Chapter 5

(Izobel’s POV)

Alaric, my Dad, looked surprised when he saw me coming home early. His eyes flickered at the time in the vintage wooden wall clock mom had bought when we lived in Germany years ago, and then he arched his eyebrows to give me a once-over.

‘Everything alright, baby?’ He asked without opening his mouth. He was sitting still in the dark grey leather egg lounge chair with a newspaper in his hands. If he didn’t pretend to breathe, he could pass as a gorgeous ultra-realistic mannequin sitting in our living room.   

I shook my head, but my face could tell it all. I plonked my bag and books on the floor as I plopped lazily on the couch. “These Gen Z peeps are making me crazy,” I said aloud.

“Hmm...” He murmured, his eyes squinting. “You never complained in the past before,” He put down the newspaper and studied me like I was a shrink’s patient lying on the sofa. “Your heartbeat is extremely beating faster than usual,” He looked at me worriedly, but he could not hide his excitement that this could be my time.

“You worry too much, darling.” Mom chimed in, bringing some of her special lemon cupcakes. The refreshing scent of the pastry made me hungry, so I got up right away to get two as soon as she placed the tray on the center table. “It’s a full moon tomorrow night, so expect your kids to be bitey,” she winked at me.

“Mom,” I groaned, my eyebrows snapping together, hating the joke. I took a bite of the cupcake, not smiling.

“Aren’t we all waiting for your transmogrification, baby?” She asked, sitting on my father’s lap. Dad wrapped his arms around her waist, making them look like two honeymooners.

My forehead furrowed as I stared at the food in my hand. I don’t know if this is the best time to transform when I have Ethan following me around like a three-week-old puppy.

“Who’s Ethan?” Dad asked, making me cringe from my seat. Even hearing his name annoys me. I rolled my eyes, thinking how could I forget that Dad could hear my thoughts very well.

“Who’s Ethan?” Zena repeated, looking at Alaric, smiling. She raised a brow, staring at Dad and then at me.  

“Some guy in school,” I frowned. “He’s so annoying,” I exclaimed, heaving a sigh and blocking Dad from my reading my thoughts.

He chuckled, realizing he couldn’t hear my thoughts anymore. “I can still hear your heart, baby.” He shook his head, turning his face to my mom. “I’d better check on our baby, Honey. Her heart rate is way too high. We don’t want to mess up the dinner later,”

I put the whole cupcake in my mouth and chewed it real quick. I stood up, took my belongings on the floor, and shook my head. “Don’t worry about me, Dad. I’m okay. I just need to rest, and if I’m really to change, I’ll make sure to go home early tomorrow.”

Not wanting to live ordinary, I dashed to my room in a split second but stopped at the doorway to enter my bedroom like a tired and bored teenager.

Before taking off my eyeglasses and changing clothes, I glanced at my neighbor’s room, ensuring it was empty. I knew he had a basketball practice today because his coach reminded him when they met in the hallway. I got into my bed and placed the earphones on my ears. I clicked on the music app and chose Brahms’ classical music. I made sure to turn on the music loud enough to calm my unsteady heartbeat.

I almost kissed Ethan. It was horrifying as my mind filled with lots of ‘what if?’

What if the kiss happened?

What if I liked the kiss too much that I hurt him?

What if I accidentally scratch his face or skin and he found out I was different?

What if...

If tomorrow were my time to transmogrify, then that would mean I would be less worried about hurting Ethan. I could be like Connor or Amber with buddies without worrying about getting hungry while staring at their veins. I closed my eyes tight, hoping I could have some acquaintances, too, because, in the past, I did have friends. But with Ethan around, something seemed to be happening within my body, like exciting me in a really bad way.  

Brahms’ lullaby made me yawn. I rolled to my bed, curling my body into a fetal position, and tried to forget him for a while. I let myself drift into a deep sleep.

When I opened my eyes, it was almost dusk. I got up slowly, taking the earphone away and reaching for the switch near the headboard of my bed. I released a huge yawn and rolled my neck from side to side as soon as the lights turned on. I was startled when I gazed at the window and saw Ethan standing and looking at me from his bedroom. His arms crossed on his chest and squinting his eyes as he tried to watch me from my room.

My head turned to the door when I heard Amber coming. She peeked her head on the door. She grinned at me. “Just checkin’ on you, sis,” She said, taking a quick look at my neighbor’s window. When I followed her eyes, Ethan was no longer standing there. “I brought snacks,” She giggled. “Just kidding, Connor and I brought some new friends, and Mom wants me to tell you it’s dinner time,”

I raised my brows, making her giggle again.

“Dinner, Izobel, as in real dinner food. Mom’s hoping to impress our guests with her Spanish dishes, Paella Valenciana, Gazpacho... name it,”

I heaved a sigh, following her, and we both dashed downstairs. We were already at the last step of the staircase when I saw Ethan sitting comfortably on the sofa.   

‘Why is he here?’ I hissed at Amber.

‘Who?’ Four voices asked altogether.

