"You've made a mistake messing with me."
"You can talk to me about it after your condition clears up." She and Emma burst into a fit of giggles.
"I'll get the last laugh. Enjoy it now while it lasts."
Emma rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Have fun at the clinic."
As they walked away laughing at me, I whispered that Hailey should sleep with her eyes open tonight.
Hailey turned around, "What did you say to me?"
I was shocked that she heard my whisper, but I didn't let it show on my face. I made a mental note to be careful when whispering to someone, no matter how far away they were.
"You were fifty feet away from me, Hailey. I didn't say anything."
"I heard you say that I should sleep with my eyes open."
"Are you kidding me?" I asked. "Did anyone else hear me say that?" I asked the nosy onlookers.
A few people said no.
"Why don't you go and mind your own business? Stop talking before people think that you're losing your mind."
She flipped her hair and said, "You're the crazy one. That's what STD's do to people." She turned around and walked away.
"You'd really better make sure that you sleep with your eyes open. Better yet stay awake all night," I whispered.
She turned around again. "I heard that. Didn't anyone else hear what she said? She's threatening me."
"You're nuts, Hailey," one kid said, laughing.
Emma grabbed Hailey's arm. "Let's go. Now."
"I'll see you tonight, Hailey," I whispered.
She turned around and yelled, "Stop it."
I gave her an innocent look and asked, "What would you like me to stop doing?" It took a lot of self-control not to start laughing. "You obviously have a very active imagination. Very active."
"You're a freak." She glared at me. "A total freak."
"At least I'm not hearing voices. See you around."
***
As I was walking from my last class to my locker, people were not only staring and whispering but they started throwing wadded pieces of paper at me.
I was amazed at how quickly people could turn from one extreme to the next. It was similar to how I had been invisible for so long, and then suddenly everyone wanted to be my friend.
More than anything, I wanted to use my vampire powers and either run away so fast that they would barely see me, or to show them what it feels like to really get picked on. I only looked ahead and walked out of the school as fast as I could.
Once again, Tanner was waiting for me at my car.
"Rough day?" he asked.
I ignored him. "You really want a ride in this car, don't you?"
He smiled. "I wouldn't turn that down. Want to go somewhere and talk?"
I sighed. "Aren't you afraid that I will give you an STD?"
"Hailey Adams is an idiot. I told her as much last night when she started spreading that rumor at the volleyball game."
"She started that at the volleyball game?" I asked. "Did the players hear about that too?"
"Everyone did," he said. "She spread that rumor as fast and as far as she could. I stood up for you, but she and her goons just ignored me."
Natalie knew about this and didn't mention it to me. I was really discovering who I could really trust. "Thanks for standing up for me. I know you didn't have to do that."
He shrugged his shoulders. "It was the least I could do for you. Do you want to grab some coffee and talk?"
I sighed. "Sure. I could definitely use a friend right now. Climb in."
"This car is awesome," he exclaimed as I was driving away from the school. "These seats are so comfortable. It wouldn't be so bad to take a road trip in this."
"It's definitely a luxury car," I said. "It's nicer than some houses I've been in."
"Hey, you just drove by the coffee shop. You have other plans than coffee?"
"Don't get so excited," I told him. "I'm not going to drink your blood. I just want to go to a coffee shop out of town so that we don't run into anyone from school. I can't deal with that right now."
"Oh," he pouted. "Well, I can understand that. People at school have no lives, so they have to talk trash about someone else to bring some excitement into their pathetic lives."
"No lives and no conscience," I added. "I would never treat anyone the way that I've been treated. I will make an exception for the ones responsible for starting this rumor, though."
"Didn't Emma used to be your friend?" he asked.
"She and Amanda were my best friends. The only thing that ever came between us was my studies, because I refused to get anything less than an A."
"What happened? Why did she decide to buddy up with Hailey?"
I explained the whole complicated mess, and by the time that I had finished we had pulled up to a coffee shop in the next town.
"I've never heard of this coffee house," he said. "Have you been here before?"
"My dad used to take me here when I was a little younger. It was our place to get away from everything for a little while."
"Sounds like the perfect place."
When we were ready to order, he bought my drink. "You didn't have to do that."
"No, but I thought that after the day you had, it would be a nice thing to do."
"Thanks, Tanner."
We sat down the back at a table that my dad and I had sat at many times before. It was my favorite spot; it felt hidden from the world.
We sat quietly sipping our flavored coffees for a little while before he spoke. "So today was pretty rough, huh?"
I sipped on my coffee a little more and then said, "It was awful. There is no truth behind the rumor, yet everyone sucked it up as truth. Nobody had any problem pointing at me or whispering, but not a single person even asked me about it. Not even my supposed best friend."
"Amanda?"
"Yeah. When I asked her what was going on with everyone, she wouldn't even look at me, and I pretty much had to force the information out of her. She didn't even ask me about it when she heard about it. She went and called Brooke to find out if it was true. Can you believe that?"
"When things like this happen, you find out who your true friends are."
"How would you know about that?" I demanded.
