Chapter 9

Sometimes, I wish I was afraid. Being afraid of something makes you more conscious about it, somehow you are more alert and keep thinking that something is about to get you. But what is being afraid if you don't do anything about it? You don't prepare yourself or anything else? Hence, I'd say being prepared, having the advantage or even simply thinking you are ready is much more of a weapon than being scared. Because the truth is, when being afraid travels to its raw form of fear, it can be paralyzing. And once fear is reached, it overpowers curiosity.

As I continue to dream, Dad shifts, comes, flies, leaves, smiles. As my eyes open, I notice my pillow is wet. I'd been crying over Dad again. But I'm glad he's still a part of me.

I stretch like a cat and hum as the rain hits on the roof rhythmically, it does not allow me to go back to sleep. It's a bit early, the sun has not even risen yet. And I should sleep more. I went to bed too late yesterday, I have no classes today, and, excitingly, I'm going out tonight. With Lyn. I still cannot believe my timing.

I roll over into a fetal position and read the time across the room in my alarm clock. Three forty seven. Way too early.

I switch sides trying to find the warmer spot on my bed. Nope, not there. I decide against twisting and turning in my bed for too long and go downstairs to get something to drink that will make me sleep.

I arrive downstairs with my eyes closed and feel around for the fridge handle. I find something much more colder than the fridge handle instead. And this hand most probably belongs to Pam.

I groggily open my eyes and skip over her to the door handle.

"Not a usual time for you to be awake, I suppose" she starts of conversationally. I do not even want to think too much of what response to mumble back to her. I find the carton of milk and drink directly from it. After a few long sips I take my lips away from the carton and clean my mouth with the back of my hand. I squeeze my eyes and turn around to go back upstairs.

"I finished the book" Pam informs my butt. I wave a hand upwards to signal that I heard her. I keep going up to my room to sleep again. I feel Pam following me.

"Take any book, then stay out of my room" I mumble, if she did not understand me, well, I don't care.

I throw myself on my bed and curl up again. I will be awake in a few hours again, say nine, then vampires will be asleep and Mamma would have breakfast made by them. I feel Pam get out and try to get back to sleep.

Yawn.

"Get up!" I jolt on my bed. Something fell from my desk. I turn around and see Pam holding some books, the rest littering the floor around her. I grodgily squirm in bed. Not getting up, for all I know, she did that on purpose.

I start to count in my head, ignoring most noises and trying to get so sleep again.

I wake up around twelve, a bit later than my usual wake up time, but considering all the work I had to do last night and my insomnia that I think kept me all up all night, I twisted and turned in my bed and it wasn't until the light started to filter in my room from early dawn that I managed to close my eyes and rest. Could that be related to the vampire blood in me right now?

I don't think much of it. Breakfast is still on the table, I have fruit and yogurt.

After a quick shower, I started to work on last minute essays and studying for finals. My concerns were mostly on the World History essay and studying math. For some reason, I felt like I had not practiced my equations enough to and to solve for x and y becomes more difficult with every new exercise.

An hour after picking it up I felt every detail on my World History essay had good foundation and my references were not overly quotes. I allowed myself to indulge some time in a daydreaming about Lyn and choosing what to wear tonight.

I set aside a skirt that would be easy to change in and out of as we are browsing for dresses. Black dresses, no matter what Pam says. It also helps show off my big butt (I am a size six) besides my toned calves.

"Eek!" I hear something between a scream and a squeal come from Delia's room. I give it a second. "Holy fucking…"I set my tablet aside to go see what exactly is wrong with her.

'Delia" I say as I enter her room, bad idea. I go back out. Wow, I must have been either too focused on Spanish or daydreaming of Lyn, I knock. How did I not notice she was with a guy in her room? I don't know if the good thing or the bad thing is that I know the guy.

"I thought you were alone" a deep throaty voice asks. Well I was only going for first base, but she, wow, she is … fierce, and clearly is not so experienced. Either that or she is surprised about the size, from what I have been able to compare…. Ugh, please no more.

"I never said that!" she's cool, she wont tell Mamma. Oh, shit, its thirty minutes until dark. That damn vampire will smell him. "Just a sec" Oh, shit, please don't tell Ma! I can always blame her… those damn pheromones she and Bill have are taking a toll on my senses… Urgh.

I have my eyes closed in frustration and concentration as I try to keep both of them out. I guess I was just that surprised.

