Sorry this took so long for me to get this on here.

But anyway, hopefully you all enjoy it!

**Edited as of Sept. 21**

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CHAPTER NINE

The next few days pass without incident. When I do see Isaac, I cut our conversations short, proving to Carmen that he has little hold over me. Isaac seems bewildered by my behavior and I feel a small twinge of guilt every time I do it but I know that it is for the best.

On Wednesday afternoon, Isaac confronts me during Baking. I reach for the sugar bowl but he cuts me off, grabbing my hand and pulling me around to face him. I freeze, his hand warm on my skin. Thankfully his cologne is as strong as ever and I have yet to smell that heavenly aroma that seeps from his pores.

“What is going on, Sophia? Did I do something wrong?” he wonders, his eyes shinning with hurt.

The guilt is at its strongest, gnawing away at my insides. “No, you did nothing wrong.” I discover my voice comes out with a pleading note and I frown at myself—at my weakness. I silently blame my Birth Mother for such useless genes.

“Then why do you keep avoiding me?” he demands, his eyes piercing mine with their icy glare.

“I’m not avoiding you, Isaac.” A thrill shoots through me at saying his name out loud for the first time to his face. Then I silently scold myself severely, forcing myself back into control.

“Then what do you call it when you refuse to talk to someone for longer than a few seconds?” His gaze is stony.

“I’m sorry, I just…” I gently pull away from his touch, but his grip tightens, the warmth spreading down my arm to my fingertips. I gasp as the warmth goes back and forth between my hand to where he holds my arm, shooting from his skin like electric pulses. I feel my senses shatter before coming together with blinding speed. My vampire control diminishes and the world is brighter, warmer.

“You just what?” he asks but then the bell rings, releasing me from his touch. I hurry to gather my things, abandoning him before he can say another word, hoping to gather what dignity I have after loosing control over my powers again.

Out in the hall, I can breathe easier, his touch lingering on my skin long after his hand had been removed. Swinging open my locker, I gaze back at the Bakery door. I am shocked when I see Carmen and Isaac talking.

I quickly get my stuff together, shoving my books into my bag but I am too slow. By the time I shut my locker, Carmen is gone and Isaac is looking at me with a soft smile playing across his lips.

Once I escape from the confines of the school, I slow to an easy trot, hoping that I can catch Carmen. He is no where in sight, however, and I groan audibly. Where is he? I think, feeling my frustration grow.

Abruptly, Carmen appears, leaping from the roof of a small shed. “You shouldn’t do that,” I hiss at him. “Someone could see you!”

Carmen shrugs, ignoring my warnings. “Going to the lake?”

I frown. “Why?”

“Just wondering.”

“Humph,” I snort. “Really?”

“Yes.” His expression is sincere but I feel a seed of doubt in my gut, warning me.

“Why?” I ask again, and he rolls his eyes.

“Seriously, I was just wondering, Sophia. Jeeze. I wanted to know because Philip said that it would be good for you to get out of the house for a few hours.”

I glare suspiciously at him. “Why?”

“Because!” I can see his mounting frustration and it gives me a small hint of satisfaction.

“Fine, fine.” I let it slide. “Yes, I am going to the lake.”

“All right. I’ll tell Philip. He will be pleased.” With that, he sprints off, his blonde hair gleaming in the sun. I watch him go, the seed of doubt sprouting into a seedling inside of me.

At the lake, I rest on the banks, the ice melting around me. Spring is fast approaching as January dwindles. March will be here before I know it. Sighing, I hear the tiny cracks as the ice releases the mighty waves. I smile as the sun appears after hiding behind a large cloud. It hits me with its rays, heating up my skin.

I faintly remember a time when blood used to flow freely in my veins and my heart used to pump consistently with the blood flow. Tiny hints of memory when I used to feel hot, my skin warm, and for it to heat up under the warmth of the sun. When I used to eat food, like the nasty-smelling lasagna in the cafeteria.

A time when I never used to crave for human blood.

I cringe when I think of what I have become. I have turned my back on all humanity to feast on my fellow humans’ life source—their blood. A shiver runs down my back as the sun disappears behind another cloud.

“So, this is where you run off to,” a voice erupts in my eardrums, shocking me into silence. My whole body turns to stone as a figure comes into sight.

“Isaac?” I whisper, my whole body stiffening. His human form stands merely feet away, his soft brown hair blowing in the wind. His blue eyes shine even brighter in the sunlight and his skin glistens, looking so warm, so tan. I resist the urge to touch him as emotions tumble around inside of me. The strongest—however baffling it is to me—is joy. His shirt is molded to his surprisingly chiseled chest. His pants are stiff, the knees manufactured to look ripped, but then an emotion of pure hostility takes over me and I glare furiously, wondering how he had found me without anyone’s help. I suddenly remember Carmen talking with Isaac and my eyes narrow even more.