"Don't you remember the rumor that went around about me last year?" he asked.
I thought for a minute. "No. But then again, if it wasn't part of my homework I didn't pay any attention to it. I guess that's why I didn't have any problems in my classes today, because all of us honors kids are like that."
"Be glad about that," he said. "It's much worse to have those people in your classes. They whisper about you loud enough to distract you during class. They throw things at you, write on the back of your shirt, and trip you as you get out of your seat."
"That's horrible. Some people were throwing things at me in the halls after school, but at least I was left alone during class to keep my focus."
"Who threw stuff at you?" he demanded.
"It doesn't matter."
"It does matter and I will deal with them."
"Don't forget that I'm a vampire, Tanner. If I wanted to get back at them, I could and I would. Believe me when I say that Hailey is going to get the scare of her life tonight."
He smiled. "What do you have planned for her?"
"I'll tell you tomorrow. Unless she tries to tell everyone about it first, but if she does that, they will all think she's lost her mind."
"Then everyone's focus will be on her and not you."
"So, what was the rumor that went around about you?" I asked. "If you don't mind talking about it."
"I don't mind. A guy at school accused me of making moves on his girlfriend. I wasn't. When I told him that I had my own girlfriend and had no interest in his, he punched me. I ended up showing him I was stronger. He went and told everyone that I made a move on him."
"No way. He said you were gay? You?"
He smiled. "Yep, and everyone ate it up, jus
t like they're eating up the rumor about you. Even my so-called friends turned on me. I couldn't get dressed in the locker room. Everyone accused me of looking at their goods, even though I totally wasn't. People called me every name that you could think of. Some tried to get violent with me but I was extra strong, full of Samantha's venom, so it wasn't long before everyone was afraid of me. The rumors died down and my new reputation became arrogant jerk. They've all forgotten about me supposedly being gay."
"Did you tell Samantha what you were going through?"
"No way. She would have started taking people out, and I didn't need anyone thinking that it was me. I liked her, but I wasn't going to jail. I kept it to myself and used her venom to help me fight my harassers."
"What's wrong with these people? I don't care about all of this popularity stuff," I told him. "I really don't. I would take being invisible again any day if it meant that I didn't have to deal with these stupid games. I have no interest in dragging other people down so that I can be on top. That is so pathetic."
"It really is," he agreed. "Yet so many people fall for all of this hook, line and sinker."
"They don't even think. I mean really, if I go back to being popular in a week, do they think that I will have forgotten how they treated me? That I won't remember the stares, whispers and everything else?"
"That's just it, they're not thinking about anything beyond the end of their noses. Nobody is thinking about tomorrow or next week. By then, they'll have forgotten about it so they will expect that you have too."
"Do they think that we don't have any feelings?" I asked.
"What I figured out is that they are so self-absorbed they don't think that anyone else has feelings besides themselves."
Tears sprang to my eyes and I tried to blink them back but it didn't work. They fell to my cheeks and down my face. "I'm sorry," I said, wiping them away.
"Don't be. I know how hurtful it is," he said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "We have to act tough or they'll rip us to shreds. Most people think that I'm a conceited bully, but you know what? They don't mess with me. I'd rather have people afraid to mess with me than have people pretending to be my friend only to turn on me later."
I leaned my head into his shoulder and let the tears flow freely.
He kept his arm around me and said, "Let it all out now so that you can be strong tomorrow."
I cried for a few more minutes and then sat up right. "Thanks, Tanner. I didn't realize how much I needed to cry. It really hurt to have everyone treating me like that today."
"I know how it feels," he reminded me. "I would go home and cry too when that rumor was going around about me. But don't tell anyone!"
I smiled. "Your secret is safe with me. Besides, you already know my biggest secret."
"That's true. It looks like we're even."
"I would hardly call that even. You know that I'm turning into a vampire and I know that you cried." I smiled.
"I'm a football player who's known for being tough," he said. "Believe me. It's even."
"If you say so."
We talked for a while longer until it started to get dark. "I'd better get back," he said. "It's my night to make dinner."
"You make dinner?" I asked. "I wouldn't even know how to."
He leaned back in his chair. "There are many facets to me. I'm not just a big dumb jock."
"What kinds of food do you make for dinner? Why doesn't your mom make dinner?"
"I make easy stuff like spaghetti and casseroles because my dad took off a few years ago and my mom has to work late a few nights a week," he told me. "Those nights, I make dinner for my little brother and me."
"Seriously?" I asked. "I have never made dinner and I can't image spaghetti or casseroles being easy. They sound so complicated to make."
"I can teach you sometime. It really is very easy, especially since I don't bother with any meats unless my mom precooks it."
"How old is your brother?"
"He's fourteen, which is why I should get back before it gets dark. He can pretty much take care of himself and he certainly thinks he's a tough guy, but I like to be there before dark when I can."
"Wow, you're really different than I thought. Be careful or you'll have all the girls chasing after you."
