Hello! =) Alright. So... Nice weather we're having, huh? XD

This is my first Vampire Kisses fanfic. It's not really romance, but if you want to squint, then who am I to stop you? =w= Personally, I love Jagger with Raven. Alexander's a bit boring... *hides behind a cute, cuddly bat stuffed toy* lol

Anyways. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I honestly would want to know what you think on how I carried this. Really. Jagger's a bit OOC here, maybe even Raven... I don't know. Opinions?

That said, enjoy! ^ ^

Strangers on a Lonely Night

It was midnight. The stars shone brightly over a black canvas, watching the world. The moon was full tonight—a beautiful silver ball ruling the millions of twinkling dots over the night sky, its silver rays giving the world a magical feeling. I had always liked the night. I had always thought it was so full of mysteries and adventures waiting to be found.

But now...

I thought it was just... lonely.

While the stars shone, the moon radiated, the world—this world; my world—was... dark. Alone in a million lights. The only silent one. But perhaps that's why I liked the night. Not because of the thrill of the shadows, but because, in a way, it described me. An outcast.

I sighed tiredly, my feet carrying me somewhere I don't know. The night wind was a gentle caress on my skin, a comfort I yearned from, well, whoever would listen. I had climbed down from my room to take a silent walk. I didn't know why. But suddenly, I just couldn't sleep. The room I loved had felt so small, closing in. I had wanted to get out.

And now here I was, walking through Dullsville in a daze. Alone. Pondering how my life turned out. Being with Alexander was the best thing I could ever imagine. He was a dream come true and more. But...

But what?

That was always the question. I'd think I have everything I wanted and needed, but there was always a 'but'. Once, I was so frustrated of wondering about it, I decided to just ignore. And ignore it I did. But my ignorance didn't last long. Now, it had gotten to a point where I would feel lost, not knowing what to think. Once or twice Alexander had asked me what was wrong, worry and concern etched into his beautiful features. Yet I couldn't bear to tell him. He'd think it was his fault. He'd worry and fret more about it. And I didn't want that.

I sighed again, then stopped walking, looking around my surroundings. It seemed my subconscious brought me to the park—the last place I would've thought of going. I had a somewhat dislike towards the park. It was where I played when I was a child—alone, an outcast, different. It was where I had felt the loneliest. I didn't have Becky. Trevor was insulting me. And I was just...

I took a deep breath, then walked towards the swings. To play the swings whilst still a child was to have someone gently push you, and you'd have to trust that someone to not push you too hard, else you fall and hurt yourself. I didn't have that.

I sat down on the seat, the cold seeping through my jeans. But now I did. I had Becky. Now Alexander. They were the two closest people I had outside of my family. I treasured them.

But what?

I sighed again.

"'Bit too late for you to play by yourself, isn't it?" a cold, familiar voice asked.

I should've gasped in surprise. I should've whirled around and ran as fast as I could. But I didn't have the mood to. Honestly, I was just too tired.

"Hello, Jagger," I greeted without looking at him.

A pause.

"A falling out with your true love, huh?" His voice carried a hint of sadistic pleasure.

I shrugged. "No. Alexander's still amazing. I still love him."

Another pause.

"Oh?" He sounded like he didn't believe me. "Why are you here alone, then?"

I sighed, then looked up to the sky. Taking a deep breath, I said softly, "Tonight's beautiful, isn't it?"

I could practically feel him furrow his pierced eyebrows, wondering if I had finally went crazy from all the weird events I underwent.

"Jagger," I started, my voice barely a whisper. "I'm tired—No. I'm exhausted. Can you... For tonight, can you..."—I took a deep breath—"pretend that you don't hate me? Pretend that I'm but a stranger you met just now—a weird, odd, stranger—who only wants to rest for a moment?"

I turned towards him, my tired eyes catching his surprised ones. "For tonight, stranger, I wish only to rest." I gave him a small smile, wondering in my mind what the heck was I doing. Maybe it was the pressure of everything? Maybe it was the insults Trevor gave me today? Nah. I was just probably going crazy. Inwardly, I laughed.

He was silent, unmoving, thinking. It must've been centuries since he moved.

"Fine." He sighed, defeated. And only then did I saw that he was tired as I was. His eyes were heavy, his gait was slow, burdened. His shoulders gradually slumped. Cautiously, he sat down on the other swing, beside me.

I admit I was surprised. I didn't normally get to see this side of Jagger. No, scratch that. I didn't ever see this side of Jagger. But I wasn't about to break it.

For a moment, neither of us spoke. It was like we were the only ones in this lonely world. Two lost, tired, souls who wanted nothing more than to fit in. To be happy. To be free. Content.

And that's when it hit me. It was so obvious I could've slapped myself for not thinking of it sooner. This time, I really did laugh. Wow. Here I was, fretting over a sense of emptiness and lost in my chest, and the answer was slapping me in the face all along.

"Is there something funny?" a voice said, cold and guarded.

