Chapter Three

"Jessi, have a little consideration!" Patricia sighed, the fork in her hand being gripped tightly. The four of us sat at the large table in the dining room. Patricia at the head, Jessi at her side, Dougie furthest away. I more or less placed myself in the middle.
"I don't want her in my room." Jessi scowled, her glare penetrating my gaze when I looked up from my shepherds pie. "What if it attacks me?"

I clenched my fist under the table. What did I say about calling me 'it'? I jumped a little, startled when I felt a hand over my own, disguised by the table cloth. I look at Dougie who smiles, rather comforting I must say. Maybe I shouldn't show aggression then.

"Sweetheart, we don't have another room." Patricia tried to reason with her daughter. A Social worker and psychiatrist who can't control her own offspring. Ironic and amusing.
"Then shove her in with Dougie!" Jessi shrieked, banging her palm against the table hard. "Because I don't want her!"
"The feeling's mutual." I grumbled, receiving a glare from Jessi and a snort from Dougie. Patricia simply sighed again, her gaze dotting between the three of us as she considered Jessi's words.
"Doug?" She smiled, a little hesitantly perhaps.
He turned to me and smiled. "I snore. A Word of warning."
"I'm comatosed whilst asleep." I remarked. "I also wrap my bat wings around me and sleep upside down whilst hanging from the light fitting."
"I like it." Dougie laughed. "A sense of humour as well. I'm kind of glad Jessi hasn't taken an interest in you."
"And I'm almost glad I met you." I shoved a forkful of mashed potato in to my mouth.
"Only almost?" He pulled a face at his sister as she got up from her seat and stormed from the room.
"Well, you did stab me, and it did hurt, and I've not forgiven you." I stated honestly. "So yeah… Almost."

"I shan't even ask." Patricia mumbled as she watched the pair of us converse with each other. She looked rather proud actually. I'm not sure who of though. Me for overcoming an insane shyness around new folk. Or to Dougie who had welcomed a stranger in to his home and attempted to make friends.
"I think it's both." Dougie spoke quietly.

And so, as I took that final mouthful of mashed potato and peas, clearing my plate, I realized something. I knew it was still a long road to full acceptance in this household. I mean, sure, Patricia tries too hard, and Jessi doesn't even know the meaning of the word; so I shan't waste my breathe waiting for her to attempt it. But was I too naïve of think that the scenario was growing on me?

Every other home I'd been to always pussyfooted around me. 'Are you okay?' or 'Do you need anything?' and even 'We can swap rooms if that bed isn't comfortable for you.' Although, admittedly, I think I was pulled from that particular home for other reasons as well as the whole 'Hi, I like to drink blood' thing. However, at the Poynter residence, I'd been dropped in on an almost normal dysfunctional family. We have the single mother, the superficial queen bee daughter, and the outcast step son who is a social recluse for the majority of the week. Life's never been so good.

"So, Claire…" Patricia called for my attention as she collected the empty plates from around the table. "How about we go shopping tomorrow? You, me and Jessi. Girls day out."

Oh god.
She thinks I want to get a long with that girl, and that we should bond?
"Umm." Words would be good around about now, although, how do you say no to that?
"Actually, patty, I kind of asked Claire to come out with me and the guys." Dougie piped up. I look up at Patricia, who was beginning to frown, and nodded with a smile.
"Will you be venturing out tonight as well?" She asked, now stacking the plates do cutlery was on top of everything else.
"No. Tomorrow night." He replied rather bluntly. "The guys said I should stick with Claire or something."
Doesn't it annoy you when people talk about you as if you weren't even in the room or less than a metre away from them, and in perfect hearing distance?
"I'm sure she'll appreciate the company." Patricia smiled, balancing the plates in her hands as she walked from the room..

And now I'm obviously socially challenged, and therefore need all the company I can sink my teeth in to.

The Floor or Dougie's bedroom looked rather hard an uncomfortable. Although, laminate flooring isn't meant to cater for people sleeping on it. However, Dougie didn't seem to mind when he's offered up his double bed to me for the night. I hardly argued against him. So, lying on a hard, wooden and not to mention cold floor, he was sleeping like a baby. I was lying in a warm, sponge-like and amazingly comfortable double bed, and I was wide awake.

Figures.

Now, this bout of insomnia could be caused by one of two things. I could be excruciatingly hungry for human blood, and may need to gorge myself upon a bag in the fridge. Or I could still be a little unsure of what to do with myself considering today's turn of events. Actually, I could have struck gold and be suffering from both. What fun that would be.

It's at this point that I realise I can no longer hear the light snoring that had filled the silence previously. I turn over to look at Dougie, jumping slightly. Instead of lying on the floor asleep, he's standing over the bed watching me. Un nerving to say the least.
"I'm cold." He whispers. I notice he's wrapped his arms tightly around himself for warmth. I guess that's my cue to vacate the bed then. "Just scoot over. It's not as if we'll make contact. We barely take up one side put together." He smiles, opening the covers. Well, that's true. He's more skin and bones than I am, and that's saying something. I head him snigger suddenly.

This is growing tiresome.

"I'm sorry, but it's just so inviting." He spoke. I could almost hear him grinning. "I'll teach you in the morning."

Intriguing.

"And then I'll take you to the club." He continued, yawning a little. "You can meet everyone else."

Everyone else?
That doesn't sound too appealing. It involves multiple persons.
Plural. Plenty. People.

No thank you.

"Do you always panic this much?" Dougie turned to face me. I gave him a small barely recognizable nod. "Well don't. This isn't your average club with bingo on a Friday night."