Vampire's Aren't Real

Disclaimer: I don't own The Lost Boys.

Author's note: Sorry for the wait and thanks so much for the reviews, the favorites and the follows you guys rock! Once again for those who don't know by now The Lost Boys now have Funko Pops! No sadly not Paul, Dwayne, or Marko but David is so that's still great! Oh, and Michael and Sam as well but I know most of you who are excited are excited for David be honest!

*EDIT 12/20/18* Chapter beta'd by exaigon, thanks and sorry for taking so long to repost this I know it's been done for like a month or something at this point.

Chapter 3: First Date

Sarah hadn't stopped complaining about motorcycles or the boys on them, so Lydia really had no choice but to think of them after they rode away. Well, of Paul mostly, at least until Steven arrived close to nine to pick them up, much to the relief of Lydia's growing headache.

"So, you're really gonna wait around for another hour until your mom finishes her shift?" Sarah asked while standing outside of her boyfriend's car. Kimmie had already gotten into the back seat with a yawn and a quick 'bye'. As for Steven, he hadn't so much as left the driver's seat.

Lydia was pretty such he either didn't like her or was anti-social at this point. Or maybe he was just apathetic by nature?

Maybe that's why he and Sarah worked so well together. She talked, complained, and took charge of things and he just sort of went with it and didn't protest because he didn't care to or maybe it was too much trouble for him to bother… What a strange relationship. Not that she had any experience in such things but still, they didn't seem like the most normal couple there ever was.

The other girl raised a perfectly maintained eyebrow at her as if waiting for her response and it took a moment to remember what she asked. Lydia knew she needed to work on not zoning out and living within her own mind, but she wasn't used to having to talk to people aside from her mom.

"Yeah it's not too much longer. I'll probably just find somewhere to start on my homework."

The other girl frowned. Whether it was because of her answer or the time it took her to reply, she wasn't sure.

"You do know that people disappear from here like all the time, right?"

Lydia had seen the all the missing posters, so in a way she understood that must be the case. She just nodded, "Yeah I guess."

Her classmate shook her head. "Well then, if you aren't on the back of my milk carton when I have breakfast tomorrow I'll see you at school."

That must have been her way of saying goodbye because after that she got into the car and Lydia just watched as said car pulled away before mumbling to herself, "…Even if I did disappear tonight I wouldn't be on a milk carton that quickly."

Once the car was gone, the blonde looked around suddenly more paranoid than before because the parking lot didn't have a lot of light or people. With the thought of how easily people vanished in Santa Carla, the teen quickly left the area intent on finding somewhere with more people and a bench to do the homework that she had just mentioned to Sarah.

It didn't take Lydia long to find a bench and one not to far away from the bakery thankfully. So, she proceeded to take her book bag off and set it on the bench beside her so that she could rummage around for her homework.

Just as she was about to pull one of her assignments out, someone plopped down on the empty space beside her startling her.

"Hey girl with the dog named after a cartoon mouse!"

Dropping the papers back into her bag, she turned to see a familiar face. "Oh um, Marko?"

He grinned, "That's right. So, why are you just sitting around and not enjoying the boardwalk?"

"Well, seeing as I already walked it earlier, I thought I'd be productive now and start on my homework," she told him motioning to her school bag.

Marko made a face.

"Uck, homework keep it away!" He said dramatically and held up his hands as if to fend it off. Lydia just rolled her eyes.

He didn't look that much older than her so he must've done homework, at least until recently. Though, it wouldn't surprise her to find out that he was the type to not do homework if/when he was a student.

"Anyway, just do that later. I'm sure I can show you around much better than that group you were hanging out with earlier."

She raised an eyebrow. So he had seen her. She briefly wondered if Paul had as well before shoving the thought away to answer him, "You know some people care about their grades."

He looked scandalized at the thought. "You mean people with no life?"

"I mean people who want a future," she countered.

Funnily enough, despite making good grades, she had no plans for the future. Getting good grades had always seemed the way to go and it reassured her mother that she wouldn't end up as a fast food waitress for the rest of her life.

He snorted, "A future of what? Four more years of school? A desk job? Sounds awful… You're young now so might as well live it up while you can, yeah?"

