Chapter 2 Lien-da woke up with a fever. Doris got her another glass of water and this time, she used fever medicine. "Mom, I've meant to tell you that I've gotten bit by a vampire." She said "I know dear. You have anemia. I just want to know what you were doing in the grasslands?" "We were.uh, just hanging out with people. We were playing a game and Akira disappeared. So I told everybody else to go home. I went to look for Akira and somehow, something bit of my choker. A thunderstorm started. I was scared. I saw something that was talking in a male voice. My mind told me to run, but his red eyes kept my body still. He appeared behind me, and he bit me."

Tears fell down Lien-da's eyes. Doris hugged her daughter. "Calm down, its all over. Just promise me that you and your friends don't go out to the grasslands again."

"I promise."

"Good, I want you to go to sleep." Lien-da sat back in bed and closed her eyes. She couldn't sleep. Her eyes popped open. The bite on her neck was getting worse and she was getting pale. She tried to sleep, but her body wouldn't let it. Somehow, she knows she might be turning into a vampire. Doris opened the door to Lien-da's room. She hid her head under the covers. "Ok Lien-da, time to wake up." She said "Mom, I don't feel well." Said Lien-da "Is it the anemia?"

"I think so, I feel so tiered."

Lien-da took her covers off her head. She looked at the sun and clouds. "Mom, I think I'm turning into a vampire." Doris fainted. She woke up in her own bed. Lien-da was looking at her. "Mom, you really need to get out more." Said Lien-da "You're not a vampire yet, are you?" asked Doris "No, I just sorta feel that way."

"Good. How did I get up here?"

"That man in black carried you up. He said his name was D."

"Where is he?"

"Outside, he's fooling around with his horse." Doris got out of bed and looked out the window. He was feeding his horse. Lien-da looked out with her. Akira came to the gate. She ran out the room and put her clothes on. She ran down the stairs and out the door. She ran so fast that when she got to the gate, she got dizzy. Akira touched her face. "It's nice to see you well." He said "I'm not exactly well, I just came out to see you."

"Aren't you the Good Samaritan?" "Don't go there with that phrase."

"Sorry. So, who's the guy?"

"His name is D. He's staying with a mom for a little while." Akira made a small growling noise. He pulled Lien-da by the arm and pulled her to the other side of the dirt road. "Are you ok?!" asked Lien-da "No I'm not ok! You have a vampil in you house!" "What are you talking about?! D's not a vampil. I admit he's a little odd, but he's not a vampil!" "*sigh* Lien-da, have I've ever lied to you?"

"Yes. That time you copied off that test, word for word in fourth grade."

"You still have that grudge?"

"Yes, you got me detention!"

"Look, you've got to get rid of him."

"Akira, he makes my mom happy."

"I understand, I'll see you in school tomorrow."

Akira ran off and Lien-da walked across the dirt road, back to the farm. She shut the gate and sighed. D walked over to her. "What was going on over there?" he asked "Akira's insecure about you being around here. He said that you were a vampil." "I am."

"What?!" "You boyfriend's a vampil too."

"This is getting weird. Why would he want to get rid of you?"

"Because he knows something you don't"

" Why would he lie to me?"

"That is something you might know already." Lien-da had gotten better and now she was sitting in class with her friends. Her teacher, Miss Mihoshi, was about to give an announcement. "You will be having a project that will require you to work with a partner." She said "This project is half of your final grades, so listen up and pay attention. Now, let me see.hmm.Lien-da, you will be working with, hmm..oh Kyosuke. Nala-ne, you will be working with.Akira. Jamie, you're with Julie- su. "Aww man, why do I always get stuck with her?" whined Jamie The bell rang and they left the classroom. Jamie looked at the ground and Julie-su jumped at him. "Isn't this great? We're partners." She said Jamie looked at Akira. "Kill me now." He said Lien-da walked up to Kyosuke. He was tall. He had red hair and brown eyes. He also wore glasses. His clothing was white pants and jacket, black v-neck sweater, and white sneakers. "I guess we'll be working together." Said Lien- da "I guess so. I've never really seen you in school before. What's you name again?" asked Kyosuke "Lien-da."

"Hmm.. you're the daughter of Doris Lang, right?" "Yeah, that's me." "So, when do you want to get together for the project?"

"Well, how about tomorrow, after school?" "That's fine. Make sure it's all right with your mom. I don't want to get in any trouble." "Maybe you should give me your phone number so I can call." Kyosuke wrote it on a notepad, gave it to her, and rode the bus home. Lien-da opened the door and saw D and Doris talking in a serious tone. "She is too young to know." Said Doris "Mom?" asked Lien-da "What am I too young to know?"

"It's none of your concern."

Lien-da just rolled her eyes and sighed. "Anyway, my class is doing a research project and me and this guy named Kyosuke asked me if it was ok if we would go to the library after school tomorrow."

"You can go. I have to go on a date anyway."

"Mom, you wait until your 42 to go dating again?"

"I had to take care of you."

