Chapter Two: As Luck Would Have It

Isaac's walk home is not as lonely as he was hoping it would be...

Chapter Two: As luck would have it.

It's 2:59 p.m. And the world is silent. Students and teacher alike live each day for this moment. A magical moment when anything is possible, and your whole future awaits you. For students it's a time of careful planning, and silent anticipation of the things to come. For teachers, I guess it's at least enough to know they can finish their work day in peace.

Then, suddenly and without warning, the evening bell rang, its sound resounding a triumphant victory all throughout the school. With that, it was as if a spell had been lifted. The students resumed speaking, laughing, and flirting all while quickly shuffling towards the door. I shouldered my bag and quietly followed suit.

Outside, some kids were herding into buses, while others were being picked up by their parents. My house wasn't very far from the school, and I would rather not be stuffed into the yellow missiles known as the school transportation system, so walking it is.

As I walked the streets of my new home for the second time, and I wasn't in a mad rush, I took the time to take a look around. The evening sun was casting a soft glow over the autumn leaves, and the air was slowly beginning to chill. There was something simple and beautiful about the world around me. Houses were on either side of the road, and each had a small yard silently accumulating leaves. I imagined children playing in them as their older brother angrily tried to rake.

I continued to daydream for sometime, and for the moment I wasn't thinking about my curse. It was just me, and the world I was surrounded by. That is, until I saw her... across the street, walking nearly in step with me, was Riley. She was alone, and her face was gazing down at a game in her hands.

I put my hood on and hoped she wouldn't notice me. Eventually she'll branch off towards her own home, or so I thought. As luck would have it, though, we continued together. She on her side of the road, and I on mine. Together we walked, separated only by a few feet of asphalt.

As we came to the final street that would cross into my own neighborhood, by now I wasn't surprised to see her cross right over with me. We walked together towards my own house. We arrived at the lot my house rested on, and that was when she turned, and walked towards me, face still gazing into her game.

She walked right up to me, and only stopped when she saw my feet come into view. She peered up with a curious look in her eyes, as if to say 'who put this person in my way?' Our eyes locked on one another, and she smelled faintly of the autumn leaves.

“How did the skull fracture go?” She asked me, tilting her head to the side.

“I decided to go with item number two on the list, and just stand here, in your way,” I replied.

She looked around on the ground, leaned down, and picked up a rock.

She held it out to me and said, “Go ahead, bash your skull in. I believe in you.”

“Well it's tempting, don't get me wrong, but I think I'll save that one for an emergency,” I said as I reached out to take the rock. Our hands met as I did, and I felt a sensation rush up my spine.

No. I can't let this happen. I have to get away from here before I get drawn into whatever romance is blooming here. More importantly, I can't let her know I live here. I was stuttering as I tried to make up some excuse and back-peddled my way back across the road.

Her typical look of confusion set it, but was quickly replaced by one of fear, and she charged right at me. She pushed me, hard. I felt the wind get knocked right out of me as I went sailing through the air. I was so caught off guard by it,as it came right out of left field.

That was when the car hit us.

There were no screeching tires. The only thing I heard was our bodies being mangled by metal at fifty-five miles per hour. There was blood, and then there was only darkness.

***

“-aac...?”

“Isaa-....”

“Wake up, Isaac. Please.”

The world slowly came into view as my eyes opened, and I could see an unfamiliar ceiling. I looked over to see my dad sitting in a chair beside the hospital bed I was lying in. A look of relief washed over his face as I did, and he clasped my hand.

“Welcome back, son,” He said.

“What happened?” I asked him.

His look of relief faded as he looked past me. I followed his eyes across the room to another bed, where Riley lie motionless.

“She's lost a lot of blood... they're rushing her blood type here as we speak, but they're afraid she won't make it,” He explained.

“You've got to be kidding me! This is a hospital isn't it?!” I coughed out. “How could they not have it?”

“Some of the supply got recalled due to possible contamination,” He replied.

“That's awfully convenient. The next thing you're gonna tell me is that I'm her blood type,” I said.

He just stared at me.

“I'm her blood type, aren't I?”

“Yes”

"...”

“They can't legally take your blood without your consent, but I was going to tell them to go ahead,” He said.

“Dad, that's only because you want me to get wrapped up in some dramatic fairy tale!” I exclaimed.

“Isaac, she pushed you out of the way of a speeding vehicle. You don't have to be a hero to save someone,” He said, angrily.

