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Chapter 3: Coming Back To Me

The next morning I felt horrid. I wanted to just lay in bed all day but I knew I had to get back into my routine. I sat up and put on my running clothes. I grabbed my iPhone and plugged in my headphones, playing my new favorite song. As I was leaving out the door I looked at the hall clock to make sure I was on schedule, 4:30, perfect, I thought, right on track. I started walking doing little stretches to get me warmed up and by the time I reached the little bridge by my house I was ready to run. I decided to do a light jog because my doctor told me not to push myself to hard. I ran to the beat of the music letting it moving me in a way I had never let it before. Right now was not about getting fit and getting ready, no today was about getting back to basics, about starting over. I felt different, for some odd reason baseball wasn't on my mind, winning the champions wasn't on my mind, making a life for me wasn't on my mind. No instead today I was being a regular teenager, I was thinking about Daniel Luke Ryder, and as oddly as it sounded I was thinking about Brad...

Yesterday when he saw me he looked almost conflicted about something, he looked like he wanted to talk to me... Alone. It scared me and yet thrilled me. I don't know why, I mean he Is like a father to me and for some odd reason I wanted him to hold me, to kiss me, to take me. Why I had this sudden urge was beyond me but I knew I would have to for sure work hard not to act on it. But on the other hand I felt like Daniel and I had connected some how. Like for some unknown reason he knew what I was going through, even though I didn't know myself. I felt like he could help me and yet I felt like he could hurt me with much less effort and energy.

I was in a picnic park about a mile away from my house now. The sun wasn't up yet but the moon was, it casted a blue glow to the trees and grass, as the closest mountains had a yellow glow on the very edge of them. Usually I love the sunrises but today for some weird, unknown reason I dreaded it, I didn't want the sun up yet, I didn't want to face it, I was scared, I felt like it could hurt me and I don't know why...

The snap of a twig pulled my attention to something behind me. I didn't see anything... Or anyone, but I know what i heard so I turned around and started to jog back home. Or at least that's what I was going to do but instead when I turned around I came face to face with a broad chest. I drew in a breath to scream as I tried to jump back but hands snaked around me and held me to the chest successfully muffling my scream. I started to kick and pry myself away but there was no luck with me today. Now I wished the sun was up so people could be here, so they could help me. I felt tears prick my eyes as I got weak with defeat.

The chest chuckled making me frightened. I was let go and I pushed myself back as far as I could ready to run but instead tripped over a root. The man laughed harder making me angry. I pushed my hair out of my face as I looked up to my attacker, up to my teacher, up to Brad. I felt releaf feel me, but anger took over immediately after.

"Mr. Walters?! What are you doing in the park so early in the morning?!"

-- "Mr. Walters?! What are you doing in the girls locker room so late at night?!" --

I flinched at the sudden memory that was just pushed into my head. 'When did that happen?' I asked myself.

Mr. Walters took a step towards me making me jump back into reality. His smile quickly faded as caution crossed through his eyes. "What's wrong?" He asked me in a whisper.

"Y-you just.." Should I tell him the truth, that I just had a memory of him. "You just scared me that's all" I laughed as I slowly got up, hoping he bought my lie. Well it wasn't a full lie but that wasn't what was wrong.

His smile came back as a chuckle escaped his mouth. "Sorry but you know I can't help but scare you." He said as he took a step closer and I took one back but hit a tree and so with this advantage he quickly caged me in using his arms. "Well I guess I should do what I came down here for." He smiled wickedly as he continued "you will not scream!" He forced upon me and for some reason I listened. "You will not remember this and if people ask how your morning run was you will say 'fine thank you' and leave it at that. You will not recall me ever being here. You just went on a nice run, and NOTHING HAPPENED!" He growled the last part. Instantly my memory flashed away and I only see myself running. But it was strange... I felt a pain and pull on my neck and I soon drew tired and decided to turn home.

Something did happen on my run... I felt pain in my neck.

I was finally home and I felt drained. I had never, ever, gotten this tired on a run before. It was weird and I knew something was off but I just pushed that thought away as I walked through the front door.

"Hey honey, your home early?" My mom looked at me a little confused "well I guess you shouldn't push yourself right? Well how was your run?" She asked not bothering to look at me.

I felt like telling her about my neck. I wanted her to know that I felt like something was off, that something was wrong but instead I said "fine, thank you." And quickly walked up stairs leaving it at that. 'Thats weird' I thought to myself 'I usually talk to my mom after my runs... Maybe I'm not feeling well today.' I pushed the thought out of my mind and walked into my room closing the door after me. I grabbed my towel and went into my bathroom to take my shower.

I let the hot water run down my cold body letting it sooth my aches and pains. I quickly dried off and went into my room to find clothes, making sure the towel was secure around my body. As I pasted my window I saw a figure in the corner of my eye. I flicked my head around to see a blonde bimbo clumsily climbing out of Daniels window. I watched with a bored expression. This happens all the time, it's one of the joys of living next door to the bad boy. I go over to my closet letting that little picture leave my mind and got dressed. After I did I ran downstairs and grabbed an apple kissed my mom goodbye and ran out the door.

I loved walking to school because the sunrises where always so beautiful but today it was cloudy. 'How weird' I thought. 'It wasn't cloudy when I went on my run.' I pushed that thought aside and kept walking. When i got to the river trail I felt a weird chill trickle down my spine. I felt the adrenalin shoot though my veins. My heart rate spiked as my body got ready to fight or to flee. I turned around ready if someone was there but to my luck no one was there. My heart rate went down from the rush and I felt exhausted, I couldn't support my legs anymore. I crashed to the ground with a thud and let out a scream of pain when I felt my wrist snap from the presser of it. I lied on the ground, pain running through my arm, as the sun finally decided to come out. It seemed brighter and hotter than usual, and for some reason I had a urge to run from it. I was still in the shade and I felt too much pain to move, so I pushed that thought to the back of my mind. I pulled out my phone and was about to call my mom when the sun reached me, hitting first my feet. I dropped my phone and screamed bloody murder as I felt the burning sensation of my flesh being pulled off of my body and then a fire being placed on top of the wound. I screamed and cried as I tried to pull myself back into the shade but to no avail, for the sun gained on me and moved up my legs. What was happening to me? Was this a dream? What is wrong with me? These were the questions running through my mind. And for some odd reason a voice kept whispering back one word. Vampire.