Chapter 1

Hannah

I sighed and rested my hands on my lap. I was in the movie theater with my two best friends, Darren and Mike. Mike sat to my right, Darren to my left. We were watching the latest horror movie, Vampires vs. Wizards. Ironic, seeing as how Darren is a vampire and Mike is a wizard. They bet $5 to each other, saying that whichever monster won at the end of the movie would date me. I thought it was absolutely ridiculous, but it wasn't my choosing (most humans, if desired by two supernatural forces, has to watch a movie of which neither has seen which plots a supernatural force against an opposite supernatural force and whoever wins marries the human girl/boy). I decided that if they were going to do that, I would help the loser find a girlfriend. I would set up a blind date. The girl would be Denali. Denali is a russian girl in our school. She is my friend. She really likes Mike. Besides, I'd already seen the end of the movie. Vampires would win.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a vampire sliced the throat of the last wizard and the movie ended. I grabbed each of their hands and squeezed. "Are you guys okay?"

Darren was the first to speak. "Yeah. Cool movie." Mike handed Darren the five dollars and walked out silently, letting go of my hand. I consciously remember my hand still touching Darren's hand. I looked at him and smiled slightly. We got up and walked out of the theater, not holding hands anymore. Mike was pacing, waiting for us to emerge with the crowd. I smiled at him and said, "Hey, now it's time for your blind date!" We laughed and Darren and Mike followed me to my Mercedes Benz. A few minutes later, we were at Darren's house, getting Mike ready for his date. I left them to argue about what pattern tie Mike would wear and drove over to Denali's house. She was having trouble picking a dress.

"I'm torn between this white one and this white one." She held up two identical dresses, one with a green belt and one with an orange belt.

"Which do you like better, your hair or your eyes?" I asked. She had green eyes and red hair, tucked in a messy bun. A really rare combination.

"My hair," She replied, tucking a stray strand behind her ear.

"So wear the one with the orange belt. It will bring out your red highlights." We laughed and she went to the bathroom to change. I sat on her bed, then moved to stand in front of her dresser. I carefully and quietly opened a drawer, took out the socks and removed the coin jar. I put the socks back and silently opened the jar. Reaching inside and watching the door, I withdrew $2000. She keeps her coin jar in the socks drawer, with $4000 stashed inside. She also tended, fortunately, to keep the money bundled in 1000's. I slipped the cover back on, stashed the jar inside the drawer, slid the drawer closed and stuffed the money in my bra. I fixed it so it would not look lumpy and sat on the bed, waiting. I didn't want to be a bad friend, but she didn't need the money. I had to run away. Everything was too much to handle right now. Denali came out, tottering on silver 2-inch stilettos and in the white dress. She had applied silver eye shadow, a bit of pink blush, light pink lipstick and had tied her hair into a braided bun.

"You look wonderful!" I exclaimed, going over to her to pull out two strands. The stray strands hung by the sides of her face. "Perfect."

"I think I'm ready to see my mystery boy!" We giggled and I helped her out to my car. Being careful not to rumple anything, she buckled up and I drove to the restaurant, Couture de Italiano. It was italian (duh). I seated Denali at a 2 person table and waited in a booth on the other side of the restaurant. I then saw a blind folded Mike come through the door, led by Darren. Mike was seated across from Denali and I saw Denali gasp. Darren took off the blind fold and sat across from me on the other side of the restaurant. Mike looked at Denali and began casually talking. We were too far away to hear. A waiter came over to us.

"What shall I get this lovely couple tonight?" He asked.

I blushed and we glanced at our menus. "I'll get a plate of spaghetti and a soda," Darren replied.

"Same here," I said. I scratched my arm and looked over at Ben and Denali. They seemed great together.

"Types of soda?" The waiter prompted.

"Cola." Darren examined his cuticles.

"Pepsi, please." I looked at the drawing paper that was used as entertainment for little kids. Darren picked up a crayon from the cup on the table and started drawing a big green dragon. I grabbed a red one and tried mimicking his swirling, swooping lines. That didn't go over so well. I was watching his hand and not my paper and when he finished, I looked down. I'd drawn a slightly less attractive... alligator. He laughed and put his crayon back. I laughed back and placed my crayon back too.

I looked back at Mike and Denali. The waiter had served them. Mike had a Greek salad and some sort of purple drink. Denali had chosen a plate of pasta and some sort of greenish-bluish drink. They seemed super happy.

I looked back at the alligator. "They seem happy." I tried striking up a conversation. I suddenly looked up and caught Darren staring at me. "What?"

"Nothing. Nothing. It's just that..." His voice trailed off.

"Just what?"

"Nothing. Never mind."

"Okay." I sighed and saw the waiter coming toward us.

Darren looked back. The waiter plopped our plates and drinks down and walked away, grumbling about how un-italian Americans were. I slurped up some noodles and chewed, silently cursing myself for not wearing something nicer. Darren chomped away at the noodles. In less than 15 minutes, he'd eaten all his food and had drank half the cola. I had eaten 3 quarters of the noodles and drank 1/4 of the pepsi. I finished off my noodles, took a long gulp of soda and wiped my mouth on a napkin.

For the next few minutes, all we did was watch Ben and Denali. Then the waiter came and handed us the bill. I paid it half off and Darren handled the rest. I walked off toward the bathroom. Inside, I inspected my reflection. I had a single, large freckle on my left cheek and had a pale complexion. Not as pale as Snow White, but not as dark as Queen Latifah either. I had gold eyes and brown hair with blond streaks. I turned and walked out. Mike and Denali had left and Darren was waiting outside, smoking. I didn't know he smoked, I thought, surprised. When I reached the door and pushed out into the night, I turned to the right and saw something that made my blood run cold: A woman, being stabbed over and over by a hooded figure. Mike and Denali were nowhere to be seen.