aspiring artist

When Priya had called me up to say that she had become a vampire somehow, I first ended the call, rolling my eyes at her bad sense of humor. Then she called me back, almost hysterical. 

I quickly realized it wasn’t a joke. 

We spent the previous hour at Rosa’s place, trying to calm Priya down, and surfing the web for any useful info. Unfortunately, everything we had found was about ‘adult’ vampires. Not a word about someone freshly turned into one. 

“Did you find anything?” 

Priya tried her best to mask her voice, but it was clear that she was very afraid. 

“Uh no, not yet. The best I found was an article detailing vampire diet. Apparently, you don’t necessarily need blood. Anything red is good for you.” 

She didn’t reply, just laid down on the couch, covering her face with her palm. I closed my laptop to walk over to her. 

Rosa left a little earlier to drop off Thia at Alexy’s, and Leigh was gone the whole week to visit Lysander. Priya and I had some time for ourselves. 

“Hey” I sat down next to her. “We’re going to figure it out, okay? I’m sure you’re not the only one with this problem. Worst case scenario, we will consult Stephenie Meyer.” 

“Urgh, I don’t really appreciate your jokes.” Priya turned over to her other side, with her back to me, but didn’t pull away when I started caressing her side. 

“It’s not the end of the world anyways. If the legends are true, you will be exceptionally fast and powerful, you will live for much longer than otherwise, you will be immune to pretty much any disease. I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a bad deal.” 

“Haha. You forgot about not being able to stand in the sun or eat garlic. Not to mention the crosses.” 

“That’s not a problem, we don’t live in Italy.” 

I spoke without thinking, but I reached my goal: Priya laughed – for the first time during the evening. 

“Thank you. Your support means a lot to me. Really.” 

She turned towards me a little to look in my eyes while speaking, but then quickly diverted her gaze. Her expression turned sour, almost regretful. If she had been sad or angry, I would have understood that, but this...? 

“What’s wrong?” 

“What isn’t?” She chuckled, not answering my question. 

“No, but... really.” 

She sat up, but still avoiding looking at me. 

“It’s just... if I stay this way, and the myths are true, I’m supposed to drink blood, aren’t I?” 

Her fingers found their way to the hem of my shirt and started playing with it. 

"Well, yes...” 

“Well... I don’t know how to phrase it, but I started feeling this strange pull towards you. Of course, I always found you ravishing, but it seems that whatever change is going on inside me, it also affects how I look at you...” 

While talking, Priya shifted her position on the couch to lean in my direction. Her fingers stopped fidgeting with the fabric of my shirt and instead rested on my sides. I felt my cheeks burn. We have been together for more than four years now – we had kissed, seen each other without clothes and made love multiple times. And yet, in this moment, I felt that we had never been so vulnerable in front of each other ever before. 

She got closer, lowering her head, making its way to my neck. If I had really wanted to, I would have been able to stop her, to move away – but I didn’t. I tilted my head to give her better access and braced myself for what was coming. 

I hadn’t noticed that Priya’s teeth got sharp already, but now they pierced through my skin with relative ease. I clenched my jaw, not to give away the pain I felt – if this is what it takes for Priya to feel better, so be it. 

While she was feeding on me, pictures flooded my mind. Her arrival at Sweet Amoris High School; her kiss with Iris that awakened previously unknown feelings, but mostly jealousy in me; our reunion in university, and the rebirth of our friendship that slowly changed into something deeper. 

I loved her, and I knew she loved me too, more than anything. When she finally lifted her head from my neck, wiping her mouth, I knew that now we were tied together more tightly than I ever thought possible.

Castiel first considered it hilarious, then annoying. Then, he received (at his home!) a letter with a little vial for him to send back ‘a lock of his hair and a drop of his tear’ – the ingredients for some kind of love spell. This was the point when they decided that people will overstep their boundaries more and more often, so they need to protect themselves. 

Leo was the one to experience this kind of ‘love’ physically. She wanted to run some errands, when a group of teenagers suddenly appeared around her. They asked for selfies with her, and one boy wanted to put his arm on her waist, but ‘accidentally’ lowered it. 

Leo hired a bodyguard that afternoon.

---

"Sooo, this is it." 

