Dark Secrets (52 page)

He shook his head. “It
was common for those times, especially with Jason and I being a
multiple birth. She simply gave birth, then fell asleep—never woke
up again.”

“
Did she ever get to
see you?”

“
She named me before
she died—since I was first born. Jason came shortly after, but, she
simply had nothing left to fight with. Before the midwife even cut
the cord—she was gone.”

“
So, did your father
ever talk about her?”

He shook his head.
“I’m told she was beautiful and loved by many. But, my aunt was the
only woman I ever considered my mother.”

“
Well…what happened
to her?”

David’s smile
tightened. “Another time, my love.”

“
Okay.” I stood up.
“Another time, then.”

His eyes narrowed, but
the corners of his lips indented his cheek with a slight
dimple.

“
What?” I said. “Do I
have breakfast on my face?”

He stood beside me,
taking my hand. “Thank you.”

“
What
for?”

“
For dropping the
subject—without the usual fight.”

“
Well, thank you for
letting me into your past.”

“
Anytime.” He nodded,
but his tone suggested this might be the last.

School could not have
been more boring this week. David was only in three of my classes,
which meant that pretty much every second of my day sucked. After
spending Monday and Tuesday in misery land, I got tired of my own
moping, so, to entertain myself, started answering every question
the teachers asked, even when I didn’t know the answer. At least it
was good for a laugh—everyone else’s. In fact, the new nickname of
‘class clown’ was beginning to stick. In Home Economics, I got
scolded for laughing out loud while the teacher was talking, and it
wasn’t even my fault. It was David’s—despite him not being in that
class. See, earlier, he’d told me that vampires rarely fall in love
with humans—much the same as we don’t fall in love with cows, since
we eat them. Then, I saw Josh Granger ogling Mrs Tacony. But she’s
the biggest cow ever. It completely disproved David’s theory…and
then I laughed. Humiliation followed when the whole class looked at
me, and the teacher demanded I share the comedy. I said I was sure
I heard a fart.

Suffice to say, the
punch David wore afterward barely indented his flesh and totally
did not defuse my mood. But he took my moods well, laughed them
off, mostly—which was good, I guess, because, like David’s
murderous streak, my moods weren’t something I could change. But,
murder aside, I found one positive to his vampirism; we’d
definitely spent more time together. We were inseparable at school,
and he spent every night in my room until, kissing me sweetly, he’d
say “Goodnight, my love,” then leave through my window before I
could convince him to go further. The downside to all the extra
time together was that I really
felt
it when we were apart. I really
missed him.

In History class, I at
least had Emily to keep me distracted. Well, when she wasn’t
turning around to giggle at her new crush, that is.

“
So, you and David
seem to be okay now?” she whispered.

I nodded. “Yeah.
We’re happy.”
He’s a vampire, but we’re
happy.

“
Oh, and hey, I never
got to thank you for hooking me up with Spence.” She smiled,
tilting her head into her shoulder.

“
Yeah, no worries.
Did he ask you out on a real date yet?”

“
Yep. And guess
what?”

“
What?” I said,
grinning in exaggeration of her expression.

“
He asked me to the
Masquerade Ball.”

And there was the
squeak. One of the things I loved about Emily was the way she could
display excitement so easily. She was just so…normal. “Awesome. Got
a dress yet?” My enthusiasm needed some practice,
though.

“
I’m going shopping
with my mom, tonight.”

“
Cool. Yeah, I’m not
looking forward to being dragged from shop to shop with Vicki,
forced to try on everything with fluff.” I laughed, but Emily
frowned at me.

“
Who’s
Vicki?”

“
Um, she’s my
stepmom.”

“
Oh, right. Duh.” She
slapped her brow. “So, you don’t like her? I mean, ‘cause you call
her Vicki?”

“
Yeah, um—old habit,
I guess.” I shrugged and turned around to talk to Spencer. “So,
Spence, you gonna save me a dance at the ball?”

His cheeks turned
bright pink. “Ah, yeah. If that’s okay with Emily.”

“
Of course it is. As
long as Ara doesn’t mind if I dance with David.”

“
Nope. Cool with me,”
I said, practically digging my nails through my own
palm.

“
You three!” Dad
barked from the front of the class.

Everyone turned and
looked at us. I shrunk to about the size of a quarter.
Conversation. Over.

When the bell rang at
the end of class, everyone broke formation and dispersed quickly.
“Ara, come up and see me before you leave, please,” Dad said, not
looking at me.

“
Yikes. That sounded
like an order,” I said to Em.

“
Sorry, Ara.” Her
shoulders lifted a little. “Will you be in trouble?”

“
Em, don’t worry
about it—he’s my dad. What’s the worst he can do? Ground
me?”

“
Yes. That’s worse
than he can do to me.”

I laughed, slinging my
bag over my shoulder as I walked away and stepped up in front of
Dad’s desk. “Sorry for talking in class, Mr Thompson. It won’t
happen again.”

“
Ara.” He exhaled,
leaning back in his chair. “I appreciate that you’ve had a hard
time adjusting to a new school and, don’t get me wrong, I’m very
happy you’ve made new friends, but there’s a time for work and a
time for play. I don’t want to catch you gossiping in class again
or I will move you to Mr Adams’ class. Do I make myself
clear?”

I forced back a grin.
David was in Mr Adams’ class. I’d
love
it if he moved me. “Sorry, Dad.
It won’t happen again.” Or maybe it would—just a bit.

“
Okay. Now, how’s
that mythology paper coming along?”

“
Uh. Great. I’m doing
mine on vampires.” I just decided.

