Bloody Rhapsody (Damon Salvatore Love)

5. Vampire Hugs

 

  "I'm sorry," I whine as I lightly tug at the bottom of Zeke's blue striped shirt, pleading with him to look at me.

  I know he is mad, but he can't be as mad as he is acting. If he was really super mad, then he wouldn't have waited at his locker for me to meet him for lunch. Still, soon as he saw me walking down the hall he turned his back on me.

  "I didn't mean to blow you off! Just so much happened, and it was such a weird night. I don't know it just totally slipped my mind," I explain in a rush, certain that he will understand.

 "Oh, but it didn't slip your mind to hang out with your new friends did it," he accuses, crossing his arms over his chest in a huff.

  Everyone always says that I am the sensitive one, which is true I suppose, but Zeke is just as capable of being overly dramatic.

  "Zeke," I whine even louder. "please look at me! I have so much to tell you!" I tug on his shirt harder, beginning to feel desperate for him to forgive me.

  "Why don't you go tell them!" he yells, spinning around quickly to level me with a hurtful glare.

  My heart stops in my chest as I look deep into his eyes. He is a lot more hurt than I had realized. I let his shirt fall from my finger tips, my mind grasping for solutions.

  "I'm sorry," I offer, so soft I don't think he even hears me.

  "Mom even made caramel apple pie to celebrate that we are officially seniors!" he lets out a whine of his own, quiet once more now that he was able to release a bit of his anger.

  I realize for the first time how selfish I am. Sure, Zeke has a few random friends that he will hang out with occasionally, but because he is always taking care of me he doesn't have much time for others. He voluntarily pushes others away so that he can spend all his time with me, and then I go and ditch him.

  "She told me she was going to," I announce, my tone even and serious, "and you know something really important would have to come up for me to miss out on that. You know it's my favorite!" I am completely serious, but I let myself smile a little hoping he will lighten up as well.

  Not a chance, his expression stays exactly the same. Lips pressed in a tight line, his icy blue eyes narrowed in a hard stare. He doesn't get mad very often, and almost never with me, but when he does its almost scary. I try not to fidget, knowing he will only be more annoyed if he sees me act self consciously. I stand my ground, but allow my smile to slip away.

  "I saw that self conceited jerk leaving your house," he gibes, his voice even and stern, letting me know I really have a lot to explain.

  "It's not what it looked like," I defend, only to mentally slap myself in the head. Every time someone says that in movies, it's exactly what it looks like.

  "That's what they always say!" he yells before turning  and stomping off to the lunchroom.

  My heart sinks as I watch him, my mind in a haze of uncertainty. Quickly I lurch forward and grab onto him, my body reacting on its own. Without realizing it my own anger was surfacing, taking over my emotions. How can he be so mad at me if he doesn't even know the whole story? Moving so I am standing in front of him I peer into his eyes, letting my irritation flow through me I push my insecurities to the side.

  "First of all, how dare you even insinuate that something was going on between Damon and me! He was being really nice after Dad wrecked the place. So I am sorry, really I am, for not giving you a call. Honestly I was drained after having to deal with the mess and I thought you would understand. Especially considering you were the one who pushed me to go out in the first place!" The words tumble out of my mouth faster than my mind can create them.