After Dark

After Dark (25)

--chapter 25--

Julie Hunter

As my dad neared the school parking lot, I put my 'Bite Me' book into my black and blue rucksack. I just love vampire books! I wish I could become one, but not right now. Maybe when I'm like nineteen since I'm gonna be frozen in time.

"Okay kiddo, have fun at school!" My dad smiled as he stopped the car.

I climbed out of the big Jeep and turned to him.

"I will." I smiled back and closed the car door.

As I walked to the entrance of the school (my best friend Georgina "Gina" Davies was waiting there) Crystal Turner stopped me in my tracks. She was an 11th grader, totally popular, all the guys in 11th and 10th grade liked her, which didn't make any sense because she was dating Ryan Frost. 

"Was that your dad that dropped you off?" She asked, still looking at the car.

Strangely, dad hadn't left yet. Wierd.

"Uh, yeah. Why?" I asked.

Crystal tossed her long blonde hair and replied, "Oh no reason! Just curiousity." and she walked away.

When I caught up with Gina she asked me, "What was that all about?"

I shrugged.

"She wanted to know if that was my dad that dropped me off."

"Hmm... strange..." Gina answered as we headed for class.

***

At lunch, we saw one of the new kids, Renesmee Cullen. She's totally mysterious. Some guys think she's kinda hot, but they've seen her hanging out with some big guy from La Push ("The Rez" as some of us call it) so they backed off. Renesmee looked kinda lost. She stood there, right in the middle, looking for an empty table. I waved at her to come and sit with Gina and I, and she smiled when she came over.

"Hi." She said.

"Hey! What's the latest Renesmee?" Gina said in her thick British accent.

"Oh, please. Call me Nessie." She suggested. "Nothing much really. Just that my mum's old friend is in town."

"Ooh! What's her name?" Gina asked.

"Brooke Hale. I don't like her very much. But I have to put up with her cause she's one of my mum's closest friends."

Just then, I felt the tingly feeling of people staring at us. I turned around and I saw Crystal and her boyfriend Ryan, staring at us. Once I caught her eye, they quickly looked away, but Crystal still looked like she was listening to our conversation, even though she was about eight metres away from us. She's kinda creepy but I tried not to think about it.

"Are you okay?" Nessie asked me.

"Huh? Oh! Yeah, yeah. I'm fine." I smiled to make it look convincing.

"You're lying." Gina said.

Ah, she knew me all too well.

"It's nothing, it's just that Crystal Turner and Ryan Frost keep giving us wierd looks." I said.

"Maybe, there planning to kill us. Better yet, they're serial killers, and we're their next target! Or maybe, they're vampires." Gina joked.

I tried to laugh, but it came out kinda strained. Renesmee straightened up the minute she heard the word 'vampire'.

"What's the matter?" I asked her.

"Oh nothing. Um... I gotta go. I'll see you guys later." Nessie said and left the cafeteria.

"Strange kid." Gina said.

Crystal also left with Ryan behind her.

"Something's going on." I told Gina.

"Let's follow them!" She replied and we left the cafeteria as well.

*****