"Trust me, that's the last thing that I want. Most of the girls at school are so stuck up and shallow that I don't want anything to do with them. Letting them think that I'm a stuck up jerk is a gift to myself," he said, standing up.
"You're really something." I was honestly impressed.
As we drove back to the school, I told him about my plans for Hailey that night. He couldn't wait to hear how it went.
I smiled and said, "It will be exactly what she has coming."
It wasn't until after I had dropped him off at his car that I realized he didn't even bring up me drinking his blood. The few times that I heard some of his thoughts it wasn't there either.
EIGHTEEN
When I got home, everyone else was sitting at the table eating dinner. I received what was becoming the normal lecture about not telling anyone where I was going and when I was going to be late.
"Apparently not telling people things runs in this family," I said, glaring at Natalie.
"What?" she asked.
"How dare you ask me what, as if you don't know what I'm talking about? We can talk privately after dinner," I told her.
"Alexis, leave your sister alone and sit down for dinner with us," my mom said.
"I can't believe that you're playing dumb about all of this," I hissed at Natalie as I sat down.
"Alexis," said my dad. "Would you please act appropriately for our guest?"
"I thought that Clara was here to experience being part of an American family," I said. "Besides, I'm sure that she's seen people argue before. I bet people stab each other in the back in England too."
"Alexis," my mom said.
"Fine, I'll stop. But Natalie and I will talk after dinner."
"Thank you," she said. "I just want to be able to show Clara that we can have a nice family dinner."
"Don't worry about me, Mrs. Ferguson," Clara said. "I have a sister too. It's not a big deal."
After dinner, I cornered Natalie in her room and closed her door.
"Do you mind telling me what all of this is about?" she demanded.
"Why don't you tell me why you stabbed me in the back?"
"How on earth did I stab you in the back? I've done nothing to you."
"Doing nothing is just another way of stabbing someone in the back."
"What are you talking about, Alexis? Fill me in because I'm completely lost."
"How could you be at school all day and pretend to be clueless?" I demanded. "Or even be at the volleyball game last night and pretend to be clueless?"
Her face went white and she whispered, "Alexis, I wasn't at school today and I snuck out early from the game. Whatever happened, I wasn't there. Don't tell mom and dad."
"Telling them about you skipping school is the least of my concerns," I told her.
"What is your concern? It must be pretty big to have you accusing me of stabbing you in the back!"
I backed up just a little bit and said, "Last night at your game, Hailey and Emma started a rumor that Cliff took off because I gave him an STD. Everyone was talking about it, and Tanner Monroe was the only person who believed in me and tried to stop the rumor. When I was at school today, everyone treated me like a piece of trash. I even had stuff thrown at me and nobody will talk to me."
"Alexis, that's terrible. If I were there last night, I would have tried to stop them too. I'm sorry that I wasn't there or at school today."
"I'll be fine. I'm pretty sure that I can convince Hailey to tell people that she made it all up. What was so important that you left your game early and skipped school today?"
She sighed. "I was with Braydon."
"What? He's got you skipping school and practice?" I asked.
"You're one to
talk about missing school."
"I had a perfect attendance record before that. From kindergarten to the eleventh grade, with no absences. I don't want to hear that. You're just trying to change the subject. Why did you skip? Tell me or I will tell Mom and Dad."
"You wouldn't."
"If I think that you might be in trouble, telling them would be the right thing to do," I told her.
"Oh, you are so annoying. You may be popular but you're still a goody-goody."
"Just tell me what you did," I said. "There's no point in beating around the bush. I'll just read your mind later and find out if you don't tell me."
"You are seriously the world's most annoying sister, ever. We were just hanging out."
"Hanging out, doing what?"
"Leave me alone, Alexis."
"No, I won't. If he was doing anything to hurt you in any way, I'm going to hunt him down and kick his sorry butt!"
"We were smoking. Happy now? We were smoking pot."
"Why would you do that?"
"Because it was fun."
"You could put your volleyball scholarship in jeopardy. Why risk it?"
"I'm not going to college anyway. What's the point?"
"Why wouldn't you go to college? You want to get a good education."
"No, Alexis. That's you. You're the one who is unnaturally obsessed with having an education. I just want to enjoy life."
"Just leave room for the opportunity. You may change your mind and besides, playing volleyball in college would be a lot of fun. You could join a sorority and have tons of fun in college."
She rolled her eyes at me. "I'll think about it."
"If Braydon ever does anything to hurt you in any way ever, I want you to tell me. I will seriously make him regret it."
"Only if I can watch." she giggled.
"And no more skipping school. That's not the same as having a parent excuse it like I did."
"Yeah, yeah," she said, and picked up her phone and started texting someone.
When I got to my room, Clara was in there waiting for me. "So your friend spread some rumor about you?"
"You were listening in?" I asked, not surprised.
"You're not the only one with good hearing," she said with a smile.
"For one thing, she's not my friend. She has made herself my arch enemy at school, and she wants nothing more than to bring me down. But tonight, it will be me bringing her down."
The Transformed Box Set: Books 1, 2, 3, 3.5 Page 19
