Johnny

“Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle,” I said. My name was Erica, a.k.a Miss Motionless. “Funny joke, Adam,” I said. Everyone started looking at me. “Learn to be less disgusting and maybe you’ll have a chance with Kelly.” Kelly was my best friend; I could rely on her with my life.
I met up with her at a locker room. “Kelly?” I said. She was spitting out her lollypop before class had started again. “Don’t be such a punk!” I yelled. “Have some sense you can’t lick a lollypop once and throw it away and take a new one after class and do the same process over again.” I took out her lollypop and shoved it in my mouth. I mean if she wasn’t going to eat it, who would?
She went towards her locker and spun it open and a dozen of books fell out. I leaned against another locker besides hers looking out into space wondering why she was so irresponsible and unorganized but still got incredible grades.
One thing that I left out though was that, Kelly was special, very special. “Kell Kell!” yelled Adam. As he was passing nearby with his friends, he gathered their book bags and put them on her back while she was picking up her books from off of the ground. “Would you mind taking our bags Kelly-bear?” Adam said. Kelly smiled and nodded, with her In Love smile. He turned to me. “You can take mine if you’d like,” Adam said. “As if I gave you a choice.”
I kicked him in the shin. He then walked off hopping on one foot. It was really sad that Kelly did everything for him and he treats her as a slave. “What was that!?” I asked her. She shook her head, she barely ever talks. She never talked. “Leave me alone,” she said suddenly. I didn’t act like this was abnormal, I mean it wasn’t, but for her very much so. So I reacted as any person should react to another saying leave me alone:
“Kelly! You aren’t deaf?!” I asked. She walked away holding the bags unbalanced. I began to follow her and then she stopped. “What are you doing?” she asked. “Don’t follow me, go home, I have unfinished business to do here, ok?” I pretended that I understood completely. I held her unorganized books in my hands which I had shoved in her locker and closed. I then threw out her distasteful lollypop. Once in the garbage, I would rather no one take it out.

The next evening; Saturday, I had my mother drive me over to Kelly’s house; it seemed as if they were setting up for a funeral. Kelly was facing toward her father and they were in the middle of a conversation.
“Uhhhh… who died?” I asked, chuckling at the same time surprised I wasn’t informed about this. She turned towards me her eyes red and weary. My mom had already left and gone home, she had a plan that if I left, Kelly’s parents would have no choice other than to take me home. “You ok?” I asked.
“How disrespectful of you,” She muttered. “I am in the middle of something, and you don’t even aware me you’re visiting! Go home, now, Erica. I don’t want you here.” I didn’t move where I had already planted my feet. She looked behind her towards the coffin and it opened unexpectedly. She turned towards a person next to her, Adam. Both of them turned towards me and counted to three with their dainty fingers and gave me a harsh push while sand was blown into my eyes.
The last thing I saw was a creature rising from the coffin. “No!” yelled Adam. Every one of the people turned towards the voice that was attracting them so quickly. Their eyes were also filled with sand.
Kelly’s father turned towards me, “What is she doing here?” he asked.
“Father, I don’t know, she just showed up.” Her father was filled with anger and rage and so was the rest of her family there.
“What did I see fly out of that coffin?” I asked.
“You saw something?” her father asked. I nodded, afraid to talk towards him because of his usual and constant anger towards me.
“If none of us can see it, how can she?” asked Adam. “What are you?!”
I didn’t know the answer to these kinds of questions, especially ones I have never encountered, so I shrugged. “You have to be something,” Kelly said. “The sand is a blessing to all immortals that are approached by it, mortals by the way, burn to dust but you didn’t. If you don’t have an answer let us skip this, what in the world did you see?”
I looked around with everyone glaring at me. “There are possibilities of what you could’ve seen though,” said Adam. “You could’ve seen any animal, creature, insect? Did you see anything like that?” Voices were popping in and out of my head. I couldn’t understand what to say, the very pointless thing about these asked questions were that, I had absolutely no idea of anything that they were talking about.
All of a sudden, Adam was being nice, Kelly was talking, and her father for the first time didn’t say anything that could make me want to kill him. The worst part about this is that everyone is expecting that I’m immortal, trust me if I were I think I’d know by now. What was Kelly saying to me, the sand was a blessing to all immortals? If you weren’t immortal you’d burn to death, but she didn’t. Then what in the world was she?!


I guess I hadn’t realized the amount of time I was taking to think because the next thing I know was that an old woman put her hands on my shoulders and yelled, “Please tell us! What did you see?”
“I-I saw,” I stuttered. The family started smiling happily knowing that wherever that man went was going to be a great place. “I saw a horse, with wings and a horn in the middle of its forehead. A rainbow also surrounded it,” I lied terribly, but they fell hard for it.
The creature looked nothing like this. Dark black, horns for sure---but on both sides of the head. It was not the devil; it had a bull looking face with brick red eyes, and nostrils that flared.
Kelly’s family began to applaud. “Come inside while we have a feast!” yelled Kelly’s grandmother. “We have never met another of our kind before. Did you know we all turn into animals in our own rates? Old people like I, turn to our animals at old age. Young people like you, turn at young age, has to do a lot about time period your born in.”
I nodded; Kelly and Adam were standing beside each other looking at me. “They are the perfect granddaughter and grandson. Siblings are usually mean to one another but they are great,” Kelly’s grandmother complimented.
They were siblings?!

Adam walked towards me and held his grandmothers hand and kissed her forehead and as I began to walk through the door, Adam slowly stepped in front of me. “You’re lying to my family, what did you see?” Kelly asked approaching me.
“What are you?” I asked her, “How come I am the only one who saw something?” Kelly began to redden with anger. “I am supposed to be an Owling, my whole family is, I can judge by whom you are, and you are nothing close to my people. What are you? A matter of fact, no Owling can see with the sand in our eyes so according to you it was no blessing. Since you don’t want to tell me what you are, let’s hope it’s a curse.”
She walked off. I covered my eyes and cupped my hands pulling my hair back into a ponytail. Her front yard was completely emptied of people. I didn’t want to go inside feeling the hate from any of my friends, well, not too much of friends anymore.
I stood off of their property and looked at the people smiling. “Oh my gosh,” I whispered. “This cannot be happening.” I shook all of it off, walking away slowly. I could hear the sounds of cars roaming on the streets. Behind me I could hear a voice,
“Hey, move out of the way!” he wouldn’t slow down. I ran for my life, I moved to the other side of the street and he just followed me with his car accelerating, he was trying to kill

me! I knew that this eventually wasn’t going to end well, so I stopped running and waited for myself to die. I could hear the car’s screeching wheels slowing down, but he still slightly bumped into me and I fell. He came out of his car, and looked at me. “Are you dead?” he asked me.
“No!” I yelled. “Why’d you stop running? I thought you’d know I’d eventually stop chasing you with my car as soon as you reached the main street,” he complained.
“Friends

do these jokes to each other!” I said. “Not random strangers off the street!”
He chuckled, “How old are you nine or something? I’m pretty mature for my age, 16, and I sure do act like it. By the way, like my new ride?” I stood up surprised that he didn’t even help me like mature 16 year olds should.
I nodded. I began to walk away.
“Did you see that? Over there, I mean, at Kelly’s house.” I nodded. “You little liar. 'Oh I saw a horse and it had a horn in its head and a rainbow surrounding it!'” he mocked. “Owlings are saints,” he explained. “Unlike us who are not. I also found it really sad that you didn’t even know who you are. Or shall I say what

you are.”
I raised an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?” I said. He looked into Kelly’s window, where Kelly was watching upon us. We both waved discretely. “Let’s take a walk, cause Kelly knows what we are and I don’t want her to know much information.” He walked beside me in the direction of my home. “Well, we are demon like, we transform into actual demon at the age of 70,when we live for a full 70 years, but the actual demon is inside of us. We can use it for whatever, and demons can't really be seen when their souls are risen from their bodies, so what I’m saying is that Kelly’s granddad is not supposed to be an Owling, he was a demon. We have the powers to see him since we're f the same species. So where are you going?” he said.
This dude was crazy.

