Ponygirl was a very 'popular' girl in our school. She was a track and field star, who brought the school to nationals in her first year of high school. Her academics were also great, and, on top of all that, she was incredibly friendly and... supposedly easy to talk to.
I'd maybe exchanged one or two words with her in the time that we've attended the same school. I only knew her from what others said, and from what I saw in my own classroom.
I would have never guessed, out of everyone in the entire school, that Ponygirl would be a... vampire. The word didn't even feel real. I almost laughed, thinking about it.
'Vampire? Seriously? Vampires don't exist!'
But they do! This girl was living—er, undead?—proof of it! Then again, even if she was a vampire, why was she in my home, sitting on my bed?
She sat cross-legged and comfortable, frowning. Blood still covered her mouth and hands, but she didn't seem to get any stains on the bed—thankfully.
'Actually, how is that even possible? It's practically dripping from her face...'
Looking closer, I realized that any time a drop of blood fell from her face or hands, it completely vanished as if it were never there.
"Are you just gonna keep staring? Heeeellloooo? Anyone in there?"
"Ah! P-Ponygirl! What're you doing in my room?" I said, trying to maintain my composure. Really, I was scared nearly out of my mind.
The only reason I wasn't completely out of my wits was because... I wasn't sure if what I was seeing was even real. I'd never had hallucinations before, but maybe I'd finally reached whatever breaking point led to seeing blood-covered classmates and dead bodies.
I slowly shimmied backwards, attempting to get closer to my door. I almost reached the doorknob when she scoffed.
"Relax, Lovely. I won't hurt you, I promise."
Her tone was filled with annoyance masqueraded as comfort. Though, it could've just been her voice. I had overheard many others complaining about her attitude, and even more making excuses for her like 'it's just how she sounds, she doesn't mean it!'
'Why would I listen to anything you have to say, anyway? You're a murderer... if you even exist!'
"I... need to eat dinner. Bye!"
I darted through the door and closed it shut behind me, holding it closed for a few seconds. My heart was pounding, and I had finally stepped past the barrier that lay between confusion and acceptance.
Whatever was happening would eventually work out, wouldn't it? I smiled. I actually found it quite convenient to think about things in that way when they seemed to be out of my control.
I let go of the door and turned around.
"Boo."
I nearly barfed up my own heart when I was face-to-face with this damned Ponygirl again.
"H-how?!"
"You're kind of slow, aren't you?" she said, picking her teeth.
I pushed her to the side and ran down the stairs, screaming. I turned the corner and sprinted to the dining table, where my parents were already eating.
"Why are you screaming, hon? Quiet, quiet! You're too loud."
"Mom! I—"
I froze. In between my father and mother—the seat right across from mine—was Ponygirl. Her feet were kicked up on the table, and she held her arms up behind her head as if she was ready for a nap.
"M-mom, you d-don't s-s-see her? Dad?"
"What are you talking about, Love? Sit down and eat before the food gets cold. We've been waiting," Father scolded.
"Haha... okay, yeah. The food."
I pulled out my chair and took a seat. I tried to avoid looking at the chair across from me as I stiffly ate, but it was simply impossible. When our eyes met, she just gave me a smug grin.
'She's... playing with me!'
"Love, are you alright?" Mother asked. "What's that mark on your neck? Did you get bit by a bug?"
"Yeah, yeah... a bug..." I brushed her off, keeping my guard up against the monster sitting across from me.
'But why can't they see her?'
I quickly finished dinner and promptly excused myself with the excuse of homework. Not that I'd done any homework at all in the past year... but my parents were inclined to go along with anything I asked as long as it was 'for school.'
I ran up the stairs and closed the door shut behind me. I was opening and closing doors a whole lot more than usual.
As I expected, the girl was once again sitting on my bed.
"I g-get it now... y-you're not real!"
She tilted her head in faux-confusion. "I'm not? I feel pretty real, though?"
The vampire leapt from the bed, baring her fangs. Trying to back up, I tripped and fell to the ground. I kicked my legs out and flailed my arms, trying anything to stop her, except, she just phased right through. She, for the second time, brought her fangs down on my neck.
I gritted my teeth, making only a soft whimpering sound. What was the point in screaming if I was just going to die.
This time, though, there was no pricking sensation. Her teeth left no impression on my skin, just like moments before when she phased through my legs.
Then, she fell back, laughing. Ponygirl was now across from me, on the ground and rolling with uncontrollable laughter. Soft tears ran down my face, and I cautiously wiped my nose.
"Wha-what are you doing? Why didn't you kill me?"
"Huh?" She continued to laugh, trying hard to stop. "I said I wouldn't hurt you, didn't I?"
"But, why?"
"What would killing you do for me right now, idiot. I thought you were supposed to be smart."
"...Says who?" I asked, genuinely shocked.
"I don't know? You're just always so quiet, back there in the corner. All alone. I thought you must've been focusing on studying or something."
"N-not really."
We stared at each other for a good while, and I started feeling hot. It was incredibly awkward—for me, at least. Despite apparently being a murderous vampire, I still couldn't find her, someone much more 'popular' than I was, easy to talk to. Actually, now that I think about it, the murderous vampire part probably made it even harder.
Ponygirl, on the other hand, seemed to be analyzing me for whatever reason. Eventually, she broke the silence.
"I'm gonna be honest, Love. I can call you that, right? Love?"
"Uh, g-go ahead."
'Yeah, just call me whatever you want, you psycho!'
"Well, back there, I killed that girl."
"Okay..."
'No, really? How stupid does she think I am!?'
"I did it because I'm a vampire. See? Look at my fangs. I'm not lying. They're way sharper than yours."
"..."
"You don't believe me, do you?"
"I don't know."
"Whatever, it doesn't matter. The thing is, when you rudely stabbed me with that pencil, I died. Just like that..." she trailed off for a second before collecting her thoughts again. "To a pencil! Isn't that so stupid? I don't blame you, ya know? It was self defense, after all. Don't worry about it."
"You're dead?"
"I mean, yeah. I guess I was already dead, being a vampire and everything—but yes, you killed me."
"Um. S-sorry about that? But how am I speaking to you if you're dead?"