So here it is, Chapter 4.
I opened my eyes and the first thing I noticed was that the pain in my head had gone. I sighed with relief and the second thing I noticed was that I could count all the cracks on the ceiling. I smiled. I sat up and realised that I was on my bed. I looked at the clock and saw it was eight in the morning. I groaned and jumped out of bed. I landed lightly on my feet. I quickly threw on a clean pair of jeans and a tee shirt. I brushed my hair as fast as I could and shoved on the first pair of socks I could find. I ran downstairs and into the kitchen and found Charlie eating a bowl of cereal at the kitchen table.
“Why didn’t you wake me up?” I asked him, giving him an evil look.
Charlie swallowed a spoonful of breakfast.
“You didn’t need a wake-up call,” he said, scooping up another spoonful of breakfast.
“I do,” I said, running through to the living-room to find a pair of trainers. “I’ll not have time for breakfast.”
“You have plenty of time,” Charlie said, glancing at his watch. “It’s only eight o’clock.”
I stopped my hunt and spun round to face him.
“What time is it?” I asked, stunned.
“Eight,” Charlie said. There was a slight smile on his lips. “What time did you wake up at?”
“Eight o’clock,” I answered. I sat on the sofa and stared at my hands, disbelievingly. I could pick out every line on my palms. I could see every blue vein as clear as if it was drawn on with ink. I could hear every bird singing their song outside. I could hear Charlie’s heart beating rhythmically.
“Dad,” I whispered. “What’s wrong with me?”
“There’s nothing wrong with you,” Charlie said, walking through to the living-room. He sat next to me and put an arm around my shoulders. “You’re chosen.”
I could hear his heartbeat increase with excitement. He must love it that I’m ‘chosen’.
“I need to go to school,” I mumbled. I returned to the hunt for my shoes. I slowed down my pace. I can’t move too quickly or someone will notice my change.
I found a pair of trainers behind the sofa and I shoved them on. I grabbed a chocolate bar from the cupboard and picked up my bag.
“See you later,” I said to Charlie, heading for the door.
“I can give you a ride to school,” he offered. “If you want to sit and talk for a bit.”
“It’s ok,” I said. “Everything I needed to know is already here.” I tapped the side of my head with a finger. “Bye.”
I walked out the door and began a slow walk to school.
I groaned when I looked at my timetable. I had double biology. Two hours with Edward Cullen. Would he react to me like he did yesterday in biology? The whole going stiff for an hour? I walked across the car park and the first person I saw was Edward. He was standing next to a shiny, silver Volvo car which I assumed was his. I watched him as I made my way across the car park. I was trying hard to keep my pace normal but at times I would speed up and I would stop to start again at a normal human speed. When I reached the doors to school I stopped. I could hear someone behind me. Someone just as light on their feet as I was now. I turned around and saw Edward there.
“Hi,” he smiled at me.
I gasped. I could see him more clearly than yesterday. His pale white skin, his incredibly good looks, his pointy white teeth. His voice, so velvety and soft. I listened hard, hoping that I would hear his heart beat but I didn’t. I didn’t hear anything from his chest.
He frowned at me.
“Are you ok?” he asked, concern in his voice.
“F-fine,” I stuttered. I wrenched the door opened and hurried inside. Inside my head alarm bells were ringing.
Vampire. Vampire. Vampire. They clanged at me, warning me. But I refused to listen to them. He was not a vampire. No way was he a vampire. I begged with my mind. Don’t let him be a vampire. Please. But I knew it. It was there. The evidence. Staring me in the eyes. There was no heart beating in that fine chest of his. It was the only conclusion.
“Kayla!”
I turned at the sound of my name and saw Mike running up to me.
“Hi Mike,” I said, forcing a smile onto my face although inside my dilemma continued to war. I could hear Mike’s heart beating. Damn you, I thought silently at him.
He fell into step beside me.
“So did you have a good day yesterday?” he asked me, as we walked up the stairs to the science corridor.
“It was ok,” I said, not really listening to him. I was thinking about what I had to do with Edward. Was he a danger to other people? Would I have to kill him?
I shook my head. No, I told myself. Stop thinking like that. But I couldn’t help it. The stupid Azdi part of me was thinking up ways to corner Edward and deal with him.
“So you don’t like him then?” Mike asked me.
“What?” I asked. Mike was watching me with a hopeful face.
“So you don’t like Edward Cullen?” he asked. “You shook your head when I said his name.”