“I’m heading the direction of my apartment. Since my mom was not home I was actually babysitting.”
He nodded. “Cool.”
“What’s your name?” I asked still taken aback by his "Demon" announcement.
“Umm I don’t know, want to give me one?” was all he said.
I was surprised. “Really?” I asked.
He nodded.
“Um well,” I said. “You kind of look like an um…a Johnny. Do you like that name?” I asked.
“As long as I have one,” he said. I chuckled. “Well my name is um…" I paused, "...Erica. Sorry, you not knowing your name caught me off guard. Nice to meet you.” We shook hands. In so many ways he was scaring me. The fact that it was getting dark bothered me.
“Ever realized that in the night mosquitoes don’t bite you but all of your other friends always complain?” he asked.
I nodded.
“That has everything to do with them being scared of the demon in you.”
I frowned. “You seem so proud to call yourself a demon.” I chuckled.
He shook his head, “I’m not,” he said. “I have been so close to killing my loved ones, that every time I have this certain gravity pulling me towards their deaths, I have to drag myself to the floor letting another gravity take me in.” At this point I felt so strange, like he was being serious. “Hey, I’ll see you at school tomorrow,” he said.
“You go to my school?” I asked.
“Well I’m starting tomorrow,” he replied. He began walking in the other direction. “Hey, if your house was over there than why’d you walk this way?” I asked.
He ignored my question. “I had fun talking to you,” he replied. I held my thumb up as if the answer was good enough, and nodded.

Fully Developed

The other night I had reached home. Check!
All the children had been babysat. Check!
I met a weird guy and named him Johnny. Check?

I heard my front door open and my mother finally came home. “Go to school!” she yelled.
“Ok mom, remember I called you all night and you didn’t answer once,” I said while walking out the door.
“Don’t get smart with me!” she yelled again. I closed the front door behind me. I snickered. My mom was always like this, crazy. I walked to my bus stop and the person waiting for me there was Johnny. “Uh, hi,” I whispered making sure the neighbors wouldn’t hear us.
“Hello!” he yelled making sure that everyone would.
“What is wrong with you?! It’s 6:00 am.” Lights started turning on from house to house.
“I have one more question to ask you before we get onto the bus.” I nodded letting him know it was ok to ask. “What is my last name?” I thought for a second, and then the bus strolled by. I sat in a seat and he sat beside me.
“Maybe you can be my friend across the street; your last name is Roman,” I whispered. He nodded seeming pretty pleased. “I just wanted to let you know that no one really likes me here.” I warned him that if he ever wanted to be popular then he shouldn’t be hanging out with me.
“Maybe,” he started. “If they didn’t know you from earlier ages, you would be pretty popular.”
I shrugged. “Maybe.” I said. “Cause I didn’t know you and I thought you could’ve been the most popular person in school, one of those idiotic girls. That’s why I approached you with my car. By the way I’m very sorry for that.” I laughed.
“Who is that?” Adam said shamelessly.
“My friend, why?”
“Just wondering.” He replied. He stood up and sat next to us while squishing us in our seats.
“Hi, Adam,” said Johnny. “My name is Johnny Roman.” Adam nodded. “You got one pretty friend there Mr. Roman,” he smiled
“Don’t you ever call her pretty again,” Johnny said tensed. Adam was alarmed from the sudden harmful tone.
“Uh…. Johnny?” I said. “Are you ok?” I was sure Adam was only joking.
He nodded. “Adam was purposely trying to tick me off.” Adam shook his head and walked on over to his seat. The bus driver even stopped moving scared to death from this guy. I even backed up a little.
“Go,” Johnny said to the driver.
The bus began to move again. “What just happened?” I asked.
“That was me over reacting, that’s all.” He said. “I apologize for the embarrassment.”
I smiled. “You didn’t embarrass me, just scared me a little.” I explained.
“I don’t think this is a good idea,” he said.
“What?” I asked.
“For a demon like me to go to school like this.” He explained.
“I’m here and I’m fine.” I said. “You can make it too.”

As soon as we reached the school, we were let off the bus and the driver handed Johnny a note. He looked at it and got a little upset. I grabbed it from his hands and It read…

I understand you are new here but I am just giving you a warning. I will be talking to the dean about your strange outburst this morning and the fact that you commanded me to move the bus and we will see if he decides to enter you in special classes, Jonathan Roman.

“My name isn’t even Jonathan,” he complained.
“Yes it is,” I said plainly. “Johnny is only shorter name for Jonathan, if you want to think it like that.” He nodded understanding. “Ok,” I said. “To plan this out easier, you will be going to every class I go to, so first class we go to is chemistry.” As we were walking through the halls Johnny began departing from me. I grabbed his jacket. “You must stay near me.” I told him. He seemed pretty confident.
Adam approached us. “Hey Roman,” He said. “It’s about time when Erica and my sister would take my friends bags, but since my sister isn’t here I guess you could be a substitute.” I kicked Adam in the shin as usual but Johnny took it to the next level and aimed for his head.
I gasped. “Come let’s go Erica.” He took my hand trying to run out of the hallway as soon as possible as I constantly looked back. Then a large hand patted his shoulder.
The dean.
“May I ask who you are?” asked the dean.
“Jonathan.” Johnny gulped.
“Oh,” the dean said. “I’ve heard of you.” Johnny held onto my hand tighter, he must’ve been really feeling the urge to do something that could ruin him, or maybe he didn’t want me to run away. He knew I was scared of him. “You are Jonathan Roman, the kid with the outbursts. My office, now. You too Adam.” He finally let go of my hand, it was pulsating.
“May I come with him too?” I asked. “I didn’t want to tell anyone but I’m a little afraid to leave him out of my sight.”
The dean looked around. “What, are you his mother?” he chuckled. He then looked at my serious face. “Go in, we are going to have a discussion too.” I hid in a corner where no one could see me. “So,” smirked the dean. “It’s this guy’s first day and he already has found an enemy. Why is that Mr. Roman?”
It took Johnny a moment to talk. “I don’t---well he um---he told me to hold him and his friends' bags. I also did not appreciate the smile he gave to one of my friends.” He sounded so formal and frail.
The dean nodded, “Does that give you any right to almost cause a concussion?” he said.
Johnny began to sweat, and put his hand to his forehead. “Um… I am sorry; I don’t know the rules here. I feel weird and uncomfortable. May I leave now?” Johnny said.
“Jonathan, no!” said the dean. “What is your problem? I’m trying to clear this up.”
Jonathan’s fists got red. “I’m a little lost. I’ve never been to school or had problems with people like him before. To tell you the truth I usually get my way.” He squinted his eyes as his sweat dripped. “Has class already started?” he asked. The dean nodded.
His eyes became red. The dean became frightened. He went inside the room I was in and said, “I now see why you wanted to be here. Please come out and sit beside him."
I nodded. He opened the door for me and Johnny’s eyes immediately went from red to brown in a second. Johnny closed his eyes and breathed heavily, and once again held my hand tight. “I have anger issues,” He said. “And I will be ok for any punishment you give me.”
The dean nodded. “Ok.” He said. “You get detention and you will

