Fangs & First Kisses

Chapter 3

LEXI

Again, I'm back at Mr. Parkson's office. The text message he sent me was weird yet interesting at the same time, Meet me at 8 am in my office tomorrow. I have a surprise for you.

The secretary calls me in with the same voice as yesterday. I roll my eyes at her as I walk into his office. "Ah, Lexi. There you are, come take a seat." Mr. Parkson says this as he points to the same spot in front of him. I sit down, cross my arms, and look him in the eye. "What's this surprise you have for me?" I spit out. He smiles gently as he pulls out a gift wrapped in beautiful paper and hands it to me. "Go on, open it."

He coaxes me to unwrap. I unwrap to see the words Photo Album engraved on a large leather-covered book. I flip the first page and a tingling sensation forms in my eyes and nose. It's a photo of Dad, Mum, Pen, the twins, and me. Before I know it, tears flow down my eyes like waterfalls. I try to control the lump in my throat as always but it doesn't work.

I start to sob uncontrollably at the picture as my teardrops fall on it. I regret always pushing them away whenever they tried to help me, I regret not spending enough time with them. The regrets form inside of me as I bury my face in the book. Eventually, I stop and look up at Mr. Parkson, who's also tearing up, and thank him. "Thank you so much...I'm so sorry for yelling at you yesterday. Thanks for giving me this." He gives a silent nod as I wipe my tears away with the handkerchief he gave me.

I leave the office and run to the bathroom again. I open the leather book and snap photos of the pictures inside. This was a way they stayed with me forever. I clutch the book against my chest as tears start to flow out of my eyes again. I stay there for a while before leaving the cubicle. I walk back to my homeroom and I see the most horrifying thing ever. I see Owen looking down at a blood-soaked paper on the ground and I cup my hand over my mouth in shock.

The rest of my classmates stare in shock before Ms. Jackie starts to speak. "Owen...Is that actual blood?" Owen makes eye contact with me and I see tears in his eyes and his face red like a tomato. "N-No Ms. Jackie...It's cranberry juice..." He manages to stammer out. He picks up the homework as he runs to the boys' bathroom. I manage to see him walk away in embarrassment and despair. I couldn't help but feel bad for him. "Lexi, why are you late?" Ms. Jackie questions as she directs her attention at me. "I was at the principal's office."

I reply in my monotone voice and I walk to my seat as I sit down. Ms. Jackie nods at me as a way of saying okay. I sit down and look at Owen's water bottle. I notice that there is indeed a red liquid inside it that is flowing out onto the floor. I stare at it intently before Owen comes back and block my view. His eyes are red, must've been from crying as he hands the now slightly less red homework to Ms. Jackie.

She takes the paper and a terrified look forms on her face while she puts it down at her desk. Why does he have cranberry juice in school? Who even likes cranberries? I lean back in my chair as I start to process everything that happened this morning. I distinctly remember his clothes being a bit dusty this morning but that doesn't leave me with any leads to why the heck he has this liquid in his damn water bottle.

I stare at him for any signs that he might be abnormal because no one in their right mind would still hand up that juice-stained homework. Maybe he's just spent all night doing the assignment, that must be the reason why he appears gaunt, right? I mean, I can't say as if I don't look like that too. I think I might be a bit more dead-like than him. I notice that his light-blue eyes give off a red tint when he tilts his head and his hair looks soft and I can't help wanting to feel it. Oh shit...I'm starting to act like Pen who wants to sleep with every guy she meets that to her is 'attractive'. I find them average at most. But, something's different about Owen.