“I neither like nor dislike him,” I replied but I knew that wasn’t true. I fancied the pants off Edward. I loved everything about him. I knew that everything about him was to invite me in, lure me to him so he could take me as his victim. But I didn’t care. I loved that dazzling smile of his, his golden eyes, his bronze hair.
“Oh,” Mike said, smiling. We were in Biology now and standing at my desk. Edward was already there sitting on his seat, textbooks in front of him, staring at the front of the class.
“See you in a bit, Kay,” Mike said, walking off to his seat.
I nodded and sat down on my seat. Edward wasn’t as stiff as yesterday but I knew he wasn’t relaxed. I retrieved my textbooks from my bag and placed them on my desk along with a new notebook. I wanted to know what I had done yesterday for him to react like that. If only I could reach out and read his thoughts. Pick through his mind. Find the cause.
I wonder why she has changed so suddenly, I heard his velvety voice again. And the barrier. Where did that go?
“Did you say something?” I asked Edward.
He turned to look at me, his eyebrows creased together.
“No, I didn’t,” he answered me, staring at me intensely.
“I thought I heard...” I turned away from him, confused again.
Did she just hear my thoughts?
I turned to Edward again.
“Did you just speak?” I asked him. “Don’t lie to me.”
Edward looked at me, his topaz eyes amused.
“I did not speak,” he told me.
I frowned.
“Then why am I hearing you?” I asked him.
“You tell me.” he answered.
This can’t be happening, I thought, looking down at my notebook. I’m hearing voices.
Thoughts actually.
I jumped and looked at him. He was watching me, smiling.
“What?” I said, out loud.
He put a finger to his lips.
Use your mind to speak to me, he thought.
I’m hearing you thoughts? I asked him silently. And you’re hearing mine?
Yes, was his answer.
Mr Banner was stood at the front of the class now, writing a title on the whiteboard.
“Cellular Anatomy,” he spoke as he wrote.
I copied the title into my notebook and put my pen down. Mr Banner was giving a lecture on cellular anatomy but I didn’t need to take notes. I had already done this topic.
So, Edward spoke to me. a mind reader.
Guess so[/i,] I thought.
[i]How? he asked me.
You’re the mind reader
You’re different from yesterday. Edward mused.
Well you would know,, I thought to myself but forgetting that Edward could hear my thoughts.
What do you mean by that? he asked, his voice sounding slightly frantic but mostly angry.
I was thinking of a lie that I could possibly get away with but my thoughts betrayed me. The alarm bells in my head started clanging again. Vampire. Vampire. Vampire.
How do you know? he asked, not even attempting to deny it.
I remained silent in my thoughts. I knew Edward was looking at me although I was facing the front. I could feel his eyes boring into me, trying to find an answer to his question.
Mr Banner was now handing out worksheets for us to do.
“Sir,” I said, as he placed a sheet in front of me. “I have a really bad headache. Can I go see the nurse?”
Mr Banner nodded. “Someone should go with you,” he said.
I prayed he wouldn’t pick Edward. That was who I was trying to get away from.
“Edward, would you go with her?” Mr Banner asked Edward. It was no surprise. He was right next to me.
“Yes, Mr Banner,” Edward smiled.
I groaned silently and put my notebook and books back in my bag. I scraped back my seat and almost sprinted for the door. When I was outside I waited til Edward had closed the door before speaking.
“I don’t need you to go with me,” I told him, walking fast. “I am quite capable of walking to the nurse by myself.”
“You’re supposed to be ill,” Edward told me. “It’s only right that I go with you.”
I sped up, trying to get away from him, but he only matched my pace.
“Why are you so fast?” he asked me, staring deep into my eyes.
“Why should I tell you?” I retorted.
“You’re so different from yesterday,” he told me. “What happened?”
“I wish I knew,” I replied.
We were stood outside the nurse’s office.
He knocked on the door and walked inside. I followed him inside.
“Kayla has a headache,” he announced to the nurse inside.
The nurse stood up from her seat and walked over to me.
“Where does it hurt?” she asked me, assessing me with her eyes.
Front of your head, Edward told me.
“Front of my head,” I said, placing a hand on my forehead.
“Do your eyes hurt too?” she asked me.
Yes.
I nodded, closing my eyes for a few seconds.
“You probably have a migraine,” she said. “Do you take migraines a lot?”
“Yes,” I answered. “Can I go home so I sleep?”
“Is that what you usually do?” The nurse was over at her desk filling in a slip.
“Yeah,” I said. “I sometimes take some pain killers too.”
