Niszczyciel (Hemlock Grove)

At First Glance

Morning came too soon. After last nights episode I was too shaken to even think about sleep. Blood. I couldn't forget how it had made me feel. I wanted it, I wanted to lay in it, drink it, bath in it. I needed it to surround me.

I took a deep breath, resting my head against the car window. A new school, a new town, a new life. That was what I needed to focus on; Hemlock Grove, starting over. Our new life without mom.

"Nisa?" Since we'd moved, all dad could talk about was his new job and I'd made a point to ignore him.

My father was a chemist, so I couldn't understand how playing with chemicals all day could be exciting, regardless who was now signing his paychecks.

I turned to him, giving him my attention as he was now talking to me and not at me.

"Your car should be here this afternoon. I can't take you to school every morning, ya know?" I nodded, turning back to the window. Going crazy didn't exactly put one in the mood for conversation.

We pulled to a halt and I looked out at what was to be my new school. Hemlock Grove high didn't appear to be a very large school, much like everything else in this town. I reached down into my bag, pulling out my schedule. The school may not have appeared very big, but a map would still have been nice.

"This'll be good." Dad added, giving me a short pat on my shoulder. "For both of us." After last night, I very much doubted that, but there was no reason for us both to be down and out. I managed a smile as I stepped out of the car, throwing my bag over my shoulder and dropping the façade as my dad pulled away.

Back in Amherst, I'd never even put any thought into the new students. I had never been the new kid until now. I watched a few of the students glance over at me, but other than that they didn't really seem to care I was even there which I found a relief. I had no intention of making any life-long friends here anyway. It was only one year.

Looking at my schedule, I read my locker number one last time trying to remember my combination. I didn't really want to have to pull out my schedule every time I needed to drop some books off.

I stopped at the stairs to fold my schedule and shove it into my back pocket, stepping aside as a group of girls made there way past me and into the school. They were giggling as they linked arms together. I'd never understand teenage girls. I made a face, keeping my head down to avoid any unwanted conversations.

I had barely started up the stairs when a puff of smoke caught my attention from the corner of my eye. I turned, curiously searching for the source when I saw him leaning casually against the school building, one arm crossed across his chest and the other mechanically flinging the ashes from his cigarette.

Unlike the other students, his gaze was locked on me. It should have been uncomfortable, but the back of my throat was beginning to ache and I felt my gaze also drawn to him. He was tall, slender but fit. His hair was neatly combed and he was dressed well, more so than the other students. His skin looked soft, delicate, clean... I felt an unexplainable longing for him. I wanted to know how he felt, what he tasted like.

I bit my lip, a trickle of blood caressing my tongue and a slight tingle ran down my spine at the taste.

No. Not again.

I tore my eyes away from him, hurrying into the school. I needed to get away from him, to clear my head.

I found a restroom, quickly making my way to the sink and dropping my bag to splash some cold water on my face. I hadn't the slightest idea what had just happened, but the feeling was uncomfortably exhilarating.

I looked up at my dripping face. My pupils were overly dialated, and I was running out of logical explanations for things. "What the fuck is happening to me." I whispered gripping the edges of the sink.

I straitened up as a girl walked in, taking an awkwardly long look at me before entering one of the stalls. I just needed to breath. Whatever was happening was just in my head. I let out a slow breath as the bell rang, taking a last look at my reflection before heading to my first class.

"Nis...um-" I walked into class just as the teacher was beginning to butcher my name. I scanned the classroom for a seat, luckily finding one in the back.

"Just Nisa." I told the teacher, heading for the seat I'd spotted in the back. She raised a hand as to stop me but instead returned to her list.

Sitting down, I fetched a pen and a notebook before dropping my bag between my feet. Maybe the students had still been asleep this morning because everyone in the class was now stealing glances at me and the class was almost simultaneously emersed in hushed whispers.

"What?"  I snapped at the girl in front of me as she'd turned around in her desk. I was beginning to feel as though I'd been placed in a bad teen movie. She rolled her eyes before turning back around.

"Everyone's staring because," I turned as a girls voice sounded from beside me, "well, that's Roman's seat." She seemed embarrassed almost, adjusting her glasses before returning to her doodles.

"Is it really that deep?" The girl raised her head slowly as though surprised I was talking back to her. She tucked a lock of her curly brown hair behind her ear before taking a shy glance around the room.

"He's like, teen royalty." She whispered. I couldn't help rolling my eyes. And I thought I was having problems.

"Well his majesty can sit somewhere else." I smiled flipping open my notebook to begin taking notes. Of course that was if  the guy even showed up.

"I'm Mel, by the way." I turned back to the girl. She must not have had many friends if she was trying to talk to me.

"Nisa." I gave her a wave.

"Mr. Godfrey! How kind of you to bless us with your presence." Everyone's eyes were drawn to the front of the class. I felt his presence before I could even see his face. It was him, the boy from this morning.

He gave the teacher a sly smile, placing one hand in his pocket and gently nibbling the thumb on his other. I heard the girl in front of me let out a sigh before sitting up in her desk and poking out her breasts.

Before actually heading towards a desk though, I noticed Roman's smile fade as his eyes snapped directly at me through the crowd. I felt that longing return in the pit of my stomach.

We continued to watch each other as he made his way to the opposite side of the room, taking another boys seat. I licked at the sore spot on my lip, returning my focus on my notebook. I felt his eyes continuing to linger on me as I stole glances at him through the corner of my eye.

The back of my throat burned as if lined with hot sand.

There was a hunger growing inside me, a hunger that I feared I couldn't control. A hunger that Roman Godfrey made me not want to control.