"Is that what you do?" She asked genuinely curious.

He nodded and then another voice added, "Not just him."

It was Paul and he was behind her, but before she could turn to see him, he grabbed her bag.

"Hey!" She tried to snatch it back but he held it higher than she could reach causing her to stand up and face him. "That's not funny." She scowled at him fiercely with her hands on her hips.

"Marko's right. Come on, live a little."

"…If I say no will you give me my bag back?" She questioned, eyeing the bag and considering standing on the bench to give her an advantage height wise.

"Nope, I think I'll hold onto it until you have some fun. So what do you say?" He smiled and looked way too attractive doing so.

"Well seeing as you've taken my bookbag hostage I've got no choice, but I only have about forty-five minutes until my mom gets off work, so I need to be back at the bakery before then."

Marko pouted and mumbled something that sounded like 'homework' and 'bedtimes' but Paul just hummed, "Not nearly enough time to go anywhere," and looked thoughtful, all the while keeping her bag out of reach like he knew she was thinking about snatching it away when the chance presented itself.

"Well, that's all the time I've got so take it or leave it but give me back my bag in the meantime."

He smirked. "Alright I'll give it back, but on one condition."

She eyed him dubiously. "What's the condition?"

"A date."

She blinked unsure if she'd heard that correctly. She needed clarification. "A… date?" Her mind was fried and blown all at once which didn't make sense but neither did his words.

"Yeah." He leaned closer. "So how about it?"

Why was he asking her out? It didn't make any sense. Sure, she wasn't ugly but she wasn't all that pretty either, so why would someone like him be asking her on a date of all things? Was it a joke? A prank? She'd been asked out as a prank before but luckily, she saw right through it and said no.

What reason would he have to pull a joke like this on her though?

Finally, she just asked, "Why?"

He looked baffled as if no one has ever questioned him when he asked them out before. Which, now that she thought about it, was probably the case.

"Why am I asking you out?" He asked.

Marko snickered, "…Yeah, why are you?"

Paul's confusion slipped off of his face and his handsome grin was back. "Well when a guy wants to get to know a girl better he asks her on a date," came his cheeky explanation and then he added, "Plus you won't get to do your homework until you say yes."

"Is blackmail usually how you get your dates?" She doubted it but for some reason the idea of just agreeing to go out with him didn't sit well with her. It made her stomach feel funny. Was that what people called butterflies? If she said yes then she'd be admitting she liked him, or at least was interested, and, well, the very idea made her almost feel flustered and she didn't do flustered. No way.

Marko full out laughed at that and Paul smacked him with his free arm. "Nope. Only the stubborn ones who won't admit that they want to go out."

"…Get a lot of those do you?" She asked fighting a blush because dammit she would not give in to her embarrassment.

"Nope. And that's one of the reasons why you're so interesting!"

She cocked her head to the side, "One of them? What's the other?"

He smirked, "Fishing for compliments?"

This time the blush couldn't be held back. "No… just trying to figure out why you're asking me."

"Why wouldn't I?"

She had no response to that. Well okay, she did but it wasn't one that she'd say aloud. Though, around Paul it was almost easier to voice her actual thoughts than anybody else she'd ever met. Could that mean something?

"…Fine, I'll go." He cheered which made her laugh.

"Great, so tomorrow night?"

The funny feeling in her stomach changed then to something less fluttery, "Night?"

"Yeah, something wrong with that?" He asked curiously.

"No… but school lets out around three, so I could meet you at four or five instead."

Paul shook his head commenting, "The fun doesn't really start here until after the sun sets."

Right well, that made sense. But the unease lingered even as she answered, "Alright, so what time did you want to meet?"

"Nine sound good?"

She looked over at the bakery her mom worked at. "That would only give me about an hour until I'd have to leave."

Paul smacked Marko again when he snickered about 'bedtimes'. The curly blonde moved further out of his reach while sticking his tongue out at the other blonde.

"I could take you home, ever ridden a bike before?"

She shook her head sighing, "I haven't, but it's a school night so my mom wouldn't go for it."

"Mama's girl huh?" Marko asked while once again backing out of Paul's reach just in case he decided to hit him in response.

She stuck her tongue out at him before saying, "What if I am?"

