2| Drink Me.

17 YEARS LATER.

 "Sweetie, you are going to be late for school. Come down and eat your food." Emily yelled from the dining area.

"I’m coming, mom," Angel responded.

"I could eat hers if she doesn’t come down." Angel’s brother, Taylor, who was two years younger than her, said this as he tried to steal her omelette from her plate.

"Don’t you dare touch my food, you glutton." Angel warned as she descended the stairs.

Taylor mumbled something inaudibly as he put down the omelette.

"Repeat what you just said." Angel said sternly.

"It’s not like I’m scared of you." He looked straight into her eyes and repeated it with confidence. "I said you were not going to eat much anyway, so why waste food?"

"I’d rather feed it to the dogs than give it to you." She fired back.

 "Enough kids!" Emily exclaimed and flicked her gaze at Angel, softening her expression. "How do you feel? Today is your first day in senior year."

"Senior-year student that has never had any boyfriends." Taylor scoffed.

 "Taylor!" Emily yelled, and just then, the school bus started honking. She sighed and continued. "I guess you should get going. See you both later, I love you."

"I love you too." They said in unison as they leapt to their feet and each kissed their mom on both cheeks before picking up their bags and running outside.

When Angel got to school, she linked up with her besties. Liam and Chloe. They had been best friends since the 4th grade.

"Senior year is going to be fire; we are going to rock!" Chloe screamed at the top of her lungs, not minding that people were staring at her.

Shaking his head, Liam muttered. "Come on, Chloe, you are embarrassing us."

A smirk touched Chloe’s lips as she nudged him. "If I don’t embarrass you, who would?"

Both Liam and Angel shook their heads, knowing that they were never going to win the battle with her. 

"Oh my God! Have you seen the new student in 12th grade? He’s so hot." A girl said as she walked past them. 

"Tell me more." Her friend responded, and they both giggled.

Angel rolled her eyes. “Who transfers schools in 12th grade? That’s ridiculous."

"As long as he is hot, I don’t mind." Chloe said, her tone holding a hint of amusement.

Liam and Angel both shook their heads again, and they continued walking towards their lockers.

"Hello, Angel." Angel heard just as she opened her locker, and she turned to see Madison—a red-haired girl—approaching her.

She rolled her eyes. "What?"

"Now that we’re in senior year, I hope you get a boyfriend so that you don’t have to go to prom alone." Maddison jeered as she brushed her fingers across Angel’s face.

Chloe noticed what was happening, so she walked up to where they were and snatched Madison’s hand away from Angel’s face. "She doesn’t have a boyfriend, but that’s better than being a slut like some people."

Madison batted her lashes. "Are you trying to call me a slut?"

"I didn’t mention any names here, but if the show fits, feel free to wear it." Chloe sneered. 

Madison stood there in total shock, unable to find the right words to say in response.

Shutting her locker close, Angel grabbed Chloe’s wrist and started walking, dragging her along. "That’s enough; don’t create a scene here. Let’s go." She muttered.

"That was cool, Chloe." Liam praised as he joined them.

Chloe sighed. "You really need to start standing up for yourself; if not, that bitch will continue talking down on you."

Angel blew out a sharp breath. Only if they knew how much anger she tries to suppress every day. She could burst her throat open and drain all her blood if she tried to react, she thought. She wished she could say all that out loud, but since she couldn’t, she darted her gaze at Chloe and smiled.

"There you go, Saint Angel. That takes in whatever people dish out at her." Chloe lamented. She was clearly pissed by her friend’s response. "Come to think of it, Angel! Your parents gave you the name that suits you the most."

"I guess." She muttered as they slipped inside their classroom.

They chatted for a while before the teacher walked into the class; beside her was a guy who was over 6 feet tall with brown eyes and hair. His six-pack was visible under his shirt. He was incredibly hot.

"My overies." Chloe whispered, and Angel shook her head.

"Good morning, class." The teacher, Ms. Brown, greeted the class.

"Good morning, Ms. Brown." The students responded, their voices in chorus.

