The Next Night

The cold weather was good for my straight hair today. I stepped out into the 24 degree weather and climbed into Chace's car.

"Hey." I said with a smile.

"Hey." he said back. "Could you be wearing anymore clothes?"

"It's really cold." I said. I had on my thickest dark blue jeans with a long sleeve red u neck shirt that was under a short sleeve black shirt, which was topped off with a thick white jacket. "And it's not that much clothes."

'Well I think so." he said.

I rolled my eyes. Of course he did.

He began to drive. He wasn't talking, which I found weird.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

"No. Why?"

"Nothing, it's just that you're usually more talkative than this." I said.

He smirked.
"I think maybe you just like to hear my voice."

"Don't flatter yourself, but you do hold an interesting conversation. By the way, I'm kinda gonna keep the whole me not being human thing on the dl for now. At least until I know what's really up with me."

"You haven't experienced any changes?" he asked, pulling into the school parking lot.

"Not that I'm aware of."

"Well maybe you'll figure it out in one of your classes, since you're taking one for every kind."

I rolled my eyes.
"Yea, maybe."

He laughed.
"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Nothing." he said with a smirk, getting out of the car.

I followed him.
"No tell me." I half-whined.

"Nothing. You know, you act like all of this doesn't bother you much. You tell everyone to f off, but I can see it takes its toll on you."

Not what I was expecting. I didn't respond and he didn't continue.

----------------
The Library
----------------

Chace and I sat in one of the computer cubicles in the back of the library. I insisted on pulling up my own chair this time.

"So we've basically got a rough draft down." I said happily. "You know you're pretty smart for the male pig type."

"Oh thanks." Chace said sarcastically.

I laughed, that is until I saw Lance and Claire walking to the back of the library towards us. They hadn't seen us yet. I looked back at the computer screen and Chace looked a little annoyed.

"You said you wanted to keep your immortal situation a secret." he said. "So I suggest you tell him that."

Crap. He was right. My plan was really just to ignore Lance, unless I was absolutely forced to talk to him, but I guess this calls for it.

I got up and took a deep breath.

When they saw me coming their way Claire's expression turned cold and Lance looked hopeful. Yea, like what hope could he have with that skank on his side?

"Can I talk to you?" I asked him.

"Definitely." he said.

Claire looked up at him and let out an insulted squeak. I wasn't even gonna waste a look at her.

I pulled him over to the middle of an empty book aisle.

"I wasn't doing anything with her." Lance blurted.

"I couldn't care any less than I already do about your life any more." I said. It looked like it stung him. "I'm more concerned about mine. I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention to anyone that I've changed."

"Why would you wanna keep that a secret?" he asked.

"Lance, I don't know what I am yet. I don't want any one to know, so are you gonna keep your mouth shut or what?" I was running low on patience and I didn't want to be near him anymore.

"Yea, I won't say anything, but can we talk about -"

"No." I said. "Bye."

----

The bell had rung and Chace and I were headed to music class, when Lauraine interrupted.

"I'll leave you two to do your couple stuff." I said, catching up with James, who I saw down the hall.

"Hey." I said with a smile.

"Rayne." he said a bit startled.

"Did I scare you?" I asked, as if it were something weird.

"No." he let out a sharp breath, with a smile. "I'm just happy to see you back."

"I only missed a day."

"Yea, that's a hell of a long time to go without you." he said.

"Aww. Well, you didn't even want to stay over after I came back from the hospital, so that would've been hard to guess."

"About that... I'm sorry. It's just that -"

"Ohh. The scent." I said, understanding. "Chace told me. I didn't even know that you were capable smelling it. It's not something a lot of young vampires can do."

"I know." he said. "Well that's how strong it is."

I didn't know what to say.
"What does this mean we can't be alone together anymore?"

"No. I'll be fine. I mean to me it's still only a faint trace, it just caught me off guard that's all. I'm just not used to being able to smell blood that isn't out in the open."

-----------------
Music Class
-----------------

We all took a seat on the bleacher like seating area in the music room. I got non-stop stares from the students around me. I leaned over to James who was on my right.

"You didn't tell anyone did you?" I asked.

"No, and Dayna wouldn't." he replied.

Lance was just two rows down. I don't think he would tell. Even though we were over, I doubt he'd hurt me like that.

"Tried to off yourself?" I heard someone say from behind me. The people around us turned to look.

"Excuse me?" I said, turning my top half around.

It was Melissa. I hadn't even realized she was in this class.

"Did you try to cut your wrists the way all those sorry humans do it?" she said snidely.

"Is that what they're saying I did?" I said, like it didn't phase me. "Trust me if I was gonna go, I'd make sure I handled all the sorry ass bitches like you before I did."

She flared her nostrils at me and I turned back around.

I could see James giving her a 'yea that just happened' glare and Chace was smirking to himself.

The kids around us looked disappointed, I guess hoping for more.

Ms. Butler walked in shortly afterward.

"Hello class, now if you will all please sit with your groups." she instructed.

Ugh. James and I looked to Lance, who eagerly got up to come sit with us. He sat at my feet, but didn't say a word.

After everyone was situated, Ms. Butler spoke again.
"Now we'll head to the recording sector of the music class."

----

This place was huge. There must've been over 200 recording studios in here. They had glass walls at the entrance and the other three walls were black, sound proof of course.

James, Chace, Lance, and I were in our studio.

James was inspecting all the knobs and switches on the effects table, Chace was probably texting some chick on his cell phone, and Lance was staring at me from across the small space.

"Well let's get started." I said, taking the lead, everyone's attention shifted to me, well Lance's never left. "Ok James you seem to be interested in the effects table there, so you can test all those cool switches out. Lance go help him, and me and Chace will select the sounds we want to use and try and see how we can put them together."

I walked over to Chace, who of course was carrying a smirk on his face.

"Can't stay away from me, huh?" he said.

I gave him a look saying that everyone could hear us. He nodded understandingly.

"You should come to my place again." he said with a smile. "The last visit was fun."

My head fell and I grabbed my hair.

'What was that?" Lance snapped.

"Nothing." I said, turning to his direction. "Just get back to what you were doing please."

He clenched his jaw and fists, then violently pushed another button on the table.

I turned back to Chace and gave him a mean look.

"What?" he said innocently.

I rolled my eyes, trying to keep a smile back.