It's Okay to be Different

6

The beating of Scott's heart stops. So do his breaths. I start humming a Taylor Swift song softly. I'm playing with his senses and he notices it. I know that not only will he be able to hear the humming, he'll be able to feel the vibrations from the humming. I turn the page to my book and I can hear his head whip to face the door as he sits up in bed. I can't help but giggle.

"Mitch?" He calls out loudly.

"I'm down here." I mutter. I know he'll hear me no matter what volume I speak at. I giggle again at my witty way at letting him know what he finally is.

"Mitch." He sounds really confused. I find it hilarious but I hold my laughter in.

"Come downstairs." I tease him by whispering.

I never take my eyes away from my book but I hear him taking the stairs by two. I can't help but smile a little. "How do you feel?" I whisper. I close my book and look at my hands. I know how he feels. I just want to know how he's coping with it.

"I feel... stronger. And my throat is kind of dry. Do you have water?" He asks me.

A chuckle escapes my lips. "Water won't satisfy that thirst." I move so I'm suddenly in front of him and take his hands in mine. "You need blood."

He looks at me with wide eyes and a smile. "Yeah... blood sounds nice right now."

"I'm going to make a few rules very clear right now, though. 1. We don't kill people, Scott. When I tell you to stop, you stop immediately. 2. You will never hunt for blood. You will go to the nearest Blood Donation Center. It's only 10 dollars. 3. Stay away from friends and family until furthur notice."

He slowly nods his head. "This is all for safety?" He asks with a hoarse voice and the rubs his throat.

"Yes. It's purely for the safety of mortals and for our kind. We are a secret Scott. A secret that should never be spilled to any mere mortal." He nods his head with a stern look. Thank God he understands. "Alright. Now let's go get something for that throat of yours."

We walk out of my home and down the street. During the walk, Scott attempts to learn more about himself.

"So I noticed something." He says looking up.

"Hmm?"

"We're not dying."

"What?" I look at him like he has three heads.

He just simply points to the sky. "The sun. I thought that the sun kills vampires."

"That's a very false assumption. The movies brought you to think that. For more powerful vampires, it can make us a bit uncomfortable after a long period of time in it, but it won't make us turn to ash."

"So garlic?"

"Unphased by it."

"Wooden stakes?"

"If wielded by a human, it couldn't even pierce our skin."

"Wow." He says smiling a little.

We walk in silence for a few moments before he speaks again. "Another question."

"Shoot."

"If I get hungry, couldn't I feed on you? Or any other vampire? Or is that like a no-no or something?"

I giggle a little at his wording. "Do you remember when I told you that vampires can't feel pain?"