"Judy"

"Whatever, I'm not here, I'll go back to studying. I'll be leaving in fifteen minutes"

"I just…"

"I heard everything, sorry"

"Damn you, I just …" we were just kissing and then I felt his…

"La la la la la…." I chant loudly. I do not want to hear about this guy's penus.

"Don't be such a kid, you're going out on a date tonight" she chides me.

'With a fucking chaperone! How well do you know this swimmer anyways? Do you think I didn't do a background on the person I am going out with?"

"Well, that's just creepy" she snarls at me. I raise my eyebrows and shove her with my thoughts. She takes an uncomfortable step back, feeling my invasion.

"With everything that we are dealing with now, I don't think any sort of precaution I take for our safety is creepy. And don't you dare say I'm overreacting. You're lucky I'll be out by the time ma gets home."

"I didn't run a background, but you think I can't handle myself?" it is you ad Mama who need protection.

"Don't you see? Together we protect each other, by ourselves we are not nearly as strong. I hope you and what's-his-name enjoy your time. I have to get ready." I go back to my room. She is struck analyzing what I just said.

I just hope something sticks inside her brain.

I am too flustered, so I go with loud music instead of continuing to study. Besides, it's close to the time to leave for the mall. I'll meet with Pam there, since the sun is just starting to go down.

I pick out my turquoise t-shirt, comfortable and a bold color with matching two inch heels. They make me feel a bit taller and accentuate my curvy body. I remember Kristy always liked that. I put on a tan tight skirt. I checked myself in the mirror only once.

The clock reads twenty to five. It's time to go. "Delia, I'm leaving. I'll be meeting Pam and my date at the mall."

"See you" she yells back through her closed door. I'm counting steamboats so as to take a double control on what I hear and don't want to hear.

I had called Lyn earlier saying to meet me near the cinema's, so we'd buy our tickets first and then go see dresses.

She was waiting for me there, a light blue trimmed blouse with a white skinny jeans. White sandals. She looks far more beautiful out of school uniform. I smile as I see her from a distance and control myself not to dance all the way across the place to stand beside her. I kiss her cheek in greeting. She does the same and I want to melt on the spot.

"Nice night for a movie" I nearly jump out of my shoes when Pam materializes between us. I glare at her and then introduce them.

"Lyn, this is Vampire Pam, a friend of my mom's"

"Pam, this is Lyn" Pam disrespectfully ogles her. I want to kick her.

"Judy did not tell me how delicious looking you were" she said. Lyn and I blushed. I recovered quicker.

"Must you? Don't talk to her as if she's food" I interrupted her.

"You could at least have told me it was a girl, I thought it was a boy." Now I blushed even more. I do not like boys at all, but that does not mean I am comfortable to tell my mother or her friends about it.

"Um, as you can see, we are not exactly the type to like boys. Otherwise we would not be standing here" Lyn starts to stare down at Pam, it is not too hard with her meter long legs and the way her curves and sensual body is almost a head taller than both of us. Oh god, did she really just say that? Even though I know going out with a girl is new for her, I am so happy that she makes up for my shyness with her no bullshit personality. I want to kiss her again.

"Snark, lovely." Pam mentions. "Come, I already know what dress will look great on you" she nudges to me and starts to walk purposely slow for a vampire.

"Shall we?" I ask Lyn as we make our way. I stretch out my hand and she does not hesitate to take it.

"Awesome, you know. I have never shopped with friends before, just with my Mom." She starts to tell us. "She just loves to shop with me. I finally talked her into letting me do it today." She talks amicably with a smile. Pam is leading the way to some shop.

"I like to shop, but I am more of the I need a blue pant, I go to a few stores looking specifically for it, and if I find it, I buy it. If I don't, I go someplace else the next day. I can't do the whole day of shopping with no clear idea of what I want to get."

"But you do detour, say you're looking for your blue pant and stumble upon a white, or whichever color of pant, and try them on, and they look good, and they're reasonable priced."

"Oh, yes, off course. I just wouldn't window shop without knowing what I needed."

"Definitely" she says with a smile.

"In here," Pam says as we come to stand in front of a boutique. We go in, Pam glides over to the rack she had probably seen before and starts to pull out a dress.

"You are a size six, right?" Pam says as she pulls out a lilac bodice with fairy shreds as a short shirt around it. It is a short dress. It is not a black dress.

