“Don’t.” I turned away from him. I wasn’t afraid of him or what he had told me, but I couldn’t wrap my mind around what he had said. Vampire was asking too much from me. I needed time to think. “I think you should leave, Kale. I need to think or something.” When he didn’t reply, I turned to see the window was open, and he was gone. Relief and sadness flooded me, and I went to close the window. I shivered, not just from the cold, but from the sudden feeling of loneliness. I sat down on the chair in front of my laptop to think.
If I were to believe Kale, I would have to believe that this all started in the Middle Ages, when Laurent had sold his daughter to gain eternal life and the ability to use me to see the past. I would also have to believe that he man not only succeeded, but became such a problem that the Council of Immortals was created to stop him from using my abilities. Not to mention I would have to believe that Kale was a vampire. I couldn't wrap my head around it all. The logical side of me said that I should never see Kale again, and I should call Doctor Lithe to have Nurse Laura come with her needle and take me back to Ocean Trace. I didn’t want to think about anything other than Kale and our kiss, but the one good thing of the night was weighed down by everything else.
The logical side of me won out. I went to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom to get the pills that I had sworn I wouldn’t take. I hoped they could take away the memory of that kiss because it came with thoughts of Kale growing fangs and drinking blood. I wanted to be normal, not an Arc with a vampire crush. I swallowed the pills and lay down on the bed, closing my eyes. I focused on the wind as it moaned outside of my window and the branches as they slapped the side of the house. Images of fangs and blood plagued my brain as I tried to fall asleep. I couldn't see Kale again, not if I wanted to get better. I didn't believe in vampires. Maybe I shouldn’t have believed anything Kale said, no matter how real it felt.
I woke up at eight thirty Monday morning for my first day of work. Just a few days until Thanksgiving and Alex’s homecoming. I was still a little groggy, but that was to be expected after taking the medicine Dr. Lithe had prescribed me. After I showered and spent some extra time on my hair—which badly needed to be cut—I made my way downstairs for some cereal and the morning news. Problems in Libya and Britney Spears’s new marriage were the only things being announced, and I wasn’t interested in either topic. I opted to watch SpongeBob SquarePants instead. The stress of the world was something I didn’t want to factor into my life just yet. I had fallen into a nice, basic routine: breakfast, a little yellow pill, online classes, study, lunch, reading, dinner, study, a little yellow pill, and then bed. Today was my first day working. It was back to the basics for me, and I loved it. I’d only had two hallucinations. I no longer called them memories. The hallucinations were cryptic, so I ignored them and hoped they would go away. No one died in them, but I still had no clue what they were about. Kale and Hélène were not in the hallucinations, but the pale blond man that fought with Kale made an appearance. I’d even called Dr. Lithe and scheduled a follow-up appointment that I would attend when we went to pick up my car in Virginia Beach.
***
I went upstairs to my medicine cabinet to take a pill, then checked my e-mail. There was a message from my friend Diyan from ODU reminding me to visit her when I went back to Virginia Beach. I was thinking that I would stay overnight and pack the rest of my things, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to stay in the old house that long. Dr. Lithe had said it would do me good to stay and pack and face my fears. It was supposed to bring me closure, but I wasn’t sure I was ready. I wanted to forget everything, including Kale, and he had made it easy for me by vanishing into thin air. Maybe I had imagined him all along. I was tempted to go see if he was still sleeping in the mausoleum in the Elmwood Cemetery, but I quickly decided against it. If I went and Kale wasn’t there, it didn’t prove anything. His disappearance could mean I’d imagined him or just that he’d left. Whatever, I had more important things to worry about.I checked the time and had just enough time to see if my professor had posted the first required reading for my American Literature class. There were three books listed. The class consisted of thirty students, and once ten students chose one of the books, it would automatically be pulled from the list. I was one of the first students to view the assignment. The login list showed four others had already logged in and two of them had picked their reading assignment. The class was going to be hardcore. The requirements included a final examination, a four-page paper due two days before the middle of the term, a seven-page paper due the day of the final, written reflections on the readings, and two quizzes between the beginning and end of the semester. I wrote down the three books: Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, Moby Dick by Herman Melvin, and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Fredrick Douglass. I chose Moby Dick for my first paper. It was a lazy pick because I’d already read it. It would be easy to write a four-page paper on a book I had read two years ago.