I turned around immediately, hoping to run upstairs, but a voice stopped me. ‘No hiding, baby. Who is here?’

‘Dad, I’ll just get my eyeglasses,’ I begged. “Please...”

“Oh, Zena, you have beautiful daughters,” She must be a neighbor. “Where is she going?”

Mom smiled and glanced at me. “She can’t see well when she’s not wearing her eyeglasses,” She explained and smiled apologetically.

“I think she can see alright. She seemed to want to run away when she saw me,” Ethan cut in, staring at me and waiting for me to say something.

I turned to him, faking a smile. Ignoring him would be best now that I clenched my teeth, heaved a sigh, and continued to walk upstairs. I made sure to keep all of them away from reading and hearing my thoughts as I sat down on the floor, hugging my knees and calming my heart. I don’t want to turn into a monster and mess with my parents’ special dinner party. Connor wouldn’t let this Ethan topic go, and who knew how many decades would it take before he would stop bullying me once he found out about him.

Two minutes... just two minutes were all I needed to calm down, then I took my eyeglasses, pulled my hair in a usual ponytail, and joined them downstairs. We had our dinner in the backyard, and everybody was already starting to enjoy mom’s food.

“This is the best, Zena,” Louisa commented after tasting Mom’s paella. “Our chef would probably feel upset after tasting this. You have to visit our restaurant sometimes,” She said.

No need for more introductions, then. Louisa is Ethan’s mom, and the man beside her, well, he looked as handsome as Ethan, so he was probably his father.  

“You didn’t invite new friends, little sister?” Connor asked, his way of calling my attention. This has been my parents’ kind of tradition that we invite our neighbors and new friends to our house for dinner to avoid rumors when they don’t see my father much. This has been our way of telling the world that we’re normal and ordinary like any other family.

“Actually, she’s not friendly. I doubt if she met friends today,” Ethan answered, staring and frowning at me.

I scowled at him, turning my cheeks red, and I wished to scratch his godly face. ‘What is wrong with him?’

‘Calm down, baby,’ Dad reminded, smiling at me. “Was she?” he asked.

“That’s not nice, Ethan,” His mom said, touching his arm.

‘Ethan!’ Dad exclaimed. ‘Hmm...so honey, he’s Ethan!’

“I’m sorry about that, Mr. Rodriguez,” He said.

Mom shook her head. “It’s alright, Ethan. Izobel’s a sweet girl, or... did something happen in school, baby?”

“She tripped on the floor, but Ethan caught him,” My adorable twin sister beamed. ‘Oh, he almost kissed her in the chem class,’

Turn me into a bat now, please!

Connor guffawed at my thoughts. “Sorry,” He apologized when everyone stared at him, possibly thinking he laughed that I tripped in the class.

‘A bat, really?’ He glanced at me, then looked at his friend who asked him something.

‘How else can I change, Connor!’ I said. ‘I’m not like you,’ I was almost on the edge of crying.

‘You don’t know that yet,’ Connor assured me.

“Amber, did you ask your mom?” A girl from our class cut in. I think her name is Julia. Or Mia? All I know is she is one of the cheerleading squads in our school.

Amber just blinked and faked a smile, and then she shook her head.

“Um... Mrs. Rodriguez, Mr. Rodriguez, it’s my birthday tomorrow, and I was hoping to invite Amber at home, that’d be after class,” She said, batting her eyelashes at my parents.

“That’s very nice of you. Sure!” Mom said, looking at Dad, who nodded at the same time.

“Oh, I’ll only come if Izobel will come,” Amber said, pouting and fluttering her eyelashes to me.

I gawked at her. ‘Come on, Amber! Tomorrow’s full moon. It might be my time to shine! Hello? A little consideration, please!’

“Of course! Um... Izobel should come, too.” She said, hearing her sigh.

‘What’s with the full moon? You know we could change anytime we want,” Connor asked. ‘Are you gonna turn into a bat tomorrow?’

I breathed slowly and finished my dinner quietly.

“Um... mom, dad, I won’t be able to fetch these two girls tomorrow coz I’ll be working late, and I had some papers due this week,” Our brother made a perfect excuse. My nostril flared, but I chose to press my lips.

“It’s okay. Our Ethan will be coming tomorrow to Julia’s party,” His mom chirped. “He can take the girls home. Right, Ethan?”

He nodded. “Yes, mom,” He smiled at Amber and then gazed at me.

‘Be careful, Izobel. You’re releasing too much pheromones scent, making him crazy over you,’ Connor smirked. ‘You’re becoming a full-pledge vampire,’

‘Shut up, Connor!’ Amber hissed. ‘He could be the one,’

‘Just one bite... Just a taste of human blood,’ Connor chanted in his thoughts.

‘Kids, stop it.’ Dad hissed, glancing at us, then he continued his conversation with Ethan’s dad, Robert.

There they are again, bullying me. I stole a glance at Ethan, and unfortunately, he caught me. I looked down, hiding the tears welling in my eyes. ‘Just one bite... Just a taste of human blood... and I will be complete.