"Oh! That is lovely" Lyn gasps in awe of the pretty dress. Sure, it has a beaded upper part with translucent lilac and purple beads. It is also soft to the touch, I can tell from here that it is silk, the front would barely reach my knees while the rear reaches my heels.

"Try it on" I see the look on both of them and know there is no use fighting.

Damn it, I like the way it looks on me. I smile as I head out of the dressing room.

"You have a good eye, Pam" Lyn says to her.

"What color are you interested in, Lyn?" I ask her.

"Well, not lilac, whatever compliments that color."

"Hmm." Pams looks Lyn over from head to toe, "Maybe dark green or red would suit you," Pam says. She then zooms by all the store, and brings her two dresses. The green dress is a strapless mermaid dress that zinches all the way to her knees then opens up beautifully and has a gap to the side.

BUT FOREST GREEN

The red dress sparkles gold and is completely backless. I love the red one. BUT WITH A LINED FRONT NOT FALLING

"Wow, try the red one" I say quickly. "Hey, how come she gets two and I only got only dress?" I ask Pam. She just shrugs and gives both to Lyn.

Lyn heads over to the dresser I had previously occupied to change as well.

"Because that dress is everything you need, Judith. The color is probably the best color in this store and the figure and fairy likeness plays to your roots." I roll my eyes and cross my arms beneath my chest. "My roots are southern, southern wear anything small and cleavage accentuating."

Lyn comes out as a vision in red.

"Had I said wow already? Woow" I say again. "You look dazzling"

"Pam does have a good eye" she says to both of us.

"Kinda took away all the fun of trying on lots of dresses." I said.

"I was hoping to go buy make up next, given that now we have time" Pam said to us. I rolled my eyes. "What are you wearing to prom, Pam?" I turn the question around. She looks puzzled for a few seconds.

"You're a size four, right? And you said you haven't been to many proms in your lifetime?" I ask as I start heading to the four rack in the boutique.

"Hmm, maybe something tan or wine to compliment your color" Lyn says. Just as she says it I spot a wine bodice with a crisscrossing back and layered skirt that cut diagonally , ending on one side on the knee and the other at the floor. I liked the dress enough to pull it out of the hook,

BACK

"Come on," Lyn encourages Pam.

"I like this girl" she says as she takes the dress from my hands.

I sneak a kiss to Lyn as it just the two of us for a second. And it literally was a second, because Pam was out of the changing room wearing the wine colored bodice and stuck to her every curve.

"I like it" she says, checking her bottom on the mirror.

"So, are we all buying one?" Lyn asks, reaching for her bag to pay for hers.

"Wait,a second, I'm buying these. You girls save your money, I wanted to buy Judy a dress and I can buy one for you too, Lyn" Pam said, making it clear there was no discussion about it. Lyn blushed a little,

"Thanks, Pam" she said.

"You two just make sure to enjoy prom next week" she said to us. Pam grabbed the three dresses and went to pay. Lyn grabbed my hand.

"She's different than my Grandpa" he says to me. I smile

"I know, I think she was very young when she turned. But I'm not sure, she told me she's just nice to me because Mom is one of the few humans she considers friends." I don't let go of her hand as we move to the next shop, being besides her still makes me feel like I am floating. Pam reached us with two bags, but keeps them.

"I asked for yours in a separate bag, Lyn" Pam explains.

"Thank you." She says again.

"Judy needs make up." She explains as she pulls me, and simultaneously Lyn too, into Sephora. She either did not bother to acknowledge nor gave a damn about us holding hands.

And I thought baby sitting you at the cinema was going to be dull, and very heterosexual. She aimed that thought directly at me.

"Hey!" I replied out loud, affronted, she knew I was complaining more about the thought she directed at me than what she had said.

"Come on, Judy, I am sure we can find some shadows to go perfectly with your dress!" And just like that, they continued to play dress up Judy. But I couldn't complain: Lyn was still holding my hand and smiling at me. Only at me, I swear her smile had gotten prettier and her eyes were sparkling even more.

I smiled back at her, very happy to be with her. Unbelieving of how lucky I am.

AN: Thank you for reading, i know you probably thought i had abandoned this, but i have just been terribly busy, today i am updating several of my WIPs, i had something written, some incomplete, some more than others, some halfway, but i promised to finish some chapters and post them today. I think they are all from very different genres, but hopefully people will be a bit happy with this big update. Remember to review