Allison was already having a bad morning by the time she reached the school. Major Ghai’s wakeup call had made her extremely cranky. Allison was on her way to homeroom when Ms. Keelie stepped in front of her. Allison’s tone was anything but polite when she spoke.
“What?”
Ms. Keelie frowned.
“Allison, I need to see you in my office, I’ve already let Sister Silra know you’re going to be late. Please follow me.”
Allison rolled her eyes and followed her. Ms. Keelie opened her door and motioned for Allison to take a seat. Allison dropped herself into the chair without even bothering to try and be polite. Ms. Keelie motioned to her tablet.
“I have received an update on your progress from your VI that acted as your instructor and tutor during your recent, classified ordeal. It seems you are up to date with all our classes. That is good. I’ve scheduled this appointment for two reasons.”
Ms. Keelie held up two fingers.
“First, off, I wanted to extend my services to you, I understand you cannot discuss details but maybe talking about your feelings might help. Second, I have had some complaints about you.”
Allison blinked a few times.
“It’s the fifth week of school and I’ve been off for the last month. Are you being serious right now?”
Ms. Keelie held up both hands.
“Now Allison, I hear a lot of anger in your voice. I understand you’re feeling big feelings right now. We need to remember how we handle those.”
Allison took a deep breath and blinked very slowly before responding in the calmest voice she could muster, which wasn’t very calm.
“Ms. Keelie, do I look like I’m in kindergarten?”
Ms. Keelie leaned forward.
“I don’t know are we? Because nothing else I have tried with you has worked.”
Allison grabbed her tablet and glared at Ms. Keelie.
“I’m done. Send me home or back to class.”
Ms. Keelie stood up.
“Sit down, Allison.”
Allison kept standing and she started shouting.
“You have no idea what goes on at this school! How many times I’ve been pushed around, how Ajay and his idiot friends and Besho physically attacked me the day I vanished. How they tried to pick a fight in the field while I was waiting for my fighter to go on patrol. All the times I stopped someone else from getting bullied. No, you just listen to everyone else, because I’m the troubled kid. Because until four weeks ago, I was the only kid in school with white skin! I was the only one so obviously different. I was the easy target. The one who had to wear sunblock. You know why I’m the bad kid? Because I started refusing to take any shit from anyone! After the month I’ve had and what I’ve had to do… You can’t understand and you will never understand because the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make is whether to get soy or almond milk in your coffee! So, suspend me or send me back to class, whatever you do stop wasting my time with your stupid psychobabble bullshit!”
Ms. Keelie was pressed against the windows of her office. She looked completely terrified of Allison. Allison caught a glimpse of her glowing golden eyes and fangs in her reflection. She turned away. The door to the office flew open. The headmistress was standing there with one of the colonial security officers that patrolled the colony and investigated crimes. The officer was reaching for her stunner. The headmistress stood between the officer and Allison.
“Everything is fine officer, it would appear things just got a bit heated, it happens from time to time. Isn’t that right Allison, you just had to let off some steam?”
Allison took several deep breaths trying to calm herself enough that she felt her fangs retract. Allison nodded. The officer relaxed. Ms. Keelie was still standing as far away from Allison as she could. The headmistress motioned for Allison to follow her.
“Come child, go wait outside my office. I’m going to talk to Ms. Keelie then we’ll speak.”
Allison sat down. She realized her rage had triggered a full vamp out as she called it all of her senses were heightened. She closed her eyes and banged her head on the tiled wall gently. Ms. Keelie still sounded frightened.
“Headmistress, what is she? Why is she even allowed here with normal students? I heard my desk cracking!”
The headmistress spoke in a calming tone.
“She is a sixteen-year-old girl who needs kindness and understanding. I told you not to antagonize her.”
“She’s dangerous.”
The headmistress sighed.
“Only if you provoke her. Which you were told not to. I warned you it was not the right approach. Neither of us knows what she went through in the last month, and we will likely never know. We can both agree it had something to do with the explosion that lit up the night’s sky and disrupted communications and electronics for four hours when the energy wave hit us a week after she vanished. I can only think of one reason that child would have done something like that. And it means she is probably responsible for deaths on such a massive scale we will never comprehend the toll it has had, and will have on her. No one at this school is equipped to handle that kind of trauma.”
