Exploding Heart Disorder (Fearless Vampire Killers Fanfic)

Chapter Ten

[Drew's P.O.V.]

Classes on a Monday are always pretty much dull. There's the usual double period of higher-grade drama - which I completely regret picking - chemistry, music - the only subjects I actually quite like - and then there's my double free period, which I used to spend in the library alone, but now spend sitting with Alyx, trying desperately to figure her out. I've known her for a week, but I still can't figure her out. She's just so...so different. I don't know what it is, but she seems like she's hiding something - a dark secret that even I can't find out. Not that everyone doesn't have their own dark secrets, but still.

I sit down in chemistry, sighing. There are formula sheets on everyone's desks, so clearly we're doing another of those dreadful partner exercises to do with titration. Baby stuff, but I really can't be bothered with it, to be quite honest.

Then I remember: there's someone in this class I can finally partner up with without wanting to punch them in the face - namely, not Mitch.

The teacher stands at the front of the class, quickly scribbling on the board: TITRATION PARTNER EXERCISE

"Find someone to partner up with and get cracking!" She claps her hands, and I stand up, heading over to Alyx's desk with my sheet in hand. I slip into the seat next to her, nudging her gently, and she jumps, before turning to face me, smiling slightly.

"Drew! Guess we're partnering up, huh."

"Guess so. Don't want to be stuck with Mitch, do I?" I grin, and then feel a harsh thump on the back of my head. I frown deeply, pressing a hand against the back of my head, and turn to see Mitch smiling sweetly up at me, her eyes filled with a devious glare.

"Oh, look, seems like there's no one else for me to partner up with. Seems like we'll just have to work in a group, won't we?" She quickly stomps on my foot, and I yelp.

"Why did you just do that?" I squeak, and she settles down into the empty seat across across from us, scowling at me.

"Because you're a dick. Now, let's get on with this so I can sleep calmly in study."

Alyx snorts softly, and then pulls the sheet closer to her.

"Seems easy enough." I mutter.

"That depends." Alyx frowns. "What's a titration calculation?"

Mitch stifles a laugh, but I pull the sheet closer to me, quickly doing an example of a calculation on the sheet, showing her what to do and how to figure out mole triangles. After a short while she gets it, patting me on the head "for a job well done", and I smile slightly. Something stirs in my gut at the sight of her smiling back at me, but I dismiss it quickly, turning back to the calculations. My mind isn't really on the calculations, but on Alyx, and how peculiar she is. I mentally add 'Not very good at chemistry' to my list of things I know about her.

After spending most of our time in class goofing around, talking about music, not really concentrating on the work at hand, the bell rings, and we grab our things. Mitch and Alyx are babbling non-stop about everything and anything, and I walk silently alongside them, my mind working double-time. As we reach one of the art classrooms, where Alyx and Mitch have their study period, just down the corridor from my next class - music - I look straight towards Alyx.

"See you after class, right? Meet you at your locker?"

She nods, smiling, and we exchange quick see you later's, before they enter their class. I silently make my way down the corridor, stepping into my own class and slipping wordlessly into my seat near the door. Laurence, Kier, Shane and Luke are also in this class, all great lovers of music and all, and the teacher decides to leave the class to their own devices, giving us the chance to snag an instrument each. Obviously, Kier, Laurence and Shane instantly make a beeline for the electric guitars in the storage cupboard, and Luke drops down onto the seat in front of a drum kit. Most of the others in the class are timid, and sit with headphones plugged into their electric keyboards, ignoring the ruckus happening in the centre of the classroom as Luke randomly batters on drums and cymbals, the three others in our group battling over the teacher's prized Les Paul, and I quietly strum away on a bass guitar, playing out the chords for Another One Bites The Dust without any trouble. I've been interested in playing bass for years, and I've always wanted to be in a proper band. I was, at one point, but it didn't really work out. I just wish I was good enough to be a successful band's official bassist, and not some guy with both a bad habit of trying to figure people out and an aversion to scissors and profanity.

"Guys." I say quietly. The others look up from their instruments, looking towards me. "Ever thought about starting a band?"

"We were in a band." Kier says quietly.

"Yeah, but seriously. 'Korze 4 Koncern' has got to be the worst name ever for a band."

"You're a bloody cause for concern, Wooly." Laurence mutters. "But sure, sounds like it could be something cool."

"Yeah. I mean, I'm learning bass. Luke plays drums...or tries to." Luke gapes at me, and looks like he wants to throw his drumsticks at me. "Barrone, you're great at playing guitar, as are you two." I gesture towards Laurence and Kier. "Besides, Laurence, you're a pretty good writer, and you and Kier aren't bad singers, either."

Laurence grins. "We should do that, then. Start a band. Just for fun, y'know?"

The others all grin, as if the same plan has formed in their heads as has in mine. Instead of spending the rest of our hour in class procrastinating as usual, we think about names, songs, chords and lyrics, gaining strange looks from our classmates and even stranger looks from the teacher. When the bell rings, we've come to one decision; Laurence writes vampire novels, so there's only one thing for it. He'll be the song-writer.

The guys decide that, for now, this project of ours shall remain a secret between the five of us, and the one thing running through my mind as I wait down at Alyx's locker, which she got only last Wednesday, ignoring the suggestive looks and wiggling of eyebrows that the guys give me.

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[Author's Message]

Here's chapter 10. Merry crimbo, dears! Seeing as it's 12:20am here in Glasgow, and all...

Just a lead-up chapter, and some band-creating and shiz.

Not much more to say: please leave feedback, and drop a vote for me!

Keep the peace, stay awesome and faith always (and merry crimbo!!)...Bevers ;; x