Whaddya know? I'm still alive. I didn't forget about you, really. I just .
. . got busy and then distracted, and then decided I needed to take care of
myself for a while. So yeah, that turned into a six month hiatus, and I
haven't even bothered looking at my other story. So, I'll try to update
something in the next couple of months, but no promises as it all depends
on how I'm feeling.
I'm too lazy to give shout outs to everyone so thank you if you reviewed my story since the last time I updated, whether you liked it or not. Thanks, I appreciate it. ::wanders off again::
Chapter 12
Courtney would not leave Emma alone over the next couple of days. During Jennifer Martel's baptism, during all the camp events, everywhere. Emma couldn't get a minute to herself. Emma found she could feel Max's frustrated presence at the edges of her mind, but neither of them could get close enough to do anything. And Emma's health started going downhill.
Getting bit by a vampire wouldn't really affect an ordinary, healthy human. It was like donating blood; after a day or so, they'd be good as new. But Emma wasn't healthy to begin with; that would affect her more. Plus, she already had vampire blood fighting off her regular blood. It wasn't good. Emma knew she needed some of Max's blood or she wasn't going to make it much longer.
Courtney, hovering so close, of course noticed the change in her health and became even more overprotective. It was starting to drive Emma nuts. If she could only get Courtney to leave her alone for just one minute . . .
Courtney wasn't the only one who noticed, Mr. Holloway did too. He stopped her as she was trying to escape Courtney on Monday afternoon.
"Emma, are you okay?" he asked concernedly, "You don't need to stay for the whole three weeks if you're not feeling so well. We can easily send you home."
This would not be productive to her either. "No, it's okay, Mr. Holloway. I'm fine."
"Maybe we should have the nurse look at you. You're so pale."
"No really. It's just . . . my time of the month, and I always get like this."
Well, Mr. Holloway couldn't argue with THAT. After all, she hadn't been on chemotherapy, and therefore, had no reason for her periods to end. So, he let her go, though she was certain he didn't quite believe her excuse.
Courtney was also getting more and more worried about Emma's health. He was getting paler, the yellow tinge was creeping back into her skin, and she was always tired, weak and shaky. But the weirdest thing in Courtney's opinion was the change in Emma's eating habits. Emma had always had a pretty good appetite. Now, she was eating next to nothing.
"Emma, eat something," Courtney argued as they went and got their dinner.
"Nothing appeals to me," Emma said dourly, overlooking that night's fare. Finally, she settled on something, the ketchup next to the hamburgers. With her spoon, she plopped some on her plate and sat down with Courtney.
"Please don't tell me you're going to eat only that," said Courtney, "Ketchup? For dinner?"
Emma dabbed some on her finger and licked it off. Ugh, she thought. "No, I guess not," she sighed, "It's not what I want."
Emma knew that ketchup was a poor substitute for what she really wanted, blood. She smiled wanly at the thought, wondering what Courtney would say if Emma actually told the other girl that what she was craving was Max's blood.
"Then what do you want?" Courtney asked exasperatedly.
Emma looked her straight in the eye. "You know what I need, and you're not letting me have it." Well, it was close enough to the truth without making Courtney think that she had completely lost it.
"If it's that boy you're referring to, you know I'm doing this for your own good," Courtney told her.
Emma sighed. "Whatever, I think I'm going to take a nap."
"I'm coming with," Courtney said firmly, putting her dishes away and following Emma to their room.
See? Not a moment alone, Emma thought. That time could have been spent to find Max. But Courtney knew her motives too well. With a sigh, Emma curled up under her blankets and went to sleep.
Courtney watched her roommate sleeping, the dark circles under her eyes. That was it. She had to tell Mr. Holloway that Emma needed to go home. She was just getting worse and worse. Courtney knew Emma wanted to stay around, but she wasn't going to last much longer, and she deserved to be with her family.
So once she was sure Emma was asleep, Courtney left, closed the door, and went out in search of Mr. Holloway.
"I think he's at the stables," Susanna told her when Courtney asked.
Adora, who had been playing chess with Susanna, nodded in agreement. "I saw him leave," she said, moving her rook and taking out Susanna's queen, "Check."
"Why you!" Susanna spluttered then reverted her attention to saving her game. Courtney smiled, and then went outside to find Mr. Holloway.
The night was warm, but there was a nice breeze, as Courtney walked along the way to the shadows. She loved how everything at Jenny House seemed so safe and secure. That was probably why Emma didn't want to go home. Courtney knew she had an uncomfortable family situation, with stepsiblings and a stepfather she didn't really care for, so who would blame her for wanting to leave paradise?
It was just then that Courtney was dragged into the woods.
She screamed and had a hand placed over her mouth, muffling the sound.
"Now, now, we don't want to stir up the natives, do we?" said a decidedly masculine voice. Courtney knew that voice; it was Emma's boyfriend.
She lashed back and kicked his shin, but the iron grip didn't waver. God, how much did he work out? Courtney thought as she struggled.
After about five minutes a semi-amused voice broke in. "Are you quite done yet? I do want to talk to you."