Ms. Keelie didn’t say anything for several seconds.
“She’s just a child.”
“Exactly, if any complaints come in about her, send them to me. I will talk to her about them directly. I think at this point it is best we keep you two apart. I am very disappointed in you Janice. This is the kind of thing that makes me rethink your employment with us.”
The headmistress came out and looked down at Allison. Allison hung her head.
“Alright, let’s have a chat, Allison.”
Allison stood up and after the pair entered the office, she closed the office door and sat down across from the headmistress.
“So, that happened.”
Allison nodded. Tears were dropping down her cheeks. The headmistress leaned across the desk. Allison spoke.
“Before you say anything holiness, it wasn’t Ms. Keelie’s fault. It was mine.”
The headmistress sighed heavily.
“Heard every word, didn’t you? I understand it is one of the less desirable parts of being a vampire, hearing more than you want. None of us at the school understand what you’re going through. Ms. Keelie’s employment status and discipline record are strictly confidential, I know you understand what that means.”
Allison nodded.
“Allison, up there, in space, you make life and death decisions in milliseconds, that kind of snap decision-making saves lives in the career you have chosen. Unfortunately, you have to live in two worlds. Down here, on Eden Prime, in school, you’re just a high school student. Snap decisions are awful here. They lead to wrong conclusions, hurt feelings and bad academic outcomes. We need you here, when you’re here. Not up there in space. Think before you act. Take a breath before you say something. You’ve been doing so much better. Less outright bursts of anger and more passive aggressive snarkiness, not perfect but an improvement.”
She sighed.
“I know Ms. Keelie prodded you until you lost your temper. We have a fundamental disagreement on techniques to help students. She used a controversial technique designed to help you release repressed anger. Whether it be from trauma or whatever. I was afraid it may set you back, she disagreed. I hope you understand, while your reaction was wholly inappropriate, I do not blame you for it. You are part vampire. It makes so much sense why you’re so naturally aggressive and territorial. The fangs and glowing eyes are obviously new, but you’ve always been what you are. I have to trust that the Dark Mother is providing you guidance in some fashion. Vampires are her chosen.”
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The headmistress sighed again as she glanced at her tablet.
“So, onto the excuse Ms. Keelie used to drag you down to the office today. Tyler Grant confided in Sister Silra you’ve been threatening him. Nothing specific, just or else. Care to explain this? Is it just a misunderstanding?”
Allison sighed and looked down at her hands.
“Look, I saw some of the seniors and some of the grade elevens were about to pull the fall on your tray prank. It’s stupid. Someone could get hurt, and his glasses could have gotten broken. So I told him he was eating lunch with me or else. It seemed better then; Hey a bunch of people are trying to bully you because you’re a loser who wears glasses and you just got off the boat from Earth.”
The headmistress sighed heavily.
“You couldn’t have say just asked him to eat lunch with you?”
Allison blushed.
“Well, I kind of called him a creeper the day before because… like he was commenting that I smelled different then the day before. He seemed hurt. The other time was when the grade elevens were going to try and break his tablet. I’ve seen it done like ten times before; They do it every new year, to every new student. I know they’re expensive and if they get broke the family has to pay. It’s the same four students…. So, I made sure he walked to class with me because people are scared of me.”
The headmistress leaned closer.
“And I suppose you’re not going to give me the names of any of these hooligans, are you?”
Allison shook her head.
“No, I’d rather just stuff them into their lockers, if it’s all the same, holiness. Maybe take a little nip of blood first, put the proper fear of the Dark Mother in their hearts.”
The headmistress frowned.
“How about this, you give me the names of all the individuals involved in these annual pranks, and I will forget about you threatening Tyler, and the incident with Ms. Keelie today?”
Allison shook her head.
“Nope. I’m not going to come running to the Headmistress every time someone gets their feelings hurt. Guess I can go home, holiness?”
