A Vampire's Night : New Beginnings

Chapter 4 - The Morning After

I stretch lazily as I hear my farm animals starting to wake themselves as I sit up on my bed and think about how the festival had gone yesterday. The villagers had a right to worry about our new arrivals, but they were only worried because of me... Because of what the vampire had done to my mother and father... And I couldn't blame them for being concerned, after all they had all worked together to raise me after the attack.

"We must not let them stay worried for long. If any should doubt what I'd said yesterday, they shall be looking for something wrong with their behavior toward me... I must not allow there to be." I tell myself in a determined tone as I get up in order to make my bed and get dressed for the day. I had just pulled my hair back and was getting ready to cook myself done breakfast when I heard a knock on my back door and then heard it open slowly.

"Amelia?" I hear Thad call out softly in a tone that almost sounds apologetic.

"Kitchen, want anything for breakfast?" I ask him as I smile at him gently.

"I ate before I came by... Are you really okay with having those people as neighbors? Even after what you've been told about how your parents were killed?" Thad asks me with a worried expression.

"What I said yesterday is true Thad, I don't hold that vampire's actions against them... But I do still worry about what they can do, just as I would anyone I didn't know. They are strangers, but they are also my new neighbors, they must be given an equal chance just like anyone else would be given." I explain to him as gently as I possibly can.

"I trust you, but I still don't like the idea." Thad tells me a bit moodily as he nibbles at some of the toast that I had put onto my small table.

"You don't have to like my choices, just please respect them and know that I'm doing what I think is right... and hopefully what is going to help us all." I tell him as I begin cooking food for the both of us, knowing full well that he had lied about eating before he came over here... I highly doubted that he had even slept last night.

"I do, you know I do... I only ask you to be careful." Thad mutters around his toast.

"How could I be anything but careful when you're always watching over me? It's why the village calls me the 'Rash' one and you're the 'Thoughtful' one... always keeping me out of trouble I can't see because I'm always running head first into things because my heart is telling me what it thinks is right." I smile at him brightly once more, "And you, always the one with the calm and collected thoughts that help me see what the bigger picture truly is... we make a good team, you and I."

"Rash and Thoughtful... sounds like a bad children's story in the making." Thad smiled at me with his crooked grin that tugged at something within my chest as I quickly finished making the food that I had in front of me.

"I don't think it'd be that bad, after all, how much mischief could the two of us get into?" I joke with him as I set the food between us on the table.

"I dare say that I could remain out of trouble, however, my present company has a knack for finding trouble as well as trying to fix that trouble... so, to conclude my theory, you shall get into a lot of trouble and I shall be the one to get you out of it." Thad chuckles at me, knowing that I hate it when he fights battles that I believe to be mine.

"I doubt very much that you're the only person within this village who would try to get me out of trouble, so don't you go hogging all of the fun." I inform him as I put eggs, ham, bacon and hash onto my plate, not noticing how still Thad had become.

"That vampire kid seems to like you well enough already that I'm sure that he'd want to keep you out of trouble... and he's got enough strength to do the job." Thad says darkly and I look into his face for the reason behind the malice in his words.

"You mean Conner? Why would you say something like that?" I asked in a very confused manner as I pause in eating a bit of my toast.

"It's just something I noticed at the festival yesterday... He seemed to only be paying any amount of attention to you." Thad muttered as he avoided looking at me directly.

"Thad... are you by any chance jealous?" I ask in an incredulous tone as I raise my brows at him.

"Me? Jealous of a vampire?" Thad responded with snort, "Why would I ever be jealous of one of them?"

"I haven't the slightest idea... it's not like he can compare with my first love anyhow." I comment nonchalantly as I take a sip of my juice.

"Your first love?" Thad's frown deepens as he actually looks at me at this moment.

"Yes, my first love. I met him when I was but a child, back when my parents were still alive." I reply as I take a quick bite of my other food.

"Do you still get to see him around?" Thad asks me as he moves his food around absentmindedly and I roll my eyes without him noticing.

"I see him on a regular basis, however, I doubt that he even notices me let alone feels the same way as I do." I inform Thad in a dejected manner before shaking my head a bit, "What about you?"

"What about me?" Thad asks in surprise.

"Well is there a girl in the village who is your first love?" I ask him with a slight impatient tone, "I've been telling you about how I have a first love, the least you could do is tell you if you have one."

"I have one, but I don't think she sees me as a man... I see her almost daily and I fear she might still see me as a young boy, instead of the young man who helps take care of his family." Thad tells me with a sigh as he looks directly into my eyes.

"Well I know how much you help them, so if she can't, then she's not worth your time and effort." I surmise for him with a smile that he gladly returns, "To the trouble of one's first love."

"To that I shall toast this fine morning." Thad chuckles softly as he raises his glass to meet mine as we get to finishing our breakfast quickly.