The next day at school, the halls were buzzing with gossip. Whispers filled the air like static. Students were glued to their phones, snickering, gasping, nudging each other. Just like last time. My stomach twisted. I couldn't help but think: What has Pink posted about me now?
But as I walked down the corridor, no one was looking at me. That was strange. I kept my head down, reached my locker, dropped my bag, and grabbed my textbook for class.
That's when I spotted Genora, her eyes locked on her phone, brows furrowed in disbelief.
"You too?" I asked, nudging her. "Don't tell me it's about me again."
"What? No!" she shook her head quickly. Relief washed over me until she stepped closer, holding out her phone.
"You need to see this."
A headline blared across the screen:
"Anonymous Tip: Mr. Raymond and Joy Caught in Secret Affair?"
My jaw dropped. "Wh-What?!"
I snatched the phone from her hands. The article was short but damning, filled with vague accusations and wild speculation. The comments were even worse, vicious, accusatory, unforgiving.
"What the hell is this...?"
The hallway around us grew louder, filled with a chaotic buzz. I scanned the crowd for Rejoice. She was always somewhere in the center of it laughing, talking, radiant. But today, she was nowhere to be found.
Is she okay?
Who the hell would start such a rumor?
The bell rang for first period. Students began filing into classrooms like tides receding.
In class, the room was unusually packed, the air thick with chatter and the scraping of chairs. I stepped inside and scanned the room, heart already racing. Every seat seemed taken, except one. A lone desk beside Zack.
Without thinking, I weaved through the maze of backpacks and legs, claiming it before Clary could even glance that way. My pulse quickened. This was my moment. He'd been avoiding me all week, slipping out of rooms the second I walked in, always finding an excuse to avoid eye contact. But with Pink absent and no one else crowding his space, maybe, just maybe, I could finally get through to him.
I sat down slowly, not wanting to spook him. "Hey," I said, lifting a hand in a small, unsure wave.
Zack turned his head just enough to glance at me, his face impassive. He offered a tight, polite smile, so forced it stung and turned away before my hand could even fall back to my lap.
Then Mr. Henzel strode in, shoulders squared like a soldier entering battle. His voice cut through the buzz of conversation like a blade. "Quiet down."
Silence fell, swift and sudden.
I sat stiffly, eyes forward but mind spiraling. Just act normal, I told myself. But how could I? After what I'd seen that night. Mr. Henzel didn't even look the same to me anymore. And Zack, Zack felt a million miles away, even though he was inches from my elbow.
Still, I had to try.
"Hey," I whispered again, softer this time. A tremble hid behind the word.
He didn't look at me, but I saw his jaw tighten. "Hey," he said flatly, his eyes locked on a random scratch in the wood of his desk.
"Normally I'd try to explain everything, but I'm guessing Jesse already did," I said, my voice barely above a breath.
His gaze flicked toward me for a moment. "Yeah," he muttered, then looked away again.
"So… then why are you still avoiding me?"
No answer.
"Zack," I leaned in slightly, desperate now, "come on. This silent treatment is killing me."
He exhaled hard through his nose, finally turning to face me. There was no warmth in his expression just that careful blankness he used when he didn't want me to see what he was really feeling.
"It's true," he said, voice low and even. "My brother was out of line. And yeah, you were caught off guard. But what I don't get is…" He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Why did you leave? Just like that?"
"I..." I opened my mouth, scrambling for words, but he cut me off.
"You made it feel like I said something wrong," he continued, his voice rising barely above a whisper. "Like you were disgusted or afraid, I don't even know."
My throat closed up. I hadn't meant to make him feel like that. But I had.
His expression hardened, and he looked away again. "Things are really awkward right now," he said quietly. "It's probably best we keep our distance."
He pushed back his chair before I could respond, the screech of metal against tile drawing a few glances. He raised his hand.
"Sir, may I change seats?"
Mr. Henzel, without even lifting his head from his register, nodded once. "Go ahead."
Zack gathered his things silently and efficiently like he'd planned this. He didn't spare me a look as he moved to the front of the class.
I sat there, my face burning, fists clenched beneath the desk. Around me, class resumed, notes being written, whispers rising again. But all I could feel was the echo of Zack's absence beside me and the weight of the space he left behind.
During recess, the library was quieter than usual, the hum of air conditioning blending with the soft rustle of turning pages. Zack sat at a corner table beneath a window streaked with dust, a thick book open in front of him but he wasn't really reading. His elbow rested on the table, fingers drumming absently as he stared past the text.
Daniel sat across from him, also quiet, occasionally glancing up like he wanted to say something but thought better of it. The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable, more like an agreement not to poke at anything too raw.
