O7. Something About You


Rocco was anxious to see Jenna the next day during their tutoring session. He also had to warn her to stay away from that vampire creep, Octavian. It was probably better for her to just stay indoors for the next couple of weeks, at least long enough until Octavian found a new girl to lust over. He didn't want to risk Jenna's blood to the Helms brat.

He raced to the library after fifth period was over. His combat boots echoed off the walls of the hallways as he pushed through the anxious crowds of hungry students walking the opposite direction of him. When he arrived at the library, he saw how practically empty it was. He guessed kids were still going to the cafeteria to get their lunches before coming back to the library. He was even there before Jenna.

He searched for a table that wouldn't be crowded with other kids. He actually wanted to be more isolated from the other students while being tutored by Jenna. He honestly enjoyed her presence, and he wanted to absorb it by himself. He didn't want to share her.

He spotted a table towards the back of the library that was small enough for a couple of people. He weaved through the maze of tables in the middle of the library and dropped his backpack on the table. He took a seat and, as he waited, his leg bounced rapidly. He fiddled with the zippers on his backpack, fingered the safety pins pierced through the material, and impatiently played with the snap-on clasps of his stud bracelets.

He thought about how he was going to warn her to stay away from Octavian. He obviously couldn't just say that he was a dangerous vampire and he was determined to take her for himself. It was a scary thought, but for an oblivious human, Jenna might take him for a bit of a crazy person. Perhaps he could advise her that the weather would be poor in Bucharest for the rest of the month, and that she should get out of town if she really wanted to enjoy the rest of the sunshine in another town. Or maybe he could tell her that a plague was loose and to prevent her from getting it, she should stay indoors or leave town.

He was so absorbed in his plotting that he didn't even notice the petite figure standing above him. He noticed her shadow and turned her way, slightly jumping at her presence.

Jenna smiled at him curiously, her pink lips plump and glittering from a thin layer of gloss. She combed a lock of her pin-straight pale blonde hair behind her ear, her large green eyes purposefully avoiding his dark ones out of shyness.

"Did I startle you?" she chuckled lightly. Rocco wanted to look away, but he was once again captivated by her beauty. The light behind her almost provided a glow around her figure, and Rocco had to blink twice before he came to the conclusion that she was literally glowing like an angel.

"Uh, no." He cleared his throat. "'Course not," he mumbled, shaking his head. He scanned over her figure quickly. Her figure was pressed into a white long-sleeved blouse that clung to her torso, accentuating her shape of her chest. Her sun-kissed legs were mostly bare, as they were only encased in a pair of miniature denim shorts. Rocco figured Jenna was trying to take advantage of the nice weather before the harsh winters hit. Her dainty feet were encased in a pair of white ballet flats and her beige tote bag was slung over her shoulder.

She stood shyly before taking a deep breath and allowing herself a seat beside him.

"Have you gotten any textbooks to practice out of?" she asked. Rocco, who was still hypnotized by her beauty, didn't respond right away. Jenna's thin eyebrows knitted together in puzzlement. "Rocco?"

The sound of his name in her voice brought him back to reality.

"Huh?" he blurted. She forced a smile.

"The textbooks. Did you get any?" she repeated.

"Oh, um …" He scrambled to his feet quickly. "Sorry. I'll get them." He left her table before she could say anything more and, feeling like a moron, left for the math books aisle of the library.

"I'm such an idiot," he grumbled under his breath. She probably thought him such a sketchy character—out at night around a group of thugs, darkly dressed, strange personality. If only she'd known who he really was, maybe things would be different.

He shook his head. Things would be different, but they'd also be worse. Jenna would be terrified of him. That, or she'd think him a lunatic. In any case, there would be no exposing his secret. If he exposed himself, he'd be exposing Claude, Kat, and Tripp as well. He'd never be forgiven. His parents would hate him even more.

Jeez. He hadn't realized how dangerous it was being around Jenna. The weird, affectionate feelings for her had to stop. He had to force himself to think differently of her. So what if Octavian took her? He'd done it before, and he'd do it again. It was what he did—take young women, lust over them, maybe take their innocence, and then feed from them. Jenna was a young woman, she was pretty, she was human. Why should she be any different from the others Helms fed on?

The thought of Jenna in his arms made chills run down his spine. His stomach clenched and his blood curdled with anger. Jenna was different because, unlike the other girls Octavian fed on, Rocco knew her. He knew she was nice and sweet and innocent. And he also knew she didn't deserve a fate like that. He didn't know her home life—and to spare him from his feelings, hopefully he never would—but nobody deserved to be lured in blindly like a dumb animal.

His acute eyes quickly scanned over the titles of the books, grabbed a couple of texts, and tucked them under his brawny arm, making his way back to his table.

He dropped the books on the table and sat back down next to her, his strong figure incredibly intimidating next to her dainty petite one. Jenna smiled at him shyly and took a book, opening it.

"Did you have any trouble with your homework?" she asked.

Homework.