Eric was excited about my choice of classes: American Literature and Creative Writing. American Lit was probably my toughest class, and the other would be easy to pass because it was a fluff class for me since I’d been taking it at my old school before the incident I ordered Moby Dick online at Amazon with overnight shipping because I wanted to start my reading before Thanksgiving break. A tinkle from my phone caught my attention. I pulled the phone from my pocket to read the text, which was from Alex.
Hey, I should be there Wednesday morning around eight thirty. My classes end earlier than I expected. Can’t wait to see you. It’s been way too long.
I was excited to see Alex. Some of my best memories were of hanging out with him whenever my parents and I came to visit, and they didn’t hurt, which was definitely a plus. I texted back how I had enjoyed our little conversations during the past week. Lea had given me his new number and he was pleasantly surprised when he got my first text. He called me in the middle of sending my second, and it turned into an hour-long conversation about the past, the present, and the future.
Can’t wait. I miss our midnight chats and afternoon naps, I responded.
I missed you too. If you need to talk when I get there, you know I’m here for you.
Thanks, that means a lot to me. It did, but I wasn’t going to take him up on that offer. I just wanted to forget my troubles for a while and enjoy my time with him.
Anything for ya. GGT class time.
I needed to leave for Knope’s by ten thirty because Mr. Knope had called last night and asked me to come in an hour early. It was time to go, so I shoved the phone into the khakis that I’d ordered from Old Navy and went downstairs. I dressed in my snow gear on, and headed out the door. I glanced at the old shed and thought of finding Kale defeated and nearly frozen. My heart fluttered at the thought of his lips against mine, his hands on the small of my back pulling me closer, his breath on my face. Then I thought of the night he had admitted he drank blood to survive. I hadn’t said the V word, not even that night when he had finished the sentence for me. I shook my head to clear the memories away. I’d only taken the pill thirty minutes ago, so I wasn’t sure if it had started to work yet. They normally relaxed me enough that I could get through the day without thinking too much. I’d be sleepy, but would still function properly. I headed to the main street toward Town Center. The small snow storm that’d blown through last week had dropped another two inches of snow, but as long as I stayed on the main road where they’d plowed it, I’d be fine. The sun was bright and it reflected off the snow. I decided to stop at one of the little consignment stores on the way home and pick up some sunglasses. The Town Center consisted of three buildings connected by a building to the south with its back to Elmwood. I’d been coming to Cedar Grove for the past ten years, but I had only visited Town Center five times with my parents. Most of the time I wanted to hang out with Alex and his friends. The center had narrow alleyways, and little cobblestones lined the ground. It looked so quaint and homey compared to the replicated New York
-style Town Center in Virginia Beach, but it wasn’t my home—at least, it didn’t feel that way yet. Knope’s Grocery was on Third Street with its back facing the woods. Mr. Knope had said that most of the time the delivery truck could make it down the little alleyway behind the store so that he could accept deliveries, but when I arrived and peaked back there, it looked as if I would have to walk to the end of the street and back to unload and carry boxes. But I needed the exercise. The size six khakis I had ordered were a bit snug, but normally they fit perfectly. It was a brisk fifteen-minute walk past the dead woods that lined the streets. No houses were in sight. If I walked for fifteen minutes in Virginia Beach, I would have passed forty houses, the mall, two grocery stores, and a school. The serene surroundings were probably what I needed, but I couldn’t help missing my hometown.