have my classes every week.” I simply looked into the deans eyes. “You two can get to class for now while I talk to Adam and take a hall pass."
We walked out of the office door. Jonathan immediately hugged me. “You saved me.” He muttered. “I could’ve done something I really didn’t want to do, but thank God you were there.”
I smiled. “Yeah I was there. I could never leave you alone,” I said, and noticed that it was true then. “But if you need to hold someone’s hand, don’t do it so tightly. Let’s go.”
We began to walk. “Um… how come you don’t get as angry as me?” he asked.
“I can,” I said “but I just am able to control the urge of killing someone by stabbing a piece of paper, but don’t try that, it wont work for you.”
He laughed as well. We walked close to the chemistry class room. “You can let go of my hand now,” I said.
“Oh, yeah. Sorry just a little scared.”
“Go on walk in,” I said. He nodded.
I watched him walk in and I heard my teacher say, “Look we have a new student, what’s your name?” I walked in after him and grabbed a seat. He began getting all of this unwanted attention. I think I even heard some girls mutter, “He’s hot.” I laughed. “Pick a seat wherever you’d like sweetie,” said the teacher.
As I thought, he sat next to me. The next moment while the teacher was writing on the chalk board two girls about 15 years old, those idiots, started cat fighting. “What’s going on girls!?” yelled the teacher.
One of the girls looked towards the teacher and said, “Well, I asked Chelsea if she ever got a chance with the new kid, would she ask him on a date, and guess what! She said yes!”
Chelsea said, “Well Kelsey asked me and I answered. Who would you rather go out with, new kid?”
Jonathan probably had no idea what to say and I was afraid he might hesitate but instead he said, “None of you.” They both gasped and slapped him in his face. His eyes turned red. As soon as I noticed this I covered his mouth and held him against my chest and I stood up. “Excuse me for a moment please.” I said. “Uh… sure.” The teacher said trying to catch a glimpse of his eyes. I walked out of the door, and let go of him.
“Gosh!” yeah gosh

was right.
“I don’t know what’s happening to me!” he yelled. “I have never experienced such anger before.” I crossed my arms and listened. “What about you? Have you ever felt this way before?” I shook my head. “Have you ever seen your eyes change color?” I shook my head. “Well I have, ok! I have seen them turn from light brown to-to, to violet purple and it’s really freakin' scary! Are my

eyes frightening?”
I nodded. “Wait,” I said. “When have you seen my eyes change color?”
He gasped. “Well, whenever you’re at Kelly’s house talking to her family or even her!”
“Have you been stalking me?” I asked.
“I practically take a bike ride pass her house every day and I am very surprised no one has ever noticed.”
I nodded. “Well okay, bringing you here is harder than I thought but we can make this work.” I said. “Calm down, ok?” I walked back into class leaving Jonathan outside sitting. “Umm…” I began then the bell rang. Kids ran out into the halls looking at Johnny cover his eyes.
A woman bent down and asked him, “Are you ok?” Jonathan uncovered his red eyes.
“Excuse me” I said while taking his hands. “Please if you don’t mind, can you step away?” The teacher walked away quickly looking behind her watching Johnny watch her. I watched as this slowly continued. I slapped his face, and his eyes became a darker shade of red.
He looked directly at me. “You’re scaring people with that stupid glare. You are scaring me

. It’s frightening that you are angry with me. I may not like the people here but I have a respect for all of them unlike you."
“Can’t you feel it?” he asked.
“Feel what?” I asked.
“Your eyes changing color,” he replied. I walked away very angrily. “Better be careful of people seeing that!” he yelled. “If they do we will no longer be the only two left.”
Wait what? I turned around. “What do you mean only two left?” he laughed, but by the look of his eyes he still wanted to shred me to pieces, and so did I.
“Well Erica we are the only two in America left, I’m actually very happy I even met you, even though you are mentally killing me but, you know.”
“Come on.” I said. “We are walking home; bus transportation is too much money.”
“Skipping class huh?” said the dean. We turned around with our eyes being our normal color.
“Uh- we really need to leave.”
The dean’s eyes widened. “Oh I know,” he said. “Owlings and Demons should not co-exist in the same world right? I hope you know that we are going to have to execute you. Oh and don’t worry, we will make this a very silent death for you Jonathan, as for you Erica a detention for trying to cut class, and go to class this is none of your business.”
I hesitated. “B-But I also-”
“Go! Now.” Johnny said.
“But if you must watch Erica,” said the dean. “Come in my room.”
I entered. Jonathan was soon hooked to an unmovable office chair.
I gulped. “Uh…” I muttered. I could finally feel my eyes turn color from bottom to top. But even more unexpectedly, my nails grew five inches longer; my hair grew at least to my thighs. My teeth sharpened, piercing into my tongue, and my skin was a beautiful pail color while my lips were naturally red. Johnny took a startling look at me and then said, "What---what just happened?"
Then the dean was ready to kill Johnny, and then he looked at me. He dropped his dagger he was carrying. “You are a demon? And you look human? And you are fully developed? At age 16?” this was everything that the dean had popping out of his mouth. “I'll never be able to kill you," he muttered underneath his breath. "I can always kill you, Johnny, boy.”
"Don’t bother,” Jonathan said. “Since she is what we call a 'Demon', I will let the truth out; I have been fully developed since the age of three.” I was surprised by this, well not that much, his anger was terrible and he couldn’t control himself, his hair was always beautiful and straight.
His nails always did kind of look like a woman’s. And he looked pail whenever he was angry making it seem as though that whenever he wasn’t angry the paleness feature was gone. “I will let you stay here for two weeks and I will see if you two keep your act together, and you will be able to stay.”
We walked out of his office. “Look at you!” he yelled as soon as we escaped the air-clamped rooms. “Whatever demon you held inside of you was gorgeous. This is what you actually look like. I am so happy to see the real you. That was actually the only thing I liked about being a demon, other than that, you'll feel like the rest is a world of trash piled… over… you?”
He began to feel insane for the happiness of what I’ve become but he also realized that what just happened ruined his life and will also ruin mine. “At least we will be able to understand each other better, now that you know what I am going through.” I didn’t talk; he said this would happen when I was seventy. I was hoping that I’d die a little before seventy so that I would not end up like this and have to live forever. “Want to walk home?” he asked.
“Yes.” I replied.

A Small Kiss

As predicted, my attitude towards things was to change. I was angry at everything, especially Kelly and even angrier at Jonathan. I didn’t like my hair, every time I tried to cut it, it would grow back to the exact same length in two seconds flat.

My mother hadn’t come home in weeks; she was too upset that her thousand dollar shoes broke. School was starting again and I had to be there on time because if I wasn’t there for exactly two weeks I would have no chance on getting an education at all. I began walking to my bus stop again and met with Johnny on the way there in his car.

