School Sucks

Matt was singled out as the vampire's son the next day at school and the whispers were as rampant as a venereal disease in a 19th century whore house. Looks were penetrating and the hallway cleared for him; until a senior stepped in his way just before lunch.

"Heard you was a vampire," the boy state attempting to look mean.

"Well you heard wrong, I'm only half," Matt snapped looking over at Jesse who standing nearby.

"Well we don't want no half-breeds in our school," the boy glowered.

"Yeah well with all the white trash there really isn't any room," Matt said shoving the boy so hard into the locker that it was dented beyond repair. "Thanks for the discretion Jesse, fuckin' tattle- tale."

"Hey I'm not saying we were quiet about it all but your dad is on TV saying he's a vampire, some kind of public service announcement," Jesse explained.

"What are you talking about?" Matt asked his blue eyes wild.

"Something about coexisting, you know the everybody gettin' along speech. I guess it's been on for a few days. His last name's Northman and your last name is Northman and you two look like twins except for the size part. How old is your dad anyway?"

"He's a thousand," Matt answered distractedly. "I can't believe he didn't give me a heads up about this."

"I guess you're out of the closet now for sure," Jesse said as he departed.

"So much for leaving it up to me to reveal what I'm comfortable with," Matt whispered to himself. But as he sat down at the empty table in the cafeteria he realized it was black and white, people knew or they didn't there were no levels to it. But so far he had kept the witch card off the table and that was the one he feared the most. His father had no idea the power they wielded and how ready they were for vengeance on the entire race one vampire at a time.

"I have a surprise for you."

"What?" Matt yelled a little louder than he needed to. "I can't study here, I can't sleep here."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about," Eric said closing the door behind him. "I bought a house, one I think you'll really like."

"A house, like a real domicile?" he asked excitedly.

"Yes, but there is bad news with the good news."

Matt's face fell. "What is it?"

"Well the house is in Bon Temps, it's Sookie;s house."

"You bought Sookie's house? Oooh she's going to be pissed."

"Ya think?"

"I do, but I don't imagine you care much about her being mad at you, in fact I think you rather enjoy it. So what's the bad news?"

"Well it's too far for you to continue to go to school in Shreveport so you'll have to transfer; now Bon Temps is a lot smaller so you will definitely stick out."

"I kind of already do. Everybody knows so it doesn't matter what school I go to, but I will be happy to be in a house. This incessant beating heart is killing me."

"What are you talking about?" Eric asked.

"The constant thumping of the music, it creeps into my brain and I hear all day at school."

"Well that will change. I knew this was the right decision."

"What about Pam?"

"Why she'll stay here and manage the club, I'll be in and out but she can handle it."

"You're right this is the correct decision," Matt said smiling thinking less Pam was alright by him.

"I'll make sure you're safe I know the witches will come either way and I will protect you no matter what. I think that the world of humans will stay away fearing reprisal of the goriest kind if they dared harm you. But they may not make life easy for you. There will be much finger pointing and whispering and at your age that may make life difficult."

"Been there done that, Dad I may look fifteen but I'm five hundred and that gives me a certain amount of maturity. Hey Dad, when you register me at the school can we change something?"

"Depends, what is it?"

"Most kids have a middle name, but I don't and I want one."

"A middle name, your mother had her heart so set on that New Testament name it was a done deal before I ever saw you. I never thought much about your name other than that I wanted you to carry Northman as your surname. What do you want your middle name to be?"'

Matt looked at his father blues eyes serious, "Eric I want it to be Eric."

Eric was silent knowing that this was an honor; he remained quiet as the emotion crept up in his throat. "Then Eric it is."

"We need to get my birth certificate, we had a fake one for the last school but this time I'll be authentic," the boy beamed.

Eric wandered off in search of Pam wanting to know where he could find an authentic birth certificate from 1590. "They'll laugh you out of the office Eric just tell him he's your son, they'll probably be so shocked any paperwork won't be necessary, of course I don't know when you'll be able to get there schools are notorious for being open during the daylight hours only. They do have those special parent/teacher nights and so forth, but that probably won't work either."

"So what do I do?"

"Find somebody to register him as Matthew Northman and let it play out," Pam said walking away not really interested in Matt's high school career.

"His name's Matthew Eric Northman," Eric yelled after her.

A week later Matt unlocked the back door of Fangtasia and let himself in trying to be somewhat quiet which wasn't hard since he felt quite deflated. School was a combination of absurd and laughable. Jesse would talk to him but only because he thought it made him look cool in the eyes of several girls, but for the most part the rest of the school stayed away not even wanting to look at him at least until his back was turned then he felt dozens of eyes on him. The teachers were a nervous wreck and he figured he could pass the year just by asking. All the teachers were on board but one, Mrs. Canton who had handed back his Viking report with a big fat red F on the cover. Matt had spoken to Eric for hours and made very detailed notes and even designed a Viking ship just as his father had described it. But Mrs. Canton had told him it was all unsubstantiated and since he didn't follow the proper procedure he deserved the grade he had received. Despite the public appearance and all the talk about Matt and his genealogy the teacher didn't believe any of it which she happily reflected in his grade.

He moved the bottles of Trublood and grabbed the gallon of milk and poured himself a glass and sat down at the bar. The cleaning crew had come and gone leaving a gleaming floor and bar. Matt stared at his reflection and laid his head down.

"What's wrong?" Eric asked stretching.

"You shouldn't be up, you need your sleep," Matt admonished."

"I can take a few minutes. I see you got your paper back."

"Dad you'll start bleeding and they just cleaned," Matt said pulling his report closer to him.

"I have time," Eric said sternly grabbing the paper. "I can't believe she failed you."

"I told you she would."

"Did you tell her your source?" Eric asked flipping through the paper.

"Yes I told her, she didn't believe me. I guess she missed your public appearance," Matt said snottily.

"Watch your tone Matthew," Eric stated glancing from the paper to his son.

"Sorry, but she won't listen to me."

"Then she'll listen to me."

"But she's only at school during the day."

"She has a home doesn't she?"

"But…"

"But nothing, we'll get this straightened out. Nobody fails my son, Northman's don't fail! Ever!"

Eric grabbed the report and headed back to bed swearing under his breath in Swedish.

Matt sighed heavily and let his head fall back to the top of the bar.