• Hardly over a week has passed since the announcement came over the news that Vampires, or well, “Hemovores” as we were told to call them, are actually real; and had existed among us for years. Already the school was thrown into chaos with people trying to figure out who was a vampire, since we were told there was at least one among us. It should have been expected that people would want to know who among us was different, but this was just insane! Even my own friends have fallen victims to this human curiosity.

    Then again, should I be surprised? Half of us are obsessed with that kind of fantasy bullshit. It’s pretty dope after all, to think there are some immortal people out there with supernatural powers, but still, I had hoped we’d be above this stereotyping crap. Walking through the halls, eating lunch, or even just murmurs before class, its all the same. “Who do you think it is?” “Did you see what X did?” I think they’re a vampire!” “Obviously it’s X because they fit this trait of vampires from -insert book or movie here-. I swear I’m going to go crazy if this doesn’t stop soon.

    As usual, my nose was buried in yet another vampire novel, “Lost Souls”, and I was hardly paying any mind to my school bought lunch as my friends droned on around me about…something. It wasn’t until I felt a sharp jab in my side that I was torn away from the written world in front of me.

    “Oi! Ollie, stop ignoring us ya idiot!” My best friend since childhood, Toren shouted.

    “Ow…” I groaned, closing my book, using my thumb as a temporary bookmark. “What is it? I was in the middle of the page.”

    “Who do you think are the vamps?” Lily thinks it might be that girl from our English class, Ariel.”

    “It has to be! Just look at her style! She wears all black and medieval style clothes! Plus, she’s sooo pale.”

    “Not to mention her long black hair and purple eyes.” Toren added with a smirk.

    “Do we really have to stoop to this level?” I sighed. OF course, this was the conversation at hand. And of course, Lily wasn’t alone in the assumption. Lately Ariel had been receiving plenty of harassment for these reasons: unwanted stares, a constant barrage of questions and accusations, and even the more obnoxious few who would stick crucifixes or garlic to her locker. Obviously, these didn’t elicit the desired responses, but that didn’t stop them from continuing their witch hunt. “She’s just a goth. Her whole friend group dresses like that. And it’s Victorian, not medieval. You should know that from what we always read.”

    “What you and Toren always read. I prefer modern stories that don’t go on and on with pointless, irrelevant descriptions. Doesn’t she have that Alexandria’s genesis thing though? Isn’t that a vampire thing?”

    “Some modern writers do that too. It’s not strictly a Victorian thing.” Toren chuckled, at least he seemed amused by this whole thing. Honestly it didn’t seem like he really cared too much either way on the topic.

    “It’s not a vampire thing…” Seems I was stuck in his conversation whether I liked it or not. Might as well be candid on how I felt. “It just encompasses a strange appearance and some traits similar to vampire lore, but it’s just a fake medical thing.”

    “We thought the same thing about vampires, how do we know it’s not real too?” I shot Toren an irritated glance at that, he just loved to play Devil’s Advocate, didn’t he?

    “Toren, don’t start. You and I hung out with her at that Con. We know se just wears contacts. And besides, her hair isn’t even naturally black!”

    “What??” Lily seemed genuinely surprised, while Toren just continued to hold that smug grin.

    “Nope. Her eyes are green. Really pretty too. I don’t know why she hates them. She also probably wouldn’t care about hiding the fact she’s a vampire.”

    “Then maybe it’s Jack.” Corey, having finished stuffing his face with the lunch his mother had lovingly packed for him spoke up. “He’s obnoxiously strong and pretty fast. Plus, he’s loaded, maybe from centuries of collecting cash?”

    “Nope. Couldn’t be him.” Toren hummed as he popped a chip from the bag he’d purchased from a vending machine into his mouth.

    “You sound pretty sure of yourself. Go on.” Corey shot back. For once, I was also curious as to why he was so confidently against this one.

    “Because. Don’t you remember how the team isolated him a few days ago? Sure, he’s smooth AF as ********, and strong, but it’s just because he works out with his older brother. Trust me, he brags about it constantly at practice. We’d know it was him because of the trials he endured. Plus, do you realize how much time he spends in the sun?”

    “Fair…” this seemed to silence the group for a time, giving me a chance to actually eat my lunch instead of getting distracted by my book…again.