When I entered Knope’s Grocery, there was no one inside except for a blonde cashier with her hair pulled back into a drastically tight ponytail that made her eyebrows look unnaturally high. Her large grey-blue eyes were rimmed in dark charcoal. Her tight polo shirt barely covered her stomach and showed off the tip of a diamond belly button ring. Her smile was nowhere close to friendly, and I wondered if she was going to be a problem. I prayed she wouldn’t. I wandered over to her with a smile on my face, hoping that would alleviate some of the tension I felt building between us. Her face fell with each step I took toward her, and I mustered up some enthusiasm before I greeted her.
“Hi,” I said, raising my hand to shake hers, but she just stared at my hand as if it might burn her.
“You’re supposed to be wearing a polo shirt,” the girl behind the counter stated. I would have never guessed someone that looked like one of the Mean Girls would have such a soft, sweet voice.
“I know. Mr. Knope said he would have one for me when I came in today. Is he here?” Mr. Knope had said I would trained by a girl named Mia, and I assumed that blondie was the girl he’d spoken about.
“Yea, so you’re the new girl.” She came from behind the counter to size me up.
Her khakis were as tight as mine, but I was sure it wasn’t for the same reason. Hers hugged every curve in her lower body while mine created a muffin top at my waist and bunched up uncomfortably in places that they shouldn’t. She started to walk to the back of the store, then turned and motioned for me to follow. I ambled behind her, passing rows of canned veggies, rice, and sugar. It seemed odd that sugar and canned veggies were in the same aisle. The store was a nice size. Not so big that my stocking responsibilities would keep me here too late, but not too small that I’d finish too soon. She led me through the stockroom and to Mr. Knope’s office, where he sat behind an old desk with the phone pressed to his ear. Mia swished into the room and started to rifle through a box of polo shirts with Knope’s Grocery appliquéd on the front in red letters.
“What are you, a small or a medium?” Mia looked up at me appraisingly through her charcoal-rimmed eyes. I could tell she was really pretty even through all of that makeup. Her blue eyes gleamed in the florescent light, which was odd, because normally that kind of light dulled everything. I wondered why she felt the need to cake on so much makeup.
“A small should fit fine,” I said, though as the khakis squeezed the life out of me. I wondered if I should’ve said a medium. But it didn’t matter because there was only one size left.
“Large,” she said, handing me the big wad of clothing. There was no way the shirt would fit properly, but I would have to make do. Mr. Knope finished his conversation and frowned as Mia handed me the tent.
“Girls, if you’re both back here, then there is no one out on the floor helping the customers.” He waved us out of the office and back to the floor. I wandered out behind Mia, looking for a bathroom to change in. Mia pointed toward the doors on the far right side of the store, and I headed in that direction.
“Hey!” Mia called to me before I was in the bathroom. I turned around to see her perched back behind the counter like a pretty fluffy cat perched on her little pink bed. “The next shipment comes at noon. Mr. Knope will man the register while I show you how we stock and do inventory checks at the same time,” she said and greeted the first customer I’d seen since I’d gotten there. I went into the bathroom and locked the door. The shirt was way too big, but it fell all the way down my waist and covered the khakis that hugged my hips uncomfortably. I decided to leave on the white, long-sleeved shirt that I’d worn this morning so if I was leaning over, I didn’t give anyone a peep show. I left the bathroom and noticed several move customers had entered the store and Mia was in action at the one of the two cash registers. Unsure of what to do, I stood there awkwardly awaiting direction.
“Charlie wants to see you in the back,” Mia said as she rang up a brunette’s milk and diapers. I looked at her a little confused, until I realized she was talking about Mr. Knope.
“Oh, okay.” I returned to the back of the store through the double doors and into the office, where I found Mr. Knope sitting at his desk reading some papers.
He looked up and smiled at me brightly. He placed his papers down. “The walk wasn’t too bad, I hope.”
“No, it was fine. Sarah said that Sam plows after each snow storm, so it was easy to get here.”