The headmistress laughed at that answer.
“No, you will not be suspended. However, I’m doubling down on you joining a team. Something to get all of that pent up energy out of you, for the good of the school. You’re going to join the cheerleaders. Trixie saved you a spot.”
Allison blinked.
“Me? A cheerleader? I’m sorry, did they put something new in the water here? Should I get help?”
The Headmistress smiled.
“Why are you being so dramatic?”
Allison looked down at herself.
“Do I look like a cheerleader to you?”
The Headmistress nodded.
“Yes, you’re athletic, in shape, have a brilliant smile and when you try a winning personality.”
Allison rolled her eyes then crinkled her nose.
“Wait, its only sports teams at the school, there’s no school leagues here, not enough schools.”
The headmistress gasped.
“Oh, you missed the announcements, the day after you disappeared. With the opening of Amee Morris-Aurelius Secondary School in New Mumbai we have six schools on Eden Prime. Enough for a league. With the sub-orbital transit system installed last year, we can make it to another school in fifteen minutes.”
Allison blinked a few times.
“That sounds like a secular school, can I transfer there?”
The headmistress sighed.
“One day you’ll appreciate the religious education you received here. Speaking of which, second period will be starting soon, you should get to Math. Cheerleading practice tonight, after school, see you there. We’re picking a mascot, picking our school colors for our sports uniforms and choosing the design for our cheer squad uniforms. It is going to be exciting.”
Allison stood up.
“I want the one with pants. See you this afternoon, holiness.”
Allison paused at the door.
“Just so I’m clear, if I show up with the names of the bullies from Grade Eleven who have broken twelve school tablets in the last three years, I don’t have to do the cheerleading?”
“Yes, that is the deal. Should I expect the names then?”
Allison shook her head.
“No, Holiness, I just wanted to make sure I remembered to add in a few extra punches and kicks for them being the reason I’m forced to wear a small skirt and smile like an idiot, next time they start a fight with me.”
The headmistress sat down at her desk and rubbed her temples.
“Dark Mother give me strength and grant Allison some manner of peace.”
Allison realized she was too far away to have heard that whisper. Her vampiric senses were not going away this time. So, when she got into Math class she nearly gagged. Hygiene was not the top of several of her classmate’s lists. Thankfully she could sit in the back corner, where Tyler and Aryna formed a sort of shield for her sense of smell. It did little to dull her enhanced hearing. She twitched a few times. Someone was grinding their teeth, someone else was tapping their stylus and every single time it connected with the desk it was like someone was stabbing her ear drums. It was impossible to concentrate. She realized she was hearing every single sound for every single classroom. Her brain was getting overloaded and she felt like she was going to throw up. Her hand shot up.
“May I be excused, I’m feeling sick.”
Her teacher waved her out. Allison rushed to the washroom and turned on all four faucets. The running water drowned out the sounds in the school. She pulled up the President’s contact info on her phone. She didn’t want to bother her but she was going to go insane if she couldn’t stop the cacophony going on around her. Allison had her finger hovering over the dial button.
She just kept focusing on the water. She felt air pressure against her skin. She felt arms wrap around her from behind and lips touch the back of her neck. The sensation was electric. She could feel every imperfection on the lips. The warm breath down her back. She shuddered. She was paralyzed by the sensation. Allison blinked a few times and broke out of the embrace. She spun around and it was exactly who she expected it to be. Trixie. Allison shuddered and felt gross all over.
“Stop it!”
Trixie smiled and inched closer. Allison backed up holding her hands up defensively.
“Come on, I know what I’m feeling sick is code for, you need a little blood, I get it, just take what you need.”
Trixie moved her neck to the side. Allison’s enhanced senses could smell how eager Trixie was for this to go further. She could smell the blood inside her veins. Her fangs slipped out.
“Trixie, go! I can’t control myself.”
Trixie pressed against Allison. All she could smell was that intoxicating blood. The sound of blood rushing around Trixie’s veins. She couldn’t resist and she grabbed Trixie hungrily and sunk her fangs in. Trixie gasped. Allison could taste the arousal and pleasure in Trixie’s blood. She gulped down the rich blood then came to her senses and shoved Trixie away violently.
