Not So "Ordinary" Girl(Editing)

What's Happening To Me?

[After School]

I exit class as the bell rings and head straight for the girls locker room to get ready for tennis. Mariana and April are already there changing. I quickly change and we join up to jog to the tennis court near the school. I still have the feeling of someone watching me. Once we reach the tennis court, we go to the boys who are waiting for us holding our tennis racquets.

"Took you long enough," Jared says to us.

"They're girls, what do you expect?" Ethan says back sarcastically.

"We were waiting for each other," I retort back.

"Let's practice before the coach gets here," Ethan says to avoid an argument. He always does that when I'm not in a good mood.

We walk to the middle court and pair up two people on each side. Mariana and Mason stand on each side to judge whether the ball stays in the lines or not. We start playing double and I serve with a strong hit. I'm great at tennis, but the only person that has gone against me and won is Mason. After a few minutes of volleying, the coach and the other ten tennis players show up.

"Ok let's start!" our coach says, with his booming voice that everyone can hear across the tennis courts. 'I have to tell mom, even if I'm just being paranoid' I think as I replay the conversation the teacher and that mysterious woman had over in my head.

[At Home]

I trudge up to the house and start typing in the access code. As I am let into the house I find that mom's already home, sitting stiffly at the kitchen table.

"Hey Mom, what are you doing home early?" I ask her curiously.

"We need to talk." Is all she replies. Uh oh. I know this is serious 'cause she has her interrogating, no-nonsense face on. I wonder what it could be this time. The only other serious talk we had was the sex talk, and let me tell you that was anything but pleasant.

"What about?" I ask her, confused.

"Do you feel like someone's following you? Are weird things happening to you? Did anyone talk to you?" She bombards me with questions.

"Mom what's going on?" I ask, scared and relieved that I wasn't just being paranoid.

"I have a big secret and I think it's time I told you about it," she says with a bit of steel in her voice that softens into some sort of sadness.

"OK?" I say trying not to freak out.

"Ok, sit down. This is a lot to take in." I sit down obviously worried about what she's going to tell me.

She heads straight to the point,"You're not normal and I am not either."

"Yeah, ok. I already know that. Did someone find out that you work for the FBI?"

Mom takes in a deep breath before speaking.

"Sort of. We're vampires, well, I'm a vampire and you're half vampire." she lets this sink in, carefully watching me.

"Mom I think you need to see the doctor," I say with a confused expression.

"Honey this is serious. I'm not joking, and we need to go back to our home where it's safer."

"Prove it." 'This is the only way to end the conversation. Once she realizes she really does need to see the doctor she'll stop with this nonsense,' I reason with myself.

"I didn't really want you to find out this way, but OK," she answers nervously.

I wait patiently for her to do some magical trick.

I am not doing a magical trick. We don't have time for this.

I cringe to the voice in my head. Mom?

Yes, I am talking to you in my mind.

I slowly breathe, using the deep breathing technique I was taught when I was young. On the verge of panic, I finally open my mouth to release the one question that has been burning in the back of my mind all day that no one seems to be able to answer.

"Ok I believe you. Is that why I'm being followed?" I say as the burden of the thought escapes my mind.

"Yes," She replies without hesitation.

"Why?" Again, I question, still not wanting to believe what I already know to be the truth.

"We're royalty, therefore, we are in danger. No vampire knew where we live, except for a select few, but an outsider found out and now it is even harder to keep you safe.

"But that doesn't explain why you're working for the FBI." I press the issue.

"I truly do work for the human FBI and I didn't want people to know that because if other vampires know that I work for them you'll be in more danger because I'm a vampire holding a lot of authority in the human and mythical realm."

"How does that make matters worse Mom?"

"Honey, think. Vampires make a living and keep their secret among humans. Most of the books about vampires, fiction or not, are true. So a vampire in power among humans is more likely targeted than a vampire staying hidden and unnoticed."

"So the fact that you're also in high power among humans means that you are even more dangerous to other vampires?"

"Exactly."

"So... someone's been following me," I say to her with even more concern than at first.

"I know, I found that out the first day." She replies this with her expression worn. "We have vampires who look after you and make sure you're safe."

"Why didn't you tell me all this?" I ask feeling hurt.

"I'm sorry, it didn't feel right to tell you until you were ready enough. I guess I felt I had to tell you before your 17th birthday since the situation is getting worse," she says nonchalantly.

"Wait, you said I'm a half vampire so does that mean dad was a human?" I ask slowly putting the pieces together.

"Yes," she said with hesitation, "I didn't tell you this before, but your dad died from a vampire attack. It was a vampire from an enemy kingdom."

I let tears slip down my face as I think of him. Mom hugs me and tells me it's alright and that we're going to be ok. I hold on to her words, hoping that it's true. I pull back and wipe my tears away.

"So what's going to happen now?" I say, teary-eyed.

"We might have to move back to our real home where we'll be safer." I gasp as I think about my friends.

"What about my friends?" I say near sobbing.

"Don't worry. They don't know this, but they're half-vampires like you so they'll be coming back with us." I smile relieved that I'll still be able to see them. "I wanted you to have friends growing up, so what's better than having friends who could relate to you?" I think about what their reactions would be when they hear the news.

"Don't worry, their parents are telling them the same thing I'm telling you," mom says knowingly.

"How'd you know I was thinking that?" I ask curiously.

"Well, it's one of the abilities we vampires have. One of them is reading people's mind."

"Oh," I say feeling like a stupid child. I read a book that involved vampires so I should already know this stuff.

"It's ok, you'll learn about your powers soon enough," mom says.

"Ok," I say feeling like a child yet again.

"Come on, why don't you go to bed. you have had enough to deal with tonight. We'll work out the rest tomorrow," Mom says as I yawn, realizing how tired I was.

"Goodnight mom," I say while bringing her to a hug.

"Goodnight sweetheart," she says while pulling back. I walk up the long spiral stairs and when I reach the top, I turn to the left and walk to my room. After I enter my room, I change and lay down in bed, covering myself with my warm and soft blanket. Slowly, darkness falls over me as I close my eyes.