“Want to come in?” he asked with sun glasses on blocking his red eyes from the sun. I shook my head; I really did not want to talk to him. “Please…” he pleaded. I shook my head again. “Please…” I stepped into the front seat and avoided eye contact with him.
“I was wondering,” I began. “What are Owlings?”
He thought for a second. “Well they are just blind angels, well not blind,” he explained. “Just can’t notice what is sitting right in front of them. Like someone very sweet and perfect, and someone needed. Demons on the other hand see value in people. Believe they can do anything and change. Owlings are make-believe angels. We were the ones who were supposed to be the angels, but when we messed up, they didn’t want to give us a second chance.”
I smiled. “So we're not bad?” I asked.
He shook his head. “We are just hot tempered because of those stupid Owlings ruining our lives to connect with god.” I didn't know how true that was.
Once we made it to school, people from all directions were looking at us and then Kelly pulled me from my spot light. “What are you doing walking around with him?” she asked me.
“He’s my friend.” I replied sheepishly. “He’s more of a friend then you will ever be.” I walked away. I was starting to think that people thought we were a thing. I had to say it, but he was not

bad looking.
Then Chelsea and Kelsey approached me. “We wanted him first!” they both said as they slapped me across the face. Idiots

, I thought. Being approached by such people as them was like being slapped in the face altogether.
“Whoa!” Johnny said. “I was never taken.” Girls one by one came to him toppling over him like he was some kind of prize to be won. I walked to my next class that was filled with all boys, except one and a bunch of girls were missing too. I wonder why

, I thought being sarcastic with myself. Johnny came in the class room with lipstick marks all over him, and then he sat next to me as usual.
“Ew,” I muttered.
“What?” he asked. “They said they liked my bad boy act from yesterday.”
I smiled pretending that I felt happy for him. What bad boy act was there really? Truthfully, though, all I really did was envy him, I felt so much jealousy it could’ve torn me apart. No one had really liked me before and with him not talking to me as much anymore was killing me. I found a seat in a corner and began to weep.
I had a sudden feeling for attention that I could not bear. I wanted to embarrass myself or even throw a tantrum. I told myself to calm down.
What if I wore lipstick and makeup? Would I be as well-known as him, but what was the point if my lips were naturally a makeup color? My eyesight was perfect, my hearing was excellent but the book I was reading stunk. I pulled it from my book bag and threw it at Jonathan's head. He rubbed it for a moment wondering what had just happened.
I laughed, and took it as a joke. It made me feel so much better I could hardly believe it. I threw another book. He turned around and looked at me laughing in the corner.
“Erica,” he said. “What are you doing?”
I shook my head and frowned knowing that he could not take a harmless joke. Class was dismissed and we had a 10 minute break between classes. He came up to me. “What was with the throwing of the books in reading class today?” he asked me.
“Oh nothing,” I said. “Just enjoying myself.”
He frowned. “When you are hurting me, it makes your time more enjoyable?” he asked. "Then I guess it's pretty damn hilarious."
I frowned as well. I hadn’t thought of it like that. I knew I should’ve but I was never a child of wise words. “I’m sorry,” I apologized. “Please forgive me.” I said. “I hadn’t thought of things and how it would be like in your perspective, but the truth is I wanted attention like you, I wish

I were

you.” He seemed surprised. “If you want, you can go to your own classes now that you know what you’re doing and you're organized and no longer scared.”
He was silent and walked away then came back again. “You want to go and get some lunch?”
I shook my head suddenly aggrivated. “You don’t understand!” I yelled. “I envy you so much that it’s killing me slowly and I don’t want to be seen with you!” I could feel my eyes change colors. “I’m sorry.” I said. “I don’t mean to pour out any information on anyone; I just wanted to let you know how I feel." I took a deep breath". I mean, if you make me want to explode, but you still want me to stand beside you, kill me and carry my body in a suitcase for God’s sake.”
He nodded. “I will try to ruin this perfect life of mine for you because obviously you want me for your own!” he yelled.
I backed up. “Leave me alone,” I commanded. I walked away. “And don’t ever talk to me unless it's urgent.”

The next morning when I was getting ready to walk to the bus stop my doorbell rang. “Hey!” Johnny yelled out shamelessly. “A flower for you.” He handed me a daisy, a three lb. chocolate bar, a teddy bear, and um an invitation? The last thing I saw of him was him driving off in a car. The invitation read…

Dear Erica,

Anyways, I was wondering if you’d like to go to dinner with me tonight since you’ve rejected me asking you to come and eat lunch with me. (A little disappointing) Restaurant will be Dine~ Revesuiar at nine maybe. Just tell me if you’re coming, or if you feel a little uncomfortable like I do right now then you can write it down in a letter. Oh and I also promise no incidents this time. I just wanted to also tell you that I wanted you to count this as a date, and also a first. Bye 

To me this letter felt very uncomfortable and I hoped that he hadn’t left; this would be a lot easier to get in contact with him. The worst part about it is that he gave me all the things I truly loved, picked out my favorite restaurant and picked a perfect time. Another terrible thing is that I was totally ecstatic.

I went off to my bus stop and sat in a seat that I could find. I was silent the whole ride since Johnny wasn’t with me. I finally reached school and Johnny sat in a different seat then usual so I sat beside him. He wandered his eyes away from mine.
“Yes?” I said as a question but actually just answering his

question.
“What?” he asked nervously still facing away from me. “Yes, to your invitation,” I said.
His eyes widened. “Um… ok.” He said. “9:00 remember,” he said still facing the other direction. “I was really hoping we wouldn’t have to discuss this and that you’d write it in a letter.”
“Why are you hiding your face?” I asked. I turned his face towards mine; he was wearing an eye patch. “What happened?!” I asked concerned.
“Adam,” he replied grimly. I stood up ready to give him a peace of my mind, but then Johnny pulled me back down to my seat. “I’m not a child, I could’ve handled him myself but remember I-I mean we can’t do these things or you’ll lose your education.”
I nodded, but stood up anyway. I came out of the classroom no longer having anything in my mind but Adam. I turned a corner into another hall and Adam was with his friends, and Kelly. “Hey Erica!” he yelled and Kelly stared and waved to me slightly.
“What’s going on?” I asked. “Why did you hurt Johnny?” Kelly looked away for a moment. “You don’t understand,” she said. “You don’t know what Johnny is.”
Adam nodded.
“I know what Johnny is!” I yelled. My eyes changed color again.
Adam, Kelly, and his group backed up. “Well,” Adam started. “Well we definitely know what you

are.” His friends began to laugh including Kelly and they became serious again. Anger and disappointment began to fill my head to the top and down to the bottom.
“Kelly please stop this,” I said. “We don’t have to make fun of each other, we can stop fighting and get serious other then you bullying him and getting away with it. And the only reason you’re getting away with it is because the dean wants to see how we both will react to it.”
The bell rang. Students flourished out into the halls as usual, and Jonathan stood beside me. “Come, let’s go,” He said. For some reason he always said that when we were in a mixed up situation.
“No,” I said. “Show them your eye.”
He pulled off the eye patch. Underneath it was a perfect looking eye. “I can’t see out of this eye until next week, I’m half blind at the moment.” He covered his eyes with his eye patch again.
I bit my nails a little freaked out. “Uh… so how did this happen?” I asked.
“Well,” Johnny started. “My shoe accidentally fell of my foot and hit Kelly’s head, and Adam charged at me with a needle.” I gasped. Adam was looking around.
“Uh… let’s go, we can go now.” I held his hand. I knew that even if he was immortal, it wasn't impossible for him to feel pain.

It was Friday and I was getting ready for my date. I cut my five inch long nails until they were only two. I cut my hair to my back but then watched it grow to my thighs again. As usual, there was no need for lipstick if I had already had pure red lips.

