I can't believe that I have to leave home. Now that it's just started to get better. I've started to get better, and now….
I hate my life.
But apparently, I HAVE to go to the House of frickin' Night, or I'll die.
Great. Just great.
I just had to get Marked. So soon after my breakdown. That's just what I needed. Not!
As my mom helped me pack, we didn't talk much. She kept asking if I wanted to bring this, if I wanted to bring that. Dad had the right idea to just leave me be and let me get ready however I wanted to. I was thinking about this when mom started to cry. It was silently at first, so I didn't notice, but then I could hear her soft sobs. I turned to look at her at the same time she turned to me.
"Honey, please don't leave me and your father here! We need your help around the house!" she pleaded.
"I can't Mom! I have to go to the House of Night or I'll…" I paused to give a hacking cough, "I'll die."
The cough seemed to emphasise my point because mom was staring at me with wide eyes as her sobs turned to hiccups. We stood there for a while and I gave a few more rattling coughs. Finally, my mom wiped her nose with her sleeve (something she'd give out crap to me for doing!) and turned back to my bag.
"What else do you want to bring sweetie?" she sniffed.
I didn't say anything but I sat down on my bed and pulled her into a hug.
"I'm gonna miss you. Mom," I whispered.
"I'm going to miss you too, Alexandra."
I finished packing my bag and then brought it down to my car. I still couldn't believe I was going to leave all my freshmen friends behind. Even Arianna. My best friend. The girl I've know since I was four! No, I had to stop thinking about my old life and focus on my new.
Even though I was reluctant to go. But I had to if I wanted to survive.
I said my goodbyes and shared long hugs before I climbed in my car and set off to the House of Night.
It looked more like a castle than a school. But that's what you'd expect from the vampyres, I thought to myself.
I put my car in park, got my bag and set off in search of a secretary office of some sort. I was walking around looking at the faces of all the kids that were rushing around. They all had the same sapphire blue crescent moon on their foreheads just like I had.
Why is it so busy? It's 10pm, I thought as I walked down long stone hallways.
Just as I turned a corner, I ran into someone.
"Oh my God I'm so sorry! I-"
I looked up to see a beautiful woman with auburn hair and gorgeous green eyes. But the most striking thing about her, was the vivid cobalt design that framed her face.
"Ah, you must be the new student…Alexandra, is it?" Her voice sounded like silver bells.
"Uh, yeah. I'm Alexandra Parker."
"Now do you want to keep that name? Because here at the House of Night, you get a new start. Do you want to stay Alexandra Parker?"
"Um…can I be Lexi? Uh…that's because I don't really like being called Alexandra."
"Of course! Now you are Lexi Parker! I am Neferet, the High Priestess. That is about the equivalent of the headmistress. Now, just follow me so I can get you're schedule."
As I followed Neferet, I saw a hot guy walking the way we had come. He was holding hands with a girl that was obviously with him. But when I looked again I saw that this girl had a filled in and expanded Mark on her face and down her neck. As they passed, the guy stopped.
"Hello Erik, Zoey." Neferet nodded to them in turn.
"Hello Neferet," Erik replied, "Who's this?" He looked straight at me. I blushed and looked away.
"This is Lexi Parker. She's our newest student. Do you mind showing her around? I will send everything you need to your room Lexi, and you can get it later. I must be off" She walked briskly away.
Erik turned and whispered something to Zoey. She then looked at me.
"Well, I hope you settle in soon and make friends Lexi." She said with a warm smile. "I'll see you later Erik."
"Bye Zoey." He looked after her until she turned the corner. Then he put all his attention back to me.
"Uh, hi," I said pathetically.
"C'mon I'll show you around." He grabbed my hand and steered me down a hallway and into a shadowed alcove. Just being there gave me shivers. Something didn't seem right, either it was the alcove or Erik. I glanced at Erik and asked him "What's down here?"
Suddenly he grabbed me and pushed me against the wall, trapping me between his arms in the little alcove.
"Listen Lexi," he said with a strange look on his face. "I know you just got here, but you need to know some things. I'm Erik Night and I can get any girl I want. And I want you."
"Wh-what? But you-you're with Zoey!"
"I know. And if you tell her anything about right now, I'll deny it, ok? But I have a feeling, a feeling that you're very powerful. Very, very powerful. And I may need your help in the future. But for now…"
He leaned in slowly, with his eyes closed. I didn't know what was happening until it was too late. He was still trapping me between his arms and I couldn't escape him. He kissed me and held it for a long time. When he pulled back, I felt dizzy.
"Very powerful indeed," he murmured in a low voice, half to himself. He looked up at me. "Come on, now I'll show you around, but remember: not a word to Zoey."
Then he pulled me off around the rest of the buildings, leaving me thinking about what he said.
