Chapter 2

"So, that pretty much sums up my summer at camp," My best friend Melinda sighed, pulling open the heavy glass door of Woodrow Wilson high. "Homesick kids, sunburns, poison ivy, and big spiders in the showers."

I was barely paying attention. I was looking around the crowded hallway for the guy I saw while I was waiting for the bus. He might just possibly be my-I forced myself to think of the word-betrothed.

"Jessica? Are you listening? Hellooo?" Mindy tried to get my attention by waving her hand in front of me.

"What? Oh, yeah. Sounds awful." I really didn't know what we were talking about but judging the grimace on her face, it wasn't a very pleasant subject.

She sighed impatiently, "If you're not going to pay attention, I'm not going to talk. How was your waitressing job?"

"Oh, it was…fine. I guess." I looked around once more and sighed, "I gained at least five pounds."

"Shut up, you look great…I'm not so sure about your hair though." She said as she calmed some of my tresses with her hand.

"Hey!" I slapped her hand away and replaced it with mine, "I'll have you know I spent an hour with a hair dryer and this 'straightening balm' that cost me a weeks tip…" I trailed off realizing Mindy was distracted, and not listening to me. So, this is what it feels like.

"Speaking of looking great…" I followed her gaze and gasped. It was the guy from the bus stop. I pulled my hoodie over my head and grabbed Mindy's arm and led her in the opposite direction from him.

"Hey! What's your deal?" She pulled herself out of my grip forcefully, and glared at me. "He was cute! No scratch that- he was hot."

I gripped the hoodie around me, and shrank back. I told her all about this morning.

She snorted, "Oh, please. No one knows that name outside of your family but me." I was going to tell her about the part that I left out, the one about me being betrothed to him, but I kept my mouth shut and then the bell rang.

"See you at lunch," she called over her shoulder as she walked away. I made my way to English class. I was already late.

"Miss Packwood, so kind of you too join us." Mrs. Wilhelm seemed annoyed with the fact that I had interrupted her class. I took a seat next to Jake Zinn, who lived on a farm near my family's place. Legendary bitchy cheerleader Faith Crosse sat behind me, and the moronic Frank Dormand sat in front of me.

"Where you are sitting now, is going to be your assigned seats for the year." Oh, great. This is going to be an awesome year. I was sandwiched between the two nastiest people on the face of the earth. Frank slid around in his chair to hand me the seating chart.

"Here you go, packrat," he sneered, using the name he had bestowed me in kindergarten, "Put that on your chart." Yup. Moronic and mean. Just as I predicted. And only 180 school days left. Joy.

"At least I can spell my name." I hissed at him. Jerk. At least I don't flaunt in front of everyone thinking I'm the greatest person on the face of the earth when everyone knows I'm not.

"Hurry up, Jenn." Speaking of superficial people…

I dug into my backpack for a pen. I wrote my name on the seating chart and passed it down to Faith Crosse, making sure it hit her painfully.

"Ow!" I turned around to smirk in her face. "You'll pay for this Packwood." She threatened.

"If I were you, I would spend more time keeping quiet than making threats I never intend on accomplishing." She clutched her cheek-where I had hit her-with her hand. "Oh, what a shame. It left a bruise." Her eyes widened before she looked in her backpack for a compact and some foundation.

"Class, let's take a moment to welcome our new student…Lucius Vlades…coo. Did I say that correctly?" Wait a minute…Vladescu? Oh, no.

Most students would have said, "Yeah, whatever." I mean, who really cares about a name?

The vampire prince of Romania that's who.

Just because his name is the exact same one as your betrothed doesn't mean he is the vampire prince of Romania…

"No." he intoned. "No, that is not correct." Behind me, I heard the scrape of a chair against linoleum, and then a shadow loomed over my shoulder. I cringed.

"Oh." Mrs. Wilhelm looked slightly alarmed as the tall teenager in a black velvet coat advanced up the aisle towards her.

Grabbing a marker from the tray beneath the white board, he flipped off the cap with authority and scrawled the name Vladescu in a flowing script.

"My name is Lucius Vladescu," he announced, pointing to the word. "Vla-DES-cu. Emphasis on the middle syllable, please."

Locking his hands behind his back, he began pacing. He made eye contact with all of the students, as if summing us up.

"The Vladescu name is rather revered in Eastern Europe," he lectured. "A noble name." Dear God…

He paused pacing and looked deeply into my eyes, "A royal name."

My eyes widened as I shrank back into my seat thoroughly intimidated by his forceful stare.

I raised my hand up in the air as I said, "Mrs. Wilhelm, may I be excused?"

She nodded and Lucius turned to glare at me. I made my way out of the classroom in a rush. I locked myself in the girls bathroom and took out my cell phone from my jean's back pocket.

I sent a quick text to my mom.

J: Code red! Code red!

M: What now, Jessica?

J: I think…I just met the man I'm going to marry.

M: Jessica, this is ridiculous. Don't keep sending me stupid texts about your new crush. I have work, and you have school.

J: But mom, it's for real this time. Like, real. I'm not joking.

M: You don't mean…Jessica…tell me you don't mean…

J: Oh, yes. Lucius Vladescu.

M: Oh my God…are you sure?

J: Positive.

M: Okay, we will talk about when you come home. Bye.

J: Bye.

I tucked my phone away back in my pocket and made my way to the classroom. Lucius was already seated again, and the teacher was now talking about our literature assignments for this year. I looked at the clock every second, determined for the school day to end so I can figure this all out with my parents. I am soon going to be married to the vampire prince of Romania…worst. School. Year. Ever.

A\N: I'm sorry, but if I found out I was to be married to a vampire prince I would be ecstatic. Wouldn't you? Not to mention he's hot. LOL. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Don't forget to review.

Ciao.

-Alice :)