Chapter 13
It had been a year since I'd become a vampire. I could feel my newborn strength fading like there was a leak in me or something.
Two months ago, Tarleen and I had broken up. She had started kissing her old boyfriend behind my back and suffice it to say that Grade 12 girls are very hot and I am very weak to peer pressure, even from just one person.
Tarleen and I agreed that what happened was for the best. She went back to the guy she had been kissing behind my back and I had no one to go back to and just stayed alone.
I spent a lot of time by myself in the meadow I had taken Tarleen to. The only people who knew about it were me, Edward and Tarleen. Plus whoever she had told.
In class on Friday, it was boring as hell. I decided to do what I'd be doing were I back in the real world. I'd be staring at the good-looking girls in my class. I looked at Lauren. She'd been in my class in the real world and I had often described her in my head as being, 'hotter than hell.'
She looked back at me. My eyes opened wide with surprise that she had smiled at me.
Meet me by the edge of the forest at the Cullens' after school, she thought—obviously directed at me.
She was still smiling at me. I gave a subtle nod and I thought her smile got a little broader.
I went to the edge of the forest after we had returned to the Cullens' place. No one was there, so I waited to see if she'd show up. I saw a person moving toward the forest edge out of my peripheral vision. It was Lauren.
I'm glad you came, she thought at me. Follow me, please.
She began to move into the forest. I did as she asked and followed her. This is the way I take to the meadow, I thought curiously.
The two of us reached the meadow. So this is where she was leading me, I thought in confusion.
Come closer, she thought at me. Her smiling face was gorgeous. I did as she asked. I moved a few feet closer to her. She turned her head to the side. Closer than that, please. I came a little closer. Fine then, I'll move closer to you!
She did that all right. She stepped right up to me. We were so close we were practically pressed together. Now kiss me, she thought, leaning her face down to mine. I did as she asked and stepped up to press my lips against hers.
She sighed both out loud and in her mind. Put your arms around me, she asked in her mind. Please?
I put my arms around her and she did the same. We came apart.
Lauren was breathless, but that was understandable seeing as neither of us had taken a breath the whole time we were kissing. "I can see why Tarleen kissed you so often," she said. A smile lit up her face.
I had stopped the actual process of linear thought, and was reduced to little more than a babbling cretin.
Are you okay? she asked inside her head.
I stumbled over my words for a moment and then managed to stutter out, "I-I'm fine, g-great actually!"
She smiled. That's good. Why not try again?
"Ah… okay."
I moved awkwardly—if vampires can be awkward—over to her again. I kissed her again. It was just as… amazing as the last time. This time, I put my arms around her immediately. I felt her tongue slide into my mouth; it was warm and soft against my cold hard skin. I tried my best to mimic her motions, but I was, at the same time, doing my best to stay actually connected to the world.
We broke apart, breathless once again. "Uh," I began stupidly. "Your hands are still in my hair."
"Oh, sorry," she said as she blushed. "So? Did you enjoy that?"
I was caught off-guard by her question. "Y-yes," I stuttered. "Yes, I did enjoy it!"
"More than you enjoyed kissing Tarleen?" she asked while raising her eyebrow.
My eyes widened slightly. I just realized that I forgot all about my first girlfriend. "Um… who?" I said stupidly.
She raised her eyebrow again. "Are you taking me seriously at all?"
"Yes! I'm really drawing a blank here!"
She laughed. "You know who I'm talking about. About your height, pretty, brown hair… is that ringing any bells?"
Tarleen's image floated in my brain for a short time, but was quickly crowded out by the vision of Lauren's lovely face.
"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "I seriously can't see her." I gave a slight smile. "I can't see any girl's face, but yours."
Her face was blank for a moment. Then, a broad smile flashed across her face. She threw her arms around me and kissed me.
After we broke apart, she began to talk. "Austin," she began. "Will you be my boyfriend?"
To be continued…