Chapter 4:

Curiosity Killed the Cat

The morning breeze wrapped itself around me. The window had been left open; although, I don't recall opening it last night. My eyes drifted toward Lexie, who had her blindfold on and was hugging the plain iron bat close to her chest. I slipped my feet out of the soft blanket that had kept them warm all night. My frail toes lightly touched the snow white carpet and danced their way to the window. As I closed the window and pulled the curtains together where they would meet halfway, Lexie's clock sang a high pitched beeping sound. I made my way over to her drawer trying to hit the off button, since Lexie seemed to have no pulse.

I began to shake her awake the way she did to me the night before. That was a horrible idea. She shot up on her knees swinging the bat all over the place as if she were fighting the air. I screamed and fell on my ass putting my arms in front of me as a shield.

"Stay back!" she kept chanting.

"Lexie, it's just me!" I pleaded.

"Take off the blindfold!"

"No! I won't fall for your incompetent trick! Stay back, or else I'll shove this bat up your ass!" she kept shouting.

"Lexie, it's me, Alexa!" I kept pleading. Before I knew it, Kayla burst into the room getting a hold of Lexie from the back.

"It's Kayla!" she shouted in her ear. Lexie stopped swinging the bat. She lifted the blindfold off her eyes and had a blank stare on her face. Her eyes then became wider than a dog's chew toy that expanded its eyes whenever it was squeezed by a dog's canine teeth. She must have noticed how I was curled into a ball near the corner in between her desk and drawer.

"Oh my god Alexa I'm so sorry!" Lexie flew off the bed and fell onto her knees in front of me.

"I'm really sorry! I thought you were a va-"she stopped herself before she can say anything else.

"You thought I was what?" I asked her with my eyes narrowed. She turned to look at Kayla who was now sitting on my desk chair. They stayed quiet for a minute.

"A bad guy, she thought you were a bad guy," Kayla answered, but I couldn't buy it. I know what I heard.

"I'm pretty sure I heard a v sound in the beginning of the word," I told Kayla.

"Your ears must still be ringing from Lexie's screaming," she said sure of herself. I looked away and untied myself from the ball I was in, got up from the corner where I was hiding in and made my way to the drawer. I pulled out the boxed skirt and placed it on my laps.

"It's Friday, we don't wear our uniforms," Kayla told me. That explained why she was dressed in black jeggings, grey cardigan with a plain white shirt underneath, and grey heal leather boots. Her hair was in a sideways fish tale, her eyelids a shade of light grey with eyeliner on her bottom eyelid, and her pink lips were glossy. This girl was a morning person. I put the skirt back inside and pulled out my purple cheetah tights. I then went to the second drawer and pulled out a black shirt with 'No Boyfriend, No Problem' written in white with a sign of the men's restroom in a red circle that had a red line going through it on the side. I was thankful that they had left to the restroom so I could change. I then applied black eyeliner on my top eye lid making raccoon eyes on the end of my outer eye and putting eye liner half way through my bottom eye lid. I made my way to the bathroom and miraculously there was no line. It must have been real early. The only ones there were two girls in their pajamas still half asleep and Lexie who was wearing a white Asking Alexandria shirt cut from the collar, black skinny jeans, and black and white Chuck Taylor high tops.

After I finished brushing my teeth, I went back to the room where Lexie and Kayla were waiting for me.

"Ready to go?" Kayla asked with her chirping tone than the monotone from earlier.

"Yeah," I said putting on my vans and grabbing my black bag. Once we got outside, Malik was in the white Chrysler with Vlad. Lexie sat in the passenger seat and I got stuck with the crazed love birds in the back. I was glad that the ride was short. When we pulled up in the lot, I noticed Mason standing by the hood of his black GT Mustang. He was wearing grey skinny jeans, a black shirt that had amplified in blue and white colors, a black sweater, and black vans. We got out and made our way towards him.

"Well look who's here early," Mason said to Lexie.

"Shut up," she said and shoved him playfully. He smiled showing his perfectly white teeth.

Everyone began to talk animatedly while I stood inches away from them looking at the red orange yellow leaves fall off the thick rigid branches. I saw as they fell lightly to the ground with no pain afterwards. I saw how each one mounted onto another the way they did when Grandma and Grandpa would rake the leaves into a pile when I was five so I can then jumped onto them. It didn't hurt a bit, but the memory did. I couldn't think of anyone else to take their place. I then remembered about me taking every seat in the corner and how Lexie avoided my questions.

"Alexa, Earth to Alexa!" Lexie screamed waving her hand in front of me. I blinked twice and turned to her.

"You seemed really out of it. What were you thinking about?" Lexie asked me. I bit my tongue trying not to say what I had to say in a bad way, but it didn't work.

"How you kept avoiding my questions last night," I told her. She froze in place. Kayla noticed and turned to me.

"What questions?"

"How she ended up having a room to herself," I told her, but I don't think she got what my curiosity was all about.

