It's Okay to be Different

11

"Allie?" I call out into the house. No response. He must not be home. "Alex?"

Suddenly a pair of arms wraps around my neck from behind. My instincts react. I grab the arms and flip the body over my shoulder before wrapping my hands around their throat.

Then I see it's Alex and let go immediately. "You're good." He says, smirking at me.

"Don't do that!" I whine. "I could have killed you."

He chuckles lightly. "You wouldn't have been able to kill me. I'm the most powerful vampire in the country."

I smile at him. "Yeah you're right. I don't know what I was thinking."

"You're weak. You could never hurt me." He says.

"I just flipped you." I smirk.

"Don't get smart with me!" He snarls, making me flinch away. "I let you flip me." I don't reply.

Alex has been really moody lately. I can't tell why and I don't have the courage to ask him. He's starting to scare me. He's so powerful, he could rip my head off at any second and I'd be gone.

I haven't spoken to Mitch in an entire month. I don't miss him. I think I'm falling in love with Alex, despite his mood swings. He's a great guy.

"Alex." I mutter after a few minutes of silence. Neither of us have moved from our position on the floor. He seems to have calmed down.

"Yeah babe?" Did I mention he calls me 'babe' a lot?

"I think... I really think that I love you."

"Love is a strong word. You don't just throw it around." He says without looking at me.

"I'm not throwing it around. I mean it. I love you."

"Scott," He warns with an edge to his voice.

I immediately shut down. "I'm sorry. I'll leave you alone." I get up and walk up to my room.

It's at moments like these that I really miss Mitch. When Alex is being difficult. When he doesn't want me around for long periods of time. He gets tired of me too quickly. But everytime I get ready to tell him I want to leave, I look into his eyes and realize that I love him.

I lied when I said I don't miss Mitch. I miss Mitch every moment of every day. And it only seems like I can think that when Alex isn't around. I feel like he's manipulating me somehow...

"Scott stop it." I hear his voice despite the volume he's speaking at. "Mitch hurt you. You know I would never manipulate you to think something that's untrue."

"I know..." I can feel the tears welling up.

"I swear to God if you cry, Hoying."

"I know I know!" I quickly sniffle and regain my composure. "You'll kill me."

Suddenly he's standing by my dresser in my room. "And you know I don't want to kill you, right?"

'Well I haven't been so sure lately.' is what I want to say. But after looking into his eyes what escapes my lips is, "Of course not."

"Good. Stop doubting me." He says in a montone voice.

"I'm sorry." I hesitate before saying the next sentence. "I love you."

"Scott," He simply says. I don't reply. It's silent for a few moments. "You think about Mitch all the time. But you tell me that you love me as if I can't hear your thoughts. You're not in love with me."

"But I am, Alex! I know how I feel! Yes, I have feelings for Mitch but I've fallen for you!" I can hear my own voice raising out of anger. 'I may be 17 but I'm not fucking dumb.'

Alex slams his fist down on my dresser, the wood shattering beneath the force. "Don't fucking scream at me!" His voice drops at least two octaves as he yells. "And watch your fucking thoughts! Mitch did that almost 18 years ago and look at how he is now! That stupid fringe."

"What?" I ask. What could he mean by that?

He pulls out his phone -'Mitch doesn't have a phone' I think to myself- and starts searching for something. "Mitch doesn't have a phone because he doesn't like technology. Now where is the- oh! Here it is. This is what Mitch looked like 20 years ago."

He shows me the picture and I almost say that it's not him. He's more plump, his hair is parted to the right side, he has facial hair, his style is different. But then I study his features. Those eyes are certainly Mitch's. The nose. The lips... It's all Mitch. 'But why the fringe?'

"But why the fringe you ask? Little Mitchie didn't know how to control his thoughts. He made a sassy remark in his head and I lashed out on him. These babies came out." He lifts his hands and his fingernails are replaced with sharp claws. "Afterwards, he screamed at me and left."

"You hurt him." I mutter, staring at the crumpled remains of my dresser.

"Yes I did. But he learned his lesson."

My eyes lock with Alex's for a moment. Involuntarily, I speak the words: "You're right. He deserved it."