Paul laughed, "Okay fine then. How about we meet up this weekend instead? No school the next day so your mom can't be too upset if you wanna stay out late."

It did sound better but at the same time Lydia had always rationed the amount of time spent outside at night to as few hours as possible. But maybe this could be good for her… the unease she felt had nothing to do with Paul. It was all her own fear of the night and things in it.

Really, she needed to move passed it and this seemed like as good a way as any to help herself move on. "Alright so same time?"

He nodded, "Nine this Saturday right here." He tossed her the backpack, which she'd just about forgotten about, and she caught it with a slight glare. He just grinned cheekily again and bounced off with a wave, "See you then!"

Marko followed him and also waved his goodbye. Then they were both gone but it didn't take long to hear the sounds of engines revving up. It could have been anyone, but her mind drifted to them as she squashed her backpack to her chest thinking about what just happened.

Lydia had a date.

Her eyes widened as it really and truly sunk in. She had a date.

Her very first date!

By the time her mother had walked out of the bakery, she was well on her way to having a full-blown panic attack because she had no idea how to date.

"Honey, what's wrong?" She hugged her daughter full of worry.

"I-I…"

Her mother moved back to look at her frightened face. "What is it?"

Her wrinkles were becoming increasingly prominent as her worry grabbed hold but Lydia was too freaked out to notice this as she blurted out her troubles, "I have a date!"

Suddenly all of the older woman's worries melted away and she laughed, "Oh darling, that's wonderful!"

The teenager gasped and shook her head, "No it's not!"

Her mom looked confused, "You mean you don't want to go on this date?"

She shook her head vigorously, "No, I mean, yes, I do, but I have no idea how a date works! Are there any books I can read?"

Once again the elder one laughed but Lydia still didn't see the humor in this.

"Lydia it's okay. Calm down. It's natural to feel nervous about your first date. Let's get home and you can tell me all about the lucky guy and I'll help you find something to wear. Oh, when is this date."

Lydia paled. "Something to wear? I didn't even think about that. What do you wear on a date? Oh man, I'm totally going to mess this all up," she wailed dramatically and the calmer of the two patted her back.

"There there it'll be okay. I'm sure you'll find something nice."

Nice and her wardrobe didn't go hand in hand. In fact, did she even own a dress that fit her? Wait, it was winter which wasn't dress weather and he mentioned his bike, so a dress wouldn't work anyway. So pants then… That was one less thing to worry about but still, a million more to go.

She never should've agreed even if he'd kept her schoolbag because this dating stuff was stressful. How was she going to deal with it for the next five days without losing her mind?

That night she told her mom the bare minimum about him along with a few white lies because she didn't know how old he was but he couldn't be that much older than her. So that wasn't a lie and she further endeared him to her by mentioning that Ms. Minnie had run from her on the beach only to be found by him and his friend which was how they met. Not one hundred percent accurate but it made for a nice story.

Then their encounter outside of the bakery, which did not involve him stealing her bookbag but him and his friend chatting with her before asking her out. All in all, it was an alright tell. Well, when she wasn't pausing to freak out about her upcoming date.

Afterward, focusing on her homework was a nightmare but by the time she was finally finished she was exhausted and didn't have any real nightmares that night. On the plus side, all this date drama seemed to have made her too tired to dream about vampires or the past.

Maybe the dating thing wasn't all bad.

In class, she had to push away thoughts of her upcoming date to focus but it was never far from her mind. During one of her break periods she found the library and checked out a few books about dating because there were actually books on the subject, who knew?

At lunch, she was slowly getting used to her maybe-friends and the fact that Sarah and Steven liked to make everyone at the table lose their appetite by randomly making out with one another at the table. One thing was for sure, she wasn't taking any of her dating tips from those two.

Her school week was over before she knew it and her schoolmates/friends were inviting her to a sleepover. As much as she wanted to turn down Sarah she had no real reason to. The sleepover was going to be Friday night so her mother enthusiastically helped her pack her overnight bag and sent her on her way, all the while thinking that moving here was a good thing for her daughter and wishing she'd done it sooner.

