Haunted by the Immortals

Chapter 11

Nat

Day 1

It's been a long, tiring day. Same old boring lifestyle: wake up, go to school, being rude to Eve, go to the boys' after school baseball practice, go home, then go to Clara's and Matt about my progress skills and work out if I was getting smarter or needing more of their blood; and then finally go home. Phew, it took me more than ten words to explain my day. That's normal. Crap, Jeff's knocking on my door.

***

Jeff only came to ask me if I was alright. What was I supposed to say? Tell him: 'oh yeah, I went to Clara's to see if I was getting any smarter and because I wasn't, I was drugged again. That was why I was craving blood. That's why I keep staring at your neck, Jeff.' Through the days when Clara gave me little bits of hers and Matt's blood, because it was extremely strong, it made me feel as if I was a vampire for those couple of hours.

Well, anyway, it was six-thirty. Eve had come up and wondered in my room, her hands behind her back as if she was trying to figure something out. There was something fishy – I could tell; I just couldn't put a finger on it.

"Hey, Eve," I said.

"Uh-huh?"

"Are you okay?"

She looked at me as if I was crazy. "Teddy-Bear, I love you and all, but sometimes you give me the creeps. Of course I'm okay, why wouldn't I be?"

"Because you're pacing," I replied. "And you only pace when you're nervous, or really anxious. Sorry. I got you, now spill."

Even though Eve was two years older than me – only by school rules, otherwise she's a year older – she treated me like a best friend and a little sister. I guess I should be grateful.

"Fine, you got me." She sighed. "Rex kissed me in front of Jeff today." She winced even have said it as if it were replaying the event over and over again in her mind.

"God and you still hadn't told Jeff about Rex, had you?"

She shook her head vigorously. "No. I mean, I wanted to tell him and Will when the time was right, but definitely not as early as Rex had made it." She balled one of her fists and bit hard on her knuckles. "But I don't blame Rex, according to him, I'd told Jeff a month ago." She murmured between her teeth and knuckles.

"And how long has this been going for now?" I was taking about her relationship with Rex Henderson.

She knew on top of her head. "Two months."

I pursed my lips and stared at her. She stared back. "Have you talked to Jeff since?"

"What? You really think – Cami, do you seriously think I would have the nerve to come back from school and go up to him and say, 'oh I'm so sorry I didn't tell you before. It was just I was so wound up with Rex, that I forgot to tell you that we're together. He's really good to me, and his best friend, Michael, is really comfortable to be around.' That how'd it go, Cami. No doubting that."

"But–"

"No buts, TB. Now, be a good bear and help me around the situation downstairs. Will's cooking."

"Great. I'm not going to be much help," I muttered.

Downstairs, Will was near the stove, stirring a pot full of spaghetti and...was I seeing Will multitasking? He was stirring two pots at once, looking back and forth to each one. It was sort of cute. Jeff was on his laptop, ripped jeans muddy, hair ruffled as if he just woke up from bed and sneakers on, like he went for a run – which he never did.

"Jeff," I said. He didn't lift his eyes up to mine. So I ignored the fact and ploughed on. "How was your day?"

"Mmm," he murmured. I wasn't exactly sure if it was a response or a nothing.

"Why are you in sneakers?"

"I had to go to Matt's lab with Nick."

"Oh. What were you two doing?"

He looked up then, laughing, "Why? So you can track Nick down?"

I frowned. "Why would I want to do that?"

He hesitated. He urged to blurt it out to me, but he was scared that once his secret, which Nick shared with him, was revealed, he was trapped. "Nothing," he glanced at Eve. "Hey. I want to talk to you."

From the corner of my eye, I saw Eve's neck muscles twitch and she gulped hard. She nodded, only looking deep into his eyes like he was a vampire and she wanted to be glamoured. "Follow me."

So Eve and Jeff left slowly steeping up the stairs, chattering so very quietly even I had trouble hearing – with my powers and all that were all progressing stronger and stronger by the day.

Will looked back at me in a weird way. I don't know, but lately he had been growing increasingly close to me. It was...odd. Though I sorta knew where he wanted things to go with the two of us. He wanted us to try to be together, and since I was only fourteen-years-old I didn't think that as such a great idea. Still, I acted casual around him as if I was oblivious to his ideas and thoughts. I wasn't a mind-reader, God, no. I'm just an average teenage girl who was merely given powers to resort her help with the First Vampires.

I was twelve when it happened. It. 'It' was not a hypocritical word for how I was using it. 'It' meant when I was changed from a mortal into an immortal witch. Now, here I use 'it' in another context: The powers are only supposed to last until I become sixteen and until then, I'm practically forced into teachings and skills before my time was up. Clara wanted me to become this; Matt didn't. And their kids – Nick was one of them – seemed to be loving and the most caring group of vampire teenagers you would probably ever see.

That is, if you even get to see vampires.

But if you don't, and you think you're missing out, then you're an idiot. A crazy, jackass, idiot who doesn't know the meaning between life and death would barely stand a night in Blakesville. We – we've learnt to live in it, co-operate.

I hope that someone in the future will read this diary, because even though they would have never been alive to see all this, I am sure you can imagine it with my detailed descriptions. (Ha ha!) And I really hope that Mitch doesn't read this, 'cos I'm gonna write a lot about him very soon and you'll thank me later for mentioning it.

I sat in awe, still staring at the diary on the last page of the first entry. I had no idea who the hell Rex and Michael were, but they seemed to me as if they were close to Eve.

So, I thought. This was Cami two years ago. I should probably read on. But it only took me barely five minutes to read the first entry, and suddenly, reality slapped across my face like a firework exploding right in front of my eyes. Cami was at Caltech. Stefan was on his way. I hadn't left to go yet, and now, it was close to nine o'clock. Shit! If I left now, it would take me about an hour and a half to get there, let alone find what building she was staying in.

I decided to go anyway. So, stuffing her diary in my backpack, I headed out for the door, and called for a cab.