“I’m leaving!” I yelled running out of the empty house. All of them were out hunting, that’s what mom, Olivia’s, beautifully written note said on the counter top. It was a perfect day for it too; the sun was shadowed by clouds and made golden outlines of the delicate fluff that filled the crystal blue sky above me while the green grass under my converse was still wet with drops of bright metallic dew. Here in Ray, California we didn’t get many of these days but when we did, I cherished them like the last drop of milk in my cereal bowl. Usually the sky is gray with anger and pain while rain constantly pours down like a sad clowns tears. I knew that this kind of weather came on occasion, so I was ready for something amazing to happen.

I’d decided that I would go to the book store, the one that Jay used to always take me to, as a kid. He would always let me get as many books as I wanted, and we would finish every single one that night and the cycle would continue; he was the best big brother ever. I neared the main street and felt like a part of this cute little town, which I am very happy to call home. As I do I am reminded of how I became a resident of Ray, California.

This is how Olivia says I became a part of their interesting family. It was a cold winter day, the snow falling silently one flake at a time from the bland colored sky leaving white frosting smeared over the soft ground. Jay, Emma, Olivia, and Felix were out late at night searching for a snack in the freezing weather and instead of finding a pack of abandoned baby rabbits to feed on, they found me. She says they heard my blood curdling screams in the woods a mile from their hunting grounds and followed the sound of my baby sobs and whimpers. When they got to my cold shivering body, I was almost completely covered in the delicate white flakes. They all say they got into a argument about taking my life or saving my life. Apparently they decided to let me live with their unusually perfect family, and I’m glad they did. Now after many years of practice and determination, they are all used to the familiar smell of my blood.

Passing the many stores and places, to get to my destination, it all reminded me of the many bratty tantrums and fits that Emma, my spoiled little sister, threw when Felix, dad, didn’t let her get a doll, book, or movie she didn’t need. Approaching the bookstore, which was one of the few places close to my heart, my chest pounded, my ribs rattled, and the grin on my face grew with each step. Being the nerd I am, the excitement inside of me built and exploded with the coldness of the door knob under my warm palm. The whole time there, I probably looked pretty similar to the grudge; Brown curls fell over my dropped head parallel to the sweet smelling soft book in my lap. My pile of adventures grew and grew with each exciting tale that I found on the dusty old shelves of this magical place. For hours, I was like a little kid in a candy store; the books were my sweets. When I finally closed the dusty cover of the last book, I could barely lift onto my towering pile and I left.

My heart was filled with joy, but my back was filled with aching pain on the walk home. It got worse when I reached the old railroad; walking very carefully over the first track, my mind went blank when my eyes discovered a silhouette of a person walking towards me in the empty leaf covered road. I forgot about the next track and while dragging my foot forward to get a closer look at the stranger’s face, my foot caught the track. My legs flew up above me, and my books went every which way. I finally got the strength to lift my limp body from the railing that had broken my fall on the way down. My eyes began to adjust to the bright sunlight coming from right above me, and that’s when I realized why the weather was so gorgeous today.

He was stunning. He was most likely the most beautiful “human” being, not counting any of my family, I’d ever seen in my life. With one glance I looked his way and peered down at myself to check that I wasn’t dreaming of this magnificent boy in front of me. My eyes began to burn for him, and the tips of my finger tingled for his touch. The butterflies began collecting in the pit of my stomach as he came closer and closer. My body became a magnet for him and only him. Nothing else mattered in the world at the moment that his ravishing green eyes with golden flakes of mystery and joy looked deep into my soul. He lifted me up and with one radiant smile my way, that instantly made my knees buckle and from the top of my head to the tips of each toe, I went numb and warm. “Are you okay?” His voice sang to me in a symphony of beauty and grace. His surprising icy, cold hand reached to my back to help me gently off the hard ground. I just stared at him, speechless, glancing over at the pile of books that he somehow had already piled into a neat stack in alphabetical order. My hand came up off the cold ground, and I pointed one shaking finger over the stack. “Hoooow di did youu dooo th that?” I barely stuttered out. He didn’t answer, he just sofly brought me to my feet and walked me all the way home all the while humming a beautiful melody that made my heart flutter.

We reached my door step, although, I wish the walk would have lasted until the end of time because I felt like when I was with him my life somehow made sense, but it had to end.

