a wedding planner. I'd kill someone if they didn't do things my way," I stated. Mom sighed and nodded her head in agreement with me.

The two of us teased each other and bickered about stupid things but not mentioning how we didn't want to be in a full room of tasty humans. Mother would have to struggle more than I will since she just too stubborn to hunt with me some times.

The church was already half full by the time we got there. Mom ran off to make sure everything was going as planned while I went and found a seat in the back of the church. I was going to keep a low key; I didn't want any hormonal human guys panting after me. Disgusting, I tell you.

I don't really like weddings that much. Yes, it's great that someone loves someone else so much that they want to spend their whole life with them but the public attention you get for loving someone is just….

Before I got really into my thoughts everyone started cheering and clapping. I sighed and went out into the lobby to wait for my mother to arrive. She popped up beside me and then we went ahead and left to make sure everything was ready for the reception party.

"Personally, I don't think that marriage is going to last," mom murmured. I gave her a questioning look. "This is Mr. McKnight's third time marrying and he was already talking up one of the braid's maids. The new Mrs. McKnight should better knock some sense into him soon. And to think that she also has a new son to get to know while trying to keep her husband in check," mom said.

"Maybe the son will help her keep an eye on him. I'm sure he'd like to keep a mother for once," I exclaimed.

"Hmm," was all that she said back to me.

During the reception party I stayed in a corner and watched the new married couple eat cake, have their first dance, etc. Mother was right, they wouldn't last.

Suddenly a human male walked right up to me, filling my senses with his smell. I swallowed the venom and gave him my attention. I recognized him as the McKnight's son.

"Hi, I'm Oliver McKnight," he said, putting his hand out for me to shake. I put my hand in his warm one then went back to watching his parents dance. Oliver stood with his hands behind his back, waiting for me to talk to him I guess.

"Is there something you want?" I asked. I already knew what he wanted, sex, just like every other man. Well, he wouldn't get it from me 'cause I'd just kill him and I wasn't interested.

"I was wondering if you could explain structure; Professor Rig just confused me about all of it," he said. That got my attention.

"You're in my creative writing class? I've never seen you," I exclaimed. I looked him over for the first time. Oliver had sandy brown hair that fell into his hazel eyes. He stood at 6'3. He was slim and kind of gangly. By human standards he was adorable and any girl would want to take him home.

"Yeah, I sit way in the back. That's probably why I'm about to flunk out of his class. Anyway, could you help me?" Oliver said, smiling at me, flashing all of his straight teeth.

I looked over at my mother who was talking with another couple; it looked like she would be busy for a while so I agreed. He led me over to an empty table and sat across from me.

We must have went over almost every type of writing form and bashed Professor Rig and a few other teachers before my mother came over to me, saying we had to go.

"It was very nice to meet you, Oliver. I'll look for you in class Monday, bye," I said and walked away from him. Mother didn't say anything to me until we were in the car. She started laughing. I joined her but I wasn't sure why we were laughing, I was in such a good mood after bashing my teachers.

"Oh, I should just kidnap that boy. He really seemed to amuse you and I haven't seen you smile so much near a human," mom sighed, still grinning.

"He was interesting but we just talked about school and how we wish our teachers would die," I replied. She rolled her eyes and pulled into our long driveway.

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It has been a month since the McKnight wedding and Oliver and I have only talked a few times since then luckily. I couldn't be close to humans; it was too dangerous for them. We would always greet each other if we saw one another but other than that I made sure our conversations were limited. He was the closest thing I had to a friend though.

My mother, Mary, kept telling me that I could have a human friend. She would bring up the Cullen clan that lived west of us, of how they managed it and they were all very happy. I kept telling her that that was a little bit different but she doesn't listen sometimes.

She talks of the Cullens fondly enough. Mother tells me of the time when they had a face off with the Volturi clan. She had gone to stand with the Cullens years ago. I had the story memorized but I still enjoyed listening to her tell me of it.

That was just a few years before she adopted me. When I was still human, she had wanted a child so badly that she went to the nearest adoption agency to get a child. She had picked me out of so many children only because I was the least tempting to her. I didn't smell bad; it was that I reminded her of her niece from years and years ago.

I stayed with her for five human years before she turned me at age 19. I learned how to hunt off of animals easily enough but I didn't see the point in denying myself human blood until I watched my adopted mother lose control and kill a hunter. I've never seen her guilt ridden and depressed before; it had frightened me. I understood after that though that I shouldn't kill just because of a silly thirst.

"Annie, I've got an appointment so I'll be home late. Try to enjoy your classes today," mom said from downstairs before she left for work. I smiled and continued to play my violin up in my room on the third floor.

I left around an hour later for my college classes. I had my creative writing class today then History of Art afterwards. Most of my classes were randomly picked out. I only took the classes that might actually hold my attention.