I put on my shirt that said, “I Love France!” I also put on a matching French skirt that came along with it. (I only wore these items because we were going to a French restaurant.) My Doorbell began to ring. I ran to the door and Johnny was out there waiting for me.
“I’m healed!” he yelled as I opened the door. He gave me a huge hug and spun me around. “Let’s go!” I guess when he said he was healed he must’ve meant his eye was repaired because how else would he be able to drive here?
“Wonderful!” I said.
As we drove in his car he asked me “Where is your mom?”
I shrugged, I truthfully had no idea. We reached the restaurant which was packed. “Oh my goodness.” I said. “It will take forever to get in.”
“Not unless you have reservations,” he said smiling. I stood blank for a moment. “We have reservations!” he yelled to a man.
“Come here!” the man yelled back to him.
“We have a dinner for two,” Johnny said.
The man nodded. “Right this way.”
He then escorted us to our table. I sat down in our seat. To many people, when you are just friends, there are plenty of things to talk about, when you are on a date like this after you’ve met the person, you can never find anything to talk about. “So…” I said. “You look nice.”
“So do you,” he said. I felt uncomfortable. I wish I hadn’t said yes to this date. It could ruin our whole entire "friendship" at this point. For a couple of seconds we did not even say a word. We just stared at random things like the wall. “Where were you born?” he asked me.
“Um… I was born in France actually,” I said. “Don’t have an accent because my parents were American.”
He nodded. “A question I have always wanted to ask is,” he began. “Do you think other countries talk about America as we talk about them for education?” What kind of question was that?!

Well there were some times when I did ask that question.
“I am pretty sure they do… what are you? Some geologist?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Just thinking.” He said. He was being all serious as usual.
“Thinking is good, very good,” I said.
He stopped talking for a moment and looked straight at me. “I apologize for my silence.” I nodded. “I think you should just stop looking at me and look around and see what you can see,” he told me. “By the way, you’re beautiful.”
I smiled slightly trying to pretend that he wasn't lying and I did take a look around. I looked at the people; they were all beautiful people with long hair like mine and perfectly manicured nails. They also had freshness of smells surround all of them. I listened to the man at the front of a line of people.
“Why can’t we come in this restaurant!?” he yelled.
“Special people only,” the manager said rather calmly. Special people? I didn’t pay attention to Johnny who was dreamily looking into my eyes. I looked around once again, I looked at the people, I looked at Johnny and then myself.
“The people here are demons,” I realized.
He nodded. “And every night at 9:10 is lift off,” he said. “Get ready for it. 3” he counted.
“Wait?”
“2” he counted again.
“What is lift off?”
“1” The roof off the building disappeared.

He held my hand. “Come on let’s go,” he said. We both grew wings.
“Aah!” I yelled. My wings began to soar and I was able to let go of his hands. “Oh my gosh!” I yelled. “This is unbelievable!” But this was definitely happening. I hoped this was not a dream. I once had a dream where I stole the last chocolate pudding and put it on my dresser and when I woke up it was gone. If what was happening then would happen now I would just begin to cry.
“All that awkwardness paid off huh!?” yelled Johnny.
I laughed softly, but I'm sure he couldn't hear it over all the wind. “Sure did!” I yelled back.
Soon enough we landed back into the restaurant, everyone did. Later on he drove me home and he walked me to my front porch. At this point you would be waiting for a first kiss, but I could wait.
“Thanks,” I said. “For such a wonderful night, you know who gets to fly in this world? I wanted to let you know this is the best thing that has ever happened in my life.”
He nodded. “Good.”
All night I could tell he wasn’t really into me so I said, “I hope we will be...good friends for a long time.”
His eyes widened. “Oh um… ok,” he said. “You know unless, you want to be a little-”
“More than friends?” I said to complete his sentence.
He gulped. “Well actually I was going to say,” he said. I felt a little embarrassed to know that I completed his sentence the wrong way. “I was just gonna say-” he stopped his sentence short and took his hands to my face. “That was actually exactly

what I was going to say.” And then he closed his eyes while mine were anxiously open, and he kissed me, lips warm to the touch. I waved good bye and closed my door behind me.
I screamed on the top of my lungs and I had a feeling that he’d heard me. I ran around my kitchen a million times just from the excitement that he kissed me. Never did I think that I would be more than friends with anyone

. I began to dress into my night clothes and I lied in my bed. It took me an hour to fall asleep, it was frightening thinking that why would he want to be friends with me and then wants to go out with me and then want to kiss me? I mean no one wants to kiss me ever!
“Aah!” I screamed so excitedly. And thankfully, I was knocked out.

Being Next

It was a Saturday morning and my mother still hadn’t come home for all of these weeks. I took my house phone and called her number. The phone began to ring slowly.
“Hello?” she yelled.
“Mom?” I said.
“Hey! What’s up? I’m in a club in Alaska! It’s freezing! Very loud too. What’s going on, are you ok?”
I nodded but remembered that she couldn’t tell I was nodding. “Yes mom, everything is fine. I went on a date last night.”
She seemed really happy right now. (Every girl had to mention that they went on a date to their mother.) “Oh my goodness!” she yelled. “Was it fun?” I accidentally nodded again.
“Yeah mom, it was enjoyable.”
“Ok,” she said. “What are you going to do today?” I didn’t really have a plan today.
“Maybe I'll say hi to Kelly today, I think she would like to hear from me, she has been a little worried about me. Well, I love you, I'll call you later ok?” I hung up. I grabbed some clothes on and stepped out the front door. I rode my bike over to Kelly’s house hoping that she would still accept me as her friend.
Once I got there I knocked on her door and pressed on the doorbell. Adam opened the door drinking soda with swim trunks on. “What do you want demon?” he asked.
“Actually,” I said. “I want

Kelly.”
Startlingly, he put his hand to my throat in an instant motion. “You will never get Kelly!” he yelled.
I could hardly speak. “I meant… I… want to talk… with her,” I said struggling. He let go of my neck. I held my hand there for a moment trying to have my esophagus open up again. I breathed heavily.
“Kelly!” he yelled. “Erica wants to talk to you!” Kelly walked up with her bathing suit on.
“Hey Kelly,” I said. “Can we talk in private?”
She nodded and stepped out front. “I’m not aloud to talk to demons ok, so make it quick before we get caught.” She just answered my question. I was going to ask why we can’t still be friends.
“Why aren’t you aloud to talk to demons?”
She sighed. “I don’t-” she said. “My family thinks they’re going to kill us one day for our sins, but your kind doesn't understand, we are better now.” My kind?

She walked away and I heard a horn. Behind me was the boy that I named riding a bicycle.
“Hey!” he yelled. I waved. “You know when I left yesterday, my car broke down.”
“Oh I’m sorry I didn’t notice,” I started. “I was too obsessed-” I stopped.
He parked his bike. “What?” he asked. What do you think idiot!? It was his stupid kiss I was obsessed with.
“Nothing,” I answered. “Just this new phone my mom sent me.” I lied. “Ooh, interesting, let me see.” I shook my head.
“No, I left it at home to charge.”
He nodded understandingly. “So what’s up with Kelly?” he asked. By the way he was acting; he acted as though he never even kissed me before. Maybe if I took my mind off of this I could be less preoccupied.
“Well Kelly told me we could no longer be friends.” I sighed.
“Well you have me don’t you?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I said smiling. “I guess I do.”
“I can do both parts.” He said. “I can be your boyfriend and your best friend.” He had definitely remembered the kiss we shared.

