Lizzie's POV

The night was coming to a close, and I still couldn't sleep. It was—I looked at the clock—about 4:30 in the morning and I am saddened to say I barely got any sleep. I had started drifting a few hours ago when I was listening to music, but then my mp3 died.

I had done some of my…. 'Intense Drawing' sessions, and I got down a few pictures. I knew it was dangerous to do that, with out somebody there to pull my back from the depths of my mind, but I couldn't stand the silence.

I was sitting at the windowsill, staring at leather cover of the sketch pad. I had my shoe box of colored pencil and miscellaneous on the desk, right next to Ethan's computer.

I was tempted to take a look at the picture I drew. When ever I go into one of my 'sessions' I never knew what I made. But I never really looked at them, unless if I had to. Usually, I didn't.

I looked at the clock again and sighed, incredibly annoyed. My hand set down the sketch pad and it went for my cell. Before I knew it, I was calling Kate. When did I put my cell on the desk...? I thought disconcertedly, but my brain was too frayed to really remember or care. She didn't pick up.

Next was Steph. On the 3rd ring, I heard a, "Hello?"

"Steph?" I asked, actually surprised.

"Yeah, Lizzie?"

"Wha—why are you awake?" I yelled in a hushed tone. That's an oxymoron…. The subconscious part of my mind whispered amused.

"Um, reading fanfiction. But if you want me to go…" She replied with a bit of humor.

"No, no! Stay. So… sup?"

"Didn't I just tell you? Anyway, I'm also on a plane goin' back to Connecticut. After a day I'll be on my way up to Whitechapel." Steph had gone to a boarding school on the other side of the country, in Oregon. Kate, though, was slightly closer, in Oklahoma.

"Oh, ok. I'm sleeping in Ethan's room right now. Well, not sleeping?" I said the last part like a question.

"Wow, you must really be tired." Steph observed.

"No crap, smart one." I snapped, and she snorted, taking the blow.

"'Oh… my god. That was a huge freakin' spider. And I just got hit in the face by a moth'." She switched the subject, referring to our time camping, and she had spoken in an eerily quite, calm, lilting voice.

"Oh… Kay then….? Have fun with that. Any who, what should I do to sleep?"

"Augh, fine. Let me take care of it." After that, Steph spoke some words that I couldn't remember, and I fell into a deep, thick slumber.

I woke up that Saturday to somebody tapping on Ethan's window. How the…? I was thinking before things actually connected.

My head was on the desk, back towards the window, which was to my advantage. I was still dressed from yesterday, which now that I think about it, might have helped with the whole 'insomnia' kick.

I felt oddly refreshed, though I was only asleep for no more than four hours. "Dude! Open up!" I heard some guy yell outside the glass.

"Rory! My cousin is right there." I heard Ethan scold as the sound of a window opened.

"Yeah, but dude, I just got tickets to the new Gary Topper movie! Deadly Consecrate part 2! It comes out Wednesday!" The boy, Rory said, and I heard the bed creak under someone's weight.

"Okay? But dude, you cannot wake my cousin Lizzie up. She can't know about vampires, or magic, or anything like that, okay?"

"You're cousin? When did she get here? Does she want to go see Gary Topper?"

"Rory; focus. I'm serious!"

"Don't worry, Ethan! I know, I know. If I can convince my parents that I'm not the Lord of the Night, then I can convince your cousin." I heard the bed creak again, and felt somebody's body heat near me. My eyes squeezed harder, and I seriously wondered how long I can keep this up. "Besides; she's a girl. They're not as smart as us, you know?" I heard Rory laugh, and I was thankful that my face was to the wall, because I couldn't stop my eyebrows from rising.

"Yeah, Rory… Sure." I felt hands sliding under me, and I had to resist a yelp. "Hey, what are you doing?" Rory had leaned me back and was picking me up.

"I'm putting her on the bed. I mean, if I was sleeping at a desk, I wouldn't be comfortable." The teen reasoned, and I was surprised. He had given off a ditzy aura, but…. "Plus, who wouldn't want to be in the arms of a vampire?" I heard and felt him sniff my neck. "Ah…. Delicious."

"Somebody who doesn't want to be eaten?" Ethan squeaked with worry. Rory set me down on bed, on top of the covers.

"Oh, those people are noobs." Rory brushed it off, and then it went silent. It was quiet for so long that I started to wonder what they were doing.

After a few minutes, I opened my eyes and realized I was alone, the window wide open. Maybe they….

Ethan walked into the room, and was slightly surprised I was awake. So I decided to be like Rory and act stupid. "When did I get here?"

"Oh, um—"

"But Ethan, do you want to go to Gary Topper?" A blonde boy asked, levitating in front of the window. My eyes widened at the sight of Rory. How much of an idiot is he?

He glanced at me and saw I was awake, and then instantly, he was falling to the ground. I yelped in spite of myself and ran to the window, looking down.

"Um, that was Rory. He usually climbs the tree and sneaks in." Ethan lied fast, hoping I'd take it.

I nodded, looking down at Rory's groaning figure. "So, like, he's your secret gay lover, then?"

"What?" Ethan shrieked, as Sarah sashayed into the room, followed by a dazzling fair-haired beauty, with a scowl across her lips.

"Hey E, hey Liz." Sarah greeted cheerily. "What's up?"

"Oh, Rory was just at the window." I sighed, still looking out.

"Oh, that dork?" The flaxen murmured in disgust.

"I know right? He showed up talking about that Gary Topper wizard movie. I mean, c'mon; if you're going to obsess over something, let it be Dusk, not that!" I ranted, feeling eyes on me, but still staring at the trees, the lawn, the road, any architecture.

I heard the girl gasp. "You like Dusk?" She shrieked in a rush.

"Well…. I'm only slightly obsessed." I shrugged, and I spotted someone walking down the road. I squinted my eyes, and saw it was Benny, coming here. What, are we throwing a freakin' party? I thought glumly as Rory entered the room through the bedroom door.

"Yeee! Another Dusker! Well, I'm Erica." She introduced, hand out stretched. I grabbed at it, and we shook.

"And I'm Rory! Or the Rorster. Or, as some like to call me, RV."

"Why 'RV'?" I asked him.

"For Rory Vampire." He explained happily, and Ethan, Sarah and Erica looked as though they would kill him.

"Aww, that's cute! A superhero nickname! Why vampire though? And wouldn't it make more sense if it was 'Vampire Rory'?" Before RV could reply, Benny walked in.

"Hello people, the fun has just arrived!"

"Oh, yay." I said sarcastically, and Benny glared.

"You wound me, Princess." He retorted, putting his beige bag on Ethan's bed.

"Princess? Really? Why not something…. Unique, perhaps?"

"Sorry, hon, but I'll need to know your personality more to decide on that." He said, and looked towards Ethan, about to say something.

"Maybe that could be arranged." I inserted quickly. I saw Erica's eyebrows shoot up in disdain, and I knew she thought a bit less of me now. Rory and Ethan were watching with innocent eyes, while Sarah couldn't stop her smiling. Benny just looked at me, shocked.

"What?"

"You and I should hang out. Now. Let's go." I said suddenly, making a snap decision. I grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the room.