"What's Erica's deal?" Benny asked Ethan as they walked home together after school.
Ethan shrugged his shoulders; if Sarah told Ethan in private, then she definitely didn't want Benny knowing what's really going on.
"What does it matter?" He asked Benny. "She's always doing that kind of stuff."
"Yeah, but this time's just…different." Benny said. "I can't explain it."
"Thing 1, thing 2!" They heard behind them, making them jump and Benny scream.
Erica rolled her eyes. "Could you be more girly?" She made her way up to them with Sarah at her side.
"I could be." Benny answered triumphantly then frowned. "Wait, what?"
She pinched his nose and shook his head from side to side.
"Owwww!" Benny whined, pushing her hand away.
Erica giggled, something she hadn't really done since before she was turned. It surprised everyone, so Benny decided against complaining about how rude she could be. He did, however, say, "Glad you think it's funny."
She recognized the sarcasm in his voice and stuck her tongue out at him, not expecting him to lunge forward and grab her by the waist.
"Next time." He whispered. "I'll take your tongue." He kissed her cheek and let go of her, walking towards Ethan's house.
Ethan, Sarah, and Erica were left standing in shock at how courageous Benny had just gotten; the only guys brave enough to even come near Erica were jocks.
"So." Sarah broke the silence. "We should get inside, right, Ethan?"
"Um." He observed Erica and nodded. "Yeah. Let's go inside. Erica?"
"Huh?" She looked at him.
"Are you coming inside?"
"Oh!" She shook her head lightly, trying to process what just happened. "Yeah…No…I don't know."
"You go ahead." Sarah put a hand on Ethan's shoulder. "I'll catch up."
"Okay." He smiled and walked away from them.
"What's going on?" Sarah asked Erica.
"Did you not just see what happened?" Erica threw her arms in the air. "I've never…no one's ever…this has never happened before!"
"I knew it!" Sarah laughed. "I knew you had a crush on Benny!"
"No!" Erica tried, but failed at convincing Sarah; she had to admit, Benny was attractive and when she slapped his arm earlier, she could have sworn she felt more muscle than when she first met him.
"Keep telling yourself that." Sarah teased, walking over to Ethan's house.
"Wait up!" Erica ran after her.
"Move it, Benny." Ethan pushed Benny off the couch so he could sit next to Sarah.
Benny reluctantly took a seat next to Erica on the floor, noticing she looked anywhere except at him. He was about to ask if she was okay, but he remembered what happened outside just a few minutes ago. He had taken himself by surprise and he wasn't sure how to act after that.
"What are we watching?" Erica turned to look at Ethan as he grabbed the remote and turned on the DVD player.
"Uh, Dawn of the Dead." He answered, pressing play.
Half an hour into the movie, Sarah was practically in Ethan's lap, digging her head into his shoulder blade.
"It's so gross!" She squealed.
Ethan laughed and held her closer. "You're a vampire and you can't handle a silly little zombie movie?"
She playfully bit his shoulder. "Zombie's are no laughing matter. Just a few months ago, that was happening here, remember?"
"Touché."
Erica wasn't one for movies of that genre either, but she wasn't going to jump into Benny's lap like Sarah did with Ethan. She jumped occasionally at certain parts, but didn't even dare scoot any closer the boy beside her.
Benny snuck a glance at her and noticed she'd jump then tap on her knees to try and keep herself preoccupied so she wouldn't think of the movie. Soon enough, she was tapping her knees every few minutes until Benny grabbed her hands and made her look at him.
"Would you calm down?" He whispered. "It's just a movie."
She let out a low growl and turned back to the TV, letting Benny keep hold of her hand and lacing their fingers together.
By the end of the movie, Sarah was still sitting in Ethan's lap with his arms around her and Erica had her head on Benny's shoulder.
"Can we go now?" Erica asked Sarah, yawning in the process.
"Um." She looked at the clock. "Yeah, we' probably should, it's a school night." She got up from the couch.
"That's not why I asked." Erica stood up, but stumbled.
Benny caught her by the waist. "Whoa, are you okay?"
"No." She sighed. "I need to eat."
"We have Benny's grandma's substitute blood in my room." Ethan said. "That could hold you over until morning."
"No way." Erica shook her head. "Last time I drank that, it had Benny's blood in it."
"Yeah, but now his grandma's back, so it's made the way it should be. I'll get it." He ran up the stairs to his room.
Sarah sighed with content and plopped back down on the couch.
"You can let go now." Erica told Benny, removing his hands from her waist.
"You're still all wobbly." His hands floated cautiously around her so if she fell, he'd be there.
"Let me be stubborn!" She barked at him. "If I fall, it's my fault. That's how people learn."
"I got it!" Ethan panted, handing her the bag of blood.
"Thanks." She mumbled and hobbled her way to the kitchen with Benny behind.
"Why is she going to the kitchen?" Ethan sat next to Sarah.
"She doesn't like eating when I'm around. She gets…animal like when she's really hungry." She explained.
"Oh." Ethan winced. "Will Benny be okay in there?"
"Oh, yeah, he'll be fine." She reassured, but the truth was that she wasn't really sure. "He can handle himself."