I agreed to this, acting as if I wasn't surprised. “You will be my...” I murmured the two syllables, “And my best friend.”
He moved in to kiss me until he stopped to the sound of Kelly yelling my name. “Are you serious?” she said walking out of her house all wet. Johnny stood in front of me with his hand stopping Kelly from coming any closer.
“Kelly please,” he said. Kelly ran up to him and slowly bit his arm with teeth sharpened, fangs springing out.
“Damn!” he yelled. “Why?!” He fell to the ground leaving me behind. My eyes slowly turned to a dark violet; she could tell I was angry.
“Are you seriously going out with this guy,” she yelled. “This evil, cheap child that could slowly be turning you into something you don’t want to be?” I didn’t listen to her. “Owlings may not be angels but we are definitely similar, you need to be one of us before you become too powerful to destroy!”
She took my arm but I shook it off. “No,” I said. I took Jonathan’s arm around my back. He groaned and looked towards Kelly.
“Owlings suck, YOU suck,” He said. “If I had the strength I would’ve killed you already! You would’ve been done.”
“Calm down,” I whispered. His eyes went red a lot faster than mine when they turn purple. He took his arm away from me as I slowly watched it heal. It was unbelievable and he took my hand and approached Kelly.
“Kill her, or do something to hurt her.” He commanded me. I looked at him confused. “You can never make it through life without learning to defend yourself or others from owlings.”
“Do it Erica,” Kelly said teasing me. I felt under pressure.
“Uh…” I began. I started in boxing position.
Kelly laughed. “Good?” I asked Johnny.
“What ever you are comfortable with,” he said kind of chuckling at the same time. I didn’t want to seem stupid but I thought of the things her and her brother did to Johnny. I was even angrier than before. I could feel my teeth sharpen. I felt my long straight hair curl up a little bit. This all happened from the tenseness. My nails grew to their usual five inches. Kelly finally stopped smiling. My hair straightened out again. What was going on?
I gulped and felt a sudden urge to aim at her arm and her eye. This was only because this is where they aimed at on Jonathan. I would do sincerely anything for him. I went in for the kill; I waved my long sharp nails at her left eye and purposely missed. I missed because she wasn’t the one who caused him to be half blind for the day. I rapped my straight beautiful hair around her arm and squeezed, reminding myself of Medusa and her snake locks of hair.
She fell to the ground. “Let go!” she yelled. Her arm turned a sickening blue and I could tell it had lost feeling. And when the blueness spread to the rest of her body I stopped.
“Come on Johnny!” I yelled. He went on his parked bike and I went on mine and we rode as far as we could hoping we wouldn’t meet into Adam.
“Oh my gosh!” he yelled. “You did it!” I was nearly upset at him.
“She was right.” I said. “You did

force me to do something I didn’t want to,”
He looked at me. “Seriously,” he said. “I was just trying to teach you to fight for yourself.”
“But I wasn’t though.” I explained. “I was only fighting for you so if you hurt her you wouldn’t be in trouble. I felt like I was fighting for you the whole entire time.” I stopped my bike feeling guilty for what I did but angry about what he made me do.
“These demons in angel form framed us of being the demons, and you feel bad, for her?” he asked.
“Maybe I don’t believe that,” I said. “Maybe they are the angels and we are the demons just confusing ourselves. Maybe you are going nuts and not knowing what you're talking about. When I saw Kelly’s grandfather, who was definitely not an angel, he was evil and laughing. I saw him and so did you, and that was no angel in demon form, if we saw him we have to be demons too.”
He seemed disappointed but starting to get the point I was trying to put across to him. “I showed you that we could fly, exactly like angels, we could do more things than anybody,” he explained.
“But listen,” I said. “You also showed me how we could not keep secrets and we cannot forgive, and now I can’t do anything about that. You showed me that the anger you always feel is to kill someone. We… are not, and will never be anything… close to angels.”
I began to ride off on my bike. He began to ride also. “Don’t you trust me?” he asked pedaling. I wanted to shake my head so bad but I just couldn’t.
“You're an idiot,” I said looking back at him. I watched his eyes turn a glowing red. “You are stupid,” I said. “When you met me you told me it was sad that I hadn’t known who I was, but it's you who has no idea!” My eyes turned violet slower than before. My teeth grew sharper and my nails were so long that if I was standing straight with my hands to my side they would touch my calves. I chuckled towards the nonsense he was giving me. I was being verbally used. My hair grew longer, past my feet. Johnny began riding his bike the direction away from me.
My hair kept growing and followed his tracks nearly exactly, it took him against his chest and off his bike while his bike moved on steadily and fell. My hair took him closer to me, and then off the ground. “Wha-what are you doing Erica?” he cried.
“I-I am not an angel.” I slammed him to the ground feeling the pull of my long strong hair. He groaned and yelled of pain. “You have been using me!” I yelled. “You only kissed me so you could pull me closer to you! To make me do horrible things to good people! I may be a demon but I will never be as demonish as you!”
I took my hair and threw him onto a tree and he fell to the ground coughing. All around me I could see ghosts of demons with questioned faces. “A fight between demons?” one asked. “I have never seen such.”
These demons were the ugliest to ever be seen. “The next generations of demons are a lot more attractive,” another said. Another nodded agreeing with him. With only a glimpse of my left eye, I could hardly notice Jonathan charging at me with nails much longer than mine. He yelled the loudest shout I have ever heard, something that made the drums in my ear pop and anyone who'd been human's ears bleed.
He came over to me and scratched my arm giving me the most horrible bleeding scar that I’d ever get. I yelled. I also gave up. “No more!” I yelled. He stopped also. “Go away! I don’t want you around me.”
He stood just a little bit away from me. “That was the most,” he began, “foolish thing I have ever seen a demon do.” I hated him so much at the moment that I wanted to scream. I slapped him in the face. He touched his face like it burned and it probably did, with my nails, at least. I looked at him and he looked back at me.
“Go away! What are you doing here!?” I asked. “Aren’t you angry with me?” He shook his head. He snapped trying to get my attention, and luckily, for him, he did.
“I was never using you,” he said. “I promise. Maybe I just happen to really like you.” I felt like smiling but I didn’t because I didn’t want him to see through me.
“Go away,” I muttered. I heard him walk away but when I turned around he was still there and he kissed me, very suddenly, and I felt like objecting but just as I was, he finally parted. I couldn't take it anymore, he was driving me crazy! “Why do you like me?”
He laughed. “Because you're stronger than me,” he said. He began to walk home as I did too. I felt very uncomfortable when he kissed me. He didn’t even notice but his eyes were still red the whole entire time.
The ghosts of demons surrounded me again, “Wow,” one said. “He’s absolutely in love with you but still wanted to kill you at the same time? I think his eyes were even a darker shade of red when he began to kiss you." It chuckled in its defense. "That is very sad.” I
I nodded. “I know,” I said. “I’m never going to stoop down to his anger level again. It’s...” Frightening. I sighed. I began to cry in the palm of my hands.
"Oh sweetie,” one said.
“Get away from me!” I yelled. I was tired of some old ancestors following me home. I waved my hands in the air like I was swatting a fly. They wouldn’t go away. They all started talking about how they died but one single voice came apart from the rest of the crowd saying,
“You’re next” everyone became silent and looked around for the person who said that aloud.
“What?” I asked scared. "Who said that?"
“Uh…” a ghost said. Then they all disappeared. I walked home for the rest of the morning and watched as it turned to the afternoon. I went inside my bed and relaxed for a while. My eyes were still violet. “Ugghh!” I hated being hated by someone who said that they were mine. If he were mine he wouldn’t be so far away, he wouldn’t lie, he wouldn't have tried hurting me like he did-but then again, he told me a gravity brought him closer to the death's of his loved ones. No matter what. Am I one of them?

