Vampire Boys Of Summer (Completed!)

Episode 12: The Walk

I didn’t say anything else about the loveless tattoo and neither did he. He seemed to act like it was normal for me to know this tattoo as if it was just as common as the word “Mom” on a sailor’s arm. I didn’t feel comfortable pursuing it further because then I’d have to reveal a whole range of things about last night and I didn’t want to go there.

“So, what’s your tattoo then?”

“Mobile Suit Gundam beating up on Sailor Moon.”

“Are you serious?”

“No, I’m just kidding. I don’t have any tattoos.”

I frowned at him. “You need to work on all this kidding stuff. A girl likes to be told the truth.”

“Truth. Hmmm. Tell you what. You tell me the truth why you came over last night, and I’ll tell you any truth about me you want to know.”

I looked at him for a moment. This could be very tricky and could bring the hope of any type of friendship to a crashing halt. I mean come on, what was I supposed to say? I just came over to put a stake through your heart?

“I can’t do that,” I said. “Not yet.”

He stopped walking. He sighed, running his fingers through his long blond hair as if he was thinking or debating something within himself. “Fair enough,” he said. We walked on a couple more blocks before he spoke again. “So, you like tattoos?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Do you have any?”

I smiled. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Um..yes I would.”

“Yeah, I have one. But don’t ask to see it. I won’t show it to you.”

He smirked. “Fair enough.”

The whole ‘fair enough’ thing was starting to irritate me. I was beginning to think he used the phrase whenever he didn’t like what you said.

“How long have you lived here, Nora?”

“All my life.”

“Exciting.”

“Not really. Where did you grow up?”

He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Lots of places. Japan, San Francisco, Queens. Now we’ve moved here.”

“It must seem dull here next to those big places.”

“It’s not dull. Just slower paced, which I guess is what my uncles wanted.”

“Your Uncles?”

“Yeah, I live with my uncles. They are making a show of raising me these days.”

“Where are your mom and dad?”

“Traveling. Always present, but always gone, if that make sense.”

I nodded. “Yes, I think it does. My dad’s gone too, but he’s not traveling.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

I laughed. “It’s not like that. He’s in the state hospital.”

“What’s his illness?”

“Sick in the head, I suppose.”

He gave me a little reassuring smile. “Sounds like we both have dysfunctional families.”

“Yeah.”

We rounded a corner and started down our street. Home was only a block away now. The time had gone by so fast.

“Maybe we should hang out and get dysfunctional together,“ he said.

From the lips of someone else it may have come out sounding flirty, dirty, or just outright insulting, but from Haru it sounded like sound advice and the offer of friendship. I couldn’t believe it but I was thinking it possible that I just might be able to like this guy without staking him.

“Yeah, I think that would cool,“ I replied. “You know where I live. Consider yourself invited over.”

He smiled so big I could see his perfect white teeth. It made me realize I had just invited a vampire to my home. What an idiot. But what puzzled me about that were two things: one, his walking in daylight without catching fire, and two, when he smiled I could see no fangs, not even an overbite. Perhaps I’d been wrong. Maybe I just have an obsessive compulsive “vampires are everywhere” disorder…

We stepped up on the sidewalk and crossed over into my yard. I hadn’t realized while we had been walking, but he was right up next to me only inches from my body. The only way we could be any closer is if we’d been holding hands. Why I thought of that analogy I don’t know. It would be pretty weird holding hands with a vampire. Aren’t they clammy and icy cold to the touch? Still, it seemed as if he had no concept of personal space. And I had no concept of not minding that fact.

It made me a little self-conscious, the lack of distance between us. A girl thinks of these things you know. All kinds of thoughts went through my head: Do I have anything stuck in my teeth? Can he see where I’ve tried to cover up my acne scars? Is my breath okay? Do I smell? If any of these things were noticed he never said, much to my happiness.

We stopped at my front porch. “Here we go,“ he said. “Safe and sound.” He edged closer and I backed up onto the step. I had kissed a boy before and I know what happens when you allow him to go all the way to the front door. He stepped up onto the step with me and began to lean close. I couldn’t believe this. I knew he was hot and all, but it’s worse if he knows it. I could only take this to mean he was making his move. I could feel my palms starting to sweat and my face felt flushed.

“Um…I don’t think you…Well , I…”

His face nearly grazed my cheek, his beautiful dark eyes making contact with my frightened doe look. His lips were at my ear and I could feel his warm breath against it. I closed my eyes and braced myself. It was either that or run, and to be honest, my legs were so weak I couldn’t have moved if I wanted to. I heard the sound of his tongue passing over his lips and then he whispered, “Someone’s watching us.”