saw her mom standing close to the door trying to peek in. Rachel whispered, “Sarah’s upset about Gary, I’m trying to cheer her up. It’s not really a good time.”
“Oh,” her mom whispered back. “Thanks Rachel, you’re a great sister.”
Her mom kissed her on the top of her head and turned to walk away. Rachel was in the clear. She shut the door again. She knew she had just saved Sarah from a lot of trouble.
Rachel sat Sarah up and gave her some water. She helped her change out of her dress and into her pajamas. Sarah was slurring her words as she retold her night to Rachel. Rachel wasn’t really paying attention, though, her mind still stuck on Benji.
“Goodnight, Sarah,” Rachel said as she walked out of her room through their adjoining bathrooms. Rachel stopped in the bathroom and looked in the mirror. She couldn’t believe what had just happened. She had been so kind to Sarah and wondered if it had been her, if Sarah would have done the same thing.
As Rachel entered back into her room, she walked over to her desk drawer and pulled out her diary. She felt like she needed a release and knew she always felt much better after she’d written in her diary. She opened it with the key that hung around her neck and began to write.
Dear Diary,
I have a secret to tell you. I am not allowed to tell anyone. Benji told me he was a vampire tonight. I honestly don’t think I believe in vampires, but it still creeps me out. He said that he doesn’t feed on humans and he also said that he wouldn’t hurt me. I trust that he won’t hurt me, but I am nervous around him. I need time to figure things out with him. I ran away from him tonight and don’t know when, or if, I will see him again. I wish I could talk to someone about this. I need some advice but I swore to him I wouldn’t tell. I wish someone had been there to have see what happened tonight at the dance – how he fought off Rob and his friends. It was crazy. I don’t think what he did was humanly possible. I don’t know…
XOXO,
Rachel
She locked her diary and pulled up on the lock, to make sure it was secure. She didn’t want anybody snooping in her business, especially now. Rachel couldn’t help but think about the incident at Rye Playland. It flashed back in her mind like it was happening all over again. Next, her mind flashed to an image of Benji beating up Rob and his friends tonight. Her mind jumped to the feeling of his cold fingers between hers, and his bright blue eyes piercing hers. She quickly snapped out of it, as she breathed deep to slow her breath. She knew something was different about Benji, but she didn’t want to believe it.
She didn’t want to believe he was a vampire.
Chapter Three
Rachel woke up to loud banging coming from her bathroom. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, trying to figure out what could possibly be going on. She got out of bed and went over to the door – locked.
“What’s going on?” Rachel asked through the door.
“Leave me alone,” Sarah said. “I can’t find my cell phone.”
“You had it last night when you came in,” Rachel answered. I saw it.”
“I didn’t see you last night. How would you know?” Sarah replied as she opened the door a crack.
Rachel wondered what Sarah was talking about. How could she not remember last night? Was she too drunk to remember that she had saved her from potential life punishment?
Rachel whispered to Sarah what had happened the night before, and Sarah looked at her in amazement. Then, a look of embarrassment and remorse came over her face and Sarah thanked her for covering for her. Sarah hugged Rachel and began to cry.
Rachel had never experienced a moment like this with Sarah before. Perhaps they were getting closer, Rachel thought.
*
As Rachel’s mom pulled into the driveway of AHS, her heart began to thump. Her mind flashed back to the fight that had taken place just hours ago. She didn’t want to get out of the car. She began to feel a panic inside of her. As the car neared the front of the school, she could see kids standing near the scene of the fight, looking around. The scene had been roped off with orange tape, as if they were doing an FBI investigation. She saw the two police officers that were at her house the night before, guiding the kids past the scene. Rachel had no idea this had turned into such a big deal. She instantly felt guilty, and part of her felt like a criminal.
Rachel took a deep breath and opened the car door. She entered the sea of kids whispering and gossiping about the fight.
“I heard they were fighting over some sophomore girl.”
“I heard this guy was like super human, bodies flying everywhere.”
Rachel listened to the words that filled the air, and it made her want to run and hide.
As she walked through the doors of the school, she felt like everyone was staring at her. She saw a group of cheerleaders standing in the corner near the cafeteria, one pointed at her as she whispered something to the others. As she turned down the hallway towards her locker, she could hear the whispers getting louder and louder.
Rachel wanted to leave, but knew once she got into her homeroom, she could sink down at her desk and hopefully go unnoticed. She knew if she left school, it would make the situation much worse and she didn’t want to get suspended for cutting. She hated this guilty feeling that was filling her up inside.
She quickly walked to her locker and into her homeroom class, where Mr. Allen sat at his desk, looking at the kids quizzically. Rachel saw him staring at her and instantly realized that everyone, even the teachers knew.
“What happened to you last night?” Emily asked, quietly. “I heard about the fight but couldn’t find you anywhere. Are you ok?”
Rachel looked at her but didn’t know how to respond. She trusted Emily, but she knew she couldn’t tell her the whole truth.
“Yeah, I’m fine. It was a little scary, but here I am,” Rachel said with a smile pointing to herself in a joking manner.
“It’s not funny— you could have been killed. I heard this Benji guy is completely crazy,” Emily said in a serious voice.
“He’s not that bad,” Rachel answered quietly, as she looked around to make sure nobody was listening. “He’s a nice guy.”
“Um, he beat up Rob and four other players, Emily replied. “He doesn’t seem that nice.”
“Well, it wasn’t his fault, they came after him,” Rachel said, sticking up for Benji.
“Geez, calm down, why are you getting so defensive?” Emily snapped back.
Rachel stopped for a moment, and then realized what she was saying. She didn’t know why she was sticking up for him, after everything that happened between them.
“Listen, I don’t want to talk about this anymore, OK,” Rachel said as she opened her notebook.
“Well,
