Sorry I didn't get these chapters uploaded yesterday. I'm not quite sure what was happening but the website wasn't letting me log on so I had no access to my account at all. =/
Thank you Elle for your review. :) Glad you enjoyed it. And thank you to new followers/favourites.
On Monday, Bridget and Alan still felt numb after Charlotte had been officially declared missing. It was the day after Valentine's Day and the romance was still in the air, turning everyone into love sick puppies or loathing grumps. There were a few students, albeit a small handful, that didn't let themselves be sucked into the feuding sides of love and hate and wandered from class to class trying to keep the day as normal as possible.
The two teenagers sat in American Literature with an empty seat in front of them, the one Charlotte would have usually taken. Neither of them could take their eyes of it, even when their teacher started off the lesson and requested everyone to continue working on their presentation.
Alan glanced over at Bridget who sat hunched and bleary eyed. There were prominent shadows underneath her eyes and her hair was a mess of tangles and tousled waves. She had drowned herself in a large cardigan that she kept covered across her chest, gripping onto the cuffs of her long sleeves with her fingers. She stretched her legs out in front of her, almost touching the other empty chair in front with her dirty, almost worn out chucks, and stared ahead of her until Alan gently elbowed her.
"We need to get on with this," he said, tapping his notebook with his pen. She nodded, sitting up but ended up slumping forward, putting all her weight now into her folded arms.
"It's not your fault," he whispered.
"I know," she said, completely deadpan and Alan knew from the tone in her voice that she was only saying this to please him. She had trudged from homeroom to chemistry and now to American Literature, not saying a word, even to Alan and their other friends. Other juniors had whispered as she made her way around the school, commenting on Charlotte's disappearance and what had been happening at the dance last Friday. Some people had been kind enough to come up to her and apologise, asking if she was okay. But most were using the news as something interesting to talk about.
"We've all known from the start that we can't save everyone. All we can do is make sure there is one less vampire roaming around Santa Carla," Alan said, still determined to reassure his friend.
Bridget patted his hand. "Alan, I'm alright. I know it's not my fault. Honestly. It's just… it's knowing that the recent missing person is somebody you really knew. It shakes you up."
He nodded and picked up his copy of Death of a Salesman. "All we can do is stake another vampire. Do you want to go hunting tonight with me?"
"Yeah," she said and he noticed her knuckles whitened as she clenched her fists together. "I need a bloodsucker to vent out some anger."
As they started to talk through some of the points they made in their last lesson, the door to the classroom burst open. An unfamiliar student came parading in to cheers and laughter. He sported a blonde curly wig, with a white tunic on that had hearts going across the collar and bottom hem and gold sandals. He carried a tiny, red bow and arrow, similar to the type one could win at the amusement park on the Boardwalk. Despite his outfit he stretched his arms up in a grand greeting, waving single red roses at everyone.
"I have roses for some lucky Valentines!" he announced and the class responded with more cheering and laughter. He even got a few high fives of some of the male students for his boldness in wearing such a ridiculous outfit. Their teacher rolled his eyes, nodding and wordlessly giving permission for 'Cupid' to hand out the roses.
"Imogen Reece? I have a rose for yooo-hooo!"
Imogen was in a fit of giggles as she raised her hand and Cupid danced over to her, waving the rose as he did. She thanked him, still laughing away as she opened up the card that came with it and turned to throw her arms around Bobby. Some of the students in the class awed and gushed before eagerly turning to Cupid in the hope that this year, someone had made the ultimate romantic gesture.
"Ray Acosta?"
A few girls whooped as Ray ducked his head and shyly accepted the rose.
"Alan Frog?"
There was stunned silence as faces turned to him as he sat in the corner. Peg let out a loud guffaw of disbelief and Alan shrank back as if in hope that the walls would devour him and take him away from the curious eyes. Cupid skipped over, holding out the rose for him.
"Here you go, ya lucky devil. Until next year, my lovelies!"
"Alright, back to your work, boys and girls," the teacher said, sitting back on his desk and trying to ignore Cupid as he danced around and blew a kiss at everyone before skipping out. The class snickered and began to talk their partners again. Ray and Imogen were discussing their flowers, reading the card to their friends.
"You're spoiling him, Bridget," Bobby said, winking at Alan and she flipped her middle finger at him.
"I didn't send him a damn rose, Denton," she muttered.
"It's from Charlotte," Alan said to her quietly as he read the card. "Alan, Happy Valentine's Day. I know we're not together but I have you in my heart. Charlotte." He set it down, suddenly losing the appetite he had been developing as the day crept closer to lunch.
