Chapter 10 - Unexpected changes

“ Seriously Steve, what the hell!” Rent shouted as the three of them trekked through the woods. Steven had decided to cut through instead of taking the road. Rose had tried to get her brother to drop it but he was simply too stubborn. “Skipping out on a meeting… for a party!?!” Rent stepped in front of his cousin.
“That’s not like you Steven.” He crossed his arms. “ I don’t want to talk about it!” Steven shoved his cousin aside and continued forward to the dirt road.
“Steve! Tell me what’s going on!”
“No.”
Steven walked up his porch steps and opened the door. “ Steve!” “ Go home Rent!” He slammed the door. Before his father could do anything he bolted for his bedroom.
He locked the door and sank to the floor, pulling his knees to his chest. How could this happen? Steven was supposed to stay away from James. But he didn’t. Not this time.
He missed him. He missed James. He wanted to see him again. Steven couldn’t explain it but he knew. Even though it was an accident and Steven knew he shouldn’t feel this way: when he had kissed James his heart felt multiple emotions at the same time, emotions that he couldn’t explain.
But technically since it was an accident it wasn’t a kiss at all. Not a real one. However, it was enough.” Steve?” His father asked knocking on the door. Steven got up and stood in front of his bed.
The smaller beds he had had were replaced for a larger one that had been pushed into the middle of the room. Steven knew it was no use. His father had a key. He slipped his hands into his pockets as the door clicked and opened. “ Are you alright?” His father asked.
He didn’t answer. “ Steve?” “ I don’t know.” Was his reply. His father put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“ What happened?” “ I don’t want to talk about it.” Steven said shaking his head. His father sighed. “ Alright.” And with that he left his son alone. Stevens’s throught ached.


* * *


James’s parents were relived when their children got home. Stevens’s cousins had told their uncle what had happened which led to said uncle calling Jane and Daren. July was exhausted and hid in the house closet immediately. It was her escape from the world. As for James he was questioned.
He told them his part of the story (leaving details out) before heading to his room. “ I’m glad out daughter is safe but…” Jane trailed off. “ He seemed spacey.” Daren said concerned. “Something happened.” Jane paused in thought. Daren already had his suspicions.
James wasn’t tiered out or drug spacey or even spacey…spacey. James was holy shoot spacey. The kind of spacey that can throw off your entire week. The kind of spacey Daren encountered when he Saw Jane for the first time. Daren sighed.
“ Do you know something honey?” Jane asked. “ N-no why do you ask? ” “ Well you have that look…” Jane trailed off again. “ What look?” There was a short pause.
“…Eh I’m just being paranoid. I’ll get started on dinner and then you can spit it out.” Jane said heading to the fridge. “ The suspicion or dinner?” Daren replied. Jane threw a dishcloth at him.

* * *

That night James didn’t get a lot of sleep. He couldn’t stop thinking about that moment when Steven had crashed into him. James wasn’t entirely sure if this could be counted as a first kiss because it was an accident and he didn’t know what he should do, what he should feel. He came from a Christian family and Steven was a boy, he shouldn’t be this confused, he should be grossed out. But then…why wasn’t he?
The only reason that he could come up with was that he just missed Steven. And that was true, but he knew it wasn’t the right answer. James decided not to think about it anymore.
During the weekend Melexa told him to meet him in the junkyard. When James showed up Melexa was wearing a black shirt and matching jeans and had his long hair tied back into a low ponytail. He had two boa staffs. “ Hear.” He said tossing one to James. “ You’re teaching me how to fight? But why? I’m not really part of the Thorn.” James asked.
“ No one else is going to teach you.” Melexa said. “ In fact…” He took a swing at James who blocked reflexively. “ I don’t think anyone else can.” Another hit in the stomach.
“You can defend against humans easily,” A hit to the knees; James jumped. “ But vampires” Another hit: another miss. “ And werewolves” A hit, a block.
“ Are entirely different.” They stopped. “ The wolves would be happy to take you in, but they’re fast healers. They don’t normally understand what it’s like to be as powerful as a vampire…” Melexa Knocked James off of his feet and onto his back. “ And as vulnerable as a human. That’s what it is to be half vampiric.” Melexa said.“ Get up.”
James got up. It was going to be a long day.
Over the next week Melexa taught James how to fight hand to hadn’t. James wasn’t a fighter so it was challenging and he would often have to make an excuse for the bruises for people who asked. So far Melexa had learned that James was an instinctual fighter. He fought purely on the defensive and probably didn’t know how to do the same moves on purpose if you asked him to. Melexa wanted James to learn how to fight offensively but James needed a drive to learn to first. So Melexa simply continued.
As for Steven he tried to avoid James as much as possible now. Which didn’t bother James that much. In fact whenever he saw Steven he felt like bolting in the opposite direction of finding a hole to hide in somewhere. Both of which he couldn’t seem to do. Eventually Melexa started to teach James about special abilities.
The most common ability a Vampire had was to walk up walls which was were the myth came from but James had no luck at that. As James entered high school he was pushed around more then ever. But what really surprised him was when Tyler stepped in. James was sprinting down the hallway one day as a senior chased him. He had no idea what he did to annoy him but he wasn’t about to find out.
James tripped and was about to be punched in the face when a hand caught the fist. Tyler shoved the senior back by his fist and slammed his own into the boys face. “ Back off! James is my target, Not yours!” The two were throwing punches left and right until a teacher showed up and dragged all three of them to the principles office.
After the principle finished screaming at them they left. “ T-Tyler?” James called. Tyler stopped mid-step. “ Why did you”-“ Don’t get used to it. I owed someone a favor, now go to class before I change my mind!” With that Tyler stomped down the hallway.
James was speechless. Eventually through all of that James’s sixteenth birthday came around and with it more confusion.

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment