The Realm of Truth (Book 1) [In the process of editing]

Chapter 1: Normal

"You going to help me or what?" Damien asked me following Monday morning. His tone was more reluctant than normal. It was then that I realized I wasn't paying attention to half of what was said in the conversation. "Oh right...you're the birthday girl. You don't have to."

I rolled my eyes in response and he smirked, "Help you with what? You're practically almost finished." I laid my hand out towards his work in progress.

"This is a project I'm working on." He clarified, "If I wanna watch the meteor shower tonight with my own brand new telescope I made without your help, then so be it. Consider me smarter than you." 

"Oh, you're actually working on it?"

"Well, yeah, ever since my folks died, I wanted to follow their footsteps in becoming a scientist." Damien said, setting down a wrench. He kept messing around with his flannel sleeves that fell from his arms. "They taught me all they know, and dad didn't graduate from Harvard for nothing." I thought about it for a while. I wish there was something more I could do to bring him happiness. Bringing back the dead was something impossible, so that was out of the question. "You're doing it again."

I looked at Damien surprised and tilted my head in confusion.

"You're thinking that you could've turned them." Damien hit the nail on the head, as usual. He was starting to learn how I think. "Odette, that was a long time ago already. You weren't there, and that's okay."

"Yeah, but I really wish that I could, you know?" I shrugged, "Maybe I could have turned them - if I met them." 

"Great reflex on catching that, by the way. You can't bring back the dead. It's against everything in the books, and you know that. Even if you did, they wouldn't be my parents anymore. We all know that vampires tend to be enhanced more than a human would. Remember when you turned?"

I nodded, but I didn't want to remember it.

He and I exchanged looks for a while. "Anyways, you have to get ready for human school." Damien said, and I snickered at the teasing tone in his voice. "Think you can handle it, Odette?"

"Watch me." I smiled, putting my backpack over my shoulder, and pretending to be as human as possible. My hair was down and I let it flow over my shoulders. I was wearing a nice black lace t-shirt with a jacket thrown over me since it was supposed to rain sometime later today.

"Hey." Damien caught me before I walked out the door. "I'm serious, do you have your amulet?" I popped it out of my lace shirt and showed him the amber colored amulet. It was tacky but I loved the design on it, crested with a special emblem.

"Always." 

"That's the only thing that'll protect you from the sun, okay?" Damien said. Our eyes gazed upon each others for a moment and I could hear his heart beating quicker than normal. He was nervous, but also cautious. "What if something happens to you?"

"You're worried about someone who's turning 117 today?" I asked, lighting up the mood. I patted his cheek out of comfort. "Come on, Damien. Cut me some slack. We'll celebrate when I get back. I'll even pick up a cake for myself on the way back."

"That's weird. Just pick up a deer or something to keep you from torturing yourself, considering you can't really taste anything."

"Bye, have fun working on your telescope." I said, slipping out of the door with my umbrella. Got to look human... I can do this.

If I wanted to, I could cheat my way to get to school. It was time to get my running shoes on, and not have to deal with the school bus full of rambunctious kids my age. Being on the bus meant I could hurt someone, and my goal for today was to not do that. I stretched and breathed in and out for focus. Then, I felt the wind against my face, and found myself zipping through the tree lines at incredible speed to get to the main road. 

I laughed lightly, thinking this was breathtaking. When you're a vampire - emotions, vision, strength, and agility - all heightens. Nothing could ever stop me. 

~~~

My first class today was with Mr. Tanner in history and it's no surprise that people looked so bored and dead. I, on the other hand, fell in love with this class. Today, we were learning about Rhode Island becoming one of the thirteen colonies.

"As we all know, the Rhode Island Colony was founded by a Puritan named Roger Williams, in 1636. It was an English Colony until 1776 when it joined the other colonies in a rebellion against Great Britain for independence." Mr. Tanner said as he flipped through a slide on the projector screen.

I sighed to myself as he continued on with his lecture. I already know this state's history from the back of my mind. I lived through it, and no one even knows. 

It was March, and the middle of the semester.

I looked around to hear whispers of conversations in the back, but Mr. Tanner didn't seem to notice. I guess because at the end of the day, the students are the ones who should be able to understand the material. I then narrowed my eyes to see a kid with his phone out underneath the desk, watching watch a show with a friend, and I realized how alone I felt in school without someone to talk to. 

I tried to avoid any contact with anyone because I always knew how dangerous it would be. I always thought, maybe there will be someone like me. This town was very small, with a population of less than six thousand people. However, it seemed very unlikely l that I'd find anyone around here in Rhode Island who's like me.

There's no clue if there are others like me living among the living. Most of the people would give me strange looks if I played Twenty Questions with them. 

Since Freshman year, I'd been without friends, and to me, that's okay. I didn't join in any extra curriculars or anything as I wanted to stay out of the crowd.

I consider myself an outcast, and I always will be.