I jumped, surprised. I had forgotten about my enemy sitting beside me. Turning to face him, I saw his expression was hard, as if he thought my laugh was... Oh. He thought I was laughing at him.

Shaking my head, I turned away, and smiled. "Nothing, stranger. Nothing."

I sighed, then, carefully choosing my words, started to really spill my guts.

"I was an outcast," I started, hearing his soft hiss of surprise. My smile grew a little wider. "Still am, actually. I wear black lipstick"—I touched my lips softly—"I'm fond of black clothes"—gestured towards my clothes—"and my hobbies aren't exactly... the norm," I finished, sweeping my hand outwards towards everything.

"Everyone didn't... like me all that much." I shrugged, as if that didn't bother me at all. "Then I met my best friend. And the world seemed a little brighter." I smiled. "Not long after, I met... this amazing guy, who, not only was everything I dreamed of, he was more. And the world seemed to be the greatest place to live in." I gave a small laugh.

"But... Well, this amazing guy had... eventful circumstances. He's a person of the 'dark', so to speak. He had his own secrets, and I was dragged in. I didn't mind, though. Really, I didn't. It was a small price to pay to be with him." My voice was starting to shake.

I cleared my throat. "And one of these circumstances involved... a nemesis."

"Ah," the silver-haired boy interrupted. "Every narrative has an enemy." I could feel the smile in his voice.

I chuckled. "True that."

"Anyways," I continued. "This nemesis was relentless. Sadistic. But his determination was... somewhat impressive. I still don't get why he's so angry, but..." I shrugged, leaving it at that. "Wanna know a secret?"

I saw him shrug.

"Okay." I took a deep breath. "This nemesis was very determined. So determined, in fact, that we had to... we had to..." I closed my eyes. "We had to... pretend I was part of my boyfriend's world," I whispered, and waited with bated breath.

I could see him stiffen, his back so straight I thought it was gonna break. His hands open and closed, his teeth grinding so hard it made a sound. His rage was clear. I could feel it emanating from him. I knew he was feeling betrayed. Played. And I didn't know why I said it. It was stupid of me to say it. But... we were strangers for now, and I was just so... tired of everything else. I had wanted to just—

"How did that worked out?" he suddenly said.

I jumped a little in surprise, then turned to look at him. He looked calmer now, like his spike of fury didn't happen at all. He wasn't looking at me. Instead his eyes were at the stars.

"Stranger?" he asked softly, bringing me out of my thoughts, still stubbornly looking up.

Right. 'For now we were strangers, who wised only to rest.' I blinked in confusion, then smiled.

"However...?" he pressed again.

My lips twitched. "However, that wasn't what's bothering me at all." I swallowed against the growing lump in my throat. "You see, just now, I had a small epiphany."

"Oh?" His tone was teasing now. Unlike the cold and guarded one he had a while ago.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes. You see, it wasn't the feeling of loosing my best friend, or the a little scary feeling of eternal love I feel for Al—the amazing guy," I amended, almost slipping, "or the insults one certain bully kept throwing at me, that's got me bothered. Actually, it was..." I choked, my chest feeling heavier and heavier by the second.

I took a deep breath. "It was the feeling of being... different. An outcast." The last part was barely more than a whisper.

The word hung in the air above us. There. It echoed inside my mind, repeating until I wanted to bang my head somewhere. Outcast. Outcast. Outcast.

"My boyfriend's life, I don't belong in it," I continued when I was sure I could talk. "And my life before him, I didn't belong in it either. I don't belong anywhere." I practiced breathing in and out to calm myself. Tears were waiting to spill from my eyes, but I held them off. I didn't wanna cry here. Not now.

I don't belong anywhere.

It was true. So true. I had ignored it. Thought it was silly to think of it. But when I really thought about it, it was true. Because Alexander's world was his, and Becky's life was hers. Alexander belonged in the dark, Becky belonged in the day. My family belonged in the real life. I didn't belong anywhere.

Breathe in. Out. In. Out.

"I was... homeschooled," a soft, almost inaudible, voice said.

I took a sharp breath, straining my ears.

"A... person of the 'dark', so to speak," he continued, his lips twitching. His silver hair glinted in the moonlight, his heterochromatic eyes reflecting the diamond sky. His posture was relaxed—something I knew was a once in a lifetime thing. Somehow, I didn't think Jagger was the kind to have multiple reprieves.

I turned away, and started staring at the stars.

"I didn't have many friends—I didn't have friends," he corrected himself, shrugging, as if he didn't care.

I knew better.

"I was jealous of my sister." He grimaced. "I wanted to have what she did." He sighed. "I was an outcast," he finished softly.

My hands trembled. I blinked fast, trying, trying to not let myself cry. Because he, in those few words said, in those few sentences, had sympathised. He, an enemy, a nemesis, someone whom I had thought incapable of feeling other than revenge, had sympathised. He had shared something of his. To an enemy. And that made it harder to keep the waterworks under control.

There was a physical space between us, but somehow, on this lonely night, he had comforted me.

An enemy.

No. I told myself firmly, smiling.

A stranger.