Dark Side

3. Neighbour

Dan

In the following weeks, PJ learned me all the things I needed to know about being a vampire. Apparently I was incredibly strong and fast, and I wouldn't age from now on; I would be like this for the rest of eternity. I could go out in the sunlight; not all myths about vampires that people believed were true. I had to admit these things were quite amazing, but it also meant I would see the people around me, the people I loved, die and in order to survive, I had to kill.

If I could trade this life for my human life, I would. I understood why PJ turned me, but that didn't take away the fact that I never asked for this.

I had learned a lot, but didn't know everything yet and I still needed his help. I had stayed in PJ's apartment in the months after I was turned, but I wanted to have my own apartment. I liked PJ, he was still my friend, but with him being around me all the time, it felt like he was analyzing every movement of mine. And that was pretty annoying.

The only problem was, someone was already living in the apartment next to PJ's.

"We can always force him to live somewhere else... or kill him," PJ had said. I wasn't entirely sure if he was joking or not. I hope he was. Maybe it was a really nice guy living next to him. Maybe we could be roommates. It was always better than being watched by PJ all the time.

 

It was a sunny saturday afternoon and I decided to go for a walk - something I never did, but I just had to get away from PJ, even if it was for just half an hour.

I crossed the road, not really paying attention to my surroundings, and I suddenly saw a car driving towards me. It didn't even drive that fast, I just saw it too late. The car hit me and I landed on the hood of the car, and breaking the windshield. The car stopped and the driver got out of the car. My head hurt and I rubbed my eyes.

"Are you okay?" I heard a male voice, and when I opened my eyes again I saw someone standing over me with a worried look on his face. He had raven black hair, pale skin and beautiful blue eyes.

"Uhm... Yes..." I said, "I'm fine." Beside my headache, I really felt fine. A human would have been killed. I suppose being a vampire had its benefits.

I sat up straight and I saw the car had definitely more damage than I had.

"I'm really sorry about your car," I said, but he didn't seem to hear me.

"Shall I take you to the hospital?" he asked instead.

"I'm fine," I assured him, "Trust me."

He looked at me, still worried. "I'll bring you home then."

 

When the driver asked me where I lived, and I answered, he laughed. "That's a strange coincidence, I live next to your apartment."

"I'm Dan Howell, by the way," I said, realizing we hadn't introduced ourselves yet.

"Phil Lester," he said, "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked me for the tenth time.

"I'm fine, Phil, really."

Phil was a nice guy. I had just met him, but it felt like we knew each other for quite a while. He was quite talkative, but I didn't mind. He said I should come to his apartment this afternoon. I agreed and we were soon sitting on his couch.

"Do you want something to drink?" he asked as he went to the kitchen to get a coffee for himself.

"No, thanks," I said, smiling at him.

I could be around humans now without killing them. It wasn't without difficulty, though; I could hear Phil's heartbeat, his blood flowing through his veins... but I was able to retain myself.

I hoped.