One Step Closer

This morning I woke up at 5:00 am to the sound of lightning and thunder, and the echo of the words “you’re,” and “next.” When that person said I was next I think he meant to die. Or was I just making it seem that way? Who said this to me?!
I was so tired; I went to bed at 1:00 am this morning. I accidentally packed my bag with broken electronics and, thank God, my math homework. I rode my bicycle to my stop and parked it next to a stop sign. Hopefully when I came home it would be stolen already. All of a sudden I saw Johnny walking towards me. His eyes were dark brown until he looked up at me and they turned red again. I backed up and began to whimper like a child.
He came closer to me and took the back of my head and kissed my lips. I began pushing him off of me but he wouldn’t go away so when the bus moved in I ran away quickly. I found a seat and he sat next to me. I felt awkward.
“Are you ok?” he asked. I nodded squishing myself into the seat scooting away from him. He put his arm around my shoulder as I put my arms around myself trying not to be scared of what he would do. “You seem different.”
He sighed slowly when I didn't say anything.
“I love you, you know,” he said.
I stifled a gasp and easily hid it. I was not going to allow him to have the satisfaction of me replying nicely. “Thanks.” I replied with a fake smile. He nodded.
“Um…” he began. He was the one making this awkward with those red eyes of his. “By any chance do you love me

?” he asked. I shook my head not looking straight into his eyes, but when I did they were brown. He took his arm away from my shoulder. He wasn’t angry at me or feels the urge to kill me. I was happy again and less gloomy.
“I mean I do,” I said. I kissed his cheek. “I do love you,” I repeated. These words, I didn't even say them to my mother on a regular basis. He put his arm back around me and his eyes turned red again. I didn’t understand why this was happening and I didn’t care. As long as his eyes turned brown when he said he loved me was all that mattered.

Jonathan’s Point of View

It was strange, how she was acting; she kept looking at my eyes. I noticed they were red, but I was too embarrassed to tell her why. After I charged at her and scratched her arm I couldn’t take it anymore. Guilt filled me to the top, this is when I began to hate myself and feel the urge to kill-not anyone in particular-but myself. But I couldn’t find the right way without someone fussing over me. Unless I stop hating myself my eyes would never go back to brown. Except that one moment when I "confidently" told her I love her. Very embarrassing.
I wanted to laugh when she shook her head. I wanted to apologize and say, “Sorry Erica, for expressing my feelings for you and then it was very nice of you for saying thanks.” But when she said she did, I couldn’t help but hating myself again. Knowing that she forgave me for fighting with another demon, especially her, killed me once again.
Adam was evil-eyeing Erica once we were walking down the hall. I was pretty sure Erica didn’t even notice. She just walked on. “Erica,” Adam said in a terrible coarse singing voice. She began to move towards his way waving. I tried to keep her next to me but she pulled away and mouthed.
“What’s your problem?” I pointed to the empty space next to me mouthing, stay over here!

Adam gave her a big hug showing his most affection for her. He grabbed her back and squeezed her like one of those squishy balls that could keep you from being angry. He held her pony tail and smelt her hair. This was starting to get awkward. His book bag dropped and he kissed her cheek.
“Uh…” she said.
“Adam,” I said sounding respectful to him for once. He looked towards me while still hugging Erica. I pointed to myself and then Erica. “Oh,” he said. “You two are a thing

?”
I nodded. “Yeah,” I said embarrassed by what just happened. He then kissed her lips. Whatever rose inside of me, rose to the fullest. I may've not known Erica too long, but once I had something, I had to keep it in my reach.

Continuing with Erica’s point of View

I could not believe it, and it made me wonder what Johnny thought about this. He began approaching faster than ever with an open mouth and fangs showing through a baring set of teeth. Adam which was on the other side of me had a position that you could tell that he was getting ready to stab something into him, and the scariest part was that I was right in-between. I then put my hands right to my sides towards both of their chests and I pushed. All of this was slowly operating in my head. Both guys were pushed to the other side of the hall. What I thought was happening so slowly happened in half a second, and now I knew how fast I could think and slow things down in my mind. Some people were looking around wondering if they saw a guy next to me one second and then saw him 10 feet across from me the other. I ran over to Johnny, “Are you ok?” I asked.
He nodded. “My sister,” Adam cried. “She is in the hospital because of you two, bastards. She could be dying any second because you idiots.”
This was the reason why he kissed me, he knew that Johnny wouldn’t like it and he must’ve figured it could be another way of saying payback time. The dean came out and ordered us to his office. Adam sat in one corner of the room while Jonathan sat in the other. The dean ordered me to sit in a separate room and watch.
“Come on,” he said to both of them. “This is absolutely ridiculous.” I looked around and checked Adam who was sweating rain that dripped off his forehead. “Until you two stop kissing your girlfriend over there,” he continued.
“She’s not my girlfriend.” Adam interrupted.
“Then why’d you kiss her?!” the dean said. Adam didn’t want to tell him, I guess he must’ve thought the reason was foolish. “You guys will be partnered in every class,” he continued. “Hold hands in the hallways, you will sit next to each other on the bus, and you will not treat this girl like a lost child so you 're unallowed to talk to her for two weeks or until I see you two improve something.”
My eyes widened. Two weeks was so long! “Um…” I interrupted. “Why did you put me in the middle of this?” I asked.
“Adam has a crush on you,” he answered. Adam’s eyes widened. “Sorry Adam, she was never going to find out with you being a chicken like that.” Johnny found this to no surprise, he already knew and didn’t tell me! “Anyways,” said the dean. “They’ve only been fighting mostly over you, and you are a huge distraction to them, unless you go out with both of them and they like it that way that’s the only way you can have it, or you don’t get any one at all. I would pick the second choice though,” he whispered.
Now officially all of our eyes widened. Shouts of “That’s not fair!” and, “Why’d you tell!” and “My life is falling to ashes!” were going into the air. One last voice followed through saying, “You are all drama queens, get out of my office.”
I did as I was told. I watched as Adam and Johnny were barely holding hands to their next class. I walked beside them. “Hey guess what I realized!” I said. No one answered knowing they were not supposed to be talking to me. “Well…” I began. “He said you can’t talk to me but he never said I couldn’t talk to you guys!” They both nodded while still just brushing their hands together.
“The dean was just kidding about the hand holding thing you know,” I said. They both sighed and moved away from each other.
“Thank you god!” Adam yelled.
“God says 'no problem.'” I said angelically. “I guess I will be going to class now.” I muttered uncomfortably knowing that I no longer had any friends. They nodded. They went the other direction. This was not funny but I made it seem that way acting as if everything was going to be fine.
The next day as I went on the bus, as it was supposed to be, Johnny sat next to Adam, talked to Adam, bonded with Adam, became friends with Adam. I had never expected that they were actually getting along with each other. I knew that sooner or later when the dean realized this great behavior, we would soon be able to communicate. I walked down the halls happily all day until I saw Adam on the floor laughing with a black eye and Johnny on the floor next to him with his hair all cut in this and that way. I went up to them.
“What happened!?” I asked concerned. Adam shook his head not being able to talk without laughing. Johnny, who was beside him kept a straight face until a few seconds later when he busted out laughing.
“I don’t know!” he yelled.
“Chuckle chuckle chuckle,” I said. “Very funny.”
“All I remember,” began Adam laughing his heart away. “Is that the dean, he came by and the next second he left and we were on the floor laughing! I think it’s a mistake though.”

Me?