“Yeah. You don’t look too happy to see me…” He frowns, his eyes dimming.

“No, I just—“ My voice cracks as I force my limbs back to life.

“It’s okay. Carmen told me that you would be surprised,” he explains, and I choke, coughing loudly, my assumption answered. Isaac’s face dissolves into concern as he kneels beside me, hesitantly touching my shoulder.

“Carmen told you where I would be?” I ask, knowing the answer already.

“Yes?” Isaac looks confused.

He’s dead,I think, feeling my anger rise.

“I wanted to talk with you so I asked him where you went after school.” He looks slightly hurt and my anger vanishes.

“I-I…” I trail off, watching him closely. His face is a mere foot away, his mouth turned upwards in a gentle smile, and I feel my insides melt. “Are you mad at me?” I finally ask, no longer trying to fight whatever it is that is taking over me from the inside out. It seems that whenever I look into his amazingly colored eyes and see that cute smile playing across his lips, I loose myself, becoming the creature I want to be.

I’m no longer Sophia, the vampire, when I am around him.

“No,” he promises, his fingers lingering on my shoulder. I stare into his eyes, the instinct to overpower him rising but his eyes, as usual, are unintentionally guarded against me and the power within me dies. “So, are you okay with me being here?” he asks, his voice sincere. I nod, smiling shyly. He grins back, sitting down beside me. I pull my knees back up to my chest, resting my chin on them. I glance sideways at him.

His face is turned up towards the sun, basking in the glow of the immense star.

“Can’t wait for spring?” I ask with a grin.

“Yes. I hate winter.” He frowns severely.

“Why?” I am baffled.

“Its always cold.”

“But what about the snow. It’s so beautiful when it snows.” I try to change his mind.

“Yes, but snow is wet.”

“So is the rain,” I reason.

He smiles. “Yes, so is the rain.” I can tell by his eyes that he is remembering our last encounter in his car and I stare intensely at him.

“What happened, Isaac? Between you and Brittany?” I venture warily. Isaac lets out his breath through his teeth, the action creating a soft whistle and his whole body tenses at her name. “You don’t have to tell me if—“

“No, it’s okay. I’ll tell you.” He pauses, and I wait, intent upon him. “Brittany and I stared dating a long time ago. I mean, we were never apart. Sometimes, I mistook our dating with an actual relationship…” he trails off, smiling faintly at the memories before his smile turns to a frown. “But only a few weeks ago, I found out that she had been with three other guys beside me.” My breath catches in my throat at this and I feel my own anger rise.

“That—“

“Yeah, I know, “he cuts me off before I can swear, a crooked smile playing across his lips.

“So that’s why it was so hard for you to see her.”

“Correct,” he answers softly, his eyes distant. “But I found the rain part a very uplifting moment.” He grins crazily, and I can’t help but smile back but then I remembered the car and I quickly turned away.

He notices this. “Was it something I did when we were in the car that upset you?” he asks. “Was it Brittany?” His whole body tenses again as this, and I see his slender fingers clench the dirt in his fist.

“No, it wasn’t Brittany,” I reassure him. “You did nothing wrong.”

“Then why do you keep avoiding me?”

“Because…” I trail off, knowing that I can’t tell him the truth. If I did, he would be killed.

I shudder to think of Isaac’s death, to silence the breath in his lungs.

“Because?” he presses, his fingers trailing tenderly along my forearm.

“I-I…” I struggle for words, not knowing what to tell him. “I just can’t,” I whisper, and he sighs in frustration.

“Are you scared?” he abruptly asks me, and I dare to look him in the eye. His expression is serious, his eyes gleaming with something unknown to me.

“Scared of what?” I ask, bewildered by his behavior.

“Of what—“ but he cuts off when I raise my hand. I hear the hurried footsteps of Carmen and the others behind us. I panic, hauling Isaac to his feet. “What—“ he begins, but I quickly cover his mouth.

“Shhh, don’t say a word,” I urge as I shove him behind a large pine. We watch as Carmen and the others appear where we had just been sitting. I know Carmen can smell us and I hurry to explain. “I’m sorry. I have to go. If Carmen sees us—“ I cut off as Isaac’s face is pinched in confusion. I plead with my eyes, praying that he will just go along with it.

“Okay.” He finally nods. I smile fleetingly before tugging him into the underbrush. I sense Carmen’s frustration as he can’t find us and am shocked that I am becoming so in-tune to his emotions, as he is to mine.

Eventually, we reach the gravel road where I live. I quickly spot Isaac’s rusted car parked at the end. I push him towards it as I head for the house. “Sophia!” he calls, and I freeze. “Are we…you know…are you—“ he stops abruptly but I understand.

He wants to know if I will still avoid him at school. I think quickly, knowing my answer almost immediately.

“No, I’ll see you tomorrow,” I promise, and a brilliant smile crosses his face before I run off towards the house.