“That’s good. Today we have a small shipment coming in. It’s just some of our refrigerated stuff: milk, eggs, and such.” Mr. Knope looked at the clock. “It should be here in about fifteen minutes. I will be on the floor and have you and Mia retrieve the shipment. After you are properly trained on how that works, I will have Mia train you how to use the register.” Mr. Knope pulled out a sheet of paper with what looked like scribbling all over it. “Your schedule will be Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. I kept my word that you would have the weekends off.” He smiled and handed me the paper.
I didn’t have anything to do on the weekends, but I was happy that I wouldn’t have to work them. Mr. Knope explained the rules and anything else he thought I would need to know until the delivery truck pulled around back. He led me to the back door and showed me how to open it. It was locked from the inside, and there was a key hidden above the door. I waited for Mia while he sent her back and took over the floor.
When Mia finally arrived, the delivery guy had already started unloading the truck and I had started to open the boxes when Mia stopped me.
“Wait, first we log the boxes on this sheet.” She reached for a clipboard that hung on the wall beside me. She moved closer to show me the sheet of paper that looked almost full. Mia’s perfume was a strong floral scent that made my eyes water the closer she got. The perfume smelled like roses and honeysuckle—it seemed like an odd choice for the season.
“You put the date here,” she explained, pointing at the line that said date. “Then you write the delivery guy’s name here, and then you check the boxes off to make sure the shipment is complete.” She started to check off boxes quickly as Mike the delivery guy took them off the truck. “You want to get this done as fast as you can, so the delivery guy can leave right after he is done. They get angry if you make them wait,” she said jokingly, throwing Mike a coy glance which he returned with a chuckle.
“What do I do if something is wrong or missing?” I glanced at Mike, hoping I didn’t offend him by worrying about his ability to do his job correctly.
She walked over to a drawer and pulled out a yellow piece of paper. “If they screw our order up, then you fill out this paper and give him a copy and save one for Mr. Knope. It’s easy. Just write what’s missing and the order number and you’re done. It doesn’t happen often, but the guys at the warehouse have been known to screw up before.” She continued to check items off the list.
Mike was finished long before Mia. I said, “Sorry it’s my first day,” as if he didn’t already know by my inability to do anything without being told how.
Mike smiled at me, and I had to admit that, for an older guy, his smile would be enough to thaw even the coldest heart. His smile stood out against his average looks and quiet
demeanor. He looked like the type of man that could surprise you if he actually took time to care about what he looked like. But what interested me the most was the way he and Mia interacted. She looked to be around my age, and Mike was probably in his early forties, but they acted as if they had a secret they wanted to tell, but couldn't. I pretended not to notice their glances at each other as they worked and the not so casual way they brushed past each other. It was none of my business, and I planned to keep it that way.
When Mia was done, she and Mike went outside to shut the truck. Mike didn't look as if he needed any help with the truck door, but I brushed it off and sat on a milk box and waited for Mia to return. Mia came back inside ten minutes later and headed straight for the boxes to start unloading them. After she opened three or four, she noticed I was still just sitting there and she finally gave me some directions. We fell into a rhythm of opening and unloading boxes together until my stomach protested at being ignored.
Since I was working four hours, I only got one fifteen minute break. It was just long enough for me to grab a bottle of water and apple, pay for them, and eat in the back as Mia continued to work. I watched her as she wielded the box cutter like an expert, pulling things out and placing them on the racks that lead to the fridge in the front of the store. I had hoped to eat in silence, but Mia had other plans.
“So, you’re only working here part time and you don’t have to work weekends?” Mia asked while she opened more boxes. I was afraid that the sweet Mia had disappeared now that Mike was gone.
“Yeah.” I hoped that would be the extent of our conversation.
“Hmm… You must be really special to get those hours and weekends off,” she said with a sly edge to her voice. Maybe she thought I was nasty like her, and that Mr. Knope and I had something going like she did with Mike. Ugh. I didn’t want her to know that I’d had a nervous breakdown and that everyone thought it was best that I took things “easy” for a while. I tried to think of a quick lie, something boring enough that she wouldn’t want me to elaborate, but also something believable.
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