“He was angry,” I said while sitting next to Adam and Johnny on the bus. “He was probably angry that you guys could take two weeks together and be on the same bus without killing each other. Why were you guys laughing when I found you?”
Adam shook his head in disappointment. “It was the only way I could reject pain, by laughing and not crying. Then your dumb boyfriend over here cracked up and thought it was ridiculous and we forgot about the pain altogether.”
I was squished up in one seat between both boys. “Ha!” Johnny laughed, “Funny secret you had in the deans office.” Then he suddenly frowned. “Yeah, I’ve been waiting 14 days to tell you this, so here it goes, she’s mine

.” I widened my eyes.
“But,” I began. “I thought you guys were going to end the stupid fight--”
Adam cut me off. “It was all a stupid act Erica,” he said patiently. “I thought he liked me too.” He put my head against his chest. Awkwardness spread around the three of us quickly.
Jonathan looked at Adam, his eyes being brown again. “Erica, that was an act to get you closer to him.” Why did his eyes turn brown? Then they quickly turned red. Johnny took my head and put it against his chest.
“Johnny?” Adam said slyly. “You said it yourself; you don’t even deserve her for all the pain you caused her.”
Adam took my arm and turned it around showing the scar of where he had scratched me that one morning. We had come to our stop.
“See you tomorrow Adam,” Johnny said. This was becoming very unusual.
Johnny and I walked off of the bus. Johnny looked around the bus stop and pulled off the stop sign and threw it over my head into the woods. “Johnny calm down. You can forget about it what happened that one day was all messed up, and you know I forgave you. The question is, did you ever forgive me?”
Jonathan stared at me. He came close to me and squeezed my shoulders. “There is nothing to forgive you for. You were right to do what you did to me, it was me who wasn’t right to do what I did to you, and so I couldn’t get angry at Adam. He was speaking the truth, I don’t deserve you.”
I couldn’t believe what he was saying. Was he making this all up to make it easier to say I wanna break up with you? I paced for a couple of seconds. “Johnny,” I said with tears filling my eyes. “You don’t have to make up silly stories just to say you’re breaking up with me, it’s still as painful.”
He sighed. “I’m not breaking up with you.”
I shrieked in relief. “I love you, I love you, I love you!” I yelled. I jumped into his arms. He pushed me away. My happiness fell and shattered to pieces, “What’s wrong?” I said unpleasantly. His tears were as red as his eyes. “What’s been bothering me,” I said “Is I don’t know why your eyes have been red if you don’t want to kill me.”
He yelled and covered his eyes. “Because!” he said hesitating. “I want to kill myself!”
My eyes had widened more than they had before. “Than why haven’t you?” I asked.
“Because,” Johnny said once again, “I don’t want to live or die without you.” I stood still.
“Johnny, I’m not dying for you.” I said calmly. “Let’s go home.” I took his right arm and walked him to my babysitting service. Children were aligned over by the walls while Johnny sat in a corner. “Johnny stay here unless any child needs help.” I slowly kissed his cheek.
I began role call. “Cassidy?”
“Here.” She said
“Ryan?”
“Here.” he said.
I went down through a whole entire line of 28 children in my home. A little girl named Josephine yelled out in the middle of class, “Why does that man have red eyes?” she asked pointing to her own.
“I am not a man.” said Johnny slowly. “I am only 16, wait another year and a quarter.”
Josephine looked stupefied. “Who are you and why do you have red eyes child?!” she yelled.
Johnny chuckled. “They are contacts.” He said.
“And I am Eri-“I cut him short to whisper, “Ms. Erica.” “I mean Ms

. Erica’s best friend.”
A girl from out of no where came along and said, “You mean boyfriend.” Everything felt so difficult with a 12 year old knowing everything. “Ewww!” The whole younger class shrieked.
Johnny looked at me and smiled. “It’s ok,” the twelve year old said. “I have a boyfriend too.” I sent her an OH REALLY? look.
“Ok,” I murmured, “Multiplication time!” The class booed.
At the end of the day, the only child left was the 12 year old girl. “So have you guys kissed yet?” Johnny seemed to be getting annoyed with a little girl getting in the middle of our relationship.
“Bug off.” He said.
“Johnny!” I yelled.
“Issues…” the girl whispered. Johnny some way took control of his temper. “You’re pretty good looking Johnny.” She said.
“I would refer you calling me Mr. Johnny, and I will let everyone else call me whatever they want.”
The girl laughed and sat on his lap. She could here her mother pull up into the driveway to pick her up. “Ok,” she said. She picked up her bags and gave me a hug. She gave Johnny a piece of paper and kissed his cheek. “Call me Mr. Johnny

, bye Ms. Erica.”
She walked out of the door and Johnny’s cheeks got red with amazement, his eyes still red. “Don’t worry Johnny, I know you’re afraid of me getting jealous, but I’m not jealous of seventh graders.”


We sat down on my living room couch watching sports. “I got kissed today.” He said.
“I know.” I said plainly. “I saw you get kissed, and you said it a million times. Did you like it?” I asked nervously.
“No.” he said. “It was too weird and unusual.”
“Good.” I said. We watched TV until we got bored.
“You wanna go somewhere?” he asked.
“Sure.” I said. “Hold on a minute.” I dug deep into my pocket and pulled out my cell phone and called my mom. I had her on speed dial.
“Hello?” she said.
“Mom?”
“What?” she asked.
“When will you be coming home?”
“Tomorrow.” She said.
I hung up. “Let’s go!” I yelled. We walked to Wal-Mart and sat on a bench.
“I’ll do anything, anything to get out of a house.” He said.
“Me too.” It was getting dark and three gang members walked up and sat next to us on the bench. “Get a room.” One said.
“I don’t kiss in public.” Johnny replied.
“Oh, ok neither do I. Beautiful night ain’t it?”
I nodded. “You’re invading my personal space.” I said. In one second I could see Johnny’s one hand swing all of those guys of the bench except the two of us. One guy rubbed his head and looked at Johnny.
“Demon aren’t yuh?” asked one of the guys. “Both you guys demons?”
“Satisfactory.” Johnny said crossing his legs with his arms around me while I sat on his lap leaning back.
“Have ya’ll been recently attacked by any owlings?” We both shook our heads. "Then what’s with the scratch on the arm?” he asked me.
Looking at Johnny I had just realized his eyes were brown once they turned red again, then he looked down. I sat up and brought the gang members to a part of Wal-Mart that they had never seen before.
“Whatcha gonna do? Kiss me.” demanded a gang member. I extended my long nails, and the three guys were scared for their lives. As soon as I was about to strike for their faces, a hand held my arm back. I turned around to Johnny’s sad apologetic face. He held my hand while the guys remained untouched.
“That wouldn’t have ended up well.” He told me. “Demon’s are not aloud to fight with their same kind. They could’ve reported you.”
I sighed. I truthfully knew why Johnny hadn’t reported me, because he loved me. “I’m sorry,” I said.
“I don’t like it when you feel this way.”
He chuckled. “It’s fine!” he yelled pretending to be happy. “I’ll handle myself.” The gang members watched as we talked. He kissed my lips more passionate than ever. He held my hands and closed my eyes for me because I hadn’t. I did and went along with it.
“Now get a room!” said the gang member as they walked off.
Johnny looked into my eyes and bit his bottom lip. “I Love You.”
We sat back down on the bench and slept there for the rest of the night. I never thought I’d find someone like him, I never thought I was going to end up like this. I can’t even remember how we met. I remember all the questions I asked. Why would some one so beautiful want to be friends with me? Go out with me? Kiss me? Love me? Think I’m beautiful? Dream about more days to spend with me? Why?

Note: thanks to all of those who've actually read up to this far! I made this story a couple of years ago. A LOT of messed up spots. I also can't find my next chapter. -__- Ugh. Tell me if you want to know about updates. :)

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Texte: @pastandpresent, inc.
Lektorat: Brae911
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 20.06.2012

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