Lydia hoped her mom didn't think she was suddenly becoming a social butterfly because she didn't want to disappoint her. But if the thought kept her happy she wouldn't tell her otherwise.

That Friday at five o'clock she arrived at Sarah's house only to find that it reminded her of the houses in her old neighborhood. Frankly, it screamed 'I've got money look at me' but Lydia didn't want to judge her based on that fact… even if a part of her said that if Sarah knew about the rumors Kim had spread about her back at her old school she'd never set foot inside this house again.

Lydia was determined to have, if not a good night then at least an alright one, so she shook away her negative thoughts.

"Lydia, you're here!" Sarah exclaimed as she ran over to the girl still standing unsurely inside the front door where she had been since the woman who had answered opened it and shouted, 'Sarah' before walking away leaving her alone waiting.

Sarah hugged her tight and quick before releasing her, "You're the first one to show up but that's no surprise. The other girls would be late to their own funerals," she laughed and then proceeded to drag the unresisting girl up the stairs to her bedroom.

Her very pink bedroom. Not that pink was a bad color in moderation, but, wow, does the phrase 'less is more' not mean anything to this girl? Turning around and dropping her hand the girl exclaimed, "Well, what do you think? Awesome right?"

Honestly no.

"Yeah it's great." She smiled and sounded like she meant it. It looked like all that time with her therapist might not have been for nothing after all. Maybe she should consider taking up some acting classes in the future.

"I know right? The bed is imported from France of all places." Sarah ran her hands down the white bars of her canopy bed. At least it wasn't pink like the sheets and the walls and the carpet… Who had pink carpet anyhow?

"That's cool."

The girl rolled her eyes. "It's fabulous is what it is. But, oh, now that you're here we can totally get started on fixing you."

Her eye twitched but she politely asked, "Fixing me?"

Sarah nodded. "Right, I'm gonna do something about the rags your wearing," She points to the band tee-shirt and jeans, "Lizzy will take care of the mop on your head." Like hell she will Lydia almost shouted. Now she might've wanted some volume but that girl's hair was like some rock band gone horribly wrong so no she wasn't getting her hands on her hair it was not happening.

"Kimmie will do what she can with your face. She's great at makeup. Gonna go professional after school, in fact."

Lydia knew the other was insulting her, but she questioned if the other girl was aware of the fact or if that was just the way that she was.

Fortunately, Lydia had tough skin so the words hardly phased her, but they did cement the idea that these people, or Sarah at the very least, was just another Kim in waiting so she'd put up with tonight not to disappoint her mom After that, Lydia would distance herself from them and find reasons to not have any more slumber parties.

"So, what about this one?" She held up a bright yellow dress that burned Lydia's eyes as if it was the sun itself and the teen nearly grimaced.

"Do you have something a little less… bright." The girl huffed like it was an unreasonable demand before walking back into her closet. She came back with a pink one that was shorter but at least it wasn't bright…

Hours later she was dodging Lizzie's attempts at styling her hair and trying not to throw back equally hurtful barbs at Kimmie for her remarks about her face

It had been a long night but when it started to wind down it was the best part of the whole circus show because she got to sit back and watch the girls fawn over the John Travolta in Grease and sing off key which was funny. She barely resisted laughing out loud.

It was seven the next night and Lydia had all the clothes she owned splattered across her room and she still had no idea what to wear. She'd changed her mind many times over the week but one thing was for sure; whatever she wore would be loads better than the clothes she'd been in at this time yesterday.

Looking into the mirror, she noticed her hair was the same as ever because she'd, thankfully, kept Lizzie at bay and then somehow managed to do the same to her mom earlier. But time was running out and did her clothes really matter?

Sure, Paul's own clothes were nice but now that she thought about it she was pretty sure he was wearing the same clothes both times she saw him. Or at least very similar ones.

A knock on her door startled her from her thoughts.

"Lydia, can I come in?"

Lydia looked at the clothes tornado that was her room and nearly said 'no' but didn't so as not to hurt her mom's fragile feelings, "…Sure, mom."

Her mother entered and looked around. "Sweetie, I thought you decided on an outfit days ago?"

Lydia shrugged, "I did but… I changed my mind?"

It was more of a question than an answer.