I was stunned by what he said. I looked over to Riley. Her skin was pale, and she was covered in bandages, her arms appeared to be broken, and her shoulder was terribly bruised...

That could have been me. Honestly I may already be dead if it weren't for her. You don't have to be a hero... My fathers words resonated in my mind as I stared at Riley. I've spent my whole life avoiding these kinds of moments... these decisions that could seal my fate and determine the rest of my life for me. I don't want that. I don't want to have my own goals and plans to be pushed aside by a story I didn't ask to be in.

… then again. She didn't ask me to step in front of that car, either. But I did, and she saved me without questioning it... How could I possibly live with myself if I let her die now...

“Do it,” I said.

***

After the transfusion, Riley was expected to make a full recovery, and was moved to her own room. I was held in the hospital for two days to recover from minor injuries, and then sent home. My mom insisted I stay in bed for the rest of the week and rest. At first I was against it, but somehow I slept for thirty hours my first night home.

When I awoke, our class representative had brought school work, as well as letters from my classmates. They were all pretty standard, wishing me well, and telling me to get better soon, etc. There was one, however, different from the others. It was from a girl named Tessa, and though I didn't know the name, I recognized who it was the moment I started reading:

Dear Dandruff,

I leave Riley alone for five minutes and you swoop in during lunch. I leave her alone for one evening and you get her hit by a car. So, statistically speaking, when she's alone, she's with you, and when she's with you, half the time she's being hit by cars.

After crunching the numbers, and reading the reviews, we've decided we're going to have to let you go. It's not you, it's me. I'm sorry, but we've got to cut corners if we're going to survive in this economy...

P.S. In case my mathematics confused you: If you talk to Riley again, ill punch a hole in your stupid face.

Love

-Tessa

Jokes on you, Tessa. I need an excuse not to talk to her. I crawled out of bed and over to my desk, where I tucked away all of the notes, and sat down to do my homework. I opened a window to let some fresh air in, and spent a few hours dutifully working. My mind kept replaying the brief scene before the accident, and I couldn't stop thinking about her eyes, and the way she smelled.

I was too distracted to continue working, and decided to just go back to sleep.

***

When I awoke, it was dark, and there was a lump in the bed by my feet. Rory, our wiener dog, must have come in while I was asleep, as he often did. I gave him a soft kick.

“Ouch!” Ouch? Dogs don't say ouch! Who is in my bed right now?!

“Who's there?” I demanded.

“It's me, Riley.” Replied the lump.

“Riley?” My eyes were adjusting to the darkness now, and I could make out her silhouette. She was wearing pj's with bunny rabbits on the pants.

“What the hell are you doing in my room?” I asked.

“You left the window open,” she said plainly, as if climbing into someones room on the second floor, and crawling in bed with them was something any normal person would do.

“That's not an open invitation to my house!” I said. I kept it to a whisper, though. If my parents walked in right now I'd be burned at the stake.

“Well where was I supposed to sleep then?” She asked me.

“In your own bed, maybe? At your own house!” I exclaimed.

She seemed to mull over the idea for a minute, seriously considering the pros and cons, before shaking her head and laying back down.

“I prefer this,” she said.

“Well I don't,” I said. I could feel her body pressing against my legs, and the subsequent redness in my face.

“I can feel your blood,” She said. “The blood in your veins calls out to your blood in mine.”

Well this just took a hard right turn into crazy town.

“How did you even get in here... there's no way you've healed already, and there's nothing outside my window to climb in here with,” I said, the impossibility of the situation slowly setting in.

“I feel fine, thanks to you,” she replied.

She looked up at me, and her blue eyes cut through the darkness. I gazed into them for what felt like forever, and watched in horror as they began to turn red. I could feel my very soul being touched by the light in her eyes.

“How do you think I got in here, Isaac?”

“...You jumped,”

“And how is that?”

“You aren't human...”

“What am I, Isaac. Let me hear you say it.”

“...”

“Say it.”

“You're... a wierdo.”

Riley grabbed the foot pillow and began beating me with it.

“I am a creature of the night you stupid idiot! I am a descendant of the prince of the moon and evil incarnate!” She ranted through her violent destruction of my pillow.

Once she was fully satisfied that I had taken the proper beating, she calmed herself, crept up close to me, and whispered,

“And now we're linked, you and I. It's my blood now, no take backs.”

I felt the same feeling in my spine from days ago, only now, there was something icy in it. I was now, perpetually and unintentionally linked to an adorable, albeit crazy, vampire.