Dad raised one brow.
“Is that inspired by last week’s intriguing lecture—on
Lilith?”

“
Actually, it is.” And the fact that my boyfriend just
happened to know
that
history firsthand. “But, if I determine that I believe the
truth behind the myth…are you and Vicki gonna have me admitted into
psyche care?”

Dad laughed once.
“Aw, honey. We’d never do that. Even if you decide
I’m
a vampire and try to
stake me through the heart.” His face softened away from his grin
as he shook his head. “I love you, okay? I know we’ve been a little
watchful of you lately, but it’s because we care about
you.”

“
We?”

“
Ara, you know Vicki
cares for you, too.”

I scoffed
unintentionally loud.

“
She’s just trying to
give you space,” he said. “She’s afraid you’ll accuse her of trying
to replace your mom.”

I rolled my eyes.
“Okay, Dad. I’ll try—with Vicki. It’s hard, you know. I’m just
afraid to let her in, that’s all.”

His stern expression
melted and he stood up. Then, even with his next class filling the
room behind us, he still walked all the way around his desk and
wrapped his arms around me—really tightly. I patted his back,
dreading the thought of everyone watching.

“
Um, Dad. Sorta need
to breathe here.”

The old man pulled
back and held me at arm’s length. “I love ya, honey. Now get to
class, you’re late.”

I waved and threaded
my other arm through my backpack, making haste for the exit—with
thirty pairs of eyes burning into my spine.

Warm water splashed
over my wrists, spraying up in my face a little. I readjusted the
faucet and rubbed my hands together under the soft flow of water,
studying my face in the mirror. The last time I looked at myself in
this mirror, I felt completely alone, isolated, unsure. But so much
had changed since my first day of school, and even my reflection
somehow looked different.

I smiled, drawing my
hands away from the basin and dried them on my jeans as the door
opened and two cackling girls came in with the steady
breeze.

“
Oh, hey, new girl.”
Gypsy bumped her hip playfully with mine.

“
Hi.” I shouldered my
schoolbag. “Did you guys come in here to bitch about somebody else
today, or am I on the hotlist?”

“
Actually, you are on the hotlist.” She leaned on the counter,
folding her arms. “Rumour has it you and
David Knight
are an
item.”

“
Rumour would be
correct—this time.” I folded my arms and leaned beside
her.

“
You know there’s only one reason that boy dates girls—and
it’s
not
love,”
Summer said, propping her hand on her hip.

I shrugged. “He loves
me.”

“
Yeah, right.”
Summer’s eyes flicked to Gypsy. “He says that to every
girl.”

“
I’m sure he does.” I
stood up from my lean. “But, I bet he’s never said it to
you.”

Her head bopped from
side to side in the hollow of her shoulders. “What if he
has?”

“
Nah, I doubt that.”
I shook my head, gazing down my nose at her as I passed. “You’re a
little out of his league—he only likes us ugly girls.”

Her mouth fell open,
allowing for a high-pitched huff. “You bitch.”

“
Uh, Summer. I think
that was a compliment,” Gypsy said, looking a little confused. “I
think she just said you’re pretty.”

“
Have a nice lunch,”
I called over my shoulder as I stepped out of the stinky toilet
block, leaving them and their gossip where it belonged.

“
Ara?”

The white glare of the
open corridor framed the silhouette of a boy. “David? I thought we
were meeting in the auditorium for lunch.”

He unhitched himself
from the railing. “We are, but I…”

“
You?”

“
You were late, so I
went looking for you. Then I saw Summer and Gypsy, and…”

“
Aw.” I slid my hands
inside his denim jacket and snuggled against his chest. “You were
worried about me.”

“
I’m sorry.” He
kissed the crown of my head. “I know you can take care of yourself,
but I…I just didn’t want them to make you cry again.”

“
Aw, David.” I hugged
him tighter, smiling like a little kid, breathing deep his vibrant,
heart-tingling scent—all sugary and mouth-watering. “You’re so
sweet.”

“
Mr Knight!” a
booming voice shocked my thoughts from inappropriate paths. “Not on
school grounds.”

“
Certainly, Mr
Rogers. Won’t happen again.” David held me out from his
chest.

I kept my face down
until Mr Rogers passed. “Didn’t you see him coming?”

“
Yes, but what was I
supposed to do?”

“
Warn me.”

He smiled his secret
smile. “Getting sprung showing affection on school campus is not a
good enough reason to step away when you’ve got your arms around me
like that.”

“
Maybe not for you,
but he might tell my dad.”

“
He won’t.” David
started walking—without touching me. “He was a boy once, himself.
He understands.”

“
So does my dad.
Except when it comes to me.”

“
Okay, we won’t touch
at school, then. Will that make you happy?”

“
No. Just keep watch,
next time. What good is a vampire boyfriend if he can’t use his
powers to keep you outta trouble?”

“
Oh, I don’t know, I
must be good for something.” He grinned widely, opening the door
for me.

“
Well, you’re a good
kisser, but that’s the human in you—not the vampire.”

“
That’s because the
vampire me hasn’t kissed you yet.”

“
Ooh.” I pretended to
feel a shiver down my spine. “Well, maybe you should let him out
for a while, then.”

David leaned closer as
we passed a group of students. “Meet me under the stage, and I’ll
show him to you.”

“
Don’t tempt
me.”

The second toll of the
lunch bell rang loudly as David went to speak. He swallowed his
sentence, remaining quiet until we reached the auditorium. “After
you,” he said, opening the door.

“
Thank you, kind
sir.” I curtsied, making him laugh. I loved making him
laugh.

“
Hey, guys.” Ryan
stood up and waved from the front of the room.