Childish Games
Saturday morning found me with my head stuck in the library's Pride and Prejudice book. Despite the fact I already owned it, I walked down to the library for the sake of walking - and to get some fresh un-vampire scented air. I saw no familiar faces to my displeasure, but I did have a quick hunt in the woods on my way back home; Friday's surprise had made my eyes quite dark...
I finished the book just before noon and went downstairs. Carmen was on the phone with who I assumed was one of her chef friends and Kate and Garrett were rubbing noses on the couch. I looked at the three of them dismally then left silently, picking up my jacket and gloves on the way.
With the book in my bag I figured I might as well take it back to the library then go for a walk or something.
As I was heading to the library I saw a group of sophisticated men and women emerge from the building just next to it. I glanced at the group and saw Eleazar among them, but to my great surprise. Just next to Eleazar was a tall man with a briefcase who I recognised to be John Tyler.
When Eleazar caught my eye he smiled and waved me over to him and John was looking at his smart phone, I wondered idly if he was looking for a text from me… I reached Eleazar, just brushing john's arm, and I gave him a hug then kissed his cheeks, a habit I had never grown out of through my years.
"Fancy seeing you here." I smiled "You had a meeting I take it."
He chuckled slightly "Well, we do live in the same town you know, you will see me around every now and again…"
"Oh, you know what I mean. You're usually in school and I'm usually… Well, busy." I said grinning.
John looked up at me then, and Eleazar thought it courtesy to do the introductions, so he looked between the two of us then said "Oh, how rude of me, John this is my sister-in-law Tanya, and Tanya, this is a fellow work colleague John…"
John held his hand out to me "Sister-in-law…?"
I took his hand lightly and shook it "Yes, John Tyler, sister-in-law."
He smiled "Well it was nice meeting you Tanya Goodwin."
Eleazar looked completely dumbstruck for a second so I had to laugh, but then he caught up "Oh, you two have met." He chuckled slightly and looked at me with those eyes was I in trouble…? I smiled at him.
"Yes, now I think Carmen's probably getting restless waiting for you, perhaps you shouldn't keep her waiting. Goodbye Eleazar. John." I nodded at him, and held his eyes for a second, before swirling around and walking away in any direction.
I heard john and Eleazar give quiet goodbyes, and then I heard smart shoes scraping the gravely floor paces behind me. I slowed down and John sped up, then when I reached a lamp post I held it, spun around and backed against it so he was just in front of me. "We have to stop meeting like this." I smiled impishly at him.
He shook his head half a smile coming through. He pulled me from the lamp post and walked me to the side of a building then walked off. I was slightly confused, but then I saw him come back around and realized he was trying to be funny by being literal. He walked back in front of me and said "Oh, fancy meeting you here with no lamp post." He smiled at me and I started to walk around him chuckling a little.
"Come with me John." I heard him catch up to me then slow me down somehow.
"Where will you take me?" He said with a raised eyebrow.
"To my secret sex chamber." I said with a completely straight face, I think he almost believed me until I smiled "no, I don't know, I just thought I'd make it sound like I had something to do, but really my Saturday is empty." I sighed.
He smiled slightly at me "Yes, mine is too now. Perhaps we could spend our empty Saturday together…"
I smiled back at him "Perhaps we could."
John and I headed back to his house so he could change out of teacher clothes and I looked at old family photos of his at the top of the staircase.
"You know John, I don't usually do this."
From inside his bedroom he replied "And, by 'this' you mean?"
I looked at a picture of a small boy with John's green eyes and smiled sadly "Give random men off the street a second look" I chuckled "I guess I saw something in you…"
He opened the door then "I hope it was something good." He said smiling effortlessly. He was wearing a plain white V-neck tee and stone wash cuffed chinos with braces. The man knew how to dress. "So what would you like to do to fill this empty Saturday?"
"I don't mind… Nice jeans." I said smiling. "It's a good job you don't go to school dressed like that. I know what teenager girls are like around chinos."
He smiled at me "Well, I'll bare that in mind… Are you hungry?" He asked casually as he started walking down the stairs in front of me.