    “What about one of the exchange students?” This time it wasn’t just me who seemed uncomfortable with the suggestion. “What? I can’t be the only one who noticed a few of them hardly eat anything at school and- “

    “I’m just going to stop you there.” Toren interrupted. “None of us want to go there, and besides, even if one of them is a vampire, they’re not the ones the news talked about. The Vampires we were told about are from here. And have been. So, the foreign students are out.”

    Even if he had a counterargument, luck, or fate or whatever force you believe in was on our side, and the bell rang, silencing any further discussion on the topic.

    If only that could have lasted. The day went on fine until school ended. Toren and I were grabbing our things from our locker when a gaggle of popular kids, or whatever you call them, approached us. Though it wasn’t hard to tell it wasn’t me they were after.

    Before he even had the chance to close the locker, Toren was caught by the shoulder and spun around. “Out with it Silver. You’re the vampire, aren’t you?”

    “Jack! You can’t call him that.” One of the girls attempted to correct him. I recognized her as one of those, self-proclaimed ‘activists’. As if s he knew anything about what she preached.

    “They’re called ‘Hemovores’”.

    “Who gives a s**t? They mean the same ******** thing.”

    “Actually…they technically don’t. ‘Vampire’ is a term coined from the short story ‘The Vampyre’ by Polidori, while the term ‘Hemovore’ is a scientific term for one who thrives by consuming blood.” I was screaming inside my head at him. What the hell was he thinking?! Now was not the time for a vampire lesson!

    “…So, you are the vampire! I knew it!” Jack beamed in victory. “With a name like Toren Silver and all that s**t you know about vampires, it had to be you.”

    “Mhmm…so that’s what you’re going with? My name and interest? At that rate Ollie’s a hemovore too. Why didn’t you go with the fact I’m allergic to sunlight?”

    “Hey!” Oh no, he was not dragging me into this!

    “Oliver couldn’t be a vampire. He’s a socially awkward, sickly, freckled ginger who can’t even defend himself. He only knows so much crap too because you probably told him that. Plus, I’m pretty sure he’s gay.”

    “Obviously you’re not well read on your vampire fiction.” Toren snorted. “You have no place to go assuming anything about my friends. And I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not your vampire. I’m just a black-haired, vampire lit geek with Polymorphus Light Eruption. Something found in ten to fifteen percent of Americans. I wish I was a vampire, and do you really think I’d lie about it?”

    The medical terminology obviously seemed to confuse a few of the assailants, though after a time they seemed to buy into his story. After all, he really would proudly exclaim it if he was a vampire…and probably wouldn’t dress up as one every Halloween…probably. The group slowly dispersed, leaving just me with the oh-so amused Toren.

    “Think it only took so long for them to get to me since we’re not part of a clique? Downside of being an outsider I guess. Who’d you think it really is anyway? I know you don’t like the subject, but I want your thoughts.”

    I frowned and gave a small shrug. “I don’t know…It could be anyone…but obviously they don’t want anyone to know. Maybe once the shine of the new knowledge wears off they’ll come out.”

    “Fair…I suppose coming out now would warrant a lot of unwanted attention…as cool as it would be to meet a real heme, but I can understand their hesitance.”

    “That’s likely exactly why they haven’t come out. No one wants to be bombarded with awkward questions. That’s arguably no better than the harassment they could receive.” I gave a grin…which I quickly faded to a half smirk.

    “I guess so…I’d try not to ask too many awkward questions…probably. Hey, you want a ride home? It’s pretty foggy and I heard it might rain…”

    “It’s fine. I like walking in this weather, helps me clear my head. Plus, my uncle is coming to visit…so I want to take my sweet time getting home. Lest he ask constant questions about school…again. I’ll text you when I get home and we can get online for some games tonight.”

    “Sounds good my dude. Catch you later.”

    After waving Toren off, I started on my way home, raising a hand to my lips. I guess my mom was right…it was about time to get my fangs shaved down...

    There was so much I wanted to tell Toren…how I’m the hemovore everyone’s searching for, and how I’m like the vampires we read about, and how I’m not. About the cocktail of “medications” I have to take to fit in at school. About the “night classes” my parents make me take on some nights and weekends to hone my skills…and even how my dad is on the council that decided to share our secret to the world…

    But all in due time. Humans are curious creatures, and I’m not exactly too keen on the idea of personal questions they normally wouldn’t ask each other. And some I may not even know the answers to…