Courtney was so surprised that she stopped struggling immediately. As Emma's boyfriend let go, she turned around and took a few steps back, panting.
"Have a seat," he offered, pointing to a stump which Courtney warily sat down on. After she caught her breath she looked back up at him.
"I thought I told you to go away. Now I'm really going to have to tell Mr. Holloway."
"Like you were just going to tell him that Emma needed to go home?"
Courtney's mouth dropped open. "How did you know that's where I was headed?"
"Uber-cool telepathic powers," was his answer.
"Pbbt. You're already in enough trouble with me mister, don't get in any more."
"Courtney," he sighed, "I need to see Emma."
"Emma's dying and she's too fragile right now for your.encounters."
He laughed. "Emma and I have a PG-13 relationship for now, don't worry. What we were doing was much more important."
"How could it . . .?"
He cut her off. "I'm a vampire and I'm turning her into a vampire as well."
Courtney stared fore a moment, then broke out laughing. "You have got to be joking me!"
"Listen, I went through a lot of mental anguish trying to figure out whether it was worth it to tell you or not. But Emma will die if I don't."
"I can't believe you expect me to believe this," Courtney giggled.
Max sighed yet again and showed her his fangs. With that, Courtney sobered up.
"But why would Emma want to become a vampire?"
"Because that's the only way she can keep from dying," Max said, "Listen, don't argue with me about the rights or wrongs of it. This is the decision she's made and it's only going to get worse if you don't let me give her some more of my blood."
"Blood . . ." Courtney tasted the word on her tongue, "The ketchup. Oh God, it all makes sense now."
Courtney started shaking on the stump where she was sitting. "Oh my God, you're a vampire, Emma's becoming a vampire, there are vampires. I don't believe it; I can't. Vampires are fairy tales and . . . no."
"Courtney, I'm just as real as you are," he said, "I have a name, Maxwell Jude Pine, I have parents, the only difference is that I drink blood. Just like other vampires. We're the average human with a blood fixation. Well, and other minor details, but you know too much already."
"What do I do?" she looked at Max fearfully.
"You need to let me see Emma. She's made her choice, let her finish it."
"O . . . okay," Courtney said shakily, standing up, "follow me."
So instead of going to Mr. Holloway in the stables, Courtney did what she thought she'd never do; she led Emma's boyfriend back up to their room.
"Emma," she said, gently shaking her roommate awake, "Someone's here to see you."
Emma's eyes lit up at the sight of Max and she weakly reached towards him.
"If you would leave us, please," Max told Courtney, and zombie-like, she obeyed, closing the door behind her. She collapsed on the nearest chair, hoping beyond all hope that she was doing the right thing.
I'm too lazy to give shout outs to everyone so thank you if you reviewed my story since the last time I updated, whether you liked it or not. Thanks, I appreciate it. ::wanders off again::
Chapter 12
Courtney would not leave Emma alone over the next couple of days. During Jennifer Martel's baptism, during all the camp events, everywhere. Emma couldn't get a minute to herself. Emma found she could feel Max's frustrated presence at the edges of her mind, but neither of them could get close enough to do anything. And Emma's health started going downhill.
Getting bit by a vampire wouldn't really affect an ordinary, healthy human. It was like donating blood; after a day or so, they'd be good as new. But Emma wasn't healthy to begin with; that would affect her more. Plus, she already had vampire blood fighting off her regular blood. It wasn't good. Emma knew she needed some of Max's blood or she wasn't going to make it much longer.
Courtney, hovering so close, of course noticed the change in her health and became even more overprotective. It was starting to drive Emma nuts. If she could only get Courtney to leave her alone for just one minute . . .
Courtney wasn't the only one who noticed, Mr. Holloway did too. He stopped her as she was trying to escape Courtney on Monday afternoon.
"Emma, are you okay?" he asked concernedly, "You don't need to stay for the whole three weeks if you're not feeling so well. We can easily send you home."
This would not be productive to her either. "No, it's okay, Mr. Holloway. I'm fine."
"Maybe we should have the nurse look at you. You're so pale."
"No really. It's just . . . my time of the month, and I always get like this."
Well, Mr. Holloway couldn't argue with THAT. After all, she hadn't been on chemotherapy, and therefore, had no reason for her periods to end. So, he let her go, though she was certain he didn't quite believe her excuse.
Courtney was also getting more and more worried about Emma's health. He was getting paler, the yellow tinge was creeping back into her skin, and she was always tired, weak and shaky. But the weirdest thing in Courtney's opinion was the change in Emma's eating habits. Emma had always had a pretty good appetite. Now, she was eating next to nothing.
"Emma, eat something," Courtney argued as they went and got their dinner.
"Nothing appeals to me," Emma said dourly, overlooking that night's fare. Finally, she settled on something, the ketchup next to the hamburgers. With her spoon, she plopped some on her plate and sat down with Courtney.
"Please don't tell me you're going to eat only that," said Courtney, "Ketchup? For dinner?"
