I knew I was dreaming, but everything was strangely more vivid than usual. The house that I had slowly become accustomed to over the last few weeks stood in front of me and then suddenly I was inside. "Hello?" I called out, walking throughout the living room and kitchen. No one answered, so I climbed the stairs. All the doors were wide open except one. My room. I turned the knob, opening the door.
In a flash, I was sprawled out on the bed. But it wasn't the bed I knew for a fact that was mine. This bed was much larger, with ivory satin sheets, and a canopy draped with gauzy ivory and burgundy curtains. I was laid on my back, naked but for a sheet strategically drawn over my skin covering from my breasts to my thighs.
A man hovered over me, though I couldn't see his face. He was kissing along my throat, murmuring my name reverently as though I were some long-lost goddess. His hips ground into mine. I gasped as he entered me, whimpering as he filled me for the first time. He kissed away my tears, telling me how perfect I was. I leaned up and kissed him, my hand caressing his face as his hips began to pump harder, his thrusts deeper.
I raised my hips to meet him, my hands going to his shoulders. I felt the tight coiling of an orgasm building and I stared up into intense blue eyes as the world fell apart around me, as I screamed out for him. He cried out my name, pouring his seed deep inside my waiting womb as his face changed. I felt no fear as black veins appeared under those beautiful blue eyes and he buried his face in my neck. I felt the first bite of pain as he sunk his fangs deep, then sighed in pleasure as he began to drink, my hands gliding over his strong, muscled back. "Yes, drink, my love," I whispered to him.
I jerked awake, disoriented. Sunlight poured through my open window. I groaned and looked at my clock and groaned again. I sat on the edge of the bed and mentally prepared myself before I stood, grasping the cane that stood next to the bed. I used it to help me balance myself as I made my way to my dresser. I quickly pulled out an outfit for the day: plum colored bra and panty set, a rich burgundy sweater with a matching burgundy spaghetti strap tank top underneath, a maroon plaid pleated skirt, wine red-and-black vertical striped leggings, and a pair of knee high black suede boots with no heel. Anna had told me no shoes with heels for a long while, we were still trying to get me used to walking on flat surfaces, we didn't need me trying to do it in "ankle-killers," as she called them, just yet. I slid on a pair of tiny diamond stud earrings, a silver ring with a pinky-nail sized garnet, and a silver locket my mother had given me. And not a scrap of pink anywhere to be seen.
I smiled as I looked around the room. As I'd hoped, Jenna had let me repaint my room from the hideous pepto-bismol pink it had been. Now it was a gorgeous turquoise blue on all the walls but one. On this wall, I'd put up a plain Ivory color with a stenciled wall-sized frame in antique gold. Inside the giant frame, I'd put up cork board, and had pinned pictures of my family and friends, along with tags of their names to one side with little jeweled pins. On the other, I posted pieces of paper with things I remembered or was told about myself. Like how my favorite take out was Chinese: chicken with mushrooms over vegetable lo mein, crab rangoon with sweet and sour sauce, egg rolls, and won ton soup. Or that I preferred wintergreen mint gum over spearmint. Or that my favorite soda was Dr. Pepper, but I also loved Sprite, but that my favorite all-time drink was Lemonade. Just little odds and ends that made up the me that I didn't quite remember.
A beep from my phone made me realize that it was time to finish getting ready and grab some breakfast before Elena's friend-and my friend, I corrected myself mentally-Bonnie arrived. I very carefully gripped the banister as I made my way downstairs. "It's all about the coffee, Aunt Jenna," Elena said, pouring herself a cup. I smirked. "Forget your stupid coffee, tea is where it's at," I said, making my way towards the kettle on top of the stove. I filled it and placed it on the burner, ratcheting the heat to high to bring it to a boil. I laughed as Jeremy stole Elena's cup of coffee. I took pity on her and poured her a new mug while I waited on my water to boil.
I made myself a quick breakfast of strawberry yogurt layered with blueberries, bananas, strawberries and crunchy date and almond granola that Jenna bought at a local organic store. It was sweetened with honey and toasted with nutmeg and cinnamon, it was delicious with the fruit and yogurt. Just as I finished making my yogurt parfait, the kettle whistled. I poured the boiling water over a teabag of Earl Grey in my mug. I let it steep while I ate, then added sweetener and a bit of milk to it. I sipped it carefully, finishing it just as I heard Bonnie honking the horn.
I heard Elena getting on Jeremy's case again and sighed, wishing she would leave him alone. They'd fought so often since I'd been home. More often than not, Jeremy would sneak into my room later and just want to be held. I obliged him, wrapping my arms around him and listened while he would tell me stories of Mom and Dad as I would run my fingers through his hair. He stomped out the door, but stopped when I called his name. He turned back to me, his eyes still angry. I opened my arms to him and he rolled his eyes but gave me a hug, lifting me in the air as I protested, laughing. I kissed the top of his head as he lifted me, then he put me down, glaring at Elena as he walked past, putting his earbuds in.