Oh god, human food. I had grown used to it, but it still repulsed me, and I still had to force myself to throw it all back up. But I looked at him and replied "A little."
"How about we grab a bite to eat – or we could eat here if you want…?"
"Uh, here's good." Less food to choose from at least. Somehow this situation felt slightly awkward.
He looked at me and said "How do you feel about Indian?"
I was actually confused. "The people?"
He smiled and chuckled "No, the food –" so the people "you know, Curry."
"Oh right." I smiled embarrassedly "Yeah, curry's good, but I can't handle the hot stuff." I laughed "Still talking about food of course."
He grinned "I didn't think otherwise. And I'm a bit soft when it comes to the 'hot stuff' so I have mild."
"… Good to know." I smiled at him and he lead through to the lounge and sat down, then indicated for me to sit down also, so I was in the other corner of the sofa, sat on an angle to make conversation easier.
"So, are you feeling awkward silence or just one of us bringing up a topic?" He asked casually, leaning back as he did so.
"Hmm, but what topic?" I looked overly thoughtful as I waited for him to decide.
"Well, usually, I would propose truth or dares, but I'm thinking back a few years." He chuckled.
"Truth or dares then, no other suggestions. So, John Tyler, truth or dare?" I smiled.
"I'll start easy, and say truth."
"Truth: What's your most embarrassing moment?" I smiled at him.
He laughed and said straight away "That would probably have to me my first day in High school. I was a cocky little thing and fancied me some senior girl. So I went strutting up to this tall brunette – who was standing with her boyfriend, may I add – and I was like 'sweetie, you and me, tonight. I'll take you out and show you a good time' and she totally creased up laughing at me, and I got threatened by her boyfriend. It wasn't cool in front of half the school" He shook his head laughing slightly and I had to laugh too.
"Ouch, burn for little Johnny."
"Your turn." He smiled "Truth or dare?"
I grinned and said "Turn it up a notch: dare."
He laughed and said after a moment's thought "I dare you to go outside, and to the first person you see, you have to walk up to them scratching your crotch and say 'damn, these crabs are so itchy."
I looked at him and laughed "I'm not doing that, those people know me!"
He laughed more and said "You have to forfeit then."
"What's the forfeit?" I asked with a fake look of dread on my face.
"The forfeit is always the same. You have to sit the next round in your underwear."
I shrugged my shoulders after a moment, stood up and took my blouse off, then stepped out of my skirt. "I think your lying to me, but there you go." I sat back down and looked at him as his mouth was still not quite shut. It's a good thing I was in my sexy, blue, lacy panties and matching bra.
I laughed and said "truth or dare John?"
He looked slightly embarrassed, knowing that I noticed his facial expression, and said "Dare."
"I dare you to…" I thought for a minute, and moved the angle of my legs so that my knees where together "Phone a courier service and ask them if it is possible to sort out getting a huge gift for you to be wrapped up in naked and brought to someone." I grinned.
He shrugged and grabbed the phone and phone book. "If he threatens me in any way I will tell him it was a dare and hang up though" He laughed and found the number.
When it was ringing he was grinning, holding back laughs. I heard the man on the other side of the phone answer politely and John said "Hello, I was wondering if it was possible to have you deliver a rather large gift with me naked inside it. It's a surprise for someone you see." He smiles at me, humour in his eyes. The man on the phone paused then said "Are you serious boy?"
John laughed silently for a second then said "I'm completely serious sir. I know she'd love it muchly."
The man on the phone said shortly "Well, we do not do that here. Sorry." And hung up. We burst out laughing then.
"Well done." I smiled. "So do I get dressed now, or after my turn, or during my turn.
"That depends how you do it." He smiled and said "Truth or dare?"
Again I automatically said dare and he chuckled "Should I give you an easy one? You might get cold."
I looked down at my in-human pale body then looked at him and said "The cold doesn't really bother me that much. But yes" I smiled.
"Okay then, do an impression of me. It's usually entertaining to watch."