Leo gestured around in her apartment, not really knowing what to add. The young woman standing in front of her (who insisted on simply being called ‘Kim’) started walking around, inspecting the doors, the windows, even the view of the street and neighbouring houses. 

“You’re taking this very seriously, I can see. Did you have to protect someone really important in the past?” 

“Oh, sure.” Kim stopped her examination to turn around, facing Leo. “I’ve worked for ministers, CEOs, and people whose title I can’t even tell you. Don’t worry, I will do my best to protect you. No one will die again under my watch.” 

“...again??” 

Leo was about to ask more, but she caught Kim’s smile while she turned back again. The rocker couldn’t help but laugh – despite Kim’s initial silence, she was starting to like her newfound bodyguard. 

“Well, that’s the least I expect. I can’t pay you if I’m dead. And hey, maybe you will even find me funny. Might motivate you to keep me alive.” 

“Oh, you need to work harder than that to make me laugh.” 

--- 

It turned out, she didn’t need to work harder. Whenever it was just the two of them, in a private setting (which happened more and more often as time went on), they behaved like ages old friends. Leo was an endless source of adventurous and fascinating stories, while Kim kept Leo grounded and motivated in more ways than one. 

One day, Kim decided to check out the Instagram page of Leo. This is not something that she hasn’t done before, but she still liked to scroll there from time to time. Leo’s page (as all other members’ as well, of course) was filled with posts about their upcoming album. They worked on it for a really long time, and it was supposed to be released in two months. 

Among the sneak peaks of the album’s cover and (muted) recordings from their studio sessions, a different post caught Kim’s eye: Leo and an unknown woman kissing. 

Kim sat up straight. How did she not notice this before? 

It was posted not long after they first announced the album. It was probably part of the campaign for it, but Kim couldn’t help but feel a little sting in her chest. 

Was she jealous? 

---

When she met Leo, a couple days later, Kim had already made up her mind. What she said on her first day was clearly a joke, but developing feelings for the one she’s supposed to protect could cause serious problems for them. 

When Leo opened her door, Kim didn’t hesitate. 

“This is the last time you see me as your bodyguard. I want to end my contract.” 

Leo didn’t answer at first. She was shocked. 

“Is everything alright?” 

“I-” Kim sighed, then shook her head. “I want to protect you, but I’ve realised that I have feelings for you that aren’t right. I will always be here for you if you need me, but I don’t think I should be your bodyguard anymore.” 

With that, she turned around, not giving Leo the chance to reply. 

I tried to divert my thoughts. I didn't tell Rosa or Alexy what was up, but I'm sure they picked up after some time, as I continuously rejected going out clubbing or shopping with them. Rosa told me that I could talk to her anytime, but knowing her opinion about Nath, I rather kept to myself.

So who was left? Amber and Kim were the only two people who still kept in touch with Nath, but Kim was busy managing the gym. She also didn't know about Nath's ehm... business, and with Amber we didn't even feel it fair to tell her about it.

That left just the two of us, Amber and me. I still couldn't quite comprehend the change she went through. Those piercings eyes that I always found cold and condescending in high school, now they lit up when she saw me, always cheerfully greeting. The delicate fingers that carried out so many pranks on me, now I had the opportunity to watch them drum mindlessly on the tabletop while we're having lunch together. One hand would be enough to keep count of the times she behaved kind towards me, and yet now I found myself spending more and more time with her...

It feels wrong to even think about it, considering that she's my ex-boyfriend's sister, but there's something enchanting about her. When I'm with her, I cannot stop thinking about her plush lips and what it would feel like to have them on mine. When she's away, I'm nervous, waiting for the time we meet again.

How does hate turn to love?

Is it even love? I see who I want to see. I'm imagining a personality for her that maybe she doesn't even have. She has her own life, her own passions, her own problems. Hell, the only thing tying us together - Nath - didn't even use to have a good relationship with her until only recently. If she's not the cruel teenager who made my days sour, then I have no idea who she is beyond her worry and love for Nath.

I used to think we share that, but I'm ashamed to see that my heart is beating for someone else now.

My phone buzzed again.

hello?? anyone there?

The student in the row in front of me turned around to shush me. I guess he had had enough of my phone making noise...

