"It's a jack-ass," Daren said.
"No, it's a bunny standing on it's ears," I protested.
"Donkey."
"Bunny."
"Donkey."
"Bunny."
"Donkey."
"Bunny."
The two of us continued on like that, sitting outside in his backyard after the party had ended, staring at the shapes the clouds were making in the darkening sky. Daren reached out and took my hand in his, squeezing it gently and, after a moment, I squeezed back, savoring the feel of his warm hand in my own. Today had been fun. Some part of me wanted to deny it, but everyday with Daren was turning out to be fun. I was really liking being around him. He never got drunk and cursed excessively like Greg had. Daren was actually a nice guy. You know, once you get passed his bad boy exterior.
The scene with Gabriel played through my head for the millionth time that day, along with his ruthless words. Break it off. I couldn't. Being with Daren made me too happy, I couldn't just let go of that now, could I?
"Hey, you okay?" Daren asked, looking at me a worried expression on his face. In the dimming light his baby blue eyes were now dark sapphire. It was truely beautiful. I didn't want to leave him, but would Daren wait for me until I came marching back from war? Not likely.
Hesitantly, I opened my mouth. "Daren?"
"Yeah?"
"Why are you dating me?" I heard myself ask and instantly cursed myself for it. That was such a stereotypical-girl thing to ask a guy. But, Daren didn't seem phased. Not one bit.
He smiled a little. "You mean aside from keeping you away from that sleeze-ball, Steele?" I nodded. "Truthfully, it was the first day you came to DHS, in English class. When you lunged over that desk I couldn't help thinking, 'damn, what great legs!'. And when you threw that right hook I knew I was in love." I was laughing by the time he had finished and scootched closer so I could lean my head against his arm.
"Well that's a first," he chuckled and I looked up at him quizzically. "That was the first time I've seen you laugh like that. It's nice." Daren leaned closer and placed a cool kiss on my head.
"It's only because you have a funny face," I replied back and reached onto the plate set out in front of us, filled with pumpkin shaped sugar cookies, taking a bite out of the soft treat. Daren's mother was surely gifted at baking. When I looked back up at him he was still smiling at me in that sweet way of his. That smile broke my heart.
"What would you do," I began slowly, "if you couldn't see me for a long time? Like, a really long time? Think a year minimum. What would you do?"
"I don't know, why?" He was still smiling, but I knew play time was over.
"Some things have come up." Oh, god, this sucked. This sucked so hard. I was going to miss him so much. "I have to go."
"I'll drive you home, then," he replied back simply.
"No, I mean I have to leave Day Lightens for a while. A long while."
"What do you mean?" he asked. "What happened? Why?" His expression had gone from confused to serious, worry plain on his face.
I'm going away to fight in a war. Ps, I'm a vampire? I couldn't tell him something like that. He would look at me like some deranged psychopath. But what could I say to him?
At that moment my phone buzzed next to me and I quickly keyed in my password, giving me an excused to look away from those big blue eyes of his. I had a new message from an unknown number. Opening it I read the small text: Tell him you're leaving for an art program if you can't simply break it off. -G.

YOU ARE READING
Hide and Seek in the Dark (Being Rewritten)
VampireThe squeezing around my throat started again and I could feel hot tears burning tracks down my face as I struggled to breathe. Benjamin's attacker laughed cruelly, softly, in his ear. "You're going to die," he growled. And then pain so intense in my...