The older woman carefully stepped around the clothes with great difficulty until she was standing behind her daughter who was staring at her full-length body mirror. "Well, what's wrong with what you're wearing now?"

Lydia blinked at her mother's reflection in the mirror. "What? These are just normal clothes. I wear stuff like this all the time."

Her mom smiled, "Exactly."

She didn't get it.

"I'm telling you to be yourself. He asked you out so he wants to date you, not someone who's dolled up and uncomfortable… As much as I'd like to doll you all up that's not you so let him know that. Besides, you'll have a better time if you go like this."

She stared at herself and her mom behind her and thought that she wasn't wrong but the dating books said-

"Oh and you don't need these either." Her mom held up said books.

"Wha-"

"I borrowed these while you were at your friend's house last night and the advice in here is absurd. You are more likely to have a bad date trying to recall the steps in these books and an even worse time if you do remember them and use them. Besides you don't need advice. You're just fine the way you are."

Lydia smiled tearfully before turning around to hug the shorter woman. "Thanks, mom."

"It's what I'm here for… but I'm also here to help you with your hair if you want it."

Lydia laughed, "Sure, go wild, but no Shirley Temple curls okay?"

The older woman giggled, "Deal."

It was a quarter 'til nine when her mom finished her hair and, overall, she didn't hate it. It didn't make her not look like herself. Instead of completely straight, it now had some wave to it and some of it was in a twistback. If this is what her mom thought of as wild then she wondered what tame would be.

"Thanks Mom. I love it."

The plump woman smiled, "I'm glad. Now, let's go. I'll drive you. It's too late to walk."

She agreed.

During the ride Mom asked, "So what time do you need me to pick you up?"

Lydia shrugged, "I don't know. How long do dates normally last?"

Her mom didn't have an answer. Not really. "It depends on what you'll be doing I suppose. So, what are you doing?"

She didn't know.

"Um going on some rides."

Her mom didn't question her uncertain answer but instead said, "Call me when it's over and I'll come to pick you up."

Lydia easily agreed, and the car lapsed into silence for the remainder of the ride.

Once they arrived outside of the bakery with some time to spare, her mom asked if she wanted her to wait with her. Lydia assured her she'd be fine and that she'd call her when she was ready to come home again and yes, she knew where the payphones were located and yes, she had the change to use them.

Reluctantly, her mom left and, almost as soon as she did, Lydia spotted Paul who, like she thought before, was sporting the same or a very similar outfit. She very much doubted that he'd even given a single thought to what he'd wear to their date tonight. But, then again, there was no way it was a first date for him.

"Hey, I'm not late, am I?" He asked as he spotted her.

"Well I don't have a watch, so I couldn't say," Lydia replied before asking, "So what exactly are we doing tonight?"

He grinned at the question and said, "It's a surprise." Then he proceeded to throw his arm around her shoulder and pull her close as they walk.

She'd tensed up slightly at first but relaxed when he started talking as they walked, "So what's your favorite movie?"

Lydia rolled her eyes. "Are we playing the twenty questions game?"

He looks down at her. "I've never heard of that movie."

She huffed, "Yeah me neither so I guess that's a yes. I'm not sure I have a favorite movie but if I had to pick one it'd probably be a comedy."

"Why comedy?"

She almost shrugged but since his arm is around her shoulders she just peered up at him and said, "Well I guess I like to laugh."

He smiled toothily. "Yeah laughter's good. So, favorite music?"

"Oh no you don't. I'm not answering that until you answer about your favorite movie." She wasn't about to let him be the only one learning things tonight.

"Hm, comedies are good but I'd have to choose a horror movie."

"Why horror?" She asked, and he looked at her with a smirk.

"Because I like to laugh." She didn't get it and he seemed to know that as he laughed and explained, "You know that stuff is fake and cheesy even. It's funny to point out all the unrealistic shit like the way the blood splatters totally fake-"

Lydia forced herself to relax after tensing at the mention of blood

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing… I just don't like blood," she paused before trying to laugh it off. "Guess I'm just squeamish."

"Hmm, well if you ever watch a horror movie with me I'll make sure to tell you when it's obviously fruit punch, tomato sauce, or...maybe it's corn syrup? Whatever." He shrugged, his arm shiting on her shoulders. "It's not hard to spot the difference really."

