A Touch of Scarlet

03

I sit propped-up against the brick, paint stained wall of 'my' art studio.

Well the studio's not mine but I've basically grown up here.

It's a simple art studio above a booster juice that my sister used to work at.

After school, she would always drive me over so I could paint, sculpt or draw and then she would go downstairs to work.
I've been coming here since I was a little girl. I used to take classes here, but after I'd taken almost every class I just kept coming back.

The owners of the studio are Kim and Thomas, a sweet middle aged couple; they're like family to me.

I lean my canvas against a box so I can paint without standing up. My hand starts to move against the canvas, swirling different shades of red along the fabric. I mix the smallest dab of black into the red forming a deep scarlet colour. Then add it to my blood red swirls.

The door opens and in walks Kim.

Her hair is in a high, loose, paint splattered bun, black sweatpants and a white paint splattered tank top. She smiles brightly at me.

"Hey Lydia would you mind cleaning up soon? Tom and I have to be home early for a family dinner" she complains. However her natural smile breaks through the annoyance in her voice.

I laugh before standing up.

"I was just finishing up" I reply, before standing up, making my way over to the small titanium sink and quickly cleaning my brushes and the pallet. I take my painting and prop it against the brick wall to dry.

Kim turns and steps out of studio B, with me following behind.

⋆⋆⋆

Walking back from the studio isn't always the nicest walk, since it's in the sketchier part of downtown.

I would ask Carter to pick me up but I'd much rather clear my head before being around his family.

I've been trying not to think about the accident or Andréa but it isn't the easiest thing to do, especially since I can hear people talking about it in the hallways when I walk by in school. Like I can really hear them, every single voice. It's as if I can hear every single breath as it escapes my fellow classmates. During the hallway rush in-between classes it'll sound like a stampede thumping against my eardrums.

Finally my emotions catch up to me as more thoughts of my sister come to me and I basically break down. I continue walking while the salty tears stream down my face.
The multicoloured bricks that make up the buildings around me begin to blur together slightly.
A small cry sounds in the distance followed by a delicious smell. I run to the alley where the noise had come from only seconds before.

Surely enough, a boy around my age stands against the brick wall with his arm out. He inspects it silently.

I look to see what it is on his wrist that made him cry out.

I freeze when I see the scarlet liquid sliding down his arm and dripping to the ground.

The blood begins to pool on the ground under the boys arm.

Before I realize what I'm doing, I've started towards the boy and am reaching out for his arm. He looks up in shock as I firmly grip onto his wrist, starring down at the blood dripping slowly down his arm.
He tries to pull away forcefully but my grip is surprisingly too firm.

"Wha- what are you d-doing" he stutters unsurely.

"I have no idea" I reply quietly, then a word comes to mind ... Almost like an instinct.

Bite.

I bring his wrist up to my mouth, only inches away-

'SLAM'.

I hit the wall hard, my head throbs but anger clouds my pain. I look around searching for the source of my anger and pain.

Jordan leans against the brick wall, standing across from me.

His white hair is wind blown as if he'd sprinted here, a slight flush is spread across his freckled cheek bones.

My breath catches as I realize what he had just caught me doing. I stand in confusion.

What had I been doing?

The boy with the bloody wrist stands to the side, wide eyed. Jordan turns to look at him

"This never happened. Leave" he states firmly to the boy who nods and runs away in fright.

Jordan looks back to me "I-I umm" I start but then stop as I realize that I have no explanation whatsoever.

"Bloodlust" He says simply, as if stating the obvious.

"I-wait what" I mumble.

"Lydia what do you believe in?" he asks.

"W-what are you talking about?" I stutter totally caught off guard.

"Do you believe in-" he pauses, "The unknown?" I pause then nod slowly.

"Fairytale creatures?", "I'd like to" I reply simply.

This time his pause goes on for a few seconds longer before he asks:

"Vampires?"

I let out a short laugh, "Vampires?" I repeat in a mocking tone "Actually?".

All of a sudden his expression changes. His blue irises bleed over into inky-black orbs, and his lips part exposing two white canines.

A scream escapes me before I turn around and set off at a run, faster than any pace I've ever gone at before, almost un-human.

Jordan catches up running beside me, his feet matching the rhythm of mine as they hit the pavement.

"You don't need to be afraid, I'm only here to help you" he says. I stop, looking over at him, I raise my brow. Still slightly shake up from his change of features seconds before.

"Help me with what?" I ask sceptically.

"Your change" he replies.

I choke on the phrase, "My change" I repeat after him. All of a sudden tears begin to fall down my face and I don't deny his words because even though I want to, something in the back of my mind is tugging at the possibility of them being true.

He moves towards me "I know how you feel right now and it sucks. All of your emotions will start to heighten but I'm going to help you ok? With control and everything else" he gives me a reassuring look, "Ok?".

I just nod in reply, unable to speak.

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Authors Note:

Image of Carter to the side. >

Thanks for reading this far, remember to vote and comment if you like it. :)