“Will I see you again?” I asked, facing the oak door as I felt his freezing cold body behind me and his intense eyes peering through me.

I knew that my whole family, no matter where they were in the house, could hear us whispering right outside of the door. I closed my eyes and took in the last of his honeyed smell, which I was already addicted to. I suddenly turned around to face him, but he was already gone. At that very moment, my heart stung with sorrow and joy that he was gone. But that it wasn’t the last time I would look into his eyes and see true kindness and danger all at the same time.

I slowly turned the knob and gently tip-toed into the silent warmth of my home. I took two soundless steps and then, “Hey loser!” Emma squeaked at me, swiftly gliding in front of me, so quick my eyes became dizzy with the flashes of hazy skin they barely recognized. “Showoff…” I grunted in her face and tore through her little game.

“Hello darling!” His deep musky voice drowning itself in the pit of my ear drums, it was Felix. “Hi father, how are you?" I asked in my sweetest voice, hoping he wasn’t paying attention to my conversation with the beautiful stranger at the door. “Fine…who was that?” He boomed from the other room and the floor began to shake as a picture on the wall crashed into a million shiny pieces on the perfect oak flooring, but that was normal.

But nowhere close to what happens when they all get into a shouting argument. One time I had to leave because my ears couldn’t take the high and deep voices combined.

“A kind stranger…” I slowly and quietly said while trying to silently find my way to my room, the one place where I can just be me.

When I closed my door behind me and jumped onto my bed burring my face in the soft silk of my bedspread and taking in the sweet smell of fresh lilies and the warm feeling inside of being home, where I belong.

“He was cute.” Jay jokingly commented from the corner of the room. “SHUT UP!” I screamed stuffing my face further into my soft pillow and flying my arms up in the air pointing hastily towards the door. Within a second, I was alone, just the way I like it best.

I peacefully began drifting off into a dreamless sleep when a cool breeze hitting my warm cheeks from the crack in my window. I awoke to a wind that struck my nose and stomach first, a smell of something delicious in the air and then my mom’s high pitched voice yelling for me to come down and eat.

I hated this time of the evening, it was always the same. I would sit and eat and eat and eat, while everyone just sat and looked around sometimes making quick comments and short conversations to one another, politely waiting or me to finish. But when I got downstairs, sat down at my place, and stuck my fork in the creamy golden mashed potatoes, the doorbell rang.

Instantly, everyone froze with fear and partially but not intended happiness. The red in their eyes grew and drowned the natural colors of their irises and each one’s mouth watered with the smell of someone fresh outside of the door. I quickly got to my feet and ran, knowing whoever was on the other side was in great danger. I opened it quickly; it was a girl scout, selling buckets and buckets full of chocolately goodies and mouth watering candies to the human eye. I could hear the quick and quiet argument and struggle of my family trying to control Jay from the blood of this young girl right in front of me. “Hi, would you like to bu-“She said in a sweet little voice that made me feel like a kid again but I had to cut her off, to save her life. “You should leave…sorry.” I whispered to the girl, while slamming the door closed quickly.

She pouted and stomped down the grass to the cement walkway. Right as her foot hit the concrete of the road; Jay jumped out of his seat and flew over the table to the door digging his nails into the wood of the door frame as tears began to slowly creep their way down his white powdery cheeks. Falling to the floor, he brought his face to his hands and began to sob. “It’s all right Jay.” I whispered reassuringly to him. “She’s still alive and well!” I tried to make him happier by telling him how this was the best he’s ever done and it will soon get easier, I was sure. When I finally got him to his feet and back to the table, I was about to bring the fork of delicious nutrients to my watering mouth to feed the hole in my empty stomach, when the doorbell rang again.

“UGH!” I yelled and got up. Everyone seemed surprisingly calm and centered; no one was getting out of hand. So it had to be someone without a beating heart and running blood stream, but who?

I reached the door and opened it slowly the creaking of the hinges coming through the sides. His gorgeous eyes smiling at me, my mouth automatically made a huge “O” as I began to piece together the puzzle in my twisted and confused mind.

“I have something to tell you.” His radiant voice fluently spoke to me. But I already knew his secret, my finger came to his soft pursed lips as his eye brows creases with worry and confusion and I mouthed the words,

“I know, you are a vampire, right?”