“That’s what to do,” she said. “Do you drive?”
I shook my head.
“I can drive her home,” Edward offered. A slight smile played at his lips.
I was about to scream ‘NO!’ but the nurse was smiling and nodding.
“I’ll give you special permission,” she said. “Off you go and feel better, Kayla.”
I smiled politely and walked calmly out of the office. I walked a steady and calm pace out of the school but my walk became faster and angrier when I was outside.
I am not getting a ride home with you. I thought at him.
“Yes you are.” He was beside me, walking evenly.
“Don’t you get it?” I turned to look at him. “I don’t want to be near you. That’s why I’m going home.”
“That’s racist,” he said, shocked.
“What?” I stopped and looked at him.
“You don’t want to be near me because I’m a vampire,” he said, shaking his head sadly. “That’s discrimination.”
“So you admit it,” I said, narrowing my eyes.
“You already knew, I just said it.”
I continued walking.
“My car’s here,” he called to me.
I ignored him and continued walking but he followed me in his car. He rolled down the passenger window.
“I won’t bite,” he called out to me, grinning.
I scowled at him.
“Not funny,” I called back.
I sped up, faster than a normal human could walk. He accelerated.
“Come on, Kayla,” Edward called to me. “You can’t walk all the way home. You’re supposed to be ill, remember?”
I sighed. It would be nice not to have to walk home. The car stopped and the passenger door opened, Edward already knowing my decision.
I got in and slammed the door shut, reminding him I wasn’t going to be nice to him.
“Put your seatbelt on,” he told me, starting the car.
I like to drive fast. He flashed me a wicked smile before revving the car and speeding out of the car park.
“Whoa!” I screamed and hastily put my seat belt on. “No kidding.”
But he slowed the car down to a reasonable speed. I think he did that to scare me.
“Of course I did,” he said, grinning at me.
I smiled at him, looking at his golden eyes. It was then that it struck me. The vampire that I had seen last night, the honey-blonde one, had red eyes, not gold. I stared at him confused.
“It’s because they feed on humans,” Edward told me.
“So what to you eat then?” I asked.
“Animals.”
“That can’t be very satisfying.”
“It satisfies our thirst,” he said. “That’s all we want.”
You don’t want to be a killer.
No.
I opened my eyes and the first thing I noticed was that the pain in my head had gone. I sighed with relief and the second thing I noticed was that I could count all the cracks on the ceiling. I smiled. I sat up and realised that I was on my bed. I looked at the clock and saw it was eight in the morning. I groaned and jumped out of bed. I landed lightly on my feet. I quickly threw on a clean pair of jeans and a tee shirt. I brushed my hair as fast as I could and shoved on the first pair of socks I could find. I ran downstairs and into the kitchen and found Charlie eating a bowl of cereal at the kitchen table.
“Why didn’t you wake me up?” I asked him, giving him an evil look.
Charlie swallowed a spoonful of breakfast.
“You didn’t need a wake-up call,” he said, scooping up another spoonful of breakfast.
“I do,” I said, running through to the living-room to find a pair of trainers. “I’ll not have time for breakfast.”
“You have plenty of time,” Charlie said, glancing at his watch. “It’s only eight o’clock.”
I stopped my hunt and spun round to face him.
“What time is it?” I asked, stunned.
“Eight,” Charlie said. There was a slight smile on his lips. “What time did you wake up at?”
“Eight o’clock,” I answered. I sat on the sofa and stared at my hands, disbelievingly. I could pick out every line on my palms. I could see every blue vein as clear as if it was drawn on with ink. I could hear every bird singing their song outside. I could hear Charlie’s heart beating rhythmically.
“Dad,” I whispered. “What’s wrong with me?”
“There’s nothing wrong with you,” Charlie said, walking through to the living-room. He sat next to me and put an arm around my shoulders. “You’re chosen.”
I could hear his heartbeat increase with excitement. He must love it that I’m ‘chosen’.
“I need to go to school,” I mumbled. I returned to the hunt for my shoes. I slowed down my pace. I can’t move too quickly or someone will notice my change.
I found a pair of trainers behind the sofa and I shoved them on. I grabbed a chocolate bar from the cupboard and picked up my bag.
“See you later,” I said to Charlie, heading for the door.
“I can give you a ride to school,” he offered. “If you want to sit and talk for a bit.”
“It’s ok,” I said. “Everything I needed to know is already here.” I tapped the side of my head with a finger. “Bye.”