She smiled slightly before responding to his earlier inquiry with, "Pop music is my favorite," and a completely straight face. He looked aghast before she laughed, "I'm kidding obviously."

He grabbed his chest over his heart, "Don't joke about things like that! I totally thought I'd have to break up with you over your unrefined taste in music."

"Break up with me huh? That's a bold statement. After all this is just a date."

He winked at her. "It's never just a date with me."

She forced herself not to blush but she was sure her heart rate just rose. Before she could come up with an appropriate counter to that he said, "We're here."

She looked forward and saw the rides and carnival games.

"I bet I can beat you at any game here take your pick," he told her confidently.

She didn't tell him that she was sure he could given the fact that he'd lived here longer than her and was likely to have had practice whereas she hadn't. That still didn't mean she wouldn't do her best to try and beat him.

"Alright. Hm, how about that one?" She randomly pointed.

"Good choice. Come on."

Time flew by pretty fast with the two of them playing games -he was right, he wiped the floor with her at every game- and sometimes she pretended to be mad and challenge him to it one more time but really, she was just happy to spend time with him even if he kept winning.

"What in the world are you going to do with all those stuffed animals?"

He shrugged with his arms full of toys. "Guess I'll give them to Marko. He's always liked animals."

Lydia shook her head with a sigh.

"What about you. Do you have a stuffed animal collection?" He asked

"Not really. I did collect keychains once. I think I even have an unpacked box of them back home."

"Why'd you stop?"

"I'm not sure, I just did."

"Hmm well it's not a keychain but it's got a string," he chuckled pulling out one of the smaller stuffed animals, a white bear to be precise, and giving it to her.

"Thanks it's just what I needed to decorate my new room."

"No room would be complete without it," he agrees before adding, "You said before you've never ridden a bike?"

She nodded, "Yeah."

"Want to?"

"…Where would you put all of your new stuffed friends? I really doubt your bike has a basket?"

He looked at the pile of stuffed animals in his hands and then winked at her before bouncing off and handing them to random kids much to the amusement and displeasure of the various parents. Lydia stood there watching him for a bit before moving forward to take some of them from his arms to hand out herself.

It was a nice experience and it was over way too soon. Still, when she looked at him now, stuffed animal-less, she joked, "Poor Marko. You didn't save any for him."

"Ah well. He didn't deserve them anyhow." She giggled. "So, how about that ride?"

"Sure," Lydia agreed and followed him away from the lights and laughter to a quieter area where his bike was waiting. There were other bikes there too that she figured must belong to Marko and his other friends but they weren't around.

He got on and motioned for her to mount behind him. She did. Next, he made sure her feet were in the right area and told her to hold on tight, which she most certainly did. He revved the bike then next thing she knew they were off and the wind was blowing through her hair.

It occurred to her that her mom's hard work would probably go out the window but the wind in her face felt too nice to care

"Having fun?" He yelled and she called back with a, "Yeah!"

Paul laughed, "Want to go faster?"

He could go faster?

"Yes!" She screams into the night air and so he did.

They rode around for a while. First the streets around the boardwalk, then the cliff sides, and finally the beach where he eventually stopped and they get off. He helped her because her legs felt somewhat unsteady. Going from speeds she didn't know existed to a standstill was a bit jarring, but fun nonetheless.

"So, you having fun?" He asked as they sat down at the shore.

"Yeah, tonight's been great."

She looked up at the sky and watched the stars twinkle. There wasn't a single time tonight where she'd been afraid of being outside during the night, well, aside from the brief uncomfortable talk about blood but that had nothing to do with the night.

Paul was fun to be with and he took her mind off of things that scared her.

Lydia really wanted to spend more time with him. The teenager just had a feeling that he could help her move past some of her fears. She didn't know why she felt that way, but she knew she wasn't wrong.

Author's Note: The reason I put in more scenes with her classmates in this chapter was to show that she's different around them then say Paul, it's to help show the different parts of her personality. Also, if you don't know what kind of hairstyle Lydia's mom gave her just use google images and type in twistback for pictures, I'm sure you've seen it before but probably didn't know what it was called. So review, maybe?