The New Kid: Zak

“Tada! Snack time!” I announce as I set down a plate of fruits and three cups of tea.

“Thanks, but we don’t have time to sit around and eat. This project is due in less than a week and we still have so much left to finish!” complains my friend, Tara. She’s very strict about grades and deadlines. Though, I can’t blame her. This grade is a really big one.

But I’m too busy glaring at the other boy in the room, Zak Atkins. The new kid.

He’s been nothing but a jerk to me since he’s gotten here. Making fun of my pale skin. My red eyes. My sketches.

Ugh. What’s wrong with loving to draw?

My sketches can’t be that bad, can they?

I look down at the pad and pencil in my hands. Oh no. I’ve been so focused on him that I started drawing that jerk.

Even though I hate him, this drawing is actually pretty good. I think I might keep it. He’s much better on paper.

“You good there, Enzo?” asks Tara. “You look distressed.”

Oops. I must have sighed out loud. I didn’t mean for them to notice my mood. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“You sure? You’re looking a bit…paler than usual,” teases Zak with a smirk on his face. He chuckles arrogantly as always.

He can’t know the real reason I’m so pale. I close my sketch pad, set it down, and cross my arms. I narrow my eyes at him. “Can you not go five minutes without insulting someone? With insulting me?” I ask harshly.

“Enzo, calm down. It’s an innocent joke. He didn’t mean anything by it,” Tara counters in Zak’s defense.

Isn’t she supposed to be my friend? Not his.

“Why are you defending him? You’re supposed to be on my side! You’re my best friend!” My voice raises slightly and I push myself to a standing position, looking at Tara. If she’s going to be mean, I will too.

“Hey, leave her alone.” Zak stands up too and steps directly in front of me.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” I shoot back. As if I’d listen to someone like him. Never going to happen.

“Oh, I think I will, you twerp.” He shoves me and my back hits the wall behind me, making me feel cornered. My fists clench and my breath hitches. I don’t even care about the ache in my back. Just how mad I am at him right now.

I open my mouth to throw an insult, but I freeze when I hear a, “Ba-dum.”

I tilt my head and realize it’s Zak.

I look at his neck, where I can practically see his veins pumping. Now that I think about it, I’m kind of hungry.

His heart’s beating really fast. That’s understandable based on how close we are and how I’m shamelessly staring at his neck.

It’s a bit embarrassing, but I can’t help it. What else is a vampire supposed to do when they’re hungry?

But there’s something different about the hunger this time. It’s more powerful, more pulling.

“Enzo! Stop!” Tara shouts from the doorway, her eyes wide with shock.

I freeze, my eyes still locked on his neck.

What am I doing?

I cover my mouth, taking a few steps back in panic. That makes me stumble and Zak reaches out to help me, but I push him away.

“Hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you,” he says quietly, seeming genuinely worried about my state.

“No, you didn’t. I…I’m fine,” I mumble, turning and running down the stairs to leave.

“Wait! What about the project?” asks Tara, her voice filled with worry about me.

“We’ll finish it next time,” I hear Zak say before the door slams shut behind me.

Oh, that was so embarrassing. I need to gain better control over myself and my instincts. It’s not okay to just stare like that.

I hit my hands against my head, muttering to myself. “Snap out of it. Snap out of it. You’re fine.” I just need to go home and get some sleep.

~~~

A few days later, we are back at another meeting for our group project. We’re not even five minutes in when Tara gets a call.

“I’ve got to go help my brother. I’ll be back later! You better finish the project. No drama,” Tara scolds us. She moves two fingers, beckoning between her eyes and us. She heads for the door.

“Why would there be drama?” I ask innocently, putting my pouty face on.

Honestly, there probably will be some anyway.

She raises an eyebrow and gives me a look that says, “Behave.”

I chuckle softly and give a salute. Honestly, I’d do anything for Tara. No, I don’t like like her. But she’s the only person who’s stood by my side all these years. I don’t know what I would do without her.

When she leaves, there’s silence in the room for a few minutes. Until Zak decides to break it. “Hey. Sorry about yesterday.”

I stare at him in shock. I never thought he’d be the kind of person to apologize for being mean. Somehow, I find it a bit sweet.

“Listen, man. I was just feeling a bit…down yesterday. I shouldn’t have acted like that. I’m sorry, too.” I’m surprised at my own words, but I mean it.

He smiles softly and I can’t help but return it. “Apology accepted,” he says.

“Can I tell you something?” I ask hesitantly, fidgeting with my fingers. I’ve never told anyone this, except for Tara, so I’m a little scared.

“Sure.” He shrugs and looks at me patiently.

I take a deep breath, trying to prepare myself. Normally when someone knows a secret like mine, they just assume the worst and immediately either freak out, or do something stupid.

“I’m a vampire,” I say quietly, my head dropping to look at the ground.

His eyes widen and his jaw drops. He’s so still that he seems frozen in place for a moment. He pinches his arm and immediately shakes it. “Nope. No, this is real.”

“I’m being serious,” I say followed by a scoff. I take a deep breath and then bare my fangs.

“Oh, damn. You really weren’t kidding,” he exclaims, his voice full of realization, but not disbelief.

“I know I wasn’t,” I say with a nervous laugh. “I wish I was, though.”

“Why?” he asks in a confused tone.

“Well, I hate how people who know what I am, they look at me differently. Treat me differently.” I shake my head and sigh. I look down at my sketch pad and see that, today, my pencil has carried me away to a forest.

A forest with werewolves under a full moon. I wonder where that came from. But I have to admit, it’s one of my best drawings yet.

“That’s cool. You’re pretty good at art,” he compliments kindly, peeking at my illustration.

“Thanks,” I say quietly, secretly glad at his praise. He doesn't seem like the type to give compliments.

He nods and then tilts his head, lifting his gaze to meet mine. For some reason, neither of us had sat down when we got here. So it’s a little weird how he’s staring at me.

“Others might, but I won’t treat you differently,” he half mumbles.

He steps closer to me, his breath a tad bit shaky. I’ve never seen him like this. His eyes hold a bit of anxiety.

Then, he does the totally unexpected.

One hand on my chin and the other on my shoulder, he gently presses lips to mine. I’m shocked that he can be so…tender. His touch is so light compared to how rough he was the other day.

For a moment, I’m lost. I can’t say I hate the feeling. Quite the opposite, actually.

I gasp softly and pull back slightly, staring at him. What the hell was that? There’s no way he actually did that.

“Sorry. I’ve been wanting to do that for a little while now,” he admits straightforwardly. He doesn’t move from where he is, showing just how delicate the moment is.

Regret fills me. All along, I thought he was a jerk, but I was being one right back to him. I should’ve just explained how his words hurt me and resolved things.

“I’m sorry,” we both whisper at the same time. Then we laugh.

He presses his lips back to mine and, for once, I’m not afraid of the possibilities of the world. This was the opposite of how I expected this relationship to turn out, but, I can’t deny the connection. I guess it’s true. Opposites do attract.

Perhaps I was wrong about Zak.

Perhaps…we can be more than rivals.