"You look hotter, Miss; did you get plastic surgery over the holidays?" One of the students, Nathan, joked, and the whole class laughed.

A frown creased Ms. Brown’s forehead. "Behave yourself, Nathan, or I’ll have to punish you." She warned before flicking her gaze at the guy beside her.

"Welcome the new transfer student; please be nice to him." She announced. "Bryan, please introduce yourself to the class."

"Hi, everyone. My name is Bryan Finnegan." He said nervously.

"Welcome Bryan, welcome Bryan, welcome Bryan." Filled the classroom air.

"Angel." Chloe called, her gaze fixed on Bryan. "Those girls didn’t lie. He is so fucking hot and attractive."

"I don’t see it." Angel muttered. She didn’t find him attractive. He's quite alright; he’s got a fine face, but he didn’t interest her.

Ms. Brown scanned the class with her eyes, and when she spotted an empty seat beside Angel, she pointed at it.

"Go and sit there, Bryan." 

Nodding his head, he started walking towards the seat.

"Hello." Bryan said to Angel as he sat on the seat.

But she didn’t respond; she just glared at him and returned her gaze to Ms. Brown.

They sat quietly through the teaching period, and when the bell rang for the lunch break, Chloe quickly gave Angel a slight knock on the head. "Girl, why are you so mean?"

"What was that for?" Angel exclaimed as she rubbed the spot where Chloe knocked. Leaping to her feet, she continued. "And I don’t understand what you mean by that."

Chloe and Liam joined her.

"Why didn’t you respond to Bryan’s hello?" Chloe tried to knock her again, but she dodged. "I’d kill to get a hello from a guy that is that hot."

"Liam, I think Cynthia has a crush on you. She’s always staring at you." Angel said, in an attempt to change the subject. She wasn’t interested in having that discussion with Chloe.

"No way! I’m not even in her league." Liam said, a small smile touching his lips.

"Yeah, I think she’s right. I’ve noticed that too. Make the first move; maybe she’s too shy to approach you." Chloe chimed in, momentarily forgetting the conversation she was having with Angel.

"No, I am not going to do that." Liam said, shaking his head.

"But—" Chloe started, but Liam cut her off.

"I don’t want to have that discussion, please."

Chloe shrugged. "Okay."

They walked the rest of the distance to the cafeteria in silence. When they got there, they collected their meals and made their way to their favorite table.

"Angel, are you okay? You look pale." Chloe asked as they sat down.

Of course she wasn’t okay. She hasn’t drank blood in days. Angel thought, before plastering a smile on her face and replying. "Do I look pale? I’m okay."

 "Okay, If you say so." Chloe suddenly remembered what they were discussing before Angel changed the subject. "Don’t think I forgot.” She continued, pointing at her. “Why do you keep chasing all the guys away. At least open your heart to someone."

"I agree with her," Liam muttered.

Chloe turned to look at him in awe. "You should worry about yourself first, Liam."

"Worry about yourself too; it's not like you have a boyfriend," he fired back.

Chloe's lips curled into a smile. "Well, I’m talking to someone. His name is Damon." 

"When did you guys start seeing?" Angel asked curiously.

"Two weeks now." Chloe muttered. 

"Two weeks?!" Angel exclaimed. "And we are just hearing about it now."

"I feel betrayed," Liam added.

"Uhm…" Chloe scratched the back of her neck. "I’m sorry I didn’t tell you guys sooner."

"So, tell us about this guy. What—" Liam started, but he got interrupted by the sound a shattering plate.

Startled by the sudden noise, their attention swiftly shifted towards its source. A girl had tripped and broken the plate of food she was holding. A sharp piece of the broken plate had cut through her hand, and she was bleeding.

"Oh Jeez! Poor girl." Chloe muttered, shaking her head. 

Angel's eyes were glued to the blood that was dripping, unable to take her eyes off it as each drop of blood whispered, "Drink me."

Her body burned and longed for the blood, as she hadn’t fed for a while. She waged an internal battle, trying to resist the overwhelming urge to rush towards the injured girl and sink her fangs into her flesh, draining her completely dry.