Bobby leaned forward in his chair. "Heard you broke her heart before she went missing, Frog."
"Will you shut the fuck up?" Alan growled, suddenly leaping up. The abrupt movement caused him chair to fall back.
"Mr Frog," the teacher warned. "I am not tolerating that language or behaviour in my class."
"I was only saying," Bobby said, holding his hands up.
"No, you're stirring things like usual," Bridget snapped.
"Why are you getting so upset, Bridget? You two weren't friends anymore. Unless it is guilt about hooking up with Frog when you knew Charlotte was your best friend and completely in love with him. Can't see why you'd hook up with him, to be honest." His unimpressed stare checked Alan up and down.
"We are just friends, you dick!"
The teacher pointed a finger. "Miss Teahan! Look, the three of you –."
"Fuck this," Bridget growled, grabbing her notebook and storming out. She kept on a scowl until she was out of the classroom and in the hallway where she ran over to the stairs and collapsed when she reached the bottom. Now she could let the tears out as she huddled up near the railings and lost the fight to keep her sobs silent. There were footsteps behind her and she didn't look up as a figure loomed near, casting a shadow over her and they settled next to her while an arm snaked around her waist.
"Go back to class. I'm fine."
"I'm not going back in there," Alan said. "I'm fed up of the staring and whispering when we haven't even done anything wrong."
"Why do I feel like I have though?" Bridget asked, her voice almost a whisper. "Why do I feel like her disappearance is my fault?"
"You shouldn't. We've only ever been friends. We're close because we've both dealt with vampires and we both decided to do something about it. That's not our fault. Charlotte should have never made you feel guilty about being friends with me." His forehead rested against her head. "Stop blaming yourself. All we can do now is hope that whatever vampire we annihilate tonight is the one responsible."
She nodded against his head, smiling slightly at the comforting strokes of his hand against her waist.
"Wanna ditch the rest of the day?" he asked.
She grinned. "Sounds perfect."
She kept back a giggle when he grabbed her hand and they both took off, sneaking through the hallway and out of school.
They had all met on the Boardwalk later that day, when the winter February nights were bringing the darkness in early. Everyone gathered around Sam's car while Bernice finally pulled up in hers, already sending a scowl towards Bridget when she got out.
"Mom and Dad found out you ditched today. When you get home they are going to be livid," she warned.
Bridget shrugged. "Didn't really feel like classes."
"Well, it looks like you're going to end up grounded," Bernice added and frowned when her sister gave another carefree shrug. "I wish you'd take this seriously."
"Did school phone our house?" Alan asked Edgar.
"Luckily Dad answered and he doesn't really care," his brother replied. "Started talking about how he used to sneak out of school to protest against the war and that's how he met Mom. At some point the school got bored and hung up but they haven't tried again. At least at home. They may have contacted Uncle Gerry instead but I don't know for sure. I haven't been in the store today."
"How come you guys bailed?" Sam asked.
"How come you didn't try and get me out?" Bonnie asked, earning an elbow in the ribs from Bernice.
"Brid, you're in so much trouble with Mom and Dad," she said again to her younger sister and sighed. It was such a disappointed sigh that Bridget rolled her eyes and scowled.
"People were being dicks," she said. She waved a hand when Bernice opened her mouth again, probably intending to keep interrogating her but for now she wanted to push those memories of American Literature aside and focus on vampire hunting. "I'll tell you later."
Bernice sighed again but she nodded and opened up her boot. "Fine. Where are we hunting tonight?"
"I thought the Wharf and Downtown. The Boardwalk is pretty much dead at the moment and the disappearances and murders seem to be happening around the music and restaurant scenes," Edgar said. "Anyone else noticed there are more disappearances at the moment?"
Solemn nods and murmurs of agreement echoed through the group.
"Yeah, haven't seen it this bad since last summer," Alan said.
"Like there's another pack," Bonnie added and Edgar nodded.
"With Max's pack gone there won't be any fight for territory. Santa Carla's pretty much here for the taking if no-one has claimed it," Edgar explained. "And I wouldn't be surprised if a new pack has. Maybe keep an eye out for strangers, especially if they're in a group."
Bridget saluted him. "On it, General."
"Please stop calling me that. Okay, we'll split. Bonnie and Bernice, you're with me at the Wharf. Sam, Alan, Bridget… scope Downtown."
Alan nodded. "Affirmative."
"Right." Edgar clapped his hands together. "Let's get a move on, then."