I spotted Oliver immediately at the back of the classroom, arguing with a group of guys about something. I tried not to listen in but my sensitive ears picked it up anyway.

"Your dad sold us a shit-ass car. We've talked your old man but he refuses to take it back," one of the guys seethed. I vaguely remember mother saying something about Mr. McKnight owning a car dealership. I took my seat but continued to listen in.

"You better make your father see some sense or he'll never see is son come home alive," another threatened. I glanced back at them. Oliver was sitting down with the five guys around him but he didn't look scared just bothered by the unwanted company.

I stifled my anger at those guys. Why get so worked up over a car or five? I mean, there are loan companies out there and I'm sure they could get a lawyer or something. I didn't understand why they are threatening a young man who wasn't even involved in the crime.

Everyone stopped talking after the professor walked in. I tried not to worry about Oliver, I'm sure he could work this out. I enjoyed watching all the other students struggle to keep up with Professor Rig and soon Oliver and his problems were clear out of my mind.

I went to my classes, trying to sort out the pros and cons of playing my violin all night or going hunting with my mother. I still didn't know which I was going to do on the back from school.

I played my violin, waiting for mom to get home. She really was the only one to understand me and know all about me, no secrets allowed in this house.

It was ten o'clock at night by the time I heard mom's vehicle pull into the driveway. I ran down to meet her by I could tell smell something, a human, a bloody human. I slammed the front door open and my mouth fell open.

My mother was running towards me with Oliver McKnight in her arms. I held my breath when I noticed all the blood on him. He was unconscious from blood loss and his pulse was weak.

"What happened?" I breathed out, scared that if I got a good swift of him, I'd kill him. She ignored me, probably trying not to kill him herself and laid him down on our light blue couch.

I knew what she was going to do before she even made a move towards his neck. I reached out and grabbed her shoulder before she got any closer. "Hunt first. It will be easier," I used the last of my air to say that. Mom glanced at me, nodded, and ran off to feed quickly.

I kneeled beside his head and checked over his wounds. There were two knife wounds in his stomach, one in his right shoulder and another on his right leg. I swallowed the venom that filled my mouth. I set to work on cleaning him up and stopping the bleeding.

By the time mom came back, Oliver was completely clean of blood and was bandaged while I had his blood all over me from cleaning him up. She nodded to me and I ran up to my room, ripped off my clothes and put on some that didn't make me thirsty.

I heard a sharp intake of breath from downstairs then the screaming began. I ran back down to see if I had to stop mother from killing him but she was fine. She was in the corner facing the wall, sobbing.

I made sure Oliver wouldn't hurt himself with his twisting and withering on the couch before checking on her.

"I've taken that man's life away. I promised I wouldn't again," she sobbed onto my shoulder. I patted her head, glancing over her head to make sure our guest was still okay.

"Will you tell me what happened now? We have three days to waste before Oliver wakes up," I said. It was getting easier to breath since I had cleaned all the blood up and the venom was messing with his human smell already.

"I was driving home from my appointment when I smelt fresh blood. I had the windows down and I heard a young man's voice screaming in the woods near your college. I went to see if a hiker had gotten hurt. By the time I had made it to him, he was already unconscious. I think he got into a knife fight with a few people," mother exclaimed, gazing out of the front window.

"I overheard a few guys in my class threatening him. Apparently, his dad sold a few faulty cars to them. I didn't think anything of it at the time," I mumbled. This was my fault. I could have stopped this if I had just been more concerned about what was going on behind me in class.

"Please, someone kill me! It burns!" Oliver screamed, swinging one of his arms and knocking off one of our lamps from the table stand. Mom sobbed again and ran out of the house. I listened to her run into the forest into I couldn't hear her anymore.

I went and kneeled beside his head again, stroking his hair, trying to comfort him in anyway possible. His screams quieted slightly and turned into whimpers. I talked to him about what was happening to him. I don't know if he could hear me but he seemed to relax just a little more when I was talking to him.

Mom returned on day two but she didn't get as close to him as I did. She stayed on the other side of the room, watching me talk about the different places I've lived and talk about my violin.

"His heart beat his getting fainter," she murmured finally. I stopped talking and listened. She was right; his heart didn't sound very healthy but that was a good thing, it meant the burning would stop for him.

"Oliver, it's almost over. You'll feel better soon," I whispered into his ear. He jerked and groaned into the cushion. It broke my heart to see anyone like this but this was the only way to save him.

Mother and I listened as his heart beats got fainter and fainter until his heart just stopped. I got up from my place by his head and stood next to my mother. A new vampire was dangerous and the two of us would have to work together if we had to control him.

Oliver's eyes flickered open and stared up at he ceiling before glancing over at the two us from across the room.