"Thank you, Ethan," she replied sarcastically; though a second later, she froze.

"Ethan? Did you just call Anthony Ethan?" asked Nelle. John and Nelle's boyfriend overheard Nelle and looked at their direction.

Now what do I do? thought Michel.

He knew he could get out of the situation, but he didn't know how to tell Kerry to cooperate with him.

She wasn't looking at him; instead, she was staring at the ground, no doubt trying to think of a way out of it too.

"Ethan is my middle name," Michel said, somewhat embarrassed. He gave Kerry a watch-it look, and he smiled embarrassed back at Nelle and the gang. The look both told Kerry to play along as well as looking like he was giving her a not-in-front-of-other-people look.

Kerry looked relieved for a split second, but later composed her face.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't know you didn't like your middle name," though she smiled. She enjoyed being a nuisance for him, but she knew she had to protect what he really was. She didn't need her friends going vampire hunters on him and making her choose.

Or maybe that could be it? Would she choose him over her best friend? Over all her friends? He didn't want to create that sort of situation. Even by vampire standards, it was excessively needlessly complicated. What would he tell the other vampires in Rochester or Buffalo? He had barely convinced them not to go after Kerry or her family, and that was hard enough. But to let an entire group of people live knowing that there was a vampire, and he took the girl who should have died, and let her live again?

Michel sighed. "It's okay… I suppose. Good night everybody," he smiled at her and began to walk back to the front door. The others said good night, and began to retreat to their new rooms. Kerry followed Michel.

"I'm sorry, really," she whispered.

"What if they remembered that they guy you left with was named Ethan? Or that I so precisely fit his description? We're—"

"—A cautious lot—yea, I know. Now what do we do?"

"I will go home," he said. "You might as well keep calling me Ethan," then distracted, "John is spying on you," he said, smirking.

She took a step closer. "Really? On me, or you?"

"Both," he contemplated, and he grabbed both her hands, and gave them a kiss. "Will you react this time?" he asked her.

"Uhmm…" she said. Michel rolled his eyes, gave her a second, and decided to just give her the kiss.

"Good night, Kerry," he said, and started to walk out.

"Good night, Ethan," she said.

He was half way to the park, when he faintly heard her whisper: "Another bizarre meeting."

Tomorrow might be more bizarre, he thought.

Now that they were out on the open with her friends, how should he act? The last time they went on a date, he saw acquaintances of his, but they didn't talk to each other. Just a friendly wave. He usually walked to them, but back then, he still suspected Kerry was trying to escape. And he also didn't want to leave her side for reasons other than vampire caginess.

What's my excuse for running into her again? he thought. He decided he didn't need any.

He would appear as soon as the sun set, and he would be waiting for her.

Maybe what was left of the sunlight will shine in her hair… he thought, before stopping himself. Though no one was near, he hardly ever thought about that kind of embarrassing stuff. He might blush. Though, technically, he couldn't blush.

But that human instinct hasn't left him, even after all those years of a supernatural existence.

Neither has love, or nervousness, for that matter.

Short, yes, but I think it's good.

I would like to know what people think of the story. Is it going on a good direction, is it faltering a little, or a simple mistake that doesn't connect to my other chapters?

Reviews would be greatly appreciated :)