"I find it unusual how in every class I walked into yesterday, there was always one empty seat, and they were always on the top steps in the corner. Then, I thought to how Lexie had the room to herself," I pushed. Kayla was next to be frozen.

"That's none of your concern," Mason sneered at me. I turned to see his thick eyebrows narrowed at me and he was standing pretty tall, inches from me. This pissed me off. Especially since I'm only 5'3 and he's almost freaking six feet tall.

"I'm just asking a simple question," I told him.

"It's none of your business," he sneered again. This hit my nerve as he got closer to me.

"No need for your tone," I sneered this time and I swore he growled at me.

"Mason that's enough, she doesn't know," Vlad intervened pushing Mason back on his chest. I noticed how Mason's eyes became a cool shade of grey, which made me gasped.

"Your eyes, I could have sworn they were-"

"Let's go Alexa," Lexie said pulling me away. I let her take me away because clearly my mind was in turmoil. After we went into the restroom I composed myself.

"What was all that about?" I asked her, but she looked away.

"Why is it so hard for you to answer my questions?" I told her.

"It is not in my position to tell," she told me.

"Then who's is it?"

"Alexa, just drop it, please."

"Well, it's just your luck that I am small and stubborn," I told her as calm as I could.

"Please Alexa, just drop it," she pleaded.

"Why should I? What are you guys hiding from me?" she remained quiet.

"Fine have it your way," I hissed and walked out the restroom and headed to my first period class. To my luck the bell had already rung and there were a few people in the classroom. I noticed the guy who slapped my ass yesterday was sitting two seats down from me. He turned around and flashed me a bright smile. I gave him a weak smile and looked down at my desk. By then Kayla was making her way to her desk.

"Are you okay?" she asked with concern.

"No," I said in monotone.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Yeah, I'm sorry too that my new friends are already keeping things from me, but you know what I'll try to understand. I mean, all I am is a girl who showed up to crash your group and replace a person that apparently means a lot to Mason," I seethed.

"You're not a burden if that's what you mean, and I'm sure you're not taking anyone's place," she said calmly.

"Then answer my questions."

"It's not in my place," she defended. I humph, crossed my arms and looked away.

"Please Alexa, don't make this any harder," she pleaded. I remained silent and she got the hint that I wanted to be left alone. I stayed that way for the whole day. I didn't even go to lunch. Instead I asked a girl lurking by my third period class where I could find the counselor. I walked down to high grey granite buildings, passing an immense circle with small steps leading to a smaller circle in the middle with pieces of stick branches and benches circling it. I walked into the building and went up some dark brown stairs until I reached a hall where there was a cushion bench to the side of a door. I walked in to find a pale thick woman in a navy blue skirt with a coat matching it. She wore dangling earrings and two inch heels. Her lips were a rosy pink color and her eyes had light blue eye shadow on top. She smiled at me showing white teeth.

"Is my aunt Maggie in?" I asked her.

"Yes she is. Go ahead, right through those double doors." She pointed at a massive dark wooden door. I knocked lightly and turned the knob. I stuck my head in first to see if she was busy.

"Alexa, come in," she said smiling.

"Is it a good time?" I asked her.

"It's always a good time for my favorite niece," she said.

"If I don't recall, I am your only niece," I lifted my left eyebrow. She laughed.

"Touché, so what brings you here, my sweet intelligent untroubled darling." I smiled at her lack of making me feel good.

"I'm having a terrible day," I confessed.

"What happened? Are the kids not treating you right?" she looked worried.

"It's not that. As a matter of fact, I met this unique group. If I didn't know any better, they looked like they belonged in a magazine."

"Then, what's the problem?" she placed her elbows on the oak table full of papers and laid her chin on her hands that were in fists.

"They seem to be keeping something from me." Her head lifted an inch off her fists and froze the way Lexie and Kayla had. I looked at her quizzically.

"Like what?" she finally said after a minute.

"I asked Lexie how she ended up having the room to herself, but remained quiet and walked away. When I asked her again this morning in front of the group, Mason went all demented on me, that Lexie had to pull me away towards the girls' restroom and told me it wasn't in her place to tell me. She wouldn't say anything else. Kayla told me the same thing."

"What made you ask her about it?"

"I found it odd how in every class there was always one empty seat in the top corner of the steps. Then, I thought back to how Lexie had the room all to herself," I explained to her. She didn't seem to make a sudden move.

"You know what's even more strange?" I asked her and she nodded her head at me to continue.

"This morning, Lexie practically attacked me with this iron bat that she sleeps with. I mean, sure she had her blindfold on, but still I kept telling her it was me. Then, Kayla showed up out of nowhere and was able to calm her down. She apologized to me and went on to say how she thought I was something starting with a V," I raged at my aunt, who was now staring at me with open eyes.

"Something starting with a V?" she asked quizzically.

"She stopped herself before she could say anything else. Kayla said that she was going to say bad guy. That she thought I was a bad guy. Although, I'm positive I heard a v sound in there." My aunt turned away to look at the wide window to the right side of her desk.