“No. This is wrong.”
Trixie rushed closer, rubbing Allison’s cheek. Allison tried to swat her hand away, but the touch was intoxicating with her enhanced senses. Trixie kissed Allison with open lips. Trixie pressed her against the tiled bathroom wall. Allison felt Trixie’s tongue lick across her fangs. Allison was paralyzed. In no way was she into this mentally but her body was literally betraying her. Her two halves fought a duel for control. Her mind eventually won out and she pushed Trixie away. Trixie licked her lips.
“So hot.”
“Stop it. I’m not into this. Just stop.”
Trixie slid her finger along her neck covering it with her own blood and she pressed herself against Allison again. Allison moved to push her away until Trixie’s finger hit her lips. She couldn’t resist. She licked the blood and sucked it down. Trixie’s other hand reached under Allison’s skirt.
“Sure, could have fooled me.”
Allison pushed her away.
“Fuck Trixie, no means no. Stop it.”
Trixie stepped back and held up her hands. Then she motioned to the running faucets.
“So… what’s with the water? It won’t actually hurt you, you know.”
Allison clenched her fists and let out a scream of frustration.
“My senses are going crazy, alright, I can hear, smell and feel everything. It’s like I’m living in a holo and everything, everywhere is turned up to max volume. They usually go away.”
Trixie smiled and stepped forward. She reached out to touch Allison. Allison grabbed her wrist.
“I told you; I’m not interested.”
Trixie put her other finger too her own lips and made a shh sound.
“Trust me.”
Allison was leery of the sex-crazed-vampire groupie but she released Trixie’s hand. Trixie leaned in close. Trixie whispered into Allison’s left ear while her finger started to caress the back of Allison’s right ear. Trixie’s warm breath made Allison inhale sharply. It had sent a slight shudder down her back.
“Close your eyes. Shh, focus on my finger. Up and down, up and down. Ignore everything else. The sound of my finger as it glides up and down your ear. The tingles it sends down your spine as I go up and down slowly. Focus. Nothing else exists in this world but my soft whisper, and my finger. Do you feel it?”
Allison gave a slight nod.
“Keep focusing on my finger, up and down.”
Trixie slowly guided Allison to each sink where she turned the faucet off. The whole time she kept caressing the back of Allison’s ear gently. Allison let Trixie press her against the wall again. She kept caressing her ear. She whispered into Allison’s ear again.
“Now focus on my lips, nothing else. Don’t resist, just go with the flow. Feel every sensation, just feel it. Don’t think about it, just be in the moment.”
Trixie leaned in for another kiss, pressing herself against Allison. Their lips met and unlike the hungry kiss of earlier this one was slow and passionate. Trixie stopped caressing Allison’s ear and broke the kiss. She stepped back.
“Open your eyes, Allison.”
Allison squirmed slightly. The kiss had woken some feelings she wasn’t ready to deal with in herself at that very moment. Trixie smiled.
“What can you hear?”
Allison closed her eyes and listened.
“Everything but it’s a low murmur. It’s like the enhanced senses are there but they’re waiting for me to focus on them. How did you do that?”
Trixie shrugged.
“It’s a trick Alona taught me after she fed me her blood. It’s how properly trained new vampires deal with the whole hearing a butterfly fart in NAFTA dome. Her words, not mine.”
Allison swiped the comm link she’d set up to call the president off her AR HUD.
“Look Trixie, I don’t want to send mixed signals. I’m not into girls. I’m into blood… I guess. I appreciate the help but this thing… whatever you’re trying to do, it ain’t going to work. And even if I was into girls, I’m not… ready for whatever. I’m too fucked in the head right now. Sorry… it just seemed like the right word.”
Trixie sighed.
“I suppose, at least you’re being honest but if you need blood, I’m here.”
Allison was pretty sure she’d end up with her fangs in some part of Trixie again whether she wanted to or not. She was starting to get tired of thinking with her fangs already and it had only been a month.