She sighed. "How is it that he doesn't give you the "death, murder, kill" glare?" sh asked.
I shrugged. "I don't know. I just, well, listen to him, I guess. I don't get after him about every little thing. I'm not saying I agree with him getting high all the time, but I understand needing to cope with things. For you, it's writing in your diary. For Jeremy, it's using drugs to lessen the pain so he can deal with the everyday." I reply.
"And you?" she asks.
"I don't know if I've found my way to cope yet. Right now everything is still buried beneath learning so much new stuff so quickly."I said, and jumped as Bonnie honked again. "Let's go before she hunts us down."
Elena laughed and nodded, helping me down the stairs to Bonnie's car. "Morning, Bon-bon,"I said, climbing in. She nodded at me as I climbed into the back of the car, buckling myself in as Elena shut the door for me after handing me my cane. I opened a book I was currently reading, blanking out of their conversation until there was a loud thump and the car careened towards the side of the road.
Bonnie was hysterical. "What was that?! Oh, my god! Elena, Clara, are you okay?"
Elena and I both hurried to reassure her. "It's okay. I'm fine. We're fine."
"It was like a bird or something. It came out of nowhere."
"Really, I can't be freaked out by cars for the rest of my life," Elena said, and I nodded in agreement.
"I predict this year is going to be kick ass. And I predict all the sad and dark times are over and you are going to be beyond happy,"Bonnie said, looking around before putting the car in gear and finishing the short drive to the high school.
There were so many people, I thought. So many of them wh probably knew pre-coma me. And I didn't know, or recognize any of them. I sighed as I climbed carefully from the car, sliding my bag over my head and shoulder before gripping my cane to stand more steadily. Elena looked over at me. "You good?" she asked, and I nodded, trying to ignore the stares.
We made our way to our lockers, Elena and Bonnie's conversation moving from what a girl was wearing to how this year was going to be amazing. They were brought up short when out of nowhere a blond cheerleader-type appeared. "Elena! Clara! Oh my god!"
She gave us both hugs quickly. "How are you? It's so good to see you! How are they? Are they good?" she asked Bonnie.
"Caroline. We're right here. We're fine," Elena said and I nodded, smiling at her.
"Really?"
"Yep, much better."
"Oh, you poor thing," Caroline said, hugging Elena again. She turned to me. "How about the memories? Anything new coming back?" she asked.
"A little, here and there," I admitted. She smiled and nodded.
"Okay, Caroline," Elena said, her tone slightly dismissing.
"Oh! Okay. See you guys later?" she said, still bright and bubbly. All three of us nodded and she sped off, spotting some of the other cheerleaders.
"No comment," Elena said, looking at Bonnie.
"I'm not going to say anything," she said, grinning. I giggled.
"Well, let's get going, the sooner to get the day over with," Elena said.
"Yup," I agreed, and the three of us headed towards our first class, both of them on either side of me, keeping the other students from jostling me too much.
As we passed by the office, Bonnie stopped us. "Hold up. Who's this?"
"All I see is back," Elena said.
"It's a hot back," Bonnie said, and I laughed. She wasn't wrong though, whoever it was, he had nice broad shoulders that transitioned into a lean body. "I'm sensing Seattle and he plays the guitar."
"You're going to run this psychic thing into the ground, aren't you?" I asked.
"Pretty much," she agreed, making me smile.
Suddenly there was a commotion to my side and I watched Elena chase Jeremy into the boy's bathroom. "Did I miss something?" I asked. Bonnie just shrugged.
"Come on, let's get to history, we can catch up with her later," Bonnie said and I nodded.
We made our way into the classroom and Mr. Tanner looked up. He practically sneered when he saw my cane. "Miss Gilbert. I hope you will keep that monstrosity out of the way." I blushed and nodded. I handed him the slip of paper from the school office, informing the teachers that I needed to leave a few minutes early from each class so that I wouldn't get injured in the hallways.
"What's this?" he asked.
"It's from the office, sir. I need to be released from class a few minutes early until I'm approved from my doctor's office," I replied.
He sighed like it was a huge deal. "Very well, Miss Gilbert. But you had better not miss anything in my classes because of it," he said and I nodded before taking my seat.
"Asshole," I heard Bonnie mutter and I couldn't help but agree.
Suddenly Elena appeared in the doorway, followed by a handsome boy who must be the new guy. Bonnie whistled softly and Elena, who'd just taken her seat next to me, blushed a brilliant scarlet red.
Tanner stood and began the class. "Once our home state of Virginia joined confederacy in 1861, it created a tremendous amount of tension within the state. People in Virginia's northwest region had different ideals than those from the traditional deep south. Then Virginia divided in 1863 with the northwest region joining the union." He continued on, completely unaware that most of us had stopped listening by this point.
I was busy watching Elena and the new guy. They were so busy staring at each other a bomb could have gone off and I don't think they'd have noticed. I saw Bonnie tapping out a text message on her phone before Elena's phone beeped quietly. Whatever it said made her grin. She looked back at the new guy again before the bell rang.