Aurora Sky Vampire Hunter

3 Team Fane

The face in the mirror had no eyes or lips. She was blurry, distorted. Every time I tried to look at her I had to look away. It was better not to tell Mom I was hallucinating. She was worried enough.
Maybe I was sick. Viruses. Melcher had used the plural.
Why would the agents save my life then make me sick?
Why would the agents save me at all?
I didn't feel sick. I didn't feel anything.
"Aurora!" Mom called from downstairs. "You're going to miss the bus if you don't leave soon."
I took each stair carefully. Didn't want to risk re-breaking any bones. It hardly seemed possible that they had healed so quickly to begin with. Rather than tell me to relax and take it easy, my doctor had told me to get plenty of exercise.
My foot hit the tiled entryway.
"Are you sure I can't give you a ride to school?"
Mom asked. "I'd like to."
"I'd rather take the bus."
"Can I pick you up?"
"No."
I zipped my backpack closed. She grabbed a white quilted parka from the closet and held it up, waiting for me to slip it on.
I stared at it. "Whose coat is that?"
"I got it for you. Don't you like it?"
I liked my bomber jacket better, but it hadn't made it through the wreck.
I slipped my arms into the coat sleeves without comment and pulled on my winter boots. Mom lifted the hood over my head as I moved to the front door.
"Have a good day. Call me if you decide you want a ride home."
I nodded and walked into the fresh air, for once welcoming the cold prickle across my face. I'd been indoors for weeks. A dusting of snow covered the neighbors' roofs and lawns. The driveways were clear.
"I averted my eyes when passing the empty spot next to the garage where my car should have been parked.
The lowerclassman waiting at the bottom of the hill glanced at me when I came to a stop several paces away from the cluster they'd formed.
I felt like I'd stumbled backwards in time to a bygone era-one in which I waited at the end of the street for the school bus.
Early morning commuters chugged past in their cars. The yellow bus came along eventually, its chains rattling around the rotating tires, and ground to a halt. I let everyone else board before I climbed the stairs.
I took one step down the aisle and stopped. The smell overwhelmed me: hairspray and perfume, BO and foul breath, all intertwined-thirty-eight bodies crammed inside a tin can. My head spun. I grabbed hold of a seatback to steady myself.
I resisted the urge to back up and climb back down the stairs. But I'd had""enough of wasting away in square rooms. I slid into the first available spot and stared out the window. At least the movement didn't bother me. I felt like I was in a submarine gliding smoothly through a current"

"Denise waited until I walked all the way up to our lockers to give me a hug. "Welcome back! I wanted to visit you in the hospital, but your mom said they were only allowing family members. How are you feeling?"
"Fine."
The halls were filled with chatter-the volume much too loud. I winced as a locker slammed shut beside me.
"Well, you look great," Denise told me, head in her locker as she spoke.
"Thanks."
Students stared at me and whispered quickly as they passed our lockers.
AJ, Denali High's ultimate player, strode over. His sneakers squeaked when he stopped in front of us. He looked me up and down. "Hey, Aurora, I heard you were in a coma."
"Leave her alone!" Denise snapped.
"Just askin'," AJ said with a shrug before moving on.
"I'm sure the last thing you want to do is talk about it," Denise said.
Her meaning was clear. Denise didn't want to hear a word about the accident.
I didn't want to talk about it anyway.
Denise pulled a three ringed binder out of her locker and stuffed it inside her backpack. "I'm so glad you're all right. Can I help you with anything?"
"I'm fine...thanks," I repeated.
"Okay. See you in math."
Yeah, okay.
At least now I had an excuse to get out of gym. Even better, Scott Stevens spoke more than two words to me.
That afternoon, "Hi, Aurora," was followed by, "Nice to have you back."
My own friend had failed to say those words. I liked hearing it from Scott better anyway. It came with a smile."

"Volleyball had been replaced by badminton while I was gone. Mr. Mooney let me get away with sitting out class the first two days, but by the third he decided to diagnose me as fit for participation.
"Sky, ready to jump back in?"
I paused on my way to the bleachers. "I'm not dressed."
Besides, everyone was already paired up.
"Fane!" Mr. Mooney called. "Get out here. You can be Aurora's partner."
I tried not to flinch or show signs of distress. My last memory of Fane involved his tongue tracing his upper lip.
Fane stood up and gave Mr. Mooney a glare so dark it sent a shiver down my spine. It was the first real sensation I'd experienced since the accident. When his eyes moved to me I momentarily forgot to breathe."
"Fane held my gaze a moment longer then slipped out of his leather jacket. I watched, transfixed. This was history in the making. Fane Donado taking off his coat.
All of his imperfections breezed out the door as soon as I got my first look at the six-pack straining against his cotton tee. My eyes must have been playing tricks on me. For a guy with such a slender build, Fane was surprisingly muscled.
Fane took deliberate steps down the aisle of the bench, straight to the edge. He jumped from the bleachers, causing them to rock in his wake.
I swore I felt a 'thud' inside the pit of my stomach when he landed.
Mr. Mooney nodded at Fane. "You two are playing Clayton and Tyler."
Fane walked past me and took two rackets off the floor. He handed me one. I took it from his outstretched hand then followed several steps behind.
Part of me was relieved he didn't say anything. All I could think about was the "obscene gesture he'd made right before my world turned up-side-down. I hardly noticed the hair now. I was too distracted by his lips. And now his abs. Luckily, I wouldn't have to look at either while we played side by side.
At the far court, Clayton and Tyler bounced birdies up and down on the strings of their rackets.
Clayton nudged Tyler as we approached. "Oh great. Goth boy and zombie girl. This should be fun."
I took my place beside Fane. He held his racket loose and lazy. I barely held mine at all. Clayton pelted the birdie at me. I tried to shield my face and ended up dropping my racket.
"Oh, come on!" Clayton shouted.
I picked up the birdie and threw it over the net.
Clayton served the birdie to Fane, who smacked it over the net with the flick of a wrist. Tyler launched the birdie at me. It hit me on the shoulder, but I swung anyway as it bounced to the floor.