Then Jesse walked in. He looked around briefly before spotting them. "Hey, Jess, what's up?" Daniel called, giving him a casual wave.
"I'm cool." Jesse approached, hands in his pockets. "What are you two up to?"
"I dunno… something that doesn't concern you," Zack muttered, not even looking up from the page he wasn't reading.
Jesse blinked. "Right. Okay."
An awkward stillness settled over the table, heavy and tight.
Jesse scratched the back of his neck and looked over at Daniel. "Could you give us a minute?"
Daniel hesitated. "Uh… sure." He stood slowly, gave Zack a quick glance, then walked off without another word.
The silence that followed was different, it was sharper and thicker.
Zack didn't move, his eyes stayed locked on the book as if it could shield him.
"Hey, bro," Jesse said softly. "I know you're upset. I just… I'm sorry. For what happened."
Zack's jaw tensed. He shut the book with a dull thud and finally looked at him, eyes flashing. "You should be."
Jesse flinched slightly at the bite in his brother's voice.
"That wasn't just messed up," Zack continued. "It was reckless. What were you thinking?"
"I wasn't," Jesse admitted, his voice low. "I got caught up. But you know me, I screw things up sometimes. Still…" He took a tentative step closer. "We'll get through this. We always do. We're brothers."
Zack leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. Some of the anger drained from his face, leaving something sadder behind.
"I know," he said. "But it's different this time."
"How?" Jesse asked, barely above a whisper.
Zack shook his head. "Because...." he stopped immediately and signed looking down at the closed book, then back at his brother. "I need space, Jesse. Just for a while."
Jesse nodded slowly. "Okay. I get it."
He lingered for a moment, like he wanted to say more, then turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing between the shelves.
Zack sat alone at the table again, the silence rushing back in but this time, it felt colder.
After school, I crashed at a dimly lit bowling alley, it was nearly empty. Just me, the faint hum of neon lights, and the scattered echo of pins falling in the distance. Everything else was drowned in gloom. The kind of darkness that clings to your skin.
I sat slouched in a booth, a half-finished drink sweating on the sticky table. The ice had melted. The alcohol burned less now, dulled by how badly the tables had turned.
The place was quiet, too quiet. Lonely in a way that dug deep. I remembered my first time here, the laughs, jokes and shared fries. We came to hang out. But now? Just me. Ghosts of happier moments haunted every corner.
A few minutes before ten, I was still hunched over my table, head heavy and lost in thought.
Then, there was a gently knock on my table, I jerked upright, disoriented and dizzy.
"We're about to close, ma'am." A young employee stood by my table. His concern cut through the haze. I tried to stand, but a sharp pain struck my head like a lightning bolt. My legs gave out, and I collapsed into the chair again.
"You're drunk," he muttered, this time softer. "Is there anyone you can call to pick you up?"
"Nah. I'm fine." I forced myself to stand again, wobbling.
"You sure? It's dangerous out there."
"I'll manage," I mumbled.
With his help, I made it outside. The cool night air hit me like a slap. I pulled my jacket tight and staggered toward the hostel. It was past ten, the streets were abandoned, shadows long and shifting. My steps were slow, uneven. The alcohol blurred the edges of the world.
Then I saw it.
At the end of the block, under a flickering streetlamp, a vampire. Fangs buried deep into the neck of a small boy. The child's body hung limp.
I froze, my breath caught in my throat. Motionless. Praying I hadn't been seen. I started moving backward, silent, heart pounding then...
Bzzzzt.
My phone buzzed in my pocket.
The vampire's head snapped up. Blood dripped from its fangs. It locked eyes with me glowing.
"Oh no," I whispered, stepping back. Its skin was deathly pale, it's eyes feral and some how i knew what it was, a blueblood. Animalistic, mindless and unreasoning with an instinct to kill.
My phone buzzed again, I looked to see who it was, it was Jesse. Of course.
I fumbled to silence it but the creature was already lunging so I ran.
My legs barely cooperated, but adrenaline took over. The vampire was faster, far faster than I was. My only hope now was the nearby school.
I sprinted across the parking lot, barely ahead, and dove behind a row of school buses in the parking lot, gasping for air.
Everywhere was quiet except for the pounding in my chest then my phone rang again.
I yanked the phone out and hissed, "Jesse, now's not the time"
"Why are you whispering?" Jesse asked, confused. His voice came in low and gently
"I'm being chased by a vampire!"
Before he could respond, the vampire leapt from the top of the bus and crashed down on me, I screamed. The phone skidded away.
