"You're lucky I had some dry clothes in my locker Dayna, or you would have had to conjure some up for me." James joked.

We were on our way to the parking lot. James made me a mix CD and was gonna get it from his car. The bell rang, 2am, signaling the end of school.

"Well I guess Lance'll be taking me home after Pizarro's." I said sitting on the hood of James BMW, one knee up and the other extended. He took out his phone and snapped a picture.

"My new wallpaper." he laughed.

"James! Delete it!" I whine laughed.

"Nope." he said. "It really brightens up my phone."

"There's Lance." Dayna said, pointing to the school's entrance. "Looks like he's about to call you."

My cell vibrated immediately after she said it.

I picked up

-Yea.
+Hey where are you?
-Ahead of you on the blue BMW
*He looked up and jogged to where I was.

"Hey, uh, let's go." he said quickly, pulling me off the car.

"Wait..." I said annoyed. I gave Dayna a hug, then James, which Lance pulled me out of.

"Bye." I called back as Lance dragged me to his car. I got in and slammed the door.

"What the hell is up with you?" I yelled.

"Nothing, calm down." he said, driving out of the school. "I mean I'm perfectly fine with you flirting all over the place with someone who's supposedly my friend."

"Oh puhleeze! I knew James first and you know that's nothing. This attitude of yours has been here ever since after 3rd period. So tell me what happened."

"Nothing." Lance lied.

"Lance, you can let me out of this damn car right now because I'm not sitting here with an irrational lying jerk!" I barked.

"I'm sorry ok! I'll tell you what happened... I don't even know why I'm all worked up about it. I just...I don't know." he said putting his head on the steering wheel...so not cool, we were not at a stop light.

"Lance, you can tell me." I said, hurt. "I can't believe I even have to tell you that."

He sighed and I sat there waiting for whatever it was he had to tell me.

"I almost got into a fight today." he said. "Some of the guys were giving me a hard time about you being human."

"Lance, I don't care what they say about me and--"

"No. They were saying things about me..." he interrupted.

My heart sank.

"Oh." I said in a hushed tone...I knew it. He was embarrassed by me. He treated me like crap because he was resentful towards me for being ridiculed.

"It has nothing to do with the way I feel about you or us. Ok." he said calmly. "I was being stupid and once again I'm extremely sorry for the way I acted today."
I gave him a nod with a reassuring smile, but I just felt cold inside.

----------------
At Pizarro's
----------------

We arrived at Pizarro's around 2:45am. Lance had his arm around my shoulder. He gave me a kiss on the cheek before we walked inside and then I felt him stiffen, but it was brief. His arm moved to my hand as he dragged me along to a dark booth.

"There's like 20 other seats with lights by them." I said. "It could be my human eye, but I can't see much."

"I kinda like it here...we have, uh, privacy." he said.

I gave him a do you think I'm stupid look.

"My house is private. We can go there doe privacy, right now we're here at Pizarro's, a public eating establishment." I stood, moving 5 booths up...What. Do. You. Know...some kids from school were sitting two booths down on the opposite side of us. I just wonder if this had anything to do with Lance's behavior. Hmm. (note sarcasm)

He followed me to the booth, sitting opposite of me, facing away from the group of kids I recognized as my sister(Lauraine), Chace(whose arm was around her), Chuck(ugh), Melinda, and a bruised Zach. Great... Once again Chace caught me staring and he smiled. I looked down this time. When I glanced back up he was getting out of his seat, Lauraine frowned. What was he doing?...he walked over to our booth.

"Hey." he said with a smile...out in the open...something must be up. He's sitting with a group of kids who basically loathe me. "You're?" he said, looking at Lance.

"Lance." Lance said. "Her boyfriend." He was in defense mode.

"Oh yea." Chace said. "We were having a little chat about you today."

"Why are you here?" Lance asked clearly annoyed.

"Oh, I just came by to say hi and to ask Rayne to meet me outside of my house tomorrow for school." he smiled. "She seemed to have the idea I wouldn't be walking with her again."

Before I could respond Lance spoke...

"What are you getting at? No one over there likes her? What's the catch?"
I was taken aback by this comment. It stung me.

"Well I guess it's fortunate that I'm not who I sit with." Chace said, returning his attention back to me. "So, how about that walk?"

"Sure." I said. "Tomorrow same time."

"Cool." he said with a slight smile, and then he drifted back off to his table.

My sister glared at me then returned her fake smile to Chace...I was so gonna give Lance the silent treatment.

"What do you wanna order?" he asked, noticing the waitress coming by. I didn't answer, but instead just waited for her to come so I could order for myself.

"I'll just have a coke." I told her.

"Come on Ray, talk to me." Lance pleaded.

I looked at the moon shining outside...It always exhilarated me and brought me comfort. Even though I avoided eye contact with Lance I could still see his solemn expression turn into one of confusion.

"Don't you find it weird that nobody has trouble being around you? I mean they do, but not in the way I mean." Lance inquired.

Was he insulting me again? I still didn't respond.

"No, that came out wrong. I mean why hasn't any vamp flipped yet? You've got human blood... they should've been going crazy even before your birthday. Not one immortal knew what you were. Usually we can spot a human from a mile away."

Once again I didn't respond to this, but this is because I was taking in all of what Lance was saying. I was so distraught about my humanity I didn't even realize the oddness in it all.

"Let's go." I said, grabbing Lance's arm, I left 6 bucks on the table. I felt Chace's eyes on me as we left Pizzaro's.