House Of Pain | Marko

twelve

Three vinyls were spread across my bed as I put together a birthday gift for Greta. Two of them happened to be Led Zeppelin. I had managed to get my hands on their first two albums in the nearby record store. The third vinyl was a little hard to come by, for it had just been released this year. It was Guns N' Roses' debut album, Appetite for Destruction. I bought it off of a local rock fan who had just about every rock album that existed.

The vinyls were set gently into the bag with some colorful wrapping paper around them to keep the gift hidden. But I quickly had to stow them away when Greta walked into my room. I widened my eyes at her before speaking up.

"Greta! You're going to ruin your gift surprise!" I whined out while placing my pillow over the bag so she couldn't see it.

"I didn't see anything! I swear!" She put her hands up as a surrender. "Are you ready to go soon?"

I had convinced the boys to let us celebrate in their cave because Greta was obsessed with the place and loved it dearly. David claimed he'd do anything for Greta, especially after their fight. They had made up eventually after he came to his senses. Greta meant a lot to him. Because of this, I'd use that against him whenever I got the chance hence allowing a birthday party in the cave.

"I will be if you let me finish this up." I rolled my eyes before mistakenly pulling my hair behind my head to let the air circulate around my neck. My room was humid and it made me sweat. I turned away in hopes of my best friend not noticing.

"What was that?" Greta asked.

"What's what?" I pretended to be just as confused as her. Greta turned me around to face her and she held a look of concern.

"Did Marko do that?" Greta eyed the two punctured holes in my neck that were in the process of healing. They were fading, but slowly.

"What? I just burned my neck when I was curling my hair a couple of days ago." I lied, but Greta didn't believe it. I wouldn't have either.

"Burns don't look like a set of holes made by fangs, Poe." Greta crossed her arms over her chest. Her snarky comment made me realize something.

"Wait a minute, you knew? You knew what those boys were this whole time?" I mimicked her actions and crossed my arms over my chest.

"I found out the day after Darcy showed up. I'm convinced David couldn't hold the secret it and finally told me after she returned to him. It made sense though. I never did see him durning the day." Greta responded before changing her demeanor and putting a frown on her face. "It's striking that David has yet to do that to me, meanwhile you show up and instantly get it on with Marko." Greta huffed. "It doesn't make sense."

I gave her a look that said 'what the hell' and put my hands on my hips. Was she implying that she liked the idea of vampirism?

"Greta, we are not 'getting it on'." I sassed an octave higher while making fun of her voice and making quotation marks with my fingers.

"Right..." Greta trailed off. "I don't believe you, but hurry up so we can leave."

Greta left my room and I went back to tidying up her present before slipping a card into the side of the bag.

~

We all sat around laughing as we ate dinner that the boys had provided for Greta's birthday. I wasn't too hungry, so I just picked at my food with chopsticks.

"When can we do presents? I've been waiting all day!" Greta whined while eating her noodles.

"Soon. Now, eat up." David gave her a smile after tapping the tip of her nose. I was glad to see them in good terms again. However, I couldn't help but cringe at the action. Is that what me and Marko looked like? I felt bad for those who had witnessed that kind of thing.

Marko leaned over to whisper to me and I broke away from looking at the two to listen to what he had to say.

"When you said you were thinking about what to get Greta for her birthday the other day, I thought you were joking." Marko gave me a blank stare.

"And you thought I wasn't." I cocked an eyebrow at him. "You're not always right, Marko."

"Maybe." He shrugged. "But most of the time I am."

I rolled my eyes before getting up to hand Greta her gift. She was sitting on the fountain next to David, where he sat in his wheelchair. I never understood that whole thing, but whatever made him comfy.

Greta graciously accepted the gift before waiting for me to sit back down next to Marko on a couch. My bottom never touched the cushion though. Marko grabbed ahold on my hand and pulled me down onto him. I was not sitting on his lap instead of the cushion.

"Read the card later." I spoke up when Greta started pulling the colorful paper out of the bag.

The vinyls I had gotten her were soon revealed and she eyed them happily. If anything, Paul looked more excited about them than Greta did.

"I thought you said you couldn't find Guns N' Roses! Portia, this is amazing!" Greta cheered before flipping it to the back to look at the cover.

"I know a guy." I shrugged with a smirk. Greta handed the vinyls to Paul who was eager to see them. I hadn't known Paul that long, but rock seemed like something he'd be into.

"Dwayne." David let out lowly and our attention all turned to the quiet boy in the corner.

The dark haired Dwayne got up and walked away to a secluded area. I had no idea where he went and neither did Greta by the looks of it. In the mean time, Marko pulled me closer into his body and sat up to rest his chin on my shoulder. He wrapped his arms around my body to keep me from leaving.

Dwayne came back with a wine bottle and my eyes fixated on the jewel designed glass. It contained liquid and something deep down inside told me that wasn't wine.

David popped the cork off and took a swing from the bottle. I eyed him cautiously as he swooshed the liquid around in the bottle. My eyes shifted to Greta, who was just as fixated on the bottle as I was. It scared me. Was she going to become one of them? I couldn't lose Greta.

"Our gift to you." David said while handing the jeweled bottle to Greta.

She eyed the content before looking over at me. She knew what it was too. I gave her a pleading look as I was trying to tell her not to do this with my facial expressions. I mouthed her name and shook my head slowly. My body tensed up at what she said next.

"You know I want this, Poe." Greta responded to my pleading look.

I know she liked David, but was she really going to change so she could live forever with him and watch everyone around her die. I seemed to have been the only one that thought the consequences through.

"Greta." I mumbled out, a tear slipping from my eye. "Please, don't do this."

"I love you, Poe." She gave me a weak smile before taking a sip from the bottle. The boys around cheered. Even Marko who was clapping roughly, making my body shake from the movement of his arms.

"Greta." I mumbled once more, but she didn't hear me.

They all started dancing around and passing the bottle while continuing to whoop and cheer. It was really a party now. Marko even got up and joined them. I continued to sit on the couch, my body shaking, for I had just lost my best friend.