Its claws tore at my clothes, fangs snapping an inch from my throat. I fought back, shoving it with every ounce of strength I had. My hands were slippery with blood, so it was difficult to get a firm hold of the vampire.
I scanned the ground, desperate for anything I could use as a weapon. Then I saw it, a metal wrench, half-hidden beneath the bus.
I stretched out, fingers trembling, straining to reach it. The wrench was just inches away. My hand closed around the cold metal and I swung it hard into the vampires skull, once, twice, each blow landing with a sickening crunch.
The vampire reeled back, screeching in fury. I didn't wait. I scrambled to my feet and ran, blood pounding in my ears, fear driving every step.
I crept through the pitch-black corridors, heart in my throat. I made my way to the school hallway, searching for shelter. Somewhere to hide until daylight.
Then I remembered Raymond. He sometimes stayed overnight. Maybe he'd know what to do. If I could find him…
The halls were pitch black. My phone was gone. I was blind and desperate then I heard footsteps, not mine.
I ducked into the nearest classroom, heart racing. The lock was broken, so I shoved chairs and desks against the door. Then I slipped behind the teacher's desk and crouched low, barely breathing.
Maybe I could stay here, just until morning. I kept my ears sharp and eyes on the door but exhaustion hit me like a wave and my eyes shut… just for a moment.
A sudden clatter jolted me awake, something was inside, my heart dropped. I peeked, the door was wide open. The barricade untouched, it opened the other way.
Fuck!
I stayed still and silent, maybe it hadn't seen me but the footsteps paused and there was a bang.
The teacher's desk flew across the room, smashing against the wall in a splintered crash..
The vampire stood there, chest heaving, blood smeared thick across its chin and dripping down its neck. Its eyes wild, glowing with hunger locked onto mine like a predator spotting its cornered prey.
My breath caught, I couldn't move, couldn't even scream. My limbs were frozen, paralyzed by the weight of fear.
Then it lunged. A blur of pale limbs and snapping fangs rushed toward me, I closed my eyes hoping for the worst but then, there was a thud.
I opened my eyes just in time to see who it was, it was Jesse, standing there, his eyes glowed faintly in the dark, his lips were pulled back in a snarl, sharp fangs exposed.
Relief hit me like a crashing wave, but the fight wasn't over yet.
They clashed with a ferocity that shook the walls, fangs bared, claws flashing, raw strength against raw rage. Jesse and the vampire collided like wild beasts, the sound of snarling breaths and cracking bones echoing in the empty hallway. He moved with brutal precision, every punch, every kick landing with the force of a wrecking ball. For a moment, it looked like he had the upper hand.
But then the vampire feinted low, lunged in close, and sank its teeth deep into Jesse's forearm. I heard the crunch of flesh tearing, bone grinding as it ripped a chunk free.
I gasped, a horrified sound I barely recognized as my own.
Black blood poured from Jesse's arm, thick and oozing like oil. He stumbled back, teeth clenched, face twisted in pain but then, impossibly, the wound began to stitch itself back together. The healing rate was slow and agonizing.
Before he could recover, the vampire was on him again, knocking him to the ground. They rolled, a blur of claws and snarls. Jesse fought back, but the creature was relentless, slashing at his chest, its face twisted with bloodlust.
I couldn't just stand there anymore. I had to do something.
My eyes darted around the room, desperate. I spotted a long wooden stick near the window, a broken chair leg, sharp enough.
My fingers closed around the splintered wood, and without thinking, without hesitating, I charged.
I drove the stake into the vampire's back with everything I had, every ounce of fear, fury, and adrenaline. I felt it puncture muscle, grind against bone, and slide deep into its heart.
The vampire shrieked, a deafening, animal howl. Its limbs flailed, it's eyes bulging and it's mouth frothing with black blood. Then its body convulsed once… twice… and began to wither, like something rotting in fast-forward. Flesh shriveled, bones cracked inward, until all that remained was a twitching, decaying husk.
Jesse shoved the corpse off with a grunt, chest heaving, his skin slick with sweat and ichor.
He looked up at me, dazed but conscious. "Are you okay?" he asked, forcing himself to his feet, one hand still pressed to his half-healed arm.
I nodded, but I was shaking head to toe. My body couldn't decide between relief and terror.
And then came the pain, twisting inside me like something alive.
"M-my stomach," I whispered, clutching my side. The world tilted.
Then I doubled over and vomited, the acidic taste burning my throat. My knees buckled.
Everything spun. The hallway lights above became distant stars, swirling.
The last thing I saw before darkness swallowed me was Jesse, arms outstretched, catching me before I hit the floor.