I walked out the door and began a slow walk to school.
I groaned when I looked at my timetable. I had double biology. Two hours with Edward Cullen. Would he react to me like he did yesterday in biology? The whole going stiff for an hour? I walked across the car park and the first person I saw was Edward. He was standing next to a shiny, silver Volvo car which I assumed was his. I watched him as I made my way across the car park. I was trying hard to keep my pace normal but at times I would speed up and I would stop to start again at a normal human speed. When I reached the doors to school I stopped. I could hear someone behind me. Someone just as light on their feet as I was now. I turned around and saw Edward there.
“Hi,” he smiled at me.
I gasped. I could see him more clearly than yesterday. His pale white skin, his incredibly good looks, his pointy white teeth. His voice, so velvety and soft. I listened hard, hoping that I would hear his heart beat but I didn’t. I didn’t hear anything from his chest.
He frowned at me.
“Are you ok?” he asked, concern in his voice.
“F-fine,” I stuttered. I wrenched the door opened and hurried inside. Inside my head alarm bells were ringing.
Vampire. Vampire. Vampire. They clanged at me, warning me. But I refused to listen to them. He was not a vampire. No way was he a vampire. I begged with my mind. Don’t let him be a vampire. Please. But I knew it. It was there. The evidence. Staring me in the eyes. There was no heart beating in that fine chest of his. It was the only conclusion.
“Kayla!”
I turned at the sound of my name and saw Mike running up to me.
“Hi Mike,” I said, forcing a smile onto my face although inside my dilemma continued to war. I could hear Mike’s heart beating. Damn you, I thought silently at him.
He fell into step beside me.
“So did you have a good day yesterday?” he asked me, as we walked up the stairs to the science corridor.
“It was ok,” I said, not really listening to him. I was thinking about what I had to do with Edward. Was he a danger to other people? Would I have to kill him?
I shook my head. No, I told myself. Stop thinking like that. But I couldn’t help it. The stupid Azdi part of me was thinking up ways to corner Edward and deal with him.
“So you don’t like him then?” Mike asked me.
“What?” I asked. Mike was watching me with a hopeful face.
“So you don’t like Edward Cullen?” he asked. “You shook your head when I said his name.”
“I neither like nor dislike him,” I replied but I knew that wasn’t true. I fancied the pants off Edward. I loved everything about him. I knew that everything about him was to invite me in, lure me to him so he could take me as his victim. But I didn’t care. I loved that dazzling smile of his, his golden eyes, his bronze hair.
“Oh,” Mike said, smiling. We were in Biology now and standing at my desk. Edward was already there sitting on his seat, textbooks in front of him, staring at the front of the class.
“See you in a bit, Kay,” Mike said, walking off to his seat.
I nodded and sat down on my seat. Edward wasn’t as stiff as yesterday but I knew he wasn’t relaxed. I retrieved my textbooks from my bag and placed them on my desk along with a new notebook. I wanted to know what I had done yesterday for him to react like that. If only I could reach out and read his thoughts. Pick through his mind. Find the cause.
I wonder why she has changed so suddenly, I heard his velvety voice again. And the barrier. Where did that go?
“Did you say something?” I asked Edward.
He turned to look at me, his eyebrows creased together.
“No, I didn’t,” he answered me, staring at me intensely.
“I thought I heard...” I turned away from him, confused again.
Did she just hear my thoughts?
I turned to Edward again.
“Did you just speak?” I asked him. “Don’t lie to me.”
Edward looked at me, his topaz eyes amused.
“I did not speak,” he told me.
I frowned.
“Then why am I hearing you?” I asked him.
“You tell me.” he answered.
This can’t be happening, I thought, looking down at my notebook. I’m hearing voices.
Thoughts actually.
I jumped and looked at him. He was watching me, smiling.
“What?” I said, out loud.
He put a finger to his lips.
Use your mind to speak to me, he thought.
I’m hearing you thoughts? I asked him silently. And you’re hearing mine?
Yes, was his answer.
Mr Banner was stood at the front of the class now, writing a title on the whiteboard.
“Cellular Anatomy,” he spoke as he wrote.
I copied the title into my notebook and put my pen down. Mr Banner was giving a lecture on cellular anatomy but I didn’t need to take notes. I had already done this topic.
So, Edward spoke to me. a mind reader.
Guess so[/i,] I thought.
[i]How? he asked me.
You’re the mind reader
You’re different from yesterday. Edward mused.
Well you would know,, I thought to myself but forgetting that Edward could hear my thoughts.
