Vampire Boy

III

Sitting at the piano, I let my fingers float across the keys like it was second nature to me. I closed my eyes, appreciating the sweet sound the motions produced. Classical music was a vice for me. I love other genres, sure, but classical is everything to me. This piano, after all, is one of the only things my father left behind. 

"Daxxy?" 

Spinning round, I was met with a tired-eyed pair of twins shuffling in my doorway. Both dressed in football-themed pyjamas, Andy was clutching his stuffed toy tightly to his chest and Angel was gripping onto Andy's hand for dear life. 

I wasn't really a fan of football, but I watched it since they both seemed so interested in it. When they were younger, they were always trying to get me to play with them, but unfortunately I couldn't handle very long in the sun. They still force me out onto the pitch on particularly gloomy days, however. 

"What's up? Why aren't you in bed?" I frowned, crossing my room to check if they were okay.

"We had a nightmare. We're sleeping in your room?" Andy intended for it to sound like a question, but it came across more as a statement. 

Angel pouted behind him, batting her eyelashes at me to get me to agree. They were growing up to be quite conniving. They did this quite often now, preferring my room to their own or even to our mothers. I didn't really mind it, but I didn't want them thinking they could get their way all of the time, or they'd grow up spoilt.

"Did you really have a nightmare?" I asked, to which they both enthusiastically nodded, "Fine, but you need to go straight to sleep." 

A grin split out onto each of their cheeky faces and they pushed past me, climbing up onto my double bed. Once they were settled in, duvet pulled right up to their chins, they looked at me expectantly. I sighed, shaking my head to myself. How had I become a human servant to my younger siblings?

"Just one song." I warned, sitting back at my piano. 

One of their favourites popped to mind and I began to press the keys to the opening, hearing some happy chatter start up behind me. A single warning glance over my shoulder was all it took for them to zip it, sheepishly settling down again. Letting myself get lost in the song, I didn't even realise I had closed my eyes again until I was playing the final keys. 

Lo and behold, the twins were fast asleep. 

Some piano always seemed to do the trick in sending them off to sleep, even if they were deep into a sugar rush. I wasn't sure whether it was because it I bored them to sleep, or if it was soothing to them. Either way, it does the trick, so I'm not complaining.

Smiling softly at my siblings, I stood from my piano stool and slipped open my wardrobe as quietly as I could. Night times were my favourite because I could wear next to nothing outside without the fear of searing pain.

Slipping out some black shorts, a baggy vest top and some vans, I headed to the bathroom. Taking a quick shower, I slipped on my clean clothes and popped a pill bottle open, taking my dosage. Looking in the mirror, I cringed slightly at my reflection. I must admit, I look worse than usual today. The dark, harsh bags under my eyes seemed to be pleading for sleep and my skin was desperate for some sun, ghoulishly hanging to my body.

I knew, however, that neither of those things were possible for me. 

This was my usual evening routine. Get dressed in clothes I can't usually wear and climb out of the window, all without alerting my mother. It usually isn't too difficult to avoid her knowing about the insomnia since she either works nights, or she's passed out from her extremely long day shift. Today was the latter, obviously. Otherwise, I'd still be with the twins.