This helped pull me out of my daydreams. Although I did spend much of my free time with studying now, I still couldn't keep track of Mr. Lebard's class. If there was a course for reading lullabies to adults, he could be the perfect professor for it...!

I muted my phone, then finally checked out the new messages. Amber has previously asked me if I was free to help her out sometime, as she's moving in to Nath's apartment. God knows when he's going to use it again, meanwhile Amber's model career isn't going as well as she hoped. To save some money, she decided to give out her flat for rent, and live in Nath's place for some time.

I offered to help her move her stuff, but due to our different timetables it wasn't easy to find an afternoon that suited both of us. I sent her a quick reply:

yes, I'm in class, but it ends in 5. I'll call you after

---

"I already found a tenant. She's moving in on Saturday, so I must leave tomorrow the latest."

"Wow, that was quick. Well, I don’t have any classes left today, so it's totally up to you. If you think you have too much stuff, we can ask someone else for help too. I'm sure Kim would be happy to join in, or maybe Castiel...."

What an idiot! I already forgot how big of a crush she had on him. It was partly the reason she was so hard on me. She misinterpreted my friendship with him as something more, and jealousy is never a good advisor.

Either the static of the phone helped hide the tone of her voice, or she was over him by now, as she replied completely unfazed.

"The two of us should be enough, I don't have that many belongings. See you tomorrow afternoon."

"That's perfect for me, alright. I'll meet you at your place. "

---

She was right, even with just the two of us we finished sooner than I expected. We talked while moving the boxes, to help pass the time. Only lighthearted topics came up, but it wasn’t the kind of small talk that makes even silence comfortable compared to it. I offered to leave once we were done with the actual relocation, to let her unpack alone, but Amber insisted I stay. She put on some music, and fished out a bottle of champagne from one of the cabinets.

"I bought this for Nath on our last birthday, although I know he’s not much of a drinker. It would be a shame if this got spoilt, am I right?"

I laughed a little while shrugging. "Well, I don’t think Nath would be mad…"

Amber unscrewed the bottle, and shook her head.

"You know what, I don’t want to talk about him. He made his own choices, whatever we think about them. I worry for him, and I know you do too, but he’s not a child." She handed me a glass, and took a sip from her own. "I’m sure two young ladies such as us can find a thousand better topics to discuss."

I couldn’t help but laugh, not missing to notice her wink in the meantime. I didn’t know what to add, so I took my glass, thankful for the "alibi" for not speaking.

"Soo… what are you going to do once you graduate? There’s not much time left until the end of your studies if I recall correctly."

"I never actually got this far when I was making plans for my future."

It was Amber’s turn to laugh, though she was more cynical than me.

"I get that, I didn’t plan this ahead either. When I started, I received two photoshoot offers for each one I did. I thought I was one of the few people who are lucky enough to skyrocket their career right from the beginning. Guess I was wrong."

Little by little, I had already finished my glass by then, and I felt a small confidence boost. I sat next to Amber, hugging her shoulders with my arm.

"I’m not speaking from experience of course, but I’m sure it’s normal to have ups and downs. The things we see in movies are romanticized, it’s never easy in real life."

I was so caught up in trying to comfort her that I didn’t even notice when she refilled both of our glasses.

"Yeah, I can second that. It’s never easy in real life…"

Maybe I was imagining things, but I had the impression that she was avoiding my gaze as she spoke.

I tried to recall all occasions we were together like this. Those late night phone talks, those seemingly meaningless strolls in the park, those "study dates" that always ended up being gossip afternoons. I never noticed until now, but sometimes she would mention her feelings of loneliness and being lost. I always thought she was the kind of social, confident, strong woman that they write motivational articles about in the newspaper. But I realised that it wasn’t only me who started spending more and more time with her; I also took up a bigger part of her life now than I did before. And while I wasn’t sure how she felt about this, I certainly knew how I did.

Mostly thanks to the liquid courage that the now three glasses of champagne gave me, I leaned in, half hopeful, half scared of her reaction. Amber didn’t pull away, and after a few seconds even put down her glass to place her hand on my thigh. Our kiss deepened, and I felt a sense of calm wash over me: whatever confusion I was going through in my life with my studies ending, my unknown future incoming, but also the consequences of Nath’s past threatening to reach Amber and me as well, now I knew I wasn’t alone with it.