Emma dabbed some on her finger and licked it off. Ugh, she thought. "No, I guess not," she sighed, "It's not what I want."
Emma knew that ketchup was a poor substitute for what she really wanted, blood. She smiled wanly at the thought, wondering what Courtney would say if Emma actually told the other girl that what she was craving was Max's blood.
"Then what do you want?" Courtney asked exasperatedly.
Emma looked her straight in the eye. "You know what I need, and you're not letting me have it." Well, it was close enough to the truth without making Courtney think that she had completely lost it.
"If it's that boy you're referring to, you know I'm doing this for your own good," Courtney told her.
Emma sighed. "Whatever, I think I'm going to take a nap."
"I'm coming with," Courtney said firmly, putting her dishes away and following Emma to their room.
See? Not a moment alone, Emma thought. That time could have been spent to find Max. But Courtney knew her motives too well. With a sigh, Emma curled up under her blankets and went to sleep.
Courtney watched her roommate sleeping, the dark circles under her eyes. That was it. She had to tell Mr. Holloway that Emma needed to go home. She was just getting worse and worse. Courtney knew Emma wanted to stay around, but she wasn't going to last much longer, and she deserved to be with her family.
So once she was sure Emma was asleep, Courtney left, closed the door, and went out in search of Mr. Holloway.
"I think he's at the stables," Susanna told her when Courtney asked.
Adora, who had been playing chess with Susanna, nodded in agreement. "I saw him leave," she said, moving her rook and taking out Susanna's queen, "Check."
"Why you!" Susanna spluttered then reverted her attention to saving her game. Courtney smiled, and then went outside to find Mr. Holloway.
The night was warm, but there was a nice breeze, as Courtney walked along the way to the shadows. She loved how everything at Jenny House seemed so safe and secure. That was probably why Emma didn't want to go home. Courtney knew she had an uncomfortable family situation, with stepsiblings and a stepfather she didn't really care for, so who would blame her for wanting to leave paradise?
It was just then that Courtney was dragged into the woods.
She screamed and had a hand placed over her mouth, muffling the sound.
"Now, now, we don't want to stir up the natives, do we?" said a decidedly masculine voice. Courtney knew that voice; it was Emma's boyfriend.
She lashed back and kicked his shin, but the iron grip didn't waver. God, how much did he work out? Courtney thought as she struggled.
After about five minutes a semi-amused voice broke in. "Are you quite done yet? I do want to talk to you."
Courtney was so surprised that she stopped struggling immediately. As Emma's boyfriend let go, she turned around and took a few steps back, panting.
"Have a seat," he offered, pointing to a stump which Courtney warily sat down on. After she caught her breath she looked back up at him.
"I thought I told you to go away. Now I'm really going to have to tell Mr. Holloway."
"Like you were just going to tell him that Emma needed to go home?"
Courtney's mouth dropped open. "How did you know that's where I was headed?"
"Uber-cool telepathic powers," was his answer.
"Pbbt. You're already in enough trouble with me mister, don't get in any more."
"Courtney," he sighed, "I need to see Emma."
"Emma's dying and she's too fragile right now for your.encounters."
He laughed. "Emma and I have a PG-13 relationship for now, don't worry. What we were doing was much more important."
"How could it . . .?"
He cut her off. "I'm a vampire and I'm turning her into a vampire as well."
Courtney stared fore a moment, then broke out laughing. "You have got to be joking me!"
"Listen, I went through a lot of mental anguish trying to figure out whether it was worth it to tell you or not. But Emma will die if I don't."
"I can't believe you expect me to believe this," Courtney giggled.
Max sighed yet again and showed her his fangs. With that, Courtney sobered up.
"But why would Emma want to become a vampire?"
"Because that's the only way she can keep from dying," Max said, "Listen, don't argue with me about the rights or wrongs of it. This is the decision she's made and it's only going to get worse if you don't let me give her some more of my blood."
"Blood . . ." Courtney tasted the word on her tongue, "The ketchup. Oh God, it all makes sense now."
Courtney started shaking on the stump where she was sitting. "Oh my God, you're a vampire, Emma's becoming a vampire, there are vampires. I don't believe it; I can't. Vampires are fairy tales and . . . no."
"Courtney, I'm just as real as you are," he said, "I have a name, Maxwell Jude Pine, I have parents, the only difference is that I drink blood. Just like other vampires. We're the average human with a blood fixation. Well, and other minor details, but you know too much already."
"What do I do?" she looked at Max fearfully.
"You need to let me see Emma. She's made her choice, let her finish it."
"O . . . okay," Courtney said shakily, standing up, "follow me."
So instead of going to Mr. Holloway in the stables, Courtney did what she thought she'd never do; she led Emma's boyfriend back up to their room.
"Emma," she said, gently shaking her roommate awake, "Someone's here to see you."
Emma's eyes lit up at the sight of Max and she weakly reached towards him.
"If you would leave us, please," Max told Courtney, and zombie-like, she obeyed, closing the door behind her. She collapsed on the nearest chair, hoping beyond all hope that she was doing the right thing.