How to Be a Virgin

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Attached is a short clip of Noah as a vampire, so check it out!

CHAPTER 8

[ Noah ]

   "Poppa, can I ask you something?" The question flew out of my mouth before I could register it. As soon as I spoke up, Poppa looked up from his iPad to give me his full attention. Michael's words had clearly affected me and I contemplated taking back my words and dismissing the subject, but I had already gotten this far. "Do you think Dad treats me like a little kid?"

His eyes narrowed into thin slits. "Why do you ask?"

My gaze fell onto my plate where I had been pushing a half-eaten, syrup-soaked piece of French toast with my fork. Dad left not too long ago, claiming he had to meet with one of his employees, so I figured this would be the only time I'd get to talk to Poppa without him around.

"Well..." I kept my eyes glued to my food, refusing to meet his curious gaze. "He never lets me order for myself whenever we go out to eat, he always packs my lunch, and he wouldn't let me lock my door when I had my friend over."

Poppa looked at me for an unsettling amount of time before he actually set his iPad on the counter and ran a hand through his medium-length black hair that curled around his ears and at the nape of his neck. "Well, I guess it makes sense that you would draw that conclusion, but I'm sure it's just because he cares an awful lot about you."

"Yeah, but you don't do that stuff."

He shrugged. "I don't need to. I trust you'll make good decisions."

I felt my heart drop to my knees. "Are you saying that Dad doesn't trust me?"

"No, I'm not saying that at all, Noah." He folded his hands together and placed them on the counter, sighing heavily. "Your dad's just ... how do I say this? He's paranoid. He has been ever since he got out the hospital. He thinks the world is evil and bad things are destined to happen and blah, blah, blah. I stopped listening after a while."

"But that was months ago," I added. Of course I knew Dad was acting this way because of what he went through, but I didn't want this to last forever.

Poppa shrugged carelessly and glanced back down at his iPad. "Just wait a while. He'll get his head out of your ass eventually."

That made me smile. "Dad would kill you for saying that. You know you're not supposed to curse in front of me."

He rolled his eyes. "Jay's a dick ... but that's probably why I like him so much."

"Poppa!" I exclaimed.

He snickered silently to himself as he reached over the island to snatch my last piece of French toast from my plate. "Have you written any new songs lately?"

I slumped forward in my seat and stared at my empty plate. "Greg made fun of my songs again." The memory of my last encounter with the egotistical actor made me slightly discouraged. I managed to get through my daily activities without being bullied by big football jocks, but I had to be stuck with someone much worse—Greg, my personal bully since 6th grade. He absolutely hated me and it wasn't for a good reason, either. It was just because of who my parents were.