"Can you tell me what's going on?"

"What makes you think I know?" she said at the window with a scruff.

"You are reacting the same way they did," I shot at her.

"Watch your tone with me," she turned to look at me. I pushed myself back into the wooden cushion seat across from her.

"Sorry, it just makes me angry that no one can answer a simple question," I lowered my voice.

"Maybe because it's not so simple," she said.

"What do you mean?" I leaned my body onto the desk's edge folding my arms on the top.

"If someone asked you how your grandparents died, wouldn't it be hard for you to answer and try to avoid the question?" I pushed myself back again.

"Only because it's a tragedy that's not easy to explain, and it hurts," I replied to her example.

"Exactly."

"So, the reason they're not telling me it's because it's tragic," I said as a statement.

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to." I grabbed my bag and threw it over my right shoulder. I made my way to the double doors.

"Don't push the subject Alexa. I know how you are." I stopped at the foot of the door with my right hand on the knob. I slightly turned my head around to face her.

"Than if you know me so well, you know I won't." I turned the knob and walked out of her office.

"Alexa!" I heard her yell through the doors but kept walking. The rest of the class periods were awkward since Mason sat beside me. This time it didn't bother me to know he was acting like I wasn't there. After sixth period I walked backed to the dorms to try and have some peace of mind. That was no remedy, since I could hear Claudia's hyena laugh a mile away. So I got up from my bed and went for a walk. I roamed the streets not paying attention to my surroundings. I was contemplating the possibilities of why Lexie having her own room was tragic. I was pulled out of my train of thoughts when I heard my nickname be called. I turned and saw the handsome guy that had the nerve to slap my ass yesterday. He walked through some naked trees and disappeared. If I would have known better I would have just kept walking, but I didn't. I followed him only catching glimpse of his white hoodie. Little by little more trees began to form. I even passed a small river. I was finally able to see his full figure in this small opening surrounded by thick burned trees.

"I'm glad you came along," his voice sang an angelic tone that was mesmerizing than the way it sounded when he offered a 'tour'.

"What's up?" I managed to say. He turned and made his way to me with a smirk on his face that looked almost menacing but hot. I realized his emerald green eyes were a dark pitch grey. As he got closer, my brain told me to step back. It wasn't until I had crashed into a thick trunk and he was inches away from my face that I could no longer pull away.

"Let me introduce myself. I'm Stephen," he purred. His nose then sniffed my neck up and down. His palms were pressed against the trunk blocking any passage for me.

"You smell so good," he purred again. If I didn't find his actions eerie, I would have been turned on, but really all he was arousing were my nerves, especially when he licked the left side of my neck.

"Wh-what are you doing?" I pushed myself further into the tree.

"I just want a taste." I couldn't believe the situation I was in. It was clear that he was going to rape me; however, I didn't find the nerve to push him away. I felt stuck, paralyzed. It wasn't until I saw pointy fangs grow out of his top teeth that I had screamed, but he put his massive thin hand over my mouth.

"You'll only feel a sudden pitch. Nothing to be afraid of," he reassured. As he tilted my head to the side and was burrowing his head into my neck, I began to kick and push him. He tried to keep me still, but I wouldn't budge. I stomped my heel onto his foot and kneed him on his glorious groin. He winced a little and took a step back. I made a run for it, but he recovered himself too quickly and pulled me back by my straight hair. Then, he sends me flying onto the dirt near the roots of the tree. I winced in pain and tried to get back up. He pounced onto me, but I was able to step aside. I got up with a limp and began to scream.

"Help! Help!" I began to cry. I couldn't fight him off anymore. For Christ's sakes he was a Vampire. I began to slap myself, thinking it was just a nightmare and it was time to wake up. Stephen appeared in front of me with an evil grin.

"You're mine now." He got a hold of me and pinned me to the tree. Before he dug his fangs into my neck, he was pushed off me, and I ended up falling on my side. I looked up with tears streaming down my cheeks. I gasped when I saw Mason's dark turquoise eyes burning into my green hazel irises. When he was going to make his way towards me, Stephen came from behind him, and tackled him to the ground scraping the dirt with his face. I then noticed Vlad, and Kayla show up in a low crouch with white fangs sticking out as they hissed. I then noticed an unfamiliar face show up and attack Kayla and Vlad. My mind had gone numb, I tried to compose myself and make a run for it while they were all distracted. After my tears dried up against my cheeks I sprinted away from the scene. I began to run faster after I felt a vibration beneath my feet and heard footsteps on my heels. Unfortunately, I wasn't fast enough and a pair of cold hands grabbed onto my right shoulder and pulled me back. However, he lost his grip when someone pushed him forward. I ended up rolling down this low hill and bashed my head onto the tree trunk. I tried to focus on who was fighting before me. My vision began to shake and become a blur. The last thing I saw was Mason's fangs pierce into Stephen's neck. The last thing I heard was, "Curiosity killed the cat."