What do you mean by that? he asked, his voice sounding slightly frantic but mostly angry.
I was thinking of a lie that I could possibly get away with but my thoughts betrayed me. The alarm bells in my head started clanging again. Vampire. Vampire. Vampire.
How do you know? he asked, not even attempting to deny it.
I remained silent in my thoughts. I knew Edward was looking at me although I was facing the front. I could feel his eyes boring into me, trying to find an answer to his question.
Mr Banner was now handing out worksheets for us to do.
“Sir,” I said, as he placed a sheet in front of me. “I have a really bad headache. Can I go see the nurse?”
Mr Banner nodded. “Someone should go with you,” he said.
I prayed he wouldn’t pick Edward. That was who I was trying to get away from.
“Edward, would you go with her?” Mr Banner asked Edward. It was no surprise. He was right next to me.
“Yes, Mr Banner,” Edward smiled.
I groaned silently and put my notebook and books back in my bag. I scraped back my seat and almost sprinted for the door. When I was outside I waited til Edward had closed the door before speaking.
“I don’t need you to go with me,” I told him, walking fast. “I am quite capable of walking to the nurse by myself.”
“You’re supposed to be ill,” Edward told me. “It’s only right that I go with you.”
I sped up, trying to get away from him, but he only matched my pace.
“Why are you so fast?” he asked me, staring deep into my eyes.
“Why should I tell you?” I retorted.
“You’re so different from yesterday,” he told me. “What happened?”
“I wish I knew,” I replied.
We were stood outside the nurse’s office.
He knocked on the door and walked inside. I followed him inside.
“Kayla has a headache,” he announced to the nurse inside.
The nurse stood up from her seat and walked over to me.
“Where does it hurt?” she asked me, assessing me with her eyes.
Front of your head, Edward told me.
“Front of my head,” I said, placing a hand on my forehead.
“Do your eyes hurt too?” she asked me.
Yes.
I nodded, closing my eyes for a few seconds.
“You probably have a migraine,” she said. “Do you take migraines a lot?”
“Yes,” I answered. “Can I go home so I sleep?”
“Is that what you usually do?” The nurse was over at her desk filling in a slip.
“Yeah,” I said. “I sometimes take some pain killers too.”
“That’s what to do,” she said. “Do you drive?”
I shook my head.
“I can drive her home,” Edward offered. A slight smile played at his lips.
I was about to scream ‘NO!’ but the nurse was smiling and nodding.
“I’ll give you special permission,” she said. “Off you go and feel better, Kayla.”
I smiled politely and walked calmly out of the office. I walked a steady and calm pace out of the school but my walk became faster and angrier when I was outside.
I am not getting a ride home with you. I thought at him.
“Yes you are.” He was beside me, walking evenly.
“Don’t you get it?” I turned to look at him. “I don’t want to be near you. That’s why I’m going home.”
“That’s racist,” he said, shocked.
“What?” I stopped and looked at him.
“You don’t want to be near me because I’m a vampire,” he said, shaking his head sadly. “That’s discrimination.”
“So you admit it,” I said, narrowing my eyes.
“You already knew, I just said it.”
I continued walking.
“My car’s here,” he called to me.
I ignored him and continued walking but he followed me in his car. He rolled down the passenger window.
“I won’t bite,” he called out to me, grinning.
I scowled at him.
“Not funny,” I called back.
I sped up, faster than a normal human could walk. He accelerated.
“Come on, Kayla,” Edward called to me. “You can’t walk all the way home. You’re supposed to be ill, remember?”
I sighed. It would be nice not to have to walk home. The car stopped and the passenger door opened, Edward already knowing my decision.
I got in and slammed the door shut, reminding him I wasn’t going to be nice to him.
“Put your seatbelt on,” he told me, starting the car.
I like to drive fast. He flashed me a wicked smile before revving the car and speeding out of the car park.
“Whoa!” I screamed and hastily put my seat belt on. “No kidding.”
But he slowed the car down to a reasonable speed. I think he did that to scare me.
“Of course I did,” he said, grinning at me.
I smiled at him, looking at his golden eyes. It was then that it struck me. The vampire that I had seen last night, the honey-blonde one, had red eyes, not gold. I stared at him confused.
“It’s because they feed on humans,” Edward told me.
“So what to you eat then?” I asked.
“Animals.”
“That can’t be very satisfying.”
“It satisfies our thirst,” he said. “That’s all we want.”
You don’t want to be a killer.
No.