"Great excuse. Just don't wear that white and red dress. I wan to wear that to the ethnic background dance."

"Ok, but only for the dance."

Lien-da grabbed the phone and called Kyosuke. "Hello?" he asked "Kyosuke? It's Lien-da Lang." "Oh hi! What did your mom say?"

"She said yes." "That's great! I'll see you after school then!"

"Ok, bye."

As she hung up the phone, the phone ran again and she answered it. "Hello? Lang residence."

"Lien-da, it's Jamie." He whispered "Hey Jamie! Why the low voice?"

"Keep it down! I don't want her to hear you!"

"Who?"

"Julie-su."

"What is she doing?"

"Coloring and redecorating my room."

"What does your mom say?"

"She loves the idea. She's only doing it for the project."

"Yikes. She's not doing the tulip, is she?"

"Maybe.I've locked myself in a closet so she won't find me.oh great, she's looking for me. I'll call you later." "Ok, see you in school." Lien-da hung up the phone and ran up the stairs. She jumped on her bed and looked at the town newspaper. She hand spent the whole night figuring out puzzles and reading love poems. Akira had found out the next day that Lien-da was going out with Kyosuke to the library and was angry with her the whole day. Not even during lunch when they sat together at the same table with Nala-ne, Julie- su, and Jamie did they not even make eye contact or say a word to each other. Their three friends were worried that they won't get married. At the last period class, Akira, by now, was steamed with Kyosuke. "What's with your boyfriend?" asked Kyosuke "He's just being a jerk. He's just jealous." answered Lien-da Akira threw a pencil at Kyosuke's head. Kyosuke just rubbed the back of his head and Lien-da gave him a mean look. "You are to give a seven page essay, like I've told you at the beginning of the week, you are to give a report on any past current event of any choice. Just as long as it doesn't have anything to do with vampires."

The class groaned again at this idea. "You have three weeks to do this report. I will not accept anything that is late or sloppy."

The school bell rang. "Class dismissed." Kyosuke and Lien-da ran outside. "So, you have to take the bus home?" she asked "Yeah, I would walk, but it would take me 45 minutes to get home." Kyosuke replied Nala-ne walked next to Akira, just to keep him from fighting. His hands were balled into fists and he was seething with anger. "That Kyosuke, he's stealing Lien-da away from me!" "He's not doing anything! Calm down!" said Nala-ne All of a sudden, Akira jumped at Kyosuke and started punching him in the face. "Akira! Stop it!" yelled Lien-da She tried pulling the two apart and Akira accidentally punched her in the face. She was so angry that somehow, a strange force suddenly forced Akira into a window. Akira got up and ran for Lien-da, Jamie and Nala-ne had to hold Akira back as he was sent to the principal's office. Lien-da helped Kyosuke to his feet. His nose was bleeding and she gave him a tissue. "Where did that come from?" he asked "I dunno. I've always had that power, it's only triggered by my emotions."

"I would keep that from happening again if I were you." Kyosuke and Lien-da did their research at the library. As they were sitting there, Kyosuke looked into her eyes. 'Yes, she is the one.' He thought to himself "Did anybody tell you that you have pretty eyes?" he asked Lien-da giggled. Kyosuke was much nicer than Akira was and he didn't make any corny jokes like he did. "Lien-da" asked Kyosuke "Yeah?" she replied "Are you going to the ethnic background dance with anyone?"

"I was going with Akira, but since he's suspended, nobody right now."

"Do you want to go with me?"

"I guess its alright.it's not up Akira who I go out with." Lien-da got home late that night with Doris reading a book. "Hi mom." She said "I heard there was a fight at school today." Said Doris "Akira was jealous that Kyosuke was my partner for a project and he wasn't." "He did call, he said he was sorry."

"Mom, this was the fifteenth boy he's beaten up. This time it's over, I've gotten too tolerant of him beating up all my guy friends. He once beat up Jamie because he wanted to go out with me. I'm going to call him and tell him it's over."

"You've kept count?"

"Don't I always?"

"This means you're not getting married to him, right?"

"Yes, he just can't keep beating up guys for going out with me. He has a temper problem and he needs to figure his problems out before he goes out with anybody else. I don't know where the love went, but it's gone."

"Oh dear, don't hurt him too much." Lien-da picked up the phone and called Akira. "Hello?" he asked "It's Lien-da." She replied "Listen Lien-da, I'm sorry, I've gotten to overactive."

"You know what?! Sorry doesn't cut it this time. You have a temper problem and you need to control it! I'm sorry, but this is it, it's over. I'm breaking up with you!"

"What?! But-but why?"

"I've told you, you're too overactive. We must not speak to each other anymore, the pain is too much. Goodbye, Akira."

"No wait! Lien-da! Don't hang up the phone, please! Lie." She hung up the phone and cried. She walked up the stairs, and went to bed, crying that night. "Poor girl." Said Doris "It was for the best." Said D "He's a vampil and he want's Lien-da for the wrong reasons." "Hmm..I guess you're right, but it's hard to see her cry like that. She really did love him."