Oh, that's right. The homework he didn't finish because he hadn't remembered the steps Jenna told him to help him with the problems. He'd turned it in, halfway done. Mrs. Petrov would notice immediately, though. Half credit was better than no credit, though, so it didn't really bother him.

"Trouble?" Rocco repeated. "Uh … well, those hints you gave me were useless. I couldn't figure out how to do the damn problems on my own." His eyebrows narrowed and he hadn't realized he'd growled at her. Jenna's eyes widened, her face turning red. He regretted saying what he did when he noticed her trembling in fear next to him.

"I mean … I … It's not that big of a deal. I guess I wasn't paying attention or—No, that's not what I wanted to say—Crap."

He sighed and ran a hand over his head.

"It's … okay," she said slowly, her trembling gradually ceasing as she continued to turn to the chapter of logarithms. "We'll review logs before going on to your next lesson."

Rocco felt dread throughout his body. Not that his appearance weren't enough, but his aggressive personality was much too intimidating for a shy girl like Jenna. He'd have to learn to calm down while around her and not act so frightening. She wasn't like Kat, who could stand up to a full-grown lion and scare it away. Jenna was a kitten, gentle and helpless. She needed to be protected, not protective.

"Sounds good," Rocco said, his tone softer and friendlier. "I think a review would be good for me."

He could feel the tranquil state Jenna had entered when his words became softer and gentler. She smiled widely, a beautiful wide smile that showed her set of pearly white teeth. Up close, he noticed the sprinkle of pale freckles over the bridge of her dainty nose.

The weird, fluttering, affectionate feeling had returned and Rocco immediately looked away, his hands slowly clenching into fists to stop the sensation erupting in his stomach. He wanted the feeling to stop. Hadn't he just decided that he wasn't going to feel this way for Jenna? Why wasn't his body listening to him?

"Well, maybe we should begin. Could you get out your notebooks so we could review the problems?" Jenna asked. She'd asked him to do it, not suggested, not commanded, asked.

There was no way Rocco was going to let this innocent girl be taken by the claws of Octavian Helms for his own personal needs.

Without saying anything, Rocco dug into his practically empty black backpack and pulled out his math notebook. Jenna pulled out her notebook out of her tote as well, to review the notes she'd written.

They spent half of their time reviewing logarithms, and not enough on Mrs. Petrov's new math lesson. When the bell rang to signify the end of lunch, Rocco groaned and ran his hands over the black knit cap secured over his messy black hair.

"I'm not going to be able to pass eleventh grade math. I might as well be held back next year," he grumbled.

"No … no," Jenna said, shaking her head and placing a hand on his arm. She was so warm, he realized, and the touch of her skin against his was so comforting. "I guess lunchtime isn't enough time to tutor you," she said. "Perhaps we could get together outside of school. Would you like to meet at a café, or maybe even at one of our houses?"

Rocco really liked the idea of getting together outside of school. It would cut into his time with his friends and the Cathedral, but his grade was at stake. He needed to pass math so he could play sports and earn his parents pride. His friends understood how vital it was for Rocco to earn his parents' pride, so they'd understood if he'd have to increase his tutoring time with Jenna.

He thought about what his parents would do if a human girl like Jenna walked into their home. They'd probably think Rocco had brought them a treat, and the idea made him shudder. Tutoring at his house was definitely out of the question.

"How about your place?" Rocco suggested. "Cafés are too crowded and my house is a drag. I'll need a quiet place to study, anyway."

Jenna blushed at the suggestion of her house, but she agreed and nodded.

They gathered their things, Rocco putting the books away, and walked towards the doors of the library, filing out with the other students who'd spent their lunch time there. Dressed in a tight-fitting black shirt that was printed with a heavy metal band logo, dark torn skinny jeans with safety pins and patches adorning them, and an array of bullet and studded belts around his waist, Rocco and Jenna looked quite outrageous together. Rocco wasn't used to being joined with girls dressed in light colors. He figured the same could not be said with Jenna, however, as her best friend, Paige, was a goth just like him.

"So, when should we plan meeting at your place?" Rocco started.

"Today after school? I really don't mind it at all. My parents won't be home until later this evening, though," she added. Relief washed over Rocco. He didn't want to meet Jenna's parents, at least not yet. Or ever, really. Her parents wouldn't approve of him anyway, and he was tired of not being approved of.

"That's fine," Rocco said. "The less people, the better." Jenna arched an eyebrow, and Rocco immediately knew that what he'd said had been a mistake. "I … I mean … Okay, I didn't mean it that way. I just thought that, the less people, the better because it's quieter and we're alone and—No wait … not like that—Damn it, I'm doing it again. I'm shutting up, now."

To his surprise, Jenna burst into giggles. They were cute and melodic, and Rocco was also surprised at how much he'd liked her giggles.

"It's alright, Rocco," she said as her giggling subsided. "I understand. A quiet environment is what you want to study, and a quiet environment you'll get, don't worry. Although, I hope you're okay with dogs, though, because Fresia loves new people."