The Vampire Princess

Talis

      "Hi, Talis," my crush Lilly said. I looked into her eyes with a dreamy look. Today Lilly had invited me to a date at her house. I was so excited. 

      "Talis!" Sarita Hugos walked up to me as Lilly left. She was a nerd in our school, the most infamous one. I turned away. 

      "Talis." Sarita's voice was barely a whisper. "I know we can't talk so I'm giving you this." She pushed a paper in my hand. 

     I crinkled the paper and tried to give it back, but she was gone.

    In math class, Mrs. Kim was discussing how to find the slope, which I already knew. For eighth grade math, this was easy. I looked around the room, where dozens of others were yawning like babies. Even Lilly was. I decided to take advantage of this time and read the note. 

Talis! Don't meet up with Lilly tonight! She's a vampire and she's one of the really evil ones! I'm a vampire too but she's more evil! I'll help tonight if you need it.

   Strange, I thought. I looked over at Lilly again. She smiled at me with eyes like stars, beautiful against the dark of the night sky. Her eyes were the loveliest shade of blue with a tang of royal purple on the edges. Her blood-red dress fit the tone of her hair, also red, though not the same shade. She smoothed her hair back in one long flourish, which even Mrs. Kim didn't notice. She sat back with a back so straight I wondered if anything could be straighter. I continued to observe Lilly's lady-like behavior, until I saw something. For the first time, I noticed her two front teeth seemed...sharp. Hmm. Maybe I need to talk to Sarita.

  After class, I caught up with Sarita as she slammed her locker. "Sarita."

  She gave me a wan smile. "Talis. Did you see Lilly's fangs?"

  "They are not fangs! I am only a bit curious about what you said."

  She pursed her lips. "Lilly is not what you think she is. She may be the prettiest girl in this school, but have you noticed she never eats her lunch? Only a bit of it." Sarita pulls out a canteen and twists it open with a squeaky grunt. She waterfalls it in her a mouth, a river of red. 

  I gaped at her. "Is that..blood?"

  She screwed the lid back on. "Yeah, it is. I didn't suck anyone's blood, mind you. We harvest it or hunt it."

   "What?"

   "Lilly is one of those carnivorous ones. She'll rip out your flesh and drain you of blood. If you meet her, that's your fate."

    "Talis!"

     I turned. There was Lilly, smiling her blinding smile and looking at me with that innocent look.

     "Lilly," Sarita growls.

     I faked a smile. "Hey, girl."

     She held out her hand, nails sharp, hand soft. "Talis," she whispered. "Let's go to my house after this. We will-"

      "I'm coming with you," Sarita interrupted.

      "WHAT!" I cried.

      She cuffed me on the ear. "This is for your own good," she snapped. "To put it bluntly, Lilly," Sarita said sweetly. "I'm coming. Talis wants me to come."

      Lilly heaved a sigh. "You always get in my way, do you, Sarita," she sneered. "Alright, you may come this once. We'll be meeting at my abode. I trust you know where it is?"

      Sarita looked relieved. "Why would I forget," she retorted. "231 Pearl Street. I will see thee thither."

       "Yes we will. Come along, Talis." Under her breath Lilly told me in a dour tone: "We won't be having her ruining our date. I've a special place where no one will disturb us. No one." The way she said the last words creeped me out, but I nodded anyway. 

        "Good. I shall see you in the bus lot, I presume?"

        "Yes Lilly, of course. By the way, I love you."

         She got close, like she was going to kiss me, but gave me a hug instead. "I love you too." She said it with no emotion, but I believed it. 

         "See you then!"

         "See you!"

         I headed off to my next period.