The Living Game

(9) STDs Instead of Cheer

Theo had every class with me. It could have been a coincidence but I’m a believer of fate...and bribes. I had no doubt that Theo just sucked up or paid off the admissions officer and she’d let him be in whatever class he wanted.

He was quite the charmer.

The whole school still stared at me as I walked down the hallway, but now I was only half-certain it was me they were staring at. Some of them definitely eyed Theo. He was probably drawing just as much attention as I was. If not more.

All of the girls were following him around like lost puppies, puffing their boobs out and trying to look cute in that, ‘take me home’ kind of way. New meat had come to the school and they couldn't resist. He didn’t even glance at them twice.

Theo didn’t say much during classes. He made funny faces and whispered things to me to make me laugh but we couldn’t exactly have a whole conversation. By the time lunch break came around, I was more than a little impatient.

“Let’s go sit outside.” Theo suggested as we paid for our lunches.

I opened my mouth to warm him that outside the building was strictly the popular kid’s place, except for a few small groups along the side, but shut it quickly. It was Theo, he’d fit in perfectly. He didn’t dress like a jock but he was gorgeous so he could have worn rags and the popular girls would still swarm him. It was typical high school crap.

Besides, Theo had probably been out of high school for fifty years or more. Why should he care what the equitte for seating was?

That brought me to another question. How old was Theo?

We walked outside and Theo looked around casually. The wind blew my hair out around me and ruffled the front of his. He looked back at me.

“Where do you want to sit?” He asked.

I shrugged. “You can pick a spot.”

He picked up on my hesitation and turned to face me completely. “You aren’t afraid of a few teenage girls, are you?” His voice lowered. “You’re a vampire, you can’t be scared of humans. It goes against the laws of...well everything.”

I snorted. "You haven't met these girls. Half of them are scary enough to be vampires themselves."

Theo placed a hand over his heart. "I'm hurt that you think vampires are scary creatures." He feigned a look of sadness. "We're really just loving creatures that want to fit in."

I just looked at him, not knowing how to reply. I didn't think he was serious.

“Let’s go sit over here.” He said happily, walking determinedly towards the big, beautiful oak tree.

It was my favourite but it was also the cheerleader’s favourite. Whenever the weather was warm enough for them to parade around outside in skimpy cheerleading outfits, they could be found under that tree. They used to sit underneath it and skip class, as well, until the principal started checking there.

I didn’t stop him as he plopped down underneath it, looking totally content. “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?”

I took it as a rhetorical question and shoved a roll in my mouth as I caught sight of the cheerleaders coming towards us. Maybe they’d just pay us no mind and sit on the other side of the tree. Or they could just pick another one...

Yeah, right. My luck wasn’t nearly that good.

“Excuse me.” One of the blondes started. “This is our spot.”

The brunette, who was head cheerleader this year, stepped around here, smiling politely in a completely fake way. One glance at Theo told me that he wasn’t buying it. He was grinning like he’d just won the lottery but his eyes were mocking.