Circle Quartet: Chapter 2

Chapter 2

My name is Alice Amber and I’m a vampire. Well, not real vampire but half. My Dad is a vampire and my Mom is a witch. I know it doesn’t make any sense but impossible is nothing – like my Grandma Zelda always says to all of us. My family is kind of weird when using the family name. You see, I’m the only in my family who carry the name of Amber because I’m a vampire, not a witch while my two younger brothers are wizards (they don’t have any vampire genetic in their blood) so they carry the name of Black which is from my Mom’s family. Same goes to Uncle Archie’s family where his wife, Aunt Nadine, is a Shape-shifter which carries the name of Primrose.

I live like a normal person does. I go to school, I have lots of friends, and I do lots of outdoor activities. Dad told me that I’m a vampire when I was seven years old. I used to read a lot about vampires – most of them are myths and legends. So when I knew that I’m a vampire, I was afraid to go out to play under the sun or eat garlic or having a bad dream of a stake that went through my heart. But then, Dad said that that was a myth. We live in 21^st Century so there are no such things.

Dad is a professor and he loves sun bathing every weekend. Nothing bad happened to us, vampires, because we always take our blood supply enough for one month. And that’s the secret of why we can stay long under the sun or eat garlic. We only drink the blood supply which been purified by the expert witches and wizards. I’ll tell you later on how we get the blood supply. Right now, I’m rushing to school.

This is my final year being a high school student. Nothing much happen since I’m a senior except for the college examinations. But I won’t enter those colleges anyway. Grandma Maegan has already chosen the college for me. It’s not a college actually but it’s some kind of special school for vampires who already turned 18. It’s our tradition to further our study there. Still, I need to pass all the examinations with flying colours. If not, Dad will give me some kind of detention or grounding session which I really, really hate it.

I park my bike at the bike park and walk to the lockers. My locker is situated near my class so I don’t need to worry much if the first bell rings. I open my locker and search for the History text book. History is my favourite subject because I never failed this subject before. In fact, I just love history since I was a kid. Maybe because of Grandma Maegan’s house is full with history books. I used to live with her until I was 10.

“Alice, check this out,” my best friend, Paola, appears out of the blue. She shows me an advertisement I don’t know where is it came from.

“What’s that?” I ask, close my locker with a bang.

“There’s a sale at the Jher Mall! See these? 70 percent off!” I nearly turn deaf, twice.

I squint as I see something that catches my mind. The 70 percent off thing really hypnotize me. The last date will be next week. If I don’t go today, I might not get the ‘thing’ inside the ad.

“So? Are you going or not?” Paola waits for my respond which was pending two minutes ago.

“Of course! I need to grab this,” I point to the ‘thing’. “I can’t miss this, can I?” I wink.

“I knew it! Great! Let’s tell the others,” Paola grabs my hand and we run to the class.

Paola spreads about the 70 percent off things and most of my classmates – except for the boys, are planning to go to the Jher Mall after school. I check my reminders for today and lucky me I don’t have any appointment, I mean, any important appointment for today.

I focus on the History today and Miss Maria excitedly tells us about her country, Spain. I’ve been there once when I was 10 years old. I still remember the names of some roads and of course the historical buildings.

There’s no homework on History today which makes me a little bit disappointed. I love doing History and Maths. That’s why most of my friends called me a freak. Well, at least they don’t know who I really am.

Paola, Leah, Vanessa and I are having recess at the roof top. The roof top is the favourite place for us to eat our home-made lunch. Today, Aunt Ada serves 5 garlic bread sticks and porridge. As usual, we like to gossip about some guys but I usually be the good listener.

“Hey Alice, your boyfriend is on the field. He’s the pitcher today,” says Vanessa who is leaning to the rails.

I stand up and walk next to him. “He’s not my boyfriend, Vanes. How many times to I have to tell you this?” I put my hands on my hip.

“Aww, come on, Alice. We saw you so many times meeting with that baseball guy. The latest one is when he talked to you after school near the locker,” Leah put her arms around my shoulder.

“Even if we talk with each other it doesn’t mean that he’s my boyfriend. He’s just my childhood friend,” I state. But the girls are giggling and say that my childhood story is quite romantic. Geez.

I wait patiently for the last bell to ring. I really need to go to the mall with my friends. I have to get that thing! As I put the books in the locker, my cell phone rings. I look at the screen. It’s from Grandma Maegan.

“Hello Grandma,” I greet her.

“Hello, my dear Alice. Are you in the class?” she asks.

“No. The class is just dismissed,” I answer.

“Good. There’s something I need to tell you. The Silver family is having a hi-tea this evening and they are inviting you, Beatrice and Raina to join them. Your cousin, Dafne will be there too, I’m sure.”

Oh. My. God. A hi-tea. With the Silvers. Meaning that I can’t go to the mall. Which means I have to meet him. Again.