I stood up, pulled him up, and smiled, then coughed for the effect of changing character. I shook my head, half a perfect imitation of his smile coming through. I pulled him over to the other side of the sofa and then walked off. He smiled when he realized what I was doing, then I walked back in front of him and said "Oh, fancy meeting you here with no lamp post." With my best impersonation of his husky voice and smiled. I went back to my own voice and said "I've always been great at impersonations." I smiled at his still shocked face, bent down in front of him and picked up my skirt, getting dressed. I heard his breath pick up and I smiled a little – how I loved the reaction of a man's body! You didn't get that from vampires; the quickening heart, the erratic breathing, and the general obviousness of how I affect them… I turned around still smiling and flashed my teeth, he smiled back. Wow this man is really beautiful! I thought as though it was just hitting me. Obviously he's beautiful, I always go for good looking guys, but he just seems more… breath-taking! Actually might be showing signs of competition for Edward Cullen – and he was a truly handsome one.
Oh dear. I shouldn't be thinking like this! "What's next?" I said out loud and sat back down.
He did the same across from me and said "You ask me, truth or dare. However, would you like a drink? I've got red wine, some rose`, beer, water and probably orange juice" He smiled.
"Seeing as we're playing a childish game, I should probably say orange juice, but red wine sounds rather appealing thank you" I said smiling sweetly, his heart jumping a little, making me smile more.
"Okay then, and I think the curry will be done in about 15 minutes… do you have rice?" He asked unsurely as he stood and headed into the kitchen.
"Yeah" I said watching him walk away good ass I thought. When he came back in with two glasses of wine he handed me mine and I thanked him as he sat down. "So, John Tyler, do you bring all the girls home with you and feed and water them?" I asked, smiling impishly and took a sip of wine. I actually quite liked red wine, and because of the colour of it, it had always been easy to drink even before I was accustomed to the taste of it, and though I knew I would have to throw the food up later, I still rather enjoyed most of the things I ate while in human company.
He laughed a little "No, actually." His expression dampened slightly.
I looked at him curiously "Can I ask why you look so sad now?"
He sighed and smiled a little "I'm just not that kind of person, the whole one night stand thing, I did in high school but… No. I' much more or a romantic now" He smiled slightly "Long walks on the beach kind of guy" he chuckled and I smiled at the thought of it "But I think I fall too fast and get hurt. I just got out a relationship last month, the chocolate ice creams all gone now though" he grinned, so I guessed he wasn't a heart-broken mess now.
I smiled a little "That sounds nice, the romance part. I've never been much of a romantic myself." He probably didn't realize the certainty of that 'never', but I wasn't going to get into my past with him.
"Why not?" Oh, he wanted to go there… He asked casually, patting the seat on the sofa next to him, so I stood and went to sit with him.
"I've just never been interested in it." I shrugged not wanting to get into this conversation.
He took in my expression and I could tell he was seeing how I felt, despite my hiding it. Why does he have to be so perceptive? "You don't look like you want to share, but have you just had too much pain or…?" He furrowed his eyebrows for a moment "I don't understand how anyone could hurt someone like you." He looked into my eyes and my bones felt as though they were turning to a less solid state.
"John," I whispered, not really taking notice of what he said "Come here." He came, sliding closer to me. "Closer." He moved his face to mine, I smiled slightly, and moved y face to his, closing the distance and kissing his shocked mouth. He responded of course, kissing me back, his lips moving with mine. I pulled away sooner than what was usual. "I think your rice is crying out for you John, perhaps you should answer."
"I feel like something inside of you is crying out Tanya. I just don't know what it is. Would you want me to stick around long enough to find out?" He said suddenly as he slowly rose from where we sat. I just looked at him and bit my upper lip and sniffed slightly, not answering his question.
He walked away, and I felt like an alien in my body. I shouldn't have feelings for this man! But I think I do… I don't think this way, I don't believe this way. I felt as though I should be dizzy, but of course I wasn't.
As I internally discussed my insanity and possible alien parasite I heard John getting plates out and scraping, then running water.
"Dinner's ready Tan." He said casually, though his voice seemed too husky for casual. He carried the two plates into what I guessed was the dining room.
I was right of course, I found when I stood and followed him.