of turtlenecks for the four day weekend.
Monica raised one eyebrow a bit. “Sounds like you had a bad night.”
“Yeah, I did.” Finally looking at her friend, Claire said, “I really don’t want to talk now. Dan and I are giving it a few days before we talk again.”
Monica shrugged and got up to fix herself breakfast.
Silently, Claire started cursing at herself. Why did she lie? Why didn’t she tell one of her best friends the truth? She literally just protected the man who abused her last night. Never had she tolerated an abusive guy before. When she was in high school and even college, any guy who showed signs of being abusive she dumped immediately. She knew better than to let someone hit her. So why was she defending Daniel?
Was it because he claimed to be a vampire? Because of how he weirdly darted around his apartment and showed her his fangs? Did she really believe vampires existed?
Turning to her roommate, who was buttering a bagel, she suddenly asked, “Hey Monica. Has someone ever told you they were a vampire?”
Monica completely froze for a few seconds before looking at Claire. By the way she had asked her that question, Monica seemed to think her friend said the sky was purple.
“I mean, seriously,” Claire said, putting her mug on the coffee table. “There are wackos out there, aren’t there?”
“Yeah, that’s what they are. Wackos.” Monica shook her head and went back to her bagel. “Why are you asking me that?”
“Because while we were out, this guy came up to me and Dan said he was a vampire.” Claire shrugged. “I don’t know, it was just bizarre to hear him say that.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine, Monica. Just had a lousy night.”
“Well, you better not let it ruin today. What time is your brother picking you up?”
“At eleven. I’ve got time.”
“No.” Monica laughed a bit “Samantha will be up soon and needs to get her hangover off her. Better get into the shower before she does.”
“Right, I’ll do that.” Claire finished off her hot chocolate, put it in the sink and made a beeline to the shower.
Her brother, Zachary, stopped by a couple of hours later. Claire was quick to get into his car rather than have him spend time at the apartment. That was odd according to everyone, since they expected that he would relax a bit before spending another hour driving back to central New Jersey. But Claire was insistent that she leave immediately. She didn’t care how odd she was acting; she just wanted to run from her troubles for a few days.
As Zachary drove her, she mostly talking about her freelancing. She had two assignments lined up, but she had plenty of time to do them. She tried to avoid talking about Daniel, but Zachary, being her big brother, wanted to bring him up.
“How are things going with you two?”
“Oh, fine, fine. He’s sorry he couldn’t make it, but he’s got assignments himself.”
“Yeah, understandable. Maybe he could call us later today?”
“Maybe. He didn’t mention it.” Claire quickly changed the subject to her niece, Ava. Her brother discussed how she was trying to crawl. That brought a smile to Claire’s face, something that felt odd after spending hours looking glum.
As they got closer to Bedminster, the town where she grew up, Claire began to think about how her parents raised her here and not in a larger city, even though the family made trips to either New York or Philadelphia regularly. They always told her it was because of the crime in those places. They were worried when Claire announced she was going to Richmond College, and even more so when she told them she would stay on Staten Island after graduation. Back then, she’d laughed it off as small-town people’s fears. But now, she began to wonder if maybe they were right with their fears. Maybe a small town was best, where no vampire or any mad man could create turmoil for someone.
That led her to think about how it was possible for
Monica raised one eyebrow a bit. “Sounds like you had a bad night.”
“Yeah, I did.” Finally looking at her friend, Claire said, “I really don’t want to talk now. Dan and I are giving it a few days before we talk again.”
Monica shrugged and got up to fix herself breakfast.
Silently, Claire started cursing at herself. Why did she lie? Why didn’t she tell one of her best friends the truth? She literally just protected the man who abused her last night. Never had she tolerated an abusive guy before. When she was in high school and even college, any guy who showed signs of being abusive she dumped immediately. She knew better than to let someone hit her. So why was she defending Daniel?
Was it because he claimed to be a vampire? Because of how he weirdly darted around his apartment and showed her his fangs? Did she really believe vampires existed?
Turning to her roommate, who was buttering a bagel, she suddenly asked, “Hey Monica. Has someone ever told you they were a vampire?”
Monica completely froze for a few seconds before looking at Claire. By the way she had asked her that question, Monica seemed to think her friend said the sky was purple.
“I mean, seriously,” Claire said, putting her mug on the coffee table. “There are wackos out there, aren’t there?”
“Yeah, that’s what they are. Wackos.” Monica shook her head and went back to her bagel. “Why are you asking me that?”
“Because while we were out, this guy came up to me and Dan said he was a vampire.” Claire shrugged. “I don’t know, it was just bizarre to hear him say that.”
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine, Monica. Just had a lousy night.”
“Well, you better not let it ruin today. What time is your brother picking you up?”
“At eleven. I’ve got time.”
“No.” Monica laughed a bit “Samantha will be up soon and needs to get her hangover off her. Better get into the shower before she does.”
“Right, I’ll do that.” Claire finished off her hot chocolate, put it in the sink and made a beeline to the shower.
Her brother, Zachary, stopped by a couple of hours later. Claire was quick to get into his car rather than have him spend time at the apartment. That was odd according to everyone, since they expected that he would relax a bit before spending another hour driving back to central New Jersey. But Claire was insistent that she leave immediately. She didn’t care how odd she was acting; she just wanted to run from her troubles for a few days.
As Zachary drove her, she mostly talking about her freelancing. She had two assignments lined up, but she had plenty of time to do them. She tried to avoid talking about Daniel, but Zachary, being her big brother, wanted to bring him up.
“How are things going with you two?”
“Oh, fine, fine. He’s sorry he couldn’t make it, but he’s got assignments himself.”
“Yeah, understandable. Maybe he could call us later today?”
“Maybe. He didn’t mention it.” Claire quickly changed the subject to her niece, Ava. Her brother discussed how she was trying to crawl. That brought a smile to Claire’s face, something that felt odd after spending hours looking glum.
As they got closer to Bedminster, the town where she grew up, Claire began to think about how her parents raised her here and not in a larger city, even though the family made trips to either New York or Philadelphia regularly. They always told her it was because of the crime in those places. They were worried when Claire announced she was going to Richmond College, and even more so when she told them she would stay on Staten Island after graduation. Back then, she’d laughed it off as small-town people’s fears. But now, she began to wonder if maybe they were right with their fears. Maybe a small town was best, where no vampire or any mad man could create turmoil for someone.
That led her to think about how it was possible for
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